02 Mar 2012

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Arm Syrian rebels: MPs SEE PAGE 6

KUWAIT: Kuwait lawmakers are engaged in a stormy debate yesterday before the National Assembly voted overwhelmingly to urge the government to assist the Syrian opposition with arms and to cut off the country’s diplomatic ties with Damascus. — Photo

by Yasser Al-Zayyat

Local FRIDAY, MARCH 2, 2012

In my view

Ban effect goes up in smoke

By Lisa Conrad lisa@kuwaittimes.net

T

he newly-imposed smoking ban seems to be making very little difference. People still appear to be smoking wherever they choose, in restaurants, malls, supermarkets and, worst of all, even hospitals. So what’s changed, exactly? So far, it seems, the ban has made little to no difference, and I highly doubt that the smoking ban will actually work anytime soon in Kuwait.

I can’t think of a single example where a population met a smoking ban with open arms, immediately adapting to it with no resistance whatsoever. Some countries, however, had a harder time introducing it than others, and I’m almost certain that it will be a long while before we see it effectively implemented in Kuwait.

Firstly, the social hierarchy in Kuwait dictates that most customers visiting many restaurants and cafes across Kuwait are ‘superior’ to those serving them, so how is it expected that restaurant, cafe managers and staff will be able to successfully prohibit their customers from smoking and succeeding in correcting those who do? It’s worth considering what the consequences would be if a waiter told a patron to put out their cigarette, and whether or not the request would actually be followed.

Secondly, many smokers do not fear of negative consequences should they be caught. Even if there were skyhigh fines, the right wasta (connections) would most likely relieve you of them anyway. Elsewhere, smoking in a nonsmoking area, which in many countries often covers any indoor space, can land you a hefty fine. Such tactics work as a strong deterrent because smokers genuinely fear and avoid the consequences of being caught, therefore abiding by rules. Without deterrents, people simply will not abide by rules or laws. If man were entrusted to follow what’s ‘right’ instead of wrong, based on morality alone, we’d be

in quite the utopia.

Thirdly, smoking is popular here. When a people enjoy a habit, they pursue it and defend it. Greece had multiple failed attempts in introducing a smoking ban purely because the public refused to stop. Simply because it was such a large scale resistance, the ban became somewhat redundant. Even if people do eventually adhere to the ban, it won’t be without a fight or some kind of backlash.

Smoking in public places is now a distant memory in the UK, but it certainly didn’t come about without difficulties and resistance. When the ban was initially introduced, horrific stories of club-goers attacking bouncers after being told to put out their cigarettes were splashed across the press. One commuter even shoved a woman onto the railway tracks after she informed him that he was smoking in a non-smoking station.

I don’t imagine that such extremes will take place in Kuwait. However, I’m quite sure that a stronger resistance with considerable longevity will subtly put up their fight by, simply, not putting out their cigarettes. Personally, I don’t have a problem with people smoking sheesha because it’s more traditional and, perfumes the room with a more pleasant smell than cigarette smoke. Plus, many cafes depend on sheesha sales and are known to be frequented by sheesha smokers, so it’s quite easy for those with a dislike for it to avoid it. Cigarette smoking, however, is quite another issue all together. There seems to be no avoiding cigarette smoke and I don’t think others, especially children, should have to breathe in toxic smoke wherever they go. For now, however, Kuwait is at the beginning of a long battle.

Satire Wire

Google becomes Big Bother

By Sawsan Kazak

sawsank@kuwaittimes.net

A

s of yesterday, Google implemented its new privacy policy worldwide. The title seems harmless enough, ‘privacy’ and ‘policy’ give the illusion of safety and security, but the new rules have some people rightfully worried.

Apparently the Internet giant will keep track of everything we do on Google and create a personal profile for each individual user; needless to say the new rules have been met with worldwide outcry.

Many authorities are concerned about the collection of personal data as well as the lawfulness and fairness of such proceedings. The most worrying aspect of the new system is that users do not have the option to opt out of the new policy if they want to use the services offered by Google. The company claims they are only collecting and pooling the data on their users so they can ‘better tailor search results and improve services’.

Well I have to say that I am one of the people

that are worried about these new Google rules, as I use Google on an hourly basis. I’m not worried because I Google inappropriate subjects on a daily basis, but because of the possibility that some of my activity might be misunderstood.

What if I Google some information to help a friend out, such as: ‘how to treat foot fungus?’ or ‘what causes hemorrhoids?’.

Or even worse, what if someone else gets into my account and starts searching for information on human trafficking and child slavery? And I often use Google to settle bets on things ranging from ‘what is the oldest profession in the world?’ to ‘Hitler’s life philosophies’.

I would hate for the above items to make up my personal Google profile. Can you imagine just what kind of results I would start getting with a profile like that?

Many critics believe that the company is only implementing these new rules to increase their advertising profits and not to better the service. I understand that Google is a company and that increasing profits is a key part of such an organization, but not at the expense of their users. If getting more information about us will help Google with advertizing and able them to better their service, they can simply ask. Many people do not mind giving out more personal information; they just have to be given a venue to do so.

Local FRIDAY, MARCH 2, 2012

From the editor’s desk

Wise and otherwise

By Abd Al-Rahman Al-Alyan Editor-in-Chief

myopinion@kuwaittimes.net

T

here is an Arabic saying, which translates to “take wisdom from the words of those who are crazy”. This is normally used when you find that the person who was right is the crazy guy. I don’t mean to insult anybody but I never agreed with anything MP Mohammed AlJuwaihel ever had to say and always thought of him as an extreme person with extreme, politically-incorrect views.

However, for once I do agree with him when he stood up in Parliament to say that the problems we need to discuss are in Kuwait and not in Syria. This Parliament has been kept busy by two major issues on their agenda: First, the Syrian issue and second, throwing derogatory terms at each other.

All of a sudden our MPs think they are members of the UN Security Council or belong to a country that is a superpower. Now don’t get me wrong, I believe that the suffering of any people in the world is wrong but the Syrian topic is really interesting from a local and international perspective. First, from an international viewpoint, there is complete outrage over Russia and China’s decision to veto military intervention in Syria. The Syrian people need help.

Yes, the veto is a disappointment for the people; but I don’t understand why the shock and the outrage towards the two superpowers over just one veto.

The US can get away with more than 25 vetoes on resolutions that would benefit the Palestinian people who have needed help since the UN resolution 181 from November 1947 that marked the creation of the state of Israel. Russia and China would say they are protecting their interests; the US is protecting its interests and the interests of Israel as well. To be honest, Syria needs another 64 years before their government can catch up with the atrocities that the un-Jewish like government of Israel is doing to the people of Palestine. I say un-Jewish because the Jewish belief does not condone such actions. Unfortunately, we do live in a world that is extremely biased.

From a local perspective, I think the position of Kuwaitis on stopping bloodshed in Syria was clear and our government is backing the UN and Arab League on all their decisions on this matter. Now, why does our Parliament feel the need to continue discussing this matter and if you can’t sort things out in your own backyard, what qualifies you to help sort out Syria?

The truth is our Parliamentarians are doing what they do best which is that creating divisions. This whole issue is being created because both Sunni and Shiite MPs want to have a go at each other and this time they have the Syrian issue as an excuse - just like the Bahraini issue was used before. For God’s sake, you have done enough damage to Kuwait locally; please don’t sabotage its international relations as well and for once, address the issues and needs of the Kuwaiti people.

In conclusion, if all these efforts by the Arabs were made for Palestine, we would have a real Palestinian state today, and if all these efforts made by our Parliamentarians to slander each other were swayed towards the betterment of Kuwait, we would be saying “What credit crunch?”

KUWAIT: Kuwait MPs are voting to adopt a non-binding resolution calling on the Government to arm the Syrian Opposition and sever diplomatic ties with Damascus yesterday. — Photo

by Yasser Al-Zayyat

Local FRIDAY, MARCH 2, 2012

The generosity with which food is shared is a key part of Middle Eastern hospitality. The question, however, is where does the line between generosity and wastefulness lie?

By Lisa Conrad

T

he incidence of restaurants charging, and sometimes even fining, customers for excessive ordering and wastefulness is becoming increasingly common in both Europe and the US. How would such tactics be met in the Middle East? Eating is a central part of socializing in Kuwait, and the Middle East as a whole. The generosity with which food is shared is a key part of Middle Eastern hospitality. The question, however, is where does the line between generosity and wastefulness lie?

“I would be outraged if a restaurant charged extra for dishes we didn’t eat,” Lebanese expatriate, Hayfa, said. “It’s ridiculous that you would pay an additional charge for a dish you already paid for once. It’s not for the restaurants to try and teach ‘lessons’ to their customers.” Kuwaiti student, Fajer, agreed, “The restaurants here are incredibly successful because we enjoy eating and we’re generous when we order.” Fajer, who is currently planning to set up her own restaurant, added, “It’s traditional for us to be as hospitable as possible.

You don’t order a plate for yourself, you order for all to enjoy together. I think that’s a wonderful thing. I would never even consider incorporating such charges into my restaurant.”

Eric Fontaine, Food and Beverage Director of the Crowne Plaza hotel, said that introducing charges for eating habits considered wasteful is not an option in Kuwait. He noted the importance of culture when considering the issue, “We’d get a lot of complaints if we introduced such charges because it’s not in line with the culture, and would be perceived as an insult.” He added, “Middle Eastern culture is very much about sharing and hospitality, so usually a variety of dishes are ordered. People eat with their eyes, and a table full of food is very appealing.”

Hayfa also noted culture as a key part of generous ordering, “Whether you’re

inviting people to your home or ordering food in a restaurant, there must always be more than enough food on offer. It’s stingy to order ‘just enough’ and suggests to your guests that you’re cheap and only doing the very minimum.” In keeping up with such norms, there can often be half-eaten, sometimes untouched dishes left over.

Fontaine, however, noted that this may not be deliberate, “You can’t guarantee that everyone will eat from the same dish when a variety is being shared, so wastage is not necessarily deliberate.”

In terms of buffet wastage, a major target elsewhere for wastage charges, Fontaine says that it’s all a matter of planning, and a touch of practicality, “Firstly, when people go to a buffet, it is usually to have a large meal,” said Fontaine. He added, however, “Our buffets don’t suffer badly from wastage because we know what’s popular and we cook accordingly. It’s also good to have smaller plates available so customers have the option to try many things, but also so that there isn’t excess wastage.” He reiterated the importance of understanding that people ‘eat’ with their eyes, adding, “A full plate, even if smaller, will satisfy customers and allow them the opportunity to make multiple visits to the buffet to try different parts of it.”

Local FRIDAY, MARCH 2, 2012

Gulf FMs to raise Syria with Russia KUWAIT: Gulf foreign ministers will meet their Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov in the Saudi capital next week to discuss developments in Syria, Kuwait’s foreign minister said yesterday.

“A meeting will be held with the Russian foreign minister and the foreign ministers of the Gulf Cooperation Council on March 7 in Riyadh,” Sheikh Sabah Khaled Al-Sabah told Kuwaiti MPs. He said the ministers from the six-nation bloc will “express their disappointment with the Russian stance,” on the crisis in Syria.

Moscow along with Beijing has twice wielded its Security Council veto to block UN action on the crisis in Syria, first in October last year and again in February. Sheikh Sabah Khaled Al-Sabah spoke at an emergency session of the newly elected Parliament called to discuss the escalating crackdown by President Bashar Al-Assad’s regime on anti-government protesters demanding his ouster.

He said that Gulf nations will “call on Syria to take a position that will meet the aspirations of the Syrian people.” The announcement came just three days after Qatar’s prime minister said he was in favor of delivering arms to the Syrian opposition that is battling Assad’s regime.

“We should do whatever necessary to help them, including giving them weapons to defend themselves,” Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim Al-Thani said on a visit to Norway. “This uprising in Syria now (has lasted) one year. For 10 months, it was peaceful: nobody was carrying weapons, nobody was doing anything.

Bashar continued killing them,” Sheikh Hamad told a news conference. Also this week, Saudi Arabia accused some countries of being complacent about Syria, and blocking a solution to the deadly violence.

“The kingdom holds parties that delay international action (on Syria) morally responsible for developments there, especially if they continue to be complacent and ignore the interests of the Syrian people,” a government statement said. Last month, King Abdullah scolded Russian President Dmitry Medvedev for vetoing the latest Security Council resolution on Syria. In a telephone call with the Russian leader on February 22, the king said Russia should have “coordinated with the Arabs... before the veto... but now, dialogue about what is happening (in Syria) is futile.”

Saudi Arabia has taken a strong stance against Assad’s regime and, like the other five GCC member states, expelled the Syrian ambassador last month and recalled its own ambassador from Damascus to protest the “mass slaughter” of civilians.

The king has previously called for ‘critical measures’ to be taken on Syria, warning of an impending ‘humanitarian disaster.’ As well as Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and Qatar, the GCC includes Bahrain, Oman and the United Arab Emirates. The United Nations said on Tuesday that well over 7,500 people have been killed in the Syrian regime’s crackdown on nationwide protests since March last year. — AFP

PAAAFR bans poultry, eggs from Sri Lanka, Australia KUWAIT: The Public Authority for Agricultural Affairs and Fish Resources (PAAAFR) yesterday announced the prohibition of all poultry, eggs, and chicks from Sri Lanka due to the emergence of bird-flu cases in that country. In a press statement, PAAAFR also affirmed the prohibition of importing poultry, eggs, and chicks from Australia due to reports, issued by World Organization for Animal Health (WOAH), which revealed the emergence of the same pandemic.

On the other hand, the statement pointed out that PAAAFR decided to lift the prohibition on importing falcons, ornamental birds, eggs, and chicks from the Netherlands in accordance with WOAH reports that affirmed the country’s status as disease-free. —KUNA

KUWAIT: Vehicles move slowly on the Airport Road in near zero visibility following a dust storm that covered the country yesterday. — Photo by Yasser Al-Zayyat

NA calls for arming Syrian opposition MPs want govt to cut off ties with Damascus

By B Izzak KUWAIT: The National Assembly yesterday voted overwhelmingly to urge the government to assist the Syrian opposition with arms and to cut off the country’s diplomatic ties with Damascus after a stormy debate in which the Syrian regime came under fire and was condemned for killing thousands of Syrian civilians.

The assembly also called on Kuwait to join international efforts that aim at trying senior members of the Syrian regime as war criminals before the international war criminals court.

The non-binding recommendations also called for sending medical teams and medical aid to Syrian people and refugees and for bringing Syrians who are critically wounded in the crackdown to be treated in Kuwaiti hospitals.

The lawmakers also called for raising donations for the Syrian people and to allow Syrian expatriates in Kuwait to bring their families here.

The assembly decided to issue a statement condemning the crimes of the Syrian regime against the people.

Cabinet ministers voted with the recommendations but the government said it will study them before taking the final decision regarding them. The recommendations were

approved at the end of a special debate called by a large number of MPs to discuss the situation in Syria.

The debate was marred by repeated strong exchanges between Shiite MPs, most of whom supported the Syrian regime, and Sunni lawmakers who strongly lashed out at the Syrian regime describing it murderous and killer.

The debate comes just one day after the assembly overwhelmingly passed a recommendation urging the government to recognize the opposition Syrian National Council as the legitimate representative of the Syrian people.

In a statement issued after the debate, the National Assembly called on the government to actively take part in international and regional efforts to support the Syrian people until they achieve victory and bring down the regime.

Foreign Minister Sheikh Sabah AlKhaled Al-Sabah recounted Kuwait’s active participation in Arab and international efforts aimed at resolving the crisis in Syria in order to prevent foreign intervention and avert Syria from sliding into a civil war.

Sheikh Sabah said in a statement he read in the assembly that Kuwait supports the Arab League peace plan for Syria and believes it is the only

option to resolve the Syrian crisis.

Islamist MP Osama Al-Munawer said Syrian president Bashar Al-Assad is “officially a criminal” and called for extending all forms of assistance to the Syrian opposition.

Shiite MP Abdulhameed Dashti, a strong supporter of the Syrian regime, said that the regime in Damascus has been a victim of a media propaganda and misleading and fabricated news. He also called for taking Kuwaiti interests into account while dealing with the Syrian issue. MP Ali Al-Deqbasi called for taking all the measure to hold to account all those who killed children in cold blood. He strongly criticized Russia and China for backing the Syrian regime.

Islamist MP Khaled Al-Sultan described the Syrian regime as a gang, adding that if former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein was still alive, “he would have felt ashamed” of the massacres in Syria.

Sultan called for arming the Syrian people to help them fight foreign invaders who are helping the regime in Damascus. Other MPs charged that Iran, Iraqi Shiite militias and Lebanon’s Shiite militia Hezbollah have sent troops to fight alongside the Syrian regime and kill innocent civilians.

Jordanian writer Hatab hails Kuwait support AMMAN: Kuwait’s celebrations of the 51st anniversary of Independence and the 21st Liberation Day are a chance to reflect on the deep-rooted JordanianKuwaiti relations, veteran Jordanian writer Sultan Al-Hatab wrote in his column in the Jordanian Alrai newspaper Thursday.

Al-Hatab hailed Kuwait as one of the main backers of the Jordanian people and their government, citing the testi-

mony of King Abdullah II in his recently published book in which he said “Kuwaitis and particularly H.H. the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber AlSabah are the biggest supporters to Jordan and main investors in its economy.”

Al-Hatab said ties have recently grown to unprecedented levels under the wise leaderships of Jordanian King Abdullah II and His Highness the Amir of

Kuwait, Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad AlJaber Al-Sabah. He said Kuwait recently moved to help Jordan meet oil needs and address its budget deficit.

“Figures show that Kuwait was always eager to maintain relations with Jordan at the highest levels and the same applies to Jordan,” he stated.

“Due to its deep roots, these ties managed to overcome all challenges,” he added.—KUNA

Local FRIDAY, MARCH 2, 2012

A mum-networking

for expats

EMK offers advice, support for expat mothers in Kuwait

Mums pose for a photo during a picnic held as part of EMK’s first anniversary.

By Jamie Etheridge

B

aby steps. That’s what most people take when they move to Kuwait. Step one: Landing a job. Step two: Find and furnish a flat. Step three: Acquire rudimentary kamikaze driving skills necessary for surviving Kuwait’s roads. Further down the list are the ‘softer’ to-dos, finding friends and social activities to stave off the boredom and loneliness.

Three mums new to Kuwait found a way to jump feet first into life in Kuwait. They created a community group for mums and kids, Expat Mums in Kuwait. Founder and leader of Expat Mums in Kuwait (EMK) Iffat

It’s time to eat.

Davies, along with co founders Alaa Hammad and Alicia Chatila, envisioned an online community that would help expat mums in Kuwait in real life.

Being pregnant, having a baby and raising a family in Kuwait can be daunting anywhere in the world but is further complicated by being an expatriate in a country where you may not speak the language.

EMK tries to help. A forum for expat mums in Kuwait to meet and share information, EMK members offer advice on everything mum and kids-related - where to find cloth diapers to reviews of schools, pediatricians, playgrounds and parks.

Group members also meet up regularly

for coffee mornings, playdates and picnics as well as family events including a children’s party last November at the Little Gym in Jabriya, and even workouts in the park.

“My experience of the group has been amazing,” explains Zoe Foster, a recently arrived expatriate mum. “Most of the forum posts are relevant, and by searching the forum I can often find an answer to a question. If not, by posting a question someone always knows the answer. Through events and playdates, I have met a wonderful group of friends that have made Kuwait feel like home very, very quickly!”

Members live all over Kuwait and represent nationalities from North America, Europe, Middle East, Asia and Africa. “I like that there are mums (like me) but from different cultures and backgrounds. I find that so mind opening and knowledgeable,” said Dina El Gindy, mother of a three- year- old who recently moved to Kuwait.

EMK recently celebrated its one year anniversary, an important turning point in the life of any community group in Kuwait.

To mark the occasion, the founders held a picnic at the Green Island and launched a new website, http://www.expatmumskwi.blogspot.com/ Online, the group offers a forum for questions and information, classifieds and reviews of local businesses. “I love EMK because it helps in so many ways. Just being able to connect with other moms, to ask questions and to get answers is great. But more than that, I get the chance to meet other women and make playdates for my small children. I also find other mothers who have dealt with some of the same problems and challenges I face, living as an expat in Kuwait and their advice sometimes makes all the difference,” said a young mother of two and member of EMK. The non-profit group is open to all

English-speaking expatriate mums and mums-to-be in Kuwait. Membership is free and members are required to use their real names in order to ensure a safe and friendly environment.

To contact EMK, email Iffat Davies at info@expatmumskwi.com

EMK anniversary cake

On the Green Island train

Local FRIDAY, MARCH 2, 2012

Mums found

Interview

By Jamie Etheridge

F

riday Times spoke with the cofounders of Expat Mums in Kuwait Iffat Davies, Alaa Hammad and Alicia Chatila on their vision for the group, its role in the expat community and the benefits of knowing other mums and children.

FT: Where did you come up with the idea for EMK? EMK: At the time that EMK began, we were relatively new expat mums in Kuwait ourselves.

Although we had come across a few expat organizations/communities in Kuwait, some were fee-based, some only for specific nationalities, and some were without clear focus. We felt that there was a need to somehow bring together expat mums and mums-to-be in Kuwait, with the aim to support each other in every way they could - we wanted a place where mums could meet online and in person with other mums in Kuwait. We wanted a place where mums could go if they were looking for information, advice, playgroups, stroller walks, coffee mornings, nights out, etc.

So, why not introduce an online platform to allow mums and mums-to-be to keep connected?

FT: What obstacles/challenges did you face in starting the group?

EMK: EMK was simple to start because we had the support of our friends and families.

However, shortly after the group began, two of our three founding members discovered that they were expecting babies later in the year, and so the ideas and plans that we began with slowed down for a while. Our only real challenge was to spread the word.

Fortunately we were able to overcome this easily as we had so much support from new members who were also very excited about the group and more than happy to promote EMK. FT: What are the aims/goals of the group?

EMK: Our aim is to have a community of mums who are able to share their advice, experiences, and friendship in a comfortable and secure place online and in person.

The purpose of our group is to: 1) Provide an information service to our members on the practical aspects of living in Kuwait (e.g. schools, hospitals, transportation, maids).

2) Arrange outings/play-dates/meet-ups, etc.

3) Keep each other informed of events happening in Kuwait.

4) Provide an outlet for items for sale by members through our Classifieds section.

5) Provide positive and negative product and service information through our Reviews section.

FT: What excites you about the group? In what ways has it changed your lives or that of others?

EMK: It excites us that we have so many ladies who support each other in so many ways. It’s not easy coming to a new country without family or friends. It excites us to see so many mothers joining the group and openly expressing their gratitude and appreciation for it. It excites us to see that the group has helped expat mothers to transition more smoothly into life in Kuwait. It excites us that expat mothers are making friends and importantly, finding friends for their children. It is exciting to see that these mothers are having a good social experience when arriving here unlike some of us who had to find other ways of meeting people when we first arrived in Kuwait. This group has given us a sense of community and is a place where we can help one another. Our Forum has recently included

community mums group EMK kiddies

topics ranging from mothers seeking baby sleep advice, where to have ears pierced from and where to buy isopropyl alcohol for kiddies’ activities - as well as advising on the upcoming Mothercare and Next sales!

EMK has certainly kept us busy during a very busy period of our lives and we love this! We have made more friends and helped other mums make more friends. By including expectant mums in our group, we have been able to help them with various aspects of their upcoming motherhood. By including mums who are thinking about moving to or due to move to Kuwait we’ve helped them with important information about the country, its activities and lifestyle.

FT: What are the basic services/benefits of the group?

EMK: Our members through our Forum provide information and offer each other advice on many topics such as housing, schools, and hospitals in Kuwait. We have an Events section through which members are encouraged to host events. Since we began, we’ve hosted many events such as stroller walks, play-dates at members’ homes, local parks and in public play areas, coffee mornings, iftars during Ramadan and even a Middle Eastern food cooking class. We have a Reviews section where members can post and check reviews of different establishments and services around Kuwait. We also have a Classifieds section where members can buy and sell furniture, baby items, electronics and more and where they can request services such as maids, hairdressers at home, tutors etc.

FT: How many members does EMK have now?

How did it reach this number and what would you see as the ‘ideal’ number of members for the group?

EMK: We have around 270 members. We reached

this number mainly by word of mouth through existing members. Some of our amazing volunteers have helped to put up fliers at various businesses as well as pass out our business cards. We also have a Facebook page, have had a blog and are soon to launch a new website!

We hope to continue to grow as we value each and every one of our members. We don’t have an ideal number but have the vision that “the bigger the better” as we are all about sharing and supporting each other - the more members that we have, the more the knowledge that can be shared and the more events that can be planned.

FT: Do any of you have experience running similar groups before?

EMK: One of the co-founders has many years’ experience working within Yahoo Groups.

However, this was our first venture into BigTent. Our education and career backgrounds have certainly contributed to our success.

FT: EMK is exclusively for English-speaking expats. Why exclude locals and non-English speaking mums?

EMK: For many expats it’s difficult to be away from “home” and in a new country. We wanted to provide a place where like-minded mums and mums-to-be could interact, knowing that they have probably all faced similar challenges of moving abroad and are likely to have the same questions about Kuwait. For example, locals may already know about the “lajnas” within each area of Kuwait, but expats wouldn’t necessarily know about them and may not know where to donate items for charity.

Our group is based on the web - on BigTent we have a Forum as well as Reviews, Classifieds and Events sections. So, for effec-

tive communication we needed to have a common language - hence the focus on English-speaking mums and mums-to-be.

EMK has a wonderful array of ladies from around the world, over 38 countries in fact!

We even have a group of mums who meet to practice their Spanish and another for French. We have mums looking to learn Russian and German as well. We enjoy meeting mums from all different cultures and backgrounds and, as stated in our charter, we do not discriminate based on religion, origin, beliefs, etc.

FT: What are EMK’s plans for the future?

EMK: Expat Mums in Kuwait is special because of the mums who are a part of it. As we are growing, we have just taken on three volunteer members to look after different parts of our online group. Our Forum is expanding with more and more information and we are also building up our Reviews section. We envision more meet-ups in various areas around Kuwait for expat mums and their children, hosted by different mums in our group.

We are planning to start a children’s library soon exclusively for our members and we are liaising with local businesses to help provide member benefits soon. Watch this space!

FT: What are some of the things that have surprised you about starting/running EMK? EMK: In the year since EMK began, we have met so many kind and helpful mums. So many mums want to help each other in ways we didn’t imagine. We’ve had mums donate money to charities, offer to lend baby items to new mums as well as offer advice and support to each other on difficult issues. We’ve received many messages of gratitude from our members - and we, too, are grateful to them for making EMK what it is.

Local FRIDAY, MARCH 2, 2012

Seven Syrians arrested with bullet-proof vests

KUWAIT: Farwaniya detectives arrested seven Syrian expatriates in possession of 35 bulletproof vests they intended to send to Syrian rebels. Andalus detectives learned a Syrian who had the vests in a basement. He told police of six others with him who bought them at an American military auction in Amghara.

Investigations revealed that the vests were to be sent to Syrian rebels. The Syrians were released without charges.

Transvestite apprehended Hawally police sent a Kuwaiti man to detectives on a charge of “dressing in women’s clothes”. Sources said police saw what they thought was a woman leaving a suspicious building. They asked for identification only to discover it was a man wearing women’s clothing and a wig. He told police he attended a costume party. Such charges can lead to three years in jail.

Maid, lover caught A maid and her lover were arrested after being caught red handed in a sexual act in the house of the maid’s sponsor.

The lover came in while the house owners were asleep. While they were in the act, the house lady discovered them and called her husband. He called police, who arrested the adulterers.

Fight A fight that was started by children involved adults that took the brunt of it.

The children involved in the fight called their elder brothers to help. Instead of cooling things down, they exchanged accusations which led to another fight.

Farwaniya police were called in. They took one to the police station and another to Farwaniya hospital.

Boy kidnapped, raped “Two unknowns kidnapped my son and sexually assaulted him after threatening and beating him” a female citizen told Abdallah Port police. She said her son was walking in Abdallah Port area when the two approached him. They took him to a camp where they beat him before sexually assaulting him. Then they took him near the security center before escaping. Police are investigating.

KUWAIT: The Municipality’s emergency team members during an inspection of beaches and gardens.

Municipality team inspects beaches

By Hanan Al-Saadoun KUWAIT: The Municipality’s emergency team in coordination with the Public Cleanliness Department conducted an inspection tour along beaches and found that leftovers of grilled meat and resultant wastage littered lawns and public spaces.

Acting Ahmadi Municipality Director Yousuf Mulla Ali said that warnings have been issued and that the campaign will continue until violations are no longer spotted. Mulla Ali urged all beachgoers to comply with the rules to avoid being penalized. Deputy Head of the emergency team Faisal AlOtaibi, Assitant Supervisors Ahmad Al-Enezi, and Khalid AlShallal, Inspector Abdallah Al-Otaibi and Director of the Acting Director’s office Aziza Abdallah participated in the campaign.

Insult A female citizen complained “this officer is harassing me” on Gulf Road, when he asked her for her documents.

The woman deliberately obstructed traffic and started shouting. When the officer asked her to move, she refused and shouted insults at the officer. The woman was charged with insulting a public employee.

Disfigured An Egyptian expatriate disfigured one of his compatriots when he beat him and caused various burns on his body, according to a medical report from Adan Hospital. - Al-Watan Fighting crime in jail Police officers, jailed in the central prison on charges of killing Mohammad Al-Maymouni, beat one of their colleagues for selling drugs and smuggling mobile telephones inside the prison.

Sources said the officers, who worked for criminal detectives, learnt that one of them was taking mobile phones and drugs into the prison and sells them to inmates. The prison administration ordered the suspected officer to be put in solitary confinement.

KD400 stolen Detectives are searching for two men who stole KD 400 from an Asian in Shuwaikh. The victim told police the two were wearing sports attire when they stopped and asked him for identification. When he got his wallet out, they told him to hand it over to search for drugs. When he handed them the wallet with the money inside, they told him to go to the police station and meet them there! — Al-Rai

Airport traffic normal despite dust storm KUWAIT: Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) announced yesterday that air traffic is functioning normally despite the bad weather due to dust storm passing over the country. The current visibility at Kuwait International Airport is more than 1,500 meters, which allows for normal air traffic for departing and arriving flights, Director of Operations’ Department at the airport

Essam Al-Zamel said. The country is in the path of an air front which is stirring dust, while weather is expected to improve this evening.

Port operations resume Meanwhile, Kuwait Ports Authority (KPA) announced yesterday that operations at the Shuwaikh port has resumed as normal after being suspended due to bad

weather. In a press statement, Suleiman Al-Yahiya Director of Marine Operations at Shuwaikh Port, said ships movement are now back to normal. He noted that the KPA was forced to suspend navigation at the port as a safety regulation due to low visibility in the port. Three vessels were denied access to the port and two container ships were prevented from leaving due to these conditions, he said. —KUNA

Amiri pardon for 1,643 prisoners KUWAIT: The Public Prosecution Department has prepared a file for the Amiri pardon of some prisoners on the occasion of the national days. The Amiri pardon will include a write-off of financial fines estimated at almost KD 11 million in favor of prisoners who were jailed for lack of payment. The sources said the number of beneficiary prisoners is 1,643, including 81 women.

They added that 370 prisoners of different nationalities are receiving an immediate pardon. These include 74 male citizens and two female citizens. The number of prisoners whose sentences will be commuted is 1,181 including 335 male and 26 female citizens. Sources said that 105 prisoners, including one woman, had their deportation orders lifted. — Al-Qabas

Sheikh Mohammad meets US, Azerbaijan ambassadors KUWAIT: Information Minister, Sheikh Mohammad Al-Abdullah Al-Sabah, discussed with the ambassadors of the United States and the Republic of Azerbaijan to Kuwait ways to strengthen

bilateral relations. During the meeting yesterday, the minister discussed with the US Ambassador, Matthew H. Tuller (above left) , ways to strengthen bilateral cooperation between the two coun-

tries. He also discussed bilateral relations with Ambassador of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Tural Rzayev, who congratulated Sheikh Mohammad on his new post. — KUNA

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FRIDAY, MARCH 2, 2012

First vote looms on Obama birth control policy

14

Russian authorities probe vote-rigging videos

15

India, China FMs meet as Tibetans protest outside

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HOMS: Members of the Free Syrian Army patrol an area in Qusayr, 15 kms (nine miles) from Homs, on January 24, 2012. The United Nations said that well over 7,500 people have been killed in the brutal Syrian crackdown amid new international demands for the Damascus government to allow humanitarian access. —AFP

Syrian forces seize control of Baba Amr Britain closes embassy, pulling out DAMASCUS: Syrian regime forces yesterday seized full control of the Baba Amr district of powderkeg Homs after rebels pulled out “tactically” in the face of relentless shelling and a deadly ground assault. With the rebel fighters in retreat, the opposition Syrian National Council (SNC) said in Paris that its newly-created “military bureau” would from now on coordinate the armed resistance against President Bashar Al-Assad’s regime.

The all-out assault on Homs’s defiant neighborhood came as international envoy Kofi Annan said he hopes to go to Damascus with a clear message that the “violence must stop,” and the UN Human Rights Council called on Damascus to allow relief supplies in to besieged protest cities. Gulf states, which have been at the forefront of international calls to supply arms to the rebels, said they will hold talks next week with key Damascus ally Moscow, which has so far blocked Arab and Western efforts to take action through the UN Security Council.

Britain announced that it was following the United States in closing its embassy and

pulling out its remaining diplomats in response to the “deterioration of the security situation in Damascus.” Rebel fighters said yesterday they had pulled out from Baba Amr after nearly two days of an all-out assault by the dreaded Fourth Armored Division, led by a younger brother of President Bashar Al-Assad, Maher.

Rebels “have pulled out tactically in order to protect the remaining civilians,” said Colonel Riyadh al-Asaad, the leader of the free Syrian Army, which is made up mostly of deserters.

A Syrian security official said in Damascus that the army was in total command of the rebel bastion. “The Syrian army controls all of Baba Amr. The last pockets of resistance have fallen,” the official told AFP on the 27th day of bombardment targeting the defiant neighborhood. State television aired footage it said was filmed inside Baba Amr, including interviews with people it said were residents angry with the rebels. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said 21 people were killed in Homs on Thursday, including 17 civilians caught up in the battle for control of Baba Amr. The opposition SNC said the military

bureau, announced on Wednesday, would coordinate the flow of weapons to the rebels following mounting calls from Gulf Arab states for arms to be delivered despite US fears that Al-Qaeda may exploit any further militarisation of the crisis. “The SNC will be this link between those who want to help and the revolutionaries,” its leader Burhan Ghalioun told reporters in Paris.

“It is out of the question that arms go into Syria in confusion,” he added. Ghalioun said he had no up-to-date news on the whereabouts of wounded French journalist Edith Bouvier, who has been trapped in Baba Amr despite Red Cross efforts to evacuate her, but said she had been “in a protected place” on Wednesday.

Spanish journalist Javier Espinosa managed to escape to neighboring Lebanon and is “in perfect health,” his employer, El Mundo newspaper, said. Former UN secretary general Annan, the new international mediator for Syria, said he hopes to be in Damascus “fairly soon” with a “clear” message-that the deadly violence must end and aid agencies be allowed to work. “I think the message is clear: that the killing and

violence must stop, humanitarian agencies must be given access to do their work,” he said.

UN political chief B Lynn Pascoe told the Security Council on Tuesday that “well over 7,500” people have been killed since Assad’s forces began a crackdown on anti-regime protests that erupted in March last year. A resolution adopted by the UN Human Rights Council yesterday condemned the “continued widespread and systematic violations of human rights” and called on Damascus allow aid organisations and UN agencies to deliver desperately needed supplies.

Russia, Cuba and China voted against the resolution while India, the Philippines and Ecuador abstained. US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, meanwhile, lambasted Russia for its failure to produce an aid plan for Syria, despite Moscow’s great influence with Assad. “We are doing everything we can think of to influence the Russians and the Chinese, particularly the Russians: they’re the ones with the very deep, long-standing relationship with the Assad family,” Clinton told the House Foreign Affairs Committee in Washington. — AFP

International FRIDAY, MARCH 2, 2012

Israel unveils sophisticated shelters in Tel Aviv TEL AVIV: Underneath the plaza outside Israel’s Habima national theater, Israel has put the finishing touches on a new gathering place that it hopes will never host a crowd: the country’s most advanced public underground bomb shelter. The shelter, four stories underground and with space for 2,000 people, is part of Tel Aviv’s elaborate civil defense infrastructure. City officials have been beefing up shelters and emergency services in recent months at a time of rising tensions with Iran and militant groups in the Gaza Strip.

Recent talk of conflict with Iran has given the safety measures extra relevance.

Officials say the timing is coincidental.

Israel is under constant threat from hostile groups on its northern and southern frontiers. Security forces run frequent safety drills, cities are equipped with public airraid shelters, and new apartments must have bombproof rooms. Israeli leaders have hinted they may mount a strike against Iran’s nuclear facilities, even as

American military leaders urge Israel to wait for tough economic sanctions to take effect.

Should Israel attack, Iran has promised a punishing counterstrike. Iran has missiles capable of striking anywhere in Israel. It also supports anti-Israel militant groups Hezbollah and Hamas, which have fired thousands of rockets into Israel in the past.

Israel’s military intelligence chief recently estimated that the country’s enemies have 200,000 rockets and missiles aimed at the Jewish state. As the country’s cultural and economic center, Tel Aviv is an attractive target. About 2 million people live here and in the surrounding cities.

Tel Aviv city councilman Moshe Tiomkin cautioned that should Iran strike Tel Aviv, the results will be severe. The last time the city faced direct rocket fire was in 1991, when Iraq launched rockets at the coastal metropolis. “I believe this time we are not talking about 40 rockets,” Tiomkin said. “It would be far, far more.” At Habima,

the bomb shelter couples as the theater’s new parking lot. In little time, the facility can be sealed and transformed into a massive bomb shelter. The shelter’s entrance is part of the pavement in the plaza outside the theater. The doors slide open automatically, and metal handrails pop up out of the ground above a long staircase. If needed, 2,000 people could climb down the stairwell into the four subterranean floors.

The shelter has filters to keep air breathable in the event of a chemical attack. The shelter was built as part of renovation of the theater completed late last year. Roi Flyshman, spokesman for the government’s civil defense ministry, said it is “very advanced” and could serve as a blueprint for others.

“A lot of parking lots in the country can become shelters, and we want to copy from Habima to other places,” he said. The shelter is part of the city’s network of refuges that can give cover to 250,000 people. In Tel Aviv’s Sourasky Medical

Center, director-general Gabi Barbash said an underground parking lot can be transformed into an emergency ward with up to 1,000 beds in 48 hours. The ward has oxygen tanks, electricity and water built into the walls that make it easy to convert to medical use, including an operating room.

