06 Mar 2012

CR IP TI ON BS SU

TUESDAY, MARCH 6, 2012

www.kuwaittimes.net

RABIA ALTHANI 13, 1433 AH

Kuwait National & Liberation Days

Bibi tells Obama Israel is ‘master’ of own fate

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United States ‘will always have Israel’s back’ in my view

Why, Mr Obama?

By Zakaria K local@kuwaittimes.net

O

ne would be forgiven for thinking that President Obama was actually the president of Israel and not the United States. Listening to him go on and on about the importance of “having your back” in reference to the Israelis and the importance of preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons to protect the Israelis. The maintenance of the sovereignty of Israel. This is the same banter that is spoken by many American presidents prior to an election, although I don’t remember a president doing it with such enthusiasm before. We understand that would-be American presidents must pay homage to Jewish lobbies, however the sudden change of tone that Obama has displayed was nothing short of breathtaking.

The only time I can remember such a sudden 180degree change in direction is when I was watching a demonstration of the new Ferrari Italia. What happened to the Obama who was pressuring the Israelis to accept a Palestinian state not that long ago! I recall the excitement amongst many Arabs when he spoke in Egypt. We all rejoiced in thinking that here was an American president who is fair and just or at least on the fence when it came to the Palestinian issue. How naive were we!

Obama spent a good time in his recent speech talking about Iran and terrorism in the region. The president also made references to Syria on a few occasions.

Let me be clear, I have no love lost for either of these regimes. However, it’s the lack of mention of the Israeli regime that was exasperating. Why was there no mention of the atrocities the Israeli army is involved in and has been involved in against the Palestinian children since the 1950s? Terrorism and acts of inhumanity should be highlighted and stopped by the international community. However let’s not broadcast homemade videos of acts of violence from Syria and completely ignore the ones happening a few kilometers away on Palestinian soil.

President Obama highlighted the fact that Israel and the United States shared many interests including economic ones. Actually, Mr President, the economic interests that the United States share with all the Muslim countries in the Middle East are much more substantial. The economic interests shared by us in the Middle East and Europe are also far more valuable for the Europeans than their relationship with the Israelis.

Times are changing Mr President. The economic situation worldwide has left many countries and families struggling to make ends meet. The Arabs and the Europeans are more interested in trying to move forward politically, socially and more importantly economically. We don’t want to be dragged into a war that is in no one’s interest except Israel’s. The Arabs, the Europeans and most of all the American people do not want to be forced into a military conflict for the sake of Israeli peace of mind. If President Obama pulls his nose away from Israel’s backside long enough to see the rest of the world, he will realize that too.

Let me set the record straight. I absolutely resent dictators. I believe the death penalty is too soft a punishment for those who commit acts of terror. I believe the international community should not hesitate to bring terrorists to justice and those who support them. I believe that the majority of Americans are good hardworking citizens who do not share the president’s love for Israel and its international interests. I also strongly believe that Iran is not stupid enough to support acts of terrorism on American soil. Those who benefit from making us believe that are those who want an excuse for a preemptive strike on Iran.

At the end of the day, this is just a small article written by someone who enjoys a good conspiracy theory...!

More than 100 Yemen troops killed in Qaeda attack

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WASHINGTON: US President Barack Obama (right) and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu are seen during a meeting in the Oval Office of the White House yesterday. — AFP

Max 23º Min 10º High Tide 10:57 & 21:58 Low Tide 04:09 & 15:44

WASHINGTON: Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told US President Barack Obama yesterday that Israel must remain the “master of its fate” in a firm defense of his right to mount a unilateral strike on Iran. Netanyahu and Obama met for delicate Oval Office talks taking place amid clear differences on the imminence of the nuclear threat from Iran and after weeks of speculation that Israel may mount go-it-alone military action. “Israel must have the ability always to defend itself, by itself, against any threat,” Netanyahu said in a short, but impassioned comments to cameras at the start of a meeting with Obama, with whom he has had sometimes strained relations.

“After all, that is the very purpose of the Jewish state, to restore to the Jewish people control over our destiny.

That’s why my supreme responsibility as prime minister of Israel is to ensure that Israel remains the master of its fate,” said Netanyahu, who ruffled Obama’s feathers last year with a stunning lecture in the Oval Office. The Obama administration has signaled that it does not yet believe Iran has taken a choice to develop a nuclear weapon, or that the time is right for military action, preferring to give biting new sanctions time to work.

Israel, which sees an Iranian nuclear weapon as a threat to its existence, however believes that Iran may be on the cusp of “break out” capacity - the moment when it could quickly produce weapons-grade uranium.

Obama recognized that it was “unacceptable” for Israel to tolerate Iran developing a nuclear weapon after Continued on Page 13

Ashour to file new Assembly’s first quiz Oppn targets finance minister • Rights panel to tour jail

By B Izzak KUWAIT: Shiite MP Saleh Ashour is expected to file the first grilling of the new National Assembly today against Prime Minister Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak Al-Sabah who is outside the country undergoing medical checkups. Ashour had said the grilling will be based on four issues: the illegal bank deposits scandal, the money transfer scandal, maltreatment of Shiite clerics and a fourth issue he declined to reveal. Ashour and 12 former MPs had been questioned by the public prosecution for allegedly accepting millions of dinars illegally into their local bank accounts. All the other former MPs either lost in the February election or did not contest.

All the alleged violations had been

committed under the previous government and former prime minister Sheikh Nasser Mohammad Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, of whom Ashour was a staunch supporter. Ashour had been also accused of criticizing former opposition MPs who had filed to question the former prime minister over the same issues. The opposition has said it will not oppose the grilling just because it came from a supporter of the former prime minister, but will study it carefully before announcing a stance.

Islamist MP Abdullah Al-Barghash said the opposition will not also agree to refer the grilling to the constitutional court or the Assembly’s legal and legislative committee but will support its debate.

In a move seen as a preparation for grilling Finance Minister Mustafa AlShamali, opposition MP Abdulrahman Al-

Anjari yesterday sent a series of questions to the minister about the state’s local investment portfolios. Anjari demanded details about who authorized the investments into a number of local companies. Anjari and another leading opposition MP Musallam Al-Barrak had threatened to grill Shamali.

Chairman of the Assembly’s human rights committee MP Adel Al-Damkhi said yesterday the committee will visit prisoners at the central jail to examine their situation before embarking on a number of resolutions and draft laws.

Damkhi said the committee’s visit will include writer Mohammad Al-Mulaifi who has been remanded in police custody for 21 days pending trial on charges that he wrote derogator y remarks against Shiites. Mulaifi has been accused

Saudis flex Gulf grip with Bahrain ‘union’ DUBAI: During a sermon last week at Bahrain’s Grand Mosque, the pro-government prayer leader offered sweeping praise for one of the Arab Spring’s counter-revolutions: Gulf rulers bonding together against dissent with powerful Saudi Arabia as their main guardian. The widening Saudi security stamp on the region is already taking shape in Bahrain, where more than a year of Shiite-led unrest shows no sign of easing and the Saudi influence over the embattled Sunni monarchy is on public display.

Portraits of the Saudi King Abdullah some showing him praying - dot the airport in Bahrain’s capital Manama.

Bahrain’s red-and-white flag and the green Saudi colors are arranged with crossed staffs. State media continually lauds the Saudi-led military force that MANAMA: In this Feb 11, 2012 photo, government supporters waving Bahraini and Saudi flags raise a sign backing unity rolled into Bahrain last year as Continued on Page 13 among Gulf nations at the Grand Mosque. — AP

Obama’s transgender ex-nanny an outcast

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Williams scores 57 as Nets dump Bobcats 104-101

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of state security charges of attempting to dismantle the basic foundations of the society in addition to disparaging a sect in the society that could trigger social rifts. The writer has denied the charges, saying that he only wrote an analysis on the Shiites’ performance in the general elections and how various Shiite groups behaved in the Feb 2 parliamentary polls.

Damkhi said that representatives of civil societies will join the committee in the visit and thanked the interior minister for allowing them. Damkhi, a wellknown rights activist before he was elected to the Assembly in February, said the committee’s top priorities is to establish an independent authority for human rights in addition to a draft law on Continued on Page 13

in the

news Kuwait releases Iraqi fishermen

KUWAIT: Kuwait briefly detained an Iraqi fishing boat with 11 men on board that had crossed into the state’s territorial waters, a border security official said yesterday. The fishermen and their boat were handed over to Iraq in line with accords between the two states, said Kuwait’s assistant undersecretary for border security affairs, Major General Mohammad Al-Sabah Mohammad Yussef Al-Sabah, without giving dates.

Another security official told AFP the men were detained on Sunday. Iraqi fishermen have repeatedly complained of harassment by Kuwaiti and Iranian coast guards, but Kuwait maintains they are detained only when they cross into territorial waters.

Kuwait appoints 3 members at CMA DUBAI: Kuwait named three new commissioners to the state’s fledging Capital Markets Authority (CMA), state news agency KUNA said, ending a protracted dispute. The CMA, formally launched in 2011 more than 30 years after the stock market was established, had seen three of its original five commissioners removed by Cabinet decree last October. Local media reports said the men were removed for violating CMA laws by holding other jobs at the same time. The market regulator filed a court challenge to the decree, saying it alone was responsible for enforcing its regulations. KUNA said yesterday the Cabinet had issued a draft decree appointing the three new members - Basel Al-Haroun, Faisal Al-Fahad and Mishal AlOsaimi - in its weekly meeting. The CMA was set up to provide a steadying hand for the Gulf’s third largest stock market in terms of capitalisation, after Saudi Arabia and Qatar.

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TUESDAY, MARCH 6, 2012

LOCAL

Arab parliaments urged to shoulder heavy responsibility Kuwait hosts AIPU conference KUWAIT: Arab parliaments should shoulder heavy responsibility in combating corruption and maintaining rule of law, the Speaker of the National Assembly affirmed.

Ahmed Al-Saadoun was addressing the inaugural session of the 18th Arab Inter-Parliamentary Union (AIPU) conference on Monday.

Welcoming the eminent guests, AlSaadoun expressed gratitude to His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmed Al-Jaber AlSabah, for his patronage of the convention, expressing the hope that it will be crowned with success. “Arab parliaments should bear the great responsibility of realizing the aspirations of its people by combating financial and administrative corruption, enforcing security and shoring up national economy for the sake of ensuring wise governing and rule of the law,” he said.

Affirming that establishing a democratic system is not an easy task and cannot be attained “with a single step,” the veteran Kuwaiti lawmaker said liberation from dictatorship warrants free elections, freedom of expression, establishment of a regime that ensures respect for individuals’ will and dignity, coupled with fundamental social, economic and political changes.

Civil associations can play a basic role in promoting political awareness and boosting human rights, the Speaker said, hinting that democracy could be measured on the basis of the efficiency and independence of such establishments.

Al-Saadoun, a renowned legislator who ser ved for years as Parliament Chairman and member of the Assembly, touched on the “Arab Spring” events saying that since the AIPU conference held in Qatar last February, the Arab world has witnessed very critical and sensitive events. He described these developments as unprecedented and strategic.

The main motive for these events were the aspirations of the Arab people to live a dignified life with reform, political and civil rights. On the Palestinian question, Al-Saadoun affirmed the inability of the international community to stop Israel’s aggression and end its occupation of Arab territories. He also criticized the Quartet, accusing some members of being biased in favor of Israel. He called on the federation of member states to

Strict jet ski laws lead to rise in power boats’ demand

By Nawara Fattahova

KUWAIT: His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmed Al-Jaber Al-Sabah arrives at the 18th Arab InterParliamentary Union (AIPU) conference yesterday. help re-unify Palestinian ranks.

Regarding Syria, he assailed the oppressive regime for perpetrating massacres against the Syrian people, and expressed frustration at the failure of the Security Council to pass a resolution against Damascus. He called on member states to coordinate with international and regional bodies to help secure humanitarian aid for the Syrian people.

Al-Saadoun thanked the AIPU Chairman and Head of the Qatari Consultative Council, Mohammad Al-Khulaifi, for the enormous efforts he exerted during his service as the former Head of the union.

In conclusion, Al-Saadoun expressed hope the conferees will end their gathering with recommendations “that might meet the aspirations and hopes of the Arab people”. Although the Arab Spring movement began last year, its effects are still lingering today, the Secretary General of the Arab InterParliamentary Union (AIPU) said yesterday.

Noureddine Bou Kachouj was speaking during the opening ceremony of the 18th meeting of the

AIPU, held under the auspices of His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber AlSabah.

“The crowds are still calling for freedom, democracy, respect for the law, countering corruption and eliminating poverty,” he stated at the start of the two-day meeting.

He said the uprisings against old regimes have worked well in some Arab countries but “the path ahead is still long for the people of these nations to achieve what they want from their governments.”

These collapsing regime systems face two challenges; inner containment and outer interference that try to impose unfit policies, he said.

Arab countries are at a “dangerous” crossroads, because regimes are incapable of fixing their problems. They lack Arab solidarity and face imminent challenges with terrorism, Kachouj stressed in his speech.

As examples of weak Arab systems, Kachouj referred to the Syrian situation. It has left many civilians dead or stranded without food or fuel for many months, a drastic situation that might lead to

Airport security lapse allows deportees to re-enter KUWAIT: A recent investigation revealed that police officers at the Kuwait International Airport(KIA) committed errors, enabling deported expatriates to sidestep the fingerprint-scanner system and re-enter Kuwait using forged passports. Kuwait began using the advanced system in April last year, enabling authorities to thwart attempts by nearly 1,600 suspects to return to Kuwait using forged passports, according to official statistics. However, police arrested nearly 20 expatriate residents that were registered as deported in state records but managed to re-enter Kuwait after April 2011. According to a security source, an investigation was launched to reveal if any security breaches took place, allowing suspects to evade the system that is connected to a database which displays all information

and criminal records related to a particular individual, seconds after their fingerprints are scanned. Investigations revealed that the system functioned well, but officers operating it committed mistakes. “There were incidents where officers failed to use the system properly, resulting in fingerprints not being scanned the right way, thereby showing inaccurate results,” said the source who spoke anonymously. This is because he is not authorized to speak to the press on the subject. He further confirmed that some security officers allowed passengers into Kuwait without using a fingerprint security scan. Incompetent police officers were identified and referred to higher authorities. The security system will be installed and operated at border checkpoints and seaports within a couple of weeks.

civil war if an end to it is not found.

He added that the Palestinian front is always in a constant clash with unjust Israeli policies.

Ali Al-Doqbasi, Union Speaker, said yesterday the AIPU conference should focus on means to help the Syrian people with resolutions that aim to end their suffering.

During the opening of the conference, Al-Doqbasi said “it is necessary to stop the massacre perpetrated by the Syrian regime against their people,” adding it is the right of the citizens to live in a just, democratic, and free Syria.

Al-Doqbasi hoped the conference would also address problems effecting Arab social and economic security, namely unemployment.

Since its inception in 2005, the AIPU has focused on effor ts to spread welfare and security in the Arab world. The union has been on a mission to intensify Arab cooperation through the cooperation of Arab parliamentarians.

Al-Doqbasi said the AIPU is always willing to cooperate with other entities such as the Arab League, which played an integral part in formulating the general statute of the union.—KUNA

By-elections case closed due to lack of evidence KUWAIT: The Public Prosecution Department(PPD) closed a case pertinent with primary elections held during past parliamentary elections. Three complaints were shelved on Sunday owing to lack of evidence, announced Attorney General Dherar Al-Asousy.

The step comes a week af ter the Public Prosecution Department(PPD) took the same action regarding five other complaints. “The Public Prosecution Department was unable to take any case to court after complaints were filed by the Ministry of Interior to find concrete evidence,” Al-Asousy told Al-Qabas.

The Interior Ministry reportedly provided testimonies to police officers as the only evidence to prove illegal primary election operations. In order for a case to be established, concrete evidence like submitting the ballot box or a list containing candidates’ names should be published. Several legal activists questioned the reason which prevented police officers from collecting concrete evidence. The activists further argued that unless the ministry plans to enforce the criminal law properly, it ought to be canceled. — Al-Qabas

KUWAIT: Following the enforcement of strict regulations on jet ski drivers, many are now considering selling their jet skis, replacing them with motorboats. The law was passed few years ago but is now strictly implemented by coastguards.

Salah, a 28-year-old jet ski owner, decided to sell his new jet ski. “I don’t want to be breaking the law and paying fines just because I want to have some fun. I’m not harming or annoying anybody. I feel restricted about using and enjoying my jet ski. I decided to sell the jet ski and buy a powerboat, which is similar in function and performance, and does not fall under the ambit of the law,” he told Kuwait Times.

He explained the reason behind this decision, “Well, it was not only me. I used to enjoy riding my jet ski in Bnaider. Now, the coastguards are very strict and do not let them near the beach. The second new restriction is the ban on jet ski use in deep seas. I used to go to some islands with it in the past, now I’m not able to do so without facing hefty fines,” added Salah.

The coastguards officials explained the reasons behind this, “A few years ago, jet ski accidents took place near the beach. Many people were injured

and some even died. This led to passing a strict law to protect people. The jet ski driver should maintain a distance of at least 200 meters from the beach. The fines start from KD 100 and above depending on the violation. We May be penalized if a jet ski violation is committed,” said a police officer who requested anonymity. The Marine Surveillance Department at the Ministry of Communication is responsible for passing this law, “It is dangerous for drivers to go the distance (mid-sea) as their tanks may run out of fuel.

Some jet skis also take plastic tanks filled with fuel to cover the distance.

This practice will endanger the driver’s life. This is why we aim to protect them,” added the official.

He also suggested that the Ministry of Interior enforce a legal age to ride jet skis. A young person should be assisted by an adult, he said. The official added that the Ministry make it mandatory for jet skis to bear a number plate. Kumar, a salesman of a popular agency selling jet skis, jet boats, and other boats and motors noted that their sales have slightly increased recently. “In general, it depends on the customer. Families prefer boats, while bachelors go for jet skis. I have noticed an increase in sales of power boats more than jet skis recently,” Kumar pointed out.

Fitness Training for firemen and officers

By Hanan Al-Saadoun KUWAIT: Kuwait Fire Services Directorate (KFSD) recently organized its third annual two-month daily fitness training course.

KFSD’s Safety and Vocational Hygiene Unit Chief, Colonel Tareq Al-Sabti, said previous courses only included firemen up to the rank of major. Upon instructions from Director Major General Jassim Al-Mansouri, this course includes officers

up to the ranks of lieutenant colonel and colonel.

Al-Sabti explained that fitness is also required for officers in higher ranks. He said even if they are fire chiefs or zone managers they occasionally have to join their men at the scene of fires and must be physically fit enough to do so.

He thanked his colleagues for setting good examples for the officers and firemen by attending the course and arriving on time.

Kuwaiti society donates $324,000 to Jerusalem committee AMMAN: Kuwait Society for the Revival of Islamic Heritage has granted $324,000 in aid to the Jerusalem (Quds) Zakat Committee in line with the country’s policy of giving assistance at the official and private levels to various nations and communities.

Humanitarian aid for the Palestinians is a duty that cannot be neglec ted, said the Kuwaiti Ambassador to Jordan Dr Hamad Al-Duaij after the diplomat delivered a check to the commission. He praised the Kuwaiti leaders, namely His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, who encourages philanthropic aid, particularly for Jerusalem.

The Jerusalem commission is an independent authority, headquarters of which is based at the holy Al-Aqsa mosque.

Ashraf Salhab, in charge of projects and orphans’ affairs, who received the financial donation, hailed Kuwait for being a leading country for granting aid to the philanthropic projects in the Palestinian regions. The commission aids orphans, poor people, holds iftar meals and organizes Quran recitation courses. — KUNA

KUWAIT: Kuwaiti firemen at fitness training course.

TUESDAY, MARCH 6, 2012

LOCAL

News

in brief

Pay raise proposals KUWAIT: Acting Prime Minister and Minister of Interior, Sheikh Ahmad Al-Humoud, chaired the Cabinet meeting and the Civil Service Council has been formed. It will be headed by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, Mustafa Al-Shamali, sources said. Al-Shamali has called for a meeting today to prepare recommendations for salary increases to the Council of Ministers next Sunday. The Sunday meeting is supposed to be chaired

by His Highness the Prime Minister, Sheikh Jaber Al Mubarak. Increments will be approved within the new financial year 2012/2013, sources said.

The group of Kuwaiti and Japanese students at the Al-Sayer Headquarters at Shuwaikh Free Port Zone yesterday. —- Photos by Ben Garcia

Ken Yoshida, right, with Nanami Tamura at the venue

Japanese students share earthquake experiences, culture with Kuwaitis Youth Exchange program

By Ben Garcia KUWAIT: Nanami Tamura and Ken Yoshida are two of the 14 Japanese students currently visiting Kuwait to express gratitude with the Kuwaiti people for lending support during the earthquake that devastated their country a year ago.

The Japanese students are in Kuwait, as part of the Kuwait-Japan Youth Exchange program to celebrate 50 years of diplomatic relations. “We were already scheduled to visit Kuwait on March 14 last year.

However, because of the earthquake, [which struck on March 11, 2011] we were forced to postpone the trip,” said Akiko Kato, Secretary General, Japan Future Leaders School.

According to Kato, Kuwait wanted their presence here, and re-scheduled the visit. Japan Future Leaders School organizes an annual event every summer to provide their students a real-world exposure and experience other cultures.

The Japanese students were accorded with a reception yesterday at Al-Sayer Headquarters in Shuwaikh Port Zone,

where they given opportunity to meet and greet their Kuwaiti counterparts. The visit is sponsored by Al-Sayer Group.

Before the start of the session, both parties offered delectable sweets and explained their symbolism and purpose.

Kuwait had extended aid to Japan during the devastating earthquake and tsunami that ravaged the country one year ago. The country donated five million barrels of oil to Japan. Nanami and Yoshida are both from Iwate Prefecture, a town badly damaged by tsunami in the March 11, 2011 earthquake. Their families were miraculously saved. However, some friends and relatives perished, along with 23,000 others. “I am still feeling sad about the loss of lives in my city,” said Nanami, a 17-year-old student from Japan Future Leaders School. “Two of my classmates died with their families. We are thankful that my father acted quickly as soon as we heard about the earthquake. We were trained to do that, and we were advised to immediately leave the place once an earthquake of that magnitude struck. All my family members were saved, but

Woman drug dealer arrested

By Hanan Al-Saadoun KUWAIT: An Asian woman was recently arrested in possession of 100 grams of heroin, security sources said. Case papers indicate that narcotics detectives were tipped about the suspect’s activity in selling drugs. After closely watching her, a search warrant was issued to search her residence, where detectives found the drugs hidden. The suspect confessed to possessing it for personal use as well as for trade. A case was filed and the suspect was referred to the relevant authorities.

KUWAIT: The Asian woman pictured after her arrest.

Road accidents A 23-year-old citizen sustained bruises all over when his vehicle collided into another along the road between Mubarak Al-Kabeer and Qurain, security sources said. The man was rushed to Adan Hospital for treatment.

A 22-year-old citizen sustained facial wounds and bruises all over when he lost control over his bike and slid along Cooperation Road in Salwa. Security sources said the man was taken to Mubarak Hospital for treatment.

A 29-year-old Egyptian sustained a facial wound during a fight with others near the Avenues Mall in Rai. He was taken to Sabah Hospital.

A 38-year-old citizen sustained various injuries in a car accident along King Fahad Highway during the early hours of the morning, security sources said, adding that the man was rushed to Adan Hospital for treatment.

A 20-year-old citizen was rushed to Amiri Hospital for treatment of injuries he sustained in a road accident along the Fifth Ring Road.

Five people (four citizens and an Egyptian with ages ranging between 20 to 59) sustained various injuries in a road collision along the Fifth Ring Road near Riggae.

A 65-year-old Iranian was rushed to Adan Hospital with a serious pelvic fracture he sustained in a traffic accident in Fahaheel.

Mubarak Port not to be discussed KUWAIT: Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri AlMaliki will arrive in Kuwait on March 14, sources said, hoping that this visit will strengthen the relationship between the two countries. The discussions will focus on bilateral relations and other pending files to develop natural unstrained relations between the two countries.

Sources said Mubarak port will not be

discussed during this visit, adding there is nothing to be discussed on the subject; Mubarak port is there and will remain, and work is currently in progress.

Sources said even if Al-Maliki speaks about Iraq getting out of Chapter Seven, Kuwait has nothing to do with the matter as the decision is in the hands of the United Nations. —Al-Anbaa

‘We have been expecting airport tragedy for years’ KUWAIT: The error in landing systems that took place at the Kuwait International Airport (KIA) during a sandstorm Friday night is a natural result of corruption in the country’s civil aviation department, remarked a leading unionist who said that the incident did not surprise him.

“We have been expecting a tragic aviation accident to take place any time soon,” said Rajab Al-Refaei, Head of the Labor Union at the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA). He accused the DGCA of ignoring repeated calls to upgrade outdated equipment installed at the airport, and the subject will be discussed with Salem Al-Othainah, Minister of Communications “who expressed interest in following up with the issue.”

Union member Abdul-Aziz AlMuhailan told Al-Rai that many of the equipment used at the airport have

been operational since 1984, while others were installed in 1991 and 1995 respectively.

Meanwhile, the incident which forced a Lufthansa Kuwait-bound flight to be diverted to Al-Dammam Airport in Saudi Arabia elicited reactions from lawmakers including Dr Waleed AlTabtabaei. He said that he plans to file query minister Al-Othainah on the matter. “The minister and DGCA officials should launch an immediate investigation into the case, and find out the reasons why no backup plans were taken when an error took place,” Al-Tabtabaei said. MP Nabeel Al-Fadhl said that an investigation is necessary to obtain more information.

In other parliamentary news, five MPs recently submitted a proposal to establish a national human rights authority that is affiliated to the Ministry of Justice. —Al-Rai

many of my friends vanished, including their homes. In fact, my house was totally wrecked. Today, we are still living in the shelter provided by the government,” she explained. Nanami saw how their home was completely obliterated by the unrelenting gush of water from a distance.

“We cried helplessly at the mountain top after witnessing many homes, including ours, being taken and washed away by a gigantic wave. All our belongings were lost, including the memories of that house,” she reminisced.

Like Nanami, Ken’s family survived too, thanks to their ‘earthquake preparedness training,’ imparted at school. Ken was at school when earthquake struck Iwate Prefecture at a magnitude of eight on the Richter scale. “In our place, we are taught to clean the classroom right after the class. We were cleaning the room and preparing to leave the school when earthquake struck. When we felt the ground beneath us shaking, we rushed for safety. None of us from school were hurt, there were no injuries too. Some of my classmates’ family members working

in the coastal areas died. I am thankful that no one in my family was hurt,” he shared.

Nearly, 13 Kuwaiti university and highschool students participated in the event, including the two Japanese students studying Arabic at the Kuwait University under a government scholarship program sponsored by the Kuwaiti government. “We are here to be part of this occasion and thank the Kuwaiti people for their generosity.

We are five Japanese students learning the Arabic language sponsored by Kuwaiti government. We have been here for the last four months, and so far, we’ve been enjoying their hospitality and generosity. We are learning the language as well as their culture and tradition. Kuwait is a beautiful country and very rich in many aspects,” said Ai Odoriba, a Japanese student studying at the Kuwait University’s Language Center. She attended the event along with her classmate Natsumi Moriea. Yukihiro Nikaido, Japanese Embassy Charge D’ Affairs to Kuwait was present at the event.

Syrians dependant visas KUWAIT: The Ministry of Interior intends to allow certain sections of Syrian expatriates to bring their families to Kuwait on dependent visas and visit visas. Informed sources said the decision was made after some MPs demanded it on humanitarian grounds.

Call to exert studies KUWAIT: National Guard Deputy Chief, Sheikh Mishaal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, called on all national guards to exert efforts in various fields of study to enhance military intelligence. Sheikh Mishal Al-Ahmad received the Chief of the National Guard Sports Federation, Major Saleh Jamaan Mohammad, who obtained his masters degree. His thesis was titled ëEvaluation of the sports activity program in the National Guard sports federation in light of strategic managementí. Sheikh Mishal praised Major Mohammad for his efforts and wished him success. Sheikh Mishal stressed the importance of this paper to enhance sporting activity within the National Guard.

Marriage loan increased KUWAIT: Minister of State for Housing Affairs has issued a resolution lifting the first marriage loan to KD 6,000. It stipulates that the Ministry of Finance pays back KD 2,000 and the debtor pays the remaining sum in equal monthly interest-free installments. The resolution was issued by Minister Shuaib Al-Muwaizri, who is also Minister of State for National Assembly Affairs. It was based on law number 30 (1965), Minister of State for Housing Affairsí resolution number 3 (2012) regarding the constituent law of Kuwait Credit and Savings Bank and resolution number 95 (2007)concerning the law of social loans, as well as approval by the board of the Central Bank at its meeting held last November.The first provision of the resolution stipulates amending the first paragraph of article 3 of resolution number 95(2007).

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TUESDAY, MARCH 6, 2012

LOCAL kuwait digest

Buying lawmakers’ silence

By Abdulaziz Al-Duaij ccording to a recent news report, the Government is studying the option to organize the way to tend to transactions presented by MPs on behalf of citizens. In other words, this means the Government is looking to legalize the process by which lawmakers mediate to finish voters transactions.

If said plan goes through, it will confirm claims that lawmakers spend a lot of time at state departments filing papers on behalf of Kuwaiti citizens to finalize them as soon as possible.

I say while they are at it, why not amend article 79 of the Constitution to make it say “No transaction may be finalized unless it has been submitted by a Parliament member and signed by a minister”, instead of “No law may be promulgated unless it has been passed by the National Assembly and sanctioned by the Amir”?

Better yet, why not change the article which says that a Parliament member represents the whole nation, into ‘a parliament member serves the whole nation’?

In all seriousness though, the mere thought that the Cabinet looks to ‘organize’ an inappropriate parliamentary practice is further proof of the government’s lack of full commitment to democratic and constitutional principles (as if we needed further proof, following what happened during Parliament’s inaugural session when some MPs manipulated their oath).

This thought means that the Government supports

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the idea of turning lawmakers into representatives whose main job is to help citizens finalize transactions at state departments, and eventually turn Parliament from a legislative authority into a department that handles citizens’ paperwork.

It is also important to ask ourselves why a citizen needs an MP’s help to finalize their transactions in the first place. How come the Government does not make it easier for citizens to finish their official paperwork smoothly? Is there a reason why the Government still wants citizens to remain ‘in need’ of MPs? According to the reports, the proposed governmental body will have the authority to reject any transaction that fails to meet necessary conditions, and pass those which apply to these standards. But does a transaction that meets the conditions really need to go through a lawmaker and then a specialized government office before reaching its destination? In other countries, official government paperwork is processed by mail!

This makes me believe that the Government deliberately complicates the process of finalizing transactions to force citizens to seek MPs’ help. Of course, a lawmaker would have to maintain good relations with ministers to ensure that voters’ transactions are not blocked. The price? The Government buys MPs’ silence on its unproductively and mismanagement.— Al-Qabas

kuwait digest

Political parties’ social disintegration

kuwait digest

Criminalizing hate speech

By Mubarak Al-Maosharji

By Dr Hassan Abbas

kuwait digest

Bye, bye migraine!

By Thaar Al-Rashidi o be friendly with your plan means that you accept it, believe that it will leave, at least hope that it can be considered an unacceptable guest. Days are like people, some walk in and out of our lives. For a decade and a half, I learned to reconcile with my suffering and accept it. Ever since I was diagnosed with migraine, I decided not to listen to any government doctor’s advice. This decision has helped me a lot. By the grace of Allah, I avoided the situation of having to become an experimental project for some doctors. They spend years studying this noble profession!

Also, I do not seek advice from those that claim to heal you by reading some religious verses or alternative therapy. I know many have reaped riches by practicing such dubious healing methods.

T

In the Ramadan of 2003, I discovered that migraine does not attack me during the holy month.

As soon as it ends, it attacks me intermittently. I then decided to change my eating habits completely. I began eating one meal a day. I have been on this diet for nine years and migraine attacks have reduced a lot, more than any medicine!

I offer this piece of advice to anyone suffering from migraine. There is no better medicine than fasting. Our Prophet Mohammed (PBUH) said, “Man never fills a pot as much as he fills his stomach.” I think this is the logical explanation, the only one.

Note: I wish some MPs would begin fasting, instead of fueling political tensions. We need calm so that we can build our state. Their declarations can only induce migraine in everyone. — Al-Anbaa

had the opportunity, when I was a Kuwait University student, to witness an example of political work in the form of students’ voters lists. Back then, I was frustrated that each list contained names of those that belonged to one religious sect. Students belonging to different backgrounds were categorized accordingly. This was the main reason why I never voted during student elections. This was the case until I created a new list containing the names of members from different social backgrounds.

I

If political parties are formed in Kuwait, chances are that each one of them will mainly represent a sectarian component of society. This means that each party will focus on what best serves the interests of the tribe they represent, thereby giving an unfair disadvantage to minorities as well as individuals whose approach is shaped by their personal point of view.

Memories of these days came to mind recently as I read reports about attempts to pass a regulation that allows the formation of political associations; a prelude to legalizing political parties. In my opinion, I do not think Kuwait needs political parties or associations that are sectarian, given the level of fundamentalism currently at play in society. I believe that political parties do more harm than good to a society when it feeds off sectarian tensions between its members - the situation in Lebanon, Iraq and Egypt being prime examples.

If political parties are formed in Kuwait, chances are that each one of them will mainly represent a sectarian component of society. This means that each party will focus on what best serves the interests of the tribe they represent, thereby giving an unfair disadvantage to minorities as well as individuals whose approach is shaped by their personal point of view.

I can hardly think of a political association in Kuwait that may admit an activist from a different background. If we take that into consideration, we can say that legalizing political association would do more social disintegration than help boost social unity. Moreover, it would allow for the local political scene to be controlled by parties which give priority to social groups rather than public good. — Al-Rai

ews reports recently hinted that MPs plan to propose a draft law to criminalize hateful speech. Further details about this draft law remain unclear at this point. I cannot help but predict that such a law would be the worst idea that Parliament could think of, especially when its majority are a basic part of the problem.

The law is a failure, because MPs are usually the first people you think of when hateful speech is mentioned in Kuwait. If you do not believe me then go back to recent Parliamentary sessions, especially the one which discussed the situation in Syria. It was a session filled with sectarian-oriented hate. It was a session during which some lawmakers opened up and released what has been brewing within for years. How can lawmakers like that pass a law to criminalize hate? It’s like expecting a bird of prey to become vegetarian.

I am not saying that the law is doomed to fail because it is unnecessary, but because the draft law is proposed by lawmakers who adopt closeminded policies. Islamists MPs, who form a majority in Parliament, have a history of looking into things from a single dimension while disdaining others who view things from different perspectives. They have an ideology by which they believe that they are actually doing what God wants them to do by hating those who disagree with their views.

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The proposed law seeks to eliminate hate from society. The fact that it is proposed by people who share animosity towards other religious beliefs does not make sense to me.

The most important part about criminalizing hateful speech is to enforce respect for people’s different religious beliefs. You can’t eliminate hate unless you spread mutual respect among social groups and make sure that they can all express their views freely and no minority group ever feels marginalized.

Before criminalizing hateful speech, regulations need to be enforced in order to maintain equality among citizens regardless of their beliefs or social background; just as the Constitution says.

The proposed law seeks to eliminate hate from society. The fact that it is proposed by people who share animosity towards other religious beliefs does not make sense to me. —Al-Rai

kuwait digest

Sheep, bells and dogs!

By Nabil Al-Fadhl hey challenged brother Ali Al-Rashid, criticized him and rejected his call to amend the Constitution, considering it a sacred book.

They considered the mere thought of amending it an unforgiveable sin that calls for punishing anyone that made such demands. His daring tongue was ripped off and thrown to ‘Obaid’s dogs’ to feed on, while the hyena dance to tunes.

Suddenly things changed and everyone turned against the Constitution and filled Determination Square, Parliament and private diwaniyas with dancing, smoking, expletives, tampering with ministers’ drawers and even symbolically stealing the Speaker’s gavel for hidden symbolic reasons.

Now, the Constitution is bad and needs to be amended! Beware of contradicting them or refusing to follow ‘the herd’! In short it is becoming clear that these people seek sheep or goats to silently follow their footsteps, as the sturdy ram with curved horns.

T

The brainwashed flock followed after being trained to brag ‘We are free!’ The truth is that they are only carrying out orders under a hypnotic effect. At best, if they were anything better than sheep, they would only be enslaved to wicked lusty and eager charisma that adores sabotage and destruction.

They would never settle down until worms consume the ‘dead corpse ‘ or if its source dries up!

“Fallen ......bribed....hypocrites....cast them out of your houses....cast them out of your diwaniyas......dogs..... hell with them...... corrupt...... slaves and masters,” are examples of the ‘profound’ language used by the ‘fake’ Opposition heroes, who mainly depend on Qatari funds. Accordingly, we promise to address them in the way they deserve.

This is, if we make it there and manage to sit beside Faisal Al-Mislem. We hope that the Minister of Information and his undersecretary can take up such a responsibility. — Al-Watan

TUESDAY, MARCH 6, 2012

local

MENA governments must utilize social media: Report ‘General belief that social media only reaches youth’

By Lisa Conrad

KUWAIT: Students from Food Sciences Institute and PAAET recently paid a visit to the Sharq seafront stores. Capital Municipality Manager Falah Al-Shammari said that the visit was a good opportunity for students to learn about the safety measures and specifications that inspectors usually seek when examining meat, vegetables, fruits. — Photos by Hanan Al-Saadoun

NBK donates KD 4 million for new cancer wing KUWAIT: National Bank of Kuwait (NBK) will donate KD 4 million to build a state-of-the-art cancer wing for the NBK Children’s Hospital. The new center will expand the hospital’s ability to treat children with cancer and blood diseases.

The single largest corporate social responsibility donation in Kuwait, the project has been approved by the Cabinet and testifies to NBK’s extensive and deeply rooted commitment to the Kuwait community.

“This donation emphasizes NBK’s role in supporting the country’s health care institutions,” said Isam Al-Sager, NBK deputy group chief executive officer. Seventeen years ago, NBK pioneered corporate social responsibility programs by funding the NBK Children’s hospital which focused on providing treatment for children’ suffering from leukemia. “We are committed to Kuwait and with this donation, we will expand the services and treatments available to help children to cover a variety of cancers,” Al Sager added.

The state-of-the-art hospital will be fully equipped with the latest treatment and diagnostic technologies.

NBK’s corporate social responsibility program includes a variety of initiatives for health and well being. Along with funding the NBK Children’s Hospital, the bank also organizes like the annual NBK Walkathon, health awareness campaigns and other activities.

Customs union receives lawmakers’ backing KUWAIT: The Customs Labor Union received an assurance from lawmakers that their demands for more financial privileges will be pushed forward, said Chairman Ahmad Al-Enizy.

These statements do not specify if the Union plans to take part in a protest planned for tomorrow featuring several trade unions, including the union representing legal staff members.

In the meantime, Abdurrahman Al-Sumait ,Head of the National Union for Kuwait Workers and Employees warned during the NUKWE general assembly meeting held on Sunday that a “mass labor strike could take place in all ministries and state departments” if the government fails to approve workers’ financial demands.

Isam Al-Sager

KUWAIT: MENA governments must ‘speak the language of social media,’ according to a report published last week by Booz and Company. The report noted the importance of social media in connecting governments with their citizens, but added that regional governments have only recently started taking notice, and are really trying to utilize it properly. Given the amount of time people spend interacting with the media, it is certainly food for thought.

Ramez Shehadi, a partner with Booz and Company in Beirut, revealed “A study conducted

by Insights MENA in December 2010 shows that the average user in the region spends up to nine hours a day interacting with media - whether accessing the Internet, watching television, or texting.” What’s more, Booz and Company’s report noted that Facebook subscriptions in the region increased by an average of 30 percent between the months of January and April 2011.

Local social media and communications expert, Hind Al-Nahedh, revealed that 68 percent of women in Kuwait use Facebook. As of yet, however, Al-Nahedh said “Social media in the Middle East, so far, has been used more for political motives than for brand marketing communication. Its use during the Arab Spring made it important in the region, and people started taking notice.” She continued, “the region is still adapting to social media, possibly because of our cultural values and background. Each country adapts and uses it in a different way, and major uses of it here at the moment are news updates, discussing politics, blogging, and small business marketing through Facebook pages etc.”

However, for governments looking to connect with their constituents, it’s not as simple as joining Twitter or making a Facebook account.

When it comes to social media, the report noted that governments must carefully tend to their

online channels to ensure that they meet national objectives. According to the report, this is of particular importance, given the more public stage that social media provides, “Social media has created a realm where users constantly share information, track responses, and explore news and opinion in a transparent environment.”

Al-Nahedh also highlighted the importance of creating such an environment in Kuwait using social media, “I encourage, and would strongly recommend, the Kuwaiti government to better listen to what people are saying online. It is important to give the people space to engage with the government regarding direction and initiatives, and activating e-gov social media will provide the ideal platform for this.” She added, “Some GCC governments have become very active in social media nowadays.”

“It would be amazing to be able to contact government officials directly through Twitter,” said 24-year-old graduate student, Fahad. “It would increase accountability, because you can’t start up and then ignore comments from followers. It would be nice to be able to get a direct answer or at least, some insight,” he added. A 32year-old mother of three, Shaikha, said “I would certainly follow prominent Kuwaiti politicians. It would be great to see them make that extra effort to connect with citizens and keep us more involved.”

Creating the ideal social media platform is certainly not a simple task. Danny Karam, Senior Associate with Booz and Company in Beirut, noted the importance of investing not only money, but also time into building effective social media channels, “Establishing effective social media channels at the core of a government’s engagement strategy is not as simple as setting aside the necessary funds and creating a department tasked with the responsibility of building it.” He added, “In many cases, it will require a fundamental rethinking of how the government com-

ProMedia International to host Social Media Conference KUWAIT: ProMedia International prepares the launch of the Arabian Social Media Conference and Exhibition, the first international event to be held in Kuwait at the Radisson Blu Hotel on May 9 and 10, under the patronage of the Minister of Communication Salim AlOzainah.

The event manager of the organizing committee, Noor Al-Mousa stressed the importance of this topic at this time, especially in this ever growing digital world which is impacting media and advertising, direct services to institutions, companies and individuals. Among the panel of speakers, includes Patrick Atallah, CEO of 90:10 Group, a famous social networking consultancy with offices throughout Europe and Middle East. Also, Ramzi Halabi and Zafer Younis from The Online Project will deliver important presentations on the future of social networks and the reasons that make social media different in the Middle East than the rest of the world.

Rasha Mourtada who is a researcher at the Dubai School of Government will talk about the effect of information technology, telecommunications, government and societal transformation in the Arab World.

The Gold Sponsor of the event, Facelift is the technology partner of choice for leading brands in many indus-

Salim Al-Ozainah tries including media, e-commerce, fashion, tourism, luxury goods, sports, and beauty. Because they believe that personal and local support is essential, they are currently growing their organization from around 30 to more than 60 people, opening offices across Europe and the Middle East.

Noor Al-Mousa is calling for those who would be interested in this event.

Delegates and participants will learn about the latest social networking technology through a two-day conference.

All new updates can be found on the event website www.arabiansocialmedia.com

municates with residents, an embrace of transparency and collaboration, and a willingness to establish a platform without a clear sense of how it will be used.”

Booz and Company’s report adds that governmental social media efforts should include eCommunication, in the form of providing information, e-Contribution, which provides constituents with the chance to offer feedback and raise concerns, and e-Participation and eInclusion, which includes constituents in participation and includes them in government processes. These are all key aspects used by governments who made a successful transition to social media, the report noted.

Al-Nahedh agreed that improved communication is a key benefit that can be expected when governments successfully utilize social media, noting that it can greatly amplify communication between constituents and the government in a timely manner. This, she added, allows for governments to react to issues as they arise and break down barriers. Al-Nahedh further added, “Social media totally revolutionizes how governments reach their public. For example, it totally changed the American elections. A columnist, Chris O’Brien, even said that social media in 2012 will make the 2008 elections feel like the dark ages of digital world. During the Kuwait elections, the main focus was the #omma2012 hashtag on Twitter.”

According to Al-Nahedh, Twitter is growing into the fastest, most popular tool for Kuwaitis to keep up with the news and stay updated. She added, however, that it was not utilized to its full potential during the elections, “The usage during elections was effective, but basic, and was not conducted in the most strategic manner.

Many are resistant to trying new tools and are so accustomed to their usual marketing methods.

There’s the perception here that social media only reaches the youth.”

international book fair MUSCAT: Kuwait is participating in the 17th Muscat International Book Fair with around 500 Arab and international book publishers. Kuwait’s participation came through the Ministry of Information, the National Council for Culture, Arts and Letters (NCCAL), Kuwait Foundation for the Advancement of Sciences (KFAS), the Center for Research and Studies on Kuwait (CRSK), and Kuwait Bookstores and Publications Company. — KUNA

6

TUESDAY, MARCH 6, 2012

LOCAL

Four masseuse held for prostitution in Salmiya Two trapped children rescued KUWAIT: Four masseurs were arrested in Salmiya, where investigations revealed they used their job as a cover for prostitution. An investigation was recently opened after police received a tip that four Asian women use their job to offer sexual services. The women run a massage business inside a Salmiya apartment. A warrant was issued to raid the apar tment. The suspec ts were caught red-handed after undercover agents were sent inside. The four remain in custody pending deportation procedures.

Children rescued Two children, trapped inside a burning apartment in Khaitan, were rescued by firefighters recently. Firefighters were present at the building minutes after a fire was repor ted in a second-floor apar tment.

Rescuers managed to free two children trapped behind the flames as firefighters kept the fire under control. An investigation was opened to determine the cause of the fire.

Teens with knives Fifteen teenagers were held in possession of light weapons usually used in fights at Hawally Leisure Park. The discoveries happened during an unscheduled police crackdown at Hawally Park.

Several youths were caught with knives and electric tasers. The teenagers were released after being held briefly at the park’s security point.

Their contraband was confiscated.

Bird stolen A citizen reported his KD1,500 African grey parrot stolen from inside the Al-Rai Pet Market recently. In his statement to Shuwaikh police station officers, the man said he headed to the market to sell the valuable bird, but it was stolen when he left it in its cage for a few minutes to look at other rare birds put up for sale. An investigation is ongoing.

Car thief held A car thief was arrested in Ali Sabah Al-Salem after a national made a citizen’s arrest to prevent the suspect from escaping. The citizen reportedly

looked out of the window of his house after hearing strange noises. He witnessed someone trying to break into his car. He went outside and followed the thief, who tried to escape on foot.

Eventually, the citizen was able to catch the suspect with help from pedestrians. They restrained him until police arrived and placed him under arrest. Investigations revealed that the suspect is responsible for seven car thefts reported in the same area. He explained that he is unemployed and needed money. He remains in custody pending legal procedures.

Addicted son A middle-aged citizen handed over his addicted son to Al-Waha police station, saying that he kept his habits despite being recently released from the central jail. The suspect was under the influence at the time his father turned him in. He was put behind bars pending legal action. His father explained that he “grew tired” of trying to keep his son under control, as he usually caused trouble after getting high.

—Al-Rai, Al-Watan, Al-Anba

KUWAIT: The Kuwait Autism Center held its annual spring club activities, featuring educational and entertainment events. Several art-related workshops and sporting events like swimming were held. Outdoor trips and training sessions were organized under the supervision of expert trainers.

The closing ceremony was fun-filled and engaging.

Photos by Abdulaziz Al-Asousi (left) and Jacek Wozniak

Good response to KT photography competition KUWAIT: Kuwait Times has always admired the talent and enthusiasm of photographers. Last year, we received an overwhelming response from more than 3,000 entrants.

This year, we are expecting more! This year’s competition began on Feb 19 and will run till March 30 under the theme -

‘Kuwait’s National and Liberations Days.’

This competition cannot be realized without the support of our generous sponsors. Canon, the main sponsor, will give away six different DSLR cameras, while cosponsors Swiss-Bel Hotel Kuwait will present six weekend offers for two people, Caesar’s Travels Company will give away six

airline tickets and Response Media will provide materials.

Anyone is free to participate in the competition, and winning entries will be awarded with exciting prizes. Kuwait Times will invite professional, independent judges who are artistes in their own merit to select the best photos.

Shooter in custody

By Hanaan Al-Saadoun KUWAIT: A citizen who fired a shot at the reception lounge of Al-Rai newspaper’s headquarters remains in custody. The suspect said that he committed the act after the newspaper refused to publish his story. During investigations, he added that reporters did not believe his claims that a police officer had implanted an electronic chip in his mouth that greatly affected his mental abilities and behavior. No injuries were reported.

Officer assaulted A motorcyclist was arrested after he ran over a traffic police officer along Al-Fahaheel Highway. According to the officer’s testimony, the suspect allegedly knocked him down deliberately and escaped. The officer was not seriously injured.

Land scam An Egyptian man pressed charges at the Hawally police station against a compatriot who reportedly stole KD 2,000 from his possession. The suspect disappeared after receiving the money, falsely promising the victim assistance in buying a plot of land.

Property damage Investigations are currently ongoing to identify suspects who have been accused of damaging disabled citizen’s care home in Al-Naeem. The case was filed Sunday at the area’s police station.

Missing girl found A girl was found in Al-Mangaf on Sunday, four days after her family filed a missing person report. Police located her at a rentby-day apartment . During investigations, she explained that mistreatment prompted her to escape from her family home.

KUWAIT: A team from the Commercial Bank of Kuwait paid a visit to the Subaiah bint Al-Harith School for girls to organize cultural activities as part of the CBK’s ongoing campaign which features a competition to select the best cultural media file.

Kuwait to take part in GCC meeting JEDDAH: Kuwaiti member of the GCC’s Supreme Consultative Council Sulaiman Al-Shaheen arrived in Jeddah late Sunday to partake in the council’s 15th meeting to kickstart today. Al-Shaheen said that the meeting would touch on the formation of a GCC confederation in addition to topics related to civil aviation, health, employment and youth.

The Kuwaiti official also touched on the Saudi initiative, proposed during the 32nd GCC Summit held in Riyadh by King Abduallah bin Abdulaziz last December, which called for transforming the GCC into a Union, saying that the issue would be brought up during discussions.

The GCC consultative committee was came to be on a resolution which came out of the 18th GCC summit which was held in Kuwait. The committee consists of 30 members, with each GCC state having five representatives. —KUNA

Apartment burglary A Salmiya resident reported that a theft took place in his apartment. The Egyptian citizen explained that he found his apartment’s door broken. He learnt that KD 1,000 and jewelry had went missing. Criminal investigators were referred to the scene.

Easy movement of travelers at border checkpoints KUWAIT: Personnel of the Ministry of Interior posted at the border checkpoints secured easy movement of travelers in February, a ranking ministry official said yesterday.

The personnel accomplished the mission of securing orderly and easy crossing of people through the exits, according to regulations, and in line with guidelines of the First Deputy Premier and Minister of Interior Sheikh Ahmad Al-Homoud Al-Jaber Al-Sabah and the Undersecretary, Lieutenant General Ghazi Abdul Rahman Al-Omar, said Major General Mohammad Al-

Dosari, the Director General of the General Directorate of Land crossings, in a statement.

Procedures for the passing of the travelers were done quickly and effectively due to installment of technological systems and assignment of welltrained and qualified cadres, he added.

Number of travelers who crossed Salmi and Nuwaiseeb border points, in Februar y, were around 3,500 and 2,000.

Maj Gen Al-Dosari affirmed keenness on further upgrading services at the border checkpoints. —KUNA

TUESDAY, MARCH 6, 2012

Prosecutor to charge man in Polish train collision Page 10

Suu Kyi canvasses on Myanmar regime’s doorstep Page 12

‘Qaeda fighters’ kill 27 police in Iraq Insurgents dressed in military simultaneously attack 2 checkpoints

HADITHA: Iraqi police look at the bodies of slain policemen in the western city of Haditha yesterday.—AFP

HADITHA: Suspected Al-Qaeda gunmen, some wearing army uniforms, raged through a western Iraq city yesterday in a pre-dawn shooting spree that k illed 27 policemen, including two officers killed execution-style. The assault, launched at about 2:00 am (2300 GMT on Sunday), saw insurgents dressed in militar y uniforms simultaneously attacking two checkpoints in the east and west of Haditha before storming other security posts and raiding the homes of the two officers.

Yesterday’s violence, the deadliest in Iraq since February 23, comes just weeks before an Arab League summit due to be held in Baghdad at the end of the month, preparation for which has been completed, Iraqi President Jalal Talabani said.

“We received 27 dead bodies, all of them policemen, and treated three policemen who were wounded,” Fadhil Al-Nimrawi, director of Haditha’s hospital, told AFP. He added that the hospital also received the body of a gunman. Anbar security chief Lieutenant General Abdulaziz Mohammed Jassim was fired in the wake of the attacks, deputy provincial council head Saadun Obeid Shaalan told AFP. Haditha police spokesman Major Tareq Sayeh Hardan described the attack as beginning when “several armed men wearing security uniforms and carrying forged arrest warrants attacked several checkpoints.” “Al-

Qaeda is responsible for this,” Hardan said, noting that investigators found Al-Qaeda literature in a vehicle that the attackers left behind.

O fficers offered conflicting accounts of whether the attackers were riding in stolen army vehicles, or 4x4s with fabricated insignia. Security forces in the town imposed a vehicle curfew and shut down several main roads, an AFP journalist said, while reinforcements were being called in from the rest of Anbar province as police and soldiers hunted for the attackers.

According to police Lieutenant Colonel Owaid Khalaf, who said he was involved in some of yesterday’s firefights, the gunmen first attacked checkpoints at the eastern and western edges of Haditha.

“They then entered the town and were distributed throughout Haditha, where other gunmen were waiting for them in civilian cars,” said Khalaf. “More than 50 gunmen altogether star ted attacking checkpoints all over the town,” he added, noting that at least one attacker was killed in the gunfights. Khalaf said the attackers also targeted two senior police officers’ homes Colonel Mohammed Hussein Shofair and Captain Khaled Mohammed Sayil.

They killed three bodyguards at each of the officer’s houses, and kidnapped both.

Shofair’s body was found in a Haditha marketplace and Sayil

was discovered in an alleyway, blindfolded with fatal gunshots to the head. The attack in Haditha, 210 kilometres (130 miles) northeast of Baghdad, is the first major instance of violence in the town since a suicide bomber blew himself up inside a bank, killing nine people and wounding eight others in March 2011. Yesterday was Iraq’s deadliest day since a wave of attacks killed 42 people on February 23, and the first major attack on security forces since a suicide bomber struck a Baghdad police academy on February 19.

The violence comes ahead of a March 29 Arab League summit in Baghdad, the first non-emergency meeting of the 22-nation body to be held in the Iraqi capital in more than 30 years. Talabani said in a statement yesterday that preparations for the summit were complete, “and Baghdad is now ready to receive the Arab leaders.”

Haditha is in western Sunni Arab Anbar province. It was one of several towns along the Euphrates valley that became Al-Qaeda strongholds after the 2003 US-led invasion that ousted Saddam Hussein.

