12 MAR 2012

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MONDAY, MARCH 12, 2012

www.kuwaittimes.net

RABIA ALTHANI 19, 1433 AH

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Kuwait National & Liberation Days

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NO: 15385

US soldier kills 16 in Afghanistan rampage Women, children among dead • Bodies burned after massacre

US unveils ray beam as new weapon QUANTICO US MARINE CORPS BASE, Virginia: A sensation of unbearable, sudden heat seems to come out of nowhere - this wave, a strong electromagnetic beam, is the latest non-lethal weapon unveiled by the US military this week. “You’re not gonna see it, you’re not gonna hear it, you’re not gonna smell it: you’re gonna feel it,” explained US Marine Colonel Tracy Taffola, director the Joint NonLethal Weapons Directorate, Marine Corps Base Quantico, at a demonstration for members of the media. The effect is so repellant, the immediate instinct is to flee - and quickly, as experienced by AFP at the presentation.

Taffola is quick also to point out the “Active Denial System” beam, while powerful and longrange, some 1000 m, is the military’s “safest nonlethal capability” that has been developed over 15 years but never used in the field. It was deployed briefly in Afghanistan in 2010, but never employed in an operation. The technology has attracted safety concerns possibly because the beam is often confused with the microwaves commonly used by consumers to rapidly heat food. “There are a lot of misperceptions out there,” lamented Taffola, saying the Continued on Page 13

ALKOZAI, Afghanistan: An Afghan woman Anar Gul is interviewed as she sits next to the body of her grandson killed by a US service member in this village in Panjwai, Kandahar province yesterday. (Inset) A man cries over the bodies of Afghan civilians shot by the US soldier that are loaded into the back of a truck. — AP/AFP

Max 30º Min 18º High Tide 02:29 & 14:26 Low Tide 08:05 & 20:55

ALKOZAI, Afghanistan: Sixteen Afghans including women and children were killed in their homes by a US soldier in a predawn rampage yesterday, plunging relations between the two countries into a new crisis.

Afghan President Hamid Karzai condemned the slaughter as “unforgivable”. “When Afghan people are killed deliberately by US forces this action is murder and terror and an unforgivable action,” Karzai said in statement.

An American soldier entered the homes of civilians in the southern Kandahar province and killed 16 people including nine children and three women, the statement said. “ The government and the people of Afghanistan demand an explanation from the United States government of this incident,” Karzai said. One Afghan father who said his children were killed in the shooting spree accused US soldiers of later burning the bodies.

NATO’s International Security Assistance Force said it had arrested a soldier over the incident, and the commander, General John Allen, condemned “this deeply appalling incident”. He also vowed to hold “fully accountable” anyone found responsible for the killing spree. “I cannot explain the motivation behind such callous acts, but they were in no way part of authorised ISAF military activity,” his deputy, Lt Gen Adrian Bradshaw, said in a statement as the US rushed to offer condolences. “The United States extends deepest condolences to the families of today’s tragic shooting and we’re saddened by this violent act against our Afghan friends,” a State Department spokeswoman said.

A senior US defence official said Defence Secretary Leon Panetta “was deeply saddened to hear last night of this incident and is closely monitoring reports out of Afghanistan.” The White House also expressed concern.

The Afghan Taleban would take revenge for the Continued on Page 13

Turkey stable investment destination

ANKARA: Members of the senior Kuwaiti media delegation visit Ankara University’s Faculty of Political Sciences during their weeklong visit to Turkey where they met several top leaders including President Abdullah Gul. — KUNA (See Page 25)

KUWAIT: Turkey’s experience in handling the global economic crisis and its success in creating a stable investment environment for local and foreign investors helped it to avoid the negative impact of the financial meltdown that plagued other countries in the region. In a meeting with a senior Kuwaiti media delegation in Istanbul, Mohammed Al-Omar, Kuwait Finance House (KFH) CEO and KFH-Turkey Chairman said he realized that the Turkish government’s economic policy is based on legislative stability that preserves the rights of all investing parties. This was a result of Turkey’s experience in handling the crisis and its success in creating a stable investment environment for local and foreign investors, he said.

Also, Turkey’s income has been diversified by focusing on policies and laws that ensure the prosperity of all sectors of the economy, Al-Omar said. Such kind of support is required for projects that will greatly benefit the society and the investor, he added. He noted that the role played by KFH-Turkey is not limited to offering banking services, but has been elevated to liaising between Kuwait and Gulf countries and Turkey. Kuwait and the GCC are keen on establishing better economic and commercial relationships with Turkey, he said. (See Page 25)

Iran tells West to drop ‘bullying’ tone TEHRAN: Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said yesterday that the West should drop its “bullying” stance against his country and insisted that sanctions imposed over its nuclear programme were having no more than a “psychological” effect. “As God is my witness, the Iranian nation will not give a damn for (your) bombs, warships and planes,” he said in a televised speech in the city of Karaj west of Tehran. “They say all (options) are on the table.

Well, let them rot there. You yourself will rot,” he railed, in

Japan mourns tsunami dead; grapples with aftermath

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characteristically fiery language. Ahmadinejad said the United States and its EU allies “should talk politely, and recognise the rights of (other) nations, and cooperate instead of showing teeth, and weapons and bombs”.

His words came as Iran and major world powers - the five UN Security Council permanent members and Germany - are poised to revive stalled talks amid high tensions over Tehran’s nuclear activities. The United States in particular has KARAJ, Iran: Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad (center) waves as Continued on Page 13 he is greeted by supporters upon his arrival here yesterday. — AFP

Court clears Egypt army doc in ‘virginity tests’ case

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Rooney sends United top as City crash at Swansea

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TAFAS, Syria: An image grab taken from a video shows the body of Syrian national Assem Al-Rabdawi surrounded by mourning family members in the flashpoint southern Syrian region of Daraa yesterday after he was killed by a stray bullet. —AFP

Annan: Tough to reach Syria deal BEIRUT: UN-Arab League envoy Kofi Annan said it would be hard to reach a deal to halt bloodshed in Syria, but expressed optimism after meeting President Bashar Al-Assad for a second day yesterday. “It’s going to be tough. It’s going to be difficult but we have to have hope,” he told reporters in Damascus. “I am optimistic for several reasons,” Annan said, citing a general desire for peace in Syria. “The situation is so bad and so dangerous that all of us cannot afford to fail.”

The former United Nations chief, who is from Ghana, said: “I have urged the president to heed the African proverb which says: ‘You cannot turn the wind, so turn

the sail’.”

Annan, speaking before departing for Qatar, said he had left “concrete proposals” with Assad for a way out of a conflict that has cost thousands of lives. “You have to start by stopping the killings and the misery and the abuses that are going on today, and then give time (for a) political settlement,” he said. There was no immediate word from Syrian officials on the outcome of the talks, but Assad told Annan on Saturday that “terrorists” spreading chaos and instability were blocking any political solution, according to the state news agency SANA. Continued on Page 13

Lagat belies age; Merritt trumps Liu; Isinbayeva back on top

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MONDAY, MARCH 12, 2012

LOCAL

Proposal of Islamist MP forces hijab on all women Women activists criticize statement

By Nawara Fattahova KUWAIT: Parliament recently discussed a ‘decent attire’ draft law, proposed by Islamist MPs who want to ban swimsuits and introduce many other restrictions. Yesterday an Islamist MP made a new extreme statement.

Islamist MP Osama Al-Menawer stated that he does not mind proposing a law that forces and imposes upon women to wear hijab in public after approving the decent attire law. Women activists criticized this statement.

“We feel sorry for the current political situation in our countr y. I t is sad that the majority of MPs who won the elections carry such conser vative ideologies and ideas, which I consider unconstitutional. There are many issues that are much more important to solve and discuss such as the reforms in health, education and other sectors, which they were promoting in their election campaigns,” Lulwa Al-Mulla, Secretary General of the Women’s Cultural Society told the Kuwait Times. “After the Parliament was dissolved,

we expec ted to see the MPs calling for reforms, and instead they came with other silly issues such as changing article 2 of the Constitution to make Islamic jurisprudence the only source of legislation, or approving a law of decent attire. And now Al-Menawer is stating he wants to propose a draft law for hijab. Kuwaiti women will not allow any changes to our Constitution and we will not let them force any rules on us. We are Muslims and respect our religion and this is a new issue. We refuse to change Kuwait into ‘Kuwaitistan’ as they like,” added Al-Mulla.

Ibtisam, a 40-year-old Kuwaiti, found this law proposal illogical. “The Kuwaiti community is open-minded and developed, and cannot be compared to some extreme communities like Saudi Arabia. How can MPs restrict people from having plastic surgery?

Islam is a religion of ease and not difficulty. I believe that such a draft law will not pass. If by any chance it passes, I will contest it as false and appeal it in the Constitutional Cour t as it ’s unconstitutional. I am not against wearing hijab, but it should be

optional and not forced by anybody,” she stated. The westerners living in Kuwait did not welcome this law either, but expressed their ability to adapt to it and accept it as long as they live here.

“If this law passes and I am still living here I will respect the laws of the country. I will probably wear a headscarf if it becomes law.

However, I think this may affect a lot of people’s decisions to come and work in the countr y. It might make some foreigners leave, as this might be uncomfortable for them. But again, as a foreigner I respect the country’s right to make the laws that suit them best,” said Canadian expatriate Emily.

Even men are against such a proposal. “I do not agree with a law to make hijab obligatory clothing for women, although my wife wears hijab. She decided to wear it by her own free will without force from anybody.

We are not living in Qandahar, and I am sure such a law will not pass. I think this matter is a personal freedom, set in the Constitution, and it will not work by force,” said 45-yearold Salem.

Al-Menawer sees big support KUWAIT: MP Osama AlMenawer says he fears Islamic laws will not be applied, and that once he has finished preparing a bill making ‘decent attire’ mandatory for women, he has no problem with proposing another bill to make hijab

mandatory.

Al-Menawer said in an interview with Al-Watan television channel that the Justice Bloc, which he represents, realizes Kuwaiti public demands and that a large segment of society supports their party views.

Al-Menawer criticized plastic surger y, saying that it may cause death. ‘ Therefore, the decency law will prevent conducting such operations, sex changes, lip enlargements and other cosmetic surgeries’, he said.

Commenting on his calls to stop building any more churches or temples for non-Muslims, Al-Menawer said a Ministry of Awqaf edict states that building or renting buildings to be used by non-Muslims as places of worship is banned. —Al-Watan

Qatari road rage suspect’s detention extended

By A Saleh KUWAIT: Kuwait ’s Public Prosecution Department(PPD) yesterday extended the detention of a Qatari national who has been accused of running over a citizen Ahmed Asad till March 25. I t has directed that Asad ’s testimony be recorded af ter he regained consciousness from a long coma.

Security sources added that a special prosecution team be sent to Al-Razi hospital, where Asad has been receiving treatment. The Qatari suspect denies that he deliberately maimed the vic tim.

Furthermore, the suspect claims that Asad picked a fight with him while in an inebriated state, which was refuted after Asad’s blood tests repor ts showed no alcohol

traces. Notably, the incident goes back to the National and Liberation days celebrations when eyewitnesses accused the suspect of insulting Kuwaiti women. Asad was among those that raised an objection, and blamed the suspect, resulting in a fight.

Duwaisan queries anti-UAE sentiments Lawmaker Faisal Al-Duwaisan stressed his intention to file a request to discuss the fierce criticism launched by Egyptian Muslim Brethren movement assisted by Tareq Suwaidan of Kuwait and Yousf AlQaradawi of Qatar against United Arab Emirates. “ The consequences of such a campaign must be discussed, and we should provide full support to our brothers in UAE,” he urged.

Committee to discuss traffic The chairman of the parliamentar y public facilities committee, MP Faisal AlMislem invited the ministers of interior, electricity and water, and public works to attend the committee’s meeting tomorrow. This is in order to discuss traffic congestion problem and try finding proper solutions.

New schools in Egaila, Jahra The Undersecretary of the Ministry of Education, Tamadher Al-Sdairawi recently issued a ministerial decree to open a new secondary school for boys in Egaila and three new schools (kindergarten, primary and intermediate) in Jahra. It will be operational by the next academic year.

Unions to stage two-hour strike next week KUWAIT: Labor unions representing staff members in several state departments will take part in a two-hour daily strike beginning Monday, March 19, announced Ajmi Al-Mutalaqqem Vice President of the National Union of Kuwait’s Workers and Employees.

The strike will be held in protest against unpaid financial allowances that workers demand from the government.

The Civil Service Commission(CSC) is expected to discuss the demands during a meeting to be held today.

The Kuwait Trade Union Federation(KTUF) staged a sit-in last Wednesday despite earlier reports that the government plan to pass general pay raises ranging between 20 and 40 percent - averages which fall short of most unions’ demands. In addition to salary raises and allowances, most labor unions base their demands on the prospect of achieving equality among public sector employees. Meanwhile, sources who spoke to Al-Qabas on condition of

anonymity warned that yielding to all demands might create more problems “when that would put more pressure on the state’s budget and create even more discrimination among employees.”

“Allowances are paid to those who raise their voices rather than hard working employees who earn their pay,” one source argued, reported Al-Qabas.

In other news, sources familiar with CSC said that it plans to pay allowances not based on the department where workers are employed, but instead on job classifications. “This mechanism will help achieve equality among state employees which cannot be realized by passing salary increases or allowances individually,” a source explained.

The same sources also hinted that allowances will soon be paid to employees in jobs classified as ‘rare professions,’ like Customs General Department personnel, legal staff members, and Ministry of Health laboratory technicians, reported Al-Rai.

Controversy over parliament raid’s complaint KUWAIT: Changes to the official complaint made against the storming of Parliament incident last November will be a step backwards in the process of establishing a state of law, Deputy Speaker Khalid Al-Sultan said recently.

“It is illogical to turn the crime of violating one of our most prestigious constitutional institutions, into a simple error”, AlSultan added. The remarks came amid reports which hint changes could be made to the official complaint forwarded by the head office of the previous Parliament.

The storming of Parliament, in which a number of MPs in the current Parliament stand accused, was set to be discussed during the meeting of the Parliament’s head office yesterday. Al-Sultan said any decision regarding the case will be “based on handling the case within legal and constitutional frameworks”. -Al-Jarida Parliamentary updates Rapporteur MP Dr. Mohammad AlMuttar said fellow MPs in the Foreign Relations Committee are set to embark on

a tour around the Gulf Cooperation Council countries to discuss establishing a unified GCC confederation.

MP Adel Al-Damkhy said proposed regulations to organize the establishment of political bodies will “create security concerns” if they are not accompanied with regulations that criminalize forming secret organizations. “Without criminalizing secret organizations, such proposals fail to protect society from foreign interventions”, the lawmaker added. -Al-Rai MP Abdulhameed Dashti argued in a letter he sent to Parliament’s head office that a visit carried out by human rights committee members to the Central Jail recently was unconstitutional. Dashti says he a committee member, was never invited to participate in the tour. He says this violates article 12/1963 of Parliament’s internal regulations. -Al-Qabas MP Riyadh Al-Adasani called on the Ministry of Communications to activate a law, passed in 2007, by which cell phone users can switch providers while keeping their phone numbers.—Al-Rai

KUWAIT: Inauguration of the unified GCC traffic week activities in Kuwait yesterday. —Photos by Joseph Shagra

GCC Traffic Week begins KUWAIT: Brigadier Ihsan Al-Owaish, Assistant Director of the Traffic Department, said unified GCC traffic week activities started yesterday under the slogan ‘Working together to limit traffic accidents’.

He said there will be a lot of information regarding traffic safety on the road, wishing that this week will be a good start for all to abide year long with traffic regulations to reduce traffic accidents and the many traffic citations.

Brigadier Al-Owaish said traffic accidents are on the rise and the main reason is human error. The conduct of drivers, the way they deal with roads and other drivers, and respect for others and the road will reduce traffic accidents.

He said the aim of visits by traffic delegations among GCC states is to learn about the scope of work and how others are dealing with roads and traffic violators in other GCC states.

He said crossing red traffic signals, speeding and the use of mobile telephones while driving are the main reasons for accidents according to statistics. He said that increasing penalties will help reduce traffic accidents, in addition to more traffic education and monitoring all roads.

MONDAY, MARCH 12, 2012

local

Stress, obesity causing rapid increase in fertility problems Women report higher degree of anxiety over infertility

By Lisa Conrad

Motor show attracts excited crowds

By Nawara Fattahova KUWAIT: An international motocross championship will be held in Kuwait for the first time next weekend said Osama Al-Mansoor, Head of the Quarter Mile Motorsports Club (QMMC) Media Committee.

Al-Mansoor was speaking to the Kuwait Times after an overwhelmingly successful QMMC motor show exhibition, held on Saturday at the Jaber Al-Ahmad racing track on the Sixth Ring Road.

According to organizers the huge audience that attended was unexpected and they appreciated the popularity of the event, which thronged with excited crowds.

Over 75 participants represented six motor sporting categories that are practiced at the QMMC. These are Rally racing, Drag racing, Super cars, ATV, Motocross and Classic cars. The leader of each team from the six categories presented their motorsport activity and all the information related to it.

“The main purpose of this event was to provide awareness to the public about the motorsports in Kuwait. We also aim to inform the public about the available activities held and organized by the QMMC, which are practiced according to international safety measures of motorsports Federations such as FIM, FIA, ADRL, NHRA and others,” Al-Mansoor said.

Child dies in fire

By Hanan Al-Saadoun KUWAIT: A huge fire broke out in a Farwaniya building yesterday, security sources said, noting that firefighters were still fighting it at the time this report was made. The sources said one unidentified girl was killed in the fire, while a 33-yearold Egyptian mother and her two daughters, aged 5 and 8, suffocated after inhaling smoke and had to be sent to Farwaniya hospital for immediate treatment.

Additionally, four firemen were treated on site for smoke inhalation and thermal stress. No more casualties were reported.

Traffic accident King Fahad Highway was heavily con-

gested after a traffic accident took place between Shuhada and Bayan security sources said, noting that long queues of vehicles had to wait for over an hour until the accident was dealt with by traffic police.

Expired food destroyed The Mubarak Al-Kabeer Municipality’s task forces have been diligently carrying out inspections across fields like hygiene, licenses, cleanliness, food control and engineering, said Sherida Al-Muttairi Manager of Mubarak Al-Kabeer Municipality. He added that 297 stores were inspected in January, resulting in 39 of them being fined for violating Municipality laws. He also stressed that 667 kilograms of expired food items were destroyed.

Amir’s visit to Philippines ‘vital for ties’ KUALA LUMPUR: A visit to the Philippines late this month by His Highness the Amir, Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, will strengthen ties between both countries, a university professor there said.

“The Philippines government under the leadership of President Aquino is focused more on strengthening its efforts on eco-

nomic diplomacy and trade relations with Middle East countries, especially Kuwait,” said Zenia M. Rodriguez, political science professor at the University of Santo Tomas.

Albert F. Del Rosario, Philippines Foreign Affairs Secretary, has confirmed Kuwait’s plans to expand its investments and infrastructure in the Philippines, she said.—KUNA

KUWAIT: “Fertility problems are on the rise in Kuwait, with around 10 and 15 percent of couples already experiencing various problems,” said Dr Nahed Hammadieh, Director of the IVF and Reproductive Medicine and Surgery Centre at New Mowasat Hospital. Throughout the Middle East, Kuwait included, considerable concentration and priority is placed on the continuation, expansion and preservation of traditional family values and structures. As a result, couples facing fertility problems often come under considerable pressure and stress as they try and fulfill the expectations dictated by society, their family and even themselves.

Dr Hammadieh added that obesity plays a key role in fertility problems in Kuwait because of the effect it can have on ovulation, “Obese patients who successfully lose 10 percent of their weight often become pregnant spontaneously.” He added, however, the prevalence of Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) makes things considerably more complicated, “PCOS is a major cause of obesity, and is very common in Kuwait. It makes it easier for women to gain weight, and more difficult to lose it.”

The rise of obesity, he added, worsens fertility problems as women with a Body Mass Index (BMI) of 30 or higher are considerably more likely to experience delays in natural conception. He further added, “Patients with an average BMI benefit much better from fertility treatments, whereas patients with a BMI over 30 percent have a 25 percent lower success rate. In the UK, patients with a BMI over 35 will not be treated.

Overweight patients are also more likely to suffer complications during their pregnancy.” Being severely underweight, however, is just as detrimental to fertility as being obese, Dr Hammadieh warned.

Dr Hammadieh added that many couples in Kuwait try and pursue fertility treatment very early into their marriages if they fail to conceive quickly which, he warned, can ignite a vicious cycle. “Infertility treatments for women include hormone shots, which can cause weight gain spark a vicious cycle. Young couples should wait at least a year before seeking help.”

However, many couples still succumb to pressures to conceive immediately following marriage. Young Kuwaiti couple, Hamad and Salwa, are currently considering IVF treatment after attempting to conceive for four years. “I am fine with waiting, but the pressure we are under from our families is ridiculous. I have PCOS so it may take more time than usual,” said Salwa. Hamad is just 25, and Salwa is 22. “My family is wondering

Plans on to modernize KAC fleet KUWAIT: A proposal has been submitted to modernize the Kuwait Airways fleet before the state-owned airline is privatized, announced Salem Al-Othaina, the minister of communications.

“An amendment to the privatization law will be submitted to the Cabinet within a couple of weeks. I am certain that MPs [will pass it, as they] understand the current situation of the KAC,” said AlOthaina, before explaining that the amendment would allow the KAC to be turned into a company affiliated to the Kuwait Investment Authority (KIA).

Asserting that eliminating the KAC’s woes is one of his top priorities, Al-Othaina admitted that the state’s official carrier suffers problems “owing to aircrafts’ age.” In the meantime, the minister expressed faith in the KAC’s maintenance engineers “who are capable of ensuring that no aircraft will takes flight unless it is fully qualified from the technical standpoint.” A detailed report also quotes Secretary General of the KAC’s labor union Husain Al-Habeeb, who said that “captains and crew are aware that this could be their last flight whenever they step into a KAC flight.” The unionist also cited mismanagement as a major issue, “given the large amount of funds spent annually on maintenance and repair operations.”

Al-Habeeb also mentioned a number of incident where KAC aircrafts were held at European airports for failing to meet safety and security standards. “Is the government waiting for a disaster to happen before they act?” Al-Habeeb questioned, adding that the KAC is facing a gradual decline “because citizens are too scared to fly with the KAC.” A random survey featuring 100 citizens indicate that 84 percent of them prefer to travel in different airline than KAC, while 72 percent said that they feel concerned while traveling with the KAC.— Al-Qabas

why I’m not pregnant. They think I’m using contraceptives and preventing a pregnancy on purpose. My mother is constantly telling me ‘Shame on you, married couples should have children,’ which is really hurtful.” What’s more, the couple had originally wanted to wait before having a child. “We weren’t in a rush, but then the pressure started, so we gave in. When Salwa didn’t get pregnant immediately, the pressure and questions and curiosity became extreme,” added Hamad.

According to a 2010 report on infertility and difficulty conceiving in Kuwait, there are subtle pressures ingrained in the culture, and even the language, that further remind couples of their need to reproduce. “In Kuwait, it is customary to identify adults by placing the prefix ‘Abu’ or ‘Umm’ with their child’s name, for example, Abu Khalid or Umm Mohammed meaning Father of Khalid or mother of Mohammed, respectively.”

The report, which was compiled by Florence and Alexander Omu using research undertaken in Kuwait, further added “This custom serves is a reminder to the infertile couple of their social obligations to procreate and results in personal frustration.” The report further revealed that as a woman’s age increases, the more severe their emotional reaction becomes, as they become more aware of their biological clock.

Dr Hammadieh noted that additional stresses and pressure to conceive, whether cultural, personal or familial, can be very detrimental, “Stress can cause overeating, which will worsen PCOS and make it even harder for couples to conceive.”

It’s likely that many couples experience the same stress Salwa and Hamad came under, as Dr Hammadieh revealed the extremity that pregnancy pressures can reach, “There are expectations for women to get pregnant here quickly, some families even become concerned if the new bride menstruates after marriage, as there is an expectation for her to get pregnant immediately.” Pre-existing family conflicts can quickly transform the usual pressures and stress into an intense blame-game when fertility problems arise, “My husband’s family said our difficulty to have children was because he was being punished for divorcing his first wife, who was also his second cousin. Even when we had a baby girl, they belittled me because his ex-wife had given him sons,” said 32-year-old Jordanian expatriate, Layla. She described the treatment she received from her husband’s family as ‘bullying’ and added that if her husband, Ahmad, hadn’t been as supportive and loving, she would have left him purely to escape the incessant comments and cruelty from her in-laws.

Layla and Ahmad struggled for nine years to

have a baby before turning to IVF to have their daughter. Their inability to conceive naturally, however, still affects their lives. “My husband’s family wanted him to stay with his ex because they are related. She was abnormally cruel and, I’m sure, must be suffering from bipolar disorder.

She was awful with her own children and was abusive with their maid. He hit breaking point and got a divorce, which devastated his parents.”

When Ahmad married Layla, his family’s initial devastation at the divorce grew to outrage as they consider Layla’s family to be of lesser social standing than their own, “We married for love, whereas his first marriage was arranged. When I had trouble conceiving, they said it was a sign that I wasn’t a ‘good’ woman, and that he was being punished for leaving his first wife and hurting his family. They even suggested that he leave me or take a second wife who could ‘fulfill her duties’ properly,” recalled Layla.

According to Omu and his report, it’s not uncommon for women to experience the distress and friction Layla described, “Infertile wives are said to experience greater emotional disturbances than their husbands because, during the process of female socialization, pregnancy and childbirth are considered as the most important function of the wife.” The report, further revealed, “The other factor that might have been of concern to some of the women is the fear of losing their spouses to another woman who may be able to prove their fertility by getting pregnant.”

However, placing higher levels of pressure on women can often be inaccurate, “Difficulty in conceiving can be related to male factor problems, for example if he has a low sperm count, which is very common,” said Dr Hammadieh. “In Kuwait, many men take steriods for bodybuilding, which can greatly reduce their sperm count.

Cigarette smoking is also very harmful.” He added that couples having trouble conceiving should test males first before commencing tests on women. It seems that men are considerably less stressed or concerned, however, as Omu’s report revealed that while all of the women interviewed confirmed feelings of anxiety, only four of their partners said that they felt sad, worried or anxious about their infertility diagnosis.

Regardless of which partner is dealing with fertility problems, Dr Hammadieh insisted that all must make an effort to stay fit and healthy, “If parents notice their children gaining weight and overeating, they should address it sensibly to avoid it becoming a more severe problem later, given the consequences of obesity. A balanced diet, exercise and good sleeping patterns are vital for overall health, including reproductive health.”

MONDAY, MARCH 12, 2012

LOCAL kuwait digest

kuwait digest

Fake heroes of Kuwait

Poor hospital management

By Sami Al Nisf

By Thaar Al-Rashidi

T

here is a story about six friends who went out camping in the forest. While they were sitting in their tent, they heard the voice of a hungry lion coming close by. Five of them put on their sport shoes while the sixth lay on his bed doing nothing, until the lion got close to the tent.

The lazy colleague asked his friends; “Why you are putting on your sport shoes? Don’t you know that you will not be able to run faster than the lion?!” They answered him in one voice; “We know that very well, smart guy, but we are trying to beat you so that the hungry lion gets busy eating you and does not follow us.”

We can describe the Gulf states as the five friends who became serious workshops that develop society and everything on their land.

The sixth lazy friend is our state which, for decades, has given up serious work and started arguments and repeated political crises. The elders played the heroes and the youths followed and imitated, except for the wise persons.

The serious work by our brothers in the GCC over the past four decades has caused fast advancement in those countries. Since the 70s, they have over-passed us in several phases while we got into continuous political fights. The disputes have no end and caused backward security problems to us, like the invasion, explosions and airplane kidnaps.

This is in addition to our economic problems, like the Stock Market disaster, and repeated stock market problems and the dangerous policy which is still occurring until today, while nothing like that happens in the GCC states.

Our kind people still carry the fake heroes on their shoulders. Those heroes threaten Kuwait and its people with crises and grilling, protests and repeated strikes. Our kind people stand up against those who call for quietness and to work seriously and leave arguments aside.

Such people require heroes ”who are qualified and trained to destroy a country as large as China.”

Note: The first step of reform and growth is to change people’s modes upside down. Those who support crises, grilling and continuous fighting, must be changed to a new style of those who stand up against all such things — whether from the majority or the minority, no difference.

Note 2: The State has become like a drifting ship controlled by wind, which blows the vessel from one rock to another. The safety of this ship concerns the safety of everyone, and if it is sunk everyone will sink with it. — Al-Anbaa

A

kuwait digest

Act before it’s too late

By Dr Mubarak Al-Therwa

W

henever financial benefits are granted to state employees, prices in general increase accordingly, leaving citizens in an endless rat-race to keep up with an ever-increasing cost of living.

The fluctuating oil prices are often blamed for the increase in consumer products prices and other imported items. This in turn, can be attributed to their direct effect on transportation and freight costs.

However, an aspect like monopoly that is a prime reason for price rise in Kuwait, is often overlooked.

Monopoly affects prices of essential commodities like food products, yet the Ministry of Commerce fails to do enough to curb this problem.

Why don’t MPs give this problem top priority? Why aren’t there enough efforts to free necessary consumer products from the ‘exclusive sponsor ’ restraints? Everything, including food items, building materials, service fees and even rents are on the rise.

I also believe that we as citizens should share the blame for prices that are spiraling out of control

because we fail to act. We have to be fair and admit that the consumption pattern in Kuwait and the entire Gulf region needs to be addressed, as people spend mindlessly on accessories and entertainment.

Making profit is any businessperson’s main interest.

If he witnesses people spending heavily on unnecessary luxurious items, what stops him from taking advantage of their naivety to make guaranteed gains?

Greed that targets people’s pay can only lead to public frustration which creates social problems that have ominous repercussions.

There are many examples of societies around the world which erupted after suffering from unemployment and poverty for several years.

It is sad that the government increases the salaries of public servants, only for it to end up in a greedy businessman’s pocket. In addition to passing pay raises, I hope that the government will also monitor prices, support the locally-made products, eliminate monopoly and boost competition in the local market. — Al-Rai

la Al-Aswani, a most famous Arab writer who still works as a doctor, says: “I work in two hospitals facing each other. The first one is a private hospital, and it is not a miracle..., but it is a hospital. The second one is a public hospital, but it simply is not a hospital”. Al-Aswani gave his brief description at a seminar held in Brussels. He was the honored guest in the book exhibition there. Al-Aswani briefed the private sector and public sector problems through a life style we are all living in Arab countries. Private hospitals are simply hospitals but are not a big deal. Government hospitals are nothing more than a building. They look like hospitals and poor people come to them for treatment, usually because it is the only choice provided to them by their governments.

In Kuwait, one of the 15 richest countries in the world, the matter is very much like Al-Aswani’s description of hospitals. We are supposed to have the best medical system in the whole area, but this did not happen. I can understand that the difference between private and government is huge in a country like Egypt. I can never understand, neither me nor one million persons, how there can be so much difference between private and government hospitals in Kuwait. Especially when the Government spends millions?! Does any one of you know how much the Ministry of Health budget is? This year it will be KD 1.2 billion and next year will be KD 1.6 billion, an increase of KD 400 million.

I will not speak about the details of this budget or those billions but those billions did not give me, a citizen, one respectable hospital. They will not give services equivalent to the billions which we pay from our private pockets in public money.

The wait for a hospital’s appointment is months.

Hospitals are suffering more than the patients who visit them for treatment. My advice to the Ministry of Health, which has not improved during the past 20 years, is to deduct part of the current budget. Since we lose it at the end of the year, without any noticeable improvement, the deducted money could be invested in the stock exchange market for us, or at least in a private hospital or in a recreation city. The important thing is that it will generate some return, which is better than losing billions year after year and services are still same, no change. Even the medicine is less efficient (our people like cheap prices).

Note: The Ministry of Health budget in 2011-2012 was KD 1.2 billion. Half of it is budgeted for salaries. Say that the salary of every employee at the Ministry of Health is KD 2,000. That means that the number of employees is over 25,000. Is it possible that with at least 25,000 employees a patient cannot get an appointment for months?!

It is one of two things: either the budget is wrong or the administration at Ministry of Health is a complete failure! — Al-Anbaa

MONDAY, MARCH 12, 2012

local

Regional developments cloud oil markets: Al-Gharabally GPCE to meet in Kuwait on April 9-10

KUWAIT: A Kuwait Fire Services Directorate (KFSD) PR and Media delegation headed by Lt Col Khalil Al-Amir visited Ali Al-Rayyes, Assistant Undersecretary of Information Ministry for TV Affairs yesterday. Both sides discussed bilateral cooperation on some media and awareness programs about KFSD’s aims. —Photos by Hanan Al-Saadoun

Asma Bint Abibakr School wins Big Science Challenge KUWAIT: The British Council announced yesterday that Asma Bint Abibakr School for Girls won the “Big Science Challenge” for children in the UK and the Middle East aged between 11 and 16. Raafat Abu Taleb, deputy director of British Council, said the competition is supported by RollsRoyce, the global power systems company. The winners will visit Rolls-Royce factories during a trip to Britain.

The British Council organized the competition in Kuwait, Bahrain, Iraq, Jordan, Oman, Qatar and Saudi Arabia, he added. The competition aims to develop students’ creativity in the fields of technology and science, as well as encourage them to exchange skills and cooperate at an international level.

The competition was launched in Kuwait last December, when 30 schools began their problem-solving research into eight projects. These required water-related and design innovative solutions in local, national and international environments.

Asma Bint Abibakr School for Girls stood out as “particularly impressive”

in its simplicity and practicality. The five member female team has won a one-week trip to London, where they will participate in a program of cultural exchange and educational activities, Taleb noted.

Rabab Bin Hassan, director of the winning school, said the students have proven themselves in the scientific competition by designing a mechanism to desalinate sea-water. Their plan uses the resulting salts for household purposes and the clean water for irrigation. She praised the British Council for organizing a competition that enhances the work of students and encourages their scientific ideas.

Tom Shepherd, head of the political section at the British Embassy and member of the Big Science Challenge jury, said, “I thoroughly enjoyed judging this competition. I was impressed with the interest and creativity shown by all who took part.”

“Energy and water issues are pressing ones that will affect us more and more in the future, particularly in this part of the world, where water is so scarce. — KUNA

Gulf forum on human rights starts in Oman MUSCAT: Organized by the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) the second Gulf Forum of National Institutions for Human Rights began here yesterday under the auspices of Oman State Council Chairman, Dr. Yahya Bin Mahfouth Al-Monthiri.

The two-day forum is themed “The role of national institutions in the promotion and protection of human rights: national experiences”.

It focuses on the performance of civil society institutions in spreading awareness on basic human rights supported by the universal declaration of human rights, the Paris principles and local laws. The Office of the

H igh Commissioner for Human Rights, Internati-onal Coordinating Committee (ICC), International Labor Organization (ILO), and a number of governmental and public bodies are participating in the event.

M ohammed bin Abdullah AlR iyami, Chairman of the NHRC in Oman, said the forum will discuss a number of issues including international standards and principles of national committees for human rights. The ICC Sub-Committee on Accreditation also contributes in suppor ting establishment of human rights national committees by evaluating their performance. — KUNA

KUWAIT: The recent political upheavals in the region has cast a shadow over world oil markets and highlighted the importance of the oil-producing Gulf states’ in retaining stability of oil markets, said oil expert and President of the Organizing Committee of the Gulf Petroleum Conference and Exhibition (GPCE) Jamal Al-Gharabally yesterday.

In a press conference held here yesterday

by GPCE organizers, Al-Gharabally said that GPCE will be held on April 9-10 under the patronage of Minister of Oil and Chairman of the Kuwait Petroleum Corporation (KPC) Hani Abdulaziz Hussein and the presence of leaders of major energy companies, oil experts and economists from Gulf nations and the whole world.

He noted that the GPCE will be themed “Gulf Petroleum Integration.. Prospects and Challenges), adding that the Gulf region has huge oil reserves but lacks integration in production. Al-Gharabally added that the conference underlines Kuwait’s eagerness to ameliorate oil industry.

He stated that the conference, which is accompanied by an exhibition of companies and institutions involved and the sponsor will address the major projects currently being implemented or will be implemented over the coming months and years in the Arabian Gulf in terms of oil and gas, petrochemicals and opportunities at this level with the participation of specialized international companies.

The GPCE will be an opportunity for international companies to follow up on latest developments in oil sector in Gulf states and

tenders that be will put up for major projects in the region, he said.

Al-Gharabally disclosed that the GPCE will focus on Kuwait, as one of the world’s most cru-

KUWAIT: Jamal Al-Gharabally addressing the press conference yesterday. — Photo by Yasser Al-Zayyat cial oil suppliers, taking into account Kuwait’s plans to increase its oil production over the next five years to reach a total of 3.5 million b/d. President of the Scientific Committee of GPCE Dr Jassem M Al-Besharah said the conference will tackle several key issues, including

‘Mawaheb’ to showcase Kuwaiti talents KUWAIT: Kuwait’s Sabah Al-Ahmad Center for Giftedness and Creativity (SACGC) yesterday called on to the Kuwaiti community to come out and suppor t its local young talented Kuwaitis by visiting the “Mawaheb” gallery exhibition on March 15, 16, and 17 at the Avenues Mall.

The exhibition, created and organized by SACGC, provides a platform for 15 of the top Kuwaiti photographers, artists and musicians, to showcase their talent directly to the community through unique, signature performances, displays, and presentations.

Gust marks 10th anniversary KUWAIT: The Gulf University for Science and Technology (GUST) marked yesterday the tenth anniversary of its foundation as the first private university in Kuwait.

“The idea of establishing GUST is the brainchild of a group of distinguished Kuwaiti academicians and businessmen who realized the importance of setting up a modern university in Kuwait equal in quality to other prestigious universities abroad and to serve the ever-increasing educational demands of the local society and the Gulf region,” GUST Chairman of the Board of Trustees Dr Abdul Rahman Al-Mehailan said in a ceremony held yesterday to mark the occasion.

Al-Mahelan pointed out that over 3,000 students have graduated from the university in the past ten years in additions to scores of others who benefited from GUST post-graduate programs organized in cooperation with the University of Missouri at St. Louis, USA. He underlined that GUST has continually improved and expanded its educational and organizational capacities while steadily increasing its enrollments.

