11 Mar 2012

CR IP TI ON BS SU

SUNDAY, MARCH 11, 2012

www.kuwaittimes.net

RABIA ALTHANI 18, 1433 AH

NO: 15384

Turkey slams Israel nukes, supports Palestinian state

40 PAGES

150 FILS

Kuwait National & Liberation Days

Arinc reiterates ‘firm’ Turkish stance on Syria

Taleban Gitmo inmates agree to Qatar transfer KABUL: Five Taleban detainees held at the US Guantanamo Bay military prison have agreed to be transferred to Qatar, a move Afghanistan believes will boost a nascent peace process, President Hamid Karzai’s spokesman said yesterday. The transfer idea is part of US efforts to bring the Taleban to the negotiating table to avoid prolonged instability in Afghanistan after foreign combat troops leave the country at the end of 2014. “We are hopeful this will be a positive step towards peace efforts,” Karzai’s spokesman Aimal Faizi told Reuters, adding the Taleban detainees would be re-united with their families in Qatar if the transfer takes place.

It would be one of a series of good-faith measures that could set in motion the first substantial political negotiations on the conflict in Afghanistan since the Taleban government was toppled in 2001 in a US-led invasion. A year after it was unveiled, the Obama administration’s peace initiative may soon offer the United States a historic opportunity to broker an end to a war that began as the response to the Sept 11, 2001, Al-Qaeda attacks on the United States.

But the peace drive also presents risks for President Barack Obama. He faces the potential for political fallout months before a presidential Continued on Page 13

ANKARA: Kuwait Times Editor-in-Chief Abd Al-Rahman Al-Alyan meets Turkish Deputy Prime Minister Bulent Arinc yesterday. — Photo by Majed Al-Sabeji

Friday after being struck by a tear gas canister during clashes with police, the opposition Wefaq party said yesterday.

After his funeral yesterday, riot police fired tear gas to clear protesters, a Reuters witness said. Youths responded by throwing petrol bombs in clashes lasting over an hour.

Wefaq walked out of a national dialogue last July saying it was a sham.

Shiites form the majority of Bahrain’s native population but complain of political marginalisation by the Sunni ruling Al Khalifa family. The government denies this. The previous dialogue, which approved giving the elected parliament some more powers of oversight over ministers and budgets, followed a wave of pro-democracy street protests.

Bahrain’s response was to impose martial law and invite Saudi and United Arab Emirates troops to help crush what it said was an uprising fomented by Continued on Page 13

KUWAIT: A fancier holds a falcon yesterday at a falcon beauty contest featuring falconers and breeders from Kuwait and the Gulf. The event was held as part of the ongoing Popular Heritage Festival. (See Page 37)

Air strikes in Yemen kill 45 suspected Qaeda militants

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Halal meat feeds French election debate

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ISTANBUL: A top Turkish official yesterday said the world should focus on nuclear-armed Israel before rushing in to punish Iran over its atomic program. Turkish Deputy Prime Minister Bulent Arinc said Israeli threats to attack Iran would lead to more tension in the region, noting his government was in solidarity with Tehran within the frame of operating a peaceful nuclear program. “While we reject any attempt by Iran to own a nuclear weapon, we believe that before blaming it, we should look towards Israel, the only country in the region that has nuclear weapons,” he said during a meeting with a high-profile Kuwaiti media delegation.

Arinc, also the government’s spokesman, expressed his country’s support for the Palestinian cause for an independent state, noting that the Palestine’s full membership in UNESCO was a step towards realizing such a dream. He said despite the failure of Palestinian attempts to get full UN membership, Turkey will continue its support of Palestinian efforts to get memberships in other international organizations. He reaffirmed his support to the Palestinian cause in international arenas and condemned Israel’s continued occupation of Palestinian territories, labeling Israel as an occupying country and its siege of Gaza and Palestinian cities as illegal and inhumane.

Arinc also said Turkey has not changed its stance on the crisis in Syria and such a “firm” stance has caused the country a considerable economic loss. He added Ankara is doing what it can to stop the bloodshed in Syria, reiterating his country’s refusal of a military intervention to solve the crisis. “Turkey sought at the beginning of the protests calling for freedom and reforms last March to convince President Bashar Al-Assad to heed to the calls Continued on Page 13

Assad rebuffs Annan as troops keep up assaults

Bahrain to soon hold dialogue to end crisis DUBAI: An adviser to Bahrain’s King Hamad said the Gulf state would hold a “comprehensive dialogue” soon to end a year-long political crisis but the opposition said it was unaware of any plans.

The comments by Nabeel Al-Hamer, the king’s media advisor, were published by the state news agency late on Friday, after a prominent Shiite cleric led the biggest pro-democracy demonstration since a wave of protests erupted a year ago. “Al-Hamer said there would soon be a comprehensive dialogue including all elements of Bahraini society and affirmed that everyone wants to end the crisis the country is in,” BNA said.

However, a senior figure from the leading Shiite opposition party Wefaq said the group was not aware any new talks were planned. “We haven’t heard officially from them yet,” said Abduljalil Khalil. In an incident that may complicate efforts to find a compromise, a 22-yearold Shiite man, Fadhel Mirza, died on

Max 26º Min 14º High Tide 01:36 & 13:49 Low Tide 07:26 & 20:05

Russia, Arabs call for end to violence

GAZA CITY: Palestinians carry the body of Islamic Jihad militant Ahmad Hajaj during his funeral yesterday. — AP

Israel air raids kill 15 in Gaza GAZA CITY: Israeli air strikes on Gaza killed 15 Palestinians, including a militant group chief, medics said yesterday, in the deadliest 24 hours in the border area in more than three years. A Palestinian riding a motorcycle was killed and two others were wounded in an Israeli air raid close to the southern town of Rafah near the border with Egypt yesterday afternoon, Palestinian medics said. Two men also on a motorbike were killed earlier the same day in another raid on the town of Khan Yunis, medics said. After that report the Israeli military said an aircraft had attacked “a terrorist squad” planning to fire rockets.

The raids came as Palestinian militants fired more than 90 rockets and mortar rounds into southern Israel since Friday morning, the army said. The Palestinian barrage wounded four people, one of them seriously, Israeli military sources said. Israeli media said three of those wounded were Thai labourers working on a farm near the border with the Gaza Strip. Residents interviewed on radio and television said they had been told to stay close to bomb shelters and that large public gatherings had been banned, leading to the cancellation of several football matches yesterday An army statement said earlier that the air force had attacked a range of targets in Gaza since Friday, while Palestinian medics said a total of 15 Palestinians were killed.

Continued on Page 13

Afghanistan joins railroad era - 100 years late

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BEIRUT: President Bashar Al-Assad told UN/Arab League envoy Kofi Annan yesterday that no political solution was possible in Syria while “terrorist” groups were destabilising the country. “Syria is ready to make a success of any honest effort to find a solution for the events it is witnessing,” state news agency SANA quoted Assad as telling his guest. “No political dialogue or political activity can succeed while there are armed terrorist groups operating and spreading chaos and instability,” the Syrian leader said after about two hours of talks with the former UN secretary-general.

There was no immediate comment from Annan after the meeting, aimed at halting bloodshed that has cost thousands of lives since a popular uprising erupted a year ago. While they discussed the crisis, Syrian troops were assaulting the northwestern city of Idlib, a rebel bastion. “Regime forces have just stormed into Idlib with tanks and heavy

shelling is now taking place,” said an activist contacted by telephone, the sound of explosions punctuating the call.

Sixteen rebel fighters, seven soldiers and four civilians were killed in the Idlib fighting, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, which said 15 other people, including three soldiers, had been killed in violence elsewhere.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, who met Annan in Cairo earlier in the day, told the Arab League his country was “not protecting any regime”, but did not believe the Syrian crisis could be blamed on one side alone. He called for a ceasefire and humanitarian aid access, but Qatar and Saudi Arabia sharply criticised Moscow’s stance. Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim AlThani, who has led calls for Assad to be isolated and for Syrian rebels to be armed, said a ceasefire was not enough.

Syrian leaders must be held to account Continued on Page 13

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov (left) is escorted by Kuwait’s Foreign Minister Sheikh Sabah Khaled Al-Sabah (center) and Arab League chief Nabil Elaraby at the Arab League headquarters in Cairo yesterday.

(Inset) Syrian President Bashar Assad (right) meets Kofi Annan, the United Nations special envoy to Syria, in Damascus yesterday. — AP

Centurion Drogba fires Chelsea revival

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SUNDAY, MARCH 11, 2012

LOCAL

Kony 2012 dominates social media scene Documentary steadily gaining popularity in Kuwait

By Lisa Conrad KUWAIT: Twitter and Facebook have both been buzzing recently over the wildly popular video, Kony 2012. With nearly 70,000,000 views on YouTube, the video has gripped the online community and spurred a mass re-tweeting, re -posting movement. Kuwait’s blogs and Twitter users have been increasingly posting about the video over the past few days, as well as encouraging their readers and followers to do the same. “I was unsure as to whether or not it would take off in Kuwait because people here engage most with national and regional issues. I thought it may remain in circles directly involved in humanitarian and charity work,” said local social media and communications exper t, Hind AlNahedh. She added, “Social media is one of the strongest ways to reach people across a range of issues, but it’s still hit and miss here: issues either gain a substantial following very quickly, or very little attention whatsoever. It’s all very much linked to participation and engagement as a whole.” AlNahedh further added, “Kony 2012 has started getting attention here, especially by those involved in social media.”

It’s unsurprising that Kony 2012 is taking off in Kuwait given the attention it’s gained worldwide.

The 30-minute video sheds light on the plight of children in Uganda under the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA), headed by Joseph Kony. It outlines the atrocities committed

by Kony’s army, including murder, sexual enslavement and rape, torture, and the abduction of children to transform into toy soldiers. The main goal of the video is to raise awareness and create a call for American military action to assist in finding Kony and the LRA. The video’s narrator and co-creator, Jason Russell, describes how child soldiers are forced to mutilate

faces, torture, and even kill their own parents. Russell, who is a cofounder of the charity behind the video, Invisible Children, presents the issue in the form of a story, even including his own son throughout the documentary. The approach has been, clearly, very successful in striking a chord with the masses.

However, while many have shown their support by tweeting or posting the link to the video, changing their profile pictures, donating to the charity and buying the accompanying Kony 2012 action kit, both the video and the charity behind it, Invisible Children, have received harsh criticism regarding both their finances and their manner of highlighting the undeniably monstrous acts of Joseph Kony and the LRA. The Tumblr blog ‘Visible Children’ questioned Invisible Children’s support of the Ugandan government ’s army and call for direct military intervention, arguing that the army itself has been accused of rape and looting. What’s more, the blog notes that Kony is not, in fact, active in Uganda anymore and quotes Chris Blattman, a political scientist at Yale, as saying “There’s also something inherently misleading, naive, maybe even dangerous, about the idea of rescuing children or the saving of Africa.”

Another Tumblr blog, ‘Innovate Africa’, protests “... the Invisible Children narrative on Uganda is one that paints the people as victims, lacking agency, voice, will, or power. It calls upon an external cadre of American students to liberate them by removing the bad guy who is causing their suffering.”

Another issue highlighted on the blog was the background of Invisible Children’s team. “Invisible Children’s US staff is comprised exclusively of Americans, as is the entire Board. How do you represent Uganda and not have Ugandans in leadership? Couldn’t

the organization find a single Ugandan or an African? Did it even think about that?” Invisible Children does have Ugandan and African staff on their team, but none of their Board of Directors are African or of African descent.

The charity came under fire once more when the salaries of their CEO and two co-founders were unear thed on Charity Navigator, with all three earning over 80,000 dollars per year.

Invisible Children quickly issued a statement addressing both the financials of the charity and their current rating on the much-trusted Charity Navigator.

“The organization spent 80.46 percent on our programs that further our three-fold mission, 16.24 percent on administration and management costs and 3.22 percent on direct fundraising in FY2011.” Regarding their Charity Navigator rating, the charity ’s statement read, “Charity Navigator gives our programs its highest rating of 4 stars. Our Accountability and Transparency score is currently at 2 stars primarily due to the single fact that Invisible Children does not have 5 independent voting members on our board of directors; we currently have 4. We are in the process of interviewing potential board members and we will add an additional independent member this year in order to regain our 4-star rating by 2013.”

The importance of the cause and the uncertainty concerning the charity and its method have created a degree of confusion as viewers question if they should support the charity and the cause separately, or as one. However, as the video highlights, it’s very difficult to actually ‘make a difference’ unless a large-scale call for change is made. PJ Manneym, Chair of the World Transhumanist Association’s Board of Directors, wrote in a 2008 article, “Where no empathy exists, conflict breeds. However, as our

technological connectedness has increased, there does not appear to be a proportionate increase in global empathy.” Empathy, as Manneym wrote, is increasingly hard to come by. He added that storytelling, the method Invisible Children utilized, can be extremely successful in stirring the increasingly rare emotion of empathy, ”Practically, empathy is created through storytelling, which is not only the most successful remote means of creating social empathy, but has actually been the engine of social/cultural liberalization and change.”

Manneym may have had a point: countless charities send out calls for support and donations each year, yet none have created a social media storm as big as Kony 2012. Invisible Children’s methods and motives are still being debated, but they appear to have successfully tapped into one of the only methods left to evoke empathy: storytelling. Critics and supporters alike agree that Invisible Children’s efforts to raise awareness about Kony, an important endeavor, have been successful.

The debate continues to rage, however, around their ideologies, their goals and the charity as a whole. As of yet no definitive conclusions have been drawn on any of the latter issues, but if Manneym is to be believed, the methods employed by Invisible Children are not only effective, but also vital for change: “... the only hope is for all of us to tell stories. Lots and lots of stories. Both our own stories and the stories of others. Both true and fictional stories. But most importantly, like the best storytellers, we must make these stories universal in their appeal. And make them from our heart. Then we must spread these stories as pervasively as possible in the multicultural sphere, using as many forms of media as possible, in the hopes of reaching out to those who don’t share the same views.”

Call to ease restrictions on expat labor employment KUWAIT: Minister of Social Affairs and Labor Ahmad Al-Rujaib urged the need to alter procedures related to the employment of expatriate laborers in Kuwait.

In a meeting with a committee tasked with

the issue on Friday, he called on different government bodies dealing with the affairs of expatriate workers to cooperate more effectively.

He said efforts would be taken by the ministry to combat “the exaggerated prices” some

local companies demand for housekeeper recruiting contracts. He also stressed the need to unite Gulf Cooperation Council laws on the recruitment of foreign labour, in order to tackle human trafficking. — KUNA

KUWAIT: The Embassy of Ukraine held a meeting of members of the Union of Ukrainian-Kuwaiti Friendship on Friday on the occasion of the 198th anniversary of the birth of the great Ukrainian poet Taras Shevchenko and the International Women’s Day. During the event its participants recited Shevchenko’s poetry, performed musical works by his words and held a competition of children paintings “My beautiful Ukraine!”. — Photos by Joseph Shagra

Unions to expose ‘cheating’ MPs KUWAIT: Labor unions plan to expose lawmakers who promised to fulfill their demands during election campaigns, but changed their stance once voted to power, stated a report quoting sources.

“During a meeting held yesterday, several labor unions reached an agreement to reveal the names of lawmakers who encouraged workers to engage in practices that damaged the state’s interest,” said sources who spoke to Al-Jarida on condition of anonymity. Several unions representing staff from nineteen state departments plan to ‘coordinate so as to paralyze activity in the public sector gradually’ in case the government fails to approve demands. The Kuwait Trade Union Federation(KTUF) staged a sit-in last

Wednesday despite previous reports that the government has planned to pass general salary raises ranging between 20 and 40 percent -falling short of most unions’ demands.

In addition to salary increases, most labor unions base their demands on the prospect of achieving equality among public sector employees by updating state records to unify job classifications of staff members employed in a similar field of specialty but work in different state departments. The government has continuously promised to look into all demands; and this has helped calm down labor protests. However, after a brief hiatus, demands have re-emerged this month, with many unions growing skeptical about the government’s failure to meet deadlines.

Twitter expands scope by launching Arabic version

By Nawara Fattahova KUWAIT: As a step taken toward improving ser vices, aimed at expanding its user base, Twitter, the popular social media website has added an Arabic version site in addition to other languages. More people from varied linguistic groups will now have access to Twitter, with language being no more a barrier.

38-year- old Ibtisam, who has been a Twitter user for two years was happy to learn this news. “I was searching for a new func tion to change my Twitter font to Arabic as I’m not fluent in English. We should be proud of our language. For how long will we follow the West? I also heard there is a Farsi font, and I think it is nice. The new font will place Arabic language on the forefront.

When I find a way to shift to it, I will definitely use it,” she told Kuwait Times.

Jasim, a 24-year-old said that he has been accustomed to using the English version for three years. “Well, from my point of view, this step is good for those who are not English speakers. On the other hand, I think that, names when changed in programs from English to Arabic are not accurate, and may sound funny. For me, it does not make a big difference and I can enjoy Twitter without the Arabic font,” he pointed out.

Most users agree that it is a good marketing tactic. “Adding new foreign fonts and versions will expand the scope of usage, as it will allow non-English speaking users to communicate among themselves in a way they understand. It will also

broaden the spectrum of having more people using social networking,” opined 42 years old Musaed, who is new to Twitter.

Faisal, a 30-year-old user welcomed the new font, noted that he would definitely start using it. “An Arabic version will make it easier for many to use it. For me, there will not be much of a difference as I have already been using it for more than two years. I am already familiar with all the functions, although I am not fluent in English. I also think that what is more important is that the user be more aware of all functions in Twitter,” he noted.

“I know some people who do not use Twitter. Now I’m certain that many more will take to Twitter because it will now be more easily understood,” he added.

Burgan Bank launches campaign to celebrate Mother’s Day KUWAIT: Burgan Bank announced yesterday the launch of a special campaign to celebrate Mother’s Day. The campaign offers the customers the opportunity to express their gratitude to their mothers on this special day by offering them a prepaid gift card. The gift card comes in the form of a prepaid card that entitles the holders to varied discounts across a number of exclusive outlets throughout the month of March, which include Virginia Clinic, Lotus Clinic, Al Sayegh Jewellery, Second Cup Cafe, La Cava Restaurant, Sparkles Nail Spa, Bread Talk Restaurant, Beaubelle Spa, and Al Marshoud Perfumes.

Muneera Al-Mukhaizeem, chief retail banking officergeneral manager at Burgan Bank said, “Mother’s day is a special occasion for all mothers, and by launching this exciting initiative, we continue to help build more personal relationships with our customers, and provide more support that go beyond banking.”

“Burgan Bank’s prepaid cards are quick and easy to use, safer than cash and flexible in use. These cards offer an innovative and secure means of payment and shopping, both online and offline, and are accepted around the world,” added Al-Mukhaizeem.

Burgan Bank continues to demonstrate its efforts by introducing more solutions that aim at integrating banking into the lifestyles and daily needs of its customers, to provide a complete and sound lifestyle approach. To find out more about Burgan Bank’s Prepaid services, or its latest offers and promotions, customers are required to visit their nearest Burgan Bank branch, or contact the call center on 1804080.

Established in 1977, Burgan Bank is the youngest commercial Bank based in Kuwait, with a significant focus on the corporate and financial institutions sectors, as well as having a growing retail and private bank customer base.

Muneera Al-Mukhaizeem

Burgan Bank has four majority owned subsidiaries: Gulf Bank Algeria - AGB (Algeria), Bank of Baghdad BOB (Iraq), Jordan Kuwait Bank - JKB (Jordan) and Tunis International Bank - TIB (Tunisia), (collectively known as the “Burgan Bank Group”).

The Bank has continuously improved its performance over the years through an expanded revenue structure, diversified funding sources, and a strong capital base. The adoption of state-of-the-art services and technology has positioned it as a trendsetter in the domestic market and within the MENA region.

Burgan Bank’s brand has been created on a foundation of real values - of trust, commitment, excellence and progression, to remind us of the high standards to which we aspire. ‘People come first’ is the foundation on which its products and services are developed.

SUNDAY, MARCH 11, 2012

local

Bloc prepares grilling motion against finance minister Moves to protect corrupt individuals

Viva announces 12 STB London finalists KUWAIT: Viva, Kuwait’s newest and most advanced mobile telecommunications ser vice provider, yesterday announced the names of the 12 finalists who will attend the second annual Small to Big (STB) management course at Kings College London between March 11 and 17.

Abdulrazzaq Al-Essa, senior communication manager at Viva said: “ This highly regarded course brings together some of the best and the brightest young minds in Kuwait for a once-in-alifetime oppor tunity to learn and expand their horizons, and enhance their insights in management. At Viva, we are committed to supporting activities that benefit our community, and through this initiative, we are helping to support practical education and helping prepare a group of talented young people for future management.”

Finalists were chosen through entries submitted from across Kuwait. This year, the finalists ranged from entrepreneurial individuals to employees who surpassed others through their exceptional work and potential.

The Finalists of STB for 2012 are: Farah Al-Fadhalah; Abdulrahman AlNouri; Lama Al-Fadala; Hebah AlMansour; Fawaz Al-Roudhan; Omar AlOthman; Fatemah Al-Hai; Dana Madouh; Fahd Al-Yahya; Abdullah Bu Ftain; Dari Al-Huwail and Mohammed Al-Nusif.

STB is an initiative sponsored by Viva to assist and guide Kuwaiti corporate

executives, giving them a greater understanding of market dynamics and different management situations and providing them with the essential tools and knowledge to augment their business acumen and skills. The initiative was launched in 2011 with great success and Viva is repeating the program this year.

Through STB, Viva is fulfilling its commitment to supporting the community in creating an economically diversified and prosperous future for Kuwait.

VIVA is the newest, most advanced mobile telecommunications service provider in Kuwait. Launched in December 2008, Viva makes things Possible for our customers by transforming communication, information and entertainment experiences. The company has rapidly established an unrivalled position in the market through our customer and employee centric approach. Viva’s quest is to be the mobile brand of choice for Kuwait by being transparent, engaging, energetic and fulfilling.

VIVA continues to take a considerable share of the market by offering an innovative range of best value products, services and content propositions; a state of the art, nationwide network and world-class service. VIVA offers Internet speed up to 42.2Mbps due to the implementation of the most advanced third generation (3G and HSDPA) network in Kuwait resulting in superior coverage, performance and reliability.

Higher agriculture plot rents may result in hiked meat prices

By Nawara Fattahova KUWAIT: Higher rents charged on agricultural properties and plots in accordance with the recently issued law number 99/2012, have evoked fears of a hike in meat prices. Shakir Awadh, Public Relations Officer of the Public Authority for Agriculture Affairs and Fish Resources (PAAAFR) said this increase is not linked to the price of produce.

The price of these plots have not been raised for more than 20 years. “The lease amount of agriculture plots are nominal amounts charged per meter annually. Pens and farms are spacious, and the increase in prices will boost state revenue. It is not fair to retain the same rent for more than 20 years,” Shakir Awadh told the Kuwait Times.

There are other reasons that caused the increase. “We found out that many of the agricultural plots are not used for the purpose for which it has been leased out. The government has rented out these properties at nominal prices to

farmers so that they can breed animals and raise produce. Some people have turned it into entertainment facilities.

Also, everyone receives government subsidies for the produce grown when it appears in the market,” he added.

Recently, 30 animal pens were confiscated from violators. “An inspection committee monitors these so as to ensure its proper use. Those who violate this rule, and use it for other purposes will receive warning notices and be transferred to the legal department.

Finally, it may be re-possessed,” Awadh further said.

The rent increase includes different properties used for agricultural purposes under the inspection of PAAAFR. Jasim Al-Bader, Chairman and General Director of the Public Authority for Agriculture Affairs and Fish Resources (PAAAFR) issued a decree on this regard.

According to its provisions, all current contracts signed between PAAAFR and tenants should be changed according to a revised price list.

Ministry to improve school study environment KUWAIT: The Ministry of Education (MoE) plans to hire an international consultant agency that can set new standards to improve the quality of public schools’ study environment, announced a senior ministry official.

“The improvement projects include turning educational facilities into intelligent buildings where technology is thoroughly utilized to create attractive environments for students inside schools,” said Dr Khalid Al-Rasheed, Assistant Undersecretary for Planning and Information Department.

These efforts are part of the state’s development plan to improve the quality education by implementing an e-learning project, reported Al-Qabas. In other news, Dr Rana Al-Faris, Constructional Program Manager at the Kuwait University, announced that the foundations for three colleges in Sabah Al-Salem University project in Al-Shadadiya will be laid next April, reported Al-Rai.

Ministry seeks new TV, radio shows allowance KUWAIT: Sheikh Salman Al-Hmoud Al-Sabah, Ministry of Information Undersecretary is set to receive a report this week, containing proposed allowances to be paid to personnel working on TV and radio programs, according to sources.

The ministry has been looking for a way to pay extra allowance to show hosts, directors and technicians working at the state’s official TV and radio stations, similar to those paid by private stations. The ministry hopes that the financial incentives will encourage young citizens to work in the public media sector instead of private stations luring efficient labour forces. Speaking anonymously to a local daily, sources indicated that a committee Sheikh Al-Hmoud formed to draft a proposed allowance recently finished its report following talks between the TV and radio department, and agreed on a certain payment criteria.

The new proposal is set to replace an existing allowance paying mechanism which brought the ministry under fire on numerous occasions, given its weakness for favouritism. “The new mechanism ensures that allowances are only paid in accordance with a staff members’ level of performance while working on a TV or radio program” a source said, noting that the new allowance is estimated at KD 1,200 per program. — Al-Jarida

KUWAIT: The Popular Action Bloc is reportedly preparing a grilling motion to be filed against Mustafa Al-Shiamali, minister of finance, for allegedly covering up corruptive practices featured in firms affiliated to the ministry. Speaking to a local daily on the condition of anonymity, sources said that a grilling will be filed by bloc members Musallam Al-Barrak and Khalid Al-Tahous, in addition to independent lawmaker Abdurrahman Al-Anjari, which will be viewed by the Parliament’s majority before the motion is filed.

In what could be described as a prelude to the grilling, Al-Barrak warned Al-Shimali against “supporting corrupt employees in corrupt state-owned institutions” and said that he will be “stopped and held accountable for failing to protect public funds”. AlBarrak, who chairs the Parliament’s public funds’ protection committee, said that top officials from Kuwait Investment Authority (KIA) and Public Institution for Social Security will be invited to the committee’s next meeting “to answer questions on the mechanism by which they invest public funds in some Kuwaiti companies”.

The hard-line oppositionist said that the committee possesses reports which indicate that public funds were invested in companies “which lost more than 75 percent of their capital in the stock market”. Al-Barrak further spoke of “attempts to hinder State Audit Bureau’s work in monitoring state-owned corporations such as the KIA”; something the MP hinted could be used to “protect corrupt individuals within these bodies”. The financial and economic committee is set to discuss several topics during its meeting tomorrow.

In another development, MP Riyadh AlAdasani commented on the grilling filed by MP Saleh Ashour against Prime Minister HH Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak Al-Sabah, saying that it is “eight months late”.

The independent lawmaker further indicated that the multi-million-dinar deposits and foreign transfer scandals which the grilling addresses are probably more of a “political bribery case than one of money laundering”.

Meanwhile, MP Ashour said that his grilling is ready for debate during the upcoming parliamentary session on Tuesday, but is willing to move it to Thursday as suggested

by MP Mohammad Al-Dallal in an earlier report. Al-Dallal had called for adopting a mechanism by which a grilling would always be debated at the final session of the week in order to allow MPs to draft laws and other topics on the Parliament’s agenda. Ashour said that he doesn’t mind this option “if it is what the Parliament’s majority agree on and serves the country’s interests better”.

In the meantime, a report published by a local daily yesterday indicated that constitutional experts told the Cabinet that the grilling is unconstitutional as it addresses a topic committed by the previous Cabinet. The same report which quotes anonymous sources further signals that members of the Parliament’s minority are seriously considering filing a grilling motion against Interior Minister Sheikh Ahmad Al-Hmoud Al-Sabah over alleged arbitrary procedures committed by security personnel against religious figures.

On a separate note, Deputy Speaker Khalid Al-Sultan indicated that the Parliament’s head office today will discuss the investigation report pertaining to the Parliament’s raid incident which took place last November.

—Al-Rai, Al-Qabas, Al-Jarida, Al-Watan

KUWAIT: Kuwait municipality destroyed 2.350 tons of rotten fish including Bulti, Bouri and Bayadh, that was imported from an Arab country through the airport. The fish had bleeding in the head area and fungus was formed due to bad storage. —- Photos by Hanan Al-Saadoun

Ethiopian maid delivers stillborn in car

By Hanan Al-Saadoun

Private Universities Council among education expo sponsors KUWAIT: The Private Universities Council has joined a slew of organizations that are preparing to sponsor Education Exhibition 2012, managed by Kuwait International Fair Company and held at Mishref Fair Grounds 2012 between March 12 and 15.

Acting Secretary General Farida Al- Ali said that it is necessary for high school students to be acquainted with the options available to them in order to pursue higher studies. She went on to say that students should decide on the courses that suit their interests.

Al- Ali said that the Council will inform Kuwaiti students about scholarships offered by the Education Ministry and those provided by private universities, council, provided students satisfy conditions, complete application formalities as laid down by participating educational organizations , and choose available sub-

jects. All private universities and colleges in Kuwait fall under the ambit of the Council. It was established by the Council of Ministers to monitor the quality of higher education in Kuwait.

Quality assurance is checked before licenses are issued to the educational organization. The organization is subject to credit formalities, results are published on the website www.pucoedu.kw, in addition to subjecting all compulsory course structure approval. All private universities and colleges are accredited by the Council and final results are published on the website. The secretary general said conditions to issue licenses are listed in the Memorandum of Associations for private universities in Kuwait. A technical study is being conducted on what courses need to be focused to meet labor market demands .

KUWAIT: An Ethiopian maid, after arriving in Kuwait told her sponsor that she was feeling sick and wanted to go back home. The Kuwaiti sponsor said that she bought her a ticket and on the way to the airport, she let out a scream.

The sponsor immediately asked the driver to rush the maid to the hospital during which she delivered a stillborn in the car. She admitted to being pregnant out of wedlock and on hearing that it’s punishable in Kuwait, decided to head back home. She is in police custody at Mubarak hospital awaiting legal action.

Meanwhile, a Sri Lankan maid was arrested upon her arrival at Kuwait airport as she was found concealing 7,820 illicit tablets. She was referred to DCGD for further action.

Kidnap victim’s pardon The Court of Appeal has accepted the pardon granted by a woman to two men who attempted to kidnap her. In April 2011, the duo, posing as police, tried to abduct her.

However, in a stroke of luck she managed to escape from their car. The First Degree Court had passed a verdict imprisoning each man for 10 years , in addition to paying a KD 5,000 penalty and eventual deportation. In due course of events, the woman pardoned them. The Court of Appeal pronounced the case as being settled out of court.

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SUNDAY, MARCH 11, 2012

LOCAL

Local Spotlight

satire wire

The father of all issues

March 24 is Conscience Day

By Sawsan Kazak

Muna Al-Fuzai sawsank@kuwaittimes.net t’s common knowledge that girls grow up and marry men who remind them of their fathers. This is only natural as a father is the first male role model a girl has and he is the one who begins to teach her how she should be treated by men. Through his actions and words, a dad tells his daughter ‘This is how much respect you deserve’ or ‘This is how much attention you should expect’ and best of all, ‘This is how much pride you inspire in me’.

The expression ‘Daddy Issues’ is usually used while referring to a girl who was mistreated by her father and goes on to attract men in her life who will treat her the same way. When a girl puts up with being ignored, disrespected or lied to, this is usually blamed on her daddy issues. It is only natural that girls treated in this manner will gravitate towards this type of mistreatment; this is what they know and comprehend. However, my daddy issues differ quite a bit. My father has two girls who he respects, loves and treats equally. He gave us his time, resources and affection, while respecting our individuality and supporting us unconditionally. My father was proud of us when we succeeded, helpful when we didn’t, and playful in between. He guided us with a sternness that is sometimes needed when trying to raise independent little girls and disciplined us when necessary.

Growing up in this kind of environment was a blessing; however it has turned into somewhat of a tiny curse.

Having only known love, respect and support, these are the attributes I expect from all the men in my life; from colleagues to friends and of course, future husbands (hopefully just one). When dads set the bar high, other men have a hard time reaching it. Having high expectations from men sometimes leads to disappointments. I guess not all guys will prepare my meals or listen to my boring stories. Probably most men won’t gift me the latest iPad or iPhone and I’m pretty sure it will be very hard to find someone who will spoil me as much.

But in the bigger scheme of things, I would rather have really high expectations than low ones. I would rather be disappointed when a man disrespects me than be pleasantly surprised when he treats me well. I guess that just means that I will have to deal with some dissatisfaction but at least it means that I won’t have to accept it as a fact of life. So for all you fathers out there, remember that the way you treat your daughter is probably the way she will be treated for the rest of her life.

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muna@kuwaittimes.net

kuwait digest

Only the material changed

By Abdullatif Al-Duaij recently wrote about a proposed draft law that would grant early retirement for Kuwaiti women, and discussed how it is unfair to female citizens wishing to be productive citizens towards their society. I also drew the conclusion that such regulations proposed by conservative lawmakers are a result of an ideology that believes in male social superiority or simply do not appreciate equal rights and duties between citizens of both genders in society. This made me wonder exactly what the reason behind this way of thinking is. I tried looking for explanations but could not find any researcher who could give me any. In fact, I could not come across any anthropological study in the Arab Peninsula that sheds light on social relationships between its residents throughout its history. I think if we could learn more about that, we might be able to understand why women were subjected to undermining throughout the region’s history.

I am going to try and make my whole personal assessment on the issue. If we take a look at the history of the Arabian Peninsula, we can find that industry was very limited during times when grazing livestock was the main source of income by which bedouin tribes made a living. In addition to food, this industry produced raw material such as milk and wool that could be used to make dairy products and fabric respectively.

Now if you think more deeply about it you realize that taking care of these aspects, which can be called basic manufacturing, were the job of women in the tribe. They had to prepare dairy products and make ‘sadu’ weaving (in addition to cooking food). On the other hand, men’s job was to work as shepherds for their livestock. Before grazing was popular in the region, Arabian men were hunters. Eventually, Arabian tribes started

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invading each other and stealing each other’s cattle. Whether its grazing or stealing livestock, the animals - the main source of a tribe’s income - would eventually be handled by the women in the tribe. They were the only actual work force at the time, compared to men whose job was to guard their sheep and steal those of others.

It is worthy to note that the action of invading other tribes to steal their livestock was not regarded as a crime in ancient times. Arabian tribes gained more prestige and power in their ability to invade other tribes. On the other hand, tribes which never committed burglary, and instead tried to be more productive by agriculture or hunting, become known as the lowest tribes.

Productivity was not accepted as a quality that gave society superiority in the ancient Arab Peninsula. This might explain why women, who handled most productive activities within tribes, were seen as inferior by their male counterparts. It is ironic that residents of the Arab Peninsula today do not depend much on their level of productivity to make a living, as their income is secured by sale of oil that is even extracted by foreign labor forces. The level of productivity never changed; only the material did. Women have always been more productive than their male counterparts in the history of the Arab world. This is overlooked because it happened in times when productivity was not the main aspect by which people gained high status. Today, records show that women are better academically and even in the labor market in the Arab world, which could be the reason behind attempts to suppress her activity, made by all men who fear that her success might expose his deficiency. —Al-Qabas

t all began on Facebook last Thursday; a discussion on how we fail to properly live according to our value system. I believe we are all born with a conscience as human beings. It is a gift we are born with, but we do not use it like we should. If we did, we would not be complaining about corruption now. Many social evils would have never existed.

The discussion was about the need to use our conscience to judge certain issues we confront. How many abandon ethics to attain power? It is not spoken about anymore. I also wonder if it is too late to address this issue in public, and what could be the public perception about speaking or expressing ideas out in the open.

I decided to involve more people into this discussion and suggested we reserve a ‘day’ to celebrate our conscience on Twitter. At once, many people replied with comments, questions. Many who favored the suggestion and re-tweeted it to their followers. By midnight, it spread quickly all over Kuwait and MPs expressed an interest in joining the new campaign called observing a Conscience Day on March 24.

Many asked me why March 24 was chosen. I replied that it is because the day falls two weeks from March 10, the day I suggested it. I need to encourage as many people as possible to join the campaign as one or three days will not be enough!

Some have contacted me to offer financial aid and support for this group work and social campaign. I extend my gratitude to them. The support I really need right now is in the form of spreading the word about the campaign, keeping in mind that I’m working toward holding a debate on the issue.

For those who really want to support the campaign, they can simply do it with a click. At the end of each tweet or Facebook update, just type March 24 as Conscience Day In Kuwait. Everyone is welcome to write his/her opinion about what amounts to conscienceless behavior. It is most evident when someone is abusive and violates others’ rights. March 24 will help us reflect on our less desirable behavior.

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kuwait digest kuwait digest

MINISTER’S GOOD START

Help Kuwait rise

By Dr Mubarak Al-Therwa

By Sami Al-Nisf

ld age is a period in life where people’s thoughts struggle between memories of the past and anxiety of what is next after departure. Looking back into memories usually leaves despair within those who yearn for the old days. Youth, in the meantime, is a period where people’s thoughts struggle between future ambitions and a gloomy present. Young people can grow pessimistic if they allow their will to be taken over by difficulties they face in their daily life.

When countries age, they start looking into their past to search for their glory days. You usually hear us talk a lot about the ‘glories of our forefathers’. Maybe this is how people attempt to escape from the miserable reality they are presently suffering from. The darker the situation becomes today, the more we yearn for the old days. Perhaps this gives us a feeling of contentment that makes up for the psychological pain inflicted by going through today’s hardships.

A young man or woman looking for success in life cannot indulge in reminiscing about the past while giving up on the challenges of the future that lays ahead of them.

Can we say the same thing about countries? A country can live a youthful life where there is always room for development, creativity and liberty. Such countries always think about how to improve themselves and their economies, while less fortunate ones keep struggling with their political problems. These political issues result in more complexity and less productivity; just like a human being whose will to live diminishes the more they age. There are old people who never put down the fire that keep their hearts bursting in activity. On the other hand, there are young people who surrender to hopelessness in the belief that they are unable to face challenges.

History tells us that there are countries that were able to revive their youth only when the whole world thought they were already on their death bed. Japan, a country destroyed after World War II, rose within years to become as young as ever.

Germany, whose infrastructure and will were both at their lowest in 1945, was able to emerge and compete with the most productive countries in the world a few years later.

People age, but their will never does. A youth without a will is simply a soulless body. Our country can stand back on its feet, if there is a will within its people to help it. Our country is already trying to rise, and is only asking us to give it the opportunity to do so. —Al-Rai

t was a good star t for the young Minister of Commerce when he showed concern for food security, especially when there are some who are working to absorb financial resources in a country that imports everything, and at the same time destroys everything.

Our sea has almost become another dead sea, with no fish and no sea creatures in it. Our land has changed to a desert without flora or fauna.

One of the things that destroyed the Arab revolutions in Egypt, Syria, Iraq, Yemen, Libya, Sudan and Algiers was agricultural reform in those countries. Large farms were confiscated and distributed to farmers, who found that financial return on the land was limited due to the small piece of land given to them and the income was not worth it. They abandoned their land and migrated to cities, or abroad, and the green pastures changed to construction sites for random building.

Such things are reported these days in Kuwait. It was agreed to divide large farms, which produce enough food for security in those small areas and grow carnations, to be used for recreation. Like barns that have no livestock, stables that have no horses, apiaries that have no bees or honey and industrial yards that have no factories. Destructive mentality has reached Kuwaiti farms.

They have started changing from productive lands to farms without any plants. Instead they contain houses and diwaniyas and swimming pools for people who cannot get enough recreation or talking.

Dividing farms will force serious farmers to split their farms into small pieces and sell the land to benefit from that price instead of an agricultural headache. Dividing farms has also caused a shortage of treated water.

Al-Shidadia University was deprived of its share of that treated water, which is needed in the university for the cooling system. Some preferred that treated water goes to recreational matters instead of it going to that public organization.

During my last visit to Qatar I noticed that most streets and houses have no plants or trees to preserve water resources. Also water and electricity are usually registered in the name of the tenant, and not in the name of the owner. The tenant is billed for those services according to consumption, whether he is a citizen or an expatriate. He is encouraged to save the use of water.

In Kuwait, water runs like rivers from Kuwaiti houses every morning to wash the yards and the cars. I have suggested to Yarmouk council to put warning stickers in red on every house that overuses fresh water, hoping this suggestion is circulated elsewhere.

Note 1: We would like the young M inister of Commerce to assign an office in each cooperative society for consumer protection, so that citizens and expatriates can reach them easily.

Note 2: We hope to strengthen supervision and accountability on those who steal shareholders money. Kuwait Stock Exchange is the oldest in the Gulf and the worst in performance. It is not logic to jail the one who steals KD 100 and leave the one who steals KD 100 million in shareholders money?! — Al-Anbaa

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6

SUNDAY, MARCH 11, 2012

LOCAL

Complexities of modern state combines with ancient culture Kuwait tourism blossoms

By Brain MacQuarrie KUWAIT: In this ancient crossroads of sand and sea, a fascinating mixture coexists of the 21st century and the timeless. Best known in the United States as the country liberated from Saddam Hussein by US and coalition troops in the 1991 Gulf War, and later as the staging point for the 2003 invasion of Iraq, this postage stamp-size emirate on the Arabian Gulf has undergone a dizzying building boom. Dazzling, futuristic office towers dot the downtown and waterfront boulevards of this sprawling city, while the latest Mercedes-Benzes and BMWs roam its streets in weaving, near-reckless fashion — usually with one cell phone, and sometimes two, attached to the drivers’ ears.

But on the fringes, on the flat, horizonreaching sands that extend toward Saudi Arabia to the south and Iraq to the north, migrating Bedouins still set up tents beside teeming, high-speed roadways that resemble US interstate highways. Sometimes, a satellite dish is positioned beside the tent.

It is a picture that combines the complexities of the modern Arab state, one that embraces a modernistic, oil-financed march toward the future while managing to nurture the links to its ancient culture and migrating past.

Walk the streets of downtown Kuwait City, and the traditional market, the crowded souq offers hand-crafted Persian rugs and Kashmir shawls in a shadowy warren of narrow alleys.

Heads turn to follow you as your eyes, unaccustomed to the kaleidoscope of the souk, try to absorb the bright colors, rich fabrics, dangling light bulbs, and beckoning vendors who stand nearly motionless inside each narrow cubbyhole of commerce.

Almost immediately, my attention was seized by a booth with dozens of Indian shawls.

My guide frowned slightly as I fingered the light, smooth merchandise hanging from pins and racks along its walls. He tugged on my arm: “There is a better shop down here, a better price.’’ There, a vendor unrolled rug after rug, until I found just the right combination of color and texture for a price that, even after a few low-key rounds of gestures and bargaining, seemed like a steal. My guide was right.

Western tourists are a relative rarity; indeed, Kuwait has only about 90,000 vacationers per year. But they are not made to feel self-conscious. Whether walking along the outdoor promenade at the upscale, yacht-filled Marina Mall, or strolling among the locals in the souq, the ambience is laid-back and almost cosmopolitan. Smiling greetings and nods of welcome are common; so are the Paris-bought suits and high-three-figure sunglasses. “There are a lot of Americans at the restaurants and malls, and the locals have much respect for them,’’ said Jenny Aguilar, guest relations manager at the Hilton Kuwait Resort, a luxury hotel built on a wide beach on the gulf. “During the [1991] war, it was the Americans who were here to guard the country from the Iraqis.’’ Many Americans come for business and stay for extended periods, Aguilar said, and their families often follow. As such, top-flight hotels like the Hilton offer an almost Western experience with rows of designer shops, wellequipped health clubs, and expansive pools.

Indeed, in December, a hallway at the Hilton featured a towering Christmas tree, a nightly concert of carols, and even a Santa Claus who

mugged for photos with guests wielding smartphones and cameras. “Santa!’’ I said one night in startled recognition. St. Nicholas grinned - he obviously knew his name - but could not converse in English.

One glaring difference at the hotels — a reminder that Kuwait is a Muslim country — is the absence of alcohol. The restaurants in this country feature faux-cocktail bars, where drinks are spiked with fruit juice instead of the hard stuff. “Mixed with mango or pineapple?’’ my waitress asked me one night. My first instinct was to reply, “Mango or pineapple with what?’’ but I fought the urge. As I discovered, those tiny umbrellas in the concoctions are only a playful, winking nod to a forbidden indulgence.

Another reminder is the varying degree of traditional Arab dress. Although many young Kuwaitis of both sexes dress stylishly in expensive, Western-style clothing, many older men and women adhere to centuries-old concepts of proper public appearance. At the Hilton, a Muslim woman swam with her son while wearing a full-length body covering and another for her head.

Kuwait City was settled about 300 years ago and grew quickly, serving as a transit point for trade that linked India, the Middle East, and Europe. The British profited from Kuwait’s strategic location, where shipments of textiles, spices, and other goods crossed on their journey to and from India.

At the dawn of the 20th century, the British agreed to provide Kuwait with naval protection as a curb against the ambitions of the Ottoman Empire. Then, in 1936, the first oil wells were drilled. Kuwait gained independence in 1961.

Today, the pace of change is accelerating further. Along the highways in this metropolitan area of 2.4 million people, the familiar facades of Burger King, McDonald’s, and Pizza Hut are a sign of sometimes jarring change.

Fast food, American-style, has come to Kuwait with a muscular visibility that vies for space with the pastel housing and apartment complexes that are mushrooming at astonishing speed out of what was empty desert only a decade or two ago.

The reason, of course, is oil - and lots of it.

Ten percent of the world’s reserves are estimated to lie underneath the sands that bake in temperatures over 120 degrees Fahrenheit in July and August. The result is that Kuwaitis are a wealthy people, whose routine services — the province of taxi drivers, hotel staff, and laborers — are performed primarily by noncitizen immigrants from places such as the Philippines and Pakistan.

After a short time here, most visitors will see and sense this division, one of an unapologetic, two-tier society whose yawning gap seems unbridgeable. As such, Kuwait is vigilant about who enters the country and how long they stay. The lack of proper visa credentials — needed both for entering the country and leaving it — can lead to detention.

Entrance visas can be obtained upon arrival at Kuwait International Airport, where waits of an hour or more at a visa-control station are needed to gain approval to enter. Similarly, approval must be obtained to leave the countr y where customs officials scrupulously ensure that travelers have not overstayed their welcome.

Once out the doors of the airport, getting around Kuwait is relatively easy. Taxis are everywhere, the drivers usually speak English, and rental cars are available. However, only

international driver’s licenses are allowed for foreigners; a US license is not accepted.

Americans who want to take the wheel might find the roadways slightly terrifying.

Traffic routinely weaves in and out at high speed, police do not appear to patrol regularly, and I saw several serious crashes on the major highways into and out of Kuwait City — at least one of which had what appeared to be a fatality on the road beside his car.

A stress-free way to soak up the sights is to ask the hotel concierge for a taxi driver who, for a reasonable fee, can act as both driver and guide. That way, tourists can visit multiple locations within a day, stroll and shop at their leisure, and enjoy the convenience of knowing that a ride to the next destination awaits them whenever they choose.

Visitors can nearly always count on dry weather; the country averages only 22 days with rain per year. Dust storms can occur at any time, but most often during the stifling summer. The most comfortable months are from November through March, when average high temperatures oscillate between 67 in Januar y to the low 80s in November and March.

Without worrying about heat exhaustion, tourists will find that “Kuwait has a lot to offer,’’ said Aguilar.

Those offerings range from a panoramic view atop the two soaring Kuwait Towers, which reach 600 feet high; to ancient artifacts at the National Museum; to a day trip to one of Kuwait’s islands. There, a fully crewed dhow, or traditional Arab sailing vessel can be hired to ply the gulf. The emirate also hosts pearl-diving festivals. Shopping is a major pastime, and the city is dotted with high-end malls. Nearly everything a shopper can find on Newbury Street in Boston can be found here. Fine restaurants are also an option in the malls and hotels, where the cuisine spans a wide and interesting range from Middle Eastern to Chinese to European. At The Teatro, a restaurant on the gulf, the food is prepared at individual stations, elegantly presented, and cooked to order whether the choice is shrimp, steak, chicken, pasta, or any other of dozens of options. The service is impeccable, the staff attentive but not obsequious, and even the acoustic guitar player - from Japan - as cool and mellow as one might expect in an upscale US dinner club.

For tourists who crave a sampling of the traditional, a walk through the souq is a must.

Although a first-time visitor can navigate the maze with only a few wrong turns, using a guide - that daylong taxi driver, possibly - will help find the best stalls, the best deals, and the best experience.

While walking the souq, ask to be taken to the nearby fish market, with its glistening mounds of fish, fresh from the gulf. A large adjoining room, rich with the smell of the sea, serves as a place for the fishmongers to kneel and pray. Kuwait is a safe place, but commonsense precautions should be taken. Avoid dark places, stay on the major boulevards at night, and be respectful toward the people and their lifestyle, which is more relaxed than in strictly religious Saudi Arabia but remains unmistakably and proudly Muslim. Millions of US service members, contractors, and business people have passed through here in the last two decades. Now, with the Iraq war over and the US presence winding down in Afghanistan, Kuwait is hoping Americans find another reason to visit. —The Boston Globe

Steady growth in travel to Turkey

The signing of this agreement coincides at the time when Kuwait market is witnessing steady growth in travel to Turkey as a main tourist des-

tination famous for its rich history and culture, besides the facilities which make the visit to Turkey a perfect holiday experience.

It is worth mentioning that Turkish Airlines operates 14 scheduled flights weekly and 7 extra flights for summer 2012 between Kuwait and Istanbul, while Kuwait Airways operates four flights during summer. Both airlines also agreed to explore other avenues for future mutual cooperation to enhance passenger travel between the two countries.

The ceremony took place at Kuwait Airways headquarters in Kuwait and was attended by Mohammed Hussein Al Hilal, managing director of Kuwait Airways Corporation and Dr Temel Kotil, chief executive officer and president of Turkish Airlines along with the respective delegation from both airlines.

Britain seeking to develop business ties with Kuwait

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KUWAIT: Mohammed Hussein Al-Hilal, Dr Temel Kotil and other officials at the signing ceremony

ly Kuwait. According to this strategy, London has gotten stakes in external investment enterprises, value of which has exceeded 800 million pounds.

Aid has been given to more than 20,000 small and medium-size companies in the UK for aiding them export products to emerging countries, in addition to opening up new markets for these companies. Moreover, the government has organized more than 250 official visits to various nations to bolster commercial cooperation and back British businesses.

Upcoming Olympic games, due to be hosted

by London, are forecast to create various businesses and contribute to hiking the gross domestic product by 0.6 percent. Acknowledging that Britain, like many other nations of the globe, is hitting some snags in its efforts at this level, he affirmed that the government strategy has proven quite fruitful and helpful for entrepreneurs. The British economy faces some problems such budget deficit, unemployment, estimated at eight percent. —KUNA

KUWAIT: The United Kingdom is implementing a special policy to cope with repercussions of the global economic crisis, in cooperation with Kuwait and other members of the Gulf Cooperation Council, said the British Ambassador to Kuwait. Frank Baker said the British economy has posted some recovery since the government started implementing the “white paper,� aimed at spurring foreign investments and increasing external trade cooperation, a year ago.

Britain is bound with Kuwait with an accord for bolstering trade exchange, aspired to swell to four million pounds by 2015, he said, touching on London’s policy of commercial cooperation with Kuwait, also noting that the exchange grew last year, reaching two billion pounds. Kuwait is one of the major trade partners for the UK for its adoption of liberal commercial policies.

He affirmed that the “white paper� had been drawn up by the British government to bolster economic growth in cooperation with international partners particularly the GCC states, name-

C COUPON OUPON

KUWAIT: Kuwait Airways and Turkish Airlines have celebrated the exchange of the final copy of bilateral code share agreement on sector Kuwait /Istanbul/Kuwait on March 4 to be effective from April 2012.

The agreement will support Kuwait Airways and Turkish Airlines operation between the two cities and allow more travel options, facilities for the public to take advantage of the services provided by the carriers.

According to the agreement, both Kuwait Airways and Turkish Airlines will put their own codes reciprocally on each other’s operating flights between Kuwait and Istanbul as marketing carrier.

Passengers and travel agents will be able to book directly on these flights.

KUWAIT: A team from the Public Relations and Advertisement Department of the Commercial Bank of Kuwait visited the Mishref Elementary School for Girls recently.

It is part of the CBK’s ongoing cultural campaign which organizes cultural activities with students at public schools. The campaign ends on April 5 with the announcement of the winner of the main cultural competition.

2012

Name: Name: Address: Address: Tel.: Tel.: Civil Civil ID:

s Canon will offer KD 110 discount for all on purchase of any of the Canon MidRange DSLR cameras on the following condition: Return your old DSLR camera (any condition/any brand) as a buy back scheme to support the participants to upgrade their camera to a new Canon Mid-Range DSLR Camera.

Offer valid only at Nasser Al-Sayer Showroom in Kuwait City.

SUNDAY, MARCH 11, 2012

LOCAL

Three dead as car catches fire on Fifth Ring Road Driver killed in Salhiya accident KUWAIT: Three people died on the Fifth Ring Road on Friday after being trapped inside their car which overturned and caught fire.

After the flames were doused, paramedics pronounced three victims dead on the scene, while investigations revealed that one of the victims was an eight-year-old child. A case was opened to determine circumstances behind the accident.

Meanwhile, a male driver was killed in a car collision reported recently near Salhiya. Driver of the other car was unharmed in the incident and was taken into custody for investigations. The Arab victim was pronounced dead on the scene by paramedics who were present at the crash site with police, minutes after the accident was reported.

The body was taken to the coroner after investigations were carried out.

Revenge attack?

Three Asian men are currently being investigated in a case in which they are accused of deliberately setting fire to a compatriot they conflicted with. The victim was found inside a Sharq apartment where a fire was recently reported.

He was rushed to the Amiri Hospital where he provided investigators identity of three persons he said were behind the fire. When summoned for investigations, the suspects denied the charges despite admitting bad blood between them and the victim.