However, in 2006, local Sunni tribes sided with the US military and unrest dwindled in Anbar as rebel fighters were ejected from the region. Violence across the country is down from its peaks in 2006 and 2007, but attacks remain common. A total of 150 Iraqis were killed in Februar y, according to official figures.—AFP

British minister discusses Abu Qatada in Jordan AMMAN: Britain’s interior minister held talks with her Jordanian counterpart yesterday on the extradition of Abu Qatada, once dubbed an aide of Osama bin Laden, who faces terror charges in Jordan, an official said. Home Secretary Theresa May and Interior Minister Mohammad Raud “discussed the issue of Abu Qatada,” the British embassy official told AFP. “British and Jordanian officials continue to discuss the matter. It is a complicated and sensitive legal issue,” said the official, without elaborating. May announced her visit to Jordan last month, saying London

and Amman were “pursuing all options with regard to (Abu Qatad’s) deportation.” Abu Qatada, whom a Spanish judge once labelled the right-hand man of slain Al-Qaeda chief bin Laden, was convicted in Jordan in his absence of involvement in terror attacks in 1998 and faces a retrial on his return.

Britain has been trying to extradite the 51-year-old radical Islamist cleric for the past six years, claiming he is a serious risk to national security, but its efforts have been thwarted on human rights grounds. The European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg ruled in January that

Britain cannot deport Abu Qatada because evidence used against him in any trial in Jordan may have been obtained through torture. Amman said in February it has given assurances to London that Abu Qatada will get a “fair and transparent” trial if London extradites him to the kingdom.

Jordan’s state-run Petra news agency, meanwhile, said that May “is keen to boost cooperation between the two countries, particularly in the field of intelligence exchange.” Petra made no mention of talks between the British and Jordanian ministers on the matter of Abu Qatada.—AFP

TUESDAY, MARCH 6, 2012

I N T E R N AT I O N A L

Libya buries 155 bodies found in mass grave BENGHAZI: Thousands of mourners gathered yesterday in the eastern Libyan city of Benghazi to bury 155 bodies unearthed from a mass grave of people were killed during last year’s civil war. It was the largest grave yet to be discovered from the conflict that began as a popular uprising and ended with the capture and killing of Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi last October.

It illustrated how Libya is struggling to recover from the 10-month civil war that left the nation with weak governing institutions, squabbling tribes, rival regions and many armed militias. The grave was found in the eastern town of Bin Jawwad, a major battleground during the civil war. Four other bodies from the mass grave were delivered yesterday to relatives for burial in the

northern coastal city of Ajdabiya, between Bin Jawwad and Benghazi.

A traditional Islamic prayer service was held in Benghazi after the 23 trucks transported the wooden coffins, which were draped in the tri-colored Libyan flag. Thousands chanted “God is great” and held pictures of the deceased, while others waved Libyan flags. Some women fainted when the bodies arrived in Benghazi, which was briefly the capital of the opposition fighting Gaddafi’s forces. The government says that 80 of the bodies discovered in Bin Jawwad have been identified, and that all were from eastern Libya. The youngest was a 17-yearold male. Experts are trying to identify the rest from DNA samples.

Forensic specialists with the government say most appear to have died

from gunshot wounds and rocket strikes starting in March. Some were executed, while others were severely disfigured from rocket attacks, they said. Benghazi resident Maher AlMaghrabi said the body of his 23 yearold brother, who was a rebel fighter, was among those found in the mass grave. He expressed anger at Libya’s new leaders for taking nearly three months to excavate the bodies from the mass grave, which was first discovered in December. The Ministry of Martyrs, Wounded and Missing Persons began digging up the bodies on Friday. “ They knew about this grave, and they should have worked quicker to excavate the bodies,” he said. “This is unacceptable.” The ministry could not be immediately reached for comment. Al-Maghrabi

said he saw a video filmed on a mobile phone of Gaddafi’s men killing his brother in late March. He said one soldier filmed the execution while another beat his brother with the butt of an automatic rifle and tried to force him to shout “Long live Gaddafi.”

The video, which could not be independently verified, showed the young man refusing to praise the Libyan dictator and instead yelling “There is not God but Allah.” He was then shot in the head and the leg from close range.

Nearly five months after the civil war ended, the country’s new government is struggling to rebuild a national security force, unify the country’s militias and tribes under its authority, and ready the country’s justice system to handle cases of those accused of war crimes, including Gaddafi’s son and

one-time heir apparent, Seif al-Islam.

In the capital Tripoli, the head of a Libyan militia holding two British nationals captive accused them of spying on government facilities and entering the country illegally. Farah Swehli, who commands the Misratabased Saraya Swehli militia, said late Sunday in announcing the allegations that his men must protect the country because the government is unable to do so.

The two British men and their Libyan driver were captured in Tripoli Feb. 21 by the Saraya Swehli militia.

They were freelancers with the Iranian state-owned Press TV. Human Rights Watch said its staff was denied access to the detainees last month, despite authorization from the Libyan Interior Ministry.— AP

139 dead in Al-Qaeda attack on Yemen army Heavy weapons captured during surprise attack

CAIRO: Dozens of Egyptian activists protest in front of the high court in downtown Cairo yesterday, calling for the release of their comrade, George Ramzi (picture), who was arrested amongst others during clashes with riot police near the interior ministry last month. —AFP

Nose job lands Egypt MP in hot water CAIRO: An Egyptian Islamist MP was forced to resign from parliament and from his party after claiming that he was injured in a carjacking, when he had in fact had a nose job, his party said yesterday. A bruised and bandaged Anwar alBilkimy had appeared on television last week saying he was the victim of a carjacking and spoke of how gunmen beat him and stole 100,000 Egyptian pounds ($16,500).

But doctors and medical staff at a hospital in the Cairo suburb of Sheikh Zayed came forward and said that the MP, who belongs to the ultra conservative Islamist party al-Nur, had in fact been undergoing rhinoplasty at the time. In a statement on its Facebook page, Al-Nur said its chief Emad Abdel Ghafur had gone to

see Bilkimy yesterday and confirmed that the whole story had been “made up”.

Bilkimy “has resigned from the party and from parliament,” the party said. The MP is also to “offer a formal apology to the doctors at the hospital, the party, all members of parliament, the media, security forces and to all the Egyptian people,” it said.

Egyptian prosecutors had launched an investigation into the affair, asking staff at the hospital to provide Bilkimy’s medical records and demanding a forensic examination. Bilkimy’s claims of an attack came as Egypt struggles with insecurity since a popular uprising toppled president Hosni Mubarak last year, with a rise in carjackings, robberies and violence on the streets.— AFP

SANAA: Sneaking across the desert behind army lines, Al-Qaeda militants launched a surprise attack against military bases in south Yemen, killing 107 soldiers and capturing heavy weapons they later used to kill more troops, officials said yesterday. The military officials said at least 32 of the militants were killed in Sunday’s fighting in Abyan province, and scores were wounded on both sides.

Medical officials in the area confirmed the death toll figures. They said the poor services in local hospitals accounted for the death of many soldiers who suffered serious wounds but could have survived had they been given better medical care.

The death toll among the troops is believed to be the highest on record in battles fought by the army against Al-Qaeda militants, who have been emboldened by the political turmoil roiling the impoverished Arab nation for more than a year. The militants’ attack appeared to be Al-Qaeda ‘s response to a pledge by Yemen’s newly inaugurated President Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi to fight the Yemeni branch of the terror network, believed to be the world’s most active.

Hadi repeated that pledge yesterday during talks with a visiting British diplomat. “The confrontation will continue until we are rid of the last terrorist, whether in Abyan or else-

where,” local Yemeni media quoted him as saying. The military officials said the militants’ surprise attack outside Abyan’s provincial capital Zinjibar also led to the capture of 55 soldiers. The captives were paraded on the streets of Jaar, a nearby town that, like Zinjibar, has been under Al-Qaeda ‘s control for about a year.

The officials spoke yesterday on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to reporters. The battle in Abyan province shows how militants have taken advantage of the turmoil created by the yearlong uprising against then-President Ali Abdullah Saleh, who last month handed over power to Hadi.

The scale of Sunday’s attack also points to the combat readiness of the militants as they launch more attacks in a region that the United States considers a key battleground in the war on Al-Qaeda . Militants seized control of Zinjibar in May and Jaar the month before as Yemen security officials were focused on putting down a popular uprising against Saleh’s regime. Saleh stepped down last month in a U.S.-backed power transfer deal that Washington hoped would allow Yemen’s new leaders to move against Al-Qaeda . But the fighting highlights the difficulties faced by Hadi in combatting the militant movement

Palestinian teen suffers head wound in army clash

UN nuke chief: ‘serious concerns’ over Iran VIENNA: The head of the UN nuclear agency expressed growing concern yesterday about investigating an Iranian site suspected of links to nuclear weapons development, saying there are indications of new activity there. International Atomic Energy Agency chief Yukiya Amano did not specify whether he believed the activity was linked to suspected new weapons experiments or attempts to clean up previous alleged work. But he said the suspicions of “activities ... ongoing at the Parchin site” in Iran means “going there sooner is better than later” for IAEA inspectors seeking to probe suspicions that Iran has been or is - working secretly to develop nuclear arms.

Inspecting Parchin was a key request made by senior IAEA teams that visited Tehran in January and February. Iran rebuffed those overtures, as well as attempts by the IAEA to question officials and secure other information linked to the allegations of secret weapons work.

Herman Nackaerts, a senior Amano deputy, told IAEA board members of such suspicions last week, referring to satellite images as his source, but the fact that yesterday’s comments came from the head of the agency added extra weight to the concerns.

Iran denies any intention of possessing nuclear weapons and says all of its atomic activities are peaceful, but the agency says it has intelligence-based suspicions that may not be the case based on thousands of pages of documentation. Parchin is a key element. The agency says it may have been used to experiment with precision detonations normally used to set off a nuclear charge.

“We have our credible information that indicates that Iran engaged in activities relevant to the development of nuclear explosive devices,” Amano told reporters outside of a 35-nation IAEA board meeting in Vienna, describing his sources as “old information and new information.” The conference opened as fears grow that Israel’s air force may soon strike Iran in an attempt to destroy its nuclear facilities. President Barack Obama met with Benjamin Netanyahu in Washington yesterday and

told the Israeli prime minister that the United States “will always have Israel’s back,” but that diplomacy is the best way to resolve the crisis over potential Iranian nuclear weapons.

The US and its Western allies went into yesterday’s IAEA meeting hoping to persuade Russia and China to back a resolution critical of Iran’s refusal to heed IAEA and UN Security Council demands that it banish such concerns by opting for full nuclear transparency. Moscow and Beijing traditionally act as brakes on Western attempts to tighten the sanctions vise on Iran, and a diplomat - who asked for anonymity because his information was privileged - told The Associated Press that the focus is on finding language they could agree with, without watering down the message to the point that it becomes meaningless.

However, another diplomat later said such attempts had been abandoned because the language rift was too great to bridge. Any resolution passed by the IAEA board automatically goes to the UN Security Council and could be used as a platform for additional sanctions on the Islamic Republic, which already is the focus of four sets of UN sanctions meant primarily to pressure it to give up enrichment.

The US , the European Union and others have additionally slapped Tehran recently with financial and economic penalties meant to hurt its banking system and oil export industry. Inside yesterday’s closed meeting, Amano summarized his worries: Tehran’s rebuff of two recent attempts to probe the weapons program suspicions and a sharp, recent increase in uranium enrichment, which Iran says it needs for nuclear energy, but which can also produce fissile weapons material. Recent moves to boost higher-enriched enrichment at Fordo, an underground facility that may be able to withstand aerial attack, are of particular concern. Referring to his most recent report on Iran circulated late last month, Amano noted that Tehran had tripled higher monthly enrichment to 20 percent at Fordo over the past four months, as well as significantly expanding lower-level enrichment at another facility. — AP

and restoring state authority in the lawless south. Sunday’s fighting followed the dismissal last week by Hadi’s government of the military commander of the southern region, to which Abyan belongs, along with other security officials from the province. The AlQaeda attack led to demonstrations yesterday by thousands of university students in the coastal city of Aden, Yemen’s second largest after Sanaa. The demonstrators demanded that Maj. Gen. Mahdi Maqoula, commander of an armored battalion deployed outside Zinjibar, be put on trial for suspicion of collaboration with Al-Qaeda .

The military officials said the militants were able to seize armored vehicles, artillery pieces, assault rifles and rockets from the stores of an army base they attacked. Some of the heavy weapons were later used against the troops, causing most of the casualties. The weapons were captured from Maqoula’s 31st armored battalion, according to the military officials. A Defense Ministry statement on Sunday said the fighting began when militants detonated “booby trapped vehicles” at an army base in the region of Koud near Zinjibar. The wording of the statement suggested that the base had been occupied by the militants before army forces regrouped and took it back. The fighting lasted the whole day.—AP

TEHRAN: Iranian female lawmakers vote on a bill in an open session of parliament in Tehran, Iran yesterday. Iran’s parliament held its first session after a three-week vacation ahead of last Friday’s elections. Conservative opponents of President Ahmadinejad won a majority of the seats of the next parliament, which opens in late May. —AP

Iran’s Supreme Court orders retrial of ex-Marine TEHRAN: Iran’s Supreme Court has ordered the retrial of an ex-US Marine who was sentenced to death on charges of working for the CIA, a news agency reported yesterday. The case has added even more tension to US-Iran relations, as Washington and its allies press ahead with sanctions over Iran’s contentious nuclear development program, and Iran threatens punishing retaliation if it is attacked.

Amir Hekmati, 28, was sentenced to death in January, the first American to receive a death penalty since the 1979 Islamic Revolution in Iran. Hekmati was born in Arizona. His parents are of Iranian origin. Iran accuses Hekmati of receiving special training while serving at US military bases in Iraq and Afghanistan before heading to Iran for an intelligence mission.

In December, Iran broadcast a video on state television in which Hekmati was shown delivering a purported confession, in which he said he was part of a plot to infiltrate Iran’s intelligence agency. The US government has denied the charges against Hekmati. Yesterday,

the semiofficial Isna news agency said the case would be retried. The report quoted state prosecutor Gholam Hossein Mohseni Ejehei as saying, “There was an appeal on his verdict. The Supreme Court found shortcomings in the case and sent it for review by an equivalent branch” of in the court system.

The report did not elaborate. Last month Hekmati’s mother visited him in prison and met with Iranian officials.

Some saw this as a sign that Iran might show moderation in the case. A previous incident involving Americans in Iran was resolved, but only after two years.

In 2009, three US citizens were detained along the Iraq border. The three said they crossed the border unintentionally during a hike. They, too, were charged with espionage, but there were no specific allegations of CIA ties and training as in the case of Hekmati.

The three were sent to prison. One was released for medical reasons and the other two were freed last September, in deals involving bail payments brokered

by Oman, which has good relations with both Iran and the US. —AP

JERUSALEM: A young Palestinian man throwing rocks at solders had his skull smashed by a tear gas canister fired by an Israeli soldier yesterday, an eyewitness and a medical official said. The 19-year-old man, Mohammed Abu-Awad, was one of some two dozen young men who were throwing rocks at soldiers at an Israeli checkpoint in the West Bank town of Bir Zeit, said his cousin Mahmoud. They had just ended an annual commemoration of the deaths of relatives in a vehicle accident with Israeli troops, the cousin said.

He said soldiers fired two tear gas canisters at them. One hit Abu-Awad in the head. “His head was all bloodied,” said his cousin. Hospital director Dr. Ahmed Betawi said Abu-Awad was in critical condition. Abu-Awad’s tear gas injury comes in a string of similar incidents over the years, raising concerns about the way Israeli forces use the exploding canisters.

Israel’s military says it uses the weapons to disperse rioters. A spokesman could not confirm what was used in this incident and said they were looking into the matter. A senior Israeli military official who spoke last week to The Associated Press said the army advises soldiers to not shoot directly at demonstrators. But he said Palestinians in clashes needed to understand they face the risk of injury. Rights activists, Palestinians, their supporters and reporters who cover demonstrations say Israeli forces often fire the exploding canisters of acrid smoke directly at demonstrators as weapons - instead of to disperse protesters.

“Anybody who has seen protests or clashes in the West Bank between the army, border police and Palestinian stone throwers knows this is a common, daily occurrence,” said Sarit Michaeli of Israeli rights group B’Tselem. The area has experienced an increase in violent clashes between Palestinian protesters and Israeli forces in recent weeks, spurred by persistent rumors that Jewish extremists are plotting to take over the Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem’s Old City.

Israel’s government charges the rumors are flagrant attempts to stir up trouble.

In the clashes, Palestinian youths have hurled rocks, firecrackers firebombs at Israeli soldiers and paramilitary police, who have responded with tear gas, rubber bullets and on some occasions, live fire. In one clash on Feb. 24., soldiers shot and killed a 23-year-old Palestinian Talat Ramia.—AP

TUESDAY, MARCH 6, 2012

I N T E R N AT I O N A L

Key members of Congress endorse Romney One-third of delegates needed at stake

INDIANA: Mindy Nye, 18, of Henryville, Ind., looks through the debris on Sunday, for her 18-month-old son Nathan’s baby book, after a tornado destroyed her home on Friday. —AP

Indiana baby dropped in field by tornado dies LOUISVILLE: A toddler found in a field after violent tornadoes died Sunday after being taken off life support, ending a hopeful tale for survivors in the Midwest and South picking through the storms’ devastation. The girl’s death brings the overall toll from Friday’s storms to 39 across five states. Rescuers were still going door-to-door in rural areas to rule out more victims. Another round of storms earlier last week killed 13 people in the Midwest and South, the latest in a string of severe-weather episodes ravaging the American heartland in the past year.

Fifteen-month-old Angel Babcock of New Pekin, Indiana, was found after her family’s mobile home was destroyed in Friday’s storms. Her father, mother and two siblings were killed. When Angel arrived at Kosair Children’s Hospital in Louisville on Friday night, she was opening her eyes - a hopeful sign, chief nursing officer Cis Gruebbel said.

Things turned on Saturday, when the swelling in her brain didn’t decrease, he said. As the day went on, her eyes ceased to move and she continued to deteriorate. There was no sign of brain activity.

Medical staff told the family there wasn’t anything more they could do. With extended family gathered to say goodbye, the family made the decision to end life support on Sunday. “Angel has been reunited with her parents,” her grandfather, Jack Brough, said in a statement.

“We want to thank God for all of you and for your thoughts and prayers. God will bring you and all of us out of this. This is what it will take. All should look to God.” On Sunday, people gathered to worship, comb through piles of debris and learn what happened to loved ones and friends, often without modern technology to help. Cellphone signals were hard

to find, Internet was out and electricity indefinitely interrupted. In many cases, word-of-mouth conversations replaced text messages, Facebook status updates and phone calls. “It’s horrible. It’s things you take for granted that aren’t there anymore,” said Jack Cleveland, 50, a Census Bureau worker from Henryville, Indiana. Randy Mattingly, a 24-year-old mechanic, said he and his Henryville neighbors passed on information by word-of-mouth to make sure people were OK: “It was like, ‘Hey, did you talk to this guy?’” He said state police quickly set up two gathering points for adults and children, at the church and at a nearby community center.

At Sunday’s mass at St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church in Henryville, Father Steve Schaftlein turned the church into an information exchange, asking the 100 or so in attendance to stand up and share what they knew. While it could be days before power and cell service are fully restored to the damaged areas, crews were making progress Sunday. In Indiana, about 2,800 homes were without power, down from 8,000 in the hours after the storms. But in some hard-hit areas, like Henryville, a substation and transmission lines need to be rebuilt, and that could take up to a week.

Almost 19,000 customers were without power in Kentucky, according to the state’s Public Service Commission, and a few thousand more from municipal utilities and TVA, which the PSC does not track. Cellphone companies were trying to help residents by setting up mobile charging and email stations so they could communicate while power and cell service was still difficult to find. They also brought in portable towers to boost signals, and ser vice was improving Sunday. — AP

Four-year-old New Mexico boy’s body pulled from hole CARLSBAD: Crews pulled the body of a 4-year-old boy from a narrow, 30-footdeep hole in Carlsbad early yesterday, nearly two days after he disappeared while playing outside his home next door, state police said. Crews reached the boy about 7 am yesterday and police spokesman Robert McDonald confirmed the body was Samuel Jones.

He lived in the house next door with his parents and two older siblings, a boy and girl ages 6 and 7, said Carlsbad police spokeswoman Lt. Jennifer Moyers.

Some young cousins were at the house Saturday when the boy was last seen playing in the yard.

The rural neighborhood is a mix of homes and vacant lots. A 4-foot-high chain link fence separates the boy’s home from his neighbor’s where the hole is located in the backyard. It’s possible Samuel could have climbed the fence and simply fallen into the hole, which was dry, Moyers said.

Samuel was reported missing Saturday evening, which prompted authorities to launch a search and issue an Amber Alert. A renewed house-tohouse search had just started shortly after daybreak Sunday morning when a detective found the 14-inch-wide hole, Moyers said. Efforts to recover the body began Sunday afternoon after a detective shined his flashlight down and saw what appeared to be a boy dressed in clothing Samuel was last wearing.

Searchers later sent a camera down the hole and confirmed a child was about 30 feet down. Temperature and oxygen levels were later taken and showed no signs of life.

The Amber Alert in effect for him was canceled Sunday night. A large tracked excavator was used in the recovery along with metal shoring typically used in pipeline construction projects. A specialized search and rescue team from Roswell oversaw the operations. — AP

MEXICO CITY: A boy lies on the floor among silhouettes representing people allegedly killed by soldiers during Mexico’s drug war during a protest organized by the National Regeneration Movement, MORENA, at the Zocalo central square in Mexico City, Sunday. —AP

WASHINGTON: Mitt Romney hopes to use today’s massive batch of presidential primary contests in 10 states to reassert himself as the unchallenged front-runner in the Republican race to pick a challenger to President Barack Obama. On the eve of the biggest day of voting so far - the so-called Super Tuesday batch of primaries and caucuses - Romney had picked up key endorsements from Rep. Eric Cantor, the second-ranking Republican in the House of Representatives, and fellow conservatives Sen. Tom Coburn and John Ashcroft, a former attorney general and senator.

At stake in today’s voting are one-third of the delegates needed to clinch the nomination, altogether a larger prize than all the previous primaries and caucuses combined. The outcome could again reshape the nomination battle which has seen several candidates make a serious run at Romney - former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum being the latest. The former Massachusetts governor is gaining momentum, following his fourth straight victory in Saturday’s low-turnout Washington state caucuses.

In a CNN interview yesterday morning, Cantor said: “What we’re doing is we’re coalescing around Mitt Romney’s plan to actually address the economic challenges we have.”

Ashcroft, an attorney general under George W. Bush, threw his support behind Romney yesterday. “No other candidate stands out for his executive leadership experience or ability to accomplish difficult task as does Mitt Romney,” he said. Many of the most conservative Republicans distrust Romney’s ideological purity because of his moderate positions in the past on such key issues as abortion, gay marriage and health care reform.

With Santorum now leading a charge based on an intensifying debate over conservative social values, those issues are threatening to overshadow an emphasis on the economic concerns of Americans that could be the key to winning the November election.

Obama is most vulnerable on the economy, which has struggled throughout the first three years of his presidency, following the near collapse of the US financial system in the last months of the George W. Bush presidency.

Romney and Santorum spent Sunday racing across Georgia, Tennessee, Oklahoma and Ohio, four of the 10 states to host contests today. Speaking to supporters at a guardrail factory in Ohio, Romney tried to snap the subject back to the economy and away from social conservative issues - this, after a furor erupted from radio host Rush Limbaugh’s caustic comments about a university student

who testified to Congress about contraception. “I look at this campaign right now and I see a lot of folks all talking about lots of things, but what we need to talk about to defeat Barack Obama is getting good jobs and scaling back the size of government, and that’s what I do,” Romney said. “Other people in this race have debated about the economy, they’ve read about the economy, they’ve talked about it in subcommittee meetings.

But I’ve actually been in it.”

Super Tuesday’s defining contest may be in the big Midwestern industrial state of Ohio, where Santorum and Romney have devoted tremendous time and resources in recent weeks. Santorum’s performance there could well define his fate - and Romney’s - in the roller coaster race going forward. New polling shows them in a statistical tie in the state.

Preparing for the worst, Romney’s campaign began preparing for a possible loss in Ohio, where polls show him locked in a dead heat with Santorum, though the latest polls found Santorum slipping there.

“I don’t think any state is a must-win,” Romney adviser Eric Fehrnstrom said. “I think the only must-do on a candidate’s check list is getting 1,144 delegates.” All told, 419 delegates are at stake today. Romney leads with 203 delegates from previous contests, Santorum has 92, Newt Gingrich has 33 and Texas Rep. Ron Paul, 25. Romney’s broad, well-

OHIO: Republican presidential candidate, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, accompanied by his wife Ann, speaks at a campaign rally at Gregory Industries in Canton, Ohio yesterday. —AP

Gitmo war crimes court surprises some observers GUANTANAMO BAY NAVAL BASE: The military tribunals held at this isolated US outpost have been lambasted as kangaroo cour ts, heavily weighted in favor of the prosecution.

But most of the convictions so far have led to lighter than expected sentences. Legal experts note, with some caveats, that all but one of the seven convictions at what are known as military commissions, including a plea bargain finalized Wednesday for a former Maryland man, have resulted in lower sentences than those routinely handed out in US civilian courts for similar offenses.

“There is no evidence, zero, none, zip, that the justice delivered in military commissions is harsher than the justice delivered in federal court,” said Benjamin Wittes, a senior fellow and terrorism specialist at the Brookings Institution in Washington. “And there is a fair bit of evidence, based admittedly on a very limited universe of military commissions cases to date, that the quality of justice is more lenient,” said Wittes, one of the founders of the influential Lawfare blog.

Some critics challenge the whole concept of the military trials and note that a majority of the 171 prisoners never will be charged with a crime, let alone face trial, despite the fact that most were captured more than a decade ago. “The federal courts offer something the military commissions do not: true due process,” said Zachary Katznelson, a lawyer for the American Civil Liberties Union, who was observing the hearing this week at which Majid Khan, a graduate of a suburban Baltimore high school, pleaded guilty to plotting attacks with AL-Qaeda.

The majority of the men are being held either because they are considered too dangerous to release or because the US authorities say they cannot find an acceptable place to transfer them. About 80 percent of the inmates are now held in a communal camp where improved conditions, including access to classes and 24 satellite TV channels, have resulted in fewer assaults on guards and less tension, according to officials who led reporters on a tour of the prison this week.

Officials have said that about 35 prisoners at Guantanamo could eventually be tried in the first US war crimes tribunals since the World War II era. That group includes five men accused of plotting the Sept. 11

disciplined organization virtually assures he’ll collect more delegates than his opponents today, in contrast with Santorum‘s looser group of supporters. Santorum and Gingrich did not collect enough signatures to qualify for the Virginia ballot, for example, and Santorum cannot win 18 of Ohio’s 66 delegates for similar reasons.

But a win by the overmatched Santorum in Ohio would send a broad signal that Romney, long presumed the front-runner, is far weaker than imagined. Gingrich, the former speaker of the House of Representatives, appeared on four Sunday morning television talk shows, reflecting his strategy of using media appearances to offset his advertising and organizational disadvantages. Paul campaigned in Alaska in an effort to pick up delegates in small states holding caucuses, where supporters deeply committed to his libertarian views are likely to turn out.

Gingrich, a former Georgia congressman, has declared the state he represented for 20 years a must-win. He holds a strong lead in recent polls there. On Sunday he predicted the race would go on “for a good while.” The 10 contests which span politically diverse regions. Other states holding primaries that day include Vermont and Massachusetts, where Romney is heavily favored. Alaska, North Dakota and Idaho are holding caucuses. —AP

attacks who are expected to be arraigned later this year on charges that carry a potential death penalty. It also includes a Saudi accused of helping set up the deadly bombing of the USS Cole in 2000 in another capital case. But lower-level figures so far have appeared to fare better. Khan pleaded guilty to charges that included murder, attempted murder and spying for helping Al-Qaeda plot attacks in the US and delivering money for a deadly hotel bombing in Indonesia. He will receive a sentence that cannot exceed 19 years, if he helps prosecute other prisoners, and could end up receiving less.

Omar Khadr pleaded guilty to throwing a grenade that mortally wounded an American soldier and received a sentence capped at eight years. He could be sent back to his native Canada, where some expect he will be quickly released. The Torontoborn Khadr was 15 when he was captured, and his advocates say he was abused early in his captivity. Still, he could have received a life sentence at the commission, and a civilian US court would likely have given him one.

Two other men who pleaded guilty to aiding Al-Qaeda also secured deals that will get them home in the next several years. Salim Hamdan, who was convicted by a military jury of aiding terrorism in his work as a driver for Osama bin Laden, was sentenced to 5 1/2 years, including time served, and is back home in Yemen, reportedly working as a taxi driver.

The exception has been Ali Hamza al-Bahlul, who helped Al-Qaeda produce propaganda and handled media relations for bin Laden and refused to participate in his trial. He was convicted in November 2008 of multiple counts of conspiracy, solicitation to commit murder and providing material support for terrorism, and is serving a life sentence at Guantanamo. But experts note that in general the men convicted so far seem to be faring better than detainees charged with terrorism in civilian courts.

“Military commissions have produced sentences or plea deals that are lighter than those typically coming out of federal courts, where terrorismrelated sentences are often ver y severe,” said Matthew Waxman, a professor at Columbia Law School and former senior Pentagon adviser on detention issues. — AP

US sheriff’s wife adds intrigue to his trial SAN FRANCISCO: Venezuelan actress Eliana Lopez has become a symbol in a domestic violence case that has cast a shadow across the career of her husband - San Francisco Sheriff Ross Mirkarimi. Jury selection is getting underway in the domestic violence trial of the embattled Mirkarimi, who is charged with misdemeanor counts that he grabbed and bruised the arm of Lopez in front of their toddler son on New Year’s Eve. Nearly 200 prospective jurors were expected to file into a courtroom yesterday in a trial that has attracted international attention. Less than two years after moving to the United States, Lopez, a former Latin American telenovela star, blogged about her hopes and aspirations for her new, simpler life as a wife and mother, far from the bright lights of TV and movies. Lopez was excited about living in San Francisco - “a beautiful and avant-garde city where millions of interesting people make things happen every day” - raising her son with Mirkarimi and teaching bilingual mother-and-baby dance classes.

“To try to be conscious of my life whenever possible, of what scares me, of what I love and what moves me,” Lopez wrote in 2010. “To try to ask questions of myself and what surrounds me, to question myself and not wake up one day and see my son as a stranger, thinking that life passed me by. ... That is my goal.” Back in the spotlight, Lopez has become a symbol for anti-domestic violence advocates and the central figure in a case that has already separated her family and threatens her husband’s political career. A video purportedly showing her discussing what happened has emerged as key evidence.

On Feb 27, Judge Garrett Wong ruled the video could be used as evidence as Mirkarimi’s attorneys sought a mistrial. Then Lopez’s lawyers argued unsuccessfully against admissibility of the video after prosecutors released photo images from it showing an emotional Lopez with a noticeable bruise on her arm. Lopez’s attorneys appealed, and on Friday a judge put a hold on using the video until he rules on its admissibility.

Lopez probably did not want this type of celebrity and Mirkarimi can’t afford anything less than an acquittal, said Rory Little, a professor at the University of California Hastings School of Law in San Francisco. “It’s an unfortunate cycle for some victims in that they may regret calling attention to their partner’s apparent brief loss of control,” said Little, a former federal prosecutor.

“But then again, we don’t know what happened. That’s what makes these domestic violence cases difficult to prosecute because there are usually no witnesses, except for the victim and the defendant.”

Both Lopez and Mirkarimi have repeatedly denied the allegations. She went on Venezuelan radio in January declaring that prosecutors are out to get her husband. She also stood by Mirkarimi as he was sworn in as sheriff, just days before he was booked at his own jail. And she later tearfully told a judge that she is not some “poor little immigrant,” adding, “I’m not afraid of my husband at all.” But the judge left in place an order requiring the sheriff to stay away from Lopez, although he recently has been allowed to see his son.

Lopez is dejected that the case is going forward, said Paula Canny, one of her lawyers. “She feels disrespected by the government,” Canny said. — AP

TUESDAY, MARCH 6, 2012

I N T E R N AT I O N A L

Britain’s ex-top cop: Too much police-press gossip LONDON: Too much gossip between senior police officials and the press has led to breaches in confidentiality, the former head of Scotland Yard said yesterday.

Paul Stephenson, who resigned last year over his force’s failure to get to grips with the phone hacking scandal at Ruper t Murdoch’s News International, testified that relations between a small number of police managers and the media were closer

than necessary.

“There was a little too much gossiping about things that ought to have been confidential,” he told a judge-led inquiry which is sifting through the scandal’s fallout.

He called the leaks “hugely distracting” and “unprofessional.”

Stephenson didn’t go into detail, but his comments are the latest to underline the often close - and sometimes intimate - relations between Britain’s

national press and its biggest police force. Senior Scotland Yard official Sue Akers testified last week that journalists paid tens of thousands of pounds’ (dollars’) worth of bribes to ser ving police officers, and Stephenson’s former deputy, John Yates, was thrown onto the defensive Thursday after it was revealed that he’d shared Champagne with one of the many journalists who are now suspects in the scandal.

Elizabeth Filkin, who was commissioned by Scotland Yard to review its relationship with the press, testified that the problems also extended to freebies, noting that some senior officers had received a “very large” number of sports tickets from journalists.

Asked which media organizations were the most generous, she said: “There was certainly a lot of hospitality given by News International newspapers.”

The scandal over the systematic interception of voicemails has rocked Britain’s establishment, leading to the arrest or resignation of dozens of reporters, public officials, and News International executives.

The saga has laid bare the overlapping links between the press, police, and politicians - links which critics say nearly allowed Murdoch’s British newspaper company to get away with years of wrongdoing. —AP

Thousands contest Putin’s victory at Moscow rally Reports of widespread violations

SZCZEKOCINY: Rescuers work yesterday at the scene of the March 3 train crash in Szczekociny near Zawiercie (Silesia), some 200 kms (120 miles) from Warsaw. —AFP

Prosecutor to charge man in Polish train collision WARSAW: A prosecutor says he plans to charge a traffic controller who was on duty when two trains collided head-on in Poland Saturday, killing 16 people. The announcement yesterday is the first indication that human error is the suspected cause of the crash, which happened when the trains ended up on the same track by mistake. Prosecutor Tomasz Ozimek said an investigation so far indicates that the controller made a mistake while setting the mechanisms routing the trains.

Ozimek said the controller, who has not been identified, is to be charged with unintentionally causing a railroad accident. He hasn’t been charged yet because he is in a state of shock and under doctors’ care. Another traffic controller has also been detained for questioning but has not been charged.

Two rail traffic controllers have been detained for questioning over a head-on train collision in southern Poland that killed 16 people, a prosecutor said yesterday. The two were in charge of traffic on the route at the time the crash occurred Saturday night near the town of Szczekociny, just north of Krakow, Tomasz Ozimek said. The collision left the front cars of the trains a mangled heap, toppled others, and injured more than 50

people, three of whom remain in serious condition. The two controllers have not been charged with any crimes and Ozimek refused to reveal further details on the detentions.

Prosecutors and railway traffic experts were still inspecting the site and the wreckage as they gathered evidence in their investigation of Poland’s worst train accident in over 20 years. Emergency workers continued to search the area to be certain that no bodies were left in the wreckage. Sniffer dogs have not detected anyone, but the continued search is a precaution. The wreckage was removed from the tracks early yesterday and technicians were working to restore traffic, possibly on Tuesday.

One of the victims was identified as a Russian citizen, Ozimek said. An American is also among the dead. Also yesterday, Poland began two days of national mourning for the victims. The Polish white-and-red flag was lowered to half-staff at public buildings and entertainment and sports events were canceled. One train was traveling from the eastern city of Przemysl to Warsaw in the north, while the other - an Intercity train traveling 95 kph (60 mph) on the wrong track - was heading south from Warsaw to Krakow. —AP

Seychelles to transfer pirates to Somalia MONTAGNE POSEE: Like the other 92 Somali pirates held in the Seychelles’ hilltop prison, where inmates can glimpse a small, tantalizing slice of this island nation’s crystal blue water, Ali Mohammed insists he is innocent. “No pirates. Fishermen,” the tall, wiry 50year-old insisted. The tiny island nation of the Seychelles is punching far above its weight in the fight against Somali piracy. Pirates make up 20 percent of the 500-person prison population in the main Montagne Posee Prison.

International navies dock on the islands.

The US flies aerial surveillance drones from here. And the Seychelles is one of the few countries in the region currently taking pirates to trial.

In a new development, 19 Somali pirates imprisoned in the Seychelles are scheduled to be transferred to the northern Somali region of Somaliland.

The breakaway northern enclave of Somaliland has a stable, elected government and the UN Office on Drugs and Crime paid $1.5 million to refurbish a prison there so it would meet international standards.

Navies have dropped off pirates for prosecution in Somalia before, said Alan Cole, a lawyer who works with the UN ‘s anti-piracy program. But the transfer would mark the first transfer of convicted prisoners back to Somalia, a necessary step to prevent regional prisons from becoming further overcrowded.

Seychelles President James Michel and Somaliland President Ahmed Mohamed Silanyo said the February agreement is an important step in establishing a sustainable justice program that will see suspected pirates apprehended by naval forces, prosecuted by regional states and imprisoned in Somalia.

“That, in the piracy world, is quite a breakthrough if it happens,” said Britain’s top diplomat here, Matthew Forbes, who also serves as a liaison in the Seychelles for the EU’s anti-piracy naval force.

The transfer would also mark a break from disasters like a botched 2009 pris-

oner-for-hostages swap. The Seychelles secretly sent a plane with 23 suspected pirates to northern Somalia in return for three of its citizens taken hostage by Somalia. But local authorities had not been informed of the deal, and impounded the plane with security officials onboard. The international community has been helping Seychelles become a center of the anti-pirate fight.

Britain and Seychelles announced last month the creation of a Regional AntiPiracy Prosecution and Intelligence Coordination Center, an $875,000 U.K.funded initiative that will gather intelligence to provide evidence for regional and global pirate prosecutions.

“The principle of burden-sharing in the fight against piracy is very important. Seychelles does not have the resources to fight piracy alone; we need the support of the international community both in terms of assets and capacity building,” said President Michel. The Seychelles’ newest prison block - its highest security cells - was paid for by the UN. Office and Drugs and Crimes and opened last year. The prison sits high on the Seychelles’ main island, surrounded by lush green trees and rolling hills. A small slice of the bright blue Indian Ocean can be seen.

Bright, red, tropical birds perch on the top “A good view, yes, but we want to go home to our family,” said Alcide Bouchereau, a Seychelles resident who was sentenced to eight years in prison for possession of 440 grams of cannabis.

He has served five years and hopes to be released early next year. He wore a wide smile as he led the group of Somali workers.

The inmates are mostly wellbehaved, prison guards said, but all claim to be innocent. One sunny day last week a half dozen of the Somali prisoners used a wheelbarrow to move bricks and dirt for a new retaining wall to help prop up a sagging barbed-wire fence. “They always say they are fisherman. They are pirates,” said Dathna Marie, a prison guard. —AP

MOSCOW: Thousands of Russians gathered yesterday for a massive rally to challenge Prime Minister Vladimir Putin’s victory in Russia’s presidential election, chanting “Shame!” and “Russia without Putin!”

Demonstrators are contesting the outcome of the vote, pointing to a campaign heavily slanted in Putin’s favor and to reports of widespread violations in Sunday’s ballot.

Putin won more than 63 percent of the vote according to the nearly complete official returns, but the opposition and independent observers say the election has been marred by massive fraud. “The campaign has been unfair, cowardly and treacherous,” said opposition leader Grigory Yavlinsky, who had been denied registration for the race on a technicality.

International election monitors pointed at the lack of real competition and said the vote count “was assessed negatively” in almost a third of polling stations observers visited. The violations in the vote added fuel to yesterday’s protest in downtown Moscow by Putin’s foes, who are demanding an end to his 12year rule. The rally, which follows a series of massive previous protests, has been sanctioned by authorities but security was tight, with some 12,000 police deployed to ensure order.

“We are going to hold new elections,” said Yevgeny Natarov, a 38-year old Moscow resident who attended the opposition protest.

Sergei Udaltsov, one of the organizers, urged protesters to stay on Moscow’s iconic Pushkin Square until Putin steps down. “If it was a free election, why have they flooded the entire city of troops?” Udaltsov shouted to the crowd, which responded with cries: “They fear us!”

The police presence was intense near the site of yesterday’s protest and other areas of the capital, with dozens of trucks carrying riot

shield-wielding police and vans used for detaining protesters parked around downtown. Prosecutors warned the rally’s organizers they would face criminal responsibility for any unsactioned protests. Police quickly rounded up Eduard Limonov, the leader of the banned National Bolshevik Party and several dozen of his supporters, who attempted to hold an unsanctioned protest near the headquarters of Russia’s main security agency.

About 100 protesters were also arrested in St. Petersburg, where about 2,000 gathered for an unauthorized rally. The independent Russian elections watchdog Golos said yesterday that incomplete reports from its

MOSCOW: Opposition activists rally demanding fair elections at the Pushkinskaya Square in central Moscow yesterday. Some 5,500 people were gathering today in Moscow for the first major opposition rally after Vladimir Putin’s crushing victory in Russian presidential elections, police in the capital said. —AFP

Rescuers try to keep fire from 2nd depot in Congo BRAZZAVILLE: International experts fought yesterday to prevent a fire from reaching a second arms depot in the capital of the Republic of Congo, a day after a blaze set off a series of explosions so violent they flattened buildings, killing hundreds and trapping countless others under the falling debris. Small detonations continued to shake Brazzaville, though the blasts were not nearly as loud as those that had convulsed the city on Sunday, splitting beams, buckling numerous buildings including two churches, and causing windows to explode in a 3-mile (5-kilometer) radius of the depot. Houses trembled as far away as the south of the country, and across the mighty Congo River in the heart of Kinshasa, the capital of the neighboring Central African nation of Congo.

“For the time being, there are Russian, French and Congolese experts in the field who are trying to put out the fires.

Their goal is to avoid that the fires reach a second depot of even heavier weapons,” said Delphin Kibakidi, the spokesman of the local chapter of the Red Cross. A large crowd had gathered outside the municipal morgue, which along with a nearby hospital had registered 206 deaths hours after the first blast on Sunday.

In a two-hour stretch yesterday, another seven bodies were brought in to the morgue, bringing the death toll to at least 213. That number is expected to rise as rescuers begin clearing the debris

observers of individual polling station counts contradicted the official vote count, indicating that Putin hovered perilously close to the 50-percent mark needed for a first-round victory.”It’s one pixel away from a second round,” said Golos’ Roman Udot.

Putin’s win was assured as he faced a weak slate of Kremlin-approved candidates and many across the vast country still see him as a guarantor of stability and the defender of a strong Russia against a hostile world, an image he has carefully cultivated during 12 years in power. He has denounced his foes as Western stooges working to weaken Russia. — AP

including from St. Louis Catholic Church where dozens of worshippers were attending Sunday Mass when the building buckled under the force of the blast.

A team of unexploded ordnance experts from the Mine Advisory Group, funded by the US State Department, said they were working with the country to help clear the area of danger. They reiterated concerns that the fire could spread to the second munitions depot.

“More lives are thought to be in danger from the threat of unexploded ordnance kicked out by the blast. Early reports indicate that the incident has seen potentially unstable projectiles scattered around urban areas, already causing a number of explosions and subsequent fatalities,” a statement from the group said. People are fleeing the neighborhoods closest to the epicenter of the blast. Kibakidi said that the Red Cross had set up two camps inside churches in the capital, and had already welcomed some 600 refugees.

“Today we can estimated that there are tens of thousands of people that are without shelter on the streets,” he said.

Government spokesman Bienvenu Okyemi blamed a short circuit for the fire that set off the blasts. In a statement read to the nation, President Denis SassouNguesso described the ordeal as “a tragic accident.” And the country’s defense minister rushed to reassure people in this nation, which is still recovering from a 1997 civil war, that the fire was not a sign of a coup or a mutiny. — AP

BRAZZAVILLE: A calcinated tree stands yesterday in the middle of homes devastated on March 4 by huge explosions at a munitions depot that left more than 150 dead and 1,000 injured in the Mpila area Brazzaville. —AFP

Iceland’s ex-PM tells court he is innocent REYKJAVIK: Iceland’s former prime minister has rejected charges he failed to adequately protect his country’s economy from financial shocks in the first criminal trial of a world leader over the 2008 financial crisis. “I reject all accusations, and believe there is no basis for them,” Geir Haarde said as he took the stand yesterday. He said it was the first chance he had to answer questions in the case.

Haarde became a symbol of the bubble economy for Icelanders who lost their jobs and homes after the country’s main commercial banks collapsed in 2008, sending its currency into a nosedive and inflation soaring. Prosecutors opened the case at the Landsdomur, a special court being convened for the first time in Iceland’s history. Part of their case hinges on a charge that Haarde failed to implement recommendations a government committee had drawn up in 2006 to strengthen Iceland’s economy.

Haarde told the court that the committee’s work could not have prevented Iceland’s economic crash.

“Nobody predicted that there would be a financial collapse in Iceland” in 2008, he said, adding that the government did not fully understand how much debt the country’s banks had on their books.

Haarde is accused of negligence for failing to prevent the financial implosion from which the small island country is still struggling to recover. In the crisis’ immediate aftermath - as unemployment and inflation skyrocketed - many sought to affix blame for the havoc across the 330,000-strong nation. A wave of public protests forced Haarde out of government in 2009.

Haarde has pleaded not guilty and sought to have all charges dismissed, calling the proceedings “preposterous.” — AP

Gunmen kill 2 in attack on Nigerian policeman’s home KANO: Gunmen attacked the home of a senior Nigerian policeman yesterday killing at least two officers on guard, authorities said, with scores of such attacks blamed on Islamist group Boko Haram. The senior officer was not believed to have been in the house at the time of the attack yesterday afternoon on the outskirts of the northern city of Kano. The gunmen were not believed to have gained entrance to the home.

“A group of armed men on motorcycles attacked policemen on guard duty at a residence of a senior police officer at Dorayi quarters,” a police statement said. “During the gun duel, two policemen were killed, two injured, while the hoodlums escaped with bullet wounds.” Members of the public also pursued the attackers, the statement said. Residents reported four policemen killed, but authorities had not confirmed the number. The home was believed to belong to the police commissioner for Imo state in Nigeria’s southeast.

According to residents, two attackers arrived on motorcycles at the front of the house, while others approached from the rear. — AFP

TUESDAY, MARCH 6, 2012

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Pakistan Taleban ‘number two sacked’: Spokesman PESHAWAR: The number two commander in Pakistan’s nebulous, umbrella Taleban movement has been sacked as deputy chief but will remain within the organization, a spokesman said yesterday. Maulvi Faqir Mohammad is the Taleban ‘s commander in Bajaur, one of Pakistan’s seven districts in the tribal belt on the Afghan border and one that has seen a recent lull in fighting between the Taleban and Pakistani

soldiers. He was sacked on Sunday at a meeting presided over by Tehreek-eTaleban Pakistan ( T TP) chief Hakimullah Mehsud at a secret location in Pakistan’s northwestern tribal belt, spokesman Ehsanullah Ehsan told AFP by telephone. “A shura (council) meeting was held on Sunday and it decided to remove Maulvi Faqir Mohammad from the position of deputy chief of TTP,” he said, adding that Mohammad would continue to

serve the group as an ordinary member.

Ehsan gave no reason for the removal. Neither was a successor announced. The TTP is a loose confederation of militant commanders founded and run by Baitullah Mehsud until his death in a US drone strike in August 2009. His killing sparked a bitter succession battle won by Hakimullah Mehsud. A source close to the Taleban told AFP on condition of

anonymity that the Bajaur commander fell out of favour with Mehsud over his alleged support for peace talks with the Pakistani government.

Mohammad also had sympathies with Mehsud’s biggest rival within the T TP, Wali-ur Rehman, the source added. Northwestern Pakistan, particularly the main city of Peshawar, has seen a recent increase in suicide and gun attacks blamed on Taleban.

Mullah Omar, the supreme leader of

the Afghan Taleban , reportedly asked his Pakistani counterparts to stop attacks within Pakistan, considered vital in any peace process in Afghanistan.

The only T TP commander who refused to comply was Mehsud, an Afghan Taleban member recently told AFP. Young and impetuous, the TTP leader has reputedly said there will be no end to attacks until Washington stops drone strikes.— AFP

Talks for deal with US faltering: Afghan officials Karzai stubborn with demands

NEW DELHI: Indian women hold placards as they protest ahead of International Woman’s Day in New Delhi yesterday. The women were demanding revision of the government’s lowest benchmark for poverty, rationing of kerosene oil and other essential commodities. —AFP

India unveils anti-beating charter for schools NEW DELHI: India yesterday unveiled new guidelines on disciplining children in schools after a survey revealed largescale corporal punishment meted out by teachers. More than 98 percent of the 6,632 children involved in the survey, who were aged between three and 17, had endured some type of physical punishment at school, the National Commission for the Protection of Child Rights said. The survey found that “beating with a cane appears to be a preferred method of controlling children... slapping on the cheeks and beating on the back appear as second preferences”.

Corporal punishment is already out-

lawed in several Indian states, and the commission said that no teacher should use a cane to hit students. Teachers should instead learn to control students through clear communication commands and temperate language, the new charter advises. “These guidelines will serve as an important tool for sensitisation and creating awareness on the subject,” Women and Child Development Minister Krishna Tirath told reporters in New Delhi. The survey found that Indian teachers also box ears, pull hair, pinch noses or arms, tie students to chairs and even use electrical shocks to enforce order. — AFP

Man dies trying to set mark for being buried alive COLOMBO: A Sri Lankan man has died while trying to set a record for the longest time spent buried alive, police said yesterday. Police said Janaka Basnayake, 24, buried himself over the weekend with the help of family and friends in a trench sealed with wood and soil in the town of Kantale, about 137 miles (220 kilometers) north of Sri Lanka’s capital, Colombo.

A local newspaper reported that the trench was 10 feet (3 meters) deep.

Basnayake was buried at around 9:30 am Saturday. Police said that when he was brought to the surface at 4 pm, he was unconscious and was taken to a hospital,

where he was pronounced dead on arrival. Dr DG Costa of the Kantale hospital said a post-mortem could not determine the cause of death and further medical investigations are being conducted.

Basnayake’s mother, L.D. Leelawathi, said her son had enjoyed performing unusual acts since his childhood - a liking that grew after watching movies, the Lankadeepa newspaper reported. It quoted her as saying that her son had been buried alive on two previous occasions for two and a half hours and six hours respectively. It was unclear whether there is an official world record for the longest time buried alive. — AP

Afghan child hunger among worst in world KABUL: Children in Afghanistan suffer one of the highest levels of chronic malnutrition in the world, a report said yesterday, despite billions of dollars in aid that have poured into the war-torn country. More than half of Afghan children under the age of five are chronically malnourished, according to the joint report by the World Bank and the government.

“Because of the ongoing conflict, foreign assistance has disproportionally gone to the provinces where concentration of troops and fighting has been heaviest,” said acting World Bank country director Josephine Bassinette.

“But the analysis in this report shows that poverty and food insecurity rates are actually higher in the more peaceful provinces,” she said, pressing for better targeting of aid to ensure it reaches the poorest people. “It is shocking to learn that children are amongst the most vulnerable segment of the Afghan population, and their lives that could be saved

are at risk,” said Economy Minister Abdul Hadi Arghandiwal.

The government was committed to efforts to provide a safety net for the poor, “with financial and technical support from the international community”, he said. Western aid money has flooded Afghanistan in the 10 years since a USled invasion toppled the hardline Islamist Taleban regime in the wake of the September 11 attacks on New York and Washington. But allegations of corruption within the Western-backed government of President Hamid Karzai are widespread. And the country remains at war, with civilians among the hardest hit as the Taleban wage an increasingly bloody insurgency against the government. A record number were killed in the fighting last year-the fifth straight year the death toll has risen, according to a UN report. A total of 3,021 civilians diedmostly at the hands of insurgents-up eight percent from 2,790 in 2010. —AFP

HERAT: Internally displaced Afghan child carries water through a refugee camp in Herat, west of Kabul yesterday. —AFP

KABUL: Efforts to forge a deal that will govern the American militar y presence in Afghanistan beyond a planned US troop withdrawal in 2014 are faltering, current and former Afghan officials said yesterday. They said obstacles include disputes over the transfer of American-run detention centers, night raids and quarrels within the Afghan president’s inner circle that led one of his top advisers to threaten to resign.

The failure to make headway on a strategic partnership document reflects growing animosity between President Hamid Karzai and the United States, which reached its lowest level after the burning of Qurans and other Islamic texts at a US military base on Feb 20.

That incident sparked six days of angry riots across Afghanistan that left 30 people dead, including six US troops who were killed by Afghan security forces.

Karzai has been stubborn about his demands - apparently so much so that he is losing the backing of some of his own top aides. Although the president cannot be seen to be a pushover to the US on sovereignty issues, many top Afghan officials believe that Afghanistan’s government is too shaky to stand on its own. They sense that Washington is now pushing back against Karzai in the talks, and fear that the Americans may simply wash their hands of Karzai or perhaps the entire Afghan war.

Afghan officials stress that Afghanistan wants a deal, but that its sovereignty should be respected. “Afghanistan is committed to have a long-term strategic partnership with the United States of America, who is our important international ally. But as we have mentioned repeatedly, the Afghan government wants to sign a strategic partnership with the US for the long term, and the national sovereignty of Afghanistan should be respected in that strategic partnership,” Foreign Ministry spokesman Janan Mosazai told reporters yesterday.

The president can’t afford not to make a deal with the United States, which provides Afghanistan with billions of dollars in development aid and funds most of the training for the country’s army and police, which are to take control of the country’s security at the end of 2014. The US spent $22 billion in the past two years for training and is expected to contribute the bulk of the approximately $4 billion a year that 260,000-strong force will need to operate in 2015 and beyond.

An Afghan government official, speaking

on condition of anonymity to discuss the sensitive negotiations, said that more than two months ago National Security Adviser Rangin Dadfar Spanta submitted his resignation after disagreements erupted between him and Karzai over the strategic partnership document. Spanta, who is spearheading the talks, wants Karzai to compromise on the two most contentious issues being negotiated - night raids and the US transfer of detention facilities to Afghan government control.

Karzai did not accept Spanta’s resignation, but kept the letter and did not destroy it or throw it out. Spanta verbally threatened to resign on two subsequent occasions, mostly recently in the past several days, the official said. The official and Davood Moradian, who was an adviser to Spanta when he was foreign minister, said the strategic partnership deal might not be ready for a NATO summit

n’t work he would resign,” said Moradian, assistant professor of political science at American University in Kabul. Moradian was the chief policy adviser to Spanta when he was foreign minister.

The strategic partnership document is critical to define the US commitment to aid and development in Afghanistan after 2014, when most international combat forces are to leave. It is also considered a precursor to a status of forces agreement that will govern the presence and role of US forces in the country after 2014. The US is expected to keep about 20,000 troops in Afghanistan past 2014 in counterterrorism and training roles. A US embassy spokesman, Gavin Sundwall, said the Americans value an agreement, but not so much that they prefer a bad deal to no deal at all.

“We still are committed to a strategic part-

JALALABAD: Afghan policemen collect body parts after one civilian was killed and 11 people wounded when a man blew himself up at a police checkpoint in Jalalabad, east of Kabul, Afghanistan, yesterday. Afghan police say a suicide bomber has killed as well at least two civilians and wounded four others in an attack near an American military base outside of Kabul. —AP in May. Such a delay could torpedo the deal, as the United States has already been showing decreasing enthusiasm about it. Spanta was on a trip to China and not available to comment, but Moradian said the resignation threat was part of an effort to pressure Karzai into a compromise.