GUST has launched an elearning center in cooperation with the University of San Yong Sung in China and is now preparing to open a college for architecture. AlMehailan expressed gratitude for the government’s support to GUST and its graduates.

For his part, University of Missouri at St. Louis’s Vice Chancellor Dr Joel Glassman lauded GUST achievements in the past ten years.

“We are very proud of our participation in this progress.” Glassman said the Gulf University has made great strides to place itself among the prestigious private universities in the world. — KUNA

oil, gas and petrochemical production; legal, economic and political aspects of the oil industry, as well as environment protection. The conference will include five sessions themed;

SACGC General Manager, Dr Omar Al-Bannai said, “”Mawaheb” is a talentdriven exhibition that connect Kuwait’s undiscovered talents to the community and showcases to Kuwait some of the great ar t. We urge all mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters, and every member of the community to pass by the “Mawaheb” exhibition at the Avenues this coming weekend in suppor t of these fantastic young Kuwaitis.”

“Mawaheb” will kick-off on 7 pm on March 15 at the Avenues location near Dean and Deluca.

“Petroleum Industry Outlook: Future and Opportunities”; “Oil Exploration and Production Way Forward”; “Downstream Industry Upcoming Opportunities”; “Partnership”; and “Environment Challenges and Solution”. —KUNA

MONDAY, MARCH 12, 2012

local

Syrian in police custody for selling donated food Three killed in road accidents KUWAIT: A Syrian man was arrested recently in Fahaheel for selling food donated in aid of Syria. Local police launched investigations following a report from a Kuwaiti man. The citizen said he discovered that a person was selling his donated food items. The suspect was later caught red-handed after agreeing to sell a sack of rice, valued at KD13 in the local market, for KD5 to an undercover agent.

Following his arrest, the man led officers to a warehouse where he kept food items donated for needy people in Syria. The suspect remains in custody pending trial.

Criminals intercepted An Asian taxi driver faces multiple charges after he was caught in the company of two runaway housemaids. He was taking them to a brothel. The incident took place in Jahra, where two patrol officers pulled over a taxi carrying two Asian women who were behaving very suspiciously. After a few questions, the women confessed they had just ran away from their employer’s house in the area. The driver admitted that he was taking them to a vice den in return for commission. The two women were also found in possession of items they confessed to have stolen from their employer’s house before escaping. The three were taken into custody and referred to the proper authorities to face charges.

Fatal accidents Two men died in a crash on Abdaly Road.

Police and paramedics were present at the

scene shortly after a report of an SUV turning over on the road. A Kuwaiti driver and his Egyptian companion, both in their twenties, were pronounced dead on the scene before the bodies were referred to the proper authorities. An investigation was opened to reveal circumstances behind the incident.

Meanwhile, a police academy student was killed in a car accident reported on King Fahad Highway recently. The victim was pronounced dead at the scene where his car settled, after losing balance and overturning. He was identified as Fahad Al-Rughaib, 26-yearold, and was set for graduation next week. An investigation is underway to determine the cause of the accident.

Child hurt A 5-year-old child was hospitalized in critical condition after falling from the third floor of a house in Saad Al-Abdullah recently. A Kuwaiti man arrived at the emergency room of Jahra Hospital carrying his injured and blood-spattered child, who was immediately rushed to the intensive care unit. The father explained that the child accidently fell from a window when he was left unattended. A case was opened for investigations.

Death probe An investigation is currently ongoing to determine the circumstances behind the death of a mentally disabled female citizen, found dead inside a house in Riqqa. Police and paramedics headed to the scene shortly

following an emergency call made by the home owners, after they found the victim unconscious inside her room. Criminal investigators were called after the victim was pronounced dead at the scene. An autopsy report is awaited to carry on with the investigation.

A 36-year-old farmer was found dead inside an Abdaly farm owned by a Kuwaiti citizen. After investigations were carried out at the scene, the body was taken to the forensic department to determine the time and cause of death.

Stolen car found Pure chance led a senior female citizen to find her car reported stolen nearly a month ago. She was able to retrieve it with a little help from her children. The woman is in her thirties according to the police report. She was shopping for groceries near her Abdaly farm when her driver spotted a vehicle outside. He was able to identify the car as the one stolen from him in a Salmiya street a month ago. The woman reportedly headed to the vehicle and demanded that the two men inside return the car. The suspects refused to cooperate and drove away from the scene.

The woman called her sons, who soon arrived at the scene. They forced the suspects to stop.

Police arrived and placed them under arrest.

Officers also found light weapons belonging to the suspects inside the stolen vehicle. The men remain in custody pending further procedures. —Al-Rai, Al-Watan, Al-Anbaa

Eating habits of 68.3% of MENA professionals ‘healthy’ KUWAIT: A recent poll examining the health and eating habits of professionals in the Middle East, conducted by Bayt.com, a Middle East jobsite, has revealed that healthy behavior amongst professionals may be higher than perceived. In fact, only 31.7% of respondents stated that they consider their eating habits to be unhealthy and most respondents claimed to exercise on at least an occasional basis.

Most professionals in the MENA region eat two (41.3%) or three (39.8%) meals a day, and the majority — just over a quarter or those surveyed at 28.2% — consume no coffee on a daily basis. One to two cups of coffee is the most commonly consumed amount (according to 43.6%; 20.9% consume one cup daily, 22.7% two cups), though 4.5% claim to drink more than five cups every day. “There is a common misconception that the life of a professional is sedentary and unhealthy, however our poll demonstrates that the vast majority of people in the MENA region are aware of what constitutes a healthy lifestyle and claim to adhere to one,� said Suhail Masri, vice president of Product, Bayt.com. “Bayt.com prides itself on providing invaluable data to employers and employees alike, enriching the lives of our community both inside and outside their careers.�

In terms of eating habits, 50.8% of respondents claim that they eat a moderate amount of carbohydrates every day, while the majority (47.8%) state that they ‘occasionally’ eat meat.

In terms of other food groups, 46.3% eat a daily moderate amount of vegetables, 47.2% ‘occasionally’ eat fruit, and 37.1% eat a daily moderate amount of dairy products.

When it comes to eating out, 31.8% say that they do so ‘very rarely’, while at the other end of the scale, 24.6% dine out on a daily basis. Mealtimes are a family affair for a cumulative 84.6% of respondents (36.3% state that every meal is family time; 48.3% claim ‘some meals’ to be). Roughly half of the offices covered in the poll have canteen or cafeteria facilities, with only 45% without.

A small 17.6% of respondents claim to do no exercise, with the rest claiming to exercise frequently (37.6%) or occasionally (44.8%). The most popular location to work out is at home (including within the respondent’s building or compound) according to 30.5%; this is followed by outdoors (28.8%) and at a commercial gym (20.6%). Walking is by far the most common exercise activity, undertaken by 49%. Running and swimming come a close second and third (8.6% and 8.5%, respectively), followed by a combination of sports.

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KUWAIT: Submitting a draft law to criminal- health, sports, tourism fields. Furthermore, ize ‘indecent’ clothing and behavior in Al-Fuzai opined that the draft law put forKuwait reflects the fact that Kuwaiti society ward by the Islamic Adalah (justice) Bloc “ is increasingly adopting a suggests that immorality regressive mentality, and has been spreading in is an offense to an already Kuwaiti society, therefore deeply conservative socirequiring disciplinary ety, said political activist measures to correct an Muna Al-Fuzai in a stateerror.� The local activist ment to Kuwait Times asserted that recommenyesterday. She stressed dations which restrict that other important public freedoms “violate issues need to be tackled the Constitution� and are in the country. “While unnecessary, given the there may be incidents existing regulations in that violate Kuwaiti socieplace. tal norms, they cannot be “I suspect if most peoconsidered a phenomena ple and lawmakers would that need to be counaccept such outrageous tered with the help of proposals, and I hope legislations and deterrent that the Parliament measures,� said Al-Fuzai, Speaker Ahmad AlMuna Al-Fuzai adding that Kuwaitis Saadoun will express a expect parliamentarians to focus primarily clear opinion on the matter,� Al-Fuzai said on combating corruption, create develop- before urging MPs to give priority to pushment and improvements in the educational, ing developmental projects forward.

KUWAIT: The Public Authority for Youth and Sports’ General Director Faisal Al-Jassaf met recently at his office with the Tunisian Ambassador to Kuwait, Mustafa Bahiya. The two sides discussed matters of mutual concern and means to boost cooperation in the youth and sports fields.

NBK launches Facebook photography competition KUWAIT: National Bank of Kuwait (NBK) next week,� added Al-Rushaid. “ We launched a new photography competi- have seen a dramatic growth in our tion exclusively for NBK’s Facebook social media supporters with more than fans. The competition runs from March 30,000 fans now on NBK’s O fficial 6 to 13. “NBK’s Facebook photography Facebook page and over 15,000 followcompetition is exclusive ers of NBK’s Official for our Facebook memTwitter account,� Albers,� NBK Social Media Rushaid noted. “ The Specialist, Badria Alsocial media team Rushaid explained. works around the “NBK wants to encourclock to engage with age our customers to our customers, prouse their creativity to vide suppor t and come up with interestfeedback and ensure a ing ways to celebrate positive online experithe grand quarterly Alence with NBK.�

Jawhara draw of KD NBK values the role 250,000.

We have social media channels already received some such as Twitter and very interesting submisFacebook play in sions.�

Kuwait and utilizes “Anyone currently them as an important living in Kuwait who is a means of keeping in Badria Al-Rushaid follower of NBK’s touch with NBK cusOfficial Facebook page is eligible to tomers and their concerns. For more submit their photo. They do not neces- information, visit: NBK Official Page on sarily need to be NBK account holders, Facebook or NBK Twitter account and the lucky winner be announced @NBKPage.

Kuwait to host Arab IT security conference KUWAIT: The United Marketing and Organizing Exhibitions Co (Uniexpo) announced yesterday that preparations are underway for the upcoming Second Arab Conference for Information and Communications Security (ACICS-2) that will be held by the Central Agency for Information Technology (CAIT) from Sept 24 to 26. A Uniexpo spokesman said “the success of ACICS-1 that was held on Oct 3 and 4 and the effective participation of many government organizations in Kuwait and the GCC countries, and the excellent response we received from many world-class IT Security companies encouraged us to transform ACICS into an annual event. During the opening speech at ACICS-1, Minister of Communications Salem Methyeb Al-Othaina considered IT Security an issue of national security, as well as technical implementation. Al-Othaina was delivering the opening speech on behalf of His Highness the Prime Minister. AlOthaina’s announcement became a key item in ACICS-1 recommendations. Uniexpo is determined to make ACICS-2 live up to this challenge of being a national security issue�.

In addition to presenting various specialized technical papers, ACICS-2 will focus on priority issues in the government sector, and the state of the art technologies of Information Security. The e-government programs and the role of IT Security during the political turmoil that has hit our geographical area are at the top of the priority list. Both Uniexpo and the Scientific Committee are working restlessly to finalize the conference’s papers, researches, and proceedings. The ACICS-2 Higher Steering Committee, headed by Abdullatif Al-Suraie Al-Suraie, General Manager of the Central Agency for Information Technology, continues to orchestrate all ACICS-2 preparation efforts.

ACICS-1’s success was translated into a set of recommendations. As a start, Information Security is considered a national security issue and should be dealt with on that basis. National Information Security plans should be supported by political leadership on a very high level to ensure success and homogeneity across all government agencies. Moreover, National Information Security plans must deal with aspects of planning, cultural issues, business processes, human resource competencies, technology, and finally, public awareness. ACICS-1 called for developing a national Information Security framework that continually evolves and adapts to the threat landscape which continues to evolve and become more complicated. This framework should be e-services centric given that e-services are the major top-level asset for the government and the primary method of developing e-government programs.

To implement the above recommendations, ACICS-1 called upon CAIT to build the national Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT), which should, in turn, set up the criteria and rules for building all government information systems with the necessary business continuity and disaster recovery parameters. This effort should be complemented by building the qualified human resources or outsourcing these as a start.

Moreover, CAIT should follow up with the approval of regulations and laws related to information security, confidentiality, electronics transactions, and cybercrimes, while providing the necessary training for human resources working in the government judicial and security departments. On the public awareness side, ACICS-1 recommended that CAIT enhance the level of public awareness about information security issues using various media types to ensure reachability, and encourage information security research and development at educational institutions, national security departments, and judicial departments. ACICS-1 covered many hot topics related to information and communications security and the means to counter the continuously emerging information security threats.

These topics included the security risks of mobile devices, building info security professionals, securing personal confidentiality in e-government systems, eGovernment services, national information security strategies, the changing landscape of information security with social media and networking, information security concepts and insights, essential strategies protecting government information and data, managing and securing consumerized enterprise IT, societal plea and government’s responsibility in the continuing of operations, security challenges in cloud computing, how governments respond to new threat landscapes, the role of ISPs in the information technology industry, new trends in the smart card industry, and finally, Strong Authentication for Enterprises (SAFE) by Symantec-VeriSign.

ACICS-1, and for the first time, was an event that gathered both world-class consulting companies like Ernst & Young, Deloitte, and Protivity along with world-class technology companies like Microsoft, Symantec, and Kaspersky. This combination enriched ACICS-1 with many specialized papers and researches presented by leading international speakers. ACICS1’s success was noted by all post conference press coverage, which considered it an important bridge between international knowledge and local Kuwaiti expertise.

The Uniexpo spokesperson urged all information security specialists, organizations, companies, and institutions to take advantage of ACICS-2, where all the information centers of all government agencies in Kuwait and the region are invited.

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s Competition is open s Competition open to to all. taken by by the entrants entrants only. only. ss Participating Participating phot photos os should be be taken allowed per per participant. participant. ss A A maximum of ďŹ v ďŹ vee en entries tries will b bee allowed white or color, colorr, size size 30x40cm. ss Photos Photos ccan an be be in black & white copy and CD in high ss Entries Entries should b bee provided provided in hard hard copy ticipant should b rresolution. esolution. TThe he phot photo o of the par participant bee on the CD as well. well. ss Original coupon should be be stuck on the back of each photo photo Original coupon omplete inf fo ormation of the par ticipant. with ccomplete information participant. s All en tries ar eturnable and will b property of s All entries aree non-r non-returnable bee the property K uwait TTimes. imes. The The en tries ccan an be be used by by the organizer. organizer.

Kuwait entries ss Winners be chosen by by a panel of independent independent judges Winners will be judges..

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‘Decency’ law an offense to an already conservative society

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MONDAY, MARCH 12, 2012

Santorum wins Kansas Republican caucuses Page 10

Egypt acquits ‘virginity test’ military doctor Page 8

Japan marks 1 year after tsunami Japan mourns dead; grapples with aftermath OFUNATO: With a moment of silence, prayers and antinuclear rallies, Japan marked yesterday one year since an earthquake and tsunami killed thousands and set off a radiation crisis that shattered public trust in atomic power and the nation’s leaders. The magnitude 9.0 earthquake unleashed a wall of water that hit Japan’s northeast coast, killing nearly 16,000 and leaving nearly 3,300 unaccounted for. The country is still grappling with the human, economic and political costs.

In the port town of Ofunato, hundreds of black-clad residents gathered to lay white chrysanthemums in memory of the town’s 420 dead and missing. “We can’t just stay sad. Our mission is to face reality and move forward step by step,” said Kosei Chiba, 46, who lost his mother and wife in the disaster. “But the damage the town suffered was too big and our psychological scars are too deep. We need a long time to rebuild.”

The country observed a minute of silence at 2:46 p.m. (0546 GMT), the time the quake struck. Residents of Ofunato gathered before a makeshift altar with a calm, sun-flecked sea behind them. Ofunato paused again 33 minutes later-the time when a year ago a 23metre (75-foot) tsunami engulfed the town of 41,000.

Just a kilometre (half a mile) from Tokyo Electric Power Company’s (Tepco) wrecked Fukushima plant, where reactor meltdowns triggered the world’s worst nuclear crisis since Chernobyl, residents of the abandoned town of Okuma were allowed back for just a few hours to honour the dead.

“It was a wonderful place. If it wasn’t for all that has happened, I’d be able to come back. But thanks to Tepco, I wasn’t even able to search for the bodies of my relatives,” said Tomoe Kimura, 93, who lost four members of her family in the tsunami, two of whom were never found. Authorities have imposed a 20-km (12 mile) no-go zone around the plant and residents may never be allowed back. “My home is in Namie town, so we can’t go home,” said Katsuko Ishii, who had to flee from the exclusion zone.

“There are really no words for it,” said Ishii, attending

a memorial service with her 3-year-old daughter in Iwaki City, Fukushima prefecture. Along the northeast coast, police and coastguard officers, urged on by families of the missing, continue their dogged search for remains despite diminishing chances of finding any.

Resolve and anger The prevailing mood in tsunami-hit communities was one of solemn reflection and resolve to move on despite frustration with the confused official response and slow pace of rebuilding. In contrast, those who felt betrayed by Japan’s “nuclear village”-the powerful nexus of utilities, politicians and bureaucrats that promoted nuclear power as clean and safe- were less forgiving. “We are angry at Tepco and came here to show our anger,” said Tomoe Suzuki, 65, a restaurant owner and chef.

“The earthquake was something that was unavoidable because it was a natural disaster, but you can’t stay quiet about Fukushima because it’s a man-made disaster,” she said, marching with about 12,000 other protesters to form a “human chain” around the parliament building in the capital city Tokyo. The protest was one of several around the country including in Koriyama City in Fukushima prefecture, where some 16,000 people gathered to express their pain and anger, and call for the scrapping of all Japan’s reactors. Before the disasters they accounted for 30 percent of the country’s electricty supply, but most have since been shut down for checks and maintenance.

The Japanese people earned the world’s admiration for their composure, discipline and resilience in the face of the disaster, while its companies impressed with the speed with which they bounced back. As a result, the $5 trillion economy looks set to return to pre-disaster levels in coming months with the help of about $230 billion earmarked for a decade-long rebuilding effort agreed in rare cooperation between the ruling and opposition parties.

Emperor Akihito, recovering from coronary bypass surger y last month, attended a memorial service in Tokyo’s National Theatre and urged people to work together, echoing his unprecedented televised address five days after the disaster. “I hope all the people will keep the victims in their hearts and work so that the situation in the disaster-hit areas improves,” the 78year-old monarch said.

Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda, who took over in September from Naoto Kan-who was premier at the time the disasters struck-pledged to work for recovery: “Our forebears who built this countr y ’s prosperity have emerged from each crisis even stronger. We will fulfill our historic mission of realising the rebirth of this nation.”

‘Fourth disaster’ Yet many people are increasingly disillusioned about the political establishment’s ability to tell the truth and rise to the occasion, a deep lack of trust that one commentator called “the fourth disaster of March 11”.

Politicians and bureaucrats drew fire for the chaotic response to the Fukushima disaster and disappointed many with their failure to seize the moment to tackle the ills which have plagued Japan for over two decades.

After a brief truce, parliamentar y squabbles resumed, giving Japan its sixth leader in five years and now threatening to block an impor tant tax reform and stall other business, including the launch of a more inde pendent nuclear watchdog. Tepco, criticised by many for its failure to prepare for the disaster, issued a fresh apology.

“Each and every member of our company and its group remembers March 11 and will work with our all hearts to solve challenges with safety as our first priority,” Tepco President Toshio Nishizawa, who marked

ISHINOMAKI: People offer a silent prayer for victims at the Okawa elementary school during the first year anniversary of the disaster yesterday. — AFP

the anniversary at the plant, said in a statement. Slow progress in drawing up plans for the tsunami-damaged and radiation-contaminated region is deepening the misery of survivors, about 326,000 of whom are still homeless, including 80,000 evacuated from the vicinity of the Fukushima plant.

While the government declared it had reached “cold shutdown” in December, the nation lives under a cloud

of anxiety over the long-term health effects of radiation.

It also faces the huge financial burden of dismantling the plant and cleaning up an area the size of Luxembourg-a task that will take decades and technologies yet to be developed. Taxpayers, who face proposed sales tax increases to help fund the country’s debt, will also need to pay tens of billions of dollars to prop up the still politically powerful Tepco.—Reuters

MONDAY, MARCH 12, 2012

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

Iraqi ‘emos’ victims of brutal killings BAGHDAD: Iraqi teenagers widely perceived to be gay are being brutally killed in Baghdad with Shiite militias distributing lists of targets warning of further assaults, officials and human rights groups say. At least 15 teenagers, described as “emos” for their tight-fitting black clothes and alternative hairstyles, have been stoned, beaten to death or shot dead in the past month, medics say. Reports have also said some of them had their heads smashed with concrete blocks.

Human rights groups say the death toll is far higher amid accusations of a cover-up by security forces. Witnesses in the conservative Shiite Muslim bastion of Sadr City in north Baghdad say a militia group calling itself the

“Brigades of Anger” has posted leaflets naming 22 youths to be “punished”.

Medical officials said at least 15 have already been killed in the past month, including seven who were stoned to death, five who were shot and one who was beaten to death. At least two of the victims were girls.

“Police generally take care of all these incidents,” said one of the officials, who declined to be named. “They don’t like medics or ambulances to take them. Two days ago, the body of a teenager was found in Bayaa-he was evacuated by police.” In Western youth culture, the term emo refers only to appearance and musical preference and carries no connotation about a person’s sexual orientation. In Iraq,

however, the term is widely conflated with being gay, which remains taboo in the conservative Muslim country.

The International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission, based in New York, said a “new surge of antigay violence” since February in Iraq had seen nearly 40 people kidnapped, tortured and murdered. “There are no excuses for such heinous human rights violations,” said Cary Alan Johnson, the organisation’s executive director.

“We demand that the Iraqi government put a stop to the wanton persecution and killing of gay people, and that the perpetrators be punished.”

Iraq’s interior ministry said in a March 8 statement that it had not recorded

any anti-gay or anti-emo killings. It said the recent murders in the capital had been for “revenge, or social, criminal, political or cultural reasons.”

In a February 13 statement that remains on its website, however, it described emos as “devil-worshippers” and added that the ministry “has official approval to eliminate them as soon as possible.” In the statement, police Colonel Mustaq Talib Mohammedawi, described as chief of Baghdad’s “social police”, said his forces would enter the capital’s schools as part of its efforts to target the “phenomenon”.

Human Rights Watch warned in August 2009 of Iraqi militias torturing and executing men they suspected of

homosexuality, and accused authorities of turning a blind eye to the violence. The New-York based group said hundreds of men were kidnapped, tortured and killed that year in a wave of violence that began in the Sadr City stronghold of radical Shiite cleric Moqtada Al-Sadr.

London-based Amnesty International wrote a letter to Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri Al-Maliki in April 2009 urging government protection for homosexuals. Homosexuality is forbidden in Islam, frowned upon in Arab society and illegal in many Middle Eastern countries. Iraq has no law against homosexuality but prominent religious authorities have harshly condemned it. — AFP

Reprisals kill 10 after Nigeria church bomb Boko Haram repeatedly targets Christians JOS: Christian youths killed at least 10 people in reprisal attacks after a suspected suicide bomber hit a Catholic church in the central Nigerian city of Jos yesterday, killing three people, authorities said. “The situation is bad,” health commissioner for Jos Sati Dakwat told Reuters. “Several were killed in the reprisal attacks, more than 10.” A Reuters reporter at the scene of the church bombing was unable to gain access, as the police had cordoned off the area around Finber’s Catholic Church in the Rayfield suburb of Jos. “We haven’t got actual figures of injured yet, but at least three people have been confirmed dead by our men attending the scene of the blast,” the Jos coordinator for the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) Al-Hassan Aliyu said. Earlier NEMA called it a suspected suicide bombing, but Aliyu said this was not yet confirmed.

Islamist sect Boko Haram has claimed responsibility for a wave of bomb attacks on churches across Nigeria since Christmas Day. The bombing campaign has raised fears that the group is trying to ignite sectarian conflict in Africa’s most populous country, split rough-

ly evenly between Christians and Muslims.

In the past decade Jos has become the main flashpoint for tensions between Nigeria’s Christian and Muslim communities.

Bombers have targeted its churches many times since Christmas. A Reuters witness watched angry Christians set up road blocks near the church. In the past, such a move has preceded retaliatory violence against Muslims. Boko Haram, whose name means “Western education is forbidden”, wants sharia law more widely applied across Nigeria.

The sect has been waging an insurgency against Nigeria’s government since 2009, and has been blamed for hundreds of killings in gun and bomb attacks.

Sect stirs turbulence Styled on the Taleban, Boko Haram’s methods have become more sophisticated in the past six months, and it has widened its targets beyond the police and other authority figures to include Christian worshippers. On Feb. 26 a suicide bomber drove a car packed with explosives into a church in Jos, killing two people and wounding 38. Christian youths

beat two Muslims to death in revenge. Other cities have also been affected.

A bomb at a Catholic Church in Madala, just outside the capital Abuja, killed 37 people and wounded 57 on Christmas Day. Another blast struck a church in Jos. Boko Haram claimed responsibility for previous attacks, citing violence against Muslims by Christians in Jos as justification. Despite its Islamist ideology, it is Muslims in the north of Nigeria who mostly bear the brunt of the sect’s violence.

Suspected sect members shot dead a traditional ruler in the northeastern Gombe state, as he left a mosque after Friday prayers two days ago. On Thursday, a Briton and an Italian held hostage in Nigeria were killed by their captors after being held for almost a year by what security officials said was a Boko Haram faction, although a spokesman for the sect denied any involvement. Boko Haram used to be confined to Nigeria’s northeastern state of Borno. But the sect, or several factions of it, have expanded in the past six months to operate in at least 10 states across the north, and have struck the capital. — Reuters

Over 100 to be buried in Congo state funeral

RAMALLAH: Dozens of Palestinians take part in a protest in the centre of the West Bank city to show their support for the Gaza Strip and against Israeli air strikes yesterday. —AFP

Gaza violence spikes as death toll hits 18 GAZA CITY: Three Palestinians were killed in new Israeli air raids in Gaza yesterday, raising the death toll to 18, as militants fired more rockets into the Jewish state. Israeli war planes carried out four strikes yesterday morning, killing three people, including a school boy and a 60-year-old man who medics said was a civilian. The bloodshed erupted on Friday afternoon when an Israeli strike killed the leader of the Popular Resistance Committees (PRC), sparking a sharp cross-border exchange, in which 15 Gazans were killed and more than 100 rockets were fired at Israel. It was the deadliest 24hour period in and around Gaza in more than three years. By yesterday afternoon, the toll in Gaza stood at 18 dead and 30 injured, Palestinian medics said. Four people in Israel were injured by rockets.

The United States and the European Union have called on both sides to calm the situation, but effor ts by Gaza’s Hamas rulers to broker an end to hostilities through Egyptian mediators have not yet borne fruit. The latest fatalities included 12-year-old Ayub Asaliya, killed on his way to school in Jabaliya refugee camp and 60-year-old Adel Saleh al-Issi. There were no details on a third fatality. Israel said the campaign aimed to end rocket fire on the south of the country, though they said Friday’s assassination targeted a leader planning an imminent attack via the Sinai Peninsula.

Defence ministry figures yesterday said that militants had fired 124 rockets at Israel since Friday, including 68 Qassams and 44 longer-range Grads. In response, the air force carried out 26 air raids, 15 of which targeted militants who were in the act of firing on Israel, the ministry said. The Iron Dome air defence system set up around the southern cities of Ashdod, Ashkelon and Beersheva intercepted 30 rockets, it said. Two more Grad rockets hit the

desert city of Beersheva during the afternoon, police said, with one landing in a school playground. Schools in the region are closed because of the situation and no-one was hurt. Since midnight, 21 rockets have been fired at southern Israel, the army said, of which 10 were intercepted by Iron Dome.

Army figures show Qassam rockets have a range of up to 15 kilometres (nine miles) and Grads have a range of up to 40 km (24 miles).

Of those killed in Gaza, 10 were militants from the radical Islamic Jihad movement, while another five were from the PRC, including the group’s leader, Zuhair Al-Qaisi, who died in the first strike on Friday. The army said Qaisi helped plan a August 2011 deadly attack in which militants sneaked across the border from Egypt’s Sinai and killed eight in Israel’s southern Negev desert. They claimed he was planning a similar attack “in the coming days.”

Israeli Defence Minister Ehud Barak said on Saturday he expected the violence to carry on for “another day or two,” and Netanyahu told ministers yesterday that the air campaign would continue for “as long as necessary.” “We extracted a high price from them and will continue to do so,” he said.

Most of the rockets have been fired

by Islamic Jihad, which claimed to have fired more than 90 rockets at Israel since 10 of its militants were killed in several Israeli strikes on Friday.

Gaza’s Hamas rulers, whose military wing has not been involved in the rocket fire, said they are seeking Cairo’s help to negotiate a ceasefire, although a spokesman insisted that Israel must first stop its air strikes first. “The Israeli aggression started this three days ago and before any talk about a truce, the Israeli side should stop the aggression... then there can be a positive step from the factions,” Taher Al-Nunu told AFP. — AFP

BRAZZAVILLE: Morgue workers hurried to finish washing the bodies of hundreds of people killed in last week’s explosion at a Congo army base ahead of the their state funeral yesterday, which will mark the single largest loss of life in this Central African nation. At least 246 people died one week ago when an arms depot inside a military barracks went up in flames, setting off a lethal downpour of grenades, mortars and shells.

The detonation flattened buildings, including churches, schools, dormitories and businesses, crushing scores of people. Only 168 of the bodies have been identified so far, according to morgue records, and the government ordered them to be laid to rest in identical coffins in order to convey the national character of the loss.

Overnight, families camped in front of the morgue, waiting for the name of their dead to be read on the outdoor speaker. They held shopping bags full of new clothes to dress their loves ones. Coffins were being hauled out of a shed on a trolley, pushed by four men wearing face masks. When their turn came, families were given gas masks, and ushered into the tiled floor of the morgue. Inside female relatives washed the women’s bodies, while male relatives washed the men’s. It is a tradition in Western Central Africa to wash the body of dead relatives. In Christian societies the dead are buried in their finest clothes, whereas in Muslim communities they are buried in a simple shroud. On Saturday, an elderly man who had lost his child had a heart attack during the process, and was rushed away, said an emergency responder who asked not to be named because he was not authorized to speak to the press. Two women became hysterical, crying until they fainted and had to be hospitalized, he said. After the body is washed, clothed and laid to rest, the coffin is wheeled out, with the family tailing behind. On Sunday morning, the coffins were loaded onto trucks, waiting to be transported to a downtown esplanade, where they will be displayed for the state ceremony.

The mother of a 16-year-old girl who died after being hit by a shell wept uncontrollably, as her child’s coffin was rolled away. A man who had lost his son walked out of the morgue, his hand clasped over his mouth, while another woman stood alone, swaying from side to side, wailing.

Her arms were raised, as if imploring the heavens.

The dead died of blunt trauma, crushed inside collapsed homes, under falling beams and ceilings. They were hit by grenades, mortars, shells and rockets. And the series of explosions also claimed the lives of those that were not directly touched, like Mireille Massanga, pregnant with her fourth child. When she heard the blast, she scooped up her children and ran as fast as she could for almost 1 mile (1.5 kilometres).

When she was out of harm’s way, she stopped running, but her heart didn’t. Her family rushed her to the emergency room, and she died in the long line of people waiting for treatment, said her cousin Rufin Tchikaya. “They thought she was in labour, and the hospital had no time to deal with a simple pregnancy,” he said, as her coffin was carried away by morgue workers. Families were promised 500,000 francs (around $1000) per relative for burial clothes. Fights broke at the cashier set up inside the morgue when many were given far less.

Waiting for his family’s name to be called out late Saturday, Paul Lubaki pulled out the receipt showing he received only $80 for his 4-year-old grandson. He says the child-sized dinner jacket cost $70, and he wanted his grandson to be buried in the finest outfit possible, so he also bought a new dress shirt, pants and a bow-tie, costing him several times the allotted amount. Anger at the government is reaching boiling point. —AP

CAIRO: Egyptian Army Dr. Ahmed Adel, who was charged in the forced virginity tests case on Egyptian women protesters last year, speaks during a press conference at a military court yesterday. — AP

Egypt acquits ‘virginity test’ military doctor CAIRO: An Egyptian military tribunal yesterday acquitted an army doctor of a charge of public obscenity filed by a protester who claimed she was forced to undergo a virginity test while in detention. The court denied the humiliating tests even took place, despite a ruling by another court and admissions by generals quoted by a leading rights group. The ruling further infuriated the country’s revolutionary youth movements, who have said claims of the virginity tests were the first sign that the generals who took over from deposed President Hosni Mubarak 13 months ago were carrying on his repressive practices.

Less than four months before the military is scheduled to hand over power to a civilian administration, yesterday’s verdict was likely to lend credibility to widespread suspicions that the generals were trying to remove any legal basis for their prosecution for crimes committed during their rule after they step down.

Activists are calling for the generals to face charges for human rights abuses.

Samira Ibrahim, one of seven women who said they were forced to undergo examinations to determine if they were virgins while detained by the military a year ago, won a civilian court ruling last year that affirmed the tests were taking place at military jails and ordered they be halted.

Military prosecutors investigating her accusations brought only one individual, Dr. Ahmed Adel, to trial, and he was acquitted. The verdict cannot be appealed. The court denied that such tests were carried out. “No one stained my honour,” Ibrahim wrote on her

Twitter account after the verdict. “The one that had her honour stained is Egypt. I will carry on until I restore Egypt’s rights.”

Egypt’s official news agency said that Adel was acquitted because the testimonies of the witnesses for the plaintiff conflicted. But the court’s insistence that no tests were ever conducted at all has raised doubts about the verdict. “The court’s denial of the tests being conducted went against written testimonies of several public figures who discussed the issue with several of the ruling generals,” rights lawyer Adel Ramadan said.

Amnesty International said in June that Egypt’s generals acknowledged carrying the tests on female protesters. It said Maj. Gen. Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi, a member of the ruling Supreme Council of the Armed Forces, justified the tests as a way to protect the army from rape allegations. The rights group said Al-Sisi vowed the military would not conduct such tests again. The virginity test allegations first surfaced after a March 9 rally in Cairo’s downtown Tahrir Square, epicenter of last year’s uprising that turned violent when men in plain clothes attacked protesters, and the army intervened to clear the square by force. The military has been in power since Mubarak stepped down last year in the face of a popular uprising. The Mubarak-era generals who succeeded their former patron face accusations by rights activists of killing protesters, torturing detainees and trying at least 10,000 civilians in military tribunals. They are also accused of bungling the transition and seeking to preserve their decades-old immunity from civilian oversight. — AP

9

MONDAY, MARCH 12, 2012

INTERNATIONAL

Leftist oppn wins big in Slovakia election Fico makes comeback as Slovak PM

VILLEPINTE: France’s incumbent president and Union for a Popular Movement (UMP) candidate for 2012 presidential election Nicolas Sarkozy arrives to deliver a speech during a campaign meeting yesterday. —AFP

Sarkozy banks on rally to lift election hopes PARIS: French President Nicolas Sarkozy was banking yesterday on a massive campaign rally near Paris to finally narrow his Socialist rival’s lead in the polls with just over a month to go before election day. His UMP party chartered TGV high-speed trains and fleets of buses to ferry in supporters from across France to the exhibition hall at Villepinte, near Charles de Gaulle airport, where up to 60,000 were expected.

Sarkozy was also due to wheel out party heavyweights and even ex-president Jacques Chirac at the rally to seek to boost his flagging hopes of beating the front-running Socialist Francois Hollande. The rally comes just days after after the 56-year-old said he would quit politics for good if not reelected in the two round vote on April 22 and May 6. Sarkozy has failed to narrow the gap with Hollande-who has enjoyed a clear opinion poll lead for five months-and this week pulled out all the stops to revamp what many critics say has been a lacklustre campaign.

In a marathon three-hour television interview last Tuesday, he declared that there were too many immigrants in France and that the country’s attempts to integrate foreign arrivals into its culture and society had become paralysed. That statement came as French Jewish and Muslim leaders united to complain they were being used as pawns in a presidential election increasingly dominated by bitter disputes over national identity and ritual slaughter.

Sarkozy picked up on a debate about halal meat-initially launched by the antiimmigrant National Front leader Marine Le Pen-and declared that its spread in butchers’ shops was a major problem for the

French. That fuelled accusations that he is pinning his hopes on catching up on Hollande-in what is shaping up as a clear two-horse race-in winning back voters who lean towards the National Front.

Others accused him of being sidetracked by side issues at a time when France is struggling to generate growth and to escape the eurozone financial crisis.

Hollande, who has never held a ministerial post and whose ex-partner Segolene Royal lost to Sarkozy in 2007, last week pressed home his attacks on his rival’s record in five years at the Elysee palace.

He mocked Sarkozy’s plan-announced Tuesday-to slap a new tax on the profits of listed companies which he said would bring in up to three billion euros ($3.9 billion) a year to help cut the public deficit. Sarkozy has been accused of favouring the rich, but in recent weeks has tried to dispel that image by announcing he wants to ban big pay-offs to corporate bosses and to hit big firms with more tax. Hollande for his part has declared that the “world of finance” is the adversary and said he wants a 75 percent tax rate on annual income above one million euros.

The Socialist branded Sarkozy’s immigration plans-he wants to cut the number of new arrivals from 180,000 per year to 100,000 a year-”stupid”. An Opinion WayFiducial opinion poll on Thursday forecast that Hollande would take 29 percent of the vote in the first round of the election, with Sarkozy at 26 percent and Le Pen in third place with 17 percent. Hollande would romp home in the second round with 56 percent, well ahead of Sarkozy at 44 percent, the poll said. —AFP

BRATISLAVA: A leftist party led by one of the few leading politicians in Slovakia to escape voter anger over a major corruption scandal has been propelled back into power in an early parliamentary election, according to final results yesterday. Smer-Social Democracy of former Prime Minister Robert Fico is a clear winner with 44.4 percent of the vote, or 83 seats in the 150seat Parliament, with votes from all 5,956 polling stations counted. President Ivan Gasparovic said yesterday he would formally ask Fico to form a new government but gave no timetable.

The result allows Fico to govern alone - one party rule has not happened in Slovakia since the split of Czechoslovakia in 1993. Yesterday, however, Fico offered opposition parties a chance to join forces and form a two party coalition government, but all other parliamentary parties rejected his offer. Before the election, Fico had discussed a necessity to create a strong, stable government, possibly formed by two parties, amid another economic downturn and efforts to save the eurozone.