Victim drops charges A Kuwaiti woman dropped sexu-

al assault charges pressed against a drunken assaulter after her friend convinced her to settle the problem verbally. The complainant, who is in her thirties, arrived at Rumaithiya police station around 10am on Friday to report being assaulted inside a Salmiya apartment minutes ago. The woman explained that she went to the building where the incident occurred after her female friend called her at 8:30 am to ask for a ride because she was too drunk to drive back home. When she arrived, the victim waited for her friend inside the apartment, during which an inebriated young man assaulted her. The victim headed directly to Mubarak Hospital after being kicked out from the apartment, and obtained a medical report before driving to the police station. As officers were working on filing a case for the victim, she asked them to drop the charges after her friend called her and pleaded with her to settle the problem without filing charges.

Baby abandoned Investigations are currently ongoing to find the parents of an infant found abandoned in a public place in Fahaheel. A citizen reportedly found the baby girl under the shade. The newborn was taken to the hospital for medical attention while her features led officers to believe that her parents are of Asian origin.

Smuggling thwarted Two Arab men were arrested at

Abdulmohsen Al-Rushaid

5,000 enrolled for NBK Walkathon KUWAIT: The National Bank of Kuwait’s (NBK) 18th Annual Walkathon, scheduled to kick off on March 24, is heading for yet another record year. More than 5,000 competitors enrolled so far. NBK has opened additional registration booths at the Avenues Mall in order to satisfy the increasing demands for registration.

NBK Public Relations Manager Abdulmohsen AlRushaid said, “The Walkathon is growing year after year.

We are delighted so many participants are eager to take part and have been looking forward to the Walkathon.”

Registration will be open until March 22 at NBK Registration Center next to the Scientific Centre from 9am until 9pm, and the NBK booth at the Avenues from 10am until 10 pm.

“We are committed to Kuwait’s community. We feel it is important for us to organize the NBK Walkathon annually and continue to encourage a healthy lifestyle.

This year, NBK’s Walkathon will include a variety of fun, entertainment and health awareness-raising activities,” explained Al-Rushaid.

NBK will award the top 10 winners in each category, and will give away two brand new cars, a Mazda and a Peugeot, as grand prizes during the Walkathon. This year, many NBK customers will be awarded including the winner of the “Use Your NBK Credit Card and Win’” campaign grand KD 20,000 and Al-Jawhara quarterly grand KD 250, 000 draw will also be announced on the day of the race.

The Walkathon for male participants will start from the Scientific Center located in Ras Salmiya, while the walk for female participants will begin from the Marina Crescent and the walkathon for kids and Zaina Friends club members will be conducted at the Green Island.

NBK registration center next to the Scientific Centre

the Central Jail entrance after they were busted with contraband they were trying to smuggle to inmates.

The suspects raised suspicions early as they were visibly uncomfortable upon arriving at the facility to hand over clothes on behalf of a company that supplies to the prison.

Search revealed a laptop, three iPhones and a camera hidden inside one of the bags they were carrying. The suspects, Egyptian and Tunisian, admitted that they were planning to smuggle the contrabands for an inmate.

Child poisoned A Jahra resident pressed attempted murder charges against his Asian housemaid after she admitted to serving poisoned food to his teenage son. The bedoon man rushed his son to the hospital with severe abdominal pain, and medical examination revealed that he was suffering from a bad case of food poisoning. The boy told his father that he felt sick after eating a meal served by the maid, adding that the food tasted strange as well. The man headed back home and confronted the maid, who eventually confessed that she contaminated the child’s food with menstrual blood. The woman remains in custody pending investigations.

Two hurt in mishap Two people were injured when parts of a building being demolished in Abu Halifa fell on the premises of a building nearby

recently. The victims, an Egyptian engineer and an Egyptian representative of the building’s owner, were taken to Al-Adan Hospital after they were hit by debris while standing outside the building.

Police are investigating the case.

Suicide attempt An Ethiopian woman was hospitalized in a critical condition after overdosing on prescription medications in a bid to end her life. Paramedics and police rushed to a Jaber Al-Ali house recently where a family reported finding their housemaid unconscious in her room with empty medication bottles nearby. The victim’s condition stabilized following a gastric operation. She confessed to attempting suicide on learning that her mother passed away back home. A case was filed.

Child arrested A 10-year- old child was referred to the Juvenile Investigations Department after he was caught attempting to rob a car in front of a Salmiya building recently. Police rushed to the place after an Arab man reported catching a thief red-handed while trying to steal from his car after smashing the window. The officers found the car’s owner holding a child and saying that he was the culprit. The Iranian child eventually confessed at the police station that he was responsible for multiple car thefts reported in the same area. A case was filed.

— Al-Anba, Al-Rai, Al-Watan

Analysts skeptical on Dubai economy DUBAI: ‘Is Dubai back?’ That’s the question economists and government officials ask about once every six months, only to be disappointed. But this time, at least, the stock market seems to be answering in the positive. Dubai’s shares have rallied 30 percent so far this year amidst a spate of positive corporate earnings, dividend announcements and encouraging economic data.

The tiny Gulf Emirate is displaying some of the bravado of its pre-crash years in a multi-billion-dollar bid to host the 2020 World Expo. The scale of the bid can be measured by the fact that Universal Expositions can draw up to 70 million visitors during the six months that they are open while Dubai has a population, including expatriates, of just over two million.

But “back” is relative. The Emirate’s property sector is still in the doldrums as is the banking sector, and a host of bears are lurking outside its borders, ranging from recession in Europe to nuclear tensions between the West and Iran. “Things are looking a bit happier here in Dubai. People are focusing on tourism, hotel occupancy, trade, logistics, transport and service - all these things are doing quite well,” said Liz Mar tins, Dubai-based economist at HSBC. “There’s still a lot of slack in consumer spending... still some weakness is seen in real estate and in the banking sector. We see big debt refinancing obli-

gations in 2012. It’s not clear how that is going to pan out.”

Dubai has been struggling since it overdosed on credit-financed real estate in 2009. Dubai World, the ports-to-property conglomerate whose decision to freeze debt repayments two years ago shook the foundations of the economy, has restructured most of its obligations since then. But the overall debt of government-related entities like Dubai World is believed to be more than $100 billion, with some $15 billion coming due this year alone. Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al-Maktoum, whose large portfolio of titles includes Chairman of the Dubai Economic Sector Committee, said three weeks ago that the Emirate’s gross domestic product would expand between 4.5 percent and 5 percent this year. That pales in comparison to rates of 6.2 percent in 2007 and 7.4 percent in 2008. But, the sheikh’s estimate is at the high end of forecasts. Dubai’s Department of Economic Development sees growth of around 4.1 percent for 2012. Britain’s Standard Char tered Bank’s estimate is considerably lower, at 2.4 percent. Analysts polled by the Reuters news agency in December forecast the economy for the United Arab Emirates (UAE) would grow 3.1 percent this year down from an estimated 3.9 percent in 2011. Dubai accounts for about a third of the UAE’s gross domestic product.— Media Line

SUNDAY, MARCH 11, 2012

Russians stage new anti-Putin protests

Pakistani Supreme Court targets army Page 9

Page 10

AL-BAYDA: A picture shows an area in the Al-Bayda province, south of the Yemeni capital, where government air strikes killed at least 33 suspected Al-Qaeda militants yesterday. (Inset) A handout photo shows Abu Omar Muhammad Al-Hanq, a regional leader in Arhab district whose death Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) announced in Sana’a province of Yemen. — AFP

Air raids kill 33 Al-Qaeda suspects US to restart military aid to Yemen SANAA: Air strikes killed at least 33 suspected AlQaeda militants in Yemen, in the first such action since a massive attack on the army, local officials said yesterday. The sources said that 27 were killed and 55 wounded in air raids which residents said were carried out by US warplanes on positions in a mountainous area of Al-Bayda province, south of the Yemeni capital. “They were new recruits, youths from the region, taken by surprise by the raids which struck as they were dining in training camps” on Friday night, one official said, on condition of anonymity.

The raids hit three villages west of the provincial capital, also called Al-Bayda-Al-Makhnaq, AlDooqi and Al-Mamdud, the sources said.

Yesterday, Yemeni planes raided the southern province of Abyan, killing six militants, a local official said. He said positions near Jaar, 12 kilometers

from the militant-held town of Zinjibar, were hit.

The air strikes were the first since a massive March 4 attack on an army camp in Abyan province claimed by the jihadists’ Yemeni branch, Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) that cost the lives of 185 soldiers.

Residents said the raids in Al-Bayda were carried out by US aircraft, but the accounts could not be immediately verified. Yemen is the ancestral homeland of slain Al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden and the jihadist network took advantage of a protracted anti-government uprising last year to seize large swathes of the south and east.

Washington has long made Yemen a major focus of its “war on terror” and the US Defence Department has provided hundreds of millions of dollars worth of equipment and training designed to help Yemeni special forces counter AQAP.

Two of the raids, launched from around 9:00 pm (1800 GMT) and lasting around three hours in total, struck the homes of Ahmed and Ali alHumaiqani, two residents of Wadi Al-Makhnaq, witnesses said. Wadi Al-Makhnaq has an Al-Qaeda training camp, one local resident said. “Several armed men arrived in multiple vehicles, along with two trucks loaded with weapons and ammunition boxes, and attended Friday prayers in Wadi al-Makhnaq,” said the resident, who declined to be identified.

Islamist militants, some of them Al-Qaeda loyalists, launched a major offensive in Al-Bayda province in January, that brought them just 200 kilometers from the capital, the closest they have reached. That month, around 1,000 Al-Qaeda fighters swept the town of Rada and overran it within hours, holding it for nine days before with-

drawing under pressure from Yemen’s powerful tribal leaders. AQAP has exploited the decline in central government control that accompanied bloody nationwide protests last year that eventually forced veteran strongman Ali Abdullah Saleh from power.

Meanwhile, the Pentagon is planning to restart programs that would fund military training and equipment in Yemen, nearly a year after they were shut down because of escalating chaos in the embattled country. While no agreements have been cemented, US defense officials said as much as $75 million (?57 million) in military assistance could begin to flow later this year. The officials said the Pentagon and State Department are putting together a letter to send to Congress to request the aid be restarted.

The plan is in line with the Obama administra-

tion’s intention to provide significant security and civilian aid to Yemen in 2012-13 as long as the Middle Eastern country continues to move toward a new government and funding is kept out of the hands of insurgents. One senior military official said discussions have begun over how best the United States can help Yemen, which is putting a new US-backed government in place. The official said it may be difficult to re-launch the counterterrorism training that was suspended about a year ago because Yemeni forces are engaged in battle with the Al-Qaeda-linked insurgency.

Instead, the training program could shift to focus less on fighting tactics and more on how to plan combat operations and strategize against the enemy. Officials spoke on condition of anonymity because no final decisions have been made. —Agencies

145 ‘presumed dead’ in Afghan avalanche KABUL: At least 145 people are missing and “presumed dead” after an avalanche hit a village in Afghanistan’s northeastern Badakhshan province last week, the United Nations said yesterday. Afghan officials had earlier yesterday put the death toll from the March 4 series of avalanches in Badakhshan’s Shekay district at 56. The UN said an avalanche in the area claimed 50 lives and warned of severe flooding over coming weeks due to melting snow.

Afghanistan’s harshest winter in 15 years has claimed scores of lives, with the avalanches taking the toll to more than 90 in Badakhshan alone, according to officials.

“Access to Dispay village is possible only by road from neighboring Tajikistan but has been severely hampered by snowblocked roads”, said UN’s Office of the Humanitarian Coordinator for Afghanistan in a statement. “Helicopter access is not possible as there is a high risk of triggering

further avalanches.” The Geneva-based Agha Khan Foundation, the UN Food Program and the US embassy have donated food and medicines to the affected families.

“This tragedy is likely to be one of many in the near future. Heavy snows will result not just in avalanches but also, in a few weeks’ time, severe flooding in many parts of the countr y ”, said Humanitarian Coordinator, Michael Keating. — AFP

BUDAYIA CITY: A Bahraini Shiite Muslim woman holds a sign that reads in Arabic “down with the ruling gang” during a rally for political reforms, a year after authorities crushed an uprising, in Budayia City, West of the capital Manama. — AFP

Bahraini protester dies

BADAKHSHAN: Afghan rescue workers walk in a line into a snowbound village in the mountainous northeastern Afghanistan province of Badakhshan. An avalanche has buried a village in northeastern Afghanistan, killing at least 56 people and leaving dozens more still trapped under the snow. — AFP

DUBAI: A Bahraini youth died yesterday of a police gunshot wound sustained at the start of the month, the Gulf state’s main Shiite opposition group Wefaq said. Condemning state “repression of demonstrations calling for political reforms,” it said Saida Fadhel Mirza Al-Obeidi, 22, was struck in the head on March 1 in Diraz, a village east of Manama. Doctors said his skull was fractured.

However, Wefaq hailed “the peaceful and disciplined character” of a protest which flooded the streets of the capital on Friday, saying hundreds of thousands had taken part in “the largest rally in the history of Bahrain”. Policemen fired tear gas at a group of protesters but the rally was largely peaceful and no one arrested, said Nabil Rajab, an activist who heads the Bahraini Centre for Human

Rights. The royal palace, in a statement, said the demonstration was able to go ahead on the instructions of King Hamad who had called for citizens to be allowed to express themselves freely in a peaceful rally. Protesters called for political reforms in Bahrain, which is ruled by the minority Sunni Al-Khalifa family, and for an elected government, Rajab said. The Shiite-led opposition demands constitutional changes that would reduce the power of the dynasty. Tensions have remained high in Bahrain since a deadly crackdown last year after a month of Manama street protests. According to an independent probe, 35 people were killed in last year’s unrest, including five security personnel and five detainees tortured to death while in custody. —AFP

9

SUNDAY, MARCH 11, 2012

INTERNATIONAL

Pakistan appoints new head of intelligence ISLAMABAD: Pakistani Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani appointed a new director-general of the country’s powerful spy agency yesterday, Gilani’s office said in a statement, creating a possible opening for improved US-Pakistan relations after 15 months of tension. LieutenantGeneral Zaheer-ul-Islam, who has participated in US-based training programs, will take over as directorgeneral of the Directorate of InterServices Intelligence (ISI) after serving as the commander of the V Corps, one of the most important in the army and based in Karachi, Pakistan’s largest city and its commercial hub.

“It is very important at this time when the Americans and NATO troops are withdrawing from Afghanistan, it is important to have a professional man running the ISI,” military analyst Talat Masood said.

Islam takes over from LieutenantGeneral Ahmad Shuja Pasha, who was appointed in 2008 and oversaw some of the stormiest times in the US-Pakistan relationship. Pasha is scheduled to retire on March 18. A US official said that during the course of his career, Islam had “traveled to the US to participate in US military sponsored training and international fellowship programs.”

“We would expect General Zahir

to continue cooperation with the United States in our mutual fight against terrorism,” the US official said. As a brigadier, Islam attended the US Army War College in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, in 2002-2003 and had an academic year of interaction with American military officers, a US military spokesman said. The college is the Army’s top educational institution for senior leaders. Analysts say the incoming director-general has held some of the most important posts in the army since his commissioning in 1977, and is seen both inside and outside the military as experienced and professional.

The US official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said that Islam was close to Pakistan’s top military officer, General Ashfaq Kayani and said many of his key posts in the Army were focused on India. At one point, he was chief of staff of the Army’s Strategic Forces command.

Islam also has previous intelligence experience, the US official said. From 2008-10, he served as chief of the wing of ISI responsible for Pakistan’s internal security. “(Islam) has the confidence of the people who matter,” Masood said. “The institution also needed to change; this injects new thinking and energy into the organization.”

Others, however, believe policy

can facilitate the improvement of the relationship.”

Pakistan’s army Lt. Gen Zaheer-ul-Islam within one of Pakistan’s most powerful institutions will remain unchanged and will still be directed

by Kayani, the Army chief of army staff. “The role of the ISI does not necessarily depend on an individual, but it’s a policy that is designed primarily by the army chief. I think there will be continuity of policy”,

said political analyst Hasan Askari Rizvi. Either way, the appointment may be an opportunity to set a new tone in the often tense dialogue between Pakistan and the United States. “The new person can make a new beginning because he doesn’t have the baggage of problems with the US,” Rizvi said. “So in a way, this

KEY POST The head of the ISI occupies one of the most important posts in Pakistan, at the intersection of domestic politics, the war on militancy and Pakistan’s foreign relations. Pakistan is crucial to US efforts to stabilize neighboring Afghanistan. If, as alleged, the ISI has ties to the Afghan Taleban and other insurgent groups fighting US-led NATO troops in Afghanistan, it may be able to bring them to the negotiating table - though Pakistan denies having ties to militant groups.

Without Pakistan’s help, Afghanistan could descend into civil war again after foreign troops withdraw at the end of 2014. Pasha’s departure is likely to be a relief to the American intelligence community which had a frosty relationship with him, one that became even more difficult after US special forces found and killed Al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden in a town about a two-hour drive from the ISI’s Islamabad headquarters in May last year. Bin Laden’s presence in Pakistan, by some accounts for up to five years, raised suspicions in Washington that Pakistan’s main spy agency had been doing business

with, or sheltering, America’s number one enemy.

The tensions between the American and Pakistani spy agencies in recent years were a marked reversal from the 1980s, when the CIA and the ISI cooperated to roll back the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan.

Gilani was likely happy to appoint someone other than Pasha, who was rumored to be up for a third extension to his tenure. Pakistan was thrown into turmoil on Oct 10 last year when businessman Mansoor Ijaz wrote in the Financial Times that a senior Pakistani diplomat had asked that a memo be delivered to the Pentagon with a plea for US help to stave off a feared military coup following the bin Laden raid.

Ijaz claimed in his BlackBerry messages published in a local Pakistani newspaper that after the bin Laden raid, Pasha had secured support from some unspecified Gulf governments to remove President Asif Ali Zardari. When the British daily The Independent wrote a story on the allegation, the ISI strongly denied it. “He (Pasha) has become very controversial in the last couple of months,” retired brigadier Shaukat Qadir, a friend of Pasha and twice his instructor at the National Defence University, said dryly. —Reuters

What more can we do?

Pakistanis ask the West Pakistan feels West undervalues their war KALPANI BASE: The wind was howling and the snow outside their bullet-pocked bunker lay knee-deep as the men of the 20th Lancer armored regiment bedded down for the night, nearly 2,500 meters up a mountain on one of the world’s most inhospitable borders. They cheered themselves up by singing songs. Their commander gazed at photos of his 4-year-old daughter on his computer. But as the men chatted, it became clear that they were feeling a bit underappreciated.

Why did the West accuse Pakistan of not pulling its weight in the war on terror, they asked. Hadn’t large numbers of their comrades died at the hands of Islamist militants? Why else were they in this hellish place if not to keep them at bay? “They say we aren’t doing enough,” said their commander, Capt Imran Tanvir.

the Pakistani state such as the Pakistani Taleban and its allies. The Afghan Taleban and the Haqqani network are largely not regarded as a domestic threat and US officials say have been given safe haven in Pakistan even though they are responsible for the deaths of thousands of Afghan and international troops in Afghanistan.

Last month the army took an unprecedented step, allowing an Associated Press writer and photographer to follow Pakistani troops on their front-line rounds for a glimpse inside its fight against militants in the Afghanistan-Pakistan theater. The ghosts of British Empire linger over this wild stretch of northern Pakistan.

The unit at Kalpani base comprises Lancers, a term dating back to the British dominion over south Asia which ended with partition into India and Pakistan in 1947. The

HARIPUR: Journalists stand outside a suspected former residence of Osama bin Laden in Haripur, some 50 kilometers from Islamabad, which is near Abbottabbad where Osama bin Laden was finally killed by US Navy Seals in a nightime raid.

Osama bin Laden spent his last days sidelined by Al-Qaeda and slipping into dementia, possibly betrayed to the Americans by a jealous wife, a Pakistani investigator said. —AFP “What more can we do?” Pakistan has lost more than 3,000 soldiers in battles with Al-Qaeda and Taleban militants since it deployed soldiers to its western border, more than all the foreign deaths in Afghanistan since 2001. Although it sees India to its east as its biggest military challenge, it regards its Afghan flank to the west as critical enough to warrant stationing 130,000 soldiers there. The base called Kalpani is on the front line in the 10-year war against militant Islamists, a war that allies Pakistan with the US and NATO in an uneasy, distrustful partnership. Pakistan feels scapegoated for the coalition’s failures in Afghanistan. US and NATO officials accuse the Pakistan army of being selective in whom it fights, only taking on those who have declared war on

Lancers’ local headquarters are in a 19th century colonial mansion of marble pillars, ornately carved balconies and decaying gardens.

High above the mansion, reachable by a road that ends in snow drifts and then by walking for three hours, is Kalpani, its 46 men housed in bunkers facing Kunar Province in Afghanistan. The cement huts seem to perch precariously on the mountainside. The base was attacked two years ago by militants with rocket launchers and rifles. Four soldiers died. At one point this area with its 37-kilometer stretch of the Afghan border was under a Pakistani Taleban reign of terror, reinforced by Afghan insurgents from Afghanistan’s Kunar province.

The militants would make police kneel on the road

and behead them one by one, videotaping the murders.

Eventually the army ran the militants out, suffering dozens of deaths. But that was not the end it. Last summer the militants were back, killing 21 border policemen in two locales. The army, caught by surprise, hurriedly set up eight more bases. “We went forward, we went up and now we are manning the international border in strength,” says Col Kamran Aslam, a regional army commander. “The war is still on. This time we are going to be hunting them. The only issue is, they go across the border but we can’t go after them because it’s another country.”

It is indicative of the complexities of this war that in Kamran’s patch, the Pakistanis accuse Afghan intelligence of abetting Pakistani militants, while to the south it is Pakistan that is accused by NATO and the US of doing the same for the Taleban in Afghanistan. On Kalpani base, however, the imperatives are duty, esprit de corps, and surviving a blizzard of screaming winds that seems to obliterate the mountains in cloud and snow. The men sleep four to six to a room in sleeping bags laid out over woolen blankets, the only protection against the frigid floor. The camp has two generators, but each runs just one hour a day to conserve fuel. (An exception was made for a Pakistan-England cricket match.) One night, to the rhythm of a soldier drumming on a cooking pan, the men sang love songs of Attaullah Niazi Khan, a famous Punjabi singer. They clapped when the music picked up, and silently swayed when it softened. On a smoky kerosene lamp and heater sat a pail of water to provide hot water and stem the choking kerosene fumes. The talk shifted to one of the most troubling recent incidents to upset the alliance: a US airstrike on two mountain outposts in November that killed 24 Pakistani soldiers. The men said they could not understand how the US military, with all its technology, could make such a mistake, and it therefore must have been deliberate. “Every post has a Pakistani flag. They had to see it,” said Tanvir, the base commander. Mushtaq Khan, a major with the military’s communications wing, said, “We also don’t understand: If they made a mistake why didn’t they say sorry? This is the question we ask ourselves in our heart.” The US has said it was partially to blame, first for not having notified Pakistan of an operation in the area, and then for giving it the wrong coordinates for where it was taking place. It also insisted that the Pakistanis fired first. While they criticized the United States’ conduct, none of the soldiers expressed sympathy for militancy. Some Pakistani politicians may call it “America’s War,” but Tanvir disagreed. “This is my country. I am a Pakistani. I don’t see that anyone who destroys our schools, our masjids (mosques), kills people, is good for my country,” he said. “... If they were working for a better Pakistan, we wouldn’t be sitting in this post. The people would be supporting them against us.” Shafiullah, who is clean-shaven, said that if the Islamists took over he would have to grow a beard.

“They are the enemy. They are not working for Pakistan. They are telling us that we have to do everything their way,” he said. —AP

Ethiopian troops to leave Somalia ADDIS ABABA: Ethiopia, which has deployed hundreds of troops inside Somalia to rout Islamist insurgents, is set to withdraw from the war-ravaged country by the end of April with Djibouti, Uganda and Burundi poised to step in, the African Union said yesterday. Ethiopian forces captured the rebel stronghold of Baidoa in southern Somalia last month having seized Baladwayne from the Al-Qaeda-allied Al Shabaab group on New Year’s Eve. Troops from Ethiopia crossed the border in November to open up a third front against the militants, who are also fighting 9,000 Ugandan and Burundian troops under the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) and Kenyan forces to the south. Keen to point out their incursion is not a repeat of their ill-fated 2006-2009 war

in Somalia, Ethiopian officials have said troops would only be deployed for a brief period.

Earlier this month, the UN Security Council voted to expand AMISOM, which supports the shaky Westernbacked government, to nearly 18,000 soldiers, and will include Kenyan troops who will “re-hat” to its blue berets. Chiefs of staff from troop contributing countries met in Addis Ababa to iron out details of the expanding mission. “It provides for Djiboutian forces to be deployed in Baladwayne by the end of April at the latest. Two thousand five hundred troops from Burundi and Uganda will also be deployed in Baidoa by the 30th of April at the latest,” the AU’s Ramtane Lamamra said of a deal signed by the officials.

“The decision up to now is that it is essentially Baladwayne and Baidoa (for Ethiopia) and they have to be handed over to AMISOM and then Ethiopia will withdraw its forces to its own national territory.” Lamamra, the bloc’s commissioner for peace and security, also said a Djiboutian contingent would be deployed in Mogadishu. Ethiopian soldiers previously went into Somalia in 2006, and left in early 2009 after pushing the Islamist Islamic Courts Union out of the capital Mogadishu. At the time, most Somalis opposed the intervention and analysts said it may have encouraged people to join Al Shabaab.

COSTLY Lamamra, however, said there was a slim possibility the bloc could ask Addis Ababa to push further.

“Because Ethiopian troops are assisting ... without being re-hatted unlike Kenya - it means this effort is being done on national resources and national budget, I don’t see how we can ask them to go further, to do more if there is no accompanying support package,” he said. “If we succeed to work out some support package for Ethiopia, we may be in a position to request the government to consider the possibility to help us elsewhere.”

Lamamra also said Sierra Leone was expected to deploy a battalion of 850 troops in southern Somalia by the end of June. Somalia has been in turmoil since warlords toppled dictator Mohamed Siad Barre in 1991. Fighting has killed more than 21,000 people since Al Shabaab launched its insurgency in 2007. —Reuters

ISLAMABAD: Former Pakistan army chief, retired General Mirza Aslam Beg (left) leaves the Supreme Court with an unidentified lawyer after a hearing of Mehran Bank scandal in Islamabad. —AP

Pakistan’s Supreme Court targets army ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s powerful military establishment is under rare scrutiny from the country’s top court, which after a gap of 16 years has opened an investigation into allegations the army funneled money to politicians to influence elections. The case has showcased the emerging power of the Supreme Court, which is also hearing a contempt case against the prime minister that could see him imprisoned. The court’s activism has led to some uncomfortable headlines for politicians and pierced the perception of the generals’ invulnerability.

But it’s unclear who, if anyone will be held accountable. Indeed, some critics say by moving against the generals now, the court is just seeking to deflect criticism that it focuses solely on the alleged misdeeds of the elected civilian government and wants to dislodge President Ali Zardari, with the supposed nod from the military itself. The court is also demanding answers from the army and spy agencies over the fate of hundreds of “missing” Pakistanis: suspected militants or separatists picked up and held by military authorities for months and years in secret detentions.

Analysts say the developments are part of jostling between the army, the court and the government, with each wanting to stake a claim on its sphere of influence. There seems to be a balance among them so far, with no side willing or strong enough to strike a decisive blow against another. Speculation of a military coup or the imminent ousting of the govern-

ment, frequently raised in the media just a few months ago, has receded. The court is acting on a petition filed in 1996 by former Air Vice Marshal Asghar Khan, demanding it investigate what he claimed were payments to right-wing politicians made by the army-run Inter-Services Intelligence spy agency, known as the ISI. The money was to be used to ensure that the Pakistan People’s Party - currently in power would not win the 1990 general elections.

Without explaining why, the court began hearing the case last month. Testimony this week has shone a light on longtime allegations that the ISI has tried to influence elections. On Thursday, Yunus Habib, a 90-year-old banker from the state-owned Mehran Bank, testified that he doled out the equivalent of $1.5 million in bank funds to politicians and ISI officers on the orders of then army chief Gen Aslam Beg and President Ghulam Ishaq Khan, who was considered close to the army.

Some of the politicians who allegedly took the funds remain powerful political players, including opposition leader and former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. He has denied taking any money. On Friday, former ISI chief Lt Gen Asad Durrani testified that he was directed by Beg to distribute the money among politicians from the Islami Jamhoori Ittehad, a right-wing political alliance allegedly set up by the military establishment to counter the PPP. He said Beg told him the money had been collected from the business community in Karachi. —AP

Ghost town remains after Malians flee rebel attacks MENAKA: In northern Mali, the town of Menaka lies abandoned. Shops have been ransacked, electricity cut and soldiers have long fled the military base after a band of Tuareg rebels attacked in early January. “Only about 800 of us are left, Menaka is short of everything, the town is sad, everybody has fled,” laments Mamoud Al Hassan, a local government official in the town which is usually home to some 10,000 people.

Bordering Niger, the small desert town was one of the first to fall when Tuareg rebelsmany of whom came back armed after fighting for late Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafistruck up a decades-old battle for autonomy.

The newly-formed Azawad National Liberation Movement (MNLA) is leading the offensive in the north of the bow-tie shaped West African nation where the nomadic desert tribe originates. It is the first uprising since 2009. Some 172,000 have fled their homes in the past two months, creating a humanitarian crisis amid a severe drought, the United Nations has said.

In Menaka, three pharmacies and a medical dispensary have been looted and vandalized, twenty government vehicles stolen, and a mobile operator stripped of its solar panels, according to information gathered by AFP. The town’s last remaining teacher, who prefers to remain anonymous, said that when residents fled following the footsteps of soldiers

who abandoned their positions in early February, looters arrived “stealing everything they could get their hands on.”

Public buildings were ransacked of tables, chairs, computers and even lightbulbs. In western Menaka one of the most important centers of agricultural experimentation in the region, focusing on inter-breeding cattle to boost milk production, is unrecognizable.

Doors have been ripped off of their hinges, office furniture dragged out and “even the cattle food has been stolen” says a security guard who stayed behind. He explains that one night, two men hooded in balaclavas arrived at the centre in a car, accompanied by a donkey cart to load all they could carry.

Not a drop of petrol remains, plunging the town into the dark as the generator serving the town can no longer operate. Water has also been cut, forcing people to walk for kilometers to stock up. Amid the desolation, a truck loaded with supplies arrives from Algeria, giving hope to the few people remaining, animating the market as men and women come to buy dates, pasta, oil, fruit and dried meat. Suddenly a vehicle with no license plate pulls up. Three armed men jump out the rebels have also come to obtain supplies. They don’t linger, quickly choosing what they need, paying in cash and going on their way. —AFP

SUNDAY, MARCH 11, 2012

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

Islamic meat feeds French election debate PARIS: When halal butcher Lahcen Hakki went to stock up at Paris’ main meat market last month, he was surprised to run into Nicolas Sarkozy and quickly managed to snag a photo alongside the French leader. Sarkozy, who was campaigning for re-election, had latched onto the issue of halal meat-meat slaughtered according to Islamic tradition-and turned it into a topic that for a few frenzied days had dominated the election debate.

The president’s far-right rival Marine Le Pen had claimed, falsely it turned out, that all meat in Paris shops is halal, stirring up suspicions in France’s longstanding and sometimes bitter debate about cultural immigration. Hakki was resigned to the issue cropping up. In his view, halal slaughter causes debate every time there is an election, only to be forgotten once the results are in, and his customers in the northern Paris suburb of Pantin agree that it is an artificial issue.

But Hakki’s own experience-and the changing demographics of the meat industry-illustrates the growing importance of the halal sector in France, which is home to Europe’s largest Muslim community.

When Hakki, 33 and Moroccan-born, opened his shop in October 2011, he took over from the town’s last remaining non-ritual butcher, Yves Beguin, who before retiring had searched in vain for a traditional butcher to succeed him. But, faced with the reality that fewer native French youths are willing to enter a trade marked by long hours and early mornings, Beguin wound up passing the reins on to one of many halal butchers eager to fill the void. Pantin is now without a traditional butcher and, while many of Beguin’s former customers have happily transitioned over to halal meat, those who don’t eat it out of habit or preference are feeling the loss.

“We had a farewell party and they really cried,” said Beguin, who now lives in retirement in the

countryside but always drops in on Hakki when he is in town. “They said, ‘Where will we go?’” Halal meat first entered the election debate on February 18, when Le Pen claimed that all meat in the Paris region is prepared according to Islamic methods and is not labelled as such, misleading non-Muslim customers. Officials later confirmed that, while the Paris region abattoirs mostly supply local Muslim butchers, the majority of the meat consumed in the area comes from outside the region and is neither kosher nor halal.

While Sarkozy initially slammed Le Pen and

said she had started a “false controversy,” he later reignited the debate, in what some called pandering to anti-immigration voters ahead of next month’s presidential election. The debate is typical of a country that has for years debated how far it is willing to accommodate Islam, and Prime Minister Francois Fillon raised the stakes by suggesting Muslim and Jewish butchers abandon “outdated methods”. Like Jewish kosher slaughter, the halal method requires the abattoir to kill the animal by slitting its throat. In French halal the beast is not stunned first-as is done in non-ritual

RUNGIS: A placard reads “Here, Halal meat”, at the entrance of the Halal part of the butchery pavilion at Rungis international food market, near Paris. — AFP

abattoirs-to lessen its ordeal.

In Pantin, residents can still get non-ritual meat at a market held three times a week, at supermarkets or in nearby Paris proper, but they no longer have the convenience of a local butcher-unless they eat halal. Hakki estimates that only about 30 percent of his clientele is Muslim, and that the rest pay no attention to whether the meat is halal or not, despite Sarkozy’s claim that halal meat is the number one campaign topic. Hakki’s non-Muslim customers say they can’t tell the difference in taste between halal and non-halal and admit that neither slaughter method is particularly kind to animals.

One local musician stopped by Thursday for a couple of sirloin steaks to eat with his pregnant wife and said he was more concerned with the color and look of the meat and that it comes from a neighborhood butcher. “If we buy everything at the supermarket, there will no longer be any local shopkeepers,” said 30-year-old Fabien Girard. “And a neighborhood without small shops is a little dead.” The economics of food is one reason why traditional butchers have vanished from Pantin, according to the town’s long-time Socialist mayor, Bertrand Kern. “We are a working-class town that has been hard-hit by the crisis,” he said, pointing out that Pantin never had a fishmonger because of the cost of seafood.

The price, along with immigrant demand for halal meat and the increasing difficulty of finding French youth interested in becoming butchers, leads Kern to doubt Pantin will have another traditional butchers anytime soon. For Hakki it is out of the question to carry non-halal meat in his shop, as his religion forbids it and because it would drive away his Muslim clientele. “If I do halal and non-halal, the Muslims will see that this side here is non-halal and they won’t shop here any more,” said Hakki. — AFP

Churches launch attack on British gay-marriage plan Anti-gay-marriage letter to be read in churches LONDON: The head of the Roman Catholic Church in England will be the latest church leader to try to ambush the prime minister’s attempt to legalize same-sex marriage when he launches his “no” campaign from the pulpit this weekend. Archbishop of Westminster Vincent Nichols has written a pastoral letter to be read out during Mass in dozens of churches today, warning about the dangers of changing the legal definition of marriage.

Prime Minister David Cameron is already facing a religious backlash from many in the Anglican mother church, the Church of England, which has sometimes been called the “Conservative Party at prayer”. The head of the Church of England, Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams, however, has said a new law for gay couples would amount to forcing unwanted change on the rest of the nation. The argument echoes others elsewhere in Europe and beyond.

On Friday, Pope Benedict denounced the “powerful political and cultural currents” seeking to legalize gay marriage in the United States, where Maryland has just become the eighth state to allow it. The British government is planning this month to launch a formal consultation docu-

ment on allowing homosexual couples to marry, spearheaded by a minister from the Liberal Democrats, the junior partner in the government coalition. Equalities minister Lynne Featherstone argues churches do not “own” marriage law. Cameron, who has compared his faith to that of a weak radio signal - “it comes and goes”, supported the change during a speech last October. Nichols’ letter, which has been released in advance, says that “neither the church nor the state has the power to change this fundamental understanding of marriage itself”. “Changing the legal definition of marriage would be a profoundly radical step,” it says.

“A change in the law would gradually and inevitably transform society’s understanding of the purpose of marriage. “It would reduce it just to the commitment of the two people involved.

There would be no recognition of the complementarity of male and female, or that marriage is intended for the procreation and education of children.” The Roman Catholic Church, which has some 1.3 billion members worldwide, teaches that while homosexual tendencies are not sinful, homosexual acts are, and that children should grow up in a traditional family with a

mother and father.

Gay marriage is legal in a number of European countries, including Spain and the Netherlands. An online survey by Catholic Voices, a group created to put the Roman Catholic Church’s case to the British media, said seven out of 10 Britons believed that marriage should continue to be defined as a lifelong union between a man and a woman. Last weekend, the most senior Roman Catholic cleric in Britain, Cardinal Keith O’Brien, said the plans were a “grotesque subversion of a universally accepted human right”.

The Church of England is the established church in a country is an increasingly secular society. One liberal bishop in the Church of England has even said he regards some samesex couples he knows as being in a marriage.

The National Secular Society argues the issue is broader than gay marriage, warning that if the Catholic Church wins this argument it will lead to “other regressive demands” such as a change to the abortion law. “This is the Catholic Church trying to bully its way into political power through lobbying by intimidation and emotional blackmail,” it said on its website. — Reuters

Security forces, Islamists battle in northern Nigeria Boko Haram a major headache for Jonathan KANO: A gun battle broke out yesterday between suspected Islamist militants and police in Nigeria’s biggest northern city of Kano, after gunmen opened fire on a police station, a police spokesman said. At least three police officers were wounded in the attack, spokesman Ibrahim Idris said, adding the area had since been cordoned off. “There was an attack on the police station but we were able to repel them. It is a big area so we can’t say anything yet on the casualties,” he said. The Boko Haram Islamist sect, which is based in the north and styles itself on the Taliban, is waging a low-level insurgency against the southern-dominated government, proving a growing security headache for President Goodluck Jonathan.

The group has been blamed for almost daily shootings and bombings that have killed hundreds of people in the past two years. A Briton and an Italian held hostage in Nigeria were killed

by their captors on Thursday, after being held for almost a year by what security officials said was a Boko Haram faction. Security officials say the group has received some training, weapons and bomb-making technology from al Qaeda in the Islamic Magreb, which operates in neighboring Niger and Chad. The militant group is fighting to impose Islamic Sharia law in a country split between Christians and Muslims.

Suspected Boko Haram insurgents attacked a police station and two banks in a remote part of the northeast on Thursday, killing seven people.

The military said they arrested three suspected Boko Haram militants and seized a weapons cache near the group’s northeastern heartland of Maiduguri on Friday.

The weapons seized included eight Ak-47 assault rifles, bomb making materials, pistols and hundreds of rounds of ammunition. “All these weapons were recovered in Dala ward

with the assistance of the three sect members who gave us the information on the different locations,” said spokesman for the Joint Task Force in Maiduguri, Lieutenant Colonel Hassan Mohammed.

The Islamists used to be confined to the northeastern heartland of Maiduguri, but have in the past six months radiated across the north and struck the capital a handful of times. They have moved heavily into Kano, a city of more than five million, where they carried out their most lethal strike to date in January, setting off bombs and gun battles that killed at least 186 people, most of them civilians. On a visit to Nigeria on Monday, US Under Secretary for Political Affairs Wendy Sherman urged the government to tackle the Islamist insurgency by bringing jobs and development to the deprived region, and pledged to support Abuja in the task. —Reuters

MOSCOW: Demonstrators take part in anti-Putin rally in the central Arbat area in Moscow yesterday. — AFP

Russians stage new anti-Putin protests Protesters challenge Putin’s election victory MOSCOW: Several thousand Russians gathered in central Moscow yesterday for a rally seen as a test of the opposition’s ability to mount a sustained challenge to President-elect Vladimir Putin.

Demonstrators carried white balloons and wore white ribbons, the symbols of protests that began over a disputed parliamentary poll on Dec 4 and are intended now to highlight allegations of fraud in the presidential election Putin won on March 4.

Putin’s opponents hoped to attract a large crowd to maintain the momentum of the rallies, which could quickly fade following Putin’s triumph and the detention of hundreds of people during or after protests on Monday.

Early signs were that the protest would be smaller than the largest protests that have attracted tens of thousands of people over the past three months. The mood was relaxed on a cold but sunny day on Moscow ’s Novy Arbat street at a rally approved by the city authorities. Police were out in force and two helicopters hovered overhead. Protests leaders addressed the crowd from a stage bearing the slogans “For new elections” and “These are not elections, this is not a president”. “These authorities are illegitimate,” Vladimir Ryzhkov, a

opposition leader and protest organizer, told the crowd.

“The same people are in power: The same people who took away our right to choose, the same people who destroyed freedom of speech and political competition,” he said. “We will continue to demand deep political reforms and new elections.

We will continue to demand they free all political prisoners. ... We will continue to demand freedom of speech and the media.”

Liberal opposition leader Grigory Yavlinsky, who was barred from running in the presidential election, told reporters that people should be patient as they seek to change the political system which is dominated by Putin. “If this system took 15 or so years to be created, we need a few years - three, four, five - to dismantle it. Of course we will need it. That’s why we need these demonstrations,” he said. International election monitors say the presidential election was clearly skewed in Putin’s favour but the Central Election Commission said there were no serious violations. The protest organizers say there were many examples of cheating, and that Putin probably won far fewer votes than the official tally of more than 63 percent. They refuse to recognize the official results. — Reuters

Slovak left poised to win election, sink reformists

BRATISLAVA: Slovakia’s Prime Minister Iveta Radicova (center) casts her vote during the general elections in Bratislava yesterday. — AFP

BRATISLAVA: Leftist former Prime Minister Robert Fico is poised to sweep to victory in Slovakia’s election yesterday on a pledge to tax the rich and better protect the working class as the country grapples with high unemployment and economic turmoil. Polls show the 47-yearold lawyer could win 40 percent of the vote, potentially knocking his reformist rival Mikulas Dzurinda’s centre-right SDKU out of power and possibly out of parliament.

A government led by Fico’s pro-European Smer party would assuage Slovakia’s euro zone partners who were upset by the outgoing coalition’s refusal to contribute to the first bailout of Greece and holding up strengthening of a euro zone rescue fund. Many centre-right voters, disillusioned by political corruption scandals, are expected to stay away from the ballot box and polls show turnout may fall to a record low of 44 percent, which would help Fico.

Voting started at 0600 GMT and will end at 2100 GMT. “I still don’t know. I would like to vote for centre-right parties but I’m still not decided.

There were many scandals, they have stolen the entire country, and that’s not good,” said Tomas

Rigel, 35. The unrivalled leader of centre-left Smer, Fico says he plans to use tax hikes to maintain welfare and cut the budget deficit, and continue the outgoing cabinet’s effort to protect the country’s sovereign credit ratings. Fico, who served one term as the central European country’s prime minister in 2006-2010, has pledged to dump Dzurinda’s flagship reform - a 19 percent flat income tax - and reel in more from the rich, banks and other firms.

SUPPORT His plans involve almost doubling a special tax on bank deposits to 0.7 percent, raising the corporate tax to 22 percent, from 19 percent now, and raising the income tax for people earning over 33,000 euros per year. “If you have record profits, you will pay record taxes,” Fico has told election rally crowds. He has also criticized labor reforms under the previous centre-right government that have made it easier to hire and fire workers, striking a chord among voters afraid of job insecurity. Rhetoric aimed at poorer, older, and rural voters has served him well in the euro zone’s second-poorest country, where 13.7 percent are out of a job.

The minimum Slovak monthly salary is just 327 euros ($430), half of the minimum pay in crisis-hit Greece. The election comes two years early, after an SDKU-led coalition government collapsed in acrimony last October when one of its junior members, the free-market SaS party, refused to back the expansion of the euro zone’s bailout fund. At the heart of the SDKU’s likely electoral rout, however, lies the leaking of a secret service file in December purporting to detail bugged conversations between top politicians and businessmen in which they allegedly discuss kickbacks in return for the sale of public companies in the mid-2000s.

Details of the file, code named “Gorilla”, have drawn tens of thousands of outraged Slovaks onto the streets in the past month in a rare display of public anger. On Friday, police used teargas to disperse a demonstration of around 200 people at the government’s offices who threw eggs and shouted “Put the gorilla behind bars”.

Police said several protesters were detained.

Dzurinda and other SDKU officials have strenuously denied any allegations of corruption in the file. —Reuters

SUNDAY, MARCH 11, 2012

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

Electoral test for ex-guerrillas governing El Salvador SAN SALVADOR: A close electoral race is expected today in the Central American nation of El Salvador, in a test for the first leftist government since the end of the civil war 20 years ago. Today’s battle, for posts of lawmakers as well as mayors, will shape the remaining two years of the presidency of Mauricio Funes, who took power in 2009 in the tiny, densely-populated nation. The moderate Funes remains popular but his approval ratings do not necessarily transfer into potential votes for his party, the ex-guerrilla Farbundo Marti National Liberation Front (FMLN). According to a recent poll, the FMLN-which governs allied with right-wing dissidents-scored 27.8 percent. The conservative Nationalist Republican Alliance (Arena) - which governed for two decades after the civil war-had 26.4 percent, in a technical tie, in the poll by the Central American University (UCA).

The FMLN has campaigned promising social programs and job creation in a nation with unemployment among one third of the population and one of the highest murder rates in the world, of some 65 per 100,000 inhabitants.

Arena has promised new laws to tackle insecurity as youth gangs, or “Maras,” spread fear and control parts of cities and towns, clashing with drug gangs and other criminals. Both main par-

DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA: El Salvador’s First Lady and Secretary of Social Inclusion Vanda Pignato arrives for a discussion on outreach to women at the Inter-American Dialogue in Washington. — AFP ties “have developed similar propaganda... without explaining how they will deliver on their promises,” said Jannet Aguilar, director of the

Institute of Public Opinion at the UCA. In a distant third is the Gana grouping, led by ex-president Elias Antonio Saca, with barely 6.3

percent. Saca was expelled from Arena and the party’s 14 lawmakers gave a majority to the Funes government in the current Congress. The FMLN says it plans to build a simple majority with at least two minority parties this time around. The vote is for 84 lawmakers. There is also a technical heat in the polls for 262 mayors, apart from in the capital, San Salvador, where Arena is expected to hold on to the post. Current Arena mayor Norman Quijano scored 57.8 percent against 22 percent for FMLN candidate Schafik Handal in the UCA poll.

Unemployment and under-employment have dropped slightly, from 40 to 36 percent, during the Funes administration while young people have continued to emigrate to the United States. One in three Salvadorans live in the United States, providing remittances of more than 3.6 billion dollars in 2011, around one sixth of GDP. Some 4.5 people are eligible to vote in elections due to open at 7:00 am (1300 GMT) and close at 5:00 pm (2300 GMT) today.

The country is introducing a “residential vote,” allowing many voters to cast ballots in their home towns in the hopes of raising participation. The FMLN was founded by Marxist guerillas fighting a US-backed government in the 1980s. More than 75,000 people were killed during the 1980-1992 civil war. — AFP

Youth deaths horrify Mexico’s Cuernavaca Body parts found in plastic bags MEXICO CITY: The slayings of four youths whose bodies were cut to pieces and left in plastic bags has horrified the central Mexico city of Cuernavaca, calling up memories of a similar crime a year ago that spurred the creation of a national crime victims’ movement. Prosecutors in Morelos state said the victims, ranging in age from 14 to 21, were found Thursday in plastic bags on a Cuernavaca street along with a threatening note from a drug gang. Photos from the scene showed a handless arm lying near the handwritten note.

The youths had apparently been strangled or asphyxiated before being dismembered, according to the prosecutors’ statement. Prosecutors said the four were students at local schools, though the mother of the youngest victim, 14year-old Brandon Contreras Gutierrez, said the boy had left home 11/2 weeks before “and had been hanging out with others, driving around on minibikes” in one of the city’s rougher neighborhoods. It was not clear if he had any relationship with gang members who frequently use scooters or mini-motorcycles to distribute drugs or transport gunmen.

Morelos state Interior Secretary Oscar

Hernandez Benitez said in a statement that he had ordered stepped-up patrols in the city following the killings and he called on the public “to form a united front against violence, for peace and tranquility in our state.” Local media reported that two high schools in the victims’ neighborhood were briefly closed and evacuated after the bodies were found. The education department did not immediately respond to requests to confirm that. Cuernavaca, nicknamed “The City of Eternal Spring,” was once known mainly as a balmy resort area for tourists and as a weekend retreat for wealthy residents of Mexico City, just 40 miles away.

However it has become the scene of drug cartel turf battles in recent years, and the city was shocked when the son of poet Javier Sicilia and six friends were found dead, their bodies found stuffed into a car on March 28, 2011. A half dozen alleged drug gang members have been indicted in connection with those killings, and are facing trial. Sicilia went on to found a nationwide movement advocating an end to Mexico’s drug violence, which saw at least 47,515 people killed between December 2006, when President Felipe Calderon launched an offensive against drug car-

GUADALAJARA: A police officer arrives at the site where drug traffickers burnt down vehicles on the highway to Puerto Vallarta, in Guadalajara, Mexico. — AFP

California reviews gangs, high-risk inmate policies SACRAMENTO: A sharp reduction in prison crowding is giving officials in the nation’s largest state prison system breathing space to rethink long-outdated policies affecting where inmates live and how best to suppress the gangs that unofficially control many aspects of life behind bars. California prison officials on Friday unveiled proposed changes to rules that kept some gang members locked in isolation for years and led to widespread inmate hunger strikes last year.

They also released a study that could help save taxpayers money by giving the state more flexibility to house some high-risk inmates in lower-level prisons instead of building new maximum-security lockups. Both moves are possible, officials said, because the state is diverting thousands of lower-level criminals from state prisons to local jails under a law that took effect in October. The shift was driven by federal judges who ruled state prisons were so jammed that officials could not provide proper care to mentally and physically ill inmates. The US Supreme Court last year upheld the authority of the judges to order the state to reduce crowding.

The reduction is just beginning, but the benefits are changing the way the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation does business, said Terri McDonald, the department’s undersecretary for operations.

“Public safety realignment has given us the opportunity to begin to implement research

and policies that we’ve wanted to do for years but haven’t had the ability to do that because we were just so crowded,” she said in an interview. The department hadn’t planned to release the study on the security classification of inmates on Friday, until a copy was independently obtained by The Associated Press.

But McDonald said that study fits with the new gang regulations that would give inmates a chance to earn their way out of the state’s notorious security housing units.

The state can safely house some maximum-security inmates in lower-level prisons, according to five University of California criminology experts commissioned by the department to review its classification system. That in turn could free up space in maximum-security prisons to house some of the nearly 2,300 gang members who currently are in the security housing units, McDonald said. Donald Specter, director of the nonprofit Berkeleybased Prison Law Office, applauded the security recommendations but said gang members should be able to work their way out of the isolation units more quickly than the department is proposing.

The department could have changed its antiquated policies without waiting for crowding to abate, said Specter, one of the attorneys who sued and won the federal crowdingreduction order. The proposed regulations say gang members would no longer have to renounce their gang membership.—AP

tels, through September 2011, the latest figures made available by the government. Thousands more are thought to have disappeared.

On Friday, Sicilia said the new slayings prove that little or nothing has changed in the year since his son died and that the government continues to fail to prevent or investigate such crimes. “Unfortunately, we are seeing the same story over and over again,” said Sicilia, “These crimes in Morelos, along with the crimes throughout the nation, are proof of the government’s lack of effectiveness and its distance from the people.” “The clearest proof of that is that we continue to have 98 percent of crimes that go unpunished.”

To address such concerns, Calderon unveiled the headquarters of what his government calls its “scientific police division,” a wing of the federal police that will use specialized forensics and crime-scene techniques to boost investigations that in the past have been marked by clumsiness and poorly preserved evidence. Calderon acknowledged the weaknesses of the past, saying police were “not very professional and in many cases incapable of fulfilling their primary mission of ensuring citizens’ safety and, in some cases, they even allied themselves with criminals.”

The new, 700-million-peso ($55 million) facility will have DNA, ballistics and fingerprint labs as well as a cyber-crime unit. Calderon said that Mexico has made progress in detaining top drug traffickers, but that street level violence between lower-ranking gang members has continued apace. This week’s killings in Cuernavaca bore the hallmarks of gang-on-gang violence, as do many of the killings in Cuernavaca, where victims’ bodies have been hung from overpasses and left with hand-lettered signs. The many Spanish-language schools in Cuernavaca that cater to foreign students have argued that violence is largely limited to those with gang links and say the city is still safe for the average person.

One such school, the Universidad Internacional, says on its website that “Cuernavaca is safer than most North American cities of its size.” “The violence is waged among themselves. Visitors and locals are safe!” wrote Virginia Ramos Foster, who leads study groups at the school. Sicilia criticized such reasoning, even if many victims are gang members. “If they are killing each other ... they still deserve justice,” Sicilia said. “They were not born criminals, the government and society are not giving these youths what they need to become men, not criminals.” — AP

US flight attendant rants about crashing CHICAGO: A female flight attendant who started ranting about a possible crash over the public address system of an American Airlines plane on Friday was subdued by passengers and crew as the plane returned to the gate, passengers said. The incident at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport led the pilot to taxi back to the gate, where police and FBI agents took the unidentified flight attendant for a psychiatric evaluation, airport spokesman David Magana said.

Passengers who arrived later at Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport said the attendant had begun babbling about technical problems with the plane, saying “Captain, I can’t be responsible for crashing this plane.” “No one was responding, and then when she said ‘crash’ twice, we knew something was wrong,” said an unidentified passenger, whose comments were broadcast on WBBM radio in Chicago. “She said she was bipolar, so we continued to hold her until police arrived. When they showed up they put the cuffs on and got her off the plane,” another unidentified passenger said.

The attendant also spoke about losing friends in the Sept 11, 2001, terror attacks on the United States.