The hospital, built a year ago, can function for seven days.

Despite the preparations, few citizens feel a sense of alarm. Sidewalk cafes were filled with young Israelis enjoying the mild, winter sun.”Somewhere, of course, it affects us, but it’s not something we think about daily,” said Claudia Hunter, a tour guide from Jerusalem who was walking near the theater. Lawmaker Daniel Ben Simon dismissed the security talk as a government scare campaign that “nearly recalls Dr. Strangelove.” He noted that a number of retired security chiefs have come out in opposition to attacking Iran.

“Therefore, I don’t believe this can happen,” he said.—AP

Yemen troops protest demanding army chiefs’ ouster Chiefs accused of corruption

GAZA CITY: Participants warm up before competing in the UN-sponsored Gaza marathon in Gaza City yesterday.—AFP

Thousands brave freezing Gaza for marathon BEIT HANUN: Thousands of runners braved temperatures hovering just above zero degrees Celsius (32 Farenheit) yesterday to take part in the Gaza Strip’s second-ever marathon. Participants were whipped by strong winds carrying sand from the beaches of the Palestinian territory as they took part in races along the length of the Strip, with around 200 taking part in the full marathon.

Palestinian Nader Al-Masri, who won last year’s race, was first across the finish line in the southern town of Rafah, clocking in at three hours and ten minutes. Masri, an Olympic athlete, said he was proud of his time, despite coming in a slower than the two hours and and 42 minutes he managed last year. “I’m very happy,” he told AFP at the end of the race. “I thought I would be able to do it in two hours and 20 minutes, but the weather conditions were very tough.”

“I think that we have sent a message that we hope will reach the world. It’s a step towards making the world aware of the tragedy of the Palestinian people.” Coming in just half a minute behind Masri was another Palestinian athlete Mahmud Yusef, 33.

“I’m so happy, there were so many problems with the rain and wind,” he said. “I hope that one day Palestinian athletes like us will be able to compete in races like this around the world without obstacles.” The UN agency for Palestinian refugees, UNRWA, which organises the event, said around 2,700 people were participating in the race, most of them children running one kilometre sections of the 42-kilometre (26-mile) event. The event kicked off shortly after 7:00 am (0500 GMT), when some 200 people lined up at the race’s starting point in the northern Gaza town of Beit Hanun, not far from the territory’s border with Israel. Those running shorter lengths are joining the race at intervals along the way, with participants running half marathons, as well as 10-kilometre and two-kilometre portions.—AFP

SANAA: Hundreds of Yemeni soldiers staged protests at several military institutions across the country yesterday demanding the departure of their chiefs, whom they accuse of corruption. The demonstrations come just days after Ali Abdullah Saleh formally handed power to his deputy Abdrabuh Mansur Hadi following a year of protest. Around 500 soldiers and officers from the First Brigade of Marine Infantry, based on the Yemeni island of Socotra in the Gulf of Aden, protested outside Hadi’s residence in the capital Sanaa, an AFP correspondent reported.

The soldiers were calling for the ouster of Brigadier General Hussein Khairan whom they accuse of corruption. Several soldiers told AFP that the remaining officers were also staging a sit-in at their base in Socotra.

Meanwhile, air force soldiers held a massive rally that began outside Hadi’s residence and headed towards the air base near Sanaa International Airport, calling for the ouster of air force commander General Mohammed Saleh Al-Ahmar.

Military sources said that protests against Ahmar, a half brother of Saleh, were also being held at other air basesAl-Anad in the south and in Taez, Yemen’s second city. Anti-corruption strikes have spread across several military and government departments in

SANAA: Yemeni air force soldiers march during a protest in the capital, Sanaa yesterday demanding the ouster of military chiefs over accusations of corruption. —AFP the impoverished Arab country, where tary and security apparatus. In addition the economy is on the brink of collapse to his half brother, Saleh’s son comafter last year’s popular uprising and mands the elite Republican Guard troops months of violence. Saleh finally stepped while his nephew Yehya commands the down on Monday after 33 years in pow- central security services and Tariq, er, based on a Gulf-brokered power another nephew, controls the presidentransfer deal he signed in November. But tial guard. The power transfer deal stipuduring his time in office, he carefully lates that during the two-year interim chose members of his regime, appoint- period, Hadi will oversee the restructuring relatives to head the country’s mili- ing of the army.—AFP

Iran to elect MPs amid tensions with West TEHRAN: Iran is to vote today in parliamentary elections that leaders are keen to show as a sign of defiance to the West, which is imposing tough sanctions over Tehran’s controversial nuclear program.

Some 3,400 candidates are vying for the 290 seats in Iran’s legislature, known as the Majlis. Iran has an electorate of 48 million, but not all will vote. A boycott by the main reformist parties, and the exclusion

of any candidate who has less than complete loyalty to the Islamic regime, mean conservatives easily dominate the polling lists. That has reduced the choice for supporters of the opposition Green Movement and reformist groups who held widespread protests after Iran’s last nationwide poll: the 2009 presidential election that returned Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to office amid opposition

cries of vote fraud. This time, the election boils down to a struggle between conservatives who back Ahmadinejad and a hardline current that despises him. Each claims stronger fealty than the other to the supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. The regime, worried that a low turnout could indicate the level of public support it enjoys, has repeatedly urged voters to participate today.—AFP

International FRIDAY, MARCH 2, 2012

EU leaders set to endorse Serbian candidacy BRUSSELS: European Union leaders are expected to formally grant Serbia the status of a candidate for membership in the bloc during their summit yesterday in recognition of its government’s efforts to round up war crimes suspects and normalize relations with Kosovo, its former province.

The move would represent a remarkable turnaround for Serbia, which spent much of the 1990s ostracized and isolated from the EU after its thenstrongman Slobodan Milosevic started the wars in Croatia, Bosnia and Kosovo. When Milosevic agreed to a US-brokered agreement to end the war in Bosnia in 1995, about 60,000 NATO troops - including about 30,000 Americans - were deployed to the nation to enforce the accord.

In 1999, NATO bombed Serbia to prevent a crackdown on ethnic Albanians - in the first military campaign in the alliance’s history. Serbia had been widely

expected to get EU candidacy in December after it captured two top war crimes suspects, but was disappointed when Germany delayed the move, saying it wanted to see more progress in talks with Kosovo.

EU foreign ministers recommended earlier this week that Serbia be granted the coveted status after saying it had fulfilled conditions set by the 27-nation bloc. The bloc’s leaders routinely affirm such ministerial decisions. Candidate status is an initial step on the road to EU membership. Belgrade will still probably have to wait for about a year to open actual accession negotiations, which can then drag on for up to a decade. Still, the EU move would be politically important for Serbia’s pro-EU president, Boris Tadic, whose party faces elections soon.

The European Parliament’s foreign affairs committee said yesterday accession negotiations with Serbia should start soon. Kosovo, which many Serbs consider

the cradle of their statehood and religion, came under international control after the 1999 war during which NATO forces ejected Milosevic’s troops. Kosovo declared independence in 2008, but Serbia refuses to recognize it. The EU has not set recognition of Kosovo as a formal requirement for Serbia’s candidacy, but it insists Serbia establish “good-neighborly relations” with its former province.

Over the past year, the two sides have been engaged in EU-mediated talks dealing mostly with practical matters such as recognizing each other’s official documents. A key agreement reached last month allows Kosovo to represent itself in international conferences and spell out the technical details of how Serbia and Kosovo will manage their joint borders and border crossings. Kosovo has been recognized by nearly 90 nations, including 22 of the EU’s 27 member states. — AP

Terrorism trumped phone hacking: Ex-UK police boss ‘Force had no choice but to curtail investigation’

MOSCOW: Independent candidate in the upcoming Russian presidential elections, Russian billionaire Mikhail Prokhorov speaks to reporters after holding a discussion with representatives of the EU on the elections in Moscow yesterday.—AFP

Russian authorities probe vote-rigging videos MOSCOW : Russia’s top investigative agency has launched a probe regarding videos on Internet that purport to show fraud during the country’s presidential election, even though it hasn’t taken place yet. The Investigative Committee said yesterday that it is looking for the authors of the videos, which are dated March 4 - the day of the presidential vote.

Kremlin critics have accused authorities of secretly producing the videos themselves to discredit genuine evidence of what the opposition fears will be a fraud during Sunday’s vote. Prime Minister Vladimir Putin is all but certain to reclaim the presidency in the election and he already has claimed that the opposition is preparing to fake evidence of vote-rigging to discredit the balloting.

During Russia’s parliamentary election in December, authentic videos taken at polling stations by volunteer observers showed vote rigging. Those

videos angered the public and helped fuel a series of gigantic anti-Kremlin rallies, the biggest show of discontent since the Soviet collapse 20 years ago. Despite those rallies, Russian authorities continue to stonewall opposition demands to punish the officials who have been accused of carrying out the vote rigging then.

Last month, the Investigative Committee claimed that many of the videos showing fraud in December also were fake and that they were posted from a server in California. That statement followed Putin’s claims that the US has been behind the opposition protests. Golos, Russia’s leading independent election monitoring group, checked the only December video identified by the Investigative Committee as fraudulent and said the investigators doubted its authenticity because they had made a mistake in identifying its location. — AP

LONDON: The official who oversaw the much-criticized initial police inquiry into Britain’s phone hacking scandal said yesterday that a crush of terrorism cases meant his force had no choice but to curtail the investigation. Former Scotland Yard counterterrorism chief Peter Clarke testified that police were so badly stretched by the threat of AlQaeda attacks in 2005 that the London force had to enlist 1,000 officers from other bodies. In that context, the investigation into phone hacking had to take the back seat.

“Invasions of privacy are odious, and sometimes illegal, but to put it bluntly they don’t kill you,” he said. “Terrorists do.”The London transit system was hit by bomb attacks on July 7, 2005, that killed 52 commuters. Clarke spoke at Britain’s official inquiry into media ethics, set up by Prime Minister David Cameron after the unveiling of widespread phone hacking at Rupert Murdoch’s News of the World tabloid, which spent years breaking into the phones of prominent people to get front-page scoops.

Murdoch shut down the tabloid in July after advertisers and readers were outraged. The initial UK police investigation into the phone hacking scandal uncovered thousands of pages of evidence suggesting that several senior journalists at the now-defunct tabloid had ordered private detective Glenn Mulcaire to hack into phones of hundreds of victims. Those victims included members of the royal household, the then-Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott, and other high-level figures.

But Scotland Yard failed to follow leads, interview suspects or notify victims, closing its investigation with the conviction of Mulcaire and only one journalist, The News of the World’s royal correspondent, Clive Goodman. Clarke said part of the problem was that Murdoch’s News International, the paper’s publisher, had stonewalled investigators. Clarke pushed back against allegations that his police force had helped Murdoch’s company cover up its crimes.

But he acknowledged overlooking details “which, with hindsight, were very important.”Clarke said, given the huge number of terror cases which the force was dealing with, he stood by his decision not to pursue the initial investigation any further. “I haven’t seen anything that would cause me to take a different decision than I took then,” he said. In a separate development, police said yesterday they have arrested a 32-year-old woman as part of their investigation into media misdeeds. News International’s corporate affairs office said it had no immediate information on the arrest, but a person briefed on the investigation identified the woman as Virginia Wheeler, The Sun newspaper’s defense correspondent.

The person said Wheeler had been on sabbatical abroad but had agreed to present herself to police on her return.

He spoke anonymously because he wasn’t authorized to give details about a police inquiry. Scotland Yard said the arrest is the 23rd in its investigation into allegations that

police were bribed for information by journalists. The investigation, dubbed Operation Elveden, is running parallel to investigations into phone hacking and computer hacking. Wheeler is one of several senior Sun journalists to be arrested in recent weeks, raising questions about the Murdoch tabloid’s future. — AP

LONDON: This is a a Monday Aug. 21 file photo of Metropolitan Police Deputy Assistant Commissioner and head of the Anti-Terrorist Branch Peter Clarke as he reads a statement, London. — AP

UK jury convicts two of killing boy for ‘witchcraft’ LONDON : A British jury has found a couple guilty of torturing and murdering a 15-year-old boy whom they accused of witchcraft. Magalie Bamu and her partner Eric Bikubi were convicted yesterday of killing Magalie’s brother Kristy Bamu, who drowned in a bathtub on Christmas Day 2010. Prosecutors at London’s Central Criminal Court said the teenager had 130 injuries inflicted by sticks, a metal bar, a hammer and a chisel. They said he eventually drowned after being forced into a bathtub and doused with cold water. They said the boy’s sister and her boyfriend beat him as part of a “deliverance” ceremony because they believed he had cast spells on another child in the family. The couple, originally from Congo, had denied murder. They will be sentenced Monday. — AP

International FRIDAY, MARCH 2, 2012

Kenya police: Wanted UK woman part of terror cell NAIROBI: Kenyan police are hunting for a British woman who has been using the identity of the widow of one of the suicide bombers who attacked London’s transport system, an official said yesterday. Police suspect that she is fundraising for a terrorist group, said the official who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to release the information.

The suspect has been using a number of identities, including those of Samantha Lewthwaite and Natalie Faye Webb, the official said. Lewthwaite is the widow of Jermaine Lindsay, one of the suicide bombers who killed 52 commuters in multiple bombings of London’s transport system on July 7, 2005. British newspapers report that Faye Webb is the victim of identity theft. The official said he cannot confirm if the woman is Lewthwaite herself. Police are working closely with Scotland Yard on the case, he said. Lewthwaite’s father, a builder from the town of Aylesbury near London, said that he and the wider family had not heard “for some time” from his daughter.

“I just wish she would get in touch with us,” Andy Lewthwaite, 57, told The Sun newspaper. “Samantha would not be involved in anything to do with terrorism.

She was badly affected by what happened before and would have nothing to do with it. I am sure of that.” The police official said the woman is suspected to be part of

Liberia considers 2 anti-gay proposals MONROVIA: Two new bills introduced into Liberia’s legislature would make the country the latest on the African continent to punish homosexuality with possible jail time. Liberian law currently does not explicitly address homosexuality.

“Voluntary sodomy” is a misdemeanor punishable by up to one year in prison, but there have been no recent convictions, according to the most recent US State Department Human Rights Report.

A bill introduced by Rep. Clarence Massaquoi, which is currently being reviewed in committee, makes “same-sex sexual practices” a second-degree felony, punishable by up to five years imprisonment. It also would apply to anyone who “seduces, encourages (or) promotes another person of the same gender to engage in sexual activities.”

“Homosexuality is not part of our existence as a people,” Massaquoi said in an interview at his legislative office. “We have never been like that.”

It comes on the heels of a bill introduced early in February by former first lady, Senator Jewel Taylor, making same-sex marriage a first-degree felony, with sentences ranging up to 10 years in prison. Members of the underground gay and lesbian community say their security situation has worsened, and that they have recently been subjected to regular threats and occasional violence.

“Liberia has made considerable progress in consolidating democracy over the last five years, but the proposed bill to increase penalties for consensual same-sex activity is a regrettable step backward,” said Corinne Dufka, Human Rights Watch’s senior West Africa researcher. “Such laws not only violate the right to privacy and to nondiscrimination, they also serve as a distraction from addressing the many real problems facing Liberia, such as strengthening the judiciary, addressing poverty and ensuring good economic governance. “ Contempt for homosexuals has led to anti-gay legal measures elsewhere in Africa. Last year, Nigeria’s Senate voted in favor of a bill that would criminalize gay marriage, gay advocacy groups and same-sex public displays of affection. A newly added portion of the bill levels 10 years in prison for those found guilty of organizing, operating or supporting gay clubs, organizations and meetings.

And in 2009, a Ugandan legislator introduced a bill that would impose the death penalty for some gays and lesbians.

The bill was reintroduced last month, though its author has said the death penalty provision will be dropped. In January, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said African nations should stop treating gays as “second-class citizens, or even criminals.” Ban told African leaders that discrimination based on sexual orientation “had been ignored or even sanctioned by many states for far too long.”—AP

a cell that had been planning to bomb the Kenyan coast in December in retaliation for the Kenyan military incursion into Somalia.

Kenya sent troops across the border in October after a series of attacks by Somali gunmen on Kenyan soil. The Kenyan government blamed the attacks on the AlQaeda-affiliated Somali militant group Al-Shabab. AlShabab threatened to carry out suicide bombings in retaliation, although it has not done so thus far. But Kenya has been hit by a number of grenade and small arms attacks. Police said recently they suspect the killings of over 30 civilians in the past five months were orchestrated by al-Shabab or its sympathizers.

In January, Kenya police announced that they had thwarted a major terror attack by al-Shabab over the Christmas vacation. On the same day, Britain warned its citizens in Kenya to be extra vigilant because terrorists could be in the final stages of planning an attack. The police official said they suspect the British woman is a member of the cell that was planning the attack. Other members allegedly include a British man, Jermaine Grant, sentenced to three years in prison for immigration offenses and lying to a government official about his identity. Grant is also charged with conspiring to commit a felony and possessing explosive materials.

Prosecutors say Grant is linked to Al-Shabab but his lawyer Chacha Mwita dismissed the allegations and said his client has not told him anything about “a European woman”. The other suspected member of cell, according to the police official, is Aboud Rogo, an Islamic preacher who was arrested in January during a raid at his coastal home. Police say they recovered a cache of guns, ammunition and detonators there but Rogo’s family say police planted the weapons. A court released Rogo on bail last week and his lawyer Mbugua Mureithi challenged the police to produce evidence linking his client to a terrorist cell. Mureithi said the allegations were part of “smear campaign” against his client. “Police have a big opportunity to prove their accusations against my client in court,” Mureithi said.

Rogo was acquitted on murder charges for the 2002 bombing of a tourist hotel which killed more than dozen people and attempt shoot down an Israeli jetliner. He is also facing separate charges of being a member of alShabab, which has been outlawed in Kenya. So far alShabab’s biggest attack on foreign soil has been the July 2010 suicide attacks in Kampala, Uganda which killed 76 people watching the World Cup final. Al-Shabab said the bombings were in retaliation for the presence of Ugandan troops in Somalia. — AP

Fighting breaks out after S Africa’s ANC expels Malema Move seen as obstacle clearing to Zuma’s re-election JOHANNESBURG: Fiery youth leader Julius Malema vowed yesterday to keep fighting after South Africa’s ruling ANC expelled him in a dramatic move seen as clearing an obstacle to President Jacob Zuma’s re-election. The decision by the African National Congress late Wednesday sparked overnight clashes between Malema’s supporters and rivals in his hometown of Sheshego, in northern Limpopo province, Sapa news agency reported.

Shots were fired when a caravan of antiMalema demonstrators brandishing a cardboard tombstone with the words “RIP Julius” and “corrupt dictator” descended on the street where he had gathered supporters ahead of the ruling. The pro-Malema camp blockaded the road, but fighting broke out between the two factions and stones were hurled at a police car when it arrived to separate the rival groups, reports said. “We must accept that this is the decision, but that is not the end of the road,” Malema, who has two weeks to appeal his expulsion, said on public broadcaster SABC. “It is still early to celebrate because the road ahead of us is going to be very long and needs men and women... who are very strong. “If you are weak, you are going to fall in the process,” said Malema, who turns 31 tomorrow. “I’m not a soldier who is prepared to fall in the battle, I will die with my boots on, I will die for what I believe in.” But within the ANC, Malema appears increasingly isolated. A party disciplinary hearing in November suspended him for five years, after finding him guilty of provoking divisions in the ANC and tarnishing its image.

An appeals panel last month upheld his conviction, but allowed him a new hearing to argue for a lesser sentence. In the meantime, he kept up his campaign against Zuma at rallies across the country and made thinly veiled threats to turn the nation’s youth against the ANC, which was once led by South Africa’s elder statesman

Nelson Mandela. The disciplinary panel’s scathing decision Wednesday said Malema’s threats were “tantamount to holding the ANC to ransom”. It justified his expulsion by underscoring “the cumulative effect of comrade Malema’s past and present offences, coupled with his own evidence of lack of remorse and disrespect for the ANC constitution and its structures”.

Malema has stirred a national debate on class and poverty with his call to nationalise mines and seize white-owned farms to help the nearly 40 percent of the population living on less than two dollars a day.

Despite the breadth of the debate, and the passions aroused by Malema, his conviction was based largely on charges that he had tarnished the party’s reputation, created divisions within its ranks, and failed to follow its rules. Among his offences were

calling for the overthrow of the government in democratic Botswana and praising former president Thabo Mbeki, at Zuma’s expense. Malema was a key ally when Zuma toppled Mbeki to take control of the ANC in 2007, but he later turned on Zuma, praising Mbeki as a better leader.

The youth league’s “young lions”, as members are known, have also criticised Zuma for failing to do more to end poverty after 18 years under an ANC government. In a country where the median age is 25, the ANC’s Youth League claims to represent a broad swathe of a nation that would often prefer to ignore the issues of class and race that Malema raises. South Africa has the world’s biggest gap between rich and poor, largely because of a jobs crisis that hits the youth the hardest. More than half of young South Africans are unemployed.—AFP

KHARTOUM: South Sudanese people arrive to return home aboard a train organised by the International Organization for Migration (IOM) in Khartoum yesterday Up to 700,000 ethnic Southerners are estimated to still be in Sudan ahead of an April 8 deadline for them to either go South, or normalise their status with the Khartoum authorities. —AFP

International FRIDAY, MARCH 2, 2012

India, China FMs meet as Tibetans protest outside NEW DELHI: India and China yesterday discussed ways to cooperate as they vie for dominance in the region’s oceans, an official said, as police detained nearly a dozen Tibetan exiles protesting outside against China’s treatment of Tibet. China presses territorial claims to much of the South China Sea while India has been exploring for oil in Vietnamese waters, an agreement with Vietnam that China views with suspicion.

Vietnam’s fast-growing economy, and its natural resources including oil and gas, are an attraction for India, which, like China, is seeking energy sources to fuel its economic boom.

Yesterday, Indian External Affairs Minister S.M. Krishna and Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi met in the Indian capital and decided to hold a maritime cooperation dialogue, said India’s External Affairs Ministry spokesman Syed Akbaruddin.

Details were not immediately available. While China’s Yang talked with his counterpart, Tibetan exiles protested outside, calling for a free Tibet. Such protests are common during Chinese

leaders’ visits. Police detained nearly a dozen Tibetan exiles for violating orders against protests in a high-security zone. Nearly two dozen self-immolations have been reported in China in recent months, many by Buddhist monks and nuns calling for Tibetan freedom and the return of their spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, who has lived in India since fleeing a failed uprising against Chinese rule in 1959. The Dalai Lama’s presence in India is an irritant for China.

India and China also discussed preparations for a summit of leaders from five emerging economies that are pushing for a bigger voice in global financial affairs, Krishna said. Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa are members of the grouping, known as BRICS, set up nearly six years ago. New Delhi will hold the fourth BRICS summit on March 2829. The BRICS agenda encompasses issues of global governance and challenges such as climate change, food and energy security, sustainable development, international financial crises and international terrorism. — AP

Chinese police may have power to disappear people BEIJING: China is preparing to overhaul a key criminal law amid public confusion - and some dread - over whether the government is about to give police the legal authority to disappear people. At issue is an amendment to the criminal procedure law that would allow police to secretly detain suspects for months without informing their families. The effect would be to legalize the secret detentions police have increasingly been using against political critics, activist lawyers and other dissidents. Activist Hu Jia, himself living under a form of house arrest, has dubbed it the “KGB clause.”

The proposed powers, when first mooted in a draft released last summer, caused an uproar among legal scholars, who called them dangerous, and ordinary Chinese, who posted comments online to the government’s draft by the tens of thousands. Now, as the national legislature prepares to pass the revised law during its annual session which starts Monday, it isn’t clear whether the proposed changes are still in the bill. New drafts have not been released, as is typical in China. One well-connected scholar claims the clause has been excised out, but others say it’s uncertain or won’t say.

Chi Shusheng, a lawmaker and lawyer from Heilongjiang province with a reputation for defending human rights, said she last saw the revised law in January. “I think there’s been some progress,” Chi said. She wouldn’t elaborate. Members of the National People’s Congress legal committee, who advise the drafting of the law, declined to talk.

“Wait until the final version comes out,” said Zhou Guangquan, a legal scholar and committee member. “It’s not convenient for me to discuss it now.” Chinese laws are generally crafted by the central government behind closed doors with little public consultation, though there have been experiments with increased transparency in recent years.

The precise reasons for the secrecy aren’t entirely clear, but seem borne out of habit and expediency.

Behind the uncertainty is a tug of war between people who think China needs greater legal protections to keep advancing, and the security establishment and politicians who see a strong Communist Party as the best guarantee of the country’s continuing success. Chinese society, poor and egalitarian 30 years ago, has been stratified as decades of economic reforms create droves of millionaires and push up a new middle class while leaving behind others. People increasingly turn to the law to protect their rights and to protest when other methods don’t work.—AP

NEW DELHI: Delhi policemen detain a Tibetan exile shouting slogans against the Chinese government outside the venue where Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi is meeting with his Indian counterpart S.M. Krishna, in New Delhi, India yesterday.—AP

2 American troops killed in Afghanistan shooting Tensions high over holy Quran burning KABUL: Two American soldiers were killed yesterday in a shooting by an Afghan soldier and a literacy teacher at a joint base in southern Afghanistan, officials said, the latest in a series of deaths as anti-Americanism rises following the burning of Qurans by US soldiers. Both were killed on the same day that the top NATO commander allowed a small number of foreign advisers to return to work at Afghan ministries after more than a week of being locked down in secure locations because of the killing of two other Americans.

Yesterday’s killings raised to six the number of Americans killed in less than two weeks amid heightened tensions over the Feb 20 burning of holy Qurans and other Islamic texts that had been dumped in a garbage pit at Bagram Air Field near Kabul.

More than 30 Afghans also were killed in six days of violent riots that broke out after the incident. President Barack Obama and other US officials apologized and said the burning was an accident. His statement has failed to quell the anger, although Muslim protests over the burnings have ebbed this week.

Afghan security forces - or militants disguised in their uniforms - have staged a number of attacks against Americans and other members of the international alliance in recent years. But the recent deaths have been linked to the holy Quran burnings. The US has said it is committed to staying the course in Afghanistan despite the recent riots and killings, but yesterday’s deaths are bound to impact the pivotal training and mentoring program as foreign combat forces prepare to withdraw from the country by the end of 2014.

NATO forces have advisers embedded in many Afghan ministries, both as trainers and to help manage the transition to Afghan

control. The United States and international agencies also have hundreds of civilian advisers in ministries and on development projects run from coalition military bases around the country. The program is the main component of NATO’s exit strategy from Afghanistan and has so far cost the US $22 billion in 2010 and 2011 to train and equip the Afghans.

The US is already reducing its own troop presence by 30,000 at the end of the summer, in line with President Barack Obama’s plan to reduce the total US military presence to 68,000 by the end of September.

Many of the remaining soldiers will switch from fighting to training and mentoring Afghan forces. This would be the beginning of a transition away from a combat role for US and coalition forces, a process that US Defense Secretary Leon Panetta has said may be completed as early as mid-2013.

After an Afghan soldier killed four French troops on Jan. 20, France reacted by halting its training program and threatening to withdraw its forces from Afghanistan earlier than planned.

Two US officials in Washington confirmed the two slain NATO service members were Americans. One said details were still unclear but officials believe there were three attackers, two of whom were subsequently killed. He said the third may be in custody.

The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak on the record. Hundreds of advisers were pulled out of ministries and other government locations after an Afghan gunman shot and killed two US military advisers on Feb. 25 inside their office at the Interior Ministry. The Taleban claimed responsibility for the ministry shootings, saying they were conducted in retaliation for last week’s holy

Quran burnings, but no one has been arrested in the case.

An Afghan soldier also killed two US troops in eastern Afghanistan on Feb. 23 during a protest over the holy Quran burnings. US military spokesman Lt. Col. Jimmie Cummings said yesterday that Marine Gen. John Allen, the top commander in Afghanistan, approved the return of selected personnel. He did not elaborate which ministries were involved, but an Afghan official said some had returned to a department setting up a government-run security force that will guard international development projects.

A NATO official said less than a dozen advisers had returned. Both officials spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the issue. In yesterday’s shooting, NATO said a man in an Afghan army uniform and another in civilian clothes opened fired on coalition and Afghan soldiers, killing two foreign troops. It did not provide further details, and Afghan and US officials gave conflicting accounts about the sequence of events.

A district chief in southern Kandahar’s Zhari district said the shootings took place on a NATO base when an Afghan civilian who taught a literacy course for Afghan soldiers and lived on the base started shooting at NATO troops. Niaz Mohammad Sarhadi said the shootings occurred at 3 a.m. and that NATO troops returned fire and killed the man and an Afghan soldier.

Mohammad Mohssan, an Afghan Army spokesman in Kandahar city, confirmed the incident occurred at a base in Zhari and involved two Afghans, one of whom was a soldier, who opened fire on coalition troops from a sentry tower. He said both were killed.—AP

International FRIDAY, MARCH 2, 2012

Brothers confess to Thai law professor attack BANGKOK: Twin brothers have confessed they assaulted a professor who leads a campaign to reform laws concerning Thailand’s monarchy, police said yesterday.

Police Lt. Gen. Winai Thongsong said Supot and Supat Silarat turned themselves in and admitted punching Worachet Pakeerut in a parking lot at Bangkok’s Thammasat University because of “differing views.”

Worachet and other members of a group called Nitirat, or Enlightened Jurists, have drawn criticism for seeking to reform Thailand’s lese majeste law. The law mandates prison terms of up to 15 years for insulting the monarchy. Winai said the brothers acted on their own in Wednesday’s attack. “I was not happy,” Supat said, as police discouraged him from speaking at a

news conference. The brothers said they sell clothes and perfume for a living.

Worachet said Wednesday the men punched him in the face and then fled by motorcycle. He sustained cuts and bruises and was briefly treated at a hospital.

Lese majeste cases have increased in recent years as the previously taboo subject of the monarchy’s proper role has started to become a matter of public discussion. Monarchists fear any discussion of reform is aimed at dismantling the royal institution, and have repeatedly criticized the Nitirat group’s efforts.

Protesters in early February burned an effigy of Worachet outside the university. Nervousness about the issue is compounded by concern over the eventu-

al succession to 84-year-old King Bhumibol Adulyadej, who has been hospitalized for more than two years.

The heir-apparent, Prince Vajiralongkorn, does not command the same respect and has yet to prove his mettle. Thammasat administrators briefly banned the Nitirat group from holding meetings on the university campus after the effigy-burning, saying they feared violence, They reversed their decision after extensive public protests.

Several human rights groups, including the Bangkok-based Human Rights Lawyers Association, condemned Wednesday’s attack in a joint statement and urged Thai people to “hold on to their tolerance to listen to opinions different from theirs.”— AP

North Korea nuclear envoy to visit US on heels of deal SEOUL: In another sign of warming relations between two wartime foes, a senior North Korean nuclear negotiator will attend a security conference in the United States, a person with knowledge of the negotiations between Washington and Pyongyang told The Associated Press yesterday. Word of Ri Yong Ho’s visit to the forum at Syracuse University, where he may also meet on the sidelines with US officials, comes on the heels of a breakthrough agreement that will provide much-needed US food aid to North Korea in exchange for a rollback of its nuclear programs.

The agreement announced Wednesday sets in motion a plan laid out by North Korean leader Kim Jong Il before his death in December: to improve relations with the US and to get back to sixnation disarmament-for-aid negotiations. Significant challenges remain, however, in achieving the long-term goal of the US and other nations: to persuade Pyongyang to end its nuclear ambitions altogether.

First, diplomats need to iron out the tricky logistics of distributing, and monitoring, the 240,000 metric tons of US food aid earmarked for hungry North Korean children. They also need to work out a timeline for the return of UN nuclear inspectors tasked with verifying whether Pyongyang sticks to its promises. And while the deal paves the way for unprecedented exchanges with the US, North Korea still must confront the complicated matter of improving relations with rival South Korea, still smarting from two deadly incidents in 2010 that Seoul blames on Pyongyang.

Still, there was cautious hope that North Korea’s relations with the US and its allies have turned a corner after years of tensions.

The agreement calls on Pyongang to suspend uranium enrichment and place a moratorium on nuclear and long-range missile tests. In a possible sign of things to come, Ri, North Korea’s vice foreign minister and envoy to nuclear disarmament negotiations, has been cleared to travel to the US to attend the forum at Syracuse University, according to the person with knowledge of the arrangement. A second person with information about Ri’s itinerary also said the envoy would be attending the Syracuse forum.

Both spoke on condition of anonymity because Ri’s travel plans have not been formally announced. The US and North Korea do not have formal diplomatic relations but the measures laid out in the deal announced Wednesday include facilitating “people-to-people” exchanges. The deal is a sign that the foreign policy laid out in the final years of Kim Jong Il’s rule - with improved relations with the US as a key goal - will be carried out by his young son. Shortly before Kim Jong Il’s death was announced, the AP reported that a deal similar to the one announced this week was imminent.

A return to negotiations before the end of the semiofficial 100day mourning period suggests stability and continuity during the closely watched transition of leadership in North Korea. In Pyongyang, a spokesman for North Korea’s Foreign Ministry told the state-run Korean Central News Agency that the steps are confidence-building measures designed to improve relations between North Korea and the US. The US and North Korea fought on opposite sides of the Korean War and signed an armistice to end the fighting in 1953. They have never signed a peace treaty, and the US has some 28,000 troops protecting ally South Korea. The agreement announced Wednesday was finalized last week during talks in Beijing. It opens the way for international inspections for the North’s nuclear program, which has gone unmonitored for years.—AP

MALE: Supporters of Maldives’ former President Mohamed Nasheed shout slogans outside the parliament during a protest in Male, Maldives yesterday.—AP

Maldives prez blocked from opening Parliament Backers of Nasheed block streets MALE: Supporters of Maldives’ former president prevented the country’s new leader from opening Parliament and protested in the streets yesterday, three weeks after he took office in a contentious power transfer. Backers of former President Mohamed Nasheed’s Maldivian Democratic Party blocked roads leading to Parliament and clashed with police, who attempted to push them aside with their shields.

Police spokesman Ahmed Shyam said 14 officers were injured in stone throwing, four of them seriously. Forty-four protesters were arrested for breaching the Parliament security cordon, attacking the police and setting fire to a police motorbike, he said. Lawmakers from MDP removed the seats reserved for the president and the speaker in Parliament, preventing President Mohammed Waheed Hassan from making an inaugural speech.

According to the constitution, the pres-

ident must speak to the lawmakers and officially open a new parliamentary session after a change in leadership. Hassan then went to a waiting room in Parliament hoping that the opposition lawmakers would end their protest, spokesman Masood Imad said.

“He is determined to speak but the situation is still not conducive,” Imad said. He was still waiting by late afternoon, nearly six hours after the protests inside and outside of Parliament began. Nasheed resigned last month after weeks of public protests and loss of support from the military and police. He later said he was ousted in a coup and was forced to resign at gunpoint.

A political stalemate has followed, with Nasheed calling Hassan’s government illegitimate and campaigning for early elections. Hassan, Nasheed’s former deputy, says the transfer was constitutional. The MDP said in a statement yesterday that

they decided to block Hassan from speaking because he “refuses to yield his illegitimate grip on power, and seems intent on disenfranchising the Maldivian people of their right to elect their president.”

“We will continue to hold to our position and it is imperative that an election takes place as soon as possible to resolve this political deadlock and bring back the democratic order,” said party spokesman Hamid Abdul Ghafoor. The presidential election is scheduled to be held in late 2013. The United States embassy in Colombo in a statement expressed concern over the “disorderly protests in Male and disruption of the opening session of the Majlis (Parliament).”

It urged all sides to work toward a peaceful solution without letting violence complicate the issues further. Maldives, a nation of 300,000 people, introduced democratic elections after 30 years of autocratic rule ended in 2008.— AP

Business FRIDAY, MARCH 2, 2011

US shows growth across all areas, Fed reports

China manufacturing sees gains in February PAGE 24 PAGE 23

Euro-zone puts Greece’s efforts under microscope

ATHENS: Protesters participate in a rally held by Greece’s largest unions outside the Greek parliament in central Athens on Wednesday. Lawmakers were set to vote on a new round of cuts yesterday, which will merge debt-strapped supplementary pension funds - part of a long list of demands made by rescue creditors, who insist the government aggressively sell off or shut down state enterprises. — AP

Greece must complete 38 ‘prior actions’ to get aid BRUSSELS: Euro-zone finance ministers were set to run the rule over Greece’s accounts again yesterday but aren’t ready to sign off yet on a second, 130-billion-euro bailout program.

The Greek parliament approved an extension of pharmacy opening hours and cuts to spending on drugs in a late-night session on Wednesday, the final significant element in a package of three dozen “prior actions” Euro-zone countries had demanded before more aid is provided.

Ministers gathered in Brussels to assess Greece’s efforts. But they are not expected to fully sign off on the bailout program until later in March, once a restructuring of Greece’s private sector debt is complete, officials said. “Today is just going to be a stock-taking exercise - looking at whether Greece has done enough and making sure the pieces are in place,” said a Euro-zone official involved in preparing documents for the meeting. “So far the indications are that Greece has done enough. But it’s going to be a while before the ministers sign off and any money is disbursed.”

Finance ministers are scheduled to meet again on March 12, the first date that they could give final approval for the package, which ultimately aims to cut Greece’s debt to just over 120 percent of gross domestic product (GDP) by 2020, from 160 percent now. That meeting is also expected to see a discussion on combining the euro zone’s crisis-fighting firewalls, the 250 billion Euros ($335 billion) left in the temporary EFSF bailout fund and the 500 billion euro permanent ESM

facility. Jean-Claude Juncker, the chairman of Euro-zone finance ministers, said on Wednesday Greece would probably get its first payment from the second package by March 20 at the latest, as long as Athens meets all the conditions first.

SCRUTINY A critical element of the package that has to be completed successfully before finance ministers can give their go-ahead is a bond swap in which private holders of Greek bonds swap their holdings for new bonds with a lower coupon, cutting around 100 billion Euros from Athens’ debt pile. The swap opened on Feb. 24 and closes on March 8. Greece has said it is not obliged to carry out the swap unless it gets 90 percent participation. If participation is below 90 percent but above 75 percent, Greece would consult with public creditors. If the rate was less than 75 percent and it did not receive required consents, it would not go through with the deal. Greece has passed legislation introducing collective action clauses (CACs) that allow it to force all bondholders to proceed with the swap once it has secured a specified level of approval.