Fico - considered a populist leader - has pledged to maintain a welfare state, increase corporate tax and hike income tax for the highest earners. “We succeeded with what we offered as an alternative,” Fico said early yesterday. “We’ve achieved a result that is a pleasant surprise for us, to be honest.” The outgoing center-right, four-party coalition received a combined 51 seats, on the back of voter anger over a major corruption scandal.

The new Ordinary People party that campaigned on an anti-corruption ticket won 16 seats, while the ultranationalist Slovak National Party, known for derogatory comments about ethnic Hungarians, Roma and political opponents, ended below the 5-percent threshold needed to win parliamentary representation.

Turnout was surprisingly high at 59.11 percent.

Analysts had predicted a record low turnout, as voters were expected to register their anger over allegations that a private financial group bribed government and opposition politicians in 2005-06 to win lucrative privatization deals.

The “Gorilla” files - posted online by an anonymous source in December and said to be based on wiretaps - have rocked Slovak politics.

One former economy minister is said to have received the equivalent of euro10 million ($13 million) for his assistance. Outgoing Prime Minister Iveta Radicova’s Slovak Democratic and Christian Union was hard

Libya seeks regional help to tackle crime TRIPOLI: Libyan interim Prime Minister Abdel Rahim Al-Kib yesterday said that increased regional cooperation was required to tackle the escalation of cross-border criminal activities. “The border regions have

smugglers were taking advantage of lax border controls to traffic an array of products, including expired foodstuff, medicine, and liquor into Libya.

“Terrorist groups will always find in border regions an auspicious envi-

TRIPOLI: Libya’s interim Prime Minister Abdel Rahim Al-Kib (right) and National Transitional Council (NTC) chairman Mustafa Abdel Jalil (second left) chair the opening session of a ministerial conference on regional cooperation yesterday. —AFP witnessed a noticeable escalation of drugs and weapons contraband,” Kib said in Tripoli at the opening of a twoday ministerial regional conference on border security. He said illegal immigration was on the rise and that

ronment to conduct incursions and destabilise security,” Kib said, urging the region to intensify efforts to stop these actors. “We have to boost regional cooperation in order to eradicate these development and

activities,” Kib said. The two-day conference brings together ministers and representatives from Algeria, Chad, Egypt, Mali, Mauritania, Morocco, Niger, Sudan and Tunisia, with the aim of enhancing cooperation.

Diplomats and delegates from the African Union, the Arab League, the European Union and the United Nations are also attending the conference. Kib also accused former regime members of trying to harm Libyan ties with its neighbours.

“Remnants of the collapsed regime who fled to neighbouring countries are spending Libyan money, which they stole, to harm the people of Libya and the country’s relations with its neighbours,” he said.

Algerian Interior Minister Dahou Ould Kablia said there were “clear indicators” that Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb had exploited tensions in Tunisia and Libya to acquire and proliferate weapons. “The deterioration of security in the region and the extensive proliferation of weapons required intensified efforts to secure our borders,” he said. And he added that Algerian intelligence services had stopped a Libya-bound convoy loaded with ammunition in January and foiled three other similar operations since the start of the year. —AFP

English Catholics rally against gay marriage LONDON: The Catholic Church in England intensified its campaign against government plans to legalize same-sex marriage yesterday, urging the faithful to protect the “true meaning” of matrimony for future generations. In a letter read in 2,500 parish churches across the country during Sunday Mass, the church’s senior archbishops argued that the proposed change would reduce the significance of marriage. “The law helps to shape and form social and cultural values. A change in the law would gradually and inevitably transform society’s understanding of the purpose of marriage,” Archbishop Vincent Nichols and Archbishop Peter Smith said in the letter.

“There would be no recognition of the complementarity of male and female or that marriage is intended for the procreation and education of children,” they wrote. The archbishops ended the letter by calling on Catholics to fulfil their duty to make sure “the true meaning of marriage is not lost for future generations.” Britain’s government plans to allow everyone, regardless of their sexual orientation, to have the

option of a civil marriage. Prime Minister David Cameron has openly backed the plans, and the equalities minister will launch a consultation later this month on how to change the legal definition of marriage to include same-sex couples.

Human rights activists said the Catholics’ opposition amounted to discrimination. “They want the law to discriminate against gay couples. Discrimination is not a Christian value,” said gay rights campaigner Peter Tatchell. Currently only heterosexual couples are permitted to get married in Britain, while civil partnerships, introduced in 2005, are limited to same-sex couples. The archbishops’ message came after Pope Benedict XVI on Friday denounced what he called the “powerful” gay marriage lobby in America and told visiting US bishops to not back down in the face of “powerful political and cultural currents seeking to alter the legal definition of marriage.” Last week Keith O’Brien, the head of the Scottish Catholic Church, condemned the British marriage proposals as “madness,” and accused the coalition government of trying to “redefine reality.” —AFP

hit by the allegations. Radicova’s party was in power in 2005-06 and the then-prime minister, Mikulas Dzurinda, is now the foreign minister and party chairman. The party won 5.9 percent of the vote, despite overseeing an economic boom driven by solid growth, strong exports and the implementation of much needed pension reforms. It won 15.4 percent at the 2010 ballot.

“It’s clear ... Gorilla is to blame,” Dzurinda said.

“It’s a serious loss.” Disappointed by her govern-

Analysts have warned that Fico may not be ready to take the necessary steps to lower a high unemployment rate of more than 13 percent and reduce the deficit to 3 percent by 2013 as required after EU nations agreed on a deal to stop overspending in the 17 countries that use the euro.

Fico is also a vocal opponent of the US-led war in Iraq and withdrew Slovak troops, and has said he would not allow any part of the Obama administration’s revamped US missile shield

BRATISLAVA: Robert Fico (centre) chairman of the Smer-Social Democrats (SmerSD) celebrates with party members yesterday. —AP ment’s collapse, Radicova is quitting politics and plans to lecture at Britain’s Oxford University.

She was Slovakia’s first female prime minister.

Fico, whose party was in power in 2006-10, has been implicated in the corruption allegations, but says he is innocent because he couldn’t have influenced any decisions since he was part of the opposition.

Known for foul-mouthed tirades against journalists, Fico’s election promises included a plan to build a new national soccer stadium and not to increase the pension age for women because they “don’t deserve it.” He is also against further privatization of state assets and opposes austerity measures, such as a value-added tax increase, that would help keep the public finances healthy.

planned for Europe to be based in Slovakia. Fico who led Slovakia to the euro zone in 2009, pledged yesterday he was ready to meet the country’s obligations: “We realize how important it is to have healthy public finances.” He said his government will support European measures to stop the debt crisis and save the euro.

In October, Slovakia dramatically rejected Europe’s expanded bailout fund - and the government fell in a confidence vote, triggering this weekend’s elections. The small nation of 5.4 million people was accused of undermining the entire eurozone with its brinkmanship.

Parliament eventually approved the expanded EU fund after Fico’s party voted “yes” in exchange for early elections. —AP

MONDAY, MARCH 12, 2012

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

Santorum wins Kansas Republican caucuses Romney counters in Wyoming

LOS ANGELES: Tibetans and supporters of “Free Tibet” hold placards while marching through downtown Los Angeles on March 10, 2012 joining thousands of Tibetans and Tibet supporters worldwide. — AFP

2,000 march in NY to mark Tibet uprising NEW YORK: A 2,000-person strong demonstration marched on UN headquarters in New York on Saturday to mark the anniversary of Tibet’s failed revolt against Chinese rule. The demonstration denouncing the treatment of Tibetans began at the Brooklyn Bridge before heading uptown to the United Nations headquarters. Lhamo Tso, wife of the detained Tibetan documentary maker Dhondup Wangchen, addressed the crowd, as she blamed Chinese rule for a wave of self-immolations by protesters in her homeland.

Then the march wrapped up with a candlelight vigil at Union Square. “We want the freedom of Tibet and the return of Dalai Lama,” said Sonam Gyatso, vice

president of the Tibetan Community of New York and New Jersey. Tibet’s government-in-exile in India earlier Saturday blamed China’s “hardline” leaders for a string of Tibetan self-immolations as it marked the anniversary.

In the past year, more than 20 Tibetans, most of them monks, have set themselves ablaze to protest Beijing’s rule, sparking international condemnation of what critics call religious and cultural repression.

Gyatso slammed China over the selfimmolations, saying: “They cannot tolerate Chinese repression.” China blames the Dalai Lama of inciting the self-immolations in a bid to split Tibet from the rest of the nation. — AFP

US govt can’t keep up with info requests WASHINGTON: The Obama administration couldn’t keep pace with the increasing number of people asking for copies of government documents, emails, photographs and more under the US Freedom of Information Act, according to a new analysis of the latest federal data by The Associated Press. Federal agencies did better last year trying to fulfill requests, but still fell further behind with backlogs, due mostly to surges in immigration records requested from the Homeland Security Department. It released all or portions of the information that citizens, journalists, businesses and others sought - and outright rejected other requests - at about the same rate as the previous two years. The AP analyzed figures over the last three years from 37 of the largest federal departments and agencies.

There was progress: The government responded to more requests than ever in 2011 - more than 576,000 - a 5 percent increase from the year before. Offices less frequently cited legal provisions that allow them to keep records secret, especially emails and documents describing how federal officials make important decisions.

Agencies took less time, on average, to turn over records: about one month for requests it considered “simple” and about three months for more complicated requests. And 23 of 37 agencies reduced their individual backlogs of requests or kept buildups from increasing.

The government’s responsiveness under the Freedom of Information Act is widely viewed as a barometer of how transparent federal offices are.

Under the law, citizens and foreigners can compel the government to turn over copies of federal records for zero or little cost. Anyone who seeks information through the law is generally supposed to get it unless disclosure would hurt national security, violate personal privacy or expose business secrets or confidential decision-making in certain areas. Sunday was the start of Sunshine Week, when news organizations promote open government and freedom of information.

Across the 37 agencies, the government turned over all or parts of the records people sought in about 65 percent of requests that it considered, a minor improvement over last year. It fully rejected more than one-third of requests, also a minor improvement over last year, including cases when it couldn’t find records, a person refused to pay for copies or the request was determined to be improper under the law. The White House touted its success under its own analysis of how it performed. It said more employees worked to turn over files that people asked for, and it increased the budget for such efforts by $19 million last year. It said cabinet-level agencies that are directly under the White House’s control showed particular improvement. The White House routinely excludes from its assessment instances when it couldn’t find records, a person refused to pay for copies or the request was determined to be improper under the law, and

says under this calculation that it released all or parts of records sought in 93 percent of requests.

Even as the Obama administration increased its efforts, people submitted 587,815 requests for information in fiscal 2011 at the 37 agencies reviewed by the AP - about an 8 percent increase over the previous year’s figure of 546,445. The administration also agreed more often - in about 25 percent of requests last year - to quickly consider information sought about subjects described as urgent or especially newsworthy. It was the second time in three years that people asked more than half-a-million times for records.

The biggest increases were at offices within the Department of Homeland Security that deal with immigration files. Overall, DHS received more than twice as many requests for records - 175,656 new requests last year - as any other agency. The Defense Department was second with 74,117 new requests.

Smaller government offices, such as the White House drug policy office and the Council on Environmental Quality, received only a few dozen requests each.

The surge for immigration records at the Homeland Security Department meant the government ended the year with 98,183 backlogged requests, an increase of nearly 14 percent over the backlog of 86,370 at the start of the year, according to AP’s review. DHS itself accounted for 48,493 of those backlogged requests at year’s end.

In another improvement, the government less frequently cited any of the nine exemptions in the law that allow it to keep records secret, especially one that shields materials about an agency’s internal personnel rules and practices. The Supreme Court in March 2011 issued a ruling that overturned 30 years of precedent and restricted when the government can use the exemption.

The administration also less frequently invoked the “deliberative process” exemption to withhold records describing decision-making behind the scenes. President Barack Obama had directed agencies to use it less often, but the number of such cases had surged after his first year in office to more than 71,000. It fell last year to 43,731.

At the Justice Department, however - which is responsible for ensuring that agencies comply with Obama’s orders to be more transparent - officials invoked the exemption 1,500 times last year, an increase from 1,231 times the previous year.

The Justice Department riled open government advocates last year when it proposed formalizing the practice, in some situations, of federal law enforcement agencies telling people who request records that the government doesn’t have the records when it actually does. Sen. Charles Grassley, the top Republican on the Senate Judiciary Committee, threatened to block the proposal from ever taking effect. The department eventually abandoned the idea. — AP

WASHINGTON: Rick Santorum overwhelmingly won the Kansas presidential caucuses, hoping to blunt front-runner Mitt Romney’s momentum in the grinding campaign for the nomination to oppose President Barack Obama in the November election. But Romney countered Saturday with wins in Wyoming as well as in Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands and the US Virgin Islands.

Santorum, a former Pennsylvania senator, was considered the favourite in Kansas, where his staunch opposition to abortion and gay marriage resonated with the state’s large bloc of evangelical voters. He hoped his victory would give him an advantage heading into Tuesday’s unexpectedly pivotal primaries in the southern states of Alabama and Mississippi where polls show he is dividing the most conservative vote with Newt Gingrich.

Gingrich, struggling for survival in the race, can ill afford a loss in either Mississippi or Alabama. Romney is seeking a Southern breakthrough to demonstrate an ability to win the support of evangelical voters. For his part, Santorum hopes to knock Gingrich out of the race and finally emerge as Romney’s sole challenger from the right.

Final returns in Kansas showed Santorum with 51 percent support, far outpacing Romney, who had 21 percent. Gingrich had 14 percent and Ron Paul trailed with 13 percent.

Santorum picked up 33 of the state’s 40 delegates at stake, cutting slightly into Romney’s overwhelming advantage. “Things have an amazing way of working out,” Santorum told supporters in Missouri, where he traced his campaign through a series of highs and lows.

He called his showing in Kansas a “comfortable win.”

In sparsely populated Wyoming, Romney won seven of the 12 delegates at stake, Santorum three, Paul one. Uncommitted won one. Romney did not campaign in Kansas.

Santorum and Paul, a Texas congressman, both made stops in the state in the days leading to the caucuses. Gingrich canceled a scheduled trip to Kansas late in the week to concentrate on the primaries in Alabama and Mississippi, which the former speaker of the House of Representatives considers friendlier territory. Gingrich, who represented a Georgia district in the House for two decades, attended five campaign events Saturday in Alabama and stressed his Southern connections.

Polls show a close three-way race in both southern states, particularly Alabama, and Romney, Gingrich and Santorum all added to their television advertising for the race’s final days. Romney has been benefiting so far because the more conservative vote has been divided between Santorum and Gingrich, enabling him to defeat Santorum by a few

percentage points in such key states as Ohio and Michigan. The former Massachusetts governor continues to fight scepticism among Republican voters about his past, more moderate, views on such sensitive social issues as abortion. Santorum styles himself as the true conservative in the race, but he lacks the campaign cash and organization that the multimillionaire Romney, the former CEO of a private equity firm, has at hand.

The contests in Kansas and Wyoming left Romney with 453 delegates in the AP’s count,

three-way contest in Alabama. “I think there’s a fair chance we’ll win,” the former House speaker told The Associated Press about the contests in Alabama and Mississippi. “But I just want to set this to rest once and for all. We’re going to Tampa.” Romney had no campaign appearances Saturday.

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 from his rivals for good. Meanwhile, Obama’s

CAPE GIRADEAU: Republican presidential candidate, former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum speaks during the Cape County Republican Women’s Lincoln Day Dinner, Saturday, March 10, 2012. — AP more than all his rivals combined. Santorum had 217, while Gingrich had 107 and Paul had 47. Romney ’s totals included 22 that he picked up over the weekend in the Virgin Islands, Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands. A candidate must win 1,144 to clinch the Republican presidential nomination at the national convention in Tampa, Florida, in late August.

The Kansas and Wyoming caucuses had little in common except a shared date on the campaign calendar. Kansas drew more attention from the White House hopefuls, but not much more, given its position midway between Super Tuesday when Romney won six of the 10 state contests and the Tuesday primaries in Mississippi and Alabama. An aide to Gingrich said earlier in the week the former House speaker must win both Southern primaries on Tuesday to justify continuing in the campaign. But Gingrich strongly suggested otherwise on Friday as polls showed a tight

team has renewed confidence about the president’s chances of winning re -election because of the divisive Republican campaign and more good news in the latest jobs report.

But privately, his advisers know that outside factors in the United States and abroad - from high gasoline prices to instability in the Middle East - could still derail his campaign in coming months.

In the latest good economic news, the monthly jobs report released Friday showed employers created 227,000 jobs in February.

The unemployment rate held steady at 8.3 percent, the result of more Americans looking for work as job growth takes hold month by month. The struggling economy has haunted the president as he seeks a second four-year term in November, and his Republican opponents have hammered the issue in their campaigns. But Obama’s approval ratings have been rising along with the economic numbers. — AP

El Salvador goes to polls

CARACAS: A man gives the final touches to a caricature of Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez during a rally on March 10, 2012 to wish him a prompt recovery from cancer surgery. — AFP

Chavez’s dream grows big in ‘socialist’ Venezuelan city CARACAS: After nine months in a flood victims’ shelter, Daviana Padron now lives in a free apartment, works in a cooperative bakery and her kids attend a new school in the Venezuelan city of Caribia.

The coastal town outside Caracas is a model of what President Hugo Chavez refers to as his Bolivarian socialist revolution. And he plans to eventually turn the socialist-minded project into home to more than 100,000 people. It also is an example of how Chavez hopes passionate grassroots support from low-andmiddle-income Venezuelans will propel him to a third term as president in the upcoming October 7 vote.

He faces a tough election against Henrique Capriles, a 39-year-old lawyer who is popular among Venezuela’s moderate and conservative voters. Chavez says Capriles appeals to business interests while the ailing president draws supporters from more rural and economically disadvantaged. Padron is one thousands of Venezuelans who credits her new lifestyle to Chavez’s policies after heavy rains in 2010 washed out thousands of homes, leaving her and about 130,000 other people as victims.

“My life has changed too,” Padron, 41, said. “I was a very aggressive person and I did not like being approached. Since I’ve been here, I share, I work, I talk to people

and they listen to me.” Bread at the bakery where she works costs half as much as in the rest of Venezuela. The packaging on locally made drinks reads: “Made with socialism.” Since August, about 5,000 people have moved into apartments in Caribia with up to four bedrooms each. For now, their rent is free but the government plans to establish payment plans for them based on their income.

In addition to the school, services in the city include child care, a health centre, a hairdresser, a small market and a clothing store. Padron says she does not want to return to Caracas, where she was unhappy with daily life and Venezuela’s highest cost of living. “I’ll have nothing to do with Caracas,” said Padron, who with her four children and partner were among the first families to move to Caribia. “My life is here.”

But Padron and her neighbours also worry about how long what she calls her “little paradise” will last if Chavez is not re-elected. Chavez is recovering in Cuba from his second cancer surgery in less than a year. He acknowledged publicly recently that the tumour was malignant, which has created concern among supporters in Caribia that the next government might doom the urban project’s future. — AFP

SAN SALVADOR: Voters in El Salvador headed to the polls yesterday to choose lawmakers for the legislature, in a big test for the first leftist government since the end of the civil war 20 years ago. At stake is how President Mauricio Funes’ remaining two years in office will play out. He took power in 2009 in the tiny, densely-populated Central American nation. The fairly moderate Funes remains popular but his approval ratings do not necessarily transfer into potential votes for his party, the exleftist rebel Farabundo 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 ruled the country for two decades after the civil war-had 26.4 percent, in a statistical dead heat, 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.

ARENA has pledged a tougher tack against crime and youth gangs, or “Maras.” Both main parties “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. 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 in the one-chamber assembly, as well as 262 mayors nationwide. Although nine parties are battling for votes, the FMLN and ARENA are by far the lead players. The others are hoping for, at best, political alliances. “It really is better for no party to be the dominant one. We need for there to be power-sharing in the legislature. That makes it a requirement for lawmakers to debate and make deals on major decisions. And that’s how a democracy works,” said political analyst Antonio Martinez.

There is also a technical heat in the polls for 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 underemployment have dropped slightly, from 40 to 36 percent, during the Funes administration while young people have continued to immigrate to the United States. A staggering one in three Salvadorans lives 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.

The country is introducing a “residential vote,” allowing many voters to cast ballots in their home towns in the hopes of raising participation. — AFP

MONDAY, MARCH 12, 2012

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

9/11 mastermind set to face US military court WASHINGTON: Nine years after his arrest in Pakistan, self-proclaimed 9/11 mastermind Khaled Sheikh Mohammed could soon be back in court for the much-awaited “trial of the century.” After years of delays, a significant step took place last week when a former aide to Mohammed, Majid Khan, accepted a plea deal with US authorities that will require him to testify against other terror suspects at a tribunal at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

More than a decade after the 2001 attacks that left nearly 3,000 people dead on US soil, the 46-year-old extremist known simply as “KSM” remains the ultimate figurehead in a legal battle fought by two successive US administrations.

President Barack Obama “can claim credit for killing (Osama) bin Laden and (AlQaeda cleric Anwar) Al-Awlaqi, so nailing

KSM would complete the hat trick and help quiet the conservative fearmongers who say he’s weak on terrorism,” former chief US military prosecutor Colonel Morris Davis told AFP. Victory in the trial could prove critical to Obama this year in his re-election bid, where he faces Republicans critical of his approach to terrorism. The Democratic president had sought to hold a trial for KSM and his four accused accomplices in New York, just steps from the Ground Zero site where the World Trade Center’s twin towers fell. But congressional Republicans put an end to those plans by blocking the transfer of terrorism suspects to the United States.

The five September 11 defendants, known as the “Guantanamo Five” for their incarceration at the US naval base in

southern Cuba, will face a trial under special military tribunals created by the George W. Bush administration after the attacks. Procedures for the military tribunals, also known as commissions, were modified by the Obama administration.

KSM, along with Walid bin Attash of Saudi Arabia, Yemen’s Ramzi bin Al-Shibh, Pakistan’s Ammar Al-Baluchi or Ali Abd AlAziz Ali and Mustafa Al-Hawsawi of Saudi Arabia, all face possible death penalties.

The 88-page indictment lists 2,976 murder counts for each of the victims of the coordinated attacks. “Let’s get rid of the alleged. KSM has admitted (the crimes) many times,” said Michael Mukasey, who served as US attorney general under Bush. KSM’s first confessions were made when he was subjected 183 times to a simulated drowning method known as

waterboarding and other so-called “enhanced” interrogation techniques at a secret CIA prison after his March 2003 capture. But “no statement obtained as a result of coercion can be used” in a military commissions trial, chief prosecutor Brigadier General Mark Martins said in an interview.

Although KSM has since repeated his confessions, the prosecution needs to obtain statements that are legally admissible in court. This is where Khan’s awaited testimony fills the gap. The Pakistani national, who lived legally in America and graduated from a US high school, pleaded guilty at Guantanamo to a reduced charge of “conspiracy” to commit terrorism in exchange for a lighter sentence.

“If Khan provides information on KSM and others, as has been suggested was

part of the deal, it will no doubt speed up the prosecutions,” said Karen Greenberg, a terrorism expert at Fordham Law School.

With Khan’s testimony in hand, KSM can be officially tried before a Guantanamo judge, which observers say could take place at any time. The person who presides over the commissions, a judge known as the convening authority, now has “everything he needs to make the decision but he’s not under a timeline,” Mar tins said. Baluchi has requested that he be spared the death penalty, saying he played a lesser role in the attacks. But, following a vote in Congress, if the Guantanamo Five plead guilty, “they’re allowed to be executed,” said Adam Thurschwell, a general counsel in charge of defending Guantanamo detainees. — AFP

Suicide blast at Pakistan funeral kills 15, 37 hurt Blast targeted anti-Taleban politician

JEWAR: In this photograph, Indian security personnel stand guard as supporters of the Congress Party wait for the arrival of Congress General Secretary Rahul Gandhi during an election rally. — AFP

In India, a dynasty’s tryst with decline NEW DELHI: Rahul Gandhi slept under the stars in rural India, he shared simple meals of lentil curry and bread with poor villagers, and he was even arrested for joining farmers in a land protest. The scion of India’s NehruGandhi dynasty tried over the past year to project himself as a man of the people. He dressed down and grew a beard to look more rugged as he campaigned tirelessly for the ruling Congress party in Uttar Pradesh, a vast state straddling the River Ganges that with 200 million people is more populous than Brazil. “I want the mosquitoes to bite me like they bite you so that I can understand your pain,” the 41-year-old Gandhi told villagers at one of more than 200 election rallies in the state. The strategy flopped.

Vote tallies last week gave Congress just 28 of the 403 seats at stake for the state’s legislative assembly, a miserable fourth place.

Gandhi’s performance was seen as a test of his fitness to take the reins of the party from his ailing Italian-born mother Sonia and eventually to become prime minister if Congress and its allies retain power in national elections due in 2014. That made the result a stinging slap for India’s first family in the very state from which it rose as the beacon of freedom before independence from Britain in 1947. It was also another jolt to a party that has come to define itself by the Gandhi family rather than ideology or political conviction.

The winner was the Samajwadi (Socialist) Party, a grouping founded by a former wrestler whose appeal does not extend much beyond Uttar Pradesh. Congress has been humbled before by regional parties that are often more in touch with local issues, but Gandhi’s handling of the Uttar Pradesh campaign and his inability to even make a fight of it spells deep trouble for the party.

“The Congress party is in decline,” said Rashid Kidwai, who wrote a biography of Sonia Gandhi. “The problem with Congress is that they haven’t looked for leaders beyond the Gandhis. There is no think tank in the party, there are no big ideas anymore.” For all the talk of the need for change, the party’s Pavlovian response has been to close ranks behind the Gandhis and insist there is nothing wrong with its strategy.

“Politically, he (Rahul) has taken responsibility for the poor performance of the party because he led from the front. That’s what leaders do,” said Sachin Pilot, junior federal minister for communications and a member of the Gandhi family’s inner circle. “He is obviously disappointed but I don’t think he is dejected,” he added. “We are all looking to working with Rahul Gandhi in the future so there’s no change on that front. It doesn’t change the agenda of the party or what we stand for. It’s a setback, but it’s not a defeat.”

For decades after Jawaharlal Nehru, Rahul’s great-grandfather, delivered his stirring “tryst with destiny” speech on the eve of independence from Britain 65 years ago, the Gandhi family has dominated politics in the world’s biggest democracy. The succession of prime ministers and Congress party leaders from the family echoed the right to rule of an English monarchy. And the assassinations of Nehru’s daughter Indira when she was prime minister in 1984 and grandson Rajiv as he campaigned for elections in 1991 brought an air of tragic glamour akin to that of America’s Kennedy clan. Now, reverence for the secretive Gandhis and their party is ebbing away in a country where, after a decade of stellar economic growth, aspirations have shifted. “Family, in these egalitarian times, is an inadequate rationale for office,” wrote M.J. Akbar, a former Congress parliamentarian and once a trusted Gandhi family insider, in the India Today weekly. “It (the Congress) can either be a national trust or family property, not both.”

Promises made by increasingly powerful regional parties now carry more weight for many voters than those of Congress, which is

seen as out of touch, aloof and stuck in a past where candidates did little more than show up at election rallies, bandy about the Gandhi name and offer handouts for the poor. The humiliating defeat in Uttar Pradesh - and in two of four other states that went to the polls - will further weaken the struggling coalition government led by Congress as the country heads toward general elections due in two years. The trouncing has triggered speculation in New Delhi that Congress will be forced into early elections but, with peculiar logic, opposition parties may prefer to bide their time.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, architect of reforms launched in 1991 that delivered India’s economic boom, was already a lame duck before this latest blow. His government has been buffeted by corruption scandals and - saddled with mercurial allies whose support it desperately needs - takes few policy risks, shying away from reforms that could give the economy a shot in the arm.

“The government may not fall immediately, but all allies are turning the knife harder and harder into Congress,” said a leader of the main opposition, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), who declined to be named. “A weak Congress suits not just the opposition but all its allies and supporting parties.” Meanwhile, Congress is likely to revert back to its decadesold vision of democratic socialism to appeal to the rural masses.

Reforms in land acquisition and foreign investment rules and of costly fuel subsidies are crucial to lift an economy headed for its slowest growth in three years. However, Congress is more likely to tilt towards populism in the run-up to the 2014 poll, which will mean more spending on social programmes such as a pledge to provide universal food security.

The state election debacle may also raise fresh questions about the assumption that Rahul will take over as leader of the party from his 65-year-old mother, who underwent surgery last year for an undisclosed condition widely suspected to be cancer. If Rahul could not deliver for the party in Uttar Pradesh, many will ask, what hope will there be with six times as many voters in 2014? “This is a huge, huge setback, particularly for Rahul Gandhi,” said a political insider who has worked closely with Prime Minister Singh. “ There were already murmurs in the party about his style of leadership and his ability to deliver votes.”

When T V news anchorman Rajdeep Sardesai jeered at one Congress official as the election results came in “Your only face is the family”, he was highlighting the party’s biggest flaw: apart from Rahul, there are few potential leaders among the younger ranks of the party. Indeed, the most radical change some party insiders talk of is Rahul being replaced or joined by his sister, Priyanka, 40.

Married with two children, Rahul’s younger sibling has shown no inclination to enter politics full time, though many believe that with her outgoing personality and striking resemblance to her grandmother, Indira Gandhi, she holds more promise for the party than her brother. “Congress will rally around Rahul,” said Saeed Naqvi, an Observer Research Foundation fellow and veteran journalist.

“This is a party that doesn’t easily abandon its leader.” But Naqvi mocked Rahul’s political track record, noting that in nearly eight years as a lawmaker his most notable contribution in the lower house of parliament was a twopage statement on corruption that he read out. “It’s a complete and deliberate fraud on the nation,” Naqvi said. Rahul did mature as a public speaker on the campaign trail, building the confidence to deliver lengthy and forceful off-the-cuff speeches. He looked increasingly comfortable in the dusty plains of Uttar Pradesh, addressing tens of thousands in the colloquial Hindi of the region, and clambering down from rickety stages to mix with locals. — Reuters

PESHAWAR: A suicide bomber blew himself up at a funeral near the northwestern city of Peshawar yesterday, killing at least 15 people and wounding more than 30 others, police and hospital officials said. The blast, apparently targeting an antiTaleban politician, went off near a graveyard where people had just offered funeral prayers, senior police officer Kalam Khan said. “It was a suicide attack, we have found the head and legs of the bomber,” he said.

Peshawar administration chief Mohammad Siraj said the death toll from the incident in the Badaber area on the outskirts of Peshawar had gone up to 15.

“The latest toll is 15 dead and 37 wounded,” he told reporters.

Doctor Rahim Jan, head of the local Lady Reading Hospital, confirmed the casualties. “ We received nine bodies from the blast site and six died later in the hospital,” Jan said, adding that many of the wounded were in a serious condition.

Peshawar police chief Imtiaz Altaf said about eight kilograms of explosives had been used in the attack. Nobody claimed responsibility but Islamist militants have carried out several attacks in the area. The blast went off after mourners had offered prayers for a local woman. Police believe the deputy speaker of the provincial assembly, Khushdil Khan, who was attending the funeral, could have been the target.

Khushdil Khan is a member of the secular Awami National Party, which rules the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. He has formed an anti-Taleban militia in the area and is on the Pakistani Taleban’s hit list, police officer Kalam Khan said. “He was not hurt, he is safe,” the officer added.

PESHAWAR: Relatives gather around the bodies of suicide attack victims at a hospital yesterday. — AFP Saddam Hussain, 21, described the carnage. “We lifted the coffin and headed towards the graveyard after the prayers when a huge blast was heard,” he said.

“There were body parts and blood stains. People were crying for help. “There was no doctor and no ambulance. People, who had come to attend the funeral, put the casualties in their cars and rushed to the hospital. I myself put one wounded man in a car heading to the hospital.” In the hospital Zahir Shah, 40, wailed with grief near the body of his elder brother Raees Khan.

“Why did you murder my brother? He was so beautiful,” he said.

“This morning we had our breakfast together. My mother will not survive if I show her his body.”

Politician Khushdil Khan

blamed the Taleban for the attack. “They are targeting innocent people, they are enemies of humanity,” he told AFP. “We want peace in our area and we fight against all those who want to disrupt peace in our region.” The suicide bombing came a day after security officials said Pakistani troops, backed by helicopter gunships, killed 39 militants during a search operation near the town of Bara in the lawless Khyber tribal district on the Afghan border.

Bara is considered a stronghold of local warlord Mangal Bagh, who is linked to Islamist militants. Peshawar has a population of 2.5 million people and has long been on the frontline of violence blamed on an insurgency led by Taleban militants opposed to Islamabad’s alliance with the

United States. Islamist militants have killed more than 4,900 people across Pakistan since government troops raided an extremist mosque in Islamabad in July 2007.

Yesterday’s funeral bombing was the first since September 15 when a suicide attacker targeting anti-Taleban militia killed 46 people at a funeral in the northwestern district of Lower Dir. Pakistan has battled a homegrown insurgency for years, with more than 3,000 soldiers killed in the battle against militancy. There were about 120 bomb attacks in Pakistan in 2011, up on the 96 bomb blasts in 2010, but far lower than violence in 2009 when there were 203 bombings across the country, according to an AFP tally. — AFP

protesters in Australia target miners SYDNEY: Hundreds of anti-nuclear demonstrators converged on the Australian headquarters of global mining giants BHP Billiton and Rio Tinto yesterday to mark one year since Japan’s reactor crisis. Organised by a group of antinuclear Japanese expats called Japanese for Peace, the 500-strong march through southern Melbourne stopped at the offices of Rio and BHP to call for an end to uranium mining in Australia.

Organiser Kazuyo Preston said the demonstration aimed to draw attention to the dangers of nuclear technology on the one-year anniversary of the quake and tsunami in Japan, which triggered a crisis at the Fukushima nuclear reactor.

Preston said it was especially important to remember the disaster in Australia, which has the world’s largest uranium reserves and is a leading supplier of the energy resource to Japan and other nuclear nations. “It’s very important to us to commemorate this day, so that Australian people will remember what’s been happening in Fukushima and Australia’s involvement as a major supplier of uranium to Japan, including the damaged reactors in Fukushima,” Preston said.

“We had a good crowd today and I hope this global anti-nuclear movement will strengthen and lead to phasing out of nuclear power.”

Preston said Rio and BHP had both supplied uranium to Fukushima from their Australian mines and if there was “any way we can stop uranium mining in Australia then there will be no Fukushima”. Australia does not use nuclear power but it is the world’s third-ranking uranium producer behind Kazakhstan and Canada, exporting 9,600 tonnes of oxide concentrate worth more than Aus$1.1 billion ($1.2 billion) a year. It also has the world’s largest uranium reserves, holding 23 percent of the global total, according to the World Nuclear Association.—AFP

VADIA: Newly engaged youth below India’s legal age of marital consent offer sweets to each other in this

Mass wedding in India’s ‘condemned village’ VADIA: Eight young women whose mothers are sex workers were married in a socalled “village of prostitutes” in India yesterday under a plan to save them from being pushed into the world’s oldest profession. The event, held in the village of Vadia in the western state of Gujarat, was organised by Vichar ta Samuday Samarthan Manch (VSSM), a non-profit group which works with marginalised nomadic communities. The brides, all aged 18 or slightly older, were dressed in colourful saris with their grooms wearing fantail turbans as loud drummers accompanied the wedding party.

Women from Vadia village have worked in the sex trade for generations and the marriage ceremony was an attempt to break the cycle of exploitation, said Mittal Patel of VSSM. “Marriage means that the young girls will be saved from the traditional profession of prostitution,” she said.

“Once the girl gets married or engaged, she cannot be forced into the flesh trade.”

Another 12 girls aged under 18 were also engaged at the event, which was held 210 kilometres (130 miles) from Gujarat’s main city of Ahmedabad. However three more engagements were cancelled when the boys failed to turn up. Patel said her group had been working closely with local communities for five years and had found young men willing to marry the women “by building trust among them”.

Mittal said no one had previously wanted to marry a girl from Vadia, which is known locally as the “village of prostitutes”. Men in the village are known to make money by pimping the women to clients. About 3,000 people attended yesterday’s celebrations in Vadia after invitations, which included an emotional poem by a Gujarati writer, were sent out for the big day.— AFP

MONDAY, MARCH 12, 2012

i n t e r n at i o n a l

China frees 24,000 abducted women, kids in 2011 BEIJING: Chinese police rescued more than 24,000 abducted children and women last year, some of whom had been sold for adoption or forced into prostitution as far away as Angola, officials said yesterday. Trafficking of women and children is a serious problem in China-blamed in part on the strict “one-child” policy, which has put a premium on baby boys and activists say the cases uncovered by police are just the tip of the iceberg. The Ministry of Public Security said in a report posted on its website that police across the country had rescued 8,660 children and 15,458 women in 2011 all victims of trafficking.

The ministry added that authorities had cracked nearly 3,200 trafficking gangs last year, including a ring that sent Chinese women to Angola and forced them into prostitution. “In

November 2011, the public security ministry dispatched a police team to Angola... and detained 16 suspects and freed 19 Chinese women,” it said.

Police also discovered that more than 2,000 children had been abducted and sold for adoption in 2011 — a big problem in China where couples unable to conceive or wanting a son, or male heir, can adopt from any source.

In November last year, for instance, police in the eastern province of Shandong broke up a human trafficking gang that bought babies from poor families and sold them on for as much as $8,000. Abductions and trafficking in China have caused huge public concern, but despite regular government vows to crack down hard on the crime, incidents still emerge on a regular basis. In one scandal that shocked the nation, authorities in

2007 found that thousands of people had been abducted and forced into slave labour in brickyards and mines across China.

More recently, police rescued 16 under-age girls forced into prostitution in the northern region of Inner Mongolia last April, and freed 89 children in July in a crackdown on trafficking launched earlier in the year. Police also arrested 369 people in the operation, which aimed to break up a pair of “large criminal enterprises” involved in child-trafficking across 14 provinces, they said at the time.

Nearly 11,300 people accused of trafficking were punished from 2008 to 2011 and the number of traffickers has shrunk, the official Xinhua news agency said earlier this month, without saying how they were punished.

The report also said there was a drop in the number of cases involving kidnapped babies, but added that a rising number of people were selling their own babies to earn money. Most trafficked babies still go to desperate couples willing to illegally adopt a child, it said. The ministry said it had built a nationwide system last year that collects DNA data from the parents of children suspected of having been kidnapped.