“There is a possibility that if that tactic did-

nership with the Afghan people, which we believe is in both our countries’ interest to achieve our joint mission and ensure that Afghanistan cannot become a safe haven for terrorists again,” Sundwall said. ”We have always said it is more important to get the right agreement than to get an agreement.— AP

CIA-led force may speed Afghan exit WASHINGTON: Top Pentagon officials are considering putting elite special operations troops under CIA control in Afghanistan after 2014, just as they were during last year’s raid on Osama bin Laden’s compound in Pakistan, sources told The Associated Press. The plan is one of several possible scenarios being debated

by Pentagon staffers. It has not yet been presented to Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta, the White House or Congress, the sources said.

If the plan were adopted, the US and Afghanistan could say there are no more US troops on the ground in the war-torn countr y because once the SEALs, Rangers and other elite units are assigned to CIA control, even temporarily, they become spies.

No matter who’s in charge, the special operations units still would target militants on joint raids with Afghans and keep training Afghan forces to do the job on their own.

The idea floated by a senior defense intelligence official comes as US defense chiefs try to figure out how to draw down troops fast enough to meet the White House’s 2014 deadline.

Pentagon staffers already have put forward a plan to hand over much of the war-fighting to special operations troops. This idea would take that plan one step further, shrinking the US presence to less than 20,000 troops after 2014, according to four current and two former US officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity because the program involves classified operatives.

Pentagon spokesman George Little denied the idea is being

discussed. “Any suggestion that such a plan exists is simply wrong,” Little said Saturday.

“United States special operations forces continue to work closely with the intelligence community to confront a range of national security challenges across the world.” Reducing the US presence faster would be a political boon for the White House and the Afghan government, with Afghan sentiment raw over incidents ranging from civilian casualties from US strike operations to the recent burning of Qurans

by US troops.

But a CIA-run war would mean that the US public would not be informed about funding or operations, as they are in a traditional war. Oversight would fall to the White House, top intelligence officials, and a few congressional committees. Embedding journalists would be out of the question.

Two senior defense officials said that neither the CIA nor Special Operations Command has put this plan for ward officially to Panetta. The other officials who said they have been part of discussions about the plan say it would require the assent of the White House and congressional oversight committees, and would be contingent upon the approval of the Afghan government. The idea has not yet been presented at any of those levels, the sources said.

The CIA’s intelligence and paramilitary elements regularly work alongside special operations units, both in the war zone and in areas where militants operate. On a case-by-case basis, elite special operations units are assigned to the CIA for missions

when the US wants total deniability, usually in areas where the US is operating without the local government’s permission, as in the bin Laden raid. The notion of longer-term assignments to the CIA does not sit well with some senior special operations commanders, who want their units to remain autonomous in order to keep their troops under Defense Department legal parameters. If CIA-assigned troops are captured, for example, they are treated like spies, not protected by the Geneva Conventions, which govern the treatment of prisoners of war.

But putting special operations troops in the CIA’s employ in Afghanistan could be attractive to the Afghan government because it would make the troops less visible and give Afghan President Hamid Karzai the added bonus of being able to say US troops had withdrawn from his country. Technically, he would be right: Troops would have been rendered as spies by answering to the CIA’s Kabul station chief instead of a US military commander. Such troops would presumably augment the CIA’s current training and partnership with Afghanistan’s own elite paramilitary intelligence forces, the Counter terrorism Pursuit Teams.

Afghan officials, and the general public in Afghanistan, express much warmer sentiments toward the CIA than to US special operations troops, after a decade of occupation has built up anger and bitterness over civilian casualties from special operations night raids. The CIA as an institution seems to have

escaped that collective Afghan resentment, with Afghan officials eager to tell visiting reporters that they regularly work with “OGA,” or “Other Government Agency,” the slang term for the CIA. CIA Director David Petraeus, a former Afghanistan war commander, is grappling with a vast new global mission and far fewer troops than he is used to - or that he needs to carry it out, especially if the CIA ends up with the bulk of the mission after troops withdraw from Afghanistan, according to current and former officials familiar with internal CIA debates. The CIA’s paramilitary Special Activities Division that both gathers intelligence and works with local intelligence and security forces numbers only a few hundred people, and the overall clandestine service has less than 5,000.

Petraeus took charge at the agency last year, while Libya was still convulsed by civil war and leader Moammar Gadhafi was on the loose. He ordered his top officials to “send all your available teams into Libya,” only to be told they already had deployed all the manpower available, a single team, two former officials said. To make up for such shortfalls, the agency normally hires extra people, often retired special operators with the requisite security clearance, military training and language ability. But the government mandate to slash contractor use has meant cutting contracts, according to two former officials familiar with the agency’s current hiring practices.

Special operations troops could fill that gap, officials said. — AP

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Deadly Australia floods spark new evacuation SYDNEY: Australian emergency services yesterday ordered thousands more to evacuate a New South Wales town threatened by rising floodwaters, as the crisis claimed a second life when surging water swept a car off the road. Days of heavy rain have hammered the eastern states of Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria, swelling rivers, flooding farmland and forcing the closure of bridges and roads.

New South Wales emergency officials

and police ordered thousands to evacuate the centre of the town of Wagga Wagga late yesterday as the Murrumbidgee river threatened to breach the city’s levee barriers. People had already been ordered to evacuate homes in the surrounding area after the river burst its banks in places.

“We’re encouraging people to move now,” State Emergency Service spokesman James McTavish told the AAP news agency. “Don’t delay. This is a

very serious issue.” Across New South Wales, more than 5,000 people had already been ordered to evacuate, with another 2,000 stranded. In Wagga Wagga, residents earlier said there was an eerie calm, as floodwaters surged under blue skies and sunshine. “It’s so strange, it’s a beautiful day in Wagga, so we’re just sitting around, drinking tea and waiting for the river to quietly engulf the floodplain,” local man Tim Kurylowicz told AFP. “What was a rela-

tively small river two days ago is like an endlessly wide lake, with treetops swishing amongst the water,” added Kurylowicz, who had already been evacuated yesterday to an unaffected part of the city. Authorities again warned people against driving their cars through floodwaters after more than 30 rescues overnight, including that of two adults and three children who had been trapped in a car in Wagga Wagga.

One man died at Araluen in southern

New South Wales at the weekend after being washed downstream as he attempted to drive through floodwaters.

His two companions were rescued, one reportedly clinging to a tree. And the toll rose yesterday after a man died when his car was swept off a road in heavy flooding in the southeast Queensland town of Glenwood, near Gympie. Police said they had been unable to confirm a report that a second vehicle was also swept away.— AFP

Wen reasserts party control over military Calls for PLA Army to be under government control BEIJING: Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao yesterday reasserted the Communist Party’s ultimate control over the armed forces at a time of rising defense budgets and sharpening regional territori-

member People’s Liberation Army to be placed under government rather than party control.

The PLA’s main duty is to safeguard party rule and strike back against opponents, as it did

to party control was new. That could be an indication of the urgency with which the leadership feels it needs to address calls from junior officers and academics for a nationalized military.

BEIJING: Hostesses jump for photographers outside the Great Hall of the People during the National People’s Congress (NPC) in Tiananmen square, Beijing yesterday. China must enhance the ability of its military to win “local wars”, Premier Wen Jiabao said, as Beijing grows increasingly assertive about its territorial claims in Asia. Wen’s made his comments at the opening of the National People’s Congress (NPC), China’s parliament, a day after the government announced military spending would top 100 billion USD in 2012 — an 11.2 percent increase on last year. —AFP al disputes. Wen’s remarks in a wide -ranging address at the opening of the legislature’s annual 10-day session aimed to quash scattered calls for the 2.3 million-

against unarmed pro-democracy student protesters in 1989. While Wen’s remarks on the military were almost identical to those in last year’s address, the reference

“We will strengthen ideological and political standards, and adhere to the fundamental principle of the party having absolute leadership over the armed forces,

and we should maintain the Chinese armed forces’ fundamental purpose of being an army of the people,” Wen said. He also reiterated the military ’s chief tasks, including winning regional conflicts using the latest technology, fighting terrorism, maintaining stability, handling emergencies and providing disaster relief.

The most important military task is to “win local wars under information-age conditions,” Wen said. China announced Sunday that it would boost defense spending by 11.2 percent in 2012, the latest in a nearly two-decade string of double-digit increases.

Although the planned figure is less than last year’s 12.7 percent increase, China’s military leaders have said they are unhappy with recent moves by the Obama administration to increase the US military presence in the AsiaPacific region. Only twice since the early 1990s has the increase been less than double digits.

National People’s Congress spokesman Li Zhaoxing said China’s defense spending would increase by 11.2 percent over actual spending last year to hit 670.2 billion yuan ($106.4 billion) in 2012, an increase of about 67 billion yuan. China’s official defense spending is the largest in the world after the United States, but actual spending, according to foreign defense experts, may be 50 percent higher, as China excludes outlays for its nuclear missile force and other programs.

China has territorial disputes in the South China Sea with countries including the Philippines and Vietnam. It has similar sea disputes with Japan and border disagreements with India.—AP

Australian state toughens law for Muslim veils CANBERRA: Muslim women in Australia’s most populous state will have to remove veils to have their signatures officially witnessed under the latest laws giving New South Wales officials authority to look under religious face coverings. New South Wales state Attorney General Greg Smith said in a statement yesterday that beginning April 30, officials such as justices of the peace and lawyers who witness statutory declarations or affidavits without making identity checks will be fined 220 Australian dollars ($236).

“If a person is wearing a face covering, an authorized witness should politely and respectfully ask them to show their face,” Smith said. The face coverings also include motorcycle helmets and masks. The government yesterday began an information campaign to ensure the public and officials are aware of the new penalties before they come into force. The laws are a response to a court case last year in which a Sydney woman was convicted of falsely claiming that a traffic policeman had attempted to remove her niqab - a veil that reveals only the eyes.

A judge overturned the conviction because the official who witnessed the false claim did not look under the veil of the person who made it, so the judge was not certain that the defendant was responsible. The latest laws were passed Dec 23 by the state parliament. They follow New South Wales laws passed last year that introduced a AU$5,500 ($5,900) fine and a 12-month prison sentence for anyone who refuses to remove face coverings when requested to do so by police.

Ikebal Patel, president of the Australian Federation of Islamic Councils and an advocate for Australian Muslims, said while some Muslims regarded the laws as a knee-jerk reaction to the court case, the majority did not object. “I don’t object as long as the laws are enforced with respect and sensitivity,” Patel said. Patel said he was also a justice of the peace and would never witness a document without seeking proof of the author’s identity.

He said Muslim women can find female justices of the peace working at most post offices. Women who object to showing policemen their faces have an option of being taken to a police station where their identities can be confirmed by a female official. New South Wales laws demanding the removal of religious face coverings are an Australian first, although other states including Victoria and Western Australia are considering similar legislation. Muslims are a rapidly growing minority of 400,000 within Australia’s Christian-majority population of 23 million. —AP

NAYPYIDAW: Myanmar opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi (C) delivers a speech during an electoral campaign rally in Naypyidaw yesterday.—AFP

Suu Kyi canvasses on Myanmar regime’s doorstep NAYPYIDAW: Myanmar opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi hit the campaign trail in the capital Naypyidaw on Monday, seeking to challenge the military-backed government in its political heartland. Thousands of people greeted the Nobel laureate as she visited constituencies at stake in the April 1 by-elections, which are being held to fill places vacated by those who have since become government and deputy ministers.

In a speech to supporters, Suu Kyi joked that she had taken a risk to campaign on the regime’s doorstep. “I don’t mean taking a risk coming here by road but spiritually we took our risk,” she said. “By believing in people’s spirit to move in the right direction we asked our candidates to come and compete here.” The opposition’s candidates in the capital include popular hip-hop artist Zayar Thaw, a former political prisoner freed in 2011 after serving three years for co-founding a youth activist group.

Myanmar’s regime has embarked on a series of dramatic changes since decades of outright military rule ended last year, including freeing political prisoners and welcoming Suu Kyi back into mainstream politics. On Saturday the 66-year-old dissident fell ill and was forced to take a break during a speech to more than 100,000 people-the largest crowd of her election campaign so far-in the second largest city of

Mandalay. She told supporters on Sunday that she was feeling better. With only 48 seats available nationwide in the April polls, Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy (NLD) party cannot threaten the parliamentary majority of the ruling Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP).

But it is a sign of the times that even in the regime’s sprawling showpiece capital, where four seats are up for grabs, some people dared to pledge their support openly for the NLD. “We voted USDP in the previous election as the village head asked us to. But this time even if they ask to do the same we’ll vote for Mother Suu. I’m not afraid anymore,” said Zaw Min San, 30, waiting to hear Suu Kyi speak.

The NLD won a landslide victory in an election in 1990 but the ruling junta never accepted the result. A 2010 vote, in which the USDP claimed a crushing victory, was marred by widespread complaints of cheating. The military regime surprised the world in 2005 by suddenly shifting the seat of government from Yangon to Naypyidaw, which means “Abode of Kings”.

While the motive was unclear, diplomats speculated it could be based on the advice of astrologers, fear of a foreign invasion or a desire by the junta to replicate pre-colonial kings who repeatedly moved the capital.—AFP

PHUOC TUY: In this Aug 4, 1969 photo provided by the Australian War Memorial, Australian soldiers Murray Madden, left, John Meredith, right, and their captain Colin Toll watch locals tend to their vegetables at Phuoc Tuy, Vietnam. —AP

Vietnam War history records Aussie troops’ alcohol abuse CANBERRA: Alcohol abuse during the Vietnam War was a significant problem for Australian troops who were supplied with the equivalent of more than five cans of beer per soldier per day during the latter years of the conflict, an official record says.

But some Australian commanders regarded beer as a lesser evil than the heroin and marijuana that gained popularity with allied US troops fighting in the conflict, according to the third and final volume of the official history of the Australian Army in Vietnam, “Fighting to the Finish,” which is being published Tuesday.”A few Australian commanders said the Aussies had a drinking culture and they were safer keeping that under control then allowing them access to what could have been far more damaging,” co-author Ashley Ekins told The Associated Press yesterday.

“It was a big problem that every Australian task force commander had to confront,” said Ekins, an Australian War Memorial historian. While Australian troops were barred from drinking during combat operations, binge drinking was a popular form of relaxation when troops returned to bases at Nui Dat and Vung Tau. In all three cases in which Australian privates murdered superior officers during Australia’s decade-long military involvement in Vietnam that ended in 1972, the culprit was drunk, the book says.

When a lieutenant who broke up a party was later murdered by a drunken soldier who threw a grenade into his tent in 1969, another officer in the same tent was so drunk that he slept through the explosion. “The biggest problem from the man management point of view in Vietnam ...

was grog,” Col. Max Simkin, commander of the Australian logistics base at Vung Tau from 1969 to 1970, is quoted as saying. The Vung Tau base’s average consumption rate at the time of six cans a day was higher than at the Australian headquarters at Nui Dat. Alcohol was “behind most of discipline problems in Vietnam,” Simkin said.

Records cited by the book show that army canteens were supplied with 7.5 million cans of Australian beer in the six months ending in November 1969. With 7,500 Australian troops in Vietnam at the time, that provided a daily average of between five and six cans. Various Australian commanders tried different methods to curb the excesses. A ration of two cans a day was introduced. Soldiers came back to base after weeks on patrol and drank their accumulated rations in a sitting. Soldiers who stayed behind on base reported that rationing was easily circumvented most days.

Problems attributed to alcohol included fights between soldiers and injuries from vehicle accidents and accidental weapon discharges. Doctors reported that alcohol abuse was implicated in up to a quarter of all psychiatric cases referred to them. But drug abuse remained rare. The book cites a 1971 official survey of US servicemen leaving Vietnam that reported two-thirds had experimented with marijuana, a third had tried heroin and a fifth were addicted to drugs. A total of 60,000 Australian troops served in Vietnam from 1962 until 1972, and around 500 died.

Australia currently has 1,550 troops in Afghanistan, where none is allowed to drink. —AP

Tibetan woman, student set selves on fire: Report BEIJING: A young mother and a student have become the latest people to set themselves on fire in protest against Chinese rule in Tibetan areas, a US broadcaster said yesterday. US government-backed Radio Free Asia said the 32-year-old mother and the female student died after separately immolating in different provinces over the weekend.

More than 20 Tibetans have set themselves on fire in the last year to protest what they say are harsh Chinese policies that do not allow them to freely practice their religion. The reported deaths came on the eve of the opening of China’s annual legislative session, a time when security is tightened across the country. March is also a sensitive time for Tibet, marking several anniversaries, including that of the unsuccessful revolt against China that caused Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama to flee in 1959, and deadly antigovernment riots that rocked the Tibetan capital Lhasa in 2008.

The student set herself ablaze Saturday at a vegetable market in Gansu province’s Maqu county and died at the scene, the report said, without giving the girl’s name or age. Chinese market vendors threw stones at the girl’s burning body, the broadcaster said, citing an unidentified Tibetan exile with connections to the community in Maqu. It didn’t say why

they attacked her.

The girl was described as a middle school student, but it was unclear whether she was in regular middle school, where students range from 13 to 16 years old, or senior middle school, where students can be up to 19.

Calls to local Maqu schools rang unanswered.

On Sunday, a woman identified only as Rinchen set herself on fire in front of a police station by the main gate to the Kirti Monastery in Aba prefecture in Sichuan province. Radio Free Asia said she was a mother of three young children. A report Sunday by the London-based Free Tibet group said Rinchen had four children.

Radio Free Asia reported that Rinchen called for the Dalai Lama to return to Tibet and freedom for Tibet as she set herself alight, quoting an exiled Tibetan monk in India, Kanyak Tsering. Tibetan areas are mostly off-limits to foreign media and it was not possible to immediately confirm the claims. A woman who answered the phone at the local Communist Party propaganda office in Aba declined to comment or give her name and referred calls to provincial authorities, who could not immediately be reached. A police official in Maqu said she was unaware of the report involving the student and hung up. —AP

TUESDAY, MARCH 6, 2012

NEWS

A two-headed turtle ‘Testudo horsfieldi’ is seen at the national museum of natural history in Kiev, Ukraine yesterday. Besides the two heads, the reptile has six legs. — AP

Obama’s transgender ex-nanny an outcast JAKARTA: Once, long ago, Evie looked after “Barry” Obama, the kid who would grow up to become the world’s most powerful man. Now, his transgender former nanny has given up her tight, flowery dresses, her brocade vest and her bras, and is living in fear on Indonesia’s streets. Evie, who was born a man but believes she is really a woman, has endured a lifetime of taunts and beatings because of her identity. She describes how soldiers once shaved her long, black hair to the scalp and smashed out glowing cigarettes onto her hands and arms.

The turning point came when she found a transgender friend’s bloated body floating in a backed-up sewage canal two decades ago. She grabbed all her girlie clothes in her arms and stuffed them into two big boxes. Half-used lipstick, powder, eye makeup - she gave them all away. “I knew in my heart I was a woman, but I didn’t want to die like that,” says Evie, now 66, her lips trembling slightly as the memories flood back. “So I decided to just accept it. ...

I’ve been living like this, a man, ever

since.”

Indonesia’s attitude toward transgenders is complex. Nobody knows how many of them live in the sprawling archipelagic nation of 240 million, but activists estimate 7 million. Because Indonesia is home to more Muslims than any other country in the world, the pervasiveness of men who live as women and vice versa often catches newcomers by surprise. They hold the occasional pageant, work as singers or at salons and include well-known celebrity talk show host Dorce Gamalama.

However, societal disdain still runs deep - when transgenders act in TV comedies, they are invariably the brunt of the joke. They have taken a much lower profile in recent years, following a series of attacks by Muslim hardliners.

And the country’s highest Islamic body has decreed that they are required to live as they were born because each gender has obligations to fulfill, such as reproduction. “They must learn to accept their nature,” says Ichwan Syam, a prominent Muslim cleric at the influ-

Evie ential Indonesian Ulema Council. “If they are not willing to cure themselves medically and religiously” they have “to accept their fate to be ridiculed and harassed.”

Many transgenders turn to prostitution because jobs are hard to find and because they want to live according to what they believe is their true gender. In doing so, they put themselves at risk of

Saudis flex Gulf grip with Bahrain ‘union’ Continued from Page 1 reinforcements against the uprising by the kingdom’s Shiite majority.

“Gulf union is a long-awaited dream,” said Sheikh Fareed Al-Meftah at Friday prayers in Manama’s main Sunni mosque, referring to proposals to coordinate defense affairs and other policies among the six members of the Gulf Cooperation Council stretching from Kuwait to Oman.

“The first step is here,” Meftah added.

Abdullah and Bahrain’s king, Hamad bin Isa Al-Khalifa, have met to discuss “union” plans, which are expected to be outlined in May. For the moment, few details have emerged. Gulf leaders have stressed the need for greater intelligence and military cooperation. It’s unclear, however, how deeply Bahrain and Saudi Arabia will attempt to merge in the first steps. The increasingly blurred national lines in Bahrain are a possible sneak preview of the wider Arab Spring backlash in the oil-rich Gulf, where Saudi power seeks to safeguard the region’s Sunni leadership and its strong opposition to possible attempts by Shiite giant Iran to expand influence.

Meanwhile, Gulf rulers have selectively endorsed rebellions elsewhere, such as in Libya and Syria.

So far, the Gulf agenda has dovetailed with Western partners, which unleashed NATO-led airstrikes against Muammar Gaddafi’s regime in Libya and are showing increasing support for possible aid to the rebels tr ying to topple Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad - Iran’s key Arab ally. But Bahrain brings the potential for friction. Washington has stood behind Bahrain’s dynasty for strategic reasons as hosts of the US Navy’s Fifth Fleet, which is a pillar of the Pentagon’s frontline forces against Iran. Yet rights groups and others have increased pressure in the US and Europe to scale back support for Bahrain’s rulers, who are struggling against a Shiite majority

claiming it faces widespread discrimination and second-class status.

There are no signs of any significant Western reduction in support for Bahrain’s dynasty, but the quandaries highlight how the tiny island kingdom has the potential to open rifts between the West and crucial ally Saudi Arabia. “Bahrain can be looked at as something of a Saudi colony now in the sense that policies are merged,” said Toby Jones, an expert on Bahraini affairs at Rutgers University. “But this is more than just a meeting of minds. It’s motivated by the fears of the Arab Spring.”

While there have been some rumblings of opposition - including protests in Shiite pockets in Saudi Arabia - nothing in the Gulf region has come close to Bahrain’s upheaval. More than 45 people have died in the unrest, which includes near daily street clashes that include tear gas from security forces and firebombs from demonstrators. Some rights groups place the death toll above 60. There have been no confirmed reports of Saudi soldiers directly involved in the crackdowns. But the troops in Bahrain have protected key sites, such as power plants, to free up local police. The military intervention also send a broad message that Saudi considers Bahrain a line that can’t be crossed.

Gulf Arab leaders repeatedly claim that Iran is pulling the strings behind Bahrain’s Shiite protests, although no clear evidence has been produced to support the allegations. The Gulf bloc fears the fall of Bahrain’s 200-year-old Sunni dynasty would give Iran a beachhead in their midst. Last month, Saudi’s King Abdullah claimed “unnamed hands” were behind the upheavals in Bahrain and other unrest against Sunni leaders in the Arab world. Abdullah did not specifically cite Iran, but similar terms have been used by Saudi officials and others in the six-member

Gulf Cooperation Council, which includes Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, Oman and the United Arab Emirates.

The Saudi defense minister, in an interview published Sunday in a Kuwaiti newspaper, called the regional security force, known as the Peninsula Shield, the “ nucleus” of protection against any threats to the Gulf states. “Iran is our neighbor, but we draw a line when it comes to intervention in our internal affairs,” Prince Salman bin Abdul Aziz was quoted as saying. “Whenever we feel that anybody is interfering in our internal affairs, through internal mercenaries or people from outside, we will resist it appropriately.”

A Bahrain-based economic researcher, Jassim Hussain, said a Gulf union could involve more unified economic help from the superrich Saudi Arabia to prop up Bahrain, whose role as a regional financial hub has taken a sharp blow from the unrest. In a rare boost for Bahrain’s economy in the past year, Saudi Arabia’s Prince Alwaleed bin Talal selected Manama in December as the base for a 24-hour news channel, Alarab. “Bahrain’s rulers have always been dependent on the generosity of Saudi Arabia,” said Simon Henderson, a Gulf analyst at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy. “It’s all part of the larger story - the rivalry between Saudi Arabia and Iran for regional power.”

Shiite groups in Bahrain, however, were wary that the planned union would leave Saudi Arabia the de facto ruler and further tighten crackdowns on the opposition. “We welcome the idea of closer Gulf union if the people of nations approve it,” said Sheik Ali Salman, head the largest Shiite political group, Al Wefaq. “But if the purpose is just to turn Bahrain into an emirate of Saudi Arabia, then it will not be accepted and it will be disastrous.” — AP

Ashour to file new Assembly’s first quiz Continued from Page 1 domestic helpers which will be accelerated for the benefit of maids and families. The lawmaker also said that the panel will raise the issue of stateless or bedoon detainees after inspecting their situation in the central jail.

In a related development, the criminal court yesterday extended the closure of Shiite daily newspaper Al-Dar until March 12 when the court is scheduled to issue its verdict against the daily on charges of publishing material deemed inciting sectarian rifts.

The court ordered the paper shut for two weeks on

Feb 1 over a complaint filed by the information ministry. It resumed publication in mid February for only a few days when the court issued another order to close the paper for two weeks.

The appeals court yesterday held a new hearing into the case of six men and a woman accused of spying for Iran and set April 16 as a date for the next session to hear the defense arguments. Two Iranians and a Kuwaiti were sentenced to death and two other Iranians were given long jail terms for spying on Kuwaiti and US armies for I ran’s Revolutionar y Guards. Two others, including the only woman, were acquitted.

contracting AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases. Some, like Evie, have decided it’s better to hide their feelings. Others are pushing back. Last month, a 50-year-old Indonesian transvestite applied to be the next leader of the national human rights commission, showing up in a borrowed luxury vehicle with paparazzi cameras flashing as she stepped out. “I’m too ugly to be a prostitute,” Yuli Retoblaut said, chuckling. “But I can be their bodyguard.”

The threat of violence is very real: Indonesia’s National Commission for Human Rights receives about 1,000 reports of abuses per year, ranging from murder and rape to the disruption to group activities. Worldwide, at least one person is killed every other day, according to the Trans Murder Monitoring Project, which collects homicide reports. Evie says she chose her current name because she thought it sounded sweet. But she adds, as she pulls out her national identification card, her official name is Turdi and gender male. Several longtime residents of Obama’s old Menteng neighborhood confirmed that Turdi had worked there as his nanny for two years, also caring for his baby sister Maya. When asked about the nanny, the White House had no comment.

Evie, who like many Indonesians goes by a single name, now lives in a closet-sized hovel in a tightly packed slum in an eastern corner of Jakarta, collecting and scrubbing dirty laundry to pay for food. She wears baggy blue jeans and a white T-shirt advertising a tranquil beach resort far away in a place she’s never been. She speaks softly, politely, and a deep worry line is etched between her eyes. As a child, Evie was often beaten by a father who couldn’t stand having such a “sissy” for a son. “He wanted me to act like a boy, even

though I didn’t feel it in my soul,” she says. Teased and bullied, she dropped out of school after the third grade and decided to learn how to cook. As it turned out, she was pretty good at it, making her way into the kitchens of several high-ranking officials by the time she was a teenager, she recalls with a smile and a wink. And so it was, at a cocktail party in 1969, that she met Ann Dunham, Barack Obama’s mother, who had arrived in the country two years earlier after marrying her second husband, Indonesian Lolo Soetoro.

Dunham was so impressed by Evie’s beef steak and fried rice that she offered her a job in the family home. It didn’t take long before Evie also was 8-yearold Barry’s caretaker, playing with him and bringing him to and from school.

Neighbors recalled that they often saw Evie leave the house in the evening fully made up and dressed in drag. But she says it’s doubtful Barry ever knew.

“He was so young,” says Evie. “And I never let him see me wearing women’s clothes. But he did see me trying on his mother’s lipstick, sometimes. That used to really crack him up.” When the family left in the early 1970s, things started going downhill. She moved in with a boyfriend. That relationship ended three years later, and she became a sex worker. “I tried to get a job as a maid, but no one would hire me,” says Evie. “I needed money to buy food, get a place to stay.”

It was a cat-and-mouse game with security guards and - because the country was still under the dictatorship of Gen. Suharto - soldiers. They often rounded up “banshees” or “warias,” as they are known locally, loaded them into trucks, and brought them to a field where they were kicked, hit and otherwise abused. The raid that changed

everything came in 1985. She and her friends scattered into dark alleys to escape the swinging batons. One particularly beautiful girl, Susi, jumped into a canal strewn with garbage. When things quieted, those who ran went back to look for her. “We searched all night,” says Evie, who is still haunted by the memory of her friend’s face. “Finally ... we found her. It was horrible. Her body swollen, face bashed in.”

Today Evie seeks solace in religion, going regularly to the mosque and praying five times a day. She says she’s just waiting to die. “I don’t have a future anymore.” She says she didn’t know the boy she helped raise won the 2008 US presidential election until she saw a picture of the family in local newspapers and on TV. She blurted out that she knew him. “I couldn’t believe my eyes,” she says, breaking into a huge grin. Her friends at first laughed and thought she was crazy, but those who live in the family’s old neighborhood say it’s true.

“Many neighbors would remember Turdi ... she was popular here at that time,” says Rudy Yara, who still lives across the street from Obama’s former house. “She was a nice person and was always patient and caring in keeping young Barry.” Evie hopes her former charge will use his power to fight for people like her. Obama named Amanda Simpson, the first openly transgender appointee, as a senior technical adviser in the Commerce Department in 2010. For Evie, who’s now just trying to earn enough to survive each day on Jakarta’s streets, the election victory itself was enough to give her a reason for the first time in a long time - to feel proud. “Now when people call me scum,” she says, “I can just say: ‘But I was the nanny for the President of the United States!’” — AP

Bibi tells Obama Israel is ‘master’ of own fate Continued from Page 1 calling for the Jewish state’s destruction and again refused to rule out eventual US military action. “I reserve all options and my policy here is not going to be one of containment. My policy is prevention of Iran obtaining nuclear weapons ... when I say all options are on the table, I mean it,” Obama said, a day after telling Washington’s top pro-Israel lobby that “loose talk” of war was damaging.

The president, seeking to preserve a way Iran could assuage international anxiety over its nuclear program without war, said he believed a diplomatic solution to the showdown was still possible. “We do believe there is still a window that allows for a diplomatic resolution to this issue.” Obama also took a veiled swipe at Republican presidential candidates who have slammed his approach to Iran as appeasement and claim he has failed to properly protect Israel. “Our commitment to the security of Israel is rock solid,” he said. “The United States will always have Israel’s back.”

Many analysts argue that Washington fears that an early, preemptive strike from Israel could trigger a fierce reaction from Iran, unleash further turmoil in the Middle East and drag Washington into a new Middle East war.

There are also fears that Israel does not possess sufficient military capacity to end Iran’s underground pursuit of the nuclear arsenal it denies seeking, and could at best set back the program just a few years.

Washington also warns that tensions over Iran benefit the Islamic Republic by hiking the price of oil, and rock the global petroleum market in a way that could crimp the slow yet building economic recovery.

Obama warned in an interview with the Atlantic magazine last week that a premature strike could inadvertently help the Iranian regime. “At a time when there is not a lot of sympathy for Iran and its only real ally (Syria) is on the ropes, do we want a distraction in which suddenly Iran can portray itself as a victim?” Obama said. The standoff has pushed the Israeli-Palestinian conflict into the background, although Obama did raise the stalled talks. He pledged to work for “a calmer set of discussions between the Israelis and the Palestinians” in a bid to seek a “peaceful resolution to that long-standing conflict.” But he added: “it is a very difficult thing to do in light of the context right now.”

There was no immediate sign from yesterday’s talks that Obama’s sharpened rhetoric against Iran and calls for restraint by Israel would be enough to delay any Israeli military plans against Tehran, which has called for the destruction of the Jewish state. Despite that, the body language between the two leaders was a stark contrast to their last Oval Office meeting in May 2011 when Netanyahu lectured Obama on Jewish history and criticized his approach to Israeli-Palestinian peacemaking. This time, Obama and Netanyahu appeared

cordial and businesslike, smiling at each other and sometimes nodding as the other spoke.

Even though Obama has ratcheted up his rhetoric against Iran in recent days, he and Netanyahu went into the talks divided over how quickly the clock is ticking toward possible military action, and the meeting appeared unlikely to change that. They remain far apart on any explicit nuclear “red lines” that Tehran must not be allowed to cross, and they have yet to agree on a time frame when military forces might need to be applied.

Obama’s encounter with Netanyahu was considered crucial to preserving the trust of America’s closest Middle East ally, which fears that time is running out for an effective Israeli strike on Iran, and to counter election-year criticism from Republican rivals who question his support for the Jewish state. He is also trying to tamp down increasingly strident talk of another war in the region that could cause further spikes in global oil prices and hit the fragile US economic recovery - dire consequences that could threaten his re-election chances.

Speculation is mounting that Israel could opt to act militarily on its own unless it receives credible guarantees that the United States will be ready to use force against Iran if international sanctions and diplomacy fail. Israel fears that Iranian nuclear facilities may soon be buried so deep that they would be invulnerable to its bunker-busting bombs, which are less powerful than those in the US arsenal. Obama said both he and Netanyahu “prefer to resolve this diplomatically” and that both understand the cost of military action.

Netanyahu did not echo that point in his own brief public remarks, saying instead: “If there’s one thing that stands out clearly in the Middle East today, it’s that Israel and America stand together.”

What is clear, however, is the potential political liability for Obama’s re-election bid if hostilities break out in the Middle East before the Nov 6 US presidential election. Netanyahu’s visit comes one day before the pivotal “Super Tuesday” round of Republican presidential primaries, with Obama’s Republican rivals seizing on the chance to accuse him of being weak in backing a staunch ally and in confronting a bitter foe.

Further complicating matters is a trust deficit between Obama and Netanyahu. In their last Oval Office meeting a year ago, Netanyahu embarrassed Obama by lecturing him on Jewish history and flatly rejecting his proposal that Israel’s 1967 borders be the basis for negotiations on creating a Palestinian state.

But relations have thawed somewhat since then as Obama has taken a tougher line on Iran while refraining from any new Middle East peace drives. Obama also scored points with Israelis for opposing a Palestinian bid for UN statehood recognition last September. — Agencies

14

TUESDAY, MARCH 6, 2012

ANALYSIS

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Issues

Death in Syria and the need for UN reform

By Bernd Debusmann

or decade after decade, diplomats at the United Nations have had on-again, off-again talks on how to reform the Security Council, the supreme decision-making panel on international security. The crisis in Syria shows that progress has been minimal and that power politics often trump human rights. At issue is the composition of a body “frozen in amber since the end of World War II,” in the words of Stewart Patrick, a fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations, a New York-based foreign policy think tank. The biggest difficulty in unfreezing it is the veto power wielded by the five permanent members of the 15-nation council - the United States, Russia, China, Britain and France.

A veto by one permanent member is enough to sink a resolution. On Feb 4, two veto-wielders, Russia and China, banded together to vote against a resolution that provided for Syria’s president, Bashar Al-Assad, to step aside, halt a ruthless crackdown on dissidents, and begin a transition to democracy. Assad saw the veto as a green light to crack down even harder. A week before the vetoes, the UN estimated the death toll at 5,400.

On February 28, it was revised to more than 7,500, the result of a merciless artillery and tank bombardment of the central city of Homs, an opposition stronghold. In the weeks between those body counts, there has been a growing chorus of condemnation of the Assad government, including a United Nations General Assembly vote (by 137 to 12) criticizing “widespread and systematic human rights violations by Syrian authorities.” Russia, China and ten other countries voted against that resolution. It has no legal force, unlike council resolutions.

More international condemnation came from a “Friends of Syria” meeting that brought together Western and Arab foreign ministers whose calls for ending the violence and allowing access for humanitarian aid fell on deaf ears in Damascus. Russia and China stayed away from the Tunis gathering and were showered with blistering criticism from US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton for their “despicable” Security Council vetoes.

Why the make-up of the council and the way it operates has remained unchanged since 1945 is a question that merits more vigorous public debate than there has been in the past. The case for re-thinking the system becomes stronger every time a veto frustrates the will of the majority. Clinton complained that the council had been “neutered” by the vetoes on Syria but the neutering is a logical consequence of the power wielded by the permanent five.

They have the privilege to ignore the rest, push their own interests and protect their allies, as Russia did on Syria and as the United States (the most active vetowielder in the past four decades) has done often to shield Israel from censure. None of the five have shown eagerness to change the veto system but that doesn’t mean it will never happen. Ideas on what to change and how to do it have been tossed around since 1993 in the bureaucratic obscurity of the bureaucratically-named “Open ended Working Group to consider all aspects of the question of an increase in the membership of the Security Council and other matters related to the Council.”

An expansion of the top UN decision making body is more likely in the foreseeable future than “other matters”, a phrase that embraces abolishing the veto. In February, the four countries that have lobbied most energetically to become veto-wielding Security Council members (Germany, Japan, India, Brazil) issued a statement urging tangible progress before September, when the current session of the UN General Assembly ends.

Japan and Germany are the second and thirdbiggest financial contributors to the UN, India is a nuclear power and the world’s second-most populous country, and Brazil is becoming a regional superpower in Latin America. Their inclusion would be a big step towards a Security Council that reflects the world as it is now, not as it was in 1945. Skeptics tend to argue that expansion of the council would result in a decisionmaking process even more difficult and time-consuming than it is now. Perhaps. But adding four stable, liberal democracies to the lineup would probably also result in better decisions. —Reuters

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All articles appearing on these pages are the personal opinion of the writers. Kuwait Times takes no responsibility for views expressed therein. Kuwait Times invites readers to voice their opinions. Please send submissions via email to: opinion@kuwaittimes.net or via snail mail to PO Box 1301 Safat, Kuwait.

The editor reserves the right to edit any submission as necessary.

West diplomacy must help weakened Putin

By Claire Rosemberg hile Vladimir Putin’s return is unlikely to immediately impact Russia’s troubled ties with the West, analysts say efforts by Western powers to smoothe out the wrinkles would profit all sides. After repeated stand-offs on hot issues such as Iran and Syria, as well as concern over a flawed ballot, Western capitals responded warily to Sunday’s vote.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel, one of a few to enjoy cosy ties with Russia, stood alone “to wish him success” yesterday morning, while the EU “took note” of his victory and British Prime Minister David Cameron promised a phone call later on.

“Putin’s victory was anything but a surprise,” said Francois Heisbourg, who heads the International Institute for Strategic Studies. “Western nations now will find Putin back in the frontline, back in direct contact, without mediation from (Dmitry) Medvedev,” who in his stint at the helm represented Russia at world events such as G8 and G20 talks. “In a way this may simpli-

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fy matters for the West because with Putin, they know who they’re dealing with,” Heisbourg told AFP. Putin was happy to delegate to Medvedev, added Jan Techau at the Carnegie Europe think-tank. “He doesn’t like foreign relations and official visits, and he’s not good at it. But now he will need to be active,” Techau told AFP. With the economy floundering and opposition on the rise, analysts and commentators see Putin’s victory as the likely beginning of probably his final six-year term. After repeatedly bashing the United States during his campaign, a weakened Putin could be tempted to stay on the diplomatic offensive to show Russia remains strong, both analysts said. But “I believe all in all there will be no change” in Moscow diplomacy, said Heisbourg. “This was a very pricey campaign for Putin, his legitimacy is undermined,” Techau said.

“Now he needs tangible success in modernising Russia so he needs the West, he needs investments.”

The world’s top oil producer and holder of almost 25 percent of global gas

reserves, arms-producing Moscow remains a military and geographical giant but has little else to offer as rivals China and India rise to the fore. “Russia is a declining power in relative and possibly absolute terms,” said London-based Chatham House in a study titled “Putin Again: Implications for Russia and the West.” Its images of itself as a super-power or great power “are all self-deceiving fantasies,” the report says. Analysts say much can and must be done in the interests of world stability to help Russia modernise, notably by investing in its energy sector and improving trade. But not to the detriment of international principles such as human rights, investment guarantees or the rule of law. “Western leaders can best help Russia as a whole ... by focusing on their own strategic objective of integrating Russia into a liberal world system,” said the Chatham House report.

NATO for instance should continue in its efforts to build a NATO-Russia relationship but go ahead with its planned missile defence system with or without Moscow’s

approval. The next US president too would be well advised to overcome Washington’s relative indifference to Moscow. “Washington needs a very sensitive and very smart and understanding policy, and at the same time a firm one,” Techau said. As for Europe, as its dependency on Russian gas drops, it has found increasing leverage to pressure Moscow.

“Many in Brussels still believe, falsely, that the EU is more dependent on Russia than Russia is on the EU,” said James Nixey of Chatham Hopuse. Europe needs to consolidate its positions and act as a bloc - as it did by ordering raids on Gazprom offices in September - to prevent Moscow’s preference for dealings with capitals rather than entities, enabling it more easily to divide and rule. On Syria, Putin is likely to “remain firm on as long as Bashar al-Assad is able to remain in power,” said Heisbourg. “The problem in Russia is there’s still this lingering fear we’re out to get them,” Techau said. “It’s their insecurity that I fear most because it can lead to instability.” —AFP

Price of victory may be too high for Putin

By Jason Bush ladimir Putin’s emphatic win in Sunday’s presidential election has come at the cost of hundreds of billions of dollars in spending promises that could sow the seeds of an economic crisis in Russia before his six-year term is out.

Putin, who received 64 percent of the vote with nearly all ballots counted, shored up his base by throwing money at everything from nuclear missiles to kindergartens, making the overburdened budget more dependent than ever on oil prices. The 59-year-old premier, returning to the Kremlin for a third term, has put the cost of promised public sector pay rises at 1.5 percent of gross domestic product (GDP) - around $30 billion per annum - in the coming years.

When the other new social spending commitments are added, Finance Minister Anton Siluanov told Reuters, the full cost may be up to 2 percent of GDP each year. A ministry source says privately that the figure could reach 3 percent by 2018. An independent assessment by London-based consultancy Capital Economics calculates the total bill for election-related promises will be even higher, reaching 4.8 trillion roubles ($165 billion) per annum, or 4-5 percent of GDP, by 2018.

Whatever the true total, Russia’s already overstretched budget will be hard-pushed to find it. “The higher oil price gives them more money to throw around ahead of the elections and after the elections, but at what cost?” said Neil Shearing, chief economist at Capital Economics. “Russia can’t keep relying on expenditure to sustain growth.” Putin’s campaign promises include pledges to raise salaries for doctors and university professors to double the regional average by 2018. Schoolteachers, meanwhile, have been promised pay at least in line with the average. Other pledges include a boost in child allowances, higher student grants, and an end to kindergarten waiting lists. An analysis by Russian audit firm FBK puts the cost of these social spending pledges at 9.9 trillion roubles ($340 billion) through to 2018, rising from 1.1 trillion roubles in 2012 to 1.7 trillion roubles per annum by 2018. “It is troubling

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overall, definitely so,” said Vladimir Tikhomirov, chief economist at Otkritie brokerage in Moscow. “I’m not questioning the need for teachers and doctors to receive higher wages, but the question of course is how this could be met.” Over the last five years, total government spending has already risen from below 30 percent of GDP to almost 40 percent. And it is now climbing even more rapidly, as Putin’s government delivers on previous commitments, such as higher pay for the

billion) by 2020 to re-equip the military, as he cements support among the two million Russians who work in the sprawling military-industrial complex inherited from Soviet times. These expenditures alone will require additional spending of 2.2 percent of GDP per annum by 2018, according to Capital Economics, similar to all of Putin’s social spending commitments put together.

Another of Putin’s oft-repeated electoral promises - not to increase Russia’s

Russian Prime Minister and presidential candidate Vladimir Putin (left), flanked by President Dmitry Medvedev, has tears in his eyes as he addresses a massive rally of his support at Manezh square outside Kremlin in Moscow on Sunday. —AP military and the police, made to coincide with the vote. In the first two months of 2012, spending rose by 37 percent compared to a year earlier. That’s more than twice the 14 percent increase pencilled in for 2012 - itself more than double expected inflation of 6 percent.

The official estimates of the additional spending required in the years ahead do not include previous spending commitments reiterated during the campaign, such as on defence. Putin has committed to spend some 23 trillion roubles ($790

pension age from its present 60 for men and 55 for women - represents another implicit burden on the budget.

Demographic pressures mean that Russia’s pensions budget - already an excessive 10 percent of GDP - will keep rising, by around one percentage point of GDP every five years. “If we don’t implement bold pension reform, there will be substantial pressure to increase pension payments as a percent of GDP,” said Evsey Gurvich, head of the Economic Expert Group that advises Russia’s finance min-

istry. “Our fiscal revenues are sensitive to oil price volatility - hence there are risks.”

On the face of it, Russia has fiscal leeway enabling it to afford higher spending. The federal budget ran a small surplus last year, and is officially forecast to run only a modest deficit of 1 percent of GDP this year. Total government debt is only around 11 percent of GDP, and Russia has also accumulated $150 billion in two sovereign funds which could be tapped in an emergency. But these numbers would look much less rosy without the good fortune of high - and in recent months, rising - oil prices. The break-even oil price, at which Russia’s budget balances, has rocketed from just $34 a barrel in 2007 to $117 this year.

In a recent report, analysts at Citi warn that the break-even price will rise to $150 per barrel if Putin’s spending policies are implemented. “That type of uncertainty would likely drive a lower valuation (of the stock market) even if oil prices hold up, simply because (of ) the increased cyclicality that it implies for the market,” they wrote. A further question is how long Russia’s luck with the oil price will hold. “It is critical to underscore the high level of the break-even for the oil price,” said Plamen Monovski, chief investment officer at Renaissance Asset Managers. “If the oil price falls, there is very little room for manoeuvre.”

The optimistic view is that Putin’s electoral pledges do not tell the whole story about his budgetary intentions. Putin has also promised to make budget savings, in particular by reducing the massive waste and corruption in areas such as state procurement. By eliminating widespread kickbacks, he wrote in a recent article, Russia could cut the federal budget by 510 percent, saving the equivalent of 1-2 percent of GDP annually.

Finance Minister Siluanov also says he is scouring the budget for cuts, pledging that by 2016 the budget will balance at a lower oil price of $90 per barrel. But it is one thing to talk about tackling deeply ingrained corruption or making painful expenditure cuts - quite another thing to do so in practice. “We can’t wait any longer, otherwise our budget policy will be risky,” Siluanov told Reuters. “Who needs that?”. —Reuters

TUESDAY, MARCH 6, 2012

sp orts Adlington books Olympic seat LONDON: Britain’s double Olympic swimming champion Rebecca Adlington booked her ticket for her home London Games on Sunday with a comfortable 400m freestyle win at the British trials.

“I wasn’t even bothered about the time, I just wanted to get in,” she told reporters after a start-to-finish victory in the same Aquatics Centre pool where she will go for gold once the Games start on July 27. “Four years it has taken to get to this point and you can’t imagine how good it feels to get here,” the 23-yearold told BBC radio.

Adlington won the 400 and 800m freestyle gold medals in Beijing four years ago and also took the 800m gold and 400m silver at last year’s world championships in Shanghai. However, she had said before the trials, where she had to finish in the top two to be sure of an Olympic spot, that she was taking nothing for granted and was worried. She need not have done so, winning comfortably after easing off at the finish with 2008 Olympic bronze medallist Joanne Jackson in second to secure her place for the Games as well.—Reuters

‘Frogs Friends’ seek help SEOUL: A South Korean environmental group is appealing to Manchester United midfielder Park Ji-sung, who said he used to drink juice made from boiled frogs to build his physique, to help it protect the amphibians from a surge in consumption.

Lobby group “Frogs Friends” said that consumption of frog juice had surged since Park’s 2006 autobiography in which he said he had drunk it as a tonic, and said they would lobby the international and Premier League star to join their campaign.

“I do not know if it is just coincidence but after it was revealed... that Park eats frogs as a means to boost his strength, the number of cases of

illegal poaching of frogs and toads residing in mountains has increased,” campaign organiser Park Wan-hee was quoted as saying by Yonhap News Agency on Monday.

Since its establishment in 2007, Frog’s Friends has been campaigning to stop Koreans killing amphibians for perceived health properties.

Park is South Korea’s best known soccer player and said that his father had fed him frog juice to boost his stamina.

“If Park joins our campaign to stop the practice, it would correct people’s misperceptions about eating frogs, believing it will raise their stamina,” said the lobby group. — Reuters

Morton killed in car crash LONDON: The West Indies Cricket Board yesterday paid tribute to Runako Morton, after the former Test and one-day batsman was killed in a car accident.

“Our deepest condolences to Runako Morton’s family. Such devastating and tragic news,” the board said on its official Twitter account, after the 33-year-old’s death was announced. Morton, who played 15 Tests for the West Indies, scoring 573 runs at an average of 22.03, died when he lost control of his car and careered off the road in Trinidad on Sunday, according to the Trinidad Express newspaper’s web site.

His last appearance for his country came against Australia in a Twenty20 international in 2010. Morton’s career was blotted by disciplinary breaches. He was expelled from the West Indian Academy in July 2001, and a year later was called up to the injury-plagued West Indies squad as a replacement for Marlon Samuels.

He pulled out of the ICC Champions Trophy in September 2002, after lying about the death of his grandmother. His career slipped further when he was arrested (though released without charge) in January 2004, following a stabbing incident. — AFP

Flyers soar over Capitals WASHINGTON: Eric Wellwood scored less than a minute after Philadelphia coach Peter Laviolette called a timeout to give his players an earful, and Ilya Bryzgalov made 34 saves to lead the Flyers to a 1-0 victory over the Washington Capitals on Sunday.

Bryzgalov earned his third shutout of the season, and the 26th of his career, even though the Flyers were missing two defensemen who sat out with injuries: Kimmo Timonen and Andrej Meszaros.

Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin, a two-time league MVP, played fewer minutes than most of Washington’s other forwards and was held without a goal for the seventh time in his last 10 games. Washington has lost two games in a row - both at home, both shutouts - following a three-game winning streak.

Krejci tied it for Boston at 11:42. The Bruins barely had time to celebrate before Stepan ripped a drive from the left circle that sailed goalie Tim Thomas and under the crossbar 39 seconds later.

The Rangers opened a 12-point lead over the defending Stanley Cup champion Bruins in the Eastern Conference playoff race. New York’s closest pursuer is Atlantic Division-rival Pittsburgh, which is 10 points behind. Anton Stralman and Carl Hagelin also scored for the Rangers, and Henrik Lundqvist made 30 saves.

Islanders 1, Devils 0 At Uniondale, New York, Anders Nilsson

made 24 saves to become the first Islanders goalie to have a shutout in his first NHL victory, leading New York past New Jersey.

The 21-year-old Nilsson was called up from Bridgeport on Feb. 29. He was selected the AHL goalie of the month for February after going 6-0-1. The 6-foot-5 Swede made his first NHL start Nov. 21, losing 5-0 at Pittsburgh. He also played the last two periods in a 6-0 home loss against Boston on Nov. 19. Kyle Okposo scored early in the second period.

Stars 3, Flames 2 At Calgary, Alberta, Loui Eriksson had a short-handed goal and added an assist in reg-

Blackhawks 2, Red Wings 1 At Detroit, Patrick Sharp had a goal and an assist, and Patrick Kane broke a tie late in the second period in Chicago’s victory over Detroit. Ray Emery made 23 saves to help Chicago solidify its hold on the sixth playoff spot in the Western Conference. Niklas Kronwall scored for Detroit, 27-4-2 at home.

Jimmy Howard made four saves before leaving after the first period because of a lowerbody injury. Joey MacDonald stopped 12 shots in the final two periods.

Red Wings defenseman Jakub Kindl also left early in the first period because of an upper-body injury. Detroit already was without captain Nicklas Lidstrom, center Pavel Datsyuk and defenseman Jonathan Ericsson.

Rangers 4, Bruins 3 At New York, Derek Stepan and Marian Gaborik scored in the third period as New York held on to beat Boston for the fifth straight time.

Gaborik gave the Rangers a 3-2 lead 3:14 into the third with his 32nd goal, but David

WASHINGTON: Capitals left wing Troy Brouwer (20) collides with Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Erik Gustafsson (bottom) during the first period of an NHL hockey game. — AP

Hamlin triumphs at Phoenix AVONDALE: Denny Hamlin took the lead on a restart and had to sweat out his fuel mileage over the final few laps to win at Phoenix International Raceway on Sunday.

In his second race with new crew chief Darian Grubb, Hamlin shook off memories of a championship-losing run at Phoenix in 2010 by leading the final 59 laps and holding off NASCAR’s best closer.

Kevin Harvick had Hamlin in his sights over the final few laps, but ran out of gas and finished second.

Hamlin was concerned about gas as well, but had just enough to celebrate his 18th career win with a brief burnout.

Greg Biffle finished third and Jimmie Johnson bounced back from a disastrous Daytona 500 to finish fourth despite wheel troubles midway through the 312-lap race. Hamlin hasn’t had many good memories at Phoenix lately.

He had finished no better than 11th in four previous races. There also was a disastrous finish in 2010 caused by poor fuel strategy that may have cost him a chance at his first Sprint Cup championship.

Dominating the race, Hamlin had to make a late pit stop for fuel and wound up 19th while Johnson was fifth. Instead of a 60-point lead over Johnson, Hamlin was only ahead by 15 after Phoenix and Johnson ended up snatching the title from him at Homestead the next week, his record-setting fifth.

Hamlin finished ninth in the Sprint Cup standings in 2011 and opened this season with a strong run at the Daytona 500, finishing third after qualifying 31st.

Hamlin started 13th at PIR and briefly led a couple of times before beating Harvick off the line after a caution. Following a brief scare by Harvick, he cruised to the checkers when the No. 29 car ran out of gas. The teams didn’t have much time to prepare after one of the most bizarre Daytona 500s ever.

Weather pushed the start of the race to Monday night and Juan Pablo Montoya’s did-that-really-happen crash into a safety truck during a caution led to a two-hour delay of flames and suds as crews tried to clean the track with laundry detergent.

Adding to the long weekend, many drivers weren’t able to get home after the race because the airports in North Carolina were shut down due to bad weather.

Matt Kenseth came away as the big winner, holding off Dale Earnhardt Jr. to capture his second Daytona 500 title, but Brad Keselowski steered some of the attention in his direction by tweeting updates and photos from the track during the red flag.

Six days later, there were no delays, no jet dryer crashes, no in-race tweeting. Just a track that got slicker as the weekend wore on.

PIR was resurfaced after the 2011 spring race and held up well in the fall. The grip was decent for the early practice session Friday, but the track became tougher as the temperatures rose Saturday and again for the race. With the sun shining and the temperature in the 80s, drivers fought for traction all day, wobbling and sliding all over.—AP

ulation, then scored in a shootout in Dallas’ victory over Calgary.

Jamie Benn scored on Dallas’ first attempt in the shootout, and Eriksson connected on the second. Michael Ryder added a powerplay goal, and Kari Lehtonen made 36 saves and assisted on Eriksson’s goal. The Stars have climbed to seventh in the Western Conference, going 6-0-1 in their last seven games. Curtis Glencross and Jarome Iginla scored for Calgary.