Based on the recently approved law, the exchange will go ahead once 50 percent of bondholders have responded to the offer and the clauses will be activated once a two-thirds majority of that quorum has voted in favor of the swap.

Provided the bond swap goes off smoothly, finance ministers should be free to give the go-ahead for the release of the

funds in the aid package, whose precise figures are still being tinkered with but essentially add up to 130 billion Euros. Of that, 30 billion will be used to provide “sweeteners” to encourage the private sector to participate in the restructuring, up to 50 billion to recapitalize Greek banks, and 5.7 billion to pay off accrued interest on the bonds being exchanged. The remainder will be used to finance Athens’ remaining bond obligations and to run general government operations.

NOT OUT OF THE WOODS YET That will bring assistance from the EU and IMF to a total of 240 billion Euros of since April 2010, an amount that exceeds the total value of Greece’s economy. But the country will remain acutely vulnerable. The biggest concern for finance ministers is that, as in the past, Greece will fall behind on meeting the program’s targets on structural and labor market reforms required to overhaul the economy and return it to competitiveness. The first formal review of the second package will come three months after it is signed off, probably in June, although as part of the deal there will also be a dedicated group of inspectors on the ground in Athens monitoring the government’s every step in meeting its obligations. Any indications of slippage and the IMF, or the European Commission, or both, could decide that Greece is beyond assistance and leave it up to Athens to decide if a deeper debt restructuring or full default is necessary. — Reuters

Business FRIDAY, MARCH 2, 2012

Massive turnover supports Saudi stock rally DUBAI: Heavy flows of new money into Saudi Arabia’s stock market mean its bull run may just have begun, despite year-to-date gains by the main index of 13 percent, analysts say. Daily trading turnover on the Saudi exchange in February ran at between two and three times levels seen late last year. It jumped to 16.1 billion riyals ($4.3 billion) on Tuesday, the highest level since January 2008 — before the global financial crisis damaged confidence in equities around the world. Some of the rise in stock prices is due to a return of the short-term speculation that characterized the market before the crisis, traders believe. Insurance is one sector which may have become overheated; it is up 29 percent so far this year and analysts estimate its average price/earnings ratio at about 20 times this year’s earnings, high compared to other sectors and by historical standards.

Nevertheless, powerful forces appear to be behind the market’s rally. One is a shift of money out of other asset classes, especially real estate, into equities. Land prices in peripheral locations in big cities climbed about 10-20 percent over the past year, consultants Jones Lang Lasalle have estimated, but the rise may falter. “People are getting suspicious about the real estate sector because of the huge jump in prices and are trying to get out...that’s when liquidity built up in the equity market,” said Faisal AlOthman, portfolio manager at Riyadh-based Arab National Bank. The consultative Shoura Council has proposed imposing a tax on undeveloped plots of land, local media reported in February; while it is not clear whether the government will adopt this proposal, the prospect may be helping to push money out of unproductive land speculation into equities. Another factor continuing to push up stocks is the possibility that Saudi Arabia will open its equities market to direct investment by foreign institutions this year. The government has been considering the reform.

UPSIDE While some individual sectors may be overvalued, AlOthman and others said it would be hard to claim this of the market as a whole. The main index is trading at about 13.5 times this year’s estimated earnings, he said, above other markets in the Gulf but below levels exceeding 15 that it reached in the past decade. “Valuations as a whole remain reasonable even though some sectors, like cements, are trading at a premium to the market of about 40 percent,” said Farouk Miah, acting head of research at NCB Capital. He added, “A lot of Saudi investors are getting cash-rich and volumes on the market are huge, but there is selling as well. It’s not purely speculative and it’s a good sign of the market’s maturity.”

Economists polled by Reuters in December predicted Saudi Arabia’s gross domestic product would grow 4.0 percent this year. But the recent climb in global oil prices, and the possibility that Saudi crude production will expand to compensate for diminishing supply from sanctions-hit Iran, mean that growth estimate may well be too conservative-and if so, analysts’ estimates for this year’s corporate earnings may eventually be revised higher.

“Even if valuations hit the ceiling, investors will still be optimistic,” Al-Othman said. “Sentiment is changing and people will start to revisit their numbers, so P/E ratios will go down and earnings expectations will go up.”

In the past two weeks the index, which ended Wednesday at 7,226 points, has risen above the 7,000point area, where it peaked in 2010. For some analysts, that indicates the possibility of a continued rise to 9,000 or 10,000 points. If the rally maintains the pace of the last two months, that area will be hit this year. Foreign investors will be hoping the market is opened to them in time to share in the bull run. In a sign of growing foreign interest, Japan’s Nomura announced this week that it had obtained Saudi regulatory approval to offer foreign investors indirect access to the market through swap products. “For foreigners, it’s still worth it to jump in if they are allowed. If you see the market going up like this, you don’t want to lose the opportunity,” Al-Othman said. — Reuters

Dubai’s Drydocks to present $2.2 bln debt plan next week Chairman says deal to be completed in July DUBAI: Dubai’s ship building unit Drydocks World, in negotiations to restructure a $2.2 billion loan facility, will present terms of the proposal to lenders on March 8, seeking to put an end to the long-drawn and complex debt talks. The debt restructuring of the Dubai World unit, initially expected to be completed

by April last year, has dragged on as the presence of hedge funds and a lack of government support curbed prospects of an amicable deal. Drydocks now hopes to complete the restructuring by July, its Chairman Khamis Juma Buamim said in an email statement. “With the support of its wider stakeholders, significant progress has been made over recent months in all aspects of the restructuring,” Buamim said.

The syndicated facility, taken out to finance acquisitions in Singapore in October 2008, comprised a $1.7 billion threeyear loan paying 170 basis points and a five-year $500 million loan with a 190 basis points margin, according to Thomson Reuters data. Bookrunners on the 15-lender syndicate were BNP Paribas , HSBC Mashraq, Standard Chartered and Lloyd TSB Bank among others. “Drydocks can today announce that

it is confident that it will receive the support of a majority of its syndicated lenders to the terms of its debt restructuring,” said Buamim. Dubai stunned global markets in 2009 when it sought a standstill on $26 billion in debts related to Dubai World. It reached an agreement with banks last year to extend debt maturities by promising repayment mostly through asset sales.

Other Dubai World entities are also struggling with their debt maturities, including industrial free zone operator Jebel Ali Free Zone (JAFZA) that is looking to refinance a $2 billion Islamic bond. Buamim said in December that Drydocks looks to extend debt repayment for between five to eight years, which would be similar to the time frame reached by parent Dubai World. The shipbuilding unit of Dubai World is not regarded as a strategic asset by Dubai, meaning it has had to negotiate its own debt solution without the support of the government. It is eyeing joint ventures for its southeast Asia business, which could be sold off later to prospective partners if they proved to be successful. — Reuters

BROOKLYN: Christian Djomatin displays freshly baked and frosted doughnuts at the Dough bakery in Brooklyn, NY. The small business, founded in 2010, now has 15 employees making up to 2,000 doughnuts daily, most of which are sold wholesale to outlets in Manhattan and Brooklyn. The number of people seeking unemployment benefits fell slightly last week to the lowest point in four years, a reminder that the US jobs market is slowly improving. — AP

Bahrain’s Gulf Finance House swings to small profit in 2011 DUBAI: Bahrain’s Gulf Finance House swung to a full-year profit in 2011 as the troubled sharia-compliant investment firm said its restructuring plan, which included significant cost-cutting, helped reverse its fortunes. The company made a $0.38 million net profit last year, compared with a net loss of $349.4 million in 2010, it said in a statement yesterday.

Operating costs were reduced by 37 percent during 2011, the firm said, while liabilities dropped by 33 percent by the end of the year as part of its restructuring plan. GFH also posted improved fourth-quarter numbers, although it remained in the red for the final three months of the year due to an $8 million impairment.

It made a net loss of $4 million in the three-month period to Dec. 31, versus a $187 million net loss in the corresponding period in 2010. GFH was forced into restructuring obligations in 2010 as the firm struggled with its debt burden in the aftermath of the global financial crisis. It approved a highly-dilutive recapitalisation plan in November 2010, which included a 75 percent capital cut to absorb accrued losses and a $500 million offering of a murabaha instrument to new investors to raise funds. GFH said it was continuing to target new investors with the murabaha - a cost-plus-profit arrangement which complies with Islamic law - although it gave no figures as to how much new capital had been raised. — Reuters

Business FRIDAY, MARCH 2, 2012

Eu unemployment hits new high Consumers may start to rein in spending

SEYCHELLES: The Costa Allegra Cruise ship, right, is towed in the Victoria’s harbor, Seychelles Island, yesterday. — AP

Italy’s Costa brand faces PR nightmare MILAN: Costa Crociere SpA, the largest cruise brand in Europe, is facing a legal and public relations nightmare after seeing two high-profile disasters on its ships barely six weeks apart. Costa Crociere bookings already had dipped by an estimated one-third following the Jan. 13 wreck of its Concordia ocean liner off a Tuscan island that killed up to 32 passengers and crew. The company is blaming that shipwreck on its captain, who stands accused of abandoning ship as passengers struggled to escape. Now, following an engine room fire this week that left its Allegra cruise ship drifting without power in the Indian Ocean, Costa faces an even more difficult future.

Industry experts said Costa’s survival after 60 years in the passenger ship business could depend on the company changing its name or getting a bailout from its parent, US-based Carnival.

Magda Antonioli, the director of the tourism Masters program at Bocconi University in Milan, said Costa should think about re-branding itself after the back-to-back disasters. “Certainly, images of the two accidents have been around the world,” Antonioli said. But many in the cruise business don’t think the disasters will prove to be Costa’s death knell or even have a long-term impact on the wider cruise industry, which is experiencing phenomenal growth as the number of healthy elderly rises and more families choose cruises for intergenerational vacations.

“No, not the end for Costa, which has operating passenger ships for over 60 years,” Douglas Ward, author of the 2012 Berlitz Guide to Cruising & Cruise Ships, said in an email from a ship off the Australian coast. “But the relentless media spotlight may dilute the brand and perhaps the number of ships in fleet.” Costa has more than doubled its fleet, from five to 14 ships, since being acquired by Carnival in 2000. Sales in 2010 rose 12 percent to 2.8 billion Euros ($3.8 billion) while the number of passengers increased 18 percent to 2.15 million. Based in Genoa, Costa has a 7 percent global market share, the largest of Carnival’s subsidiaries. With two ships now disabled by accidents, two more are scheduled for launch before the heavy summer European cruise season opens, and another is expected on the water by 2014.

The global industry generates an estimated $30 billion in revenues globally, said Jaime Katz, an analyst at Morning Star. Carnival, the parent company, has a strong cash flow, which would put them

in a position to help out Costa if needed, Katz said. She noted that much of the liability that Costa faces from the Concordia tragedy will be covered by insurance - and that the industry as a whole can expect premiums to go up.

Ward said the real impact would be the lost jobs among people who work on the ships, many from developing nations whose families depend on those seafaring jobs. In Italy alone, Costa contributed ?2.2 billion ($3 billion) to the economy in 2010 through tourism, shipbuilding, shipboard suppliers and other related spending, according to a study

by Milan Polytechnic.

Bookings on Costa dropped some 30 percent after the Concordia, and are down around 22 to 25 percent in the wake of the Allegra’s generator fire on Feb. 27, said Roberto Corbella, president of Italy’s tour operator industry group.

But he said the early estimates are not reliable and can pick up at any time. The impact on Costa bookings during the critical first quarter - when most highseason cruises are booked - will only be known next week when Carnival releases its results. “We have seen that longtime cruise-goers are unfazed, they continue to make reservations. It is the firsttime cruise-goer who is waiting to reserve until they feel more confident,” Corbella said. Two days after the Allegra fire, the ship’s 1,000 passengers and crew were facing a third night without lights, air conditioning or power.

Passengers were sleeping outside and eating only cold foods. Canned food was being helicoptered onto the stricken ship, which was being towed and expected to reach the Seychelles’ main island yesterday.

“Certainly it is an ugly thing, and it is better if it hadn’t happened, but all of the people in the company are working to reduce the discomfort to the passengers,” Corbella said. “In my view, it is a brand that can continue. It has a long history, and this history is also positive and has always been solid and serious.”

The financial damage to Costa is still unknown. The company said it can’t determine how long the Allegra will be out of service until it surveys the damage. The ship was just a week into a monthlong cruise from Mauritius to Savona in Italy when the engine fire hit.

Its next cruise, beginning March 17 in the eastern Mediterranean, is sure not to sail. The 450 million Euro Concordia has been partially submerged since Jan. 13 but no decisions have been made yet on whether it can be salvaged. —AP

LONDON: Mass unemployment in Greece and Spain combined to push the jobless rate across the 17-country eurozone up to its highest rate since the euro was established in 1999, official figures showed yesterday. The rise in the eurozone unemployment rate to 10.7 percent, reported by Eurostat, the European Union’s statistics office, was unexpected and is likely to trigger renewed concerns over the outlook for the wider economy. If unemployment - and the accompanying fear of unemployment - is rising, consumers may rein in their spending. This could further dent an already-contracting eurozone economy.

Consumers’ appetite to open their wallets will likely be further constrained by the accompanying news that inflation in the eurozone unexpectedly also rose in February to 2.7 percent from the previous month’s 2.6 percent. The markets had been pricing in no change from January, and the increase takes inflation further above the European Central Bank’s target of keeping price rises at just below 2 percent. Inflation has been above target for 15 months now. “This is particularly bad news for consumers as they are not only facing high and rising unemployment but also still squeezed purchasing power,” said Howard Archer, chief European economist at IHS Global Insight. “It had been hoped that eurozone consumer price inflation would be heading down markedly by now but these hopes are being scuppered by high oil prices.”

In recent weeks, oil prices have edged up to ninemonth highs on the back of brighter economic news out of the US, the world’s largest economy, and ongoing tensions over Iran’s nuclear plans. Without the recent increase, analysts reckon inflation would be much closer to target. Since the ECB’s primary role is maintain its measure of price stability, persistently-high inflation has reined in market expectations of any further interest rate reductions any time soon. Early this year, there had been a growing consensus that the ECB would push its benchmark interest rate below 1 percent for the first time ever.

The ECB holds its monthly policy meeting next week and all expectations are that it will keep its benchmark rate unchanged at the record low of 1 percent, especially after its massive injection of cash into the banking system on Wednesday. “The latest eurozone data revealed a combination of stubborn inflation and rising unemployment at the start of the year, suggesting that the recent rebound in consumer sentiment may falter before long,” said Ben May, European economist at Capital Economics. The figures come as EU leaders gather in Brussels to discuss a strategy to boost economic growth. Eight of the 17 countries in the eurozone are, according to the European Commission, are expected to contract during the first three months of 2011. Those sort of projections aren’t likely to do much to help turn round the unemployment rate

MADRID: People enter an unemployment office in Madrid. Spain’s Labor Ministry says the number of people filing for unemployment benefits rose by 177,470 in January raising the total number of people seeking benefits to a rounded 4.6 million. — AP in the eurozone, which is at alarming levels in some countries. The consensus in the markets was for the January rate to remain unchanged at December’s previously reported rate of 10.4 percent. Instead, December’s rate was instead revised upward to 10.6 percent.

Europe’s unemployment rate has been steadily ticking up all year as the wider economy wanes in the face of a protracted debt crisis that’s meant widespread austerity measures being pursued across the single currency zone.

The eurozone economy contracted by 0.3 percent in the final three months, though recent indicators have suggested that it may avoid a recession - defined as two consecutive quarters of negative growth. — AP

AMSTERDAM: The preview of the new Apple Store in Amsterdam yesterday. The new store, the first in the Benelux, opens its doors tomorrow. — AFP

Business FRIDAY, MARCH 2, 2012

Central banks’ joint efforts sustaining global system Federal Reserve reaches $2.94 trillion

PARIS/DETROIT: A combination created yesterday shows a file picture taken on August 26, 2009 in Paris of French car maker PSA Peugeot Citroen chairman Philippe Varin (L) and a file picture taken on January 10, 2011 in Detroit of General Motors Chairman and CEO Daniel F Akerson. US auto giant General Motors and PSA Peugeot Citroen of France on February 29, 2012 unveiled a global cooperation deal aimed at slashing costs for both and boosting their competitiveness in Europe. — AFP

GM, Peugeot team up to reduce costs PARIS: US auto giant General Motors and PSA Peugeot Citroen of France on Wednesday unveiled a global cooperation deal aimed at slashing costs for both and boosting their competitiveness in Europe. The two said GM, the world’s largest automaker, would take a 7.0 percent stake in Peugeot, Europe’s number two after Volkswagen of Germany. But their leaders stressed the limited aim of jointly saving on production costs rather than any more ambitious tie-up. “This is an alliance, not a merger,” GM chairman and chief executive Dan Akerson said in a conference call.

PSA managing board chairman Philip Varin assured that the French automaker “remains independent, very clearly, on its strategic plan and its capital.” The deal’s impact on jobs and production capacity remained unclear. France’s Industry minister said he had been assured that the deal would be “favourable” for jobs. But Varin said each of the two companies would have to deal with their production overcapacity, separately from the pact. Under the agreement, a joint global committee steering the alliance is expected to generate some $2 billion in savings annually within about five years.

To do that GM, which controls money-losing European producers Opel and Vauxhall, and Peugeot will share certain vehicle platforms, components and modules. But each will continue to “market and sell its vehicles independently and on a competitive basis,” they said in a joint statement. GM and Peugeot will first work together on small and midsize passenger cars, family vans and crossover sport utility vehicles. They expect to launch the first vehicle developed on a common platform-shared essential designs and architecture like the underbody and suspension-by 2016.

The partners also said they will consider developing a new common platform for low-emission vehicles.

“Sharing of platforms not only enables global applications, it also permits both companies to execute Europespecific programs with scale and in a cost-effective manner,” they said. The alliance will “contribute to the profitabili-

ty of both partners and strongly improves their competitiveness in Europe.” But, they noted, it “does not replace either company’s ongoing independent efforts to return their European operations to sustainable profitability.”

The automakers have struggled with flagging sales in Europe, where a eurozone debt crisis in recent years has led to recession. For GM, nearly $750 million in European losses marred a record year of profits in 2011, while Peugeot, which sells two-thirds of its vehicles in Europe, saw sales drop 1.5 percent last year and its profit halved.

They will also create a global purchasing joint venture to buy $125 billion in commodities and other goods and services from suppliers a year. French Industry Minister Eric Besson welcomed the deal as “good news” for jobs, saying he had been assured by Peugeot “that this partnership will be favourable to PSA’s employment and presence in France.” French President Nicolas Sarkozy is facing a tough re-election battle in a two-round April-May vote and it had been feared that any announcement of layoffs could be disastrous for his campaign. But Varin said the deal did not mean the groups could ignore their production overcapacity. “We have overcapacities in Europe that are clear for everybody but have to be dealt with by each partner,” he said in the conference call. A source close to the matter told Dow Jones Newswires that GM was planning job cuts and possibly factory closings at Opel and Vauxhall, which together sell more than a million vehicles each year. The Peugeot chief said the partnership has the strong support of the company’s key shareholder, the Peugeot family, which controls 30.3 percent of the capital and 45.75 percent of voting rights in PSA. As part of the deal, the French firm is expected to raise about one billion euros ($1.35 billion) through a share issue.

Although they will take up 150 million euros’ worth of the new shares, the deal will still cut the family’s overall stake. The family said in a statement that it was “firmly convinced of the strategic rationale” of the deal. —AFP

WASHINGTON: Never before have the world’s central banks sent so much money sloshing through the global financial system. From slashing interest rates and buying government debt to dangling cheap loans to banks and taking on their risky assets, central banks have taken extraordinary steps since the 2008 financial crisis to nurse the international banking system back to health. Over the past 3 1/2 years, the central banks of the United States, Britain, Japan and the 17 countries that use the euro have pumped out so much money that their balance sheets have reached a combined $8.76 trillion. That’s a record, by far. The infusion of money has eased borrowing costs and raised confidence in banks, governments and companies.

Critics counter that the flood of cash has made high inflation more likely. And they point to rising prices for oil, food, gold and other commodities as evidence. They warn that the easy money may allow investors to bid stock prices up to dangerous heights. They also note that the crisis led central banks to accept high-risk investments that banks have wanted to unload. These investments have been collateral for money that central banks gave financial institutions. Trouble is, the central banks must eventually unload the trillions in assets on their books.

That carries risks, too.

A second round of low-cost loans that the European Central Bank gave banks Wednesday is the latest financial injection. The ECB issued $712 billion in loans to 800 banks, on top of $658 billion it lent 523 banks in December. At times, the world’s leading bankers have coordinated their actions to maximize the punch. In December, for example, major central banks sought to shore up the global financial system by making it easier for banks to borrow US dollars. It was the most significant joint effort by the central banks since they cut interest rates in October 2008. The central banks feel compelled to take such far-reaching action because of their role as a nation’s lender of last resort. This function is in addition to their core task of managing interest rates and inflation through the money supply.

Each central bank’s balance sheet reflects assets it’s taken on, such as bonds and mortgage-backed investments.

Their balance sheets have soared since the financial crisis exploded. The Federal Reserve’s has reached $2.94 trillion.

That’s triple its size in August 2008, just before the crisis hit. The ECB’s is $3.58 trillion, nearly twice its level before the crisis. The Bank of England’s balance sheet has jumped three-fold. The Bank of Japan’s is up 28 percent. “This is the first time in history that we have seen anything like this amount of liquidity from central banks flooding the system,” said David Jones, head of DMJ Advisors and the author of several books on the Fed. Mark Zandi, chief economist at Moody’s Analytics, said the only period that even comes close would be the central banks’ efforts in the 1930s to fight the Great Depression. But many historians say the Fed prolonged the Depression by failing to provide emergency loans to banks or to take other steps that might have stemmed the damage. “Ben Bernanke is a historian of the Great Depression,” Zandi said of the current Fed chairman. “That is why he has been so aggressive in using the Fed’s balance sheet to respond to the current problems.” The central banks have revealed no plans to reverse course and tighten credit soon. The Fed has said it expects to keep short-term rates at record lows near zero until at least late 2014. At a House hearing Wednesday, some lawmakers pressed Bernanke about the risks of keeping rates so low for so long. “One of the problems with setting these horizons out so far is that the private sector starts to expect that, and if circumstances change, crawling back off that limb could be very difficult,” Rep. Melvin Watt, D-N.C., told Bernanke.

“The policy is a conditional policy,” Bernanke responded. “It’s based on what we know now. If there’s a substantial change in the outlook, we’d have to adjust accordingly.” Bernanke hinted that if the US economy continued to improve consistently, the Fed might have to consider raising rates sooner. For now, following the Fed’s lead, other central banks have kept their benchmark short-term rates at super-lows. They’ve created low-rate lending programs for commercial banks, like the three-year loans the ECB is

providing. And they’ve bought bonds to try to drive down long-term rates. The bond purchases are known as “quantitative easing,” or QE. The Fed has completed two such programs. Some hope it will announce a third. Supporters note that the US economy remains less than robust, and unemployment is a still-high 8.3 percent. Further reducing rates on mortgages and other loans could energize the US economy, they argue.

Critics counter that more bond purchases by the Fed could ignite inflation. They note that the US economy has been steadily improving, and unemployment has dropped for five straight months. Remarks that Bernanke made at the hearing Wednesday suggesting a brighter economic outlook made further bond-buying appear less likely. The ECB is legally barred from buying bonds directly from governments. But it’s bought 219 billion euros in bonds on the secondary market to try to lower rates and reduce borrowing costs for Europe’s most troubled economies. The ECB has also been cutting short-term rates and offering super-cheap loans to banks. In its second installment of three-year loans, the ECB is charging just 1 percent interest. The idea is to get banks to use the loans to buy government debt and further ease nations’ borrowing costs.

Earlier this month, the Bank of Japan announced an expansion of its own asset-purchase program. So did the Bank of England. “Everyone is following the Federal Reserve’s example of printing money to get out of this economic slump,” Jones said. The Fed’s expanding balance sheet reflects its ability to create money, use it to buy Treasurys and lower long-term rates. Lower rates make borrowing cheaper. And they typically cause some investors to shift some money out of bonds and into assets such as stocks. Stock prices tend to rise as a result. A larger number of dollars in circulation lowers the dollar’s value compared with other currencies. That can help the economy by making US exports cheaper overseas. Central banks face a delicate task in deciding when and how to unload the assets on their swollen balance sheets without jolting the financial system. Bernanke and other central bank officials have stressed their commitment to gradually tighten credit before inflation poses a major threat.

“Central banks around the world are making a bet that they will be able to handle inflation down the road,” said Diane Swonk, chief economist at Mesirow Financial. — AP

World stock markets slip as buying fervor cools BANGKOK: World stock markets edged lower yesterday as buying fervor cooled following a string of strong gains. Benchmark oil slipped below $107 per barrel while the dollar fell against the yen but rose against the euro. European stocks fell in early trading. Britain’s FTSE 100 lost 0.2 percent 5,860.54 and Germany’s DAX shed 0.4 percent to 6,828.03.

France’s CAC-40 fell 0.6 percent to 3,431.93. Ahead of the opening bell on Wall Street, Dow Jones industrial futures fell 0.1 percent to 12,922 and S&P 500 futures lost 0.2 percent to 1,361.50.

Earlier in the day, benchmarks in Asia lost steam following strong recent advances. After opening higher, Japan’s Nikkei 225 index faded 0.2 percent to close at 9,707.37. The benchmark closed at 9,723.24 on Wednesday, its highest level since Aug. 2. Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 fell 1 percent to 4,255.50 after falling metals prices caused materials shares to slump. Benchmarks in Singapore, Taiwan, India and Indonesia also fell. Markets in South Korea were closed for a public holiday. Mainland China shares were mixed after Chinese manufacturing improved for the third month in a row in a sign of renewed strength in the global economy. The Shanghai Composite Index closed down 0.1 percent to 2,426.11. The smaller Shenzhen Composite Index rose 0.4 percent to 960.75. —AP

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Detroit automakers oppose Japan’s entry in trade talks WASHINGTON: US Trade Representative Ron Kirk sought to assure lawmakers on Wednesday that the United States would not sign off on Japan’s entry into trans-Pacific trade talks until it is confident Tokyo is ready to meet high US goals for the pact. “We’ve been very honest (in talks with the Japanese) that they have to meet those standards,” Kirk told the House of Representatives Ways and Means Committee at a hearing on the Obama administration’s trade agenda.

“Frankly, it’s in Japan’s hand to demonstrate their willingness to address these issues.”

Japan, the world’s third-largest economy, announced its desire last year to join talks with the United States, Australia, Vietnam and six other countries in the Asia Pacific region on the Trans-Pacific Partnership pact, known as TPP. The United States is pushing for an agreement that removes as many tariff and non-tariff barriers to trade as possible, and tackles new issues like the activities of state-owned enterprises, border procedures that disrupt supply chains and

obstacles to free trade in environmentally-friendly goods.

Detroit-based automakers Ford, Chrysler and General Motors oppose Japan’s participation because they believe Tokyo is not prepared to tear down “nontariff barriers” the companies blame for low US auto sales in Japan. “We have to be very careful,” said Representative Sander Levin, who comes from Detroit and is the top Democrat on the Ways and Means Committee. “We say we welcome (Japan’s interest), but the question is whether a welcoming will lead to addressing an historically closed market.”

House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Dave Camp, a Republican from Michigan, said he believed Tokyo’s interest represented a “unique opportunity” to address longstanding auto, agricultural and services trade barriers. But he also pressed Kirk for assurances that “Japan is ready to meet TPP’s high standards.”

Many US farm and business groups have welcomed Japan’s potential participation, but still worry Tokyo

may not really be willing to open its market and could drag out the negotiations.

Detroit automakers say the fact that Japanese automakers control more than 95 percent of the Japanese auto market shows the extent of the country’s regulatory or structural barriers that keep out foreign cars. Japanese official deny the charge, saying US cars do not fit the Japanese market because of their size, high fuel consumptions and higher prices. A freetrade pact with Japan could require the United States to phase out its remaining low tariffs on Japanese automobiles as well as a 25 percent tariff on pickup trucks. Japan already has a zero percent tariff on US cars. The nine countries negotiating the TPP are beginning a new round of bargaining in Melbourne in coming days and have a goal of reaching an final agreement by the end of this year. Kirk gave no timetable for a decision on Japan’s entry or for a decision on Canada and Mexico, which have also applied to join the talks. — Reuters

China manufacturing sees gains in February Inflation pressures continue to raise concern

MUMBAI: Residents of a chawl, traditional old tenement for the working class, stand in their common balcony as a new under-construction high-rise building is seen in the background in central Mumbai yesterday. India’s manufacturing sector slowed marginally in February, snapping three straight months of gains but the pace of growth remains robust, a business survey released yesterday said. — AFP

India manufacturing activity slightly slows in February MUMBAI: India’s manufacturing sector slowed marginally in February, snapping three straight months of gains but the pace of growth remains robust, a business survey released yesterday said.

The HSBC India Manufacturing Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI), a key measure of factory production, eased to 56.6 in February from 57.5 in January, which was an eight-month-high. A reading above 50 indicates the sector is expanding while a reading below 50 is a contraction. The survey comes a day after data showed that India’s economy expanded by 6.1 percent year in the last three months of 2011, its weakest annual pace in three years.

HSBC said the PMI reading pointed to a marked improvement in business conditions, with new orders rising at its strongest rate since April. “Activity in the manufacturing sector continued to expand in February, although at a slightly slower pace,” said HSBC India chief economist Leif Eskesen. He said that it was “premature” for the Reserve Bank of India to start cutting rates when it meets later this month to decide on monetary policy measures. “The easing cycle, which is expected to commence in April to June, will be gradual,” Eskesen said. Industry leaders have raised calls for the RBI to start easing its tight monetary policy stance to boost growth, after recent weak industrial output data. Experts also want the Congress-led government to act decisively in the budget due to be presented on March 16 to stimulate the economy and for interest rates to come down from close to four-year highs. — AFP

SHANGHAI: China’s manufacturing gained momentum in February, helped by strength in new orders, export demand and production, a government survey showed, though inflation pressures remain a concern.

The state-affiliated China Federation of Logistics and Purchasing said its purchasing managers index, or PMI, rose 0.5 points to 51.0 from January’s 50.5 and December’s figure of 50.3 in a third straight month of steady improvement. The reading was the strongest since June 2011 and came a day after Japan, which is the second biggest economy in Asia after China, reported that its factory production rose for a second straight month in January. However, the February figure was likely boosted by seasonal factors, namely the lack of a major holiday in February since the Lunar New Year was relatively early this year, in midJanuary.

A similar survey by HSBC said that after adjusting for seasonal factors its index rose to 49.6 in February, up from 48.8 the month before but still below the 50-level that signifies expansion. HSBC economist Qu Hongbin said that despite a pickup in production and hiring after the Lunar New Year, “deteriorating external demand is adding more downside risks to growth in the absence of a strong comeback in domestic demand.” Qu said he expects China’s central bank to further ease policy to counter weakness both at home and abroad. A government-engineered cooling of the property sector, coupled with the slump in global demand, has battered export-driven manufacturing. The index’s decline in November to below 50 had added to concerns over the potential for a sharp economic slowdown. It was the first contraction in manufacturing

SHANGHAI: Exhibitors have lunch in their booth on the opening day of the annual East China Fair at the Shanghai New International Expo Center in Shanghai yesterday. China’s manufacturing activity expanded for the third straight month in February as export orders improved, official data showed raising hopes the Asian giant was heading for a soft landing. — AFP since early 2009.

Economic growth declined to 8.9 percent in the final quarter of last year after Beijing hiked interest rates and tightened other controls to cool inflation. Chinese leaders reversed course in December and promised more bank lending to help companies cope with the slump in global demand but changes have been gradual. The federation said February’s indicators suggest China’s economy may have stabilized. It said the rise in new orders, export orders and purchasing volume reflects “expansion of production and

business activity” in manufacturing of mechanical, electrical and transportation equipment and machinery. Order backlogs also rose. Export orders expanded for the first time since August, as the US economy has recently gained strength and there were some signs of improvement in Europe despite its debt crisis, the federation said. However, it pointed to a rise in purchasing prices for manufacturing materials, especially oil-related commodities and chemicals, as a sign that “imported inflationary pressures cannot be ignored.” — AP

Business FRIDAY, MARCH 2, 2012

US shows growth across all areas, Fed reports Stronger hiring, declining unemployment reported

NEW YORK: A graphic display of a Facebook network is shown at a Facebook event for marketing professionals on Wednesday in New York. New, potentially lucrative advertising opportunities are coming to Facebook as a prelude to its initial public offering of stock. — AP

Facebook woos Madison Ave in pre-IPO mobile push NEW YORK/SAN FRANCISCO: Facebook has unveiled new ways for businesses to reach its 845 million users directly across all devices, including mobile, as it races toward a multibillion dollar IPO. With new “Premium on Facebook” ads, marketers can expand their reach on the social network by paying for a video, a coupon or other message to appear on the homepages of Facebook users, on the log-out screen and even within users’ newsfeeds. Until now the newsfeed had been free of paid marketing messages.

“Our vision for marketing is that it is as good as any of the content you and I see on our newsfeed from a friend or family member,” Facebook Vice President of Global Marketing Solutions Carolyn Everson told roughly 1,000 guests in the auditorium of Manhattan’s American Museum of Natural History on Wednesday. The event, which included an after-party with entertainment by singer Alicia Keys, marked a major charm offensive on Madison Avenue advertisers led by Everson, Chief Operating Officer Sheryl Sandberg and other Facebook top brass. The revamped features represent the company’s latest push to convince businesses to spend money advertising on the world’s No. 1 social network, rather than simply using Facebook as a free marketing tool. The new ads also mark Facebook’s first effort to generate revenue from the growing ranks of consumers who access the service on mobile devices.

“Premium and mobile ads will help Facebook generate more revenue, particularly from big brand advertisers like Wal-Mart and Macy’s,” said eMarketer analyst Debra Williamson.

“Premium will enable advertisers to have a broader reach on Facebook, but they will have to pay for that.”

Allowing paid company posts onto users’ newsfeeds is a risk for Facebook because newsfeeds could get overwhelmed with advertising messages, Williamson added. “Facebook advertising in the past was off to the side,” she said. “Now Facebook is taking the bold step of putting advertising right in the mix between photos of babies and updates on trips to restaurants.”

Other new features let companies, as well as celebrities and brands, create self-contained mini-websites within Facebook using the Timeline format it introduced for users’ profile pages earlier this year. Facebook Pages will be available for smartphones starting later this year, executives said at the event attended by hundreds of advertising and marketing executives.

MOBILE PUSH Businesses initially seemed to like the expanded marketing arsenal, particularly the ability to target a growing population of cellphone-toting consumers. About half of Facebook users access the service on a mobile device, but until now the company has not offered any mobile advertising - a drawback for marketers trying to reach those users. “Mobile Facebook ads are huge. We’ll be all over this,” said Jason Goldberg, chief executive of online designer retailer Fab.com. “We’re already seeing more than 40 percent of our daily traffic to Fab from mobile. Being able to reach Facebook mobile users will only increase that.”

Facebook’s new mobile ads are part of the Premium service.

When companies buy a “premium” ad, they are paying for their message to show up in a several places on Facebook, including on the righthand side of a user’s homepage, when people log out and, potentially, in the newsfeed. Facebook’s algorithm determines whether or not an ad will show up in a user’s newsfeed, so there is no guarantee for companies that it will. Mobile ads will only appear in newsfeeds. —Reuters

WASHINGTON: The US economy started the year off well with busier factories, higher retail sales, more jobs and growth in home sales. The Federal Reserve said Wednesday that all 12 of its banking districts reported some level of growth in January and the first half of February.

The Fed’s report “was surprisingly more upbeat than we’ve seen lately,” said Jennifer Lee, an economist at BMO Capital Markets. “The employment picture is certainly brighter.” Overall economic activity increased at a “modest to moderate” pace, the Fed noted. That roughly matches the Fed’s assessment of the economy in the final weeks of 2011.

And it is slightly better than the “slow to moderate” growth cited for October and mid-November.

The pickup in growth reported by each Fed region corresponds with stronger hiring and declining unemployment over the past three months. The latest Beige Book, as the Fed report is formally known, sketched a picture of an economy improving in most major sectors: Manufacturing output rose in all districts. Auto manufacturing, steel makers and other metal producers all reported solid growth. Hiring rose slightly in many districts, with manufacturing employment picking up in six. Home sales increased in at least half of the districts, a notable improvement from the Fed’s last report in January. Sales are expected to climb further in four districts. And six districts reported rising construction of apartments. Retail sales rose in seven districts. The Fed said there was optimism in many districts that “sales will improve” in the coming months.

Not all the news from the report was good. Some manufacturers expressed concerns about Europe’s financial crisis.

And most districts said employers were under little pressure to raise wages. “On

balance, the Beige Book was slightly more positive than the previous report but largely in line with economic data already reported over the past two months,” said Joseph A. LaVorgna, chief USeconomist at Deutsche Bank, in a note to clients. Employers have added an average of 200,000 net jobs per month in November, December and January.

That has pushed the unemployment rate down to 8.3 percent. Most economists are forecasting another big month of job

WASHINGTON: In this file photo, Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke takes part in a news conference at the William McChesney Martin Federal Reserve Board Building.

Bernanke addressed members of Congress yesterday regarding the slowly improving economy. — AP

growth in February. Factory production jumped in January and December was the strongest month of growth in five years, the Fed said earlier this month in a separate report. Consumer confidence rose to its highest point in a year this month, as measured by the Conference Board.

Chairman Ben Bernanke acknowledged during a congressional hearing Wednesday that the economy has performed better than Fed expected. If it continues to do so, he said the Fed might have to reassess its outlook for a slow recovery. That could prompt the Fed to back off its plan to hold its key interest rate near zero until late 2014. A spike in inflation could also force the Fed to reconsider that policy. Gasoline prices are rising again. Bernanke said that will likely push inflation up temporarily while depressing consumers’ purchasing power. “The policy is conditional,” Bernanke said in response to a question on the topic. “It is based on what we know now.”

The Beige Book is released eight times a year. Its findings from each of the Fed’s regional bank districts are all anecdotal. There are no numbers. And each region offers a view unique to its particular economy. For example, the New York Fed reports that Wall Street pay “remains under downward pressure,” with bonuses down 30 percent from last year. In Richmond, store managers at big box department stores said television sales “blipped up just before the Super Bowl.”