Police then input the DNA of children rescued from trafficking rings into the system, and if there is a match, can return the youngsters to their parents as quickly as possible. The database also helps the police in cases of illegal adoptions, as they can prove that a child has been unlawfully taken in by a family if his or her DNA matches that of somebody reported missing.— AFP

China needs more laws to combat corruption Official stats on executions considered state secrets

MAWLAMYINE: Myanmar’s pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi (in pink at center) waves to supporters from her vehicle as she arrives at Bee Lin township, on her way to an election campaign stop. — AP

Suu Kyi poke at army banned from state TV YANGON: Myanmar opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi says government censors are not allowing her party to criticize the previous military-run governments when it promotes its policies on state-run radio and television ahead of April elections. After decades of military repression, a nominally civilian government that was elected last year has been enacting reforms, including releasing hundreds of political prisoners, relaxing media censorship and allowing Suu Kyi to stand as a candidate for her National League for Democracy party.

However, the military is guaranteed a quarter of the seats in the country’s lower house and the remainder is dominated by the main pro-military party. Under an election law brought in by the previous regime, political parties are banned from making campaign statements harmful to the military.

NLD spokesman Nyan Win said Suu Kyi’s party broadcast to be taped today in the capital, Naypyitaw, had been approved, but a paragraph was excised under regulations that include a ban on statements harming the military’s image. Her statement will be broadcast on March 14 and 22.

“The part about the lack of rule of law and about the laws enacted by successive military governments to suppress the people were censored,” Suu Kyi told US-funded Radio Free Asia on Saturday. The 15-minute broadcast will be the first time the democracy icon and Nobel Peace laureate has been given the opportunity to use the state media to promote her party’s platform. Suu Kyi yesterday campaigned in the Mon State capital of Mawlamyine, also called Moulmein, 180 miles (290 kilometres) southeast of Yangon, where thousands of supporters greeted her.

She has been barnstorming the country ahead of April 1 by-elections, in which her NLD party will be contesting all 48 parliamentary seats at stake. Suu Kyi herself will be running in a constituency south of Yangon.

She told supporters her party had been established with the goal of having a democratic system take root in the country, protecting human rights and preventing the reemergence of a military dictatorship.

Myanmar was under army rule from 1962 until last year. “Frankly speaking, these things have not yet been achieved,” Suu Kyi said.

“We are not fully enjoying human rights and the democratic system hasn’t taken root yet.

It is also still unclear whether a military dicta-

torship will emerge again or not.” Suu Kyi’s party overwhelmingly won a 1990 general election, but the military refused to allow it to take power.

The NLD boycotted a 2010 general election, saying the rules were unfair. It agreed to rejoin electoral politics last year when the new military-backed elected president, Thein Sein, began implementing democratic reforms. Although the government changed some parts of the election law to meet NLD objections, campaign regulations are still very rigid. The 17 political parties contesting the polls were allowed to deliver their party manifestos on state radio and television starting March 7, but have to submit the text at least seven days in advance.

According to campaign regulations, the speech must not be more than seven pages long and political parties are not allowed to make statements “detrimental to non-disintegration of the Union (of Myanmar), nondisintegration of national solidarity and perpetuation of sovereignty.” Statements harmful to the image of the state and the military, detrimental to security and tranquillity and statements that incite service personnel are also not permitted.

Suu Kyi is rarely seen on state television, and many people watch TV with keen interest every July 19 when her picture is shown for a few seconds when she attends the annual Martyrs Day ceremony to lay a wreath at the tomb of her father, independence hero Gen. Aung San, on the anniversary of his death. Her meetings with President Thein Sein last year and her meetings with government minister Aung Kyi, who acts as the regime’s liaison official with her, were also briefly aired.

Censorship is not the only roadblock Suu Kyi’s party claims to be facing. Suu Kyi charged Thursday that official voter lists for the by-elections include dead people, opening the possibility for fraud, and she called on the international community before determining their policy toward Myanmar to watch closely how the elections proceed and how the official election commission deals with complaints of electoral irregularities. The United States and other Western nations imposed economic and political sanctions on Myanmar due to repression under the previous military regime, but are considering easing them if Thein Sein’s reforms continue. — AP

BEIJING: Hostesses working for delegates from the National People’s Congress pose for photos outside the Great Hall of the People yesterday. China’s parliament also called the National People’s Congress is currently holding its last annual session under the current leadership, amid what analysts say may be a bitter power struggle to replace outgoing Communist Party rulers.— AFP

BEIJING: More reforms are needed to China’s judicial system to overcome lingering problems with transparency and corrupt judges, the country’s top judge said yesterday. Supreme People’s Court President Wang Shengjun said in his annual report to the National People’s Congress, China’s parliament, that the court will work to create a better legal environment to protect economic and social development and will deepen judicial reform in 2012.

“Some courts have not done well in improving transparency of court affairs and promoting a democratic judicial system,” Wang said in delivering the report to an audience that included China’s top leaders. He criticized some judges for poor working styles that delayed hearings, adding that a small number of judges were found to have taken bribes.

This year, the Supreme Court will work to reform court procedures to speed up proceedings of civil cases involving small sums of money, and improve rules allowing citizens to observe trials, he said.

How much Wang’s call translates into action is not known.

China’s courts do not operate independently of the ruling Communist Party. Politically sensitive and high-profile cases are often decided behind the scenes by special committees. And legal reformers say the current government of President Hu Jintao has undermined rule of law by promoting a campaign that says the party and people’s interests must be placed above the letter of the

law.

The public and media are often kept out of the courts, especially for any sort of politically sensitive trial, and lawyers representing human rights activists and others who have upset the government often complain that basic defense rights are ignored.

Wang said courts should make more efforts in accepting supervision from the general public, including soliciting opinions from the public and giving more heed to media reports.

Wang said that in 2011, 77 judges and court staff were prosecuted for embezzlement, bribery or other crimes connected to their work, a 30 percent drop from the year before. Wang said Chinese courts concluded 69,000 cases covering major crimes, including homicide, kidnapping, planting bombs and human trafficking, sending about 105,000 criminals to jail.

The Supreme Court must sign off on all death sentences handed down by lower-level courts, but, as in previous reports, Wang did not give a figure for the number of executions in China last year.

Official statistics on executions are considered state secrets, but the US-based human rights group Dui Hua Foundation estimates that China put 5,000 people to death in 2009.

Wang said the Supreme Court examined more than 11,800 cases in 2011, down 1.8 percent from the previous year. Local courts at various levels heard more than 12.2 million cases, an increase of 4.4 percent from 2010. In a sepa-

Malaysian minister resigns amidst corruption claims KUALA LUMPUR: A Malaysian minister announced her resignation yesterday amid an alleged corruption scandal that has put pressure on Prime Minister Najib Razak’s government ahead of looming elections.

Women’s affairs minister Shahrizat Jalil has come under fire over the “cows-for-condos” scandal, with accusations that her family used government money meant for a cattle-rearing project to invest in luxury apartments.

Perceived corruption and economic mismanagement were among voters’ key grouses in the last general election, when the ruling Barisan Nasional coalition suffered its worst results ever.

Shahrizat said she would step down as women, family and community development minister when her senatorship-which before the scandal was expected to be extendedends on April 8, according to an aide. She plans to continue to head the women’s wing of Najib’s ruling party, the aide said. The minister’s husband is chairman of the embattled National Feedlot Corporation (NFC) and their three children are also involved with the organisation, although the minister re-iterated she had no role in it herself.

The NFC was given a 250 million ringgit ($83 million) government loan to accelerate beef production in Malaysia, but came under fire when an auditor general’s report pointed out it had failed to meet its objectives.

The opposition pounced on the criticism and subsequently alleged Shahrizat’s family used corporation funds to make purchases for personal reasons, including luxury condominiums in Malaysia and neighbouring Singapore. NFC officials have denied improper dealings and defended the property investments as ways to bring in “greater returns” for the project. Police are investigating the corporation.

Allegations of corruption against ruling coalition politicians are common in Malaysia but it is rare for them to have any repercussions. But with Najib expected to seek a fresh mandate soon, he can ill afford negative publicity, which the opposition has been exploiting. When Najib took office in 2009, after the Barisan Nasional lost its long-held two-thirds parliamentary majority in elections a year earlier, he pledged to clamp down on corruption in a bid to win back voters. — AFP

BEIJING: Chinese police officers patrol Tiananmen Square near where the fourth plenary session of the National People’s Congress is held in the Great Hall of the People yesterday. — AP

rate report to the congress, top prosecutor Cao Jianming said prosecutors will focus on maintaining “social harmony and stability” by cracking down on “overthrowing, and infiltrating activities by foreign and domestic hostile forces.” The terms refer to

overseas groups, including supporters of exiled Tibetan leader the Dalai Lama, who China accuses of inciting unrest in minority areas such as Tibet and Xinjiang in the far west. Both areas have experienced violent protests in recent years. — AP

US planning spy plane use during Seoul forum SEOUL: The United States plans to send a military spy plane to South Korea to detect potential attacks by the North during a global nuclear forum to be held in Seoul later this month, a report said yesterday. The US and South Korean militaries are discussing deploying a high-flying J-STARS (joint surveillance and target attack system) aircraft during the Seoul Nuclear Security Summit on March 2627, Yonhap news agency said.

It added that monitoring of the communist North had been strengthened ahead of the forum, which involves more than 50 heads of states including US President Barack Obama.

“Military readiness will be maintained at the highest level to guard against potential attacks via land, sea and the air as well as cyber

attacks,” Yonhap quoted an unnamed senior Seoul military official as saying.

J-STARS aircraft fly as high as 12 kilometres (7.4 miles) altitude, cruise at Mach 0.8, and can monitor the North’s military activities including troop movements, artillery and surface-to-surface missiles. The aircraft type was deployed in a huge US-South joint military drill held in November 2010 after the North’s deadly shelling of a border island.

South Korea says the upcoming summit will focus on ways to safeguard atomic material worldwide and prevent acts of nuclear terrorism. But the North has blasted the event as an “unsavoury burlesque” intended to justify an atomic attack by South Korea and its ally US. — AFP

This undated picture, released from North Korea’s official Korean Central News Agency on March 10, 2012 shows North Korean leader Kim Jong Un (centre) meeting with family of soldiers as he inspects Cho Islet defending a forward post on the west coast in North Korea. — AFP

MONDAY, MARCH 12, 2012

NEWS Waves break around an Italian oil tanker that ran aground near Syracuse in southern Sicily yesterday. The cargo ship ran aground in high winds and seas, the coastguard said, adding that the 19 crew were taken off by helicopter amid worsening weather. — AFP

West angered, but won’t punish Turkey ANKARA: The West is angered about Turkey’s refusal to go along with it on Iran sanctions, but unlikely to try to punish Ankara as it needs help with neighbouring Syria, say analysts. While Washington and Brussels are ardent supporters of sanctions to force Iran to abandon its contested nuclear programme, Turkey believes tough measures will backfire and instead backs the policy of engagement and diplomacy. Turkish officials have refused to join the latest US and EU sanctions against Iran, which include a ban on oil imports, and are only bound by UN Security Council measures.

But analysts said that while Turkey has come under pressure from Washington, it will be protected from its wrath largely because of the Syrian crisis on its doorstep.

“First of all, the Obama administration needs Turkey’s help in contending with the Arab political uprisings, especially the difficult situation in Syria,” said Barbara Slavin, senior fellow at the Atlantic Council of the United States. Since the outbreak of the uprisings in mid-March last year, Ankara and Washington have been coordinating policies on how to respond to President Bashar al-Assad’s deadly

crackdown on dissent which has claimed over 7,600 lives according to UN estimates.

Both have called on Assad to step down, and also worry the unrest could deepen in a region already jolted by last year’s Arab Spring uprisings. Indeed, the Turkish government “is taking the opposite side from Iran on the Syrian crisis,” said Slavin. As Syria’s closest ally in the region, Iran has stood behind the regime in Damascus while Turkey accused it of “mercilessly murdering” its own people. The unrest in Syria is not the only divergence in Turkish-Iranian ties. Ankara’s decision to allow a early radar system to be stationed on its soil as part of a NATO missile defense scheme is another source of tension in the two neighbours’ relationship.

Turkey, a member of NATO since 1952, has insisted that Iran is not target of the radar but Turkish pleas fell on deaf ears in Tehran which warned that Ankara’s consent would create tension and lead to “complicated consequences”.

Turkish willingness to get tough with Syria’s brutal crackdown and to host NATO radar system on its soil have proved Turkey is still anchored to the West. Only two years

ago, a Turkish veto of a UN Security Council resolution calling for tougher sanctions against Iran shocked Washington, rekindling debates over EU hopeful Turkey’s East-West orientation.

At the time, many pundits accused Turkey of drifting away from the West as Ankara had preferred to stand behind a nuclear fuel swap deal it forged with Brazil, despite massive pressure by the United States. As suspicions have grown over Tehran’s nuclear ambitions since then, the regional unrest caused by popular uprisings against authoritarian rulers turned all political calculations upside down and caught many unprepared, including Turkey. The new quest for freedom in the region pushed Ankara to revisit its policies and drop its once famous zero problems foreign policy with its neighbours. Turkish leaders won Western plaudits for their outspoken calls for regional dictators to go - Egypt’s Hosni Mubarak, then Libya’s Muammar Gaddafi and lastly Syria’s Assad. Still observers say new strains as result of the Arab Spring and NATO missile scheme are unlikely to dent Turkish-Iranian trade ties given Ankara’s dependence on oil and natural

gas imports from Iran.

“The Turkish economy is booming and needs cheap sources of energy to maintain its growth,” Joseph Hammond, country editor and analyst for The Oil and Gas Year, told AFP. Last year its imports of all goods from Iran totalled $12.5 billion, with much of this due to rising Turkish demand for Iranian energy, according to the February report of the International Crisis Group. While abiding by UN sanctions, the government here has bolstered trade with Tehran for “pragmatic reasons”, said the report.

With one fifth of its natural gas and one third of its oil coming from Iran, officials argue that the impact of a boycott on Iranian energy on the Turkish economy is far greater than on the West, it added. “In the near future there is little hope Turkey could move rapidly away from Iran as a source of hydrocarbons,” said Hammond.

However this is unlikely to jeopardise Turkish-US alliance, according to Slavin. “The US understands that Turkey does not want to have to rely even more on natural gas from Russia and that Iran is the only practical alternative right now,” she said. — AFP

US unveils ray beam as new weapon

Iran tells West to drop ‘bullying’ tone

Continued from Page 1

Continued from Page 1

Pentagon was keen to make clear what the weapon is, and what it is not.

The frequency of the blast makes all the difference for actual injury as opposed to extreme discomfort, stressed Stephanie Miller, who measured the system’s radio frequency bioeffects at the Air Force Research Laboratory. The system ray is 95 gigahertz, a frequency “absorbed very superficially,” said Miller. The beam only goes 0.4 mm, which “gives a lot more safety”. “We have done over 11,000 exposures on people. In that time we’ve only had two injuries that required medical attention and in both cases injuries were fully recovered without complications,” she said.

In contrast, microwave frequency is around one giga-

hertz, which moves faster and penetrates deeper - which is how it can cook meat in an oven, said top researcher Diana Loree. With the transmitter, a wave 100 times the power of a regular microwave oven cannot pop a bag of popcorn “because the radio frequency is not penetrating enough to heat enough to internally heat the material,” she stressed.

To be used in mob dispersal, checkpoint security, perimeter security, area denial, infrastructure protection, the US military envisions a wide array of uses. And in a bid to avert accidents, Taffola said the operator’s trigger, in a truck far from the action, has an automatic shut-off after 3 seconds for safety. “This provides the safest means and also provides the greatest range,” he said. The Pentagon has not yet decided to order any of the ADS system, but Taffola said they would be ready if asked. — AFP

US soldier kills 16 in Afghanistan rampage Continued from Page 1 deaths, the group said in an emailed statement to media. The US embassy in Kabul sent out an alert to its citizens in Afghanistan warning that as a result of the shooting “there is a risk of anti-American feelings and protests in coming days”. An AFP reporter at the scene of the killings counted the bodies of 16 people, including women and children. In one house, an elderly woman screamed: “May God kill the only son of Karzai, so he feels what we feel.”

Western sources said the rampage began after a US soldier walked off his base in the early hours of yesterday morning, apparently heavily-armed and carrying nightvision equipment. He was arrested outside the base after the shooting by members of the Afghan National Army, the army corps commander in southern Afghanistan, Abdul Hameed, told AFP. Haji Samad said 11 of his relatives were killed in one house, including his children. Pictures showed blood-splattered walls where the children were killed.

“They (Americans) poured chemicals over their dead bodies and burned them,” a weeping Samad told Reuters at the scene. “I saw that all 11 of my relatives were killed, including my children and grandchildren,” said Samad, who had left the home a day earlier. Neighbours said they awoke to crackling gunfire from American soldiers, whom they described as laughing and drunk. “They were all drunk and shooting all over the place,” said neighbour Agha Lala, who visited one of the homes where the incident took place.

“Their bodies were riddled with bullets.”

Some of the bodies had been burned, while others were covered with blankets. A young boy partially wrapped in a blanket was in the back of a minibus, dried blood crusted on his face and pooled in his ear. His loose-fitting brown pants were partly burned, revealing a leg charred by fire.

Villagers packed inside the minibus looked on with concern as a woman spoke to reporters. She pulled back a blanket to reveal the body of a smaller child wearing what appeared to be red pajamas. A third dead child lay amid a pile of green blankets in the bed of a truck. Residents in

Alkozai village demanded that Karzai punish the American or hand him over to the villagers. “No Taleban were here. No gun battle was going on,” said a female relative who was shouting in anger. “We don’t know why this foreign soldier came and killed our innocent family members. Either he was drunk or he was enjoying killing civilians.”

The massacre was the latest in a series of incidents that have badly frayed US-Afghan relations, complicating negotiations on a strategic partnership agreement between the two countries for when US combat operations end in 2014.

The treaty would likely cover the legal status of any US troops remaining in Afghanistan to help Kabul with intelligence, air power and logistics in the fight against Taleban insurgents.

In Iraq, Washington abandoned its pursuit of a strategic partnership deal and pulled out all its troops, leaving no residual force, after failing to get Baghdad to grant its soldiers legal immunity. Relations plunged to an all-time low last month after the burning of Qurans at a military base near the Afghan capital, sparking anti-US protests in which some 40 people died and forcing US President Barack Obama to apologise. During the protests, six American soldiers were killed when Afghan colleagues turned their weapons against them.

But there was no word on what might have motivated the soldier’s actions in Kandahar. An Afghan government official, who described Karzai as “very angry” over the incident, said the president had dispatched the army chief of staff to head an investigation. Afghan resentment of US forces has also been provoked by a video posted online in January showing US Marines urinating on the bloodied corpses of slain Afghan insurgents - an incident condemned by the Pentagon. And in November, the ringleader of a rogue American military “kill team” charged with murder for shooting civilians for sport was found guilty and sentenced to life in prison by a military panel. Kandahar is a stronghold of Taleban insurgents fighting to oust Karzai’s government, which is supported by some 130,000 US-led NATO troops. — Agencies

repeated that “all options are on the table” when it comes to Iran, raising the spectre of military strikes against Iranian nuclear facilities. US President Barack Obama, though, has cautioned against “bluster” in talking about possible war with Iran, saying there still exists a window of diplomacy.

Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, welcomed Obama’s “good talk” but called US determination to press on with sanctions an “illusion”. Mohammad Nahavandian, the head of Iran’s chamber of commerce, said in a statement yesterday that the opportunity of the new talks with the world powers “should be seized, and we should try to pay serious attention to removing all sanctions”. The United States and

other Western governments suspect Iran is working towards a nuclear weapon capability, although US intelligence services say Tehran has made no decision yet on whether to produce an actual bomb. Iran, for its part, denies it is even researching nuclear weapons.

It has twice refused, though, requests by the UN nuclear watchdog to inspect a suspect military site for signs of alleged experiments with explosives of the sort that could be used to trigger an atomic blast. The United States and the European Union have in the past four months greatly ramped up economic sanctions on Iran in a bid to force it to suspend uranium enrichment, the most sensitive part of its nuclear program.

Ahmadinejad said: “They should know they will never prevail. There

are no acute problems in the country and its economic pillars are strong. It is a psychological war.” His government, he vowed, “will overcome all the problems.” The Iranian president also dismissed Israel, which has been leading the bellicose rhetoric, as “a dead entity”. “Do not think that just because idiot leaders of regional countries support you, you will cement your basis in the region,” he said. Ahmadinejad also lashed out at Arab governments backing the Western pressure against his country - implicitly including Saudi Arabia, which is pumping extra oil to make up for curbed Iranian exports. “The (Arab leaders) have no support among their people. If they give only one day of freedom to their nation, their people in the one day will topple them all,” he said. -— AFP

Annan: Tough to reach Syria deal Continued from Page 1 But it said the 46-year-old president had also told Annan he would help in “any honest effort to find a solution”. Syrians involved in a popular uprising against Assad say there can be no meaningful dialogue with a leader who has inflicted such violence and suffering on his own people. ”Him (Assad) stepping down is definitely a first condition of any discussion or negotiation,” Bassma Kodmani of the opposition Syrian National Council told the BBC yesterday.

The United Nations says Assad’s forces have killed more than 7,500 people in a year-long crackdown on protesters and insurgents.

Authorities say rebels have killed 2,000 soldiers. Annan’s mission has coincided with a Syrian military offensive against opposition strongholds in the northwest. Activists said at least four people were killed in the town of Idlib yesterday after troops and tanks moved in a day earlier. Three soldiers and a civilian were also killed in fighting in the village of Janoudiya in Idlib province

yesterday morning, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

State news agency SANA said “terrorists” shot dead a former boxing champion, Ghiath Tayfour, in the city of Aleppo and also killed a leading Baath Party member in Homs province. The Observatory said 39 civilians, including 25 in Idlib province, were killed on Saturday, along with 39 rebels and 20 government soldiers, giving an overall death toll of 98.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, who met Annan in Cairo on Friday, 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.

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.

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. But the exiled opposition Syrian National Council ruled out talks while Assad is 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. US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton will meet Lavrov in New York today when the Security Council holds a special meeting on Arab revolts, with Syria likely to be in focus. But diplomats at the UN in New York expressed pessimism about the prospects for Annan’s peace mission. “Kofi Annan’s meeting in Damascus seems to have gone nowhere,” said one senior envoy from a Security Council member.

“Assad is determined not to give in and the divide is growing between Russia and the Western countries,” the envoy said. — Agencies

14

MONDAY, MARCH 12, 2012

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Issues

Relax, US! You have little to fear

By Bernd Debusmann he world is becoming ever more dangerous. Threats to the United States are multiple and complex. Just think of terrorists, rogue states, dangers arising from Middle East revolutions, cyber attacks, Iran’s nuclear ambitions, the rising power of China. The list goes on. It makes for a world “more unpredictable, more volatile and more dangerous,” as Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta has put it.

According to polls, most of America’s foreign policy elite thinks the world is as dangerous, or more dangerous than it was during the Cold War. This belief, write the foreign policy analysts Micah Zenko and Michael Cohen, shapes debates on US foreign policy and frames the public’s understanding of international affairs. “There is just one problem,” they write in the latest issue of Foreign Affairs, “it is simply wrong. The world that the United States inhabits today is a remarkably safe and secure place. It is a world with fewer violent conflicts than at virtually any other point in history.” They add: “The United States faces no plausible existential threats, no great power rival, and no near-term competition for the role of global hegemon. The US military is the world’s most powerful.” And though there are a variety of international challenges, they pose little risk to the overwhelming majority of American citizen, say the two scholars. Take terrorism: Of the 13,816 people killed by terrorist attacks in 2010, only 15 (or 0.1 percent were US citizens, according to the two scholars. Between 2006 and 2010, terrorist attacks worldwide declined by almost 20 percent and the number of deaths by 35 percent. Zenko and Cohen argue that there is a disparity between foreign threats and domestic threat-mongering that America’s political and policy elites are unwilling to recognize and even more unwilling to integrate into national security decision-making.

Why? Hyping threats serves the interests of both political parties, and more so in an election year. Republicans turn up the volume of warnings to better attack Democrats’ alleged weakness in dealing with threats. Democrats exaggerate threats as a protection against Republican attacks.

The chronic exaggeration of threats, argue Zenko and Cohen, also serves as a justification for huge budgets for the military and America’s intelligence agencies. Result: the militarization of foreign policy, a skewed allocation of funds and not enough emphasis on non-military national security tools. Challenging what has become conventional wisdom, the two write that “American foreign policy needs fewer people who can jump out of airplanes and more who can convene round-table discussions and lead negotiations”.

Yet, the budgets of the two principal agencies of “soft”, rather than military power, the US Agency for International Development and the US Department of State, pale in comparison with the Pentagon. Its enormous budget “not only wastes previous resources; it also warps national security thinking and policy-making”.

Will the two scholars’ thought-provoking arguments prompt policy-makers to rethink? Probably not, but the fact that their piece appears in the house organ of America’s foreign policy establishment will spark debate - and no doubt criticism from defenders of the so-called 1.0-percent doctrine, the notion that no effort must be spared to counter a threat even if there is only a 1.0-percent chance that it will materialise. Counterintuitive though it may seem, given a daily diet of news on bloodshed from places around the world, Zenko and Cohen are not alone in insisting that the world has become a safer place. Last year, Steven Pinker, a psychology professor at Harvard, published an influential book (The Better Angels of our Nature) that traces the decline of violence over the centuries. “Believe it or not and I know that most people do not - violence has declined over long stretches of time,” Pinker writes. “And today we may be living in the most peaceable era in our species’ existence.” That decline is an unmistakable development, visible on scales from millennia to years, he says. Pinker admits that his assertion may strike some as “between hallucinatory and obscene”, given that the new century began with more than 3,000 people killed in the attacks on New York and Washington and that wars in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Darfur killed thousands more.

But relatively speaking, the beginning of the 21st century and all of the 20th (despite two world wars) featured less bloodletting than earlier eras. In the 17th century, for example, the Thirty Years’ War reduced the population of Germany by a third. Do such numeral comparisons change perceptions? Not according to Pinker. “Our cognitive faculties predispose us to believe that we live in violent times,” he writes in the preface to his book, “especially when they are stoked by media that follow the watchword ‘if it bleeds, it leads’.” — Reuters

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

Istanbul: A straining metropolis dreams big

By Christopher Torchia n a moonlit night in the backstreets of Beyoglu, one of Istanbul’s oldest districts, the worn facades and sharpangled shadows recall the mournful character of the city that Nobel-prize winning Turkish author Orhan Pamuk described in a memoir. But really, it’s just a glimpse. New, brash Istanbul charges ahead, and it’s harder to uncover those pockets of dark ruin that epitomize “huzun”, the dense, communal melancholy that permeated the former imperial capital in Pamuk’s work. As Turkey strives for global status, its leading city strains to channel expansion that threatens its heritage, environment and even its identity.

An ambler can step out of the alleyways and zoom up an elevator to a hotel roofdeck for a panoramic view of the mouth of the Bosporus Strait, where an armada of cargo ships lies, and the towers of a bustling financial district. Fireworks burst by the shores of the Golden Horn inlet, so far below and so far away that the sound does not carry. Once a backwater aching with memories of a glorious past, Istanbul today is hectically, perhaps blindly, hustling to create a vibrant future.

Istanbul, whose name derives from the Greek for “to the city,” is home to nearly 20 percent of the 75 million people in Turkey, compressing and magnifying the swirl of a democracy in progress with a Muslim identity and a Western outlook. It is the engine and the envoy for a country that wants to be a force in the world after generations on the sidelines. At the national level, rhetoric sometimes eclipses real economic and diplomatic achievements. Turkey is a “beacon for the world,” says one Cabinet minister. Istanbul barrels ahead with the same kind of ebullience.

A documentary called “Ekumenopolis: City Without Limits” suggests congestion, real estate speculation and big projects such as a plan to build a third bridge over the Bosporus are creating a class-bound sprawl lorded over by politically connected barons of the construction industry. Director Imre Azem said audiences at foreign film festivals were surprised at

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what they saw on the screen. “It shatters their image of Istanbul. They have this nostalgic kind of image of Istanbul, with its mosques and all this tourist stuff,” Azem said. “For Turkish people, it’s kind of saying things that they already know because they live in this city and they know its problems.” Azem, 36, grew up in Istanbul and went to the United States to study, but returned often to find a frenzy of change.

“One time I come here, there’s a park. And then the next time, six months later, the park has become a building,” Azem said. “I really just started questioning where this is heading.” He said Istanbul was so vast that he had met some poor residents who had never seen the Bosporus Strait even though they had lived in the city for years. A common Turkish term is “gecekondu,” or “built overnight,” a reference to the shoddy apartment buildings that authorities in Istanbul condoned over decades, but now talk about replacing.

Istanbul also lives on a latent edge, wary that a catastrophic earthquake might strike tomorrow, in a decade, or not in anyone’s lifetime. Turkey lies in an active seismic zone. An international athletics event was held this weekend in a stadium built in line with safety codes imposed after 1999 quakes in northwest Turkey killed 18,000, including some on the outskirts of Istanbul. The old building at the site housed a swimming pool, but was demolished after experts found cracks from those temblors. The jewel of the city’s ambitions is the Olympics. Istanbul bid for the right to host the games four previous times, but Turkey’s economic growth over the last decade and its political assertiveness make it a strong candidate. Rivals are Tokyo; Doha, Qatar; Madrid; and Baku, Azerbaijan. The decision will be announced next year.

Istanbul’s rapid transformation began in the early 1980s, when Turkey, then in the grip of the military, opened the economy. Development was unleashed; urban immigration, too. Many of those swamping the cities were poor, ethnic Kurds who fled conflict between the army and Kurdish rebels in the rural southeast. David Cuthell, whose father was the American consul general in Istanbul around 1960, remembers

a city of perhaps 2 million that was steeped in deprivation and traditional values. “It was where people handed down their shoes to their younger siblings and the girls didn’t go to school after about sixth grade. It was something out of the American 19th century, and the British 19th century,” said Cuthell, an associate professor of international and public affairs at Columbia University in New York City.

Now travelers remark on Istanbul’s ferment, which contrasts with the economic torpor in Europe. Even longtime residents might see a new office building off a main highway and do a double-take, wondering how it popped up so fast. Split between the European and Asian continents, the city flaunts a rich menu of museums and palaces from a past that was derided by Turkey’s secular founders. A massive aquarium opened last year. A Rembrandt exhibit is showing now; Ottoman-style calligraphy is gaining popularity. A film festival starts at the end of March.

This month, the city hosts forums on bipolar disorder, wind and solar power and, according to the Turkish president, countries seeking to press Syria to stop its bloody crackdown on opponents. In April, meetings on contemporary art, investment, dentistry, superconductivity, and more. Teeming Beyoglu, where Turks and foreigners dine and shop, was once a shell, abandoned by Greek, Armenian and Jewish minorities who fled discrimination and persecution.

In his translated memoir “Istanbul,” Pamuk remarks how the Turkish desire to modernize and turn to the West after the collapse of the Ottoman Empire “amounted mostly to the erasure of the past,” producing a void. He examines different accounts and points of view of the city, and suggests that looking at Istanbul is looking at oneself: “Is this the secret of Istanbul that beneath its grand history, its living poverty, its outwardlooking monuments, and its sublime landscapes, its poor hide the city’s soul inside a fragile web? But here we have come full circle, for anything we say about the city’s essence says more about our own lives and our own states of mind. The city has no center other than ourselves.” — AP

Brazil’s new consumer class flocks to US

By Gisela Salomon he overstuffed bags filling Fernando Mello’s luggage cart wobbled precariously as the gym owner made his way home one morning through Rio’s international airport. Navigating the terminal, Mello was part of a horde of other Brazilian travelers returning with loot found in the strip malls and discount outlets of southern Florida. Mello’s girlfriend’s freshly purchased Michael Kors handbag in gold lame sat atop four bulging suitcases like a shining crown - a testament to the newfound consumer power of Brazilian travelers, who now spend more per capita than any other visitors to the US. In fact, Brazilians are spending so much that flights with Brazil’s top airline TAM originating in the US have had to carry more fuel to accommodate the dramatically overweight baggage. “We left with nothing, just a piece of hand luggage,” said the 30-year-old Mello. “We go to the US once a year, stay in great hotels, have a fantastic holiday and shop till we drop and it’s still cheaper than shopping in Brazil. It’s a nobrainer.”

According to the latest statistics, Brazilians spent $5.9 billion in the US in 2010 in a tsunami of cash that’s shifting American immigration practices and boosting economies in hard-hit parts of the US that remain in the doldrums. President Barack Obama recently ordered the State Department to speed up the visa application process for tourists coming from Brazil, China and other nations with newly flush consumers. After suffering decades of hyperinflation, Brazil has ridden high commodity prices along with some of the world’s biggest offshore oil discoveries to expand its economy, lift millions out of poverty and multiply the ranks of the country’s deep-pocketed elite.

The buying binge also shows off the muscle of the country’s mushrooming middle class, which has expanded by 40 million people since 2003. That’s been bolstered by the growing use of credit cards, bank loans and other forms of consumer credit. But it’s not just the easy money that has trans-

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formed Brazilians into world-class shoppers. Stiff tariffs on all imports push the prices of foreign-made goods into the stratosphere at home. And though domestic products are not known for their quality, their prices have risen in recent years as demand is higher than production, making it cheaper to buy nearly everything in the US, from clothes to toys and kitchen gear and even soaps and shampoos.

As a result, Brazilians spend more in the US than visitors from any other nation around $5,400 per person in 2010, with experts estimating the number growing last year. Japanese tourists followed,

half the diapers for the same price, and forget about everything else.”

Price discrepancies are particularly pronounced when it comes to luxury goods.

With the number of millionaire households here forecast to more than triple by 2020, Brazil is widely regarded as the new El Dorado of luxury, and top-tier labels such as Italy’s Prada and Bottega Veneta are scrambling to get a foothold. Because of the staggering import taxes, however, the high-end handbags, shoes, garments and electronics can end up retailing for several times more here than in Europe or the US. The iPhone 4S with 16 gigabytes of memo-

In this March 6, 2012 photo, Milena Rangel from Brazil poses for a photo taken by her husband Vanderson Rangel as they shop at the Sawgrass Mills mall in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. – AP spending $4,300 each. Unniverson Liborio, a 60-year-old chef based in New York, disembarked at Rio’s airport with bags stuffed with hot buys for his grandchildren - baby onesies, a pink plastic Barbie mansion and 700 disposable diapers. “I got this all for maybe $300, total,” said the Brazilian-born Liborio, who has lived in the US for decades. “Here I couldn’t have bought even

ry costs $1,515 without a contract on Apple’s Brazilian website. The same phone retails without a contract for $649 on Apple’s US website. And so it is that hordes of Brazilians swarm Miami’s Apple Store while the Girls from Ipanema snap up designer purses on New York’s Fifth Avenue.

Brazilian shoppers are easy to spot -

they’re the ones at malls with huge suitcases on rollers, spending from store to store until their baggage won’t hold any more.

Aristoteles Guimaraes, a 36-year-old from Sao Paulo, was busy recently at Miami’s Sawgrass Mill mall while on a special fourday shopping mission with a budget of $4,000. “I came exclusively to buy things for my baby,” said Guimaraes, whose wife is seven months pregnant and remained back home. “I came to buy everything.

Things here cost on average one-third of what they would in Brazil.” His big find: an Italian baby stroller that would have run him $1,300 in Sao Paulo but was $350 in the US. Guimaraes had visited before, with his first trip in 2005, and said he was treated better this time at his hotel and at the shops. It should come as no surprise: Still struggling merchants have rejoiced at the business. “They spend a lot,” said Giovana Ennen, a saleswoman at a luggage store in Miami. “I’ve sold 16 suitcases to a family of six people.” Ennen added that she sees some Brazilian clients every six weeks or so and that they leave each time with bags full of merchandise. Brazilians’ heavy spending has in part helped pave the way for a geopolitical shift in relations between the Latin American giant and the US. During a recent visit to Disney World, a perennial favorite among Brazilians, Obama unveiled measures aimed at making it faster and easier to obtain tourist visas for citizens of developing countries such as China and Brazil with “rapidly growing economies, large populations and emerging middle classes”. “More and more of their people can now afford to visit America who couldn’t come before,” Obama said. He said the State Department has been instructed to process 40 percent more visa applications for Brazilian and Chinese nationals this year. That expected increase comes on top of the already skyrocketing numbers of US visas granted to Brazilians in recent years, which more than doubled over the past decade to 546,866 in 2010. Official figures for 2011 have not yet been released, but the US Embassy in Brasilia estimates at least 1 million visas were granted last year. —AP

MONDAY, MARCH 12, 2012

sp orts Coe: Chambers ineligible

Salido retains title

Maradona’s tax charges

ISTANBUL: British sprinter Dwain Chambers should not be allowed to compete in the Olympics, London Games chairman Sebastian Coe said the day before the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) meets to determine whether the British Olympic Association’s (BOA) ban is legal.

Chambers served a two-year suspension for doping and is therefore ineligible to compete at any Games under a BOA byelaw. Britain is the only country to have such a ban, which has Coe’s support.

“For me this is not anti-Dwain Chambers... I do believe this is actually about the autonomy of sporting organisations to make judgements and byelaws that they think are in the best interest of their sports,” Coe told a small group of reporters at a hotel in Istanbul on Sunday. — Reuters

SAN JUAN: Mexico’s Orlando Salido retained his WBO featherweight title Saturday by handing Juan Manuel Lopez of Puerto Rico his second big defeat in under a year.

The 31-year-old Salido earned a technical knockout in the tenth round at the Roberto Clemente Coliseum to improve to 38-11-2 with 26 KOs, while Lopez fell to 31-2 with 28 KOs. “I was analyzing him...he was already tired,” said Salido, who was warned several times for hitting below the belt. “It is a great victory.” Salido said he wanted to maintain constant pressure on Lopez, who knocked down Salido in the dying seconds of the fifth round with a forceful right. Two of three judges had Lopez ahead on points when the fight ended.

“It was no doubt a difficult fight,” said Peter Rivera, vice president of PR Best Boxing Promotions. “It could have ended for either fighter. Both were tired. We lost this fight, but it won’t be the end.”

Last April, Salido handed 28-year-old Lopez his first loss with another technical knockout in the eighth round. Cheering the fighters were Puerto Rican boxing greats Felix “Tito” Trinidad and Ivan Calderon along with Mexican greats Julio Cesar Chavez, Jorge Arce and Juan Manuel Marquez. The judges included Puerto Rican Cesar Ramos, who replaced Raul Nieves, along with Michael Pernick and Dennis Nelson of the US. —AP

ROME: Diego Maradona wants to clear things up with Italian tax authorities so he can visit his old friends in Naples again.