Panthers 4, Senators 2 At Sunrise, Florida, Marcel Goc, Krystofer Barch and Mikael Samuelsson scored secondperiod goals as Florida rallied to beat Ottawa for the first time in 10 games.

Jack Skille added a goal with 1:26 left, Jose Theodore made 23 saves, and Mike Weaver had two assists to help the Panthers beat the Senators for the first time since a 3-0 victory in Ottawa in January 2010.

Jared Cowen and Chris Neil scored in the first period for Ottawa, and Robin Lehner stopped 24 shots. Goc and Barch scored in a 2:21 span early in the second to tie it.

Avalanche 2, Wild 0 At St. Paul, Minnesota, Jamie McGinn got his first career two-goal game just 8:25 into the night, giving Colorado all the scoring it needed to beat Minnesota. Semyon Varmalov made 30 saves for his fourth shutout of the season.

Peter Mueller and Stefan Elliott assisted in that order on both goals, spoiling rookie Matt Hackett’s first start in the Wild net at home after five scattered appearances. Hackett made 33 saves, with regular Niklas Backstrom out another two to four weeks with a strained groin muscle and backup Josh Harding resting after giving up six goals the previous game at Detroit and getting pulled in the third period. — AP

NHL results/standings NY Rangers 4, Boston 3; NY Islanders 1, New Jersey 0; Chicago 2, Detroit 1; Florida 4, Ottawa 2; Dallas 3, Calgary 2 (SO); Philadelphia 1, Washington 0; Colorado 2, Minnesota 0. (SO denotes shootout win)

NY Rangers Pittsburgh Philadelphia New Jersey NY Islanders Boston Ottawa Buffalo Toronto Montreal Florida Winnipeg Washington Tampa Bay Carolina

Eastern Conference Atlantic Division W L OTL 42 15 7 38 21 5 36 21 7 36 24 5 28 29 9 Northeast Division 38 23 3 34 25 8 30 27 8 30 28 7 25 31 10 Southeast Division 31 22 12 31 27 8 32 28 5 31 28 6 24 27 14

GF 179 207 210 180 155

GA 133 167 191 175 195

PTS 91 81 79 77 65

209 202 162 194 170

150 198 183 201 184

79 76 68 67 60

163 173 172 184 171

184 186 184 219 197

74 70 69 68 62

Western Conference Central Division Detroit 43 20 3 209 153 89 41 18 7 169 131 89 St. Louis Nashville 38 20 7 184 166 83 Chicago 36 24 7 202 195 79 Columbus 20 38 7 153 214 47 Northwest Division Vancouver 41 17 8 209 161 90 34 29 4 171 180 72 Colorado Calgary 29 25 12 159 181 70 Minnesota 28 28 10 143 180 66 Edmonton 25 33 6 170 192 56 Pacific Division Phoenix 33 23 9 170 165 75 35 26 5 174 178 75 Dallas San Jose 33 24 7 179 163 73 Los Angeles 30 23 12 142 139 72 Anaheim 28 28 10 166 186 66 Note: Overtime losses (OTL) are worth one point in the standings and are not included in the loss column (L)

VIVA announces winners of United’s training program in Abu Dhabi KUWAIT: As part of its sponsorship for Manchester United and in line with its strategic plan to support youthful sport activities, Kuwait Telecommunication Company VIVA announced, the names of the winners in the preliminary stage that will allow a selected group of them the chance to train by the best football experts and meet the stars at the Manchester United Soccer School.

The announcement was made in a huge celebration, held on Sunday March 4th at the Avenues, where VIVA honored the 50 winners who qualified to attend a training program to be held in Manchester United Soccer School in Abu Dhabi, whereby 10 students will be selected to go to the Manchester United School in England and enjoy one in a lifetime experience.

The celebration witnessed the participation of Andy Cole, Manchester United Star, who was present to recognize the winners along with VIVA Marketing Communications Senior Manager, Abdulrazzaq Al-Essa and he urged them to follow their dreams as it has become possible with VIVA. The ceremony featured entertainment activities for the delighted crowd as they had the opportunity to meet Andy Cole in person and take pictures with him and the Premier League Trophy.

The Training Program to choose the qualified students was held on Saturday, March 3rd at (Hassan Abul) Soccer Complex, under the supervision of specialized experts, starting 8AM. Hundreds of teenagers, between 14 & 18 years old, participated in order to win this unique experience, and go through an unforgettable trip to Manchester United Soccer School.

Hundreds of football lovers went to (Hassan Abul) Soccer Complex since early morning to register their names, full of enthusiasm with one hope to achieve their dream in playing with the most famous football stars at Manchester United Soccer School. The winners were chosen based on professional standards according to health and physical criterias.

Al-Essa explained that the purpose of this program is to encourage the youth to develop their talents and hone their skills. He also added that this comes as a part of the company’s commitment towards the youth and provide them with ideal opportunities in different fields, especially the sport one.

Al-Essa also stated that “VIVA take special care of developing young players, and we are proud that VIVA can offer this opportunity to the distinguished and talented players, to train at the Manchester United Soccer School, where football in general, and Manchester United in particular has a great number of fans.”

“VIVA is delighted that the final 10 players will have the lifetime chance to travel to England, and develop their skills, on the same playgrounds that players like David Beckham and Paul Scholes have trained and mastered their skills at an early age.”

The fame of Manchester United School’s training programs continues to grow since it was established in Abu Dhabi in 2010. Manchester United Soccer School provides young, ambitious players with a chance to enroll in courses supervised by coaches from one of the best & most famous clubs in the world. All registered students will have the chance to participate in the challenge held by Manchester

United Soccer Schools, where the winners get a fully paid trip to the city of Manchester to practice at Manchester United Cardington’s training ground, in addition to playing in the famous Old Trafford stadium.

It is notewor thy to mention that Kuwait Telecommunication Company VIVA announced last year that it will sponsor Manchester United for 5 years, as from 2011- 2012 Premier League season. Manchester United broke the league record of winning its 19th Premier League title, which made the club one of the most successful clubs in the history of English football. This special sponsorship included a full entertainment program in addition to offers and surprises for VIVA subscribers, and

Andy Cole with the winners

sports fans in general.

Starting August 2011 VIVA started to provide football lovers the chance to win VIP tickets for Manchester United matches at the famous Old Trafford stadium in England.

VIVA has developed a number of new promotional offers and distinguished gifts, entertaining programs, interactive competitions, and organized a number of activities to provide the subscribers with chances to watch the club stars playing their exciting matches at Old Trafford. VIVA has also presented creative ideas to communicate with the club fans, the thing that makes it possible to provide VIVA subscribers with an exclusive group of the club’s products.

TUESDAY, MARCH 6, 2012

sp orts

‘Bounty’ scandal could end up in US courts NEW YORK: A scandal in which US football players got rewarded for injuring opponents could have legal consequences, with prosecutors, players and even fans getting in on the judicial action. By Sunday morning, four National Football League teams were linked to a “bounty” scandal that came to light in Friday’s NFL announcement that New Orleans Saints defensive players were paid for “big hits” that took opponents out of play.

Over the weekend, reports of bounty programs at the Washington Redskins, Buffalo Bills and Tennessee Titans emerged in The Washington Post, the Buffalo News and The New York Times. Saints defensive coordinator Gregg Williams, said by the NFL to have orchestrated the Saints scheme, was on the coaching staff at each of the four teams.

The NFL, which is trying to improve its image in the face of lawsuits by former players over concussion injuries, is likely to mete out its own punishment against teams involved in making bounty payments, which could include suspensions, fines and restrictions on player recruitment. But pieces of the scandal could well end up in the courts, say legal experts.

Criminal charges of assault and bat-

tery against the teams, including Williams, are possible, said Ryan Rodenberg, an attorney and a sports management professor at Florida State University.

Rodenberg said that in 2000, Canadian prosecutors brought assault charges against Boston Bruins hockey player Marty McSorley for smashing Vancouver Canucks player Donald Brashear in the head with a hockey stick. As a result of the blow, Brashear struck his head on the ice, lost consciousness and suffered memory lapses. McSorley was sentenced to 18 months probation and banned from playing for that period.

Although the case did not involve bounty payments, it illustrates the willingness of prosecutors to get involved in situations involving intentional hits, Rodenberg said. Criminal charges related to the bounty scandal could arise from the various jurisdictions where injuries occurred.

Federal prosecutors could also bring charges, said Paul Callan, a former New York City prosecutor who is an attorney at New York’s Callan, Koster, Brady & Brennan. If bounties were paid for games played outside a team’s home state, then interstate telephone calls, computer use and travel could trigger

federal charges, he said. Possible charges could include wire fraud, conspiracy and racketeering, Callan said.

Tax evasion charges were another possibility for the money that players earned for making big hits. “Things could get interesting,” Callan said.

Both Rodenberg and Callan said the extent of the wrongdoing would determine if battery, conspiracy and racketeering charges would ensue. The more likely scenario at this point, they said, was for state and federal authorities to let the NFL deal with the problem.

Messages seeking comments for this story from the four NFL teams were not returned. In a statement on Friday, Williams, now with the St. Louis Rams, confirmed that the system had been in place at the Saints.

“It was a terrible mistake and we knew it was wrong while we were doing it. Instead of getting caught up in it, I should have stopped it,” he said.

“I take full responsibility for my role”.

Bills CEO Russ Brandon denied knowledge of any such payment system while Williams was head coach, telling the Buffalo News, “We would not have tolerated that type of behavior.” On the civil side of the law, one possibility is a class action, Callan said.

Fans who had tickets to games

involving bounty payments could assert they paid to watch games based solely on athletic ability, not on side bets for taking players out, Callan said.

Damages likely would be limited to the price of the tickets, but considering the value of those tickets and the thousands of fans who attend, the damages could add up quickly, he said.

The claims could be similar to those made in a 2007 lawsuit seeking classaction status. In that case, a New York Jets season ticketholder sued the New England Patriots and coach Bill Belichick. The lawsuit claimed that the Patriots deceived fans by secretly videotaping the Jets coaches making hand signals. In 2010, a federal appeals court threw out the case, ruling that attending an “honest” game was not a viable claim. The US Supreme Court last year declined to hear the case.

Ticketholders considering class actions against the Saints and other teams should note that the appeals court in 2010 wrote in its ruling that the case was unlike others it had considered, which could leave room for subsequent cases. The appeals court limited its ruling to the contractual relationship between team and ticketholder. Other civil claims could include battery and conspiracy made

by injured players. In their defense, the Saints and other teams likely would argue that even if bounty payments had occurred, the opposing players assumed the risk of injury and could not recover for them, said Kenneth Shropshire, an attorney at law firm Duane Morris in Philadelphia and professor at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. That defense could be persuasive to a court, he said.

“This is a violent sport that they volunteer to participate in. That’s just the mentality of the game,” he said. Linda Greene, professor at University of Wisconsin Law School, said that the assumption-of-the-risk defense could fail if the bounty payments had so changed the terms of play that the hits were beyond what was normal.

Proving damages under any battery claims would take a meticulous analysis of the particular hits in question to determine if they were beyond the usual bounds of play, Greene said.

Any claims or charges would be subject to statutes of limitations, legal experts said. Determining which jurisdictions’ laws applied and when the alleged conduct began and ended likely would be major points of contention. —Reuters

McIlroy holds off Tiger to clinch number one spot

Edward Loar in action in this file photo

Loar wins Panama Championship PANAMA CITY: Edward Loar won the Panama Championship on Sunday for first Nationwide Tour title, holing a 6-foot par putt on the final hole for a 4-over 74 and a one-stroke victory over four players.

The 34-year-old left-hander, four strokes ahead entering the final round in 92-degree heat, survived a triple-bogey 7 on the seventh hole and had only two birdies in the final round - the last on the par-4 16th. “Yeah, I was nervous,” Loar said. “It was the first time in a while that I’d been in the lead, especially on a stage like this. I think anybody that said they weren’t is crazy. On a course like this anything can happen as it’s shown all week.

Unfortunately, it came up and bit me a couple of times.”

Loar finished at 4-under 276 and earned $99,000 for his first tour victory since winning the Asian Tour’s 2003 Thailand Open and 2004 Korean Open. A rookie on the PGA Tour this year, he will play in the Puerto Rico Open next week.

“I really haven’t played that good out here,” Loar said. “Hopefully, this will give me some gratification that I actually belong out here.”

Cameron Percy, Ryan Armour, Luke

List and Brian Smock tied for second.

Percy finished with a 67, Armour and List shot 68, and Smock had a 69.

Loar three-putted the par-3 sixth hole for a bogey, then pushed his tee shot into the water on the seventh and threeputted for the triple bogey.

“The triple was just bad shots followed by bad shots,” Loar said. “I was thinking I was glad I had a four-shot lead to start with. I obviously let a lot of people back in the tournament.”

Needing a par on the 465-yard 18th to avoid a playoff, Loar clipped a tree with his drive, leaving him 240 yards to the pin.

“I just tried to put myself in a place where I could get it up and down,” he said. “I didn’t think I had a chance for the green. I just hit a really good chip shot.”

He won with the 6-foot putt.

“I just tried to stick to my routine and I hit it right in the middle,” he said. “I really struggled. I had pretty good control and then a couple of slip ups, followed by another slip-up and all of a sudden it was tight and I really had to fight and dig deep. I made some unbelievable up and downs coming in to win this tournament.” —AP

McIlroy is the new face of golf PALM BEACH GARDENS: For more months than we care to think about, the only real question in golf has been this: What’s wrong with Tiger Woods?

Maybe now we should be asking what’s going so well with golf. Plenty, if you judge from a Sunday afternoon in Florida, where a new star helped cement his claim to greatness even as he heard roars coming down the stretch that could only mean Woods was on the move.

No. 1 in the world was on the line for Rory McIlroy, but that wasn’t even the biggest subplot of the day. That was owned by a player in bright red whose game finally matched the brilliance of his shirt.

Woods’ 62 may not have put a scare into McIlroy, but it did put everyone on notice that he can still play golf.

Doing it on Sunday after it’s been so long since he’s won a real tournament screamed out Woods was, indeed, back. The only question is how much it still matters. To the crowd count, yes, and maybe even to the count always in Woods’ head - the 18 majors won by Jack Nicklaus.

But there’s a new attraction in golf, a curly haired 22-year-old from Northern Ireland who is just as much fun to watch as Woods in his prime and a lot more fun to be around.

McIlroy’s boyish charm and obvious joy for the game are in stark contrast to Woods, and he seems so approach-

able that one fan on the 17th tee on Saturday asked him what kind of shampoo he uses.

But the way he stared down Woods in the final round may be what separates him from all the pretenders that came before. McIlroy never backed off, even when Woods made eagle on the final hole to pull within one in the Honda Classic. He heard the roars from the 18th green, then stepped up and calmly knocked in a birdie putt on No. 13 on his way to a win that made him the youngest No. 1 player in the world since - you guessed it - Woods early in his career.

McIlroy may not be the next Woods, but that’s an unfair comparison.

Woods in his prime was so dominant the odds are there will never be anyone like him again. And he showed Sunday that he’s not done yet, something that should sell tickets and spark TV ratings the rest of the year.

Still, there’s something about McIlroy that’s appealing to watch, something about him that oozes star power. We’ve known it since his runaway win at the U.S. Open last year, and he confirmed it on a breezy day made even better by the pressure from the still big footsteps of Woods.

While Woods was magnificent, McIlroy was steady and that was all he needed to become the first No. 1 since Woods that casual golf fans actually care about. — AP

PALM BEACH GARDENS: Britain’s Rory McIlroy held off a spectacular final round charge from Tiger Woods to win the Honda Classic on Sunday and take over as golf’s new world number one.

The 22-year-old McIlroy, winner of last year’s US Open, replaced Luke Donald at the top of the world rankings after a thrilling victory at the PGA National course.

Only Woods, who finished tied for second with Tom Gillis on Sunday, reached number one at an earlier age. McIlroy started the last day with a two-shot lead and finished up winning by the same margin after shooting a final round of one-under-par 69 for a total of 12under.

The Northern Irishman looked to be cruising to victory until Woods charged up the leaderboard with a 62, his lowest final round score of his career, making an eagle at the last hole to briefly cut the margin to one stroke.

But McIlroy, who had bogeyed the 12th, birdied the 13th to restore his two-shot advantage then kept his composure through the tricky ‘Bear Trap’ trio of holes to win his third PGA title.

It was the perfect test of McIlroy’s credentials, playing three of the toughest holes on the tour, designed by the watching Jack Nicklaus, with Woods waiting for him to slipup. “It was tough today, especially seeing Tiger make a charge, seeing him post 10 under,” said McIlroy. “To shoot one under in these conditions when you go in with the lead....I was just able to get the job done.”

Woods, despite just missing out on his first win on the PGA Tour since the BMW

Championship in September 2009, was nonetheless delighted with a performance which suggested he can recapture the form which took him to 14 major wins.

“I really didn’t miss many shots today. It was a good day and I hit a lot of good putts that went in and some that just skirted the edge,” he said.

“It could have really been something special today if a few putts would have gone in.

“It feels good because I felt like I’ve been close to shooting this score or scores like this. It was

just a matter of time before things all fell into place,” he said.

Gillis, playing in the final group with McIlroy, birdied the final hole for a 69 and a tie for second place at 10-under.

Britain’s Lee Westwood, who held the number one ranking for 22 weeks in 2010 and 2011, finished outright fourth, two shots back at eight-under, after closing with a 63.

South Africa’s Charl Schwartzel, last year’s Masters champion, tied with Britain’s Justin Rose at seven-under. —Reuters

PALM BEACH GARDENS: Rory McIlroy holds the trophy after winning the Honda Classic golf tournament. McIlroy became the top-ranked golfer in the world. —AP

Wiggins targets London Games PARIS: Tour de France and Olympic glory is within Bradley Wiggins’s grasp this year as the Briton targets the yellow jersey in Paris and a time trial gold at the London Games in a thrilling summer. Wiggins, a three-times Olympic champion on the track, will skip the London Velodrome to focus on the road this year.

Dealing with two major goals in a very short space of time should not be a problem for Wiggins who won silver in the 2011 world championships time trial a few days after finishing third overall in the Tour of Spain. “(Doing the Vuelta before the world championships) is the best preparation. For the time trial it’s certainly the best preparation if you stay outright healthy then you

have the best form nine days later,” Wiggins told Reuters in an interview before the Paris-Nice race.

“For sure, if you recover during that period after the Tour, you don’t party in Paris or the usual stuff you do after the Tour.

What about a bottle of champagne if he wins the Tour ? “Then it’s difficult but the plan is still to go straight home on Sunday and no media, just concentrate on the Olympics as it was the case for the Vuelta and the world championships,” said Wiggins, who believes he can carry his Tour form into the Olympics.

“All the medallists from the world championships normally come from the Vuelta. “I think cycling’s unique in that sense, the only sport you can do something

like the Tour de France and then the Olympics. I think that’s difficult for a lot of people to comprehend.”

On the Tour, Wiggins will have to deal with world champion Mark Cavendish’s presence in his Team Sky. Both riders have different goals on the Tour but the Belgiumborn Wiggins believes everything is set for a vintage year. “It’s pretty clear, we’re not racing together until the Tour so it’s two camps really at the moment. The “classics camp” and this camp,” the 31-yearold said. “It’s going to be a bit like that up to (the Tour of) Romandie and the Giro (late April and May).

It’s not until we get to the Tour that we’ll all come together.”

Wiggins, who finished fourth overall in the 2009 Tour, will be working throughout the year with

PARIS: France’s Sylvain Chavanel (center) and Britain’s Bradley Wiggins (third left) ride in the pack yesterday during the 185,5 km and second stage run between Paris-Mantes-la-Jolie and Orleans during the 70th edition of the Paris-Nice cycling race. —AFP

sports director Sean Yates, while Team Sky manager Dave Brailsford, who as Britain’s director of performance also has the Olympics in mind, will be overseeing the whole structure.

“What Dave is very good at is putting people in place. It’s taken two years to build that,” Wiggins explained. “Everything’s running smoothly at the moment and Dave is kind of popping in and out.”

Wiggins, however, cannot afford to crash on the Tour as he did last year when he quit the race with a broken collarbone after some bad positioning in the peloton sent him crashing to the Tarmac.

This is where he believes having Cavendish on the team will help.

“One of the big gains of having Cav is you can ride in the front more,” Wiggins said, referring to the sprinters teams’ ability to jockey in the peloton to be at the front.

“I’ll probably get a safer ride.”

Asked whether he was hesitant about choosing the Tour over the track cycling at the Olympics, Wiggins, who won two golds in the individual pursuit and one with the team pursuit, quipped: “Not for one minute, no. I’ve done that before. “The Tour is something very special and not everyone gets a chance to win the Tour de France so for me to pursue that is something very important at this stage of my career.

“A lot changed after Beijing (Olympics in 2008) because they took away my event (individual pursuit) so the decision was easy really. “I still like the concept of being in control of my own destiny, not rely on three other guys to hit the same level of fitness so I’m happy with my decision.”

The Tour de France ends on July 22 and the men’s road time trial at the Olympics will be held on Aug. 1. —Reuters

TUESDAY, MARCH 6, 2012

sp orts

Why the rush to expand baseball playoffs?

NEW YORK: Baseball has decided that expanding the postseason is such a good idea it’s going to happen a year ahead of schedule. Why the rush?

“Clubs really want it,” commissioner Bud Selig said several weeks ago. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen an issue that the clubs want more than to have the extra wild card this year. ... We’re working on dates right now.”

Substitute the word “accountants” for “clubs” in the quote above and you’re much closer to the truth. But let’s take Selig at his word about working out dates to shoe-horn the extra games into the calendar and fast-forward to Oct. 3, the final day of the 2012 season.

In the American League, Boston is at New York and the Los Angeles Angels are at Seattle, and at least three of the four - Mariners excepted - are almost locks to be in the playoff mix. Under the new scheme, it’s possible that the winner or loser of the Red Sox-Yankees

game Wednesday night would have to travel to the West Coast for a tiebreaker game Thursday in Anaheim, then be back on the East Coast in time to play Friday. Does that sound like a formula for exciting baseball?

It didn’t to Chipper Jones, either, and remember: His Atlanta Braves would have made the playoffs last season under the new scheme, instead of being remembered for one of several epic collapses that made the last day of the regular season so memorable barely six months ago.

“I know the almighty buck triggers ever ything, but when is enough enough?” he told the JournalConstitution. “It makes no sense to me whatsoever. None whatsoever.”

Jones might feel differently when his pay envelope arrives with a few extra dollars stuffed inside, but he’s clearly in the minority. Besides, that battle has already been fought, and lost. Never

mind that the baseball season is already too long. Or that an extra postseason spot won’t be incentive enough for perennial misers like Kansas City and Pittsburgh to upgrade their rosters and really compete.

The addition of a second wild-card team in each league for the 2013 season was written into the new collective bargaining agreement and would have given baseball plenty of time to set up the schedule. But once the owners and players realized they could cash in a year ahead of schedule, that plan went out the window.

“It’ll be exciting,” Selig said. “Onegame playoff. It will start the playoffs in a very exciting manner.” We’ll see about that.

If the one -game playoff in the National League comes down to Marlins at Padres, it’s going to feel more like the play-in game for the NCAA tournament than anything really important.

If it’s the Red Sox at Yankee Stadium maybe, especially with new Boston manager Bobby Valentine breathing new fire into what used to be one of the best rivalries in any sport. He couldn’t even get through February without talking a little trash - and later backed off - so Selig & Co. might be onto something.

But at the moment, the odds are that this postseason will come off looking like a hurried mess. MLB has to publish its schedule for the coming season by June of the previous season, so there was no leeway for the extra games it is determined to squeeze into the 2012 calendar.

Add in logistical problems like the AL scenario above, then mix in a little bad weather and a few uncooperative local TV networks that don’t want to adjust their starting times - and what you’ve got are more headaches than excitement. Right now, this sounds like

one of Selig’s seat-of-the-pants decisions - akin to restoring importance to the All-Star Game by awarding homefield advantage in the World Series to the winning league - and his record in those isn’t exactly encouraging.

Two things baseball could brag about was that its 162-game season almost always produced worthy champions and that the fewest number of teams in the league made the playoffs.

With 10 of 30 teams headed to the postseason for 2012, it ’s still more exclusive than the NFL (12 of 32) and the NBA and NHL (16 of 30 each).

Even so, wild- card teams have claimed nearly a third (10 of 32) World Series slots available since the first wave of expansion and five - including St. Louis last season - have won it all.

Assuming MLB finds a way to pull this postseason together, all those games will make more money. They’ll also feel a little bit cheaper.—AP

Anderson beats Matosevic to win Delray Beach title

Chris Cairns

Ex-NZ captain sues Modi for libel LONDON: Former New Zealand cricket captain Chris Cairns told the High Court in London yesterday that an accusation of match-fixing had reduced his career to “dust” and strained his marriage.

Cairns, 41, is suing Lalit Modi, the former chairman of Twenty20 franchise the Indian Premier League (IPL), for substantial libel damages over an “unequivocal allegation” made on Twitter.

His lawyer, Andrew Caldecott, told judge David Bean, who is hearing the case without a jury, that Modi’s tweet sent in January 2010 was picked up by cricket website Cricinfo. Cairns complained to Cricinfo and the website withdrew the report, paid damages and apologised.

However Modi declined to apologise and pleaded justification, maintaining that the charge was true. Cairns alleges that the allegation was “wholly untrue” and a very grave libel.

He said that if it was left uncorrected, it would destroy all he had achieved over a 20-year career, in which he notched up the rare double of 200 wickets and 3,000 runs in 62 Tests.

In evidence, he said: “The defendant’s allegations have also had a profound effect on my personal and private life. It put a strain on my marriage. It hurts that my wife may think that I am not the man she thought I was.

“It hurts me too that friends, many of whom are former cricketing foes, will question my integrity as a man and a sportsman and that all I achieved in the great game of cricket is dust.”

Caldecott said the all-rounder, who lived

in England as a child when his father Lance played there and had himself played seven seasons for Nottinghamshire, was extremely concerned about his reputation in Britain.

At the time of the tweet, Modi was one of the most powerful men in cricket and any statement of his was likely to be taken seriously, the court was told.

Lawyers said that, in 2007 and 2008, Cairns captained the Chandigarh Lions in three competitions in the Indian Cricket League (ICL), which flourished briefly before the ascendancy of the IPL. The allegation made by Modi related to the second and third of these competitions, between March and April 2008 and October and November that year.

Caldecott said that, in October 2008, Cairns was called to an ICL directors meeting at a hotel where, according to the cricketer, his denial of rumours of his alleged involvement in match-fixing appeared to be accepted.

“No specific charges of match-fixing were ever put to Mr Cairns. No names of any accusers were mentioned.

“He was never informed after his departure that statements had been taken mainly later-from Indian players alleging corrupt activity by various players including him.”

Counsel said that Cairns was then effectively suspended for not declaring an ankle injury which had been exacerbated by a charity walk completed in memory of his late sister. He returned to New Zealand for an operation, was never contacted with any complaint and, in 2009, was entered for the IPL auction. —AFP

Pakistan pin high hopes on new cricket coach “It is the coach’s responsibility to bring KARACHI: Pakistan hopes new cricket coach, Australia’s Dav Whatmore, can find a more consistency, which is missing, but at magic formula to transform the country’s the end of the day it is important players talented players into a team that enjoys also do their best and listen to the coach,” said Alam. Pakistan has also signed Julian sustained, match-winning success.

Fountain as fielding coach, The team’s peaks which Alam believes will and troughs are infahelp in their weakest area. mous. Last month’s “Fountain comes with Test whitewash of rich experience and has England was followed served England, the West by a flop in the limited Indies and Bangladesh so I overs series, losing 4-0 hope with him around, in the one-day games much-needed improveand 2-1 in the ment in fielding will also Twenty20s. come about,” said Alam, Frequent changes coach of Pakistan’s World in the Pakistan Cricket Cup-winning team in Board and sackings of Dav Whatmore 1992. Another former capcaptains and coaches tain, Aamir Sohail, also have halted progress.

But Sunday’s appointment of Whatmore- believes Whatmore can help the team overwho guided Sri Lanka to World Cup victory come recent mistakes, even if the challenge is huge. “I wish him the best of luck in his in 1996 — could change all that.

Former captain and ex-coach Intikhab endeavours and hope that he will take Alam is pinning his hopes on Whatmore. “I notice of our recent mistakes in one-day think the missing ‘more’ in Pakistan cricket cricket,” said Sohail.

“When you take responsibility in interwill be achieved through Whatmore,” Alam told AFP. “With his perfect record in the national cricket you are bound to face prespast I hope he will enhance the team’s per- sure but you need to be objective and I hope everyone rallies behind him in supformance, though it will take some time.”

The 57-year-old, who played seven Tests port to achieve the targets,” he said.

Whatmore himself on Sunday acknowland one limited over international for Australia, also guided Bangladesh to the edged the enormity of the task ahead. “We second round of the 2007 World Cup in the want to be consistent. We don’t want peaks and troughs,” Whatmore said. “We want the Caribbean where they beat giants India.

Alam said a lot will depend on the play- team to be at a good level for a long periers, some of whom resisted Whatmore’s od. When we’re brilliant there will be peaks, appointment in 2007 when an inexperi- but we want to still perform and win games when we’re not brilliant. —AFP enced Geoff Lawson was chosen instead.

DELRAY BEACH: Kevin Anderson beat Australian qualifier Marinko Matosevic 6-4, 7-6 (2) on Sunday to win the Delray Beach International Tennis Championships for his second career ATP title.

The seventh-seeded Anderson, the first South African to win this 20-year-old tournament, is now 2-1 in career finals, having won his first title at the now defunct 2011 Johannesburg tournament.

“It’s fantastic,” said Anderson.

“First title in the United States which is great. Apart from South Africa this is my second home.

Winning one in the United States is especially exciting.”

The 36th-ranked Anderson - he’ll move up to around No. 30 in the next rankings - gained a lot of attention here this week as he beat the two American favorites - Andy Roddick in quarterfinals and John Isner in the semis.

The 173rd-ranked Matosevic had the best week of his career despite losing in his first career. The 26-year-old, who came in with a 315 record on the ATP Tour, had never before won consecutive matches. The final loss ended Matosevic’s overall winning streak of 12 matches. He won all five matches while winning the Caloundra Challenger in Australia, then won three qualifying and four main draw matches at Delray Beach.

“I’m pretty tired,” Matosevic said.

“I woke up feeling good even though I only had four hours sleep, but when I stepped out there I felt worse than I thought. I think it was a culmination of the whole week.

My energy levels were pretty low.

But Kevin did what he had to do out there, making a few more balls and he served great today.”

Matosevic will move up to around No. 127 in this coming week’s rankings, which will be a career best. His previous highest ranking was 131st last March 7.

The first five games of the match ended in service breaks before Anderson settled down to hold serve to take a 4-2 lead. He held onto the edge to close out the opening set.

“I thought I got off to a good start with that break, but I just think a little bit ner vous for me,” Anderson said. “I don’t know how he was feeling. I felt he was making a few more serves than me and I was making some more baseline exchanges.

“I just had to find my rhythm.

But after that second break (in the fourth game of the first set) I never faced another break point.”

Both players picked up their game in the second set, but Matosevic kept having to fight his way out of trouble. While serving the first game he saved on break point. In the third game he saved three break points. In the seventh game he saved three more break points. In the 11th game he saved another break point.

In the tiebreaker, Matosevic surrendered his first three serves to find himself behind 4-0. On Anderson’s second match point both on Matosevic serves - the Australian netted a forehand to lose the match.—AP

DELRAY BEACH: Kevin Anderson, of South Africa, reacts after winning a set against Marinko Matosevic, of Australia, during the singles final of the Delray Beach International Tennis Championships.—AP

Gored bullfighter makes comeback OLIVENZA: A Spanish bullfighter who lost sight in one eye and has partial facial paralysis after a terrifying goring returned to the bullring Sunday, five months after his injury.

On Oct. 8, a bull’s horn ripped into Juan Jose Padilla’s lower jaw and caused his left eyeball to protrude as spectators screamed in horror.

Padilla was seen getting up shouting, “I can’t see, I can’t see anything,” his face gushing blood as assistants distracted the bull.

Now, wearing an eye patch and speaking with a lisp, Padilla fulfilled what he describes as an unquenchable desire to once again face massive 1,100-pound (500-kilogram) fighting bulls with the aid of only a cape and sword.

The 38-year-old Padilla, the star attraction at the southwestern town of Olivenza’s annual taurine festival, said he was returning to the ring because of a need “to win, to triumph, to be a better man.”

A capacity crowd of about 5,400 people, including die-hard connoisseurs, fashion models and well-known personalities, had packed into this town’s historic bullring, which was built in 1854.

The matador, who is also known by his professional name of “the Cyclone of Jerez,” wore a glittering matador’s “suit of lights” outfit that had been made for the occasion in gold braid and olive green, “for hope,” according to his tailor, Justo Algaba. Stitching on the suit traced the shape of laurel leaves because “they were used to crown the brows of audacious combatants and great heroes,” Algaba said.

Padilla was greeted with loud cheers and enthusiastic hand-clapping as he walked into the ring to the traditional “pasodoble” brass band music, before having two unaccompanied flamenco style “saeta” songs dedicated to him, an honor rarely accorded to bullfighters.

Despite lacking the two-eyed stereoscopic vision that allows people to judge distances and the speed of approaching objects accurately, Padilla had little trouble killing his first bull before dedicating the second beast to his tearful father, who embraced his son after the kill. Padilla was awarded one ear for each of his two kills. The maximum accolade a matador can achieve is two ears and a tail for each bull slain.

“He’s been looking forward so much to starting this new phase in his life,” his manager, Diego Robles, said. After slaying his final bull, Padilla was carried out of the ring among jubilant crowd scenes on the shoulders of fellow bullfighters who had shared the billing with him, a very rare salute.

Celebrations commemorating Padilla’s successful return were expected to last well into the night in the rural town.—AP

OLIVENZA: Spanish bullfighter Juan Jose Padilla performs during a bullfight in the southwestern Spanish town of Olivenza. Padilla, who lost sight in one eye and has partial facial paralysis after a terrifying goring returned to the bullring Sunday, five months after his injury.—AP

18

TUESDAY, MARCH 6, 2012

S P ORT S Preview

Milan and Barca within reach of quarter-finals PARIS: AC Milan and defending champions Barcelona are both well placed to progress to the quarter-finals of the Champions League as the first four of this season’s last-16 ties conclude this week.

Milan take a 4-0 lead to Arsenal today evening, while Barcelona-who got the better of the Italian champions in the group phase-have a 3-1 advantage to defend when Bayer Leverkusen visit Camp Nou tomorrow.

A slickly taken first-half hat-trick from the returning Zlatan Ibrahimovic set Milan on the way to a 4-0 win at Palermo on Saturday that enabled them to open up a three-point lead over Juventus at the Serie A summit.

Massimiliano Allegri’s side were similarly ruthless in the first leg of their tie against Arsenal three weeks ago, when a Robinho brace helped the seven-time European champions condemn the Londoners to their heaviest defeat in continental competition.

Arsene Wenger labelled his side’s performance “shocking” and the Gunners must now do what only three teams have managed to do in the history of UEFA tournaments and overhaul a fourgoal deficit from the first leg of a knockout tie. Milan, however, have unwanted experience of throwing away handsome leads in the Champions League. In 200304, they went out to Deportivo La Coruna in the quarter-finals despite leading 4-1 from the first leg and the following season witnessed their famous loss on penalties to Liverpool in the final after they went in 3-0 up at half-time.

Arsenal can also take heart from a run of four straight wins in the Premier League, the latest of which being a smash-and-grab 2-1 success at Liverpool on Saturday that took them to within four points of third-placed Tottenham Hotspur.

Six of Arsenal’s last 19 home wins in Europe have been by four goals or more, and Wenger knows that in Robin van Persie-scorer of both goals at Anfield-he possesses one of Europe’s most in-form

strikers.

“We will give absolutely everything to win,” he told the Arsenal website. “We know the statistics are against us, but you can realise the impossible when you don’t know it is impossible. Let’s ignore that and just go for it.”

Leverkusen face a similarly daunting task against a Barcelona side who appear to have rediscovered themselves in recent weeks, having registered three consecutive wins culminating in Saturday’s 3-1 success over Sporting Gijon in La Liga.

Furthermore, Pep Guardiola’s side are unbeaten in 13 European home games and Leverkusen have not won away from home in Europe’s premier club competition for more than a decade.

Barca will welcome back tournament top scorer Lionel Messi after he missed the victory over Gijon through suspension, but forward Alexis Sanchez (thigh) and left-back Eric Abidal (groin) are both likely to miss the game due to injury.

Perhaps the most finely poised match of the week sees Zenit SaintPetersburg travel to Benfica on Tuesday protecting a 3-2 lead from the first leg.

Roman Shirokov’s 88th-minute winner gave Zenit victory at Stadion Petrovski on Valentine’s Day but Benfica have two away goals under their belts, as well as a record of 15 wins, three draws and one defeat in their last 19 European home games.

Lyon will also take a narrow lead into Wednesday’s game at Cypriot side APOEL FC, whose hopes of reaching the last eight remain alive despite a 1-0 loss at Stade Gerland in the first leg.

OL are bidding to reach the quarterfinals for the first time since their run to the last four in 2009-10 but domestically they are without a win in five Ligue 1 matches, which has seen them fall seven points below the Champions League places. “ The match in Nicosia on Wednesday is important for the players, but also for the club,” said Lyon coach Remi Garde after Saturday’s 2-0 loss at Nancy. —AFP

Preview

LONDON: Arsenal’s English striker Theo Walcott (center) takes part in a training session in preparation for the forthcoming UEFA Champions League round of 16 second leg football match against AC Milan. —AFP

Arsenal ready for mission impossible LONDON: The sparkling form of Robin van Persie has given Arsenal the faintest hope of “making the impossible possible” as they attempt to overturn a fourgoal deficit against AC Milan today.

Arsenal head into the return leg of their Champions League second round tie with the odds-and the record booksstacked firmly against them.

In the 57-year history of UEFA competition, only three teams have ever done what Arsenal must do to avoid elimination today following their resounding 4-0 defeat to the Serie A leaders in the San Siro last month.

In the aftermath of that traumatic reverse, Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger himself admitted that his team were effectively out of the competition. Yet the mood in north London has brightened in the weeks since following an extraordinary 5-2 demolition of Tottenham in the north London derby and Saturday’s smash-and-grab 2-1 win over Liverpool at Anfield. The key contributor to both of those wins was club captain van Persie, the Dutch international who is enjoying the best season of his career.

Van Persie’s two goals in Saturday’s win over Liverpool-including a sublime injury-time winner-took his tally to 31 in all competitions and gives Arsenal precious momentum heading into Tuesday.

“It (the win) keeps the confidence high and we are on a good run now,” Wenger said after Saturday’s win. “It puts us in good condition to make the impossible possible today.” “ ... when you see the ball landing at the feet of Van Persie you know he can deliver a special goal.”

“You can never afford to lose a player of that quality. In every game he comes up with something special.” The problem for Wenger however is that Arsenal’s defence remains vulnerable, and only the woodwork and the form of goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny prevented Liverpool

from taking an unassailable lead in a game they dominated. Milan coach Massimiliano Allegri meanwhile has cautioned his team against viewing the tie as a formality. Milan are well versed in the dangers of complacency, having seen a 4-1 first leg lead overturned against Deportivo La Coruna in the 2004 quarterfinals, as well as losing the 2005 final to Liverpool after leading 3-0. “I wish to underline that we have not qualified yet,” said Allegri, who will be without Alexandre Pato, Clarence Seedorf and Alessandro Nesta for Tuesday.

Ominously for Arsenal, Milan warmed up today’s game with a 4-0 thrashing of Palermo at the weekend which included a first-half hat-trick from Swedish striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic, the Gunners’ first-leg tormentor-in-chief. Ibrahimovic will be relishing a return to the ground where he scored twice for Barcelona during the quarter-finals of the 2010 competition.

The 30-year-old, who is likely to partner Robinho in attack ahead of either Urby Emanuelson or Roberto Aquilani, has revealed that he turned down the chance to join Arsenal in 2000 after being asked to do a trial. “Arsene gave me the famous red and white jersey - the number nine shirt with Ibrahimovic on it and I was so pleased I even posed for a picture wearing it,” Ibrahimovic recalled in an interview with The Sun. “He never actually made me a serious offer, it was more, ‘I want to see how good you are, what kind of player you are. Have a trial’.

“I couldn’t believe it. I was like, ‘No way, Zlatan doesn’t do auditions’. “I thought ‘You either know me or you don’t and if you don’t know me you can’t really want me’.”

Ibrahimovic’s subsequent playing career saw him enjoy a run of eight consecutive league crowns after stints with Ajax, Juventus, Inter, Barcelona and now Milan. “I definitely made the right choice,” Ibrahimovic said. —AFP

Preview

Benfica want to end slump LISBON: Benfica sorely need victory over Zenit St Petersburg in their Champions League last-16 second leg at the Luz stadium today to end a poor run of form that started three weeks ago in the first leg in Russia.

Before their 3-2 defeat in chilly St Petersburg, the Lisbon club were five points clear of Porto at the top of the Portuguese Premier League and full of confidence. Now, they are second in the league, trail Porto by three points and long for a win to knock out Zenit.

Since Roman Shirokov’s last-gasp goal gave the Russian Champions the upper hand, Benfica have failed to win all their league matches, recording one draw and two losses. The most devastating defeat was at home to arch rivals Porto last Friday.

Benfica lost the Classico 3-2, let down by an unusually fragile back four and by keeper Artur who, highly praised for his steady performances this season, was caught in noman’s land as Porto scored the 87th-minute winner.

“We must move on because we are in a reasonable situation to eliminate Zenit. Let’s see if the team can recover from the defeat because the players feel this one was undeserved,” Benfica coach Jorge Jesus told Portuguese television.

“The return of trust requires victories. In the last four matches we drew one and lost three so we go into this Champions League match in a situation which is not easy, but this is our life.”

An added concern for Jesus is the likely absence of Argentine centre back Ezequiel Garay due to a knee injury. Still, the Eagles will take encouragement from the performance of striker Oscar Cardozo, the club’s top scorer in the league and Champions League.

Despite his unstylish approach to the game, the no-nonsense, lanky Paraguayan scored a brace against Porto and applied his famous left foot and sharp sense of opportunity to good effect.

Zenit have welcomed back influential

goalkeeper Vyacheslav Malafeyev, who has fully recovered from a calf injury, and defender Domenico Criscito, who missed the first leg in St Petersburg because of food poisoning.

Both the experienced Malafeyev, who turned 33 on Sunday, and Italy international

“Two years ago CSKA were in a similar situation and we had no problem with playing our match earlier because we all felt like being Russians and wanted to help a Russian club to do well in European competition,” Spalletti told local media.

“Now certain people feel like they are less

ST PETERSBURG: Benfica fan reacts during the Champions League, round of 16, first leg, soccer match between Benfica and Zenit St. Petersburg at Petrovsky stadium. —AP Criscito played in Saturday’s top-of-the-table Russian league match against second-placed CSKA Moscow, which ended in a 2-2 draw to maintain Zenit’s six-point lead over their rivals.

Zenit coach Luciano Spalletti has lashed out at CSKA for turning down his request to play their match a day earlier so that Zenit could better prepare for today’s clash with Benfica.

Russians than we were then,” the Italian added. “I just don’t understand that.”

Zenit’s Portugal midfielder Danny is out after having surgery to repair torn knee ligaments last month, while for ward Andrei Arshavin, who was loaned by Arsenal last month, is ineligible for the Champions League having played for the London club in the competition earlier in the season.—Reuters

Who’s next for Chelsea hot seat?

LONDON: Arguably the hottest of hot seats in soccer is vacant yet again after Chelsea’s ruthless Russian owner Roman Abramovich removed Andre Villas-Boas on Sunday.

The callow Portuguese lasted just 256 days at Stamford Bridge before “the project”, as he usually referred to the task of revitalising the west London club’s ageing squad, was aborted.

The 34-year-old became the sixth coach to be axed since the Russian oligarch bought the club in 2003 and he will probably not be the last.

Accepting the Chelsea job is fraught with danger and rarely ends in a warm handshake-however much silverware is added to the trophy cabinet.

Jose Mourinho, the most successful manager in the club’s history, was jettisoned after losing a battle of egos with the big boss and Carlo Ancelotti fell out of favour just a season after landing the league and FA Cup double.

Avram Grant came within a John Terry penalty miss of handing Abramovich the Champions League he craves. Only Guus Hiddink, whose role was always a temporary one from February 2009 to the end of that season, escaped the wrath of Abramovich-leaving with a friendly pat on the back after

Hollywood sequel but Chelsea fans will hope rumours of his return are not fiction.

Villas-Boas was supposed to be Abramovich’s new Mourinho - an impossible task as it turned out and now the owner may go back to a tried and tested formula despite the pair failing out.

Mourinho had a special bond with the senior players during his three-year reign that brought two league titles, although should he return he would want an enormous war chest that could spell the end for the likes of Didier Drogba and John Terry.

winning the FA Cup. World Cupwinning coach Luiz Felipe Scolari, the man Hiddink was brought in to replace, survived not even as long as Villas-Boas and the Brazilian said on hearing of the latest casualty that it will “be hell” for the next candidate.

But who will that be?

Speculation is already rife with a list including former Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez, Mourinho and even possible England manager-in-waiting Harry Redknapp. Here is a quick look at the leading candidates.

RAFA BENITEZ Liverpool fans will always remember the goatee-bearded Spaniard for the improbable Champions League triumph over AC Milan in 2005 but a lack of Premier League success and a dreadful spell at Inter Milan haunt him. However, his stock at Anfield has risen since his departure given Liverpool’s continued troubles and while Chelsea fans might question the style of football Benitez might serve up, he has the personality to deal with the senior players in the dressing room. He could also be the man to reboot misfiring striker Fernando Torres, having signed him for Liverpool.

PEP GUARDIOLA Barcelona’s boss is rumoured to be leaving the Nou Camp at the end of the season with no new contract signed and FIFA’s World Coach of the Year would be a popular choice as Chelsea manager.

However, at Barca he merely had to conduct the orchestra having inherited a squad of talented players in their prime while at Chelsea he would have to swap the baton for a sledgehammer as he begins a major re-building project.

HARRY REDKNAPP A long shot but a logical choice for Abramovich. Tottenham fans are already resigned to losing their manager to England-but losing him

JOSE MOURINHO The Special One II sounds like a

to Chelsea would be unthinkable.

His relationship with Abramovich would be interesting but has a proven track record of turning round teams’ fortunes and fuelling players with confidence. He would be the first Englishman to boss Chelsea since Glenn Hoddle in 1996.

GUUS HIDDINK The popular Dutchman has the best win percentage of Abramovich’s managers, even better than Mourinho, albeit during a brief spell as temporary coach.

He steered Chelsea to a 2009 FA Cup triumph and Champions League semi-final before returning to his job as Russia coach. The sticking point would be prising him away from FC Anzhi Makhachkala, the mega-rich Russian club who have made him the highest paid coach in world football only recently.

DIDIER DESCHAMPS A safe pair of hands. The astute Frenchman spent a year at Stamford Bridge as a player before a natural move into management.He impressed at Monaco by reaching a Champions League final, had a brief stint at Juventus taking them back up to Serie A and won Ligue 1 in 2010 with Olympique Marseille.

Marseille have been up and down since but he could be the man for a long-term project. —Reuters

China finally ready for Asian Champions League glory SEOUL: China’s cashed up football clubs are ready to end a 22-year drought in the Asian Champions League starting today.

These days China’s domestic teams are among the richest in the world, and of the 32 teams from all corners of the Asian Football Confederation, all eyes will be on Guangzhou Evergrande. For wealthy Guangzhou, the $4 million or so prize money for lifting the Champions League trophy is perhaps less valuable than the continental-wide publicity and the opportunity to appear with the best in the world in December at the FIFA Club World Cup. It would also be a massive boost for Chinese football after the national team’s recent elimination from qualification for the 2014 World Cup. Compared to South Korea’s nine Champions League wins and Japan’s five, Liaoning is the only Chinese club to lift the trophy back in 1990. Guangzhou is aiming to end that run. In 2011, Guangzhou kicked off the new era in China by embarking on a massive spending spree that helped the team win the domestic title for the first time by a margin of 15 points.

“We are looking forward to the challenge of playing against the best teams in Asia. It’s going to be great experience for us,” Guangzhou coach Lee Jangsoo told The Associated Press.

Guangzhou has been placed in a tough group alongside Japanese champion Kashiwa Reysol, South Korean champion Jeonbuk Motors and Thailand’s Buriram United. Jeonbuk was champion in 2006 and runner-up in 2011, and opens the group stage against Guangzhou on Wednesday.

“Teams like Jeonbuk know all about playing in this tournament,” Lee said. “We will have to be at our best to progress to the next round. This is a tough group

and we have a really tough fixture to start.”

Guangzhou’s big-money signings such as Argentine midfielder Dario Conca - reportedly one of the highest-paid players in the world - and Brazil’s Cleo will help, as will its list of Chinese internationals.

Unfortunately for organizers, Shanghai Shenhua with star striker Nicolas Anelka did not qualify for the competition, but Beijing Guoan and Tianjin Teda are also looking to go far in the tournament - that was until Al Sadd of Qatar won the 2011 version, dominated in recent years by clubs from Japan and South Korea. The eight groups of four, from which the top two progress to the knockout stage, are divided into two regions. The first four groups consist of teams from the western reaches of the continent while the other half sees East Asia, Southeast Asia and Australia in action.

Central Asia, in the shape of Uzbekistan, has a team in each half. The two regions start mixing at the quarterfinal stage. South Korean teams, with nine wins in total, have been the most successful in the

Matches on TV (Local Timings)

UEFA Champions League Arsenal v AC Milan Aljazeera Sport +4

22:45

Benfica v Zenit Aljazeera Sport +2

22:45

Champions League and have sent a total of seven teams to the quarterfinals of the last two tournaments. This year, however, changes in the K-League calendar that mean clubs will face a domestic season of 44 games put Korean clubs at a major disadvantage. Despite that, Pohang Steelers, Seongnam Ilhwa and Jeonbuk have all won the tournament in the last six years and have extensive experience. Ulsan Horangi is the other K-League candidate.

Japanese teams struggled in the 2011 edition and may find 2012 almost as tough. Kashiwa is ready for its first appearance, but has been placed in a tough group, 2008 winner Gamba Osaka has been weakened by player departures and FC Tokyo was a second division team last season. Nagoya Grampus could be the major challenger from the J-League.

For the first time, Australia has three entrants with A-League champion Brisbane Roar seen as the best hope of success. A-League clubs have struggled to make an impact in the tournament since entering in 2007. Adelaide United has been the one exception and made the final in 2008.

“The Adelaide fans love and support the Asian Champions League and we pride ourselves on our profile in Asia, and this is due to past strong performances,” Adelaide chairman Greg Griffin said. “Central Coast Mariners and Brisbane Roar have to juggle ALeague finals matches, but we are free to focus entirely on this tournament. Adelaide is treating the competition as a potential savior to a disappointing season.” Reigning champion Al Sadd failed to qualify for the 2012 edition and is absent from the western half of the draw. Two-time champion Al Ittihad of Saudi Arabia is always regarded as a potential winner, as is domestic rival Al Hilal. —AP

TUESDAY, MARCH 6, 2012

S P ORT S

Chelsea’s Abramovich, sugar dad with teeth LONDON: Some billionaires build luxury yachts, some buy art, some donate to charity. Russian tycoon Roman Abramovich is said to do all those but collects the scalps of football managers, too.

And why not? Because if there is one thing the super-rich have in common, it is that their money allows them to do pretty much what they want, how they want, when they want. They don’t have to settle for second best. Andre VillasBoas knew that when he agreed to work for Abramovich at Chelsea.

“I will be surprised to be kept on the job if I don’t win,” the man quickly dubbed “AVB” by the British media said when Chelsea hired him eight months ago.

The managerial contract Villas-Boas signed last June said three years, but the truth was that his tenure was only ever going to be as long as Abramovich’s short patience.

So let’s not go overboard with the crocodile tears over the sacking this

weekend of AVB. Seven losses and seven draws in 27 Premier League games was never going to be good enough. VillasBoas either must or should have known he had this coming.

He looked drained and strained but tried to sound optimistic after what proved to be his final Chelsea game, a 10 loss to West Bromwich Albion on Saturday. “In football, there is joy, there is pain and there is another chance,” he said. Not this time.

His dismissal cannot by any stretch of the imagination be called a tragedy, not least because he is expected to be richly compensated for Abramovich’s change of heart.

Nor, as the head of the English managers’ union dramatically claimed, is it “a serious embarrassment to the owner, the club, the fans and the league” that Abramovich is now seeking his eighth manager in nine years of owning the club. No, with sugar daddies, being able to chop and change just goes with the territory.

English football has been more than happy for wealthy benefactors from around the world to buy up its marquee clubs and, as Abramovich did at Chelsea, soak up their debts and use their rubles, Thai baht, dirhams and dollars to make them competitive again.

Chelsea fans didn’t care where Abramovich’s money came from. They celebrated their good fortune by wearing Russian fur hats.

But the other side to this coin is that Abramovich’s estimated net worth of $13 billion means he can govern on a whim; his whim.

He doesn’t have to be logical or reasonable. Carlo Ancelotti, AVB’s predecessor, delivered both the Premier League title and the FA Cup to Abramovich but then was let go after a subsequent season without trophies. That contract termination and the hiring of AVB cost Chelsea 28 million pounds ($45 million).

In the real world, such an outlay makes no sense. But for a billionaire, clearly it doesn’t have to. Even before the benefit

of hindsight, AVB seemed too young and inexperienced to have much hope of quickly imposing himself at Chelsea.

He was flavor of month when he took the job, because he had won three trophies in one season with Portuguese side Porto.

But, now 34, he was barely older than Chelsea’s established stars, including John Terr y, Didier Drogba, Frank Lampard, Ashley Cole and Nicolas Anelka, the French striker he later got rid of.

All remain fine players, despite their advancing years. Chelsea was runner-up to English champion Manchester United last season. For a variety of reasons, Villas-Boas has not managed to get the team to perform for him.

“Each one of them was, or thinks that he is, the superstar of the team,” another of Abramovich’s former managers, Avram Grant, said of Chelsea’s marquee players. “This is one of the main things in Chelsea - to know how to deal with these players.”

The long-term plan, “my project” he dubbed it, was that AVB would gradually replace Chelsea’s aging stars and give the club a younger future.

Short-term, however, he was still required to win. Abramovich seemingly wanted both continuity and revolution.

As AVB’s firing showed, most of all, he wants instant success. “It’s all about results,” said Grant. AVB couldn’t deliver, at least not fast enough for Abramovich.

Perhaps impatience is a privilege of billionaires, too.

Some would say that flitting from manager to manager is no way to run a football club and that Abramovich’s ambition, stated in 2005, “to build the most successful football club in the world” won’t happen while he’s so focused on immediate gratification. But it’s his club. He can do what he wants with it.

As Abramovich said in a rare interview with The Observer newspaper in 2006, money “cannot buy you happiness.” “Some independence, yes.”—AP

Ronaldo hits 30th goal as Real rout Espanyol

Ronaldinho

Ronaldinho scores late winner for Flamengo SAO PAULO: Ronaldinho converted a late penalty to give Flamengo a 2-1 win over Duque de Caxias in a match in which goalkeeper Felipe had to leave the field in an ambulance after a collision with an opponent.