The Atlanta Fed notes that cruise line reservations “have suffered in the wake of the maritime disaster in Italy.” But “attendance for major conventions increased.” The outlook among auto dealers in the St Louis District was positive: 76 percent expect sales to increase in March and April compared to the same months last year. — AP

Brand-name deals to mix with Facebook friend posts NEW YORK: Messages from brands such as Walmart and Starbucks may soon be mixed in with your Facebook status updates and baby photos from friends and family. Facebook unveiled new advertising opportunities Wednesday to help the world’s biggest brands spread their messages on the world’s largest online social network. Brands you’ve endorsed by hitting the “like” button will now be able to push deals and other updates right into the news feeds that show your friends’ updates, photos and links. These marketing messages could also show up if one of your friends has interacted with a brand, such as by liking it or commenting on a photo.

The new approach also means that advertisers will be able to reach users on mobile devices for the first time, giving Facebook a new and lucrative source of revenue. The changes come ahead of Facebook’s initial public offering of stock, expected this spring. The IPO could value the company at as much as $100 billion. That means Facebook has to prove it can bring in real advertising revenue from Target, Procter & Gamble and other massive brands. “Facebook is making serious money from ads right now, but they are not making serious money from major brand advertisers. That’s where the ad money is,” said Rebecca Lieb, an analyst with the Altimeter Group. “They currently have rather low-

rent, shoddy ads on Facebook.” That could change as Facebook starts integrating brands’ messages into the news feeds of its 845 million users as part of a long-term vision of moving from ads to stories about brands. Facebook made the announcement at the American Museum of Natural History in New York in a rare East Coast appearance for a Silicon Valley company that is now seriously courting Madison Avenue. Rather than bombarding people with flashy ads, Facebook is urging companies to integrate themselves into what people are already doing on the site - talking to their friends and family, commenting on photos or posting news links. “The definition of the word ‘advertise’ is to draw attention to,” said Chris Cox, Facebook’s vice president of product. “The definition of a story is narration, which you’d think is what people prefer.”

Facebook has a vast trove of information about its users’ lives, hobbies, likes and dislikes, yet the company has kept advertising fairly unobtrusive to date. Ads for teeth-whitening, wineries and laundry detergent and the like are relegated to the right side of users’ Facebook pages. Over time, Web-savvy users have grown used to ads and many are tuning them out. Those ads are not going away, but brands will now be able to push updates - or as Facebook likes to call, “stories” - right into the news feeds. —AP

Business FRIDAY, MARCH 2, 2012

NEW YORK: Pedestrians pass outside of the Amalgamated Bank at 52 Broadway in lower Manhattan, New York City. US banks are combining the new fees with increases in existing fees in an effort to make up for billions of dollars in revenue whose loss they blame on the federal financial-services overhaul.— MCT

US banks roll out new fees Bid to recoup lost income as debit fees fail to fly

I

f you thought customers triumphed last fall when the nation’s big banks quickly retreated from monthly fees for debit-card use, think again: Like the mythical Hydra, banks have replaced that charge, severed by a grass-roots uprising, with various new fees designed to recoup lost income.

Although some of these fees appeared before last year’s debit-card revolt, many more are making their debuts this year. There are nearly 50 different fees consumers can wind up paying, depending on the services they use and how they use them, according to some consumer advocates’ latest estimates.

“Most of these fees are not the in-your-face charges, such as the debit-card fee that caused the big uproar,” said Alex Matjanec, co-founder of MyBankTracker.com, a consumer-finance information website. “Many are flying under the radar. But they could have a big long-term effect on your money if you aren’t paying attention.”

Some banks have started charging for wire transfers, paper statements, prepaid cards, debit-card replacement and other services. Some even charge you now for closing an account or for making deposits using an iPhone. Don’t be surprised if some banks eventually charge people just to apply for a loan, consumer advocates say.

Banks are combining the new fees with increases in existing fees in an effort to make up for billions of dollars in revenue whose loss they blame on the federal financial-services overhaul, spiraling regulatory costs and huge legal liabilities such as the recent $25 billion foreclosurefraud lawsuit settlement.

For example, there has been a resurgence in

overdraft and credit-card fees, both of which had dipped across the industry as a result of changes that took effect in 2009 and 2010. “The banks have done a good job of convincing consumers that they just can’t live without those (overdraft) services,” said Gerri Detweiler, a Sarasota, Florida-based personal-finance expert for Credit.com, an independent consumerfinance research service.

Banks say they still provide customers multiple ways to avoid the vast majority of service fees, including the new ones. More than half of all US bank customers pay no fees at all by maintaining minimum account balances, setting up direct deposits or signing up for other services linked to their accounts, according to a 2011 study by the American Bankers Association. Still, the fee issue has reached a tipping point for some consumers.

Chris Erwin of Orlando said he closed his bank account at Wells Fargo & Co last fall during the uproar over monthly fees for debit-card use.

He also cited the Occupy Wall Street protest movement, which focused much of its energy on big banks.

“The Occupy movement kind of made me realize these big banks act more like investment banks, and you don’t really know what they are using your money for,” said Erwin, a 24-year-old home-security supervisor who has opened a member account at the Lake Mary, Flordiabased CFE Federal Credit Union. “It just seemed a much fairer thing to do, to go to a not-for-profit-type bank.”

According to a recent survey by Javelin Strategy and Research, more than 5.6 million consumers switched banks during the fourth

quarter of 2011, including many who moved to credit unions or smaller community banks, both of which typically charge lower fees. The survey by the California-based financial-consulting company estimated that 610,000, or 11 percent of the total, did so as part of the grass-roots protest against big banks’ attempt to impose debit-card fees, while an additional 846,000, or 15 percent, changed because of objections to bank fees generally.

A half-dozen large banks either imposed or announced plans last year to impose $5 monthly fees on customers who used their debit cards to buy goods and services; ATM use was exempt from the fee. The banks’ actions stoked public anger still simmering from the federal government’s 2008 bailout of major US banks, and an anti-fee petition on Change.org, a grass-rootsorganizing site, drew more than 300,000 signatures. By early November, all of the banks had backed off their debit-card fees.

Banks argue that surveys such as Javelin’s don’t tell the whole story. Such studies neglect to report, for example, how many new accounts were opened at major financial institutions during the same time period. Increases in the number and size of consumer fees, they say, are the inevitable result of what they describe as government overregulation of their industry: Caps on fees charged to merchants, additional disclosure mandates and other financial-service changes have limited their revenue and boosted their costs.

They criticize federal changes such as the 2011 Durbin Amendment, which set a 21-cent cap on the debit-transaction fees that banks charge retailers and other businesses that

accept such cards from their customers. That cap cut in half the average “swipe fee” banks had been charging for processing those transactions. Congress, in capping those fees, had sided with retailers who argued that the transaction charges were monopolistic and far out of line with banks’ actual costs — an assertion banks dispute.

“Congress has to understand that, whenever you pass legislation such as the Durbin Amendment, all of us as consumers are going to pay for it,” said Alex Sanchez, chief executive officer of the Florida Bankers Association. “The more regulations you pass on the banks, the more those costs are passed on to the people on Main Street.”

In business terms, banks are now “repricing” their services based on the cost structure dictated by the new federal rules, said Stanley D. Smith, a finance professor at the University of Central Florida. In some cases, that will mean the end of no-fee checking accounts and other services for which banks have not charged in the past, he said.

Consumers should keep track of such changes and make smart decisions about where they want to do their banking, Smith said — especially if they encounter something they consider especially offensive, such as an account-closing fee.

“If you’re already mad enough to come into the bank to close an account,” he said, “Then they tell you, ‘Oh, by the way, we’re going to charge you for taking your money out.’

Well, that pretty much blows any chance that you’re going to want to come back there ever again.” —MCT

Opinion FRIDAY, MARCH 2, 2012

Western ways woo Saudi women

Study abroad exposes them to new freedoms, raises doubts about returning home

By Rob L Wagner

W

hen 26-year-old Sabah arrived at the University of Newcastle in northeast England in the fall of 2009 for her postgraduate studies, she did what many of her Saudi girlfriends had decided. She sent her legal guardian home and lived an independent life. Sabah, who spoke on the condition that her real name not be revealed because she is not following the guidelines of the Saudi cultural attache, which supervises her scholarship, said neither her father nor mother feel the need to keep her on a short leash. “I have my own flat, I take the train to the university and I study late into the night at the library,” Sabah told The Media Line. “It’s a life I thought I never would have experience. I owe everything to my parents, who trust me to make the right decisions. Now I must make a decision of whether I even want to go back to Saudi Arabia. My heart tells me to stay here, but my head says I have no choice but to return home.”

Sabah is one of more than 800 Saudi men and women studying at Newcastle. An estimated 110,000 Saudis studying worldwide and are part of King Abdullah’s Foreign Scholarship program. They are studying abroad with about 30 percent attending US universities, 15 percent in the United Kingdom, 11 percent in Canada and 8 percent studying in Australia. The rest are scattered in other, mostly Muslim, countries. The program was initiated in 2005 and the first wave of students with graduate and postgraduate degrees has already returned to Saudi Arabia.

However, many Saudi women like Sabah are facing a personal crisis as they ponder their future once they earn their degrees. It’s an issue so sensitive that few students were willing to discuss their lives in the West using their real names, fearing they would lose their scholarships and sent home. Some women say they see efforts to tighten restrictions on their personal freedoms since the beginning of the Arab Spring. The heady feeling Saudi women felt following the June 2011 driving demonstrations to demand their right to drive has dissipated and replaced with heightened rhetoric among conservatives to stay at home.

A Saudi Ministry of Higher Education official, who spoke on the condition that he not be identified because of the sensitivity of the issue, says education and cultural attache officials, who supervise the scholarship program, are aware of the discontent among some Saudi students. “We understand our sisters’ concerns about job prospects when they return and some of the other obstacles they face, but they must fulfill the terms of their scholarship and any employment obligations they have,” the official told The Media Line. “They must come home after completion of their studies.”

Maha, who turned 31 recently and is preparing to graduate with an education degree from the University of California Berkeley, has a teaching job waiting for her in Taif that pays 3,000 Saudi riyals ($1,066) a month. “I can’t think of anything more boring,” Maha told The Media Line. “I have lived in California for four years. Jobs in my field pay about $2,700 a month and I would have none of the problems that I would face if I returned home.”

By problems, Maha points to the inevitable laundry list of expectations Saudi society places on her, including the type of job she can have. Like many young Saudi women on scholarships to Western universities, Maha accepted in advance a teaching job in a rural area after completing her studies. “I’ll be teaching village kids and my colleagues will be village women who have never left the province. And the only jobs available are teaching. I don’t necessarily want to be a teacher, but that is all that is available,” Maha says. “My father is dead, so my brother will be my guardian. I will answer to him for everything and he’s already hinted he expects some of my salary and he will

find me a husband.” Maha and Sabah often grumble about the restrictions imposed on them on choosing their employment, their husband and travel, all of which require permission from a male guardian. It’s the unintended consequence of the king’s scholarship program. For some Saudi women students, they came, they saw and they want to stay in the West. While some Saudi university students are flirting with the idea of remaining in Britain or the US, they acknowledge the enormous pressure of adapting to Western culture. “England, as much as I like it here, has a deep drinking culture and everybody’s sex life is an

December, conservatives alleged that Saudi men were contributing to the corruption of women and behaving “shamefully” by socializing with them during session breaks at the Saudi Intellectual Forum in Riyadh. Sabah says that attacking the moral character of a Saudi can be devastating, and serves as an effective tool to silence allies of women’s rights activists. “I can face this kind of thing. It’s my country,” Sabah says. “But do I want my daughters to grow up in this environment? There’s the old joke that Saudi Arabia takes one step forward for progress and two steps backward. Well, it’s many steps backward now.

An unidentified woman films footage of Saudi Iman Al-Nafjan (not seen) driving a car in Riyadh in this June 22, 2011 file photo. – AFP open book,” Maha says. “These are things I feel very uncomfortable about. Can I live in a culture with different moral values? I wonder.” The idea of not returning home is also a single woman’s prerogative. Married Saudi women students have their husbands and children with them. Returning home, where their lives are comfortable, is not open to debate. “My married friends have everything they need in Saudi Arabia,” Maha says.

“There’s no point in living here when they have everything they need at home.” Yet the urge to remain in Britain or the US often has less to do newfound freedoms and more with the impact the Arab Spring has had Saudi Arabia. One student characterized the kingdom as closing in on itself. “It’s a battle of wills between the conservatives and the liberals, and the conservatives are winning,” says a Saudi male student attending Newcastle and asked not to be identified. Sabah complains that women have been the most affected by a push among conservatives to stem the tide of reform championed by King Abdullah. The campaign for the right to drive a car has faltered.

Equally strong efforts by women activists to ease guardianship laws to provide easier access to jobs also have led nowhere.

Promises to codify laws that give women more rights in divorce and child custody cases in Saudi courts also failed to materialize. Sabah points to the disturbing trend among religious conservatives to attack men promoting women’s rights. In

We’re regressing.”

A 28-year-old doctoral student studying at the University of Birmingham in England, who asked to be called Khadija, says she is hopeful for women’s rights. She points to the fact that women won the right to vote and run for elected office. The university scholarship program is evidence of the government’s desire to provide better educational and employment opportunities for women. A progressive administrator, Sheikh Abdullatif Aal Al-Sheikh, was recently appointed to run the Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice. His first promise was to disband the volunteer vigilante force that strikes fear in many Saudis.

Yet the progress has had little effect on the day-to-day lives of Saudi women. “We as Saudi women are getting impatient,” Khadija told The Media Line. “I want to be there for my country.

They are giving me an education. But there are too many forces against me. Too many people want me to stay at home and waste my education, waste my brain. If I have to stay in the West to use my brain, I will.”

Yet Khadija says the reality is that the decision to remain in the West entails too high a price for most Saudi women. “I am looking for a job here in England and I’m hoping to find a way to stay here and live without restrictions. But am I ready to lose my family over it? No, not really.” — Media Line

A

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FRIDAY, MARCH 2, 2012

Years

www.kuwaittimes.net

A Jordanian man walks across the road covered in snow in Amman yesterday. (Top) A Jordanian man builds a snowman on top of a car boot outside of the University of Jordan.

(Above) A Jordanian woman takes a picture of her husband in Amman yesterday, after a heavy snow storm hit the country. — AFP

Te c h n o l o g y FRIDAY, MARCH 2, 2012

Nerd striptease

Unboxing lets others watch you unwrap your gadget

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he unboxing trend likely started in the summer of 2006, when Vincent Nguyen opted to film the unpacking of his new Nokia E61 smartphone. He unpacked the mobile, driver CD, battery, memory card, headset, handbook, USB cable and charger. There was a brief highlight as Nguyen told viewers that the device was an import from the European Union, before proudly showing off an adapter for the United States. “Basically, that’s it,” he said, concluding the one-anda-half-minute video, which seemed much longer thanks to its slow pace.

Since then, hundreds of other men have begun to film as they unpack their new gadgets. It’s called unboxing. What’s surprising is that thousands enthusiastically follow these proceedings.

Even as the trend has spread, the videos have remained amateurish. Usually you just see hands unpacking, although sometimes the owner makes an appearance on screen.

The ritual always remains the same: Components, accessories and the handbook are fished out of the box, unsealed and laid out for all to see.

The practical benefit? If you’re interested in purchasing the device, you now know what you’ll get. Most unboxing videos are on standard video-sharing portals such as YouTube, MyVideo or Vimeo. There are also dedicated sites such as http://unboxing.gearlive.com that are devoted entirely to the unpacking of smartphones, tablets and the like. Devotees of the practice are almost all men. But what motivates people to unpack their technology in such a well-documented manner, or to watch other people do it?

“New technology holds a lot of fascination for men,” explains psychoanalyst Brigitte Boothe of the University of Zurich.

It’s motivated by a love for the function and controls of gadgets. The proud presentation is an added bonus. “Glorifying something is an active step towards improving one’s sense of well-being,” says Boothe.

The simple act of unpacking a device without interruption, along with an internet audience, amplifies the sense of giddiness.

who really want a product, they get a preview of the object of their desire. At the opposite end of the spectrum from unboxing videos are haul videos, in which women report about their shopping adventures for cosmetics, accessories or clothing.

“It’s comparable, but it plays out in a different area,” says Boothe. With men, func-

And viewers get to enjoy the glow of a new device, which also adds to the feel-good sense.

“It’s the vicarious pleasure of something that you don’t own,” says Boothe, who has made the study of desire one of her focuses. “It’s not like you absolutely have to have it.” Sometimes just watching the presentation video is enough to make you feel better, even if you don’t have the money to make such a purchase yourself. As for those

tional products provide excitement, whereas women crave fantasies and ways to glorify their own bodies, she says. Business scientists have also busied themselves with the art of packages and the thrill of unpacking. US marketing professor Daniel J Howard noticed 20 years ago that the sense of self-satisfaction among his test subjects rose when gifts they received were packed more elaborately. Small wonder then that many manufacturers have opted

for ever more creative packaging for their products.

And all manner of creative types have found some reason to focus on video and still life images of people unpacking items.

On Flickr, one photo series shows Lego figures unpacking an iPhone. Some advertisers have begun incorporating packaging into their ads, with one featuring miniNinjas taking apart a mobile phone box.

Some have fun with it, like the unboxer who keeps pulling absurd parts out of packages, everything from a wristwatch to a dog. Even cars have been unboxed in ads.

But there are some calls for an end to the focus on unpacking. A parody clip, Let’s End Unboxing, shows a new projector being shoved into the corner because the unboxer is only focused on the carton, plastic wrap, clips and foam packaging.

Accompanied by mock-serious music, he practically fondles the packing. “In all seriousness, unboxing videos are exceedingly useless and annoying,” says the announcer at the end, exhorting people to focus on the product, not the packaging. — dpa

Relationships FRIDAY, MARCH 2, 2012

Columba Rosaly, 97, from Ecuador, and Larry Bushwell, 86, from Wisconsin, fell in love at a retirement center in Charlotte, North Carolina, even though neither speaks the other’s language. — MCT photos

Young love can come late in life ‘Love is universal... if you like someone, it doesn’t matter if you speak the same language’

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arry Bushnell and Columba Rosaly, got married in Charlotte, N.C., on Saturday, and it’s likely that this union is going to last the rest of their lives. He’s 85; she’s 97. But their decision to marry new partners late in life is just one of many unusual things about the couple. He grew up on a Wisconsin farm. She was raised by a wealthy uncle in Ecuador. Neither speaks the other’s language. And it’s unclear if he can handle her spicy cooking. Still, both can’t wait to start the next phase of their new lives together.

You can’t help but wonder, how did two people who don’t speak the same language know it was love ... and that he was proposing ... and that she was accepting? Spanish instructor Iris Newton of Charlotte has helped the couple find answers in recent weeks. But even she admits finding humor in their predicament, which began when the widow and widower met at east Charlotte’s Sharon Village retirement community.

“I got a call from Columba four months ago,” recalls Newton, “and she said ‘I need you. I have a boyfriend, and he does not speak Spanish.’ And I said: ‘If he doesn’t speak Spanish, how do you know you’re dating?’” The answer was both simple and old-fashioned. “He kissed her on the cheek one day,” Newton says. Rosaly remembers she blushed and all the other women at the lunch table giggled like schoolgirls.

Everything about their courtship has been similarly oldfashioned, including Bushnell’s idea for overcoming the language barrier. He passed notes to her in the lunch room, after using a Website to translate his questions into Spanish. From those, Rosaly learned that Bushnell thought

she was beautiful, and loved the way she never left her apartment without every detail being in place, from her brown curls to her earrings.

She thought he was tall and handsome, loved the way he appreciated that he put on her seat belt every time they went for a ride. “I’ve never felt so happy,” she says, with Newton translating. This second chance at love has prompt-

Columba Rosaly, 97, from Ecuador, shows her engagement ring while holding Larry Bushwell’s hand. — MCT

ed them to start taking lessons to learn each other’s language. Rosaly believes God brought them together so they could love and care for each other in their final days.

Both expected they’d never marry again. Bushnell, a former schoolteacher, says his second wife of 13 years died more than a year ago, and he was still grieving when he met Rosaly. Her husband died over a decade ago. Newton volunteered to arrange their wedding, including food, a photographer and someone to officiate. She says their love story feels familiar, because her parents couldn’t easily communicate when they married. Her father was a cop in Chicago and her mother was a tourist from Colombia, who stopped to ask him for directions.

When they married, the only words she knew in English were “I love you,” “help,” and “money,” Newton says laughing. Their marriage lasted 53 years, until her father died in 2009, she adds. “Love is universal,” Newton says. “If you like someone, it doesn’t matter if you speak the same language.” Linda Wheby was to officiate the ceremony at the City Tavern in Ballantyne, N.C., and she, too, sees something inspirational in their marriage.

“I couldn’t stop smiling the first time I heard their story,” says Wheby, who performs weddings on the side. “Here is this older couple, who found each other and found love, and they want to spend their remaining days together and they want to do it legally. They’re enjoying every minute of their life.” — MCT

FOOD FRIDAY, MARCH 2, 2012

Minty Everyday cooking:

By Sawsan Kazak

I

heard somewhere that mint could actually help fight depression. I can see how that can be true; mint smells clean and tastes fresh. I don’t know if mint can actually make you happier but I know it can make recipes taste great.

Send your suggestions to: sawsank@kuwaittimes.net

strawberry & mint smoothie

1 container skim milk yoghurt 3/4 cup skim milk 1 punnet strawberries 10 fresh mint leaves Sugar to taste Ice cubes to serve

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lace the yoghurt, milk, strawberries, mint and sugar (if using) in a blender and blend for 30 seconds or until smooth and frothy. Place the ice cubes (if using) in glasses, add the smoothie and serve immediately.

fresh

FOOD FRIDAY, MARCH 2, 2012

Honey Mint Glazed Chicken

1 cucumber, sliced 1 cup sliced celery 1 (15 ounce) can garbanzo beans, drained 3 carrots, peeled and shredded 1/4 cup raisins 1 cup chopped fresh mint 2 tablespoons olive oil 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar

Cucumber and Mint Salad

1. Place the cucumber, celery, garbanzo beans, carrots, raisins, and mint in a large bowl, and toss with the olive oil and red wine vinegar to coat. Serve immediately

1/4 cup white vinegar 1/4 cup olive oil 1 4-5 pound chicken, cut into parts Salt Freshly ground black pepper 1/2 cup honey 2-3 Tbsp water 1/2 cup chopped fresh mint

P

lace chicken pieces in a bowl. Mix vinegar with olive oil and pour over chicken pieces. Turn chicken pieces so that all are coated with the simple marinade. Let marinate for 30 minutes to an hour. In a small bowl mix honey, mint, and just enough water

for a good basting consistency. Set aside for glazing the chicken. Prepare grill for medium high heat. Remove chicken pieces from marinade. Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. Place chicken pieces on the hot grill, skin side up. Cook for approximately 30-40 minutes, covered, turning every 7 or 8 minutes.

For the last 5-10 minutes of cooking, baste all sides with the honey mint mixture. The chicken is done when the juices run clear (not pink) when a knife tip is inserted into both the chicken breast and thigh, about 165ยบF for the breast and 180ยบF for the thigh. Note that although the breast pieces are bigger, they may finish cooking earlier than the thighs.

Mint chocolate cookies 1 cup butter, softened 1 3/4 cups sugar 2 eggs 2 tsp peppermint extract 2 cups all purpose flour 1 cup cocoa 1 tsp baking soda 1/2 tsp baking powder 1/2 tsp salt 1 cup chocolate chips or dark chocolate chunks

Mint-yogurt dip 11/2 cups plain yogurt (you can use low-fat) 1 cup (packed) fresh mint leaves, finely chopped 3 to 4 cloves garlic, peeled and finely minced 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper Mix all of the ingredients together in a bowl and refrigerate until well chilled.

P

reheat oven to 350ยบF. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Using an electric mixer, beat butter and sugar in large bowl until well blended. Beat in eggs and peppermint extract. Gradually add flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt and beat until well blended. Stir in chocolate chips. Form dough into 1-inch balls.

Place 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheets. Flatten balls slightly. Bake cookies until edges begin to firm but center still appears soft, about 9 minutes. Cool on baking sheets 5 minutes. Transfer cookies to racks and cool completely.

THEY ARE THE 99!

99 Mystical Noor Stones carry all that is left of the wisdom and knowledge of the lost civilization of Baghdad. But the Noor Stones lie scattered across the globe - now little more than a legend.

One man has made it his life’s mission to seek out what was lost. His name is Dr. Ramzi Razem and he has searched fruitlessly for the Noor Stones all his life. Now, his luck is about to change the first of the stones have been rediscovered and with them a special type of human who can unlock the gem’s mystical power. Ramzi brings these gem - bearers together to form a new force for good in the world. A force known as ... the 99!

THE STORY SO FAR : Jassim al-Qabaly, known as Mubdi the Creative, is visiting friends in Kuwait when one of the famed Kuwait Towers springs a water leak. But Jassim is powerless, because his twin sister Qmasha is off using their shared Noor Stone on a remote mission for The 99. Until she can be located, Jassim must do the best he can...

The 99 ® and all related characters ® and © 2012, Teshkeel Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved.

www.the99.org

C h i l d re n FRIDAY, MARCH 2, 2012

figure it

number-search

Look at the clues below and fill all the numbers you can into the grid. Then start again and use your answers to help solve the other clues.

Across 2. 121 doubled 4. Minutes in an hour 5. Eight times eleven 7. Number of weeks in a year 8. 1234 re-arranged 10. A dozen 12. Nine times nine 13. Half of 5308 15. 17 down plus sixteen 16. A third of 204 17. 15 down minus 2 down 18. Half of 1388 Down 1. Hours in a day 2. 19 down minus15 across 3. 8524 re-arranged 4. A third of 186 6. Half of 164 7. 18 across minus 172 9. 4 across times three 11. 793 doubled 14. Six times eleven 15. 17 across plus 2 down 17. Three times eighteen 19. Half of 9 down Can you find the hidden numbers? They may be horizontal or vertical.

11363, 14749, 17659, 28273, 36238, 36433, 38473, 49387, 61355, 64848, 66483, 78448, 82993, 83738, 87637, 99938.

mystery-word Can you enter the words correctly into the grid? The letters in the shaded boxes will spell out the name of the mystery word.

5 letters INDIA ITALY

sudoku

6 letters FRANCE NORWAY POLAND SWEDEN TURKEY 7 letters AUSTRIA BELGIUM ENGLAND FINLAND GERMANY 8 letters PAKISTAN 11 letters NETHERLANDS

solution

C h i l d re n FRIDAY, MARCH 2, 2012

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Rumpelstiltskin

nce there was a miller who was poor, but who had a beautiful daughter. Now it happened that he had to go and speak to the king, and in order to make himself appear important he said to him, I have a daughter who can spin straw into gold. The king said to the miller, that is an art which pleases me well, if your daughter is as clever as you say, bring her to-morrow to my palace, and I will put her to the test.

And when the girl was brought to him he took her into a room which was quite full of straw, gave her a spinningwheel and a reel, and said, now set to work, and if by tomorrow morning early you have not spun this straw into gold during the night, you must die. Thereupon he himself locked up the room, and left her in it alone. So there sat the poor miller’s daughter, and for the life of her could not tell what to do, she had no idea how straw could be spun into gold, and she grew more and more frightened, until at last she began to weep.

But all at once the door opened, and in came a little man, and said, good evening, mistress miller, why are you crying so. Alas, answered the girl, I have to spin straw into gold, and I do not know how to do it. What will you give me, said the manikin, if I do it for you. My necklace, said the girl. The little man took the necklace, seated himself in front of the wheel, and whirr, whirr, whirr, three turns, and the reel was full, then he put another on, and whirr, whirr, whirr, three times round, and the second was full too. And so it went on until the morning, when all the straw was spun, and all the reels were full of gold.

By daybreak the king was already there, and when he saw the gold he was astonished and delighted, but his heart became only more greedy. He had the miller’s daughter taken into another room full of straw, which was much larger, and commanded her to spin that also in one night if she valued her life. The girl knew not how to help herself, and was crying, when the door opened again, and the little man appeared, and said, what will you give me if I spin that straw into gold for you. The ring on my finger, answered the girl. The little man took the ring, again began to turn the wheel, and by morning had spun all the straw into glittering gold.

The king rejoiced beyond measure at the sight, but still he had not gold enough, and he had the miller’s daughter taken into a still larger room full of straw, and said, you must spin this, too, in the course of this night, but if you succeed, you shall be my wife.

Even if she be a miller’s daughter, thought he, I could not find a richer wife in the whole world.

When the girl was alone the manikin came again for the third time, and said, what will you give me if I spin the straw for you this time also. I have nothing left that I could give, answered the girl. Then promise me, if you should become queen, to give me your first child. Who knows whether that will ever happen, thought the miller’s daughter, and, not knowing how else to help herself in this strait, she promised the manikin what he wanted, and for that he once more spun the straw into gold.

And when the king came in the morning, and found all as he had wished, he took her in marriage, and the pretty miller’s daughter became a queen.

A year after, she brought a beautiful child into the world, and she never gave a thought to the manikin. But suddenly he came into her room, and said, now give me what you promised.

The queen was horror-struck, and offered the manikin all the riches of the kingdom if he would leave her the child. But the manikin said, no, something alive is dearer to me than all the treasures in the world. Then the queen began to lament and cry, so that the manikin pitied her. I will give you three days, time, said he, if by that time you find out my name, then shall you keep your child.

So the queen thought the whole night of all the names that she had ever heard, and she sent a messenger over the country to inquire, far and wide, for any other names that there might be.

When the manikin came the next day, she began with caspar, melchior, balthazar, and said all the names she

knew, one after another, but to every one the little man said, that is not my name. On the second day she had inquiries made in the neighborhood as to the names of the people there, and she repeated to the manikin the most uncommon and curious. Perhaps your name is shortribs, or sheepshanks, or laceleg, but he always answered, that is not my name.

On the third day the messenger came back again, and said, I have not been able to find a single new name, but as I came to a high mountain at the end of the forest, where the fox and the hare bid each other good night, there I saw a little house, and before the house a fire was burning, and round about the fire quite a ridiculous little man was jumping, he hopped upon one leg, and shouted - to-day I bake,

to-morrow brew, the next I’ll have the young queen’s child.

Ha, glad am I that no one knew that Rumpelstiltskin I am styled.

You may imagine how glad the queen was when she heard the name. And when soon afterwards the little man came in, and asked, now, mistress queen, what is my name, at first she said, is your name Conrad? No. Is your name Harry? No. Perhaps your name is Rumpelstiltskin?

The devil has told you that! The devil has told you that, cried the little man, and in his anger he plunged his right foot so deep into the earth that his whole leg went in, and then in rage he pulled at his left leg so hard with both hands that he tore himself in two. (www.cs.cmu.edu)

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Years

FRIDAY, MARCH 2, 2012

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aul Mason is the BBC’s Newsnight economics editor. He is the author of Live Working or Die Fighting: How the Working Class Went Global (2008), Meltdown: The End of the Age of Greed (2010) and, this year, Why It’s Kicking Off Everywhere: The New Global Revolutions. His first novel, Rare Earth, has also just been published.

“If you’re trying to understand China the language issues are secondary. The real problem is this is a country ruled through the suppression of historical memory. The Communists’ legitimacy rests on the claim that only stultifying bureaucracy and patriarchy can keep it together; that it is “not ready” for democracy; indeed that it was never ready.

“But delve into Chinese literature, and history, and a more much more complex picture emerges. After the May Fourth 1919 protests, the intelligentsia embraced modernity and fought for it. The early 20th century produced the Chinese Dickens and a whole legion of Orwells. The late 20th century produced a generation of novelists whose sufferings during the Cultural Revolution pushed them towards everything from magic realism to cyberpunk.

“What follows are 10 books that influenced me in the writing of Rare Earth: five must-read Chinese novels, five western-authored non-fiction books worth reading.”

1.

The Real Story of Ah Q by Lu Xun (translated

by Julia Lovell) Between 1911 and 1927 China had a democratic revolution, then an abortive workers’ revolution. In the process came a cultural revolution, of which novelist Lu Xun was the central figure. His fictional character Ah Q entered popular culture of China as a symbol of bureaucratic stupidity, self regard and obsession with hierarchy. Today, China is once again run by men of Ah Q’s calibre, and Lu is out of favour.

2. Big Breasts and Wide Hips by Mo Yan This is Mo’s masterpiece: China’s 20th century told symbolically through the story of one man, from birth to maturity; an adult who cannot wean himself from his mother’s milk, assailed by wave upon wave of misfortune, poverty, war, imprisonment and finally release into the grubby capitalism of the 1990s. Mo Yan’s China is a world of magic, sexual exploitation, ignorance and senseless violence.

3. Soul Mountain by Gao Xingjian This fictionalised memoir of a journey down the Yangtse River was acclaimed as a landmark in Chinese literature when he won the Nobel prize in 2000. It’s a novel of introspection and loneliness. Gao’s plays have been banned from performance after the authorities condemned his drama about the Tiananmen Square massacre as “a fabrication” on the grounds that he had not been there at the time.

4.

The Plum in the Golden Vase (translated by David Tod Roy) This classical novel has spent much of the time since 1610 on the banned list, as pornographic. For once, the censors may have a point. It’s a novel of manners, set amongst noblemen and concubines, which makes Fanny Hill look Presbyterian and the artefacts available in Anne Summers look distinctly unimaginative. You can trace the influ-

ence right through to modern Chinese fiction ...

5. Wang in Love and Bondage by Xiaobo Wang ... for example. Wang, who died in 1997, and was modern China’s Genet. Haunted by his suffering during the Cultural Revolution, Wang’s fiction is, well, strange: gay sadomasochism, casual satire against the state, surreal sex. When his character Wang, and paramour Chen, write a confession of their secret love affair, Wang admits his lover “looked like a koala bear. She admitted she was very excited that night and really felt like a koala bear.” So it goes.

6.

The Penguin History of Modern China by Jonathan Fenby Jonathan Fenby’s scholarly volume manages to escape the biggest pitfall of contemporary history writing about China, which is anachronism.

Too many studies see the modern, stagnant polity and deferential culture as simply the return of normality in China, after an interruption that began on May Fourth 1919 and ended with the death of Mao. Fenby tells it as a story of modernity and democracy - attempted and defeated.

Tiananmen Moon: Inside the Chinese Student Uprising of 1989 by Philip Cunningham This memoir of the 1989 student rebellion captures the senseless beauty of the rebellion from close up: Cunningham was a foreign student freelancing for the BBC, who knew many of the protesters and witnessed the main events. As events spiral out of control, his prose becomes filmic, poetic, disturbed.

BBC Newsnight economics editor: Paul Mason too: writing with brutal honesty about conditions for Chinese workers in the PRC, and the criminal networks all too ready to offer the solution of semi-slavery in Europe.

7.

8.

Chinese Whispers: The True Story Behind Britain’s Hidden Army of Labour by HsiaoHung Pai Investigative journalist Hsiao-Hung documents the lives of Chinese migrant workers in the UK, prey to a vivid, near surreal panoply of gangsters, traffickers, pimps and middlemen whose defining feature is that they appear to be invisible to the British authorities. She explains the push factor

From 17th-century pornography to meticulous social history, Newsnight’s economics editor writes about the books that inspired his first novel, Rare Earth 9.

Chinese Reportage: The Aesthetics of Historical Experience by Charles A Laughlin In the 1930s, China seemed headed for democracy, national liberation and modernity. On the periphery of Chinese communism and liberalism a strong tradition of reportage journalism developed, represented above all by Mao Dun, the Chinese Orwell. By the time Orwell got to Wigan Pier, dozens of Chinese writers had already journeyed to the depths of industrial squalor. Their work is intelligently explained and translated here by Yale professor Charles Laughlin.

10. Sisters and Strangers: Women in the Shanghai Cotton Mills, 1919-1949 by Emily Honig A sidelong glimpse into the lost world of inter-war Shanghai. While Hollywood stars and jazz legends cavorted on the neon-lit river-front, the largely female factory workforce did something their great grand-daughters are still not able to: formed unions, marched out on strike and, temporarily, seized power. This (1986) study is part of a canon of Chinese social history rediscovered by western scholars.—Guardian

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FRIDAY, MARCH 2, 2012

Rachel Cusk: ‘Divorce is only darkness’

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ew figures in contemporary British literature divide people like Rachel Cusk. The writer, whose new memoir Aftermath: On Marriage and Separation is published next month, attracts both admiration and ire: for her boldness as an artist, her self-belief, her pitiless gaze at herself and others. Her earlier book, A Life’s Work, a devastating confessional about her experience of motherhood, “the long pilgrimage of pregnancy with its wonders and abasements, the apotheosis of childbirth, the sacking and slow rebuilding of every last corner of my private world that motherhood has entailed”, attracted fury from some women critics: why bother having children, they said, if you’re just going to write about how grim it all is. And Aftermath looks set to provoke more anger: it is a fierce, at times brutal examination of how Cusk left her husband of 10 years, and how she then tried to rebuild her life and the lives of her two children - considering stay-at-home mothers who describe themselves as “lucky”, a disturbed lodger and a new lover along the way. She has again mined her life and told of her experience of being a woman, in a manner that is in no way comforting. Women writers do not tend to do this and get away with it.

Her writing is economical and precise - she describes someone as “a woman whose sorrows take extrovert and hedonistic forms” which won’t surprise readers of her under-rated novels. And her eye for detail, which she casts over incidents, interactions, relationships, is both merciless and subtle: from her suggestion that women in conventional families “can’t see anything at all”, to her admission that in wounding her children “I learned to truly love them”, to her pitch-perfect evocation of the post-separation home: “Our daughters and I do not leave home very often: a kind of numbness has settled on our household that any moment can transform into pain.”

She writes, “they’re my children. They belong to me”: the sort of primal statement which one rarely reads these days, when men and women are so often seen as equal and identical “parents” rather than mothers and fathers.

Cusk makes you think differently and look differently, even if you don’t agree with what she’s saying. Here, she answers questions about Aftermath.

Why did you decide to write about your relationship breakdown?

I was asked by Granta magazine in 2010 to contribute an essay about feminism, which they said they wanted to be quite personal; and having thought at first that that wasn’t the proper way to discuss feminism, I realised very quickly that for me now, perhaps it was the only way. The radicalism I had felt as a young woman began to seem to me if not exactly semantic then verbal, theoretical. As I have grown older, it is experience that has become radical. It is living, not thinking, as a feminist that has become the challenge. Sex, marriage, motherhood, work, domesticity: it is through living these things that the politics of being a woman are expressed, and I labour this point because it is important to understand that the individual nature of experience is essentially at odds - or should reserve the right to be - with any public discourse. I no longer presume to know how other women live or think or feel. I can only try to align myself with them, to get into sympathy with them, by saying how it is for me. And it is of course intrinsic to femininity that it is costive or denying to a degree, so the saying can become radical in itself, but only from a point of view of personal honesty. So the decision to write comes from that. And as for the subject, it had fallen within the compass of my experience and what I saw was that in the breakdown of marriage the whole broken mechanism of feminism was revealed. I had expected to find, at the end of the family structure, at least some proof of feminist possibility, however harsh. But either it wasn’t there or I couldn’t find it, and that seemed to me to be a subject worth writing about. The book grew from that essay, which forms the first chapter of it.