“I want to return immediately to Naples and speak with the authorities,” Maradona wrote in Naples’ Il Mattino newspaper yesterday. “I’m not a tax evader and I want to show it.”

Maradona’s Italian debts of nearly ‚euro¨40 million (about $50 million) stem from alleged unpaid taxes during the time he played for Napoli from 1984-91, when he helped the club win its only two Serie A titles.

In previous visits to Italy in recent years, tax police have confiscated two Rolex watches and a diamond earring from Maradona.

In 2010, plans for a match in Naples celebrating Maradona’s 50th birthday had to be abandoned due to threats from tax authorities.

“I want to return to Italy and embrace the Neapolitans and all my friends who live in Italy,” Maradona added in an interview with Italy’s Sky TV. — AP

NHL results/standings Washington 4, Boston 3; Colorado 3, Edmonton 2 (So); Philadelphia 1, Toronto 0 (So); Buffalo 4, Ottawa 3 (SO); New Jersey 2, NY Islanders 1; Carolina 4, Tampa Bay 2; St. Louis 4, Columbus 1; Nashville 3, Detroit 2; Dallas 2, Anaheim 0; Phoenix 3, San Jose 0; Montreal 4, Vancouver 1. (So denotes shootout win).

Eastern Conference Atlantic Division W L OTL GF GA PTS NY Rangers 42 18 7 184 145 91 Pittsburgh 41 21 5 214 171 87 Philadelphia 39 21 7 219 193 85 New Jersey 39 24 5 191 178 83 NY Islanders 28 31 9 157 202 65 Northeast Division Boston 40 24 3 220 159 83 Ottawa 36 25 9 216 206 81 Buffalo 32 29 8 171 194 72 Toronto 30 30 8 200 210 68 Montreal 27 32 10 183 193 64 Southeast Division Florida 31 23 13 164 191 75 Washington 34 28 6 182 193 74 Winnipeg 32 29 8 181 195 72 Tampa Bay 31 30 7 191 233 69 Carolina 26 27 15 181 205 67 Western Conference Central Division St. Louis 44 18 7 181 134 95 Detroit 44 22 3 217 162 91 Nashville 40 21 7 195 175 87 Chicago 37 25 7 207 203 81 Columbus 22 39 7 160 221 51 Northwest Division Vancouver 42 19 8 215 172 92 Colorado 36 30 4 183 187 76 Calgary 31 25 12 169 188 74 Minnesota 29 29 10 147 189 68 Edmonton 26 35 7 180 206 59 Pacific Division Dallas 38 26 5 185 183 81 Phoenix 34 25 10 178 173 78 San Jose 33 25 9 184 173 75 Los Angeles 31 25 12 151 150 74 Anaheim 29 30 10 171 193 68

Stenhouse wins at Las Vegas LAS VEGAS: Defending Nationwide champion Ricky Stenhouse Jr. led the final 54 laps at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on Saturday for his first victory of the season.

Stenhouse had a strong car all day and dominated the end of the 200-mile race, pulling away from Mark Martin on a pair restarts on the 1.5-mile tri-oval in the desert.

Martin, who had won four of his previous six Nationwide starts at Las Vegas, finished second in his first Nationwide race for Joe Gibbs Racing. Polesitter Elliott Sadler rallied to finish third after a lengthy midrace pit stop to fix a vibration.

Danica Patrick was 12th in the first race at LVMS since IndyCar star Dan Wheldon was killed in a fiery crash last fall. Stenhouse was the top Nationwide rookie in 2010 and earned the season championship last year after winning two races and posting 26 top-10 finishes. He opened this season by finishing 19th at Daytona after being caught up in a late wreck and entered Saturday’s race fifth in points after taking third at Phoenix last week.

Stenhouse started sixth at Las Vegas and stayed near the front, taking the lead with 54 laps left. He pulled away from Martin out of two cautions down the stretch and had a big cushion when he crossed the checkers.

Martin was in the No. 18 Toyota that Kyle Busch drove in 38 of his series-record 51 wins before moving on to start his own team. The 53-year-old Martin was solid in the middle of the race, leading 44 laps and stayed near the front, but didn’t have enough to keep up with Stenhouse. Patrick was back at LVMS for the first time since Wheldon was killed in IndyCar’s 2011 season finale. The two-time Indy 500 champion died on Oct. 16 when his car was involved in a 15-car pileup on the 12th lap and sailed into a catch fence, where his head struck a pole. Patrick watched the wreck unfold in front of her and narrowly missed becoming involved. So instead of a triumphant departure from IndyCar, she headed off to NASCAR dejected after seeing a friend die in front of her. Patrick was somber when she arrived at LVMS on Friday, saying the walk from the garage back to the media center brought back a flood of memories.

She was able to keep her emotions in check once inside the car, though, putting together a decent qualifying run to start 12th in Saturday’s race.

Patrick struggled early, dropping toward the back of the pack before starting to move up. She made a daring pass around lap 60, ducking under two cars to move up to 16th, and was 10th coming out a caution near the race’s midpoint. Patrick moved up to sixth, but fell back a few spots on a restart with about 50 laps left and never made up the ground. — AP

Capitals roll, Avalanche bury Oilers BOSTON: Alexander Semin had a goal and set up Jay Beagle’s go-ahead score to lift the Washington Capitals to a 4-3 win over the Boston Bruins on Saturday.

It was the second straight win for the Capitals after a three-game losing streak (0-2-1). Brooks Laich and Matt Hendricks also scored, and Tomas Vokoun stopped 30 shots for the Capitals.

Brad Marchand, Milan Lucic and Johnny Boychuk scored for Boston, which failed to post its first three-game winning streak since late December. Tim Thomas, playing in his eighth consecutive game, made 26 saves.

Jussi Jokinen had two assists for the Hurricanes. The Lightning, who started a seven-game homestand, got goals from Ryan Malone and Nate Thompson.

Sabres 4, Senators 3 At Ottawa, Tyler Ennis scored in regulation and then added the winning goal

Stars 2, Ducks 0 At Dallas, Brenden Morrow scored a power-play goal in his return from an 18game injury absence and Kari Lehtonen made 21 saves for his 20th NHL shutout as Dallas stretched its winning streak to five games with a victory over Anaheim.

Morrow, the Stars’ captain, had been

Avalanche 3, Oilers 2 At Denver, Milan Hejduk and Peter Mueller scored in the shootout, and Semyon Varlamov stopped both shots he faced in the tiebreaker to lead Colorado over Edmonton.

Cody McLeod and Mueller added goals in regulation for the surging Avalanche, who kept within striking distance of eighth place in the Western Conference. Ryan Smyth and Taylor Hall scored for the Oilers.

Predators 3, Red Wings 2 At Nashville, Tennessee, Andrei Kostitsyn was assisted by his brother Sergei on a pair of power-play goals to lead Nashville over Detroit.

Patric Hornqvist also scored for Nashville. Drew Mller and Justin Abdelkader had goals for Detroit. Both teams scored within a 13-second span of the first period. Pekka Rinne made 35 saves for his 38th win of the season. Joey MacDonald stopped 17 shots for Detroit.

Devils 2, Islanders 1 At Uniondale, New York, Marek Zidlicky and David Clarkson scored 14 seconds apart in the final two minutes of the third period to rally New Jersey past the New York Islanders.

John Tavares broke the scoreless tie 6:46 into the third period, and Anders Nilsson seemed poised to shut out the Devils for the second time in a week.

Flyers 1, Maple Leafs 0 At Toronto, Ilya Bryzgalov made 29 saves for his third shutout in four games, Claude Giroux scored the only goal in the shootout, and Philadelphia edged Toronto.

Bryzgalov made his 11th straight start, and his biggest save came on Phil Kessel’s breakaway in overtime. He also denied Kessel in the shootout.

Jonas Gustavsson made 27 saves for the Maple Leafs, who have dropped seven straight home games. Gustavsson got credit for his fourth shutout this season.

Hurricanes 4, Lightning 2 At Tampa, Florida, Jeff Skinner scored two goals, Cam Ward made 36 saves in his 199th NHL win as Carolina beat Tampa Bay. Skinner gave Carolina a 3-2 lead when he skated around the net and scored from a tough angle at 6:36 of the third period. Chad LaRose added an emptynet goal. Jaroslav Spacek also scored and

Blues 4, Blue Jackets 1 At St. Louis, Brian Elliott made 21 saves as St. Louis beat Columbus to tie a franchise record with its 29th home victory of the season.

Elliott, who backed up Jaroslav Halak the last three games, lowered his NHLbest goals-against average to 1.61. The Blues have allowed just one goal in each of the last four games and two or fewer in nine straight.

David Perron, Chris Stewart, T.J. Oshie and Alex Pietrangelo scored for St. Louis.

Andy McDonald added two assists. Cam Atkinson scored for Columbus. The Blue Jackets had won four straight.

Coyotes 3, Sharks 0 At Glendale, Arizona, Mike Smith stopped 42 shots, and Mikkel Boedker and Michael Stone scored second-period goals in Phoenix’s win against San Jose.

Raffi Torres added his 12th goal of the season early in the third period for Phoenix, which ended a five-game losing streak. The Coyotes have 78 points and are in seventh place in the Western Conference. Smith earned his 16th career shutout, and the fifth this season. Smith’s previous shutout was Feb. 16 against the Kings. Antti Niemi made 26 saves for San Jose, which has lost five straight and seven of eight.

GLENDALE: San Jose Sharks’ Antti Niemi (31), of Finland, dives on the ice but gives up a goal to Phoenix Coyotes’ Mikkel Boedker (not pictured) as Sharks’ MarcEdouard Vlasic (44) and San Jose Sharks’ Michal Handzus, of the Czech Republic, skate around their goalie as Coyotes’ Marc-Antoine Pouliot (back left) celebrates during the second period in an NHL hockey game. —AP in the shootout to give Buffalo a victory over Ottawa.

Nathan Gerbe and Marcus Foligno also scored for the Sabres and Ryan Miller stopped 33 shots. Erik Karlsson scored twice, and Erik Condra had a goal for the Senators, who got 38 saves from Ben Bishop.

The Senators were short-handed for the final 67 seconds of overtime after Karlsson took a tripping penalty. Bishop made two great saves to force the game to a shootout.

out with neck and shoulder stiffness. He scored his ninth goal of the season at 2:37 of the second period. Morrow registered his 514th career point, tying him with Jere Lehtinen for ninth in franchise history.

Michael Ryder added an empty-netter, tying a career high with his 30th goal.

The Pacific Division-leading Stars are 9-01 in their last 10 games. Dallas won the season series from the Ducks 5-1. Jonas Hiller made 21 saves for Anaheim, 2-5 in its last seven games.

Canadiens 4, Canucks 1 At Vancouver, British Columbia, Erik Cole scored two third-period goals as Montreal beat Vancouver for its first winning streak in a month.

Cole gave Montreal a 2-1 lead 13 seconds into the third period. He made it 41 with 8:58 left, knocking in his own rebound for his 25th goal of the season and third in four games.

P.K. Subban had a power-play goal, and Blake Geoffrion netted his first tally of the season for the injury-plagued Canadiens, who outshot Vancouver 3018 over the final two periods. It was the third win in 10 games for Montreal (2732-10). Ryan Kesler gave the Canucks a 10 lead in the second period. —AP

Read, Puma come second in fourth leg of Volvo race AUCKLAND: American skipper Ken Read produced a tactical masterstroke to leave the Volvo Ocean Race wide open again yesterday by taking his Puma team past pacesetting Telefonica into second place in the fourth leg.

Read, the oldest captain in the race at 50, left observers scratching their heads midway through the 5,220-nautical mile (9,670-kilometer) leg when he headed north in the Pacific toward Japan, apparently in completely the wrong direction for their New Zealand destination.

The experienced campaigner from Rhode Island, Newport, knew what he was doing, picking up vastly superior wind and eventually leading Telefonica home by 50 minutes to claim runner-up spot for the leg between Sanya, China and Auckland.

“My God, I feel good to be in Auckland,” Read said.

“From day one of this leg, ever since we sailed into the South China Sea, it’s been tough. I know that’s what we signed up for, but man this is a challenging leg.” French boat Groupama won the leg late Saturday night despite a major late scare when crew found a leak in the hull that needed a hasty on-board repair 100 miles (161 kilometers) from the finish in Auckland.

The result leaves Spanish boat Telefonica still in the overall lead with 121 points after winning the first three legs, but Franck Cammas’ Groupama crew now lie only 18 behind with still plenty of time to catch up with each of the five legs remaining carrying 30 points apiece for the winner.

Camper, crewed by Team New Zealand, are still in contention, despite missed out on third position

behind Telefonica by just 1 minute, 33 seconds after more than 20 days sailing. They lie third overall with 98 points, ahead of Puma on 78. The race is scheduled

to finish in Galway, Ireland on July 8, nine months and more than 39,000 nautical miles (72,000 kilometers) after setting out from Alicante, Spain. —AP

AUCKLAND: In this fish eye lens photograph taken from a helicopter and provided by Volvo Ocean Race, PUMA Ocean Racing powered by BERG and skippered by Ken Read from the USA is followed by spectator boats as they sail towards the finish line of leg 4 of the Volvo Ocean Race. —AP

MONDAY, MARCH 12, 2012

sp orts

Japanese school baseball team a symbol of recovery IZUNOKUNI: One year after their lives were torn apart by Japan’s devastating earthquake and tsunami, players from Ishinomaki Technical High School are preparing to compete on one of the biggest stages in Japanese baseball.

When the magnitude-9.0 earthquake hit on March 11, 2011, manager Yoshitsugu Matsumoto was leading his team in a routine practice on the school’s baseball field. Earthquakes are all too common in Japan, but like everyone who experienced that terrible day, Matsumoto knew this one was different.

Within minutes, the school was transformed into an evacuation center, and it wasn’t long before the same field the team was practicing on was under 4.5 feet (1.4 meters) of water. The players and Matsumoto would spend the next three days in the school before moving to a safer evacuation facility.

Over the next several days, 70 percent of Matsumoto’s players would learn they had lost family members or homes in the devastation.

Yesterday, to mark the first anniversary of the tragic disaster, the team was to fly to Osaka to prepare for the March 21-April 1 spring invitational

high school baseball tournament, where they will be a symbol of resilience and recovery to the people of Ishinomaki and the prefecture of Miyagi.

Ishinomaki, a city of 150,000 on Japan’s northeast coast, was one of the hardest hit towns in the earthquake and tsunami that left just over 19,000 people dead. Approximately 46 percent of the city was inundated by several tsunamis up to 32 feet (10 meters) high.

After suffering so much, the people of Ishinomaki will draw hope for the future and have reason to cheer when their team takes the field.

“Baseball is very popular in Ishinomaki, so I’m sure our games will provide some relief to the people back home,” Matsumoto said. “My players weren’t the only ones facing difficult times.”

As difficult as the events of March 11 were on his team, Matsumoto knew the best thing for his players would be to get back to baseball as soon as possible. “When you are young like they are, you need something to throw yourself into,” Matsumoto said. “It was very tough on them, but baseball has helped them to deal with their losses.

Sports can be very important in this way.” Within eight weeks of the disaster, the team was back

practicing on the same field that was flooded.

Ishinomaki is taking part in the spring invitational as a 21st Century team. The Japan High School Baseball Federation each year selects three teams to take part that have served as a model school in some way. With a second-place finish in autumn prefectural (state) qualifying tournaments after all they had been through, Ishinomaki was an obvious choice.

“This will be the first time in 46 years for a team from Ishinomaki to take part in the tournament,” Matsumoto said. “I hope our games can lift the spirits of the people back home.”

The spring and summer high school baseball tournaments enjoy tremendous popularity in Japan. All the games are telecast live on national broadcaster NHK and fans gather around TVs when their local team takes the field at Koshien Stadium, home of the Hanshin Tigers of Japanese professional baseball.

“Going to Koshien is about the biggest honor a school can bring to its town,” said author Robert Whiting, who has written several books on Japanese baseball. “There are 4,000 high school teams in Japan, so it’s a huge honor to go. It’s up

there with sending an astronaut into space.”

The star players of the championship team achieve a degree of celebrity status. Many - like major league stars Daisuke Matsuzaka and Yu Darvish - have gone on to play in the professional leagues.

“Players who have played in Koshien are coveted by companies because of the training and effort they’ve put in to make it all the way to Koshien. It shows they’ve got character and fighting spirit,” Whiting said.

Matsumoto knows his players have plenty of fighting spirit, but is cautious when asked how they will react to playing in such a big tournament.

“We won’t know until we get there,” Matsumoto said. “But the players are in good spirits and we’re looking forward to the competition.”

In order to better prepare for Koshien, the team was invited to train in the warmer weather of Shizuoka prefecture south of Tokyo, at Nirayama High School in Izunokuni.

The offer to train at Nirayama was just another example of “Kizuna,” a notion of the inseparable bond between people that has flourished in Japan since the earthquake and tsunami. — AP

Myhrer wins WCup slalom

INDIAN WELLS: Maria Sharapova of Russia returns a forehand to Gisela Dulko of Argentina during the BNP Paribas Open at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden. —AFP

Wozniacki, Sharapova advance INDIAN WELLS: Defending champion Caroline Wozniacki and former winner Maria Sharapova cruised into the third round of the Indian Wells WTA tournament with 6-2 6-0 victories on Saturday.

Denmark’s Wozniacki launched her title defence by demolishing Russian Ekaterina Makarova and Sharapova, the 2006 champion, crushed Argentina’s Gisela Dulko at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden.

Former world number one Wozniacki took advantage of an error-strewn display by her left-handed opponent, cruising to victory in just over an hour on the showpiece stadium court.

Makarova, who reached her first grand slam quarter-final at the Australian Open in January, never once held serve as her match ended when she netted a backhand.

“I played pretty good out there,” fourth seed Wozniacki told reporters after ending the day session with her win. “It’s always pretty tough playing in your first match, and I actually felt comfortable.

“I don’t like to be out there for too long if I don’t have to. I like to play tennis and I love grinding it out, but if I have the opportunity to finish it off fast, I like that opportunity, as well.” The 21-year-old said she was excited to be back at Indian Wells. “This is one of my favourite tournaments and I always feel at home here,” she added.

Wozniacki, who beat Frenchwoman Marion Bartoli in last year’s final, will next face Swede Sofia Arvidsson, a 6-3 6-3 winner against Romanian Monica Niculescu.

Sharapova, one of six former champions in the field, broke Dulko three times in each set before ending the first match of the evening session with a crunching forehand down the line.

“I haven’t played a tournament in a few weeks and I was pretty eager to get out there tonight,” the 24-year-old Russian said after pumping her right fist in delight to celebrate the one-sided victory.

“Gisela is always tricky, because we’ve played a few times before and she’s beaten me at a major before. As a first round opponent, I just had to be really ready from the beginning against her.”

Second seed Sharapova, who has reached the semi-finals at Indian Wells four times, will take on Romania’s Simona Halep in the next round.

US Open champion Sam Stosur of Australia also eased into the third round, needing only 49 minutes with her attacking style to hammer American wild card Irina Falconi 6-0 6-3.

Sixth-seeded Stosur will next play Russian Nadia Petrova, who beat American wild card Lauren Davis 6-3 6-2.

Former champion Ana Ivanovic of Serbia gained a measure of revenge for her early exit from last year’s French Open, pounding Swede Johanna Larsson 6-1 6-2.

Ivanovic, who lost to the Swede in three sets in the opening round at Roland Garros, delivered a ruthless display with her crisp ground strokes to wrap up victory in just over an hour. — Reuters

Djokovic cruises, Murray exits INDIAN WELLS: World number one Novak Djokovic eased into the third round of the Indian Wells ATP tournament on Saturday while fourth-seeded Andy Murray made a premature exit.

Djokovic, champion here in 2008 and last year, handed out a 6-3 6-2 thrashing to Kazakhstan qualifier Andrey Golubev, breaking his opponent’s serve twice in each set to triumph in one hour 20 minutes. “It was a good start,” the top-seeded Serb said in a courtside interview after sealing the win with a powerful first serve that forced a wild backhand error by his 145thranked opponent.

“We didn’t play a beautiful match and there were a lot of unforced errors but look, it’s the opening match of the tournament for me and I am still getting used to the conditions and adjusting to the court.

“Hopefully the next match will be better,” added the Serb, who won his fifth grand slam crown at the Australian Open in January. Djokovic, who beat Spaniard Rafa

Nadal in last year’s final, will next face South African Kevin Anderson, who benefited from a walkover when Germany’s Philipp Kohlschreiber withdrew due to an unspecified illness.

World number four Murray, runner-up at Indian Wells in 2009, was upset 6-4 6-2 by 92nd-ranked Spaniard Guillermo GarciaLopez, the second year in a row the Briton was eliminated in his opening match at Indian Wells.

“My return let me down and he hardly missed the ball,” Murray said after being broken once in the opening set and twice in the second. “I hit my backhand poorly tonight, no question.

“With the level of tennis nowadays you get no easy first round matches and you play a poor match, that’s what happens.”

Earlier, Czech Tomas Berdych advanced with a 6-7 6-3 6-4 win over Ukrainian Sergiy Stakhovsky while American Andy Roddick clawed his way back to beat Poland’s Lukasz Kubot 4-6 7-6 6-3. — Reuters

INDIAN WELLS: Novak Djokovic of Serbia returns a backhand to Andrey Golubev of Kazakhstan during the BNP Paribas Open at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden. —AFP

SLOVENIA: Andre Myhrer of Sweden won the season’s penultimate men’s World Cup slalom yesterday, while Marcel Hirscher of Austria straddled a gate in the opening run and failed to score points for the overall championship.

Myhrer held on to his lead after the first run and finished in an aggregate time of 1 minute, 40.99 seconds to win his first title of the season and third overall.

Myhrer beat second-place Cristian Deville of Italy by 0.49. Alexis Pinturault of France was 14th after the opening run before a blistering final run saw him jump to third, 0.58 behind.

“It was a good day, I had a good feeling starting No. 1,” Myhrer said. “The skiing has been there all season but the top spot wasn’t there so I really went for that today.”

Defending overall champion Ivica Kostelic of Croatia finished 16th to extend his lead in the slalom standings over Hirscher to 50 points.

Myhrer is now another 16 points back in third with one race remaining.

“It’s great to be there in the fight for the globe,” Myhrer said. “It will be tough but I am going to try my best. Ivica and Marcel are also in for the overall title so maybe they get a bit nervous.” Hirscher was 0.09 behind Myhrer at the first intermediate time but skied out shortly afterward.

As a result, Beat Feuz of Switzerland, who skipped the race, remains in the overall lead with 1,250 points. Hirscher is second with 1,195 and Kostelic third with 1,064. Fourth-placed Aksel Lund Svindal of Norway is also in contention for the World Cup’s biggest prize on 1,031 points.

There are four races left at the World Cup finals in Schladming, Austria, from Wednesday until Sunday. A win in each event is worth 100 points.

“The fight for the overall title is more or less over now,” Hirscher said. “I can relax a bit now and will do what I like the best - go out and just fully attack.”

It was the fourth time in 10 slaloms this season that Hirscher failed to finish. The Austrian, who won five of the other six races, said his aggressive style of skiing includes the risk of straddling gates, which leads to an immediate disqualification. “This style of skiing has also won

SLOVENIA: Andre Myhrer, of Sweden, negotiates a gate during the first run of an alpine ski, men’s World Cup slalom. — AP me a couple of races,” Hirscher said. “It’s part of the game. Of course I could have held back a bit more, but finishing 10th or so doesn’t bring me many points for the big crystal globe.”

Kostelic could have clinched the slalom title by finishing first or second, but dropped from 8th position after the opening run to 16th. The Croat returned this weekend from a four-week break following knee surgery and complained about his back hurting.

“After Marcel went out, I put pressure on myself to score as many points as possible,” Kostelic said. “That’s not the way I like to ski, it slowed me down. It will get tight next week.” Will Brandenburg of the United States had two clean runs and finished sixth for his best career result.

“It’s been a long two years of trying to break through and get to that result. I am really excited,” said Brandenburg, whose previous best on the World Cup circuit was 22nd in a slalom in Adelboden, Switzerland, in January.

“I tried to keep a positive attitude this season

and keep moving forward from race to race,” he said. “I have the speed but sometimes I take too much risks. Today I skied smart. My coaches and I have worked a lot on my line and tactics. I took the right tactics today. That was a great day.”

American teammate Ted Ligety, who won the GS on the same hill Saturday, was not surprised by Brandenburg’s achievement.

“Not at all because he’s had that kind of speed for the last two years,” Ligety said. “It’s great to see him putting it together. It’s more of a surprise he didn’t have a top 10 before.” Ligety took ninth for his third straight top-10 finish in slalom.

“I skied pretty well, especially in the second run on the top half,” the world GS champion said.

“That was very good. I am happy with three top 10s in a row ... I hope to move up for top 15 in the slalom standings.”

Both the men’s and women’s World Cup circuits travel to Schladming for the final races of the season. The event will open with both downhills on Wednesday. —AP

Canadian skier killed in World Cup crash GRINDELWALD: Canadian skier Nik Zoricic died on Saturday after crashing in a World Cup ski cross race in the Swiss resort of Grindelwald, Alpine Canada said. Officials said Zoricic crashed in the finish area after the fourth heat of the ski cross finals.

“We’ve lost one of our athletes on the ski World Cup and you can imagine everyone in the organisation is just devastated getting that news this morning,” Alpine Canada president Max Gartner said.

“Nik as far as I know is a model athlete. He’s extremely dedicated who has gone about his business and found his home in ski cross.”

The 29-year-old Zoricic sustained severe head injuries in the crash. He was airlifted to hospital in Interlaken and was pronounced dead at 12:35

p.m. local time.

Zoricic had raced on the World Cup for more than three years and finished eighth at last year’s world championships. The cause of death was given as “severe neurotrauma”.

“We have been working...very closely with race organisers to assess exactly what happened and what we know is Nik crashed into the safety nets after he completed the final jump during the fourth heat,” explained Gartner. “The accident took place in the finish area, no other racers were involved.”

International Ski Federation (FIS) officials immediately abandoned the race and cancelled yesterday’s World Cup events.

Alpine Canada grief counselors were meeting with skiers, who planned to hold a candlelight

memorial in the finish area in Grindelwald, while the president of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) expressed his condolences. “ This is a very sad day for the whole Olympic Movement,” Jacques Rogge said. “He was a young, gifted athlete who tragically died doing the sport he loved. “Our thoughts are with his family, his friends and his fellow competitors.”

It was the second tragedy to rock the Canadian ski racing community this year following the death of Sarah Burke, an X Games champion and gold-medal favourite in the halfpipe at the 2014 Olympics, in a training accident in January in Utah.

“These ski accidents are rare and there is going to be an investigation,” Gartner said.

“Safety is at the forefront of the organisation on an ongoing basis, we are always very concerned about our athletes when we send them out to compete against the rest of the world.”

Ashley McIvor, a team mate of Zoricic and the women’s champion in ski cross at the 2010 Vancouver Olympics, said skiers were aware of the dangers they faced in their sport.

“The ski world is like one big family, in ski cross we are a tight-knit crew,” McIvor told reporters. “This is absolutely horrible. “The fact is there are risks associated with our sport and pretty much everything I do in life. “We do these sports because we love them but there are risks associated with them and there is only so much we can do to minimise those risks.” —Reuters

Loeb extends lead over rivals MEXICO: World champion Sebastien Loeb extended his commanding lead over his rivals after the second leg of Rally Mexico on Saturday.

The Frenchman won two of Saturday’s eight stages to finish the day leading his Citroen team mate Mikko Hirvonen by 36.2 seconds.

Only one other driver was within two minutes of Loeb, who has won in Mexico each of the past five years and looks certain to make it six, with just four stages to go yesterday, although one of them is 54 kilometres long “Now we have a good and comfortable situation but there is still a long way to go and a 54kilometre stage so still nothing is done,” said the eight-times world champion. “It’s a rally where I have had a lot of success and I hope that continues tomorrow.” Hirvonen conceded that Loeb had the rally in control. “We’re maintaining our position, there is no need to have a big push,” he said. “Sebastien has been a little bit faster than me and he’s so far ahead that even if I take massive risks I couldn’t catch him by driving. The most important thing is to finish the rally and keep my position.” Jari-Matti Latvala ended the day third, one minute 53 seconds behind the runaway leader. The Finn’s chances of winning were ruined when he suffered a puncture in the mountains of central Mexico “It’s really good to see our car is very competitive,” said Latvala.

“Without the problems we’ve had things could

be really good.” Petter Solberg, who briefly led on Friday before puncturing a tyre, ended the day fourth after overcoming brake problems in the morning. Fellow Norwegian Mads Ostberg

slipped back to fifth and Estonia’s Ott Tanak was sixth. The rally is the third round of the championship, which Loeb leads with 39 points to Hirvonen’s 32. —Reuters

MEXICO: Norwegian Peter Solberg steers his Ford Fiesta rs wrc, during the 2012 FIA World Rally Championship in Leon, Guanajuato state. —AFP

17

MONDAY, MARCH 12, 2012

SPORTS NZ and SA Test ends in draw DUNEDIN: The first cricket Test between New Zealand and South Africa ended in a damp draw yesterday when rain washed out a final day which had promised a tantalizing finish.

New Zealand was due to resume at 137-2, 264 runs short of its victory target after South Africa declared its second innings on the fourth day at 435-5 with an overall lead of 400.

To win, New Zealand needed to score 401 runs in what would have been the highest successful run chase in its test history. Its previous best was the 324 it scored to beat Pakistan by five wickets in 1994.

There was some hope for the home side with Brendon McCullum, 58 not out, and Ross Taylor, 48 not out, still at the wicket and involved in a partnership which had already produced 82 runs. not out, still at the wicket and involved in a partnership which had already produced 82 runs.

But heavy rain which began overnight continued relentlessly throughout the day and gave no hope of play resuming. The entire first session was lost to rain which persisted into the afternoon, forcing umpires Aleem Dar of Pakistan and Billy Doctrove of the West Indies to abandon play at 2.30 p.m. local time without a ball being bowled.

“We expected the rain. That’s why we gave a pretty sporting declaration, to give ourselves an opportunity to try and win the game,” South African captain Graeme Smith said. “Brendan and Ross batted well yesterday, but we hoped to have them five down before the second new ball.”

The second match of the three-test begins at Hamilton on Thursday and the final test will be played in Wellington from March 23.

All but 58 overs were lost to rain on the first day, but enough play was possible on the next three days - which were played in fine but mainly cool conditions at the world’s most southerly test ground - to raise hopes of a result on the final day.

“The weather was always going to be a factor,” Smith said. “They took a chance with the weather and the weather ended up winning the day. That’s the reality of playing over here.”

The teams had been closely matched after the first innings in which New Zealand replied with 273 to South Africa’s 238 to gain a 35-run lead.

South Africa had been 47-2 in its second innings, leading by only 12 runs, before a 200run third-wicket partnership between Smith (115) and Jacques Kallis (113), and an unbeaten 105 by Jacques Rudolph gave it the upper hand.

New Zealand also lost two early wickets in its second innings and was 55-2 before McCullum and Taylor came together and survived for 98 minutes before stumps on the fourth day. Their partnership raised some hopes that New Zealand, ranked eighth in the world in tests, might still be able to beat South Africa, which needs to sweep the series to replace England as the top-ranked test nation.

That prospect steadily dwindled as rain saturated the outfield at the University Oval, reducing the number of overs remaining to New Zealand to score the 264 it still needed for victory.

Smith’s 24th test century, Kallis’s 42nd and Rudolph’s sixth provided the batting highlights of a match played on a wicket which gave up runs only grudgingly.

South Africa’s 26-year-old right-armer Vernon Philander was the best bowler on show, taking 4-72 in the first innings and 1-29 in the second to finish with match figures of 5101. Philander now has 35 wickets from only five Test matches at an average of 14. Taylor said it was unfortunate a promising final day had been lost. “It would have been an interesting day’s cricket,” he said. “We were still a chance of getting 260 more but I’m sure that South Africa would have also wanted to get out there.” —AP

Scoreboard Scoreboard at the end of the drawn first test between South Africa and New Zealand at University Oval in Dunedin on Sunday after umpires abandoned play after lunch on the fifth day due to heavy rain.

South Africa first innings 238 New Zealand first innings 273 South Africa second innings 435-5 dec.

New Zealand second innings (overnight 137-2) 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 9-2-33-0 (w-1); Tahir 8-2-331; Kallis 4-1-15-0.

Hafeez and Gul star as Pakistan defeat B’desh DHAKA: Mohammad Hafeez and Umar Gul put in impressive all-round performances as Pakistan posted an exciting 21-run victory over Bangladesh in the opening match of the Asia Cup tournament yesterday.

Opener Hafeez top-scored with a solid 89 and then grabbed two wickets, while Gul made a crucial 39 and took three wickets before Pakistan bowled Bangladesh out for 241 after posting 262-8 in the day-night match in Dhaka.

The duo upstaged Bangladeshi all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan, who sustained his team’s hopes with a 66-ball 64 before being the last man out. Hafeez was named man of the match.

The hosts were struggling at 1355, but Shakib and Nasir Hossain (47) gave some anxious moments to Pakistan with an 89-run stand for the sixth wicket.

Bangladeshi opener Tamim Iqbal, initially dropped from the squad by the country’s cricket chief before being added as a 15th member, scored 64 with the help of one six and six fours.

But Hafeez bowled well-set Tamim and trapped Mohammad Mahmudullah leg-before with his next delivery before Gul dismissed Nasir and Shakib to complete Pakistan’s victory.

Pakistan were earlier well placed at 160-1 following a 135-run stand for the opening wicket between Hafeez and Nasir Jamshed (54) before they lost six wickets for just 38 runs.

Paceman Shahadat Hossain (353) and left-arm spinner Shakib (241) did the damage, but Gul added 53 vital runs for the eighth wicket with Sarfraz Ahmed (19 not out).

Pakistan made a steady start after being put in to bat as Hafeez and Jamshed batted confidently against both pace and spin, playing some handsome shots during their 27.5over stand.

Jamshed, who played his last one-dayer in August 2009, hit one six and five fours in his 64-ball knock before he was run out soon after completing his fifth half-century.

Shahadat started Pakistan’s slide when he dismissed Younis Khan (12), Hafeez and Asad Shafiq (four) in successive overs.

Hafeez looked set to reach his fourth one-day hundred before he

DHAKA: Bangladesh’s Shakib Al Hasan is bowled out by Pakistan’s Umar Gul during their Asia Cup cricket match.—AP was caught by Shafiul Islam at square-leg while attempting to pull Shahadat. He hit seven fours in his 126-ball knock.

Shakib removed Umar Akmal (21) and then held a return catch in the

same over to account for Shahid Afridi after fumbling twice before finally holding the ball as it ricocheted off non-striker Misbah-ulHaq. Afridi, who was just one short of 7,000 one-day runs, failed to open

his account. Defending champions India and Sri Lanka are the other teams in the fray. Each side will play the other once in the round-robin league, with the top two advancing to the final on March 22. —AFP

Scoreboard DHAKA: Complete scoreboard of the Asia Cup match between Bangladesh and Pakistan in Dhaka yesterday: Pakistan: Mohammad Hafeez c Shafiul b Shahadat 89 Nasir Jamshed run out 54 Younis Khan c Razzak b Shahadat 12 Umar Akmal c Razzak b Shakib 21 Asad Shafiq c Mortaza b Shahadat 4 Misbah-ul Haq b Razzak 8 Shahid Afridi c and b Shakib 0 Sarfraz Ahmed not out 19 Umar Gul b Mortaza 39 Saeed Ajmal not out 8 Extras (lb2, nb1, w5) 8 Total (for eight wickets; 50 overs) 262 Fall of wickets: 1-135 (Jamshed), 2-160 (Younis), 3-169 (Hafeez), 4-175 (Shafiq), 5-192 (Akmal), 6-193 (Afridi), 7-198 (Misbah), 8251 (Gul).

Bowling: Mortaza 10-0-55-1 (w1), Shafiul 8-0-49-0, Shakib 10-0-41-2 (w2), Shahadat 8-0-53-3 (nb1, w1), Razzak 10-0-43-1, Mahmudullah 4-0-19-0 (w1).

Bangladesh: Tamim Iqbal b Hafeez 64 Mohammad Nazimuddin c Gul b Cheema 30 Jahurul Islam b Afridi 23 Mushfiqur Rahim b Afridi 3 Shakib Al Hasan b Gul 64 Mohammad Mahmudullah lbw b Hafeez 0 Nasir Hossain b Gul 47 Abdur Razzak b Ajmal 1 Mashrafe Mortaza b Ajmal 1 Shafiul Islam lbw b Gul 1 Shahadat Hossain not out 0 Extras (lb2, w5) 7 Total (for all out; 48.1 overs) 241 Fall of wickets: 1-45 (Nazimuddin), 2-90 (Jahurul), 3-100 (Rahim), 4-135 (Tamim), 5-135 (Mahmudullah), 6-224 (Nasir), 7-228 (Razzak), 8-230 (Mortaza), 9-235 (Shafiul), 10-241 (Shakib).

Bowling: Hafeez 10-1-40-2 (w2), Gul 9.1-0-58-3 (w2), Ajmal 10-0-45-2 (w1), Cheema 9-0-47-1, Afridi 10-0-49-2.

Result: Pakistan win by 21 runs

Heat top Pacers in OT

BIRMINGHAM: Li Xuerui of China celebrates following her victory over Wang Yihan of China during the women’s singles final of the Badminton All England Open Championships. —AFP

Li shocks Wang in final BIRMINGHAM: World number one Wang Yihan crashed to a shock defeat in the All-England Open final as her compatriot Li Xuerui snatched the famous title 21-13, 21-19 here yesterday.

Li was seeded only seventh and far less experienced, but winning the German Open last week seemed to have increased her selfassurance, and she continued in the same confident vein to grab a career-best win.

“This is my greatest win and it is very important to me,” Li said. “It’s a famous title, and different from the other Super Series. I want to take it step by step but I may become world number four after this.”

“I felt confident about winning,” said Wang, who had won the All-England Open title three years ago and the world title only seven months ago. “And I really hoped to be the winner.”