“She said she just wanted to save people and that she wouldn’t be responsible if the plane crashed,” passenger Whitney Bessler was quoted as saying by the Dallas Morning News. “She was screaming bloody murder,” passenger Bethany Christakos told the Dallas Observer. —Reuters

TOPEKA: Republican presidential candidate, former Pennsylvania Sen Rick Santorum waves to supporters during a rally in Topeka, Kan. — AP

Republican race moves to US conservative heartland WICHITA: The battle for the Republican Party crown moves into new territory yesterday, with the “reddest of the red” states, conservative heartland Kansas, heading for the polls amid attempts by Rick Santorum to hobble Mitt Romney’s slow march forward. In normal times, the caucuses in Midwestern Kansas would merit only a passing mention, but with no clear Republican candidate yet to take on Democrat President Barack Obama in November polls, all is still to play for. “We’re very much on the candidates’ radar because Super Tuesday has come and gone and we still don’t know who our nominee is,” said Lora Cox, executive director of the Sedgwick County Republican Party.

“We are definitely the heartland for conservative thought,” she said, adding, “I anticipate a big turnout of conservative voters.”

Ultra-conservative Kansas is an unlikely match for Romney, and the former governor of liberal Massachusetts has stayed away, focusing instead on Tuesday’s primaries in the key southern states of Alabama and Mississippi. Although Romney consolidated his pole position in this week’s slew of votes, he failed to knock either Santorum or former House speaker Newt Gingrich out of the race.

Libertarian Texas congressman Ron Paul is also still hanging on, even though he has yet to win a single contest.

No polls have been carried out in Kansas, but most observers believe Santorum’s tough right-wing message will win over conservatives-although the race could still be muddled, according to some. In Wichita, Santorum lumped Obama and Romney together while likening himself to former president Ronald Reagan. “That guy who was too conservativeyou remember him?” Santorum said to cheers from several hundred supporters gathered in an airplane hangar. “That guy who talked about the sanctity of human life and the importance of marriage in America.”

So far Romney is leading the pack overall,

having won about a third of the 1,144 delegates needed to secure the party’s nomination, after 23 contests in the Republicans’ complex state-by-state race. Kansas Republican Governor Sam Brownback showed up at Paul’s and Santorum’s speeches on Friday, but did not endorse either. He said he might endorse one of the contenders after the vote and predicted the election could make a difference. “I think it will help to build momentum, and nobody has this won, so momentum’s pretty important,” he said. There are 40 delegates at stake in Kansas, and a further 18 split between the far-flung US territories of Guam, Northern Marianas and the Virgin Islands which also hold voted yesterday.

The bigger prizes are at stake on Tuesday, when Alabama with 50 delegates, Mississippi with 40 and Hawaii with 20 will go to the polls. “Santorum’s social conservatism would be expected to play well with Deep Southern voters,” Charles Franklin, co-founder of pollster.com and a professor at Marquette University Law School said. “But, stylistically, Gingrich with his long history in the South maybe is a little more appealing than Santorum’s Yankee charm from Pennsylvania.”

Two small polls released Friday predicted a tight race in Alabama between Romney, Gingrich and Santorum, narrowly giving the edge to Gingrich.

In Mississippi a poll by Rasmussen Reports gave Romney 35 percent of the vote, with Santorum and Gingrich both on 27 percent. At a rally Friday in Jackson, Mississippi, Romney went on the attack against Obama, saying: “We’ve gone from ‘yes we can’ (in 2008) to ‘it’s not my fault’. ‘It’s not my fault’ is his new campaign slogan.” But Troy Gibson, associate professor of political science at the University of Southern Mississippi, said he thought a Romney win in Mississippi unlikely.

“I just don’t think he has the enthusiastic base that he would need to pull those out,” he said.— AFP

Hawaii’s weather brings hail, dampens vacations HONOLULU: For about a week, the sunshine Hawaii is normally famous for has been replaced with thunderstorms and large pieces of hail. A 30-minute hail storm Friday over windward Oahu was “unprecedented,” for Hawaii, said Tom Birchard, senior meteorologist for the National Weather Service in Honolulu. Not only is it highly unusual for hail to fall over Hawaii, but some stones that measured as large as three inches are likely recordbreaking, he said.

Small stones were reported to have fallen on other islands over the course of about a week of heavy rains over parts of Hawaii that closed schools, caused sewage spills, flooded homes and dampened vacations. There were landslides, power outages and roads blocks by trees, boulders and mud. Cold weather in the middle and upper levels of the atmosphere has led to strong updrafts that kept the ice chunks from melting into rain before hitting the ground, Birchard said. Thunderstorms were in Friday’s forecast but heavy rains were

expected to subside today. It’s the tail end of Hawaii’s rainy season. “The rain is not all that unusual but the hail and strength of the thunderstorms are unusual,” he said. A section of a roof blew off a house and traveled several hundred yards in Kailua, prompting officials to send a meteorologist to see if the cause was straight-line winds or a waterspout that moved ashore into a tornado, Birchard said.

The weather service was still compiling total rainfall amounts but Birchard said records will likely be broken. For the seven-day period ending Friday, the highest rainfall level was nearly 46 inches in Hanalei on Kauai.

Visitors to tourism-dependent Hawaii were urged to check weather advisories and warnings and to follow all recommendations. “As the storm continues to pass through our Hawaiian islands, we remain open for business,” said Hawaii Tourism Authority President and CEO Mike McCartney. Mike Zellman was hoping to trade cold weather in Hamburg, Germany with sunshine in Hawaii. —AP

SUNDAY, MARCH 11, 2012

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

Nothing stirs in Japan’s nuclear ghost town IITATE: They used to raise premium beef cattle in Iitate. But a year after Japan’s nuclear disaster it is an irradiated ghost town and those who used to call it home have no idea when they will be able to return.

Around 6,000 people fled this once idyllic farming community on the northeast coast, leaving behind houses and shops that were once the focus of village life. Post boxes and vending machines are sealed off.

The shelves of the grocery store are empty and the lanes that used to echo to the sound of lowing cattle or the rattle of tractors are deserted.

Occasionally, the snow-covered stillness is punctured by the barking of a stray dog or the patrol of a police car sent to prevent looting. Only a small number of people remain, including 100 residents of a nursing home, too old to move and looked after by staff who commute daily into the village. Iitate lies just beyond the official no-man’s land declared around Fukushima Daiichi after it began spewing radiation in the aftermath of the tsunami last March.

But the leaking reactors’ toxic isotopes have not been confined to the 20-kilometre exclusion zone, and Iitate was evacuated when scientists found it was heavily polluted. Administrative functions have been moved to a small town 20 kilometers away, while villagers have been scattered, many to newly built prefabricated housing. “I know I will die here,” Hatsui Akaishisawa, an 80-year-old rice farmer told AFP as she dried a wet carpet outside her temporary home in Matsukawa, central Fukushima, the biggest refugee housing complex for Iitate villagers.

“Of course, I want to go back home, but it does not mean anything if I can’t continue farming,” she said.

“I’m giving it up now.” The cattle that were raised in

IITATE: A snow blanket is seen in Iitate, Fukushima Prefecture. Some 6,000 residents were forced to evacuate after radioactive dust from the crippled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant fell on this once idyllic farming village. — AFP the village for famed “Iitate brand” marbled beef have that contamination levels vary widely even over small all gone, sold off at steep discounts, or slaughtered areas. This could mean that Iitate will be broken into because the once-prized meat was virtually several different categories, with some places unsellable. “Even if we can return home, we won’t declared safe immediately, others requiring decontaraise cows anymore,” said Masako Kobayashi, a 79- mination work and some parts being out of bounds.

Iitate mayor Norio Kanno said the village was “still a year-old cattle farmer. “We can’t grow even a single stalk of of straw to feed them because of the radia- ghost town” in a speech he delivered last month when he was invited to a music festival in New York. Kanno tion.”

Tokyo says it plans to redefine the Fukushima evac- has pledged that all villagers will be able to go home, uation zone by late March to take account of the fact but many are skeptical. “The future of Iitate is not rosy

but thorny,” said Shigeru Hanai, a 50-year-old barber, who had returned temporarily to his shop in Iitate.

“Even if we are told, ‘You may go home,’ how could I do business without customers?” Hanai asked. Masami Sanpei, manager of the nursing home that has become the centre of human activity in Iitate, said he wanted to keep the facility up and running, not just for its ageing residents, but so it can provide jobs for younger people when restrictions are lifted.

“The road to recovery is quite tough,” said Sanpei, who commutes by car every day, along with 70 fellow care givers. “Some people say the village only appears to be dead, but it really is,” he said. In December, Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda said the country finally had control of Fukushima’s leaking reactors, declaring them to be “in a state of cold shutdown”. But the disaster-weary public is only too aware that the crisis is far from over, with some parts of the no-go zone uninhabitable for decades and decommissioning of the reactors expected to take 40 years.

The task of restoring towns and villages even in lightly contaminated zones is complicated, with high costs and the logistical issues of where to put the soil that has to be removed. But not everyone believes Iitate is a lost cause. Mihori Takahashi, 30, says she understands why people of her generation are shunning the contaminated village, particularly those with concerns about their children’s health. “But I am determined to return to Iitate with my husband, no matter what,” said Takahashi, an employee at a grocery store that opened in January inside the Matsukawa temporary housing complex. “Some elderly villagers say they want to return to die there,” she said. But I want to go back to live there.” — AFP

Chinese forces kill 4 in Xinjiang raid ‘Uprising Day’ plans muted by clampdown SHANGHAI: Chinese police have shot dead four people suspected of making bombs in the far western region of Xinjiang, which has been beset by ethnic strife and violent unrest, Radio Free Asia reported yesterday. The pre-dawn raid on a farmhouse took place on Thursday after a man was injured while making a bomb at home, which raised suspicions, the US-based broadcaster quoted local police as saying. China has blamed violence in Xinjiang on Islamic separatists who want to establish an independent state called East Turkestan. Some Chinese officials have also blamed attacks on Muslim militants trained in Pakistan.

Exiled Uighur groups and human rights activists say China overstates the threat posed by militants in Xinjiang, which sits astride south and central Asia. Twenty-one people were detained by police in Thursday’s raid, during which one of the suspects chopped off a policeman’s hand with an axe, Radio Free Asia said. Last month, the government said attackers wielding knives killed 13 people in Xinjiang before police killed seven of them. Uighurs account for just over 40 percent of the Xinjiang region’s 21 million people. But they are the majority in Kashgar and other parts of the region’s south and many resent government controls on their culture and religion.

In July 2009, Uighurs rioted against Han Chinese residents in Urumqi, the capital of Xinjiang. At least 197 people were killed, most of them Han, according to official estimates. In January, authorities said that seven people killed by police in Xinjiang had been trying to leave the country to wage “holy war”. The government sees Xinjiang as a bulwark facing the predominantly Muslim countries of central Asia. The region, with a sixth of the country’s land mass, is also rich in natural resources, including oil, coal and gas.

‘Uprising Day’ As the anniversary of the Dalai Lama’s flight into exile, March 10 has traditionally been a flashpoint for unrest in China’s vast Tibetan-inhabited regions. But the monks at Taersi Buddhist Monastery in the northwestern province of Qinghai have no

plans to mark the day their revered spiritual leader fled Tibet following a failed uprising against China’s rule in 1959. “No, no, we have no activities planned to commemorate this day,” said one monk at Taersi, home to more than 3,000 monks and one of the most influential institutions in the Dalai Lama’s Gelugpa school of Tibetan Buddhism. “Right now our monastery is under strict supervision, it is not proper to speak of such things at this time,” the monk said, refusing to give his name out of fear for his safety.

Chinese authorities launched a huge security clampdown ahead of the sensitive anniversary, known in Tibetan areas as “uprising day”. It comes after a year in which more than 20 Tibetans, most of them monks, have set fire to themselves to protest Beijing’s rule, sparking international condemnation of what critics call religious and cultural repression. Beijing has heaped blame for the incidents on the Dalai Lama, who lives in exile in India, accusing the 76year-old Buddhist leader and his followers of plotting to create “turmoil”

TAIPEI: Dozens of Tibetans march on the street to protest against the Chinese government during an anti-China demonstration in Taipei yesterday. Some fifty Tibetans and their sympathizers marched on the street to mark the 53th anniversary of the Tibetan uprising against Chinese rule. — AFP

in China’s Tibetan-inhabited areas.

Tibetan Buddhist clergy are under particularly close scrutiny-the government closely monitors their activities, stationing its representatives in monasteries and nunneries in the region and organizing “political reeducation” classes. Nonetheless, photographs of the Dalai Lama, often banned in China’s Tibetan-inhabited regions, are on open display in some of the vast halls at Taersi, also known by its Tibetan name of Kumbum monastery. Visitors are shown locked rooms where monks bow and pray before even more photographs of the spiritual leader. Monks in Taersi said security surrounding the monastery has been heavy since March 2008, when deadly riots erupted in Tibet’s capital, Lhasa, and spread to other areas.

But while there have been a number of self-immolations in neighboring Sichuan province, only one has been reported in Qinghai, which has a relatively large population of other ethnic groups including the dominant Han Chinese. “What is particularly significant I think is that there haven’t been any self-immolations in the Tibetan autonomous region, which is after all an area where half of Tibetans live,” said Barry Sautman, an expert on Tibetan issues. He said there was a difference between “those areas that are multi-ethnic or urban, or quasi-urban”, where most of the self-immolations had occurred, and the sparsely populated countryside where very few Han people live.

Beijing insists that Tibetans enjoy religious freedom and have benefited from improved living standards brought on by China’s economic expansion. At the Taersi monastery, there is little evidence of any ethnic tensions, and the Tibetan monks say they coexist peacefully with their Han Chinese and ethnic Mongolian counterparts. But they are also highly aware of the debate surrounding their revered spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, in Beijing. “We are awaiting his return to Tibet,” said one.

“The government accuses him of wanting Tibetan independence, but the Dalai Lama has always said he wants more autonomy for Tibet, he wants something like the ‘one country, two systems’ China gave Hong Kong.” — Agencies

Meltdown intel emerges ahead of Japan ’versary TOKYO: Japan was yesterday preparing to mark the first anniversary of its tsunami, as government papers revealed ministers were warned of the possibility of meltdowns at Fukushima just after the waves struck. A summary of a government meeting held about four hours after a giant earthquake sent a wall of water crashing into the atomic power station showed that one unidentified participant had cautioned of the risk of a meltdown. “If the temperature of the reactor cores rises after eight hours, there is a possibility that a meltdown will occur,” the person said, according to the summary released on Friday.

Fukushima Daiichi, 220 kilometers northeast of Tokyo, spewed radiation after its cooling systems were knocked out by the tsunami when it crushed coastal communities and left more than 19,000 people dead or missing. The government and plant operator Tokyo Electric Power (TEPCO) maintained for months there had been no meltdown at Fukushima, despite repeated warnings from independent experts. They finally admitted

in May that three of six reactors had suffered meltdowns.

Tens of thousands of people were made homeless by the nuclear crisis and some tracts of land inside a 20-kilometre exclusion zone are expected to be uninhabitable for decades because of radiation levels. Friday’s revelations came as Japan prepared to mark the first anniversary of the tragedy. Much of public life will pause today at 2.46 pm (0546 GMT) to mark the exact moment a 9.0 magnitude earthquake struck off the country’s east coast on March 11 last year.

Public transport was expected to stop, and Tokyo’s busy shopping districts will fall silent for a minute as the country honors the memory of those who died when the towering tsunami smashed ashore.

A formal ceremony in the capital will be the centerpiece of Japan’s official remembrance, with speeches from Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda and Emperor Akihito. The 78-year-old emperor, who underwent heart surgery three weeks ago, will attend 20 minutes of the hour-long ceremony

with Empress Michiko, the royal household said yesterday. Some trains in and around Tokyo will be stopped to observe the silence today, Kyodo reported, adding underground train services in the capital will also be halted briefly in the morning.

Anti-nuclear protests were scheduled in Tokyo and Fukushima, as well as other parts of the country, while candle-lighting ceremonies were expected to commemorate the victims of the natural disaster. Writing in the Washington Post, Noda said the events of March 11 were etched in the nation’s memory. “We will not forget the loved ones, friends and colleagues lost in the disaster,” he said. “Nor will we forget the outpouring of support and international expressions of solidarity that Japan received. For this, we feel deeply indebted and forever appreciative.” Noda, who is battling sliding approval ratings as he tries to push through an unpopular tax rise aimed at making a dent in Japan’s mountain of debt, said the country would recover.—AFP

MINAMISANRIKU: People gather in front of a tomb to pray for their late relatives as part of the first anniversary of earthquake-tsunami disaster in Minamisanriku, Miyagi prefecture. — AFP

Nuke evacuation fatal for old, sick MINAMI-SOMA: The doctors and nurses at Futaba Hospital pleaded for help as a radioactive plume wafted over their hospital. They had been ordered out but had no vehicles to evacuate the hundreds of patients in their care. After two days of waiting in the cold with no electricity, help finally came. Nearly two dozen patients died in the chaotic, daylong odyssey that followed. Japan’s government says only one person, an overworked employee at the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant, died as a result of the worst nuclear disaster since Chernobyl.

But one year later, details from a new report and interviews with local authorities show many more perished because of bad planning and miscommunication between government agencies. In fact, if the calamities that unfolded on March 11, 2011, were to be repeated today, hundreds of thousands of lives would still be at risk, according to mayors, hospital administrators and disaster response officials interviewed by The Associated Press. They say little has been done to fix systemic planning shortfalls and communication problems between government agencies that compounded that day’s horrors.

“We have set a terrible precedent for the rest of the nation and for any town in the world where nuclear plants are located,” said Katsutaka Idokawa, the mayor of Futaba, one of two towns straddled by the devastated Fukushima facility. “I see this disaster as a meltdown of Japan itself.” Akinori Kahata, a nuclear disaster management official at Japan’s Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency, said the government was reviewing its contingency plans - extending the regulations to cover up to 18 miles from a nuclear plant because of the problems with the Fukushima evacuation, particularly with hospitalized and handicapped people.

But officials in several towns around Japan where nuclear plants are located told the AP that they are not confident their emergency plans would work any better than Fukushima’s. They say it could take months and require a complete re-examination of how to approach evacuations for significant improvements to be made. The breakdown in Japan’s crisis response was most striking in the evacuation of Fukushima’s sick and elderly. According to a 400-page report released last month by the Independent Fact-Finding Committee on the Fukushima Nuclear Accident - a panel of scholars, lawyers and industry experts - 784 patients were evacuated from six Fukushima hospitals within the 12-mile no-go area.

Of 435 at Futaba Hospital and a related senior care center, 21 died either in buses en route to evacuation centers, or in the centers themselves, before they could be admitted to another medical facility. Jin Ishida’s grandfather was one of them. Ishida, who is in charge of crisis management in Okuma, which is adjacent to Futaba and also hosts part of the Fukushima nuclear plant, said the disaster overwhelmed local authorities. “It was complete chaos,” he said. “We were not prepared.

We had no protection, no protective gear, no

experts. Our communication lines were disrupted, our phone lines were clogged by a flood of incoming calls. We didn’t have contingency plans for hospitals - even the firefighters didn’t have a plan.”

On March 12, Ishida scrambled to arrange for buses to evacuate patients from Futaba Hospital and its nursing care unit. He managed to get several and went outside the town hall to make sure they arrived. About 200 patients were moved. But as the situation deteriorated the next day, drivers and transportation company workers fled or refused to come to Okuma because of radiation fears.

The buses arrived on March 14. Ishida’s 96year-old grandfather was among the second batch of patients to leave. He did not survive the journey.

In Minami-Soma, a city farther away but partially in the no-go zone, 96 residents at a nursing home were evacuated in a similar manner on March 19 as they ran out of medicine and faced starvation, according to the home’s director, Masahiro Sakashita. One of them also died on the bus, and two others fell seriously ill. “We knew there would be risks, but we were left with no choice,” Sakashita told the AP. “There is no doubt in my mind that if there had been better planning in advance by the city, this person would not have died. The same is true for the people who died while being evacuated from Futaba.

Their deaths were a direct result of the nuclear accident.” He said that 26 of the residents from his facility had died by the end of the year, twice as many as most years. The government does not dispute that the evacuations may have caused deaths, but has not included them in its official death tolls. Doing so would open the door for compensation claims, which the power company that runs the plant is “open to consider,” according to company spokesman Osamu Yokokura. He could not confirm if any such claims have been made yet. Officials in several Fukushima-area towns, including MinamiSoma, told the AP that they had no nuclear evacuation plans before the disaster, because Japanese regulations only require towns within 6 miles of a nuclear plant to make them. A 12-mile evacuation, involving nearly 80,000 people, was imposed on Fukushima.

Tokyo’s failure to update local leaders and health officials on the situation at the plant further heightened their sense of isolation.

“The government repeatedly issued evacuation advisories and then changed them,” said Dr. Akira Isaka, a surgeon who heads the Futaba District Medical Association.

“Administrators had to find out through the media what was going on. This posed a huge problem for hospitals, which had to make plans on the spot and then completely change them as the zone widened.” Japan’s government has acknowledged that coordination between national and local officials and plant operator TEPCO was severely flawed. It put the onus for establishing detailed evacuation, transportation and supply storage plans on local governments but also criticized Tokyo for not giving them the backup they need.—AP

SUNDAY, MARCH 11, 2012

NEWS Turkey slams Israel...

Continued from Page 1 of his people,” said Arinc. However, he indicated that the Syrian regime “deceived everybody and continued to butcher the people”. No contacts have been made with the Syrian regime since August, he noted.

Arinc said that he was baffled by the stance of some regional states over the Syria crisis that did not express any clear reactions towards the issue unlike Russia and China that expressed their clear support for the regime. He affirmed that Ankara hoped that the crisis would be resolved with the involvement of the Arab League and Turkey was in full support towards such steps, but so far, nothing has changed.

The Kuwaiti delegation includes Kuwait Times Editor-inChief Abd Al-Rahman Al-Alyan, Chairman of Kuwait Journalists Association (KJA) and KUNA’s Deputy Chairman of the Board of Directors Ahmad Yusuf Behbehani, KUNA Editor-in-Chief Rashed Al-Rwaished, Editors-in-Chief of AlAnbaa, Al-Rai and Al-Nahar as well as Editor-in-Chief of AlYaqaza magazine and other officials. — KUNA

ANKARA: The Kuwaiti media delegation meets Turkish Deputy Prime Minister Bulent Arinc yesterday. — Photo by Majed Al-Sabeji

Israel air raids kill 15 in Gaza Continued from Page 1 One of the strikes killed the head of the Popular Resistance Committees, Zohair Al-Qaisi, and fellow member Mahmud Hanani, the ultra-hardline militant group said. The PRC threatened reprisals for Qaisi’s death, while Al-Quds Brigades, the military wing of Islamic Jihad, said the air strikes also killed 10 of its members.

It was the deadly 24-hour period on the Gaza-Israel border since a devastating Israeli assault in December 2008-January 2009 aimed at halting Palestinian rocket attacks. Thousands of mourners, many chanting calls for revenge and firing automatic weapons into the air, buried the 12 Palestinians killed earlier at funerals across Gaza yesterday. Palestinian security officials said that at one funeral, east of Gaza City and close to the Israeli border fence, Israeli troops opened fire at a crowd of mourners, wounding four people, one in the head.

The army had no immediate comment.

About 1,000 took part in Qaisi’s funeral in Rafah. The Israeli military said its air raids were “in direct response to the rocket fire at Israeli communities in southern Israel”. “Aircraft targeted a terrorist in the central Gaza Strip and six additional terrorist squads who were in the final stages of preparing to fire rockets at Israel from separate locations in the northern and the central Gaza Strip.”

The PRC and Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades, an armed offshoot of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas’ Fatah movement, said they fired rockets into Israel on Friday.

The Palestinian WAFA news agency quoted a statement by the Fatah-dominated Palestinian Authority condemning Israel’s retaliation, saying it would “escalate the circle of violence in the region”.

The Israeli military said Qaisi “was among the leaders who planned, funded and directed” a deadly cross-border attack into southern Israel from Egypt’s Sinai peninsula last August. In that attack, gunmen carried out a coordinated series of shooting ambushes on buses and cars on Route 12, which runs along Egypt’s border, 20 km north of the Israeli Red Sea resort of Eilat. Eight people were killed and more than 25 wounded in those attacks. The PRC militants killed on Friday night were also “planning a combined terror attack that was to take place via Sinai in the coming days,” the military said.

Hamas, which rules Gaza, has maintained a tacit truce with Israel, but other Palestinian groups regularly fire rockets and mortars across the border, often sparking retaliatory air strikes. The relatively small PRC is one of the most active. “We are not committed to the truce; we will respond very strongly to this (Israeli) crime,” Abu Ataya, a spokesman for the PRC’s military wing, the AlNasser Salaheddin Brigades, told AFP. Hamas also branded the killings a crime. “The AlQassam Brigades mourn the martyr leader Zohair Qaisi and martyr Mahmud Hanani and confirm that their blood will not be wasted,,” the group’s military wing said. “The recent Zionist escalation... comes as a part of the destabilisation of a stable security situation in the Gaza Strip,” the Hamas-run Gaza government’s interior ministry said. — AFP

Flash of light across Phoenix skies a mystery PHOENIX: A large, fleeting flash of light that appeared in the darkened skies over the northwestern edge of metropolitan Phoenix remains a mystery. The ball of light that looked like an explosion was captured by a traffic camera on Interstate 17 around 4:45 a.m. Thursday and happened to be broadcast by KSAZ-TV when the station showed footage of the roadway during a report on the morning’s commute. The two electric utilities that serve metro Phoenix say they didn’t have any reports of electric transformer explosions that might explain the flash.

Damon Gross, a spokesman for Arizona Public Service, says a blown fuse on a transformer can produce a flash, but he said the utility had no such report

Thursday morning. “It’s a mystery to us as well. I can’t even offer a guess,” said Doug Nintzel, a spokesman for the Arizona Department of Transportation. Charlotte Dewey, a meteorologist for the National Weather Service in Phoenix, says there was no weather activity that might explain the flash.

Messages left for officials at nearby Luke Air Force Base weren’t immediately returned Friday afternoon.

KSAZ is asking viewers to come forward if they have any information about the mysterious flash. In 1997, dozens of people saw lights in a V-formation over Phoenix, a mystery that was captured on videotape and spurred calls for a government investigation. —AP

Taleban Gitmo inmates agree to Qatar...

Continued from Page 1 election, as his government considers backing an arrangement that would give some degree of power to the Taleban. Despite months of covert diplomacy, it remains unclear whether the prisoner transfer will go ahead. Doubts are growing about whether the Taleban leadership is willing to weather possible opposition from junior and more hardcore members who appear to oppose negotiations.

Asked about the disclosure by Karzai’s office that the detainees were willing to be transferred, White House spokeswoman Caitlin Hayden said: “The United States has not decided to transfer any Taleban officials from Guantanamo Bay.” “We are not in a position to discuss ongoing deliberations or individual detainees, but our goal of closing Guantanamo is well established and widely understood,” she said. “In general, any decision to transfer a detainee from Guantanamo would be undertaken in accordance with US law and in consultation with the Congress.”

Karzai’s top aide, Ibrahim Spinzada, visited the Guantanamo facility this week to secure approval from the five Taleban prisoners to be moved to Qatar.

Karzai’s government has demanded the five former senior members of the Taleban government, held at Guantanamo Bay for a decade, give their consent before they are transferred to the small Gulf state where they would be under Qatar’s custody. US officials hope the peace initiative will gain enough traction to enable Obama to announce the establishment of fullfledged political talks between the Karzai government and the Taleban at a NATO summit in May. That would mark a major victory for the White House and might ease some of the anxiety created by NATO nations’ plans to gradually pull out most of their troops by the end of 2014, leaving an inexperienced Afghan military and fragile government to face a stillformidable insurgency. The Taleban detainees are seen by some US officials as among the most dangerous inmates at Guantanamo. Their possible transfer has drawn attack from US politicians from both parties even before the administration formally begins a

required congressional notification process.

Among the prisoners who may be sent to Qatar is Mohammed Fazl, a “high-risk” detainee alleged to be responsible for the killing of thousands of minority Shiites between 1998 and 2001. They also include Noorullah Noori, a former senior military commander; Abdul Haq Wasiq, a former deputy intelligence minister; and Khairullah Khairkhwa, a former interior minister. Karzai has complained the United States has repeatedly sidelined his government in a process that is supposed to be “Afghan-led” after it emerged that US officials had established contacts with the Taleban in Qatar.

But his worries seem to have eased, and there are signs that the Kabul government is prepared to extend greater support to the Qatar process, even though it wants Saudi Arabia and Turkey to facilitate talks as well.

Afghan Foreign Minister Zalmay Rasool will visit Qatar to meet government officials to discuss reconciliation with the Taleban, a ministry spokesman said earlier.

Rasool is scheduled to leave for Qatar soon, Foreign Ministry spokesman Janan Mosazai told Reuters. He will visit Saudi Arabia before then. The Taleban announced in January they would open a political office in Qatar, suggesting they may be willing to engage in negotiations that would likely give them government positions or control over some of their historical southern heartland. An Afghan official described Rasool’s visit as a “very important step”.

The Afghan government has had some contact with the Taleban while US diplomats have been seeking to broaden exploratory talks that began clandestinely in Germany in late 2010. There are other factors that could make or break peace effor ts, in par ticular Pakistan. The regional power is a critical player because it is believed to have influence over the Afghan Taleban and allied groups like the Haqqani network. Pakistan could encourage militants to lay down arms, or to keep fighting if it determined it did not have enough say in a peace settlement, or if it feared a settlement might give old rival India undue influence in Afghanistan. Pakistan denies accusations it has ties to Afghan insurgent groups. — Reuters

SHARJAH: An Arabian stallion owned by Prince Khaled Bin Sultan bin Abdul Aziz of Saudi Arabia is paraded during the Sharjah International Arabian Horse Festival at the Sharjah Equestrian Centre yesterday where purebred Arabian horses are shown for their beauty and talent. — AFP

PHOENIX: In this March 8, 2012 still frame from video, an unexplained bright flash of light appears over the shoulder of FOX 10 television news reporter Andrea Robinson during a live broadcast. — AP

Bahrain to soon hold dialogue to end crisis Continued from Page 1 Shiite power Iran, a charge both Iran and the opposition denied. The United States, a powerful ally, has called on the government to talk to Wefaq and other groups.

The US Fifth Fleet is based in Manama.

The country’s legal opposition parties say they want electoral reform and full legislative powers for the elected parliament and elected government - changes that worry Bahrain’s powerful Sunni neighbour Saudi Arabia and other Gulf states. Royal court minister Sheikh Khaled bin Ahmed met with figures from Wefaq and separately with other opposition parties in January and February to sound them out about possible negotiations. But youth activists and dissident political groups opposed to the monarchy do not want Wefaq to enter into talks.

Activists at Friday’s march outside Manama which drew an estimated 100,000 people carried banners saying “No dialogue with killers”. They say at least 27 people have died due to heavy policing since martial law ended in June, many from the effects of tear gas. The government has queried the causes of death and whether they can rightly be attributed to the political crisis. Clashes occur on a daily basis between riot police and youths in Shiite districts. The government describes the youths, who throw petrol bombs at police, as vandals and says Wefaq should do more to reign them in.

Pro-government Sunni groups, who accuse the opposition of loyalty to Iran, have called on the government not to enter into talks. Shiites say talk of Iranian links is a familiar charge with no basis that shows a misunderstanding of Shiism. — Reuters

Assad rebuffs Annan as troops keep up assaults Continued from Page 1 and political prisoners freed, he declared. “We must send a message to the Syrian regime that the world’s patience and our patience has run out, as has the time for silence about its practices,” Sheikh Hamad said.

Saudi Foreign Minister Saud Al-Faisal said shortcomings in the UN Security Council, where Russia and China have twice vetoed resolutions on Syria, had allowed the killing to go on.

Their position, he said, “gave the Syrian regime a licence to extend its brutal practices against the Syrian people”. Saudi Arabia and Qatar, which are both ruled by autocrats and espouse a strict version of Sunni Islam, are improbable champions of democracy in Syria. Riyadh has an interest in seeing Assad fall because this could weaken its Shiite regional rival Iran, which has been allied with Syria since 1980.

International rifts have paralysed action on Syria, with Russia and China opposing Western and Arab calls for Assad, who inherited power from his father nearly 12 years ago, to quit. Lavrov told Arab ministers a new UN Security Council resolution had a chance of being approved if it was not driven by a desire to let armed rebels take over Syria’s streets. The United States has drafted a fresh resolution, but the State Department said on Friday it was not optimistic its text would be accepted by the Council. France says it will oppose any measure that holds the Syrian government and its foes equally responsible for the bloodshed.

Despite their differences, Lavrov and Arab ministers said they had agreed on the need for an end to violence in Syria.

They also called for unbiased monitoring of events there, opposition to foreign intervention, delivery of humanitarian aid and support for Annan’s peace efforts.

Annan, who later met Hassan Abdulazim, a veteran opponent of Assad, has called for a political solution, but many opposition leaders say the time for dialogue is long gone.

“Violence should stop and detainees should be released in order to negotiate a transitional period,” Abdulazim said after the meeting. “In the light of violence, killings, arrests and

threats there will not be any solution for the crisis.” The exiled opposition Syrian National Council, in a statement on its website, ruled out talks while Assad remains in power.

“Negotiations can never take place between the victim and torturer: Assad and his entourage must step down as a condition before starting any serious negotiations,” it said.

Annan’s trip to Damascus followed a violent day in which activists said Assad’s forces killed at least 72 people as they bombarded parts of the rebellious city of Homs and sought to deter demonstrators and crush insurgents elsewhere.

Decisive victory has eluded both sides in an increasingly deadly struggle that began as a mainly peaceful protest movement a year ago and now appears to be sliding into civil war. The United Nations estimates Syrian security forces have killed well over 7,500 people. Syria said in December that “terrorists” had killed more than 2,000 soldiers and police.

Russia, one of Syria’s few foreign friends and its main arms supplier, could play a pivotal role in any negotiated solution.

Chinese and Russian reluctance to approve any UN resolution on Syria stems partly from their fear it could be used to justify a Libya-style military intervention, although Western powers deny any intention to go to war again in Syria. A Russian diplomat said this week Assad was battling AlQaeda-backed militants, including 15,000 foreign fighters who would seize cities if Syrian troops withdrew.

The Syrian opposition denies any Al-Qaeda role in the uprising, but Islamists are among rebels who have taken up arms against Assad under the banner of the Free Syrian Army. Qatar’s Sheikh Hamad chided Russia for accepting the Syrian government’s portrayal of insurgents as armed gangs. “There are no armed gangs, the systematic killing came from the Syrian government side for many months.

After that the people were forced to defend themselves so the regime labelled them armed gangs,” he told the Arab League meeting. US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton will meet Lavrov in New York tomorrow when the Security Council holds a special meeting on Arab revolts, with Syria likely to be in focus. — Reuters

14

SUNDAY, MARCH 11, 2012

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Issues

Eyeing Iran, Israel focuses on day after

By Crispian Balmer lthough Israel can expect a barrage of missiles from various fronts if it attacks Iran, the response might be less catastrophic than some predict, with Middle East turmoil distracting old foes. There is also a gathering view in Israel, expressed with growing insistence by senior officials, that the resulting conflict would be a price worth paying for stymieing Iran’s nuclear program. An increasingly tough-talking Israel is threatening to take military action, with or without US support, if the Iranians continue to defy pressure to curb their contested projects.

The question of what follows such a strike is becoming ever more central to both public and private discussions, suggesting that Israel’s security elite is now looking well beyond the initial operation to evaluate a strategy for the fallout. “The issue today is less the (military) option itself.

The real debate is what happens the day after,” said Michael Herzog, a one-time head of strategic planning for the Israeli army. “The number one discussion is what happens once the military option is applied. We are assuming the Iranians will respond violently, but what kind of escalation will we have?”

Iran has warned it will strike back if it comes under fire and military planners in Israel think its allies, most notably Hezbollah in Lebanon, would probably leap into the fray.

Tehran has an unknown number of ballistic missiles that could reach Israel, while Hezbollah holds up to 50,000 rockets, some of which could undoubtedly hit densely populated Tel Aviv. But some local experts, perhaps looking to calm a jittery domestic audience, are questioning how much damage Iran and its proxies could inflict, suggesting that Israel’s growing anti-missile defence shield should provide strong cover. “The apocalyptic predictions of what will happen if Israel attacks Iran should be moderated,” Giora Eiland, a former national security adviser, told Israel Radio this week.

Ironically, the Arab Spring might also limit the damage. Israeli leaders have viewed with alarm the tumult that has swept the Middle East, fearing the upheavals will leave it ever more isolated and bring ever greater instability to the region. But the civil strife in Syria might remove any chance of Damascus rallying to Iran’s side, with President Bashar Al-Assad too distracted by his own difficulties to help anyone else. “The possibility of Syria falling under the bus for Iran was never likely and it is even more probable now that Syria will stay out,” said Amos Yadlin, a former military intelligence chief and head of the Institute for National Security Studies.

The chaos in Syria could also disrupt Hezbollah’s supply lines, with much of its arms probably transiting Syrian land.Some analysts have even questioned whether Hezbollah would opt to sit on the sidelines and preserve its strength. The two sides clashed in 2006, when Hezbollah shelling drove a sixth of Israel’s population into shelters and Israeli planes pummeled the group’s strongholds, killing hundreds. Hezbollah subsequently decided not to open a second front against Israel in late 2008 when Israeli forces attacked its ally Hamas in Gaza.

Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah acknowledged last month for the first time that his group received financial and material support from Iran, but said Tehran would not ask for help if attacked.

Without being entirely sure, Israel is working on the assumption that Hezbollah would get involved, regardless. “The Iranians gave them all these rockets so they would be prepared for exactly this sort of scenario. To assume they would do nothing is giving ourselves too much of a break,” said Herzog, who is an international fellow at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy.

Hamas is another story. A long-standing ally of both Syria and Iran, it has taken a step back from the two states during the Arab Spring and aligned itself more closely with Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood, making its participation in a war unlikely. Other militant groups in Gaza, such as the Islamic Jihad, probably would fire off rockets, and the risk of escalation is always possible, but this is not Israel’s top concern. “With all respect to Hamas, when you talk about Syria, Hezbollah and Iran, it is like one drop of rain in the middle of a storm,” said Yadlin. Yadlin was one of the Israeli pilots who bombed an Iraqi atomic reactor in a secret 1981 mission. Then, as in 2007, when Israel struck an apparent Syrian nuclear reactor under construction, there was no military response.

No one expects similar silence from Iran, and amidst quiet optimism in certain security circles over Israel’s ability to contain any response, others are far less sanguine, foreseeing years of overt and covert hostilities.—Reuters

A

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Romney clear favorite of Washington lobbyists

By Alina Selyukh and Alexander Cohen epublican presidential front-runner Mitt Romney has cast himself as an outsider to Washington’s political gridlock, and his rivals as insiders who have been part of the problem in the nation’s capital. But when it comes to financing his campaign, Romney has courted a key symbol of Washington’s establishment: its lobbyists, the quietly powerful forces who are hired to try to influence government decisions.

And like financial titans on New York’s Wall Street, the political insiders on Washington’s K Street are investing heavily in a potential match-up between President Barack Obama and Romney. Nearly 390 registered lobbyists and lobbying political action committees (PACs) have contributed more than $1.5 million to Romney’s campaign and Restore Our Future, the independent Super PAC that backs Romney, according to a Reuters analysis of filings with the Federal Election Commission and the Senate Office of Public Records. The tally is far more than what any other Republican candidate or his Super PAC has received.On the Democratic side, Obama has distanced himself from lobbyists, but his re-election effort is not free from lobbying interests, according to the filings.

Obama’s Super PAC has received $1 million from the lobbying arm of the Service Employees International Union, which pushes labor causes in Congress just as business lobbyists promote companies’ interests .

Many of Romney’s campaign donors represent the healthcare and financial sectors, while K Street donations to his Super PAC came from three PACs: law and lobbying firm Duane Morris and energy firms Consol Energy and Oxbow Carbon, run by Bill Koch, who is a member of a prominent Republican family. Romney’s three rivals for the Republican nomination all have ties to Washington, but the Reuters analysis found that, combined, their campaigns have received less than $94,000 from registered lobbyists.

And the Super PACs supporting Newt Gingrich, Rick Santorum and Ron Paul do not appear to have received any

R

donations from registered lobbyists, the analysis found.

Gingrich, a former US House of Representatives speaker who was a consultant to lobbyists after leaving office in 1999, received $73,000 from 42 registered lobbyists and two lobbying PACs. Long-time Texas Congressman Ron Paul has received just $750 in donations from two registered lobbyists.

Santorum, a former Pennsylvania senator, took in less than $20,000 from 18 registered lobbyists and one lobbying organization. When he was the third-ranked Republican in the Senate, Santorum held meetings with Washington lobbying firms and congressional Republican leaders to try to secure a long-term Republican majority in Congress by making sure that lobbying firms and trade groups hire Republicans for top jobs. The Republicans’ “K Street Project” prompted ethics investigations of at least two House members, although leaders defended it as within the bounds of what Democrats did for years. Santorum later went to work for American Continental Group, a lobbying firm, though he was never officially a lobbyist.

Obama has tried to stay at arm’s length from lobbyists and has returned many donations from them. Because of that, his campaign has for now retained only $22,134 from 18 registered lobbyists. But Priorities USA, the Super PAC that supports the president’s re-election, has taken in about $1.1 million from interest groups and individual registered lobbyists.

The sum came from eight K Street donors, and of it, $1 million was given by the lobbying PAC of the Service Employees International Union.

Although Priorities USA head Bill Burton called the comparison of union donations to corporate money “preposterous,” Bill Allison at the Sunlight Foundation open government advocacy group said unions are an influential Washington power player. “Labor unions lobby, they have interests in Washington,” Allison said. “They’re different from corporate interests, but I don’t know how you can say they’re not a lobbying interest.”Lobbyists get paid for their relationships, ability to open doors, get access and get clients’ messages to the

right people. In the Republican nominating race, Romney in particular has cast them as a key part of a dysfunctional political system. In a Gallup poll in December, lobbyists ranked second-to-last among 21 professions in honesty and ethical standards, ahead of members of Congress.

Lobbyists say they are an integral part of the Washington process, helping to raise issues on the national agenda and educate lawmakers. “The insiders approach this from a lot of different angles than a casual voter. They’ve been in town for a long time, they’ve watched this process for a long time, they can smell a winner,” said Tom Korologos, a long-time Washingtonian and a strategic adviser at law firm DLA Piper who has given $1,500 to Romney’s campaign.

In interviews, Romney’s donors said their contributions were often triggered by his business-friendly views that also appear attuned to their taste for debates over policy rather than values, issues that are economic rather than social. “The establishment knows practicality when it sees it,” Korologos said. “People who contribute to Governor Romney’s campaign do so because they support his agenda for the country,” Romney campaign spokeswoman Andrea Saul said in an email. Individual lobbyists who donate give either because they personally support a campaign’s goals or to influence policy for their clients. But lobbying PACs exist with the sole intention of shaping government decisions.

Prominent Republican lobbyists on Romney’s side are Charles Black Jr, who lobbies for AT&T Inc and Wal-Mart Stores Inc; Wayne Berman, who represents Pfizer Inc and Visa Inc; and Ed Rogers, who lobbies for defense contractor Raytheon Co and drugmaker GlaxoSmithKline PLC.Romney campaign donors who gave the maximum $2,500 include executives at energy, consumer and insurance trade groups as well as Bank of America, Goldman Sachs, JPMorgan Chase & Co and accounting firm Ernst & Young LLP. Tech giants Google and IBM, energy heavyweights Chevron and Exelon, retailer Home Depot and the largest U.S. conglomerate General Electric were also on the list.— Reuters

Syria safe havens? They failed in Bosnia

By Aida Cerkez afe havens” for civilians in Syria?

Think twice, Bosnians would warn. With the UN unable to agree how to protect civilians against Bashar Assad’s forces, Western officials are discussing creation of safe corridors to deliver aid to Syrians trapped by the crackdown. Similar measures failed badly during the war in Bosnia two decades ago that killed over 100,000 people and left millions homeless. The lesson of Bosnia is that without all sides honoring the agreement - and without a robust military response in case they don’t - such measures may have little effect and could actually prolong the miser y. In 1993, the UN Security Council passed a resolution that declared six cities in Bosnia as “safe havens” for civilians and deployed military observers to monitor the situation. The UN protected zones in places like the capital of Sarajevo or the eastern enclave of Srebrenica in effect became prisons, subject to relentless shelling by Bosnian Serb forces that often denied they were responsible. The UN never managed to get enough aid through the corridors and smugglers made fortunes.

The UN found their troops often under attack. But the mandate on striking back was limited and unclear. The Security Council responded with several futile resolutions “strongly condemning” the attacks and urging safe passage for aid convoys.

The UN was operating under a peacekeeping mandate that allowed international forces to defend themselves but not to initiate action. It’s precisely that type of operation that is currently being aired for Syria, although no draft has been submitted to the Security Council.

Without the mandate, the numbers or the will to engage with Serb forces, the UN peacekeepers in Bosnia found themselves powerless to prevent bloodshed - and were in fact exposed to the possibility of being taken hostage and used as human shields.

Faced with hostile fire, Western peacekeepers more often preferred to retreat rather than fight back. Essentially, the effectiveness of the safe havens boiled down to the

“S

restraint of the warring parties that had agreed to them. The Serbs exploited that weakness at will - overrunning safe zones as UNtroops stood idly by.

A road linking the Sarajevo airport to the city was officially under UN protection and off limits to Sarajevo residents, but the Serbs kept a checkpoint and controlled the traffic throughout the 1992-95 war.

Eventually, the road became so dangerous that foreign journalists and aid workers dubbed it the “Road to Hell” and the main street in Sarajevo “Sniper Alley”. Those safe havens actually lengthened the 1992-95 war. Instead of stopping the bloodshed,

The enclave fell after senior UN commanders rejected a request by a few hundred Dutch peacekeepers deployed in Srebrenica for air strikes and its Muslim Bosnian residents swarmed a UN military base, still believing the Dutch would protect them. But outnumbered and outgunned, the UN peacekeepers allowed the Serbs to separate women and children from men and execute some 8,000 males in what later became known as the worst massacre in Europe since World War II. Hans Blom, who oversaw a Dutch government-commisioned investigation into the Srebrenica massacre, said he is “very

A family escapes from fierce fighting between Free Syrian Army fighters and government troops in Idlib, north Syria, yesterday. — AP they simply reduced it to a politically acceptable level. It enabled both the attackers and the resistance to continue fighting.

Without a quick political settlement, neither side could achieve victory and both staved off decisive defeat. It was not until Serb forces overran Srebrenica in July 1995 that the West could no longer sit and watch and deployed troops to stop the carnage.

pessimistic” about what the international community can do in Syria. He voiced skepticism over the UN’s concept of “safe zones” or “safe areas,” calling it a very vague notion and difficult to enforce. “My insight of the Srebrenica case is that international institutions are inclined to do the wrong thing at the wrong moment,” said Blom, who headed the Netherlands Institute of War Documentation at the time it prepared its

authoritative Srebrenica report.

Another major problem remains in Syria.

The “safe havens” would require an outside force to ensure security for aid convoys that would transport the stockpiles of medical and humanitarian supplies that Washington says are being prepared at Syria’s borders. Any international mission would need the approval of Russia and China, which hold veto power on the Security Council - and both countries are adamantly against such intervention unless Syria agrees.

The top US commander in the Middle East recently said the advanced air defense weapons Russia has provided to Syria would make it difficult to establish a no-fly zone there as part of an effort to protect the civilians. Marine Gen James Mattis, head of US Central Command, told the Senate Armed Services Committee it would take a significant military commitment to create safe havens in Syria where aid could be delivered, as US Republican Sen John McCain has suggested.

Another lesson from the Balkans: Nothing worked until the United States stepped in with its military power. A 60,000-strong American-led NATO ground force was sent to Bosnia in 1995 to enforce a US-brokered peace agreement. Faced with Western determination to use force, the warring factions never tried to confront them. US and British officers simply drove to Serb checkpoints surrounding Sarajevo, stepped out of their vehicles and informed the gunmen they have 30 seconds to leave.

The dreaded Serb checkpoint on the Road to Hell disappeared without a bullet being fired.

Blom said that for now he doesn’t see a role for international peacekeepers in Syria because there is no peace to keep and any humanitarian workers who were to enter the country would face massive violence.

Only a massive military intervention could stop the violence, he argued. “Only if there is a very determined outside force willing to use military means, it’s maybe possible,” he said. “Interventions are a very complicated thing.And the terrible thing, of course, is that doing nothing is as bad.” — AP

SUNDAY, MARCH 11, 2012

sp orts Loeb leads in Mexico MEXICO: World champion Sebastien Loeb led Citroen team mate Mikko Hirvonen by 11.2 seconds after the first leg of Rally Mexico on Friday.

The Frenchman rounded off the day by winning the Leon street stage before the evening superspecial runs in heavy rain after a day of dry and dusty gravel stages. Citroen’s Ford rivals had a tough day in the mountains of central Mexico, with early leader Petter Solberg hitting an earthbank at high speed and puncturing a tyre that cost the Norwegian more than 50 seconds.

Finnish team mate Jari-Matti Latvala hit a rock in stage five and broke his front suspension, losing more than 90 seconds and dropping from the lead to eighth before recovering to fourth at the close. “It happened about 12km into the stage at a sixth gear, blind left curve over a crest,” he said, ending the day a minute and 27.9 seconds adrift of Loeb.

“We were leading a rally in which we’ve struggled in the past so the car has the speed to be competitive...if I can get back in the top three I will be happy.” —Reuters

UK police practice Olympic torch relay LONDON: London police have staged a mock run to show off their skills in dealing with anyone who might want to disrupt the Olympic torch relay.

A team of 28 unarmed London officers will guard the Olympic flame as it travels around Britain, and police will make sure they prevent the attention seekers from “trying to grab a bit of the glory,” Commander Bob Broadhurst said Friday.

Police are not expecting huge high-profile protests that marred earlier relays, such as the ones before the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Instead, they say people simply seeking attention will try to disrupt the 70-

Redskins to trade for No. 2 pick from Rams

day relay that ends with the opening ceremony at London’s Olympic Stadium on July 27. “I personally don’t think they’ll be serious trouble ... But we of course need to plan for the worst,” Broadhurst said.

The Olympic flame will arrive from Greece on May 18, kicking off an 8,000-mile (12,875-kilometer) relay across the UK and Ireland involving 8,000 torchbearers.

The International Olympic Committee ruled that relays should take place only within the host countries after repeated human rights protests marred the international torch relay before the 2008 Beijing Games. — AP

WASHINGTON: The Washington Redskins are poised to pay a hefty price to move into position to take Robert Griffin III. A person familiar with the trade said the Redskins have a deal in place to acquire the No. 2 pick in the NFL draft from the St. Louis Rams. Washington will give up its first- and second-round selections this year, plus first-round picks in 2013 and 2014 in the trade, which can’t be completed until the new league year begins Tuesday.

FOXsports.com and ESPN.com first reported details of the deal Friday night. A person confirmed the trade to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because neither team has announced it. The deal shifts the Redskins up four places from sixth in the April draft, leapfrogging any other team that would have an interest in the Heisman Trophy winner from Baylor. —AP

Penguins see off Panthers PITTSBURGH: Steve Sullivan scored the tying goal in the third period, and James Neal and Evgeni Malkin connected in the first two rounds of a shootout to lift the Pittsburgh Penguins to their eighth straight victory, 2-1 over the Florida Panthers on Friday.

Marc-Andre Fleury stopped 28 shots and was perfect in the shootout for his 36th victory of the season, putting him one behind Nashville’s Pekka Rinne for the NHL lead.

The Penguins extended the league’s longest active winning streak by overcoming a third-period deficit for the eighth time this season, tied with Tampa Bay for the most in the league. Thomas Fleischmann scored his 21st goal for Florida, and Jose Theodore made 33 saves.

Blackhawks 4, Rangers 3 At Chicago, defenseman Johnny Oduya scored his first goal for Chicago with 5:56 left in the third period to snap a tie in the Blackhawks’ comeback victory over New York.

Patrick Kane added an empty-net goal with 53 seconds left to make it 4-2. It stood up as the winner after New York’s Brad Richards connected from the left circle 8 seconds later.

Chicago’s Patrick Sharp scored 1:02 before Oduya to cap a nifty passing play with Marian Hossa and Kane, and tie it at 2. Rookie Andrew Shaw also scored to help Chicago win for the third time in four games. Artem Anisimov and Brandon Prust also scored for New York.

Red Wings 4, Kings 3 At Detroit, Darren Helm scored with 1:13 left in regulation, lifting Detroit past Los Angeles. Detroit’s Henrik Zetterberg scored twice and assisted on Valtteri Filppula tying goal with 4:02 left, less than 2 minutes after Dwight King put Los Angeles ahead 3-2.

Joey MacDonald made 21 saves for the Red Wings.

Jonathan Quick stopped just 11 shots for the Kings.

Detroit had lost five of seven to slip behind Western Conference and Central Division-leading St. Louis.

The Kings, vying for one of the final spots in the Western Conference playoffs, have lost two straight after winning four of five.

PITTSBURGH: Penguins’ Evgeni Malkin (71) battles in the corner for the puck with Florida Panthers’ Mike Weaver (43) in the second period of an NHL hockey game. — AP

Groupama claim Volvo win after leak scare AUCKLAND: French boat Groupama overcame an 11th hour scare when a huge hole opened up in the hull filling the bow with water before claiming a first leg win of the Volvo Ocean Race yesterday.

Franck Cammas’ crew were forced to bale out with victory almost in sight as they passed the New Zealand coast after their 5,220-nautical mile journey from Sanya, China, in the fourth leg of offshore sailing’s premier race.

After several frantic minutes, the source of the leak was found and a wooden plug was used to seal it. With the hull showing signs of considerable damage, Groupama limped home into an Auckland dock that was packed with sailing fans welcoming the race back into the “City of Sails” after a 10-year gap. The French win broke a winning streak for Spanish boat Telefonica which had taken the previous three legs of the 2011-12 edition.