Rachel Cusk’s new memoir describes with brutal honesty the breakdown of her marriage. Why has she laid bare her family trauma, has she invaded her children’s privacy and does she regret it? enough identifiable detail about these “actual” characters, for not naming them or physically describing them. That criticism, I’ve always sensed, has come from the very people who might at the same time accuse me of “using” or invading the privacy of those close to me. So I’m a little suspicious of it, while at the same time recognising an obligation to be clear with my daughters about what it is that I do.

Do children belong to their mothers?

You write: “They’re my children. They belong to me.” Children belong to themselves, of course. But what I wanted to describe in the book were a number of primitive and fairly ferocious feelings that seemed to emerge from the rupture of separation and that directly contradicted my own meditated feminist politics. This was the beginning of my seeing the difference between feminism as an ideology and feminism as lived experience.

Is it a curse to be a mother?

Motherhood is a great test. It involves enormous submission, and to submit without being extinguished is what is testing. And it is a business of gifts and revelations as well as losses and bewilderments, of great visibility and significance alongside feelings of utter invisibility. So it has a core of contradiction that strikes me as fundamental to life. Perhaps it’s a curse to live so close to this core, and perhaps it’s merely an intensification of a more general conflict between duty and consciousness, between society and self.

Is it a curse to be a woman?

If it is then it’s an interesting one, and it gets all the good lines.

It’s perhaps true that the less you live as a woman, the more cursed it is to be one.

— www.guardian.co.uk

Do you ever hold back with what you write?

Yes, of course. Writing is a discipline: it’s almost all about holding back. The memoir is a confessional form, but that doesn’t mean it is in itself a confession. It isn’t a spewing out of emotion. In memoir you have to be particularly careful not to alienate the reader by making the material seem too lived-in. It mustn’t have too much of the smell of yourself, otherwise the reader will be unable to make it her own.

Have you invaded your children’s privacy?

Children have to share their parents’ destiny to some extent, like it or not. I happen to be a writer; they are the children of a writer. But I also strive to be quite impersonal in the way I write about figures in my life. “My mother” or “my children” are intended to be every reader’s mother, every reader’s children or concept of children. And in fact very often I’ve been criticised for not providing

Rachel Cusk

Beauty FRIDAY, MARCH 2, 2012

12 Ways to Reduce Wrinkles Whether you’re 35 and just beginning to see the first signs of aging, or 55 with skin that isn’t exactly keeping your birthday a secret, seeking ways to reduce wrinkles is probably on your agenda.

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t the same time, experts say, many of us are losing the wrinkle battle, watching helplessly as the glow of youth goes on the dimmer switch.

1.Avoid the sun. It’s the No 1 cause of wrinkles, with dozens of studies documenting the impact. In one study that looked at identical twins, New York plastic surgeon Darrick Antell, MD, found sun exposure was even more important than heredity. Siblings who limited sun time had fewer wrinkles and looked younger overall than their sun-worshiping twins.

2.Wear sunscreen. If you must go out in the sun, the American Academy of Dermatology says, wear sunscreen! It will protect you from skin cancer, and help prevent wrinkles at the same time.

3. Don’t smoke. Some of the research is still controversial, but more and more studies are confirming that cigarette smoke ages skin — mostly by releasing an enzyme that breaks down collagen and elastin, important components of the skin. Sibling studies done at the Twin Research Unit at St. Thomas Hospital in London found the brother or sister who smoked tended to have skin that was more wrinkled and up to 40% thinner than the non-smoker.

4. Get adequate sleep. Yale dermatologist Nicholas Perricone, MD, says that when you don’t get enough sleep, the body produces excess cortisol, a hormone that breaks down skin cells. Get enough rest, Perricone says, and you’ll produce more HGH (human growth hormone), which helps skin remain thick, more “elastic,” and less likely to wrinkle.

5. Sleep on your back. The American Academy of

Dermatology (AAD) cautions that sleeping in certain positions night after night leads to “sleep lines — wrinkles that become etched into the surface of the skin and don’t disappear once you’re up. Sleeping on your side increases wrinkles on cheeks and chin, while sleeping face-down gives you a furrowed brow. To reduce wrinkle formation, the AAD says, sleep on your back.

6. Don’t squint — get reading glasses! The AAD says any repetitive facial movement — like squinting — overworks facial muscles, forming a groove beneath the skin’s surface. This groove eventually becomes a wrinkle. Also important: Wear sunglasses. It will protect skin around the eyes from sun damage — and further keep you from squinting.

7. Eat more fish — particularly salmon. Not only is salmon (along with other cold-water fish) a great source of protein — one of the building blocks of great skin — it’s also an awesome source of an essential fatty acid known as omega-3. Perricone tells WebMD that essential fatty acids help nourish skin and keep it plump and youthful, helping to reduce wrinkles.

8. Eat more soy — So far, most of the proof has come from animal studies, but research does show certain properties of soy may help protect or heal some of the sun’s photoaging damage. In one recent human study, published in the European Journal of Nutrition, researchers reported that a soy-based supplement (other ingredients included fish protein and extracts from white tea, grapeseed, and tomato, as well as several vitamins) improved skin’s structure and firmness after just six months of use.

9. Trade coffee for cocoa. In a study published in the Journal of Nutrition in 2006, researchers found cocoa containing high levels of two dietary flavanols (epicatchin and catechin) protected skin from sun damage, improved circulation to skin cells, affected hydration, and made the skin look and feel smoother.

10. Eat more fruits and vegetables. The key, says Kraus, are their antioxidant compounds. These compounds fight damage caused by free radicals (unstable molecules that can damage cells), which in turn helps skin look younger and more radiant, and protects against some effects of photoaging.

11. Use moisturizer. “Women, especially, are so concerned with antiaging products they often overlook the power of a simple moisturizer. Skin that is moist simply looks better, so lines and creases are far less noticeable,” says Ashinoff.

12. Don’t over-wash your face. According to dermatologists at the University of Maryland Medical Center, tap water strips skin of its natural barrier oils and moisture that protect against wrinkles. Wash them off too often, and you wash away protection. Moreover, unless your soap contains moisturizers, you should use a cleanser instead. (www.webmd.com)

Style FRIDAY, MARCH 2, 2012

The beauty benefits of green tea Green tea is now the preferred drink of supermodels, but is it really good for you ?

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linical evidence suggests that green tea is packed with health and beauty benefits that you can enjoy whether drinking it or applying directly to your skin.

Even the leaves can be used as a gentle exfoliant, guaranteed to give your skin a healthy glow.

Recent research shows that green tea extract is naturally rich in antioxidants, which help protect the body from free radicals naturally occurring particles in the body associated with accelerated ageing and an increased risk of major diseases. Exposure to pollution, smoking and excess sunlight increases the number of free radicals in the blood, but the potent antioxidants found in green tea add strong weight to the belief that green tea not only promotes good health but also makes you look younger.

Beauty benefits Traditionally, many types of make-up,

lotions, creams and beauty preparations have used chemical antioxidants, or vitamins A, C and E as preservatives for their products.

Now, with research indicating that green tea has even more antioxidant properties than these powerful vitamins, there is a surge in products capitalizing on its natural benefits.

You don’t need to rush to the chemist to stock up on goodies. Concentrated green tea extract is simple to make at home and is a flexible addition to both your daily beauty routine and your medicine cabinet.

Soothing spritzer Simply steep 100g of green tea in half a liter of still mineral water at room temperature for at least one hour. Strain the liquor and it’s ready to use! It’s better to make small quantities and use it fresh but surplus liquid can be poured into clean, sterilized bottles and refrigerated.

The liquid can be used as a spritzer, to freshen up the face, or cotton pads soaked in it can be particularly soothing for tired or strained eyes. It has antiseptic properties, so can be used to treat minor cuts and rashes, and is surprisingly effective when applied to spots and blemishes. It can even be used as a treatment for sunburn - soak a cloth in the liquid and leave on the skin until the area begins to cool.

Mighty mouth Green tea is also known for its ability to prevent bad breath - and it has the added advantage of tasting good if it’s inadvertently swallowed. Try making your own toothpaste to test it out.

Pour one cup of boiling water over 100g of Himalayan Green Tea and leave to infuse for at least 30 minutes. Make a paste using this liquid and one teaspoon of baking soda, and use this to brush your teeth as usual. The natural properties in the tea will curb mouth odor and help prevent plaque-forming microbes from attaching to the teeth.

Refreshing facemask This gentle facemask will help remove toxins from your skin, as well as leaving it silky smooth.

Mix three tablespoons of mayonnaise with one heaped teaspoon of organic Himalayan green tea leaves. Apply evenly to the face, avoiding the delicate eye area, and leave for 20 minutes. Rinse the mask off, then dry and moisturize your face.

Lose weight British supermodel Sophie Dahl’s attributed her weight loss, in part, to drinking regular cups of green tea. Sophie followed Body Doctor David Marshall’s nutritional advice, which advocates drinking as much toxinflushing green tea as possible.

Claims that it raises the metabolic rate and speeds up fat oxidation are supported by research published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (Dulloo A, et al 1999). It is also thought to reduce cholesterol levels and increase energy expenditure by inhibiting the digestion of fat in the intestine.

So next time you fancy a cup, consider going green. Not only will it provide you with a refreshing drink, it may also boost your health, help slow ageing and even make you slimmer! (www.ivillage.co.uk)

Health FRIDAY, MARCH 2, 2012

Barriers to fitness:

Overcoming common challenges ticking to a regular exercise schedule isn’t easy. After all, there are plenty of potential hindrances - time, boredom, injuries, selfconfidence. But these issues don’t need to stand in your way. Consider practical strategies for overcoming common barriers to fitness.

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tives, neighbors or co-workers. You’ll enjoy the camaraderie and the encouragement of the group. Explore new options. Learn new skills while getting in a workout. Check out exercise classes or sports leagues at a recreation center or health club.

Keep a full water bottle in the fridge. Have an exercise video queued up and ready to go when you get home at night. Hit the hay earlier.

Running on empty is no way to face a full day.

Go to bed earlier to make sure you’re getting enough sleep.

Barrier No. 1: I don’t have enough time to exercise Setting aside time to exercise can be a challenge. Use a little creativity to get the most out of your time.

Squeeze in short walks throughout the day. If you don’t have time for a full workout, don’t sweat it. Shorter spurts of exercise, such as 10 minutes of walking spaced throughout the day, offer benefits too. Get up earlier. If your days are packed and the evening hours are just as hectic, get up 30 minutes earlier twice a week to exercise. Once you’ve adjusted to early-morning workouts, add another day or two to the routine. Drive less, walk more. Park in the back row of the parking lot or even a few blocks away and walk to your destination. Revamp your rituals.

Your weekly Saturday matinee with the kids or your best friend could be reborn as your weekly Saturday bike ride, rock-climbing lesson or trip to the pool.

Barrier No. 3: I’m self-conscious about how I look Don’t get down on yourself! Remind yourself what a great favor you’re doing for your cardiovascular health, or focus on how much stronger you feel after a workout.

Avoid the crowd. If you’re uncomfortable exercising around others, go solo at first. Try an exercise video or an activity-oriented video game. Or consider investing in a stationary bicycle, treadmill, stair-climbing machine or other piece of home exercise equipment. Focus on the future. Praise yourself for making a commitment to your health. And remember that as you become fitter and more comfortable exercising, your self-confidence is likely to improve as well.

Barrier No. 5: I’m too lazy to exercise If the mere thought of a morning jog makes you tired, try these thoughts on for size: Set realistic expectations. If your mental bar is too high, you might give up without even trying. Start with a walk around the block. Don’t give up if you feel worn out. Take another walk around the block tomorrow. Keep it up, and eventually you’ll no longer feel worn out. Work with your nature, not against it. Plan physical activity for times of the day when you tend to feel more energetic - or at least not quite so lazy.

Schedule exercise as you would schedule an important appointment. Block off times for physical activity, and make sure your friends and family are aware of your commitment. Ask for their encouragement and support.

Barrier No. 4: I’m too tired to exercise after work No energy to exercise? Without exercise, you’ll have no energy. It’s a vicious cycle. But breaking the cycle with physical activity is one of the best gifts you can give yourself.

Try a morning dose of exercise. Remember the suggestion to get up 30 minutes earlier to exercise? Hop on the treadmill or stationary bicycle while you listen to the radio or watch the morning news. Or step outside for a brisk walk.

Make lunchtime count. Keep a pair of walking shoes at your desk, and take a brisk walk during your lunch break. Be prepared. Put workout clothes on top of your dresser, socks and all.

Barrier No. 6: I’m not athletic Natural athletic ability isn’t a prerequisite to physical activity.

Keep it simple. Try something basic, such as a daily walk. Start a team. Join up with friends who are in the same boat. And have fun while helping each other work out. Forget the competition. Don’t worry about becoming a superstar athlete or joining the hard-bodied athletes at the fitness club. Simply focus on the positive changes you’re making to your body and mind.

Barrier No. 2: I think exercise is boring It’s natural to grow weary of a repetitive workout day after day, especially when you’re going it alone. But exercise doesn’t have to be boring. Choose activities you enjoy. You’ll be more likely to stay interested. Remember, anything that gets you moving counts. Vary the routine. Rotate among several activities - such as walking, swimming and cycling - to keep you on your toes while conditioning different muscle groups. Join forces. Exercise with friends, rela-

Barrier No. 7: I’ve tried to exercise in the past and failed Don’t throw in the towel. You can’t see it

when you lower your cholesterol or reduce your risk of diabetes, but that doesn’t mean you aren’t doing yourself a great favor. Re-evaluate what went wrong, and learn from your mistakes.

Pace yourself. Start small and build up to more-intense workouts later, when your body is ready. Set realistic goals. Don’t promise yourself you’re going to work out for an hour every day, and then get down on yourself when you fall short. Stick with goals you can more easily achieve, such as exercising 20 minutes a day, three days a week for the first month.

Remember why you’re exercising. Use your personal fitness goals as motivation - and reward yourself as you meet your goals.

Barrier No. 8: I can’t afford health club fees You don’t need a membership at an elite gym to get a great workout. Consider commonsense alternatives.

Do strengthening exercises at home. Use inexpensive resistance bands - lengths of elastic tubing that come in varying strengths - in place of weights. Lift plastic milk jugs partially filled with water or sand. Do push-ups or squats using your body weight.

Watch an exercise video. Try videos on dance aerobics, cardio-kickboxing, yoga or tai chi. For variety, trade exercise videos with a friend. Start a walking group. Round up friends, neighbors or co-workers for regular group walks. Plan routes through your neighborhood or near your workplace, along local parks and trails, or in a nearby shopping mall. Take the stairs. Skip the elevator when you can. Better yet, make climbing stairs a workout in itself. Try your community center.

Exercise classes offered through a local recreation department or community education group might fit your budget better than an annual gym membership.

Health FRIDAY, MARCH 2, 2012

Water: How much should you drink every day?

Water is essential to good health, yet needs vary by individual.

These guidelines can help ensure you drink enough fluids.

H

ow much water should you drink each day? It’s a simple question with no easy answers. Studies have produced varying recommendations over the years, but in truth, your water needs depend on many factors, including your health, how active you are and where you live.

Although no single formula fits everyone, knowing more about your body’s need for fluids will help you estimate how much water to drink each day.

Health benefits of water Water is your body’s principal chemical component and makes up about 60 percent of your body weight. Every system in your body depends on water. For example, water flushes toxins out of vital organs, carries nutrients to your cells and provides a moist environment for ear, nose and throat tissues.

Lack of water can lead to dehydration, a condition that occurs when you don’t have enough water in your body to carry out normal functions. Even mild dehydration can drain your energy and make you tired.

How much water do you need?

Every day you lose water through your breath, perspiration, urine and bowel movements. For your body to function properly, you must replenish its water supply by consuming beverages and foods that contain water.

So how much fluid does the average, healthy adult living in a temperate climate need? The Institute of Medicine determined that an adequate intake (AI) for men is roughly 3 liters (about 13 cups) of total beverages a day. The AI for women is 2.2 liters (about 9 cups) of total beverages a day.

What about the advice to drink eight glasses a day?

Everyone has heard the advice, “Drink eight 8-ounce glasses of water a day.” That’s

about 1.9 liters, which isn’t that different from the Institute of Medicine recommendations.

Although the “8 by 8” rule isn’t supported by hard evidence, it remains popular because it’s easy to remember. Just keep in mind that the rule should be reframed as: “Drink at least eight 8-ounce glasses of fluid a day,” because all fluids count toward the daily total.

Factors that influence water needs You may need to modify your total fluid intake depending on how active you are, the climate you live in, your health status, and if you’re pregnant or breast-feeding.

Exercise. If you exercise or engage in any activity that makes you sweat, you need to drink extra water to compensate for the fluid loss. An extra 400 to 600 milliliters (about 1.5 to 2.5 cups) of water should suffice for short bouts of exercise, but intense exercise lasting more than an hour (for example, running a marathon) requires more fluid intake. How much additional fluid you need depends on how much you sweat during exercise, and the duration and type of exercise. During long bouts of intense exercise, it’s best to use a sports drink that contains sodium, as this will help replace sodium lost in sweat and reduce the chances of developing hyponatremia, which can be life-threatening. Also, continue to replace fluids after you’re finished exercising.Environment. Hot or humid weather can make you sweat and requires additional intake of fluid. Heated indoor air also can cause your skin to lose moisture during wintertime. Further, altitudes greater than 8,200 feet (2,500 meters) may trigger increased urination and more rapid breathing, which use up more of your fluid reserves.Illnesses or health conditions. When you have fever, vomiting or diarrhea, your body loses additional fluids. In these cases, you should drink more water. In some cases, your doctor may recom-

mend oral rehydration solutions, such as Gatorade, Powerade or CeraLyte. Also, you may need increased fluid intake if you develop certain conditions, including bladder infections or urinary tract stones. On the other hand, some conditions such as heart failure and some types of kidney, liver and adrenal diseases may impair excretion of water and even require that you limit your fluid intake.

Pregnancy or breast-feeding. Women who are expecting or breast-feeding need additional fluids to stay hydrated. Large amounts of fluid are used especially when nursing. The Institute of Medicine recommends that pregnant women drink 2.3 liters (about 10 cups) of fluids daily and women who breast-feed consume 3.1 liters (about 13 cups) of fluids a day.Beyond the tap: Other sources of water Although it’s a great idea to keep water within reach at all times, you don’t need to rely only on what you drink to meet your fluid needs. What you eat also provides a significant portion of your fluid needs. On average, food provides about 20 percent of total water intake. For example, many fruits and vegetables, such as watermelon and tomatoes, are 90 percent or more water by weight.

In addition, beverages such as milk and juice are composed mostly of water. Even beer, wine and caffeinated beverages - such as coffee, tea or soda - can contribute, but these should not be a major portion of your daily total fluid intake. Water is still your best bet because it’s calorie-free, inexpensive and readily available.

Staying safely hydrated Generally if you drink enough fluid so that you rarely feel thirsty and produce 1.5 liters (6.3 cups) or more of colorless or light yellow urine a day, your fluid intake is probably adequate. If you’re concerned about your fluid intake or have health issues, check with your

doctor or a registered dietitian. He or she can help you determine the amount of water that’s right for you.

To ward off dehydration and make sure your body has the fluids it needs, make water your beverage of choice. It’s also a good idea to: Drink a glass of water or other calorie-free or low-calorie beverage with each meal and between each meal.

Drink water before, during and after exercise.

Although uncommon, it is possible to drink too much water. When your kidneys are unable to excrete the excess water, the electrolyte (mineral) content of the blood is diluted, resulting in low sodium levels in the blood, a condition called hyponatremia.

Endurance athletes, such as marathon runners, who drink large amounts of water, are at higher risk of hyponatremia. In general, though, drinking too much water is rare in healthy adults who eat an average American diet. —Mayoclinic

Arts FRIDAY, MARCH 2, 2012

S

oames Forsyte, of John Galsworthy’s The Forsyte Saga, must be the most enterprising art collector in British fiction. At the end of the first world war, while others are still investing in John Singer Sargent, he takes a punt on a work by Pablo Picasso. It is true that Forsyte doesn’t struggle to save it when his house catches fire -Degas take priority but his prescience has already been established. Forsyte was buying Picasso long before his real-life British counterparts.

How late we were to acquire (if not love) Picasso is one of two stories in Tate Britain’s

five more who swooned. It is told in 150 works, almost half of them by Picasso; the comparison is frequently cruel.

Picasso’s first British airing was in Roger Fry’s momentous Manet and the PostImpressionists in 1910. Putrescence, pornography, infection: the press blew up like bullfrogs and were still mocking the Spaniard in 1949 when the Tate finally acquired its first cubist Picasso. Only the Bloomsberries and a handful of Forsytes bought him. “I find him perfectly charming and quite easy and simple,” wrote Vanessa Bell from Paris with telling

excellent catalogue puts it: “his presence left scarcely any mark on British art”.

The exception at this stage was Duncan Grant, whose weak pastiches are an embarrassment to this show. “Why, when I ask about modern artists in England, am I always told about Duncan Grant?” Picasso is said to have inquired. It doesn’t get much better later on with Ben Nicholson’s guitars and Gallicised still-lifes in the 1930s. “Au Chat Botte Dieppe” is neatly lettered across a tabletop viewed through a window, all done in quasi-fractured planes and chalky tones - cubism Cornish-

big spring show. It’s a cracking tale of politics, class and cultural cringe, more or less pieced together through the captions and catalogue.

The other story is of Picasso’s influence on British art. You might argue - the curators do that Picasso is almost synonymous with modernism and therefore his influence is diffuse.

But this show is very precisely focused. It looks at three artists who paid sharp attention without being overwhelmed - Wyndham Lewis, Francis Bacon, David Hockney - and

complacency. If his admirers couldn’t see the complexities, then what hope for a public who scarcely saw his work in museums before the second world war?

The attention from Bloomsbury may have been a curse. When Picasso stayed at the Savoy in 1919, designing ropey costumes for Diaghilev (exhaustively represented here, and not a patch on Bakst), the group monopolised him in Garsington and Gordon Square. Other British artists were suspicious, and as the

style.

Nicholson, displaying the anxiety of influence, nicknamed the Spaniard “Piccy” and “Picz”. Henry Moore shrewdly avoided all mention of his artistic forebear. To appreciate the necessity of this tactic you need only compare Picasso’s The Source with Moore’s Reclining Figure, two monumental figures placed conveniently adjacent at Tate Britain, and ask yourself whether the latter is likely to have come into being without the former.

It is one of a dozen instances in this show of something pretty near to plagiarism. Each artist has a different Picasso: cubist for Grant and Nicholson, neoclassicist for Moore, surrealist for Francis Bacon. The Bacon room is the least impressive because it insists upon the similarities between the open-mouthed figures in Picasso’s Dinard period and those in Bacon’s Crucifixion paintings as if they had a shared idiom, meaning or impact. Bacon acknowledged Picasso very readily, but whatever he absorbed feels quite inconsequential to the exuberant agony and grandeur of his art.

If Bacon looks diminished, imagine the effect on everyone else. Graham Sutherland comes over as a second-rate copyist, David Hockney as a lightweight comedian pulling cubist effects with his camera. Hockney can take care of himself, of course, but what is the lasting value of a show where so much of the art is effectively downgraded?

There are masterpieces: several Picassos, including his beautiful portrait of MarieTherese Walter, her face two kissing forms like the new moon holding the old in its arms, silky flesh bathed in moonlight, and Wyndham Lewis’s Workshop, that marvellous concatenation of geometric planes in coruscating pinks and mustards that almost resolve into windows, ladders and shelves, by day and also, as it seems, by night.

If this relates to Picasso, it is via futurism, and speaking not of pictorial languages so much as the dynamism of modern life. And that is how it goes at Tate Britain: surely Grant got more from Matisse? If Lewis, then why not William Roberts? Did they really mean to make the British look so puny? Extraneous questions are raised from one room to the next; it is no way to experience art.

How Picasso finally arrived in Britain, how his communism affected Anglo-Saxon attitudes, who saw his work when and how they responded: Picasso and Modern British Art is tremendously enlightening - as a catalogue.

The show is another matter. It needs to fit the pictures to the text and ends up shrinking the art.—Guardian

Arts FRIDAY, MARCH 2, 2012

T

handi Sibisi, a daughter of farmers in the Zulu heartland, remembers arriving in the big city for the first time. “The bus dropped me in Gandhi Square in Johannesburg,” she recalled. “I was 17 and had never even seen a double-storey building in my life. I looked around and it was like, ‘I’m going to own this city’.”

Eight years later, she has not yet quite conquered it all. But on Thursday she became the first black woman to open a major art gallery named Sibisi, naturally enough, for someone so ambitious - in South Africa.

It is a sign, she believes, that anything is possible for the country’s “born free” generation. “All I have to do is look at myself and my background,” she said. “Growing up, I would never have thought I’d be exposed to so many opportunities. South Africa is free.

“I go all over the world and people are closed up and they can’t express themselves.

South Africa allows you to be you and to be whatever it is you want to be.”

The country’s visual arts scene, dominated by the white minority during racial apartheid, has not transformed as quickly as some would like. Gallery Momo, the first 100% blackowned gallery, opened in Johannesburg in 2003, while the national gallery in Cape Town has a non-white director for the first time in its 140-year history.

Young black artists such as Mary Sibande and Nicholas Hlobo are also gaining unprecedented attention on the world stage.

Sibisi reflected: “Of course it’s dominated by white people, if it’s 2012 and this is only the second black-owned gallery being opened. But I think there’s room for change: people know this new gallery is coming up and are receiving it in a positive way. Perhaps it needed someone as brave as me to say I’m going for it.”

South Africa continues to face twin crises of education and employment. Millions of young black people drop out of school, lack skills and fail to find work. But Sibisi typifies a relatively small but undeniably growing class who are confident, upwardly mobile and unburdened by the past.

Her parents, who farm cattle in a village in KwaZulu-Natal province in the east of South Africa, never learned English.

“My mum has never been to the city,” Sibisi said. “She thinks the city is the devil’s land.

But they believed in education so when we were growing up they sent us to private schools with cattle money. Then I came to Johannesburg and I’ve always been the diva in the family who wanted to do everything.”

Now 25, Sibisi is a successful entrepreneur with her own marketing agency, charitable foundation and media company, but she recently discovered a passion for art.

Some believe the momentum of change is now unstoppable. Monna Mokoena, the founder of Gallery Momo, said: “We’re there now. When I started, I wasn’t looking at black people collecting works because of the dynamics of the country. But that is changing and we’re seeing a lot of black folks buying works. There is a mindshift.”

Gabriel Clark-Brown, editor of the South African Art Times, said: “I think things are

Boost for black artists as 25-year-old daughter of farmers from Zulu heartland opens her own Johannesburg gallery

changing really quite rapidly and going the right way. It’s very encouraging to see a black gallerist ... [there is] a huge potential that no one has explored. It just needs more exposure to the rising black middle class; it’s a rapidly growing market and there’s a huge amount of money generated. “—Guardian

Comics

C R O S S W O R D

6 0 4

FRIDAY, MARCH 2, 2012

To Yester

Word Sleuth Solution

Yesterday’s Solution

ACROSS

1. Inquire about.

4. Similar to McIntosh.

10. Sandwich filled with slices of bacon and tomato with lettuce.

13. Mature female of mammals of which the male is called `buck'.

14. A member of the Indian people of northern California and southern Oregon.

15. A river in north central Switzerland that runs northeast into the Rhine.

16. A white linen liturgical vestment with sleeves.

17. Analgesic drug (trade name Talwin) that is less addictive than morphine.

18. South American wood sorrel cultivated for its edible tubers.

19. The food served and eaten at one time.

21. Any of numerous local fertility and nature deities worshipped by ancient Semitic peoples.

23. A region of Malaysia in northeastern Borneo.

25. Any of various orchids of the genus Bletia having pseudo-bulbs and erect leafless racemes of large purple or pink flowers.

27. A soft silvery metallic element of the alkali earth group.

28. A public promotion of some product or service.

29. Having undesirable or negative qualities.

32. Music composed for dancing the pavane.

38. An official prosecutor for a judicial district.

39. Disgraceful gossip about the private lives of other people.

41. Old World nocturnal canine mammal closely related to the dog.

43. Being one more than nine.

44. Type genus of the Alcedinidae.

45. A federal agency established to coordinate programs aimed at reducing pollution and protecting the environment.

47. A magnetic tape recorder for recording (and playing back) TV programs.

48. A colorless and odorless inert gas.

49. A white metallic element that burns with a brilliant light.

51. Title for a civil or military leader (especially in Turkey).

56. An organization of countries formed in 1961 to agree on a common policy for the sale of petroleum.

58. Lower in esteem.

61. Aircraft landing in bad weather in which the pilot is talked down by ground control using precision approach radar.

62. Possessing material wealth.

63. British composer (1857-1934).

64. (informal) Roused to anger.

65. Large burrowing rodent of South and Central America.

66. Like or containing meat.

67. A loose sleeveless outer garment made from aba cloth.

DOWN 1. American Revolutionary patriot.

2. Type genus of the Soleidae.

3. Cubes of meat marinated and cooked on a skewer usually with vegetables.

4. Standard time in the 7th time zone west of Greenwich, reckoned at the 105th meridian west.

5. According to the Old Testament he was a pagan king of Israel and husband of Jezebel (9th century BC).

6. West Indian tree having racemes of fragrant white flowers and yielding a durable timber and resinous juice.

7. United States assassin of President John F. Kennedy (1939-1963).

8. Being of use or service.

9. (British) Your grandmother.

10. African tree having an exceedingly thick trunk and fruit that resembles a gourd and has an edible pulp called monkey bread.

11. A cord that is drawn through eyelets or around hooks in order to draw

together two edges (as of a shoe or garment).

12. (British) Traditional jazz as revived in the 1950s.

20. Hungarian choreographer who developed Labanotation (1879-1958).

22. The branch of computer science that deal with writing computer programs that can solve problems creatively.

24. A bag used for carrying money and small personal items or accessories (especially by women).

26. Of or relating to o occurring in a tube such as e.g. the fallopian tube or eustachian tube.

30. (Babylonian) God of storms and wind.

31. Herb of the Pacific islands grown throughout the tropics for its edible root and in temperate areas as an ornamental for its large glossy leaves.

33. (informal) Of the highest quality.

34. Flat surface that rotates and pushes against air or water.

35. (Akkadian) God of wisdom.

36. Slightly open.

37. English scholastic philosopher and assumed author of Occam's Razor (1285-1349).

40. Fit or suitable to live in or with.

42. Preaching the gospel of Christ in the manner of the early church.

43. A cord that is drawn through eyelets or around hooks in order to draw together two edges (as of a shoe or garment).

46. A civil or military authority in Turkey or Egypt.

50. The capital of Western Samoa.

51. The blood group whose red cells carry both the A and B antigens.

52. A complex red organic pigment containing iron and other atoms to which oxygen binds.

53. Characterized by lightness and insubstantiality.

54. Someone who works (or provides workers) during a strike.

55. An informal term for a father.

57. (computer science) A coding system that incorporates extra parity bits in order to detect errors.

59. Title for a civil or military leader (especially in Turkey).

60. The seventh and last day of the week.

Yesterday’s Solution

Lifestyle FRIDAY, MARCH 2, 2012

Leap day babies relish their unique birthdays Tammy Gerencser, 42, right, is shown at Florida Hospital, Monday, in Orlando, Fla. —AP

A vendor arrange ‘martisors’ to be sold at a spring fair in Bucharest†on February 22, 2012.

Red string heralds spring in eastern Europe T

P

eter Brouwer turned 56 on Wednesday. But if you count the times he’s celebrated his true birth date, he’s only turning 14. Brouwer is a Leap day baby. And like a lot of people born Feb 29, he relishes the uniqueness of his birthday. He even thinks there’s an advantage to marking your real birthday just once every four years. “We don’t have that psychological drama of being a year older every year,” said Brouwer, who lives in Vancouver, British Columbia, and is the co-founder of the Honor Society of Leap Year Day Babies.

In off years, Brouwer says, most Leap day babies - perhaps 80 percent - celebrate their birthdays in February “because they’re born in February. We call them strict Februarians.” But Jennifer Whisnant of Greensboro, North Carolina, whose daughter Ava was born in 2008, says they “celebrate on the closest Saturday for a party, or on March 1st, which is technically when she would have been born had it not been Leap year.” Birth certificates and most US government agencies like Social Security use Feb. 29 for those born on Leap Day, but leaplings occasionally encounter bureaucratic difficulties using their true birth dates. Some computerized dropdown menus don’t include Feb. 29.

“My life insurance policy is for March 1 because their computer doesn’t support Leap day,” Brouwer said. On Facebook, Anne McCarthy’s friends get a note Feb. 28 that her birthday is the next day. Then on March 1, “there would be nothing. So, unless it was a Leap year, friends would not see birthday reminders for the actual day,” said McCarthy, of Boston, turning 24 on Wednesday (in Leap time, 6). There are no reliable numbers on exactly how many babies are born on Leap day, but statistically, the odds of being born then are the same as any other day. “The law of averages means your chance of being born on Feb 29 are one out of 1,461,” Brouwer said, explaining that 1,461 equals 365, or the number of days in the year, times four, plus one for the extra day in the four-year cycle. “We figure in the US, there’s about 200,000 of us, and in the world, about 5 million.”

There’s also no good way of definitively determining whether mothers with scheduled C-sections or induced births avoid or embrace Leap day. Fewer babies are born on weekends in the US than on other days, according to research by the National Center for Health Statistics, and since Leap day fell on a Sunday in 2004 and a Friday in 2008, birth numbers from those years don’t tell the whole story.

What will happen this year is anybody’s guess. —AP

he Japanese welcome each spring with picnics under cherry blossoms.

In Romania and Bulgaria, it is greeted with the exchange of a little amulet with red and white strings, a rural tradition that has morphed into urban fashion. The ritual takes place on March 1 when parents and children, men and women, politicians, artists, villagers and city dwellers offer each other a “martisor” (in

Children paint butterflies during a ‘martisor’ workshop.

Carmen Miron, a 23 year-old Romanian girl, poses next to her ‘martisor’ creations.

Romania) or a “martenitsa” (in Bulgaria) as a sign of friendship. In Bulgaria, even pets are graced with little white and red strings to celebrate the new season. Trendy boutiques have now embraced the practice and defended it as anything but outdated.

“Martisor is not an old-fashioned bit of tradition because spring is a universal symbol of renewal and hope,” said Carmen Miron, a 23-year-old Romanian working in a Bucharest concept store. “We, the young people, have renewed the tradition by giving it a more modern and practical touch,” she said. In Romania, thousands of students

and young people make their own “martisoare” (plural of “martisor”) and sell them in makeshift markets that crop up in every city and town during the week prior to the event. In neighboring Bulgaria, the “martenitsa” craft generates sales estimated at up to 15 million euros (20 million dollars) a year, according to Pressa newspaper.

Factory-made amulets from China have started to pour into the region, but many people still prefer the local hand-made models. Shopkeeper Miron, who creates her own “martisoare”, says designers have adapted the traditional amulets into brooches or accessories that can be worn even after the end of March. This year, for example, she wanted “my martisoare to give people a feeling of sun, light and warmth” so painted stones from a Greek island with suns and tulips.

Rural tradition to urban fashion Despite its rural origins, the amulet has now become an urban fashion statement in Romania, with models crafted in leather, felt, carved wood or recycled materials.

“Farmers used to mark the arrival of every season. On March 1st, they used to attach white (for purity) and red (vitality, passion) strings around trees or on the bulls’ horns for protection and luck”, Lila Passima, a researcher at the Museum of the Romanian

Peasant, the most famous ethnographic institution in Romania, told AFP. “Around 1900, cities took over this tradition and transformed it in an artistic way,” she said.

“So, we are still celebrating the arrival of spring though our societies are less close to nature than peasants were.”

In Bulgaria, the red and white strings that sometimes take the form of a boy and a girl called Pijo and Penda are supposed to be worn until the first stork is seen. Then, the martenitsa is to be attached to a tree.

Moves are afoot to ensure the trend is kept alive, according to Iulia Iordan from Dragul Artei, an organization specialized in intangible heritage. Some Bucharest companies, such as the Pelinari law firm, have started organizing “martisor” workshops. “They asked us to explain the legends around this tradition to the employees’ children and to teach them how to make their own martisoare,” Iordan said. This year, the Bulgarian newspaper Standart launched a campaign to have the tradition recognized

by UNESCO (the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) as an intangible cultural heritage. “Martenitsa is one of the most authentic Bulgarian traditions,” it wrote. “In our contemporary world where borders tend to disappear, martenitsa make us, Bulgarians, different, unique, interesting.” — AFP

Lifestyle FRIDAY, MARCH 2, 2012

Gaga takes anti-bullying campaign to Harvard

P

op icon Lady Gaga, known around the globe for her flamboyant music and fashion, told Harvard students Wednesday that “a culture of love” is needed to combat school bullying and low self-esteem among teens. Appearing at Harvard with TV mega-star Oprah Winfrey, Lady Gaga launched her Born This Way Foundation-named after her hit album and single-which aims to boost teens’ self-esteem and encourage adults to help out. “I’m not here today to give you an answer, and I am not here to tell you I can solve these problems,” Lady Gaga told a packed theater of Harvard students and faculty.

“This is not an anti-bullying foundation. This is a youth-empowerment foundation. This is about changing the climate of the school environment,” added the singer, whose platinum hair was styled in a beehive surrounded by black netting. Lady Gaga said “it’s not that hard” to change the world through, for example, “little acts of kindness” and standing up for others being bullied or going through hard times. The entertainer said her foundation will promote safety in schools and communities, help people develop skills to be loving and tolerant, and then encourage them to find opportunities to express themselves.