The 21-year-old Li began well, moving the shuttle around well and showing a sharp eye for openings when she had manoeuvred them. Li also made a remarkable recovery from 5-13 and 10-15 down in the second game as Wang began to flag.

But hers was a strangely error-strewn performance in the first game and then an unexpectedly flat one emotionally when she seemed likely to win the second game.

Wang may have been affected by her quarter-final efforts when she had had to save four match points against the twice former champion Tine Baun, and then to survive an 89-minute match - the longest of the tournament - in her semi-final with the defending champion Wang Shixian.

Her start to the final was surprisingly uncertain. She was soon 3-7 and clearly making more errors than she expected.

Once when she retrieved the shuttle too high to the net, enabling Li to kill it comfortably

and advance to 9-4, Wang turned her head away in disappointment.

And when she punched a return of serve too long on the next point, she turned her whole body away in dissatisfaction. Six points later she went to the side of the court to put some tape round a finger.

There were moments of Wang brilliance, as during a fierce flat exchange two points before the end of the game, which made the crowd gasp, but she concluded it with another error. It did however signal what she could do.

And in the second game she began to do it much better. Wang’s clears were deeper and her attacks better selected, and at the interval she was already nine points ahead.

But at 13-5 there was a bad sign, when she seemed uncharacteristically slow to reach a push to the net, and then two points later Wang laboured ominously to make a hairpin shot at the net.

Li, moving better than her famous opponent, made rapid progress after that, closing an eight-point deficit to two, and then perhaps taking encouragement from Wang’s emotional body language in a tight finish.

The top seed again turned away in frustration as she put a fast overhead drop into the net at 18-16, and winced after dominating a brilliant flat mid-court exchange, only to miss the opening she created.

Wang never won another point. It was quickly 18-18, and on her first match point Li showed admirable calm during a thrilling climactic rally at the end of which Wang put a round-the head clear wide.

Li’s career-best win and improved ranking also increases China’s chances of getting a maximum three singles players into the Olympic Games later in the year. —AFP

MIAMI: Dwyane Wade hit a jump shot with 0.1 seconds left in overtime to give Miami Heat a 93-91 victory over the Indiana Pacers on Saturday, extending the Heat home-court winning streak to 12 games.

Wade scored 28 points and LeBron James led two late comebacks by Miami, finishing with 27 for the Heat. James helped force regulation by hitting a game-tying 3-pointer with 10.2 seconds left in regulation, then not allowing Indiana’s Darren Collison to get a potential game-winning shot off at the other end. Chris Bosh scored 13 for the Heat. Granger led the Pacers with 19 points.

eight assists, and Brandon Knight scored 19 first-half points as Detroit routed Toronto.

Toronto, which beat Detroit by 20 in their first meeting this season, was led by DeMar DeRozan’s 15 points, but only two others reached double figures.

Bulls 111, Jazz 97 At Chicago, Derrick Rose had 24 points and 13 assists, and Carlos Boozer scored 27 as Chicago won for the ninth time in 10 games.

Kyle Korver scored a season-

away from the team for unspecified reasons.

Thunder 122, Bobcats 95 At Oklahoma City, James Harden scored 22 of his careerhigh 33 points in the first half, Kevin Durant had 26 points and Russell Westbrook added 23 as Oklahoma City bounced back from a rare home loss.

The Thunder improved to 18-2 at home, rebounding from a disappointing 96-90 loss to visiting Cleveland on Friday night, in a game Oklahoma City coach Scott

Hornets 95, T’wolves 89 At Minneapolis, Chris Kaman scored 20 points as New Orleans snapped a four-game losing streak by beating a Minnesota team that played its first game since losing star point guard Ricky Rubio for the season to a knee injury.

Jarrett Jack had 17 points and seven assists for the Hornets, who won for the 10th time all season thanks to 28 assists on 39 buckets.

Kevin Love had 31 points and 16 rebounds after missing the previous game with back spasms.

Trail Blazers 110, Wizards 99 At Washington, LaMarcus Aldridge had 30 points and 10 rebounds to lead Portland over Washington. Aldridge was 12 for 15 from the floor and 6 for 6 from the free-throw line. He has scored more than 20 points in three straight games.

Jamal Crawford scored 23 off the bench and Raymond Felton added 21 - 10 in the fourth quarter - for the Trail Blazers, who snapped a four-game road losing streak.

John Wall had 25 points and eight assists, JaVale McGee scored 15 points and Chris Singleton added 12 for Washington.

Pistons 105, Raptors 86 At Auburn Hills, Michigan, Rodney Stuckey had 20 points and

NEW YORK: Knicks’ Amare Stoudemire (left) tries to move past Philadelphia 76ers’ Elton Brand during the first half of an NBA basketball game. —AP high 26 points or Chicago. The Bulls turned a seven-point halftime lead into a 16-point advantage going into the fourth quarter and came away with a lopsided victory on a night when both teams were short-handed.

Bulls All-Star Luol Deng was out because of pain brought on by a torn ligament in his left wrist.

Joakim Noah sat out with an illness, and guards Richard Hamilton (right shoulder injury) and C.J. Watson remained sidelined.

The Jazz were without starting guards Devin Harris (stomach virus) and Raja Bell, who was

Brooks said his team didn’t play up to expectations. DJ Augustin scored 22 points for the Bobcats and Corey Maggette had 21.

Rockets 112, Nets 106 At Newark, New Jersey, Goran Dragic had 23 points and eight assists, and Luis Scola scored a goahead tip-in with 62 seconds remaining as Houston snapped a five-game losing streak.

Courtney Lee scored 17 points, Chandler Parsons had 16 points and six assists and Chase Budinger and Samuel Dalembert added 15 points each to help Houston beat New Jersey for the 11th straight

time since the 2005-06 season.

Scola finished with 12 points for the Rockets.

Gerald Green had a career-high 26 points on 10-for-15 shooting in just his seventh game for the Nets since being signed from the NBA D-League, and MarShon Brooks added 23 points.

Suns 98, Grizzlies 91 At Phoenix, Jared Dudley scored 19 points to lead six Phoenix players in double figures as the Suns got their fifth straight home win.

Marcin Gortat added 15 points and nine rebounds for the Suns, Grant Hill had 14 points, Steve Nash and Robin Lopez scored 11 each, and Channing Frye had 10.

Nash also had 15 assists. Phoenix’s home winning streak is its longest since winning the final eight home games of the 2009-10 season.

Marc Gasol had 21 points and Rudy Gay scored 19 on 7-for-20 shooting for Memphis. The surprising Grizzlies, one of the top teams in the Western Conference, were 4-0 since the All-Star break and had won five straight overall.

Warriors 111, Mavericks 87 At Oakland, California, David Lee scored 25 points and Nate Robinson added 21 as Golden State beat road-weary Dallas.

Monta Ellis added 20 points and eight assists for the Warriors, who won their second straight from Dallas following a six-game losing streak. Klay Thompson had 13 points in the Warriors largest margin of victory this season.

Dirk Nowitzki scored 22 points to lead the Mavericks, who lost their seventh straight on the road.

Jason Terry added 15 points and Rodrigue Beaubois had 12 as Dallas suffered its worst loss of the season.

Stephen Curry, making his first start since returning from a tendon sprain in his right foot, added 10 points before leaving the game with 6:59 remaining to play in the third quarter with a mild sprain in his right ankle. —AP

MONDAY, MARCH 12, 2012

S P ORT S

Moses rescues point for Wigan Norwich 1

Wigan 1

NORWICH: Wigan striker Victor Moses snatched a second half equaliser to rescue a 1-1 draw against Norwich yesterday.

Roberto Martinez’s side remain bottom of the Premier League, but Moses’s goal at least allowed them to move within two points of safety after a battling display at Carrow Road.

The Latics could have climbed up to 18th place with a win, but they finished grateful for the draw after falling behind to Wes Hoolahan’s first-half strike.

Norwich, who sit comfortably in midtable after an impressive first season back in the top flight, took the lead with their first meaningful attack on 10 minutes.

Wigan goalkeeper Ali Al Habsi dragged a clearance straight out of play and Adam Drury took a quick throw which sent Simeon Jackson clear on the left side of the penalty area.

Canada forward Jackson floated a ball into the six-yard box, where Hoolahan got in between two defenders to hook the ball into the far corner of the net.

Given their struggles this season it

would have been no surprise to see Wigan throw in the towel after that early setback, but they responded impressively.

Moses cut the ball back through the six-yard box, where Hugo Rodallega spun his marker and fired goalwards, but John Ruddy was well placed to save.

Norwich appealed in vain for a penalty when Grant Holt turned and fired in a shot which struck Latics captain Gary Caldwell on the arm, but referee Kevin Friend was not interested.

Wigan were unlucky not to level before half-time when Emerson Boyce got away down the right. His deflected cross flew over Ruddy and bounced off the top of the crossbar before being put behind.

The visitors finally netted a deserved equaliser on 68 minutes when Shaun Maloney slipped an astute pass through to Moses, who rounded Ruddy before slotting home. A tense finish saw Norwich substitute Steve Morison’s header from a corner hacked off the line

by Jean Beausejour before Elliott Ward planted his header just wide.

Wigan almost snatched victory with four minutes left when Maloney broke down the left and crossed for substitute Mohamed Diame, who somehow put the ball over from six yards.

Al Habsi then produced a brilliant one-handed save to keep out Morison’s goalbound header as the Latics came away with a deserved point.—AFP

LONDON: Manchester United’s English forward Wayne Rooney (left) vies with West Bromwich Albion’s English defender Liam Ridgewell during the English Premier League football match.—AFP

Rooney double lifts United into top spot Man United 2

West Brom 0

LONDON: Swansea City’s Welsh defender Ashley Williams (right) vies for the ball with Manchester City’s Argentine striker Sergio Aguero (left) during the English Premier League football match.—AFP

Moore knocks City out of pole position Swansea 1

Man City 0 SWANSEA: Manchester City surrendered top spot in the Premier League as Luke Moore’s late goal fired Swansea to a shock 1-0 win over the title chasers at the Liberty Stadium yesterday.

Roberto Mancini’s side were second-best for much of the game and needed a first-half penalty save from Joe Hart, who kept out Scott Sinclair’s strike, just to remain on level terms.

And with seven minutes remaining substitute Moore popped up to clinch one of the shock results of the season with a header from a Wayne Routledge cross.

City pressed hard for an equaliser in the closing moments, but there was no way through and their first defeat in five matches allowed bitter rivals Manchester United, who beat West Bromwich Albion 2-0 on Sunday, to move one point above them at the top.

Swansea have enjoyed a fine first season in the Premier League and Mancini showed respect for Brendan Rodgers’ outfit by moving Yaya Toure on to Swansea playmaker Leon Britton in a bid to stop the home side from controlling the game.

However, the tactical switch failed to have the desired effect as Swansea dominated possession for long periods.

The Swans earned themselves a sixthminute penalty when Sinclair’s through ball was collected by Routledge. Hart closed in, but clipped the heels of the former Newcastle man and Lee Mason had no option but to award a spot kick.

Sinclair’s penalty was on target but weakly struck and Hart was equal to it. A Routledge

header was Swansea’s next decent opportunity, but once again Hart made no mistake.

It was one-way traffic and Mancini’s side had no answer to the slick Swansea passing that has caught so many off guard this season.

Mancini was growing increasingly frustrated and when City midfielder Nigel De Jong hauled down Routledge, Mason gave out his first yellow card of the game.

Danny Graham’s shot on the turn brought to an end another period of intense pressure from last season’s Championship play-off winners.

With 10 minutes of the first half remaining, Gareth Barry was hauled off by Mancini and Sergio Aguero brought on to replace him.

Barry, clearly unhappy, had a few words with coach David Platt as he left for the dugout. A deep cross from Angel Rangel, five minutes before half time, was cleared under pressure

by Kolo Toure and as the half came to an end, the visitors enjoyed their best spell, with David Silva blasting just wide.

Squeezing further up the field at the beginning of the second half, City were a far greater force without ever threatening in the final third until Mario Balotelli’s through ball found Aguero on the edge of the box. His shot was crisp but off target.

Michel Vorm was called into action to deny Samir Nasri and then Aguero as City pushed on in pursuit of the opening goal.

They thought their chance had come when Balotelli appeared to be brought down by Joe Allen, but the Italian tumbled too easily and Mason waved play on. Steve Caulker headed just wide 19 minutes from time as Swansea came back into the game and with seven minutes left, they struck the killer blow. Gylfi Sigurdsson stole the ball in midfield and after a patient build-up, Routledge picked out Moore who made no mistake with his header.

Micah Richards thought he had snatched an equaliser, two minutes from time, but his header was ruled out for offside.—AFP

EPL results/standings Manchester Utd 2 (Rooney 35, 71-pen) West Brom 0; Norwich 1 (Hoolahan 10) Wigan 1

(Moses 68); Swansea 1 (Moore 83) Manchester City 0.

English Premier League table after yesterday’s matches (played, won, drawn, lost, goals for, goals against, points): Man Utd Man City Tottenham Arsenal Chelsea Newcastle Liverpool Sunderland Everton Fulham

28 28 28 27 28 27 27 28 27 28

21 21 16 15 14 12 10 10 10 9

4 3 5 4 7 8 9 7 7 9

3 4 7 8 7 7 8 11 10 10

68 69 52 55 48 39 30 36 28 37

27 20 34 38 32 39 26 31 28 37

67 66 53 49 49 44 39 37 37 36

Swansea Norwich Stoke West Brom Aston Villa Blackburn Bolton QPR Wolves Wigan

28 28 28 28 28 28 28 28 28 28

9 9 10 10 7 6 7 5 5 4

9 9 6 5 12 7 2 7 7 9

10 10 12 13 9 15 19 16 16 15

31 39 27 34 31 40 31 29 30 24

34 45 39 37 35 60 57 48 58 53

36 36 36 35 33 25 23 22 22 21

MANCHESTER: Manchester United surged back to the top of the Premier League as in-form Wayne Rooney bagged a brace in a 2-0 victory over 10-man West Bromwich Albion yesterday.

United striker Rooney took his tally to nine goals in his last six appearances thanks to a clinical first-half strike and a second-half penalty after Albion had defender Jonas Olsson sent off for two bookings at Old Trafford.

That was enough to lift Sir Alex Ferguson’s side one point clear of bitter rivals Manchester City, with the previous leaders crashing to a surprise 1-0 defeat at Swansea.

The champions’ fourth successive

league win was the perfect response to their disappointing Europa League defeat at home to Athletic Bilbao in midweek and it could prove a defining moment in the title race.

Roy Hodgson’s Albion, looking to add to their run of three consecutive victories, made a bright start, playing with the confidence of a side in form.

Just five minutes had elapsed when Liam Ridgewell’s left-wing cross was missed at the near post by Jonny Evans and Keith Andrews, sliding at full stretch, just placed the ball the wrong side of the post.

James Morrison shot over from the edge of the United area before David de Gea was forced into the first serious save after 16 minutes, diving smartly to his right to turn a 20-yard shot from Andrews around his post.

United, fielding an attacking formation which featured three recognised centre-forwards in Wayne Rooney, Javier Hernandez and Danny Welbeck, were slow to find their rhythm.

But former United goalkeeper Ben

Foster was required to parry a shot from Ashley Young, while Rooney fired over from distance and Welbeck headed well over from a Young corner. Young and Welbeck linked well to try and liven up United’s attacking play just before the half-hour mark but Foster blocked Young’s progress easily enough.

England winger Young appeared United’s best chance of breaking down well-organised opponents and his far-post cross found Rooney for an acrobatic volley which Foster again had well covered.

But United took the lead in the 35th minute when Paul Scholes broke up play as West Brom attempted to clear. Scholes found Hernandez on the right wing, allowing the Mexican to cut inside his marker and fire goalwards for Rooney to instinctively steer the ball past Foster from six yards.

The early stages of the second half brought brief hope for Albion when Peter Odemwingie had a strong appeal for a penalty turned down fol-

lowing a trip by Patrice Evra. But United were soon going for the jugular once more, seeking the second goal that would secure the win. After 53 minutes, Hernandez hit the post with a tremendous strike after being set up by Rooney.

Then Rooney’s audacious overhead kick, from a Patrice Evra cross, was well covered by Foster. Foster misjudged Scholes’ 58th minute through-ball, allowing Welbeck to round him and the Albion goalkeeper looked relieved when the forward rolled the ball wide of an open net.

However, any hopes of an Albion recovery faded after 66 minutes when Olsson, booked for a foul on Rooney soon after the restart, was shown yellow for a second yellow card after hauling down Hernandez. Rooney’s second came in the 71st minute when United were awarded a penalty for a push on Hernandez by Andrews.

Rooney easily beat Foster low into the bottom left-hand corner from the spot to leave United into pole position for yet another title.—AFP

Celtic keep treble bid alive

FRANCE: Paris’ Brazilian midfielder Nene (left) vies with Dijon’s French defender Chaher Zarour (right) during the French L1 football match. —AFP

Gameiro earns PSG narrow win PARIS: An injury-time winner from substitute Kevin Gameiro earned Paris Saint-Germain a narrow 2-1 victory at Dijon yesterday that preserved their place at the top of the Ligue 1 table. PSG had Mohamed Sissoko sent off prior to half-time and saw Siaka Tiene’s opener cancelled out by Steven Paulle before Gameiro slotted home in the 91st minute after Jeremy Menez led a counter-attack from a Dijon corner.

Dijon upset PSG in the French League Cup in October and they had looked set to hurt them again, but Gameiro’s goal means that Carlo Ancelotti’s side will remain top even if second-placed Montpellier beat Caen in Sunday’s late game.

PSG enjoyed the best of the first half, with Dijon goalkeeper Baptiste Reynet tested by both Javier Pastore and Menez, who also flashed a volley narrowly over the crossbar from Pastore’s dinked pass.

Visiting goalkeeper Salvatore Sirigu had to parry a volley from Benjamin Corgnet, however, and the momentum swung in the hosts’ favor in the 41st minute when Sissoko was harshly shown a straight red card for a robust challenge on Eric Bautheac.

Despite the setback, PSG went ahead after just four minutes of the second half, with

Guillaume Hoarau eluding Chaher Zarour near the byline on the left before crossing for Tiene to tap home his first goal for the club.

Pastore dragged a shot across goal and wide as PSG looked to extend their lead but in the 76th minute Dijon drew level and PSG’s fragility at set-pieces was once again exposed.

A right-wing corner from on-loan Chelsea midfielder Gael Kakuta was flicked on at the near post and Paulle arrived unmarked to nod the ball into the net.

With PSG looking shaky in defence, Dijon made the mistake of over-committing men forward for an injury-time corner kick and Gameiro was the beneficiary, drilling the ball home from Menez’s pass to claim only his second league goal in 2012.

Compounding Dijon’s frustration was the knowledge that a point would have been enough to take them out of the relegation zone, whereas Gameiro’s goal meant that they remained in the bottom three.

In yesterday’s other early game, fifthplaced Rennes squandered a chance to put pressure on the teams in the Champions League qualifying berths as they were held to a 1-1 draw at home to Auxerre, who climbed off the foot of the table.—AFP

GLASGOW: Celtic kept on course for a domestic treble by scoring four second-half goals in a 4-0 win over tenman Dundee United at Tannadice to book a place in the Scottish Cup semi-finals. United had Robbie Neilson sent-off in the first half, before Joe Ledley, Georgios Samaras, Anthony Stokes and Scott Brown netted for the holders, who join Hibernian in the draw for the last four. The winner of the quarter-final tie between Motherwell and Aberdeen, as well as the winner of a replay between St Mirren and Hearts, will complete the semi-final line-up.

“It was such a difficult game today. I didn’t think we played anywhere near our best first half and that’s credit to Dundee United,” Celtic manager Neil Lennon said.

“They made life difficult for us and I thought they were brighter and first to the ball. We really tore into them at half-time but in the second-half we were magnificent.”

Meanwhile, Lennon’s United counterpart was proud of his players despite the margin of defeat. “I’m really disappointed. I thought we dominated the first half in many ways,” Peter Houston said.

“It’s hard enough to beat the champions elect with 11 players never mind 10. But for long spells of the game I was exceptionally proud of the players as they put in a lot of effort.” United, who had knocked out Celtic’s Old Firm rivals Rangers in the previous round, started brightly and Jon Daly came within inches of giving the home side the lead in the eighth minute when he bulleted a header just wide from Willo Flood’s cross.

Johnny Russell should have done better when he met Gary Mackay-Steven’s cut-back 10 yards out but the striker failed to catch his shot properly and Fraser Forster was able to make the save.

However, the home side’s good work was undone in the 28th minute when Neilson was shown a straight red for leading with his elbow in an aerial challenge with Samaras. United brought on Garry Kenneth for MackaySteven to shore up the defence and the substitute’s first task was to block a shot from Ledley from a Stokes cross.

The game remained goalless at the interval, but Celtic started the second-half on the front foot and made the breakthrough in the 53rd minute through Ledley.

Good work from Stokes down the left saw him put a dangerous ball into the box and Welsh international Ledley beat Gavin Gunning to the ball to blast it into the net from close range. United goalkeeper Dusan Pernis was equal to Stokes’ drilled shot from 20 yards before the hosts missed a great chance to level matters midway through the second half.

Milos Lacny was sent clear on goal by Russell’s headed flick on but the substitute dragged his shot wide of the target with only the ‘keeper to beat. —AFP

MONDAY, MARCH 12, 2012

S P ORT S

Messi bags brace as Barca defeat Racing

GERMANY: Hamburg’s midfielder Tolgay Arslan (right) and Schalke’s Spanish striker Raul vie for the ball during the German First Division Bundesliga football match.—AFP

Bremen stay in Euro hunt BERLIN: Werder Bremen kept themselves in the hunt for a Champions League place yesterday with a 3-0 home victory over Hanover 96, while Bayern Munich have cut Borussia Dortmund’s lead at the top of the Bundesliga.

Bremen’s ex-Chelsea striker Claudio Pizarro put his side ahead with some clinical finishing on 31 minutes before Austria defender Sebastian Proedl and Sweden striker Markus Rosenberg added further second-half goals.

The win leaves Bremen sixth, five points from fourth, with the top four in the Bundesliga qualifying for the Champions League, while the sides finishing fifth and sixth at the end of the season go into the Europa League.

Defeat for Hanover, who were held to a 2-2 draw on Thursday against Standard Liege in the last 16 of the Europa League, left them seventh.

On Saturday, Germany striker Mario Gomez netted a hat-trick in Bayern’s 7-1 demolition of Hoffenheim as the Bavarians trimmed Dortmund’s lead to five points.

Dortmund were held to a goalless draw at Augsburg on Saturday night, with Bayern taking the chance to cut their lead and give themselves a confidence boost ahead of Tuesday’s Champions League clash against FC Basel.

With Bayern already licking their wounds from last weekend’s 2-0 defeat at Bayer Leverkusen, mid-week reports suggested coach Jupp Heynckes will quit at the end of the season, but he 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.

Dutch winger Arjen Robben grabbed two first-half goals, while France’s Franck Ribery capped a fine display with a secondhalf effort and Germany midfielder Toni Kroos also netted. Only a late own goal by Bayern’s Luiz Gustavo offered Hoffenheim a consolation score.

It was only Bayern’s fifth win in their 10 games since Christmas, but with thirdplaced Borussia 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 is reportedly 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 first-half winner, but Podolski was one of three players sent off for what the referee deemed to be a head butt, although replays backed up Podolski’s claims of innocence.

It was the first red card of the 26-yearold’s Bundesliga career. After their humiliating 7-1 defeat at Barcelona in the Champions League in midweek, Leverkusen slumped to a 3-2 loss at Wolfsburg, despite taking an early lead.

Mainz are up to 11th after a 2-1 win at home to Nuremberg as Egypt striker Mohamed Zidan continued his remarkable scoring run with his sixth goal in consecutive games, drilling home a free-kick on 22 minutes.—AFP

German League results/standings Werder Bremen 3 (Pizarro 31, Proedl 49, Rosenberg 56) Hanover 0; Schalke 04 3 (Pukki 5, Metzelder 26, Huntelaar 33-pen) Hamburg 1 (Kacar 45).

German league table after the weekend’s matches (played, won, drawn, lost, goals for, goals against, points): Dortmund Bayern Borussia Schalke L’kusen Bremen Hanover Stuttgart N’berg

25 25 25 25 25 25 25 25 25

17 5 16 3 14 6 15 2 11 7 11 6 8 11 9 6 9 4

3 6 5 8 7 8 6 10 12

52 58 37 54 38 40 30 41 24

16 17 15 33 32 38 35 33 34

56 51 48 47 40 39 35 33 31

Wolfsburg Mainz H’heim Cologne Hamburg Augsburg Hertha Freiburg K’lautern

25 25 25 25 25 25 25 25 25

9 4 7 9 7 9 8 4 6 9 4 11 5 8 5 7 3 11

12 9 9 13 10 10 12 13 11

31 37 28 32 29 25 26 30 16

46 39 35 46 45 39 41 52 32

31 30 30 28 27 23 23 22 20

FA wants technology after ghost goal row LONDON: Queens Park Rangers manager Mark Hughes was fuming on Saturday after the FA repeated its call for goal-line technology when his side became the latest to suffer from a clear case of human error.

The west London team were denied a goal in the 20th minute of their relegation showdown at Bolton Wanderers when Clint Hill’s close-range header was well over the line before being clawed out by home keeper Adam Bogdan.

Referee Martin Atkinson and assistant Bob Pollock failed to award a goal to QPR whose sense of grievance would have been heightened by a look at the TV replays which showed the ball had travelled half a metre over the line.

To make matters worse QPR lost 2-1 a result that plunged them into the drop zone. The FA issued a statement before the game had even finished calling for soccer’s governing body FIFA to bring in technology to prevent so-called “ghost goals”.

“Laughably the FA have come out almost immediately and said they’re in favour (of technology],” Hughes told the BBC. “That’s absolutely ludicrous, trying to protect the poor performances of the officials they supply us. It’s a joke.

“The officials should do their jobs, looking down their line. The linesman’s job is to check for that. No excuse because it wasn’t a close decision,” Hughes added.

FIFA president Sepp Blatter has always been against technology but recently relaxed his stance and it could now be used for the first time at the Club World Cup finals in Japan at the end of the year.

The FA has long campaigned for help for officials - a subject that gained momentum after England’s Frank Lampard had a goal denied against Germany in the 2010 World Cup finals after his shot hit the bar and bounced

over the line.

“Following last week’s meeting of IFAB (International Football Association Board) the FA would like to reiterate our strong desire to see goal-line technology introduced as soon as possible,” Saturday’s FA statement said.

“The FA has been a leading proponent of goal-line technology for many years.

We will continue to press for its introduction once further independent testing is complete later this year so that anyone wishing to introduce the technology is able to do so at the earliest possible opportunity.”

Bolton manager Owen Coyle sympathised with Hughes despite his side benefiting from a clear error. “Nobody is a bigger advocate of goal-line technology than myself. We had one this year against Chelsea when Kevin Davies scored a goal that wasn’t given,” Coyle told Sky Sports. “ We saw what happened with England in the World Cup. I can totally understand how Mark will be feeling.”

There have been several high-profile cases of “ghost goals”.

One of the most memorable was Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Pedro Mendez’s lob against Manchester United in 2005 that was dropped at least a metre over the line by keeper Roy Carroll and the goal was not given.—Reuters

Matches on TV (Local Timings) English Premier League Arsenal v Newcastle 23:00 Abu Dhabi Sports HD

Spanish League Villarreal v Getafe 23:00 Aljazeera Sport +2

MADRID: Lionel Messi continued his rich vein of form with a double yesterday as Barcelona beat Racing Santander 2-0, but the Catalan club still remain 10 points off La Liga leaders Real Madrid.

After scoring a remarkable five in the Champions League in midweek against a reeling Bayer Leverkusen, Messi found the net in both halves, the second a strike from the penalty spot, taking his season’s league total to 30.

The Argentine still trails two goals behind Cristiano Ronaldo, who also hit a brace on Saturday as Real beat Real Betis 3-2 to maintain their surge towards what would be their first title since 2008.

Barca, without the injured Eric Abidal and suspended Gerard Pique, started with a three-man defence which included Carles Puyol who was finally passed fit.

They quickly began to dominate a struggling Racing side who have not won in eight matches and appointed Alvaro Cervera as the new coach last week to steer them to survival.

Messi had a free-kick tipped over by the keeper while Andres Iniesta hit the top of the crossbar with an excellent chip as Barca began to find a cutting edge.

Racing were battling hard, and on occasions went overboard with crude challenges, but they had no match for Barca’s movement and passing.

Cesc Fabregas had a shot well saved by the keeper before he set up Messi for the opening goal, with the Argentine sliding the ball home from the centre of the penalty area.

Barca were knocking the ball effortlessly through the midfield but had to wait until the 56th minute to go further ahead from the penalty spot. Domingo Cisma was adjudged to have pulled down Fabregas and Messi sent the keeper the wrong way from 12 yards.

Racing were unable to respond and Barca could have extended lead with Juan Cuenca hitting a post and Messi for once having his shot saved when oneon-one with the keeper.

Champions League-chasing

SPAIN: Barcelona’s Argentinian forward Lionel Messi celebrates after scoring a goal during the Spanish League football match against Racing. —AFP

Valencia continued to stutter as they squandered a two-goal lead to draw 2-2 at home to Mallorca.

Valencia have now won just once in four games in the league and it is particularly their home form since Christmas which is the cause for concern as they look to maintain their third place, although they still have a fourpoint lead over Malaga, who beat Levante on Saturday.

They dominated the first half

with Tino Costa’s deflected shot giving them the lead after 23 minutes and then doubled it three minutes before the break when Mallorca keeper Dudu Aouate made a hash of clearing a backpass, playing the ball to Aritz Aduriz, who slotted it home.

Mallorca had offered very little but got back into the game after 57 minutes when Emilio Nsue converted a through ball from Michael Pereira and then Victor

Casadesus completed the turnaround minutes later.

Valencia had lost their shape amid whistles from the home fans and finished with ten men after Costa was dismissed for a two-footed challenge.

Espanyol and Atletico Madrid also kept in the hunt for a place in Europe with Espanyol beating Rayo Vallecano 5-1 at home and Atletico won 2-0 against Granada at the Calderon. —AFP

Spanish League results/standings Atletico Madrid 2 (Miranda 38, Falcao 90+1) Granada 0; Espanyol 5 (Uche 3, 44, 68, Coutinho Correia 9, 22) Rayo Vallecano 1 (Tamudo 54); Valencia 2 (Costa 23, Aduriz 42) Real Mallorca 2 (Nsue 57, Victor 66); Racing Santander 0 Barcelona 2 (Messi 29, 56-pen).

Playing later Osasuna v Athletic Bilbao Playing today: Villarreal v Getafe Spanish league table after Barcelona v Santander yesterday (played, won, drawn, lost, goals for, goals against, points): Real Madrid Barcelona Valencia Malaga Levante Bilbao Atletico Espanyol Osasuna Vallecano

26 26 26 26 26 25 26 26 25 26

23 18 12 12 11 9 9 10 8 10

1 6 8 4 5 10 9 6 11 4

2 2 6 10 10 6 8 10 6 12

88 75 40 37 37 41 36 32 29 37

23 19 31 37 37 32 31 35 39 43

70 60 44 40 38 37 36 36 35 34

Sevilla Real Sociedad Real Mallorca Real Betis Getafe Granada Villarreal Santander Sporting Gijon Real Zaragoza

26 26 26 26 25 26 25 26 26 26

8 9 7 9 7 8 6 4 6 4

9 6 9 3 8 4 9 12 6 6

9 11 10 14 10 14 10 10 14 16

27 30 26 31 25 22 26 21 24 21

29 36 32 38 34 37 38 37 48 49

33 33 30 30 29 28 27 24 24 18

Milan extend lead as Juve draw again ROME: AC Milan extended their lead to four points at the top of Serie A with a 2-0 win over Lecce as Juventus were held 0-0 at Genoa yesterday.

Goals from Antonio Nocerino and Zlatan Ibrahimovic gave Milan a comfortable victory. Juve, who were facing a defensive selection crisis, drew for the fourth game in a row and sixth time in their last seven outings.

Although unbeaten, they have now drawn more than half their league matches this season. And that is what has allowed champions Milan to not only haul them in but streak past as they bid for a second title in a row.

Milan coach Massimiliano Allegri insisted nothing was decided despite their lead. “It’s not a decisive step but it is an important one because we won while Juve didn’t,” he said.

“We still need consistency and balance because I remember in Udine (where they won 2-1), with a quarter of an hour left, we were practically out of the title running.

“Now we have a one -match advantage, but there are still 11 games left. We had a very good first 20 minutes. Ever ything seemed so easy, but then we started giving away a lot of balls.

Things went better in the second half.”

The rossoneri never looked in any danger of dropping points against Lecce and took the lead after just seven minutes.

Robinho chipped the ball into the box and Ibrahimovic’s backheel flick found Nocerino, whose volleyed finish deflected off Leonardo Miglionico and beat goalkeeper Massimiliano Benassi.

Milan created plenty of shooting chances around the box but produced nothing to unduly worry Benassi. But they moved further in front on 65 minutes as another Robinho chip into the box found Urby Emanuelson, whose cushioned headed back to Ibrahimovic

was lashed ruthlessly into the net.

Lecce remain third from bottom and are now six points from safety following Siena’s 2-0 win at Cesena and Parma’s 1-1 draw at Atalanta.

Juventus, who refused to talk to the press after the game, may have been missing all three of their Italy centre-backs but they showed few ill effects as they dominated in Genoa.

They had the first good chance as French goalkeeper Sebastien Frey got down well to save from Simone Pepe.

Alberto Gilardino had a pair of chances for the hosts but headed the first off target and swiped the second over the bar.

Mirko Vucinic slipped in Alessandro Matri for the visitors but Marco Rossi was across quickly to block the striker’s finish.

Bosko Jankovic tried his luck from a free-kick but it deflected off Gilardino, taking away all the pace.

Juve came storming out after the break and hit the woodwork three ITALY: Juventus’ Marco Borriello reacts after failing to score against times in the first 15 minutes of the Genoa during a Serie A football match. —AFP second period.

Vucincic headed an Andrea Italian League results/standings Pirlo corner against the bar before AC Milan 2 (Nocerino 7, Ibrahimovic 65) Lecce 0; Atalanta 1 (Manfredini 5) Pirlo had a fizzing shot tipped just Parma 1 (Paletta 55); Catania 1 (Lodi 58-pen) Fiorentina 0; Cesena 0 Siena 2 over. Vucinic then headed against (Brienza 75, Bogdani 81); Genoa 0 Juventus 0. the outside of the post from Pepe’s Playing later cross before Pepe ran onto a Pirlo Lazio v Bologna, Novara v Udinese free-kick and from six yards hit a Serie A table yesterday (played, won, drawn, lost, goals for, goals against, points): side-foot volley smack onto the AC Milan 27 17 6 4 55 22 57 post.

Juventus 27 13 14 0 39 17 53 Genoa finally eased the presLazio 26 14 6 6 41 30 48 sure and created a chance of their Napoli 27 12 10 5 50 28 46 own but Gianluigi Buffon stood up Udinese 26 13 7 6 37 23 46 well to Kakha Kaladze’s back-post Roma 27 12 5 10 40 33 41 Inter Milan 27 12 4 11 38 36 40 volley. Juve finally had the ball in Catania 27 9 11 7 35 35 38 the net through Pepe, who this Palermo 27 10 4 13 39 44 34 time found the goal from three Chievo 27 9 7 11 22 33 34 yards out, but it was ruled out for a Atalanta 27 9 12 6 31 29 33 narrow offside. Gilardino was Genoa 27 9 6 12 35 48 33 Siena 27 8 8 11 32 28 32 played in behind the Juve defence Fiorentina 27 8 8 11 27 28 32 and took the ball around Buffon Bologna 26 8 8 10 26 30 32 but from a tight angle he fired well Parma 27 7 10 10 33 42 31 off target.

Cagliari 27 7 10 10 26 35 31 And Pirlo appeared to bring Lecce 27 6 7 14 30 44 25 Cesena 27 4 5 18 16 42 17 down Rossi in the box in injury Novara 26 3 8 15 21 46 17 time but Juve were relieved to see Note: Atalanta deducted six points at start of season for match-fixing nothing given.—AFP

Wozniacki, Sharapova advance at Indian Wells

16

MONDAY, MARCH 12, 2012

Hafeez,Gul star as Pakistan defeat B’desh

17

Messi bags brace as Barca defeat Racing

Page 19

Medals table ISTANBUL: Medals table after the third and final day of the IAAF World Indoor Championships yesterday:

ISTANBUL: When Aries Merritt shot out of blocks to deny Liu Xiang victory in the 60-meter hurdles, he clinched more than just an unlikely victory.

The American hurdler, who was thought to have little chance against the Chinese great, won the title and cemented a record gold medal haul for the US team at the world indoor championships.

“We psyched up everybody, including myself,” said United States team captain Bernard Lagat, who won his own gold in the 3,000. “We came together as a team.” If anything, when gold runs up to 10 in three days of competition, it augurs well for a great show at the London Olympics. No other team had more than two.

Lagat was a prime example. At 37, he produced a devastating kick to shake off two younger Kenyans over the final lap to defend his 3,000 world title.

From Friday’s first morning, Ashton Eaton started building on his heptathlon world record and shot putter Ryan Whiting clinched the first gold later that day. From the start, the Americans were on a roll.

“We always come to these meets saying, ‘USA is the best team in the world,’” said Christian Taylor, who took silver behind teammate Will Claye in yesterday’s triple jump. “You just keep that mindset and you want to do your part also.”

Claye himself proved the depth of the team. While Lagat won yet another gold in the twilight of his career, Claye is only 20 years old. “It’s going to be tough to make the US team” for the London Games, Claye said.

With 10 gold medals, the performance at the Atakoy Arena was two better than the previous record. And several times, the toughest competition an American faced was another American.

In the women’s long jump, Brittney Reese jumped a championship record 7.23 meters on her last attempt to push American teammate Janay Deloach into the silvermedal position with 6.98 and become the first back-to-back winner in the event.

“My coach told me to go and get it, and I went out and got it,” Reese said. “I had to go out and bust the big one.” The long jumper said she was driven by a new motto that might well apply to all Americans at the championships.

“My coach came up with this idea of ‘See it. Feel it. Trust it,’ and that is what I have been trying to come out and do,” Reese said.

As team captain, Lagat came up with a stirring speech ahead of the championships, telling his teammates “run as hard as you can, jump as high as you can. Jump, pole vault.