Groupama crew member Yann Riou said that the bow had become two-thirds filled with water from the damage which was caused by repeated banging from waves which reached eight metres.

“All pumps, buckets and scoops as well as most of men were requisitioned,” Riou said. “After a few minutes, we saw that the water level had dropped. Relief.” The rest of the six-strong fleet, including overall leaders Telefonica and New Zealand campaign Camper, were closely bunched together a further 100 miles behind Groupama and were expected to arrive around 1100 local time (0300 GMT) on Sunday.

Groupama, whose win took them to an aggregate total of 103 points, now face a busy week of repairs to be ready for the race’s next competitive action in Saturday’s Auckland in-port race.

The next leg to Itajai in Brazil begins on March 18. The 39,000-nautical mile race, which covers 10 ports, four oceans and five continents, is scheduled to finish in Galway, Ireland on July 8. — Reuters

Flames 5, Jets 3 At Calgary, Alberta, Miikka Kiprusoff made 42 saves to help Calgary beat Winnipeg in a showdown between teams fighting for playoff spots.

Alex Tanguay had a goal and three assists, and Jarome Iginla added a goal and two assists for the Flames. Mark Giordano, Matt Stajan and Curtis Glencross also scored. Evander Kane, Blake Wheeler and Tobias Enstrom scored for Winnipeg. — AP

NHL results/standings Pittsburgh 2, Florida 1 (So); Detroit 4, Los Angeles 3; Chicago 4, NY Rangers 3; Calgary 5, Winnipeg 3. (SO dentoes shootout win)

NY Rangers Pittsburgh Philadelphia New Jersey NY Islanders

Eastern Conference Atlantic Division W L OTL 42 18 7 41 21 5 38 21 7 38 24 5 28 30 9

GF 184 214 218 189 156

GA 145 171 193 177 200

PTS 91 87 83 81 65

Boston Ottawa Buffalo Toronto Montreal

Northeast Division 40 23 3 36 25 8 31 29 8 30 30 7 26 32 10

217 213 167 200 179

155 202 191 209 192

83 80 70 67 62

Florida Washington Winnipeg Tampa Bay Carolina

Southeast Division 31 23 13 33 28 6 32 29 8 31 29 7 25 27 15

164 178 181 189 177

191 190 195 229 203

75 72 72 69 65

St. Louis Detroit Nashville Chicago Columbus

Western Conference Central Division 43 18 7 177 44 21 3 215 39 21 7 192 37 25 7 207 22 38 7 159

133 159 173 203 217

93 91 85 81 51

Vancouver Calgary Colorado Minnesota Edmonton

Northwest Division 42 18 8 31 25 12 35 30 4 29 29 10 26 35 6

214 169 180 147 178

168 188 185 189 203

92 74 74 68 58

Dallas Phoenix San Jose Los Angeles Anaheim

Pacific Division 37 26 5 33 25 10 33 24 9 31 25 12 29 29 10

183 175 184 151 171

183 173 170 150 191

79 76 75 74 68

Watson tames Blue Monster DORAL: American Bubba Watson charged into a one-shot lead in Friday’s second round of the WGCCadillac Championship with a spectacular 10-under-par 62 that got off to a roaring start.

Tiger Woods started the day six shots back of overnight leaders Adam Scott and Jason Dufner and, despite a bogey-free 67, was seven strokes off the lead.

World number one Rory McIlroy was 10 strokes behind Watson after a three-under 69, failing to make the most of a solid eagle-birdie start.

Watson, who started on the 10th hole, quickly tamed the TPC Blue Monster course with birdies on five of his opening seven holes before grabbing the outright lead with an eagle on the par-five eighth.

Despite carding nine birdies, one eagle and a bogey to equal the lowest round of his career, the big-hitting left-hander said he did not feel comfortable on the Doral course.

“This golf course doesn’t really suit me,” Watson told reporters. “My eye lines, it’s tough for me ... but I’ve been hitting the ball really well and that carried over and I made some putts today.”

The Floridian displayed his characteristic flamboyance throughout his round along with his ability to recover when his driver got him into trouble.

His first hole was the perfect example - he drove deep into the crowd and took a four wood from the rough which he drove 263 yards to the right of the bunkers, chipped to four feet and then made his birdie

putt. On the sixth, Watson sliced behind a tree and then used a nine iron from the rough and landed seven feet from the hole and made the birdie putt.

But in between there were some beautifully-shaped drives, great work around the greens and solid putting in conditions which, while windy, were less challenging than on Thursday.

The only blemish on Watson’s scorecard, after he began the day four shots back of the leaders, was a bogey on the par-three fourth, but he recovered with birdies on the next two holes on way to a 12-under total of 132.

Britain’s Justin Rose (64), who opened his round with three consecutive birdies, was a shot back of playing partner Watson after a bogeyfree round that included eight birdies.

“It was a fun day of golf and it was nice to be in such a hot pairing with Bubba. I think we both fed of one another out there in somewhat tough conditions,” said Rose.

Australian Scott (68), who had wobbled with a double-bogey on the eighth and a bogey on 11, was two shots back of the lead after closing with four birdies on his last six holes.

Dufner (72) was six shots off the pace after mixing five birdies with three bogeys and a double-bogey.

Woods was left disappointed despite his 67. “This is the highest score I could have shot today for sure,” said Woods. “It could have been pretty low.”— Reuters

DORAL: Bubba Watson hits from the 11th tee during the second round of the Cadillac Championship golf tournament. — AP

SUNDAY, MARCH 11, 2012

sp orts

Stosur aims for a grand slam repeat INDIAN WELLS: It is said that lightning very rarely strikes twice in the same place but Australia’s Sam Stosur hopes she can replicate her stunning US Open success of last year in another grand slam final.

A heavy underdog against 13-time grand slam champion Serena Williams, Stosur upset the odds with an emphatic 6-2 6-3 win on the American’s stomping ground at Flushing Meadows in September.

That long-awaited singles triumph in one of the sport’s blue riband events gave the attack-minded Australian a significant boost in self-belief, the conviction that she can repeat the feat if given another opportunity.

“I know exactly what it feels like to win (a grand slam),” Stosur told Reuters while preparing for the elite Indian Wells WTA tournament in the California desert.

“I made the (2010) French Open final but didn’t play as well as I wanted to there, I kind of didn’t get

the whole thing going there but I got close.

“And then to actually step over that line and win a grand slam makes me realise it is possible for it to be done again. I’ve done it once. You know what it feels like, you know what you’ve to go through, how you’re going to feel and react to certain things that go on.”

Previously better known as a doubles player with a booming serve and a powerful forehand, Stosur has taken great delight in her growing status among her peers.

“Any time a player wins a tournament like the US Open, for sure your peers give you a little more respect,” she smiled. “They think: ‘Oh wow, that particular player I always knew they maybe had the potential and now they’ve done it.’

“I don’t think many people gave me much of a chance to win. I understand that and for sure Serena was the favourite but our head-to-head record actually wasn’t too bad.

“I’d had a really good tournament leading up to

that final and I was full of confidence so I was really excited to have that kind of opportunity against an opponent like her.”

Stosur beat three former world number ones, including Serena Williams, to reach her first grand slam singles final at the 2010 French Open where she lost 6-4 7-6 to Italy’s Francesca Schiavone.

Disappointed though she was to fall at the last hurdle at Roland Garros, the Australian learned from that experience in the best possible way a little more than a year later in New York.

“Because you do it once, it doesn’t mean it’s going to happen again ... but once you have ticked that box, you have solidified that you can do it,” Stosur said of her maiden grand slam crown.

Stosur has made an erratic start to her 2012 campaign, advancing no further than the second round in Brisbane, Sydney and at the Australian Open in January before finishing runner-up in Doha last month and then reaching the last eight in Dubai.

“That first month was very disappointing,” said the 27-year-old from Brisbane. “I certainly wasn’t playing the way I know I am capable of and the way that I wanted to.”

Stosur conceded she had succumbed to the weight of expectation in her homeland because of her lofty status as the reigning US Open champion.

“Outside things get hold of you, you get nervous and the expectation and wanting to perform then and there probably took over from anything that I was actually able to do,” she said.

“It was very, very disappointing but the thing that I am happy with is that I was able to leave there, play FedCup, get through two matches, win those and then make the final at Doha. “So it’s been a bit of a mix but I’m happy with the way my season is going at the moment.”

Stosur, seeded sixth at Indian Wells, makes her first appearance in the singles draw when she takes on American wild card Irina Falconi in the second round on Saturday. — Reuters

Ligety keeps WCup hopes alive

INDIAN WELLS: Mona Barthel of Germany, returns a shot to Victoria Azarenka of Belarus, during a match at the BNP Paribas Open tennis tournament. —AP

Jankovic ousted by wild card INDIAN WELLS: Former champion Jelena Jankovic became the first seed to tumble out of the Indian Wells WTA tournament, losing 6-4 6-3 to American wild card Jamie Hampton in the second round on Friday.

Seeded 12th, the jet-lagged Serb who had reached the semi-finals in her last two tournaments struggled to find a rhythm as she was broken three times in the opening set and twice in the second.

World number one Victoria Azarenka had to work hard to extend her unbeaten record to 18-0 this year, beating Germany’s Mona Barthel 6-4 6-7 7-6, while 13th-seeded Russian Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova was ousted 6-4 6-4 by American Vania King.

Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova, however, eased into the third round of the elite event with a 6-1 6-3 demolition of fellow Czech Barbora Zahlavova Strycova at Indian Wells Tennis Garden.

Hampton, who made her debut in the top 100 of the rankings last week, sealed her surprise victory in just under 90 minutes when a Jankovic forehand sailed wide on the stadium court.

“It was a bad day of tennis for me,” Jankovic, champion here in 2010, told reporters. “I just did not feel the ball. My legs felt so heavy on the court, so I was moving very badly out there.

“Hampton played solid. She was playing very well. I was really a shadow of myself. I guess it’s one of those days where you just come on the court and the legs don’t go, the reactions are not there.”

Jankovic had reached the last four in Dubai and Kuala Lumpur in her previous two events but felt her journey from Malaysia to the United States earlier this week had taken its toll.

“I was in good form in Dubai and Kuala Lumpur, but maybe just had not much time to get over (to the U.S.), get over the jet lag and feel fresh before this tourna-

ment,” the former world number one said.

“Maybe that’s something maybe to do with it, but obviously there’s no excuse. I had to go out and perform much better than I did today, but it didn’t happen for me.”

Playing against the 99th-ranked Hampton for the first time, Jankovic was broken in the second, sixth and 10th games of the match to lose the opening set in 42 minutes.

Hampton, who upset 38th-ranked Polona Hercog of Slovenia in the opening round at Indian Wells, surged into a 5-1 lead in the second set before fending off a late Jankovic fightback.

The Serb broke the American in the seventh game, held serve in the eighth and then saved two match points in the ninth before her final forehand error.

“I was pretty nervous before the match,’ said Hampton, who lost in the first round on her Indian Wells debut last year. “I didn’t really know what to expect. I think the fact that I got a match under my belt here, the round before, helped me a lot.”

Top-seeded Azarenka, who won her first grand slam crown at the Australian Open in January, squandered a 5-1 lead in the second set and then came from 1-4 and 3-5 down in the third before sealing a tight victory 8-6 in the tiebreak.

“I won this match mentally more than physically or tactically or whatever,” the 22-year-old Belarusian said. “That was really what brought me a win today, my fighting spirit, till the last moment.”

In other second round matches, fifth seed Agnieszka Radwanska of Poland brushed aside Romania’s Sorana Cirstea while China’s eighth seed Li Na battled past Kazakhstan’s Galina Voskoboeva 3-6 6-3 6-3. Slovak ia’s 19th seed Daniela Hantuchova, Indian Wells champion in 2002 and 2007, was beaten 6-3 6-7 6-3 by Czech Klara Zakopalova. — Reuters

SLOVENIA: World champion Ted Ligety kept alive his chances of retaining the giant slalom World Cup with another show of strength on his favourite Kranjska Gora course yesterday.

With a winning combined time of two minutes and 22.47 seconds, the American showed his continuing mastery of the Slovenian piste where he won three times in succession from 2008 to 2010.

“It’s a great day and a timely victory after two weekends when the results were not so good. I just skied today the way I should have skied in Crans or Bansko,” he said after his third win of the winter.

Ligety is now 92 points behind Austria’s Marcel Hirscher, who finished third, in the giant slalom World Cup standings and could still overtake him in the World Cup finals in Schladming, Austria, next week. “It’s a great battle for the globe. I don’t think you should look at what I did wrong and where, and when Marcel failed to secure it. You should rather look at the fantastic level of skiing required to win in the discipline this season,” said Ligety.

Hirscher trailed the American by 2.03, while second place went to France’s Alexis Pinturault, who finished 1.61 off the pace.

In the race for the overall World Cup, Hirscher is now only 55 points behind Swiss Beat Feuz, who finished 35th in the morning run and failed to qualify for the second leg.

“It’s 60 points in the pocket but you can’t say I skied with the points in mind in the second leg. I didn’t ski tactically. I could not ski a

SLOVENIA: Ted Ligety, of the United States, competes on his way to win an alpine ski, men’s World Cup giant slalom in Kranjska Gora. — AP

percent better. Ted was just unbeatable today,” the Austrian said. “It’s fascinating when I see what I can produce when challenged. It’s an important time in my career but it is also for Beat Feuz against whom I skied in the junior ranks. He’s a great challenger and it’s a great fight.”

Back in action after three weeks out for

injury and a knee operation, defending overall champion Ivica Kostelic had to be content with 25th place and is now 201 points behind Feuz in the standings.

The race was marred by a spectacular crash by Italian Florian Eisath, who was carried away from the course with a suspected broken arm. —Reuters

Adlington to defend both titles in London LONDON: Double Olympic champion Rebecca Adlington will defend both her titles at the 2012 London Games after turning on the power to win the 800 metres freestyle at the British swimming trials on Friday.

The 22-year-old had already secured her 400 slot last weekend. Adlington won the 800 in eight minutes 18.54 seconds, her fastest time since she took world championship gold in Shanghai in 8:17.51 last July and nearly four seconds faster than her previous best of the year.

She won Olympic gold in Beijing four years ago in a world record 8:14.10. “The 800 is the one I kind of love the most...so I really wanted to do well tonight,” Adlington told Reuters television, also thanking the London Aquatics Centre crowd for their loud support on the penultimate day of the trials.

“Obviously to qualify is amazing and also the time on top of that is such a huge bonus. “I am just looking forward to get back in (in July) and racing here with an even bigger crowd,” she added of the venue for the Olympic swimming. “The crowd are incredible...it’s so nice when you walk out to have that kind of cheer for you.

“I’ve never really had that before so I’m very

Rebecca Adlington in action in this file photo. much looking forward to that in the summer as well.” Adlington told reporters she had been ordered to “man up” by her psychologist after showing nerves before the race.

“I was more nervous for some reason today, I think it’s because this event means so much to me,” she added. “The 800 has always been the one I want to do well at and the one I’ve

loved racing more than anything else.

“For me it was important to get in and enjoy it as well.” Eleanor Faulkner finished second in 8:27.11 and also qualified for the 800.

European champion Elizabeth Simmonds, the world number one, secured her place in the 200 backstroke after failing to qualify earlier in the week in the 100. — Reuters

Lee closer to Open hat-trick BIRMINGHAM: Lee Chong Wei moved to within one win of his third successive AllEngland Open title when he edged past an old rival, Lee Hyun-Il 21-19, 21-18, yesterday to reach the final.

No men’s singles player has achieved that since Rudy Hartono, the Indonesian great 38 years ago, but Lee’s movement and ability to respond quickly to changing situations suggest he is well capable of it. The world number one from Malaysia established an early four-point lead over the former world number one from Korea, but was caught at 17-17 and again at 18-18.

Ching Wei was patient and accurate at the net and with clears at that stage, but he had to deal with an even greater comeback from Hyun-Il in the second game.

Often defending brilliantly, and finding unexpected angles with his lefthanded slices, the Korean came back from 9-18 to 16-18 before Chong-Wei managed to force some smashes through and close the match out.

“I was well prepared today, but I have to improve my attacking,” the champion said. “I woke up with some pain in my hand today - I don’t know why - but I

managed to play through it all right.”

Chong-wei predicted that he would have a repeat final with Lin Dan, the four times former champion from China, who saved a match point and beat him in one of the greatest world finals of them all at Wembley August.

Earlier however the women’s singles defending champion lost her title. That happened when Wang Shixian, the thirdseeded Chinese, was beaten 20-22, 2118, 21-18 in the semi-final by her compatriot Wang Yihan, the top-seeded world champion.

It was a slow-paced encounter, lasting 85 minutes, and was completed in the same time as two matches on the adjacent court.

Yihan, a good attacker, was surprisingly muted for much of the match, while Shixian, better known as a fine mover, often become more aggressive, in a strange reversal of their usual modes.

However at 16-14 in the final game, the match suddenly acquired more fire, with Yihan exploding into some fierce flat mid-court exchanges, and, almost for the first time, some good round-thehead smashes. —AFP

Gulf Bank team

Gulf Bank retains top spot KUWAIT: The Gulf Bank maintained its lead for the KBC Football League with a four goal sweep against the National Bank of Kuwait in week seven competitions which ended the first leg of the tournament organized by the Kuwait Banks Club at the Ministry of Information Stadium.

The Gulf Bank’s win puts it on top of the

standings with 16 points; three points ahead of the Boubyan Bank who defeated the Kuwait Finance House 2-1, and remained at third place with ten points. The International Bank defeated Al-Ahli United 2-1 in other week seven competitions.

Meanwhile, the Gulf Bank aim to stay on top when second leg competitions kick off

this week as they face Al-Ahli Bank on Tuesday. This match is part of week eight competitions which opens today, with a match between the KFH and Al-Ahli United, while Boubyan Bank takes on the Industrial Bank tomorrow. Week eight matches end Wednesday with a match between the NBK against Al-Ahli United.

17

SUNDAY, MARCH 11, 2012

SPORTS

Wales thrash Italy in Six nations tourney

DUNEDIN: Rob Nicol of New Zealand dodges a bouncer from South African bowler Morne Morkel during day four of the first five-day international cricket Test match. —AFP

N Zealand need record total to win Test match DUNEDIN: Captain Ross Taylor and Brendon McCullum kept New Zealand’s slim hopes of scoring 401 runs to beat South Africa in the first test alive after they helped the hosts reach 137 for two at the close of the fourth day’s play at University Oval in Dunedin yesterday.

New Zealand’s chances of threatening the record target, let alone saving the test on a pitch that is displaying inconsistent bounce, rest with McCullum (58 not out) and Taylor (48 not out), who had combined for an 82-run partnership before bad light stopped play with four overs remaining.

The naturally aggressive duo had thrown away their wickets with rash strokes in the first innings and while they tempered their all-out attacking instincts they were still scoring at more than four runs an over.

South Africa captain Graeme Smith had declared their second innings on 435 for five midway through the second session on Saturday then his bowlers put New Zealand’s batsmen under immense pressure with Vernon Philander consistently creating doubt just outside off stump.

Tall fast bowler Morne Morkel was also particularly aggressive and peppered New Zealand’s batsmen with short-pitched bowling, hitting Rob Nicol on the body several times.

The pressure told on both opening batsmen with Martin Guptill unable to handle Philander’s late away movement and he was caught at third slip by AB de Villiers for six before tea. Nicol, who needed treatment on his left hand after he was hit by a steeply ris-

ing delivery from Morkel, wasted his earlier efforts when he got a full toss from legspinner Imran Tahir and hit the ball straight to Smith at mid-on for 19.

Smith had declared midway through the afternoon session, shortly after Jacques Rudolph had become the third player in their innings to reach a century.

Rudolph, who had resumed after lunch on 59, raced through to his sixth test century and was on 105 not out, while Mark Boucher was on 34 when the Proteas ended their innings with a lead of 400 runs.

Only four other sides have scored more than 400 runs to win a test match when batting fourth and New Zealand will need to surpass not only their highest successful fourth innings score at home (324-5 against Pakistan in 1994) but also the highest successful run chase in the country.

West Indies scored 348 for five to win the test in Auckland in 1969.

New Zealand’s highest score batting fourth is the 451 they scored against England at Christchurch in 2002, which was dominated by Nathan Astle’s 222 as he achieved the fastest double century in test cricket off 153 balls.

The visitors, who had resumed the day on 268 for three, lost just two wickets with Jacques Kallis caught by Nicol off Trent Boult for 113, while de Villiers was caught in the deep by McCullum for 29 off the part-time spinner Kane Williamson. South Africa need to sweep the series 3-0 to take over the world number one test ranking from England. —Reuters

Scoreboard Scoreboard at the close of play on the fourth day of the first test between South Africa and New Zealand at University Oval in Dunedin yesterday.

South Africa first innings 238 New Zealand first innings 273 South Africa second innings (overnight 268-3) A. Petersen c Southee b Bracewell 25 G. Smith b Bracewell 115 H. Amla c Guptill b Bracewell 2 J. Kallis c Nicol b Boult 113 J. Rudolph not out 105 AB de Villiers c McCullum b Williamson 29 M. Boucher not out 34 Extras (nb-3, w-1, lb-6, b-2) 12 Total (for five wickets dec, 140 overs) 435 Fall of wickets: 1-45 2-47 3-247 4-283 5-353 Bowling: Martin 23-4-74-0; Boult 26-4-93-1;

Bracewell 25-3-70-3 (nb-3); Southee 26-4-100-0 (w-1); Vettori 32-5-65-0; Nicol 1-0-9-0; Williamson 7-4-16-1 New Zealand second innings R. Nicol c Smith b Tahir 19 M. Guptill c de Villiers b Philander 6 B. McCullum not out 58 R. Taylor not out 48 Extras (lb-2, w-2, nb-2) 6 Total (for two wickets, 41 overs) 137 Fall of wickets: 1-16 2-55 Bowling: Steyn 8-2-25-0 (w-1); Philander 12-229-1 (nb-2); Morkel 7-2-27-0; Tahir 8-2-33-1; Kallis 6-1-21-0 (w-1).

Misbah: Australia experience gives rivals edge in Asia Cup DHAKA: The tough experience that India and Sri Lanka went through in Australia in their recent tour will give them an advantage over their rivals in the Asia Cup, Pakistan captain Misbahul Haq said yesterday.

The biennial four-nation Asia Cup begins in Dhaka today with Pakistan and Bangladesh vying for the top spot in the continent along with India and Sri Lanka.

India had just a few days break before flying to Dhaka after a tough Australia tour where they lost all four test matches and failed to qualify for the finals of the tri-series one-day tournament.

Sri Lanka, beaten by Australia in the best of three finals of the tri-series, flew to Dhaka directly from Australia yesterday.

“I think the way they have played cricket in Australia, it will always be difficult... to play against them as they have played tough cricket over there,” Misbah told a news conference in Dhaka about their opponents.

“To compete with them we have to work very hard and have to improve our

performance.”

Pakistan toured Bangladesh in December and won both test and one-day series by a clear margin.

They also beat England in a test series 3-0 in the United Arab Emirates before losing the one-day series 4-0 to the same opponents.

“Regardless of the situation that we have played here and have some advantage, but it will hardly matter as they have played some tough cricket. A lot of teams get mentally strong after playing over there (Australia),” he said.

Misbah said they want to forget the poor showing in the one-day series against England and take inspiration from the past good test results.

“Every game and every series is a different ball game. You can’t just stick to the series that you have lost,” said Misbah.

“If you look at the series before we won six series in a row, I think this is part of the game. What we want to do is just forget the one-day series and just look forward,” he said. —Reuters

CARDIFF: Jamie Roberts propelled Wales to a frustrating 24-3 Six Nations victory over Italy yesterday to keep their hopes of a third Grand Slam in eight years alive.

Following three Championship triumphs Wales were overwhelming favourites to cruise past winless Italy at the Millennium Stadium. But dogged Italy made life difficult for the hosts despite their abundance of brute force and finesse.

Warren Gatland’s men led by just sixpoints at the interval thanks to a hat-trick of penalties from Leigh Halfpenny despite dominating both territory and possession.

But Roberts raced clear for a break-away try after 49 minutes to put Wales in a commanding position. Italy continued to disturb Wales but man-of-the-match Alex Cuthbert scorched clear at the death to put the result beyond doubt.

The Welsh can now look forward to a Grand Slam showdown with World Cup heartbreakers France in a week’s time.

“We knew it was going to be tough from the start,” said Cuthbert. “We just tried to do our things and go for it - it was hard to break them down - they have a good defence and it was hard work. “We take each game at a time and hopefully we will get a big crowd out next Saturday (against France).

Gatland was critical of Irish referee George Clancy calling him “over pedantic.” “But the boys tried really hard and at the end of the day we are four out of four.

“We are happy with the intent that was out there - but the boys are a little bit frustrated.” Wales were without Sam Warburton, after their inspirational skipper failed to recover from the Championship-threatening knee injury he suffered against England, with Ospreys youngster Justin Tipuric starting in his place.

But they welcomed back former captain Matthew Rees, who reformed the Dragons’ all-Lions front-row for the first time since November 2010.

Luke Charteris also made his long-awaited international comeback off the replacement bench following the wrist injury he suffered at the World Cup. Wales’ giant backline made a rampaging start to the encounter with George North breaking three tackles with his first carry and Alex Cuthbert also making major inroads.

Leigh Halfpenny opened the hosts’ account with a long-range penalty on nine

minutes after Sergio Parisse was penalised.

But Faletau knocked on from the kick-off and Wales’ reunited all-Lions front-row were pinned at the ensuing scrum to allow Bergamasco to level the scores.

Following an intense period of pressure, with Cuthbert running riot out wide, Halfpenny eased Wales back in front.

They continued to dominate affairs and pounded Italy with relentless waves of attacks. But they were let down by errors in the face of the visitors’ committed defence in

the restart of play but Roberts struck with a long-range effort to settle the hosts’ nerves.

Alun Wyn Jones pounced on loose ball inside the Welsh half and the ball was spread through Mike Phillips, Halfpenny and Priestland’s hands for Roberts to slice through the Azzurri defence.

Halfpenny slotted the extras to hand Wales a 16-3 lead. They continued to cause Italy problems in attack but were dealt a major blow when the full-back was cruelly shown yellow after colliding with Parisse -

CARDIFF: Wales’ Dan Lydiate (centre) is tackled by Italy’s Andrea Lo Cicero, left, during their Six Nations rugby union match at the Millennium stadium. —AP the final quarter.

Jamie Roberts came closest to breaking the deadlock after latching on to a Faletau offload. But the burly centre was hauled down short by Luke McLean and Alberto Scarbi.

Wales settled for Halfpenny’s third penalty after Bergamasco was harshly penalised at the breakdown. Italy responded with a late rally but Wales held strong to enter the interval leading 9-3.

Wales were frustrated by Italy following

despite competing for the ball.

Mass substitutions disrupted the flow of the game in the final quarter but Wales hungon despite their numerical disadvantage.

With Halfpenny in the bin, Priestland stretched the lead further on 69 minutes and Cuthbert rounded off the victory with minutes to spare.

Captain Jenkins took a quick-tap and released Cuthbert, who went outside Fabio Staibano and raced clear before squeezing into the corner. —AFP

French eye win over England PARIS: France will seek to keep their Six Nations title hopes alive by beating old foes England at the Stade de France today.

The French cannot afford a slipup against England after the 17-17 draw with Ireland last Sunday ended their hopes of a Grand Slam in coach Philippe Saint-Andre’s first campaign. Saint-Andre, who made his name as a coach in England with Gloucester, has been loathe to make sweeping changes unlike his predecessor Marc Lievremont but has opted to make a change in the halfbacks with Julien Dupuy and Lionel Beauxis at scrum-half and fly-half respectively.

Both last started a game for France back in 2009 but SaintAndre believes one of the reasons for the hosts’ slow starts in their three games so far has been because scrum-half Morgan Parra and fly-half Francois Trinh-Duc have been pedestrian.

“They (Dupuy and Beauxis) know each other well because they’ve played together as half backs at Stade Francais,” said the 44-year-old former France skipper.

“It’s a strategic choice on my part. England are the team that occupy the field of play the most, especially away from home.

“It’s also because during our first three games we struggled to really get going, and we had trouble getting out of our own half during the first 20 minutes.”

Saint-Andre, who also had spells coaching Bourgoin, Sale and Toulon, said he was relishing his first ever confrontation with England.

“An England v France game is more than just a game of rugby,” he said. “A lot of people might only watch one rugby match a year, and that match will be France v

England,” he said.

“It’s all about fight, discipline and commitment throughout 80 minutes and then at the end we shake hands like gentlemen.

“The ‘Crunch’ has a very special flavour, and it’s even more special when you win it so we’ll be doing

securing the post full-time.

Lancaster’s case has been helped by two hard-earned but unspectacular wins against the two weakest sides in the tournament Scotland and Italy and a gutsy display in defeat last time out at home to Wales.

Owen Farrell at fly-half after an assured performance againt Wales and he is looking to him to pin back the French with his positional kicking.

“Playing France away is one of the biggest challenges in international rugby. They have got about

PARIS: France’s rugby union national team head coch Philippe Saint Andre (center-left) gives instructions to his players during a training session on the eve of their rugby union Six Nations tournament match against England. —AFP everything we can to make sure we finish with smiles on our faces and shake hands with a ‘good game’, and hopefully a win, at the end.” For his England counterpart Stuart Lancaster it is also his first such experience of ‘Le Crunch’ .

But for him a win could earn him invaluable currency as he seeks to see off the likes of former Springbok coach Nick Mallett in

Lancaster, though, is adamant that he is focussed solely on the France game and not his long-term job prospects.

“It was always going to be a public process - the players have not been affected and it hasn’t affected the management. We are just concentrating on Sunday,” said the 42-year-old.

Lancaster has chosen youngster

900 caps between them and the experience of being in the World Cup final,” said Lancaster.

“They are a threat across the park. We have got to make sure we get the set piece right and we want to play with width and tempo. The set piece is how you impose yourself and we have got to make sure we play on the front foot.” —AFP

Highlanders hold on to edge Waratahs DUNEDIN: The Otago Highlanders edged the New South Wales Waratahs 18-17 in an intense and bruising Super Rugby encounter in Dunedin yesterday to remain the only team with a 100 percent record in the New Zealand conference.

Playing their second successive match at their new enclosed stadium, the Highlanders made it three wins from three this season with a typically physical performance and tries either side of halftime from scrumhalf Aaron Smith and John Hardie.

The Waratahs led for much of the game, largely through Daniel Halangahu’s kicking, and could have nicked a victory at the end but their last possession ended with a turnover and the Highlanders were able to scramble the ball messily into touch. “Our ball

security let us down today but we snuck away for a win and it was bloody great,” said Highlanders skipper Jamie Mackintosh.

Halangahu’s first two penalties gave the visitors the early lead against the run of play but in the 16th minute Highlanders scrumhalf Smith started a move with a tap penalty and finished it with a try under the posts after a rampaging run from flyhalf Lima Sopoaga. The Highlanders failed to pull away, however, and Halangahu’s third penalty gave them a 9-5 lead which Colin Slade, who had moved to flyhalf when Sopoaga went off injured, reduced to 9-8 at the half with his first three-pointer.

Flanker Pat McCutcheon scored the Waratahs’ only try soon after halftime when he charged down a

Slade kick but he sustained a serious ankle injury in Buxton Popoali’i’s despairing tackle and his evening was over.

After McCutcheon was taken off the pitch on a stretcher, the Highlanders went straight back on the attack and the pressure finally told in the 48th minute when flanker Hardie strolled over in the corner.

All Black Slade converted a difficult kick from the touchline to add the extra points and the Highlanders were in front for the first time in the game at 15-14. Another Halangahu pot shot followed by Slade’s second penalty kept the home side’s slender lead intact and both missed chances to add to their tallies in a scrappy and frenetic last 10 minutes. —Reuters

SUNDAY, MARCH 11, 2012

S P ORT S

Eaton sets world record

SACRAMENTO: Kings guard Tyreke Evans (left) drives to the basket past Dallas Mavericks’ Lamar Odom (center) and Brian Cardinal during the third quarter of an NBA basketball game.—AP

Bryant lifts Lakers over T’Wolves MINNEAPOLIS: Kobe Bryant scored 34 points and Andrew Bynum added 26 points and 10 rebounds to lift Los Angeles Lakers to a 105-102 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Friday.

Bynum dominated the smaller Wolves down low and Bryant made four free throws in the final 16 seconds for the Lakers, who beat the Timberwolves for the 18th straight time. Derrick Williams had 22 points and 10 rebounds and Nikola Pekovic had 25 points and 13 boards for the Wolves, who found out less than 30 minutes before the game that leading scorer and rebounder Kevin Love could not play because of back spasms.

Celtics 104, T Blazers 86 At Boston, Paul Pierce and Ray Allen each scored 22 points as Boston rebounded from a lopsided loss and handed one to Portland.

The win came after Boston lost by 32 points at Atlantic Division-leading Philadelphia on Wednesday, its worst setback in more than six years.

Kevin Garnett grabbed seven defensive rebounds to move into second place on the NBA’s career list with defensive rebounds since the league started keeping the stat in 1973-74.

He has 10,122 and moved ahead of Robert Parish (10,117). Karl Malone holds the top spot with 11,406. LaMarcus Aldridge led the Trail Blazers with 22 points.

Cavaliers 96, Thunder 90 At Oklahoma City, Antawn Jamison scored 21 points and Kyrie Irving orchestrated a decisive run in the final 3 minutes as Cleveland snapped Oklahoma City’s 14-game home winning streak. The Cavaliers scored their first consecutive road wins of the season by turning the normally fast-breaking Thunder into a half-court team. Oklahoma City converted only three transition baskets until trying to make a dramatic comeback in the final minute.

Kevin Durant tried to lead Oklahoma City back, but missed on a pair of 3-point attempts.

He finished with 23 points and Russell Westbrook scored 19 for the Thunder.

Pistons 86, Hawks 85 At Auburn Hills, Michigan, Tayshaun Prince made a driving left-handed shot with 24.3 seconds remaining as Detroit held on to beat Atlanta. The Pistons wasted a 12-point fourthquarter lead and trailed by one after Jeff Teague’s layup with 36.6 seconds to play, but Prince answered and Atlanta’s Joe Johnson missed a contested shot from the left corner in the final seconds.

Greg Monroe scored 20 points and Jason Maxiell added 19 for Detroit. Josh Smith led the Hawks with 21 and Johnson scored 18 in his first game back after missing four with left knee tendinitis.

Nets 83, Bobcats 74 At Charlotte, North Carolina, Kris Humphries had 20 points and 15 rebounds as New Jersey overcame an injury to Deron Williams to beat Charlotte.

Anthony Morrow scored all 17 of his points in the fourth quarter to help the Nets break open a tight game. Williams, who scored a career-high

and franchise-record 57 points on this same floor Sunday night against the Bobcats, left in the second quarter with a sore right calf and did not return. He finished with seven points and three assists. Corey Maggette led the Bobcats with 19 points and Bismack Biyombo had 11 points and 11 rebounds.

76ers 104, Jazz 91 At Philadelphia, Lou Williams and Thaddeus Young scored 21 points each, lifting Philadelphia past Utah. Evan Turner had 16 points and 12 rebounds, Jrue Holiday also scored 16 point, and Andre Iguodala added 10 points, 10 assists and seven rebounds for the Sixers, who followed Wednesday’s 32-point victory over the Boston Celtics with another impressive performance.

Paul Millsap had 15 points to lead the Jazz while Derrick Favors and Al Jefferson added 14 each. Gordon Hayward had 13 and Devin Harris 10 as Utah snapped a two-game winning streak.

Bucks 119, Knicks 114 At Milwaukee, Ersan Ilyasova scored 26 points, including a critical putback in the final minute, as Milwaukee held on to beat New York.

Brandon Jennings and Mike Dunleavy added 25 points each for the Bucks, who were coming off a last-second loss at home to Chicago on Wednesday.

Amare Stoudemire had 27 points and 11 rebounds for the Knicks, who have lost four straight and seven of their past 10. Carmelo Anthony had 22 points, while Jeremy Lin had 20 points and 13 assists, with four steals and five turnovers.

Clippers 120, Spurs 108 At San Antonio, Chris Paul had 36 points and 11 assists, and Mo Williams scored a season-high 33 as the Los Angeles Clippers ended a 17-game losing streak at San Antonio.

It was the Clippers’ first victory in San Antonio in a decade, and a 3-point barrage led

by Williams is what finally snapped their long skid here. Williams was 7 of 9 from behind the arc, including consecutive makes in the fourth that deflated the Spurs. Manu Ginobili led the Spurs with 22 points.

Kings 110, Mavericks 97 At Sacramento, California, Tyreke Evans and Marcus Thornton each scored 17 points to help Sacramento end a 10-game losing streak against Dallas. Rookie Isaiah Thomas added 14 points, including three 3-pointers in the third quarter, for the Kings, who last beat Dallas on Jan. 11, 1999. Jason Terry scored 23 points to lead the Mavericks, who have lost six straight road games for the first time since November 1999.—AP

New Jersey 83, Charlotte 74; Philadelphia 104, Utah 91; Detroit 86, Atlanta 85; Boston 104, Portland 86; La Lakers 105, Minnesota 102; Cleveland 96, Oklahoma City 90; Milwaukee 119, NY Knicks 114; LA Clippers 120, San Antonio 108; Denver 110, New Orleans 97; Sacramento 110, Dallas 97.

Philadelphia Boston NY Knicks New Jersey Toronto Chicago Indiana Milwaukee Cleveland Detroit Miami Orlando Atlanta Washington Charlotte

GB 2 5.5 10 10 7.5 16 16 18 5 7.5 20.5 24.5

Medals Table Medals table at the world indoor championships: Country

G

S

B

Total

United States Britain Australia Morocco Ukraine Ethiopia Brazil Costa Rica France New Zealand Russia Germany Bahamas Belarus Turkey Italy Jamaica Kazakhstan Sweden Cuba Lithuania Poland

5 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

0 2 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 2 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 0 0 0

3 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 2 0 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 1 1 1

8 4 2 2 2 2 1 1 1 1 4 2 2 2 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

Fedoriva by a massive .97 seconds. And Chaunte Lowe, a mother of two, made it even better for the Americans by taking the high jump over outdoor champion Anna Chicherova, another mother.

Genzebe Dibaba added to her Ethiopian family dynasty by winning the 1,500 title at 21, adding more medals to a sisterhood which also includes two-time Olympic gold medalist Tirunesh Dibaba and 2004 Olympic 10,000 silver medalist Ejegayehu Dibaba.

“This is the first major victory of my career,” Dibaba said. “It was tough but I am happy to start the Olympic year with this world title.

Dibaba ran with the poise and tactics of a veteran and sheer speed of a youngster to finish in 4:05.78, two seconds ahead of Mariem Alaoui

Western Conference Northwest Division Oklahoma City 31 9 .775 Denver 23 18 .561 Minnesota 21 20 .512 Utah 19 20 .487 Portland 19 21 .475 Pacific Division LA Clippers 23 15 .605 LA Lakers 24 16 .600 Phoenix 18 21 .462 Golden State 15 21 .417 Sacramento 14 26 .350 Southwest Division San Antonio 26 13 .667 Memphis 23 15 .605 Dallas 23 19 .548 Houston 21 19 .525 New Orleans 9 31 .225

8.5 10.5 11.5 12 5.5 7 10 2.5 4.5 5.5 17.5

Selsouli of Morocco. Abdalaati Iguider did one better for Morocco in the men’s 1,500, sweeping past Ilham Tanui Ozbilen of Turkey in the final meters to deny the cheering crowds of a hometown win.

Renaud Lavillenie of France won the pole vault with a world leading jump of 5.95 meters, and Valerie Adams of New Zealand the women’s shot put.

Britain got its first gold from 39-year-old Yamile Aldama, a Cuban-born triple jumper who also competed for Sudan before gaining British citizenship two years ago. She had a season’s best 14.82 meters to beat defending champion Olga Rypakova of Kazakhstan by 19 centimeters. “Better late than never,” Aldama said. “This is my first world title.”—AP

ISTANBUL: United States’ Ashton Eaton celebrates winning the Men’s Heptathlon during the World Indoor Athletics Championships.—AP

Gatlin scorches to world 60m gold ISTANBUL: American Justin Gatlin took another step towards redemption after a four-year doping ban by comprehensively winning the 60m at the World Indoor Athletics Championships yesterday.

Gatlin, the 2004 Athens Olympics 100m gold medallist, powered out of his blocks at the Atakoy Arena and led the field through from gun to tape, timing an impressive 6.46 seconds.

Jamaican Nesta Carter, a key part of his country’s world and Olympic gold-medal winning 4x100m relay squads, for once basked in some individual glory with a fighting silver in 6.54sec.

Defending champion Dwain Chambers of Britain had to be happy with bronze at 6.60sec in a photo finish with American Trell Kimmons, who remains the fastest sprinter in the world this season.

Chambers’ result could not have come at a better time as he waits for the court case that will decide his fate at this summer’s London Olympic Games.

The Englishman sent out a reminder that he remains Britain’s best sprinter despite finding himself in the ironic position of being unable for the moment to represent his country at the Olympics because of his doping-blighted past.

The former European 100m champion, who was

banned for two years after testing positive for the anabolic steroid THG in 2004, is currently unable to appear in the London Games due to a British Olympic Association (BOA) ruling.

The BOA will argue before the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) on Monday that their bylaw, which bans convicted drugs cheats from competing in the Olympic Games, does not violate the World Anti-Doping Association code.

But if CAS find the BOA’s bylaw to be non-compliant with the world anti-doping code, Chambers will be cleared to be selected for Team GB. He has also been unable to compete at Diamond League events because British athletics authorities (UKA) refuse to sanction athletes with doping pasts. Euro Meetings, organisers of the Diamond League meets, last year withdrew their 2007 recommendation that members not invite athletes who have served drug bans.

That opened up the door for Jamaican Steve Mullings and American duo Gatlin and LaShawn Merritt to run at Diamond League meets this season, but UKA has not changed its policy of not inviting “an athlete who they consider damages the integrity of a competition”.—AFP

Gomez nets hat-trick as Bayern slay Hoffenheim

Nuggets 110, Hornets 97 At Denver, Arron Afflalo scored 28 points and Al Harrington had 20 as Denver pulled away to win for the fifth time in six games since the AllStar break.

Nene added 12 points and Ty Lawson had 11 points to go with 10 assists for the Nuggets.

Lance Thomas scored 18 points to lead the Hornets, who lost their fourth in a row. Jarret Jack added 17 points and Xavier Henry and Marco Belinelli had 12 points apiece for New Orleans.

NBA results/standings

Eastern Conference Atlantic Division W L PCT 24 17 .585 21 18 .538 18 22 .450 14 27 .341 13 26 .333 Central Division 33 9 .786 23 14 .622 16 24 .400 15 23 .395 14 26 .350 Southeast Division 30 9 .769 26 15 .634 23 17 .575 9 29 .237 5 33 .132

ISTANBUL: Ashton Eaton set his third heptathlon world record in as many years to win gold yesterday at the world indoor championships and turn himself into a heavy favorite for Olympic gold.

The American dominated the two-day competition from start to finish and capped it with an overwhelming 1,000 meters in the concluding event to break the record he set last year with a total of 6,645 points. The old mark was 6,568 points.

“I was good, fit and healthy, and if all things went well I knew I would be able to do it,” said Eaton, who will likely be competing for decathlon gold at the London Olympics in August. “If I keep training, the way I am making improvements it should be a good outdoor season.”

Eaton raced into the lead when the competition began Friday, setting a personal best of 8.16 meters in the long jump. He also won the 60 meters, 60-meter hurdles and the pole vault, making up for third-place finishes in the shot put and high jump. And there was no stopping him in the 1,000 as he knew another world record was on the line.

“Every 200 meters, I would look at the clock and I was thinking, ‘Geez, I’m kind of falling off pace. Pick it up. Pick it up. It’s hard when you’re running by yourself,” Eaton said. “You don’t have that person to chase. But I was chasing a record.”

Despite his record-setting form, it was his first world title. “I will now be preparing for the Olympic trials, which you know are very competitive in the US,” Eaton said.

On Friday, Nataliya Dobrynska of Ukraine set a world record in the pentathlon, turning the multi-events into a heavy draw on the purse of the organizers as each won $90,000 for the gold and the record.

Sanya Richards-Ross immediately added another gold for the United States on Saturday, running from the front in the 400 to win in 50.79, and holding off Russian rival Aleksandra

GERMANY: Bayern Munich’s French midfielder Franck Ribery (left) shoots to score the seventh goal for his team next to Hoffenheim’s goalkeeper Tom Starke (right) during the German First Division Bundesliga football match.—AFP

Hibs in Scottish Cup last four GLASGOW: Hibernian eased their way through to the semi-finals of the Scottish Cup as two first-half goals secured a 2-0 win over First Division side Ayr United.

Roy O’Donovan headed Hibs into a sixthminute lead before Leigh Griffiths doubled their advantage from the penalty spot 13 minutes later, after Andrew Geggan was adjudged to have blocked Isaiah Osbourne at a Hibs corner.

Ayr’s Chris Smith and Geggan were both denied by Graham Stack as Brian Reid’s side failed to repeat last season’s cup win against Hibs, whose quest for a first Scottish Cup win since 1902 continues.

Meanwhile, Edinburgh rivals Hearts will have to do it all again with St Mirren after their tie at Tynecastle ended in a 2-2 draw.

The visitors had a strong claim for an early penalty when Gary Teale’s shot appeared to come off the hand of Danny Grainger but referee Stevie O’Reilly waved away the appeals.

The Buddies had made a whirlwind start and took a deserved lead in the 27th minute when Graham Carey sent a left-footed freekick through a gap in the Hearts wall and

into the net from 20 yards.

However, Hearts stunned their opponents with a 37th-minute equaliser when Craig Beattie scored his first goal for the club by heading Grainger’s corner past Craig Samson.

The Jambos thought they had taken the lead in first-half stoppage time when Beattie converted at the back post following Ian Black’s wayward shot but he had already been flagged offside.

The former Celtic striker turned provider in the second half when he crossed for Rudi Skacel to bullet a header past Samson and seize the advantage for the Jambos in the 48th minute. However, Hearts were left frustrated in the 84th minute when Nigel Hasselbaink’s effort was turned into his own net by Marius Zaliukas to level matters. The two Scottish Premier League sides will face each other in a replay on March 21 for a place in the final four. Holders Celtic are away to Dundee United today, while Motherwell host Aberdeen in the final quarter-final tie. In the only SPL match to be played yesterday, Inverness and Kilmarnock played out a 1-1 draw.—AFP

BERLIN: Germany striker Mario Gomez netted a hat-trick in Bayern Munich’s 7-1 demolition of Hoffenheim yesterday as the Bavarians trimmed the gap behind German league leaders Dortmund to four points.

With defending champions Dortmund playing relegationthreatened Augsburg on Saturday night, Bayern took the chance to cut their lead and give themselves a confidence boost ahead of Tuesday’s Champions League clash.

Bayern badly needed a win ahead of their Round of 16 home clash against FC Basel when they must over-turn a 1-0 defeat from the away leg.

With Bayern already licking their wounds from last weekend’s 2-0 defeat at Leverkusen, reports coach Jupp Heynckes will quit at the end of the season also circulated in midweek, although he later insisted he will see out the 15 months left on his contract.

Bayern responded to the pressure by blitzing Hoffenheim with five goals in exactly 30 minutes during a devastating first-half performance.

“The difference from the Leverkusen game was that we have now played well over 90 minutes and took our chances,” said Heynckes.

“We played at a frenzy and the goals were all a delicacy.

“I’ve noticed over the week that the team wanted to move up a gear and flick the lever. This will give us a boost for Tuesday.”

Bayern started with a bang as Gomez put a pass out to Thomas Mueller whose shot was parried only for the striker to fire home after five minutes. Dutch winger Arjen Robben then converted a penalty to put them 2-0 up after 11 minutes.

The third came just seven minutes later when Germany midfielder Toni Kroos fired home from 25 metres and Robben made it 4-0 with less than half an hour played after a defence splitting-pass from France wing Franck Ribery.

The rout continued as Gomez headed home a Ribery cross on 34 minutes and the Germany striker wrapped up his hattrick with a second header from a Robben corner on 48 minutes.

Having created three of Bayern’s goals, Ribery then claimed his own for Bayern’s seventh on 58 minutes before Bayern’s Luiz Gustavo netted a late own-goal for Hoffenheim.

This was only Bayern’s fifth win in their ten games since Christmas, but with third-placed Moenchengladbach being held to a goalless draw by Freiburg, Bayern are now three points clear of third with a huge goal difference.

Germany striker Lukas Podolski, who reports claim is set to join Arsenal at the end of the season, was shown a straight red-card in Cologne’s bad-tempered 1-0 home win over Hertha Berlin as the hosts finished with nine men.

Cologne midfielder Christian Clemens scored the firsthalf winner, but Podolski was one of three players sent off for aiming a second-half head butt and was shown a straight red on 76 minutes.

After their humiliating 7-1 defeat at Barcelona in the Champions League in midweek, Bayer Leverkusen slumped to a 3-2 defeat at Wolfsburg, despite taking an early lead.

Mainz are up to tenth after their 2-1 win at home to Nuremberg as Egypt striker Mohamed Zidan continued his remarkable scoring run with his sixth goal in consecutive games when he drilled home a free-kick on 22 minutes.—AFP

SUNDAY, MARCH 11, 2012

S P ORT S

Soccer results/standings Aston Villa 1 (Weimann 90) Fulham 0; Bolton 2 (Pratley 37, Klasnic 86) QPR 1 (Cisse 48); Chelsea 1 (Drogba 68) Stoke 0; Sunderland 1 (Bendtner 56) Liverpool 0; Wolves 0 Blackburn 2 (Hoilett 43, 69); Everton 1 (Jelavic 22) Tottenham 0.

Playing today: Manchester Utd v West Brom; Norwich v Wigan; Swansea v Manchester City.

Playing tomorrow: Arsenal v Newcastle English Football League results Championship Brighton 2 Portsmouth 0; Burnley 1 Crystal Palace 1; Coventry 1 Birmingham 1; Derby 1 Watford 2; Hull 2 Ipswich 2; Nottingham Forest 3 Millwall 1; Peterborough 3 Blackpool 1; Reading 3 Leicester 1; Southampton 2 Barnsley 0; West Ham 1 Doncaster 1.

Playing later: Bristol City v Cardiff Playing today: Middlesbrough v Leeds Division One Brentford 0 Sheffield Utd 2; Carlisle 4 Bury 1; Charlton 2 Notts County 4; Huddersfield 2 Rochdale 2; Milton Keynes Dons 3 Exeter 0; Oldham 1 Yeovil 2; Preston 0 Scunthorpe 0; Sheffield Wednesday 3 Bournemouth 0; Stevenage 2 Chesterfield 2; Tranmere 2 Leyton Orient 0; Walsall 0 Hartlepool 0; Wycombe 0 Colchester 0.

Division Two AFC Wimbledon 2 Dagenham and Redbridge 1; Bradford 2 Oxford 1; Gillingham 3 Crewe 4; Macclesfield 2 Crawley 2; Morecambe 0

Hereford 1; Northampton 3 Aldershot 1; Port Vale 1 Barnet 2; Rotherham 1 Plymouth 0; Shrewsbury 1 Burton 0; Southend 2 Accrington 2; Swindon 1 Cheltenham 0; Torquay 2 Bristol Rovers 2.

Scottish Premier League result Inverness CT 1 (Golobart 83) Kilmarnock 1 (Golobart 31-og) Scottish Football League results First Division Falkirk 1 Partick 1; Hamilton 0 Ross County 2; Morton 1 Livingston 3; Queen Of The South 1 Raith 0.

Second Division Albion 0 Airdrie 1; Arbroath 2 Dumbarton 0; East Fife 0 Cowdenbeath 1; Forfar 4 Brechin 1; Stenhousemuir 4 Stirling 0.

Third Division Alloa 5 East Stirling 1; Annan Athletic 1 Stranraer 3; Elgin City 1 Peterhead 2; Montrose 1 Berwick 1.

German League results FC Cologne 1 (Clemens 36) Hertha Berlin 0; VfL Wolfsburg 3 (Helmes 32, Dejagah 45, Kadlec 61-og) Bayer Leverkusen 2 (Kiessling 3, Derdiyok 90+1); M’gladbach 0 SC Freiburg 0; Bayern Munich 7 (Gomez 5, 35, 48, Robben 12pen, 29, Kroos 18, Ribery 58) Hoffenheim 1 (Luiz Gustavo 85-og); Mainz 05 2 (Mueller 2, Zidan 22) Nuremberg 1 (Didavi 64).