Felipe sustained a head trauma and was taken to a hospital for precautionary tests, but doctors said he was doing fine. Former CSKA striker Vagner Love also scored for Flamengo, getting his fourth goal in as many matches.

Argentine striker German Herrera scored twice in Botafogo’s 3-1 win over Volta Redonda, while Ecuador’s Carlos Tenorio ruptured his Achilles tendon in Vasco da Gama’s 2-0 win over Olaria on Saturday.

In the Sao Paulo state tournament, Santos moved near the top of the standings by beating leader Corinthians 1-0 for its seventh win in a row. The match was marked by the matchup between former Brazil striker Adriano and current sensation Neymar, but it was Santos playmaker Paulo Henrique Ganso who dominated and striker Ibson who netted the winner.

Flamengo beat Duque de Caxias in Macae in the second round of the Rio Cup, the second stage of the Rio de Janeiro state championship. Felipe passed out for a few moments after colliding with Duque de Caxias striker Gilcimar in the 20th minute. He dived to his right for a low cross into the area and his head hit Gilcimar’s knee as both players went for the ball. Doctors spent several minutes attending to Felipe, who was transported directly from the field to a hospital in an ambulance. “It was a head trauma but there is no permanent injury,” team doctor Marcio Tanure told local media. “It could have been something more serious but fortunately it wasn’t.” The goalkeeper will not be able to play in the team’s Copa Libertadores match against Ecuador’s Emelec on Thursday in Rio. Ronaldinho scored Flamengo’s winner with a penalty in the 83rd after Vagner Love was held by a defender inside the area. Vagner Love, who has scored a goal in each of the last four matches, opened the scoring in the 11th, and Rodrigues equalized for Duque de Caxias in the 60th. Flamengo played a man down from the 75th after Argentine playmaker Dario Bottinelli was sent off for a hard foul.

Brazil’s most popular club played without some of its regular starters to rest them for the team’s Copa Libertadores match.

In Sao Januario, Argentine striker Herrera scored in the 17th and 77th minutes to help Botafogo defeat Volta Redonda 3-1.

On Saturday, Vasco da Gama defeated

Olaria 2-0 in Moca Bonita, but Ecuadorean striker Carlos Tenorio sustained a ruptured Aquilles tendon in his right leg and is expected to be sidelined for six months, taking him out of this year’s Copa Libertadores.

Tenorio had scored one of Vasco’s goals before getting injured. Forward Eder Luis, returning from a left-foot fracture, scored the other goal for Vasco, which also played without most of its regular starters because of the Copa Libertadores this week.

Also Saturday, Fluminense defeated Nova Iguacu 3-0. Because it won the Guanabara Cup, the first stage of Rio’s state championship, Fluminense has already secured a chance to play for the overall state title against the winner of the Rio Cup. Ganso set up Santos’ 58th-minute winner with a perfect pass to Ibson, who entered the area and sent the ball past Corinthians goalkeeper Julio Cesar. The result at the Vila Belmiro moved Santos to second in the 20team standings with 27 points, two behind Corinthians, which had been unbeaten this year coming into Sunday’s match. Adriano struggled in Santos and had only one shot on goal. He missed a great chance in the beginning of the second half, firing a shot wide of the net from near the six-yard (meter) line.

“I have to take it slowly,” said Adriano, who played only a few matches this season because he has been out of shape. Neymar had a decent performance but wasn’t at the top of his game.

Santos had two goals disallowed because of offsides, one in the first half and another in the second. Before the match, fans from both clubs fought each other and police had to be called in to end the brawl outside the Vila Belmiro. Also Sunday, Palmeiras missed a chance to move closer to Corinthians after a scoreless draw against Sao Caetano at the Pacaembu stadium in Sao Paulo.

Despite the disappointing result at home, Palmeiras remains the only unbeaten team after 12 matches. Luiz Felipe Scolari’s club has 26 points and is third in the standings. The top eight will advance to the playoff round.

Chilean playmaker Jorge Valdivia returned to the team after recovering from a muscle injury. Recently acquired Argentine striker Hernan Barcos went scoreless after scoring five times in his first six matches with the eight-time national champion.

Sao Paulo moved to fourth in the standings with 25 points by beating last-place XV de Piracicaba 1-0 thanks to a last-minute goal by midfielder Cicero.—AP

America close in on first place in Mexico MEXICO CITY: America defeated Jaguares 2-0 on Sunday to move within two points of league-leading Morelia in Mexico’s first division. Morelia defeated Queretaro 3-0 on Saturday and has with 20 points from nine matches.

Guadalajara club Chivas won its second consecutive game since Johan Cruyff was named a club adviser, defeating Puebla 2-1 on Sunday.

In other results, Cruz Azul beat Monterrey 4-3, Santos defeated San Luis 5-2, Tigres won 1-0 against Atlante, Pumas defeated Toluca 20, Tijuana won 2-0 against Estudiantes Tecos, and Atlas drew 0-0 with Pachuca.

America went ahead with Daniel Montenegro’s goal in the 28th minute after latching on to a back heel pass from Christian Benitez. Lugiani Gallardo added the second

from long range in the 90th after Jaguares’ keeper lost the ball outside his penalty area and was left stranded away from his goal.

Morelia’s Rafael Marquez headed in the first goal in the 11th minute, with Miguel Sabah finishing from a tight angle to make it two in the 18th. Gerardo Lugo added the third five minutes into the second half.

Queretaro sacked its Paraguayan manager Jose Cardozo after the game with the team in last place.

Spaniard Luis Garcia chested the ball past two Chivas defenders and scored from inside the penalty area for Puebla just before halftime. Hector Reynoso converted a penalty for Chivas in the 52nd before Puebla’s Roberto Juarez was sent off in the 55th. A deflected shot from Jorge Enriquez in the 60th gave Chivas the victory. —AP

MADRID: Cristiano Ronaldo took his league tally for the season to 30 as leaders Real Madrid swept aside Espanyol 5-0 at the Bernabeu to restore their 10point advantage over Barcelona in La Liga on Sunday.

The Portuguese forward, last season’s European Golden Boot winner with 40 league goals, opened the scoring from Gonzalo Higuain’s layoff in the 23rd minute, to take his total in all competitions to 38.

Sami Khedira doubled the lead after playing a one-two with his German international team mate Mesut Ozil in the 38th minute and Higuain buried a third just after the re-start.

Kaka set up the third, bagged the fourth with a run and shot off the post in the 66th, and pulled back for Higuain to hammer the fifth high into the net in the 78th.

Jose Mourinho’s team moved a step closer towards their first league title in four years as they climbed to 67 points with 13 left to play.

“We’re very pleased,” Argentina international Higuain told Spanish television. “There’s still a long way to go so it was important for us to maintain our points advantage.”

Champions Barcelona survived a 46th-minute red card for Gerard Pique to beat lowly Sporting Gijon 3-1 at home to move on to 57 points on Saturday.

Sofiane Feghouli earned Valencia a 1-0 victory at Granada, his side’s first road win in La Liga since November, to

MADRID: Real Madrid’s Cristiano Ronaldo from Portugal (left) celebrates after scoring with teammate Marcelo Vieira from Brazil during a Spanish La Liga soccer match.—AP

keep them third in the standings with 43 points. Home keeper Julio Cesar made a hash of parrying the Frenchman’s tame shot in the 32nd minute in a scrappy match littered with yellow cards.

Valencia’s second league win of 2012 strengthened their hold on third place ahead of Athletic Bilbao in fourth with 37.

Manchester United’s opponents in the Europa League next week moved into the Champions League places with a

2-0 home win over Real Sociedad in the Basque derby.

Markel Susaeta scored in each half, the second a superb freekick struck into the top corner 10 minutes from time.

The visitors from San Sebastian were unlucky not to level at the beginning of the second half when a Carlos Vela shot appeared to cross the line before Gorka Iraizoz got to the ball.

Sixth-placed Levante with 35 points can reclaim fourth place

with a win at home to Real Betis late yesterday.

Basement side Real Zaragoza kept alive their hopes of avoiding the drop with a 2-1 comeback win against Villarreal, thanks to goals from Luis Garcia and Abraham Minero in the last five minutes.

The cash-strapped club, who are in administration, earned their first home win since October and have 18 points, nine from safety. —Reuters

Boca go on top, send Lorenzo closer to drop BUENOS AIRES: Argentine title holders Boca Juniors went top of the Clausura championship on Sunday with a 2-0 win at San Lorenzo, extending their unbeaten run to 33 league matches.

Young midfielder Juan Sanchez Mino, playing for rested captain Juan Roman Riquelme, opened the scoring in the 59th minute with a low shot from the edge of the box and substitute Pablo Mouche added the second three minutes from time.

After four matches, Boca, who have yet to concede a goal, have 10 points, two more than Velez Sarsfield, Estudiantes and All Boys.

Tigre joined Boca on 10 points with a 1-0 home win over Lanus.

“This was a very important win to ratify what we did (in winning the Apertura championship). We have an important match for the Libertadores Cup at home on Wednesday which we must win,” Mouche told Futbol Para Todos.

Boca meet Brazil’s Fluminense in Group Four. San Lorenzo remain mired in the bottom four of the parallel relegation standings which are calculated on teams’ average points over three seasons. They occupy a playoff berth, like fellow big club River Plate who lost it last June and were relegated.

The Saints’ behaviour in added time hardly reflected their nickname as Gabriel Mendez was sent off for a two-footed lunge on fellow substitute Diego Rivero. Uruguayan striker Carlos Bueno and Boca defender Juan Insaurralde were also shown the red card by referee Sergio Pezotta for fighting.

Boca might have gone ahead in the first half at San Lorenzo’s Nuevo Gasometro ground but goalkeeper Nereo Champagne saved brilliantly from striker Dario Cvitanich and Insaurralde put striker Santiago Silva’s low left cross wide.

Uruguayans Juan Manuel Salgueiro and

BUENOS AIRES: San Lorenzo de Almagro’s Nereo Champagne (top) jumps over Boca Juniors’ Dario Cvitanich (bottom left) and San Lorenzo de Almagroís Jonathan Botinelli during an Argentina’s league soccer match.—AP

Bueno had second-half chances for the home team but both were guilty of misses with Boca goalkeeper Agustin Orion at their mercy.

Racing Club picked up only their second point of the championship with a 0-0 draw at Arsenal to keep the wolves at bay after two successive defeats shocked fans expecting a good championship under popular coach Alfio Basile.

Their only consolation is that fellow giants and Avellaneda neighbours Independiente

have lost all four of their matches. Their coach Ramon Diaz resigned on Saturday night after they went down 3-1 at home to Argentinos Juniors.

Tigre, despite their lofty position at second in this championship, are in even greater danger of relegation than San Lorenzo, though their good form could help steer them clear.

They are one from bottom of the relegation table and the last two in June will go down automatically.—Reuters

McIlroy holds off Tiger to clinch number one spot

16

TUESDAY, MARCH 6, 2012

Arsenal ready for mission impossible

18

Anderson beats Matosevic to win Delray Beach title

Page 17

CHARLOTTE: Bobcats’ DJ Augustin (14) steals the ball from New Jersey Nets’ Deron Williams (8) during the second half of an NBA basketball game. The Nets won 104-101.—AP

Nets snare Bobcats, Lakers cool Heat CHARLOTTE: Deron Williams scored a franchise-record 57 points to lift the New Jersey Nets to a 104-101 victory over the Charlotte Bobcats on Sunday.

Williams, who came into the game averaging 21.7 points, shot 16 of 29 from the field and was a perfect 21 for 21 from the free-throw line.

Williams broke the franchise’s previous mark of 52 points, shared by Mike Newlin and Ray Williams. It was the second-most points scored against the Bobcats, one shy of Kobe Bryant’s 58 in 2006.

Corey Maggette had 24 points and Gerald Henderson added 15 for the Bobcats, who’ve lost five straight and 21 of their last 22.

Lakers 93, Heat 83 At Los Angeles, Kobe Bryant scored 33 points in his third straight stellar performance and Dwayne Wade managed just 16 points before fouling out midway through the fourth quarter of the Los Angeles Lakers’ victory over Miami.

Metta World Peace scored 17 points while leading a solid defensive effort for the Lakers, who have won 17 of their last 18 home games. Andrew Bynum had 16 points and 13 rebounds as Los Angeles never trailed in the final 44 minutes against Miami, snapping a four-game skid

in Bryant’s head-to-head matchups with Wade’s Heat.

LeBron James had 25 points, 13 rebounds and seven assists for the Heat, who lost on the final two stops of their three-game trip after nine consecutive victories. Just one week after Wade gave Bryant a concussion with a hard foul in the All-Star game, Bryant scored 18 points in a dynamic first quarter while wearing a clear plastic mask over his still-tender nose.

Celtics 115, Knicks 111 At Boston, Celtics guard Rajon Rondo had his second triple-double in three games, spoiling Jeremy Lin’s return to Boston.

Rondo had 18 points, 20 assists and a career-high 17 rebounds, and Paul Pierce scored 34 - including a 3-pointer with 4.9 seconds left in regulation. Kevin Garnett finished with 18 points with 10 rebounds.

Lin picked up two fouls in the first three minutes and struggled to 14 points in 32 minutes. He had five assists and four rebounds while shooting 6 for 16 from the floor. Carmelo Anthony scored 25 points for the Knicks, six of them in the final 100 seconds of regulation as they briefly took the lead. Amare Stoudemire had 16 points and 13 rebounds.

Bulls 96, 76ers 91 At Philadelphia, Derrick Rose tied a season high with 35 points, and Joakim Noah had 11 points and 18 rebounds to lead Chicago to its sixth straight win.

In a battle of division leaders, the Bulls made all the big shots over the final minutes to end a three-game losing streak against the Sixers.

Leading 91-89, the Bulls turned the ball over, but Andre Iguodala tossed up an air ball on a 3-point attempt. Again the Bulls turned the ball over, and this time it was Thaddeus Young who missed a jumper for the Sixers. At least his shot hit the rim.

Raptors 83, Warriors 75 At Toronto, DeMar DeRozan scored 25 points, and James Johnson had 12 points and 12 rebounds as Toronto beat Golden State. Amir Johnson had 11 points and 13 rebounds, Leandro Barbosa scored 18 points and Ed Davis grabbed 12 rebounds for the Raptors, who had lost 11 of their last 14. David Lee had 22 points and 12 rebounds, and Monta Ellis scored 20 points, but Golden State lost for the sixth time in nine games.

Clippers 105, Rockets 103 At Houston, Chris Paul had 28 points

Suns 96, Kings 88 At Phoenix, Steve Nash had 19 points, and Marcin Gortat scored 14 and matched his season high with 17 rebounds as Phoenix earned its third consecutive victory. In all three wins, the Suns rallied from double-digit deficits, something the franchise hadn’t done since November 2002.

Marcus Thornton scored 23 and Tyreke Evans 17 for Sacramento. DeMarcus Cousins added 16 points and 14 rebounds, but the Kings shot just 33 percent in the second half to fall to 4-19 on the road.

Nuggets 99, Spurs 94 At San Antonio, Ty Lawson had 22 points and 11 assists and sank the gamesealing jumper with 11.9 seconds left, and

the injury-laden Denver Nuggets overshadowed the return of Manu Ginobili to beat the Spurs.

Still without leading scorer Danilo Gallinari and Nene, the Nuggets won their third in a row with a short-handed cast that became just the third team to beat

San Antonio at home.

Tony Parker led the Spurs with 25 points. Ginobili scored eight in 24 minutes, playing his first game in two weeks after straining a stomach muscle. He missed a month earlier with a broken hand.—AP

NBA results/standings Boston 115, NY Knicks 111 (OT); LA Lakers 93, Miami 83; New Jersey 104, Charlotte 101; Toronto 83, Golden State 75; Chicago 96, Philadelphia 91; LA Clippers 105, Houston 103 (OT ); Phoenix 96, Sacramento 88; Denver 99, San Antonio 94. (OT denotes overtime win) Eastern Conference Western Conference Atlantic Division Northwest Division W L PCT GB Oklahoma City 29 8 .784 Philadelphia 22 16 .579 Denver 21 17 .553 8.5 Boston 19 17 .528 2 Minnesota 19 19 .500 10.5 NY Knicks 18 19 .486 3.5 Portland 18 19 .486 11 Toronto 12 25 .324 9.5 Utah 17 19 .472 11.5 New Jersey 12 26 .316 10 Pacific Division Central Division LA Clippers 22 13 .629 Chicago 31 8 .795 LA Lakers 23 14 .622 Indiana 23 12 .657 6 Phoenix 17 20 .459 6 Milwaukee 14 23 .378 16 Golden State 14 20 .412 7.5 Cleveland 13 22 .371 16 Sacramento 12 25 .324 11 Detroit 12 26 .316 18.5 Southwest Division Southeast Division San Antonio 25 12 .676 Miami 28 9 .757 Memphis 22 15 .595 3 Orlando 24 14 .632 4.5 Dallas 22 16 .579 3.5 Atlanta 22 15 .595 6 Houston 21 17 .553 4.5 Washington 8 28 .222 19.5 Charlotte 4 31 .114 23 New Orleans 9 28 .243 16

India loses its luster after overseas failures

Telefonica fighting back in Ocean Race AUCKLAND: Telefonica continued their relentless pursuit of the leg four leaders in the Volvo Ocean Race yesterday, clawing back crucial miles.

Telefonica, winners of the first three legs, were all but written off after a slow start to the run from Sanya, in China, to Auckland, in New Zealand.

But a daring decision to split from the leaders and go west through the Solomon Islands has breathed new life into their challenge.

The Spanish team were in third place on Monday, just over 100 nautical miles off the pace set by France’s Groupama and around 50 nautical miles behind the American team Puma.

The six teams are converging on the island of New Caledonia, which will act as a turning mark as they head towards Auckland.

“To think that Telefonica has again converted an incredibly difficult position, starting 200 miles to leeward, into being just 50 miles behind us in distance to finish terms, it’s agitatingly impressive,” said Puma’s American crewmember Amory Ross.

“But our turf war is far from over. That (western) trio still have a long way upwind towards New Caledonia and it’s there we’ll truly know how we’ve fared.”

For leg leaders Groupama the finish line cannot come soon enough. “Still five days to go?” said Swedish bowman Martin Krite. “When you are leading it is even worse than waiting for Christmas.”

The leg will finish around March 8-10 in Auckland, with the race continuing around the world to a finish in Galway, Ireland in July. —AFP

and 10 assists, and Blake Griffin added 14 points and 11 rebounds as the Los Angeles Clippers beat Houston in overtime. Randy Foye had 15 points and Caron Butler and Mo Williams had 14 apiece for the Clippers, who beat Houston for only the eighth time in the last 33 meetings.

Kevin Martin scored 25 points, and Samuel Dalembert and Luis Scola each grabbed 12 rebounds for the Rockets, who’ve lost three in a row after winning their previous four.

CHINA: In this photograph provided by the Volvo Ocean Race, Team Telefonica, skippered by Iker Martinez in the lead in this file photo. —AP

NEW DELHI: It has taken less than a year for the Indian cricket team to be reduced from the top-ranked test side and oneday world champion to a bruised and battered outfit with fissures within.

Eight consecutive test defeats abroad and an unimpressive display in one-dayers has forced critics to question the attitude of players who have failed to turn things around.

The slide began when India lost the top test ranking to England with a 4-0 whitewash in July-August last year, and it was then humbled by the same scoreline in Australia to hit a new low in tests overseas. Though it has done well in one-dayers at home, the failure to win a single limited-overs match in England and the inability to make the finals of the tri-series, now being played between Australia and Sri Lanka, has made Mahendra Singh Dhoni’s team look a shadow of the one that lifted the World Cup at the Wankhede Stadium on April 2.

Gautam Gambhir’s remark on Dhoni completing wins too late in one-dayers, and Dhoni’s jibe at Gambhir, Virender Sehwag and Sachin Tendulkar about being slow in the field during the tri-series

point to dissent amid a colorless display brightened only by Virat Kohli’s 133 not out in India’s last tri-series match against Sri Lanka.

India’s other World Cup winning captain, Kapil Dev, has criticized Dhoni for appearing aloof and not doing enough to get the team together in England and Australia. “The team did not appear to be one unit,” Kapil Dev wrote in a column in Monday’s Hindustan Times newspaper.

“Dhoni the captain was listless and uninspiring. And his comments against the seniors in a press conference were not in the right spirit.” Former Australia captain Steve Waugh also feels the Indian team is not playing as a unit.

“There will be the predictable blame game and media scrutiny, but I hope some serious attention is paid to the attitude of this Indian team,” Waugh wrote in Sunday’s The Times of India.

“There were too many rumors of camps being formed in the change rooms and not all of them could be untrue.

Clearly it was a divided house and some of the tensions were visible on the field as well.” The Indian media has also been speculating on Dhoni’s influence is the

decision to rest Sehwag from this month’s Asia Cup in Dhaka owing to an injury, the details of which were not explained by selectors, as well as the naming of Kohli vice-captain ahead of Gambhir.

Selectors otherwise did not seem inclined to try many youngsters in the low-profile continental tournament and even selected Tendulkar, who has been taking limited part in one-dayers in recent years but now gets another chance to reach a much awaited, and unprecedented 100th international century.

Former Australia captain Ian Chappell, though, feels Tendulkar is proving to be a burden for the Indian team. “That’s been a huge hurdle for India to overcome all summer - Tendulkar’s search for his 100th century has become a burden on the team as well as the player,” he wrote in the Sunday’s edition of Australia’s Daily Telegraph.

“There’s only one reason to play cricket; to help your team win matches. If a player gives everything and the team loses there is no shame in that, but when individual statistics start to overshadow the team result, then clearly there is a problem,” Chappell wrote.—AP

South Korea takes 40% stake in UAE oilfields Page 22

C Suisse, Commerzbank join scramble to buy back debt Page 23 TUESDAY, MARCH 6, 2012

Lexus rolls out all-new GS 250 in Kuwait

KSE makes solid gains Page 24

Page 25

BEIJING: A general view shows the Great Hall of the People during the National People’s Congress (NPC) in Tiananmen square, Beijing yesterday. China’s premier cut its economic growth target to 7.5 percent for 2012 as he opened a parliament session focused on growth, stability and military might ahead of a leadership change.—AFP

China slashes growth target to 7.5% Wen seeks leeway for promised welfare reforms BEIJING: China’s Premier Wen Jiabao cut the country’s growth target to 7.5 percent for 2012 in a bid to find leeway for promised economic and welfare reforms while delivering stability ahead of a leadership transition later this year.

Speaking at China’s annual parliamentary session, Wen unveiled the growth estimate for the year that lowered the longstanding goal of 8 percent annual growth, a move well-anticipated by investors who were expecting a focus on economic rebalancing and defusing price pressures.

“We aim to promote steady and robust economic development, keep prices stable, and guard against financial risks by keeping the total money and credit supply at an appropriate level, and taking a cautious and flexible approach,” Wen said in his annual work report to the National People’s Congress (NPC). The premier named “expanding consumer demand” as his first priority for 2012, when the ruling Communist Party must also navigate a leadership handover that will send him and President Hu Jintao into retirement.

“We will improve policies that encourage consumption,” Wen told nearly 3,000 delegates of the Communist Party-controlled legislature, gathered under the

harsh lights and high ceilings of the Great Hall of the People.

“We will vigorously adjust income distribution, increase the incomes of low- and middle-income groups, and enhance people’s ability to consume,” said Wen. Wen’s annual state of the nation report to the parliament echoed with the institutional and social barriers that the government must overcome to achieve a more balanced economy that shares more wealth with hundreds of millions of ordinary farmers and migrant workers.

The Communist Party will install a new cohort of leaders by the end of 2012, and Wen and Hu will step down as premier and president at the national parliament session early next year.

They have vowed to wean the economy off dependence on exports, smoke-stack industries and government-backed infrastructure, and promote balanced growth that will elevate the incomes and spending of farmers and workers.

Sources had earlier indicated to Reuters that the growth target would be cut to 7.5 percent.

If growth comes in at that level it would be lowest since 1990. In reality, the target operates more as a bar to get over, with the

Banks’ deposits at ECB top another record FRANKFURT: Banks’ deposits with the European Central Bank have hit yet another new record, data showed yesterday, just days after the ECB pumped more than half a trillion euros into banks to unclog seized credit markets.

Banks put 820.8 billion euros ($1.08 trillion) on deposit for 24 hours at the ECB overnight Friday, beating the previous record set the day before of 776.9 billion euros.

Rising levels of deposits at the central bank are seen by some as a possible sign of market tensions since the money deposited earns interest of 0.25 percent, much less than the rate available on the interbank market.

Thus, heavy use of the facility suggests banks favor parking the money at low interest with the ECB rather than lending it to each other. But the massive amount currently held on deposit is not seen by analysts as surprising in the wake of last week’s long-term refinancing operation (or LTRO) in which the ECB pumped a record 529.5 billion euros into euro area banks to avert a credit crunch.

Separately, ECB data showed

that the central bank bought no bonds of euro-zone nations last week for the third week in a row.

The ECB first launched its bondbuying blitz, or Securities Market Program (SMP), in 2010 to help debt-wracked euro-zone countries that were finding it difficult to drum up financing in the normal way via the markets.

The program was controversial from the start, with critics saying the ECB was overstepping its mandate in buying up sovereign bonds on the secondary market.

ECB President Mario Draghi and his predecessor Jean-Claude Trichet always said the measure was only temporary and aimed at easing strains in the 17-nation euro bloc but two prominent German ECB members quit in protest over the practice. Between January and August 2011, the purchases dried up, but the ECB resumed the program in August when renewed strains pushed Italian and Spanish borrowing rates to unsustainable levels. At one point, purchases reached as much as 22 billion euros ($29 billion) in a single week. —AFP

8 percent target set in the previous eight years being comfortably exceeded in each of them-including during the fallout from the 2008/09 financial crisis.

But their last year in power has shuddered with anxieties about inflation, a feverish property market, local government debt, stubborn inequality and a host of social strains from protesting villages to ethnic tensions in western regions.

The NPC is likely to bring into focus a deepening worry that Hu and Wen have squandered their chance for reform because of fears of instability ahead of the leadership transition.

When they hand over power in late autumn, China could be headed for its slowest full year of growth since Hu and Wen took office a decade ago. The economy ended 2011 with its slackest quarter of growth in 2-1/2-years at 8.9 percent.

Wen set a target for inflation at about 4 percent for the year, in line with the target set in 2011, saying that the government would work to prevent a rebound in prices in 2012. Inflation remained stubbornly above official targets in every month of last year. Wen also pledged to curb speculative demand in the property market, and said the yuan would be kept “basically stable”

with strengthened two-way flexibility in the closely managed exchange rate.

“We will strictly implement and gradually improve policies and measures for discouraging speculative- or investment-driven housing demand, build on progress made in regulating the real estate market, and bring property prices down to a reasonable level,” he said.

He said the government would defuse rising local government debt, regarded by many investors as the key risk to fiscal sustainability with about 10.7 trillion yuan ($1.7 trillion) owed by local governments, according to government figures at the end of 2010.

“We will strengthen supervision of local government debt and guard against risks.

We will further investigate and regulate financing companies run by local governments,” Wen said.

The fiscal deficit was targeted at 1.5 percent of GDP, up from the 1.1 percent of GDP that was delivered in 2011.

Wen and Hu, both 69, are approaching the end of their decade in power, an era in which China steamed through the global financial crisis and grew into the world’s second biggest economy after the United States. — Reuters

Spain deficit slippage ‘serious,’ says EU BRUSSELS: Spain is hurtling towards an embarrassing test case and possible big fine under new EU rules for a “grave” breach of budget limits, the European Commission said yesterday.

The overshoot amounts to scores of billions of euros, and led analysts to warn that leaders may have signed away more sovereignty to Brussels than intended during the debt crisis and that the onset of recession risks derailing the implementation of new EU rules. “We need to shed full light on what went on Spain in 2011,” EU Economy Commissioner Olli Rehn’s spokesman Amadeu Altafaj said of what he called a “serious, grave” gap in the figures.

Altafaj said Madrid notified Brussels on December 30 that it had overshot its 2011 deficit target by two percentage points, then two days ago that it was another half a percentage point higher.

Spain’s 2011 public deficit was supposed to come in at 6.0 percent of gross domestic prod-

uct (GDP) but ended up at 8.5 percent, meaning the state spent 90 billion euros ($119 billion) more than it took in last year. As a result, Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy said on Friday that Madrid could not hope to close such a huge gap to meet the 2012 target amid soaring unemployment and a deepening recession.

He did so hours after he and 24 other leaders signed a muchheralded EU treaty supposed to end EU states piling on debt.

“The heat of the crisis meant that EU leaders may have signed off more sovereignty than they have prepared their electorates for,” said Sony Kapoor, head of economic consultancy Re Define. “Now the backpedalling has begun.” Blaming over-optimistic forecasts by his Socialist predecessors, Rajoy said Spain’s public deficit would now reach 5.8 percent of output in 2012, nearly twice the EU limit and well above the 4.4 percent level previously agreed with Brussels.

The difference would repre-

sent a sum not far short of the 90 billion for 2011 — not dissimilar to the size of the entire bailout agreed for neighboring Portugal.

Altafaj said Rehn already asked Spain for “clarity” during talks among euro-zone finance ministers last Thursday and is still waiting. “It’s clear we need these hard figures, validated, in order to do a full assessment,” he said. As a euro-zone state, Spain risks a cash fine worth between 0.2 percent and 0.5 percent of GDP depending on the severity of the circumstances under new laws meant to tighten budgetary discipline that came into force at the start of the year.

There is a growing likelihood that the European Commission will order Spain to maintain pre-set targets, with one key source saying top Brussels officials, awaiting April budget submissions, are “of a mind to negotiate nothing and simply open infringement proceedings.” — AFP

India’s top Iran oil buyer plans to cut imports NEW DELHI: India’s largest Iranian oil buyer plans almost to halve daily imports, industry sources said yesterday, becoming the latest Asian refiner to cut supplies from Iran as Western sanctions make trade with OPEC’s second-largest producer difficult.

India, China and Japan buy almost half of Iran’s estimated 2.6 million barrels per day of oil exports, but a raft of US and European sanctions aimed at choking off funding for Iran’s nuclear program are squeezing its oil supply lines. State-run Mangalore Refinery and Petrochemicals Ltd, or MRPL , could reduce imports to as little as 80,000 barrels per day (bpd) for the fiscal year starting on April 1, the sources said. It usually buys 150,000 bpd.

MRPL officials could not immediately be reached for comment. Like other Asian nations, India appears to be trying to wean itself off Iranian crude before the sanctions take effect on June 28. MRPL is the third Indian refiner planning import cuts.

“There will be a drastic reduction in volumes from Iran,” said one source. “For the next fiscal year, MRPL plans to restrict its term deal to 80,000-100,000 bpd.” Another source said the refiner planned to only import 80,000 bpd, with the option to buy more. Iran is the biggest crude supplier to India after Saudi Arabia. If refiners go ahead with plans to cut Iranian imports, they would cut crude purchases from the Islamic Republic by more than 20 percent in the 2012/13 fiscal year, according to Reuters’ calculations. That would be more than the at least 10 percent cut the government has unofficially requested refiners should make, sources have told Reuters.

The governments in New Delhi and Beijing have publicly criticized US sanctions demanding punishment for the US operations of companies that fail to reduce Iranian oil imports.

In public, New Delhi says it will not comply with the sanctions. But behind the scenes, sources at state-run refineries say the government has instructed them to cut imports. It is unclear whether that is to avoid the political damage of keeping the flow unchanged or simply to avoid the headache and expense of trying to find ways to pay for the oil.

Even with cuts of more than 20 percent, India will remain among the top buyers of Iranian crude and so still has to maintain the $11 billion annual trade with Iran. The two sides have held meetings over the past month to discuss how to bypass the sanctions to ensure both can pay for bilateral trade.

China has used Iran’s growing political isolation to get better terms than Iran wanted to give on annual oil contract negotiations. To force Iran to cut the deal it wanted, China reduced imports from Iran during the first quarter so deeply that even if it returns to the same daily flow as in 2011, the average reduction for the year would be 14 percent. Japan and the United States are close to a deal on cuts in Iranian crude oil imports, Japanese Foreign Minister Koichiro Gemba told Reuters yesterday. That could amount to a higher-than-expected 20 percent or more a year, a newspaper reported last month, as Tokyo seeks to win waivers from U.S. sanctions. — Reuters

22

TUESDAY, MARCH 6, 2012

business

Iraq says oil output highest since 1979 BAGHDAD: Iraq’s oil production is now over three million barrels per day (bpd), the country’s highest output since 1979, top Iraqi energy officials said yesterday in Baghdad. “Oil production is now over three million barrels per day,” Hussein AlShahristani, Iraq’s deputy prime minister

for energy affairs, said in a speech at the oil ministry. Iraq’s current production “is the highest since 1979,” Oil Minister Abdelkarim al-Luaybi told AFP. Luaybi has said Iraq plans on increasing oil production and exports this year to 3.4 million bpd and 2.6 million bpd,

respectively. Iraq exported 65.3 million barrels of crude in January-an average of about 2.1 million bpd-and earned $7.123 billion from oil sales, according to oil ministry figures.

Shahristani also said that a new Gulf export terminal “has been examined and

oil will be exported from it during the next two days.”

Oil ministry spokesman Assem Jihad has said that the terminal is part of a plan to increase Iraq’s production and export capacity, and that the second of five planned terminals will hopefully be com-

pleted this year. The eventual goal is for Iraq to be able to export five million barrels per day of oil from the south alone, Jihad said. Iraqi officials have said the country will be able to produce around 12 million bpd by 2017, though the IMF has said these projections are too high. — AFP

South Korea takes 40% stake in UAE oilfields Seoul finalizes deal with ADNOC SEOUL: A Korea National Oil Corporation (KNOC)-led consortium has secured South Korea’s first oil production assets in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), the Korean government said yesterday.

Korea has finalized a deal with Abu Dhabi National Oil Co (ADNOC) to take a 40 percent stake in two onshore and one offshore oil drilling areas, as part of a wider push by oil import dependent Asian countries to secure upstream assets.

“We now have our own oil reserves in the Middle East,” South Korean President Lee Myung-bak said in a statement. “Through this, stable crude supply to us are more guaranteed, and our energy security taken a big step for-

COLOMBO: Sri Lankan Marxist JVP party activists shout slogans during a protest in Colombo yesterday. The party took to the streets against rising living costs after the government raised prices of fuel by 35 percent, milk food by 3.7 percent, and bus fares by 20 percent late last month along with sharp increases in gas and electricity tariffs. — AFP

UAE PMI edges down but export orders up DUBAI: Growth in business activity in the United Arab Emirates’ non-oil private sector slipped slightly in February as expansion in output and employment weakened, but new orders were strong, a purchasing managers’ survey showed yesterday.

The HSBC UAE Purchasing Managers’ Index, which measures the performance of the OPEC member’s manufacturing and services sectors, decreased to 52.0 points last month from 52.4 in January. The seasonally adjusted index remains above the 50-point mark which separates growth from contraction, the survey of 400 private sector firms showed.

“The strong new order score is encouraging and suggests that growth may begin to build pace in the months ahead,” said Simon Williams, chief economist for the Middle East and North Africa at HSBC. “For now, though, the February reading points only to stabilization and paints a picture of an economy still operating below capacity.”

Total new order receipts continued to grow in February although at a weaker

pace, reaching 56.8 points after 57.5 in the previous month. Export orders for UAE non-oil private sector firms jumped to 55.0 points from 52.8, with respondents reporting the expansion was driven by stronger demand from clients in Africa and other Middle Eastern countries.

Output growth fell to the lowest level in five months in February, while employment only picked up marginally.

“The weak employment growth and wages readings are a particular worry while data showing that producers are unable to pass on higher input costs suggests their pricing power is still very limited and that their margins remain under pressure,” Williams said.

Overall input price inflation accelerated to a three-month high in February, the survey showed, while the staff costs index rose back above 50 after two months below that level.

A Reuters poll of economists in December estimated gross domestic product grew 3.9 percent in 2011 and would expand 3.1 percent this year. — Reuters

ward.” Under the deal, state-run Korea National Oil Corp (KNOC) will hold 34 percent and GS Energy will hold a 6 percent stake in the projects. ADNOC will own 60 percent.

The Korean consortium is expected to invest $2 billion of the estimated $5 billion total cost of developing the fields, the Korean government said in a statement.

The deal gives South Korea access to fields with combined reserves of at least 570 million barrels of oil, which Seoul has previously said it would have exclusive rights over if other oil supply sources were disrupted.

Oil production from s expected to begin in 2014, if the development starts as planned later this month, and could rise to 43,000 barrels per

Saudi February PMI falls slightly

Saudi Electricity plans big fuel oil power plant KHOBAR: Saudi Electricity (SEC) is looking for companies to build and operate a 1,700megawatt (MW)independent power plant (IPP) running on fuel oil, the state-controlled utility said yesterday. Expressions of interest in running the plant at Rabigh on the West coast of the world’s largest oil exporting country should be submitted by March 21, SEC said in a statement.

The Rabigh IPP2 plant will use fuel oil and is the fourth of five planned IPPs that will add a total of around 11,000 MW of power generation capacity. The other three are under construc-

tion and include the 1,200 MW Rabigh IPP1. SEC will buy electricity from the new company under a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA). In September last year, SEC signed a deal with a consortium led by Saudi Acwa Power Projects and including South Korea’s Samsung C&T to build the 4,000-MW gas fired power plant, the third IPP project.

Saudi Electricity has an $80-billion investment plan to increase its power generation capacity by 30,000 MW by 2018 to meet power demand that is rising by around 8 percent a year. — Reuters

New Kuwaiti real estate firm set up KUWAIT: Kuwait Gazette announced yesterday the establishment of “Anfal Al-Khaleej” real estate company with a capital of one million Kuwaiti dinar.

The company was incepted as a closed shareholding company with a capital of KD 1 million distributed over 10 million shares each valued at 100 fils, the gazette said in its latest edition.

The company’s objective is to buy and sell properties for its own interest inside and outside of the country. It also runs others’ properties in accordance to the country’s laws. It can also buy and sell shares and bonds of other real estate companies for its own benefit in and out of the country.

day.GS Energy, owned by GS Holdings Corp, has a 50 percent stake in South Korea’s secondlargest crude oil refiner GS Caltex Corp, with U.S. oil major Chevron holding the other half. The UAE’s concessions system for existing oil and gas fields allows producers to acquire their own equity hydrocarbons from the OPEC member but they have to provide much of the investment.

To date, Western oil companies have for decades held large stakes in the concessions, but the upcoming expiry of existing concessions in 2014 offers rapidly-growing Asian economies a chance to secure more supplies from one of the world’s biggest crude exporters. — Reuters

Conducting research and giving consultations are some of the services provided by the company.

It can also contribute in doing infrastructure works in residential, industrial, services areas according to the Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) system.

The company can also carry out maintenance works for owned or supervised properties as well as holding real estate exhibitions. In addition, it is allowed to use budget surplus for investment.

The company is allowed to invest, partner or even buy companies of similar interest that might be of help to achieve the company’s goals inside and outside of Kuwait. — KUNA

JEDDAH: Growth in business activity in Saudi Arabia’s non-oil private sector fell slightly in February but remained strong, supported by new orders, a survey of over 400 private companies published yesterday showed.

The SABB HSBC Saudi Arabia Purchasing Managers’ Index, which measures activity in the manufacturing and services sectors, slid to 59.62 in February from 60.04 in January.

The seasonally adjusted index stayed well above the 50 mark distinguishing growth from contraction.

New order growth was 68.58 in February against 68.90 in January but it remained above the average over the 31-month history of the survey.

Overall input price inflation accelerated to 59.21, near the record high for the series, from 58.37 because of rises in both personnel and purchasing costs.

Purchasing cost inflation hit an eightmonth high, with about 22 percent of respondents noting a rise in prices and only 4 percent reporting a decline.

Wages rose in February because of higher living costs, harder work by employees and the costs of the government’s drive to move Saudi citizens into more jobs. However, staff cost inflation was the lowest since last October.

Analysts in a Reuters poll conducted in December predicted Saudi Arabia’s gross domestic product would expand 4.0 percent this year, after an officially estimated 6.8 percent last year, but a sharp rise in global oil prices since then may make that forecast too conservative. — Reuters

EXCHANGE RATES Commercial Bank of Kuwait US Dollar/KD GB Pound/KD Euro Swiss francs Canadian Dollar Australian DLR Indian rupees Sri Lanka Rupee UAE dirhams Bahraini dinars Jordanian dinar Saudi riyals Omani riyals Philippine peso Egyptian pounds

.2730000 .4370000 .3620000 .3010000 .2780000 .2950000 .0040000 .0020000 .0753630 .7342410 .3830000 .0710000 .7197910 .0040000 .0430000

CUSTOMER TRANSFER RATES US Dollar/KD .2776000 GB Pound/KD .4391770 Euro .3664040 Swiss francs .3038530 Canadian dollars .2804040 Danish Kroner .0492850 Swedish Kroner .0415990 Australian dlr .2973790 Hong Kong dlr .0357700 Singapore dlr .2209840 Japanese yen .0034060 Indian Rs/KD .0000000 Sri Lanka rupee .0000000 Pakistan rupee .0000000 Bangladesh taka .0000000 UAE dirhams .0756090 Bahraini dinars .7366330 Jordanian dinar .0000000 Saudi Riyal/KD .0740460 Omani riyals .7213200 Philippine Peso .0000000

Al-Muzaini Exchange Co. ASIAN COUNTRIES

Japanese Yen Indian Rupees Pakistani Rupees Srilankan Rupees Nepali Rupees Singapore Dollar Hongkong Dollar Bangladesh Taka Philippine Peso Thai Baht Irani Riyal - Transfer Irani Riyal - Cash

3.598 5.667 3.154 2.436 3.341 213.250 35.672 3.580 6.336 8.873 0.271 0.273

.2805000 .4460000 .3720000 .3130000 .2850000 .3040000 .0070000 .0035000 .0761210 .7416210 .4000000 .0760000 .7270250 .0072000 .0500000 .2797000 .4424990 .3691760 .3061510 .2825250 .0496570 .0419140 .2996290 .0360410 .2226560 .0034320 .0056580 .0023020 .0030870 .0034370 .0761810 .7422050 .3956150 .0746070 .7267770 .0065760

Saudi Riyal Qatari Riyal Omani Riyal Bahraini Dinar UAE Dirham

GCC COUNTRIES 74.150 76.402 722.230 738.540 75.715

Pakistani rupees Philippine peso Qatari riyal Saudi riyal Singapore dollar South Africa Sri Lankan rupees Sterling pound Swedish krona Swiss franc Syrian pound Thai bhat Tunisian dollar UAE dirham U.S. dollars Yemeni Riyal

ARAB COUNTRIES Egyptian Pound - Cash 47.500 Egyptian Pound - Transfer 46.282 Yemen Riyal/for 1000 1.272 Tunisian Dinar 189.860 Jordanian Dinar 392.670 Lebanese Lira/for 1000 1.865 Syrian Lier 6.003 Morocco Dirham 33.814 EUROPEAN & AMERICAN COUNTRIES US Dollar Transfer 277.950 Euro 370.650 Sterling Pound 431.930 Canadian dollar 268.420 Turkish lire 153.940 Swiss Franc 300.620 Australian dollar 277.000 US Dollar Buying 277.750 GOLD 315.500 159.000 81.500

20 Gram 10 Gram 5 Gram

COUNTRY

SELL CASH

Australian dollar Bahraini dinar Bangladeshi taka Canadian dollar Cyprus pound Czek koruna Danish krone Deutsche Mark Egyptian pound Euro Cash Hongkong dollar Indian rupees Indonesia Iranian tuman Iraqi dinar Japanese yen Jordanian dinar Lebanese pound Malaysian ringgit Morocco dirham Nepalese Rupees New Zealand dollar Nigeria Norwegian krone Omani Riyal

302.800 741.600 3.590 286.000 547.700 45.500 50.400 167.800 47.500 373.000 36.650 5.820 0.032 0.162 0.242 3.510 396.180 0.189 95.080 45.500 4.290 235.700 1.807 50.900 724.320

SELL DRAFT

301.300 741.600 3.394 284.500

224.500 46.249 371.500 36.500 5.645 0.031

10 Tola Sterling Pound US Dollar

75.930 278.800

US Dollar Canadian Dollar Sterling Pound Euro Swiss Frank Bahrain Dinar UAE Dirhams Qatari Riyals Saudi Riyals Jordanian Dinar Egyptian Pound Sri Lankan Rupees Indian Rupees Pakistani Rupees Bangladesh Taka Philippines Pesso Cyprus pound Japanese Yen Thai Bhat Syrian Pound Nepalese Rupees Malaysian Ringgit

TRAVELLER’S CHEQUE 443.700 278.800

Selling Rate

277.750 283.990 442.665 368.570 305.435 738.165 75.870 76.515 74.295 392.380 46.222 2.286 5.633 3.069 3.398 6.533 683.765 4.405 9.195 5.870 3.640 92.240

Rate per 1000 (Tran)

US Dollar Pak Rupees Indian Rupees Sri Lankan Rupees Bangladesh Taka Philippines Peso UAE Dirhams Saudi Riyals Bahraini Dinars Egyptian Pounds Pound Sterling Indonesian Rupiah Yemeni Riyal Euro Canadian Dollars Nepali rupee

Currency

Transfer Rate (Per 1000)

302.72 282.79 306.93 370.70

445.70 3.70 3.550 5.800 2.625 4.250 3.200 76.40 741.60 47.70 395.00 728.00 77.25 74.95

278.800 3.062 5.655 2.305 3.410 6.570 76.095 74.495 741.200 46.203 445.300 3.190 1.550 372.400 287.600 3.690

Al Mulla Exchange

UAE Exchange Center WLL Australian Dollar Canadian Dollar Swiss Franc Euro

443.86 3.50 3.404 5.584 2.303 3.505 3.073 75.86 741.60 46.24 396.64 724.58 76.88 74.44

Kuwait Bahrain Intl Exchange Co.

Dollarco Exchange Co. Ltd

Currency

724.140

307.500 4.000 9.330

Sterling Pound Japanese Yen Bangladesh Taka Indian Rupee Sri Lankan Rupee Nepali Rupee Pakistani Rupee UAE Dirhams Bahraini Dinar Egyptian Pound Jordanian Dinar Omani Riyal Qatari Riyal Saudi Riyal

Currency

395.140 0.189 95.080 3.540 234.200

3.070 6.530 76.710 74.450 224.500 39.710 2.310 443.700

GOLD 1,797.720

Rate for Transfer

Bahrain Exchange Company

3.140 6.770 77.140 74.450 224.500 39.710 2.657 445.700 42.800 309.000 4.000 9.480 198.263 76.030 279.200 1.350

303.00 286.00 312.00 373.00

US Dollar Euro Pound Sterling Canadian Dollar Japanese Yen Indian Rupee Egyptian Pound Sri Lankan Rupee Bangladesh Taka Philippines Peso Pakistan Rupee Bahraini Dinar UAE Dirham Saudi Riyal *Rates are subject to change

Transfer Rate (Per 1000)

278.450 369.800 443.500 283.600 3.460 5.595 46.190 2.285 3.370 6.500 3.065 741.500 75.850 74.350

TUESDAY, MARCH 6, 2012

BUSINESS

Iran oil substitute search may revive tanker rates DUBAI: A rush to replace Iranian crude with oil from other suppliers due to sanctions against Iran could breathe some life back into a limp very large crude carrier (VLCC) market this year, the head of a Dubai-based tanker owner said yesterday.

“If you look from a pure supply and demand dynamics it looks like it will be a very difficult year for ship owners,” Atle Sebjornsen, the chief executive of leading listed tanker operator Gulf Navigation Holding, told Reuters. “But, because of the ton mile impact, any macroeconomic and political events can create unexpected spikes in the market, for example Iran,” he said in an interview.

Ton miles, a way of measuring aggregate traffic by multiplying voyage distance by weight carried, is used to gauge total demand for tankers in the global market. US and European sanctions aimed at stopping what the West suspects is a covert nuclear weapons program are hampering Tehran’s ability to sell the oil that generates most of its foreign exchange.

Sanctions are set to tighten over the next few months. But some of Iran’s biggest buyers - like China and India - have already set off on a global supply search which could revive a VLCC market that has been plagued by tanker oversupply and plunging freight rates.

Commodities weekly update

Sharp correction hits gold, oil soldiers on

By Ole S Hansen, Head of Commodity Strategy KUWAIT: A mixed week for commodities where the markets were driven by another injection of cheap money from the European Central Bank , upbeat economic outlook comments from the Federal Reserve chairman and continued geopolitical tensions.

Stock markets rose again with the S&P 500 reaching the highest level since 2008 and the Nasdaq 100, heavy on technology stocks, reaching the highest level since 2000.

Next week elections in Russia and Iran, Chinas national congress meeting to prepare for new leadership, seven central bank meetings and US employment data will be watched closely by commodity traders.

Furthermore, should the recent spike in US retail gasoline prices continue an announcement soon concerning the release of strategic reserves cannot be ruled out.

The DJ-UBS index lost one percent on the week as gains in many agricultural commodities and the above mentioned gasoline price developments were off-set by corrections among some of the index heavy constituents, such as crude oil and gold.

The dollar ended higher following the allocation of EUR 530 billion by the ECB on the assumption this would be the last central bank induced sugar rush for a while.

The silver bull carriage almost left the station on Wednesday when multiple technical bullish signals triggered a strong rally once 35.70 was broken. The break had investors piling in and before long a near-term target of 37.30 was reached and breached.

What followed Thursday after Fed Chairman Bernanke failed to signal further quantitative easing sent the market into a flux as it dropped by 9 percent in just two hours. The sell-off was exacerbated as many new shortterm tactical long positions had been initiated within the previous 24 hours and it now leaves many scratching their heads wondering what kind of foundation the rally had been built upon, apart from technical.

However on a relative basis to gold silver continues to do well with the price of one ounce of gold reaching a low of 48.5 ounces of silver after having been trading in a 50 to 55 ounce range during the last five months. The dramatic sell-off once again shows the vulnerability of silver, given its relative low level of liquidity, especially during times of adversity. The uptrend from the December low is still intact and a close back above 35.70 will remove some of the nervousness that has resurfaced.

Gold correction Just like silver investors, gold investors also got caught out by the relative upbeat comments from Bernanke which caused some revisions to previous expectations about low interest rates until 2014. It was the introduction of this forecast by the Federal Reserve on January 25 that triggered an upward shift in gold back above 1,700 and which saw money managers slowly beginning to engage.

The 100+ dollar drop, the largest daily percentage loss since 2008, has just like silver dented investor belief in another strong year for precious metals and some consolidation can now be expected with the near-term risk pointing towards a recheck of the 200-day moving average, currently at 1,676 on spot gold. All new positions that were initiated during the last month are currently under water and this represents the biggest risk to prices near term as further weakness could trigger additional long liquidation.

On a positive note, investments in exchange-traded products have risen to a new record of 2,404 metric tons according to Bloomberg, indicating that long-term and retail investors still have not dropped their love affairs

with gold. Whether hedge funds and other large tactical investors have been put off by this move remains to be seen. You can follow these investors’ speculative positioning across all major US traded commodities in my weekly CFTC update, published every Monday with data from the previous Tuesday on www.tradingfloor.com/blogs/cftcs. Another factor that could help support prices would be the re-emergence of physical demand which has helped cushion previous sell-offs and which has been mostly absent during the recent rally.

Crude reaching 2008 levels Crude oil traders began the week booking some profits following the strongest monthly performance since February 2011. The fear of supply disruption and continued strong demand from emerging economies and not least financial speculation has kept the price of Brent crude elevated above 120 dollars per barrel for a couple of weeks now. Just how big the fear is was seen Thursday when an Iranian report about a pipeline explosion in Saudi Arabia, later denied, caused a five percent spike to 128.40, the highest level since August 2008. If the report was deliberately planted by Iran in order to achieve even higher prices to compensate for lost exports they initially succeeded in taking advantage of the heightened nervousness.

The above mentioned profit taking prior to the new spike was also driven by increased attention to the potential economic impact of ever higher oil prices. In the US politicians are becoming increasingly vocal in calling for the release of strategic reserves following a 16.5 percent spike higher in retail gasoline prices since midDecember. The average price currently stands at $3.74 per gallon, the highest price on record for this time of year and with the switch towards more expensive summer blends in March and April US motorists could be facing record prices this summer just as the campaign for the Presidential election kicks off.

A golden moment Money managers have fur ther increased speculative long positions during the week, accordingly to our calculations. The combined speculative long in Brent and WTI crude is now approaching 450 million barrels and the risk of a sharp correction, just like the one that hit gold and silver this week , has thereby fur ther increased. It would however require a change in the perception of the risk associated with the situation surrounding Iran before such an event occurs. Investors will probably be able to cope with a correction to 119 without reducing exposure while a deeper correction could trigger a rout. For the week ahead we expect that Brent crude will stay within its established range - a band between 119 and 121 providing support while 128 will provide resistance.

“Where’s the oil lost from Iran going to come from? Some of it will come from here - Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and the UAE - but you also have to take some from West Africa, the Caribbean and North Sea,” Sebjornsen said.

“That has a big impact on the ton mile,” he said. Millions of barrels of crude have been shipped on VLCCs from Europe to Asia over the last few months as lower freight rates, weaker European demand and a narrower spread between Brent and Dubai crude prices has made the long voyage profitable. A reduction of Iranian supply to world markets could make shipping North Sea crude to Asia more attractive still, Sebjornsen said, help-

ing revive tanker rates.

“The prices here (in the Gulf ) will come up and then, relatively, the prices of North Sea would be more attractive. Now that’s a big driver for VLCC ton miles,” he said.

Despite potential for a slight recovery in shipping charges in 2012, the uncertain global economic outlook is still a concern for VLCC owners. World stocks fell yesterday after fresh economic data raised expectations of a recession in Europe and China signalled it would accept slower growth.

“We all need the Chinese economy to keep growing,” he said.

Many ships ordered when the global economic outlook was good have

continued to slide into the water over the last few months, outpacing demand for commodities that they carry and battering ship owners’ earnings. Gulf Navigation expects to take delivery of two new VLCCs in 2013, which will have 10-year charter contracts with China’s Hainan Group, doubling the company’s VLCC fleet size.

While clouds linger over the VLCC market, the chemical tanker business is looking up, thanks to limited n e w ve s s e l s e n te r i n g a m a r k e t where demand is strong. “Chemical space is one of those segments looking most promising,” he said. Gulf Navigation owns eight chemical tankers.— Reuters

C Suisse, Commerzbank join scramble to buy back debt Banks bulk up capital ahead of new rules ZURICH/FRANKFURT: Two of Europe’s biggest banks joined the rush to buy back debt yesterday, notching up transactions worth some $5 billion combined as they scramble to bulk up capital ahead of new banking regulations .

Credit Suisse and Commerzbank follow similar moves by more than a dozen banks across Europe conducting ‘liability management exercises’ (LME) designed to ensure they can withstand any future financial crises after many required state aid to keep going in recent years.

The aim in buying back debt at current prices-below those the bank would have to repay otherwise-is to reduce the banks’ exposure to any future liability. Britain’s Barclays came in for criticism when it was discovered the bank was using tax loopholes to profit further from the bond buyback offer it launched late last year, prompting the UK government to take action.

Commerzbank has struggled to raise cash in an effort to avoid further state aid after being bailed out for 18 billion euros in the financial crisis. The bank is paying for its transactions in its own shares in order to boost its Tier One capital ratio but this is proving unpopular with some investors who would rather hold the securities to maturity in order to get the full payment.