Because, you know what, this is the time. There’s no other time.”

Lagat won his third title by pushing free with 100 meters to go to beat Kenyan rivals Augustine Choge and Edwin Soi. Favorite Mo Farah was supposed to make it a straightforward duel with the American, but he failed to get into the medals and finished fourth. The Briton beat Lagat in a stirring 5,000 finish at the world outdoor championships in August.

Lagat knew the Kenyans were going to drive the race and he refused to fall back and be surprised by a sudden breakaway. So when the final rush came, he was prepared. “I am going to stay here because those guys are strong,” Lagat said he thought to himself.

Merritt had to stay with no one in his final. Fastest out of the blocks, he even got the better of Liu, the 2004 Olympic champion who was trying out a new start with one step less to the first hurdle to keep the opposition at bay. When Liu saw the blur of Merritt, it immediately unsettled him.

“I knew Aries Merritt is a fast starter,” Liu said. “So I got out in a rush and was not able to control my technique.” For one hundredth of a second, the championships could even have been better for the Americans.

The women’s 4x400 relay produced the most exciting finish of the championships when 400 champion Sanya Richards-Ross came back from fourth place with 200 meters to go and missed gold by just .01 seconds when Perri Shakes-Drayton of Britain threw herself across the line first.

The men’s 4x400 team won the race outright but the gold was delayed for two hours after a British protest over a

handover technicality first led to disqualification before a US appeal reinstated the gold.

Even though the United States overwhelmed the championships, other stars also stood out. Yelena Isinbayeva put a three-year gold medal drought behind her by winning the pole vault with just two jumps. The Russian set a world record of 5.01 meters last month and failed to improve that to 5.02 after ensuring gold. It was Isinbayeva’s fourth indoor world title overall but her first in four years. Over the same period, she also lost her world outdoor title. “I was waiting for this victory like a mother is waiting to give birth to her baby,” Isinbayeva said. “The last three years showed me how important it is for me to win.”—AP

USA G Britain Ethiopia Kenya Russia Ukraine France Australia Jamaica Morocco Brazil Costa Rica Greece New Zealand Germany Bahamas Belarus Turkey Czech Rep Italy Ivory Coast Kazakhstan China Sweden Cuba Lithuania Poland T/Tobago

G 10 2 2 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

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

B Total 5 18 4 9 2 5 1 4 5 9 0 3 1 3 0 2 0 2 0 2 0 1 0 1 0 1 0 1 0 2 1 2 1 2 1 2 0 1 0 1 0 1 0 1 0 1 0 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

Kuwait gold prices rise after two-week drops Page 22

Sovereign restructuring in the making Page 23 MONDAY, MARCH 12, 2012

Turkey links GCC interests with KFH

KSE stocks come under pressure Page 24

Page 25

KUWAIT: Nasser Al-Sayer, NBK Deputy Chairman addresses NBK’s annual general assembly meeting at the bank’s headquarters yesterday.

NBK crosses threshold of $1bn profits in 2011 Al-Sayer addresses general assembly meeting KUWAIT: National Bank of Kuwait (NBK) held its annual general assembly meeting at the bank’s headquarters yesterday. Nasser Al-Sayer, NBK Deputy Chairman, stated that NBK Group delivered success at every level despite a difficult year. “NBK Group achieved a strong per formance thanks to the bank’s resilience, clear strategy, conservative culture, and high professional standards, all of which have limited the bank’s exposure to lower quality assets in and outside of Kuwait.”

The General Assembly endorsed the recommendation of NBK’s Board of Directors to distribute a cash dividend equivalent to 40% of the nominal value of the share (40 fils per

share) and bonus shares by 10% (10 shares for every 100 shares) to shareholders on record at the time of the General Assembly meeting.

Strong financial performance Al-Sayer stated that NBK has succeeded in achieving a net profit of KD 302.4 million ($1,086 million) during 2011, compared with KD 301.7 million ($1,083 million) in 2010. “NBK continued crossing the threshold of one billion dollar profits in 2011, which confirms NBK’s strength and ability to deliver strong results despite the crisis,” he noted. NBK’s earnings reached 77fils per share in 2011. NBK’s total assets increased 5.6%, reaching KD 13.6 billion and shareholders’ equity

rose 4.5% to KD 2.2 billion by the end of 2011. Other profitability indicators remained strong by regional and international standards: Return on Assets (ROA) reached 2.25% while Return on Equity (ROE) recorded 14.6% for the year.

NBK Group’s net operating income grew by 8.4% Y-o-Y reaching $1,939 million (KD 540 million). Despite the ongoing turmoil in regional markets and the stagnant operating environment in Kuwait, NBK continued to maintain exceptionally strong asset quality indicators with NPLs/Gross loans ratio dropping to 1.55% as of year-end 2011 compared to 1.65% in 2010 and coverage ratio mounting to 243% in 2011 up from 209% in 2010.

• Bank achieves strong performance

Islamic banking In 2011, NBK began reaping the results of the strategic acquisition of a 47.3% stake in Boubyan Bank.

“Boubyan Bank showed significant improvement in profitability and marketshare following NBK’s strategic stake acquisition,” Al-Sayer said. “NBK will continue supporting Boubyan Bank by providing world class talent and expertise though we remain committed to operating as two separate entities.”

Highest rated in Mideast Ibrahim Dabdoub, NBK’s Group Chief Executive Officer noted that NBK continues to hold the highest credit ratings among banks in the

Middle East, with international rating agencies confirming the bank’s leading franchise, strong financial position, robust earnings capabilities and above peers asset quality.

“We have over the years maintained the highest asset quality indicators by regional and international standards, despite the ongoing economic challenges,” Dabdoub added. NBK is currently rated “Aa3” by Moody’s, “AA-” by Fitch Ratings and carries an “A+” rating from Standard and Poor’s. All NBK ratings have a stable outlook . Added to this, NBK has been recognized as the ‘Best Bank in the Middle East’ for the second consecutive year by the leading financial publications: Global Finance,

KIA wins $300m quota in China stock market BEIJING: Kuwait Investment Authority (KIA) has obtained an initial $300 million quota to buy yuan-denominated stocks and bonds, the Chinese authorities announced, a major step for Kuwait’s sovereign wealth fund to diversify its investment options through its Beijing office.

The State Administration of Foreign Exchange (SAFE) allows KIA to initially invest up to $300 million in mainland China’s securities market as a qualified foreign institutional investor (QFII), according to SAFE’s official announcement over the weekend. KIA has applied for the full $1 billion investment quota, the maximum amount that a single QFII can obtain from the SAFE. Subject to SAFE’s approval, KIA will be able to increase the quota every month until it reaches the $1 billion ceiling. The approval of the initial investment quota came two months after KIA received the QFII status from the China Securities Regulatory Commission, the nation’s top securities regulator, to become the second qualified Middle Eastern fund after Abu Dhabi Investment Authority.

Since approval of QFII license on Dec 21, KIA had been waiting for quota allocation from the SAFE under the scheme to start making securities investments in the Chinese mainland. QFII investors are usually required to wait months to receive investment quota from the SAFE, which regulates China’s foreign currency.

China’s domestically listed yuandenominated A-graded shares and bonds are generally only available to mainland investors and the limited number of QFII license holders. China launched the QFII program in 2002 on a trial basis to allow

qualified overseas funds to investment in the world’s third-largest stock market within the SAFE-set quota. As of March 9, the authorities had granted QFII status to 129 foreign institutions with a combined investment quota of $24.55 billion. The SAFE has already secured approval of the State Council, China’s Cabinet, to raise the combined limit for QFII operations, paving the way for KIA to win extra quota in the near future. Kuwait Investment Beijing Representative Office (KIRO) was inaugurated last October as KIA’s first overseas office since the establishment of Kuwait Investment Office in London in 1953.KIRO closely works with its head office and mainly serves as a platform for exploring lucrative investment opportunities, with an initial focus in China, but also in the Far East. In addition, the Beijing office is heavily tasked with strengthening fund’s ties with the Chinese government and companies in order to be among the first to grab any new opportunities. KIA, which manages Kuwait’s oil generated-assets, has so far participated as cornerstone investors in Industrial and Commercial Bank of China, Agricultural Bank of China, and most recently in CITIC Securities.

Cornerstone investors are a handful of elite institutional investors who are guaranteed shares early in initial public offerings (IPOs) in exchange for a pledge to hold the stocks for a period. The fund’s investments in Greater China including Hong Kong have grown nearly five times to $10 billion from 10 years ago. As for mainland China alone, the figure has jumped to $5.6 billion from zero in the past five years. —KUNA

EuroMoney and The Banker.

Human Resources and CSR NBK has a long tradition of supporting social and community-oriented activities in the country, spending more than KD 30 million on a Corporate Social Responsibility program covering a range of initiatives.

“We believe that our people are our most valuable resource and to that end we’ve implemented numerous professional development and training programs while focusing recruiting efforts on hiring and training the country’s best and brightest minds.

NBK Group hired more than 1000 nationals of both genders during the past three years.” Al-Sayer noted.

StanChart seeks nod for Saudi license

GANDHINAGAR: Indian laborers and engineers from Dubai based Al Nakhra Contracting work on a construction site of Gujarat International Finance Tec City GIFT City - on the outskirts of Gandhinagar, some 30 kms. from Ahmedabad. — AFP

Euro-zone FMs meet today BRUSSELS: Euro-zone finance ministers meet today in Brussels to give their final approval to the second Greek bailout and discuss tightening measures to prevent a repetition of the crisis.

The ministers are expected to sign off on the 130 billion euro ($171 billion) rescue program after Greece’s private creditors approved wiping off some 100 billion euros from Athens’ debt.

Their chief, Jean-Claude Juncker, said last week after the success of the debt restructuring offer was announced, that “the necessary conditions are in place” for the bailout to go forward. Euro-zone ministers, in a conference call on Friday, already approved releasing part of the 130 billion euros that is helping finance

the debt swap. However the ministers have much time for celebration as they are expected to turn their attention to troubling spending gaps in a number of other 16 countries besides Greece that share the euro.

In particular they are expected to focus on Spain, whose Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy stunned his European partners at the beginning of the month by saying that it would only be able to cut its public deficit this year to 5.8 percent of annual output, instead of the planned 4.4 percent. “ The European Commission wants to know the reasons behind this budget slippage. This issue should be discussed by the Eurogroup even though it isn’t on the formal agenda of their meeting,” said a diplomatic source. — AFP

DUBAI: Standard Chartered has sought a full commercial banking license from the Saudi central bank as the UK lender aims to plug the biggest gap in its growing Gulf Arab business, two sources familiar with the matter said yesterday.

With multi-billion dollar spending plans to beef up infrastructure, housing and education, Saudi Arabia tops the list of global institutions seeking to tap growth in the oil-rich Gulf Arab region.

The kingdom is also on the verge of opening up its stock markets to foreign direct investors.

StanChart received a capital markets license in the kingdom last year and has set up a team on the ground, but a full banking license would enable the bank to offer a variety of services to the growing Saudi population.

The bank applied for a license from the central bank more than a year ago but has yet to hear back, one of the sources said, speaking on condition of anonymity as the matter has not been made public yet. A spokesman for the lender in Dubai declined to comment. The London-headquartered bank, which makes more than three-quarters of its profit in Asia, posted its ninth consecutive year of record earnings in 2011 on the back of buoyant growth in Hong Kong and Singapore, although rising competition for staff pushed up its wage bill. The Saudi banking sector is expected to post higher revenue in 2012, fuelled by higher loan growth and fee income and falling provisions for bad loans, NCB Capital said in a report in December.

StanChart was reportedly considering bids for Royal Bank of Scotland’s 40-percent stake in Saudi Hollandi Bank in 2008. Foreign banks conducting commercial banking in the kingdom are required to partner with local institutions.

HSBC conducts business there mainly through its affiliate Saudi British Bank, while France’s Credit Agricole partly owns Banque Saudi Fransi. StanChart’s private equity arm bought a minority stake in a Saudi Binladin Group unit for $75 million last year. —Reuters

22

MONDAY, MARCH 12, 2012

business

Kuwait gold prices rise after two-week drops Euro-zone, Asia data remain in focus

ABU DHABI: The UAE’s economy grew an estimated 3.3 percent in 2011, the economy minister was quoted as saying yesterday.

UAE economy grew 3.3% in 2011, below forecasts DUBAI: The United Arab Emirates’ economy grew an estimated 3.3 percent in 2011, the economy minister was quoted as saying yesterday, slower than analysts had expected but still more than double the pace seen in the previous year.

Economy Minister Sultan bin Saeed AlMansouri said the UAE, one of the world’s top five oil exporters, had faced unprecedented regional and global challenges last year. But he added that it was helped by the rising contribution of non-oil sectors, the ministry’s website (www.economy.gov.ae) reported.

Analysts polled by Reuters in December had forecast the economy would grow 3.9 percent in real terms in 2011, after 1.4 percent expansion in 2010. The economy has been recovering steadily from Dubai’s 2009-2010 corporate debt crisis because of high oil prices and strong trade with Asia, though bank lending has remained sluggish and the once-booming real estate sector weak. The UAE statistics office has yet to release official gross domestic product data for 2011.

Last November, Mansouri said Europe’s debt crisis and weakness in the US economy might slow the UAE’s growth to around 3 percent in 2012. “We expect growth to

slow to 2.5 percent this year mainly as a result of weaker external conditions - the euro zone crisis and slower global growth generally - but also because we do not see oil production increasing from the 2011 high base,” said Khatija Haque, senior economist at Emirates NBD in Dubai.

“We think the growth this year will be underpinned by public sector spending.”

The UAE, which enjoys one of the highest incomes per capita globally, avoided social unrest sweeping the Arab world last year but along with other Gulf oil producers it responded by raising public spending, partly on salary and pension hikes. The government has also announced plans to spend $1.6 billion over three years on expanding water and electricity networks in the northern emirates, which have benefited less from oil and trade than Abu Dhabi and Dubai.

International sanctions against Iran over its nuclear program may weigh on the UAE’s economy this year.

The International Monetary Fund said in May 2011 that sanctions then in force could shave off 0.2 to 0.7 percent of the UAE’s GDP annually; since then, restrictions on bank financing of trade have tightened further. — Reuters

Abu Dhabi to issue new hotel licenses selectively ABU DHABI: Abu Dhabi has not halted the issuance of new hotel licenses in the capital of the United Arab Emirates but will be selective in the number it issues, a tourism official said yesterday.

“We have not completely stopped issuing licenses. We still receive applications and are studying them on a case-by-case basis,” Naser Al-Riyami, director, tourism standards division at the Abu Dhabi Authority for Tourism & Culture said. “We have our criteria for licensing,” he told Reuters by phone.

Alroya Al-Eqtisadiya, a local newspaper reported on Sunday that Abu Dhabi will not issue new hotel licenses in the capital of the United Arab Emirates, citing AlRiyami. “That report is not correct,” said AlRiyami, adding there are areas in Abu Dhabi and nearby where hotels need to be

built, citing Saadiyat Island as one. Across the oil-rich state, which accounts for more than half of the United Arab Emirates’ economy, government-backed real estate, commercial and tourism projects, many conceived during the boom years of 20032008, are under review and in some cases being delayed or put on hold.

The average room rate in Abu Dhabi dropped 14 percent to about 450 dirhams in 2011, the paper said, as four thousand new rooms came online-bringing the total number of hotel rooms to almost 23,000 in the capital.

The UAE is seen as a safe haven for tourism in the Middle East, where popular uprisings toppled three governments in 2011 and spurred the transition of a fourth Arab government earlier this year. — Reuters

KUWAIT: Prices of gold edged higher after two weeks of decline to trade at $11,711 per ounce compared to last Tuesday’s $1,663 per ounce, said Al-Zummorroda company’s latest report.

The report attributed the rise to anticipation over euro-zone and Asia financial data, particularly in view of the weakness of the euro against the US dollar and anticipation of a drop in Chinese domestic product for the year. With the start of release of positive data in Europe, and agreement among Greece’s creditors, price went up again and quickly crossed the $1,690 mark per ounce.

Despite the drops, the market was dominated by demand which continued to sustain price against too sharp a drop, and last hour demanded gave the price the final push towards today’s price, the report pointed out. The report forecast further gains next week amid continues unease and low appetite for risk in the market, and said prices could reach $1,760 and $1,800 per ounce soon after.

The report also pointed out the current price situation is not the norm, when it comes to the relationship between price of gold and rate of the US dollar. This is because a whole set of other factors are influencing the gold market.

As for silver, the report noted its price changes were even sharper than those of other precious metals, dropping to $32.5 before climbing to $34. 2. Demand for silver is expected to continue to push price up and the report fore-

casts the range of $37 per ounce within a few days.

Platinum came up $12 to 1,683 per ounce, while palladium came to $707 per ounce. The local gold market saw a revival with the drop in price with 24 carat reaching KD 14.9 per ounce

KUWAIT: Shoppers at the Avenues Mall.

Aldar, Sorouh weigh state-backed merger Special team formed to study merger DUBAI: Abu Dhabi developer Aldar Properties, which has twice been rescued by the Abu Dhabi government with bailouts totaling $10 billion, may merge with local rival Sorouh Real Estate in a state-backed tie-up, the two firms said yesterday.

Any merger decision will be made in the next three months after a joint committee assesses the matter. No further details were provided. “Aldar and Sorouh are discussing ways to merge with the blessing of the Abu Dhabi government,” said the joint statement to the Abu Dhabi bourse.

Aldar, which is majority-owned by Abu Dhabi and built the Yas Marina Formula One circuit, has relied heavily on the government over the past 18 months.

State investment fund Mubadala has also played a key role in Aldar’s bailout by subscribing to a $2.8 billion bond issued by the developer in March 2011. It currently owns 49-percent of the developer. Sources told Reuters in January that Abu Dhabi had held talks to offload all or part of the Aldar stake in an attempt to stop its falling asset value from dragging down Mubadala.

The indebted developer, the biggest

for the first time since February and demand increased for small bullions and liras.

Drop in price of silver brought on a similar increase in sales. Pure gold reached KD 14,900 per kilo while pure silver is now selling for KD 300 per kilo. —KUNA

in Abu Dhabi by market value, has been hit by slumping property prices in the United Arab Emirates, forcing it to sell key projects to the government including its Ferrari World theme park. The two are the No 1 and 2 developers in the emirate, with the smaller Sorouh faring better than its bigger rival amid a property slump dating back to 2008.

Abu Dhabi’s property market fared better than neighboring emirate Dubai, which saw a collapse and the restructuring of its flagship firm Dubai World.

However, Abu Dhabi is also facing challenges with a huge supply of highend homes expected to enter the market. Property prices in the emirate are expected to fall another 11 percent from here, a Reuters poll showed.

“Merging the two companies won’t turn around the dynamics of the Abu Dhabi property market,” said Robert McKinnon, ASAS Capital chief investment officer. “The problem is that both companies have fairly weak balance sheets and so merging them isn’t going to solve that problem.”

Shares in both companies ended up 8 percent on the Abu Dhabi exchange yesterday. The statement came after markets closed. — Reuters

Saudi inflation at 14-month high JEDDAH: Saudi Arabia’s annual inflation rate edged up to a 14-month high of 5.4 percent in February, mainly because of higher food and housing costs, state news agency SPA reported yesterday. Quoting data from the Central Department of Statistics, the agency said consumer prices increased 0.3 percent from the previous month in February after a 0.1 percent rise in January. Food prices climbed 0.5 percent and housing 0.7 percent. The rise in the annual inflation rate was minor, from 5.3 percent in January, and it is not expected to prompt any tightening of Saudi monetary policy. Inflation is far below a record high of 11.1 percent hit during an oil boom in July 2008.

The central bank said last month that it expected relative price stability or even a slight decline in inflationary pressures in the near term. Nevertheless, the latest data underlined how strong economic growth in the country, on the back of high oil prices and heavy government spending, was creating conditions for inflation.

“The concern with the new numbers is the big jump in rent again...in year-on-year we are at the highest since May 2010,” said Paul Gamble, head of research at Jadwa Investment. “That is something to watch out for. It suggests that new property promised by the government is not going on stream and also that demand is rising.”

Saudi Arabia’s growing population of 27 million, most of whom are under the age of 30, faces a housing shortage; last year the government announced plans to spend $67 billion to build 500,000 new homes over several years.

“Now we expect to see some increase in housing costs as economic activity recovers...Probably we can expect rentals to contribute more to inflation with the overall economic recovery and because demand/supply is still very tight,” said Jarmo Kotilaine, chief economist at NCB Capital.

In other signs of inflationary pressure, bank lending to the private sector rose 11.7 percent in January, its fastest rate since May 2009; it accelerated from 10.6 percent in December 2011. — Reuters

EXCHANGE RATES Commercial Bank of Kuwait US Dollar/KD GB Pound/KD Euro Swiss francs Canadian Dollar Australian DLR Indian rupees Sri Lanka Rupee UAE dirhams Bahraini dinars Jordanian dinar Saudi riyals Omani riyals Philippine peso Egyptian pounds

.2730000 .4340000 .3620000 .3000000 .2750000 .2900000 .0040000 .0020000 .0753770 .7343730 .3830000 .0710000 .7199210 .0040000 .0430000

CUSTOMER TRANSFER RATES US Dollar/KD .2775000 GB Pound/KD .4366190 Euro .3647770 Swiss francs .3025500 Canadian dollars .2775110 Danish Kroner .0490660 Swedish Kroner .0409450 Australian dlr .2925880 Hong Kong dlr .0357670 Singapore dlr .2200250 Japanese yen .0034380 Indian Rs/KD .0000000 Sri Lanka rupee .0000000 Pakistan rupee .0000000 Bangladesh taka .0000000 UAE dirhams .0756230 Bahraini dinars .7367650 Jordanian dinar .0000000 Saudi Riyal/KD .0740600 Omani riyals .7214500 Philippine Peso .0000000

Al-Muzaini Exchange Co. ASIAN COUNTRIES

Japanese Yen Indian Rupees Pakistani Rupees Srilankan Rupees Nepali Rupees Singapore Dollar Hongkong Dollar Bangladesh Taka Philippine Peso Thai Baht Irani Riyal - Transfer Irani Riyal - Cash

3.598 5.667 3.154 2.436 3.341 213.250 35.672 3.580 6.336 8.873 0.271 0.273

.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

Saudi Riyal Qatari Riyal Omani Riyal Bahraini Dinar UAE Dirham

GCC COUNTRIES 74.150 76.402 722.230 738.540 75.715

Pakistani rupees Philippine peso Qatari riyal Saudi riyal Singapore dollar South Africa Sri Lankan rupees Sterling pound Swedish krona Swiss franc Syrian pound Thai bhat Tunisian dollar UAE dirham U.S. dollars Yemeni Riyal

ARAB COUNTRIES Egyptian Pound - Cash 47.500 Egyptian Pound - Transfer 46.282 Yemen Riyal/for 1000 1.272 Tunisian Dinar 189.860 Jordanian Dinar 392.670 Lebanese Lira/for 1000 1.865 Syrian Lier 6.003 Morocco Dirham 33.814 EUROPEAN & AMERICAN COUNTRIES US Dollar Transfer 277.950 Euro 370.650 Sterling Pound 431.930 Canadian dollar 268.420 Turkish lire 153.940 Swiss Franc 300.620 Australian dollar 277.000 US Dollar Buying 277.750 GOLD 315.500 159.000 81.500

20 Gram 10 Gram 5 Gram

COUNTRY

SELL CASH

Australian dollar Bahraini dinar Bangladeshi taka Canadian dollar Cyprus pound Czek koruna Danish krone Deutsche Mark Egyptian pound Euro Cash Hongkong dollar Indian rupees Indonesia Iranian tuman Iraqi dinar Japanese yen Jordanian dinar Lebanese pound Malaysian ringgit Morocco dirham Nepalese Rupees New Zealand dollar Nigeria Norwegian krone Omani Riyal

298.800 742.790 3.620 285.400 548.600 45.500 50.200 167.800 47.580 370.700 36.690 5.810 0.032 0.160 0.243 3.490 395.820 0.189 94.920 45.600 4.290 233.100 1.809 50.200 725.450

SELL DRAFT

297.300 742.790 3.410 283.900

224.100 46.286 369.200 36.540 5.600 0.032

10 Tola Sterling Pound US Dollar

75.050 279.300

US Dollar Canadian Dollar Sterling Pound Euro Swiss Frank Bahrain Dinar UAE Dirhams Qatari Riyals Saudi Riyals Jordanian Dinar Egyptian Pound Sri Lankan Rupees Indian Rupees Pakistani Rupees Bangladesh Taka Philippines Pesso Cyprus pound Japanese Yen Thai Bhat Syrian Pound Nepalese Rupees Malaysian Ringgit

TRAVELLER’S CHEQUE 440.400 279.300

Selling Rate

277.750 283.990 442.665 368.570 305.435 738.165 75.870 76.515 74.295 392.380 46.222 2.286 5.633 3.069 3.398 6.533 683.765 4.405 9.195 5.870 3.640 92.240

Rate per 1000 (Tran)

US Dollar Pak Rupees Indian Rupees Sri Lankan Rupees Bangladesh Taka Philippines Peso UAE Dirhams Saudi Riyals Bahraini Dinars Egyptian Pounds Pound Sterling Indonesian Rupiah Yemeni Riyal Euro Canadian Dollars Nepali rupee

Currency

Transfer Rate (Per 1000)

300.07 281.48 307.10 370.91

446.50 3.70 3.550 5.775 2.625 4.250 3.180 76.40 741.35 47.49 395.00 728.00 77.25 74.75

279.200 3.072 5.605 2.305 3.415 6.595 76.120 74.595 742.300 46.278 444.200 3.190 1.550 372.200 287.600 3.510

Al Mulla Exchange

UAE Exchange Center WLL Australian Dollar Canadian Dollar Swiss Franc Euro

445.06 3.50 3.402 5.549 2.286 3.491 3.063 75.83 741.33 46.24 396.50 724.32 76.85 74.42

Kuwait Bahrain Intl Exchange Co.

Dollarco Exchange Co. Ltd

Currency

725.310

306.000 3.900 9.350

Sterling Pound Japanese Yen Bangladesh Taka Indian Rupee Sri Lankan Rupee Nepali Rupee Pakistani Rupee UAE Dirhams Bahraini Dinar Egyptian Pound Jordanian Dinar Omani Riyal Qatari Riyal Saudi Riyal

Currency

395.770 0.188 94.920 3.510 231.600

3.082 6.573 76.830 74.570 224.140 39.470 2.300 440.400

GOLD 1,795.400

Rate for Transfer

Bahrain Exchange Company

3.130 6.730 77.260 74.570 224.140 39.470 2.661 442.400 42.000 307.500 3.900 9.500 198.263 76.150 279.700 1.350

300.00 284.00 312.00 373.00

US Dollar Euro Pound Sterling Canadian Dollar Japanese Yen Indian Rupee Egyptian Pound Sri Lankan Rupee Bangladesh Taka Philippines Peso Pakistan Rupee Bahraini Dinar UAE Dirham Saudi Riyal *Rates are subject to change

Transfer Rate (Per 1000)

278.450 369.300 440.700 281.000 3.475 5.530 46.173 2.287 3.410 6.480 3.067 741.600 75.800 74.350

MONDAY, MARCH 12, 2012

business Commodity Update

Commodities take a breather as Greece tensions ease

By Ole S Hansen, Head of Commodity Strategy

I

n a week where the dollar continued to recover and geopolitical tensions eased a bit and Greece finally got its second bailout package commodities traded generally lower. The DJ-UBS headed for its second weekly loss returning -2.5 percent on the week with losses seen across all sectors, however with some individual gains seen in soft commodities primarily.

Following the $100 sell-off the previous week gold took another leg down this week before support was established ahead of crucial support at 1,656, which is fifty percent retracement of the rally from the December low. A confidence building exercise is now needed once again with many being caught out by the third major correction within six months. The safe haven aspect has clearly been left for dead as the volatility we continue to experience does not go hand in hand with a “safe” asset.

The fundamental support from record low interest rates, inflation risk and central bank diversification remains, however the reduced chance of additional quantitative easing in the US following Fridays better than expected employment report could be the focus for some additional selling pressure next week. I eventually expect prices to pick up again following a period of consolidation with resistance at 1,725 and support at 1,655.

The same goes for silver which has also begun to stabilize after a 13 percent top to bottom correction within five days. Despite the sell-off it is still the best-performing metal this year and only trumped by gasoline overall.

Crude oil trapped While we wait for additional news the price of Brent crude has settled into its new found range above $120 per barrel. The risk premium, which probably equates to between $15-20 remains as traders are very reluctant to book any profits while the geopolitical risk stays high.

Questions have also been raised recently whether this recent rise is not also a result of continued strong demand from emerging economies, such as China, at a time where low spare capacity leaves the market less able to respond to sudden supply changes.

During the week hopes were raised that Iran would reopen talks with six world powers, including Russia and China, on its nuclear program. However many previous failed attempts left the market overwhelmingly unimpressed and only a clear move towards a solution would significantly change the sentiment. Speculators have continued to amass exposure to rising prices with the total net long in WTI and Brent crude approaching 500 million barrels. This will obviously leave both crude markets exposed to a sharp correction once the sentiment changes but for now support towards 120 on Brent and 104 on WTI looks solid.

Crude spread The spread between Brent crude and WTI crude, the world’s two leading benchmarks, rose to almost 19 dollars, the highest level since October 2011. This is a result of geopolitical risk driving Brent crude (higher) and inventory stock building in the US holding back WTI crude. The latest US government data revealed that stocks in Cushing, the storage and pipeline hub for WTI crude oil, have continued to rise strongly since January. The introduction of a pipeline reversal in the second quarter should help alleviate some of the pressure on Cushing as additional oil can be transferred to refineries along the Mexican Gulf. For now though a rapid increase of nearly 8 million barrels to 36.2 million barrels has raised some concerns that last year’s peak of 41.9 million could be challenged raising concerns about available capacity.

US natural gas price Global gas consumers are looking with envy towards the US where the price of natural gas keeps on going in one direction - down. This week the price of spot month gas fell to another 10-year low at $2.27 per million British thermal units (mmBtu) and it has now fallen by almost a quarter year to date. The reasons behind the continued selling are chronic oversupply from new sources like shale gas and above normal winter temperatures. Due to this lower consumption during the peak months of winter the available inventories in underground storage are almost 48 percent higher than the average over the last five years.

The chart below shows how gas prices in Europe and the US have dislocated since 2010 when the production of shale gas began to be ramped up and how the normal price pick-up during the winter months has been completely absent this year. Concerns have emerged about how full storage facilities will be once we exit the withdrawal season and enter into the summer period of injection. Too high levels of inventories could force unwanted extra gas onto the market which could put prices under further downside pressure.

Arabica coffee The share price of Starbucks has risen to an all-time high above 50 dollars while the price of high quality Arabica coffee, drunk by espresso fans across the world, fell to 1.87 dollars per pound, the lowest level in 16 months. The recent selling by money managers and Brazilian producers increased when the 2 dollars per pound level was broken. A stronger dollar versus the Brazilian Real and not least expectations that Brazil, the world’s largest grower, is heading for a record production starting in July, helped trigger the move. The price of Robusta coffee, the lower quality variety primarily used in instant coffee, meanwhile has been moving in the opposite direction as growers in Vietnam, the world’s largest producer, have been withholding bags for exports in order to achieve higher prices.

Cotton spike The world’s second-largest producer of cotton surprised the market this week as India announced an export ban for the second time in two years. The last ban in 2010 helped trigger a dramatic spike in the price to an all-time record at $2.15 per pound and led to months of disorderly behavior by the market and its participants.

The ban this time is very unlikely to cause a repeat of the spike we saw this time last year. There is already discontent within the government about the ban which was brought on by much higher exports than expected. The high prices last year have just like many other agricultural products been meet by a surge in planting and the United States Department of Agriculture now estimates a record 123 million bales this crop year which ends in July.

Sovereign restructuring in the making NBK WEEKLY MONEY MARKET REPORT KUWAIT: The world seems in a better shape since the start of 2012. The correction that took place in the beginning of the week already seems like a bad memory as markets accelerated and the US dollar was under pressure.

Helping the tone on Thursday, Bank of England left policy unchanged, and the ECB delivered a hopeful press conference.

While the ECB lowered its 2012 central growth forecast and lifted its inflation forecast, the overall tone of the assessment of the growth outlook was more confident than in past meetings. While stressing the powerful impact of the long term funding operations conducted last week by the ECB, Mario Draghi eased expectation over futures monetary policy easing from the ECB. After the short market correction on Tuesday, the excitement came when the Wall Street Journal suggested that any further easing from the Fed could come via the purchase of longer dated bonds but with the potential inflationary consequences reduced by the Federal Reserve borrowing back the funds injected in buying the bonds. While such an operation would involve an increasing balance sheet expansion, the money created in the financial system would be unchanged. As such, this would be a less dollar negative policy move than the first two quantitative easing programs.

Greece also added to the positive tone on Friday by announcing that EUR 172bn of bonds had been tendered in the Private Sector Involvement. The amount represents 83.7% of the eligible bonds; and included 69% of the non-Greek Law bonds. This will allow for a 95.7% participation when the intended activation of the Collective Action Clauses enters into effect.

Fed looking for new ways According to the Wall Street Journal, the Federal Reserve officials are considering a new type of bond-buying program designed to control worries about potential inflation if they decide to take new

steps to boost the economy in the coming months. Using the new approach, the Fed would print new money to buy long-term mortgage or Treasury bonds by borrowing it back for short periods at low rates. The aim of such an approach would be to reduce market nervousness that money printing could fuel inflation, a fear widely expressed by critics of the Fed’s previous efforts to aid the recovery.

The Fed is unlikely to launch new easing programs at next week’s meeting, as the economic data have not disappointed

of its Greek-law government bonds, including those not tendered for exchange. This would lead to 100% participation of Greek-law bonds, or EUR 177bn.

market expectations.

not just from the LTRO but from the fiscal consolidation efforts, improved governance rules as well as the push for structural reforms.

He again insisted that the non-standard policies are temporary and the ECB has all the tools to protect medium-term price stability if necessary. He however did not tie his hands on future policy moves at all, whether rates or liquidity.

German factory orders dropped unexpectedly in January, renewing fears over the economic outlook of the euro-zone’s economy. Factory orders tumbled by a seasonally adjusted 2.7% in January, missing expectations for a 0.6% increase.

December’s figure was revised to a 1.6% gain from a previously reported 1.7% increase. Year-over-year, German factory orders dropped at an annualized rate of 4.9% in January, worse than expectations

US factory orders Companies in the US added more workers in February compared to January, a sign that proves that the labor market is improving in the US. According to the ADP employment report, the service sector created 170,000 jobs while the goods sector gained 46,000 jobs. Manufacturing increased by 21,000 jobs for the month of February. Financial services jobs increased by 14,000 jobs, the largest gain in two years.

Early Friday, Greek Finance Minister Evangelos Venizelos announced a total participation rate in the Private Sector Involvement of about EUR 172bn, or 83.7%. According to the official announcement, Greece intends to accept the consents received and amend the terms of all

Draghi confident During the press conference, ECB’s president Mario Draghi praised the market response to the Long Term funding Operations (LTRO), however emphasized that all options remained left open as to the future action of the ECB. He interpreted the positive market impact as coming

for a 1.7% decline after holding flat in December.

BOE rates at record low The Bank of England voted on Thursday to hold its key interest rate at 0.50%, three years after it slashed borrowing costs to the current record-low level.

The central bank also maintained the level of its asset purchasing aimed at boosting lending among banks at 325 billion pounds, it added in a statement following a two-day monetary policy meeting. “The Committee expects the announced program of asset purchases to take another two months to complete. The scale of the program will be kept under review,” said the statement. Markets will have to wait until March 21 to see the minutes of the meeting and the reasons behind the latest policy decisions.

The pace of the Australian economic growth slowed unexpectedly in the last three months of 2011 as the non-mining sectors of the economy remained weak.

Australian GDP rose by a seasonally adjusted 0.4% in the December quarter for an annual pace of 2.3%.

China cooling down?

China’s annual consumer inflation slowed sharply to a 20-month low in February, as consumer prices gained 3.2% in February from a year earlier. The rise in consumer prices was less than the 3.4% market expectation and below January’s 4.5% rate. Factory output and retail sales on the other hand also cooled more than forecasted, with Factory production rising 11.4% in January compared to 12.3% expected and retail sales advancing to 14.7% compared to 17.6% expectation.

Data in the first two months of the year are usually distorted by a weeklong holiday, but are giving policy makers ample room to further loosen monetary policy to support a fading growth.

Kuwaiti dinar at 0.27860 The USDKWD opened at 0.27860 on Sunday morning.

China sacrifices growth to satiate inflation dragon Wen realizes risk of rapid economic expansion BEIJING: If inflation is a dragon that must be slain, China’s Premier Wen Jiabao has shown he is willing to sacrifice a part of the country’s most vital asset to do so-growth.

Cutting China’s 2012 economic growth target to 7.5 percent at the start of the annual meeting of parliament last week says clearly that too rapid an expansion makes inflation too tough to contain, given the reforms needed to create widespread wealth.

That he did so in the week it was revealed that the annual rate of inflation in February receded to a 20-month low of 3.2 percent, barely seven months after being twice that at a three-year peak of 6.5 percent, speaks volumes about the gravity of price risks.

“The fact that we’re talking about the question recognizes the fact that it’s not a slam-dunk that the inflation beast has been tamed,” said Jeremy Stevens, China economist at Standard Bank in Beijing.

“The average January-February inflation rate is 3.9 percent and only a fraction below the government’s target for the full year,” Stevens told Reuters. “Most people believe that in the second half of the year the inflation rate picks up again.” The growth and inflation trade-off is particularly pointed for Wen and the Communist Party leadership which justifies its one-party grip on power with the promise of stability and prosperity for the country’s 1.3 billion people, of whom most are poor and an estimated 10 percent live on less than $1 per day.

The country’s economic ascent has increasingly concentrated riches in the hands of an urban elite in the last decade, during which China has become the world’s second biggest economy and accumulated $3.2 trillion of official reserves-the largest store of foreign wealth on the planet.

Wen needs wages for the country’s 800 million mainly low paid workers to rise quickly enough to help bridge the chasm between rich and poor, while pursuing painful structural reforms to increase domestic demand and cut dependence on volatile exports and foreign capital inflows.