Played later: Augsburg v Dortmund Playing today Werder Bremen v Hanover, Schalke 04 v Hamburg Played Friday: VfB Stuttgart 0 Kaiserslautern 0

English Premier League table after yesterday’s matches (played, won, drawn, lost, goals for, goals against, points): St Mirren 29 6 13 10 26 37 31 Man City 27 21 3 3 69 19 66 Inverness 29 7 7 15 33 50 28 Man Utd 27 20 4 3 66 27 64 Hibernian 29 5 8 16 30 55 23 Tottenham 28 16 5 7 52 34 53 Dunfermline 30 4 7 19 30 66 19 Arsenal 27 15 4 8 55 38 49 Note: Rangers deducted 10 points for going Chelsea 28 14 7 7 48 32 49 into administration Newcastle 27 12 8 7 39 39 44 Liverpool 27 10 9 8 30 26 39 Scottish League tables Sunderland 28 10 7 11 36 31 37 First Division Everton 27 10 7 10 28 28 37 Ross County 26 15 10 1 46 21 55 Fulham 28 9 9 10 37 37 36 Falkirk 27 11 11 5 40 30 44 Stoke 28 10 6 12 27 39 36 Dundee 26 11 8 7 38 27 41 West Brom 27 10 5 12 34 35 35 Partick 27 9 8 10 33 29 35 Norwich 27 9 8 10 38 44 35 Livingston 27 9 8 10 40 41 35 Aston Villa 28 7 12 9 31 35 33 Hamilton 27 9 6 12 34 38 33 Swansea 27 8 9 10 30 34 33 Morton 26 8 7 11 28 41 31 Blackburn 28 6 7 15 40 60 25 Ayr 26 7 9 10 30 45 30 Bolton 28 7 2 19 31 57 23 Raith 27 7 7 13 30 36 28 QPR 28 5 7 16 29 48 22 Q of South 27 6 8 13 29 40 26 Wolves 28 5 7 16 30 58 22 Wigan 27 4 8 15 23 52 20 Second Division Cowdenbeath 28 17 8 3 56 22 59 English Football League tables Arbroath 28 15 10 3 66 38 55 Championship Dumbarton 28 13 6 9 50 46 45 Southampton 36 20 9 7 65 33 69 S’housemuir 28 12 4 12 45 40 40 West Ham 35 19 9 7 55 34 66 East Fife 28 10 5 13 40 47 35 Reading 35 20 6 9 47 29 66 Brechin 28 8 10 10 34 42 34 Middlesbrough34 16 11 7 43 35 59 Airdrie Utd 28 8 9 11 51 57 33 Brighton 36 16 10 10 44 36 58 Forfar 28 7 9 12 47 58 30 Birmingham 34 15 11 8 54 33 56 Stirling 28 7 6 15 37 56 27 Blackpool 36 15 11 10 59 49 56 Albion 28 7 5 16 34 54 26 Cardiff 34 14 12 8 52 43 54 Hull 34 15 9 10 34 28 54 Third Division Leeds 35 14 8 13 52 49 50 Alloa 28 18 6 4 50 30 60 Crystal 35 12 13 10 36 32 49 Stranraer 28 14 7 7 64 42 49 Leicester 35 13 9 13 48 43 48 Queens Park 27 14 6 7 51 33 48 Burnley 35 14 6 15 48 44 48 Elgin 28 13 7 8 53 41 46 Watford 36 12 11 13 42 54 47 Athletic 28 11 7 10 43 42 40 Derby 35 13 7 15 38 47 46 Peterhead 28 10 5 13 38 48 35 Ipswich 35 13 6 16 56 63 45 Berwick 28 8 10 10 44 47 34 Barnsley 36 12 7 17 46 57 43 Clyde 27 6 8 13 29 33 26 Peterborough 35 11 8 16 54 57 41 Montrose 28 7 5 16 42 63 26 Millwall 36 9 10 17 39 50 37 East Stirling 28 5 5 18 31 66 20 Nottingham 35 10 5 20 33 54 35 Bristol City 35 9 7 19 31 57 34 German League table Coventry 36 7 9 20 31 50 30 Dortmund 24 17 4 3 52 16 55 Doncaster 34 7 9 18 31 55 30 Bayern 25 16 3 6 58 17 51 Portsmouth 35 9 9 17 34 40 26 Borussia 25 14 6 5 37 15 48 Note: Portsmouth deducted 10 points for Schalke 24 14 2 8 51 32 44 entering administration Leverkusen 25 11 7 7 38 32 40 Werder 24 10 6 8 37 38 36 Division One Hanover 24 8 11 5 30 32 35 Charlton 36 23 9 4 66 29 78 Stuttgart 25 9 6 10 41 33 33 Sheffield 35 21 5 9 66 37 68 Nuremberg 25 9 4 12 24 34 31 Sheffield 36 20 7 9 62 42 67 Wolfsburg 25 9 4 12 31 46 31 Huddersfield 35 16 16 3 67 37 64 Mainz 25 7 9 9 37 39 30 Keynes Dons 35 17 11 7 66 37 62 Hoffenheim 25 7 9 9 28 35 30 Notts County 36 16 8 12 55 47 56 Cologne 25 8 4 13 32 46 28 Carlisle 34 15 10 9 52 54 55 Hamburg 24 6 9 9 28 42 27 Stevenage 33 13 12 8 49 33 51 Hertha Berlin 25 5 8 12 26 41 23 Colchester 34 12 12 10 47 46 48 Augsburg 24 4 10 10 25 39 22 Brentford 34 12 11 11 46 41 47 Freiburg 25 5 7 13 30 52 22 Hartlepool 36 12 10 14 42 45 46 Kaiserslautern 25 3 11 11 16 32 20 Bournemouth 35 12 8 15 38 43 44 Oldham 33 11 9 13 41 50 42 Preston 34 11 9 14 43 53 42 Yeovil 35 11 9 15 46 57 42 Bury 36 11 8 17 47 65 41 Leyton Orient 34 10 10 14 37 51 40 (Local Timings) Scunthorpe 35 8 15 12 45 49 39 Tranmere 35 9 11 15 34 40 38 Walsall 35 7 16 12 34 39 37 ENGLISH PREMIER LEAGUE Exeter 36 8 10 18 31 55 34 Swansea v Man City 17:00 Wycombe 36 9 6 21 49 69 33 Abu Dhabi Sports HD Chesterfield 36 7 11 18 39 59 32 Man United v West Brom 17:00 Rochdale 36 6 13 17 32 56 31 Abu Dhabi Sports HD Norwich v Wigan 19:00 Division Two Abu Dhabi Sports HD Swindon 35 23 4 8 61 25 73

Matches on TV

Shrewsbury 35 19 8 8 51 33 65 Southend 36 19 7 10 61 42 64 Cheltenham 36 19 7 10 55 36 64 Torquay 35 18 9 8 49 38 63 Crawley Town 33 16 10 7 56 41 58 Oxford Utd 35 14 13 8 49 35 55 Gillingham 35 16 6 13 63 52 54 Crewe 36 15 7 14 52 52 52 Rotherham 35 13 11 11 51 46 50 Morecambe 36 12 11 13 52 43 47 Accrington 35 11 13 11 43 46 46 Aldershot 34 14 4 16 36 40 46 Port Vale 35 15 8 12 57 47 43 Burton Albion 35 11 10 14 44 56 43 Bristol Rovers 35 11 9 15 43 56 42 Wimbledon 35 11 8 16 47 63 41 Bradford 34 9 12 13 43 44 39 Barnet 35 10 7 18 42 63 37 Macclesfield 36 8 11 17 34 45 35 Hereford 36 8 11 17 39 58 35 Northampton 34 9 7 18 46 66 34 Plymouth 36 7 11 18 38 56 32 Dagenham 35 9 4 22 34 63 31 Note: Port Vale deducted 10 points for entering administration Scottish Premier League table Celtic 30 24 3 3 Rangers 29 20 4 5 Motherwell 29 15 6 8 Dundee Utd 29 10 10 9 St Johnstone 28 11 7 10 Hearts 29 11 6 12 Kilmarnock 30 7 13 10 Aberdeen 29 7 12 10

62 56 40 47 36 33 32 29

17 19 33 39 33 29 44 32

75 54 51 40 40 39 34 33

Spanish League Betis v Real Madrid Aljazeera Sport +2 Aljazeera Sport 1 HD Espanyol v Rayo Aljazeera Sport +7 Atletico v Granada Aljazeera Sport +2 Aljazeera Sport 1 HD Valencia v Mallorca Aljazeera Sport +2 Aljazeera Sport 1 HD Racing v Barcelona Aljazeera Sport +2 Aljazeera Sport 1 HD Osasuna v Bilbao Aljazeera Sport +2

0:00

14:00 14:00

18:00

20:00

23:30

Italian League AC Milan v US Lecce Aljazeera Sport +9 Genoa v Juventus Aljazeera Sport 2 HD Catania v Fiorentina Aljazeera Sport +7 Atalanta v Parma Aljazeera Sport +8 Novara v Udinese Aljazeera Sport +7 Lazio v Bologna FC Aljazeera Sport +1

17:00 17:00 17:00 17:00 22:45 22:45

Jelavic sinks Spurs to mark Moyes milestone

LIVERPOOL: Nikica Jelavic scored his first goal for Everton as David Moyes celebrated 10 years in charge at Goodison Park with a 1-0 victory over Tottenham yesterday.

Jelavic’s impact had been limited to two substitute appearances due to abdominal problems since making a £6 million move from Rangers in January.

But the Croatia striker marked his first Premier League start with a first goal to extend Everton’s unbeaten league run to seven matches and move them within two points of Liverpool ahead of Tuesday ’s Merseyside derby at Anfield.

For Spurs, it was a third straight Premier League defeat for the first time since manager Harr y Redknapp, who has been linked with the vacant England job in recent weeks, replaced Juande Ramos in 2008.

Redknapp’s side are only four points clear of fourth placed Arsenal and their local rivals can close that gap with a win over Newcastle on Monday.

Seamus Coleman started on Everton’s left flank, due to on-loan Tottenham winger Steven Pienaar being ineligible, and the Irishman went close with just a couple of minutes gone, thumping wide from 20 yards.

Tottenham threatened for the first time when Gareth Bale took a throw quickly for Jermain Defoe to

surge through, holding off Sylvain Distin only to slice a disappointing shot well wide of goal.

Everton car ved out the first decent chance when Australia midfielder Tim Cahill laid off for Marouane Fellaini and the Belgian’s curling shot was blocked by the legs of Brad Friedel. But Friedel had no answer to Jelavic’s 22nd minute strike as the Toffees took the lead in slick fashion.

Leighton Baines played through for Leon Osman, who surged into the area and pulled back for Jelavic to calmly shoot past the Tottenham goalkeeper.

Everton continued to press and, after cutting in off the right flank, Dutchman Royston Drenthe’s shot cannoned off Ledley King and was held by Friedel.

But Bale was always dangerous and, after stepping in-field past Coleman, he thumped a drive wide from 30 yards and then narrowly missed with a free-kick from a similar distance.

As Everton struggled to clear, Luka Modric had a long-range effort held by Tim Howard, but Friedel was forced into a scrambling save to keep out Jelavic’s powerful free-kick just before halftime.

Spurs wasted no time in pressing after the restart and, after yet more clever work from Bale, Defoe forced a flying save from Howard.

Howard once again denied Defoe after the striker was slipped through by Scott Parker.

Former Everton forward Louis Saha was brought off the bench 10 minutes into the second period as Redknapp looked to spark his team, but the next opportunity fell to Sandro, who headed wide at the far post after being left unmarked for a Modric corner.

Younes Kaboul also missed with a free-kick and Howard managed to grab another deflected Defoe effort as Everton struggled to get out of their own territory.

As Saha attempted to worry his old team, his prod at goal flew straight at Distin’s face before Friedel did well to block Osman after a quick Everton breakaway.

Defoe had another effort correctly ruled out for offside before King headed wide from a lofted free-kick from Bale.

The hosts had to hold on for five minutes of added time, with Howard denying Kaboul’s header from a Benoit Assou-Ekotto cross before Saha had a late effort turned on to the post by Howard.—AFP

Wales thrash Italy in Six Nations tourney

17

SUNDAY, MARCH 11, 2012

Eaton sets world record in Istanbul

18

Jankovic ousted by wild card at indian wells

Page 16

LONDON: Chelsea’s Brazilian midfielder Ramires (left) vies with Stoke City’s English midfielder Dean Whitehead (right) during the English Premier League football match.—AFP

Centurion Drogba fires Chelsea revival Chelsea 1

Stoke 0

LONDON: Didier Drogba’s 100th Premier League goal was enough to beat ten-man Stoke City at Stamford Bridge and maintain Chelsea’s challenge for a top four finish. The win moved the Blues level on points with fourth-placed Arsenal who were due to face Newcastle United at the Emirates Stadium tomorrow.

And Drogba’s 68th-minute goal

ensured caretaker-manager Roberto Di Matteo savoured victory in his first Premier League game since taking charge of the side following the dismissal of Andre Villas-Boas last weekend.

But Di Matteo — who also oversaw a midweek FA Cup victory at Birmingham — knows his side will have to perform better if they are to overcome a 3-1 first leg deficit when they face Napoli in the Champions League next week.

Stoke were forced to play with ten men for over an hour following the 25th minute dismissal of Ricardo Fuller for a stamp on Branislav Ivanovic.

But while Chelsea dominated possession, they struggled to break the visitors down until Drogba produced an excellent finish following good work by Juan Mata.

The margin of victory could have been greater had a late Mata free kick not struck the woodwork as Stoke tired late on.

But overall, this was a scrappy display that confirmed Chelsea’s problems this season and Di Matteo faces a testing challenge if he is to revive the club’s campaign.

The caretaker-manager opted to start with Mata and Daniel Sturridge on the bench, perhaps with one eye on the Napoli game.

But the absence of the two forwards did nothing to hinder Chelsea’s early attacking moves with the home side quickly laying siege to the Stoke goal.

Ivanovic had clearly been given the green light to get forward at every opportunity and the Serbia defender came close

with a fourth minute header from Frank Lampard’s corner.

In fact the right back was his side’s greatest attacking threat during the first half. But it was Ivanovic’s running tussle with Fuller that led to the decisive moment of opening 45 minutes.

The two had clashed off the ball when Stoke broke rapidly through Jonathan Walters, prompting City manager Tony Pulis to react angrily when no free kick was given.

And the incident clearly left its mark on Fuller who reacted with an ugly stamp on Ivanovic when he was tripped attempting to go past the defender.

A red card was inevitable, leaving Stoke to play with ten men for over an hour. Already on top, Chelsea should have

Sunderland 1

Liverpool 0

SUNDERLAND: Sunderland striker Nicklas Bendtner clinched a 1-0 win over Liverpool as the Reds crashed to their third consecutive Premier League defeat for the first time since October 2003.

Bendtner got the only goal early in the second half to leave Liverpool stuck in seventh place and continue Sunderland’s revival under boss Martin O’Neill, who has led the Black Cats to within two points of Kenny Dalglish’s team.

The Anfield club’s top four hopes look increasingly slender and Dalglish cut a puzzled figure in the technical area as his team looked toothless in attack from start to finish at the Stadium of Light.

Much had been made of Liverpool’s inefficiencies going forward and once again they struggled to make inroads towards the Sunderland goal.

It has been their scoring problemshighlighted by just 30 goals in the Premier League this season-that have prevented them from mounting a sustained chal-

larly when Stoke took every opportunity to slow the game down after the break.

Lampard and Terry both fired in long range efforts but Stoke’s well organised defence limited the home side’s efforts to press further forward.

Chelsea needed a spark of individual quality to find a way through and it almost came in the 66th minute when Drogba curled in a free kick that Begovic did well to claw to safety.

But the keeper was unable to deny the Ivorian two minutes later when the striker was picked out by a superb reverse pass, rounded Begovic and side-footed the ball into the empty net.

Stoke had offered little going forward and, having fallen behind, were never likely to muster a reply.—AFP

Bolton sink QPR after ‘goal’ blunder

Bendtner punishes lacklustre Liverpool lenge for a Champions League spot.

And it didn’t take long for Sunderland to sense they could take advantage.

Sunderland had created two decent chances before Liverpool had even thought about breaking in behind the home defence.

John O’Shea, the hosts’ stand-in skipper in the absence of the suspended Lee Cattermole, flicked a Seb Larsson free-kick from close to half way over goalkeeper Pepe Reina’s goal.

And when on-loan Arsenal forward Bendtner got in behind Jose Enrique to bring down Phil Bardsley’s searching crossfield pass, there was an opportunity to find the early break through.

Bendtner, though, was caught in two minds and his cut back cruised between both Craig Gardner and Fraizer Campbell and Liverpool survived.

With Jamie Carragher left out after last weekend’s defeat to Arsenal at Anfield, South American defender Sebastian Coates looked solid alongside Martin Skrtel.

That should have given the Reds further encouragement to press forward. But despite creating the best of the chances before half-time there was still a lack of cutting edge and Sunderland goalkeeper Simon Mignolet looked comfortable.

Mignolet got down low to his right to deny Dirk Kuyt’s header from Jordan

found it easy to step up the tempo and take control of the game.

But Di Matteo’s side struggled to translate their territorial dominance into meaningful chances, even after the Chelsea manager introduced Mata for Raul Meireles after just 37 minutes.

John Terry sent a header against the bar and it took a good save from City keeper Asmir Begovic to deny Ivanovic after the Chelsea man had made a powerful run forward before exchanging a neat one-two with Lampard.

And Ivanovic came closer still four minutes from the break when he lashed a powerful volley against the bar with Begovic with the keeper beaten.

It was clear, though, that Chelsea were growing increasingly frustrated, particu-

Bolton 2

QPR 1

LONDON: Liverpool’s Luis Suarez (right) has a shot toward’s goal past Sunderland’s Michael Turner (left) during their English Premier League soccer match.—AP Henderson’s cross.

The Belgian was also on hand to race off his line to deny Luis Suarez after he had skipped past Michael Turner and O’Shea on the stroke of half-time.

In fact the nearest Liverpool came to scoring was when Skrtel stuck a leg out to meet James McClean’s inviting cross just after the restart which almost ended up in his own net.

Shortly after that the opener did arrive.

It was always likely to be fortuitous and there was more than an element of good fortune about it. When Campbell brought

down a long ball and turned Skrtel there was still plenty to do.

His shot from 20 yards bounced off the foot of the post, hit Reina, hit the post and then fell for Bendtner to side-foot high in to the net.

Dalglish attempted to revive Liverpool by introducing Steven Gerrard, Andy Carroll and Stewart Downing from the bench.

With the exception of a hopeful drive from Gerrard which was comfortably held

by Mignolet, though, Sunderland held firm.—AFP

LONDON: Bolton Wanderers snatched a dramatic 2-1 late victory in their clash with fellow strugglers QPR yesterday as the debate over goal-line technology was reignited after a blunder from match officials. An 86th-minute winner from substitute Ivan Klasnic bagged a vital three points for Bolton after Djibril Cisse’s equaliser looked to have earned a draw for Rangers following Darren Pratley’s opener.

The win saw Bolton claw their way out of the relegation zone at the expense of Lancashire rivals Blackburn, although QPR are certain to be left in the bottom three by the end of the day after the late matches. But the main talking point from an entertaining game was a disallowed goal from QPR centre-half Clint Hill after 20 minutes.

Replays showed Hill’s powerful header had clearly crossed the goal-line yet despite QPR protests, neither the linesman or referee Martin Atkinson were inclined to give the goal and Bolton had escaped.

Bolton boss Owen Coyle admitted his side had dodged a bullet following the failure of officials to award Hill’s goal.

“There’s no doubt we got a big break today, but we scored good goals. With 15 minutes to go, we threw on another striker and scored a terrific goal,” Coyle said. “It’s a valuable three points, there’s no doubt about it.

“I said prior to the game that it was going to be two teams going all-out to win, and so it proved. It was incidentpacked and that’s what’s going to happen. Games will be like this until the end of the season.

“Nobody’s a bigger advocate than myself for goal-line technology. I can totally understand how Mark Hughes will be frustrated.”

QPR had started slowly but began pressuring Bolton’s goal after soaking up a bright opening from Wanderers. Bobby Zamora had the best chance when he rattled the woodwork on 18 minutes, thumping a volley against the crossbar from a tight angle after collecting a delicate chipped pass from Cisse.

But two minutes later came the flashpoint of the match when QPR looked to have taken the lead through Hill’s header. Rangers celebrated but no goal was given, ensuring the debate over goal-line technology-which FIFA chiefs have said could be in place by the end of the yearwill rage on. —AFP

Gold prices rise on fears over euro-zone economy Page 22

Occupy Wall St in New York running out of cash Page 25 SUNDAY, MARCH 11, 2012

Buying interest buoys Kuwait equities Page 24

KCIC, NBK present 2012 outlook on global economy Page 23

KUWAIT: ABK Chairman Ahmed Yousuf Behbehani addresses the ordinary General Assembly Meetings of the bank at its head office yesterday. — Photo by Yasser Al-Zayyat

ABK reports KD50.3m net profit for 2010 Bank announces 15% cash dividend, 5% bonus shares at AGM KUWAIT: Al Ahli Bank of Kuwait (ABK) held its ordinary General Assembly Meetings at its head office yesterday.

The General Assembly approved a cash dividend of 15% (15fils per share) and bonus shares of 5% for the financial year ended 31 December 2011.

Commenting on this occasion, Ahmed Yousuf Behbehani, Chairman of the Board, stated: “ABK was able to report a net profit of KD 50.3 million and earnings per share of 35 fils, with total assets of KD 3.08 billion, customer deposits of KD 2.1 billion, and shareholders’ equity of KD 491 million. These figures reflect our strong financial position in a difficult economic and financial period. Our capital adequacy ratio of 25.1 percent is well in excess of local and international regulatory requirements, and our very positive liquidity leaves us strongly placed to take full advantage of opportunities arising when markets return to more positive sentiment.

Financial Highlights - ABK is one of the top performing banks, with net profits of KD50.3 million.

- ABK Capital Adequacy Ratio is 25.1%, is one of the highest among its peers.

- ABK has one of the lowest NPL ratios among its peers.

- ABK maintained its investment grade credit ratings from international credit rating agencies, with a Stable Outlook.

ABK Performance During the Year About the secrets of ABK success and good performance during 2011, Behbehani stated the following: “The good performance of ABK reflects the value of the strategic policies and decisions adopted by the Bank over the past few years. We have always been conservative in our approach and recently this principle has been applied even more stringently.

During 2011 we strengthened our balance sheet by making voluntary general provisions, replacing assets with even sounder alternatives, and reducing our cost of funds.

Prudence is at the core of the Bank’s operating philosophy and has been instrumental in the results we have achieved. We maintained our strengths in corporate banking - by far our main source of revenue,

expanded our retail branch network, and grew the retail customer base.”

As for ABK performance on the operational level, Behbehani pointed out that efficiency and customer service were the driving factors and “I am pleased to report that every aspect of the Bank has been honed to achieve these goals. Our strengths are further underlined by the investment grade status that the Bank’s international rating agencies have maintained.

Cautious optimism As for his expectations about the world economy, Behbehani stated the following: “We began the year with cautious optimism that the worst of the global financial turmoil was behind us and that tentative recover y could be under way. Instead, even more severe threats to international economic stability have emerged in the form of the euro-zone crisis. In 2008, the risks were institutional - the default, or potential default, by individual banks and investment houses - and in many cases, governments and central banks took decisive action to intervene, supporting and stabilizing as appropriate. Now, the risks have

escalated to the sovereign level, with nation-states and monetary systems facing the very real possibility of economic collapse.”

“Here in Kuwait, the impact of such an eventuality would be relatively limited, in the sense that we do not have significant exposure to the indebtedness of the countries concerned, either inter-government or as a banking sector. However, the fallout would still have severe and farreaching effects on the global economy, not least in reduced demand for oil and a corresponding decline in price. This would further exacerbate the hesitancy and uncertainty that has prevailed in domestic markets during the year,” added Behbehani.

Positive aspects On the positive side, Behbehani pointed out that the Kuwait’s economic fundamentals are very strong and more than sufficiently resilient to cope with depressed oil prices.

However, planned infrastructural mega-projects are already delayed and further international upheaval may not be conducive to an early start. None of these projects has yet advanced to the bid stage, but when

they do, they will contribute significantly to re-igniting the domestic economy and stimulating the banking sector through fresh demand for project finance. About how far is ABK prepared to participate in the development projects, Behbehani stated that the bank is well placed to take a lead role and sustain our long-term growth trend when these projects do get the official go-ahead. We can take reassurance from the inherent solidity of our operations, which have proved their value in enabling us to cope with such a tempestuous period, giving us confidence to face the challenges ahead.

Investment in HR As for investment in human resources, Behbehani pointed out that the Bank continued to invest in employee development and conducted numerous training programs at the ABK Academy specially designed to enhance staff skills and technical expertise. ABK is committed to develop ABK’S human resource capabilities which will remain an important priority for 2011 and will continue to invest in the resources needed.

China records huge trade deficit BEIJING: China swung into a huge trade deficit of $31.48 billion in February, customs data showed yesterday as the West’s economic troubles hit the world’s second-largest economy.

China is normally a net exporter of goods-it recorded a surplus of $27.28 billion in January-but total monthly imports rose 39.6 percent year-on-year to $145.96 billion, with exports only going up 18.4 percent to $114.47 billion. Chinese firms’ efforts to sell to the country’s major trading partners in the West are suffering from the effects of the euro-zone debt crisis and weak economic recovery in the United States.

The deficit was the largest for at least 12 years, according to Dow Jones Newswires-the extent of its archived data-and far in excess of the median forecast of $8.5 billion among 15 economists it had surveyed. Analysts had expected a deficit as imports recovered from temporary disruption after the unusually early Lunar New Year in January, but they had predicted a larger rise in exports and a smaller increase in imports.

China’s trade figures are politically sensitive, with Beijing and Washington embroiled in a long-running dispute over the value of the yuan, which US politicians say is kept artificially low to unfairly help Chinese exporters. The customs data came after statistics on

Friday showed China’s inflation rate slowing sharply in February and factory output growth also slipping, which could potentially give authorities more room to take easing measures.

“Overall, economic conditions are getting weaker at a fast pace,” said Nomura economist Zhiwei Zhang. “The slowdown is happening faster than the government expected.” Premier Wen Jiabao, speaking at the opening of the annual session of China’s parliament on Monday, forecast economic growth would slow further in 2012 from the blistering pace of previous years.

But the government has a difficult tightrope to walk between the perils of slowing growth and the risks of inflation, which it fears as a possible driver of social unrest. Wen warned that consumer prices remained high and the government’s aim was to keep the inflation rate within 4.0 percent this year, suggesting policymakers will be cautious about relaxing tight credit restrictions.

Beijing has twice lowered banks’ reserve requirement ratio in the past three months, effectively increasing the amount of money they can lend, and analysts say they expect further such moves in the coming months, while ruling out aggressive interest rate cuts for fear of fuelling inflation. The customs data showed that the energy-hungry

BEIJING: Custom officers check a container at the Yangshan Port in Shanghai. China says its trade rebounded in February after a Lunar New Year slowdown but a broader measure gave clear signs both global and Chinese demand are weakening. — AP

country’s crude oil imports reached a record monthly high at 23.64 million tons, equivalent to 5.98 million barrels a day. Copper and iron ore impor ts reached their second-highest monthly volumes on record in February, the former almost doubling year-on-year and the latter up 34 percent. Analysts say that China is nonetheless still likely to run a trade surplus for 2012.

The country often records monthly trade deficits early in the year, as manufacturers stock up on imported supplies

that will later be processed into goods for export. During the first two months of the year trade volumes with Russia jumped 31.9 percent on year to $13.51 billion and with Brazil they went up 10.6 percent to $11.54 billion, indicating growing trade among the BRICs group of emerging nations. China’s biggest trading partner remains the European Union, with $79.8 billion in two-way trade in January and February, up 4.7 percent. Next was the US, at $66.05 billion, up 9.2 percent. — AFP

Corporate Social Responsibility As for CSR, Behbehani stated the following: “It gives me particular pleasure to highlight our continuing achievements in the area of corporate social responsibility. At ABK, we firmly believe that Kuwait’s financial industry is an essential part of the fabric of society, and that our financial institutions should be integral to the lives of citizens and residents of the country.

We have strengthened and extended our policy of support for the wider social community, with donations and financial assistance to a wide spectrum of organizations that provide services and opportunities in the fields of education and recreation, especially sporting activities. In particular, it is our duty to help look after those less fortunate than ourselves, and we have once more made significant donations to the areas of special needs education and healthcare. We are proud of our record in this field, and pledge that this philosophy will continue. Behbehani concluded his statement expressing his hope in the recovery of the regional and world economies during 2012 to push forward the economy wheel and enhance development in Kuwait.

Greece eyes 1bn euro stimulus from EIB ATHENS: Greece hopes to get 1 billion euros ($1.31 billion) in financing from the European Investment Bank (EIB) this year as a stimulus for its ailing economy, a senior official said yesterday. Greece and the European Commission are pushing the EIB, the European Union’s long-term investment arm, to disburse the funds, said Gikas Hardouvelis, top economic adviser to Prime Minister Lucas Papademos.

“I believe in the end it will happen,” Hardouvelis told Greece’s Mega television, adding the EIB might channel the money into the Greek economy through local banks.

After the success of a debt cut plan on Friday, which opens the way for a 130-billion euro international bailout, Athens is looking for ways to kick-start its stricken economy, now in its fifth year of recession.

Austerity measures associated with its second international bailout in two years have plunged the Greek economy into its longest and deepest slump since World War Two. Gross domestic product shrank by a record 7 percent in 2011, data showed on Friday. Investment slumped by 21 percent after a 15 percent slide in 2010. “The faster we do it, the better. The economy is sinking and everyone is too scared (to invest),” Hardouvelis said.

But the EIB was still worried about getting too exposed to Greece and a solution to overcome its reluctance might be to disburse the funds using local banks as intermediaries, he said.

The EIB is the largest non-sovereign lender and it gets top-notch terms when it taps capital markets to raise funds thanks to its triple-A rating. Over the past two years, it has already provided more than 700 million euros in financing to large Greek energy firms.— Reuters

SUNDAY, MARCH 11, 2012

BUSINESS

Gold prices rise on fears over euro-zone economy

Bayt.com report

Cutting into the company culture

Investors remain edgy about Greece’s ability NEWYORK: Gold topped $1,700 an ounce as concerns lingered about Europe’s financial problems even after strong participation in Greece’s bond swap. Gold for April delivery rose $12.80 to finish at $1,711.50 an ounce. Silver also rose 38.1 cents at $34.212 per ounce. Both metals are considered relatively stable assets during uncertain economic times.

About 84 percent of Greece’s private investors agreed to take losses on their bond holdings, erasing about $130 billion in the country’s debt. Greece is now expected to get bailout funding from its neighbors.

However, some investors remain concerned about Greece’s ability to emerge successfully from the crisis and what impact it could have on the broader European economy, said Sterling Smith, a market analyst at Country Hedging LLC. In other trading, investors were hopeful that demand would pick up for industrial metals

after India’s central bank cut reserve requirements for lenders to keep credit available as the economy slows. In addition, China’s consumer price inflation declined to a 20-month low, leading to speculation that the government may take steps to stimulate economic growth.

Copper for May delivery rose 6.7 cents to end at $3.8585 per pound, April platinum increased $28.20 to $1,684.90 an ounce and June palladium ended up $10.50 at $709.95 per ounce.

Grains and beans were mixed after the US Agriculture Department released its latest estimate of global supply and demand predictions.

The forecast for US wheat inventories was revised lower, calling for stockpiles to decline 4.3 percent by summer’s end, compared with a year ago. Exports were expected to increase because of stronger demand for food, seed and industrial use.

The corn and soybean forecasts were mostly unchanged from the February forecast. Corn

Gasoline prices level off

Richest Australian’s family in war of words SYDNEY: Three children of Australia’s richest person, Gina Rinehart, were “motivated entirely by greed” in taking their mother to court for control of a family trust, their youngest sister said.

Iron ore billionaire Rinehart, ranked 29th on Forbes’ global rich list with an estimated wealth of more than $18 billion, has been embroiled for months in the legal dispute with three of her four children.

On Friday, she lost a High Court bid to keep the proceedings out of the media, prompting her son John Langley Hancock, and her youngest daughter and ally in the case, Ginia Rinehart, to issue statements.

“This case is motivated entirely by greed and I have no doubt that one day soon my brother and sisters will regret putting money before family,” Ginia commented. She said it was “very painful” that the dispute over control of a family trust had become so public, adding that Gina Rinehart was a “loving and hardworking mother (who) has only ever wanted the best for children”.

The row stems from a family trust set up by Gina Rinehart’s father, the late Lang Hancock, in 1988 with the four grandchildren as the beneficiaries.

Rinehart wanted the children to give her long-term control of the trust, but threeJohn Hancock and sisters Bianca Hope Rinehart and Hope Rinehart Welker-have refused and instead want their mother removed as trustee.

In a statement issued by her lawyer, Gina Rinehart said she was “extremely disappointed” that three of her children had decided to make a private matter public, a move which she said would jeopardize the security of the family. “The

Gina Rinehart

plaintiff children have seen fit not to follow sound advice from family friends that if they are not happy they should go out and earn for themselves,” the statement said.

The children had enjoyed a life of privilege and had been allowed to choose multi-million dollar homes with water views and swimming pools in addition to trust dividends and other benefits, it added. But John Hancock said he was already supporting his family by working, adding he would not be able to “replicate my youngest sister Ginia in ‘earning’ the achievement of a Rolls Royce at 25”.

“What does (my mother) want me to do-take up her offer of free money if we do as she says? No thanks!” he said. — AFP

stockpiles are expected to remain tight while soybean inventories should be adequate. The agency said that higher soybean prices triggered by damage to South American crops have cut into global demand.

Mike Zuzolo, president of Global Commodity Analytics & Consulting LLC, speculated that the estimates may prompt more farmers to plant soybeans on expectations of higher cash prices in the fall and the potential for demand to improve. In May contracts, wheat rose 8.25 cents to end at $6.43 per bushel, corn increased 9.5 cents to $6.45 per bushel and soybeans fell 0.75 cent to $13.3775 per bushel. Energy products were mixed. Benchmark oil rose 82 cents to finish at $107.40 per barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange. Heating oil fell 0.57 cent to end at $3.2638 per gallon, gasoline increased 1.84 cents to $3.3324 per gallon and natural gas rose 5 cents to end at $2.32 per 1,000 cubic feet. — AP

NEW YORK: Gasoline prices paused this week in their march toward $4 per gallon. After 39 straight days of increases, prices fell nearly a penny from Tuesday to Thursday and held steady on Friday at $3.758 per gallon. The lull won’t last long. Prices dipped as suppliers conducted the equivalent of a spring clearance. They are discounting winter gasoline blends to make room for different blends that are required for summer driving, said Tom Kloza, chief analyst at the Oil Price Information Service.

Prices will start to rise again once the winter gasoline has been sold off. They have to, Kloza said, since summer gasoline costs more to produce because it contains smog-fighting additives. The switch to summer gas also creates a temporary dip in supplies as wholesalers sell off winter stocks, and that can force prices higher as well.

OPIS forecasts that average gasoline prices will rise as high as $4.25 per gallon across the country by late April. That would top the record high of $4.11 set in July 2008 and keep gasoline center stage during this year’s presidential election.

Republicans have blamed President Barack Obama for the high prices, while Obama has dismissed the criticism as electionyear politics. Obama has asked his attorney general to look into the possibility that commodity speculators are driving prices higher. The average price for gasoline is already more than $4 per gallon in California, Alaska and Hawaii. It’s nearly there in Connecticut, Illinois, New York, Oregon and Washington. The price of gasoline has mostly followed the rising price of its main component, crude oil. Oil, which is traded around the world, has become more expensive this year on fears of supply shortages in the Persian Gulf due to an international standoff over Iran’s nuclear program. Oil prices continued to rise Friday after the US said its economy added 227,000 jobs in February. The US, the world’s largest oil consumer, has seen the strongest three months of job growth since the Great Recession. An improving economy is likely to lead to more demand for oil. Benchmark West Texas Intermediate crude, which is used to price much of the oil produced in the US, rose by 82 cents to end the day at $107.40 per barrel in New York.

Brent crude, which prices oil imported by US refineries, rose by 54 cents to finish at $125.98 per barrel in London.

Natural gas futures rose by 5 cents to end at $2.32 per 1,000 cubic feet. Earlier in the week, natural gas dropped to the lowest level in 10 years following a relatively warm winter and a boom in US production. In other energy trading, heating oil fell by less than a cent to finish at $3.26 per gallon and gasoline futures rose 2 cents to end at $3.33 per gallon. — AP

O

•

What is the company’s vision, mission and value statement?

• How would you describe the work environment? Is it formal or relaxed? Is the dress code casual?

Do people sit in an open space that encourages open communication or are they compartmentalized in closed offices or cubicles? Is there a company cafeteria or other casual meeting places?

• What are the opportunities for growth in the company? To what extent is the company a meritocracy? (Ask for examples) • What performance appraisal systems are in place? How often are they administered? Do they apply to everyone? If not, who do they apply to?

• How does the company reward its employees? Are bonuses a significant part of total pay? Are there regular recognition awards for exemplary performance?

• What is your company’s view on work/life balance? Are flex-time arrangements possible? Does the company have daycare facilities? Is there a company gym? What are the hours expected on the job and what are the hours actually maintained by most employees?

• How are decisions in the firm made and communicated? What latitude is there for individual decision-making?

• To what extent are employees empowered?

• How much room is there for initiative, creativity and innovation?

• To what extent are employees encouraged and able to maintain 360 degree communications with all around them? Do people from different departments interact?

• What is the company’s commitment to the training and development of its employees? What form does this training take? How frequent is it? How does the company invest in its people?

• What is employee turnover like?

What are the main reasons people leave the company for?

• Does the company promote working individually or in teams?

• How would you define the customer orientation of the company?

At the end of the day, if you are looking to advance and excel in a company, you are better off in a place that upholds the same set of values you do. Forewarned is forearmed as they say and while you will never really know a company till you work there, diligent detective work and the right line of questioning should at least avert any substantial surprises once your new business cards have been ordered and your nameplate is at the door.

nce you have started your new job, chances are you will sit back and beam thinking the position is great, pay and perks are exactly what you hoped for and the job search didn’t take that long after all. You even got that corner office with a view of the palm trees and city skyline that you were craving. Yet, four weeks only into the job and something doesn’t feel right; in fact you feel quite miserable and depressed about the new job. What could have possibly gone wrong?

The career experts at Bayt.com, the Middle East’s #1 Job Site, point towards the company’s corporate culture. Below is some advice for you to consider if you find yourself feeling out of place in your new workplace.

Why is it important to define a company’s culture?

If you work at a company where the vision, mission, ethics and values, as expressed in the company handbook, are not in line with yours, this can be highly stressful, unrewarding and counterproductive. Employees who really feel at odds with the culture and alienated by it may start experiencing symptoms of depression, which severely affects in result their work performance.

How can you determine a company’s culture before you have signed on the dotted line?

The answer is to be a keen observer and ask all the right questions at the interview stage, perhaps right after you receive the offer letter, but before you sign your life away. If you have friends or acquaintances in the company, even better; have them elaborate on what it is really like, on a dayby-day basis, to work for the company.

Ask to visit the company for a day to spend time with the people you will be working with. When you do visit the company, trust your instincts, and don’t turn a blind eye to screaming cultural cues, be it a highly clinical atmosphere, happy friendly faces in the cafeteria, a row of consistently closed doors, a throng of people playing pool in the lobby area or an unbudging full house at 6 pm.

Online reviews such as those available on Salaries by Bayt.com, blogs, company message boards, college alumni boards and other networking sites are also a good way to make enquiries about a company’s culture and to assess the ‘intangible’ benefits or drawbacks of working there.

What are the key questions?

The following are some key questions that you can ask the interviewer and that can shed light on the company’s culture. The better the interviewer or employee can answer the following questions, the less likely you are to be taken by surprise during the first week on the job.

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 .4340000 .3620000 .3000000 .2750000 .2900000 .0040000 .0020000 .0753770 .7343730 .3830000 .0710000 .7199210 .0040000 .0430000 CUSTOMER TRANSFER RATES .2775000 .4366190 .3647770 .3025500 .2775110 .0490660 .0409450 .2925880 .0357670 .2200250 .0034380 .0000000 .0000000 .0000000 .0000000 .0756230 .7367650 .0000000 .0740600 .7214500 .0000000

US Dollar/KD GB Pound/KD Euro Swiss francs Canadian dollars Danish Kroner Swedish Kroner Australian dlr Hong Kong dlr Singapore dlr Japanese yen Indian Rs/KD Sri Lanka rupee Pakistan rupee Bangladesh taka UAE dirhams Bahraini dinars Jordanian dinar Saudi Riyal/KD Omani riyals Philippine Peso

Al-Muzaini Exchange Co. 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

ASIAN COUNTRIES 3.598 5.667 3.154 2.436 3.341 213.250 35.672 3.580 6.336 8.873 0.271 0.273

.2807500 .4440000 .3700000 .3120000 .2840000 .3020000 .0070000 .0035000 .0761340 .7417540 .4000000 .0760000 .7271560 .0072000 .0500000 .2797500 .4399210 .3675360 .3048380 .2796100 .0494370 .0412550 .2948010 .0360370 .2216900 .0034640 .0055580 .0023160 .0030890 .0034420 .0761950 .7423380 .3956860 .0746200 .7269070 .0065520

New Zealand dollar Nigeria Norwegian krone Omani Riyal 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

GCC COUNTRIES 74.150 76.402 722.230 738.540 75.715

Saudi Riyal Qatari Riyal Omani Riyal Bahraini Dinar UAE Dirham Egyptian Pound - Cash Egyptian Pound - Transfer Yemen Riyal/for 1000 Tunisian Dinar Jordanian Dinar Lebanese Lira/for 1000 Syrian Lier Morocco Dirham

ARAB COUNTRIES 47.500 46.282 1.272 189.860 392.670 1.865 6.003 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

306.000 3.900 9.280 75.940 278.900

SELL DRAFT 296.400 741.730 3.405 281.200

222.700 46.258 369.400 36.470 5.510 0.031

COUNTRY Australian Dollar Canadian Dollar Swiss Franc Euro 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

TRAVELLER’S CHEQUE 440.900 278.900

SELL DRAFT 301.29 281.77 307.86 371.73 444.06 3.50 3.404 5.535 2.299 3.475 3.072 75.87 741.73 46.25 396.71 724.71 76.89 74.46

SELL CASH 298.00 283.00 308.00 371.00 443.00 3.70 3.550 5.765 2.625 4.250 3.180 76.45 741.75 47.49 395.00 728.00 77.25 74.80

Dollarco Exchange Co. Ltd 395.210 0.188 94.780 3.500

Rate for Transfer US Dollar Canadian Dollar Sterling Pound Euro

Selling Rate 277.750 283.990 442.665 368.570

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

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

Kuwait Bahrain Intl Exchange Co.

UAE Exchange Centre WLL

Bahrain Exchange Company SELL CASH 297.900 741.730 3.590 282.700 547.800 45.500 50.300 167.800 47.510 370.900 36.620 5.790 0.032 0.159 0.242 3.550 395.250 0.189 94.780 45.400 4.290

724.270 3.077 6.495 76.720 74.470 222.680 38.980 2.300 440.900

1,751.120

Sterling Pound US Dollar

315.500 159.000 81.500

COUNTRY 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

230.000

GOLD 10 Tola

GOLD 20 Gram 10 Gram 5 Gram

231.500 1.807 50.200 724.450 3.140 6.770 77.150 74.470 222.580 38.980 2.657 442.900 42.100 307.500 3.900 9.460 198.263 76.040 279.300 1.350

Currency 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

Rate per 1000 (Tran) 278.800 3.065 5.520 2.295 3.415 6.525 75.995 74.495 741.200 46.192 445.000 3.190 1.550 372.000 285.200 3.510

Al Mulla Exchange Currency 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) 278.450 369.900 441.300 281.700 3.450 5.532 46.160 2.288 3.405 6.430 3.070 741.600 75.800 74.350

SUNDAY, MARCH 11, 2012

BUSINESS

KCIC, NBK present 2012 outlook on global economy KUWAIT: KCIC, an investment firm specializing in investments in Asia, recently held a closed session for over 75 investors and analysts in Kuwait in partnership with NBK, giving them an outlook on the 2012 global economy. The session was presented by KCIC Chief Economist, Alessandro Magnoli Bocchi who discussed the global economic outlook in 2012, the risks, and the investment environment, and NBK Head of Economic Research, Elias Bikhazi, who discussed the structural challenges the world is facing and the best ways to solve them.

“The 2012 outlook is fragile, but - in absence of shocks - most economies will muddle through. Global growth will slow to less than 3 percent. In the developed world, structural issues, modest consumption, political impasse, and fiscal restraint will keep growth below potential. Emerging markets will grow above 5 percent, but below-trend. Yet, financial needs are higher than ever: this year, $8 trillion of sovereign and almost $1 trillion of corporate debt come due,” Magnoli Bocchi started the discussion.

Magnoli Bocchi’s presentation focused on three main points giving investors and analysts a look on what to expect of global economies this year as well as the markets to keep an eye on.

Below are the main elements from his discussion: 2012: A fragile outlook on global economy... emerging markets least impacted Global growth will remain below potential this year as the global crisis continues to unfold, hindered by excessive debt: since 2000, the total world dues have rose by 19%, mostly in developed economies.

In the US, despite fiscal and monetary expansion (deficit at 9%, benchmark interest rate at 0.25%) and a positive business outlook, the economy is unlikely to grow below potential levels at an expected 2.1%. Debt is still very high; government debt has exceeded 80% of

GDP last year while households debt, a little lower than its November 2008 high, entails upcoming deleveraging. It faces risks, due to high unemployment, and lower consumption.

The EU will continue to suffer from high debt, austerity, and will undergo a recession. Growth will be below potential, expected to register a negative growth of -0.3%, while inflation will also be below target at an expected 1.9% in comparison to previous year. Challenges remain on the structural level in addition to political holdups. The EU peripheral countries are facing the austerity and likely defaults are expected.

Asia’s growth is expected to maintain high single digits rates although slowing because of trade and financial links, effectively outperforming G3 and western economies. China is expected to register an 8.4% GDP growth, India 7%, Indonesia 5.9% and Vietnam 5.8%.

China alone has plenty of fiscal space, and consumption is unlikely to drive growth because of less loans and softening sales. Overall, investments are expected to flatten and high liquidity will create volatility and capital flight risk. Inflation will slowdown, and depreciation is a possibility.

Rising systemic risks Global downside risks are rising: too many issues remain unresolved, and policy is out of steam. 2012 seems to be a volatile year as the risk scenarios expectations show a 25% bear and only 5% bull. The world will witness economic and financial fragility because of the weak policy tools, and there will be slow rebalancing. Magnoli Bocchi said: “Over the next twelve months, expect unsettling developments. The global crisis is still unfolding, and it could escalate.

Weakening growth, rising systemic risks, and contagion-prone markets are likely to enhance economic and financial fragility. We are entering a perilous new phase.”. With these issues that are unlike-

ly to be solved in the coming months, we need to watch five macro factors that could drive risk-aversion: (1) Rising sovereign risks: The Eurozone will suffer financial instability and banking sector stress. The risks of sovereign default and bank bankruptcy are rising. The US could witness fiscal downgrade. Still, the US will continue to benefit from deep bond markets and credi-

weight inflationary ones (rising oil and food prices).

(5) Asia/China: The timing and the size of the monetary policy might: 1. Spur/restrain growth in Asia; 2. commodity-exports; and hence 3. the global economy.

Where to invest?

The priority is to preserve capital and prudently manage risk. Holding cash will

KUWAIT: KCIC holds a closed session for Kuwait analysts and investors in partnership with NBK. ble liquidity conditions.

(2) Jitteriness about the financial sector: Banks in the US, EU, and globally need to recapitalize and regulatory reforms must be implemented to support the financial system if conditions worsen. Banks are likely to maintain high liquidity, tight lending, and suffer a rise in non-performing loans (3)Higher global geopolitical risks as a base-case scenario. (i.e., MENA instability, Iran nuclear ambitions, China’s rising power, Korean peninsula).

(4) In the G3/US: Anemic recovery rather than robust recovery, due to: 1. Policy tools out of steam: reduced fiscal space and the risk of liquidity trap.

2. Deflationary pressures (unused capacity in good and labor market) over-

not pay off in the medium term, even though it allows taking advantage of low valuations and the highly volatile postcrisis environment, but inflation is going to diminish the purchasing power of liquid cash. Negative real interest rates will generate massive transfers from depositors and lenders to borrowers, but to sustain the equity rally, clear public policies will be needed. In Europe, the ECP should backstop sovereign bonds, and governments provide an unambiguous map towards the introduction of Eurobonds. In the US, the stimulus bill must be approved to uplift growth. In China, fiscal expansion, monetary easing, and currency appreciation would need to tackle current account imbalances.

On his part, Bikhazi discussed the situation in the EM and the EU, and said: “In light of the current issues and the ongoing situation in the global economy, we do expect a soft landing of the Emerging Markets. As for the EU, expectations are for the current recession to mild. In the US, growth might surprisingly beat expectations.”

The major challenge according to Bikahzi is funds and leveraging. In the US, expected growth levels do not leave a margin for error, and Europe is limited in growth because of fiscal limits and monetary policies that limit possibility for action. Even though there are positive trends in Germany and the US, they are not enough to drive up markets.

Bikhazi’s main discussions points were: Risk factors of 2012 - We are living in interesting times because of the risks that we are looking into, whether political or natural. Investors with money have difficulties finding the opportunity to invest their money in.

Future events that might affect markets - Markets will be affected by the Greece plan decision, as well as the new US congress that will be voted in 2013.

Structural problems require structural solutions - Structural problems persist and solutions must be implemented.

Solutions must be structural. Austerity is presently pushed by unemployment rates and monetary policies. The problem is directly related to debts, however economies are not as competitive as they used to be and continues to borrow money they do not have; and debts cannot be erased. For the moment, how will Greece go, we’re not sure, and if it defaults, would it stay in the EU? Citibank announced recently that Greece would have a 50% chance of leaving the EU. Bikhazi concluded: “Can we say that it is all negative, no. But the situation is leaning more to the negative side, with a few potentials showing up.”

Obama: New jobs report a sign economy on rebound President warns factory workers

BERLIN: German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble gestures during a news conference on the Greek financial crises in Berlin. Schaeuble said “There is no doubt that we will be able to decide on the release of the second Greece package next week”. —AP

IMF to propose €28bn Greece loan WASHINGTON: Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) Christine Lagarde will propose a 28 billion euro loan for Greece over the next four years, it was announced here late on Friday.

Lagarde said in a statement that she has “consulted with the IMF’s Executive Board and on that basis, as discussed with the Greek government, I intend to recommend a 28 billion euro (about $36.7 billion) arrangement under the Fund’s Extended Fund Facility (EFF) to support Greece’s ambitious economic program over the next four years.”

She stressed “my decision to recommend to the IMF’s Executive Board that the Fund should continue to assist Greece in this endeavor by providing substantial financial support over an extended period of time would be commensurate with the long-term nature of the challenges facing Greece and with the significant financial

contributions provided by the private sector and by Euro Area member states.”

“The scale and length of the Fund’s support is a reflection of our determination to remain engaged,” she affirmed. “I welcome the cooperation of the private sector in participating in the debt exchange offer by the Greek authorities,” she said. She stressed that “this is an important step that will dramatically reduce Greece’s mediumterm financing needs and contribute to debt sustainability.” “The IMF’s continued support would be part of an integrated package where all parties; the Greek government, its European partners, the private sector, and the Fund, would play their part to help the Greek people overcome this crisis and over time restore growth, thus contributing to broader global financial stability,” Lagarde affirmed. She indicated that she will put this to the IMF’s Executive Board next week for review. — KUNA

Fannie, Freddie CEO pay limited, bonuses cut WASHINGTON: The government says it will cap pay for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac chief executives at $500,000 per year and eliminate annual bonuses for all employees. The changes come after Congress pressured the government to stop big payouts at the bailed-out mortgage giants.

The Federal Housing Finance Agency, the government agency that oversees Fannie and Freddie, also said Friday that it would cut pay for roughly 50 other executives at the two companies. Those employees are still eligible to earn salaries above the cap.

The pay and bonus structure of the government-controlled mortgage giants came under fire this fall after it was revealed that 12 executives got $35.4 million in salary and bonuses in 2009 and 2010. Fannie’s chief executive, Michael J. Williams, received about $9.3 million for the two years. Freddie’s chief executive, Edward Haldeman Jr, was paid $7.8 million.

Republican lawmakers welcomed the

cap, noting that pay at mortgage companies should be more in line with government salaries. But administration officials said such limits will make it harder to attract talent because chief executives could earn far more in comparable jobs on Wall Street. There’s no start date in place for when the cap will be instituted. Haldeman and Williams will each be paid $5.4 million this year.

But Haldeman and Williams are leaving their positions this year and officials say the cap will be applied to their replacements’ salaries. Nearly 50 other executives, including 11 of the 13 most senior officials, will also have their salaries reduced by 10 percent starting in 2012. But the cap won’t apply to their salaries. They can still earn more in deferred pay and take in multi-million-dollar salaries.

The government rescued Fannie and Freddie three years ago after they nearly folded because of big losses on risky mortgages.— AP

P R I N C E G E O R G E, Vi rg i n i a : President Barack Obama seized on news of another burst of job growth as proof the US economy is rebounding on his watch from a disastrous recession.

America’s struggling economy has haunted the president as he seeks a second four-year te r m i n N ove m b e r, a n d h i s Republican opponents have hammered the issue in their c a m p a i gn s. B u t O b a m a’s approval ratings have been rising along with the economic numbers. I n the latest good economic news, the monthly j o b s re p o r t re l e a s e d Fr i d ay s h owe d e m p l oye r s c re a te d 227,000 jobs in February. The u n e m p l oy m e n t r a te h e l d steady at 8.3 percent, the result of more Americans looking for work as job growth takes hold month by month.

Obama, making a campaignlike stop at a Rolls-Royce manuf a c t u r i n g p l a n t i n Vi rgi n i a , warned fac tor y workers and c a m p a i gn donors that Republicans would offer only the policies “that got us into this mess.” “I did not run for this office just to get back to where we were. I ran for this office to get us where we needed to be,” O b a m a s a i d. “A n d I p ro m i s e you, we will get there.”

The jobs report and split loyalties among Republican voters give Obama’s team renewed confidence about winning ree l e c t i o n a n d re b u i l d i n g t h e e co n o my. B u t p r i v a te l y, h i s advisers know that outside factors in the United States and abroad - from high gasoline p r i ce s to i n s t a b i l i t y i n t h e Middle East - could still derail h i s p o l i t i c a l a n d e co n o m i c ambitions in coming months.

Republican front-runner Mitt Romney, facing a new batch of voting Saturday after winning six of 10 states in this week’s S u p e r Tu e s d ay co n te s t s, reminded the public that the co u n t r y ’s u n e m p l oy m e n t remains above 8 percent.

Despite his constant campaign message of having the business background to fix the economy - by far the biggest issue in this election - Romney has not been able to pull away f ro m to p c h a l l e n g e r R i c k Santorum and the trailing Newt G i n gr i c h a n d R o n Pa u l fo r good.