Commerzbank had aimed to pocket new capital worth 1 billion euros via the operation but only managed to secure 776 million euros. The bank is moving to fill a 5.3 billion euro gap identified by Europe’s banking regulator EBA and had said on Feb. 23 that it had narrowed the gap to 1.8 billion by the end of 2011.

By comparison, Credit Suisse, whose balance sheet dwarfs the Swiss economy, is using its own capital to buy back securities. It will buy back Tier 1 and Tier 2 instruments worth up to 4 billion Swiss francs ($4.38 billion) ahead of a roadshow for new Contingent Convertible bonds-which convert to equityearly this week. Regulators estimate European Union banks need to fill a 115 billion euros capital hole by June to better withstand the euro zone debt crisis.

Credit Suisse and its compatriot UBS are under heightened pressure to issue lossabsorbing forms of capital- replacing other forms that will no longer quality under the new rules-as they seek to comply with Switzerland’s post-crisis capital rules, which are tougher than those laid down by the EU. Their operations are however meeting decent demand. “With investors looking for yield, it looks like appetite is strong for these securities from private banks, institutions and others,” said Cheuvreux banking analyst

Christian Stark.

A Credit Suisse issue of $2 billion Buffer Capital Notes in February was 10 times oversubscribed, Thomson Reuters publication IFR reported.

Credit Suisse shares fell 1.0 percent by 1315 GMT yesterday, slightly ahead of a 1.2 percent drop on the European banks index.

Commerzbank’s deal however was poorly received and its shares fell 3 percent as a result of the low take-up. The bank said it would add 484 million euros to the pre-tax result through the end of 2017 as a result of reduced coupon payments and adjustments relating to the former Dresdner Bank, which it bought in 2008.

“The benefits had been expected to fall mainly into the first half of 2012 and will instead be spread between now and 2017,” WestLB analyst Neil Smith said. “The conclusion of the transaction is, however, that it will become much easier for Commerzbank to meet the EBA target.”

This latest step means Commerzbank is left with a capital gap of about 1 billion, which the bank wants to fill by retaining earnings and reducing risky assets.

The German government will continue to hold an equity stake of 25 percent plus one share after the transaction, Commerzbank said. —Reuters

Japan’s Nomura sets up Middle East FX team DUBAI: Japanese investment bank Nomura is setting up a foreign exchange trading team in Dubai to meet growing demand among its institutional clients to trade Middle East and North African currencies, the bank said yesterday.

Nomura said it had hired three specialists in its Dubai International Financial Centre branch, including team leader Hyeonmuk Mun, who had 15 years of experience in trading in the Middle East and Africa with RBS Global Markets, Calyon CIB and Citibank.

The Japanese bank said last week that it had obtained Saudi Arabian regulatory approval to offer foreign investors indirect access to the Saudi stock market through swap products, joining a growing list of banks beefing up their presence ahead of anticipated market liberalization there. — Reuters

NEW DELHI: Prime Minister of the Republic of Macedonia Nikola Gruevski (left) shakes hands with FICCI (Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry) Executive Committee member and Chairman of Freeplay Energy Limited, Devin Narang (right) during a meeting in New Delhi yesterday.

Gruevski, the CII, FICCI and ASSOCHAM were attending a jointly organized business conference on “Emerging Investment and Trade opportunities in Macedonia”. — AFP

Egypt attracts solid demand for bonds CAIRO: Egypt attracted solid demand at an auction of seven-year treasury bonds yesterday amid optimism that foreign donors will help ease the country’s fiscal crisis, traders said.

The army-backed government hopes to secure $3.2 billion of funding from the International Monetary Fund soon as it moves to bring borrowing back under control after last year’s popular uprising.

If it pulls off an IMF deal, that could encourage other lenders to provide further funds.

“That is why appetite (for government debt) is increasing. People don’t want to miss the opportunity if the trend continues,” said a senior trader at a Cairo bank.

The central bank said it sold 1 billion Egyptian pounds ($165.8 million) of the reopened seven-year bonds, the same amount it had asked for. Yields ranged from 16.80 to 16.93 percent, compared with 16.85-16.95 percent at an auction of seven-year bonds on Feb. 20, when the bank raised less than half the amount it sought. The average yield at yesterday’s auction was 16.91 percent.

Traders said bids were equivalent to

1.8 times the value of the sale. The bonds mature on Oct. 25, 2018, and carry a 14.5 percent coupon. Settlement will take place on March 6.

Egypt has received a fraction of the financial aid pledged by foreign donors after the uprising against Hosni Mubarak hammered the economy and an unpopular government faces a tough task selling austerity measures to the public and parliament.

Yields on government debt reached unsustainable multi-year highs in recent months as foreign investors waited on the sidelines, and several treasury auctions were undersubscribed.

The central bank has supported liquidity in the banking system by raising its benchmark Egyptian pound deposit rate, and yields on short-term debt edged lower at recent auctions.

“This time there is a higher probability of reaching a deal” with the IMF and other lenders, said the Cairo banker. “But if any political accidents happen again, I think we will be in trouble again, and this is a variable that we need to build in all the time now.” — Reuters

Ugandan shilling slides another 4%, CB steps in KAMPALA: The Ugandan shilling shed as much as 4.5 percent against the dollar yesterday prompting the central bank to try and stem the slide after worries about the outlook for monetary policy undermined confidence. Central banks in east Africa looked to have quelled dramatic falls in their currencies last year with record high interest rates and the slide in the shilling after Thursday’s cut may give them pause for thought over easing rates too fast.

Yesterday’s slide means the shilling has now shed more than 8 percent since the Bank of Uganda shaved one percentage point off its key lending rate for the second month in a row last Thursday, even though inflation is still above 25 percent.

The Ugandan shilling fell to 2,572 yesterday, down from 2,460 at Friday’s close and 2,360 on Wednesday, the day before the Bank of Uganda trimmed its Central Bank Rate to 21 percent.

Kenya’s central bank meets today with analysts split over whether a slowdown in inflation in February to 16.7 percent will prompt it to start easing cycle, or whether it will wait given the upside risks to inflation. In Uganda, the rate cut has prompted some offshore investors to quit positions take in government debt when yields were far higher, putting pressure on the currency.

“The market is overwhelmed by (dollar) demand, mainly from offshore players, commercial banks and corporate firms. Offshore guys are exiting Uganda’s debt because the yields are declining,” said Peter Mboowa, a trader at KCB Uganda. “The market is also relatively illiquid and when there’s illiquidity there tends to be a lot of panic and speculation which is keeping the shilling under pressure,” he said.

At a Treasury bond auction last week yields on the 3-, and 5-year Treasury bonds edged lower, coming in at 15.95 and 15.99 percent respectively, from 21.09 and 17.96 percent. The central bank has now stepped into the market selling hard currency for two sessions in a row, but traders said limited intervention was unlikely to stem the decline and 2,600 could be reached as early as today.

“Unless something fundamental happens to reassure market sentiment, I don’t see the shilling downward movement reversing,” said a trader at a commercial bank in Kampala. —Reuters

TUESDAY, MARCH 6, 2012

business

KSE makes solid gains GLOBAL DAILY MARKET REPORT KUWAIT: Kuwait Stock Exchange (KSE) stocks continued to forge ahead yesterday staging a session of solid performance. The stocks reached their highest level since November 2011. Four out of 8 sectors managed healthy gains. Investor sentiments were cheered up after some companies during the session came out with good results for FY2011.

Global General Index (GGI) ended the day up by 0.58 percent, at 184.01 point, its highest level since November 03, 2011.

Market capitalization was up for the day, reaching KD29.95bn. On the other hand, KSE Price Index closed at 6,200.8 point, adding 14.4 points (0.23 percent) from its previous close.

Kuwaiti equities witnessed increased investor interest, with the advance being accompanied bygrowing trading activity. The market as a whole saw 799.49mn shares traded, up by a considerable 7.59 percent from Sunday’s level. Trading was intense on the counters of investment and real estate stocks, with 481.7mn of the market’s total volume attributed to the two sectors. Abyaar Real Estate Development Co, was the most actively traded scrip, trading 66.08mn shares. Its share value increased by 4.00 percent.

Kuwait Resorts Company was the top gainer for the day, adding 9.80 percent. Gulf Petroleum Investment was the biggest loser, as its share price fell by 7.69 percent to close at KD0.060.

Sector-wise Yesterday’s gains were bolstered by a 1.30 climb in the Global Banking Index. The sector’s performance was highlighted by 5.63 percent gains in the

Oil slips to $123 after China cuts GDP target LONDON: Oil slipped to around $123 per barrel yesterday as worries over a supply crunch eased after China lowered its economic growth target for 2012 and Iraq boosted production.

China cut its 2012 growth target to an eight-year low of 7.5 percent, lowering its long-standing annual goal of 8 percent, causing a fall in Asian shares and raising questions over oil demand.

Brent crude oil futures for April fell 99 cents to a low of $122.66 before recovering to trade around $123.00 by 1025 GMT. US April crude yesterday fell $1.20 to a low of $105.50 per barrel but then rebounded to around $105.78.

Carsten Fritsch, commodity analyst at Commerzbank in Frankfurt, said the Chinese announcement has focused the international markets on the global growth outlook but pointed out Iran is a dominant factor on the supply side. “Lower expectations for China growth are one dampening factor.

Lower China growth means lower commodities demand. That is weighing on sentiment,” he said.

Sanctions against Iran, the world’s fifth largest oil exporter, have made oil trading more difficult and the coun-

try’s biggest customers including China, Japan and India are reducing imports from Tehran, supporting prices.

India’s Mangalore Refinery and Petrochemicals Ltd (MRPL), one of Iran’s biggest customers, announced plans to cut its yearly Iranian oil import deal by as much as 44 percent to 80,000 barrels per day in 2012/2013.

Saudi Arabia’s current spare capacity is 2.5 million bpd while production is now at 9.8 million bpd, the country’s deputy oil minister Abdul Aziz Bin Salman bin Abdulaziz said last week, adding that his country’s main concern was to keep the global oil market well supplied.

In a possible response to additional demand, Saudi Arabia has raised the price of its flagship Arab Light crude oil for customers in Asia, who buy more than half of its crude exports, by $1.25 a barrel for April.

Iraqi officials said oil production had risen above 3 million bpd, up from Reuters estimates of around 2.7 million bpd in February, boosting global oil supply at a time when energy market weigh the impact of Iranian sanctions. — Reuters

Gold slips as dollar firms equity price of Commercial Bank of Kuwait. Kuwait International Bank and National Bank of Kuwait too were up by 4.00 percent and 1.67 percent respectively.

The investment sector followed, clocking 0.66 percent in gains. Industrial & Financial Investments Company headed the advance with a 9.62 percent share value appreciation.

Ser vices stocks too were among advancers, up 0.38 percent.

National Mobile Telecommunications Co inched

0.99 percent higher. In sector related news, Hayat Communications Company announced the establishment of a EGP250,000 fully owned subsidiary in Egypt under the name of Hayat Communications Company Egypt. The scrip unexpectedly closed down by 2.50 percent at KD0.078. Food stocks were notable decliners. The sector as a whole reported a 3.39 percent withdrawal. Kuwait Foodstuff Company (Americana) and Danah Al-Safat Foodstuff Company were down by 4.00

percent and 3.51 percent respectively.

Oil News Oil slipped to around $123 per barrel yesterday as worries over a supply crunch eased after China lowered its economic growth target for 2012 and Iraq boosted production. China cut its 2012 growth target to an eight-year low of 7.5 percent, lowering its long-standing annual goal of 8 percent, causing a fall in Asian shares and raising questions over oil demand.

LONDON: Gold prices slid below $1,700 an ounce in Europe yesterday as weakerthan-expected euro zone economic data lifted the dollar versus the euro, and as appetite for assets seen as higher risk, like stocks and commodities, suffered after China set its lowest annual growth target in eight years.

Spot gold hit a low of $1,693.99 an ounce and was down 0.9 percent at $1,697.09 an ounce at 1037 GMT, while US gold futures for April delivery were down $11.20 an ounce at $1,698.60.

Spot prices fell 3.9 percent last week, their worst weekly performance since mid-December, after Federal Reserve chairman Ben Bernanke gave no further hints, in a key speech, of a third round of quantitative easing in the United States.

“Markets had really hoped for QE3, and

that did create a plunge for gold, because all of a sudden traders and investors abandoned risky assets, we’ve seen the US dollar strengthening and stock markets (easing),” said Peter Fertig, a consultant at Quantitative Commodity Research.

Although extreme risk aversion was a key factor lifting gold last year, at a time when the dollar was strengthening, it has since reestablished its usual inverse relationship to the US unit as investor appetite for the dollar as a safe haven outweighed that for gold, and as panic in the markets subsided.

From a technical perspective, analysts said gold is vulnerable to further losses after last week’s rout, particularly if prices break through $1,690 an ounce. — Reuters

TUESDAY, MARCH 6, 2012

BUSINESS

rolls out all-new GS line-up in Kuwait It’s stronger, it’s bolder and it’s confident KUWAIT: Lexus rolled out its new GS line-up yesterday in Kuwait by launching its newly-developed GS 250 with a smartsized powertrain 206 HP and the completely redesigned GS 350 - 312 HP, to be followed by the completely redesigned GS 450h - 340 HP. The cars are available with GS F Sport package and dynamic attractions.

All-new GS is characterized by mixture of development: Design, which is advanced and Refined for Instant Recognition as Lexus. The GS features firmly grounded styling imbued with premonitions of driving, as well as the spindle grille that represents the face of the next-generation of Lexus.

The advanced and dignified interior was designed with discerning attention to material and detail.

Sophisticated chassis with multi-link rear suspension equipped with leading-edge technologies such as LDH (Lexus Dynamic Handling System). Along with drive mode selector allows the driver to switch between Eco, Normal, and Sport, optimizing either the vehicle’s environment efficiency or turning it dynamics for a sport drive.

Boosting dynamic performance with standard feature VDIM (Vehicle Dynamics Integrated Management) on all GS lineup.

A 12.3-inch high-resolution wide display-the world’s largest on a mass-production vehicle, a second-generation Remote Touch system with mouse-like interface, and an analog clockthe first on a Lexus-with luminous hands are among the features aligned in pursuit of environmental harmony and sophistication in an interior that is warm and calming.

Progressive with confidence most advanced pre-crash safety, Radar Cruise Control with monitor of eye open/close detection system and 10 Supplemental Restraint System (SRS) airbags.

3-Zones flow air conditioning, nanoe technology, first of its kind worldwide. Climate control innovation is nanoe technology releases microscopic, negatively charges nanoe particles with the cabin. By attracting themselves to airborne particles, these nanoe ions help to purify the cabin air and effectively deodorize the seats and upholstery. With addition, because of the high moisture content of nanoe ions, they display a healthy moisturizing effect on your skin and hair.

Musaed Al-Sayer, Board Member, behind the wheel of the all-new Lexus.

Strategic additions to KUWAIT: Anthony Philip, General Manager Lexus, told the guests during the ceremony that the event marks the launch of new icons of Lexus’ ultimate luxury, featuring new strategic additions to Lexus time-tested line-up: Luxury sports cars - all-new GS generation. In keeping with Lexus relentless efforts to conquer further heights in the world of high tech luxury cars, we remain committed to three strategies for development, he said.

new line-up

Strategy One Invest in hybrid engines and their environment friendly design and purpose, in tandem with Lexus genius concepts of optimum harmony with the environment.

Strategy Two Commitment to keep pace with latest industry tech delivering highest quality standards.

Strategy Three Maintain a unique blend of Lexus high quality and high tech engineering standards as featured

by F mark by building superior sport cars like LFA showcasing Lexus latest innovative technology, demonstrated by its Premium Formula with limited edition of just 500 cars for all various world markets, under the F mark, like ISF and more models in the years to come.

Specifications • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Two engines available 3500cc - 312hp & 2500cc - 206hp Dual VVT-I (Variable Valve Timing Intelligent).

Automatic transmission 6 - Speed F1.

Drive Mode Select (Sport - Sport+ - Normal Eco).

Alloy Wheels 18”.

10 Airbags for driver and passenger.

Electrical rear curtain / Manual Side Curtain.

ABS brake system with EBD + (TRC) Traction control + (VSC) Vehicle stability control.

AVS (Adaptive Variable Suspension System).

Pre-Crash Safety System & Radar Cruise Control.

Front and rear sensors.

Sound system: Mark Livenson 17SP + 6 DVD + AUX + USB + Bluetooth + Navigation System with 12.3” Display + Rear Camera.

Steering wheel control switches for audio and monitor.

Smart key system and start / stop button.

Leather seats - Two power seats with 3 Memory Switch.

Sun roof.

Wooden Steering and Dashboard.

Xenon Lights + AFS (Adaptive Front lighting System) + LED. Remote Engine Starter.

HUD (Head Up Display).

Remote Touch.

Automatic Air-condition 3 Zones.

KUWAIT: Lexus and Al-Sayer officials during the launch of new luxury sports car during the launch ceremony. — Photos by Yasser Al-Zayyat

Japan school kids attend Lexus launch ceremony KUWAIT: Accompanied by Japanese Ambassador, children from the (JFLS) Japan Future Leaders School attended the launch ceremony of the all-new Lexus GS. The visit of the JFLS was sponsored by Al-Sayer Group.

The JFLS was launched in 2004 in Fukuoka, to foster future Japanese leaders in many fields. Every year more than 150 high school students from all over Japan participate. The program will deliver valued opportunities for Kuwaiti and Japanese youth to meet, talk, exchange and have good understanding of each other.

MNSS was privileged to have those distinguished youth participate in the launch of the all new Lexus GS at 360 Mall. They offered a 1,000 crane origami while reciting some Japanese songs and wishing all the best of luck, happiness, and prosperity to Kuwait, its leaders and people.

KUWAIT: Al-Sayer officlas with the children from the (JFLS) Japan Future Leaders School during the launch ceremony of the all-new Lexus GS.

26

TUESDAY, MARCH 6, 2012

business

CFC to participate in ‘Proud 2 Be Kuwaiti’ exhibition KUWAIT: The Commercial Facilities Company (CFC) demonstrated its commitment to nurturing the next generation of Kuwaiti business leaders through its participation at the “Proud 2 Be Kuwaiti” (P2BK) exhibition, held at Mishref International Exhibition Fairground from March 7, 2012- March 10, 2012.

The exhibition is being held under the patronage of Sheikh Nasser Al-Mohammed Al-Sabah, with the aim of fostering a spirit of innovation and entrepreneurship among Kuwaiti youth.

Nasser Ali Al-Mannai, Assistant Managing Director Marketing, CFC, said: “As an avid supporter of youth

in Kuwait, we believe that these young Kuwaitis represent the true values of Kuwait. With their determination, hard work, and innovation, they are the future of the country, and we are proud to be a Kuwaiti company supporting them in this exhibition that has become the landmark of young Kuwaiti entrepreneurs.”

“This participation demonstrates CFC’s commitment to providing a helping hand for Kuwaiti youth who are genuinely interested in pursuing their own business ideas. As they embark on their own business careers, it is important to foster an environment for

them that is nurturing as well as practical,” Al-Mannai added.

Proud 2 Be Kuwaiti is aimed to give young Kuwaiti entrepreneurs the chance to meet with real business people in a business environment.

Throughout the four-day event, students and young exhibitors with ideas for start-up businesses will be able to showcase their talents and concepts and interact with a broad range of successful business professionals, ask them questions and learn firsthand some of the major challenges in running a Nasser Ali Al-Mannai, Assistant Managing Director Marketing, CFC successful business.

Protest worries weigh on Russian markets Ruble unchanged, players see street protests

KARACHI: Pakistani stockbrokers look at share prices on a monitor during a trading session at the Karachi Stock Exchange (KSE) in Karachi yesterday. The benchmark KSE-100 index was 13259.40, with increase of 170.43 points in mid of the day’s session. — AFP

Euro-zone deadline looms for Greek debt waiver BRUSSELS: The EU reaches a watershed moment this week with the deadline for private creditors to write down Greek debt, one leaders hope will prove momentum has swung in the battle to beat the debt crisis. Despite Spain warning that its budget deficit will miss an EU-agreed target by tens of billions of euros this year and with recession also forcing the Netherlands and Belgium to re-do their sums, the view remains that a corner is being turned.

“We’re not out of the economic crisis, but we are turning a page on the financial crisis,” said French President Nicolas Sarkozy after a rare pressure-free European Union summit on Friday.

Economists looking at the bigger picture agree. “The risks and focuses are beginning to shift away from Europe,” said Erik Nielsen, chief economist for Milan-based UniCredit in a regular briefing note to investors.

Citing Iranian political tensions and rising oil prices, the return of Vladimir Putin to the Russian presidency, Chinese exposure to weakening global demand and the US election race, he said this build-up of external variables was “a reminder that it’s not only Europeans having to live with political theatre and uncertainties.”

Thursday sees the end of the offer period for private investors to swap legal papers on an unprecedented write-down of Greek public debt-at a target haul of 107 billion euros $141 billion) in torn-up bond value, of comparable scale to international defaults of the past.

And on Friday, if take-up appears to be on course, euro finance ministers will open the purse strings on an associated new financial lifeline for Greece, heavilyconditioned but eventually worth 130 billion euros in loans with more to come from the IMF. Speculation among politicians and in media has kept the prospect of a “third”

bailout on minds, as Greece works through a seismic economic adjustment hand-in-hand with EU backers.

But powerhouse economy Germany is also inching ever closer to boosting the available resources in a financial firewall designed to convince investors their monies are in safe hands.

The treaty to proscribe excessive deficits and debts, signed Friday, by 25 EU states but not Britain or the Czech Republic, made an inauspicious debut with Spain’s confirmation that it wants the EU to ease this year’s agreed deficit target of 4.4 percent of GDP to 5.8 percent.

But the EU appeared to acknowledge that Spain was suffering from extra pressure stemming from a post-property bubble collapse in employment.

European leaders also know that there is scope in the treaty to evade or postpone the toughest decisions, with Lithuania President and former EU budget commissioner Dalia Grybauskaite talking of “eagerness” among some countries to “interpret differently” the rules set down, using different statistical methodologies to bend them.

“We’ve seen this before,” she told AFP. “I (just) hope the pressure from outside will be heavy enough not to allow member states and the (EU) institutions to take such interpretations before everything is implemented,” she said, referring to the markets.

H o w eve r , despite an oth er busy month of scheduled and anticipated talks for the euro finance ministersagainst the backdrop of an IMF meeting to set parameters for raising its resources-the next EU summit is not scheduled until June 30. And a new poll in a respected business newspaper in Ireland has found voters there leaning comfortably towards ratifying the fiscal treaty in an upcoming referendum. — AFP

MOSCOW: Russian stock markets rose after Vladimir Putin’s outright victory in presidential elections on Sunday, but the ruble was unmoved and gains for share priced were held firmly in check by concerns over the outcome of protests against the result set for later in the day.

Stock markets remain near a seven-month high but players are wary of new bets ahead of the street protests that are symbolic of the emergence of a new wave of opposition in Russia due to anger over widely-reported election fraud in a Dec. 4 parliamentary vote and Putin’s dominance of politics.

The ruble was virtually unchanged, while yields of Russia’s Eurobonds declined, reflecting globally improving risk appetite. On the stock market, the ruble-traded MICEX index rose 0.9 percent to 1622.3 points by 0700 GMT after briefly touching its highest since early August of 1,629.5. Its dollar-traded peer RTS was 1.2 per-

cent higher at 1,774.8 points.

Preliminary results, with nearly 100 percent of the votes counted, gave Putin almost 64 percent of the votes, well above the 50 percent needed for a first round win.

“I would not be surprised if there is a bit of a market rally yesterday but that will soon abate if there are either big protests or credible evidence of irregularities,” said Liam Halligan, chief economist at fund manager Prosperity Capital Management. “Obviously if there is violence the markets will react badly, but even if there are peaceful protests they are always portrayed internationally as being not so.”

The rouble traded broadly flat at 29.28 against the dollar and 38.67 against the euro.

Versus the euro-dollar basket, the central bank’s main gauge of the currency market, it stood at 33.50 by 0700 GMT, retaining support from oil prices that hovered close to $124 per

barrel, $24 above an average price factored into Russia’s 2012 budget. The bond market showed investors’ interest in increasing exposure to Russia as yields of its benchmark Eurobond, maturing in 2030, fell to 3.97 percent, its lowest since November 2010.

“I think it is premature to make conclusions how the election affected Eurobond prices. In general, political events happened on the backdrop of improving confidence on global financial markets,” said Alexei Demkin, head of fixed income research at Gazprombank. Demkin also said that not only the nominal price and the yield reflect perception of Russia’s risks, but also a spread over US 10-year Treasuries which now stands at around 200 points compared to less than 90 points, seen in 2007. Russia may tap the Eurobond market later this month, planning to raise abroad around $7 billion in the whole of 2012. — Reuters

Private equity groups in talks over bid for Misys LONDON: Private equity groups CVC and ValueAct said yesterday that they are in talks over a joint bid for British software firm Misys, which is also being courted by Swiss firm Temenos and Vista Equity Partners.

“Funds advised by CVC Capital Partners Limited and ValueAct Capital Master Fund, the largest shareholder in Misys, confirm that they have concluded an agreement to work together with a view to making a recommended joint cash offer for Misys,” the pair said in a brief statement.

“However, there can be no certainty that an offer will be made, nor, if made, that a transaction will result.” Misys confirmed in separate statement that it was in talks with CVC and ValueAct over possible cash offer for the group. And the financial software specialist added that discussions were continuing with two other suitors-Temenos Group and Vista Equity Partners-as announced last month. — AFP

Ocado forecasts acceleration in sales growth LONDON: British online grocer Ocado posted a doubledigit rise in first-quarter sales and forecast an acceleration in sales growth as the year progresses, service initiatives kick in and distribution capacity increases. The company, which mostly sells the products of upmarket grocer Waitrose via a fleet of brightly colored vans, said yesterday gross sales increased 10.9 percent to 162.1 million pounds ($257 million) in the 12 weeks to Feb. 19.

That was in line with company guidance of first quarter sales growth of around 10 percent and compares with growth of 10.8 percent in the fourth quarter. Ocado, founded in 2000 by three former Goldman Sachs bankers, said average orders per week increased by 13.4 percent to 116,987 in the first quarter, although average order size fell to 115.49 pounds from 118.06 pounds.

The firm said 93.2 percent of orders were delivered on time or early, up 0.9 percentage points year-on-year, while 98.2 percent of items were delivered as ordered, up 0.2 percentage points.—Reuters

Air Arabia takes delivery of first aircraft in 2012 KUWAIT: Air Arabia, the first and largest low cost carrier in the Middle East and North Africa, announced yesterday it has taken delivery of its first A320 aircraft in 2012, bringing its total fleet to 30 aircraft. Air Arabia has now received nine of the 44 A320 aircraft it has ordered from Airbus in 2007.

Air Arabia expects a total of six aircraft will be delivered in 2012. Once completed in 2016, the delivery of the 44 A320 aircraft will more than double the size of Air Arabia’s existing fleet, bringing the airline’s total operating fleet to over 50 aircraft.

The carrier took delivery of its latest A320 at the Airbus facility in Toulouse, France, and the new aircraft has gone straight into service across Air Arabia’s global network of 70 destinations, which it serves from three hubs in UAE, Morocco and Egypt.

“We are pleased to receive our ninth aircraft on-time and as per the fleet plan schedule we have set back in 2007” said Adel Ali, Group CEO of Air Arabia. “In just eight years, Air Arabia has grown to become a leading regional airline with a fleet of 30 aircraft and a strong network of destinations. We look forward to the delivery of five more aircraft

this year as we continue to unlock opportunities for the low-cost model in the MENA region and beyond.”

Air Arabia’s strong operational performance continues to reinforce its leadership position in the Middle East’s LCC sector. The carrier served 4.7 million passengers in 2011, representing a six per cent year-on-year increase. The carrier’s seat load factor - or passengers carried as a percentage of available seats - stood at impressive 82 per cent for the full year 2011.

The world’s best ever selling commercial jetliner, the A320 is recognized as the benchmark for single-aisle aircraft. All Air Arabia aircraft cabin interiors are fitted with worldclass comfort seats, offering the highest seat pitch of any economy cabin across the globe.

Air Arabia (PJSC), listed on the Dubai Financial Market, is the Middle East and North Africa’s leading low-cost carrier (LCC).

Air Arabia commenced operations in October 2003 and currently operates a total fleet of 30 new Airbus A320 aircraft, serving 70 routes from three hubs in UAE, Morocco and Egypt.

Joyalukkas renovates Kottayam showroom KOTTAYAM: Joyalukkas, the world’s favorite jewelry retail chain, opened their fully renovated showroom in Kottayam, Kerala on March 4, 2012.

This completely refurbished showroom was inaugurated by Bollywood celebrity and Joyalukkas’ Brand Ambassador, R Madhavan, in the presence of Anisha Thankappan Municipal Councilor, Sunny Kallur, Municipal Chairman, Steafen George, ExMLA, Joy Alukkas, Chairman, Joyalukkas Group, P P Jose, Executive Director, Joyalukkas India Ltd and P D Jose, General Manager - Jewelry, Joyalukkas India Ltd. The renovated showroom has been redesigned according to the Joyalukkas global standards to offer a world-class jewelry shopping experience to Kottayam residents. “We have been in Kottayam for some years now and have seen the shift in aspirations and needs of jewelry consumers in the city.

This is why we decided that now is the right time to take the residents of Kottayam to the next level of jewelry shopping. Our completely renovated showroom will offer them the mega experience of a modern showroom with the best mix of traditional and contemporary designs in all types of jewelry,” said Joy Alukkas, Chairman, Joyalukkas Group.

Modern interiors, ample parking space and a breathtaking mix of designs and collections in tra-

ditional and contemporary jewelry will be some of the key highlights of this renovated jewelry showroom. “I am really excited to be in Kottayam for the opening of the renovated showroom. Joyalukkas offers customers the perfect mix of value, choice and convenience in choosing traditional and contemporary jewelry. I am sure the refurbished showroom will only strengthen this offering and set new standards in jewelry shopping for customers in Kottayam,” said R Madhavan.

‘JOYALUKKAS’ is the only jewelry brand in India that is spread across nine countries with over 10 million loyal customers and with 85 showrooms around the world in countries like Singapore, UK, UAE, Oman, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and India. The Kottayam Joyalukkas jewelry showroom showcases the signature Joyalukkas format with stylish, convenient interiors and the best collections of traditional jewelry from around India plus contemporary designs and branded collections from around the world.

Joyalukkas has implemented very exciting promotions to make the renovated showroom opening a truly memorable one for customers. Some of the offers include, only 5% onwards making charges on all types of jewelry, Free gold coin with every Rs 50,000 worth of purchase, free gift on every purchase, 25% discount on making charges

of diamond jewelry and other offers. In addition, Joyalukkas has also planned a ‘Visit & Win’ opportunity, wherein five lucky customers will get a chance to get one necklace each, just by visiting the newly renovated Joyalukkas Kottayam showroom. Joyalukkas is the only jewelry retailer with a global exchange policy on all jewelry purchased at any of its showrooms across the world. The world renowned retailer also ensures all accepted and approved standards in jewelry like 100% BIS hallmark for gold, 100% IGI certification for diamond and 100% PGI certification on platinum jewelry.

“We already have a large and loyal customer base in Kottayam and with our newly renovated showroom we expect to meet their needs even better and also attract a new set of jewelry lovers to the Joyalukkas experience in jewelry shopping,” added Joy Alukkas.

Joyalukkas is the first ISO 14001:2004 & ISO 9001:2008 certified jewelry retail chain which also has been recognized with many awards and accolades for its exceptional standards in jewelry retailing. Their popular Chennai showroom has been recognized by the Limca Book of records for being the largest jewelry showroom in the world. The Joyalukkas Bengaluru Showroom was recently awarded ‘Best Single Store of the year’ by the ‘All India Gem and Jewellery Trade Federation’.

TUESDAY, MARCH 6, 2012

TECHNOLOGY

In Swiss city, ‘augmented reality’ is out of this world BASEL: A pair of Swiss policemen cast a suspicious eye as a creature in a space helmet with a camera mounted on top and carrying an astronaut’s backpack wanders around Basel’s St. Johann Park. But what appears to be a visiting extra-terrestrial turns out to be a maverick designer, Jan Torpus, who is pushing the boundary between the real world and fantasy in a project he calls “augmented reality.”

Through the plastic screen of his helmet, Torpus tells a pair of bemused park cleaners he sees ordinary trees, bushes and benches-but the landscape is also populated with virtual animals which are hunting beetles.

“Perhaps we can get them to hunt our boss,” one of the cleaners mutters to his colleague. Yet a journalist trying on the helmet saw something star-

tlingly different: a big red fish chased beetles through what looked like cane fields, which then became a desert that was then transformed into a tranquil meadow.

A massive green worm cuddled up to the fish, to the accompaniment of a dramatic movie-like musical score.

Torpus explains that in his lifeClipper 3 project, the person wearing the helmet creates their own perceptions.

“You thought the worm and the fish wanted to fight, but they are actually friends,” says the 45-year-old. “Every walk is unique: the situation in the park is always different in terms of time of day, light, weather, temperature, encounters with people and animals. The real climate is juxtaposed with a virtual climate, the real living beings with virtual ones.

“Both worlds can be influenced by the user. At the same time the element of chance plays a part in both the real and the synthetic worlds. This gives rise to unique, non-reproducible situations,” explains Torpus. Perceptions are influenced by the movement of animals and from music that is conveyed by programme in a computer strapped to the wearer’s back.

Torpus’s base is the Institute for Research in Art and Design (HGK) attached to the University of Applied Sciences Northwestern Switzerland in Basel, a city bordering both France and Germany.

‘Between daily life and fantastic worlds’-His project started in 2003, bringing together artists and scientists in the quest for mind-challenging sensations and new ideas for mobile

phone apps, electronic maps and smarter websites.

The equipment used in lifeClipper 3 is all “off the shelf” from local electronic stores, says Torpus proudly, as he fires up a hefty Dell laptop that is strapped to the wearer’s boot. “We have to use such a bulky laptop as we need a lot of computer power to run this,” he explains.

There is a Trimble GPS that provides a professional level of positioning used in in engineering and construction, surveying and agriculture. There is also a direction sensor and a biofeedback sensor strapped to the chest of the wearer.

Then there is a head mounted display with a camera and headphones along with a microphone and finger mouse. “We scanned St. Johann Park

and a 3D model was constructed” upon which all the self-generated images are projected, Torpus says.

“We used the design approach of the ‘game world’ but the staging should stay close enough to the familiar to be perceived.”

Torpus invites visitors to walk around the park with the helmet to test alternative reality. “It shifts between daily-life conventions and fantastic parallel worlds,” he says enthusiastically. “It is an alienation of physical and cultural rules like earthcenteredness, gravity, the notion of time and space.”

Such talk is a little too much for a smartly-clad woman who walks by.” We already have too much made-up reality as it is,” she snaps, before beetling off. —AFP

Internet muscles in on world’s biggest IT fair Big hi-tech names due to attend

HYDERABAD: Indian youths wait outside the DLF building at HITECH City (Hyderabad Information Technology Engineering Consultancy), or Cyberabad, a major technology township at the centre of the information technology industry in Hyderabad on March 3, 2012. HITECH City, has become one of India’s premiere information technology and IT-enabled service hubs and has become the country’s centre for scientific and technological development not only in IT infrastructure but also in pharmaceutical and science research industries. — AFP

New Apple operating system brings Macs closer to cloud BERLIN: For many Mac users, it wasn’t that long ago that they switched to the new Lion system. And Apple has already announced a successor in Mountain Lion, which will bring Mac even closer to the iCloud and implement functions from iPhone and iPad. Apple introduced the new operating system OS X 10.7 Lion just eight months ago for its Macs. But the successor - OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion - is due to hit the market in the summer. “ We have so many innovations on hand that we didn’t want to artificially push back the introduction of a new system,” an Apple spokesman told dpa.

The OS X Mountain Lion will connec t the Mac much more to the iCloud than its predecessor. And users will notice that right away if they switch to the new system or buy a new Mac with Mountain Lion installed. The system asks for login information for Apple’s online service straight away in the first boot up of the computer. If you already use iCloud, email accounts, bookmarks as well as calendar entries, documents and other notes will be automatically carried over.

The new iCloud functions allow Mac owners to call up their documents, reminders and notes on iPhones or iPads. Apple is also providing an API interface so that other software manufacturers can access this system.

The application Messages is known from iOS devices, replacing the Mac programme iChat. With Messages, text message-like notes (iMessages) can

be sent to iPhones, iPads, an iPod touch or another Mac also running Mountain Lion free of charge. iOS users will also be familiar with Mac’s Apple Notification Centre. Messages through email, Twitter, calendar reminders or to-do list entries fade in and out. With a single wipe of the touchpad, users can see the entire list of notifications.

The short message service Twitter is also integrated into Mountain Lion just like iOS so that tweets can be sent from all imaginable applications. The Game Centre comes from the world of iPod touch, iPhone and iPad. And it hits the Mac for the first time with Mountain Lion. With AirPlay Mirroring, the contents on the Mac display can appear on a television connected with a small AppleTV box. The system is great for videos or presentations which otherwise would be displayed via a projector.

With Mountain Lion, Apple also reworked its security concept.

Gatekeeper offers new options when installing software. The administrators of a Mac can now define from which sources programmes can be installed.

Those who don’t want to take any chances can allow only software from the Mac App Store. But Apple does allow for installations from other sources.

Users can buy OS X Mountain Lion from the Mac App Store “in the summer,” according to Apple. Apple has not announced the exact release date or price. Apple charges 24 euro (32 dollars) for the upgrade to Lion. —dpa

HANOVER: Internet players are set to make a big splash at the world’s biggest IT fair opening in Germany yesterday, likely to widen the event’s appeal from a traditional devotion to pure technology.

While CeBIT, held in Hanover, tends to focus on the business side of technology, it has been overshadowed recently by the gadget wizardry unveiled at other showcases in Las Vegas, Berlin or Barcelona.

“It’s not the attendance figures that count but the contracts which are signed,” Reinhold Umminger, vice-president of CeBIT’s organising company, stressed, ahead of the March 6-9 fair in the northern German city. But the Internet with all its new possibilities looks set to muscle in on this year’s event with some big hi-tech names due to attend after having long skipped Hanover on the annual calendar of technology events.

South Korea’s Samsung, Japan’s Sharp are due to return. Microsoft, the IT giant which has just launched the test version of a new generation of its Windows operating system, Windows 8, will all also be represented.

And the business networking website Xing will attend for the first time. Google chief Eric Schmidt will deliver the official opening speech late yesterday, alongside German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who will also address the fair, and Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff, whose country is guest of honour.

Schmidt may well use the occasion to promote Google+, the Internet titan’s Facebook rival, after The Wall Street Journal recently commented that “Google+ is a virtual ghost town compared with

HANOVER: An employee works at the booth of software company Informa during last preparations for the CeBIT, one of the World’s biggest computer fairs for digital innovations and trends, in Hanover, Germany, Sunday. CeBIT runs from March 6 to March 10, 2012. — AP Facebook”. Among other likely highlights is new software that shows in real time what is causing excitement on the Web by reflecting on screen the themes most discussed by 150 million sources including social networks. Others include a virtual “eraser” for wiping out traces of potentially embarrassing mistakes on the Internet, a system for protecting smartphones from eavesdropping and a mobile device for asthmatics to assess the air quality.

Cloud computing, which allows social networks and companies to

make use of files and applications based on the provider’s servers via the Internet, rather than on their own servers, is again set to be a hot topic at CeBIT. And against the backdrop of Germany ’s mighty automobile industry, Audi will be showing off cars that boast an Internet connection. But CeBIT, above all, is about doing business, Umminger said which accounts for why it enjoys stable figures for both visitors and exhibitors. Some 80 percent of the 4,200 exhibitors are technology business representatives.

News

in brief

Retro camera BERLIN: Olympus is reviving one of its trademark camera lines, the 70s-era OM, as a mirror-free digital camera. The OM-D E-MS comes with a 16.1 megapixel sensor, a fiveaxis image stabilizer and an electronic viewfinder. A sensor recognizes when someone is using the camera, switching on the viewfinder or the three-inch display as appropriate. The housing, made of magnesium alloy, is dust and water-resistant. All micro-four-thirds standard lenses are compatible. Lenses from the OM and E systems can be used with an adapter. The OM-D E-MS will go on sale in April. The housing costs 1,099 euros (1,460 dollars). In a camera kit, with a 12-50 mm lens, it costs 1,299 euros.

TYOKYO: This handout picture, released from NEC on March 5 shows the newly developed ultra-thin, flexible, rechargeable “Organic radical battery” (ORB) in Tokyo.

The film like battery is 0.3mm thick, and can be used in smart cards, flexible electronic paper etc. — AFP

Linking of social networks getting easier HAMBURG: It’s rare these days for someone to just use Facebook, Google+, Twitter, Flickr or Tumblr. Many people opt to use several social networks simultaneously.

And, with the right tools, you can post the same thoughts on all of them at once.

Whether that’s a good idea is another question. First the basics. Many social networkers see Facebook and Google+ as the tools they use to stay in touch with friends and acquaintances. Twitter is a 140-character information distributor, whereas blogs are used for private hobbies and Flickr is a tool for sharing holiday snapshots. It can get a little stressful keeping all of them up to date.

That said, many services do make it possible to link up with one another. “The link-

ing of social networks will keep on getting easier. Development is just at the beginning stage,” says Jan Krutisch, a web developer with the German software company Mindmatters. “I can use a simple tick mark to decide whether a blog article should also appear on Twitter or Facebook.”

Indeed, users only have to provide the user name and password for the desired network. Facebook, Twitter and Google+, as well as blog hosts like Wordpress or Tumblr, offer the most comprehensive options, says communications advisor Klaus Eck. Flickr pictures and YouTube videos can also be shared on other sites with just a few clicks.

Sharing texts, images and video clips is a nice extra option, but can still take up a lot

The rest is shared by exhibits devoted to technology for governments and other bodies of public administration, private individuals and a more futuristic area focused on research. Under the banner “Managing Trust - Confidence and Security in the Digital World”, the fair will address concerns about lost or pirated data at both the private and professional levels. “We debated for a long time over whether security was a sexy enough theme,” Umminger said. “And we concluded that yes (it was), because it concerns everyone.” —AFP

of time. That’s why applications like Hootsuite have stepped in to completely synchronize publication of posts. Users post their entries there and have them simultaneously appear on up to five other networks for free. All that’s required is that the customer add the appropriate sites to their profile, providing the appropriate user names and passwords.

Krutisch says the problem with a service like Hootsuite is that, to be used properly, people have to find the common denominator between all the services. After all, each network specializes in certain material. “I could just put everything on Facebook.

But Foursquare and Tumblr are niches that only work in their areas.”

Eck notes another problem: “You quickly

lose control over who sees what when everything is automatically posted on every service.” For example, photos on Facebook might be in a restricted area, but could be open to all on Flickr.

Another service, If This Then That (IFTTT), offers nearly unbounded freedom.

“For example, I can search Twitter for a certain keyword and have all entries and pictures on that topic automatically published on my blog,” says Krutisch.

But that’s not really an option for lessadept users. And, besides, all indications are that the future could easily be monopolized by a few major services. “I fear that the big players like Facebook or Google want to merge all the other services onto their pages,” he says. — dpa

New camera system You won’t lack for colour options if you choose to buy Pentax’s new K-01 camera system. It comes in silver-black and black-silver combinations, as well as a bright yellow rubber covering for the camera’s aluminum housing.

Keeping with the retro feel, the camera is compatible with the company’s decades-old KA mount. The heart of the camera’s technology is an APS sensor (23.7 X 15.7 millimetres) with 16.25 megapixels and, thanks to a flexible mounting, it offers mechanical protection against shaky images. Videos can be recorded in high quality MPEG4 format and there’s a three-inch display for checking pictures. Packaged with a 9.2-millimetre flat 40-millimetre XS lens (aperture 2.8) the camera will cost 779 euros (1,030 dollars) when it goes on sale in March.

Mobile LED projector Asus has presented a portable LED projector. Measuring about 13 centimetres at its longest, the P! is only about the size of a CD case and weighs about 415 grams.

Thanks to its design, it doesn’t need a lot of time to cool off after use before it can be stowed away again. Owners of Asus notebooks can use their laptop’s power adapters to charge the projector. The P1 projects images with a maximum resolution of 1,280 X 800 pixels, 200 ANSI lumen and a diagonal image of maximum 3.05 metres.

The beamer sells for 459 euros (610 dollars).

New SSD hard drives Two new solid state drives from Verbatim support the new SATA-GG connection, or SATA III, meaning the 2.5inch drives can reach reading speeds of up to 550 megabytes per second and write up to 510 megabytes per second. The devices will be marketed as SATA-III SSDs.

28

TUESDAY, MARCH 6, 2012

health & science

Soaring cost estimate prompts health law doubts WASHINGTON: Cost estimates for a key portion of President Barack Obama’s health care overhaul law have ballooned by $111 billion from last year’s budget, and a senior Republican lawmaker demanded an explanation.

House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Dave Camp, R-Mich., wants to know by Monday why the estimated cost of helping millions of middleclass Americans buy health insurance has jumped by about 30 percent for an eight-year period, from 2014-2021.

Administration officials say the explanation lies in budget technicalities and that there are no significant changes in the program that would raise concerns. Cost estimates for new government programs can be wide off the mark. For example, the actual cost of President George W. Bush’s Medicare prescription drug benefit came in lower than estimated, so it wasn’t as big a drag on federal

finances as initially forecast.

Cost overruns for the health care overhaul could create new political problems for Obama by undermining the law’s promise to reduce federal deficits. The revised health care numbers, buried deep in the president’s budget, stumped lawmakers and some administration officials earlier in the week. At a congressional hearing Tuesday, Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, who is in charge of carrying out the health care law, indicated she was unaware of the changes.

At issue are subsidies that will be provided under the health care law to help middle class people buy private coverage in new state insurance markets that open in 2014. Last year’s budget estimated the cost of the aid to be $367 billion from 2014-2021. This year’s budget puts it at $478 billion over the same period.

“This staggering increase ... cannot be explained by legislative changes or new economic assumptions, and therefore must reflect substantial changes in underlying assumptions regarding ... costs,” Camp wrote Friday in a letter to Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner.

Republicans say they’re concerned about two possibilities: that the estimated cost of the insurance has gone up, or that the administration has quietly determined that more people will be losing employer coverage as a result of Obama’s overhaul. That means they’d have to purchase coverage in the new government-subsidized markets, called exchanges.

Either of those explanations could have major consequences for taxpayers and the nation’s health care system. But administration officials say the big increase is no cause for alarm and that the administration is not fore-

casting an erosion of employer coverage or higher insurance costs. About two-thirds of the increase is due to effects of newly signed legislation that raises costs for one part of the health care law but still saves the government money overall. The rest is due to technical changes in Treasury assumptions unrelated to the health care law, covering such matters as income distribution in America. “ The estimates do not assume changes in what exchanges look like, the cost of insurance, or the number of Americans who will get their insurance in this new marketplace,” Treasury spokeswoman Sabrina Siddiqui said in a statement last week.

That explanation has drawn skepticism from Ways and Means Committee Republicans. They say a big reason for their doubts is that the Congressional Budget Office - the fiscal referee for lawmakers - has different numbers

from the Obama administration. The budget office is not forecasting a major impact on the health insurance exchanges from the same newly signed legislation that the administration says accounts for most of the $111 billion increase.

That legislation fixed a glitch in the health care law that would have allowed some middle-class people to get virtually free insurance from Medicaid. As a result, projected Medicaid spending under the health care law will drop significantly. But spending for subsidies in the exchanges will go up. Both the administration and the budget office agree on a bottom line conclusion that the fix ultimately saved money for the government, because the Medicaid savings are bigger than the new exchange costs. But their underlying numbers differ, and Camp says he wants a full accounting. — AP

Vet groups, VA split over mental health expansion ‘Accessing care is a significant problem’

SYDNEY: A leopard shark (below), swims past as Sydney Aquarium divers unveil a Greenpeace banner urging UNESCO to save the Great Barrier Reef, at the Sydney Aquarium yesterday. During a press conference at the Sydney Aquarium, Greenpeace Australia Pacific CEO Helen Gibbons issued a call to a UNESCO delegation on a two week mission to Australia, saying “The coal boom in Queensland is threatening to turn the Great Barrier Reef into an industrial zone”. — AFP

Robotic surgeries costlier but safer BOSTON: Patients who have robotassisted surgeries on their kidneys or prostate have shorter hospital stays and a lower risk of having a blood transfusion or dying- but the bill is significantly higher, a study found.

The analysis, which appeared in the Journal of Urology, compared increasingly common robotic surgery with two other techniques for the same surgery and found that direct costs can be up to several thousand dollars higher for the robotic type.

Touted as less invasive and more efficient, robotic surgeries typically use a laparoscopic or “keyhold surgery ” approach, in which tools and a tiny video camera are inserted into the body through one or two small incisions.

Robotic surgery replaces a surgeon’s hands with ultra-precise tools at the ends of mechanical arms, all operated by the surgeon from a console. “I think the take home message is that robotic (surgery), looking at our study, had certain beneficial outcomes compared to open and laparoscopic procedures,” said study leader Jim Hu at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston.

Hu and his team analyzed surgery data from a national government database to see if the costlier robotic surgeries were cost effective with extra benefits over older techniques. During the last three months of 2008 — the most recent data available that allowed a comparison among robotic, open and laparoscopic surgeries-more than half of all prostate removals involved robot-assisted surgery. About three percent of prostate patients had standard laparoscopic sur-

gery and 44 percent had open surgery.

Open and laparoscopic surgeries were still more common than robotic surgeries for kidney repairs and removals. Among patients who had their prostate removed, none died from laparoscopic or robotic surgery, whereas two out of every 1,000 died after the open procedure.

About five percent of the men who had open surgery needed a blood transfusion, compared to less than two percent of men who had robot-assisted surgery. The open-surgery group also stayed in the hospital about one day longer than the robotic group.

The results were similar for people who had kidneys removed. The trade-off was the cost, with robotic prostate removal costing about $10,000 on average, roughly $700 more than laparoscopic surgery and $1,100 more than open surgery. For kidney removal, robotic surgery cost $13,900, which was $2,700 more than laparoscopic and $1,300 more than open surgery.

David Penson, a surgeon at Vanderbilt University Medical Center who was not part of the study, said more consideration should have been given to the state of patients afterwards. Emphasis should be lmited on procedure, he said, as opposed to surgical skill. “Years ago, this was thought to be the be-all-end-all operation, particularly with prostate surgery. We were going to get patients out of the hospital quicker, have better potency and incontinence outcomes,” he told Reuters Health. “And the reality of it is that... there are some benefits- but not as much as we had hoped.” — Reuters

SARTILLY: A worker takes an electronic breathalyser during the test phase at the “Objectif prévention” (Prevention purpose) plant, in Sartilly, western France. All vehicles in France have to be equipped with a breathalyser (French ethylotest) from July 1, 2012. According to the authorities in charge of road security, alcohol is responsible for 31% of car crashes. — AFP

WASHINGTON: Two years after Congress passed a high-profile law to improve health care for military veterans, lawmakers and advocates are again raising alarms that the sprawling Department of Veterans Affairs is not expanding help for the nation’s former fighters and their families as quickly or widely as intended.

This time the dispute is over two mental health measures: One to establish a network of peer counselors so that Iraq and Afghanistan veterans have someone to consult with who shares their war experience, the other to give the families of National Guard and reserve members temporary access to mental health services at VA facilities.

Veterans Affairs, the second largest federal agency after the Defense Department, says it was already providing the help that Congress wrote into law in May 2010. Advocates for veterans, though, say the VA is effectively ignoring the law’s demand for those two steps.

“The VA does some wonderful stuff, don’t get me wrong, but they seem to be ignoring their obligations under this law, almost to the point of being a scofflaw,” said Peter Duffy, deputy director for legislative programs at the National Guard Association of the United States.

The VA says it already offers peer support and family counseling at about 300 vet centers around the country. The vet centers are located in strip malls, downtown stores and in office buildings around the country. About two-thirds of the workers are veterans. So, rather than create an entirely new program, the department has told lawmakers that it’s meeting the bill’s requirements through existing services.

“I think we need to use the legislation in a positive sense to reinforce what we’re already doing,” said Dr. Jan Kemp, director of the VA’s suicide prevention program. “As the need increases, which it inevitably will, we’ve got the legislation now to help us move resources in that direction. It’s an evolving sort of process.”

The VA’s response has upset those who fought to get the legislation passed. They expected the VA to establish a peer support network consisting of Iraq and Afghanistan vets at each of its 152 hospitals. They also expected family members of guardsmen and reservists to temporarily have access to the full range of mental health services available at the VA’s hospitals and its nearly 800 outpa-

tient clinics.

“The language in the bill was not written with the precision that you would like to see, but you can’t read a provision of law and say it has no meaning, which is essentially what the VA is doing,” said Ralph Ibson, national policy director for the Wounded Warrior Project, a nonprofit group that assists injured service members and veterans. “To say we’re already doing this is to say Congress is an a...”

Ibson said the conflict reminds him of an earlier disagreement over the bill’s provision of financial aid to caregivers of wounded vets.

When the department announced in early 2011 how the program would work, lawmakers and advocacy groups complained that it would help fewer families than expected. The department subsequently expanded the program’s reach to about 3,500 families.

Proponents of the legislation said that establishing a strong peer network throughout the VA system would supplement the care veterans get from doctors. Many veterans report feeling more comfortable talking with somebody who has shared similar experiences. The rapport that a veteran counselor develops with clients could encourage more vets to access and stick with their care.

A Rand Corp. study has indicated that accessing care is a significant problem.

Researchers found in a 2008 study that barely more than half of those veterans exhibiting symptoms of major depression or PTSD had sought help from a physician or mental health provider in the previous year.

Ryan Alaniz, 32, who suffered from posttraumatic stress disorder after serving in Iraq, said he can attest to the benefits of having fellow veterans to turn to when coming back from war. Alaniz, a specialist in the Army, said he essentially became a shut-in after returning. He drank a lot, felt stressed and had frequent flashbacks to his time in Baghdad, where he helped stabilize and load seriously wounded soldiers for evacuation. One day, while on guard duty, he watched as a chain of bombs killed or maimed dozens of Iraqi civilians.

Alaniz received treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder at the VA’s medical hospital in Houston and has praise for the psychologist who worked with him. But he said he made important strides after linking up with fellow veterans at a program in San Antonio administered by the Wounded Warrior Project. One aspect of the program

Exercise a key factor in weight loss programmes BERLIN: Exercise - and not only a proper diet - is essential for people who want to lose weight, according to Thomas Haab, a sport scientist at the BSA Academy in Saarbruecken, a German higher education institution focusing on health management and illness prevention.

“The duration and intensity are what matter most,” he said, pointing out that exercise burned extra calories. What is more, the body’s elevated energy metabolism after a workout promotes weight loss, too, “because more calories are burned and hence less surplus energy is stored in fat tissue.”

This “afterburn” occurs after strength or endurance training of sufficient intensity, Haab remarked. Although energy metabolism remains elevated up to 24 hours after both kinds of training, “the effect is greater after strength training,” he said.

During strength training, more calories are burned when the particular exercises are done in several sets each rather than circuit training i.e. various exercises of one set each. For leisure athletes, it is irrelevant whether endurance training precedes or follows strength training.