She added work needs to be done to

reach out to bullies. “What breeds anger?” she asked. Winfrey, who interviewed Lady Gaga, likened the idea of a youth empowerment movement to earlier successful campaigns to reduce drunk driving and smoking. “What you are creating is not just a foundation but a movement,” Winfrey said. “And literally by speaking out today, it is a shift that you want to happen, a shift in the way people think about bullying.” According to

Lady Gaga poses with fans prior to an event at Harvard University in Cambridge, Mass. Wednesday. — AP

Estelle: It’s hard to perform

R&B music in the UK

E

File photo shows singer Estelle at the Gabrielle’s Angel Foundation for Cancer Research ‘Angel Ball’ honors gala at Cipriani’s Wall St in New York. —AP

the American Psychological Association, 70 percent of middle and high school students have experienced bullying and up to 15 percent of youth are chronic victims. Some are fighting back: Katy Butler, a Michigan high school student who says she endured brutal bullying, has launched a petition at change.org now signed by 135,000 people to urge the Motion Picture Association of America to relax the rating of a new film, “Bully,”

stelle said she left the United Kingdom to pursue her career in America because performing rhythm & blues music back home was too tough. “It’s so (expletive) hard for British artists to be taken seriously as R&B artists,” she said. “It’s frustrating,” continued Estelle, who now lives in the United States. “I get a lot of (people saying), ‘Yo Estelle, I can’t sing R&B and be out here and make money. This is crazy.’ And I’m looking at them like, ‘I know. That’s why I’m not there doing it.’”

Estelle’s sound is a mix of rap, R&B, reggae and pop. She says British singers have trouble performing R&B “because No 1, you’re not American.” But R&B music in Europe isn’t quite the same as in America. Europe’s R&B charts will feature pop acts like Jason Derulo and Flo Rida, whose songs don’t appear on the US R&B chart. “The kids in the (UK) hood still know what R&B music is. They still know what real (R&B) is,” she said.

Estelle released her debut, “The 18th Day,” in Europe in 2004, but she made her real splash on the music scene in 2008 with the monster hit “American Boy,” which won her a Grammy Award.

The song featured Kanye West and is from her US debut, “Shine,” released on John Legend’s label imprint, Home School Records. This week, the 32year-old is releasing her new album, “All of Me.” It features collaborations with Chris Brown, Trey Songz, Rick Ross, Nas, Ne-Yo and Janelle Monae.

Estelle says though some people wanted her to rush out new material following the success of “American Boy,” she decided to take time to write and record quality songs. “I always say there’s a difference between cooked food and McDonald’s,” she said. “Your mom’s homemade dinner - you enjoy this more than you enjoy the fast food that comes along and goes, and I strive to make homemade dinner every time I put out an album.”

from R to PG-13 so more teens can see it.

By the end of the event, about 300 fans gathered in swirling snow to try to get a glimpse of the five-time Grammy winner.

Some fans had dressed for the occasion, as they explained, donning black leather boots, leather pants and leather jackets.

Lukas Freitas, a 19-year-old Harvard freshman, laughed when asked if his allblack leather outfit was his usual school attire. “No, this is a Gaga outfit, in honor of Lady Gaga,” said Freitas, who managed to get a photo with her.

“She has been very important in helping me in developing my identity. I really like that she is using her fame to help people.” Mark Mauriello, a 19-year-old Harvard freshman, was similarly dressed but with the addition of Lady Gaga-like sunglasses. “I’m here because she’s an artist like no other. And it’s wonderful what she is doing because school bullying is a real problem,” Mauriello said.

Harvard and local businesses also joined Lady Gaga’s cause, donating part of profits from sales of cupcakes with her famous image in sunglasses and of cocktails with Jameson. Nearby the event, a “Born to Be Brave” bus was parked that is the prototype of a larger bus that will follow her on when she tours, offering teens a safe place to create music and perform. —AP

Monkees frontman Davy Jones dead at 66

D

avy Jones, lead singer of 1960s made-forTV band The Monkees whose hits included “I’m a Believer” and “Last Train to Clarksville,” died on Wednesday, the local coroner said. He was 66. The British-born star, whose TV antics with Micky Dolenz, Michael Nesmith and Peter Tork drew fans but also unflattering comparisons with the Beatles, died of a heart attack in Florida, the TMZ celebrity website said.

The singer died after being transported to Martin Hospital South in Martin County, southern Florida, near where Jones lived, said a spokesman for the hospital, Scott Samples.

“Mr Jones began to complain of not feeling well and having trouble breathing,” said the Martin County Sheriff’s Office in a statement, adding that emergency services took him to hospital where he was pronounced dead. “At this time there do not appear to be any suspicious circumstances surrounding the death. Family has been notified,” it added, noting: “The Office of the Medical Examiner will determine exact cause

of death.” The four-piece band initially gained fame through their TV show about a band called The Monkees, created by legendary US music producer Don Kirshner.

His good looks and British charm-he was born in Manchester, England-went down well with US audiences, along with the three American group members: guitarist Nesmith, bassist Tork and drummer-singer Dolenz. Their knockabout antics on the show-with the toe-tapping theme tune “Hey Hey, We’re the Monkees”-

In this May 27, 2001 photo, Davy Jones and the Monkees jam at Applebees parks first concert in Lexington Ky.—AP

A man takes pictures beside a floral wreath in place beside the Monkees Star along Hollywood Boulevard on February 29, 2012 in Hollywood, California, in memory of lead singer Davy Jones. — AFP

drew criticism that they were a rip-off of the Beatles, who had taken America by storm a few years earlier. The TV show only aired for three years in the US in the 1960s, but it was re-run elsewhere over the years and is remembered by a generation of fans, if not by current younger audiences. Other hits included “Daydream Believer” and “Pleasant Valley Sunday.” —AFP

Lifestyle FRIDAY, MARCH 2, 2012

The Vaccines collect the Best New Band award on stage during the 2012 New Musical Express Awards at the O2 Academy Brixton, London, Wednesday. —AP

Animator praises unsung artists at heart of genre W

hen animator Fraser MacLean thinks about his work on movies such as “Who Framed Roger Rabbit,” “Space Jam,” and “Tarzan,” he’s reminded of the Chartres cathedral, southwest of Paris. The 13th century Gothic church was idealized in “F for Fake,” the 1973 Orson Welles film, during a monologue by the director. “The premier work of man perhaps in the whole western world and it’s without a signature: Chartres,” Welles said. “A celebration to God’s glory and to the dignity of man.”

The anonymous artists of Chartres represent the idea, as MacLean put it: Art isn’t about signing your name in the corner of the canvas.

MacLean began his career as an unknown artist, doing shading on the animated characters in 1988’s Who Framed Roger Rabbit, which combined live action and animation. “That idea that you would surrender your own creative

abilities and your own technical mastery to something that would just be a delight to the people that saw it ... in some ways is actually liberating,” he said.

MacLean, who grew up in Edinburgh, Scotland, returned a decade ago and was surprised during his guest lectures at art colleges.

Students at some schools weren’t required to do observational drawing. Having a background in fine art drawing landed MacLean his first job with Disney UK. At the same time, MacLean was hearing about animation companies looking for students with drawing skills and being unable to find them. He decided to write “Setting the Scene: The Art and Evolution of Animation Layout” about the importance of the layout department in animated feature films. “The entire structure and choreography of all the action in the movie stems from the way that the layout artists

develop what they find in the original story sketches,” MacLean said.

He presented the book alongside layout artist Roy Naisbitt at the 31st Anima film festival in Brussels last week. First recognized as a separate department by Disney with “Cinderella” in 1950, MacLean hit on a subject that made directors such as Brad Bird (“The Incredibles”, “Ratatouille”) and Pete Docter (“Up”) unable to hang up the phone.

“A filmmaker often tries to convey a feeling, and attempts to do so in a sneaky way of which the audience isn’t even conscious,” Docter wrote in the foreword of MacLean’s book. “The way a subject is presented can be the difference between making a connection with the audience and having them fall asleep.”

MacLean also had access to Disney’s Animation Research Library for the book, which was published in September.

One day, the Disney librarian opened a drawer and took out an original watercolor painting of Geppetto’s workshop from “Pinocchio”, Disney’s second feature-length film from 1940. MacLean said those early Disney films, including “Snow White” in 1937, left an enormous impression on his mother, who died in 2008 soon after he proposed the book. “My mother and father and their parents, they all stood in line to go to see Snow White when it came out,” he said. “My mother, even though she had dementia, she could tell me what seat she was sitting in at (the) cinema in Aberdeen.” Holding the painting in his hands, MacLean started crying. The librarian assured him: That happens to a lot of people. Seeing the artwork that was photographed in a movie with so much meaning to his parents was overwhelming. “I still cannot tell you who painted that bit of artwork and I don’t care.” — Reuters

Romantic comedy to

open Tribeca film festival

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new romantic comedy by the team behind “Forgetting Sarah Marshall” will open the Tribeca Film Festival that begins next month, festival organizers said on Wednesday. “The Five-Year Engagement” is directed by Nicholas Stoller and stars Jason Segel and Emily Blunt as an engaged couple who keep getting tripped up on the long walk down the aisle.

Stoller and Segel wrote the screenplay for “The Five-Year Engagement,” teaming up again after Stoller directed and Segel starred-in and wrote the screenplay for relationship comedy “Forgetting Sarah Marshall,” which became a box office hit in 2008 grossing $105 million worldwide.

“The Five-Year Engagement” will premiere on April 18 at the opening night of Tribeca, one of the largest film festivals in the United States that runs until April 29.

Produced by Judd Apatow, it will be released in US cinemas on April 27. The festival, which previously opened with the comedy “Baby Mama” in 2008, will announce its complete line up of films on March 6 and 8. —Reuters

(From left) Bollwood actors John Abraham, Anil Kapoor and Sonu Sood attend the launch ceremony of the Hindi film ‘Shootout at Wadala’ in Mumbai on February 29, 2012. — AFP

Lifestyle FRIDAY, MARCH 2, 2012

Covered-up chic in day 2 of

Paris G

fashion shows

GUY LAROCHE It was a coming of age for Morongiu in his gem-inspired offering for Guy Laroche. Fully covered models with black gloves were covered in a treasure trove of evening wear. Blouses, oversized coats and architectural gowns came in blinding bronze, coal, gold and malachite, all sparklingly alluring but baring little flesh.

The shortest skirt was below the knee, and save one stand out pleated graphite wraparound in silk, decolletes were banned. Only funnel necks and crew collars were on view. And with that, Morongiu went to the heart of one of the big fashion conversations this season.”It’s so easy to take everything off,” said the designer. “Being covered and sexy, now, that’s the tricky part.” It is a sign of the designer’s growing confidence that he felt ready to revisit Guy Laroche’s early DNA pieces largely avoided in past seasons, such as the luxurious “pull en satin” and the loose but structured “robe sac” that peppered the show.

uy Laroche is back in the Paris fashion conversation after Wednesday’s bold, grown-up offering from designer Marcel Morongiu, who struck gold in a stunning ready-to-wear fall-winter collection that channeled gems and this fall’s running theme of sophisticated, covered-up glamour. Morongiu also dared to revisit DNA pieces by the Parisian fashion house, founded in 1957. “It takes some time to stamp your own identity,” mused the designer, who’s been at the helm of the shows since 2008. “I now feel mature enough to interpret the signature pieces.” Another label that dug out the dusty archive books was Mugler, under the artistic eye of creative director Nichola Formichetti, who gave a

Models present creations by French-Swedish designer Marcel Marongiu for Guy Laroche during the Fall/Winter 2012-2013 readyto-wear collection show, on February 29, 2012 in Paris. —AP/AFP

Japanese kimono kick to Thierry Mugler’s “Insect” collection, first shown 15 years ago.

It was the first show without Lady Gaga and the accompanying buzz, but with the designer’s rapidly expanding fan base and front row replete with party girls, Formichetti’s accountant should lose no sleep. The kimono cropped up again Wednesday in Belgian designer Dries Van Noten’s imaginative journey through the patterns of the Far East. The most disturbing show of the day was served up in a cold, disused garage by unpredictable London designer Gareth

Pugh, featuring models in suffocating geometrical headgear with a clerical edge. French Vogue Editor Emanuelle Alt summed it up well enough: “Gareth is great for Paris because you never know where he’ll go.” Day three of the fashion calendar yesterday includes shows from Manish Arora, Balmain and Nina Ricci.

Lifestyle

DRIES VAN NOTEN

FRIDAY, MARCH 2, 2012

DRIES VAN NOTEN “The richness of the East,” Van Noten declared, was the inspiration for his collection, as he delved into the sumptuous Asian fashion vaults of the Victoria and Albert Museum in London. Chinese, Japanese and Korean costumes such as multicolored dragon coats and kimonos were reinterpreted using digital printing on floor-length silk gowns with cinched waists. But you can bet that the academic-edged Antwerp designer will never stick to just one motif. The normally strict, structured Asian clothing was endowed with floral shards of imperial yellow, turquoise and jade chinoiserie, providing a flowing and sexy 1970s feel.

The show also featured lashings of fox and Suri Alpaca fur on collars and chubbies in some great statement coats. As ever for the designer who cut his teeth in dressing men, there was a distinct menswear feel to some of the jackets, providing the on-trend element necessary to sell clothes. But was the designer overdoing himself? The busiest look of the show had some scratching their heads about what continent they were meant to be in: a contemporary parka with raccoon fur hood, on a long silk gown with Chinese motif on top of trousers, accessorized with an enormous black croc clutch. It was a good thing the air conditioning was working.

GARETH PUGH What do priestly robes, Maasai tribal headwear and perhaps Gotham City have in common? A lot for British designer Pugh, who fused them in typically dark and animalistic style with geometric forms and suffocating reversed collar masks. The pulsating bass music that opened the show with utterings of “God” and falling dead rose petals created an unsettled mood that must have rubbed off on the clothing. Chubbies in black wool, furry bustle dresses and chainmail balaclavas with fur tassels introduced an animalism. These soon morphed into tribal-edged funnel necks

and headstraps that, together with a notable disc-shaped hat designed by Philip Treacy, grew from musings on the beaded headwear of the Kenyan Maasai.

Shoulders were narrow on silhouettes that would expand at the waist with strong peplums, an angular feature typical of the designer. Clean-lined capes and gray duchesse satin tops were supposed to mirror the shape of clergy garb. But at moments, large reversed metallic collars with points like rodent ears and shield-like sleeve paneling in black harked more to Batgirl. Backstage, with typical self-deprecating humor, Pugh said his main theme was “just to get away from my last season. It’s good to mix things up.”

MUGLER Mugler’s Formichetti took a microscope to the insectoid world for his show. Jutting bony peplums, laser cutting and spiderlike shoulder padding were shown on models who wandered several at a time around an arena catwalk, seemingly at random. Like other collections this fall, the designer delved back into the house’s archives for inspiration, finding Thierry Mugler’s “Insect” collection from 1997. But the graphic

angular look was given a Far East revamping with long fox fur and mink kimono sleeves and the proportions of traditional Japanese clothing - something close to the heart of the Japanborn designer. Many looks will look great in photos at A-list parties, like a stiff micro dress in black silk gazar with a sheer hood. Another white sheath with rounded shoulders, a leaflike peplum and an impossibly cinched waist turned the model into a severe, hourglass fembot. Without Lady Gaga in tow this season, the clothes had to speak for themselves. Luckily, they did.—AP

Gareth Pugh

See next page

Lifestyle

Gareth Pugh

FRIDAY, MARCH 2, 2012

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London fashion students hail green as the new black

MUGLER

ould “green” be the new black? Perhaps only if you can imagine wearing stilettos made from pistachio nuts and coffee beans and clothes from orange peel, fungi and mould. While the fashion pack are hitting the catwalks at Paris Fashion Week, students at London’s Kingston University have taken up the challenge of trying to lower the industry’s carbon footprint by using biodegradable materials to produce luxury clothes, shoes and accessories for home and car interiors. The fashion industry has a high environmental footprint. The manu-

facture of synthetic fibers like polyester alone produces nearly five times as much carbon dioxide per kilogram as some organic cotton and more than twice as much as hemp, according to a Stockholm Environment Institute study.

According to waste industry reports, more than one million tonnes of textiles are thrown away every year, with most going to landfill and only 25 percent recycled. InCrops, an initiative based at the University of East Anglia, sponsored the Kingston fashion project, asking students to create designs that show renewable raw materi-

als derived from crops can be used to create low or zero carbon fashion. A range of futuristic fabrics, garments, and designs will be unveiled at an event at the Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining in London on Thursday.

Apart from stilettos made from pistachio shells and coffee beans, designs include a woodchip corset by British designer Stefanie Nieuwenhuyse, which was unveiled at London Fashion Week last September and modeled by singer Pixie Lott in Vogue.

Other designs include a bodice made from

orange peel by Hoyan Ip and scented jewellery made from biodegradable plastic.

“InCrops’ interest in the luxury sector gave us a steep challenge as many fashion practitioners have failed to successfully communicate the relationship between fashion and bio-waste,” said Nancy Tilbury, MA Fashion course director at Kingston University.

“Our students rose to the challenge and produced excellent work that has been sought after by musical artists and the fashion press.” —Reuters

Stars

FRIDAY, MARCH 2, 2012

Aries (March 21-April 19) Confidence and bravery will help you to show off your skills today. Higher-ups have not seen this side of you and your mom would be proud. Perhaps you have been in accounting and a bit of salesman side of you is showing today or perhaps you just know the right words to say for a particular situation. Whatever the case, your timing is right for showing others your talents. Involvement in group activities plays an important part in your life this afternoon. You and a neighbor may agree to help paint each other’s house or some other similar activity. Instead of one house one week and one house the next week—work on both houses on the same day so that both projects end at the same time. There is a great deal of satisfaction with this project.

Taurus (April 20-May 20) You have a strong need to excel and receive acclamation. This is more along the line of entertainment than for business success, although you wouldn’t mind a bit more pay for your work. You have a grand sense of humor and might enjoy working on a routine for a comedy club—think about it. Many things are accomplished in the workplace today.

Decision making is easy as you research and find the correct facts for your decision-making responsibilities. Your communicative ability is accented and today is an excellent time to be persuasive. This afternoon, you may enjoy talking over old times with friends. Other than having an attitude of gratitude, you may feel that a good friend is like a good memory—trained to forget the trivial.

Gemini (May 21-June 20) This is a very productive day. Before you know it . . . the stressful work of the day is completed. Where you think your level of performance should be and where it really is are two different things. You will reach the level of performance you think you should maintain and for now you must know the secret is in one step at a time—just don’t go overboard.

When it is time to quit—go home. There are other experiences you could miss if you stay within the walls of work for too long. A social affair may be optional this evening or it could be that you will enjoy a dinner with family or friends. You are gracious and understanding to others and they return the favor. This period signifies an excellent time to engage in activities with people that are of great magnetism.

Cancer (June 21-July 22) Someone may challenge you, but there is no one that enjoys a good challenge better than you . . . especially when it includes creativeness. This is a time when your powers of creativity are great. With optimism and good cheer, things will most assuredly go your way. It’s time for action; your destiny is in your hands. Working with close associates should prove favorable. You have a desire to succeed, not only financially, but personally as well. Take a back seat to much of the action this afternoon, especially if you find yourself feeling particularly tired—delegate, delegate, delegate. Be sure to keep an open mind about all ideas or proposals, paying attention to all the details involved. Romance is possible this evening.

Leo (July 23-August 22) This may be a tough day to solve problems or to look for insights. You may feel your originality and independence are stifled, or just not available to you. Someone older may seem to slow your progress or intimidate you. You may be surprised, however, at the turn of events later today. You are the one in control of your life—you are the captain. Luck is on your side in almost anything you set out to accomplish. This is one of your best overall days and a good day for love. You are self-assertive and independent and many things that have been confusing will become clear and focused. Events in the workplace will eventually make it easier for you to find solutions. Travel and higher education become more affordable this year.

Virgo (August 23-September 22) You may appear very comfortable in your surroundings today.

Everything seems to be working together. You find yourself expressive and able to communicate better than usual. There is a new sense of self, a more assertive personal style and a more dynamic approach to life: these are the hallmarks of the cycle that begins for you now. Doubts fade into the background and reserve is more a thing of the past. It’s time for action; your destiny is in your hands, rather than set apart. Tonight you should leave the heavy-duty decisions about work, at work. You find yourself feeling more private and in a stay at home mood. This is a time to spend with loved ones and family. General good feeling and a sense of support and harmony make this a happy time.

Libra (September 23-October 22) As this day begins, you may think there will be some extra time to tend to personal business but there will actually be very little time for personal business or daydreaming. As you go about your work, take notes on your personal thoughts. This way, you will be able to update and communicate with loved ones in clear and understandable ways.

A family member may possibly be willing to help you with some of these errands over which you could be worried. Perhaps it is time for a car inspection or for trips to an accountant. Work, health, diet and the other things that take care of us if we take care of them can provide a lot of satisfaction as a new life-phase begins. These things can lead to love and a new-self image if you stick with them.

Scorpio (October 23-November 21) You have good practical job-related thoughts and the ability to communicate with superiors. You may sometimes feel that people take advantage of your knowledge—you may feel used. Never fear, the universe has a way of bringing about a balance to any imbalance. There are paybacks that you may not see just now. You are at your most practical when it comes to dealing and working with others. You know just what to do and can act without being overly emotional. You are called on to make use of your natural abilities and common sense. Work, achievement and ambition mean a lot to you now. You have ideas for a joke or poetry book and may decide to submit a sample to a publisher for a future book. It feels good to be creative.

Sagittarius (November 22-December 21) Full speed ahead is your motto now, for better or worse! Keep that team spirit attitude so as to keep the communication lines open. You are at your most practical when it comes to dealing with others. Quick answers, great wit and a surplus of insights and solutions are within your reach. Be open to new ways of investing: insurance, stocks, coins, stamps, etc. Ideas and interaction with authority figures or older people may be in the forecast.

Working with—rather than against—the energies should gradually pick up pace. Others in your household must have had a productive day because general good feelings and a sense of harmony reigns this afternoon. An important relationship, perhaps a young person, may come into focus this evening.

Capricorn (December 22-January 19) Your mind is on your work and you have unique ways to solve problems and move forward. The ability to communicate with superiors or describe what you see is an advantage to continuous advancement. You have a natural sense of what the public wants and can feel the trends for future development or sales. Clear decisions affecting others could be made now. You can expect a little boost, some sort of extra support or recognition from those around you. A shopping expedition this afternoon may tempt you. Be careful that you do not overspend or indulge or loan others’ money to do the same—know when to walk away. Always ask yourself if you really need a particular item. You might like to do some socializing this evening.

Aquarius (January 20- February 18) This is a great time to be with others and to work together.

You may be sought after as just the person for a particular job.

You are hard-working and attentive to the job-at-hand. You could be most persuasive with others and expressive in speech and communication. Clear decisions affecting others in the workplace could be made now. In your personal business, be wise in obligating long-term financial agreements—perhaps a new car. Stand by your ideas on how much you want to spend. With respect to investments—it may be time to firm up an offer of sales. There is a chance to understand those around you and to have a special time with someone you love. This evening, family members, especially young ones, may find you witty and eccentric.

Pisces (February 19-March 20) This is a good day to move forward with some of your longrange plans. Your projects will run well. Your directional abilities are in high focus. You could be most persuasive and expressive in your communication.

There is something you can do today to help in the retrieval of some important information. This may mean that because of something you can retrieve or learn, you will be able to help your company prosper. This afternoon, you show a great deal of interest in the living environment in your home. Perhaps you are ready for those home improvement lessons or maybe you have chosen to put a recycling rack in your garage; good for you. Get the old piano in tune and plan on a social gathering soon. Plan a little musical fun.

COUNTRY CODES Afghanistan 0093 Albania 00355 Algeria 00213 Andorra 00376 Angola 00244 Anguilla 001264 Antiga 001268 Argentina 0054 Armenia 00374 Australia 0061 Austria 0043 Bahamas 001242 Bahrain 00973 Bangladesh 00880 Barbados 001246 Belarus 00375 Belgium 0032 Belize 00501 Benin 00229 Bermuda 001441 Bhutan 00975 Bolivia 00591 Bosnia 00387 Botswana 00267 Brazil 0055 Brunei 00673 Bulgaria 00359 Burkina 00226 Burundi 00257 Cambodia 00855 Cameroon 00237 Canada 001 Cape Verde 00238 Cayman Islands 001345 Central African Republic 00236 Chad 00235 Chile 0056 China 0086 Colombia 0057 Comoros 00269 Congo 00242 Cook Islands 00682 Costa Rica 00506 Croatia 00385 Cuba 0053 Cyprus 00357 Cyprus (Northern) 0090392 Czech Republic 00420 Denmark 0045 Diego Garcia 00246 Djibouti 00253 Dominica 001767 Dominican Republic 001809 Ecuador 00593 Egypt 0020 El Salvador 00503 England (UK) 0044 Equatorial Guinea 00240 Eritrea 00291 Estonia 00372 Ethiopia 00251 Falkland Islands 00500 Faroe Islands 00298 Fiji 00679 Finland 00358 France 0033 French Guiana 00594 French Polynesia 00689 Gabon 00241 Gambia 00220 Georgia 00995 Germany 0049 Ghana 00233 Gibraltar 00350 Greece 0030 Greenland 00299 Grenada 001473 Guadeloupe 00590 Guam 001671 Guatemala 00502 Guinea 00224 Guyana 00592 Haiti 00509 Holland (Netherlands)0031 Honduras 00504 Hong Kong 00852 Hungary 0036 Ibiza (Spain) 0034 Iceland 00354 India 0091 Indian Ocean 00873 Indonesia 0062 Iran 0098 Iraq 00964 Ireland 00353 Italy 0039 Ivory Coast 00225 Jamaica 001876 Japan 0081 Jordan 00962 Kazakhstan 007 Kenya 00254 Kiribati 00686

Kuwait 00965 Kyrgyzstan 00996 Laos 00856 Latvia 00371 Lebanon 00961 Liberia 00231 Libya 00218 Lithuania 00370 Luxembourg 00352 Macau 00853 Macedonia 00389 Madagascar 00261 Majorca 0034 Malawi 00265 Malaysia 0060 Maldives 00960 Mali 00223 Malta 00356 Marshall Islands 00692 Martinique 00596 Mauritania 00222 Mauritius 00230 Mayotte 00269 Mexico 0052 Micronesia 00691 Moldova 00373 Monaco 00377 Mongolia 00976 Montserrat 001664 Morocco 00212 Mozambique 00258 Myanmar (Burma) 0095 Namibia 00264 Nepal 00977 Netherlands (Holland)0031 Netherlands Antilles 00599 New Caledonia 00687 New Zealand 0064 Nicaragua 00505 Nigar 00227 Nigeria 00234 Niue 00683 Norfolk Island 00672 Northern Ireland (UK)0044 North Korea 00850 Norway 0047 Oman 00968 Pakistan 0092 Palau 00680 Panama 00507 Papua New Guinea 00675 Paraguay 00595 Peru 0051 Philippines 0063 Poland 0048 Portugal 00351 Puerto Rico 001787 Qatar 00974 Romania 0040 Russian Federation 007 Rwanda 00250 Saint Helena 00290 Saint Kitts 001869 Saint Lucia 001758 Saint Pierre 00508 Saint Vincent 001784 Samoa US 00684 Samoa West 00685 San Marino 00378 Sao Tone 00239 Saudi Arabia 00966 Scotland (UK) 0044 Senegal 00221 Seychelles 00284 Sierra Leone 00232 Singapore 0065 Slovakia 00421 Slovenia 00386 Solomon Islands 00677 Somalia 00252 South Africa 0027 South Korea 0082 Spain 0034 Sri Lanka 0094 Sudan 00249 Suriname 00597 Swaziland 00268 Sweden 0046 Switzerland 0041 Syria 00963 Taiwan 00886 Tanzania 00255 Thailand 0066 Toga 00228 Tonga 00676 Tokelau 00690 Trinidad 001868 Tunisia 00216 Turkey 0090 Tuvalu 00688 Uganda 00256 Ukraine 00380 United Arab Emirates00976

W h a t ’s O n FRIDAY, MARCH 2, 2012

Pakistan Academy School marks Kuwait Liberation Day

O

n February 22, the Pakistan Academy School Ahmadi, marked Kuwait Independence Day and Kuwait Liberation Day in a befitting manner.

The celebration started with recitation of the Holy Quran followed by Prof. Syed Zakir the ‘Principal’s

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Address’ who focused on the school’s achievements of 2011-12. Alia Saad Munir Al-Mohanna was the Chief Guest, who gave away the merit certificates to the outstanding students along with special stipends. The ceremony was concluded leaving behind sweet memories.

Shristi Fine Arts holds carnatic concert

n the occasion of Kuwait’s National Day & Liberation Day celebrations, Shristi Fine Arts, Kuwait organized an Indian Carnatic Music Concert by well known Carnatic Vocalist Dr. Nirajana Srinivasan at Indian Community Senior Girls School Auditorim in Salmiya. Dr. Niranjana was accompanied by Perunna Harikumar on Mridangam, Kottayam A.C. Joshi from Dubai on violin and Ragesh V. Ramakrishnan on ghatom.

The concert began with a varnam in Charukesi ragam ‘Innam en manam’ written by Lalgudi Sri Jayaraman. The kritis commenced with salutations to Ganapathy, in the ragam Hamsadvani, ‘Varanamukaha’, a composition of Sri Koteeswara Iyer. A long kalpana swaraprastaram was rendered for the line ‘Munnavane Ni Munindral’. Then followed a krti of Sri Papanasam Sivan ‘Sri Valli Devasenapathe’ in the ragam Natabairavi.

A raga alapana of Lathangi followed by Sri Papanasam Sivan’s ‘Pirava varam tarum’ was the next presentation. Next was also a Tamil piece by Smt.Ambujam Krishna “Om Namo Narayana” in the ragam Karnaranjani set to Kanda Chapu thalam.

The following piece was Sri Mudduswami Dikshitar’s ‘mamava Pattabirama’ in the ragam Manirangu set to Misra Chapu talam. A brisk item was to continue in the form of ‘Bantureethi’ in the ragam Hamsanadham. An eloborated neraval and kalpana swaram was sung for the line ‘Ramanama mane’.

The main piece of the concert was “Kapali” in the raga Mohanam, for which kalpana swaram and tani avartanam were rendered. ‘Makelara’ in Ravichandrika, a krti of Tyahgaraja was the next piece as being the choice of the listeners. Then came the RTP in Darmavathy. The line of the pallavi was ‘Hare Rama Krishna

Govinda Mukunda Murare’. Ragamalika with ragas varamu, malayamarutham, ranjani and revathy was sung in succession.

Then the pieces to follow were in the form of thukadas such as “Chinanchirukiliye” of Sri Bharatiyar, “Muralidara Gopala” in the ragam mandu, “Kakai Chiraginile” in Misra Sivaranjani, “Nayaki ni ennai” in Chandrakouns and “Bho Sambo” of Swami Dayananda Sarasvati in the ragam Revathi. The concert was wrapped with the thillana in the ragam Kamas and concluded with the “Mangalam”.

Spontaneously, audience gave a hearty and long ovation to Dr. Niranjana for her superb performance and the success of her concert. The event was ably compeered by Smt. Lakshmi Suresh and Smt. Pushpa Ramesh, but for whose tireless efforts the concert could not have been so well organized. Artistes were felicitated with mementos by prominent members of Indian Community in Kuwait. Shristi Fine Arts thanks its sponsors and supporters for their patronage for celebration of Kuwait’s National Day & Liberation Day through this concert by Dr. Niranjana Srinivasan.

W h a t ’s O n FRIDAY, MARCH 2, 2012

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International Mother Language Day observed

ecently, the Bangladesh Udjapon Committee held a programme to observe the International Mother Language day at Carmel School Kuwait. The programme conducted an art competition for the children, a book fair and a Drama

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(JonotarDak) as well. The programme began with the recitation of the Holy Quran with a moment of silence. Special Guest were Biman Bangladesh Airlines Country Manager A.S.M Nazrul Islam and other community leaders and family mem-

bers. The programme was a success with the help of the sponsorship from UAE exchange Co., Biman Bangladesh Airlines and other Business community members. The Convener of the programme was RaďŹ qul Islam Bulu.

Balavedi Kuwait get-together in Mangaf

n association with the closure of Republic Day celebrations a splendid get-together was organized on February 23 in Mangaf in which Balavedi regional members along with their parents and family attended. Swathi Sajeev presided the event in which Nikhil Sudhakaran welcomed all. Balavedi Magaf

zone person in charge Shubha Shine presented the report with regard to the republic day celebrations. Also, Balavedi Kuwait principal chairperson P.R. Babu, and regional chairperson Rahil K.Mohandas spoke on the occasion. Finally, Kripa Das rendered the vote of thanks followed by which a mixture of programs

and games were conducted for all including the kids, parents and families. The whole crowd interacted and enjoyed the entire programs and games which made the event more exclusive. Timely, prizes were also distributed to the winners of the games.

TV Listings FRIDAY, MARCH 2, 2012

00:20 00:50 01:45 02:40 03:35 04:30 05:25 06:20 06:45 07:10 08:00 08:25 09:15 09:40 10:10 10:35 11:05 12:00 12:55 13:20 13:50 14:45 15:40 16:30 17:00 17:30 18:25 19:20 20:15 20:40 21:10 21:35 22:05 23:00 23:55

Snake Crusader With Bruce George Pit Bulls And Parolees Untamed & Uncut Maneaters Beast Lands Snake Crusader With Bruce George Rats With Nigel Marven Escape To Chimp Eden In Too Deep New Breed Vets With Steve Irwin Orangutan Island Pandamonium The Really Wild Show Cats Of Claw Hill Extraordinary Dogs Extraordinary Dogs Rats With Nigel Marven New Breed Vets With Steve Irwin RSPCA: On The Frontline Wildlife SOS International Wild Africa Rescue Animal Cops Phoenix Rats With Nigel Marven Shamwari: A Wild Life The Really Wild Show Growing Up...

Dogs 101 Your Very First Puppy Orangutan Island Wildlife SOS International Escape To Chimp Eden In Too Deep Jane Goodall’s Return To Gombe Shark After Dark Crime Scene Wild

00:40 01:10 01:40 02:30 03:00 03:30 04:00 04:20 04:30 04:45 05:00 05:05 05:25 05:36 05:50 06:10 06:20 06:35 06:45 06:50 07:10 07:20 07:35 08:05 08:35 09:20 09:50 10:20 11:10 12:10 12:40 13:35 14:05 14:35 15:35 16:25 17:10 17:40 18:10 18:40 19:10 20:00 20:50 21:20 21:50 22:40 23:05 23:50

Eastenders Doctors Last Woman Standing 2 Point 4 Children dinnerladies My Family Me Too! Charlie and Lola Gigglebiz Boogie Beebies Poetry Pie Fimbles 3rd & Bird Forget Me Not Farm Me Too! Charlie and Lola Gigglebiz Boogie Beebies Poetry Pie Fimbles 3rd & Bird Forget Me Not Farm 2 Point 4 Children dinnerladies The Weakest Link Eastenders Doctors The Orang-Utan King Coast 2 Point 4 Children The Weakest Link Eastenders Doctors Coast The Orang-Utan King The Weakest Link My Family Doctors dinnerladies 2 Point 4 Children Doctor Who Jekyll Taking the Flak The Cup Lee Evans Big Tour Little Britain The Weakest Link Doctor Who

00:25 01:15 03:15 04:05 04:50 06:45 07:35 08:05 08:50 09:40 10:30 11:15 12:05 12:55 13:45 16:00 16:45

Antiques Roadshow French Food At Home 10 Years Younger Celebrity Fantasy Homes French Food At Home 10 Years Younger French Food At Home Bargain Hunt MasterChef Australia MasterChef Australia Bargain Hunt Antiques Roadshow Come Dine With Me 10 Years Younger Celebrity Fantasy Homes House Swap Bargain Hunt

09:40 How Does It Work 10:05 Cake Boss 10:30 Border Security 10:55 Dirty Money 11:25 Frontline Battle Machines With Mike Brewer 15:05 Frontline Battle Machines With Mike Brewer 16:00 Overhaulin’ 16:55 Ultimate Survival 17:50 Mythbusters 18:45 Cash Cab Us 19:10 Border Security 19:40 Dirty Money 20:05 How It’s Made 20:35 How Does It Work 21:00 Cake Boss 21:30 American Chopper: Senior vs Junior 22:25 Fifth Gear 22:50 Fifth Gear 23:20 Street Customs

00:40 01:35 02:25 02:50 03:15 03:40 04:35 05:00 05:25 06:20 07:10 08:00 08:25 08:50 09:15 09:40 10:05 10:35 11:25 12:20 13:15 14:05 14:55 15:20 15:50 16:15 16:40 17:05 18:00 18:50 19:40 20:05 20:30 21:20 22:10 22:35 23:00 23:25 23:50

Bad Universe Invisible Worlds The Tech Show Bang Goes The Theory Bang Goes The Theory Sci-Trek How Does That Work?

How Stuff’s Made Engineered Thunder Races Bad Universe The Gadget Show The Gadget Show How Does That Work?

How Stuff’s Made Bang Goes The Theory Bang Goes The Theory Sci-Trek Engineered Thunder Races Bad Universe Invisible Worlds How Does That Work?