The Republican race to pick up delegates, and the party’s nomination, could continue for

LOS ANGELES: An AT&T technician works on fiber optic cables used for the expansion of AT&T Uverse Internet service in the Chinatown neighborhood in Los Angeles. US employers added 227,000 jobs in February to complete three of the best months of hiring since the recession began. — AP months. On Saturday, Kansas, the Virgin Islands, Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands all have voting, and Wyoming wraps up its caucuses.

R o m n e y, c a m p a i gn i n g i n M i s s i s s i p p i b e fo re i t a n d Alabama next week kick off a series of state-by-state voting in the heavily conservative and evangelical South, looked at the new economic report with skepticism. “This president has not succeeded; this president has failed - and that’s the reason we’re going to get rid of him in 2012,” Romney said.

The former Massachusetts governor continues to fight s k e p t i c i s m a s we l l a m o n g Republican voters about his past, more moderate, views on such sensitive social issues as abortion. Santorum, a former Pennsylvania senator, st yles himself as the true conservative in the race, but he lacks the campaign cash and organization that the multimillionaire Romney has at hand.

This year’s presidential camp a i gn i s e x p e c te d to b e t h e m o s t e x p e n s i ve e ve r, a n d Obama was headed Friday to Houston for two fundraisers.

Political calculations are not far from the surface in the president’s trips. Virginia is expected to be a major election battlegro u n d. Te x a s i s a re l i a b l y Republican state, but changing demographics and an influx of H i s p a n i c vo te r s h ave gi ve n Democrats hopes of competing in the state beyond the 2012 elections. —AP

Obama calls for investment in clean energy WASHINGTON: US President Barack Obama called on Congress yesterday to invest more money in clean energy technologies and end multi-billion-dollar subsidies given each year to oil companies. “I want this Congress to stop the giveaways to an oil industry that’s never been more profitable, and invest in a clean energy industry that’s never been more promising,” Obama said in his weekly radio and Internet address.

“We should be investing in the technology that’s building the cars and trucks and jets that will prevent us from dealing with these high gas prices year after year after year,” he added. The comments came as the president faced mounting criticism from Republicans, who have blamed his energy policy for spiking gas prices. The American Automobile Association (AAA) predicts gasoline prices across the United States could average $4.25 a gallon by May, up from over $3.60 yesterday.

Between 1998 and 2004, prices ranged from $1 to $2. Prices vary wildly between regions, however, and last week, gasbuddy.com, a website that tracks prices in all 50 states, reported $5.09 a gallon at one Mobil and two Chevron stations in greater Los Angeles.

Given that 76 percent of Americans drive themselves to work, and a trip to the store can often mean a long drive to the mall, higher gas prices are a critical issue-especially in a presidential election year. The president said that under his administration, domestic oil production has been on the rise and the number of operating oil rigs has quadrupled. But he argued the United States won’t be able to solve its energy problem just by drilling more oil wells. “But you and I both know that with only two percent of the world’s oil reserves, we can’t just drill our way to lower gas prices - not when we consume 20 percent of the world’s oil,” Obama said. “We need an all-of-the-above strategy that relies less on foreign oil and more on American-made energy - solar, wind, natural gas, biofuels, and more.”

He noted that his administration had already put in place new standards that will make sure that American cars average nearly 55 miles per gallon (88.5 kilometers per 3.8 liters) by the middle of the next decade - nearly double what they get today. The president also called for ending the $4 billion a year in tax breaks that US oil companies receive each year. “We’ve been handing out these kinds of taxpayer giveaways for nearly a century,” he said. “And outside of Congress, does anyone really think that’s still a good idea?” — AFP

24

SUNDAY, MARCH 11, 2012

BUSINESS

Buying interest buoys Kuwait equities BAYAN WEEKLY MARKET REPORT KUWAIT: Kuwait Stock Exchange (KSE) ended last week in the green zone. The price index ended last week with an increase amounted to 0.71%, while the weighted index raised by 0.80% compared to the closings of the week before. Furthermore, last week’s average daily turnover increased by 12.01%, compared to the preceding week, reaching KD 55.54 million, whereas trading volume average was 635 million shares, recording decrease of 0.03%.

Kuwait Stock Exchange was supported last week by the continued buying operations, which focused on a large number of small-cap stocks, especially the Investment and Real Estate sectors, due to its current high activity and positive quick speculations. Moreover, the market witnessed some buying operations on few stocks of listed investment groups, which gave it an extra support

during some sessions; while a return activity on some high-cap stocks was noticed after being slow for the past few weeks. In addition, random operations were made on such stocks, with focus on Banking sector, leaving a positive impact on both of the market indices especially the weighted index.

Furthermore, the stock market experienced speculation in performance due to the profit taking operations through the daily sessions of last week, leading the market to drop into the red zone.

However, last minute deals, which usually are random, contributed into better closings, as it helped to reducing the indices losses at some points, and reversing the indices direction into the green zone at other points.

By the end of the week, the price index closed at 6,177.10 points, up by 0.71% from the week before closing, whereas the weighted index registered

a 0.80% weekly gain after closing at 413.86 points.

By the end of the week, the price index closed at 6,177.1 points, up by 0.71% from the week before closing, whereas the weighted index registered a 0.80% weekly gain after closing at 413.86 points.

Sectors’ Indices Five of KSE’s sectors ended last week in the red zone, while the other three recorded increases. The Food sector headed the losers list as its index declined by 2.39% to end the week’s activity at 4,350.6 points. The Non Kuwaiti Companies sector was second on the losers’ list, which index declined by 0.98%, closing at 6,170.3 points, followed by the Insurance sector, as its index closed at 2,686.3 points at a loss of 0.70%. The Real Estate sector was the least declining as its index closed at

2,247.5 points with a 0.13% decrease.

On the other hand, last week’s highest gainer was the Investment sector, achieving 2.13% growth rate as its index closed at 4,036.4 points. Whereas, in the second place, the Services sector’s index closed at 13,810.1 points recording 1.99% increase. The Banks sector came in third as its index achieved 0.37% growth, ending the week at 11,274.6 points.

Sectors’ activity The Investment sector dominated total trade volume during last week with 935.64 million shares changing hands, representing 29.47% of the total market trading volume. The Real Estate sector was second in terms trading volume as the sector’s traded shares were 27.84% of last week’s total trading volume, with a total of 883.89 million shares. On the other hand, the

Services sector’s stocks where the highest traded in terms of value; with a turnover of KD 81.71 million or 29.42% of last week’s total market trading value. The Investment sector took the second place as the sector’s last week turnover of KD 65.21 million represented 23.48% of the total market trading value.

Market capitalization KSE total market capitalization grew by 0.86% during last week to reach KD28.98 billion, as five of KSE’s sectors recorded an increase in their respective market capitalization, whereas the other three recorded declines. The Investment sector headed the growing sectors as its total market capitalization reached KD 2.17 billion, increasing by 1.67%. The Banks sector was the second in terms of recorded growth with 1.39% increase after the total val-

ue of its listed companies reached KD 12.78 billion. The third place was for the Industry sector, which total market capitalization reached KD 2.22 billion by the end of the week, recording an increase of 1.20%. The Services sector was the least growing with 0.32% recorded growth after its market capitalization amounted to KD 7.09 billion.

On the other hand, the Food sector headed the decliners list as its total market capitalization decreased by 2.45% to reach, by the end of the week, KD 705.25 million. The Insurance sector was second on this list, which market value of its listed companies declined by 0.89%, reaching KD 308.47 million, followed by the Non Kuwaiti Companies sector, as its market capitalization amounted to KD 1.84 billion at a 0.15% decrease. — Prepared by the Studies & Research Department Bayan Investment Co.

SUNDAY, MARCH 11, 2012

BUSINESS

US stocks take a roller-coaster ride WALL STREET WEEKLY REPORT NEW YORK: US stocks took a roller-coaster ride in the week to Friday as Wall Street marked three years since hitting bottom in the middle of the Great Recession. The week, a bumpy one due to worries about the Greek rescue plan, ended relatively flat for the key US indices.

But overall they looked in good shape, up solidly since the beginning of the year and far beyond the dark days of early March 2009, when the Dow Jones Industrial Average was at the 6,600 level and the S&P 500 was near 680. For the week to Friday, the Dow edged down 0.43 percent to 12,922.02, while the S&P rose 0.09 percent to 1,370.87.

The Nasdaq Composite meanwhile gained 0.41 percent to 2,988.34, compared to its crisis low of below 1,300. The Greek debt writeoff deal, sealed Friday, allowed the indices to work off midweek losses, and relatively buoyant economic data, including a better-than-expected jobs report Friday, helped. The February employment data showed strong jobs creation for a third straight month, with 227,000 jobs added, though the overall unemployment rate held at 8.3 percent. Even though separately released trade figures for January showed a rise in the trade deficit-usually a negative for growth-Jeffrey Rosen of Briefing Research said the signs are generally pointing to a strengthening of the economy.

“Payrolls have grown on average by nearly 100,000 more per month than they did last year, businesses are stockpiled with cash, and consumer debt is more manageable,” he said.

“As long as consumption remains on track, which looks to be the case given the steady rise in earnings and overall net worth, economic growth should accelerate from here.” But some said that the markets themselves need more to keep growing, especially as the strong corporate profits growth of last year appears to be easing. “Like the crocuses and other flowers now poking their heads up from winter lairs, the stock market rally of 2012 has sprung less from presence of supportive conditions than it has from the lack of expected adversity,” said a poetic Vaughan Scully of S&P Capital IQ. “The lack of an expected US economic slowdown (has) helped to spur strong gains in equities in spite of the fact that unemployment is still high, the housing market is still weak, and profit growth is slowing,” he said.

The markets are vulnerable to any sign of bad news-for instance China’s downward revision this week of its 2012 growth forecast, to 7.5 percent, he said. Moreover, he added, S&P Capital IQ data shows that consensus estimates for first quarter earnings per share growth are just 0.8 percent, compared to 8.3 percent in the last quarter of 2011. “The surge in February nonfarm payrolls arguably creates a strong case for a sustained and indeed strengthening recovery, but the chills of winter probably haven’t left for good yet.”

The coming week could give a clearer picture of the economy’s direction. The Federal Reserve policy board meets Tuesday, and while not expected to change its ultralow interest rate policy or even hint

NEW YORK: Traders work on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange on Friday. Stocks rose on Friday morning after the February jobs report bolstered hopes that the economic recovery is on track. —AP

at any stimulus measures, the picture it paints of economic growth will be closely watched.

Data releases could also help color in the picture: retail sales in February (Tuesday); the February pro-

ducer price index (Thursday) and the consumer price index (Friday). Also coming Friday are the University of Michigan consumer sentiment survey and figures on industrial production last month. —AFP

Occupy Wall St in New York running out of cash Group plans ‘American Spring’ protests

SHANGHAI: Customers buy vegetables from a street vender in Shanghai. China’s inflation fell sharply in February, giving Beijing more leeway to stimulate its slowing economy. Inflation in politically sensitive food costs declined even more markedly, falling to 6.2 percent from the previous month’s 10.5 percent. — AP

WTO appeal faults Boeing subsidies PARIS: The World Trade Organization has broadly upheld a ruling that Boeing Co took billions of dollars of unfair subsidies, breathing new life into an epic trade spat that has already faulted European aid to Airbus, people familiar with the matter said. The world’s largest trade dispute, involving mutual claims of aid to the dominant planemakers, reaches a crucial point on Monday when WTO appeal judges are expected to complete a pair of investigations by publishing their verdict on aid to Boeing.

At stake is whether the world’s largest planemakers can continue to benefit from alleged public aid for heavy investment in new aircraft, though analysts say it may be years before the complex legal processes are finally exhausted.

Monday’s ruling, coupled with a parallel case on Airbus that went largely against Europe, could influence the balance of power and timing of any negotiations to end the seemingly endless spat, but there are no signs of any agreement to talk.

The United States is instead pressing for $7 billion to $10 billion in annual sanctions in its own case on Airbus. Most trade analysts say that in practice such measures would take years to unfold.

“I think they (Boeing) can do a lot to disregard the ruling just as Airbus has been able to do an awful lot to disregard any ruling against them,” said aerospace analyst Richard Aboulafia of Virginia-based Teal Group.

“I think unfortunately, this process just isn’t working in anyone’s favor.” The two sides accuse each other of soaking up billions of dollars in sham contracts and loans, while potential competitors in China, Canada, Russia and Japan are closely watching the case as they prepare to try to break open the transatlantic duopoly. A WTO panel ruled last year that Boeing had received at least $5.3 billion in subsidies through research contracts mainly from space agency NASA as well as a series of tax breaks.

The findings followed a six-year probe into European Union claims that Boeing had received over four times that amount.

The EU filed the complaint as a countersuit to US claims that Airbus had benefited from decades of European government loans, which the WTO trade body also deemed unfair.

People on both sides of the dispute, who asked not to be identified, told Reuters the Geneva trade court’s appellate body had upheld the bulk of the findings on the Boeing aid. An advance copy of the ruling has been delivered to both sides but

the findings are being held under wraps until Monday.

“It won’t change much, but there may be some changes around the edges of the decision,” a US source told Reuters. A European source called the ruling a victory for the EU. The Geneva-based WTO declined to comment.

The report is likely to be adopted by the W TO on March 22. Even if it loses the appeal, the United States is expected to claim victory over the pair of cases by highlighting what it describes as $18 billion of European aid provided to Airbus, a figure disputed from the European side.

Airbus, however, will try to keep the focus on the EU’s tit-for-tat case against the United States, and it expressed confidence about this part of the dispute on Friday.

“We don’t expect any change on fundamentals. It should not surprise us or Boeing. There is no way they can win this case,” a spokeswoman said.

A Boeing spokesman said it would not comment on the verdict ahead of the report’s publication.

The ruling is expected to run to hundreds of pages and, as with previous reports, give plenty of scope for both sides to choose specific details they can use to claim victory in public.

The next battleground will be over whether Airbus can tap more European government loans for its next A350 aircraft.

That issue has also become mired in domestic politics as the jetmaker battles with Germany over allegations of political interference. In a new twist, a German newspaper reported this week that Airbus itself may decide to reject the German part of the A350 loan in order to escape pressure over the location of jobs.

That suggestion appeared to be part of a local political spat, rather than intended for WTO consumption, but some in the industry believe cash-rich Airbus parent EADS may indeed question loans as a consequence of any future settlement.

It is unlikely to address this before the WTO dispute is resolved, however. EADS Chief Executive Louis Gallois declined to be drawn on the matter at a news conference on Thursday.

For now, there are no signs of any let-up in the dispute, which trade sources estimate has cost at least $100 million in legal bills and travel to WTO headquarters on Lake Geneva.

“It’ll be the usual. Both sides will claim victory. Both sides will vow to fight on. And exactly nothing can be accomplished at this point,” Aboulafia said. — Reuters

NEW YORK: New York’s Occupy Wall Street group is warning it could run out of money by the end of the month, raising questions about the future of the movement that sparked nationwide protests against economic injustice last year. Donations to the group have slowed six months after it set up camp in a park near Wall Street, igniting the Occupy movement across the United States.

A report by Occupy Wall Street’s accounting group for the week ended March 2 showed it had $44,828 in a general fund in addition to $90,000 set aside to bail protesters out of jail during planned “American Spring” protests.

The report said, “At our current rate of expenditure, we will be out of money in THREE WEEKS.” The report - posted on the group’s website http:// www.nycga.net - showed $1,556 had been raised that week, while $14,942 had been spent on the group’s kitchen, street medics, New York bus and subway passes, and printing costs.

The latest donation total contrasted sharply with the estimated $500,000 the group raised within weeks of setting up camp at Zuccotti Park on Sept 17. Since Occupy Wall Street began, it has received more than $730,000 in donations, according to the accounting group. It has a fiscal sponsor, the Tucson-based Alliance for Global Justice, which allows donations to be tax exempt.

Critics say the Occupy movement lacks direction and specific demands and has lost momentum. Occupy protest crowds in New York and other US cities have tended to number only in the hundreds, despite the group’s social media savvy.

But Occupy Wall Street spokesman Ed Needham said, “The success of the movement has never depended on money.”

“Occupy Wall Street is about our abundant human resources - the creative talent, dedication and sweat equity of people here and elsewhere that have decided to stand up against a corrupt and unjust society run by a powerful elite few,” he said. Inspired by the pro-democracy Arab Spring movement and Spain’s “Indignados” movement, Occupy sparked a national debate about economic inequality and has influenced the political debate in this year’s US presidential election campaign. The Occupy movement, which prides itself on being leaderless, has struggled to grow beyond the initial protest camps that sustained it.

Christine Crowther of the Occupy Wall Street accounting group said the group had “a lot planned for the spring and we fully expect the money will start flowing in again,” A march is planned for March 17 to mark the group’s six-month anniversary. Needham said there would also be “Occupy the Fundraisers”

GE CEO Immelt’s pay falls 24% in 2011 NEW YORK: General Electric Co Chairman and CEO Jeffrey Immelt’s compensation fell 24 percent in 2011 after it spiked in 2010. GE, which makes products ranging from jet engines to light bulbs, as well as financing projects around the globe, gave Immelt a pay package valued at nearly $11.4 million, according to an analysis of regulatory documents filed Friday. That is down from roughly $15.1 million in 2010, when his pay nearly tripled. General Electric gave the 56-year old CEO a $3.3 million salary and $4 million bonus in 2011, unchanged from the prior year. Immelt was granted stock awards valued at nearly $3.6 million. He was given none in 2010. He received no option awards in 2011 after being granted $7.4 million in 2010. The company bowed to shareholder pressure last year and put new performance conditions in place on his 2010 stock options.

The total compensation package calculation includes $123.176 in above-market earnings from interest on his pension fund. General Electric also gave him use of the company aircraft, car allowance and other perks valued at $447,191, up from $389,809 in the prior year.

The company had a tumultuous year in 2011, given the global economic troubles, but increased total net income 22 percent to $14.15 billion, or $1.23 per share for the 2011 fiscal year, compared with $11.64 billion, or $1.06 per share, in 2010.

General Electric praised Immelt’s leadership, saying the company is now a smaller, more focused specialty finance company and that senior management’s actions have put the company into a position of financial strength. In addition to his work at the head of the massive company, Immelt has received attention recently for his work as head of President Barack Obama’s Council on Jobs and Competitiveness, where he is consulting with the president on how to stimulate job growth for the US. The AP formula calculates an executive’s total compensation during the last fiscal year by adding salary, bonuses, perks, above-market interest the company pays on deferred compensation and the estimated value of stock and stock options awarded during the year. The AP formula does not count changes in the present value of pension benefits. That makes the AP total slightly different in most cases from the total reported by companies to the Securities and Exchange Commission.

The value that a company assigned to an executive’s stock and option awards for 2010 was the present value of what the company expected the awards to be worth to the executive over time. Companies use one of several formulas to calculate that value. However, the number is just an estimate, and what an executive ultimately receives will depend on the performance of the company’s stock in the years after the awards are granted. —AP

protests against money in politics, a March 24 protest against the fossil fuel industry’s spending on lobbyists and an April 25 protest against U.S. student debt hitting $1 trillion. Crowther said the $90,000 bail fund would allow Occupy members to keep taking to the streets to protest. More than 1,000 people were arrested in previous Occupy protests in New York.

“While we give the dire warning (on finances) so that people will be conscious and considerate of how we’re spending our money, we are still going to be able to take care of our people in the way that really matters - making sure that their bail and their court fees are paid,” Crowther said.

Occupy Wall Street protesters have been scattered across New York since their camp was evicted from Zuccotti Park in November. A number of churches offered places to stay for some of the several hundred people who had traveled to New York to join the protest. Occupy Wall Street has also appealed online for more people to “host an occupier in your home and help sustain the movement.”

It has been spending several thousand dollars a week on transit passes so protesters can travel to an office space the group has been using in Lower Manhattan and a public atrium of a Wall Street skyscraper it uses for meetings. — Reuters

ISDA declares Greek ‘credit event’ after debt deal WASHINGTON: A global derivatives group declared that Greece’s debt deal amounted to a “credit event” which triggers payment of credit default swaps to investors in Greek bonds. The International Swaps and Derivatives Association voted unanimously to declare the credit event after a large majority of Greece’s private creditors signed on to a debt swap that will wipe off 107 billion euros ($140 billion) worth of Athens’s debt. The ISDA’s Determinations Committee for Europe — 15 major banks, bond investors and dealers-said that the because the debt writedown and swap forcibly applies to all holders of Greek bonds, whether they agreed or not, it constitutes a breaking of the covenant over the debt between the issuer and buyer-a credit event. “ The DC found that the Greek debt restructuring plan involves a ‘haircut’ and is binding on all holders of Greek debt,” the ISDA said. The ISDA decision means that up to $3.2 billion in credit default swaps (CDSs), essentially insurance contracts on the bonds, will be paid out. The ISDA said that will happen via an auction to determine the recovery value of the Greek debt. “This recovery value determines the net payouts

made under CDS contracts when a credit event occurs,” it said.

The move to declare a credit event was tied to Greece having amended its laws to retroactively apply so-called collective action clauses to the terms of the bonds it issued under Greek law.

Greece’s ability on Thursday to garner a large majority of support for the debt swap allowed it to trigger the CACs, which will force bond holders who refused to support the deal to accept its terms anyway. Despite calling Greece into violation of its original bond promises, David Geen, the ISDA general counsel, said the organization did not expect triggering CDS payments would have much overall effect in the financial system.

“We do not foresee a significant impact from the Greek credit on the financial markets,” he said. “The net CDS exposure is largely collateralized. According to our research, about 93 percent of all CDS trades are subject to collateral.”

Nevertheless, he said, calling a credit event sends a message “that the contract is a contract, and we follow the terms of the contract.” — AFP

PORTLAND: US job seekers stand in line during the Career Expo job fair in Portland, Oregon. The Labor Department said that weekly applications increased by 8,000 to a seasonally adjusted 362,000, the highest level since January. —AP

26

SUNDAY, MARCH 11, 2012

BUSINESS

Canon ME hosts seminar on printer models in Kuwait KUWAIT: Canon Middle East, the world’s leading innovator of imaging products, has strengthened its lineup of Office Personal Products (OPP) to meet increased demand in Kuwait. A series of product demonstration seminars aimed at retailers and distributors in Kuwait was conducted recently, as part of initiatives to further strengthen its presence in the country’s robust IT market.

Over 65 attendees witnessed Canon’s preview of its laser printers and inkjet models, featuring more advanced functionalities and features, including enhanced color quality and speeds.

“Canon has always offered state of the art products that combine cutting technology and value for money along with meeting the expectations of the diverse consumers of the region. The seminar provided an ideal platform for Canon to understand the needs of

the end user and further consolidate our presence in this market. There was also a strong positive feedback about the newly launched Pixma range of inkjet printers for its cutting-edge features such as the two ink system, cloud and air print functionality,” said Venkatasubramanian Hariharan, Regional Sales Director, Canon Middle East.

The demand for cost effective all in one office inkjet printers have significantly increased within the segment of home office users. To cater to this growing market, Canon Middle East has launched its all in one inkjet multi function range including the Pixma 4140, in Kuwait.

The new inkjet models combine new elegant designs along with cutting edge printing technology to meet basic and advanced printing needs of the business and home segment users.

Naser Mohammed Al-Sayer

Communications Co (NMAS), Canon Middle East’s authorized distributor in Kuwait, was responsible for hosting the seminar for end users in Kuwait. “Canon has been very supportive of our marketing initiatives, and that reflects in our exceptional performance last year. This series of seminars that Canon will be doing is a great way of not only introducing the products, but also engaging our customers on the most appropriate and effective solutions that will help them boost their businesses,” said Nabil Iskandrani, General Manager, NMAS. The OPP seminar in Kuwait is the latest in a series of Channel events organized by Canon Middle East and provides Tier Two partners with insight into the new Canon line up and forthcoming strategies relating to the new products, development of Channels and marketing initiatives.

Commercial Bank announces new Premier Banking Service CBK takes personal banking new to level: Clements KUWAIT: Commercial Bank of Kuwait has announced the launch of their new Premier Banking Service. This new service is introduced as a result of in depth analysis of customer needs and expectations. The service is centered around a personal approach to banking where all customers availing of this service will have a dedicated Premier Banking Officer assigned to them to ensure that all their financial services needs are met. The bank has designed 14 Premier Lounges in key branch locations in Kuwait as par t of the first phase of the launch. These lounges provide the comfort and confidentiality that premier customers deserve.

Simon Clements GM Retail Banking said “ In announcing this new and exciting service we are

taking personal banking to a new level at Commercial Bank and

Simon Clements providing our customers with a level of service they deserve.

With dedicated, well trained and

certified Premier Banking Officers our customers will receive a level of service as good if not better than any bank in Kuwait.”

Premier Banking Customers will be entitled to the bank’s new Visa Platinum card, with a choice of four attractive and unique designs, which provides many benefits but most important of all along with the Platinum card comes the globally recognized“ “Priority Pass” completely free of charge. The “Priority Pass” provides free access to over 600 airport lounges around world. “ This is a very strong value added benefit for this service making our customers travel experience even more relaxing and enjoyable, it’s a first in Kuwait and we are very proud to be able to offer such a benefit to our customers. “ Clements explained.

In addition Premier Banking customers will enjoy many other benefits including reduced fees or in some cases free services as well as participation in many offers and campaigns through the bank’s strong merchant network.

Clements concluded,” Premier Banking Customers will receive a Premier Banking branded debit card with flexible limits, this card alone will identify our customers as part of this strategic segment ensuring them of prompt and priority service where ever they touch the bank. We have launched this service after significant investment in research and training of our staff, but this is just the beginning there are many more plans in the pipeline to continue to develop and enhance this service.”

Abdul Rahman Albisher & Zaid Alkazemi Co participates in Education Exhibition 2012 KUWAIT: Abdul Rahman Albisher & Zaid Alkazemi Co, authorized general distributor of Mercedes-Benz in Kuwait is pleased to be participating as a sponsor of Education Exhibition going to be held at the Kuwait International fairs ground in Mishref from Mach 12 to 15. Albisher & Alkazemi Co will be presenting the latest Mercedes-Benz Passenger car models at this exhibition where the youth of Kuwait are expected to visit and participate in various activities.

Students will have the opportunity to register to win one of the 5 weekend Test Drive of their favorite Mercedes-Benz car and every student who purchases a new Mercedes-Benz passenger car during the exhibition period will receive an iPhone as complimentary gift from Albisher & Alkazemi Co. We are looking forward to many students making use of this limited time offer.

their chances of becoming a winner in the upcoming weekly (KD1,000 each for 10 winners). Gulf Bank’s Al-Danah allows customers to win cash prizes and encourages them to save money. Chances increase the more money is deposited and the longer it is kept in the account.

Al-Danah also offers a number of unique services including the Al-Danah Deposit Only ATM card which helps account holders deposit their money at their convenience; as well as the Al-Danah calculator to help customers calculate their chances of

DUBAI: Upgrades to Ford’s full-motion virtual test track will help the automaker continue to develop and test active safety and driver aid technologies that warn drivers of imminent collision, drowsiness and other potentially dangerous scenarios behind the wheel.

The VIRtual Test Track EXperiment (VIRTTEX) simulator, which features a spherical dome on top of a hydraulic system to mimic vehicle movement, now has upgraded image rendering technologies to provide a high-resolution, digitally projected 360-degree horizontal field-of-view to test and measure driver acceleration, braking and steering performance as well as overall driver reactions in varying conditions.

“VIRTTEX plays an integral role in helping us develop future safety and driver assist technology, mak ing it essential to keep the simulator current with the latest technology,” said Mike Blommer, technical lead for the lab.

“Coupled with improvements in the resolution and brightness of the projection technologies, as well as improved imagery capabilities, we will be able to boost our capabilities to conduct active safety studies.”

The 360-view helps the engineers evaluate driving performance with a complete view of every angle around the driver. Improved imagery creates the most realistic scenarios including other traffic, pedestrians and landmarks alongside the roadway.

Technical advances tested in part in VIRTTEX have included Lane Keeping System and collision warning, which is set to appear in the all-new Ford Fusion. Ford used VIRTTEX to examine driver responses and reaction times with advanced early-warning systems such as forward collision warning, a radar-based system designed to help avoid or mitigate the effect of rear-end collisions. The study concluded that certain warning systems may elicit a faster and more appropriate response for distracted drivers.

Ford continues to research numerous types of warnings - including audible, visual and tactile or vibrating warn-

ings - and whether they are most effective alone or in combinations.

This work has already helped determine how soon incident warnings should be used, how intense they need to be, and specific patterns of the warnings in technologies such as the Lane Keeping System. Research to date has shown drivers respond more quickly to certain audible alerts that are more intense, thus more authoritative. Early research also shows some benefit from a combination of warnings - audio alerts backed up by visual warning reinforcement.

VIRT TEX studies are longer-timeframe studies, Blommer noted. The lab focuses on collecting quantitative and objec tive data, to determine what works best to keep drivers alert and safe behind the wheel. For example, studies show that for similarly performing warnings, drivers prefer subtle warnings such as steering wheel vibrations rather than loud chimes to alert them to a lane departure. The studies focus on how drivers react in certain scenarios and how technologies can help deter potential accidents.

The upgraded projectors are made

by Ohio-based Barco and the imagery software is provided by Blue Newt Software of Michigan. In 2003, Ford conducted one of its first driver distraction studies in VIRTTEX that measured a driver’s failure to detect safety-relevant events while doing visual or manual tasks such as retrieving voicemail on a handheld cell phone. The study revealed much higher levels of distraction - glances off the road - among drivers doing such manual and/or visual tasks rather than if they were using some type of hands-free, voice interface. The VIRTTEX simulator features a spherical dome mounted on a hydraulic system to duplicate vehicle movement.

Projectors display a 360-degree horizontal and 45-degree vertical field of vision mounted to the base. The projectors surround the driver to replicate driving scenery, conditions and traffic scenarios synched with the test vehicle’s acceleration, braking and steering functions.

NBK welcomes prominent new member to Advisory Board

Gulf Bank announces winners of 9th Al-Danah weekly draw KUWAIT: Gulf Bank held its ninth Al-Danah weekly draw on March 4, 2012, announcing a total number of six Al-Danah weekly prize draw winners, each awarded with prizes of KD 1,000.

The 6 Al-Danah weekly winners are: Balqees Mohammed Al-Saleh, Amna Abdullah Al-Yousef, Abdullah Jaber Husain, Samya Faisal Al-Sherazi, Ali Nasser AlQallaf, Hussein Abdullah Al-Reshedi.

Gulf Bank encourages ever yone in Kuwait to open an Al-Danah account and/or increase their deposits to maximize

Ford upgrades virtual reality simulator

becoming an Al-Danah winner.

To be part of the Al-Danah draws, customers can visit one of Gulf Bank ’s 56 branches, transfer on line, or call the Customer Contact Center on 1805805 for assistance and guidance. Customers can also log on to www.e-gulfbank.com, Gulf Bank’s website, to find all the information regarding Al-Danah or any of the Bank’s products and services or log on www.egulfbank.com/aldanahwinners, to find out more about Al Danah and who the winners are.

KUWAIT: National Bank of Kuwait (NBK) of Singapore. He holds an MA in proudly announces that Goh Chok Tong, Development Economics from Williams Emeritus Senior Minister, Republic of College in the States.

NBK is the only Arab bank to have an Singapore and Senior Advisor to the International Advisory Monetary Authority of Board. The 20 member Singapore has joined the board includes world recogbank’s prestigious nized political leaders, busiInternational Advisory nessmen, bankers and econBoard. omists including former Goh is the former Prime British Prime Minister John Minister of Singapore and Major, Prince Turki Al-Faisal has served in various other Al-Saud, World Economic Singapore government Forum founder Klaus positions including as Schwab, Pimco CEO and coMinisters of Trade and CIO Mohamed El Erian and Industry, Defense and Health. From 2004 until Goh Chok Tong, Member Reliance Industries Limited Chairman and Managing 2011, he served as chairman of the International Director Mukesh Ambani. of the Monetary Authority Advisory Board

SUNDAY, MARCH 11, 2012

TECHNOLOGY

EMC shares cloud transformation insights with QITCOM delegates DOHA: EMC Corporation participated in the second Qatar ICT Conference and Exhibition (QITCOM) which was held between the 5th and 7th of March 2012 at Qatar National Convention Center in Doha, Qatar. This leading event attracted leading IT organizations to showcase their products and services and provides a unique platform for IT professionals in the country to learn and network alongside key stake holders to develop and advance ICT in the region.

During the 3 day exhibition, EMC representatives showcased new ways of building, operating, and consuming IT to help customers cope with the explosive growth of information to reduce capital and operational costs, and help them increase business agility.

On the opening day of QITCOM, Hatem El Mohandes, Senior Technology Consultant, EMC Qatar, led a workshop entitled “Your Cloud Transformation Challenges & Lessons Learned”. The workshop focused on showcasing EMC’s IT strategy and transformation services combining innovative strategies with a pragmatic approach to maximize organizations’ IT delivery effectiveness and cost efficiency.

He also presented the attributes of cloud technologies: Simplicity, flexibility, cost effectiveness and agility and highlighted how cloud allows IT to be delivered as a service, both internally and externally.

According to EMC, cloud computing is not an overnight change. It’s a transformation in a journey that is required for organizations to evolve their IT

organizations with the market needs and dynamics.

Meanwhile, 77.4% of tablet users around the world have desktops, laptops, tablets and smart phone, and 12.9% have desktops, laptops and tablets, while 2.1% have desktops and tablets and 3.6% have laptops and tablets; according to a recent worldwide study by “O+K” conducted in association with Kaspersky Lab, a leading developer of secure content and threat management solutions.

Kaspersky Lab recommends all online users to have a good Internet security suite installed on all their devices, with parental controls that can monitor youngsters’ social networks interactions and if need be, block messaging to certain users as well as confidential information like the home address, phone

numbers and other sensitive private data.

Social networking websites are a modern cultural phenomenon. Facebook alone currently has over 300 million active users, 150 million of which log-on at least once a day. Each user has on average 130 ‘friends’, but many people, especially the young, are either unaware or do not care that lax security settings can enable everyone to read their information and thus put them at risk.

Kaspersky Lab recently introduced Kaspersky One, a multi-platform, user-centric Universal Security solution that brings comprehensive protection for the wide range of personal devices, starting from personal computers and notebooks and all the way to smartphones and tablets.

Web giants’ consumer privacy strategy faces hard sell FTC expected to issue new privacy recommendations

LG’s new marketing concept employs user-generated content Attracts global participation LG Electronics (LG) concluded the Kompressor Follow Me(tm) video contest with the announcement of its winners.

The online global contest celebrated LG’s new Kompressor Follow Me, the world’s first vacuum cleaner that automatically follows the user while vacuuming. The contest served as an innovative and ground-breaking method of bringing LG closer to its customers, while simultaneously raising interest in and awareness of their new vacuum cleaner.

“The Kompressor Follow Me video contest helped us better understand our customers, including their response to the new vacuum cleaner,” said D. Y. Kim, President of LG Electronics Gulf FZE. “We intend to use our enhanced understanding of our customers to further improve our products and to ultimately upgrade our customers’ lifestyle. We would like to thank all participants for the interest and enthusiasm they have shown in the contest, and for taking the time and effort to communicate their brilliant ideas to us.”

The winners were selected based on online votes cast by the general public, as well as feedback from creative experts and LG’s marketing specialists.

Participants submitted impressive entries from across the world, ranging from North America (Canada, Mexico, USA), South and Central America (Venezuela) and Europe (Czech Republic, France, Germany, Netherlands, Slovak Republic, Spain, UK), to the Middle East and Africa (Nigeria), Asia (Australia, India, Indonesia, Korea, Philippines), and Commonwealth of Independent States (Russia, Ukraine, Uzbekistan).

The first place went to a customer from Ukraine whose submission, titled, ‘Are You Baby,’ was recognized for its originality and witty storyline that clearly visualized the Follow Me technology by com-

paring it to a baby trailing his mother. The winning entry earned the most votes and views from the online voters. A French entry came in second place for its visually appealing video clip that highlighted the Active Following Wheel Technology. The third place was a tie between Korean and French entries. The first-, second- and third-place winners will each receive cash prizes of EUR 10,000, EUR 5,000 and EUR 2,500, respectively. Additional two participants from Canada and France will be awarded with the Kompressor Follow Me vacuum cleaner as a token of appreciation for their efforts.

The winning entries were selected largely based on numerous online votes cast by the general public. LG’s creative strategy in promoting the new Kompressor Follow Me resulted in considerable awareness and anticipation of its upcoming product launch, while its innovative technologies attracted widespread interest.

LG’s new Kompressor Follow Me is the world’s first vacuum cleaner to automatically follow its user, using the revolutionary Automatic Location Recognition Technology and the Active Following Wheel Technology that enable the vacuum cleaner to maintain a distance of 100cm from the user. Combined with other innovative technologies, the new vacuum cleaner offers easier, more convenient cleaning to consumers.

Winning Entries of the Online Contest First-Place Winner: ‘Are You Baby’ (Ukraine) Second-Place Winner: ‘I Need Follow Me’ (France) Third-Place Winner: ‘I Want to be a Baby’ (Korea) Third-Place Winner: ‘The Right Way’ (France).

BARCELONA: A hostess draws on the Samsung Galaxi Note 10.1 Tablet during a presentation in Barcelona. — AFP

WASHINGTON: Emboldened by their victory in quashing online piracy legislation, US Internet companies are gearing up for a battle over whether consumers should be able to restrict efforts to gather personal data.

Google Inc, Facebook, Apple Inc and other tech companies have lobbied against congressional and federal agency proposals that would let Internet users press “do not track” buttons on their browsers to block targeted advertising. Consumers could also edit personal information that has been stored about them.

With the privacy issue, the multibillion-dollar Internet industry faces a challenge larger than potentially harmful legislation or regulations that could limit their advertising and corporate growth.

Their efforts to self-regulate continue to suffer setbacks amidst accusations of privacy violations and last year’s Federal Trade Commission findings that Facebook and Google engaged in deceptive privacy practices.

The FTC is expected to issue new privacy recommendations in the coming days, and companies are watching several legislative proposals on Capitol Hill. Privacy advocates are pushing to give consumers greater control over data collection. The companies must convince consumers that they benefit by allowing personal data to be collected and shared.

Their pitch - in efforts like Google’s current “Good to Know” advertising campaign - argues that data collection lets companies offer faster, smarter products, like better search results and customized mapping. Internet companies successfully fought legislation to limit Internet piracy.

Medley Global Advisors analyst Jeffrey Silva said Web companies may feel confident that they can tackle other government intervention.

“I think the lesson they’ve learned is if they don’t like a certain bill, they can organize and create a lot of static and pushback,” Silva said. Internet data collection allows advertisers to target users in a demographic who are more likely to buy their product. These ads often subsidize Web content.

Google, for example, has come under fire for a new policy that took effect March 1 that treats information from most of its products, including Gmail, YouTube and Google+, as a single trove of data for advertisers.

Google contends the change will benefit customers. The company would be able to spot a signed-on user looking for recipes and seamlessly direct them to YouTube cooking videos. “When we talk about how the Internet will improve and grow for consumers, that’s coming from online behavioral advertising,” said Daniel Castro, senior analyst

at the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation.

Strict privacy rules could lead to substantial cuts in online advertising dollars and an even larger hit to growth over the next five to 10 years, Castro said. A 2010 study by University of Toronto professor Avi Goldfarb and MIT professor Catherine Tucker revealed a 65 percent decrease in ad effectiveness after European countries implemented data collection rules for targeted advertising.

Around 96 percent of Google’s $37.9 billion revenue comes from advertising, financial statements showed. Filings ahead of Facebook’s much-discussed initial public offering revealed 85 percent of its $3.71 billion in revenue last year came from advertising.

Nearly two-thirds of Apple’s fiscal year 2011 net sales came from its iPhone, iPad and related products and services that rely on tracking a user’s exact location. New government data collection policies could have huge implications. “If Google got 65 percent less revenue than it got last year, that would be a big upset to a company like that,” Castro said.

The industry got a break last month when the White House released a blueprint “privacy bill of rights” giving consumers more data control, but relying heavily on voluntary compliance by Internet companies.

The FTC’s expected recommendations are causing more anxiety. Analysts and privacy advocates predict that the FTC report will have more teeth, in part because FTC Chairman Jon Leibowitz recently described Google’s new privacy policy as a “somewhat brutal choice” for consumers.

The FTC report may call for strict enforcement to ensure firms adhere to their privacy policies, according to sources familiar with the agency’s thinking. It may also try to accelerate firms’ adoption of the “do not track” technology, which could work like the “do not call” registry that caused telemarketing industry havoc.

Silva said the FTC recommendations come from “people that live and breathe privacy policy and have a greater knowledge of the law, companies’ practices and an institutional knowledge of what’s happened before. They probably have a better feel for the degree to which self-regulation works or doesn’t.”

As for legislation, numerous privacy bills are winding their way through Congress. A notable one is a bipartisan privacy framework from Senators John Kerry and John McCain. It would require companies to reassess their privacy practices for both personally identifiable information and online behavioral advertising profiles.

Critics say it could force more companies to start charging for services like e-mail, social networks and other content currently subsidized by advertising.

“I’m talking about American companies having rules that control their own destiny, before Europe or other trading partners impose their policies on all our companies,” Kerry said. “Hell, establishing minimum privacy protections in law can help build consumer trust in the marketplace and in turn increase economic activity.”

Tech companies have argued that government regulations could cut its revenues, reduce job growth and hurt the broader economy.

Lawmakers are looking for the “sweet spot” between too much regulation and none at all, Representative Mary Bono Mack, chairman of the House Commerce subcommittee on commerce, manufacturing and trade, said. “Any knee-jerk reactions could have a chilling impact on innovation and e-commerce in the United States and threaten our economic recovery,” she said.

Internet companies are well-positioned in Washington to push back against regulatory proposals. With the piracy debate, they came together to argue that bills designed to shut down access to overseas websites trafficking in stolen content or counterfeit goods were too broad. They argued that they could undermine innovation and free speech and compromise the Internet’s functioning.

What followed was an unprecedented online protest that saw Wikipedia and other sites go dark while bigger players like Google and Facebook displayed censorship bars and arguments against the bills on their sites.

The effort was supported with 3.9 million tweets, 2,000 people a second trying to call their elected representatives and more than 5,000 people a minute signing petitions opposing the legislation.

Privacy regulations are a harder sell, said privacy expert Amy Mushahwar, an attorney with Reed Smith. “Consumers might not be able to immediately recognize that increased privacy obligations could lead to a lesser amount of content on the Web, which is really what the advertising industry is concerned about,” said Mushahwar, a registered lobbyist for the Association of National Advertisers.

Internet companies have tried to get ahead of mandatory reforms by adopting their own policies.

The Digital Advertising Alliance rolled out new data collection principles that take effect this year.

They explicitly prohibit collection and use of a person’s Internet surfing data for determining their eligibility for employment, credit, insurance and medical treatment. — Reuters

Virtual Piggy lets children get online allowances SAN FRANCISCO: Startup Virtual Piggy is rolling out a way for parents to give children online allowances to spend on games, iPod accessories or other stuff tailored for Internet-loving youngsters.

Virtual Piggy chief executive Jo Webber and her team pitched their software to major players including Facebook and online games star Zynga at the Game Developers Conference that ended Friday in San Francisco. “This generation of kids wants to be online playing with their friends, socializing and doing what kids do; they want to buy stuff,” Webber told AFP. “A parent can’t give them cash to use online,” she said. “They either give their children a credit card and all hell breaks loose or tell them they just can’t have whatever it is they want.”

Webber billed Virtual Piggy as the first payment system to allow children 13 years of age or younger to make legal online financial transactions with parents dictating the limits. The world’s largest gathering of videogame makers was a prime venue for the startup since children flock to “freeto-play” games on smartphones, tablets, and websites.

Money-making models in free games typically involve enticing players to buy virtual goods for animated characters or settings in order to advance more quickly, or stylishly. “We’ve built a system where the parent can essentially give a child a monthly allowance,” Webber said. “The kid is empowered to make online transactions but really the parent is controlling the whole thing.”

US-based Virtual Piggy just made its international debut at knex.com, the website of the fast-growing Pennsylvania company that makes globally popular K’NEX toy construction sets. Parents set spending caps in Virtual Piggy accounts, which their children use by entering passwords. — AFP

SINGAPORE: This photograph taken on February 1, 2012 shows an advertisement for iPhone 4 with Singtel subscription posted on a public phone booth in Singapore. Singapore Telecom said March 5 that it will buy US mobile advertising start-up Amobee for $321 million to expand group revenues from ads and marketing across Asia. — AFP

Facebook ‘friend’ offer exposes man’s other wife SEATTLE: A corrections officer is facing bigamy charges after authorities said a Washington woman using Facebook discovered that she and a potential “friend” were married to him at the same time.

According to charging documents filed Thursday, Alan L. O’Neill married a woman in 2001, moved out in 2009, changed his name and remarried without divorcing her. The first wife first noticed O’Neill had moved on to another woman when Facebook suggested the friendship connection to wife No. 2 under the “People You May Know” feature.

“Wife No. 1 went to wife No. 2’s page and saw a picture of her and her husband with a wedding cake,” Pierce County Prosecutor Mark Lindquist told The Associated Press. Wife No. 1 then called the defendant’s mother.

“An hour later the defendant arrived at (Wife No. 1’s) apartment, and she asked him several times if they were divorced,” court records show. “The defendant said, ‘No, we are still married.’” Neither O’Neill nor his first wife had filed for divorce, according to charging documents. The name change came in December, and later that month he married his second

wife.O’Neill allegedly told wife No. 1 not to tell anybody about his dual marriages, that he would fix it, the documents state. But wife No. 1 alerted authorities.

“Facebook is now a place where people discover things about each other they end up reporting to law enforcement,” Lindquist said. Athima Chansanchai, a freelance journalist who writes about social media, said Facebook over the years has played a role in both creating relationships and destroying them.

“It’s just the latest vessel by which people can stray if they want to,” she said. O’Neill, 41, was previously known as Alan Fulk. He has worked as a Pierce County corrections officer for five years, sheriff’s spokesman Ed Troyer said. He was placed on administrative leave after prosecutors charged him Thursday. He could face up to a year in jail if convicted.O’Neill and his first wife had issues that went back to 2009. In 2010, his first wife was arrested after an altercation with the woman who later became the second wife. A Facebook message to wife No. 1 was not immediately returned. There was no immediate phone number available for O’Neill and his second wife.—AP

SUNDAY, MARCH 11, 2012

H E A LT H & S C I E NC E

Kenyan nurses strike despite government sacking NAIROBI: Hundreds of nurses marched through the Kenyan capital late Friday in a demand for better pay, even after the government sacked all 25,000 taking part in a strike, creating a potentially devastating shortage.

The protesters, mostly women, later held a sit-in outside the ministry of health, chanting slogans against the government. “(Peter Anyang) Nyongo, you’re fired,” one sign held by a demonstrator read, referring to Kenya’s minister of health. “Nyongo, we want our rights, like you had medical treatment abroad,” the protesters chanted in Swahili, in reference to a stay in the United States last year when the minister was treated for prostate cancer. The nurses went on strike on March 1 to protest the government’s failure to implement a salary increase agreed last year, when they also stopped work to press for improved services in Kenya’s mostly ill-equipped public hospitals.

“The government should face the reality and handle the nurses’ strike seriously, it is worsen-

NAIROBI: Kenyan Health Workers are seen during a demonstration in the streets of Nairobi, Kenya, Friday. Some 40,000 health workers nationwide went on strike on March 1 to protest over low pay and poor working conditions. The government announced Thursday that it fired 25,000 workers who defied an order to return to work. Kenyan media has attributed five deaths to the strike already, although doctors say they are still treating emergency cases. — AP

Feds to stop funding Texas women’s health program HOUSTON: The federal government will stop funding a Texas health program that serves 130,000 low-income women because of a state law that bars abortionaffiliated clinics from getting public money, a top US health official said Friday.

The federal money, which covers 90 percent of the state’s $40 million program, will be phased out between May and September because the law violates federal regulations requiring that women have a choice in medical care, Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius said during a trip to Houston.

That means the Women’s Health Program will join a long list of programs nationwide on the chopping block because of their affiliations with Planned Parenthood or other groups that offer abortions.

The announcement came a day after Texas Gov. Rick Perry pledged to find state money to keep the program afloat, though details remain scarce about where the money would come from.

Texas suffered massive spending cuts last year due to a $15 billion deficit, though a state health services official said Friday that Texas would prefer to increase its deficit than completely eliminate the program.

Perry blasted Sebelius’ announcement, insisting Medicaid rules give states the right to determine which clinics are qualified to provide women’s health care.

“The fact that the Obama administration would announce its decision to deny care for more than 100,000 low-income women during a press event before giving official notice to the state is a clear demonstration of the political motivation behind this decision,” he said in a written statement, adding that Texas officials are still waiting for official word on the decision.

As is the case with other programs now in the national spotlight, the Women’s Health Program provides cancer screenings, family planning and other women’s health services. About 44 percent of women in the Texas program go to Planned Parenthood clinics, although none that accept funding from the program may perform abortions, and no federal funds are used to terminate pregnancies.

The problem in Texas is being caused by lawmakers’ desire to prevent state funds from going to Planned Parenthood. The state is implementing a law that bars public funds from going to

any programs, organizations or groups that are affiliated with abortions, even if they don’t perform them.

After touring a hospital in Houston, Sebelius said the state law violates federal Medicaid regulations that require women be allowed to choose where they go for health care. Federal funds flowed to Texas under a waiver, but “we plan to let Texas know that that waiver will not be extended,” Sebelius said.

The money will be phased out so women have time to find alternative care, she said. The state was warned that implementing the law would jeopardize federal funding, and Texas chose not to immediately enforce it when it was passed, Sebelius added.

“They knew ... they are not allowed to deny women the right to choose,” Sebelius said. “Women would be losing their doctor, their medical home, their choice.” Stephanie Goodman, spokeswoman for the Texas Department of Health and Human Services, said money to pay for the program would be diverted from others that are under budget though she didn’t offer specifics. If that doesn’t cover the costs, she said, the state would increase its deficit to pay for the services because officials believe that if low-income women don’t have access to birth control, the birth rate would rise and cost the state another $57 million in maternity bills.

Last year, Texas lawmakers slashed state funding for women’s health and family planning programs by $73.6 million - cutting services to 160,000 women.

They also took $10 million from a separate family planning budget line and shifted those responsibilities to organizations that administer Medicaid in Texas.

Now, with the expected cut in federal funds, “there’s a huge gap in family planning” in Texas, Sebelius said. State Rep. Sheila Jackson-Lee, D-Houston, said she and members of Congress are negotiating with Sebelius and federal officials to find a way to ensure that the funds don’t stop flowing.

And while Sebelius said her department has been trying to work with the state to provide a solution, she didn’t indicate that would happen before March 14, when the state plans to begin enforcing the law. “We have been working with Texas. We’re eager to work with Texas to find a solution,” Sebelius said.

“But if Texas chooses to go down a road that violates the law, we really have no choice.” — AP

ing the situation even more by announcing the sackings,” said Kenya Health Professionals Society coordinator Fred Omiya. The government announced late Thursday that it was sacking the 25,000 striking nurses, but they vowed to keep up the action nonetheless.

Luke K’Odambo, chairman of the National Nurses Association of Kenya, said that the sacking did “not make sense in any way”, and that it was not possible to dismiss such a large part of the workforce.

Government spokesman Alfred Mutua on Thursday announced the drastic cuts, saying the country could “no longer sit and watch as Kenyans suffer in hospitals without medical attention because nurses and other medical staff are on strike.” “The names of the 25,000 nurses who are on strike have been removed from the pay roll. They are no longer employees of the government,” Mutua said.

On Friday it appeared few nurses were at work in public hospitals in the capital Nairobi,

with similar reports from across the country. It was not immediately clear what proportion of the country’s nurses had been fired, but if the job cuts are carried out, the east African nation’s public health system will be severely impacted.

The strike has crippled public hospitals, with patients sometimes being sent home untreated.

Kenyans who can afford it go to private clinics, which are for the most part operating normally.

Public opinion appears divided on the strike, with angry reports in newspapers that patients had died due to a lack of medical care. “The government has continued to bury its head in the sand, routinely denying that the strike has claimed lives,” an editorial in the Daily Nation newspaper read, warning of “brewing disaster.” “ The row has raged on for too long, the whole matter has been badly handled by both the government and the workers.” The demonstration was dispersed peacefully after about an hour, but protestors said they would march again next week. — AFP

FDA links once-promising pain drugs to bone decay New safety precautions to protect patients WASHINGTON: Some of the world’s largest drugmakers will face an uphill battle this week in their bid to revive a class of experimental pain drugs that have been sidelined by safety concerns for nearly two years. The Food and Drug Administration says there is a clear association between the nerve-blocking medications and reports of joint failure and bone deterioration that led the agency to halt studies of the drugs in 2010. However, the agency also notes that those side effects were less common when the drugs were used at lower doses, potentially leaving the door open for future use. The agency released its safety analysis ahead of a public meeting next week where outside experts will discuss the drugs’ safety.

Tomorrow, Pfizer Inc., Johnson & Johnson and Regeneron Pharmaceuticals will make their case to continue studies of the drugs, with new safety precautions to protect patients. The request to restart testing is unusual, since drugmakers often abandon research on experimental drugs that appear to have safety issues.

However, with more than 50 million US adults diagnosed with arthritis - one in five - the potential multibillion dollar market opportunity may be too big to ignore.

Pfizer says there is a compelling need for new, improved prescription pain drugs. “For many patients, treatment of chronic pain is inadequate in part due to the limitations in the availability of effective treatments and inadequate patient and clinician knowledge about the best ways to manage chronic pain,” the New Yorkbased company states.

In three completed studies of Pfizer’s tanezumab, the injection provided more pain relief than Aleve or oxycodone, according to company documents posted online. If the drugs eventually win FDA approval though, they may be used for much narrower indications than initially envisioned. The FDA’s questions for its expert panel appear designed to limit any future testing of the drugs.