In combination with an appropriate diet, Haab advised would-be weight losers who opt for strength-training exercises using machine weights to do three sets of eight to 12 repetitions each.

An alternative, he said, would be 60 minutes of endurance training such as cycling, use of an elliptical trainer or jogging. — dpa

involved spending a week with about 10 of his peers in the Utah countryside. Another helped improve his focus and reduce anxiety during stressful situations. He said there is a comfort that comes from talking to people who have been through a similar experience.

“People don’t understand that vets don’t actively like to share our stories with someone who hasn’t been there,” Alaniz said. Veterans groups and lawmakers are big backers of the peer support work done at vet centers.

“Congress has spoken on this issue and it’s time for the VA to move forward and implement these provisions,” said Sen. Jon Tester (D-Montana), who led the effort to get the two programs into law after the original authors of the provisions - Republican Pete Domenici and Democrat Barack Obama - had left the Senate.

The VA operates a vast health care system.

It started opening vet centers after the Vietnam War as a one-stop clearinghouse that vets could turn to when they needed help and lived far away from a VA hospital. About two-thirds of the workers are veterans. They screen visitors for drug and alcohol abuse.

They help the homeless find a shelter or apartment, and the unemployed find a job.

“Our approach is a personal approach. It’s another veteran looking you in the eye, establishing a contact and then getting you to the support services that you need,” said Dr Alfonso Batres, who oversees the vet centers as director of the VA’s Readjustment Counseling Service. “Our job is to get them to the right individuals, but we do have the capacity to provide a fair amount of counseling at the vet centers.”

The proponents also view mental health care for family members as a temporary service that would help more veterans take advantage of treatment: If a spouse or child can get help for depression that stems from the soldier’s war experiences, then the veteran may also seek care.

Yet, the clock is already ticking for many families eligible for that benefit because it only applies to a three-year period that begins once a veteran returns from deployment.

On the House side, lawmakers serving on the House Committee on Veterans Affairs have been pressing the VA for details about the legislation’s implementation. Rep. Jerry McNerney, D-Calif., and Rep. Ann Marie Buerkle, R-N.Y., both said they believe the VA has fallen short of requirements.

Oregon health overhaul makes financial promises SALEM: If Oregon’s Democratic governor is right, the bill he signed last week will improve health care and reduce costs so significantly that it could help fix the federal budget. The Obama administration is watching with keen interest - and so are critics who say Gov. John Kitzhaber’s plan is just another example of government overreach.

Oregon’s new health care law would allow officials to assign cer tain Medicaid patients caseworkers to manage all aspects of a client’s care, from medical to dental to mental, with the goal of eliminating redundant tests and procedures and reducing expensive hospital stays.

Proponents say if all 50 states adopt the approach, it would save the federal budget more than $1.5 trillion over the next 10 years - $300 billion more than Congress’ failed “super committee” was trying to save over the same span. “Today we set out on a path ... to create a system here in Oregon that will be good for our people, that will be good for our state budget,” said Kitzhaber, a former emergency room doctor, before signing the bill.

Skeptics say the plan is bound to overpromise and under deliver. They criticize the idea as just another way to increase the government’s control over health care, and some are not

convinced of the plan’s potential for significant savings.

A recent repor t from the Congressional Budget Office shows that pilot efforts of such coordinated care programs have yet to provide conclusive evidence of savings. The plan requires federal approval to waive standard Medicaid requirements. Also, Kitzhaber is counting on federal money to help pay upfront costs. Oregon officials have presented the concept to Obama administration officials. Cindy Mann, a deputy administrator at the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, said the concept holds “a lot of promise” for “improving care, improving health and lowering costs. ”Kitzhaber’s plan would focus on rewarding doc tors for healthy patients, starting with 600,000 lowincome patients on the state’s Medicaid plan. Proponents hope to expand the program to cover government workers and, eventually, the general public. The overhaul would focus on patients with chronic diseases, mental illnesses and addictions who account for the largest share of health care spending. Proponents envision new efforts to keep in touch with those patients, ensuring they’re mak ing appointments and tak ing medications so they don’t need to visit an emergency room. — AP

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Finding unseen damage of traumatic brain injury WASHINGTON: The soldier on the fringes of an explosion. The survivor of a car wreck. The football player who took yet another skullrattling hit. Too often, only time can tell when a traumatic brain injury will leave lasting harm there’s no good way to diagnose the damage.

Now scientists are testing a tool that lights up the breaks these injuries leave deep in the brain’s wiring, much like X-rays show broken bones. Research is just beginning in civilian and military patients to learn if this new kind of MRI-based test really could pinpoint their injuries and one day guide rehabilitation. It’s an example of the hunt for better brain scans, maybe even a blood test, to finally tell when a blow to the head causes damage that today’s standard testing simply can’t see. “ We now have, for the first time, the ability to make visible these previously invisible wounds,” says Walter Schneider of the University of Pittsburgh, who is leading development of the experimental scan. “If you cannot see or quantify the damage, it is hard to treat it.”

About 1.7 million people suffer a traumatic brain injury, or TBI, in the US each year. Some survivors suffer obvious disability, but most TBIs are concussions or other milder injuries that generally heal on their own. TBI also is a signature injury of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, affecting more than 200,000 soldiers by military estimates. Not being able to see underlying damage leads to frustration for patients and doctors alike, says Dr. Walter Koroshetz, deputy director of the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. Some people experience memory loss, mood changes or other problems after what was deemed a mild concussion, only to have CT scans indicate nothing’s wrong.

Repeated concussions raise the risk of developing permanent neurologic problems later in life, a concern highlighted when some retired football players sued the

National Football League. But Koroshetz says there’s no way to tell how much damage someone is accumulating, if the next blow “is really going to cause big trouble.”

And with more serious head injuries, standard scans cannot see beyond bleeding or swelling to tell if the brain’s connections are broken in a way it can’t repair on its own. “ You can have a patient with severe swelling who goes on to have a normal recover y, and patients with severe swelling who go on to die,” says Dr. David Okonkwo, a University of Pittsburgh Medical Center neurosurgeon who is par t of the research. Current testing “doesn’t tell you what the consequence of that head injury is going to be.”

Hence the increasing research into new options for diagnosing TBI. In a report published Friday in the Journal of Neurosurger y, Schneider’s team describes one potential candidate, called highdefinition fiber tracking. Brain cells communicate with each other through a system of axons, or nerve fibers, that acts like a telephone network. They make up what’s called the white matter of the brain, and run along fiber tracts, cable-like highways containing millions of connections.

The new scan processes highpowered MRIs through a special computer program to map major fiber tracts, painting them in vivid greens, yellows and purples that designate their different functions. Researchers look for breaks in the fibers that could slow, even stop, those ner ve connections from doing their assigned job.

Daniel Stunkard of New Castle, Pa., is among the first 50 TBI patients in Pitt’s testing. The 32year-old spent three weeks in a coma after his all-terrain vehicle crashed in late 2010. CT and regular MRI scans showed only some bruising and swelling, unable to predict if he’d wake up and in what shape.

When Stunkard did awaken, he couldn’t move his left leg, arm or hand. Doctors started rehabilitation in hopes of stimulating heal-

ing, and Okonkwo says the highdef fiber tracking predicted what happened. The scan found partial breaks in nerve fibers that control the leg and arm, and extensive damage to those controlling the hand. In six months, Stunkard was walking. He now has some arm motion. But he still can’t use his hand, his fingers curled tightly into a ball. Okonkwo says those nerve fibers were too far gone for repair.

“They pretty much knew right off the bat that I was going to have problems,” Stunkard says.

“I’m glad they did tell me. I just wish the number (of missing fibers) had been a little better.”

The new tool promises a much closer look at nerve fibers than is now possible through a technique called diffusion tensor imaging, says Dr. Rocco Armonda, a neurosurgeon at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center. “It’s like comparing your fuzz y screen black-and-white TV with a highdefinition TV,” he says.

Armonda soon will begin studying the high-def scan on soldiers being treated for TBI at Walter Reed, to see if its findings correlate with their injuries and recovery. It’s work that could take years to prove.

O ther attempts are in the pipeline. For example, the military is studying whether a souped-up kind of CT scan could help spot TBI by measuring changes in blood flow inside the brain. The National Institutes of Health is funding a search for substances that might leak into the bloodstream after a brain injury, allowing for a blood test that might at least tell “if a kid can go back to sports next week,” Koroshetz says.

He cautions that just finding an abnormality doesn’t mean it’s to blame for someone’s symptoms.

And however the hunt for better tests pans out, Walter Reed’s Armonda says the bigger message is to take steps to protect your brain. “What makes the biggest difference is everybody - little kids riding their bicycles, athletes playing sports, soldiers at war - is aware of TBI,” he says. —AP

TAIPAI: A protester displays a placard of Taiwan President Ma Ying-jeou dressed like former Nazi leader Adolf Hilter during a demonstration in front of the Agriculture Council in Taipei on March 3, 2012.

Officials said on March 2 that a top US trade official has put off a scheduled visit to Taiwan as local health authorities intensified checks on US beef imports containing the banned drug ractopamine. The announcement came at a sensitive time as health officials in several cities across the island conducted checks on US beef products after a growth drug banned in Taiwan was found in some items. —AFP

Scars can be treated, but often time heals best MUNICH: Scars do not always fade away to invisibility. Red and itchy growths along the original wound, sometimes extending beyond it, are not only unsightly but can also cause pain or restrict movement.

This is often the case with scars on the breast, shoulders or ear lobes, and particularly when the skin that has been stitched is under tension. While there is no simple general treatment, doctors do have ways of dealing with scars like these.

“Avoiding excessive pulling and tension at the edges of the wound and carefully treatment of tissue while operating are important for the healing process,” says Gerd Gauglitz of the Dermatology and Allergology Clinic at the University of Munich. Gauglitz says patients’ interest in scarring has risen, with many judging the success of an operation by it. “A scar will always be a scar. They can’t be wished away by magic,” he emphasizes, but there are also effective post-operative ways of alleviating

scarring. Scars confined to the original wound are called hypertrophic scars. If they swell out further they are referred to as keloids. Usually both forms are treated similarly. Sven von Saldern, president of the German association of plastic surgeons, says patients should not expect miracles. And the German association of dermatologists states clearly that, “None of the current methods can guarantee scar reduction or improvement in the functional and/or cosmetic situation in all cases.”

Treatment is called for in general if a scar remains red and itches, even if it is two years old. Keloids can usually be treated, Gauglitz says, although there is no standard treatment. Cryosurgery - the application of extreme cold - followed by cortisone injections is seen as an established and effective procedure for both types of scarring. The first softens the scar tissue, allowing more effective injection.

Laser and radiation therapy are often

used to even out a scar, to make it softer or to remove the tissue. “Lasers suppress the blood vessels in the scar and this accelerates ripening,” von Saldern says.

A dye laser can drain the colour from a keloid and even it out, Gauglitz says, adding that this is seen as a cosmetic procedure and may not be financed by all health insurers. And he warns that the therapy has not proved as successful as initially hoped. Renewed surgery is in general not recommended for keloids, as they often recur. “Cutting out a hypertrophic scar is recommended if the original operation was poorly executed, and tension needs to be removed from the wound,” Gauglitz says.

But Von Saldern adds that the patient should wait until the scar tissue has ripened fully and is no longer red. And he warns that surgical intervention can exacerbate the situation. “Many scar problems resolve themselves, especially with younger patients,” he says. —dpa

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Renowned Indian singer Markos is presented his caricature by artist Johnarts Kalabhavan last weekend at Indian Central School, Abbassiya.

IKEA Kuwait announces Facebook contest winners

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KEA Kuwait recently announced the lucky winners of this month’s Facebook contest, “IKEA Kuwait’s Biggest Fan Contest”. The Facebook contest was conducted with the objective of offering its loyal fan base the chance to win a wide range of innovative gifts from the IKEA Kuwait store.

IKEA Kuwait granted its old and new customers the chance to start their New Year with an exciting range of new products that cater for their houses. Participants were asked to fill an online form that is present on IKEA Kuwait’s Facebook page and choose their favorite options from across three products that were available.

Contestants then had to post their comments about why they deserve to win and how the product would improve their life at home. Three loyal IKEA Kuwait fans were chosen based on their rewarding responses, of which Nancy D’Souza won the eclectic and modern Kiplan two seater sofa, Heba Fakhry won the fashionable Maskros pendant lamp and the practical IKEA 365 + cookware set was handed to Sunitha.

IKEA Kuwait would like to thank all the participants for their efforts and owing to the success of this contest, IKEA fans can stay tuned in for more upcoming contests in the future. Worth mentioning that IKEA Kuwait Facebook page has over 10,500 fans!

To log onto IKEA Kuwait Facebook page, customer can log onto www.facebook.com/ikeakuwait to enter and stay up to date on the latest offers and promotions.

Egyptian author Khalifa releases his latest publication at Kuwait Hyatt

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he Kuwait Hyatt Hotel hosted a ceremony recently during which Egyptian author Mohammad Khalifa announced the release of his latest publication: A book covering events of the January 25th Revolution in chronological order since the

Announcements What do you get...

When you mix African drums with a herd of elephants and delicious food, to which you add lots of African music & rhythms, unique fashion in a flavor of colors, a few drops of a sleepy panther, a mini African market and just the right amount of leopard spots... all sprinkled with inimitable African spirit? Come and find out on Thursday, 22 March At Holiday Inn Hotel (Salmiya), Al Dana Ballroom from 7 pm - 10 pm For details regarding participation in the kids’ contest “Best African Costume”, e contact Lorie Beverly at lorie@indigoshadows-events.com Kuwait Improv Fun lovers of Kuwait unite. A get together by people who love to surprise, be surprised and just be about at anything are welcome to Kuwait Improv, a gathering, reminiscent of the famous American TV program Whose Line is it Anyway, informally organized by American School of Kuwait teacher Brad Manker. No histrionic talent required, but a willingness to share. Please contact: mankerb@ask.edu

beginning until former president Hosni Mubarak stepped down. The event was attended by director of the Egyptian ambassador’s office on behalf of the Egyptian embassy’s staff, in addition to the publisher, journalists and Egyptian citizens. After the cer-

emony was inaugurated, Adnan Saad introduced the book and its author, who gave a presentation about the data collecting and its writing process. Several journalists in attendance gave words of praise for Khalifa’s style of writing.

IWA - lending a helping hand for last 15 years

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ndian Women’s Association (IWA) Kuwait, the voluntary non-profit organization held its annual gathering at the Arraya Ballroom of Courtyard by Marriott recently. The event was inaugurated by chief guest, the Ambassador of India to Kuwait, Satish C. Mehta, in the presence of a large number of dignitaries, IWA members, their families and well-wishers.

Speaking on the occasion, the ambassador expressed his pleasure that the event was celebrating a good cause and would facilitate a range of humanitarian projects and community service initiatives being pursued by IWA. The ambassador highlighted IWA’s dedication to bringing about positive change in the lives of individuals and communities by providing them with

tools and resources to meet and overcome the challenges they face. Members of IWA, the ambassador stated, are at their best helping others to be their best.

Following the ambassador’s speech, the patron of IWA, Mrs Preeti Mehta, wife of the Ambassador of India to Kuwait unveiled ‘Xtravaganza 2012’, a book showcasing IWA’s initiatives through the past year.

In her welcome address, Muriel Alphonso, President, IWA said, “Everyone dreams of a bright future filled with hope and promises but many of the less-privileged in society are often compelled to douse their dreams at a very young age due to circumstances beyond their control.

Since 1998, IWA has been at the forefront of planning and implementing several

humanitarian initiatives in India and Kuwait. With our motto of ‘Lend a Helping Hand’ we have strived to provide practical and sustainable solutions to some of society’s entrenched problems”.

In the last 15 years, IWA has positively impacted over 6,000 people through its different initiatives in Kuwait and India. At present they have about twelve different projects managed throughout the year covering three key focus areas that include supporting educational and medical requirements of individuals from low socio-economic backgrounds, raising awareness of health issues and giving of themselves by spending time and comforting those that need it.

The IWA president concluded,

“However, sustaining and developing the projects we undertake and adding new projects every year has been no mean task.

The fact that we could achieve so much in so little time is a tribute to the compassion and generosity of our supporters and wellwishers, as well as recognition of the dedication, engagement, and enthusiasm of our members.”

This year the evening was supported by ELM and GFS General Trading and Contracting as Platinum sponsors, the Landmark Group as Gold Sponsors and Northern Gulf Trading Co. as Emerald sponsors. Al Ahli Bank of Kuwait, KGL Holding and Asia Electromechanical also participated as silver sponsors.

Mega musical program in April Pravasaandhra Telugu Desam, Kuwait released publicity material and poster for prominent Telugu film hero Nandamuri Balakrishna’s Kuwait visit and upcoming mega musical program on April 6. Pravasaandhra Telugu Desam, NBK Seva Samithi organizing mega musical program with famous Telugu singers Simha and Kosalya troupe in Abbasiya open park next month. Balakrishna will be participating as the chief guest at this event. Nandamuri Balakrishna is popularly known as “Balayya” and “NBK” by his fans and admirers.

He is the son of the former Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh and Telugu film legend Nandamuri Taraka Rama Rao. 7th annual PAWS dog show Registration is now open for entry into the 2012 ‘PAWS for the Cause’ Kuwait Dog Show. The show will take place in the beautiful gardens of the British Embassy on Friday March 9th from 11 4pm. Join us for a variety of lighthearted dog shows, Best junior Handler, Most Mysterious Heritage and the Pet Pageant, (to name but a few). Shop for pet products, visit a variety of stalls, strut your mutt for others to admire or enjoy a tasty lunch in the gardens.

PAWS’ Dog Show is always a fun filled event for all the family, whether or not you own a pet’ If you wish to enter your dog into the show, or attend without pets, download the registration form from the PAWS’ website www.paws-kuwait.org This is strictly a pre registered event and no ‘walkins’ by un registered guests can be permitted. Full names of all attendees must be submitted in advance via the show registration form (on website). All participating dogs must be pre registered and adult Civil ID (or passport) must be shown on entrance. Completed registration forms can be left at drop off points on certain days, details of these will be found on our website. Please ensure you bring your form with correct admission fee to one of these venues. Registration closes March 3rd. It is not necessary to own or bring a dog in order to enjoy a fun-filled family day out. Entry is strictly by pre-registration of pets and people.

Please read show rules and regulations on the Registration Form carefully. No mobile phones or cameras will be allowed into the embassy.

KNES celebrates National and Liberation Days

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n 20th February 2012, parents, staff, pupils and well wishers of Kuwait National English School in Hawally enjoyed a fun-filled and colourful National and Liberation Day Celebration, in the school’s Al Farabi Theatre. The audience was treated to a wide variety of songs, dances, poetry and speeches by pupils and staff. The school’s director, Madame Chantal Al-Gharabally thanked all staff, especially the Arabic and Islamic teachers for their hard work and effort in planning this joyous and successful event.

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Embassy Information EMBASSY OF BRAZIL The Embassy of Brazil requests all Brazilian citizens in Kuwait to proceed to the website www.brazil.org.kw (Contact Us Form / Fale Conosco) in order to register or update contact information. The Embassy encourages all citizens to do so, including the ones who have already registered in person at the Embassy.

The registration process helps the Brazilian Government to contact and assist Brazilians living abroad in case of any emergency. � � � ��� � �

EMBASSY OF CANADA The Embassy of Canada is located at Villa 24, Al-Mutawakel St., Block 4 in Da’aiyah.

Please visit our website at www.Kuwait.gc.ca. The Embassy of Canada is open from 07:30 to 15:30 Sunday through Thursday. The reception is closed from 12:30 to 01:00 pm for lunch break. Consular Services for Canadian Citizens are provided from 09:00 A.M until 12:00 P.M on Sunday through Wednesday. Canada offers a registration service for all Canadians travelling or living abroad.

This service is provided so that Consular Officials can contact and assist Canadians in an emergency in a foreign country, such as a natural disaster or civil unrest, or inform Canadians of a family emergency at home. The Embassy of Canada encourages all Canadian Citizens to register online through the Government of Canada Travel Website at www.voyage.gc.ca.

The Canadian Embassy in Abu Dhabi provides visa and immigration services to residents of Kuwait. Individuals who are interested in visiting, working or immigrating to Canada are invited to visit the website of the Canadian Embassy to the UAE at www.uae.gc.ca.

Vintage Cars Museum

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he Vintage Cars Museum held an event to celebrate thirty female contestants who will represent the Road Rush team in a racing event that takes place at the Bahrain International Circuit. The event featured a competition to select the most beautiful car in the Road Rush fleet. The team is the first women-only team in Kuwait and the Middle East to take part in the competition.

Team Kuwait participates in 24th World Schools Debating Championships

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ive talented debaters from across Kuwait recently joined their contemporaries from across the globe in the World Schools Debating Championships 2012 (WSDC) in Cape Town, South Africa.

The team was comprised of Captain, Obada AlHalabi (New English School), Abdulaziz AlOmar (New English School), Ishita Handa (The British School of Kuwait), Roseanna Draghmeh (The British School of Kuwait), and Shouvik Dey (New English School). They were coached by Zaynab Al Nasser, a former student of The British School of Kuwait and WSDC alumni, and Grainne McCreevy of New English School. The team was managed

by Emma Bowie of The British School of Kuwait, who was also the adjudicator for Kuwait.

The debaters were selected after taking part in a series of selection debates. Once selected, they underwent a rigorous round of training and preparation in the

months leading up to the tournament. During these intensive preparations they focused upon, amongst other things, honing their skills in research, public speaking and case preparation.

Throughout the tournament

Team Kuwait faced a diverse range of prepared motions which required them to research and tackle challenging issues such as the electoral processes in newly democratised Arab

nations and whether or not limits should be placed upon ruralurban migration in developing nations. They also participated in debates on feminism and socioeconomic rights. In addition to this, the team also rose to the

challenge of impromptu motions on topics such as whether or not voting should be made compulsory, the idea of banning alcohol, the use of racial profiling and the place of child

labour in the developing world.

The tournament was eventually won by Team Scotland who triumphed over Team Wales in a hotly contested final in which they opposed the idea that South Africa should regret their decision to use the Truth and Reconciliation Commission rather than prosecuting perpetrators of crimes committed under Apartheid.

Team Kuwait improved their debate skills immeasurably during the course of the tournament and thoroughly enjoyed going head to head with teams from Bangladesh, Greece, Pakistan, Qatar, Romania, Slovakia, Swaziland and The Philippines. This was a fantastic opportunity for them to experience a culture very different to their own and to mix with students from around the world.

The students debated in a diverse range of schools across Cape Town, as well as prestigious venues such as the University of

Cape Town. When they were not debating they enjoyed a fantastic walking tour of historic Cape Town, a excursion to the majestic Table Mountain, and a poignant visit to Robben Island where Nelson Mandela was incarcerated for over 20 years during the apartheid era.

All in all it was a once in a lifetime experience. The team is proud to acknowledge the support and sponsorship of New English School and The British School of Kuwait. The next WSDC will take place in Antalya, Turkey in February 2013. Any aspiring debaters who would like to find out more about this tournament can email q8debate@hotmail.com for further information.

Caption for photograph: Opening Ceremony, University of Cape Town (From left to right) Roseanna Draghmeh, Ishita Handa, Shouvik Dey, Obada AlHalabi (Captain) and Abdulaziz AlOmar.

EMBASSY OF CYPRUS The Embassy of the Republic of Cyprus requests Cypriot citizens living in Kuwait to register with the Embassy has moved. This registration service is provided so that the Embassy can update its contact list and assist Cypriot citizens in cases of emergencies. Registration information can be emailed to cyprusembassykwt@gmail.com or faxed to 22253227 or given by phone to 65906048 (Mrs Christine). � � � ��� � �

EMBASSY OF INDIA The Embassy of India will remain closed on Thursday, March 8, 2012 on account of ‘Holi’”. � � � ��� � �

EMBASSY OF KOREA The Embassy of the Republic of Korea wishes to inform that it has moved to Mishref. New Address: Embassy of the Republic of Korea Mishref, Block 7A, Diplomatic Area 2, Plot 6 The Embassy also wishes to inform that it will be opened to the public on the following office hours: Saturdays to Thursday Morning: 8:00 am to 12:30 pm Lunch Break: 12:30 pm to 1:00 pm Afternoon: 1:00 pm to 3:30 pm � � � ��� � �

EMBASSY OF MYANMAR Embassy of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar would like to inform the general public that the Embassy has move its office to new location at Villa 35, Road 203, Block 2, AlSalaam Area in South Surra. The Embassy wishes to advice Myanmar citizens and travellers to Myanmar to contact Myanmar Embassy at its new location.

Tel. 25240736, 25240290, Fax: 25240749, email:myankuwait11@gmai1.com � � � ��� � �

EMBASSY OF UKRAINE We’d like to inform you that in response to the increasing number of our citizens who work in the state and the need for 24-hour operational telephone in case of emergency the Embassy of Ukraine in the State of Kuwait has opened “hotline telephone number” (+ 965) 972-79-206. � � � ��� � �

EMBASSY OF VENEZUELA Embassy of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, request Venezuelan citizens living in Kuwait to register with the Embassy, This registration service is provided so that the Embassy can update its contact list and assist Venezuelan citizens in cases os emergencies. Registration Information 25324367 or by email: embavenez@gmail.com. Our time is from Sunday to Thursday from 8.30am till 2 pm. � � � ��� � �

TMCA holds blood donation camp

T

amilnadu Muslim Cultural Association (TMCA), Kuwait, arranged a special Blood Donation Camp honoring the auspicious occasions of Kuwait’s 51st National Day and 21st Liberation Day on Saturday, the 25th February 2012 from 07.30 am till 1 pmat Central Blood Bank in Jabriya, Tamilnadu Muslim Cultural Association

(TMCA) and its members, especially its Co-ordination Council under the guidance of its executive body, dedicated themselves volunteering camp activities and most notably, members of other brotherly Associations extended their support with enthusiasm honoring the occasions.

The donors started to donate blood

from 7:30 am. The official inauguration program commenced at 9:30 am ‘Gulf Asia’ Shahul Hameed, Treasurer initiated the program and staged the maestro in administering the whole ceremony. At the outset, the holy verses recited by Muneer Ahamed (Secretary - Religious Wing).

Avoor Basheer Ahamed, President welcomed all guests, blood donors, members

and others and spoke briefly highlighting TMCA’s innumerable activities with his high vision of taking TMCA to the forefront and as a good model.

Dr Rana Hussein Abdul Razack, Director, Central Blood Bank felicitated the event. A special memento has been presented to Blood Bank Administration as a token of thanks and appreciation.

EMBASSY OF THAILAND The Royal Thai Embassy in Kuwait, wishes to invite the Kuwaiti companies that deal business with Thai companies or those agencies of Thai commercial companies to visit the Embassy’s Commercial Office to register their relevant information to be part of the embassy’s business and trade database. The Royal Thai Embassy is located in Jabriya, Block 6, Street 8, Villa No. 1, Telephone No. 25317530 25317531, Ext: 14.

Vanithavedi Kuwait new office bearers

V

anithavedi, a well known socio-cultural organization in Kuwait elected its new office bearers for the forthcoming year. The general body meeting was presided by Vanithavedi president Sajitha Skaria which was attended by selected members representing each unit. General Secretary Valsa Stanley presented the operational report whereas treasurer Sherly Ajith presented

the financial report. In the discussion that followed Ajitha Anilkumar, Minerva Ramesh, Ambika Padmakumar, Sudhi Prashanth voiced their opinions followed by which the report was accepted in union with the meeting.

The newly elected members are as follows- Valsamma George as President, Shobha Suresh as Vice President, Shyamala Narayanan as

General Secretary, Shubha Shine as Joint Secretary, Sumathi Babu as Treasurer, Prasanna Rambhadran as arts wing secretary and finally Shantha R.Nair, Sharlet Albert, Blessy Varghese, Mary Antony, Tolly Prakash, Rema Ajith, Sajitha Skaria, Valsa Stanley, Sheela Thomas, Reshmi Suresh and Divya Kiran as executive members.Valsa Sam and Sherly Ajith were elected as auditors.

Write to us Send to What’s On upcoming events, birthdays or celebrations by email: local@kuwaittimes.net Fax: 24835619 / 20

EMBASSY The Niger Mishref. B enquires p 25387719 or nigerian

TUESDAY, MARCH 6, 2012

TV PROGRAMS

00:20 Karina: Wild On Safari 00:50 Animal Cops Specials 2009 01:45 Untamed & Uncut 02:40 Shark Attack Survival Guide 03:35 Ned Bruha: Skunk Whisperer 04:30 Karina: Wild On Safari 05:25 Swarm Chasers 06:20 Escape To Chimp Eden 06:45 In Too Deep 07:10 Animal Precinct 08:00 Orangutan Island 08:25 Chris Humfrey’s Wildlife 08:50 Talk To The Animals 09:15 The Really Wild Show 09:40 Cats Of Claw Hill 10:10 My Cat From Hell 11:05 Swarm Chasers 12:00 Michaela’s Animal Road Trip 12:55 RSPCA: On The Frontline 13:20 Wildlife SOS 13:50 Ned Bruha: Skunk Whisperer 14:45 Animal Cops Houston 15:40 Swarm Chasers 16:30 Shamwari: A Wild Life 17:00 The Really Wild Show 17:30 Chris Humfrey’s Wildlife 18:00 Talk To The Animals 18:25 Dogs 101 19:20 Dogs/Cats/Pets 101 20:15 Orangutan Island 20:40 Wildlife SOS 21:10 Escape To Chimp Eden 21:35 Planet Wild 22:05 Swarm Chasers 23:00 Wild Animal Orphans 23:55 Venom Hunter With Donald Schultz

00:45 01:15 01:45 02:35 03:05 03:30 04:00 04:20 04:30 04:45 05:00 05:05 05:25 05:35 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 12:00 12:30 13:00 13:45 14:15 14:45 15:35 16:25 17:10 17:40 18:10 19:00 19:30 20:00 20:50 21:25 21:55 22:45 23:15

Eastenders Doctors Waking The Dead 2 Point 4 Children dinnerladies My Family Me Too! Charlie and Lola Gigglebiz Boogie Beebies Poetry Pie Fimbles 3rd & Bird Nina And The Neurons Me Too! Charlie and Lola Gigglebiz Boogie Beebies Poetry Pie Fimbles 3rd & Bird Nina And The Neurons 2 Point 4 Children dinnerladies The Weakest Link Eastenders Doctors Holby City Born and Bred My Family 2 Point 4 Children The Weakest Link Eastenders Doctors Holby City Born and Bred The Weakest Link Eastenders Doctors Holby City 2 Point 4 Children The Old Guys Red Cap dinnerladies My Family Lark Rise to Candleford The Old Guys The Weakest Link

00:15 01:05 02:35 03:00 03:45

Antiques Roadshow French Food At Home French Food At Home 10 Years Younger Celebrity Fantasy Homes

04:35 05:20 06:05 08:50 09:10 10:00 10:25 11:10 12:00 12:50 13:40 14:25 15:10 15:55 16:40 17:25 18:10 19:00 20:30 20:50 21:40 22:30 23:15

Celebrity Fantasy Homes House Swap French Food At Home French Food At Home MasterChef Australia MasterChef Australia Bargain Hunt Antiques Roadshow Come Dine With Me 10 Years Younger Holmes On Homes Fantasy Homes By The Sea Fantasy Homes By The Sea Celebrity Fantasy Homes House Swap Bargain Hunt Antiques Roadshow French Food At Home French Food At Home 10 Years Younger Holmes On Homes Fantasy Homes By The Sea Bargain Hunt

00:00 BBC World News America 00:30 Hardtalk 01:00 BBC World News 01:30 World Business Report 01:45 Sport Today 02:00 BBC World News America 02:30 Asia Business Report 02:45 Sport Today 03:00 BBC World News 03:30 Asia Business Report 03:45 Sport Today 04:00 Newsday 04:30 Asia Business Report 04:45 Sport Today 05:00 Newsday 05:30 Asia Business Report 05:45 Sport Today 06:00 Newsday 06:30 Asia Business Report 06:45 Sport Today 07:00 Newsday 07:30 Hardtalk 08:00 BBC World News 08:30 World Business Report 08:45 BBC World News 09:00 BBC World News 09:30 World Business Report 09:45 BBC World News 10:00 BBC World News 10:30 World Business Report 10:45 Sport Today 11:00 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 With Mishal Husain 17:00 Impact With Mishal Husain 17:30 World Business Report 17:45 Sport Today 18:00 BBC World News 18:30 Hardtalk 19:00 The Hub With Nik Gowing 20:00 The Hub With Nik Gowing 20:30 World Business Report 20:45 Sport Today 21:00 BBC World News 21:30 World Business Report 21:45 Sport Today 23:00 World News Today With Zeinab Badawi 23:30 World Business Report 23:45 Sport Today

00:00 00:20 00:45 01:10 01:35 02:00 02:25 02:50 03:15 03:40 04:00 04:25

Wacky Races Dastardly And Muttley New Yogi Bear Show Duck Dodgers The Perils Of Penelope Pitstop Tom & Jerry Kids A Pup Named Scooby-Doo The Jetsons Puppy In My Pocket Popeye Tom & Jerry Looney Tunes

04:50 05:15 05:40 06:00 06:25 06:50 07:00 07:30 07:55 08:20 08:45 09:00 09:25 09:50 10:15 10:40 11:05 11:25 11:50 12:15 12:40 13:00 13:15 13:40 13:55 14:45 15:10 Doo 15:35 16:00 16:50 17:15 17:40 18:05 18:20 19:10 19:35 Doo 20:00 20:15 20:40 21:05 21:30 21:55 22:20 22:45 23:10 23:35

Scooby Doo Where Are You! Droopy: Master Detective Wacky Races The Flintstones A Pup Named Scooby-Doo Popeye Classics The Garfield Show Bananas In Pyjamas Baby Looney Tunes Gerald McBoing Boing Jelly Jamm Pink Panther And Pals Pink Panther And Pals Puppy In My Pocket The Scooby Doo Show Scooby Doo Where Are You! The Flintstones Duck Dodgers Tom & Jerry Kids Pink Panther And Pals Wacky Races Jelly Jamm Baby Looney Tunes Bananas In Pyjamas The Garfield Show A Pup Named Scooby-Doo Scooby-Doo And ScrappyLooney Tunes Puppy In My Pocket Pink Panther And Pals Pink Panther And Pals Tom & Jerry Tom & Jerry The Garfield Show The Scooby Doo Show Scooby-Doo And ScrappyJelly Jamm Baby Looney Tunes Gerald McBoing Boing Bananas In Pyjamas Pink Panther And Pals Tom & Jerry Looney Tunes Scooby Doo Where Are You! Droopy: Master Detective The Flintstones

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 Quest Means Business 07:00 Erin Burnett Outfront 08:00 World Sport 08:30 African Voices 09:00 World Report 10:00 World Report 11:00 World Sport 11:30 Talk Asia 12:00 World Business Today 13:00 Backstory 13:30 News Special 14:00 World One 15:00 Piers Morgan Tonight 16:00 News Stream 17:00 World Business Today 18:00 International Desk 19:00 Global Exchange 20:00 World Sport 20:30 News Special 21:00 International Desk 22:00 Quest Means Business 23:00 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 08:45 09:40 10:05 10:30 10:55 11:25

Destroyed In Seconds Get Out Alive Dirty Jobs Overhaulin’ Ultimate Survival Mythbusters How Does It Work How It’s Made Dirty Jobs Mythbusters Wreckreation Nation Fight Quest How Does It Work Cake Boss Border Security Dirty Money Heart Of The Machine

THE SILENCE OF THE LAMBS ON OSN ACTION HD

12:20 15:05 16:00 16:55 17:50 18:45 19:10 19:40 20:05 20:35 21:00 21:30 22:25 23:20 23:45

Heart Of The Machine Heart Of The Machine Overhaulin’ Ultimate Survival Mythbusters Cash Cab Us Border Security Dirty Money How It’s Made How Does It Work Cake Boss Fight Quest Freddie Flintoff vs The World Scrappers Carfellas

00:40 Engineered 01:35 Moon Machines 02:25 The Tech Show 02:50 Building The Future 03:40 Superships 04:35 How Does That Work?

05:00 How Stuff’s Made 05:25 Science Of The Movies 06:20 Thunder Races 07:10 Moon Machines 08:00 The Gadget Show 08:25 The Gadget Show 08:50 How Does That Work?

09:15 How Stuff’s Made 09:40 Building The Future 10:35 Superships 11:25 Engineered 12:20 Thunder Races 13:15 Moon Machines 14:05 Science Of The Movies 14:55 How Does That Work?

15:20 How Stuff’s Made 15:50 The Gadget Show 16:15 The Gadget Show 16:40 The Tech Show 17:05 Thunder Races 18:00 Engineered 18:50 Moon Machines 19:40 Through The Wormhole With Morgan Freeman 20:30 Meteorite Men 21:20 The Gadget Show 21:45 The Gadget Show 22:10 Thunder Races 23:00 Through The Wormhole With Morgan Freeman 23:50 Meteorite Men

00:15 Fairly Odd Parents 00:40 Fairly Odd Parents 01:05 BRANDY & MR WHISKERS 01:30 BRANDY & MR WHISKERS 01:55 REPLACEMENTS 02:20 REPLACEMENTS 02:45 EMPEROR’S NEW SCHOOL 03:10 EMPEROR’S NEW SCHOOL 03:35 BRANDY & MR WHISKERS 04:00 BRANDY & MR WHISKERS 04:25 REPLACEMENTS 04:50 REPLACEMENTS 05:15 Fairly Odd Parents 05:35 Fairly Odd Parents 06:00 FISH HOOKS 06:15 RECESS 06:40 TIMON AND PUMBAA 07:05 PHINEAS AND FERB 07:30 GOOD LUCK CHARLIE 07:55 FISH HOOKS S2 SPLITS 08:06 FISH HOOKS S2 SPLITS 08:20 WIZARDS OF WAVERLY PLACE 08:45 MICKEY MOUSE CLUBHOUSE 09:10 JAKE & THE NEVERLAND PIRATES 09:25 JAKE & THE NEVERLAND PIRATES 09:35 HANDY MANNY 09:49 THE HIVE 10:00 RECESS 10:25 SO RANDOM 10:45 HAVE A LAUGH 10:50 HANNAH MONTANA 11:15 SUITE LIFE ON DECK 11:40 JAKE & BLAKE 12:05 SONNY WITH A CHANCE 12:30 WIZARDS OF WAVERLY PLACE 12:55 PHINEAS AND FERB 13:20 SO RANDOM 13:45 SUITE LIFE ON DECK 14:10 WIZARDS OF WAVERLY PLACE 14:35 SHAKE IT UP 15:00 GOOD LUCK CHARLIE 15:25 A.N.T. FARM 15:50 PHINEAS AND FERB 16:15 RECESS 16:40 SO RANDOM 17:05 FISH HOOKS 17:30 WIZARDS OF WAVERLY PLACE 17:55 SHAKE IT UP 18:20 A.N.T. FARM 18:45 SUITE LIFE ON DECK 19:10 GOOD LUCK CHARLIE 19:30 HAVE A LAUGH 19:35 WIZARDS OF WAVERLY PLACE 20:00 HANNAH MONTANA 20:25 PHINEAS AND FERB 20:50 SHAKE IT UP 21:15 FISH HOOKS 21:40 RECESS 22:05 Good Luck Charlie 22:30 Good Luck Charlie 22:55 WIZARDS OF WAVERLY PLACE 23:20 WIZARDS OF WAVERLY PLACE 23:45 KIM POSSIBLE

00:20 00:35 00:50 01:15 01:40 01:55 02:10 02:30 02:45 03:00 03:25 03:50 04:05 04:20 04:40 04:55 05:10 05:35 06:00 06:15 06:30 06:50 07:15 07:30 07:45 08:00 08:15 08:30 08:45 09:10 09:20 09:35

SPECIAL AGENT OSO SPECIAL AGENT OSO LazyTown LITTLE EINSTEINS JUNGLE JUNCTION JUNGLE JUNCTION LITTLE EINSTEINS SPECIAL AGENT OSO SPECIAL AGENT OSO LazyTown LITTLE EINSTEINS JUNGLE JUNCTION JUNGLE JUNCTION LITTLE EINSTEINS SPECIAL AGENT OSO SPECIAL AGENT OSO LazyTown LITTLE EINSTEINS JUNGLE JUNCTION JUNGLE JUNCTION LITTLE EINSTEINS LazyTown JUNGLE JUNCTION JUNGLE JUNCTION HANDY MANNY SPECIAL AGENT OSO JUNGLE JUNCTION JUNGLE JUNCTION MICKEY MOUSE CLUBHOUSE THE HIVE HANDY MANNY JAKE & THE NEVERLAND

PIRATES 09:55 JAKE & THE NEVERLAND PIRATES 10:15 MINI ADVENTURES OF WINNIE THE POOH 10:20 MOUK 10:32 MOUK 10:45 THE HIVE 10:55 MICKEY MOUSE CLUBHOUSE 11:20 MICKEY MOUSE CLUBHOUSE 11:45 ART ATTACK 12:10 IMAGINATION MOVERS 12:35 SPECIAL AGENT OSO 12:45 LazyTown 13:10 HANDY MANNY 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 15:45 JAKE & THE NEVERLAND PIRATES 16:05 MOUK 16:25 HANDY MANNY 16:40 JAKE & THE NEVERLAND PIRATES 16:55 IMAGINATION MOVERS 17:20 LazyTown 17:45 ART ATTACK 18:15 JUNGLE JUNCTION 18:35 HANDY MANNY 18:55 JAKE & THE NEVERLAND PIRATES 19:10 MICKEY MOUSE CLUBHOUSE 19:35 MICKEY MOUSE CLUBHOUSE 20:00 MINI ADVENTURES OF WINNIE THE POOH 20:05 MICKEY MOUSE CLUBHOUSE 20:25 101 DALMATIANS 20:40 101 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 22:40 SPECIAL AGENT OSO 22:55 LITTLE EINSTEINS 23:20 TIMMY TIME 23:30 JUNGLE JUNCTION 23:45 HANDY MANNY 23:55 MICKEY MOUSE CLUBHOUSE

00:25 Kendra 00:55 Style Star 01:25 E!es 01:50 E!es 02:20 E! Investigates 03:15 25 Most Stylish 04:10 Sexiest 05:05 Extreme Hollywood 06:00 THS 07:50 Behind The Scenes 08:20 E! News 09:15 Scouted 10:15 25 Most Sensational Hollywood Meltdowns 12:05 E! News 13:05 Kendra 13:35 Kendra 14:05 Keeping Up With The Kardashians 14:35 Keeping Up With The Kardashians 15:00 Style Star 15:30 E!es 16:25 Behind The Scenes 16:55 Khloe And Lamar 17:25 Khloe And Lamar 17:55 E! News 18:55 THS 19:55 Kourtney & Kim Take New York 20:55 Chelsea Lately 21:25 Khloe And Lamar 21:55 Khloe And Lamar 22:25 E! News 23:25 Chelsea Lately 23:55 Keeping Up With The Kardashians

00:15 00:40 01:30 02:15 03:05 03:30 04:15 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 23:50

Stalked: Someone’s Watching Extreme Forensics The Haunted A Haunting I Married A Mobster Scorned: Crimes Of Passion Stalked: Someone’s Watching Extreme Forensics The Haunted A Haunting Killer Outbreaks 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 Killer Outbreaks Real Emergency Calls Who On Earth Did I Marry?

On The Case With Paula Zahn Disappeared FBI Case Files Forensic Detectives Murder Shift Real Emergency Calls Killer Outbreaks Who On Earth Did I Marry?

On The Case With Paula Zahn Disappeared Couples Who Kill Deadly Women

01:00 03:15 05:15 07:15 09:00 11:00 13:00 15:00 17:00 19:00 21:00 PG15 23:00

Broken Embraces-18 How Do You Know-PG15 Gasland-PG15 Bound By A Secret-PG15 District 9-PG15 My Sassy Girl-PG15 Freestyle (2010)-PG15 Ramona And Beezus-PG Season Of The Witch-PG15 Green Zone-PG15 Justice For Natalee HollowayCrazy-18

GREEN ZONE ON OSN CINEMA

00:00 The Butterfly Effect 3: Revelations-18 02:00 The Eagle-PG15 04:00 True Justice: Lethal Justice-18 06:00 Ip Man-PG15 08:00 S.W.A.T.: Firefight-PG15 10:00 Wild Bill-PG15 12:00 Ong Bak 2-PG15 14:00 S.W.A.T.: Firefight-PG15 16:00 Coach Carter-PG15 18:15 Ong Bak 2-PG15 20:00 The Silence Of The Lambs-18 22:00 So Close-PG15

01:00 03:15 05:15 07:15 09:00 11:00 13:00 15:00 17:00 19:00 21:00 PG15 23:00

Broken Embraces-18 How Do You Know-PG15 Gasland-PG15 Bound By A Secret-PG15 District 9-PG15 My Sassy Girl-PG15 Freestyle (2010)-PG15 Ramona And Beezus-PG Season Of The Witch-PG15 Green Zone-PG15 Justice For Natalee Holloway-

00:00 01:00 02:00 05:00 06:00 07:00 07:30 08:00 09:00 12:00 12:30 13:00 14:00 15:00 16:00 16:30 17:00 18:00 19:00 21:00 22:00 23:00

Smallville Top Gear (US) Breaking Bad Switched At Birth Smallville Emmerdale Coronation Street Parenthood Top Gear (US) Emmerdale Coronation Street The Ellen DeGeneres Show Parenthood Smallville Emmerdale Coronation Street The Ellen DeGeneres Show Parenthood Grey’s Anatomy Royal Pains Pillars Of The Earth Game Of Thrones

01:00 03:00 05:00 07:00 09:00 11:00 13:00 15:00 17:00 19:00 21:00 23:00

Altitude-PG15 True Justice: Lethal Justice-18 Carrie-18 Blank Slate-PG15 Rocky II-PG15 Phone Booth-PG15 Arctic Predator-PG15 Rocky II-PG15 Star Trek: First Contact-PG Fear Island-PG15 So Close-PG15 Dead Presidents-18

Crazy-18

00:00 Wilfred 00:30 The Daily Show Global Edition 01:00 The Colbert Report Global Edition 01:30 Entourage 02:00 How To Make It In America 02:30 The Cleveland Show 03:00 The Simpsons 03:30 Mr. Sunshine 04:00 Dharma And Greg 04:30 The Tonight Show With Jay Leno 05:30 Seinfeld 06:00 Just Shoot Me 06:30 Til Death 07:00 Late Night With Jimmy Fallon 08:00 Dharma And Greg 08:30 The Simpsons 09:00 Seinfeld 09:30 Two And A Half Men 10:00 Hot In Cleveland 10:30 Til Death 11:00 The Tonight Show With Jay Leno 12:00 Just Shoot Me 12:30 Dharma And Greg 13:00 Seinfeld 13:30 Til Death 14:00 Mr. Sunshine 14:30 Hot In Cleveland 15:00 Two And A Half Men 15:30 The Daily Show Global Edition 16:00 The Colbert Report Global Edition 16:30 Just Shoot Me 17:00 Late Night With Jimmy Fallon 18:00 The Simpsons 18:30 Mr. Sunshine 19:00 Two And A Half Men 19:30 Hot In Cleveland 20:00 The Tonight Show With Jay Leno 21:00 The Daily Show With Jon Stewart 21:30 The Colbert Report 22:00 Weeds 22:30 The Ricky Gervais Show 23:00 The Cleveland Show 23:30 Late Night With Jimmy Fallon

00:00 01:00 02:00 03:00 04:00 05:00 07:00 08:00 08:30 09:00 10:00 11:00 12:00 13:00 14:00 15:00 17:00 18:00 18:30 19:00 20:00

21:00 Royal Pains 22:00 Pillars Of The Earth 23:00 Bones

Desperate Housewives Breaking Bad Top Gear (US) Revenge Bones Live Good Morning America The Good Guys Emmerdale Coronation Street The Ellen DeGeneres Show The Martha Stewart Show The View Desperate Housewives Revenge The Good Guys Live Good Morning America The Ellen DeGeneres Show Emmerdale Coronation Street Grey’s Anatomy Private Practice

00:15 Rat-PG 02:00 Crazy On The Outside-PG15 04:00 Cats & Dogs-PG 06:00 Captain Ron-PG15 08:00 Malibu’s Most Wanted-PG15 10:00 Frank McKlusky, C.I.-PG15 12:00 Sgt. Bilko-PG 14:00 Did You Hear About The Morgans?-PG15 16:00 Rat-PG 18:00 Kuffs-PG 20:00 My Best Friend’s WeddingPG15 22:00 The Night Of The White PantsPG15

01:00 Thunderheart-18 03:00 En Attendant Le Deluge-18 05:00 American Son-PG15 07:00 Flying By-PG15 09:00 Witness To Jonestown-PG15 11:00 North-PG 13:00 Return To Rajapur-PG15 15:00 Who Is Clark Rockefeller-PG 17:00 Mary, Queen Of Scots-PG15 19:15 Ma Vie N’est Pas Une Comedie Romantique-PG15 21:00 The Silence Of The Lambs-18 23:00 Red Rock West-18

00:00 Winner & The Golden Child: Part II-FAM 02:15 Moomins And The Comet Chase-FAM 04:15 The Thief Of Baghdad-PG 06:00 Big Fat Liar-PG 08:00 The Muppets Take Manhattan-PG 10:00 The Big Green-PG 12:00 Christopher Columbus-PG 14:00 The Thief Of Baghdad-PG 16:00 The Three Musketeers (2008)FAM 18:00 The Big Green-PG 20:00 Turandot-PG 22:00 Christopher Columbus-PG

02:00 The Resident-18 04:00 Last Night-PG15 06:00 The Fighting TemptationsPG15 08:00 Everybody Wants To Be Italian-PG15 10:00 Goodbye Solo-PG15 12:00 Fly Me To The Moon-PG

13:45 15:30 17:45 20:00 22:00

Winnie The Pooh-FAM Passing Strange-PG15 City Of Life-PG15 Scott Pilgrim vs. The World-18 Zookeeper-PG15

01:30 Super Rugby Highlights 02:30 NRL Premiership 04:30 Futbol Mundial 05:00 ODI Cricket Highlights 05:30 Live Cricket One Day International 14:30 Super Rugby Highlights 15:30 NRL Premiership 17:30 Volvo Ocean Race Highlights 18:00 WWE Vintage Collection 19:00 ODI Cricket Highlights 19:30 UFC All Access 20:00 UFC 22:00 Futbol Mundial 22:30 Volvo Ocean Race Highlights 23:00 Super League

01:00 Scottish Premier League Highlights 01:30 Premier League Darts 05:00 Trans World Sport 06:00 Top 14 Highlights 06:30 NRL Full Time 07:00 Scottish Premier League 09:00 Golfing World 10:00 World Cup Of Pool 11:00 World Pool Masters 12:00 US Bass Fishing 13:00 Futbol Mundial 13:30 Super Rugby Highlights 14:30 Trans World Sport 15:30 Premier League Darts 19:00 Scottish Premier League Highlights 19:30 NRL Full Time 20:00 Top 14 Highlights 20:30 Mobil 1 The Grid 21:00 Futbol Mundial 21:30 ODI Cricket Highlights 22:00 Trans World Sport 23:00 Scottish Premier League Highlights 23:30 Golfing World

00:00 00:30 01:00 04:00 05:00 08:00 09:00 09:30 10:30 11:00 13:00 18:00 20:00 21:00 23:30

SPL Highlights NRL Full time Scottish Premier League World Cup of Pool World Pool Masters SPL Highlights Top 14 Highlights Super Rugby Highlights Volvo Ocean Race Highlights NRL Premiership Scottish Premier League Super Rugby Super Rugby Highlights Cricket ODI Highlights Premier League Darts

00:00 01:00 03:00 04:00 07:00 08:00 09:00 10:00 11:00 13:00 14:00 15:00 18:00 19:00 20:00 21:00

WWE Experience V8 Supercars Speedway UFC Unleashed WWE NXT WWE Bottom Line Speedway FIM World Power Boats V8 Supercars WWE Bottom Line WWE Vintage Collection Prizefighter WWE NXT WWE Experience UFC Unleashed UFC 144

00:50 Victor/Victoria 03:00 Wise Guys 04:30 The Catered Affair-PG 06:00 The Naked Spur-PG 07:30 TCM Presents Under...-U 08:00 The Letter-FAM 09:35 Come Fly With Me-FAM 11:20 Humoresque-PG 13:20 Far From The Madding Crowd-FAM 16:00 On The Town-FAM 17:35 Clash By Night-PG 19:25 Live A Little, Love A Little-PG 20:55 Hotel-PG 23:00 Memphis Belle-PG

Classifieds TUESDAY, MARCH 6, 2012

ACCOMMODATION Need executive bachelors with clean habits male/female or issueless couples to share accommodation with S Indian family, near 6th Ring Road, petrol pump, Touristic park, Indian Central School. Contact: 97534176 / 24312943.