How Stuff’s Made The Gadget Show The Gadget Show The Tech Show Thunder Races Bad Universe Engineered Tech Toys 360 Tech Toys 360 Ways To Save The Planet Thunder Races The Gadget Show The Gadget Show Tech Toys 360 Tech Toys 360 Ways To Save The Planet

00:00 00:25 00:50 01:15 01:35 02:00 02:25 02:50 03:15 03:35 04:00 04:25 04:50 05:15 05:35 06:00 06:20 06:45 07:05 07:30 07:55 08:10 08:35 09:00 09:15 09:25 09:40 09:50 10:15 10:45 11:10 11:35 12:00 12:25 12:55 13:10 13:30 13:55 14:20 14:30 14:55

KIM POSSIBLE Fairly Odd Parents Fairly Odd Parents STITCH STITCH REPLACEMENTS REPLACEMENTS EMPEROR’S NEW SCHOOL EMPEROR’S NEW SCHOOL STITCH STITCH REPLACEMENTS REPLACEMENTS Fairly Odd Parents Fairly Odd Parents HANNAH MONTANA RECESS TIMON AND PUMBAA PHINEAS AND FERB Good Luck Charlie FISH HOOKS WIZARDS OF WAVERLY PLACE MICKEY MOUSE CLUBHOUSE JAKE & THE NEVERLAND PIRATES JAKE & THE NEVERLAND PIRATES HANDY MANNY THE HIVE RECESS SO RANDOM HANNAH MONTANA SUITE LIFE ON DECK JAKE & BLAKE SONNY WITH A CHANCE WIZARDS OF WAVERLY PLACE PHINEAS AND FERB SO RANDOM SUITE LIFE ON DECK WIZARDS OF WAVERLY PLACE HAVE A LAUGH PHINEAS AND FERB Good Luck Charlie

THE SPIRIT ON OSN ACTION HD 17:30 18:20 18:40 19:00 21:05 21:55 22:45 23:35

Antiques Roadshow Cash In The Attic USA Cash In The Attic USA French Food At Home 10 Years Younger Gok’s Fashion Fix Gok’s Fashion Fix Bargain Hunt

00:00 00:30 01:00 01:30 01:45 02:00 02:30 02:45 03:00 03:30 03:45 04:00 04:30 04:45 05:00 05:30 05:45 06:00 06:30 06:45 07:00 07:30 08:00 08:30 08:45 09:00 09:30 09:45 10:00 10:30 10:45 11:00

BBC World News America Hardtalk BBC World News World Business Report Sport Today BBC World News America Asia Business Report Sport Today BBC World News Asia Business Report Sport Today Newsday Asia Business Report Sport Today Newsday Asia Business Report Sport Today Newsday Asia Business Report Sport Today Newsday Hardtalk BBC World News World Business Report BBC World News BBC World News World Business Report BBC World News BBC World News World Business Report Sport Today BBC World News

11:30 World Business Report 11:45 Sport Today 12:00 BBC World News 12:30 Hardtalk 13:00 BBC World News 13:30 World Business Report 13:45 Sport Today 14:00 BBC World News 14:30 BBC World News 15:00 GMT With George Alagiah 15:30 GMT With George Alagiah 16:00 Impact 16:30 Our World 17:00 Impact 17:30 World Business Report 17:45 Sport Today 18:00 World Have Your Say 18:30 World Have Your Say 19:00 The Hub With Nik Gowing 19:30 The Hub With Nik Gowing 19:40 Weekend World 20:00 The Hub With Nik Gowing 20:30 World Business Report 20:45 Sport Today 21:00 BBC World News 21:30 Middle East Business Report 22:00 World News Today With Zeinab Badawi 22:30 World Have Your Say Extra 22:40 Weekend World 23:00 BBC World News 23:30 Our World

00:00 Connect The World With Becky Anderson 01:00 Backstory 01:30 World Sport 02:00 The Situation Room 03:00 World Report 04:00 Anderson Cooper 360 05:00 Piers Morgan Tonight

06:00 06:45 07:00 08:00 08:30 09:00 10:00 11:00 11:30 12:00 12:45 13:00 13:30 14:00 15:00 16:00 17:00 18:00 19:00 19:30 20:00 20:30 21:00 22:00 22:45 23:00

Quest Means Business CNN Marketplace Europe Erin Burnett Outfront World Sport News Special World Report World Report World Sport African Voices World Business Today CNN Marketplace Middle East Backstory Talk Asia World One Piers Morgan Tonight News Stream World Business Today International Desk The Brief News Special World Sport Inside Africa International Desk Quest Means Business CNN Marketplace Africa Piers Morgan Tonight

00:15 00:40 01:35 02:30 03:25 04:20 05:15 05:40 06:05 07:00 07:50 08:15 08:45 Junior

Destroyed In Seconds Get Out Alive Dirty Jobs Overhaulin’ Ultimate Survival Mythbusters How Does It Work How It’s Made Dirty Jobs Mythbusters Fifth Gear Fifth Gear American Chopper: Senior vs

15:15 15:45 16:10 16:35 17:00 17:30 17:55 18:20 18:45 19:10 19:30 19:35 20:00 20:25 20:50 21:15 21:35 22:00 22:25 22:50 23:15 23:35

MY BABYSITTER’S A VAMPIRE FISH HOOKS SHAKE IT UP WIZARDS OF WAVERLY PLACE TIMON AND PUMBAA Good Luck Charlie FISH HOOKS SUITE LIFE ON DECK SUITE LIFE ON DECK GOOD LUCK CHARLIE HAVE A LAUGH WIZARDS OF WAVERLY PLACE HANNAH MONTANA PHINEAS AND FERB SHAKE IT UP FISH HOOKS RECESS SHAKE IT UP SHAKE IT UP WIZARDS OF WAVERLY PLACE WIZARDS OF WAVERLY PLACE SONNY WITH A CHANCE

00:20 SPECIAL AGENT OSO 00:35 SPECIAL AGENT OSO 00:50 LazyTown 01:15 LITTLE EINSTEINS 01:40 JUNGLE JUNCTION 01:55 JUNGLE JUNCTION 02:10 LITTLE EINSTEINS 02:30 SPECIAL AGENT OSO 02:45 SPECIAL AGENT OSO 03:00 LazyTown 03:25 LITTLE EINSTEINS 03:50 JUNGLE JUNCTION 04:05 JUNGLE JUNCTION 04:20 LITTLE EINSTEINS 04:40 SPECIAL AGENT OSO 04:55 SPECIAL AGENT OSO 05:10 LazyTown 05:35 LITTLE EINSTEINS 06:00 JUNGLE JUNCTION 06:15 JUNGLE JUNCTION 06:30 LITTLE EINSTEINS 06:50 LazyTown 07:15 JUNGLE JUNCTION 07:30 JUNGLE JUNCTION 07:45 HANDY MANNY 08:00 SPECIAL AGENT OSO 08:15 JUNGLE JUNCTION 08:30 JUNGLE JUNCTION 08:45 MICKEY MOUSE CLUBHOUSE 09:10 THE HIVE 09:20 HANDY MANNY 09:35 JAKE & THE NEVERLAND PIRATES 09:50 JAKE & THE NEVERLAND PIRATES 10:05 THE HIVE 10:15 MINI ADVENTURES OF WINNIE THE POOH 10:30 THE ADVENTURES OF DISNEY FAIRIES 11:00 JAKE & THE NEVERLAND PIRATES 11:15 MOUK 11:30 THE ADVENTURES OF DISNEY FAIRIES 11:55 MICKEY MOUSE CLUBHOUSE 12:25 JAKE & THE NEVERLAND PIRATES 12:40 JAKE & THE NEVERLAND PIRATES 13:00 THE ADVENTURES OF DISNEY FAIRIES 13:25 JUNGLE JUNCTION 13:40 IMAGINATION MOVERS 14:05 THE HIVE 14:15 SPECIAL AGENT OSO 14:25 LITTLE EINSTEINS 14:50 LazyTown 15:15 MICKEY MOUSE CLUBHOUSE 15:40 JAKE & THE NEVERLAND PIRATES 15:55 JAKE & THE NEVERLAND PIRATES 16:05 MOUK 16:20 HANDY MANNY 16:30 THE HIVE 16:40 JAKE & THE NEVERLAND PIRATES 16:55 MICKEY MOUSE CLUBHOUSE 17:20 LazyTown 17:45 ART ATTACK 18:10 THE HIVE 18:20 SPECIAL AGENT OSO 18:30 JUNGLE JUNCTION 18:45 HANDY MANNY 18:55 JAKE & THE NEVERLAND PIRATES 19:10 JAKE & THE NEVERLAND PIRATES 19:25 THE HIVE 19:35 LITTLE EINSTEINS 20:00 MINI ADVENTURES OF WINNIE THE POOH 20:05 MICKEY MOUSE CLUBHOUSE 20:25 101 DALMATIANS 20:50 JAKE & THE NEVERLAND PIRATES 21:05 JAKE & THE NEVERLAND PIRATES 21:20 THE HIVE 21:30 MINI ADVENTURES OF WINNIE THE POOH 21:35 A POEM IS...

21:40 ANIMATED STORIES 21:45 MOUK 22:00 MICKEY MOUSE CLUBHOUSE 22:25 JAKE & THE NEVERLAND PIRATES

TV Listings FRIDAY, MARCH 2, 2012

22:40 22:55 23:20 23:30 23:45 23:55

SPECIAL AGENT OSO LITTLE EINSTEINS TIMMY TIME JUNGLE JUNCTION HANDY MANNY MICKEY MOUSE CLUBHOUSE

19:30 20:00 20:30 21:00 22:00 22:30 23:00

Geo Sessions The Ride: Alaska To Patagonia Travel Madness Lonely Planet: Roads Less Travelled Pressure Cook Pressure Cook City Chase Rome

00:40 01:30 02:15 03:05 03:50 04:40 05:25 06:15 07:10 08:00 08:50 09:40 10:25 11:10 11:35 11:55 12:40 13:25 14:15 15:00 15:25 15:50 16:35 17:20 18:10 19:00 19:45 20:10 20:55 21:20 22:10 23:00 23:25 23:50

Extreme Forensics The Haunted A Haunting Kidnap And Rescue Fugitive Strike Force Extreme Forensics The Haunted A Haunting Mystery Diagnosis CSU Forensic Detectives Murder Shift Mystery Diagnosis Real Emergency Calls Who On Earth Did I Marry?

On The Case With Paula Zahn Disappeared Murder Shift Mystery Diagnosis Real Emergency Calls Who On Earth Did I Marry?

On The Case With Paula Zahn Disappeared CSU Forensic Detectives Murder Shift Real Emergency Calls Mystery Diagnosis Who On Earth Did I Marry?

On The Case With Paula Zahn Disappeared I Was Murdered I Was Murdered I Escaped Death

00:00 02:00 04:00 06:00 08:00 10:15 12:15 14:00 16:15 18:15 20:00 22:00

The Payback-18 The Spirit-PG15 My Bloody Valentine-R Armored-18 What Lies Beneath-PG15 Star Trek: Generations-PG15 A Lonely Place For Dying-PG15 What Lies Beneath-PG15 Patriot Games-PG15 A Lonely Place For Dying-PG15 Sniper: Reloaded-18 The Wizard Of Gore-R

00:55 01:25 02:20 02:45 03:15 04:10 05:05 06:00 07:50 08:20 09:15 10:15 12:05 13:05 14:05 14:35 15:00 15:30 16:25 16:55 17:55 18:55 19:55 20:55 21:25 22:25 23:25 23:55

00:00 01:00 01:30 02:00 02:30 03:00 03:30 04:00 04:30 05:00 06:00 07:00 07:30 08:00 08:30 09:00 09:30 10:00 10:30 11:00 12:00 13:00 13:30 14:00 14:30 15:00 16:00 16:30 17:00 18:00 19:00

Style Star E!es E!es E!es 25 Most Stylish Sexiest Extreme Hollywood THS Behind The Scenes E! News Dirty Soap THS E! News Bridalplasty Keeping Up With The Kardashians Keeping Up With The Kardashians Style Star THS Behind The Scenes Scouted E! News E!es Dirty Soap Chelsea Lately THS E! News Chelsea Lately Keeping Up With The Kardashians

Departures Food School Bondi Rescue The Green Way Up The Green Way Up Exploring The Vine Market Values Making Tracks Making Tracks Adventure Wanted Departures Food School Bondi Rescue The Green Way Up The Green Way Up Exploring The Vine Market Values Making Tracks Making Tracks Adventure Wanted Departures Geo Sessions Geo Sessions The Ride: Alaska To Patagonia Travel Madness Lonely Planet: Roads Less Travelled Pressure Cook Pressure Cook City Chase Rome Which Way To Geo Sessions

01:00 Fading Of The Cries-18 03:00 Letters To Juliet-PG15 05:00 Unanswered Prayers-PG15 07:00 5 Dollars A Day-PG15 09:00 Desperate Hours: An Amber AlertPG15 11:00 Tomorrow, When The War BeganPG15 13:00 Adventures Of A Teenage Dragonslayer-PG 15:00 Letters To Juliet-PG15 17:00 Hoodwinked Too! Hood vs. Evil-PG 19:00 The Boys Are Back-PG 21:00 Going The Distance-18 23:00 A Way With Murder-18

00:30 01:00 01:30 02:00 02:30

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart The Colbert Report The Big C Curb Your Enthusiasm The Cleveland Show

03:00 03:30 04:00 04:30 05:30 06:00 06:30 07:00 08:00 08:30 09:00 09:30 10:00 10:30 11:00 12:00 12:30 13:00 13:30 14:00 14:30 15:00 15:30 16:00 16:30 17:00 18:00 18:30 19:00 19:30 20:00 21:00 21:30 22:00 22:30 23:30

The Simpsons Mr. Sunshine Dharma And Greg The Tonight Show With Jay Leno Seinfeld Just Shoot Me Til Death Late Night With Jimmy Fallon Dharma And Greg The Simpsons Seinfeld The League State Of Georgia Til Death The Tonight Show With Jay Leno Just Shoot Me Dharma And Greg Seinfeld Til Death Mr. Sunshine State Of Georgia The League The Daily Show With Jon Stewart The Colbert Report Just Shoot Me Late Night With Jimmy Fallon New Girl Happy Endings The League Perfect Couples The Tonight Show With Jay Leno The Daily Show With Jon Stewart The Colbert Report Neighbors From Hell The Ricky Gervais Show Late Night With Jimmy Fallon

00:00 02:00 03:00 04:00 05:00 07:00 08:00 08:30 09:00 10:00

American Idol Necessary Roughness Psych Bones Good Morning America Eureka Emmerdale Look-A-Like The Ellen DeGeneres Show The Martha Stewart Show

11:00 12:00 14:00 15:00 17:00 18:00 19:00 20:00 22:00 23:00

The View American Idol The Good Guys Live Good Morning America The Ellen DeGeneres Show Law & Order: Los Angeles Glee American Idol Drop Dead Diva Survivor: One World

00:00 01:00 02:00 05:00 06:00 07:00 07:30 08:00 09:00 12:00 13:00 14:00 15:00 16:00 17:00 18:00 19:00 20:00 22:00 23:00

Smallville Necessary Roughness Supernatural Psych Smallville Emmerdale Parks And Recreation Parenthood Psych Law & Order: Los Angeles The Ellen DeGeneres Show Parenthood Smallville Law & Order: Los Angeles The Ellen DeGeneres Show Terriers Glee American Idol Drop Dead Diva Survivor: One World

01:00 03:00 05:00 07:00 09:00 11:00 13:00 15:00 17:00 19:00 23:00

Assassination Tango-18 8 Mile-PG15 Bad Guys-18 The Bannen Way-PG15 Rocky-PG15 Deadly Impact-18 Tracker-PG15 Rocky-PG15 Speed-PG15 Double Impact-18 Piranha-R

LETTERS TO JULIET ON OSN CINEMA

00:00 Valentine’s Day-PG15 02:15 The Making Of Plus One-PG15 04:15 Checking Out-PG15 06:00 Born Yesterday-PG15 08:00 I Now Pronounce You Chuck & Larry-PG15 10:00 Leave It To Beaver-PG 12:00 Flubber-PG 14:00 Grown Ups-PG15 16:00 Valentine’s Day-PG15 18:15 All Night Long-PG15 20:00 Tomcats-18 22:00 Cop Out-PG15

01:00 03:00 05:15 07:15 09:00 11:00 13:00 14:45 16:45 18:45 21:00 23:00

The Public Eye-PG15 Return To Paradise-PG15 The Clearing-18 Winning Time-PG15 Squanto: A Warrior’s Tale-PG15 A Simple Twist Of Fate-PG15 Stone Of Destiny-PG15 Rudy-PG Simon Birch-PG Riding In Cars With Boys-PG15 Babies-18 Guilty As Sin-PG15

01:00 Mona Lisa Smile-PG15 03:00 By The People: The Election Of Barack Obama-PG15 05:00 Just Married-PG15 07:00 The Client List-PG15 09:00 Shrek Forever After-FAM 11:00 Elevator Girl-PG15 13:00 Knucklehead-PG15 15:00 The Lovely Bones-PG15 17:00 Shrek Forever After-FAM 19:00 You Got Served-PG15 21:00 Zookeeper-PG15 23:00 Repo Men-18

00:00 02:00 04:00 06:00 08:00 10:00 12:00 14:00 16:00 18:00 20:00 FAM 22:00

Yona Yona Penguin-PG Quest For Zhu-PG Supertramps-FAM Marco Antonio-PG Alex & Alexis-FAM The Wind In The Willows-PG Quest For Zhu-PG Garfield-PG Time Kid-FAM The Wind In The Willows-PG Barbie: Princess Charm School-

00:00 02:00 04:00 05:45 08:00 10:00 PG15 12:00 14:15 16:00 PG15 18:00 20:00 22:00

Chicago Overcoat-18 Across The Hall-PG15 Slipstream-PG15 The Great Debaters-PG15 Diary Of A Wimpy Kid-PG Dickie Roberts: Former Child Star-

03:30 04:00 05:00 05:30 14:30 15:00 18:30 19:00 19:30 20:00 21:00 22:30

Futbol Mundial Volvo Ocean Race ODI Cricket Highlights Live Cricket One Day International Futbol Mundial Premier League Darts Futbol Mundial ODI Cricket Highlights Total Rugby Live Super Rugby Futbol Mundial Live Super League

00:00 00:30 01:30 02:30 06:00 06:30 07:00 08:00 08:30 09:00 09:30 11:30 13:30 14:00

Total Rugby Volvo Ocean Race Golfing World Premier League Darts Futbol Mundial Scottish Premier League Highlights Trans World Sport ICC Cricket World Top 14 Highlights Total Rugby Live Super Rugby Live Super Rugby ICC Cricket World NRL Premiership

Quest For Zhu-PG

The Great Debaters-PG15 That’s What I Am-PG15 Dickie Roberts: Former Child StarThe Hole-PG15 Zookeeper-PG15 Post Grad-PG15

16:00 18:00 20:00 21:00 21:30 22:15 22:45 23:00 23:30

Super Rugby Super Rugby Golfing World European Tour Weekly ICC Cricket World Top 14 Highlights Live Top 14 Total Rugby Pro 12 Celtic League

00:00 00:30 02:00 02:30 03:00 04:00 05:00 07:00 08:00 11:30 13:30 15:30 16:00 17:00 17:30 18:00 18:30

European Tour Weekly Trans World Sport Futbol Mundial SPL Highlights World Cup of Pool World Pool Masters US Bass Fishing Golfing World Premier League Darts Live NRL Premiership Super Rugby Total Rugby Golfing World European Tour Weekly ICC Cricket World Futbol Mundial Premier League Darts

00:00 01:00 02:00 02:30 03:00 04:00 07:00 08:00 09:00 10:00 13:00 14:00 15:00 16:00 17:00 20:00 22:00 23:00

WWE NXT UFC The Ultimate Fighter Aquabike World Aquabike World Speedway UFC Unleashed WWE NXT WWE Vintage Collection Speedway FIM World Prizefighter WWE NXT WWE Experience Aquabike World Speedway Prizefighter WWE SmackDown WWE Bottom Line UFC Unleashed

00:00 01:00 02:00 03:00 04:00 05:00 06:00 07:00 08:00 09:00 10:00 11:00 12:00 13:00 14:00 15:00 16:00 17:00 18:00 19:00 20:00 21:00 22:00 23:00

Lock N’ Load With R. Lee Ermey Ax Men Investigating History Sliced Ax Men Swamp People Lock N’ Load With R. Lee Ermey Ax Men Investigating History Sliced Ax Men Swamp People Lock N’ Load With R. Lee Ermey Ax Men Investigating History Sliced Ax Men Swamp People Lock N’ Load With R. Lee Ermey Ax Men Investigating History American Restoration Seeking Salvage IRT: Deadliest Roads

00:00 01:00 01:30 02:00 03:00 04:00 04:30 05:00 06:00 07:00 07:30 08:00 09:00 10:00 11:00 12:00 12:30 13:00 14:00 15:00 16:00 16:30 17:00 18:00 18:30 19:00 20:00 21:00 22:00 23:00

Globe Trekker Glutton For Punishment Trabant Trek Cruising The South China Sea World’s Greatest Motorcycle Rides 4real Life’s A Trip Globe Trekker Planet Food Glutton For Punishment Life’s A Trip Globe Trekker Intrepid Journeys Indian Times Planet Food Flavours Of Peru Life’s A Trip Globe Trekker Planet Food World’s Greatest Motorcycle Rides 4real Essential Globe Trekker Going South Flavours Of Spain Planet Food Globe Trekker Intrepid Journeys Planet Sports Tall Ship Explorers

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Years

Information

FRIDAY, MARCH 2, 2012

DIAL 161 FOR AIRPORT INFORMATION In case you are not travelling, your proper cancellation of bookings will help other passengers to use seats Airlines QTR JZR PIA JZR JZR ETH THY UAE QTR DHX MSR FDB ETD RJA GFA MLR RBG KAC THY JZR JZR KAC BAW KAC FDB KAC KAC KAC KAC KAC KAC UAE ABY QTR ETD FDB IRA GFA RKM JZR RBG MEA IYE MSR MSR JZR KAC GFA KAC FDB UAL OMA QTR RJA KAC JZR KAC QTR JZR JZR JZR ETD UAE GFA SVA ABY JZR

Flt 138 185 205 267 539 620 772 853 148 370 612 67 305 642 211 1405 3563 544 770 555 529 416 157 206 53 352 302 332 676 284 344 855 125 132 301 55 619 213 310 165 3553 404 825 623 610 201 672 219 618 57 982 645 140 640 788 257 546 134 561 535 213 303 857 215 510 127 125

Arrival Flights on Friday 2/3/2012 Route DOHA DUBAI LAHORE BEIRUT CAIRO ADDIS ABABA ISTANBUL DUBAI DOHA BAHRAIN CAIRO DUBAI ABU DHABI AMMAN BAHRAIN COLOMBO ALEXANDRIA CAIRO ISTANBUL ALEXANDRIA ASSIUT JAKARTA LONDON ISLAMABAD DUBAI COCHIN MUMBAI TRIVANDRUM DUBAI DHAKA CHENNAI DUBAI SHARJAH DOHA ABU DHABI DUBAI LAR BAHRAIN RAS ALKHAIMAH DUBAI ALEXANDRIA BEIRUT SANAA SOHAG CAIRO DAMASCUS DUBAI BAHRAIN DOHA DUBAI WASHINGTON DC DULLES MUSCAT DOHA AMMAN JEDDAH BEIRUT ALEXANDRIA DOHA SOHAG CAIRO DEIREZZOR ABU DHABI DUBAI BAHRAIN RIYADH SHARJAH BAHRAIN

Time 0:20 0:20 0:25 0:45 0:50 1:45 2:15 2:35 2:55 2:55 3:00 3:05 3:10 3:10 3:15 3:40 4:20 4:40 4:50 6:00 6:20 6:25 6:40 7:40 7:45 7:50 7:55 8:05 8:10 8:15 8:25 8:30 9:00 9:05 9:15 9:20 9:50 9:55 10:40 11:20 11:35 11:55 12:05 12:30 12:55 13:00 13:20 13:25 13:40 13:50 14:05 14:15 14:20 14:40 14:50 15:00 15:20 15:25 16:10 16:25 16:45 16:50 16:55 17:15 17:20 17:40 17:45

ALK JZR RBG FDB KAC KAC KAC JZR KAC AIC KAC KAC KAC KAC FDB JAI KAC SVA MSR MLR DHX GRF FCX MEA GFA QTR JZR UAE ETH SAI JZR UAL PIA DLH

227 177 3557 63 502 542 744 787 674 975 166 102 774 562 61 572 786 506 618 1407 372 81 304 402 217 136 135 859 3718 441 239 981 215 636

COLOMBO DUBAI ALEXANDRIA DUBAI BEIRUT CAIRO DAMMAM RIYADH DUBAI CHENNAI PARIS NEW YORK RIYADH AMMAN DUBAI MUMBAI JEDDAH JEDDAH ALEXANDRIA COLOMBO BAHRAIN BAGHDAD RIYADH BEIRUT BAHRAIN DOHA BAHRAIN DUBAI LIEGE LAHORE AMMAN BAHRAIN KARACHI FRANKFURT

18:10 18:15 18:25 18:40 18:45 18:50 18:55 19:05 19:25 19:30 19:30 19:35 19:40 19:50 20:00 20:10 20:20 20:35 20:45 20:50 21:00 21:15 21:20 21:20 21:25 21:35 21:55 22:00 22:00 22:40 22:45 23:00 23:30 23:50

Airlines AXB UAL BBC AIC DLH PIA ETH THY GRF FDB UAE DHX MSR ETD MLR QTR RBG QTR THY JZR GFA RJA JZR FDB KAC BAW KAC JZR JZR KAC JZR UAE

Flt 390 981 44 982 637 206 621 773 94 68 854 371 613 306 1405 139 3556 149 771 164 212 643 200 54 545 156 671 256 534 787 560 856

Departure Flights on Friday 2/3/2012 Route KOZHIKODE WASHINGTON DC DHAKA AHMEDABAD FRANKFURT LAHORE ADDIS ABABA ISTANBUL DUBAI DUBAI DUBAI BAHRAIN CAIRO ABU DHABI COLOMBO DOHA ALEXANDRIA DOHA ISTANBUL DUBAI BAHRAIN AMMAN DAMASCUS DUBAI ALEXANDRIA LONDON DUBAI BEIRUT CAIRO JEDDAH SOHAG DUBAI

Time 0:05 0:45 1:00 1:05 1:20 1:25 2:45 3:15 3:30 3:45 3:50 3:55 4:00 4:00 4:40 4:40 5:00 5:40 5:50 6:55 7:00 7:10 7:30 8:25 8:30 8:40 9:00 9:00 9:15 9:25 9:30 9:40

ABY ETD KAC FDB QTR KAC KAC GFA IRA JZR RKM KAC RBG KAC MEA KAC IYE MSR JZR MSR GFA JZR FDB KAC KAC KAC OMA UAL RJA JZR KAC KAC QTR JZR JZR QTR ETD JZR UAE GFA ABY SVA RBG JZR ALK FDB JZR KAC KAC FDB KAC KAC JAI MSR MLR SVA DHX MEA GFA KAC QTR KAC JZR KAC FCX UAE JZR SAI KAC

126 302 117 56 133 617 177 214 618 212 311 541 3558 103 405 501 825 624 176 611 220 124 58 561 673 785 646 982 641 786 743 773 141 552 238 135 304 538 858 216 128 511 3554 134 228 64 184 283 361 62 343 351 571 619 1407 507 373 403 218 381 137 301 554 205 102 860 502 442 411

SHARJAH ABU DHABI NEW YORK DUBAI DOHA DOHA FRANKFURT BAHRAIN LAR DEIREZZOR RAS ALKHAIMAH CAIRO ALEXANDRIA LONDON BEIRUT BEIRUT DOHA SOHAG DUBAI CAIRO BAHRAIN BAHRAIN DUBAI AMMAN DUBAI JEDDAH MUSCAT BAHRAIN AMMAN RIYADH DAMMAM RIYADH DOHA ALEXANDRIA AMMAN DOHA ABU DHABI CAIRO DUBAI BAHRAIN SHARJAH RIYADH ALEXANDRIA BAHRAIN DUBAI DUBAI DUBAI DHAKA COLOMBO DUBAI CHENNAI KOCHI MUMBAI ALEXANDRIA COLOMBO JEDDAH BAHRAIN BEIRUT BAHRAIN DELHI DOHA MUMBAI ALEXANDRIA ISLAMABAD DUBAI DUBAI LUXOR LAHORE BANGKOK

Directorate General of Civil Aviation Home Page (www.kuwait-airport.com.kw)

9:45 10:00 10:00 10:05 10:10 10:25 10:35 10:40 10:50 10:50 11:40 12:00 12:15 12:30 12:55 13:00 13:05 13:30 13:50 13:55 14:20 14:30 14:35 14:45 15:05 15:10 15:15 15:20 15:35 15:50 16:15 16:25 16:30 17:00 17:15 17:25 17:35 17:40 18:10 18:15 18:25 18:35 19:05 19:05 19:10 19:20 19:55 20:15 20:20 20:40 20:55 21:05 21:10 21:45 21:50 21:55 22:00 22:20 22:25 22:30 22:35 22:45 22:45 23:00 23:00 23:10 23:35 23:50 23:55

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FRIDAY, MARCH 2, 2012

ACCOMMODATION Sharing accommodation available in 2BHK fully furnished, luxury flat, for decent couples or two working ladies near Hadi Hospital, backside to fire station, Bugaira Bin-Shada St., Salmiya. Contact: 25618576/ 66373409 after 2 pm.

1-3-2012 Immediate sharing accommodation available for a decent Indian Christian couple or bachelor near Salmiya Garden. Contact: 25657832/ 66884273.

(C 3888) 29-2-2012 Sharing accommodation available in Abbassiya near United Indian School, new building/ separate room/ toilet/ balcony for decent executive bachelor. Contact: 97208351.

(C 3885) Sharing accommodation available in Khaitan, behind old Pakistani School, big room with separate bathroom for small family or two working ladies. Contact: 55847242.

28-2-2012 Required sharing accommodation with separate toilet for a small Sri Lankan family, within Abbassiya or near Indian Central School.

Contact: 66552905.

(C 3883) 26-2-2012 Accommodation available with separate attached bathroom for couple, decent lady or decent bachelor with kitchen, drawing satellite facilities in C-A/C flat new building in Salmiya, Amman Street. Contact: 99678634.

(C 3878) Room available in Salmiya near City Center for a decent bachelor. Rent KD 75/-.

Contact: 99959140.

(C 3881) 25-2-2012

FOR SALE Toyota Prado 2006, golden color, 4 doors, 6 cylinder, 101000km done, full options, Price KD 5,250/-. Contact: 66729295.

(C 3886) Mitsubishi Lancer 2009, golden color, GLX, 75000km, Price KD 1,900/-. Contact: 50699345.

(C 3887) 28-2-2012

SITUATION VACANT Wanted housemaid in Farwaniya area, full time.

Contact: 97514390.

22-2-2012

MATRIMONIAL Proposals invited for a Keralite Marthoma boy 27/179, MCA, working in Kuwait as Software Engineer, seeks alliance from God fearing, well educated / Kuwait employed girls. Contact: proposal84kwt@gmail.com 29-2-2012

TUITION

Business management teacher with doctoral degree for universities, institutions, corporate & all student levels. Over 10 years experience. Call 66495951. (C 3817) Mathematics teacher, Intermediate and secondary Exams models, Easy method, Exams from past years with solutions. 97301901 English teacher (3) years experience, looking for a job and ready to start with all educational stages. 55963993 Mathematics teacher for Universities, Institutions, Foreign Schools, Administrative, American, English, Australian, Bahrain, Electric and Gulf Sciences, Algbra Prel, Mathematics, intermediate, gmat, sat college, math98, 110 pre calculus geometry.

97619261

A Syrian Arabic language teacher. Masters in methods of teaching and follow up of 10th grade and 11th grade students. 97934291 Islamic education teacher for elementary and intermediate stages. Experienced in Kuwait curricula. Easy explanation, and summary of the subject, training for exams. 66292985 Syrian Arabic language teacher for elementary and intermediate stages.

Experienced in following learning difficulties, and those weak in reading and writing.

97264100 Female senior Mathematics teacher with more that 30 years experience in Kuwait, to teach secondary, intermediate and elementary stages.

Religious and applied, communications and navigation institutions, special courses and secretariat institution.

97926737 Computer teacher for secondary and intermediate. Practical on laptop, power point projects, front page, visual basic data, universities and applied institutions. 50603063

CHANGE OF NAME I, Viliana Isabella Lorena, holder of Indian Passport No. J 3503777 hereby change my name to WILIANA ISABETH LORENA. (C 3889) 1-3-2012 I, Eshfak Esmailbhai Huseiny, holder of Indian Passport No. U009826, have changed my name to MUSTAFA ESMAILBHAI HUSEINY. (C 3884) 28-2-2012

LOST I lost my State Life Insurance paper, with policy number 633000205 of M. Younas.

Anyone who has found it, call: 60741774. (C 3882) 25-2-2012 MISCELLANEOUS Original guaranteed Palestinian virgin olive oil, large black and green olives for sale. Tel: 66517417 Whole Floor or small villa needed for rent in Shaab, Mansoriya, Nozha, Abdullah Al-Salem or Shamiya. Direct contact with owner. Tel: 9989018-99169016 A camp for rent in Kabed including five tents with all services. Complete privacy + game arcade. Tel: 97177714 Size 36 air pressure gun for

No: 15375

sale in addition to a scope, safety lock. Shooting range 350 meters +bag+25 shots.

Price KD 70. Tel: 97790478 A 3700 watt, 2012 model ASTRA generator for sale.

Japanese parts assembled in China with pressure and gas meters. Price KD 85. Tel: 60066891 For rent in Hawalli a one bedroom (4x4m) and a 7x3.5 m reception+ terrace, fully equipped kitchen and bathroom. Tunis street, behind Al-Andalus pharmacy. Tel: 99683200 For rent a two storey villa and a basement in Mangaf including 8 rooms, laundry room, yard, parking. Rent value KD 1000. Tel: 97996900 A storey and half for rent in Mangaf including two 3 bedroom apartments with 2 baths, reception, kitchen, driver room each. Tel: 66989887 For rent a ground floor in Qurain comprising of four

rooms, large reception, 5 baths, maid room, courtyard, parking. Rent value KD 550.

Tel: 66989887 A fully central air-conditioned two room annex in Mangaf with separate exit and shaded car parking for rent to expatriates. Tel: 67753557 For rent in Ashbelia: two apartments with 3 bedrooms, bath, kitchen and maid room each plus a yard in between. Tel: 90001594 A 2005 Mini Cooper for sale.

Tel: 99224855 A 2006 Lumina for sale with genuine factory paint. Price KD 2100. Tel: 69945429 A 2009 Touareg for sale.

Price 6350. Tel: 96670777 Senior English teacher for Pakistani, bilingual schools, T.M.A., Ielts, Toefl, IBT K.S.S., social studies and math. Tel: 99577430

Sports FRIDAY, MARCH 2, 2012

ANAHEIM: Tyler Myers #57 of the Buffalo Sabres checks Corey Perry #10 of the Anaheim Ducks into the net during the first period at Honda Centre on February 29, 2012. — AFP

NHL results/standings National Hockey League results and standings after Wednesday’s games.

Pittsburgh 4, Dallas 3 (SO); Chicago 5, Toronto 4; St Louis 5, Edmonton 2; Buffalo 2, Anaheim 0.

Eastern Conference Atlantic Division W L OT GF NY Rangers 40 15 6 169 Pittsburgh 37 21 5 202 Philadelphia 34 21 7 203 New Jersey 35 23 4 172 NY Islanders 26 28 9 148 Northeast Division Boston 37 21 3 200 Ottawa 34 23 8 199 Toronto 29 28 7 191 Buffalo 28 27 8 156 Montreal 24 30 10 164 Southeast Division Florida 30 20 12 158 Washington 32 26 5 172 Winnipeg 30 27 8 166 Tampa Bay 29 28 6 176 Carolina 24 26 13 166 Western Conference Central Division Detroit 42 19 3 202 St Louis 40 17 7 166 Nashville 37 20 7 181 Chicago 34 24 7 198 Columbus 18 38 7 146 Northwest Division Vancouver 40 16 8 204 Colorado 33 27 4 168 Calgary 28 24 11 151 Minnesota 28 26 9 139 Edmonton 25 32 6 169 Pacific Division Phoenix 33 21 9 166 San Jose 33 22 7 178 Dallas 33 26 5 168 Los Angeles 29 23 12 138 Anaheim 27 27 10 161

GA PTS 124 86 166 79 188 75 170 74 187 61 140 192 200 180 177

77 76 65 64 58

172 178 186 213 190

72 69 68 64 61

151 128 165 193 212

87 87 81 75 43

156 173 173 167 189

88 70 67 65 56

156 159 175 137 180

75 73 71 70 64

Penguins edge Stars in shootout DALLAS: Pittsburgh’s Pascal Dupuis converted in the fourth round of the shootout to give the Penguins their fourth straight win, defeating the Dallas Stars 4-3 in the NHL on Wednesday.

Dupuis fired past Stars goaltender Kari Lehtonen and Pittsburgh goalie Marc-Andre Fleury denied Michael Ryder’s attempt to clinch the extra point. James Neal and Chris Kunitz also scored in the shootout for Pittsburgh, which moved within seven points of Eastern Conference leader New York. Craig Adams and Kunitz scored in regulation. Ryder Loui Eriksson and Jamie Benn countered for Dallas, which missed a chance to shore up eighth place in the West standings and remained just a point ahead of Colorado and Los Angeles.

Blues 5, Oilers 2 In Edmonton, Andy McDonald scored twice

and Kevin Shattenkirk had a goal and two assists as St. Louis defeated Edmonton. St. Louis moved into a tie with Detroit atop the Central Division with 87 points and a point behind Vancouver for the overall league lead. Scott Nichol and Chris Stewart also scored for the Blues, who have won four straight on a six game road trip. Corey Potter and Ryan NugentHopkins scored for the Oilers.

remaining. Patrick Kane had a goal and an assist for the Blackhawks, and rookies Marcus Kruger and Andrew Shaw also scored for Chicago, which is a lowly fourth in its division but sixth in the overall West standings. Tyler Bozak, Joffrey Lupul and Clarke MacArthur scored in the first period for the slumping Maple Leafs, who lost their sixth straight and remained four points off the last playoff-yielding spot in the East.

Blackhawks 5, Maple Leafs 4 In Chicago, Marian Hossa scored twice as struggling Chicago overcame an early two-goal deficit to edge Toronto and end a three-game losing skid. Hossa’s goal late in the second period gave the Blackhawks their first lead at 4-3. He added an empty-net goal with 16 seconds left that turned out to be the game-winner after Toronto’s Mike Brown scored with 4 seconds

Sabres 2, Ducks 0 In Anaheim, Ryan Miller made a seasonhigh 43 saves as Buffalo shut out Anaheim.

Derek Roy and Brad Boyes scored for the Sabres who moved within five points of a playoff spot. Miller’s shutout was his fourth of the season and the 26th of his career. The Ducks are seven points off a playoff spot with 18 games remaining. — AP

DALLAS: Eric Nystrom #24 of the Dallas Stars is checked to the ice by Deryk Engelland #5 of the Pittsburgh Penguins at American Airlines Centre on February 29, 2012. — AFP

Sports FRIDAY, MARCH 2, 2012

SEPANG: Repsol Honda rider Casey Stoner of Australia takes a corner during the last day of a MotoGP pre-season testing session at the Sepang circuit outside Kuala Lumpur yesterday. —AFP

Stoner tops in final Malaysia tests

SEPANG: Reigning MotoGP world champion Casey Stoner continued his pre-season dominance yesterday as top riders wrapped up a round of tests on this year’s new 1,000cc bikes in Malaysia. The Australian recorded a top lap time of 2 minutes 0.473 seconds, with Honda teammate, Spaniard Dani Pedrosa, second with 2:00.648, making up for lost time Wednesday when they sat out the tests due a problem on Pedrosa’s bike. Stoner said a chatter problem in his bike had yet to be resolved but data collected during the three

days of tests at the Sepang track would help.

Stoner, who was also fastest on Tuesday, had sizzled at Sepang in a previous round of trials in early February, when he broke the track’s lap record-although it did not count as official as it was not achieved in normal competition. The performances suggest Stoner and Honda have got to grips with the bigger new bikes more readily than their rivals.