“Considering what is known thus far about the risks and benefit associated with this class of biologic agents, are there any populations for which further clinical development would be acceptable?” asks one agency discussion question. Drugmakers once touted the drugs, known as nerve growth factor inhibitors, as a potential breakthrough for treating osteoarthritis, back pain and other chronic pain conditions. For more than a century doctors have treat-

ed pain with familiar painkillers like aspirin and Advil, or powerful opiate -based drugs.

Both approaches can be problematic.

Anti-inflammatory painkillers like Advil can cause stomach bleeding, while opiates carry a high risk of addiction. The injectable nervesilencing drugs offered a new approach, by blocking proteins that control pain sensations throughout the body.

But problems with the drugs began to emerge in the summer of 2010. Beginning in June, Pfizer halted studies of its experimental injection tanezumab in patients with osteoarthritis, low back pain and diabetic ner ve pain. The action was requested by the Food and Drug Administration, after researchers repor ted that osteoarthritis actually worsened in some patients, causing joint failure in some cases.

In December the FDA put a research hold on all drugs in the class after similar problems emerged, halting studies by Johnson & Johnson and Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Inc. The drugmakers are expected to argue Monday that the joint deterioration was caused by a rare drug side effect caused by patients taking multiple painkillers simultaneously. According to briefing

materials, Pfizer and J&J found that the bone problems almost exclusively occurred in patients taking the experimental drugs along with traditional anti-inflammator y painkillers like aspirin and Advil.

Pfizer notes that accelerated osteoarthritis has been reported with anti-inflammator y drugs since the 1960s, though an exact causal relationship has never been established. The company also speculates that some patients who experienced side effects may have been predisposed to bone fractures that exacerbate arthritis.

The FDA’s analysis published Thursday supports the companies’ theory of the role of other drugs, noting that the side effects were worst among patients taking both the new drugs and older painkillers. However, the agency notes that Pfizer’s tanezumab was still associated with bone problems even when used alone. The FDA analyzed nearly 500 cases of bone damage reported by all three drugmakers studying the medications. Pfizer executives are expected to argue for continued testing of the newer drugs, with restrictions on combining them with older paink illers. Additionally, if patients do not improve after taking a few doses, the drugs would be discontinued. — AP

FDA clears third silicone-gel breast implant for US WASHINGTON: The Food and Drug Administration has approved a new silicone-gel breast implant from Sientra, making it the third company to market the controversial products in the US Santa Barbara, Calif.-based Sientra won approval to market its implants for breast enhancement and reconstruction in women at least 22 years old. The company said it will offer implants in multiple shapes and sizes, in addition to the round implants currently sold by Allergan Inc. and Johnson & Johnson’s Mentor unit.

Last year, plastic surgeons performed more than 307,000 breast augmentation procedures in the US, up 3.6 percent from the previous year, according to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons. The FDA has wrestled with the safety of siliconegel implants for more than 20 years. In 1992, the agency banned the products amid fears they might cause cancer, lupus and other diseases. But when research ruled out most of the disease concern, regulators returned the implants to the market in 2006.

Since then the FDA has required manufacturers to track the health and complications of women who receive the implants.

The most recent data from Allergan and J&J confirm that the devices are prone to rupture and often need to be replaced.

More than one in five women who get implants for breast enhancement will need to have them replaced within five years, accord to an FDA analysis of company data released last summer. Despite that relatively high failure rate, FDA regulators concluded that the silicone-gel implants are basically safe as long as women understand they come with complications. Some critics of the implants say the failure rate may be even higher, since many women have dropped out of the company studies.

Problems with rupturing and scar tissue are also seen with saline-filled versions of breast implants, which are less popular.

Many women prefer silicone implants because they generally look and feel more like natural breast tissue.

Sientra will be subject to the same FDAmandated requirements to track patients and report safety information back to the agency. The privately held company, founded in 2007, specializes in plastic surgery implants, including those for the face, legs and buttocks. “Sientra has successfully broken the existing duopoly in the US by offering surgeons and patients a new choice,” said CEO Hani Zeini, in a statement. Allergan Inc. is based in Irvine, Calif., and Mentor, a unit of Johnson & Johnson, is based in Santa Barbara. — AP

HERSHEY: Protesters from the AIDS Healthcare Foundation march outside the Hershey’s Times Square store in New York, NY on March 8. A thirteen year old boy was denied admission to the Milton Hershey School in Hershey, PA due to his HIV positive status. —AP

Study finds some gorilla DNA aping our own

ARLINGTON: In this photo taken Feb. 8, 2012, Dina Lipowich, director of Medical Nursing and Inpatient Geriatrics at Northwest Community Hospital in Arlington Heights, Ill., discusses the hospital’s new program she helped develop, that pairs patients with hospital volunteers, who get patients up out of bed and moving, and also act as buddies, giving people someone to talk to, and lift their spirits. Many older patients’ health and mobility deteriorate as they lay in bed in hospitals and this program is aimed at preventing that. — AP

LOS ANGELES: Take a trip to the zoo and you can see gorillas are a lot like us. But a new DNA study says we’re even more similar than scientists thought. From the evolutionary family tree, you’d expect our DNA to be the most similar to chimps, our closest relatives.

The new work found that’s true for the most part, but it also found that a sizable portion of our genome is closer to a gorilla’s than to a chimp’s.

“The chimpanzee is often cited as ‘our closest living relative’ and this is certainly true based on total genome sequence, but the gorilla is nearly as close a relative,” Owen Lovejoy of Kent State University, who was not part of the project, said in an email.

That agrees with hints from with some smaller previous genetic studies. The latest work deciphered the entire genome of the gorilla, which Lovejoy called “a substantial achievement.”

It reveals “a closer connection between our genome and that of the gorilla than was previously appreciated,” Richard Gibbs and Jeffrey Rogers of the Baylor College of Medicine wrote in an editorial accompanying

the work published in Thursday’s issue of the journal Nature.

With the new research, scientists now have complete genetic blueprints of the living great apes - humans, chimps, gorillas and orangutans - to compare and gain fresh understanding of how humans evolved and developed key traits such as higher brain function and the ability to walk upright.

Humans and chimps evolved separately since splitting from a common ancestor about 6 million years ago. The latest study was led by scientists at the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, a nonprofit British genome research center. Researchers mapped the DNA of a female gorilla and compared it to the genomes of humans and chimps.

As expected, most of the human genome was closer to the chimp’s than to the gorilla’s.

But in about 15 percent of the genome, human and gorilla resemble each other the most. In another 15 percent, chimp and gorilla DNA are closer to each other than chimp is to human. Both those situations clash with what you’d expect from the evolutionary tree, which says humans and chimps should

always be the most similar, the researchers said.

The analysis also found gene variants in gorillas that are harmless to them but are linked to dementia and heart failure in people. “If we could understand more about why those variants are so harmful in humans but not in gorillas, that would have important” medical implications, said one of the study’s authors, Chris Tyler-Smith.

The gorilla genome was cracked using DNA from Kamilah, a 300-pound western lowland gorilla from the San Diego Zoo, which maintains a DNA library of endangered animals. Since the mapping of the human genome in 2001, there was a dash to similarly unravel the genetic codes of other animals, particularly primates. The first complete chimp genome was published in 2005 and the orangutan last year.

Like other great apes, gorilla populations in the forests of central Africa have been dwindling from hunting and disease. In decoding Kamilah’s DNA, researchers said they hoped to do the same for the mountain gorilla, which is near extinction. —AP

SUNDAY, MARCH 11, 2012

H E A LT H

Setback in cancer treatment research BOSTON: Scientists are reporting what could be very bad news for efforts to customize cancer treatment based on each person’s genes. They have discovered big differences from place to place in the same tumor as to which genes are active or mutated. They also found differences in the genetics of the main tumor and places where the cancer has spread. This means that the single biopsies that doctors rely on to choose drugs are probably not giving a true view of the cancer’s biology. It also means that treating cancer won’t be as simple as many had hoped.

By analyzing tumors in unprecedented detail, “we’re finding that the deeper you go, the more you find,” said one study leader, Dr. Charles Swanton of the Cancer Research UK London Research Institute in England. “It’s like going from a black-andwhite television with four pixels to a color television with thousands of pixels.”

Yet the result is a fuzzier picture of how to treat the disease.

The study is reported in Thursday’s New England Journal of Medicine. It is a reality check for “overoptimism” in the field devoted to conquering cancer with new gene-targeting drugs, Dr. Dan Longo, a deputy editor at the journal, wrote in an editorial. About 15 of these medicines are on the market now and hundreds more are in testing, but they have had only limited success. And the new study may help explain why.

The scientists used gene sequencing to a degree that has not been done before to study primary tumors and places where they spread in four patients with advanced kidney cancer. They found that two-thirds of gene mutations they detected were not present in all areas of the same tumor. They also were stunned to see different mutations in the same gene from one part of a tumor to another. That means a single biopsy would reveal only a minority of mutations. Still, it’s not clear whether doing more biopsies would improve accuracy, or how many or how often they should be done. Although the study involved kidney cancer, independent experts said the results should apply to other cancers such as breast, lung and colon. And previous research suggests this is so.

“This is an important paper,” said Dr. Gordon Mills, co-director of the Institute for Personalized Cancer Therapy at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center.

Doc tors there have been offering genetic testing to patients for several years and have a database of results on about 4,000 tumor samples. So far, about 40 percent of breast cancers have discrepancies between which genes are active in the main tumor and which ones are active where the cancer has spread, Mills said.

It costs $5,000 to $10,000 to do basic gene analysis of the main tumor, and about 10 times as much to do the kind of testing the scientists in the British study did, Mills said.

And if it were done, “we’re going to find a lot of information that we don’t know what to do about,” such as when one biopsy suggests a certain mutation is driving the cancer and another biopsy suggests a different one is, he said. It also takes precious time. Swanton said sequencing a patient’s entire cancer genome took a ver y large computer four months. The amount of time required is dropping, but this type of personalized analysis is still years away from being available in the clinic, he said. Yet the study shows that the single biopsy - “the cornerstone of personalized-medicine decisions” - is not enough, Longo wrote. And “the simple view of directing therapy on the basis of genetic tumor markers is probably too simple.” — AP

SOHP staff performing preventive procedures using PDUs.

‘Reaching out to school children with portable dental units’ KUWAIT: School Oral Health Program, Kuwait-Forsyth is a joint venture between Ministry of Health, Kuwait and Forsyth Institute, Cambridge, USA. This program was started as a pilot project in 1982 and gradually expanded to cover the entire country (6 governorates) by 2004. This program provides Oral health Education, Prevention and Treatment to almost 300,000 school children in Kuwait.

Delivery of oral health care to these children is provided through permanent dental clinics within the school premises (almost 70), through center-based system of polyclinics (around 70) and mobile teams using portable dental systems (around 75).

Prevalence of Dental Caries ( Tooth Decay) among the school aged children in Kuwait is on a higher side. Hence, improving access and increasing coverage of children with primary prevention is one of the basic objectives of this program.

During 2005-2006, oral health planners and administrators belonging to MOH, Kuwait and Forsyth Institute, USA decided that only way this objective can be achieved is by effective use of portable dental systems for delivering Primar y oral health care prevention to school aged children(4 to 16 years) and thus improving access and coverage

of children with prevention. Use of Portable dental units was made an integral part of delivery of care during the year 2006. The unique nature of this initiative is that the planners here were successful in introducing cost-effective mechanism for primary prevention in an economically rich country like Kuwait. A mobile dental clinic using portable systems costs almost 1/5th the actual dental clinic and it can be shifted from one school to another which does not have clinics.

Mobile preventive teams working with these portable systems perform 2 kinds of preventive procedures on school children, namely: 1.

Fluoride Varnish application on teeth, 2. Pit and Fissure Sealant

application (Preventive fillings), hence there are 2 kinds of teams involved here. Fluoride varnish is applied by dental hygienists whereas Sealants are placed by dentists.

Dental nurses form part of the auxiliaries used in both the teams. These teams also perform oral health education in addition to the preventive services.

Fluoride varnish is applied biannually whereas sealants are placed on the sound newly erupted teeth once a year. These services are provided to children with positive consents. During the last 5 years due to the use of this cost effective initiative program has been able to increase prevention productivity by almost 30% and has significantly reduced

Types of portable dental units.

the dental treatment needs among these children. This initiative has also increased awareness about oral health prevention among children, teachers and parents.

Since, this initiative is carried out within the school premises it saves time for the parents and also minimizes the school absenteeism. More importantly with the follow-up system in place program has been able to maintain the quality of care provided through mobile teams the results of which have begun to be seen. The dental treatment needs among these children has reduced which goes to suggest that the tooth decay is on a decline among them.

Hence, this initiative is bearing the fruits it was intended to produce.

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W H AT ’ S O N

CONGRATULATIONS

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eveen Aziz held a celebration for her daughter Sarah Karam Rakha who was among outstanding six grade students at the Fajr Al-Sabah school to be rewarded in a recent ceremony supervised by St Mary Rose at the school’s campus.

P Jayachandran to perform in Kuwait

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opular south Indian singer P Jayachandran, who has won one National Award, four Kerala State Awards and four Tamil Nadu State Awards, will perform in Kuwait on March 23, 2012 during stage mega show by Kalanjali Kuwait.

He has recorded songs in Malayalam, Tamil, Kannada, Telugu and Hindi languages. Jayachandran is also affectionately called the ‘Bhava Gayakan.

Jayachandran has carved his own niche in the South Indian music and till now has over 10000 recorded songs to his credit in Malayalam, Tamil, Kannada and Telugu.

The intensity of this mellifluous voice could do such justice to love and romantic songs that Jayachandran is considered to be the most suited and god-gifted singer of love songs. For Jayachandran, age too has not been a barrier over the years of singing.

Major Ravi, a well known Malayalam Film Director will be an added attraction during the show. Major A.K. Ravindran, (alias) Major Ravi is a former Indian Army Officer & a Malayalam filmmaker. For details: 55457286 / 66851263 / 25655912 / 66457286 or send an email to kalanjaliq8@gmail.com

Announcements Lecturers at AUK The Center for Gulf Studies (CGS) will be organizing the following events in March. Event Title: “The People are Missing” Lecturer By Dr Mai Al Nakib, on March 21, 2012 at 6-9 pm, AUK Auditorium. Event Description: Dr. Mai Al-Nakib’s presentation looks at the Palestinian community in Kuwait prior to the first Gulf War, and considers the ethical consequences to Kuwait after their expulsion in 1991.

Event Title: City Images, on March 27, 2012, at 6-9 pm, AUK Auditorium. Event Description: This talk presents the issues surrounding the concept of ‘branding’ in relation to the city states of the Gulf, such as Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Qatar. Event Title: “Energy Conservation” Lecture by Jim Krane, on March 28, 2012 at 6-8 pm, AUK Auditorium. Event Description: The speaker discusses the energy consumption issue in the Gulf. He examines the role of government, the population, and the barriers to promoting less consumption and reforming the energy sector. All events are open for public.

Exhibition Under the patronage of HE Sheikh Mohammed Abdullah Al-Mubarak Al-Sabah Minister of Information President of the National Council of Culture, Arts and Letters with the support of TOTAL organised by Institut du Monde Arabe - Paris in cooperation with Embassy of France-Kuwait Dar Al-Athar Al-Islamiyyah will hold the exhibition “The Golden Age of the Arab Sciences” on Wednesday, March 14 at 7 pm, at the American Cultural Centre.

Desert get-together A full day in the desert with the collaboration of the BBF (British Business Forum), BLS (British Ladies Society), ANZAK (Australians & New Zealanders), Diwaniya Italia (Italians in Kuwait), UFE (French Community in Kuwait), and the Lebanese community as well. It’s a get together day with loads of fun and a chance to compete in a real Paint Ball arena in the desert, participate in a mini football tournament & volleyball tournament, and there will also be many other activities such as ATV (Quads) Karaoke and more! A BBQ buffet catering will be provided by Holiday Inn Salmiya, and entertainment will be provided by DJ Shatti and Chromatic Band). For more information and early booking please call 5010-0734.

BSK students brave the elements in Wafra

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tudents from The British School of Kuwait set out for a challenging 42km practice trek in the sands of Wafra to prepare for a visit to Nepal. The original Silver International Award practice at the beginning of January had to be abandoned after just one night in the desert due to an electric storm. A second was re-scheduled two weeks later

as 46 participating students embarked once again for Wafra’s southern desert. Over two days and two nights, the adventure included hiking in the desert near the Wafra farms. Each team had to carry their own tents and food, walking the routes they had planned themselves.

Despite quite a keen breeze, the weather was bright and sunny

on both days. All the teams worked hard during the weekend, pushing themselves physically and mentally, walking during the day then setting up camp and cooking for themselves in the evening. The Award is tough but it is about individual challenge, not about reaching specific standards set by someone else. Young people design their own Award

Program, set their own goals, and record their own progress. The only person they compete against is themselves, by challenging their own beliefs about what they can achieve.

Young people who do the Award discover what they are made of, make an impact on their community, develop a set of like skills and, most of all, have fun!

Well done to the students who all successfully completed the practice in great style and which was deemed a huge success by everyone involved! Excitement is now brewing for the forthcoming trip to Nepal where the students will be pushed and challenged even further.

Premier Goal Academy

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MS Middleton and HMS Ramsey, two ships from the British Royal Navy visited Kuwait recently and the crew members participated in an enjoyable and competitive evenings football organised by the Premier GOAL Academy in association with Everton F.C. and sponsored by Porsche Centre Kuwait, Behbehani Motors Co. Teams from HMS Middleton and HMS Ramsey competed against the coaching teams from the PGA in a typically competitive British tournament producing plenty of goals, near misses and skillful football to entertain the spectators, excellently refereed

by Adriaan Vickery.

The event was supported by Go Sport,

Multitrend who kindly provided the match balls, GOAL United Sports Company for the Shaab Park venue and the British Embassy, Kuwait.

There will be more big match action when HMS Daring visits Kuwait next week to take on the coaches and senior players of the PGA, whilst the new coaching course programme for 3 - 17 year olds begins this coming Friday 9th of March at Shaab Park. For further details see; www.pga-kuwait.com.kw

Kuwait ‘already feels like home’ for The Regency Kuwait’s new Director of Marketing

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he Regency, Kuwait, is delighted to announce the newest member of The Regency family. British-born Charlotte Shalgosky joins as Director of Marketing and Communication; a globetrotter at heart, Kuwait will be the sixtieth country she has visited.

Raised in a small village near Oxford, England, Ms. Shalgosky learned French and Mandarin in her teens and read both languages at university graduating with dual honours from the University of Westminster, in London, England. As part of her course she spent two years in China at Xiamen University.

Working as Director of Sales and Marketing in Asia with Shangri-

la and Hyatt International in China, her passion for globetrotting eventually led her into trav-

el journalism for which she was nominated three times as Travel Journalist of The Year by the

Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA). Over the decades, she has been a prolific contributor to countless national newspapers, inflights and upscale magazines, including many titles within the prestigious CondÈ Nast group.

From mid-2000 Charlotte lived in Thailand and suddenly found her communication and media skills in demand as a consultant to luxury hotel groups, cruise companies and advertising agencies. But it was her broad media experience and love of teamwork that ultimately drew her back to hotels. She quickly rose to become Director of Corporate Communications for a Hong Kong-listed company with interests in hospitality, polo

clubs and fine wines.

General Manager of The Regency, Kuwait, Mr. Riaz Mahmood stated “We are delighted to have Charlotte on board. she is the final piece of the puzzle, her broad knowledge combined with her hotelier background will complement our already stellar team and ensure The Regency’s place as an international world-class property”. Ms. Shalgosky responded by saying “I am thrilled to be joining The Regency family at this prestigious property. Equally it’s a great chance for me to learn about Kuwait and the region, and with such a warm welcome, it already feels like home!”

Latin Party Sizzling Latin Party at the Swiss Hotel Plaza in Kuwait CIty (next to Al-Mouthana Complex)! The “fiesta” will be on March 16th, beginning at 8:30pm and will continue until 1:30am. For more information call Yolanda at 9922-4228 or Frank at 9739-6187.

TIES Ladies Club The TIES Ladies Club invites you to their Kuwaiti cuisine cooking classes which will start soon. Join them for a one month cooking program where you will learn to cook real Kuwaiti food. All ladies are invited to join their classes and let your family enjoy mouth watering Kuwaiti cuisine! on March 15th - April 5th frpm 6 pm to 8 pm. For more information/ registration: 2523-1015/6 or 97228860/9779-3440.

Quiz night The TIES Center Ladies Club invites all ladies to an educational and entertaining quiz night session. Feel free to come with your family and enjoy this fun night together. Refreshments will be provided on March 14th from 6 pm to 7:30 pm. For more information/ registration: 2523-1015/6

P.G.A. Football Coaching Course for girls and ladies begins on Wednesday 14th March at Shaab Park from 1700-1900. Coach Carly, ex Arsenal Ladies star, looks forward to welcoming new and returning players. For details contact Academy Director Mike on 99981327 or Executive Director Baker on 66918666. www.pga-kuwait.com.kw

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Embassy Information

GUST raises awareness on Literacy Day

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. nnnnnnn

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he Gulf University for Science and Technology (GUST) English Department, organized Literacy Day, to raise awareness on the issue of literacy worldwide and its effect on future generations. A day filled with activities and collaborations filled the GUST campus including essays competition, project competition, the Drop Everything and Read (DEAR) segment and a performance reading of the known children’s book “The Gruffalo” by young children to highlight the event and a book donation drive to benefit local schools.

GUST students were encouraged to participate in an essay competition and a project competition last month and the winners were announced today at the GUST Literacy Day! In the essay competition, Mohammed Yaqoub won first place for his essay “Effects of Literacy on People,” Haneen Al-Othman in second place for “Literacy for Peace,” and Talal Al-Qaoud in third place for his essay “Effects of Literacy on People.”

As for the project competition, Deemah Al-Mulla stole the show with her Literacy Day Project reading to nursery school children weekly at the Mooney Face Pre-School. Deemah learned a lot from her experience at

the preschool and said she believes she “enjoyed it as much (if not more) than the kids did!”

Following the announcement of the winners, which took place at GUST’s 8th Annual Book and Information Fair, the Drop Everything and Read (DEAR) segment followed, which was a campaign directed to students, staff and faculty to literally, drop everything and read, for 10-minutes. Many participated in this campaign. Ms. Ann Newman, instructor in the GUST English Department and one of the main organizers of Literacy Day, said,

“Reading is one of the most important things you will ever learn, as it not only hones your language skills and increases your vocabulary, but also it provides the key to open a world full of knowledge. The best part is whether you’re reading in your native language or in English, reading is a transferable skill.”

And the highlight of the event, the sweet end, was a delightful performance by Dr. Hussain Al-Sharoufi’s young children, Zahra and Ali AlSharoufi, who played the main characters in a reading of the known children’s book “The Gruffalo,” in English

and in Arabic. Many young children were in attendance including GUST students’ younger siblings and staff and faculty’s children. It was a fun event that everyone enjoyed.

The English Department would like to thank everyone who made the event possible and hopes that they can continue this tradition in the years to come. A book drive is available for those who would like to donate books.

Boxes have been set up around campus and will remain there until the end of the week, when the books will be taken to local schools.

Mais Al-Ghanim ‘To Go’ celebrates Fintas branch anniversary

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ais Al-Ghanim restaurants celebrates the one year anniversary for launching it’s ‘To Go’ take away and delivery orders service at Al-Fintas branch, and that during a ceremony featuring management and staff.

The ‘To Go’ service is the most convenient way for costumers to enjoy items served

by Mais AlGhanim and delivered your doors at any preferred destination. The high sense of hospitality which enabled Mais Al-Ghanim to maintain costumers’ trust for 59 years insures that all meals ordered through take away and delivery orders are packed and sealed on par with best quality and Hygiene standards.

Customers can order Mais Al-Ghanim meals either through phone number 1821155 or via the link: www.6alabat.com. The delivery service covers almost all areas around Kuwait.

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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). nnnnnnn

EMBASSY OF FRANCE

For technical reasons, the French Embassy in Kuwait will be closed to the public today, March 11, 2012 and will reopen tomorrow March 12, at 9 am. nnnnnnn

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 nnnnnnn

Tiny tots of Learners Own Academy showcase their talents hild is the father of man” Wordsworth’s world famous quote was personified magnificently by Learner’s Own tiny tots (LKGsections A to J) on Thursday, February 15, when they presented their fountain of talents at their maiden open day celebrations. It was a right royal performance by the kids who were head and shoulders above their seniors. The budding artists were able to shepherd themselves with enthusiasm even if it was their debut performance. They proved that Rome was not built in a day. Nothing of value has ever been achieved without great effort.

Their performance reflected the famous school of thought; “children are the world’s most valuable resource and its best hope for the future.” They deserve the plaudits they received for the spectacular display of their talents.

The memorable event was unveiled with the recitation of the holy Quran followed by Kuwait and Indian national anthems. The teams that adorably did the welcome song and dance proved that they were bestowed upon right shoulders. The ceremonious lamp of knowledge was lit by the distinguished chief guest Sister Serina, (Principal, Carmel school, Kuwait). The school was honoured by her benign presence and the whole team was extremely gay to receive her appreciation. Principal Mrs. Asha Sharma, extended a warm welcome Sister Serina, who has won laurels in the field of education, the exuberant parents, who always have been a great support in the rapid growth of the school and the entire school wing which is the pivotal part of the school. While addressing the august gathering, Mrs. Sharma recollected the year gone by which was a euphoric and exuberant one with a plethora of celebratory events dotting the calendar.

Scholastic and non scholastic achievements by the students served to reinforce our pride in our school and to act as a spur to scale even greater heights. She

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.

added that the school’s sole aim will always be to fuel the student’s thirst for knowledge and there by help them to achieve excellence in life for, in this highly competitive world there is no place for mediocrity.

The chief guest eulogized the entire LOA team for its dedication and expertise in bringing the school an envious success in a flash. She was full of appreciation for the enthusiasm and invigorated energies of the tiny tots in participating whole

heartedly in the whole repertoire of activities. She reminded the parents that they have invested their precious treasure, their lovely kids in the safe and right hands of a visionary leader, Mrs. Sharma.

In her perception, Mrs. Sharma knows very well, when, where and what to apply in different phases of a child. She recollected and narrated beautifully the story of a mechanic who helped and saved the captain and his crew of a wrecked ship with his accurate knowledge. Mrs. Sharma has bounteous knowledge and the parents are lucky that she will guide their young ones as a torch in darkness.

While the little anchors who were in high spirits spoke, the audience hung on their lips with wonder. In the potpourri of rhymes the little ones jived away and swayed to the wonderful world of music.

The riveting performances by the little artists include, “Dingle dangle scare crow”, “Yankee doodle”, “This old man”, “Where is thumpkin?”, “Two little hands”, “Tofa tofa”, “Wind the bobbin up”, “Maa maa thum kithni ache ho”, “What is it tall ears”, “Five little ducks”, “Out in the garden”, “Shake and move”, “Five little monkeys”, “If you are happy”, “Clap your hands”, “Its all clap”, “If all the rain drops”, “Gummy bear”, and “It’s a beautiful life”.

The bright hues of the children’s attires and their sparkling performance lit up the stage like a million stars dancing in the sky. It was a visual delight watching the little gems putting up a showcase event. Not to be left behind, they imaginatively brought out the message of love among all. The programme rose to a final crescendo and ended in a beautiful resonance lingering in the minds of everyone. Parents beamed with pride to see their precious children emerging victoriously from the shell. It is true that rivers and children have a modest beginning but they achieve volume and speed and spread. Hats off and Kudos to their zest and dynamism.

EMBASSY OF MYANMAR Embassy of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar would like to inform the general public that the Embassy has moved 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 nnnnnnn

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. nnnnnnn

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. nnnnnnn

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.

Write to us Send to What’s On upcoming events, birthdays or celebrations by email: local@kuwaittimes.net Fax: 24835619 / 20

SUNDAY, MARCH 11, 2012

TV PROGRAMS

00:20 Ned Bruha: Skunk Whisperer 00:50 Animal Cops Houston 01:45 Untamed & Uncut 02:40 Africa’s Super Seven 03:35 Karina: Wild On Safari 04:30 Ned Bruha: Skunk Whisperer 05:25 Wild France 06:20 Escape To Chimp Eden 06:45 Dolphin Days 07:10 Animal Cops Houston 08:00 Monkey Life 08:25 New Breed Vets With Steve Irwin 09:15 Crocodile Hunter 10:10 Pandamonium 11:05 The Really Wild Show 12:00 Gorilla School 12:25 Project Puppy 12:55 Corwin’s Quest 13:50 Wild France 15:40 Wildlife SOS 16:35 Ned Bruha: Skunk Whisperer 17:30 Wild Animal Orphans 18:25 Venom Hunter With Donald Schultz 19:20 Big Five Challenge 20:15 Untamed China With Nigel Marven 21:10 Weird Creatures With Nick Baker 22:05 Austin Stevens: Most Dangerous...

23:00 Wild France 23:55 The Beauty Of Snakes

00:10 00:40 01:40 02:00 02:30 03:15 04:00 04:20 04:30 04:45 05:00 05:05 05:35 05:45 05:50 06:10 06:20 06:35 06:45 06:50 07:20 07:30 07:35 08:05 08:50 09:35 10:10 11:00 11:30 12:00 12:45 13:35 16:05 16:50 17:20 17:50 18:40 19:10 20:00 20:50 21:40 22:35 23:25

00:20 02:00 02:50 03:40 04:30 05:15 06:10 08:00 14:30 15:20 17:00 17:50

The Impressions Show Born and Bred Katy Brand’s Big Ass Show Supernova Doctor Who The Weakest Link Me Too! Charlie and Lola Gigglebiz Boogie Beebies Poetry Pie Tikkabilla 3rd & Bird CBeebies Stories Me Too! Charlie and Lola Gigglebiz Boogie Beebies Poetry Pie Tikkabilla 3rd & Bird CBeebies Stories Allo ‘Allo!

The Weakest Link Doctor Who dinnerladies Casualty Orang-Utan Diary Allo ‘Allo!

The Weakest Link Lark Rise to Candleford Doctors Doctor Who Allo ‘Allo! dinnerladies Monarch Of The Glen Orang-Utan Diary Lark Rise to Candleford Jekyll Waking The Dead Last Woman Standing Red Cap The Weakest Link

Gok’s Fashion Fix Diy SOS Holmes On Homes What Not To Wear Coleen’s Real Women What Not To Wear Cash In The Attic USA MasterChef Australia 10 Years Younger Gok’s Fashion Fix Diy SOS Holmes On Homes

18:40 19:30 20:15 21:55 23:45

What Not To Wear Coleen’s Real Women Gok’s Fashion Fix The Restaurant UK Gok’s Fashion Fix

00:00 00:20 00:45 01:10 01:35 02:00 02:25 02:50 03:15 03:40 04:00 04:25 04:50 05:15 05:40 06:00 06:25 06:50 07:00 07:10 08:00 08:25 08:55 09:20 09:50 10:15 10:40 11:05 11:30 12:20 12:30 14:00 14:50 15:40 Doo 16:05 16:30 17:20

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 Scooby Doo Where Are You! Droopy: Master Detective Wacky Races The Flintstones A Pup Named Scooby-Doo Popeye Classics Wacky Races Pink Panther And Pals Gerald McBoing Boing Bananas In Pyjamas Baby Looney Tunes Jelly Jamm The Garfield Show The Looney Tunes Show Scooby Doo Where Are You! Sylvester & Tweety Mysteries Tom & Jerry Wacky Races Scooby Cinema Pink Panther And Pals Looney Tunes Scooby-Doo And ScrappyA Pup Named Scooby-Doo Puppy In My Pocket Pink Panther And Pals

00:00 Programmes Start At 7:00am KSA 07:00 Kid vs Kat 07:10 Pokemon: Black And White 07:35 Phineas And Ferb 08:30 Kick Buttowski 13:00 Hatching Pete 14:35 Kickin It 15:00 Pair Of Kings 15:25 Phineas And Ferb 16:15 Rekkit Rabbit 16:40 Zeke & Luther 17:05 Pair Of Kings 17:30 I’m In The Band 17:55 Rated A For Awesome 18:20 Kickin It 18:45 Phineas And Ferb 18:55 Phineas And Ferb 19:10 Scaredy Squirrel 19:35 Pokemon: Black And White 20:00 Rated A For Awesome 20:25 Zeke & Luther 20:50 I’m In The Band 21:15 Pair Of Kings 21:40 Phineas And Ferb 22:05 Zeke & Luther 22:30 The Avengers: Earths Mightiest Heroes 22:55 I’m In The Band 23:20 Kid vs Kat

00:00 00:30 01:00 01:30 02:00 02:30 03:00 03:30 04:00 04:15 04:30 05:00 06:00 07:00 07:30 08:00

World Report News Special Living Golf World Sport World Report Talk Asia World Report World Report This Week CNN Marketplace Europe CNN Marketplace Africa The Brief CNN Presents CNN Newsroom Eco Solutions Inside Africa World Sport

08:30 09:00 09:15 09:30 10:00 10:30 11:00 11:30 12:00 12:30 13:00 14:00 14:30 15:00 16:00 17:00 17:30 18:00 18:15 18:30 18:45 19:00 19:30 20:00 20:30 21:00 21:30 22:00

Cnngo World Report CNN Marketplace Middle East Talk Asia World Sport Mainsail African Voices The Brief World Report News Special CNN Presents World Report Inside The Middle East Fareed Zakaria Gps State Of The Union International Desk Inside Africa Global Exchange CNN Marketplace Africa Global Exchange CNN Marketplace Middle East World Sport Living Golf International Desk African Voices International Desk Cnngo Fareed Zakaria Gps

01:30 03:05 04:50 06:25 08:00 09:35 PG 11:45 13:30 15:10 15:30 17:55 20:30 22:00

The Ranch The End-PG In The Arms Of A Killer-PG Lord Of The Flies-PG K-9000-PG Charge Of The Light Brigade-

00:15 01:05 01:30 01:55 02:45 03:35 04:25 04:50 05:15 06:00 06:25 06:40 Cody 07:05 07:30 07:55 08:20 08:45 09:35 10:00 10:25 11:50 12:05 12:25 12:30 12:55 13:20 13:45 13:56 14:10 14:35 15:00 15:25 15:50 16:12 16:40 17:05 17:30 18:55 19:10 20:25 20:50 21:15 22:43 22:55 23:20 Cody 23:45

High Tide-PG Delirious-PG Mgm’s Big Screen-FAM Irma LA Douce-PG It’s A Mad Mad World-FAM Women vs. Men-PG The Birdcage-18

Replacements Fairly Odd Parents Fairly Odd Parents A Kind Of Magic Stitch Replacements Fairly Odd Parents Fairly Odd Parents A Kind Of Magic Mickey Mouse Clubhouse Jake & The Neverland Pirates The Suite Life Of Zack And So Random Fish Hooks Timon And Pumbaa Good Luck Charlie Jessie Shake It Up Austin And Ally S1 Harriet The Spy: Blog Wars Phineas And Ferb Fish Hooks Have A Laugh Shake It Up Good Luck Charlie A.N.T. Farm Recess Phineas And Ferb Timon And Pumbaa Wizards Of Waverly Place So Random Phineas And Ferb Shake It Up Good Luck Charlie Jessie A.N.T. Farm Go Figure Phineas And Ferb Jessie Good Luck Charlie Shake It Up Harriet The Spy: Blog Wars Phineas And Ferb Fish Hooks The Suite Life Of Zack And Sonny With A Chance

STREETDANCE ON OSN MOVIES ACTION

00:40 I Escaped: Real Prison Breaks 01:35 Ross Kemp On Gangs 02:30 How It’s Made 03:00 How Does It Work 03:25 How It’s Made 03:55 How Does It Work 04:20 How It’s Made 04:50 How Does It Work 05:15 How It’s Made 05:40 How Does It Work 06:05 How It’s Made 06:35 How Does It Work 07:25 American Chopper: Senior vs Junior 08:15 Fifth Gear 09:10 Street Customs 10:05 Dirty Money 12:20 Border Security 14:35 Cash Cab Us 16:55 Cake Boss 19:10 Nextworld 20:05 Time Warp 20:35 Mythbusters 21:30 Rebuilding Japan 21:55 Megaquake 22:50 Stan Lee’s Superhumans

00:40 Meteorite Men 01:35 Through The Wormhole With Morgan Freeman 02:25 The Tech Show 02:50 Da Vinci’s Machines 07:10 Future Weapons 08:55 Head Rush 08:58 Sci-Fi Science 09:25 Weird Connections 09:55 Smash Lab 10:45 Scrapheap Challenge 11:35 Da Vinci’s Machines 15:45 Head Rush 15:48 Sci-Fi Science 16:15 Weird Connections 16:45 The Tech Show 17:10 Future Weapons 18:00 Sci-Trek 18:50 Bang Goes The Theory 19:40 Meteorite Men 20:30 Primal Connections 21:20 Through The Wormhole With Morgan Freeman 22:10 Tech Toys 360 22:35 Tech Toys 360 23:00 Meteorite Men 23:50 Killer Outbreaks

00:15 Bobby Chinn Cooks Asia 00:40 Meat & Potatoes 01:05 Reza, Spice Prince Of India 01:30 Good Eats 01:55 Meat & Potatoes 02:45 Food Network Challenge 03:35 Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives 04:25 Bobby Chinn Cooks Asia 05:15 Unique Sweets 05:40 Good Eats 06:05 Aarti Party 06:30 Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives 06:50 Food Network Challenge 07:35 Barefoot Contessa - Back To Basics 08:00 Food Network Challenge 08:50 Reza, Spice Prince Of India 09:15 Barefoot Contessa - Back To Basics 09:40 Good Eats 10:05 Healthy Appetite With Ellie Krieger 10:30 Paula’s Best Dishes 10:55 Luke Nguyen’s Vietnam 11:20 Lidia’s Italy 11:45 30 Minute Meals 12:10 Unwrapped 12:35 Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives 13:00 Good Eats 13:25 Guy’s Big Bite 13:50 Aarti Party 14:15 Cooking For Real 14:40 Barefoot Contessa - Back To Basics 15:05 Healthy Appetite With Ellie Krieger 15:30 Unwrapped 15:55 Paula’s Best Dishes 16:20 Meat & Potatoes 16:45 Chopped 17:35 Cooking For Real 18:00 Barefoot Contessa - Back To Basics 18:25 Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives 18:50 Aarti Party 19:15 Good Eats 19:40 Chef vs Britain 20:05 Meat & Potatoes 20:30 Food Network Challenge 21:20 Restaurant: Impossible

00:20 Special Agent Oso 00:50 Lazytown 01:15 Little Einsteins 01:40 Jungle Junction 02:10 Little Einsteins 02:30 Special Agent Oso 03:00 Lazytown 03:25 Little Einsteins 03:50 Jungle Junction 04:20 Little Einsteins 04:40 Special Agent Oso 05:10 Lazytown 05:35 Little Einsteins 06:00 Jungle Junction 06:30 Little Einsteins 06:50 Lazytown 07:15 Jungle Junction 07:45 Handy Manny 08:00 Special Agent Oso 08:15 Mickey Mouse Clubhouse 08:40 Jungle Junction 08:55 Little Einsteins 09:20 The Hive 09:30 Jake & The Neverland Pirates 10:10 Handy Manny 10:30 Jungle Junction 10:45 Mini Adventures Of Winnie The Pooh 10:50 Mickey Mouse Clubhouse 11:15 Mouk 11:45 Art Attack 12:10 Imagination Movers 12:30 The Hive 12:40 Lazytown 13:05 The Hive 13:15 Mouk 13:45 Jake & The Neverland Pirates 14:15 The Hive 14:25 Timmy Time 14:35 Special Agent Oso 14:50 Handy Manny 15:05 The Hive

15:15 Mickey Mouse Clubhouse 16:05 Mouk 16:45 Jungle Junction 17:05 Handy Manny 17:20 Lazytown 17:45 Art Attack 18:10 Imagination Movers 18:35 Little Einsteins 19:00 Jake & The Neverland Pirates 19:20 Handy Manny 19:40 Jungle Junction 20:00 Mini Adventures Of Winnie The Pooh 20:05 Mickey Mouse Clubhouse 20:25 101 Dalmatians 20:50 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 25 Celebrity Near Death Experiences 03:15 E! Investigates 04:10 Sexiest 05:05 Then And Now 05:30 Wildest TV Show Moments 06:00 THS 07:50 Behind The Scenes 08:20 E! News 09:15 Extreme Close-Up 10:15 THS 11:10 Ice Loves Coco 12:05 E! News 13:05 Style Star 14:05 Keeping Up With The Kardashians 15:00 Dirty Soap 16:55 Behind The Scenes 17:25 Khloe And Lamar 21:55 Kourtney & Kim Take New York 22:25 E! News

00:00 X Games Heroes 00:50 Kick Ass Miracles 01:15 Wrestling With Reality 02:30 M1 Selection 2010 03:20 Dragrace High 05:00 Carpocalypse 05:50 AMA Motocross 2011 06:40 FIM World Supermoto 2010 07:30 Ride Guide Snow 2008 09:00 Parcour 09:25 BMX Masters 2010 09:50 From Romania With Love 10:15 Slovaki: A True Movie About...

10:40 X Games 16 2010 11:30 Summer Dew Tour 2010 12:20 FIM World Supermoto 2010 14:00 Mantracker 14:50 Pinks: Lose The Race, Lose Your Ride 15:15 Pinks: Lose The Race, Lose Your Ride 15:40 Fantasy Factory 18:10 Best Of The Streets 19:00 Pinks: Lose The Race, Lose Your Ride 19:25 Pinks: Lose The Race, Lose Your Ride 19:50 FIM World Supermoto 2010 21:30 Mantracker 22:20 Ed’s Up 23:10 Pinks: Lose The Race, Lose Your Ride 23:35 Pinks: Lose The Race, Lose Your Ride

00:40 01:30 02:15 03:05 03:50 04:40 05:25 Jones 06:15 07:10 08:00 08:50 09:40 10:25 11:10 11:35 11:55 Jones 12:40 13:25 14:15 15:00 15:25 15:50 Jones 16:35 17:20 18:10 19:00 19:45 20:10 20:55 21:20 Jones 22:10 23:00 23:50

A Haunting Mysterious Journeys The Haunted Ghost Lab A Haunting Mysterious Journeys True Crime With Aphrodite

00:00 01:00 01:30 02:00 03:00 04:00 06:00 07:00 07:30 08:00 09:00 10:00 12:00 13:00 14:00 15:00 15:30 16:30 17:30

Departures The Ride: Alaska To Patagonia First Ascent Departures Word Travels Don’t Tell My Mother Departures The Ride: Alaska To Patagonia First Ascent Departures Word Travels Don’t Tell My Mother Departures Meet The Natives: USA Young Global Hotshots Bondi Rescue Endurance Traveller Long Way Down The Best Job In The World

Disappeared Mystery ER FBI Files Forensic Detectives Murder Shift Mystery ER Real Emergency Calls Who On Earth Did I Marry?

True Crime With Aphrodite Disappeared Murder Shift Mystery ER Real Emergency Calls Who On Earth Did I Marry?

True Crime With Aphrodite Disappeared FBI Files Forensic Detectives Murder Shift Real Emergency Calls Mystery Diagnosis Who On Earth Did I Marry?

True Crime With Aphrodite Disappeared Behind Mansion Walls Kidnap And Rescue

JUST WRIGHT ON OSN CINEMA

00:00 02:00 04:00 06:00 08:00 10:00 12:00 14:00 16:00 18:00 20:00 22:00

The Heavy-18 Devil-PG15 Thick As Thieves-PG15 The Lost Future-PG15 Friday Night Lights-PG15 No Time To Fear-PG15 Flight Of The Phoenix-PG15 Friday Night Lights-PG15 Cross-18 Flight Of The Phoenix-PG15 The Siege-18 In The Line Of Fire-PG15

01:00 City Rats-18 03:00 The Greatest-PG15 05:00 The Nanny Express-PG15 07:00 Tomorrow, When The War Began-PG15 09:00 Revenge Of The Bridesmaids 11:00 The LXD: Secrets Of The RaPG15 13:00 The Greatest-PG15 15:00 Certified Copy-PG15 17:00 Prom-PG15 19:00 Just Wright-PG15 21:00 From Paris With Love-PG15 23:00 Middle Men-18

00:30 The Daily Show With Jon Stewart 01:00 The Colbert Report 01:30 Saturday Night Live 02:30 The Cleveland Show 03:00 Parks And Recreation 03:30 2 Broke Girls 04:00 Dharma And Greg 04:30 The Tonight Show With Jay Leno 05:30 The Simpsons 06:00 Just Shoot Me 06:30 Til Death 07:00 Late Night With Jimmy Fallon 08:00 Dharma And Greg 08:30 Parks And Recreation 09:00 The Simpsons 09:30 The Office 10:00 Man Up! 10:30 Til Death 11:00 The Tonight Show With Jay Leno 12:00 Just Shoot Me 12:30 Dharma And Greg 13:00 The Simpsons 13:30 Til Death 14:00 2 Broke Girls 14:30 Man Up! 15:00 The Office 15:30 The Daily Show With Jon Stewart 16:00 The Colbert Report 16:30 Just Shoot Me 17:00 Late Night With Jimmy Fallon 18:00 Friends With Benefits 19:00 Two And A Half Men 19:30 Hot In Cleveland 20:00 Whitney 20:30 Wilfred 21:00 The Daily Show With Jon Stewart 21:30 The Colbert Report 22:00 Saturday Night Live

01:00 03:00 05:00 07:00 09:00 11:00 12:45 PG15 15:00 17:00 19:00 21:00

Bats-18 Thick As Thieves-PG15 Kiss Of Death-18 StreetDance-PG15 Rocky III-PG15 Age Of The Dragons-PG15 The Day After Tomorrow-

14:00 16:00 18:00 20:00 22:00

Dead Men Don’t Wear Plaid French Kiss-PG15 Whatever Works-PG15 Ball & Chain-PG15 Mallrats-18

01:00 American History X-18 03:00 The Wronged Man-PG15 05:00 A Cinderella Story: Once Upon A Song-PG15 07:00 Knight And Day-PG15 09:00 Ironclad-18 11:00 The Joneses-PG15 13:00 Get Low-PG15 15:00 Leap Year-PG15 17:00 Ironclad-18 19:00 Date Night-PG15 21:00 The Town-18 23:30 Black Swan-18

00:00 Slappy And The Stinkers-FAM 02:00 The Prince Of Dinosaurs-PG 04:00 The Little Engine That CouldFAM 06:00 Slappy And The Stinkers-FAM 08:00 In Search Of The Titanic-PG 10:15 Little Bee 2-FAM 11:45 Yona Yona Penguin-PG 13:45 Diary Of A Wimpy Kid-PG 16:00 North-PG 18:15 Little Bee 2-FAM 19:45 A Venetian Rascal Goes To America-FAM 22:00 Yona Yona Penguin-PG

00:00 04:00 06:00 08:00 09:00 11:00 13:00 15:00 16:00 20:00 21:00

Suoer Rugby UFC The Ultimate Fighter Live NRL Premiership Trans World Sport WWE Smackdown Live NRL Premiership Super Rugby Trans World Sport Live Scottish FA Cup Trans World Sport NRL Premiership

01:00 03:00 03:30 05:30 06:00 07:00 09:00 11:00 13:00 16:30 20:30

NRL Premiership Futbol Mundial Scottish FA Cup ODI Cricket Highlights Trans World Sport Live NRL Premiership NRL Premiership Scottish FA Cup Premier League Darts NRL Premiership Scottish FA Cup

00:00 02:00 06:00 06:30 07:00 09:00 12:00 12:30 14:30 17:00 19:00 20:00 23:30

Scottish FA Cup Super Rugby ICC Cricket World Cricket ODI Highlights Super Rugby Super Rugby European Tour Weekly Super League Anglo Welsh Cup Live Anglo Welsh Cup Trans World Sport Premier League Darts Cricket ODI Highlights

01:00 02:00 Rocky III-PG15 04:00 Drunken Master-PG15 05:00 Empire-18 06:00 In The Line Of Fire-PG15 07:00 08:00 09:00 11:00 12:00 00:00 French Kiss-PG15 12:30 02:00 It’s Complicated-PG15 13:00 04:15 Valentine’s Day-PG15 15:00 06:30 Indian Summer-PG15 08:15 The Prince And Me 4: The 17:00 18:00 Elephant Adventure-PG15 10:00 Nothing Like The Holidays- 19:00 21:00 PG15 23:00 12:00 Lost In Yonkers-PG

WWE Bottom Line UFC The Ultimate Fighter UFC Unleashed UFC Unleashed UFC Unleashed WWE Vintage Collection WWE Bottom Line WWE SmackDown WWE Experience WWE This Week V8 Supercars Extra V8 Supercars WWE SmackDown WWE Experience WWE Bottom Line UFC UFC The Ultimate Fighter WWE SmackDown

00:00 01:00 02:00 03:00 04:00 05:00 06:00 07:00 08:00 09:00 10:00 11:00 12:00 13:00 14:00 15:00 16:00 17:00 18:00 19:00 20:00 21:00 22:00 23:00

Engineering An Empire Pub Dig Lost Worlds America: The Story Of The Us Monumental Challenge Modern Marvels Engineering An Empire Pub Dig Lost Worlds America: The Story Of The Us Monumental Challenge Modern Marvels Engineering An Empire Pub Dig Lost Worlds America: The Story Of The Us Monumental Challenge Modern Marvels Engineering An Empire Pub Dig Mud Men Pawn Stars Ancient Aliens Europe’s Forgotten Tsunami

00:05 01:00 02:00 02:25 02:55 03:50 04:20 05:15 06:10 07:05 08:00 09:00 10:00 10:55 11:50 12:50 13:50 14:45 15:45 16:40 17:35 18:30 19:25 21:20

Clean House: New York Wicked Fit Fashion Classics Open House Videofashion Daily Videofashion News How Do I Look?

Whose Wedding Is It Anyway?

Married Away Clean House Big Boutique Videofashion Daily Homes With Style Open House Videofashion News Elements Of Style Videofashion Daily Designer Marathon Clean House: New York The Amandas Wicked Fit Giuliana & Bill How Do I Look?