(C 3890) 3-3-2012

DIAL 161 FOR AIRPORT INFORMATION

Airlines JZR JZR ETH THY UAE OMA QTR DHX FDB ETD RJA GFA KAC DHX FAH JZR JZR KAC BAW KAC JZR KAC FDB KAC KAC KAC KAC UAE ABY QTR ETD FDB IRA GFA IRA JZR MEA MSR MSR RKM KAC GFA KAC FDB UAL GRF QTR SVA KAC RJA KAC QTR KAC JZR ETD UAE GFA SVA RBG ABY JZR ALK JZR KAC FDB KAC KAC JZR KAC KAC KAC KAC KAC KAC KAC FDB KAC JAI OMA AXB DHX MEA GFA QTR UAE JZR KLM AIC JZR UAL BBC DLH

Arrival Flights on Tuesday 6/3/2012 Flt Route 185 DUBAI 539 CAIRO 620 ADDIS ABABA 772 ISTANBUL 853 DUBAI 641 MUSCAT 148 DOHA 370 BAHRAIN 67 DUBAI 305 ABU DHABI 642 AMMAN 211 BAHRAIN 544 CAIRO 170 BAHRAIN 201 DUBAI 555 ALEXANDRIA 529 ASSIUT 416 JAKARTA 157 LONDON 412 MANILA 503 LUXOR 206 ISLAMABAD 53 DUBAI 352 COCHIN 302 MUMBAI 332 TRIVANDRUM 284 DHAKA 855 DUBAI 125 SHARJAH 132 DOHA 301 ABU DHABI 55 DUBAI 605 ISFAHAN 213 BAHRAIN 619 LAR 165 DUBAI 404 BEIRUT 623 SOHAG 610 CAIRO 310 RAS ALKHAIMAH 672 DUBAI 219 BAHRAIN 512 TEHRAN 57 DUBAI 982 WASHINGTON DC DULLES 93 KANDAHAR 140 DOHA 500 JEDDAH 546 ALEXANDRIA 640 AMMAN 562 AMMAN 134 DOHA 678 ABU DHABI 561 SOHAG 303 ABU DHABI 857 DUBAI 215 BAHRAIN 510 RIYADH 3555 ALEXANDRIA 127 SHARJAH 777 JEDDAH 227 COLOMBO 177 DUBAI 614 BAHRAIN 63 DUBAI 502 BEIRUT 542 CAIRO 787 RIYADH 786 JEDDAH 618 DOHA 674 DUBAI 744 DAMMAM 166 PARIS 104 LONDON 774 RIYADH 61 DUBAI 552 DAMASCUS 572 MUMBAI 647 MUSCAT 389 KOZHIKODE 372 BAHRAIN 402 BEIRUT 217 BAHRAIN 136 DOHA 859 DUBAI 135 BAHRAIN 443 AMSTERDAM 981 CHENNAI 239 AMMAN 981 BAHRAIN 43 DHAKA 636 FRANKFURT

Time 0:20 0:50 1:45 2:15 2:35 2:50 2:55 2:55 3:05 3:10 3:10 3:15 4:40 5:15 5:30 6:00 6:20 6:25 6:40 6:45 7:25 7:40 7:45 7:50 7:55 8:05 8:15 8:30 9:00 9:05 9:15 9:20 9:45 9:55 10:50 11:20 11:55 12:30 12:55 13:10 13:20 13:25 13:40 13:50 14:05 14:15 14:20 14:30 14:30 14:40 14:45 15:25 15:30 16:10 16:50 16:55 17:15 17:20 17:20 17:40 17:45 18:10 18:15 18:35 18:40 18:45 18:50 19:05 19:10 19:15 19:25 19:25 19:30 19:35 19:40 20:00 20:05 20:10 20:15 20:30 21:00 21:20 21:25 21:35 21:40 21:55 22:05 22:05 22:45 23:00 23:45 23:50

Airlines UAL AIC BBC JZR PIA DLH ETH THY FDB UAE OMA DHX ETD QTR JZR GFA RJA KAC FDB BAW KAC KAC KAC KAC JZR KAC UAE ABY ETD FDB QTR GFA IRA KAC IRA KAC JZR MEA KAC MSR KAC JZR MSR RKM GFA FDB KAC KAC UAL RJA KAC SVA KAC JZR JZR KAC QTR KAC JZR QTR ETD JZR GRF RBG UAE GFA ABY SVA JZR JZR ALK FDB JZR KAC KAC FDB KAC DHX KAC JAI OMA KAC DHX MEA GFA FAH KAC QTR KAC JZR UAE KAC KLM JZR KAC

Departure Flights on Tuesday 6/3/2012 Flt Route 981 WASHINGTON DC 976 GOA 44 DHAKA 502 LUXOR 240 SIALKOT 637 FRANKFURT 621 ADDIS ABABA 773 ISTANBUL 68 DUBAI 854 DUBAI 642 MUSCAT 371 BAHRAIN 306 ABU DHABI 149 DOHA 164 DUBAI 212 BAHRAIN 643 AMMAN 545 ALEXANDRIA 54 DUBAI 156 LONDON 677 ABU DHABI 671 DUBAI 511 IMAM KHOMEINI 561 AMMAN 560 SOHAG 101 LONDON 856 DUBAI 126 SHARJAH 302 ABU DHABI 56 DUBAI 133 DOHA 214 BAHRAIN 604 ISFAHAN 165 ROME 618 LAR 541 CAIRO 776 JEDDAH 405 BEIRUT 501 BEIRUT 624 SOHAG 785 JEDDAH 176 DUBAI 611 CAIRO 311 RAS ALKHAIMAH 220 BAHRAIN 58 DUBAI 551 DAMASCUS 673 DUBAI 982 BAHRAIN 641 AMMAN 613 BAHRAIN 501 JEDDAH 617 DOHA 786 RIYADH 786 RIYADH 773 RIYADH 141 DOHA 743 DAMMAM 238 AMMAN 135 DOHA 304 ABU DHABI 538 CAIRO 82 BAGHDAD 3966 LUXOR 858 DUBAI 216 BAHRAIN 128 SHARJAH 511 RIYADH 266 BEIRUT 134 BAHRAIN 228 DUBAI 64 DUBAI 184 DUBAI 283 DHAKA 361 COLOMBO 62 DUBAI 343 CHENNAI 171 BAHRAIN 351 KOCHI 571 MUMBAI 648 MUSCAT 543 CAIRO 373 BAHRAIN 403 BEIRUT 218 BAHRAIN 102 DUBAI 381 DELHI 137 DOHA 301 MUMBAI 554 ALEXANDRIA 860 DUBAI 205 ISLAMABAD 443 BAHRAIN 528 ASSIUT 411 BANGKOK

Time 0:45 0:50 1:00 1:05 1:10 1:20 2:45 3:15 3:45 3:50 3:55 3:55 4:00 5:40 6:55 7:00 7:10 7:40 8:25 8:40 8:55 9:00 9:15 9:20 9:30 9:35 9:40 9:45 10:00 10:05 10:10 10:40 10:45 11:45 11:50 12:00 12:15 12:55 13:00 13:30 13:40 13:50 13:55 14:10 14:20 14:35 14:40 15:05 15:20 15:35 15:35 15:45 15:50 15:50 15:50 16:25 16:30 16:40 17:15 17:25 17:35 17:40 18:00 18:00 18:10 18:15 18:25 18:35 18:45 19:05 19:10 19:20 19:55 20:15 20:20 20:40 20:55 21:00 21:05 21:10 21:15 21:55 22:00 22:20 22:25 22:30 22:30 22:35 22:45 22:45 22:50 23:00 23:05 23:35 23:55

Directorate General of Civil Aviation Home Page (www.kuwait-airport.com.kw)

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 Furniture for sale in good condition, sofa set (3+1+1), dining table, table 2 no, shoe rack, gas stove, fridge, washing machine, etc at very good price. Contact: 99172842.

(C 3892) 3-3-2012 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 WANTED Storekeeper, PDC passed, 10 years experience in Kuwait (Track, Oracle based application, stock inventory. Visa No. 18, transferable, expired date 16/05/2012.

Mob: 66039535, 67084832.

(C 3894) 6-3-2012

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

SITUATION VACANT Professional cook for house good experience all kind of food, hard work, good salary, good accommodation, full time or part time. Call 66519719 / 23901053.

(C 3891) 3-3-2012

MATRIMONIAL An Indian man from Kokan (Ratnagiri) wants to marry an Indian lady (40-45 years) preferably from Kokan (Ratnagiri), Muslim, educated, (divorced or widow alone). Contact: P.O. Box 41529, Jleeb Al-Shuyoukh, Kuwait 85856. Email: mohd_younas59@yahoo.com (C 3895) 6-3-2012 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 Tuition for IGCSE /IOEFL/IELTS (in short time) / American English, Bilingual schools students.

Spoken English-for-Arabs.

GMAT/SAT. English teacher.

Call 66948099. (C 3893)

5-3-2012 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

No: 15379

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.

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 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

34

TUESDAY, MARCH 6, 2012

stars CROSSWORD 608

STAR TRACK

CALVIN & HOBBES

Aries (March 21-April 19) You may achieve a lot more today if you are able to work by yourself. There could be lots of interruptions. Be especially careful with close associates because there could be problems with communication.

You are especially sympathetic to the feelings of others and you may be sought after for your advice and counsel regarding very personal and emotional issues.

You will be able to be understanding and handle this volatile material. You are able to cut through the red tape and get at what is beneath and behind. Energy and resistance are low, so take care of your health and avoid overindulging. Try to go home early and greet your loved one with the willingness to lend a helpful hand. This is a good time to share with a loved one.

Taurus (April 20-May 20) Any leadership, sales or teaching position just now should show off your best abilities. Your communication abilities are in full swing. This is an excellent time to sway others to your way of thinking. You may find yourself involved in some interesting philosophical discussions. Listen and learn something new. Your fulfillment this month is in the area of moneymaking techniques. There is also an opportunity to build the family financial security.

The small amount of stress today is invigorating and encourages you toward constant improvements. This is a busy but easy day with everything running proficiently. Ideas and interaction with authority figures or older people may be in the forecast. Working with—rather than against—the flow should be easy.

POOCH CAFE ACROSS 1. How long something has existed.

4. Any member of Athapaskan tribes that migrated to the southwestern desert (from Arizona to Texas and south into Mexico).

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

13. An accidental happening.

14. Characteristic of or relating to winter.

15. An anxiety disorder characterized by chronic free-floating anxiety and such symptoms as tension or sweating or trembling of light-headedness or irritability etc that has lasted for more than six months.

16. By bad luck.

18. Angular distance above the horizon (especially of a celestial object).

19. United States swimmer who in 1926 became the first woman to swim the English Channel (1903- ).

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

22. A federally sponsored corporation that insures accounts in national banks and other qualified institutions.

24. Characteristic of false pride.

27. A Loloish language.

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

31. King of England who was renounced by Northumbria in favor of his brother Edgar (died in 959).

35. A flat wing-shaped process or winglike part of an organism.

36. Tinged with blue or purple from cold or contusion.

37. Polymerized from acrylonitrile.

41. An inflammatory disease of connective tissue with variable features including fever and weakness and fatigability and joint pains and skin lesions on the face or neck or arms.

42. Remove with or as if with a ladle.

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

46. Any high mountain.

48. A particular geographical region of indefinite boundary (usually serving some special purpose or distinguished by its people or culture or geography).

50. The snail-shaped tube (in the inner ear coiled around the modiolus) where sound vibrations are converted into nerve impulses by the Organ of Corti.

54. (of complexion) Blemished by imperfections of the skin.

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

59. (nautical) Of an anchor.

62. Exhibiting or restored to vigorous good health.

63. An acute febrile highly contagious viral disease.

64. Flesh of scaleless food fish of the southern United States.

66. A castrated tomcat.

67. The fatty flesh of eel.

68. Make certain of.

69. An associate degree in applied science.

DOWN 1. According to the Old Testament he was a pagan king of Israel and husband of Jezebel (9th century BC).

2. Offering fun and gaiety.

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

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

5. Manufactured in standard sizes to be shipped and assembled elsewhere.

6. A Scottish word.

7. A metric unit of length equal to one hundredth of a meter.

8. German biologist and philosopher.

9. Late time of life.

10. A city in northern India.

11. An island in Indonesia east of Java.

12. Chief port of Yemen.

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

20. Avoid or try to avoid, as of duties, questions and issues.

23. A state in midwestern United States.

25. A committee having supervisory powers.

26. A unit of weight used in east Asia approximately equal to 1.3 ounces.

28. The act of drawing or hauling something.

30. Type genus of the Alcidae comprising solely the razorbill.

32. A small tuft or lock.

33. A small island.

34. Clarified butter used in Indian cookery.

38. Not only so, but.

39. (Greek mythology) The Titan who was father of Atlas and Epimetheus and Prometheus in ancient mythology.

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

44. An intensely radioactive metallic element that occurs in minute amounts in uranium ores.

45. (used of count nouns) Every one considered individually.

47. Wild or domesticated South American cud-chewing animal related to camels but smaller and lacking a hump.

49. (Akkadian) God of wisdom.

51. Look at with amorous intentions.

52. part of the peritoneum attached to the stomach and to the colon and covering the intestines.

53. Acute lung injury characterized by coughing and rales.

55. Kamarupan languages spoken in northeastern India and western Burma.

56. English essayist (1775-1834).

57. United States labor organizer who ran for President as a socialist (1855-1926).

60. A hospital unit staffed and equipped to provide intensive care.

61. (in golf) The standard number of strokes set for each hole on a golf course, or for the entire course.

65. A brittle silver-white metalloid element that is related to selenium and sulfur.

Yesterday’s Solution

Gemini (May 21-June 20) 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.

Your management abilities are in high focus. You could be most persuasive with others and powerful in speech and communication. The situation is a natural for self-expression and lends itself to your particular ideas and thoughts. You will find yourself energized and ready to get much accomplished. Everything points to your taking the initiative in some unfinished project this afternoon. You could feel great support from those around you. You feel healthy and natural. Changing your surroundings later today, you are well disposed towards friends and family.

Companionship with others is most rewarding now.

Cancer (June 21-July 22)

NON SEQUITUR

In the workplace today, you will need to think through the important matters that are up for discussion. Clear communication is important. You could find that you are valued for your ability to get things accomplished. There is comfort and ease in routine matters just now. You take your work seriously and enjoy the opportunity to be a bit more relaxed with these routine matters. You are good at getting work organized. The nail that sticks up gets hammered down. Your goodwill is felt by others and will be reflected back to you this evening. There will be opportunities to be with your family members in a positive gathering tonight. Perhaps an evening out for dinner is in the making.

Have some fun in acknowledging the good in others.

Leo (July 23-August 22) Any task you take on today should be completed swiftly and successfully. You are a self-starter. Energy and confidence combine to produce leadership and any help you may recruit will get their direction and enthusiasm from you. Today you will be able to tackle tasks that require real discipline. You find yourself in a very practical mood, working with, instead of against yourself. You may have some serious or contemplative moments.

Cooperation in redistributing domestic responsibilities among family members builds a tighter family group and everyone will learn to work together—group effort. Trading jobs promotes understanding. Emotional security and a sense of belonging are issues that are felt instinctively now.

ZITS

Virgo (August 23-September 22) You should enjoy great success through your profession.

Self-awareness is a very positive attribute. Today is a time to make sure you do not become self-absorbed. Keep your eye on the goal, not necessarily whether or not it is achieved a certain way. You are empowered with the zest and enthusiasm to accomplish many things today. Working with close associates should prove favorable. Many compliments come your way today. Fondness and appreciation for the past and for your roots in life take on greater importance for you now. Visiting with family and relating with old chums is easy and extremely pleasant. This is one of your best overall days this month. Later this evening you will find opportunities to enjoy a loved one’s company.

Libra (September 23-October 22)

MOTHER GOOSE AND GRIMM

By this afternoon you will see some long time project come to an end. This could mean you have secured a long awaited merge or assignment or even a new customer. Your work as a whole may come under scrutiny and you definitely have that feeling that higher-ups are encouraged by your professional goals. You could be commended or recognized for your hard work. At day’s end you will be feeling both carefree and easygoing. Being more involved with neighbors or sibling(s) satisfies a deep emotional need. Interaction with friends and family this evening is free of complication—much good can come about through spending time with the people that support you the most. You should work hard during this time to keep close relatives just that, close.

Scorpio (October 23-November 21) Congeniality and understanding encompass this day. Coworkers and Higher-ups have meetings and lectures that would benefit from your presence, though you may prefer to just dig your heels in and get to work. Interacting one-on-one, leading a group towards a common goal, convincing others in a sales or public relations effort will show off your skills and set the focus for the future. Some sort of sales or public relations involvement could be in your future. Knowledge is power and the consideration of more education is a future possibility—even if it only means a few night classes for fun. Close relationships take on emotional depth, power and importance. The lack of close relationships is too uncomfortable for you—you work to keep your loved one close.

Sagittarius (November 22-December 21) Today you would rather switch than fight. You are just a pushover. Ego, energy and self-assertiveness are low, so if there is some issue brewing where you really should stand up for your rights, save it for another day. Instead, socializing and love interests are favored. So is overindulgence—avoid the smorgasbord table and watch the calories. This afternoon, your friends might find you helping at the nearest hospital, nursing home, etc. You have a natural sense of what the people around you need. Clear decisions affecting others could be made now; at least you would know when to lend a listening ear. By helping others, you gain a focus into your future progress. This could all be of short duration and should be considered in the future.

Capricorn (December 22-January 19)

To

You are at your mental best with sharp ideas and clear thoughts. Do not worry too much about how others think of you or your abilities. This is an excellent time to make decisions, take care of any mental work and get many things done. This afternoon you may find yourself being put to good use by your friends. All of this should go rather smoothly. Communal activities that take place at this time should be both well-attended and successful. You will be pleased to find that you are appreciated and people may look to you as a mentor.

You want to improve the world. Relationships with loved ones are excellent at this time. This is a great time to reflect and understand your own situation. Relations with others are congenial and upbeat this evening.

Yesterday’s Solution Yester

Aquarius (January 20- February 18) A strong life is like a warship that has its own place in the fleet and can share its strength and discipline—but it can also sail alone. Progressive people and idealistic groups or concepts play a more important role in your life now, as a new cycle begins. This is a concern for something bigger than any one person—the good of the many outweighs the needs of the few—perhaps involving the school system. You may find yourself helping a young person in matters of importance this afternoon. Be judicious and diplomatic in your discussions with loved ones. You may find that your family as a group will enjoy some form of volunteer work once or twice a month as a group effort. This is a good time for family closeness.

Pisces (February 19-March 20)

Word Sleuth Solution

Take it easy on yourself and others today—those changes that need to be made around the house or garden do not have to be made in one day. These changes could involve planting, painting or any little repair jobs. A little humor will see you through any rough spots. You will enjoy being with your friends or loved ones, especially today. Most of this is because everyone is working together. Your mind is quick and sharp and you have insight into your emotions and you can talk about your feelings with great insight and fluidity. Saying and writing with style counts for a lot this evening. You could find yourself entering contests or writing poems. Neighbors or brothers and sisters will likely bring all kinds of good experiences your way this week.

A

y

e niv rsar n

Years

TUESDAY, MARCH 6, 2012

i n f o r m at i o n

FIRE BRIGADE

112

Al-Madena

22418714

Al-Shohada’a

22545171

Al-Shuwaikh

24810598

Al-Nuzha

22545171

Sabhan

24742838

Al-Helaly

22434853

Al-Fayhaa

22545051

Al-Farwaniya

24711433

Al-Sulaibikhat

24316983

Al-Fahaheel

23927002

Jleeb Al-Shuyoukh

24316983

Ahmadi

23980088

Al-Mangaf

23711183

Al-Shuaiba

23262845

24812000

Al-Jahra

25610011

Amiri Hospital

22450005

Al-Salmiya

25616368

Maternity Hospital

24843100

Mubarak Al-Kabir Hospital

25312700

Chest Hospital

24849400

Farwaniya Hospital

24892010

Adan Hospital

23940620

Ibn Sina Hospital

24840300

Al-Razi Hospital

24846000

Physiotherapy Hospital

24874330/9

Ministry of Interior website: www.moi.gov.kw For labor-related inquiries and complaints: Call MSAL hotline 128

Hospitals Sabah Hospital

POLICE STATION Al-Madena Police Station Al-Murqab Police Station Al-Daiya Police Station Al-Fayha’a Police Station Al-Qadissiya Police Station Al-Nugra Police Station Al-Salmiya Police Station Al-Dasma Police Station

Clinics Rabiya

4732263

Roudha

22517733

Adhaliya

22517144

Khaldiya

24848075

Keifan

24849807

Shamiya

24848913

Shuwaikh

24814507

Abdullah Salim

22549134

Al-Nuzha

22526804

Industrial Shuwaikh

24814764

Al-Khadissiya

22515088

Dasmah

22532265

Bneid Al-Ghar

22531908

Al-Shaab

22518752

Al-Kibla

22459381

Ayoun Al-Kibla

22451082

Al-Mirqab

22456536

Sharq

22465401

Salmiya

25746401

Jabriya

25316254

Maidan Hawally

25623444

Bayan

25388462

Mishref

25381200

W.Hawally

22630786

Sabah

24810221

Jahra

24770319

New Jahra

24575755

West Jahra

24772608

South Jahra

24775066

North Jahra

24775992

North Jleeb

24311795

Al-Ardhiya

24884079

Firdous

24892674

Al-Omariya

24719048

N.Kheitan

24710044

Fintas

3900322

22434064 22435865 22544200 22547133 22515277 22616662 25714406 22530801

THE PUBLIC AUTHORITY FOR CIVIL INFORMATION Automated enquiry about the Civil ID card is 1889988

PHARMACIES

AIRLINES

ON 24 HRS DUTY GOVERNORATE

PHARMACY

ADDRESS

PHONE

Ahmadi

Sama Safwan Abu Halaifa Danat Al-Sultan

Fahaeel Makka St Abu Halaifa-Coastal Rd Mahboula Block 1, Coastal Rd

23915883 23715414 23726558

Jahra

Modern Jahra Madina Munawara

Jahra-Block 3 Lot 1 Jahra-Block 92

24575518 24566622

Capital

Ahlam Khaldiya Coop

Fahad Al-Salem St Khaldiya Coop

22436184 24833967

Farwaniya

New Shifa Ferdous Coop Modern Safwan

Farwaniya Block 40 Ferdous Coop Old Kheitan Block 11

24734000 24881201 24726638

Hawally

Tariq Hana Ikhlas Hawally & Rawdha Ghadeer Kindy Ibn Al-Nafis Mishrif Coop Salwa Coop

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36

TUESDAY, MARCH 6, 2012

LIFESTYLE G o s s i p

Marriage makes

Danes feel more secure

laire Danes feels more secure since she got married. The ‘Homeland’ actress who has previously dated musician Ben Lee and ‘Almost Famous’ actor Billy Crudup tied the knot with British star Hugh Dancy in 2009 and credits him with keeping her happy.

She told The Sun newspaper: “My mom Carla taught me that a long marriage can work. My parents have been together since they were 18 so I am privileged to have them as role models.

“I like marriage. I feel very secure. It helps when you are in love with the person you are married to. “I do sometimes look at him and think, ‘You are really handsome.’ He keeps me sane and happy.” Claire also explained she turned down Kate Winslet’s Oscar nominated role in ‘Titanic’ because she needed some time apart from leading man Leonardo DiCaprio after they worked on ‘Romeo and Juliet’ together.

She explained: “Is it true I turned down ‘Titanic’? Yes. “I have no regrets. I had just made a film with Leonardo DiCaprio in Mexico City for five months [‘Romeo + Juliet’] and I was very tired. It would have been ridiculous to do another sweeping romantic epic with Leo. “I would never have been able to get away from him. He’s a lovely man and a great actor but we needed time apart by then.”

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Cole is recording Lana Del Rey song heryl Cole is recording a song written by Lana Del Rey. The ‘Promise This’ hitmaker - who is currently working on her third album - has discovered an urban-mid-tempo ballad written by the ‘Video Games’ singer and is keen to have it on the follow-up to her 2010 album ‘Messy Little Raindrops’.

A source told The Sun newspaper: “Cheryl is a big fan of Lana and was intrigued to hear she had lots of songs written which she wasn’t going to sing herself. “She got hold of one and was really taken with it. The record label are pretty happy about it because Lana has a massive following.” Cheryl, 28, has reportedly worked with big names including Rihanna and Taio Cruz for the album, and East London producer and singer Labrinth was delighted when he discovered she wanted to work with him. He said: “Cheryl [Cole] went over the mountains and far away to find me! She called Chris Martin, Chris called Tinie Tempah and then Tinie hollered at me, ‘Lab, Chris Martin says Cheryl needs your number.’ “And I’m like, ‘I’m just Labrinth from Hackney, how is this happening?’ It was surreal. We should be hooking up soon.”

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Lohan mocks troubles on SNL indsay Lohan poked fun at her troubled personal life when she hosted ‘Saturday Night Live’ last weekend. The ‘Mean Girls’ actress who has endured several stints in rehab and a string of legal problems in recent years - kicked off the show by referring to her stint under house arrest in the opening monologue. She joked: “Wait, so the alarm goes off if I leave the stage?” ‘Bridesmaids’ actress Kristen Wiig also mocked the guest host, giving her a hug that turned into a body search for illicit substances, quipping “she’s clean” at the end. In

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another sketch, she donned a bandana to play a prisoner trying to scare three boys of a life of crime, and made reference to her arrest last year for stealing a necklace. She joked: “First you hang out with all the mean girls and then you get accused of stealing a diamond necklace!” Despite her willingness to laugh at herself, Lindsay’s performance was widely slammed by viewers and critics. Entertainment Weekly described the ‘Mean Girls’ star as “worst host of the year”, while The Los Angeles Times said the performance gave the impression that

“Lindsay’s comeback train is stuck at the station”. She was also slammed on social networking website twitter for her over-reliance on cue cards.

Referring to her previous drug use, one twitter user, drunkenough, wrote: “This may be the first time Lindsay Lohan had trouble doing lines.”

Despite the criticism, Lindsay is said to feel “proud” of the episode. Insiders told TMZ.com that the actress “feels she did the best she could do.”

Boyle wants to marry Cowell he Scottish singer was discovered by the music mogul on his TV talent search show ‘Britain’s Got Talent’ and the singleton joked she would love to tie the knot with the famous bachelor because she knows he would look after her. In an interview with The Sun newspaper, she revealed: “I’m happier now. I’m not so lonely. I was lonely before I was missing the people close to me. So am I still looking for someone to watch over me? Just Simon Cowell. He’s lovely. Marry me!” Susan also revealed she asked Madonna for permission to feature the song ‘You’ll See’ in the new musical ‘I Dreamed A Dream’ based on her life, but the Queen of Pop refused. She explained: “We had to get permission for all of the songs in the show. “Cameron Mackintosh gave us permission for ‘I Dreamed A Dream’ from ‘Les Miserables’ but we never got Madonna’s ‘You’ll See’.

Although Susan, 50, has achieved worldwide fame, she is happiest when at home in her house in Scotland. She said: “Most folks are great but when someone comes up and sticks their camera phone in your face it’s bad manners. It’s like you’re not a real person, you’re a commodity. I went to Ireland once thinking it would be quiet and they were on me like wasps on jam.”

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Rock guitarist

Bieber’s star-studded birthday im Kardashian and Mike Tyson were among the guests at Justin Bieber’s surprise birthday party on Friday. The ‘Baby’ hitmaker turned 18 last Thursday and celebrated reaching the milestone age at a bash thrown by his manager Scooter Braun and mother Patti Mallette at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel, where guests also included his girlfriend Selena Gomez - who jetted in from Florida, where she has been filming ‘Spring Breakers’, for the occasion - Kylie and Kendall Jenner and Ashley Tisdale.

One partygoer said: “Everyone danced all night.” Many of Justin’s childhood friends flew in from Canada for the occasion, as did his grandparents, but onlookers say he spent most of the night with Selena. The source added to UsMagazine.com: “He was all over Selena the whole time, walking her around by the hand. He kept kissing her. It’s clear she was the best part of the night for him. He is so in love with her.” Justin previously said he was planning a “low key” birthday celebration. He said: “My birthday, I’m going to hang out with my friends and family, have a little gettogether; nothing too crazy.” The Canadian singer was given an eco-friendly luxury Fisker Karma sports car by his manager Scooter Braun during an appearance on the ‘Ellen DeGeneres Show’ last week but he was most impressed by a different gift. Asked what his best present was, he said: “I got a pool table, a purple one and it’s amazing. That’s probably my favorite.”

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Timberlake told to make marriage fun ustin Timberlake has been urged to keep his relationship with Jessica Biel “happy and fun”. The singer’s former N*Sync bandmate Joey Fatone - who has been married to Kelly Baldwin since 2004 - admits life can be “tough” for celebrity couples and believes Justin should make every effort to make things easy for them both.

Asked for his advice, he told Parade.com: “Don’t listen to all the BS. Especially in his situation, he and his fiancÈ - I haven’t really talked to him about everything yet - but they’re both in the limelight as well. It’s tough for those celebrity couples. It’s really hard. “My wife wasn’t in the limelight, which made it easier. The key is to keep it happy, light, and fun. There can be a lot of drama, like when you have kids. And both of them have jobs where they are taken to different places. It’s the communication that really needs to drive that relationship.” Despite N*Sync - which also featured Chris Kirkpatrick, JC Chasez and Lance Bass being on a hiatus since 2002, he reveals they are all still close friends. He said: “We saw each other for Chris Kirkpatrick’s 40th. I’m 35. We’re getting old! I had dinner with Chris recently and I talked to Justin, Lance Bass and JC Chasez during my birthday. We try to hook up together once in awhile.”

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Ronnie Montrose dies ock guitarist Ronnie Montrose, who formed the band that bore his name and performed with some of rock’s heavy hitters, has passed away. His booking agent, Jim Douglas, says Montrose passed away at his home in Millbrae on Saturday. He was 64. Douglas says Montrose had been in declining health for some time battling prostate cancer and what Douglas termed “personal demons.” Besides forming his own band in 1973, Montrose also performed with a number of musicians, including Sammy Hagar, Herbie Hancock, Van Morrison, Boz Scaggs and the Edgar Winter Group. Douglas says Montrose was working on releasing a DVD and starting a tour that would have taken him all across the US .Montrose is survived by his wife, Leighsa, as well as a son, a daughter and five grandchildren.

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Kutcher visits Moore shton Kutcher has reportedly been to visit Demi Moore. The 34-year-old ‘Two and a Half Men’ actor - whose six-year marriage to Demi collapsed last November amid claims he had a one-night stand - is believed to have met up with his estranged wife following her release from Utah’s Cirque Lodge rehab facility. But a source insists the meeting with Demi - who reportedly received treatment for addiction and an eating disorder - was more for the sake of her and ex-husband Bruce Willis’ three daughters Rumer, 23, Scout, 20, and Tallulah, 18, who Ashton remains close with. The insider told People Magazine: “They are not getting back together. He knew it was important to her daughters.” Meanwhile Demi, 49 - who suffered a seizure at her Los Angeles home on January 23 after allegedly smoking an unknown substance - is thought to be recuperating in the Caribbean. According to E! News, the ‘Ghost’ star was spotted on a private beach near Parrot Cay in the Turks and Caicos Islands, at a resort that can only be accessed by boat. A source said: “She’s just been chilling out,” while a second insider added: “She’s in no rush to get back to Los Angeles. She’s on total lockdown and only talking to a small group of people.” —Bang Showbiz

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37

TUESDAY, MARCH 6, 2012

LIFESTYLE M u s i c

&

M o v i e s

Legendary Sufi singer Abida Parveen of Pakistan, center, performs to a sold-out crowd at Humayun’s Tomb during the Jahan-e-Khusrau Sufi Music Festival in New Delhi, India, Sunday, March 4, 2012. Parveen, who sings mostly in Urdu, is one of the foremost musicians in modern Sufi music. —AP

New blockbuster fuels debate on Turkey?s neonew Turkish blockbuster glorifying the 15thcentury Ottoman conquest of Constantinople has taken Turkey by storm at a time when the government is flexing its muscles as a new regional strongman. “Fetih 1453”-or Conquest 1453 — has drawn record crowds since it opened on February 16, recounting what is upheld as one of the most glorious moment’s in the nation’s history. The buzz has left few indifferent, tapping Turkish pride but also fuelling a debate that Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s Islamist-rooted government is aiming to make Turkey, as in Ottoman times, the most powerful state in the area.

The film is hailed as a milestone in Turkish cinema, but others have dismissed it as a Hollywood copycat that’s distorted history. Its budget, at 17 million dollars, has surpassed that for any Turkish movie, and a whopping 3.4 million people flocked to see the film in the first two weeks, according to Box Office Turkey which expects it to shatter records held by previous domestic productions. “It is not the first film with the theme of (Constantinople’s) conquest but it is the first

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popular uprisings-to forge a new role as a regional standard-bearer. As the only mainly Muslim member of NATO, Turkey had long been seen as having its diplomatic feet firmly planted in the West. But under Erdogan’s term, it has increasingly rewritten the script, not only falling out with Israel and breaking ranks with the West over its response towards Iran’s nuclear ambitions but also showing a willingness to get tough with Syria’s brutal crackdown on regime opponents.

“With its booming economy and political influence, Turkey is perceived as a model in the Middle East,” said Mensur Akgun, international relations professor at Istanbul’s Kultur University. “It is only natural that the stronger Turkey gets, the more seriously it is taken by the world,” he added.

‘Rediscovering their history’ For many observers, film and notably Turkish television series-which are highly popular in the Arab world-are playing a role in boosting Turkey’s image. “Obviously we can talk about an attempt to influence the region culturally,” said Akif Kirecci, as assistant professor at Ankara’s Bilkent University.

“But at the same time Turks are rediscovering their own history,” he said. The 160-minute epic begins with a flashback to the Muslim holy city Medina in the 600s, and Prophet Mohammed (PBUH) promising glory to whoever captures Constantinople: “The commander who conquers it will be a blessed one, his soldiers will be blessed soldiers.” The honor, in 1453, went to the Turkish sultan Mehmed II, who Turkish filmgoers walk next to a poster of “Fetih 1453” or vowed: “Either I will “Conquest 1453”, depicting the conquest of Istanbul by Ottoman take Constantinople or it will take me”.

Turks at a cinema in Ankara on February 27, 2012. —AFP “The film has movie ever shot in Turkey at such a scale, and with achieved a breakthrough for its quality and technique but respect for history falls far behind comsuch a big budget,” Filiz Ocal from the film’s press mercial concerns,” Yilmaz Kurt, head of the history office told AFP. The movie depicts the 1453 capdepartment at Ankara University, told AFP. He sinture of the Byzantine capital, which was renamed gled one scene where the Byzantine emperor Istanbul and served as the capital of the Ottoman moves his army outside city walls to battle the Turks-one of history’s longest and biggest Ottoman forces, saying: “It would have been plain empires that stretched from southeast Europe to stupid for a city state under attack to send its army the Middle East and North Africa-until its collapse outside city walls.” in World War I. Others dismiss the film as a shallow clone of Even it’s first public showing, at precisely 14:53 pm, was symbolic. “As a producer, I am proud of our big-budget Hollywood action films like “Gladiator” and “Matrix”, in a bid for mass appeal. “This is ultihistory, our past like everyone living in this counmately a feature film which reflects its director’s try,” director and producer Faruk Aksoy said in a choices. This is a drama, which also has a love stostatement. “The conquest of Istanbul is an undisry,” press officer Ocal said in defence. Producer puted event, not only for our country but also in Aksoy brushed off the comments, saying they terms of world history, that closed one era and show an “inferiority complex”.”We’ve gone even furopened another.” The Turkish press said Erdogan ther. We did not plagiarise from only five or six was given a sneak preview and liked the film, movies but from hundreds of movies,” he said sarwhich comes amid accusations that his governcastically. “Each of those films has a director. Alas, ment is promoting “neo-Ottomanism” as a foreign so do we. They have scriptwriters but so do we. policy tool to restore Turkish influence in former They have their own music, so do we.” —AFP Ottoman zones-a charge it denies.

Once Israel’s closest ally in the Muslim world, Turkey has abandoned its role as a Middle East intermediary and taken advantage of an Arab vacuum-while Arab leaders are busy in the wake of

Weinstein protests R rating of ‘Bully’ documentary

resh off his Oscar glory with “The Artist,” there’s no silence for Harvey Weinstein when it comes to his next film. The famously bellicose producer is protesting the R rating received by a documentary his Weinstein Co is releasing. “Bully,” directed by Lee Hirsch, is an examination of school bullying that follows five kids and families over the course of a school year. It received the rating, which restricts kids under the age of 17 from seeing it without an accompanying adult, because of six expletives. Weinstein claims such a rating restricts the very audience the film can most benefit: high school teens.

The Weinstein Co. appealed the decision, but the Motion Picture Association of America, which oversees movie ratings, declined to lower the rating to a PG-13. “I find it outrageous,” says Weinstein, who has long been renowned for his combativeness. “This is, on a personal level because of my own temper, a redemptive act for me.”“We’re hoping that smart people come to their senses,” he adds. Weinstein has threatened to withdraw his future films from the MPAA rating system.

But John Fithian, president of the National Association of Theatre Owners, has reminded him that such a tactic would result in theaters treating unrated films as NC-17 movies, which can kill a film’s artistic or commercial success.

“As a father of a 9-year-old child, I am personally grateful that (the Weinstein Co) has addressed the important issue of bullying in such a powerful documentary,” Fithian wrote in a letter to Weinstein. “Yet were the MPAA and NATO to waive the ratings rules whenever we believed that a particular movie had merit, or was somehow more important than other movies, we would no longer be neutral parties applying consistent standards, but rather censors of content based on personal mores.”

That leaves the makers of “Bully” with the question of whether to edit or bleep the expletives, which are part of the antagonistic behavior documented between kids in the film. Right now, Hirsch is declining to do that, and has the backing of Weinstein. The director

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says such editing would minimize the harsh realities of bullying.

“To cut around it or bleep it out, it really absolutely does lessen the impact and takes away from what the honest moment was, and what a terrifying feeling it can be (to be bullied),” says Hirsch. “I feel a responsibility as a filmmaker, as the person entrusted to tell (these kids’) stories, to not water them down.”

File photo shows Harvey Weinstein, film producer and co-chairman of The Weinstein Company, poses for a photo in New York. —AP Weinstein has feuded with the MPAA and NATO before, notably over the NC-17 rating of the 2010 drama “Blue Valentine” and the R given to the 2011 best picture winner “The King’s Speech” - which was recut and briefly released again in a PG-13 version. Some believe Weinstein is using this ratings squabble to help promote “Bully” ahead of its March 23 release. “This is not publicity,” Weinstein counters. “This is ridiculous.” He claims there is precedent for degrading a film’s rating when it serves a greater good. Though the 2004 documentary “Gunner Palace” contains dozens of expletives, its R rating was changed to PG-13

on appeal because of its worthy subject matter: the experiences and stories of American soldiers in Baghdad during the Iraq War. Joan Graves, head of the Classification and Ratings Administration for the MPAA, calls that decision “an anomaly” made in “a different time and a different appeals board.”

Graves says the lesson of that ruling was that the MPAA shouldn’t wade into territory where it’s deciding ratings based on merit and subject material. “The danger of our switching our criteria for what we perceive to be good films is that, one day, you and I are not going to agree on what’s good and what’s bad,” says Graves, who added that she does consider “Bully” a good film. “Our system has always been built on giving the level of content and letting parents make the decision.”

Many are rallying behind a rating change for “Bully,” including American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten. “Films like Lee Hirsch’s ‘Bully’ are critical in illustrating to students the painful consequences of bullying on their classmates and our communities,” Weingarten said in a statement.

“Unfortunately, because of the film’s R rating, students will be shut out and discouraged from viewing this film. By giving it a PG-13 rating, the MPAA can take a stand against bullying and ensure this powerful film reaches children across the country.”

Katy Butler, a 17-year-old Michigan high school student, has gotten more than 185,000 signatures for an online petition to change the rating. Of course, an R rating doesn’t prohibit young people from seeing “Bully,” it just means they can’t attend on their own.

Weinstein, who has four daughters, calls having to see a film with your parents a “kiss of death” for the experience. “I want to sell ‘Bully’ like it’s cool to see the movie,” says the producer. “And then I want these kids to walk out of the movie theater and say, ‘Wait, this is wrong.’ ... When your children make the decision, it’s so much stronger.” —AP

Oscars boost ‘Artist,’ ‘Separation,’ ‘Undefeated’ week after taking home the gold, a handful of Oscar-winning movies are raking in the green. “The Artist,” which won five Academy Awards, including best picture, last Sunday, grossed $3.9 million-more than 10 percent of its domestic total so far-this weekend.

That was enough to make the mostly silent, black-and-white film the No. 10 movie in America. The movie was No 11 on Super Bowl weekend, but this is its first appearance in the top 10.

“This is a testament to the playability of this film,” Erik Lomis, The Weinstein Company’s chief of distribution, told TheWrap Sunday. “It’s in its 15th week, and people are starting to find out about it in the smaller markets.” Indeed, The Weinstein Company increased the number of locations showing the film from 966 last week-

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end to 1,756 this weekend. Lomis said he expects to keep the PG-13-rated movie in the same number of locations next weekend.

“A Separation,” the PG-13 Iranian movie that won the Oscar for best foreign-language film, took $1 million — 173 percent more than it grossed last weekend-in its 10th week of release, according to Rentrak. Sony Pictures Classics expanded the number of locations showing writer-director-producer Asghar Farhadi’s movie from 83 last weekend to 243 after the Oscars. It has grossed $3.7 million.

The documentary “Undefeated” took $84,211 in its third week of release. The Weinstein Company, which is distributing “Undefeated,” expanded the number of locations showing the Oscar-winning movie from five to 13. The Oscar win and theater expansion increased the film’s take by 337 percent over last weekend.

The company’s “ The Iron Lady,” which earned a surprise best actress Oscar for Meryl Streep, took $900,000 — 29 percent more than it took last weekend-on 511 screens. The PG-13 biopic of Margaret Thatcher, the former prime minister of Britain, is in its 10th week in release.

“The Descendants” won a best adapted screenplay Oscar but is finally beginning to lose steam at the box office. Fox Searchlight reduced the number of locations showing the movie from 889 to 694.

Still, the R-rated movie took just short of $1.4 million over the weekend. Now in its 16th week of release, the film has grossed nearly $80.5 million. Among new specialty releases this weekend, Focus Features’ “Being Flynn,” starring Robert De Niro and Paul Dano, opened to $45,546 at four locations.—Reuters

TUESDAY, MARCH 6, 2012

lifestyle F a s h i o n

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questrian styles dominated two major collections on day six of Paris fashion week, with horse-riding vestments - some comfortably elegant, some constrictingly racy - the motif explored by Hermes and Givenchy. The gaucho or Argentine cowboy inspired a cool and confident mix of clothes at the Hermes show, set in the Ecole des Beaux Arts in the heart of Paris’ Saint Germain area. The location seemed to have rubbed off on the collection, with a graceful Left Bank chic softening the edge of ponchos, chaps and coats held like matador’s capes.

Givenchy’s Riccardo Tisci, meanwhile, turned on the horsepower for a pulsequickening show complete with retro variations on jodphurs, riding jackets and racing boots. In other collections, French designer Alexis Mabille revamped the school-girl bow ribbon, and Akris channelled the square silhouette - one of the defining looks this season. Monday’s ready-to-wear shows include Chloe and Yves Saint Laurent.

HERMES In his third collection for Hermes, the house of the jet-setting fashion buyer, Christophe Lemaire flew business-class to Argentina. His first piece introduced gentle, hanging silhouettes: a long fringed cape in dark blue was worn like a South American poncho. Wide, low-slung pleated gaucho pants mixed with sumptuous nude leathers - the house’s signature material - that were so soft, they moved as if they were living and breathing. True enough: as the models walked past there was a distinct aroma of polished hide.

There were nods to the season’s musthave, the boxy-jacket, with one charcoal number reworked on a high white collar, in the style of Spanish equestrian garb.

But Hermes, in typical style, was all about comfort. The relaxed look was perfected with subtle contrasting pieces: a coat was so cool it hung from one shoulder, yet also had the fierceness of a matador’s cape. Sunday saw Lemaire’s interest in the East restyled in a series of pajamainspired dresses with intricate Persian prints that could be worn by women of all ages. And indeed the show saw models in their 40s walk down the runway.

Speaking backstage, Lemaire laughed: “We are timeless. Hermes is for individual women, whatever their age.” At which point, he was cut off by 65-year-old fashion icon Jane Birkin, who came to give him a kiss.

GIVENCHY A year ago it was panthers. Now horses have captured the imagination of Givenchy designer Riccardo Tisci, whose show Sunday presented a highly charged and at times fetish-ized take on equestrian riding gear. Jodphurs in black and sable brown shaped the silhouette of the

Models present creations by French designer Christophe Lemaire for Hermes. — AP/AFP photos

collection’s first half, with oversized earrings like horse-blinders complementing high riding boots. As ever with Tisci, there was a sense of danger at all times with chokingly tight neck scarves, loud, troubling music, and even one skintight leather piece - based on a sporting polo that looked like bondage gear.

Intentionally crude stitching in one leather dress was followed by a series of intense-color slip dresses with clashing belts - harking back to the palette of British glam rock. Indeed, associations with rock music have been a key factor in keeping Givenchy on the public radar in the past year. Madonna’s widely viewed performance at the American Super Bowl football championship last month was a marketing coup for the house, the singer dressed head to toe in Tisci’s couture.

With P.Diddy and Alicia Keys on Sunday’s front row, it’s clear that Givenchy’s a ticket the music stars can’t resist.

ALEXIS MABILLE The young girl next door with a pretty red bow: that was the inspiration for Alexis Mabille’s fall winter collection Sunday, which reworked the youthful bow in every imaginable way. Girly tiedlace belting shaved years off the look of a flounce dress with chestnut bow embroidering, while diamante bow earrings put the icing on the cake of the carefree, chic gamine look. This insouciance translated to a short skirt wardrobe. It was a blatant “sticking your tongue out” at the normal autumn covered-up look, with pleated miniskirts and short dresses in plum and black exposing yards of leg. Just in case spectators still didn’t get his point, the funky soundtrack blasted out a chorus of “mini mini mini mini,” to chuckles on the front row. In the more wintery part of the collection, he showcased a series of plumed pieces. But at times the texturemixing looked like he was trying too hard. One jacket embroidered entirely with messy, wild feathers and fox fur looked almost like a vixen had raided a chicken pen.

AKRIS Proving that you don’t need curves to be chic, the square look gracing runways all season hit its pinnacle in the fall-winter collection by Akris on Sunday. Creative director Albert Kriemler’s designs channeled the work of 1950s Expressionist painter Franz Kline to give an architectural, angular show of fabrics that hid womanly shapes. A rust and nude cashmere silk floor-length dress hung like a column, focusing the eye on never-ending legs.

Vertical lined shirt dresses that blurred vision “magic eye”-style, and trapezoid jackets, lapels and prints boldly asserted the boxy style that’s the big story for this fall. The colors were taken straight from Kline canvases with a charcoal color block cape, based on “Painting No.7,” reprinted in the program notes, and a pantsuit offering a dash of warmth. “Kline’s work was an exciting discovery for me,” said the Swiss designer, “a 1950s artist that captures in painting, the architecture and the dynamics of fashion today.” With collections like this, Akris’ already sizable fan base will no doubt continue to grow. — AP

Alexis Mabille Akris

TUESDAY, MARCH 6, 2012

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rom Marxist revolutionary to Africa’s oldest leader to fashion icon. That’s how a group of young Zimbabwean designers see Robert Mugabe, whose signature they have splashed across a new clothing line.

“He is a revolutionary, he is a cultural icon and we decided, why not honor him,” Justin Matenda, 28, a director of Yedu Nesu, makers of the Mugabe clothing label said. “This is something that we want to be upheld by so many generations to come.” Under the brand House of GushungoMugabe’s clan name-the 88-year-old president’s signature is splayed in silver studs across caps, t-shirts coffee mugs and berets. Some items show his birth year, 1924, in Roman numerals.

It’s a high-priced upgrade from the tradition of emblazoning his image on cloth prints, given to women to wear as wraps or sewn into men’s shirts and caps. Prices range from $10 to $30, in a nation where the World Bank says nearly three-fourths of the population lives in poverty, on less than three dollars a day for a family of five. But Matenda has big dreams of taking on famous labels like Luis Vutton, Gucci and Paul Smith. He wants to take samples of the line to Paris Fashion Week. “Even if we are not going to be able to take part in this event this year. We are going to take part in the next coming years,” Matenda said.

“I am proud to be associated with our president, with his ideologies and they make me who I am right now,” he said. “This is not political, it is very much apolitical. This is just a fashion label, just like any other label you might think of.” But human rights campaigner Blessing Vava said the clothing was a blatant campaign ploy by Mugabe’s ZANU-PF, which is pressing for elections this year. “This is part of the ZANU-PF election campaign to desperately sell their candidate ahead of elections,” Vava said.

His signature belongs to the people “ZANU-PF is employing all tactics from music to clothing labels to campaign for its leader. But I don’t think the majority of Zimbabweans will buy the label,” he said. Some

of the clothing was spotted at Mugabe’s 88th birthday rally in the eastern city of Mutare, but the line has yet to make a big splash on the streets. “I am yet to see the clothes, it is actually news to me,” said a street-corner cigarette vendor in Harare. Matenda says the dearth of fashion labels with a local identity inspired him and his friends to launch Mugabe’s clothing line. “Each and everyday we are putting on clothes and they have different inscriptions on them.

his supporters as a liberation hero and reviled by his foes for his tainted human rights record.

In addition to generations of campaign cloth, state radio and television allocate generous airplay to musicians who sing praises for the man who has ruled Zimbabwe since independence from Britain in 1980. Matenda said they are planning to brand jackets, shoes, suits and watches with Mugabe’s signature, with goods manufactured

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Models present on January 27, 2012 clothes bearing Justin Matenda, 28, director of Yedu Nesu, makers of the Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe’s signature in Mugabe clothing label, presents on January 27, 2012 a Harare. — AFP photos jersey bearing Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe’s signature.

Some Hugo Boss, some Paul Smith, some Giorgio Armanibut it’s quite unfortunate that most people can’t even associate themselves with these people,” he said.

Mugabe approved the use of his signature for the label although the designers did not meet him in person.

Matenda said that Mugabe told them the signature was his but it belonged to the people. The clothing line is the latest in a list of items designed to honor a man idolized by

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alph McQuarrie, the cinematic designer known for the famous “Star Wars” characters such as Darth Vader, Chewbacca and R2-D2, has died at age 82, his website announced Sunday.

McQuarrie, who died Saturday, collaborated with George Lucas on the original “Star Wars” trilogy in the 1970s and with Steven Spielberg on films including “E.T,” and “Close Encounters of the Third Kind.” He also was part of the team with director Ron Howard which made “Cocoon,” a 1985 production which won an Oscar for special effects.

“Ralph was a very special person for many more reasons than his undeniable brilliance with a brush,” said a statement posted on the website. “His influence on design will be felt forever. There’s no doubt in our hearts that centuries from now amazing spaceships will soar, future cities will rise and someone, somewhere will say... ‘that looks like something Ralph McQuarrie painted.’”—AFP

both locally and in Asia. “We have seen that we are holding to a brand that cuts above any other brand,” he said. “I rank it above all the labels one might think of, the Luis Vuittons, the Guccis and the Giorgio Armanis.” Matenda said Mugabe would receive no royalties. — AFP

ands on hips, the US model Karlie Kloss glided down an elevator, shaking her mini-skirt to a punchy soundtrack, at the start of Kenzo’s autumn-winter runway show on Sunday, day five of Paris Fashion Week. Showcased inside a 1960s Paris university, its walls colored orange, pink and yellow, the latest look by Kenzo’s design duo, the New Yorkers Carol Lim and

Humberto Leon brightened up a wet, blustery day in the French capital.

Models slid down the elevators criss-crossing the interior courtyard, four-storeys high, walking round its corridors in patterned trenches, neon stiletto heels, animal-print sweaters or wool coats with colourful knit sleeves. The design duo explained they used home decoration as the starting point for

Models present creations by designers Humberto Leon and Carol Lim for Kenzo during the Fall/Winter 2012-2013 ready-to-wear collection show. — AFP photos

prints on raincoats and jackets, suggestive of a country interior like a grapevine motif set against black or white. “We wanted this girl to know who she was,” Lim told reporters of the bold palette of blues, reds, bright greens or magenta, after greeting a long line of wellwishers including the hip-hop icon Sean “Puff Daddy” Combs. — AFP

New blockbuster fuels debate on Turkey’s ‘neo-Ottoman’ aims

TUESDAY, MARCH 6, 2012

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Photo shows oil painting called ‘Once upon a time in Kuwait’ by Lebanese artist Nazih Sankari. The story of the painting was inspired by a love story that took place in Kuwait from the past.

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Hindu trust in India yesterday started a 10year project to build a replica of Cambodia’s Angkor Wat temple on the banks of the Ganges. A foundation-laying ceremony was held at the 40-acre (16 hectare) site in the eastern state of Bihar where the trust plans to recreate the temple’s huge structure and elaborate stone carvings. Organizers say they intend the new building to be the tallest Hindu temple in the world. The UNESCO-listed site in Cambodia contains the remains of various capitals from the Khmer empire and is a major international tourist destination.

The main temple was first dedicated to the Hindu god Vishnu when it was built in the 12th century before later being used for Buddhist worship. “It will be a replica of Angkor Wat but the temple will be slightly taller than the original,” Kishore Kunal, secretary of the Bihar Mahavir Mandir Trust, told AFP by telephone. Kunal said the plan was to “recreate Angkor Wat’s grandeur and splendor” near the town of Hajipur, 25 kilometres (16 miles) from the Bihar state capital of Patna. The trust, which has constructed a number of temples and hospitals in Bihar, is mainly funded by donations and has put an estimated budget of $20 million on the project. “We cannot

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match the original in terms of the size of the entire temple complex. But we will try what we can with the land and the means that we have,” said Kunal. — AFP

hristie’s will offer 15 works from the “Golden Age” of Dutch painting at an auction in July, including a “masterpiece” by Rembrandt which it expects to fetch as much as 12 million pounds ($19 million). The works, owned by the Dutch collectors and philanthropists Pieter and Olga Dreesmann, will go under the hammer in London on July 3 as part of the auctioneer’s old masters and British paintings evening sale. The combined value of the works, billed as the most important single-owner collection of Dutch 17th century masters to come to auction in recent years, has been estimated at over 19 million pounds.

Richard Knight, international co-chairman of old master paintings at Christie’s, said the Dreesmanns were “re-focusing” their art collecting interests, and so decided to sell the Dutch paintings. The highlight of the collection is Rembrandt’s “A Bust of a Man in a Gorget and Cap” dated 1626/7 and valued at

between eight and 12 million pounds.

Christie’s said its relatively small size did not detract from its intensity, created by Rembrandt’s use of light and shade that pointed to his stylistic debt to Italian painter Caravaggio.

The work was exhibited in the “Rembrandt/Caravaggio” exhibition at The Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam in 2006. The auctioneer holds the auction record for Rembrandt of 20.2 million pounds set in 2009 for “Man With Arms Akimbo”, although in real terms of greater value was “Portrait of an Aeltje Uylenburgh”, also sold by Christie’s, which fetched 19.8 million pounds in 2000.

Another highlight of the sale is expected to be Willem van de Velde II’s “Shipping in a Calm” seascape estimated to be worth 2.53.5 million pounds. The collection will go on an international tour before it is sold, starting in Doha in March and taking in Moscow, New York, Amsterdam, London and probably

This March 2, 2007 file photograph shows an aerial view of the Angkor Wat temple in Siem Reap province some 314 kilometers northwest of Phnom Penh. — AFP

rare Chinese porcelain bowl made almost 1,000 years ago is expected to fetch more than $10 million when it goes under the hammer in Hong Kong next month, Sotheby’s auction house said yesterday. The flower-shaped Ru dish from the Northern Song Dynasty (1086-1125) features six sharp notches on the edge and a subtly translucent matte glaze, and is believed to be the only one of its type in the world, Sotheby’s said. “The star of the season is the superb Northern Song lobed washer from the fabled Ru kilns,” Sotheby’s Asia Deputy Chairman Nicolas Chow said.

“It is the first time in 30 years Sotheby’s has auctioned off a piece of ceramic this rare. I would say this is about the highest degree of rarity you can find.” Of the 79 surviving Ru ware dishes, the “Ruyao Washer” is the only one that features an organic floral shape and an opaque glaze, he said. It was expected to sell for up HK$80 million ($10.3 million) at Sotheby’s spring auction in the southern Chinese city on April 4. Other pieces to go under the hammer include a large, early 15th-century blue and white dish from the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), and an Anhua stembowl from the Xuande reign (1426-35) featuring dancing dragon motifs.

More than 380 lots with an estimated worth of more than HK$650 million will be sold at the auction, Sotheby’s said. Hong Kong has emerged as one of the biggest auction centres after New York and London. Chinese art prices have rocketed in recent years, fuelled by China’s economic boom and a steady demand from rich Asian collectors, especially mainland Chinese buyers. But a Sotheby’s auction of imperial Chinese porcelain this time last year sold for less than pre-sale estimates.—AFP

Hong Kong. Opening the tour in the Qatari capital will come as no surprise to art market experts who say the Gulf state, aiming to become an intellectual hub with new and renovated museums to fill, was the biggest buyer of art by value last year. Major purchases linked with Qatar in recent years include Mark Rothko’s “White Center” which sold at Sotheby’s for $72.8 million in 2007 and a record $250 million reportedly paid in a private deal for one of Paul Cezanne “Card Players” series. — Reuters

A blue-and-white ‘Bird On A Lychee Branch Charger’, which is expected to fetch 6.4 million to 10.3 million USD, is held by the deputy chairman for Sotheby’s Asia, Nicolas Chow, at a press conference in Hong Kong. — AFP