MotoGP is switching this year to 1,000cc engines-up from last year’s 800cc bikes-and the test sessions have allowed top riders to

cut loose on the new machines against world-class competition and tinker with the bikes. Yamaha rider Andrea Dovizioso clocked a third-best 2:00.802 while teammate Jorge Lorenzo, who followed up in 2:00.877, crashed earlier in the day, which he blamed on new tyres he was testing.

His teammate Ben Spies, who topped the timesheets on Wednesday, also crashed in the morning but said he was satisfied with the session. “We did get everything done we were going to do. We actually had a few soft

Revenge burns for ex-N Korean judoka SEOUL: In 1983, a 16-year-old boy joined a North Korean athletic squad, dreaming of becoming an Olympic judo championbut defeat to a South Korean athlete saw him sentenced to hard labour in a coal mine instead. Now 45-years-old and living as a defector in the South Korean capital of Seoul, Lee Chang-soo is past the age when he can dream of Olympic glory himself, but believes that one of his three sons could claim that title, hopefully by beating an athlete from the reclusive and repressive North. “It’s definitely Olympic gold medal,” Lee told Reuters of his vivid dream that one day one of his sons would win.

“I want to show them the man that was so tortured has raised his sons this well and will not just stand down. That is a start of my revenge,” he said, his accent still flecked with traces of its North Korean origin despite 20 years in South Korea. At his peak, Lee had enjoyed all the privileges of an elite athlete in a Stalinist country, from Mercedes Benz cars, the prized membership of the Workers Party of Korea and financial rewards.

“Those who won any medal were given an apartment,” said Lee recalling his team’s ‘glorious return’ from Japan’s Kobe after winning three gold medals from the 1985 Summer Universiade. Lee started winning local competitions and

swiftly moved on to the international stage, winning a bronze medal at the 1989 World Judo Championships in Yugoslavia and a silver medal at the Beijing Asian Games in 1990.

But with North Korea boycotting the 1984 Los Angeles and 1988 Seoul Olympics, Lee missed his chance at the Games and then came disaster in the form of defeat to an athlete from South Korea, a country the North remains technically at war with. Lee said defeated North Koreans-especially those who lose to South Koreans-are forced to work in “gulags” where rights group Amnesty International says 200,000 citizens are forced to work with little food under threat of execution.

“I was sent to a coal mine for the first time because I lost against a South Korean in the Beijing Asian Games. “Then I was sent to work in a boiler room just because I talked back to the deputy chairman of the squad,” said Lee. Saved by charismatic uncle But not all of Lee’s luck had run out and he had one admirer who was powerful enough to ensure that the talented athlete could compete again, in the form of Jang Song-thaek, the uncle of North Korea’s new leader Kim Jong-un. At the time, Jang was practically in charge of the sports department and he was

known as a generous boss who helped athletes, although he kept his profile low.

“Athletes liked Jang Song-thaek very much. If they voted for a president, he would be elected,” said Lee of the 65year old who is now vice chairman of the National Defense Commission, the supreme leadership council of North Korea. Having escaped another trip to the gulag, Lee was in no mood to go back and in 1991 at a competition in Spain chose to defect. “I was thinking why should I win? If I win a medal, it belongs to North Korea, not me. So I lost on purpose and looked for ways to escape.”

Unable to punish Lee directly, the North Korean regime punished his family, sending his older brother to a lumber camp where he died and the rest of his family to a coal mine. “There’s nothing I can do for now,” said Lee as he tried to stem his tears. Now married to a former Taiwanese national judoka, whom he met at international games, Lee runs a small judo class where his three sons train. Hopes are highest for 17-year old Moon-jin, Lee’s second son, who won a gold medal at a local youth championships in 2010. “I’ve never regretted coming to South Korea. I will make my sons win an Olympic gold medal and make North Korea the one who regrets.” — Reuters

tyres set aside for the end of the day to see the potential for a fast bike but we didn’t get around to do that because of the crash earlier,” he said.

“After the crash, it’s not a wise thing to be out there. There’s nothing really to be gained. But we got everything else donewhat’s good, what’s bad, and what we need to re-look at Jerez.” A final three days of tests at the Jerez circuit in Spain opens March 23 before the season officially starts April 8 in Qatar. — AFP

Australian GP least viable in F1: Ecclestone MELBOURNE: The Australian Grand Prix is “probably” the least economically viable in the Formula One calendar, and is unlikely to continue if Melbourne loses its appetite to fit the bill for the race, according to commercial supremo Bernie Ecclestone. Melbourne has hosting rights until 2015, but the rising cost of holding the race has fuelled growing calls for the state government of Victoria to ditch the race.

From reporting a loss of less than A$2 million ($2.14 million) in the first Grand Prix at Melbourne’s Albert Park circuit in 1996, taxpayers now pay more than $50 million, with the costs expected to rise further in coming years. The Liberal government has nonetheless thrown its support behind it, saying they want to keep it beyond 2015, citing its promotional value to Australia’s second city.

Ecclestone said if Melbourne could not afford the race, it was unlikely any other Australian city could. “If we were having a divorce from our friends in Melbourne, we would probably be walking away from Australia,” Ecclestone said in comments published by local media yesterday. “Because I can’t see how Adelaide could make it happen, or anywhere else, if Melbourne can’t,” he said, referring to the South Australian state capital, the Grand Prix’s inaugural venue.

“The race itself, is probably the least viable of all the races we have.” While Ecclestone has said he wants the race to remain in Melbourne, he has threatened to take it elsewhere should local officials try to negotiate lower license fees that are estimated to cost between $20-30 million a year. He has also complained about the timezone being unfriendly for European broadcasters and reiterated his call for Melbourne to turn it into a night race, like the Singapore Grand Prix, despite drivers’ safety concerns. “We would have a look, maybe we could help subsidise that a little bit,” he said. “Up until 2015, we’re in good shape. After then, I really don’t know.” The Australian Grand Prix opens the F1 season on March 18. — Reuters

Sports FRIDAY, MARCH 2, 2012

Durant rallies Thunder past Sixers SAN ANTONIO: Chicago’s Derrick Rose scored 29 points as the Bulls stayed on a roll and cooled off the streaking San Antonio Spurs 96-89 in Wednesday’s clash of NBA divisional leaders.

Rose shook off a collision with Tony Parker early that kept the reigning MVP on the floor clutching his right knee for several minutes. But he never left the game and the Bulls became just the second team to win in San Antonio this season. Joakim Noah added 10 points and 13 rebounds for Chicago, which has won 11 of 13 and nudged half a game past Miami for first place in the Eastern Conference. Gary Neal’s 21 points led the Spurs, who floundered late and had its homecoming spoiled after going 8-1 during the most successful nine-game road trip in NBA history.

Thunder 92, 76ers 88 In Philadelphia, Kevin Durant scored some key late points to steer Oklahoma City past Philadelphia in another match of divisional leaders. Coming off his MVP performance in the AllStar game, Durant struggled a bit. The two-time scoring champion shot 7 of 18. But he made key baskets and free throws and added a clutch steal late in the game as the Thunder overcame a seven-point fourth-quarter deficit. He finished with 23 points while Russell Westbrook had 22 points and 13 rebounds as the NBA leaders won their sixth straight game. Andre Iguodala and Jrue Holiday each had 18 points for the 76ers.

Grizzlies 96, Mavericks 85 In Memphis, Marc Gasol had 22 points and 11 rebounds in Memphis’ win over Dallas. Mike Conley added 20 points and 10 assists for the Grizzlies, who captalized on the absence of Dallas star Dirk Nowitzki. The German scored only one point before leaving the game early in the second quarter with lower back tightness.

Jason Terry’s 18 points led the defending champion Mavericks, who lost their third straight.

Lakers 104, Timberwolves 85 In Los Angeles, Kobe Bryant had 31 points, seven rebounds and eight assists while playing with a clear mask over his broken nose as Los Angeles extended their hoodoo over Minnesota.

Bryant didn’t miss a game after Dwyane Wade broke his nose and gave him a concussion with a hard foul in the All-Star game Sunday. After getting clearance to play about an hour before tipoff, Bryant wore a mask that didn’t appear to affect the league scoring leader, who made nine of 10 free throws. Pau Gasol scored 15 points for the Lakers, who improved to 15-1 at home.

Michael Beasley and Martell Webster scored 14 points apiece for the Timberwolves, who have lost 17 consecutive games against the Lakers.

Nuggets 104, Trail Blazers 95 In Denver, Ty Lawson had 18 points and nine assists after missing two games with a sprained ankle, helping Denver down Portland. Kenneth Faried scored 13 points and grabbed 10 rebounds for the Nuggets. Jamal Crawford had 21 points and LaMarcus Aldridge had 20 points and nine rebounds for the Trail Blazers, who have lost 16 of the past 17 away to Denver.

Jazz 104, Rockets 83 In Salt Lake City, C.J. Miles scored a seasonhigh 27 points as Utah halted a four-game losing skid and Houston’s four-game winning streak. Devin Harris added 19 points for the Jazz before leaving late in the game with nausea.

Utah won despite missing injured starters Paul Millsap and Raja Bell. Luis Scola led Houston with 18 points.

Warriors 85, Hawks 82 In Atlanta, David Lee scored 22 points, including the go-ahead basket with 30 seconds

remaining, as Golden State answered a late comeback by Atlanta. The Warriors kept the lead until Zaza Pachulia scored with 52 seconds remaining for a 78-78 tie. Lee then drove past Pachulia to score with 30 seconds remaining to give the lead back to Golden State. Donta Ellis had 24 points and eight assists, while Lee had 12 rebounds for a double-double. Joe Johnson, returning from a knee injury, led Atlanta with 18 points. The Hawks were held to a season-low 34.1 percent shooting from the field.

Knicks 120, Cavaliers 103 In New York, Carmelo Anthony scored 22 points as New York turned around the game with its reserves to beat Cleveland. Jeremy Lin had 19 points and 13 assists but it was bench player Steve Novak who had the biggest impact as the Knicks turned a 17-point deficit into an easy win, outscoring the Cavaliers 71-42 in the second half. New York didn’t lead until Novak (17 points) made consecutive 3-pointers to put them up with 2:52 left in the third quarter, then dominated the fourth quarter. The Knicks recorded a 10-5 record in February; their first 10win February since 1996-97. Antawn Jamison had 23 points and 10 rebounds for Cleveland, which has lost three in a row.

Celtics 102, Bucks 96 In Boston, Rajon Rondo had 15 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists to record his third triple-double of the season and lead Boston past Milwaukee. Rondo had six rebounds and five assists in the third quarter, when the Celtics went on a 20-4 run to turn a five-point deficit into a double-digit lead. The Bucks cut it to two points in the final minute, but Kevin Garnett made four free throws in the last 15 seconds to clinch it. Garnett scored 25 points with 10 rebounds for Boston, which returned to .500.

Ersan Ilyasova had 25 points with 10 rebounds for the Bucks.

Magic 102, Wizards 95 In Washington, Ryan Anderson had 23 points and 15 rebounds as Orlando pulled away late in the fourth quarter to beat Washington.

Anderson scored 11 in the fourth quarter and led seven players in double figures for the Magic, who blew a 17-point first-quarter lead against the lowly Wizards, committed 18 turnovers. The visitors survived an off night for Dwight Howard, who was 4 for 9 from the field and 6 for 11 from the free-throw line, yet still finished with 14 points and 12 rebounds. John Wall had 33 points to the lead the Wizards, who lost their sixth straight.

Raptors 95, Hornets 84 In New Orleans, Linas Kleiza and DeMar DeRozan scored 21 points apiece as Toronto rallied to beat New Orleans. The Raptors, who trailed 69-62 after tying a season low for points in a quarter with 11 in the third, broke loose for 33 in the fourth, matching a season best for any quarter. They hit their first eight shots and took control by scoring 22 points in the first 4:22.

Kleiza tied a career high with five 3-pointers off the bench, including three in the fourth. Marco Belinelli had 20 points for the Hornets, who missed 13 consecutive shots in the fourth quarter and lost for the 16th straight time after trailing at halftime.

Pistons 109, Bobcats 94 In Auburn Hills, Michigan, Rodney Stuckey scored 29 points as Detroit cruised past lowly Charlotte. Greg Monroe added 19 points and a career-high 20 rebounds for the Pistons. Corey Maggette had 17 points for Charlotte, which has lost 19 of 20 and lost Bismack Biyombo to a shoulder strain.— AP

PHILADELPHIA: Philadelphia 76ers’ Andre Iguodala (9) dunks the ball with Oklahoma City Thunder centre Kendrick Perkins (5) looking on during the first half of an NBA basketball game on Wednesday, Feb. 29, 2012. — AP

NBA results/standings Results and standings after Wednesday’s National Basketball Association games: Oklahoma City 92, Philadelphia 88; Orlando 102, Washington 95; Golden State 85, Atlanta 82; Boston 102, Milwaukee 96; Detroit 109, Charlotte 94; New York 120, Cleveland 103; Memphis 96, Dallas 85; Toronto 95, New Orleans 84; Denver 104, Portland 95; Chicago 96, San Antonio 89; Utah 104, Houston 83; LA Lakers 104, Minnesota 85.

Eastern Conference Western Conference Atlantic Division Northwest Division W L PCT GB Oklahoma City 28 7 .800 Philadelphia 21 15 .583 Denver 19 17 .528 9.5 Boston 17 17 .500 3 Portland 18 17 .514 10 New York 18 18 .500 3 Minnesota 18 18 .500 10.5 Toronto 11 24 .314 9.5 Utah 16 18 .471 11.5 New Jersey 11 25 .306 10 Pacific Division Central Division LA Clippers 20 12 .625 Chicago 29 8 .784 LA Lakers 21 14 .600 .5 Indiana 22 12 .647 5.5 Golden State 14 18 .438 6 Milwaukee 14 21 .400 14 Phoenix 14 20 .412 7 Cleveland 13 20 .394 14 Sacramento 12 22 .353 9 Detroit 12 25 .324 17 Southwest Division Southeast Division San Antonio 24 11 .686 Miami 27 7 .794 Dallas 21 15 .583 3.5 Orlando 23 13 .639 5 Houston 21 15 .583 3.5 Atlanta 20 15 .571 7.5 Memphis 20 15 .571 4 Washington 7 28 .200 20.5 Charlotte 4 29 .121 22.5 New Orleans 8 27 .229 16

Sports FRIDAY, MARCH 2, 2012

Murray turns up heat on Berdych in Dubai ABUDHABI: The elite triathletes pose here with Sultan AliMuhairi after the press conference held at Kalidiya Palace Hotel. — Photo by Ben Garcia

AbuDhabi 2012 triathlon sprints to life tomorrow

By Ben Garcia

ABU DHABI/KUWAIT: Four Kuwaiti triathlon athletes, including a female triathlete Wada’a Bader were introduced yesterday to local and international media, a day before the start of the biggest AbuDhabi International Triathlon Competition set to be held here tomorrow. They were presented at the Kalidiya Palace Hotel together with the top 10 elite international male and female triathletes, mostly coming from Europe, the United States and Australia.

Event organizer, AbuDhabi Tourism Authority said the competition is among the biggest and most luxurious events ever to be held in Abu Dhabi, with a total of $250,000 cash prize up for grabs.

“This year, the event has gone from strength to strength, both in terms of the quality. When we started this event two years ago, we wanted to create a showpiece that would be a calendar highlight for triathletes the world over. Looking at this year’s line-up, I would say we have fully achieved that goal,” said Sultan Ali-Muhairi, Senior Event Management Executive, AbuDhabi Tourism and Culture Authority.

He said 1,900 athletes signed up which is an increase of about 20 percent from last year. “Athletes have come from 62 different countries, which is a record-breaking 27 percent increase from the GCC countries,” he said. According to Muhairi, this year’s line-up is the strongest in the three year history of the triathlon in AbuDhabi.

Muhairi said the 2012 event is star-studded with the participation of world’s champions, world-record holders and Olympians. “This year’s elite field includes athletes who have recorded a combined total of 16 world championship titles, 47 European titles, and 76 ironman wins, plus more than 500 podium places between them”.

He also lauded their very own triathlete Faris Al-Sultan, who is also the toughest competitor and the man behind the establishment of AbuDhabi Triathlon Team and instrumental in the popularity of triathlon in the region. “We wish all the athletes success, good luck to everyone and I hope that you would continue to choose Abu Dhabi as your destination not only for this particular event but for your future tourism endeavour.” The triathlon tournament is the first of the season, with triathletes from across the world arriving in AbuDhabi a few days before the competition. Among the rosters of elite triathletes introduced during the press conference were: Frederick Van Liede (Belgium), the champion of last year’s triathlon event, Chris Lieto (USA)-the world fastest man in two wheels, Aneko Llanos (Spain)-2010 champion, Dirk Bockel (Luxemburg)second and third place during the 2010 and 2011 triathlon competitions.

They also presented female professional triathletes including Melissa Rollison (Australia), world triathlon champion, Leanda Cave (USA)-2011 second place and Caroline Steffen (Switzerland)-2010 fourth place. “I am well-prepared this winter. I am very pleased to come back. I am looking forward for the event tomorrow. I am pressured because I have to attend lots of interviews. I will execute my plan during the race,” said Frederick Van Liede (Belgium), the champion of last year’s triathlon event. The race offers a selection of distances to accommodate athletes of all abilities. The 223km long course boasts a 3km swim, a 200km cycle, and 20km closing run-the same distance as the world class elite. Newcomers can choose to tackle the short course at half the length, with a 1.5 km swim, a 100km cycle and 10 km run. The sprint course offers a 750m swim, a 50km bike and 5km run. Both the short and sprint distance also offer the option of the relay entry, encouraging likeminded friends, families and colleagues to take up the AbuDhabi International triathlon challenge.

DUBAI: Andy Murray, the first British male since the 1930’s to reach three Grand Slam finals, earned a valuable revenge over Tomas Berdych as he reached the semi-finals of the Dubai Open for the first time here yesterday.

The third-seeded Scot won 6-3, 7-5 against the fifth-seeded Czech to whom he lost the last three times, making it his best sequence in four attempts at the lucrative Middle East tournament. It also earned Murray a possible rematch with Novak Djokovic, the triple Grand Slam titleholder with whom he had a classic semi-final in last month’s Australian Open.

Djokovic was due to play his fellow Serb Janko Tipsarevic in the evening session. The match ended in controversy as Berdych argued at length with the umpire over a Hawkeye decision when he had earned a point to break back for 6-6. Murray’s appeal to the computer replay showed that the line judge’s call of fault had been wrong and that his unreturned serve had in fact been in.

But when the umpire awarded the point to Murray, Berdych claimed the rally should have been replayed. The Czech argued that the line judge’s call had interfered with his return of serve, but TV replays showed that the call came after Berdych had hit the ball, and that the umpire’s decision was correct.

Berdych said he was “shocked” by the decision of umpire Mohamed Lahyani, from Sweden.

“If we look at all the rule books we going to see that if it’s not a clear ace there is a repeat of point actually,” the Czech claimed. “I have no idea what Mohamed did. He is the best referee on tour and I never had anything like that with him.” Murray said: “It’s a bad rule, and one that I have a big problem with.

“It comes down to kind of how the umpire sees it. You know, they don’t always see it the same way as the players do. Sometimes it goes your way; sometimes it doesn’t.”

Murray went on to close the match out in that game, although he required six more rallies and seven match points

DUBAI: British tennis player Andy Murray serves the ball to Tomas Berdych of the Czech Republic during their ATP Dubai Open tennis match yesterday. — AFP altogether before doing it. The Scot noticeably more defensive. “I managed had controlled much of the first half of to stay tough at the end,” said Murray. the match by denying Berdych as many “But he played well and I was getting a opportunities as possible to wind up bit nervous. I think I was doing (my with fierce flat drives which are espe- game plan) well until I got up in the seccially dangerous on Dubai’s hot, fast ond set.

“Then I was getting away from the hard surfaces.

Sometimes he took the ball earlier, baseline too much,” he said, referring to nearer to the baseline, thus denying the fact that he had retreated to deep Berdych time, sometimes he used slice, defensive positions which had allowed and at others he went on to full out Berdych more time. “I hope I play Novak attack. He mixed it all with characteris- again,” he added, referring to their clastic containment, but towards the sec- sic match in Australia. “But I’ll be ready ond half of the second set became whoever it is.” —AFP

Radwanska reaches Malaysia Q-finals

KUALA LUMPUR: World number five Agnieszka Radwanska won two matches yesterday to advance to the quarter-finals of a rain-interrupted BMW Malaysian Open. The Pole beat Akgul Amanmuradova, who she was originally scheduled to play Tuesday, 6-2, 6-4 in her first match of the day before easing by Karolina Pliskova, 64, 6-4.

While results went Radwanska’s way, it was the end of the road for fourth seed Jarmila Gajdosova and seventh seed Jelena Dokic. Radwanska was in cruise control against Pliskova of the Czech Republic in the second round but admitted it was hard waiting just to finish off her first round match.

“Playing two matches (in one day) is bad, especially under these conditions. The weather really hasn’t been

helping the progress of the tournament,” Radwanska said. Radwanska came to Kuala Lumpur after winning in Dubai on Saturday, a victory which saw her reach a career high on the WTA rankings.The player, who was wearing a thigh strap, will meet Taiwanese qualifier Su-Wei Hsieh Friday for a berth in the semi-finals.

“I’ve not had much rest too as I have been playing for several weeks now.

My shoulder feels sore as a result of this, but hopefully it is not too bad.

But the thigh strap is just a precaution,” she said. Rain led forced her Tuesday match against Amanmuradova to be postponed and it was then called off on Wednesday with the score at 6-2, 3-3. When play resumed yesterday, Radwanska was fired up to finish and took just 20 min-

utes to close out the match.

Meanwhile, defending champion Dokic, threw away a one set and 4-2 up lead in against fellow Australian Olivia Rogowska to lose in three.

Rogowska held her nerve despite facing some punishing groundstrokes to grind out a 3-6, 6-4, 7-6 (7/2) victory.

“It was one of those frustrating days where I couldn’t play my best tennis,” Dokic said. “It was a game I should have won easily.”A delighted Rogowska will now face Eleni Daniilido, who uupset Gajdosova of Australia 6-4, 6-0, for a place in the semis. Third seed Peng Shuai of China also reached the quarter-finals yesterday and will meet fifth seed Petra Martic of Croatia. The $220,000 BMW Malaysian Open ends on Sunday. — AFP

Sports FRIDAY, MARCH 2, 2012

Soldado, Giroud lift Spain and France

MALAGA: Spain’s forward Roberto Soldado (centre) celebrates with teammates after scoring during the friendly football match Spain vs Venezuela at La Rosaleda stadium, February 29, 2012. — AFP

Barcelona to host Sporting minus Messi BARCELONA: Barcelona will have to overcome Lionel Messi’s absence against Sporting Gijon tomorrow as it tries to keep its dwindling chances for a fourth straight Spanish league title alive.

With Real Madrid already 10 points clear at the top of the table, Messi’s one-game suspension for having collected five yellow cards leaves coach Pep Guardiola without his top scorer in a front line already depleted by David Villa’s broken leg. The loss of the three-time world player of the year should open the door for Pedro Rodriguez to accompany Alexis Sanchez in attack at Camp Nou stadium.

Pedro’s season has been undermined by a series of injuries, and the forward was recently dropped from Spain’s national team with just three months to go before it begins its European Championship defence. Sporting has drawn its last two games under new coach Javier Clemente, who was brought in to revive the northern Spanish team that currently sits six points from safety in second-to-last place. Clemente, a former Spain manager whose last win at Barcelona came 30 years ago when he was at the helm of Athletic Bilbao, said that while Barcelona’s passing is effective, it is also boring.

“They play fantastic football, but I like a more direct style,” he said. “I don’t like long possessions when I am winning 1-0. I understand their way of playing and they have the right players for it, but I still don’t like it.” The match comes as speculation over Guardiola’s future with the European champions grows. Earlier this week, Barcelona club president Sandro Rosell played down Guardiola’s apparent hesitation to extend his contract that ends this season.

“The batteries of my patience with Pep are not dying,” Rosell said. “They are solar powered, and here we have a lot of sun.”

Madrid hosts Espanyol tomorrow looking for its ninth consecutive league win and 12th win in 13 home games this season at Santiago Bernabeu stadium. Cristiano Ronaldo leads the league with 29 goals- one more than Messi- and with 13 games to go he is on track to break his league record of 40 goals from last season.

Espanyol coach Mauricio Pochettino has led his young squad to sit just two points from fourth place in a pack of teams in the upper-middle part of the standings. Even so, the Argentine manager has yet to beat Madrid in over three-and-a-half seasons with his former club. “Records are there to be broken,” Pochettino said. “I don’t think this game has anything to do with past ones.”

Atletico Madrid and Sevilla face off tomorrow in a test between two teams enjoying turnarounds under new coaches.

Atletico will look to shake off its first loss in 10 games since the arrival of Diego Simeone last week to Barcelona, while Sevilla goes for its third victory in a row with Michel Gonzalez in charge.

“It’s going to be a great game against an exciting rival,” said Simeone. —AP

LONDON: Roberto Soldado hit a hattrick for Spain and France’s Olivier Giroud boosted his Euro 2012 chances in a 2-1 win over Germany but other players unsure of their places at the tournament failed to impress in Wednesday’s friendlies across Europe.

European champions Spain thumped Venezuela 5-0, Netherlands beat England 3-2 after a flurry of late goals, Italy crashed to a 1-0 home defeat by United States and Poland drew 0-0 with Portugal in Warsaw’s newly-opened stadium.

Argentina’s world player of the year Lionel Messi again showed why Europe’s finest nations would all love to have a player of his sheer class in their ranks with a hat-trick in a 3-1 win over Switzerland. With 100 days to go before the tournament in Poland and Ukraine kicks off in Warsaw, teams were honing their line-ups and tactics with a number of second-string players trying to make a name for themselves and book a place in their national squads.

The biggest clash on paper was 1996 European champions Germany at home to 2000 winners France and it turned out to be the best match with Giroud’s neat finish in the first half and Florent Malouda’s goal settling matters. Cacau pulled one back for the hosts late on in Bremen. “We knew that Germany were very strong offensively but we had studied a few weaknesses in the defence,” France coach Laurent Blanc told reporters.

Montpellier’s Giroud, who now has three caps and is top scorer in Ligue 1 this term, will now be in Blanc’s thoughts for the competition given goals have not really flowed for Les Bleus of late. Malouda’s close-range

BREMEN: Germany’s striker Miroslav Klose (left) attempts to score past French striker Olivier Giroud during the International friendly football match Germany vs France on February 29, 2012. — AFP scramble may also have calmed any doubts he had about making the Euro squad after a difficult season for Chelsea as in-form France goalkeeper Hugo Lloris enjoyed a dream first game as permanent captain.

Borussia Moenchengladbach’s top scorer Marco Reus was making his fourth international appearance as an attacking midfielder but Germany, many people’s favourites for June’s title, flattered to deceive despite decent chances. Spain striker Soldado was given his opportunity by David Villa’s longterm injury as well as Fernando Torres’s loss of form and he took it with huge gusto in the second period, adding to

Andres Iniesta and David Silva’s first-half strikes as well as missing a penalty.

In other games, Euro co-hosts Ukraine prevailed 3-2 in Israel, Sweden warmed up nicely for the tournament with a 3-1 win in Croatia, Russia beat Denmark 2-0 in Copenhagen and Ireland drew 1-1 with Czech Republic as did Greece against Belgium. Not all the friendlies had Euro 2012 in mind. In a memorial game for late Wales manager Gary Speed, who died in November in an apparent suicide, his nation lost 1-0 at home to Costa Rica after an emotional pre-match build-up involving his family and some world famous Welsh singing. — Reuters

PSG struggling for best form under Ancelotti PARIS: Although Carlo Ancelotti remains unbeaten as Paris Saint-Germain coach, a failure to beat lowly Ajaccio at home on Sunday would make it four French league games without a win and give cause for alarm at the big-spending club. PSG has drawn its past three matches to relinquish top spot to Montpellier. The team almost lost two of them, coming back from 4-2 down last weekend to draw 4-4 at Lyon, a week after a last-gasp equalizer rescued a 2-2 home draw with Montpellier. Sporting director Leonardo and some players hailed the team’s fighting spirit after those games.

But Ancelotti, having won Champions League titles with AC Milan as a player and coach, will surely have been worried by the soft goals conceded from corners and free kicks. “We need to sort out these mistakes before the Ajaccio game on Sunday,” PSG defender Christophe Jallet said. “We’re playing at the Parc (des Princes), and we can’t afford to drop points now.” Three of the four goals conceded against Lyon stemmed from free kicks.

“We lost our concentration. We had a dip when we conceded three goals, one after the other,” Jallet said. “You have to defend collectively. When you’re defending from a free kick, 10 of the 11 players are involved.” PSG replaced Antoine Kombouare as coach with Ancelotti

halfway through the season, with PSG three points ahead of Montpellier. Now, PSG is one point behind Montpellier. So far, PSG’s January signings have not made a big impact. Brazilian left back Maxwell, who

Carlo Ancelotti joined from Barcelona, and former Chelsea center half Alex are still settling in. So is holding midfielder Thiago Motta, the former Inter Milan player who was the last player to join.

“It takes time to build up an understanding,” Jallet said. The problem for PSG is that, despite spending more than ?100 million

($134 million) this season, its defense still looks shaky. PSG does not have the luxury of more time with 13 matches left. The title race is shaping up as a two-team contest.

Defending champion Lille, which is in third place, has drifted to be seven points behind Montpellier, while Saint-Etienne is 10 back in fourth spot. With Ajaccio in 16th place, another slip-up at Parc des Princes would be detrimental in its relegation fight.

“Victory is imperative and anything else will be a failure,” Jallet said. “Montpellier has just reclaimed the lead. It’s a very good team, but first of all we need to concentrate on ourselves. We’re one point away from first place, but we’ll do the sums at the end of the season.”

While PSG’s defense needs shoring up, things are looking good up front. Striker Guillaume Hoarau’s return to form gives Ancelotti the option of a target man, rather than having to rely just on the pace and movement of Kevin Gameiro.

Hoarau, one of the best headers of the ball in the league, scored PSG’s late equalizers against Montpellier and Lyon. “It’s a bonus for us to have a striker full of confidence,” Jallet said. “He’s been a bit like our savior over the last two games.”

Montpellier, which plays at Dijon tomorrow, could be four points clear by the time PSG plays Ajaccio.— AP

Sports FRIDAY, MARCH 2, 2012

Robben foils England fightback

WEMBLEY: Plagued by injuries since the 2010 World Cup, Arjen Robben provided a timely reminder of his enduring quality by scoring a pair of classy goals in the Netherlands’ 3-2 friendly win over England on Wednesday, 100 days before Euro 2012. By opening and closing the scoring in at Wembley Stadium, the brilliant but fragile winger helped end a three-match winless run for the Dutch. It was just his second international appearance since the 2010 World Cup final.

After a cagey first half, Robben broke the deadlock in the 57th minute. The Bayern Munich player picked up possession inside his own half, sprinted to the other end of the pitch through a hesitant English defense and blasted the ball past goalkeeper Joe Hart.

Klaas-Jan Huntelaar doubled the Dutch lead with a powerful header within two minutes, but England staged a late comeback under interim coach Stuart Pearce, with Gary Cahill and Ashley Young scoring twice in the last five minutes. However in stoppage time,

England’s defence allowed Mark van Bommel to get hold of the ball and pick out Robben, leaving the former Chelsea and Real Madrid star to send a deflected shot into the net.

So while the Netherlands played in a new all-black away strip with the words Nieuwe Meesters - New Masters embroidered into the collars, it was an old and familiar face who did the damage. “Players like Arjen Robben ... can change the game,” England captain Scott Parker said. “It was a touch of brilliance tonight from Robben.” After setbacks in October and November for the Dutch, this victory puts Bert van Marwijk’s side back on the right track ahead of the European Championship, which starts in June.

“Before this game we had a bad series, because we lost against Germany 3-0 ... (and) against Sweden and Switzerland we had difficulties,” Robben said. “We have a great squad, great potential still, although everybody’s getting a year older. “But we’re still at a

Liverpool goalkeeper Reina in racism row LONDON: Liverpool goalkeeper Pepe Reina yesterday faced accusations of racism over a television commercial in his native Spain but the insurance company which made the advert denied it was offensive. The allegations come after Liverpool were widely criticised for their reaction to the eight-match ban handed to Uruguayan striker Luis Suarez for racially abusing Manchester United’s Patrice Evra.

Reina came under fire from anti-racism campaigners Operation Black Vote (OBV) over the advertisement for the Spanish division of Groupama, showing the player in a jungle being greeted by a spear-carrying tribe and their chief.

With the goalkeeper’s name translated as “queen” in Spanish, the chief appears to suggest a relationship with him by saying “You queen, me king” to which Reina raises his eyebrows and sarcastically replies: “I feel safe, la la la.”OBV director Simon Woolley said: “I’m shocked on so many levels. “Firstly, how would the Spanish feel if the English stereotyped Spanish people as backward, stupid, and animalistic?

“Secondly, what does this say Pepe Reina about Pepe Reina? “The Liverpool goalkeeper has lived and worked in the UK for nearly a decade, does he think it’s okay to characterise black people this way? “Does he think his black teammates will laugh at his joke?”

A spokeswoman for the Spanish division of Groupama said it had only received one complaint over the commercial and denied it had been taken off air in response.”We received complaints from just one association, which is based in England,” the spokeswoman said. “We have not received any other similar comments from anywhere. We have received messages that liked the ad, including some asking for it to be dubbed into English. “The Spanish division of Groupama does not consider that it has any type of offensive content.

“It is a humorous line that we have been developing for two campaigns, including with other goalkeepers such as (Iker) Casillas. “There was no intention to hurt anyone’s feelings. “The advert is no longer on television but not because we pulled it but rather because the campaign was planned for February 2-29 and it has already ended.” Liverpool-who won their first trophy for six years when they lifted the League Cup on Sunday-were not immediately available for comment but the club was reported to be unaware of Reina’s involvement in the commercial. — AFP

good age and we go to the Euros to win, no doubt about that. Not with arrogance, but I think if you have a great squad you go to a tournament to win and not to reach the quarterfinals.”

That is the furthest England has reached in the last decade at any tournament, going out even earlier at the World Cup two years ago. And the hosts, who were unbeaten through 2011, had a disappointing start to the uncertain new era following Fabio Capello’s resignation earlier this month. “They needed a touch more belief that they could hurt a team of this ability,” Pearce said.

Pearce harbors hopes of leading England at Euro 2012 if the Football Association cannot find a full-time successor for Capello before then. The under-21 England coach dropped several experienced players, giving younger players a chance to shine against the Dutch. “If we had come away from here 2-2 there might have been a better feel,” Pearce said. “But it won’t affect my mentality in any way. I feel I would be confi-

dent in taking the squad to the Euros.”

The Netherlands’ squad showed more continuity, with the starting eleven including nine who started in the World Cup final. The visitors had the Premier League’s top scorer - Arsenal’s Robin van Persie - up front and left Huntelaar, the leading Bundesliga scorer, on the bench initially. Meanwhile in England’s attack, Manchester United’s Danny Welbeck was playing only his fourth international and searching for his first goal which never came. Neither side really came close to scoring, though, until Robben’s opener.

“We lost against Germany (in November) and didn’t want to lose again tonight on the counterattack,” Van Marwijk said. “So we played more stable.”

But almost immediately after Robben’s opener, Huntelaar headed in his 31st goal in 50 internationals, after Dirk Kuyt found the space to cross from the right flank. The scorer was forced off after clashing heads in the process of scoring, with England defender Chris Smalling being sent to hospital for scans. —AP

Drogba-less Ivory Coast held by Guinea

JOHANNESBURG: Ivory Coast were held 0-0 at home by Guinea Wednesday in their first appearance since losing the Africa Cup of Nations final on penalties to Zambia in Libreville this month. The Elephants lacked Didier Drogba and Salomon Kalou of Chelsea and brothers Yaya and Kolo Toure of Mancheter City and the English Premier League quartet were sorely missed at Felix Houphouet-Boigny Stadium in Abidjan. Guinea were fortunate to survive early Ivory Coast pressure during which Arsenal striker Gervinho and Russia Footballer of the Year Seydou Doumbia from CSKA Moscow squandered chances.

Ivory Coast coach Francois Zahoui introduced Max Gradel and Didier Ya Konan for the second half, but it was Cup of Nations first round casualties Guinea who gradually took control of midfield with Thierno Bah impressive.

Senegal, who went to the Cup of Nations in Gabon and Equatorial Guinea as third favourites behind Ivory Coast and Ghana only to make a humiliating early exit after three consecutive losses, forced a 0-0 draw with South Africa in Durban.

Coach Amara Traore was sacked after the African debacle and caretakers Karim Diouf and Aliou Cisse rang the changes with strikers Demba Ba, Moussa Sow and captain Mamadou Niang among those axed. The Teranga Lions comfortably contained a South Africa side that once again did not convert scoring chances after managing just four goals from six matches in a failed attempt to qualify for the 2012 Cup of Nations.

Leading scorer Katlego Mphela had a second-half header superbly saved

by Bouna Coundoul while Dame

ABIDJAN: Ivory Coast’s Wilfried Bony (left) vies with Guinea’s goalkeeper Naby Yattara (right) during the Friendly football match between Ivory Coast and Guinea at the Felix Houphouet Boigny stadium, February 29, 2012. — AFP

Ndoye fired over from point-blank range in a rare Senegalese attack at rain-soaked Moses Mabhida Stadium.

Morocco, another favoured team that did not get past the first round at the Cup of Nations, defeated fellow early departees Burkina Faso 2-0 in Marrakech via goals from Mbarek Boussoufa and Youssef El Arabi.

Tunisia and Peru drew 1-1 in Tunis suburb Rades with the goals coming at the end of the first half as Wissem Yahia gave the Carthage Eagles a lead cancelled during stoppage time by visiting captain Claudio Pizarro. Egypt maintained their recent dominance

over Niger with a 1-0 victory in Qatar capital Doha courtesy of a mid-first half penalty converted by captain and midfielder Hosny Abd Rabou.

Authorities have banned football matches in Egypt since 74 people were killed this month in post-match rioting in Port Said after local club Al Masry upset Cairo giants Al Ahly in a league game.

The seven-time African champions trounced Niger 3-0 in Cairo last October in a Cup of Nations qualifier, but it was the visitors who emerged shock winners of a group that also included South Africa. — AFP

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Murray turns up heat on Berdych in Dubai Page 61

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WEMBLEY: England's Gary Cahill, (top) outjumps the Netherlands' Robin Van Persie during their international soccer match at Wembley stadium in London. (Inset) Arjen Robben of The Netherlands celebrates scoring his second goal. —AP/AFP

Robben’s double trouble for England Page 63