Fashion Police

00:00 Globe Trekker 01:00 Planet Sports 02:00 Inside Luxury Travel-Varun Sharma 03:00 Inside Walt Disney Studios Paris 04:00 Indian Times 05:00 Globe Trekker 06:00 Glutton For Punishment 07:00 Planet Food 08:00 Globe Trekker 09:00 Indian Times 10:00 Tall Ship Explorers 11:00 Great Scenic RailwaysAustralia 12:00 World’s Greatest Motorcycle Rides 13:00 Globe Trekker 14:00 Cruising The Spirit Of Adventure 15:00 Inside Luxury Travel-Varun Sharma 16:00 Spring 17:00 Globe Trekker 18:00 Planet Sports 19:00 Cruising The Spirit Of Adventure 20:00 Globe Trekker 21:00 Travel Today 21:30 4real

00:55 02:25 04:00 05:45 07:30 08:00 09:50 11:40 13:20 15:00 16:50 18:10 19:35

Westworld Pink Floyd—The Wall The Stratton Story-FAM Lady L-PG TCM Presents Under...-U Men Of Boys Town-PG Ziegfeld Follies-FAM The Two Mrs. Carrolls-PG Son Of Lassie-FAM Passage To Marseille-PG Vengeance Valley-PG The Main Attraction-PG What’s Up, Doc?-FAM

Classifieds SUNDAY, MARCH 11, 2012

DIAL 161 FOR AIRPORT INFORMATION

Airlines AFR JZR QTR KAC JZR ETH THY UAE QTR DHX MSR FDB ETD RJA GFA KAC DHX FCX JZR CLX JZR BAW KAC KAC FDB KAC KAC KAC KAC KAC KAC UAE ABY QTR ETD FDB IRA GFA FCX IRC JZR IRA RBG MEA MSR JZR JZR KAC KAC GFA KAC FDB UAL QTR SVA RJA ABY KAC JZR KAC JZR QTR JZR ETD UAE GFA SVA ABY JZR ALK JZR RBG FDB KAC KAC JZR KAC KAC KAC KAC KAC KAC FDB JAI OMA AFG AXB MLR KAC DHX GRF MEA GFA QTR UAE KAC JZR UAL KAC AIC JZR DLH

Arrival Flights on Sunday 11/3/2012 Flt Route 6708 PARIS 185 DUBAI 138 DOHA 154 ISTANBUL 539 CAIRO 620 ADDIS ABABA 772 ISTANBUL 853 DUBAI 148 DOHA 370 BAHRAIN 612 CAIRO 67 DUBAI 305 ABU DHABI 642 AMMAN 211 BAHRAIN 544 CAIRO 170 BAHRAIN 201 DUBAI 555 ALEXANDRIA 792 LUXEMBOURG 529 ASSIUT 157 LONDON 412 MANILA 206 ISLAMABAD 53 DUBAI 382 DELHI 352 COCHIN 302 MUMBAI 332 TRIVANDRUM 676 DUBAI 284 DHAKA 855 DUBAI 125 SHARJAH 132 DOHA 301 ABU DHABI 55 DUBAI 603 SHIRAZ 213 BAHRAIN 203 DUBAI 6801 AHWAZ 165 DUBAI 615 SHAHRE KORD 3553 ALEXANDRIA 404 BEIRUT 610 CAIRO 201 DAMASCUS 561 SOHAG 672 DUBAI 744 DAMMAM 219 BAHRAIN 774 RIYADH 57 DUBAI 982 WASHINGTON DC DULLES 140 DOHA 500 JEDDAH 640 AMMAN 123 SHARJAH 788 JEDDAH 257 BEIRUT 550 SOHAG 213 DEIREZZOR 134 DOHA 535 CAIRO 303 ABU DHABI 857 DUBAI 215 BAHRAIN 510 RIYADH 127 SHARJAH 777 JEDDAH 227 COLOMBO 177 DUBAI 3557 SOHAG 63 DUBAI 502 BEIRUT 542 CAIRO 787 RIYADH 786 JEDDAH 618 DOHA 674 DUBAI 166 PARIS 102 NEW YORK 562 AMMAN 61 DUBAI 572 MUMBAI 647 MUSCAT 405 KABUL 389 KOZHIKODE 1407 COLOMBO 512 TEHRAN 372 BAHRAIN 81 BAGHDAD 402 BEIRUT 217 BAHRAIN 136 DOHA 859 DUBAI 172 FRANKFURT 135 BAHRAIN 981 BAHRAIN 678 MUSCAT 981 CHENNAI 239 AMMAN 636 FRANKFURT

Time 0:10 0:20 0:20 0:35 0:50 1:45 2:15 2:35 2:55 2:55 3:00 3:05 3:10 3:10 3:15 4:40 5:15 5:30 6:00 6:00 6:20 6:40 6:45 7:40 7:45 7:50 7:50 7:55 8:05 8:10 8:15 8:30 9:00 9:05 9:15 9:20 9:40 9:55 10:30 11:10 11:20 11:35 11:35 11:55 12:55 13:00 13:00 13:20 13:25 13:25 13:45 13:50 14:05 14:20 14:30 14:40 14:45 14:50 15:00 15:15 15:20 15:25 16:25 16:50 16:55 17:15 17:20 17:40 17:45 18:10 18:15 18:25 18:40 18:45 18:50 19:05 19:10 19:15 19:25 19:30 19:35 19:50 20:00 20:10 20:15 20:30 20:30 20:50 20:55 21:00 21:15 21:20 21:25 21:35 21:40 21:45 21:55 22:00 22:05 22:05 22:45 23:50

Airlines AXB UAL AIC BBC DLH AFR ETH THY GRF FDB UAE DHX MSR ETD QTR QTR JZR JZR GFA RJA JZR CLX FDB BAW KAC JZR KAC KAC JZR KAC JZR UAE ABY KAC ETD FDB QTR KAC GFA IRA KAC FCX KAC IRC RBG JZR KAC IRA MEA KAC KAC JZR MSR GFA FDB KAC KAC UAL ABY KAC RJA SVA JZR KAC KAC QTR JZR QTR ETD JZR UAE GFA ABY SVA JZR RBG ALK FDB JZR KAC KAC FDB DHX KAC JAI OMA MLR KAC DHX MEA GFA FCX QTR KAC JZR UAE KAC KAC JZR UAL KAC KAC

Departure Flights on Sunday 11/3/2012 Flt Route 394 KOCHI 981 WASHINGTON DC 976 GOA 44 CHITTAGONG 637 FRANKFURT 6708 DUBAI 621 ADDIS ABABA 773 ISTANBUL 94 DUBAI 68 DUBAI 854 DUBAI 371 BAHRAIN 613 CAIRO, EGYPT�

306 ABU DHABI 139 DOHA 149 DOHA 560 SOHAG 164 DUBAI 212 BAHRAIN 643 AMMAN 200 DAMASCUS 792 GIALAM 54 DUBAI 156 LONDON 549 SOHAG 256 BEIRUT 671 DUBAI 171 FRANKFURT 534 CAIRO 787 JEDDAH 212 DEIREZZOR 856 DUBAI 126 SHARJAH 117 NEW YORK 302 ABU DHABI 56 DUBAI 133 DOHA 773 RIYADH 214 BAHRAIN 602 SHIRAZ 743 DAMMAM 204 DUBAI 541 CAIRO 6802 AHWAZ 3558 SOHAG 776 JEDDAH 103 LONDON 614 SHAHRE-KORD 405 BEIRUT 501 BEIRUT 785 JEDDAH 176 DUBAI 611 CAIRO 220 BAHRAIN 58 DUBAI 561 AMMAN 673 DUBAI 982 BAHRAIN 124 SHARJAH 677 MUSCAT 641 AMMAN 503 MADINAH 786 RIYADH 617 DOHA 511 IMAM KHOMEINI 141 DOHA 238 AMMAN 135 DOHA 304 ABU DHABI 538 CAIRO 858 DUBAI 216 BAHRAIN 128 SHARJAH 511 RIYADH 134 BAHRAIN 3554 ALEXANDRIA 228 DUBAI 64 DUBAI 184 DUBAI 283 DHAKA 361 COLOMBO 62 DUBAI 171 BAHRAIN 351 KOCHI 571 MUMBAI 648 MUSCAT 1407 COLOMBO 543 CAIRO 373 BAHRAIN 403 BEIRUT 218 BAHRAIN 102 BAHRAIN 137 DOHA 301 MUMBAI 554 ALEXANDRIA 860 DUBAI 205 ISLAMABAD 343 CHENNAI 502 LUXOR 981 WASHINGTON DC 415 KUALA LUMPUR 411 BANGKOK

Time 0:05 0:45 0:50 1:00 1:20 1:55 2:45 3:15 3:30 3:45 3:50 3:55 4:00 4:00 4:40 5:40 6:20 6:55 7:00 7:10 7:30 8:00 8:25 8:40 8:55 9:00 9:00 9:05 9:15 9:25 9:35 9:40 9:45 10:00 10:00 10:05 10:10 10:25 10:40 10:40 10:45 11:45 12:00 12:10 12:15 12:15 12:30 12:35 12:55 13:00 13:40 13:50 13:55 14:20 14:35 14:45 15:05 15:20 15:25 15:25 15:35 15:45 15:50 15:50 16:25 16:30 17:15 17:25 17:35 17:40 18:10 18:15 18:25 18:35 19:05 19:05 19:10 19:20 19:55 20:15 20:20 20:40 21:00 21:05 21:10 21:15 21:50 21:55 22:00 22:20 22:25 22:30 22:35 22:45 22:45 22:50 23:00 23:30 23:35 23:45 23:45 23:55

Directorate General of Civil Aviation Home Page (www.kuwait-airport.com.kw)

ACCOMMODATION Accommodation available in Abbassiya double bedroom flat, two bachelors accommodation available April 1st, rent KD 40.

Contact: 99162583.

(C 3900) Sharing accommodation in Farwaniya near Gulf Mart, big room for bachelor or couple, Filipino only, available April 21. Contact: 94418396.

10-3-2012

FOR SALE Lady driven Land Rover model 1996, passing up to Nov 2012, available for sale, KD 550. Contact: 97358878.

(C 3905) 11-3-2012 Mitsubishi Colt model 1993, white color, good condition. Insurance till 25th Jan. 2013. Price KD 250. Contact: 99322585/ 99337034. (C 3899) 8-3-2012 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 MATRIMONIAL Alliance sought for Brahmin boy aged 28, decently employed in Kuwait, from parents of girls preferably employed in Kuwait. Please contact: nagan21@gmail.com 11-3-2012 Proposals invited for a Keralite Marthoma girl 24/154, BBA, working in India (Baroda), seeks alliance from God fearing, well-educated employed boys (Kuwait/ India). Email: sunilvgs73@gmail.com (C 3898) 7-3-2012 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) SITUATION WANTED Female, MBA, with total 8 years experience (3 years, in Kuwait). Specialized in all areas of HR/Admin functions of big companies.

Looking for suitable post.

Contact: 94062123. (C 3902) 10-3-2012 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

SITUATION VACANT Maid required for a family, couple only, in Shaab from 9 am to 6 pm only Sri Lankan nationals with valid residency may call: 97285837. (C 3896) 7-3-2012 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)

LOST Lost Indian Passport No. Z1959053, finder please call 99866856 or Indian Embassy 22530600, will be rewarded.

(C 3901) 10-3-2012

TUITION Math teacher for secondar y stage, language schools, bi-lingual schools and intermediate stage: Algebra, Gmath, Geometry, Statistics for arts and science branches. Tel: 66974020.

English language teacher specialized in starting elementary and intermediate, 10th and 11th experienced in starting functions, grammar, set book, vocabulary, notes and model exams available. Tel: 65791555.

Female Syrian Arabic language teacher for elementary and intermediate, and starting the weak using Halaby method in her house located in Abdallah Al-Mubarak area. Tel: 50513699.

No: 15384

Senior biology and science teacher for 12th, 11th and 10th grades, and science for all intermediate classes, religious institutes, nursing, educational experience, simple explanation for fast understanding.

Tel: 66543474.

Flat in Salmiya 3 bedroom + 2 bathrooms + living room + kitchen + central satellite + internet. 4x4 rooms, 4x8 living room for expatriates only. Rent KD 330. No middle men. Tel: 66043961.

Arabic language teacher, masters in methods of teaching for secondary and intermediate students. Tel: 50644685.

Flat in Salmiya 2 rooms + 2 bathrooms + living room + kitchen + central satellite + internet. Families only, no middle men. Tel: 66043961.

Senior Arabic language teacher, elementary and intermediate, long experience in Kuwait curricula, explaining grammar rules and starting those weak in reading and writing. Tel: 99262948.

A commercial floor in Salmiya. Close to Blajat. Car parking. No middle men.

Tel: 66043961.

CHANGE OF NAME I, Kandli Qadar Shaikh Ahmed, Indian Passport No: E5351994, hereby change my name to Kadar Ahmed Kundlik. (C 3906) 11-3-2012

FOR RENT

First floor in Shuhada, 4 rooms + living room + 5 bathrooms + maid room + balcony. Must be small family. Tel: 60308586.

Flat in Zahra, 2 rooms + living room + kitchen + 3 bathrooms + laundry room + maid room. Tel: 60308586.

A floor in Zahra, 4 rooms + living room + kitchen + 3 bathrooms, second floor, elevator. Must be small family. Tel: 99719887.

Flat in South Surra, 3 bedrooms, 2 of which are master + living room + kitchen + maid room, new, super deluxe. Tel: 97864628.

Flat in west Jleeb, 3 rooms + living room + kitchen + 2 bathrooms first floor. No elevator. Must be newlyweds or one child only.

Tel:99719887.

For rent, commercial flat in Hawally, can be used as workshop, large area. No middle men. Parking. Tel: 66043961.

Flat in Salam, 3 rooms + living room + kitchen + 3 bathrooms + maid room.

Must be newlyweds or two children only. 60308586.

Flat in Bneid Al-Gar, 2 rooms + 2 bathrooms + living room + kitchen + Gym + swimming pool overlooking the sea, central satellite + internet. For families, no middle men.

Tel: 66043961.

First floor in Rumaithiya. 4 rooms + living room + kitchen + maid room + 6 bathrooms. Super deluxe.

Must be foreigners and expats only. Tel: 60308586, 99719887.

34

SUNDAY, MARCH 11, 2012

stars CROSSWORD 613

STAR TRACK

CALVIN & HOBBES

Aries (March 21-April 19) Now is the time to ask for a special favor from someone, especially if you were too shy to ask before. This may mean you collect on a promise. You may find yourself serving to guide someone younger than you in matters of importance. Loved ones, children and other people or things dear to your heart are emphasized now. Taking chances to bring about a better understanding among family or friends can bring big rewards. You have an appreciation for new inventions . . . this is certainly a time when new technology calls your name. You develop a keen appreciation for the value of things, including the money it takes to buy them. If you are unattached, you could be viewing the opposite sex with a renewed interest this evening.

Taurus (April 20-May 20) If you become frustrated and have difficulty solving problems today, get outside for some brisk exercise and then busy yourself with the work of the day. This afternoon you will be able to relax and feel renewed. If you have trouble with focus from time to time, this period of exercise will stimulate your mind and body and help you to find a good balance once again. This afternoon there is an opportunity to learn a new technique or new style of working. Once you have learned the technique well, you will be able to teach others. Tonight you might enjoy being entertained at home by a movie or a good book instead of entertaining others or going outside the living area. Family members will find you cooking to the sound of music.

POOCH CAFE ACROSS 1. Experiencing or showing sorrow or unhappiness.

4. Eurasian perennial bulbous herbs.

10. The elementary stages of any subject (usually plural).

13. A user interface in which you type commands instead of choosing them from a menu or selecting an icon.

14. Being one more than ten.

15. A metric unit of volume or capacity equal to 10 liters.

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

17. Make uniform.

19. When dried yields a hard substance used e.g. in golf balls.

21. In the same place (used when citing a reference).

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

26. The locus of feelings and intuitions.

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

30. A Tibetan or Mongolian priest of Lamaism.

34. Activity involved in maintaining something in good working order.

36. British dominion over India (1757-1947).

37. The basic unit of money in Albania.

38. A former agency (from 1946 to 1974) that was responsible for research into atomic energy and its peacetime uses in the United States.

42. English actor noted for his portrayals of Shakespeare's great tragic characters (1789-1833).

44. A ductile malleable reddish-brown corrosion-resistant diamagnetic metallic element.

45. Large antelope with lightly spiraled horns of desert regions of North Africa.

46. A soft white precious univalent metallic element having the highest electrical and thermal conductivity of any metal.

48. Having a face or facing especially of a specified kind or number.

52. An accidental hole that allows something (fluid or light etc.) to enter or escape.

57. A flat wing-shaped process or winglike part of an organism.

58. At right angles to the length of a ship or airplane.

60. An informal term for a father.

61. An ugly evil-looking old woman.

62. (Roman Catholic) A diplomatic representative of the Pope having ambassadorial status.

64. Having undesirable or negative qualities.

65. Free from liquid or moisture.

66. A resident of Utah.

67. A benevolent aspect of Devi.

DOWN 1. Someone who works (or provides workers) during a strike.

2. Primitive chlorophyll-containing mainly aquatic eukaryotic organisms lacking true stems and roots and leaves.

3. The face of a timepiece.

4. Thought to derive from meteorites.

5. The inner and longer of the two bones of the human forearm.

6. Towards the side away from the wind.

7. Any of various coarse shrubby plants of the genus Iva with small greenish flowers.

8. A tricycle (usually propelled by pedalling).

9. An associate degree in nursing.

10. (Babylonian) God of storms and wind.

11. A very young child (birth to 1 year) who has not yet begun to walk or talk.

12. Burrowing marine mollusk living on sand or mud.

18. Any of a class of alcohols having 2 hydroxyl groups in each molecule.

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

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

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

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

27. A fencing sword similar to a foil but with a heavier blade.

28. A town and port in northwestern Israel in the eastern Mediterranean.

31. Lacking sufficient water or rainfall.

32. A Chadic language spoken south of Lake Chad.

33. A mythical Greek hero.

35. Large burrowing rodent of South and Central America.

39. Minute single-celled green freshwater organism having a single flagella.

40. One who works hard at boring tasks.

41. A condition (mostly in boys) characterized by behavioral and learning disorders.

43. (meaning literally `born') Used to indicate the maiden or family name of a married woman.

47. (folklore) A corpse that rises at night to drink the blood of the living.

49. (botany) Of or relating to the axil.

50. Showing self-interest and shrewdness in dealing with others.

51. (Irish) Mother of the Tuatha De Danann.

53. (used of count nouns) Every one considered individually.

54. Used as a Hindi courtesy title.

55. (Old Testament) In Judeo-Christian mythology.

56. A quantity of no importance.

59. And nothing more.

63. In operation or operational.

Yesterday’s Solution

Gemini (May 21-June 20) Friends who share the same principles band together and find pleasure in making a difference—the experience itself is worthwhile. Whether you realize it or not, many people around you look to you for advice and will mimic your style or ways. Knowing this now, you may find it easier to keep your patience and compassion in the future. There is a chance to understand those around you and to have a special time with someone you love. Careful—a kind of romantic wistfulness characterizes your approach to life now. This could mean a longing for a soul mate or a yearning to save the world; it could mean carrying a torch, as well. This is not always a long term condition—think before you obligate your time.

There is a sense of support and harmony present.

Cancer (June 21-July 22)

NON SEQUITUR

You should love being around people today, especially those to whom you are emotionally attached and better yet, older friends with whom you can reminisce. There is a common interest in spiritual and mystical values among family members today. There are many discussions about UFO’s or psychic abilities as well. You could find yourself planning to go to a psychic fair. Careful—this afternoon you may find yourself reflecting on your own youth or some event in the past. Communication with young people may be difficult but if you listen, you can separate and conquer in order to guide—get it? Find creative ways to express your educated thoughts—you will be successful in your attempts to guide others, even though it may not be obvious.

Leo (July 23-August 22) If you are working this Sunday, work progresses with few problems—co-workers extend their best wishes. You should enjoy much interaction with your professional friends all morning long and you may appreciate how everyone works together as a team to get projects accomplished quickly. If teamwork is not the case, you do everything to create a teamwork situation. Marriage and other close relationships give rise to great expectations this afternoon. This is a time to enjoy and appreciate your ties to others. This evening your artistic side is favored and you may enjoy a social gathering with dancing and fun in groups. Your personal magnetism is high, making you attractive to the opposite sex and popular in general. A great day!

ZITS

Virgo (August 23-September 22) This may be a time of introspection and evaluation of goals. You may feel lonely and self-critical at this time, but do not be too hard on yourself. Focus your energy on self-discovery instead. Close relationships have a big impact on your life—old ones will be transformed or perhaps even ended. This afternoon is a good time to read a romantic book or take in a movie. Ideas and thoughts will have greater understanding just now. Making phone calls and visiting with friends today, you could feel moved to give a friend an encouraging word as he or she may be feeling a lack of self-esteem. This evening is a great time to enjoy your friends. Card games and board games are possible. You are very interactive and enjoy sharing your food and drink.

Libra (September 23-October 22)

MOTHER GOOSE AND GRIMM

Family, home and the other roots in your life give you a sense of security. There is growth and gain through these things. Generally, this is a fruitful period for real estate investments, if you do not bite off more than you can chew—so to speak. Obtaining and exchanging information takes on more emotional significance. Being more involved with neighbors or sibling brings positive results. There is a chance to understand those around you and to have a special time with someone you love. General good feelings and a sense of support and harmony makes this a happy time. Your mind could be quite clear and natural just now. Family members may soon look to you for input and advice. Carry through with your show of strength.

Scorpio (October 23-November 21) You are entering into a cycle of mental development that emphasizes the past and your roots in life. Curiosity about such things leads to study and research. The Internet and the library system have wonderful avenues of research—and this is where your friends will find you. This may have been brought on by the visit of an old school friend or past neighbor. This is a time of nostalgia and of thinking about security and permanence. Real estate or home and family planning take on importance for you now. This is a creative period for you, a time to take a chance, a time to be appreciated and admired. Romance and other things that tug at the heart strings come your way as a new and most positive cycle begins for you.

Sagittarius (November 22-December 21) You may be in both a serious and practical mood today.

Abstract ideas are not for you. You would rather know the real value of something and how and where it fits into your life. Today you will be good at polishing up details, whether as part of a project, or an organization. You know instinctively what needs to be done to make something work. The broad picture can wait. Money frustrations will clear up soon—delay large purchases for a few more days. You have much energy today. Your fuel tank may be full but you will need to be careful in how you use this energy. Set aside your doubts and start doing something to change whatever is a negative in your life to a positive. This is a good time to get closer to the youth in your family.

Capricorn (December 22-January 19)

To

You may prefer to be alone today—no big deal. You just feel like being solemn. If you must confer with others, you would rather it be over something important. Save the small talk for another time. This is a good time to catch up on your reading or letter writing or try your turn at cooking from scratch. You feel more like sharing some time with your lover or with close friends. Perhaps this is not a time to be very outward or to try to present you to the world. Close relationships take on more emotional depth, power and importance. Marriage and other close relationships bring a great deal of satisfaction. Love is in full bloom during this period and it’s a good time to fully demonstrate the depth of affections to loved ones.

Yesterday’s Solution Yester

Aquarius (January 20- February 18) This day may be favorable for a lot of things, but work is not one of them. Ambition and self-discipline just are not available for now.

Instead, you prefer good times, socializing, friendship and love. In your circle of life there is a special quality that people notice. People will find a most positive atmosphere around you. This is a time of nostalgia and thinking about security and permanence. There may be an occasion to check out the new homes being built in your area for future reference. Maternal or paternal instincts are present as you make every effort to appease any family discord. Also, there is a strong wish to make your surroundings as pleasant as possible. Tonight you might take votes as to what color you should use to paint your home.

Pisces (February 19-March 20)

Word Sleuth Solution

This is not a good time to make any concrete decisions about a relationship or business deal. The decisions and actions of today will have long-lasting effects and need to be thought out very carefully. The social graces may be the path to success now. Relax and enjoy the social events that are coming up soon. Do consider attending these events as they will help to broaden your scope of friends and business acquaintances. It’s a time of refinement and tact, of an urge to please others that is so strong as to make it hard to decide or act for fear of offending someone. You will quickly learn to create a balance. Be wise to not spread yourself too thin with regard to your goals. Consider one or two goals instead of five or six different goals—aim for a balance.

A

y

e niv rsar n

Years

SUNDAY, MARCH 11, 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

Salmiya-Hamad Mubarak St Salmiya-Amman St Hawally-Beirut St Hawally & Rawdha Coop Jabriya-Block 1A Jabriya-Block 3B Salmiya-Hamad Mubarak St Mishrif Coop Salwa Coop

25726265 25647075 22625999 22564549 25340559 25326554 25721264 25380581 25628241

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36

SUNDAY, MARCH 11, 2012

LIFESTYLE G o s s i p

Prince Harry poked fun at his father and brother he fun loving royal is visiting the country on behalf of the tourism campaign, GREAT, which hopes to attract millions of extra visitors to Britain, and Harry - who has shown off his love of dance while visiting the Caribbean for Queen Elizabeth’s Diamond Jubilee earlier this month - quipped he was happy his brother William was not in Brazil because he too would be tempted to dance. According to the Daily Telegraph newspaper, he said: “Everything about Rio makes you want to dance. I’m just so thankful that my brother isn’t here because he might actually do it and that would not be cool.” Harry also referenced his father Prince Charles’ trip to Rio de Janeiro in 1978 where he enjoyed a dance with Pina de Beija-Flora, whom he later described as a “rather dramatically semi-naked lady”. Harry said: “Thank you for a stunning Anglo-Brazilian welcome to

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your spellbinding city - I’ve got to get this right - this ‘cidade maravilhosa’. “Over the years, I’ve seen and heard so much about this extraordinary place - in fact, ever since my father told me about a certain dance he once had with a beautiful girl called Pinah.

It just seems to have stuck in his mind for some reason.” Harry also revealed he was looking forward to learning how to play volleyball today (10.03.12) and showing the Brazilians how to play rugby. He explained: “I can’t wait for beach volleyball tomorrow morning. It’s my kind of game. “I’m going to help coach Brazilians to play rugby. One plea to all Brazilians, though: please, please - if we show you how to play rugby - don’t do what you’ve done with football, and leave us wishing we hadn’t.”

Robin Gibb blames cancer battle on fame and fortune he Bee Gees singer - who underwent seven rounds of chemotherapy in 18 months in a bid to beat liver cancer admitted he sometimes wonders if his family tragedies including his own ill health and the deaths of his brothers Andy in 1988 and Maurice in 2003 are a “karmic price” for their worldwide success. He explained to The Sun newspaper: “I sometimes wonder if all the tragedies my family has suffered, like Andy and Maurice dying so young and everything that’s happened to me recently, is a kind of karmic price we are paying for all the fame and fortune we’ve had. “But we’ve worked hard for everything we’ve achieved. “I am not and never have been at death’s door. But the illness, and the untimely death of my brothers, has made me conscious of the fact that-rather than just think about it-it’s crucial that you do today what you want to do.

“I’ve got a sense of urgency about life, rather than withdrawing from it and feeling

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depressed. “Now I know how precious time is, and that you can’t put it in the bank. So I intend to make the most of every single second of it that I’ve got left.” Robin - who also has a sister Lesley and brother and fellow Bee Gee member Barry - admitted the death of his twin Maurice, from complications resulting from a twisted intestine, is something he will never recover from. He said: “Maurice was in hospital for just three days. I flew to Miami to see him and he was in a coma. “They told Barry and I that, if Maurice didn’t have any brain activity within ten minutes, he would die then and there. To our horror, we found out there was none. And Maurice died. “How did I get over Maurice’s death? I didn’t. And I never will. I just don’t accept it. I tell myself he’s away on a long holiday and that we’ll be seeing each other again soon.”

g relaxing in t c a s d n fi n Uma Thurma

hter -year-old daug s - who has 13 ith ex-husband es tr ac i’ Am el he ‘B von, w down ear-old son Le Maya and 10-y rns to her profession to calm not tu m “I’ : ke id aw sa H e n Sh Etha elf “nuts”. focused, overly ten drives hers because she of rally. I’m one of those highly tu “I actually find very relaxed na . I often drive myself nuts. little I rs te children were intense charac xing. When the now, when I do la re ite qu be work can before. “So work like I did my time.’ “ The wasn’t able to is good, this is s hi ‘T e, lik h uc m ry ve work, it’s

Joan Collins thinks

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P. Diddy is ‘super smooth’ he 78-year-old actress met a string of famous faces while attending post-Oscars parties last month and was particularly impressed by the hip-hop mogul, actress Sofia Vergara and designer Victoria Beckham. Joan - who attended the bashes with husband Percy Gibson and sister Jackie Collins - told Britain’s Grazia magazine: “In the ladies loo I spoke to Sofia Vergara, who is a true beauty with a woman’s body, not a stick insect like so many of the starlets. “I also spoke to P. Diddy, who was super smooth and very complimentary to me. “Percy brought Ben Stiller to say hello and he was taller than I expected. Then I spoke to the Beckhams. ‘You’re so tall!’ I told Victoria. ‘Yes I am’ she smiled - then revealed her seven-inch heels.” Joan was also impressed by other stars she met at the glitzy bashes, including ‘My Week With Marilyn’ star Michelle Williams, actor Tom Cruise, and fashion designer Tom Ford. She added: “Tom Cruise looked about 30 years old and was super charming. Michelle Williams was sweet and self-effacing. She had the most perfect, line-free skin. “I got in deep conversation with Tom Ford, who was also charming.”

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nt with her d to be pregna ve lie be is ho -w nd Arpad 41-year-old star will be her first with boyfrie yone if they ch an hi ve believed third child, w ha t n’ ld Uma ou w e sh ould pan out.

Busson - admits acting career w and ‘Kill Bill’ r he w ho r he n’ had foretold ies ‘Pulp Fictio some of red in hit mov gone through d an - who has star n w do e m me and t co sa er d ov ha ld u added: “If yo d what I wou an ce fa of it.” y ld an ou Iw believed the challenges wouldn’t have ly ab ob pr I h, grow throug

Hasselhoff once signed autographs for Princes William and Harry he former ‘Baywatch’ actor says the royals’ mother Princess Diana - who died in a car accident in 1997 admired his appearance when they met and revealed that her sons were fans of his work. Referring to how much time he spent wearing only shorts in ‘Baywatch’, David said: “Diana was introduced to me and she said, ‘You look good with your clothes on!’ And I told her, ‘Thanks, so do you!’ I asked her if she’d like some autographs for her kids and she said, ‘absolutely’.” David also revealed that

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‘Gladiator’ actor Russell Crowe is another fan of his work. According to the ‘Knight Rider’ star, Russell was so over-awed by him, he followed him around in Morocco when they met for the first time. He told Britain’s OK! magazine: “I’ll tell you who got really star struck, Russell Crowe. He used to watch ‘Knight Rider’ when he was a kid and when he met me, he was like, ‘Wow!’ he followed me around Morocco.”

Olly Murs thinks Cole’s internet is broken after she ignored his offer he ‘Heart Skips A Beat’ hitmaker - who asked the brunette beauty for her phone number via twitter earlier last week - joked that the only reason why he hasn’t received a reply from Cheryl accepting the date is because her “wi-fi must be broken”. He said: “It was a bit of a joke; I thought, ‘Cheryl Cole has just tweeted me so I might as well ask for her number’. “But her wi-fi must be down or something because I haven’t received a reply.”

However, perhaps in an attempt to score a date with a lucky lady, Olly - who is currently single - admitted he is on a “no-carbs diet” in the hope of ridding himself of his “belly”. He added in an interview on BBC One’s ‘The Graham Norton Show’: “I’m on a no-carbs diet. I went on holiday with the lads at the start of the year an you know what it’s like, I got papped and had a bit of a belly on me so I decided it was time to lose a bit of weight. “I’m eating chicken and cashew nuts for breakfast. Steak and green beans for lunch and salmon and veg for dinner.” Olly has bemoaned his single status for some time, and admitted living with his parents has somewhat hampered his love life. He recently said: “I never bring girls home. My mum and dad wouldn’t let me have girls over. They’re only allowed to come for dinner and do it properly. “So if I met a girl, I’d have to go to their house - or get a hotel room - if that’s what they wanted.” Meanwhile, Cheryl has been linked to the likes of singer Taio Cruz and dancer Derek Hough following her divorce from Chelsea football star Ashley Cole in September 2010.

Spears is selling her

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home at a $3.7m loss he ‘Hold It Against Me’ hitmaker - who lived in the property throughout her public meltdown in 2007 - has relisted the house on the market this week at a value of $2.9 million, a marked difference from the staggering $6.7 million she originally paid for it, Realestalker.com reports. Being sold by “the conservatorship for Britney Spears”, the 7,453 square foot pad in Beverly Hills’ exclusive gated community comes complete with five bedrooms and six bathrooms. Additionally, the Tuscan-style villa features a private swimming pool and spa, maid’s quarters and a master suite with his and hers baths. Listed as a “probate sale”, the eventual purchase of the property will have to be approved by the court. However, Britney may not have to worry about selling her home at a loss, as she has reportedly been offered $10 million to judge the US version of ‘The X Factor’. The singer’s fiance and manager Jason Trawick is said to have “been negotiating for some time”, with executives for the talent search show. One source told E! news Britney has been offered the huge sum to appear on the second series of the show - which returns later this year - but she’s said to be holding out for $16 million.

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SUNDAY, MARCH 11, 2012

lifestyle

contestants emerge winners in falcon beauty contest

KUWAIT: Five winners were crowned yesterday at a falcon beauty contest featuring breeders from Kuwait and Gulf Cooperation Council(GCC) countries. The event was held as part of the ongoing Popular Heritage Festival.

Sheikh Dhari Al-Fahad Al-Sabah, Head of the Festival’s Supreme Committees, announced Mohammad Al-Flasi from the United Arab Emirates as the first place winner, followed by Nasser Al-Azmi from

Kuwait, Abdullah Al-Dousari from Kuwait, Sultan Al-Athbi from Qatar and Mohammad Al-Bueneen from Saudi Arabia.

Multiple cultural activities from the Gulf region, including camel beauty contests, are held during the Festival organized between March 1 to 24. Sheikh Sabah Fahad Al-Nasser Al-Sabah, Head of the organizing committee, announced that successful competitions were held in

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within a record time of 21.9 seconds.

Saud Al-Ajmi’s falcon was second place winner, following closely at 22.3 seconds.

The festival’s fishing tournament also began yesterday at the Fishermen’s Diwaniya in Al-Fintas, with participants also allowed to contest from Al-Samiya and Al-Wuttiya. Thirty winners will be announced on March 22, with 10 contestants from each diwaniya.

Afghanistan joins railroad era, 100 years late

Japan wants cuisine listed as UNESCO heritage apan said it was applying to UNESCO to have its cuisine listed as a global cultural treasure as part of a bid to restore global confidence in its food after the Fukushima nuclear disaster. Tokyo is to ask the UN’s educational, scientific and cultural arm to register “Washoku: Traditional dietary cultures of the Japanese” as part of the intangible heritage of humanity, the foreign and agriculture ministries said.

“Washoku” or the Japanese diet, is traditionally based on rice, fish and vegetables, but the varied and highly seasonal cuisine of the country has won it plaudits around the world. The government said washoku was characterised by respect for nature and the importance placed on the way in which dishes are served as well as the quality of ingredients used. The nation also “needs to restore confidence in Japanese food, which has been adversely affected by rumours due to the nuclear accident” at Fukushima, the government said.

The accident sent poisonous radioactive particles into the air and water, blanketing crops grown near the power station and polluting waters where seafood is harvested. A number of products were taken off shelves, with government bans on beef, milk, mushrooms and some green vegetables. Several countries banned the import of some Japanese produce amid fears for its safety. Japan would apply for the listing “as a symbol of Japan’s reconstruction from the disaster,” the government said.

Today marks the first anniversary of the 9.0 earthquake and resulting tsunami, which triggered meltdowns in reactors at Fukushima. The application will be filed with UNESCO by the end of March, with a decision expected by late 2013. Certain kinds of traditional theatre and music, as well as the gastronomy of France, are recognized by UNESCO as intangible cultural heritage.— AFP

categories divided along 30-camel herd, 50-camel herd and individual lines, featuring strong participation of camel breeders from the GCC region. Each category was further divided into subdivisions based on camels’ color.

Yesterday, a 400-meter falcon race competition was held in which 60 falcon breeders from Kuwait took part. Fahad AlAjmi was announced winner of the tournament after his falcon finished first

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ore than a century ago, fearing that his country might be swallowed up in the Great Game rivalry between the British empire to the east and the Russian army to the north, an Afghan king made a radical decision: He banned railroads. That edict effectively kept out foreign troops for a number of years. But it also left the Afghan economy, once a wealthy crossroads of the ancient Silk Road trading routes, largely cut off from the world at a time when trains were the engines of development. Now, Afghanistan has just opened its first major railroad and is planning a half dozen more.

The government is also inviting other countries to build tracks, part of plans for a “New Silk Route” that the U.S. hopes will help stabilize the region by promoting trading links. China, Iran, Pakistan and India all have government or corporate plans for separate railroad projects across Afghanistan. Turkmenistan is completing its own plans for another line. And Uzbekistan has already built the first major rail link, a 47-mile (75-kilometer) line from the border town of Hairatan to Mazar-iSharif in Afghanistan’s north. One reason so many countries are helping Afghanistan belatedly join the rail age: They need trains

In this Tuesday, March 6, 2012 photo, an Afghan man approaches a cargo train at the train station in Mazar-i-Sharif, Balkh province north of Kabul, Afghanistan.

Afghanistan has just opened its first major railroad and is planning a half dozen more. —AP

if their companies hope to export the country’s vast, untapped mineral wealth, estimated by U.S. surveys at nearly $1 trillion. Both the railway projects and the prospects for future mining wealth will depend largely on whether the country can keep violence from escalating once the international military force withdraws most of its troops by the end of 2014. For investors, it’s a question of whether the increased commerce is worth the risk and effort. “Now there is genuine trade and traffic going on, especially in the north of Afghanistan, so it makes sense,” says Andrew Grantham, an editor for Railway Gazette who runs a website chronicling the history of Afghanistan’s failed railroad projects. “It’s not just people drawing lines on maps and saying, “Wouldn’t this be nice?”

Competing for contracts to mine deposits of copper, gold, iron and lithium is Afghanistan’s modern Great Game, and one of the prices the government is extracting from eager companies is a promise to develop the railroads necessary to carry the heavy cargo. “This will be critical to get anything to markets,” says Juan Miranda, head of Central and West Asia Department of the Asian Development Bank, which funded the $165 million Uzbek-built railroad. The bank is also pushing a plan to link landlocked Afghanistan into the rail networks of all five of its neighbors.

For now, plans for Afghanistan’s railroads are progressing bit by bit. As part of its agreement to develop a massive copper

mine in Aynak, the China Metallurgical Group Corporation (MCC) is being asked to build a 575-mile (920-kilometer) railway from the mine southeast of Kabul. One branch would head to the Pakistani border, another in the opposite direction through the capital and connecting with the new Hairatan line in the north. The Afghan government is also negotiating with the Indian-led consortium that won the contract for the equally huge iron deposits at Tajigak in central Afghanistan for the companies to fund a 560-mile (900-kilometer) railroad - likely through Iran - to bring out the heavy ore. The story of how Afghanistan never got a major railroad pivots around Abdur Rahman Khan, the emir who ruled Afghanistan from 1880 to 1901.

During his reign, Afghanistan was sandwiched between the British colonial rulers of India, which then encompassed modern-day Pakistan, and the Russian empire that extended into Caucasus areas of Central Asia. Both sides were engaged in what was known as the Great Game to control the region. They were racing to build railroads in areas under their control as a way of quickly moving troops. By the 1880s, both the British and the Russians had built tracks that went right up to Afghanistan’s border. Rahman Khan responded with a decree that no railroad would be allowed to enter Afghan territory, reasoning that without them, it would be difficult for invading troops to cross the mountainous frontier, according to Grantham.— AP

SUNDAY, MARCH 11, 2012

lifestyle in brief

‘Kill Bill’ actor Madsen jailed in US

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uthorities say actor Michael Madsen has been arrested for investigation of cruelty to a child after a fight with his teenage son. A Los Angeles County sheriff’s statement says Madsen was arrested Friday afternoon at his home in Malibu, after deputies were called about a family disturbance. The statement says detectives from the Special Victims Bureau are investigating allegations that Madsen was under the influence of alcohol and fought with his son, who did not need medical attention. Madsen was arrested without incident and booked at the Lost Hills sheriff ’s station.He is being held on $100,000 bail. The 54-year-old Madsen is known for the Quentin Tarantino movies “Reser voir Dogs” and “Kill Bill.”

Phone and email messages seeking comment from Madsen’s representatives were not immediately returned.

Rapper Coolio arrested in unpaid Vegas ticket case

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apper Coolio was arrested on a warrant charging him with failure to appear in court on a traffic ticket almost two years ago.

Coolio, 48, whose real name is Artis Leon Ivey Jr., was a passenger in a vehicle officers stopped about 2:20 am several blocks east of the Las Vegas Strip, Officer Laura Meltzer said. No one else in the car was arrested. It was not immediately clear if Ivey had a lawyer. His manager Susan Haber said she had not heard about the incident and had no comment. Ivey was sought on a warrant charging him with failure to appear on an illegal stop and driving without a license summons issued in June 2010. He was freed later in the day. A court date wasn’t immediately known. Coolio is a musician, actor and record producer best known for the song “Gangsta’s

Ray J says he’s ‘still hurting’ over Houston death

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ay J says he’s “still hurting” nearly a month after the death of Whitney Houston.

The singer and sometime reality television star was one of the people who spent time with Houston in her last days. He told reporters at a charity event on Friday in Los Angeles: “I really miss my friend, you know. I really do. I’m still hurting.” “I’m able to look at life in a whole different way,” Ray J said. He looked down at a smartphone and said, “I always look at my phone because I’ve got a picture of somebody that I really love and it helps me through the day.” Ray J, who was joined by his parents Sonja and Willie Norwood, did not take questions from reporters. Houston died in a hotel suite in Beverly Hills, California, on Feb. 11.

Houston sought love in ‘wrong places’: Relative

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ate singer Whitney Houston’s manager and sister-in-law Patricia Houston has opened up publicly for the first time since the singer’s sudden death last month, saying she was “looking for love in all the wrong places” in the days ahead of her death.

“I saw her chasing a dream, you know, looking for love in all the wrong places,” Patricia Houston told television talk show host Oprah Winfrey, according to transcripts from an interview that will air on the OWN network today.

Houston also spoke of her concerns over the late singer’s changing lifestyle in the weeks running up to her death.

“Things were really changing with her.

Very much so. It wasn’t about substance abuse or anything like that ... it was just more of a lifestyle. I was afraid for other things,” she said, but did not elaborate.

The “I Will Always Love You” singer, whose powerful voice fueled her rise to global fame in the 1980s, was found underwater in a bathtub at a Beverly Hills hotel on February 11, the eve of this year’s Grammy awards. She was 48.

The cause of her death is still undetermined, pending toxicology tests.

Houston had a long history of alcohol and drug addiction. She entered rehab as recently as May 2011 to aid her recovery process. Her manager told Winfrey that the possibility of Houston’s addictions leading to her death was very real.

“The handwriting was kind of on the wall. I would be kidding myself to say otherwise,” said Patricia Houston. The late singer’s family have remained generally quiet in the media since the singer’s death, opting not to speak publicly after her funeral on Feb. 18. —Reuters

SUNDAY, MARCH 11, 2012

lifestyle

Members of the Girl Scouts of Central Maryland, with activity books in hand, prepare to take part in a shoppingmall sleepover in Columbia, Maryland on March 3, 2012. —AFP

Corinne Conover (L, with blue headband) and Emma Rothfield (3rd L, with orange headband) explain camping to younger fellow Girl Scouts at a shopping-mall sleepover in Columbia.—AFP

US Girl Scouts stress leadership in centennial year Membership has grown to more than 2.3 million girls, from six-year-old Brownies to 18-year-old Girl Scout Ambassadors, plus 880,000 adult volunteers, in all 50 states plus American expat communities overseas.

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t’s midnight at a Maryland Mall and here come 1,500 young girls, alive with energy, out for a full night of scavenger-hunting, jewelry-making, face-painting, karaoke and more. Welcome to the 28th Girl Scouts of Central Maryland shopping center sleep-over, where-despite the sleeping bags outside the designer shops-nobody is going to get any shuteye.

“It’s a great way to connect with your friends and, as you get older, to educate younger girls,” said Emma Rothfield, 13, strumming guitar chords by a mock campfire in an arcade full of chic boutiques. The Girl Scouts of the USA is 100 years old on Monday and thriving as the world’s biggest organization dedicated to girls-even if it sometimes finds itself in the crosshairs of America’s fervent conservatives.

Membership has grown to more than 2.3 million girls, from six-year-old Brownies to 18year-old Girl Scout Ambassadors, plus 880,000 adult volunteers, in all 50 states plus American expat communities overseas. “We’re seeing upticks in membership across the country,” Girl Scouts chief executive Ana Maria Chavez told AFP in a telephone interview. “As the country grows, adults are looking for avenues for their daughters to participate in an organization that’s been around for 100 years and has a strong history of serving girls and creating women leaders,” she said.

Juliette Gordon Low, a 51-year-old world traveler at loose ends after the death of the man who was about to divorce her, founded the Girl Scouts on March 12, 1912 when she hosted its first 18 members at her Savannah, Georgia home. She imported the concept from Britain where she had met Sir Robert

Allison Seitz (R), 16, helps younger fellow members of the Girl Scouts of Central Maryland work towards an arts and crafts badge at a shopping-mall sleepover. —AFP “You can go anywhere and feel welcome.

Baden-Powell, founder of the worldwide scouting movement. ( The Boy Scouts of It’s always a blast. It’s real fun.” But there are America, with 2.7 million youth members also serious reasons for joining. “Colleges love to see you working on a gold award,” said today, was founded in 1910.)

Soon the Girl Scouts became a rite of pas- Seitz, referring to the uppermost Girl Scout sage for millions who pledged the Girl Scout laurel that she herself is striving for. “I guess Promise, pitched camp under the stars, earned Girl Scouts gives you a little bump up.” Getting merit badges to sew onto their khaki uni- a toy circuit board to play “Happy Birthday” at forms, and sold fund-raising cookies door to the popular science and technology table, door. “Basically, we’re all sisters,” said Allison Ashleigh Prentice, 11, and Sarah Patrick, 10, Seitz, a Girl Scout for 12 of her 16 years, at the credited scouting for a sense of community all-night Mall in Columbia jamboree where and advancement.

“I see myself being a marine biologist. I like she shared the secrets of gimping, or weaving fish and I like dolphins,” said Prentice when lanyards, with younger scouts.

asked for her adult ambitions, while Patrick imagined a life “helping animals on land, like squirrels or skunks.” For Chavez, a former lawyer and Washington policy adviser who was herself a Girl Scout in her youth, the overarching mission of the Girl Scouts today is to build leadership skills.

“Unfortunately, girls underestimate their potential,” she said, citing a recent survey for the Girl Scouts that indicated that 61 percent of American girls thought leadership was unimportant for them. Among those who did think leadership was important, she said, many “have the perception they are not going to have the opportunity to step into leadership roles, or if they do, they may not feel prepared.”

The Girl Scouts are not without critics. Last month, Indiana Republican state legislator Bob Morris, in a letter to colleagues, branded the Girl Scouts “a radicalized organization” that promoted homosexuality and collaborated with Planned Parenthood, an abortion provider. The Girl Scouts and Planned Parenthood denied having any link, and Morris apologized for his remarks, but a Catholic pastor in Virginia nevertheless banned Girl Scouts troops from ever again meeting in his church hall.

In 1995, a “Christ-centered” alternative to the Girl Scouts, American Heritage Girls, was founded in Ohio. It claims 14,000 members and a cooperation pact with the Boy Scouts, which for years banned gays as adult volunteers. Chavez said such flaps have little impact on the Girl Scouts’ work. “We’re a non-partisan, non-political organization,” she said. “Our focus is on being the best leadership experience for girls anywhere in the world.” — AFP

Banda black market suspected as California tubas vanish T

A 200-foot-long transporter almost three freeway lanes wide carries a 340-ton granite boulder, standing 21 feet, 10 inches high and measuring 32 feet across to its new home at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art where it will become the centerpiece of artist Michael Heizer’s “Levitated Mass” in Los Angeles on Friday.—AP

Artist Heizer’s big rock

rolling toward US museum

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big rock that has been lumbering across Southern California for the past week and a half is scheduled to arrive at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art before dawn yesterday, cheered on by what has become an audience of tens of thousands.

There it will become the centerpiece of acclaimed earth artist Michael Heizer’s latest creation, “Levitated Mass.” The 340-ton boulder, accompanied by an entourage of about 100 people, left a dusty quarry in Riverside on Feb 28, chauffeured toward its destination by a specially built carrier as long as a football field .

As it made a long, circuitous journey toward the museum that was aimed at avoiding narrow streets, low-slung bridges and pesky utility lines, it gained a following of rock star proportions. At one stop a man proposed to his girlfriend in front of the rock. Later, when it arrived in Long Beach, that city threw a block party that attracted thousands of revelers.

There were a couple of small bumps along the way, however. Because of its size, the rock could only be moved late at night and in the

early morning, stopping each day at prearranged locations. Two days into its journey it had to pull up two miles short of its destination when a transmission in the engine of the vehicle pulling it became balky. It was parked partially in the roadway of a highway just down the street from a freeway entrance in Diamond Bar, giving passing motorists an exceptionally good view of it.

It got back on schedule the following day, but as it navigated its way through South Los Angeles earlier this week, movers discovered two unaccounted for palm trees blocking its path. They cut them down and proceeded on, promising the community they would eventually return to replace them. At the museum, the rock is to be placed over a 465-foot-long trench, where Heizer has promised that visitors who walk underneath will experience the illusion that it is floating above them.

The artist, noted for mammoth-scale works in which the earth itself becomes his palette, is perhaps best known for “City,” a Mount Rushmore-sized creation he has been building near his home in the Nevada desert for decades. —AP

hey’ve still got their trombones and their trumpets, their cornets and their clarinets.

But the high school marching bands of Southern California are tuba-less these days, and their music directors think they know why.

There’s a banda bandit on the loose, they say.

Someone, they believe, is breaking into high schools from the east side of Los Angeles to the shores of Manhattan Beach and stealing expensive tubas to supply a fast-growing black market for banda music.

Once little known north of Mexico, banda has become the fastest growing genre of Latino music in the United States over the past 20 years. It is particularly popular in Los Angeles, where musicians gather in places like Mariachi Plaza to offer their services to parties, weddings, quinceaneras and other events. “Musically, it’s appealing because it’s so dynamic and colorful and bright,” Josh Kun says of the fast-paced, joyous dance music that sprung from the polka tunes that German and French immigrants carried to the Mexican state of Sinaloa in the 19th century.

“Beyond a purely musical context,” says the University of Southern California expert on cross-border popular culture, “it is attractive because it is also the musical context for Mexican immigrant life. ... It’s about living between two worlds and sustaining your identity in that balance.” It also is all about the tuba, the most important instrument in the band.

Without a guy standing front and center blowing out those fast-paced “oompah, oompah, oompah” notes that only a tuba can make, a banda band is nothing. “The band is driven by the tuba and the drummer,” says Bill Roper, a professional tuba player. “The tuba serves the time function and the bass function, and the rest of the band can’t exist without that.”

Plus, the tuba is so big and pulsating that no one in the audience can ignore it, making it a very sexy instrument in its own right, says Roper.

Indeed, people have been known to stuff money by the handful into the horn of a particularly talented tuba player. So forget the trumpet play-

er, the trombonist or the clarinetist. The tubist is to banda what the lead guitarist is to rock ‘n’ roll.

This is why some of the music teachers at the schools that have been hit say they believe banda bandits are responsible. “I don’t think anyone would go through all the trouble to break locks, break in and explicitly take tubas just to break them down,” says Ruben Gonzalez, the music teacher at South Gate High School, which has lost five tubas. “They’re worth a lot more money on the black market than they are if you melt them down. It’s just a question of where are they selling them, here or out of state or in Mexico.”

His school has been hit twice this year, once in October when thieves broke into the band room and took three tubas, then several weeks later, when they came back and grabbed two more. The school has only three left, leaving them with “more players than tubas,” Gonzalez said. “We have alarms, we have locks, but the second time, they just came in like gangbusters,”

he said. “All they took were tubas. Once they got in, they could have taken any instruments they wanted, but all they took were tubas.” In the modest Los Angeles suburb of Bell, where one in five people live in poverty, someone broke into the band room and took two tubas. They also ignored every other instrument there, said band director Ligia Chaves-Rasas. At Huntington Park High School, two tubas have gone missing. In affluent Manhattan Beach, someone made off with four tubas at Mira Costa High School, and in Compton, someone took eight tubas from Centennial High School. Los Angeles Unified School District police did not return several recent calls, but Gonzalez said they have told him they were investigating. School police haven’t said who they suspect. Although players say cheap knockoffs are becoming more available from China, a good new brass tuba can cost $6,000 or more, and even a decent used one can fetch a couple thousand dollars. —AP

In this March 2, 2012 photo, University of Redlands students, trombonist Ben Solis 28, left, and master tuba player Victor Mortson, 23, play their instruments at The Horn Guys store in La Crescenta, Calif. —AP

Spears is selling her home at a $3.7m loss

SUNDAY, MARCH 11, 2012

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Indian villagers covered in red powder smoke pipes in a procession during Holi festivities, the Hindu festival of colors near Barsana, south of New Delhi, India. The festival, which can last days or longer in some areas of the country, marks the beginning of spring. —AP

Springsteen

brings customary energy to New York City show

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he power and the glory were unleashed in the heart of Harlem on Friday night as Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band took to the stage of the storied Apollo Theater.

Springsteen, self-introduced in a deadpan delivery as “the hardest-working white man in show business,” was intent on proving it with music and physical antics that whipped the packed house into a frenzy.

In a nod to Apollo legend James Brown, the “hardest-working man in show business,” Springsteen milked his own Godfather of Soul shtick, staggering dramatically around the stage wearing a black towel “cape” that was ceremoniously draped onto his shoulders by guitarist Steven Van Zandt.

The show aired live on SiriusXM Radio’s E Street Channel as part of the satellite company’s 10th anniversary celebration. It was a prelude to a world tour that launches March 18 in Atlanta in support of the “Wrecking Ball” album, whose liner notes include a touching homage to saxophonist Clarence Clemons, who died in June. There were some familiar, ever-popular moves - sauntering up Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band perform at the Apollo Theater on Friday in New York. Nils Lofgren, Bruce Springsteen, Steven Van Zandt Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band the aisles, cavorting on the audience’s seats, perch- The concert was hosted by SiriusXM in celebration of 10 years of satellite radio. perform at the Apollo Theater on Friday. —AP photos ing on the piano, languishing on the drum risers.

Springsteen also stretched, Gumby-like, to grasp the hand of a man who leaned precariously out of a box seat. Even band members exhibited wide-eyed amusement when Springsteen bounded around the balconies and lowered himself back onstage on metal pipes attached to the walls. E onated even more strongly because he made the movie sghar Farhadi, the director who won Iran’s first-ever ing by the official IRNA news agency as he arrived in Tehran.

Street’s last tour ended in 2009. “We’ve missed you,” Springsteen told the audience. Springsteen, “I will never emigrate from Iran,” he said. Farhadi added, under the restrictions imposed by Iranian authorities, who Oscar for his movie “A Separation”, declared yesterday who recently noted that it “takes a village” to he would never leave his homeland despite his new- however: “I am at the point of filming a movie outside of the briefly placed a ban on “A Separation” as it was being filmed. replace Clemons, assembled a heavenly horn secHis next movie is being made in France, according to the found global fame-but his next film was being made country.” The director picked up the golden statuette for tion punctuated with Jersey Shore panache. best foreign language film at the US Academy Awards last trade publication Screen Daily. It is said to centre on a love abroad.

Clemons’ nephew, Jake, blasted out numerous full“I love my country and I will not change it for anywhere month for his taut drama, “A Separation”-the first time the story between a young Iranian woman and a North African throttle sax solos to a great crowd response; in the world,” the 40-year-old filmmaker was quoted as say- Islamic republic ever won an Oscar. Farhadi’s triumph res- man, and will begin filming within weeks.— AFP Springsteen beamed at his new team member.

The new album expresses outrage on behalf of America’s increasingly downtrodden masses. The Boss and the band contrasted that by filling the drop-dead-gorgeous, neo-classical surroundings ornate gilding, crystal chandeliers - with a joyful noise.

His trademark intensity was there throughout: face furrowed with emotion; frame taut as a cobra.

The musical blend featured favorites and the stylistically wide-ranging new material. Other highlights included the Smokey Robinson/Temptations prah Winfrey was honored with a “Lifetime Leadership” hit, “The Way You Do the Things You Do” and selecaward at the third annual DVF Awards. Winfrey was tions from Wilson Pickett as well as Sam and Dave. hugged by longtime friend, designer and humanitarian Springsteen and the audience together paid Diane von Furstenberg, as she took the stage to accept the Diane von tribute to Clemons during the song “ Tenth accolade on Friday night. Von Furstenberg called Winfrey the Furstenberg presAvenue Freeze-out,” an old favorite about the ents Oprah Winfrey “most formidable person I have ever met in my life.” Winfrey band coming together. References to the “Big spent much of her speech honoring another of the night’s with the DVF Man,” Clemons’ nickname, drew loud cheers, as it award winners, Jaycee Dugard.

Lifetime did again when Springsteen did a roll call of the Dugard was abducted when she was 11 and held against Leadership Award band during another song. “Are we missing any- at The Third Annual her will for 18 years. Dugard took the stage soon after and got body?” he asked. The crowd memorialized DVF Awards held at emotional as she thanked her mother for never giving up hope Clemons and keyboardist Danny Federici with of finding her. She also spoke about her JAYC Foundation, the United Nations lengthy cheers and applause. “If you’re here and which supports families dealing with abduction and other in New York, we’re here, then they’re here.” —AP tragedies. —AP Friday. —AP

I love Iran but am filming abroad: Oscar winner

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Oprah and Jaycee Dugard honored at the DVF Awards

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