And, because inflation is the surest way to ignite the social unrest that most worries the Party-given that the poor spend almost every penny of their income on basic essentials- he must do it while keeping a lid on costs. The consensus in the latest Reuters poll is that inflation will be within the government’s 4 percent forecast for the year.

But with a dip down to 3.1 percent by Q3, the implication is for a rebound in the last quarter, a worry for policymakers as most of the anticipated fall in the rate of inflation in the first half will come from the base effects of last year’s surge. Societe Generale economists calculate that fully 1.2 percentage points of the 1.3 point fall in the January to February inflation rate came from base effects. HSBC, the bank which confidently declared that the “inflation story is over” in a note to clients after data on Friday showed February year on year consumer price inflation at 3.2 percent, seems to be hedging its bets. Its China economics team expects at least 100 basis points of cuts in reserve ratio requirements (RRR) from the People’s Bank of China (PBOC) for the rest of 2012 after cuts of 50 bps last month and in November 2011. That compares with the market consensus of 150 bps more and arch-rival Standard Chartered’s 200 bps call to keep the economy gliding as growth slows. “The point is to make sure there are smooth liquidity conditions that are supportive to growth, but not necessarily a very aggressive easing that would invite future inflation risks,” HSBC China economist, Sun Junwei, told Reuters. In other words, a decision to ease monetary policy is not necessarily about having snuffed out inflation risks at all.

Indeed, those risks start to loom larger barely six months from now, and grow even more intense when inflation is viewed as an expression of economic constraint-too little supply relative to demand-rather than expansion.

China has a shrinking labor force, mandated double digit wage hikes, an export sector losing its competitive cost advantage and an insatiable thirst for raw material imports. “With China’s working-age population set to decline steadily from 2012 onward due to retirement, the notion that a minimum of 8 percent GDP growth is necessary to sustain full employment and preserve social stability is now outdated,” analysts at

Nomura said in a note to clients. It also means that inflation pressure will build at a much lower rate of growth going forward, a fact unlikely to be lost on China’s leadership, which has seen periods of high inflation often coincide with protests and social unrest. The government is already raising the energy prices it controls, using the leeway of slackening demand created by the economic slowdown it partly engineered, and analysts expect further reforms in electricity, natural gas, water and more.

Such reforms inevitably lift prices, increasing the urgency of planned social security, health and tax reforms to boost disposable income in households that in 2011 was just 6,977 yuan ($1,107) in rural areas and 21,810 yuan in urban areas.

Meanwhile, the risk of a spike in food prices persists. A Reuters investigation based on assessments by key trading houses, cooperatives, and an influential consultancy suggests that Beijing has overstated the corn crop by the equivalent of between 12 days and 44 days of consumption, a gap big

enough to drive up global grain prices if the authorities act to close it. That would in turn raise the price of Chinese pork-the country’s most popular meat is a key determinant of inflationary expectations-which is already 86 percent higher than U.S. hog prices, according to Colorado consultancy Global Agritrends.

Analysts at UBS reckon China’s overall consumption growth will be 9.3 percent in 2012, firmly ahead of the bank’s forecast for GDP growth at 8.5 percent, meaning the whiff of inflation will be pretty strong in a $7.5 trillion economy that is bustling along quite speedily.

“I think you need to look carefully at the fact that the PBOC has specifically trodden cautiously in this cycle,” said Standard Bank’s Stevens, pointing out that the relative tightness of policy settings now is a consequence of having eased too aggressively after the 2008/09 financial crisis. “This time around there does seem to be a genuine desire to be gradualist in the approach in how to deal with supporting economic activity.”— Reuters

BEIJING: A bride and groom pose for photos before the walls of the Forbidden City in Beijing yesterday. China’s inflation rate slowed sharply in February and factory output eased in the first two months of the year, as the export-driven economy faces headwinds over Europe’s debt crisis and sluggish growth in the United States. —AFP

Threat of Greek default fades, bailout may not be last BRUSSELS: The dark clouds hanging over the euro-zone have receded along with the threat of a Greek default, but the latest bailout for Athens may not be the last. After nine long months of negotiations, a large majority of Greece’s private creditors agreed to a bond swap that will see them accept huge losses and wipe some 100 billion euros ($131 billion) off Athens’ debt. Euro-zone finance ministers immediately unblocked part of a second aid package of 130 billion euros and were expected to give final approval to the entire program at today’s meeting.

International Monetary Fund chief Christine Lagarde welcomed the debt deal as “an important step that will dramatically reduce Greece’s medium-term financing needs and con-

tribute to debt sustainability”. And US Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner said that thanks to the measures taken by Europe to tamp down the debt crisis, the continent no longer posed major risks to the global economy. “We are not out of the woods but we have taken an important big step,” German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble said.

The comments highlighted that the worst-case scenariothe debt crisis spreading to the rest of the world-was no longer expected. The swap, which was taken up by 83.5 percent of Greece’s private creditors, was a key condition for the bailout to go forward, with the Greek parliament having already approved further spending cuts and reforms to liberalize the economy. —AFP

MONDAY, MARCH 12, 2012

business

KSE stocks under pressure GLOBAL DAILY MARKET REPORT KUWAIT: Kuwait equities ended yesterday’s session on a mixed note. Selected mid-cap stocks edged lower, driving the market price index down, whereas a rally staged on blue-chip companies brought market-cap weighted indices marginally up.

The Global General Index ended yesterday’s session just below unchanged, marginally up by 0.01 percent and closed at 183.05 points. On the other hand, KSE Price Index dropped by 22.7 points (or 0.37 percent), closing at 6,154.4 points for the day. Since the beginning of the year, the GGI is up 2.09 percent while the KSE Price Index has gained 5.85 percent.

Volume of shares traded dropped by 12.21 percent yesterday, reaching 419.34 million shares, while value of shares traded declined by 8.97 percent, aggregating to KD39.13 million.

Services sector accounted for 26.22 percent of the total traded volume, followed by the real estate sector, which accounted for 23.74 percent of total traded shares. Trading activity was intense on Abyaar Real Estate Development Company, which witnessed the highest traded volume in terms of 48.48 million shares.

In terms of top gainers, Kuwait Commercial Market Complexes Company was the top gainer for the day, adding 6.56 percent. On the other hand, Fujairah Cement Industries Company was the biggest loser, as its share price fell by 9.09 percent to close at KD0.100.

Sectors Sector-wise, six out of the eight sectors enjoyed upward momentum. A 2.38 percent gain on the counter of Ithmaar Bank pro-

pelled Global Non-Kuwaiti Index up by 0.27 percent. Gulf Finance House and Ras Al-Khaimah Co For White Cement & Const, Materials shares were up 4.76 and 3.33 percent respectively.

Global Services Index registered an increase of 0.28 percent mainly on the back of the gains registered in heav y weights National Mobile Telecommunications Company by gaining 3.85 percent to close at KD2.160. Mashaer Holding Company was also among gainers in this sector, registering increases of 3.51 percent. The scrip were traded ex-dividend as of yesterday. The AGM to distribute 13 percent of paid-up capital as cash dividends. Danah Al

Safat Foodstuff Company witnessed increased interest, with 2.72 million shares changing hands.

The company saw its stock grow by 1.96 percent during the session, to close at KD0.104.

Consequently Global Food Index added 0.14 percent in gains.

Burgan Bank was the sole decliner in the banking sector pulled Global Bank ing Index down by 0.06 percent.

Corporate news Automated Systems Company announced that it has submitted four financial claims against Travelport Company in a British Court demanding an estimated amount of $18mn.

Kuwait Cable Vision Cable Board of Direc tors met and approved the company’s financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2011. The company recorded a losses of KD1.30mn, and the board recommended withholding dividend for FY2011, pending the approval of shareholder meeting and competent authorities.

Oil news Brent crude oil futures rose for the third straight session on Friday, lifted by higher-thanexpected US jobs growth for February, prospects for more monetary easing in China, and relief that Greece avoided an immediate default.

Barclays pay packages excessive: UK’s Cable NEWCASTLE, England: Multi-million pound pay deals for the chief of Barclays and other executives of the British bank are excessive and unjustified, Business Secretary Vince Cable said on Saturday, calling on its shareholders to take action to curb huge payouts.

But the government would not intervene over high payouts to executives at taxpayer-owned Royal Bank of Scotland, because it wanted to avoid micro managing the lender, rescued by a state bailout during the 2008 credit crisis, he said in an interview.

Barclays boss Bob Diamond took home pay, shares and benefits worth 17 million pounds ($27 million) last year, while two other unnamed executives were each paid more than 6 million pounds, the bank announced on Friday.

“These are pretty extreme levels of pay at Barclays ... they are excessive, it is very difficult to see how they can be justified,” Cable told Reuters at his centre-left Liberal Democrat party’s spring conference in Newcastle, northeast England. “ We are bringing in reforms to make this behavior unsustainable, but that can’t be introduced overnight,” he said. While the government has succeeded in nearly halving overall bonuses at RBS where it holds an 82 percent stake, it has little direct sway over privately-held banks like Barclays.

The reforms include plans for greater disclosure of top bankers’ pay and for shareholders to have more say over executive pay packages.

“We hope that transparency does have a restraint. It doesn’t appear to have on this occasion, but it also should be alerting shareholders to the position in the banks that they own and hopefully get them to take action,” he said. The pay awards risk adding fuel to public anger against banks for failing to show restraint on pay for top staff when thousands of jobs are being cut and wages slashed or put on hold elsewhere in Britain after a recession many blame on the banks.

Cable is a long-time critic of high pay and bonuses for bankers, and led the charge for coming legislation requiring British banks to protect their deposit taking divisions from their riskier investment banking divisions.

RBS chief executive Stephen Hester and its chairman gave up million pound bonuses in Januar y after intense political pressure on them to refuse the awards.

But Cable indicated that large awards made to other executives at the bank would be allowed to stand.

RBS investment banking chief John Hourican will receive almost 7.5 million pounds in pay, bonus and shares for last year, while Ellen Alemany, head of its US business Citizens, could get 4.7 million pounds, the bank disclosed on Friday. “We want the banks where the government has a shareholding to exercise restraint. We want them to be at the back end of salaries and bonuses, because overall in the industry it is far too high,” Cable said. “(But) we don’t want to get into the business of micro managing the bank and setting the salaries of individual employees.” He said there was a strong case for the government taking full control of RBS, rather than running it at arms’ length as at present, but said this was not currently under active consideration.

He said 100 percent ownership would enable the government to direct a “sufficient flow of funds to good British companies”, helping address a shortage of bank lending to small-scale firms he says is holding back the country’s economic recovery.

“My instincts are that, given the overall position of financial blockage, there is quite a strong argument for government taking advantage of its state shareholding in a proactive way,” he said. Carving out a “British business bank” from RBS along the lines of Germany’s state-controlled development bank KFW or America’s Exim Bank to expand commercial lending and support exports remained an option, Cable said. — Reuters

25

MONDAY, MARCH 12, 2012

business

Turkey links GCC interests with KFH Bank plans to issue more sukuk

ISTANBUL: Members of the high-level Kuwaiti media and business delegation with Abdulkerim Cay, the Chairman of the Investment Support and Promotion Agency of Turkey (ISPAT).

ISTANBUL: Turkey is one of the few markets that has managed to avoid the negative impact of the global financial meltdown and debt crisis that plagued countries lying in close geographical proximity, asser ted Mohammed Al-Omar, Kuwait Finance House (KFH) CEO and KFH-Turkey Chairman. He added that

Kuwait Times Editor-in-Chief Abd Al-Rahman AlAlyan at the conference.

this was a result of Turkey’s experience in handling the crisis, and its success in creating a stable investment environment for local and foreign investors.

Al-Omar who met with the editors-inchief of local newspapers at KFH-Turkey in Istanbul, mentioned that in light of his position and experience in the Turkish market, he realized that the (Turkish) government’s economic policy is based on legislative stability that preserves the rights of all investing parties. Such kind of support is required, in its various forms, for projects that will greatly benefit the society and the investor. Also, Turkey’s income has been diversified by focusing on policies and laws that ensure the prosperity of all sectors of the economy.

Moreover, he noted that the role played by KFH-Turkey as a KFH subsidiary is not limited to offering banking services, but has been elevated to liaising between Kuwait, GCC countries, and Turkey. History has shown that commercial relationships are a strong factor in strengthening relationships between countries; Kuwait and GCC are keen on establishing better economic and commercial relationships with Turkey, he said. Al-Omar applauded the visit paid by the editors-in-chief of Kuwait newspapers, highlighting that such meetings will further cement the relationship between the two countries.

Meanwhile, KFH-Turkey’s CEO Ufuk Iwan revealed that the bank aims to strengthen and expand cooperation between Turkey and GCC, prompting the bank to open three branches in

Bahrain, Dubai, and Arbeel in Iraq. He mentioned that in 2002, KFH-Turkey’s branch in Bahrain coordinated business and finance operations between Turkey and the GCC at a total value of $5 billion.

The bank is willing to offer Kuwaiti investors all the necessary products and services available in the Turkish market, in addition to offering Kuwaitis assistance in acquiring real estate in Turkey.

He revealed that the bank was established in 1989 and KFH owns 62.5 percent of the bank’s share, pointing out

that it has opened a branch in Germany and plans to further expand in Europe. In Turkey, the bank is considered to be one of the biggest Islamic banks, and is planning to increase its market share from five to 10 percent. It also operates 182 branches in Turkey.

According to the 2011 budget, it owns increased assets, shareholders’ equity and profit that ranges from 25 to 54 percent. KFH-Turkey’s 23 years of work reflects the strong relationship shared between Kuwait and Turkey, and

between Turkey and the GCC, he said.

Several conferences and meetings will be held between businessmen from both countries. As the first Islamic bank in Turkey and Europe, it has issued sukuk worth $350 million with two consecutive deals, not to mention the several awards won. It is worth noting that the Turkish parliament issued a legislation that paved the way for issuing sukuk. In response to high demand , the bank is considering issuing more sukuk in the country.

ISTANBUL: Abdulkerim Cay addresses the members of the high-level Kuwaiti media and business delegation.

KJA mission to ‘fill some gaps in Kuwait-Turkey media ties’ Delegation meets top officials

The delegation arriving at the conference venue.

ISTANBUL: A delegation of senior journalists and media figures from Kuwait concluded a fruitful seven-day mission to Turkey yesterday. The delegation met with President Abdullah Gul, Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs, Ali Babacan, and Deputy Prime Minister and Government Spokesman, Bulent Arinc, to discuss diverse issues of common concern and the relations between Ankara and Kuwait.

The Kuwaiti media figures held talks with ranking officials and representatives of academic and information establishments. The eminent group also met with officials of state media and publishing departments, the national authority for boosting investments, and the faculties of information and political science.

Adnan Al-Rashed, Director of Kuwait Journalists Association and coordinator of the mission, said the delegation closely examined and gathered

information about the progress Turkey has achieved in diverse sectors.

The visiting media delegation was briefed by Turkish leaders on Ankara’s stances and understanding of various regional issues, in addition to relations binding Turkey with Kuwait.

He expressed his belief that the successful mission will help to “fill some gaps in bilateral ties in the media field,” noting that he and his colleagues visited a number of official, media and academic institutions in Ankara, the capital, and the ancient city of Istanbul. Al-Rashed thanked the Kuwaiti authorities, the foreign ministry, Ambassador Abdullah Al-Thuwaikh, dean of the diplomatic corps, and the Chairman of Kuwait News Agency, Sheikh Mubarak Al-Duaij Al-Sabah, for their help and contributions in facilitating the mission. He also expressed gratitude to the staff of the news agency in Ankara for their supportive role.

The Kuwaiti ambassador affirmed the mission will certainly boost Kuwaiti-Turkish relations, particularly in the media domain, and called for organizing more of such missions in the future to boost bilateral relations.

In Istanbul, the group was hosted by the national Arabic language television channel and were interviewed in a talk show on Thursday about their impressions of the visit and the meetings they held in Turkey.

Kuwait Times Editor-in-Chief, Abd Al-Rahman AlAlyan, is among the delegation. It includes local daily newspaper officials, the Chairman of Kuwait Journalists Association, Kuwait News Agency Deputy Chairman of the Board of Directors, Ahmed Yousef Behbehani as well as KUNA’s Editor-in-Chief Rashed Al-Rwaished. The group includes Editors-inChief of Al-Anbaa, Al-Rai, Al-Nahar, Editor-in-Chief of Al-Yaqaza magazine and other officials. —KUNA

KJA President Ahmed Yousef Behbehani (left) with Abdulkerim Cay (right) during the meeting.

Al-Omar receives Al-Anba Editor-in-Chief Al-Marzouq.

Mohammed Al-Omar, Kuwait Finance House (KFH) CEO and KFH-Turkey Chairman with media delegates.

26

MONDAY, MARCH 12, 2012

business

CFC participates in Kuwait Traffic Week KUWAIT: The Commercial Facilities Company (CFC) yesterday demonstrated its commitment towards promoting a safer community in Kuwait by confirming its participation at the Kuwait Traffic Week which takes place from 11 March 2012 - 18 March 2012.

Kuwait Traffic Week is an official initiative aimed at promoting road safety and reducing traffic accidents. As part of its involvement, CFC will distribute educational flyers and have roll ups installed throughout its branches and representing offices, as well as printing awareness messages on all its receipts and having them on the CFC website as well.

A message from the CFC team and other messages will be emphasized on the flyers to all drivers in Kuwait, including having their car tires checked on a regular basis, maintain the speed limit while driving, do regular car maintenance and mainly to be observant of all cars on the street.

Nasser Ali Al-Mannai, Assistant Managing Director Marketing, CFC, said: “We are very pleased to associate with the Traffic Department in spreading awareness on road safety as we have noticed recently the dramatic increase of traffic violations and car accidents. This is an opportunity for us to take our safety messages on to the roads and share them with the community and be part in creating a safer driving culture to protect the families of Kuwait.”

Al-Mannai added: “Our joint collabora-

Say goodbye to boarding passes!

Nasser Ali Al-Mannai, Assistant Managing Director Marketing, CFC tion will be one of many initiatives that educate and encourage a safe driving culture in Kuwait. We intend to continue to be actively involved and support such initiatives that promote the safety and well-being of members of the communities in which we operate.”

CFC is keen to take part in such events to support the Ministry of Interior in its efforts to limit traffic accidents that take the lives of thousands of people every year. CFC believes that raising the awareness regarding traffic law and safety is the responsibility of all institutions in the society and is not limited to the Traffic Department.

Burgan Bank AGM and Shafafiyah Forum today KUWAIT: Burgan Bank announced that it will hold its Annual General Assembly Meetings for shareholders today, 12 March, at 1:00 pm at the Sheikha Salwa Al-Sabah Ballroom - beside Marina Hotel, Gulf Road.

As always, and in line with its commitment towards being transparent with its

Jazeera first airline in Kuwait to launch full web-check-in service

investors, Burgan Bank, following the AGM, will hold its annual Al Shafafiyah forum which will highlight the main events for 2011 as well as its outlook for 2012 to shareholders, partners, institutional investors and other members of the financial community.

KUWAIT: Award-winning Jazeera Airways yesterday launched Kuwait’s first full web checkin service that enables Jazeera Airways travelers to check-in comfortably from their home or office, print their boarding pass on any printer and report directly to immigration when flying without baggage after a quick stop and stamp at the dedicated verification counter at the airport.

Travelers flying with baggage can also take advantage of web-checking and are only required to drop their luggage at the dedicated fast baggage-drop counter, bypassing all check-in queues.

The web check-in service is currently only available in Kuwait Airport but will be rolled out across the airline’s network in the coming few months. Jazeera Airways Kuwait travelers may check-in as early as 24 hours before their flight, and as late as one hour before their flight, in addition to choosing their seat while checking-in as well.

Jazeera Airways VP Ground Operations Ali Fairooz said, “Our new two-step process is fast, efficient, comfortable and empowers our guests to take more control over their travel plans. This is truly Kuwait’s first full web checkin service, and we are confident that both our leisure and our business travelers customers will utilize and rely on this new service”.

Jazeera Airways operates a two-class cabin comprising a Business Class and an Economy Class. Jazeera Airways’ Business Class offering includes a separate cabin for passengers, exclusive check-in counters, Business lounge access at airports, in-flight ‡ la carte menu, and 60 kilograms in free baggage allowance.

The airline’s Economy Class offers travelers free baggage allowance of 40 kilograms, free on-board monthly meals, and year-round value fares.

In 2011 the airline carried 1.2 million passengers in total across its network that includes high-demand business, leisure, family, and weekend destinations such as Dubai, Bahrain, Beirut, Alexandria, Amman, Damascus, Istanbul, Sharm El Sheikh, Assiut, Aleppo, DeirEzzor, Luxor, Mashhad, Sohag, Jeddah, Riyadh and Cairo.

Jazeera Airways is an IATA-member airline

and operates one of the youngest Airbus A320 fleets across the Middle East and North Africa.

Established in 2005, Jazeera Airways Group is a Kuwait Stock Exchange-listed company with over 12,000 shareholders. The company has 12 fully-owned Airbus A320s in operation, distributed between its airline business, Jazeera Airways (six aircraft), and its fully-owned leasing business, Sahaab Aircraft Leasing (five aircraft). Sahaab has assets placed with Virgin America, SriLankan Airlines, and Jazeera Airways.

Al-Tijari announces winners of daily draw with Najma Account KUWAIT: Commercial Bank of Kuwait held the Al-Najma Account draw yesterday. The draw was held under the supervision of the Ministr y of Commerce & Industr y represented by Abdulaziz Ashkanani.

The winners of the Al-Najma daily draw are: Shabana Tabasam Naeem Hussain Naqafi — KD 7000, Abdulhasan Mohammed Yaseen— KD 7000, Al-Tahan Mohammed Khalafallah Mohammed — KD 7000, Narjes Ali Hsahem Mohammed — KD 7000, Rania Mohammed Hasan Ibrahim — KD 7000.

The Commercial Bank of Kuwait announces the biggest daily draw in Kuwait with the launch of the new Najma account. Customers of

the bank can now enjoy a KD 7,000 daily prize which is the highest in the country and another 4 mega prizes during the year worth KD 100,000 each on different occasions: The National Day, Eid Al-Fitr, Eid Al-Adha and on the 19th of June which is the date of the bank’s establishment.

With a minimum balance of KD 500, customers will be eligible for the daily draw provided that the money is in the account one week prior to the daily draw or 2 months prior to the mega draw. In addition, for each KD 25 a customer can get one chance for winning instead of KD 50.

Commercial Bank of Kuwait takes this opportunity to congratulate all lucky winners and also extends appreciation to the Ministry of Commerce and Industry for their effective supervision of the draws which were conducted in an orderly and organized manner.

Jet Airways celebrates ‘International Women’s Day’ Special offers for women travelers

QUEBEC: A former asbestos plant in Thetford Mines, Quebec, Canada. Thetford Mines was named in the past the world capital of asbestos but with the decline of this controversial industry manage to diversify its local industry. — AFP

Heart of Canada’s asbestos country reinvents itself THETFORD MINES, Canada: It’s an unlikely match, but a green chemistry institute is thriving in the old headquarters of a Canadian mine in a sign that the former world capital of asbestos is diversifying.

“We started with just two friends and two desks in an office, with no computer,” recalled David Berthiaume, who runs Oleotek, a research center that develops industrial products from vegetable oils and animals fats, rather than oil byproducts. The oleochemistry center, which now has a team of 11 a decade after its launch, has since migrated to spacious premises next to the former asbestos mine in Thetford Mines. The city along with the nearby town of Asbestos benefited in the 1960s from the extraction of huge mineral deposits of the material banned by Europe in 2005. A carcinogenic product, asbestos was long used in construction, where it was favored for its resistance to heat and fire.

But over the past 25 years the asbestos industry has collapsed, forcing Thetford Mines, a city of 25,700 inhabitants some 240 kilometers (150 miles) east of Montreal, to adapt its economic model to the changing times. “We gave this some thought around here. We said to ourselves, ‘apart from asbestos, what else could we produce here?’” explained Berthiaume, 36.

His center has since launched a first start-up, Innoltek, which produces nontoxic concrete form release oil for the construction and precast concrete markets. Once a mono-industrial city riddled with craters and slag heaps of snowcapped mining debris, Thetford Mines has since made huge strides in opening up its economy to new industries, from manufacturing and transportation to tourism, wind energy and research. “In 20 years, 1,000 more jobs were created than were lost, but the salaries are not the same,” said the city’s Mayor Luc Berthold.

The average salary in Thetford Mines

was among the highest in Canada during the 1970s, due to the extra compensation paid for working in risky mining jobs. “People who worked in the mining sector had special training, whether in tinsmithing, mechanics, welding, etc. It was a good place to foster new businesses because there was specialized labor,” said Luc Remillard, president of the local economic development agency.

There is no public data on the unemployment rate in the city, but the Chaudieres-Appalaches region that includes Thetford Mines has 5.7 percent unemployment, according to the Quebec Institute of Statistics. Remillard estimated Thetford Mines is on equal par with the regional figures.

For the first time in 130 years, Canada no longer produces asbestos. The Jeffrey Mine located in Asbestos-until recently the world’s biggest asbestos mine-is now shuttered. But it could soon receive a CAN$58 million ($58.5 million) loan guarantee from the Quebec government to resume activities in the spring, despite protests from a local coalition asking authorities to halt further investments in the asbestos industry.

After a cave-in, LAB Chrysotile closed its Lake Asbestos Mine in October, near Thetford Mines. After going into bankruptcy, it is now seeking a new investor to start its operations back up again.

Despite the success of its economic diversification and the risks associated with asbestos, Thetford Mines officials are adamant about relaunching the Lake Asbestos Mine, which once employed 350 workers.

“Replacing 350 jobs with small businesses takes time. The easiest way for us to keep an active economy is to safeguard our mining operations,” Berthold said. “I don’t have a miracle solution.

We’ve been looking for five years for a big business to create 350-400 jobs here, but they don’t come a dime a dozen.” — AFP

MUMBAI: As part of its annual JetViva initiative celebrating International Women’s day, Jet Airways, India’s premier international airline, will offer its lady guests special benefits, fares and offers.

With Jet Air ways’ “Celebrating Womanhood” initiative, every group with at least one woman traveller that makes an online booking at jetairways.com, will enjoy a 5% discount on international travel on base fare and fuel surcharge (excluding applicable taxes).

For domestic travel, a 10% discount would be available on jetairways.com or jetlite.com for domestic services operated

by Jet Airways, Jet Airways’ Konnect service or JetLite. All tickets, for both domestic and international travel, must be booked online between March 1, 2012 and March 31, 2012,

with travel validity as reflected in the ticket.

Jet Airways in collaboration with three Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) working on a range of women’s issues, will conduct its unique in-flight fundraising drive, on all its domestic flights. India’s premier airline will contribute all proceeds from the same to benefit three NGOs namely - Mijwan Welfare Society, ANHAD (Act Now for Harmony and Democracy), and the SMILE Foundation.

Furthermore, Jet Airways will celebrate International Women’s Day with its corporate partner, Estee Lauder, wherein upto three hundred Jet Privilege members will be invited to experience Beauty Secrets by Matthew Tyler, Estee Lauder’s celebrated Make-up Artist.

Jet Privilege members will be invited to

Exclusive offer on Chevrolet vehicles Yusuf A Alghanim & Sons Automotive KUWAIT: Yusuf A Alghanim & Sons Automotive offers 3 years / 60,000 km free service, free registration and free insurance for a limited period exclusively for Chevrolet vehicles including Caprice, Malibu, Traverse, Captiva, Sonic and Cruze.

Staying true to its tradition of providing valuable offers for its customers Yusuf A Alghanim & Sons, the exclusive Chevrolet distributor in Kuwait, launched the Trio Offer promotion on Chevrolet Caprice, Malibu, Traverse, Captiva, Sonic and Cruze.

The Trio Promotion on Chevrolet vehicles offers free vehicle service for three years or 60,000 km, free registration and free insurance.

This special promotion is only available on Chevrolet vehicles Caprice, Malibu, Traverse, Captiva, Sonic and Cruze.

As always Yusuf A Alghanim & Sons Automotive has chosen to launch a value added campaign featuring a fantastic line-up of Chevrolet vehicles, this special promotion gives customers peace of mind as it offers a comprehensive, free vehicle service for three years or 60,000 km, an offer that gives Chevrolet vehicle owners the opportunity to fulfill their vehicle needs for free. The offer also

includes a free vehicle registration and free vehicle insurance, factors that save the new Chevrolet owner’s time and money .This great offer has been launched to give customers the maximum benefit and needs which they always search for upon the purchasing of their vehicles.

Yusuf A Alghanim & Sons Automotive, the exclusive distributor of Chevrolet vehicles in Kuwait, adds the finishing touch to the ownership experience with high quality after-sales services. With the world’s largest and most advanced automotive service center, customers can rest assured about their vehicle’s service and maintenance.

This new and exclusive Trio offer is available for a limited period. If you are planning to buy a new car; then make it a Chevrolet vehicle, this is the ultimate opportunity for you to choose the model you want with your preferred color and specifications before you drive off with this unique offer that provides savings and peace of mind.

Don’t miss this great opportunity and hurry up to visit any of Yusuf A. Alghanim & Sons ‘showrooms located in Al-Rai, Shuwaik h, Fahaheel and Sharq.

these sessions in Mumbai, Delhi and Bengaluru on select dates.

According to Sudheer Raghavan, Chief Commercial Officer, Jet Airways, “As over the last few years, Jet Airways is delighted to mark International Women’s Day with a series of attractive fares and offers. Our lady guests have been among the airline’s most loyal brand evangelists, and we are confident that these special offers will be much appreciated.”

To commemorate I nternational Women’s Day, Jet Airways will also feature audio tracks from such leading female international artists as Beyonce Knowles, Lady Gaga, Jennifer Hudson, Taylor Swift, Kelly Clarkson and Rihanna on the airline’s award-winning in-flight entertainment system.

UK’s Lib Dems target the rich in pre-budget gambit NEWCASTLE, England: Britain’s Liberal Democrats proposed targeting the rich with a “tycoon tax” only days before they and their Conservative Party coalition partner present an annual budget, in a high stakes gamble to revive the party’s flatlining poll ratings.

The last-minute proposal is one of several levies on the rich the Lib Dems want included in the budget to pay for the party’s key policy of additional tax cuts for the lower paid.

But Clegg is unlikely to get all of his tax plans adopted. The widely publicised plans look set to strain ties with the Conservatives, the senior party in the coalition, who may block or water down the moves and make the Lib Dems look ineffectual.

The Conservatives are traditionally the party of the wealthy, but are on the defensive as bankers continue to receive millions in bonuses even as state spending is cut to bolster a faltering economy. The Lib Dems hope to harness public fury over soaring executive pay amid harsh austerity measures to pressure finance minister George Osborne, a Conservative, to take on their proposals when he presents the budget on March 21.

“The sight of the wealthiest scheming to keep their tax bill down to the bare minimum is frankly disgraceful,” Lib Dem leader and deputy prime minister Nick Clegg told party members on Sunday at the end of the Lib Dems’ annual spring conference.

“So, we will call time on the tycoon tax dodgers,” he said. The centre-left Lib Dems have seen their popularity slump in coalition government, and have been abandoned by many supporters amid accusations of ignoring party values to share power with the Conservatives, ideological opponents on many issues. Clegg hopes targeting tax avoidance and the wealthiest will fund a flagship budget proposal to speed up a plan to cut taxes on poorer workers, clawing back grassroots support and distinguishing the Lib Dems from the Conservatives.

“The budget in ten days time ... must offer concrete help to hard-pressed, hard-working families,” Clegg said. A Lib Dem source close to Clegg said: “To raise the stakes like this, 10 days out from a budget in a conference speech, shows the personal attachment Clegg is putting to this fundamental front page manifesto policy.”

The Lib Dems want four key levies on the rich, but the so-called tycoon tax - inspired, Clegg says, by reports US presidential candidate and multi-millionaire Mitt Romney only pays 13.9 percent tax - is likely to grab the most headlines. —Reuters

27

MONDAY, MARCH 12, 2012

TECHNOLOGY

Shades of science fiction as 3D printers spit out complete objects BERLIN: Plastic? Metal? Cement? Take your pick - 3D printers can manufacture actual objects out of these materials. 3D printing has leapt from the pages of science fiction to actual production lines, with some even coming within the grasp of private customers, even if experts say the printers are likely to remain a specialty device for now.

But the fact remains that these printers are now spitting out replacement car parts, architectural models or simple salt shakers.

“You can even print out body parts from organic materials,” says Hartmut Schwandt, head of the 3D laborator y at Berlin’s Technical University. Such a feature can come in handy in the case of a broken shoulder. “If you’re missing a part of the bone, the patient goes into the CT scanner and the replacement part pops out of the printer.”

The technology was developed in the 1980s and continuously refined over the

years. Printing methods depend upon the material. Thus, plastic is melted and then sprayed through a nozzle to create the desired object or laid down layer by layer upon a frame.

Schwandt’s printer is about as tall as a man and resembles an oven. A cement printer looks more like a washing machine.

Before printing starts a vat is filled with cement powder. With the assistance of a binding agent the object is then created layer by layer. The initial product has to be inserted into a special machine to remove excess cement powder. The final product is then coated with a resin to keep it from breaking.

There are two basic approaches. Rapid prototyping creates a model that does not exactly meet parameters. “Today you’re just pushing something around the computer, but you need something that you can touch and that’s a lot easier with a 3D

printer,” says Schwandt. This approach is favoured for architectural models and car prototypes made out of cement or plastic.

The other approach, rapid manufacturing, focuses on preciseness. “These are production quality objects. These are massproduced items or custom-made individual pieces,” says Schwandt. But this kind of manufacturing is in its infancy. “This is the newest development. It’s impossible to see what’s still coming.”

Model cars, toys, pieces of art or dishes: entire runs of such products could one day be made with 3D printers, instead of by special manufacturing machines or tools. It sounds like science fiction and Schwandt admits that “it’s partially still a dream.”

Cost is one drawback. A professional 3D printer, like one used in the auto industry or by sporting shoe manufacturers, costs “well into the six figures.” “It’s only worth it if the printer is in use around the clock,”

Schwandt says. Semi-professional versions cost between 40,000 and 100,000 euros (54,000 and 135,000 dollars). They turn out good products, but the choice of materials is limited. There are also entry models for private individuals with the right level of interest. US company Desktop Factory produces one for about 3,600 euros. “Our goal is to one day make 3D printing as common in offices, factories, schools and homes as laser printers are today,” according to the company’s website.

But experts like Schwandt remain sceptical. “That’s not foreseeable. I think it will remain an extreme niche product and stay that way for a while. But it is a fun toy.” And a really expensive one. On top of the printer costs are the costs of materials for each print job. A container of cement for a 3D printer costs about 2,500 euros. Per cubic centimetre, 3D printing costs cost about 3 or 4 euros, says Schwandt.

That means an architect who orders a small model of a house can expect to pay between 100 and 300 euros. Then there’s the time it takes for the print job to complete: Up to 40 hours. Schwandt advises hobbyists against buying their own printer, but to use drafting and printing services.

For example Sketchup helps customers to create a plan while Fabberhouse and Sculpteo allow users to upload their plans for printing.

Schwandt recommends professional assistance before taking that step, since planning a 3D print job can be intense.

“The client has to provide useful 3D data. A lot of people are not able to do that and need help.”

The process has its advantages. For example, you can get your item printed in Schwandt’s favourite material: potato starch. “Theoretically, you could eat it after the printing.” — dpa

Cloud computing ‘made in Germany’ stirs debate at CeBIT German clouds ‘made in the USA’

WUXI: This picture taken on February 27, 2012 shows workers assembling solar panels by hand on the factory floor of Chinese company Suntech in the eastern Chinese city of Wuxi. The success of Chinese companies like Suntech, the world’s biggest producer of solar panels has become a trade issue as American companies accuse them of dumping in the US market and receiving unfair subsidies from Beijing. —AFP

Google’s new glasses to go for the eyeballs SAN FRANCISCO: Life in the real world can be so ordinary compared to the wonders and visions available through the modern miracle of cyberspace. But fear not, there’s an app for that too, and its made by Google, rather than Apple.

According to a report in Thursday’s New York Times, some of the company’s top brains are working on a new type of glasses that will project content in the user’s field of vision and which could be used to automatically offer facts about the places, people and experiences encountered in everyday life.

The gadget may sound like the alcoholfuelled visions of a bored science-fiction fan, but according to the report, it is actually in an advanced state of development at Google X, the company’s top secret lab facility at its Mountain View headquarters.

Powered by a version of Android that is currently the world’s most popular mobile operating system, the goggles will be equipped with GPS and motion sensors, as well as a camera and audio ports. The glasses look similar to the Thump glasses made

by Oakley, which double as an MP3 player with connected earbuds. The user interface is said to be driven by head gestures.

The glasses would be able to augment your experiences by connecting over the internet to Google’s all-knowing servers.

They would give you information about places, shopping deals or sports games, for instance.

They could use facial recognition technology to help you remember people, while advertisers will be able to pump you with ads wherever you go. They also could be used for augmented reality games “that use the real world as the playground,” the report said.

The company already has most of the technology to make this happen. A program called Google Goggles, for instance, is able to recognize images snapped on a camera and provide relevant information about them. According to PC World, the glasses will cost between 250 and 600 dollars for a pair with one computerized lens.

You might expect the gadget-worshipping blogosphere to be going gaga over Google’s latest invention. But some of the initial reactions are ones of creeped-out skepticism, that maybe this whole mobile internet thing has really gone too far this time. “We all knew this augmented reality product was eventually coming, but it is now looking literally like a disaster (or more) waiting to happen,” wrote Damon Brown in PCWorld. “Glasses are actually the final piece to Google’s mission: To know what a user doing every single moment of the day,” Brown writes.

Information Week pointed out potential problems of liability, radiation health risks and battery issues, and the device will have clear privacy challenges. “Like so many of our ‘living in the future’ gadgets and connections, the possibilities are both amazingly exciting and a bit troubling all at once,” wrote Kate Cox of the game site Kokatu. “Perhaps we’ll all end up as brainless addicts, like they did in Star Trek.” Still, Cox was pretty excited about what the glasses would mean for games. “If you literally saw the Joker disappearing around the corner ahead of you, would you chase him?” There are also the safety challenges of, say, driving while wearing the glasses.

But maybe these can be overcome easily.

We can all just switch to the self-driving cars that Google is also hoping to introduce in the not too distant future. —dpa

Portable chargers, boosters to ease green car woes GENEVA: Chevrolet Europe’s president Susan Doherty drives to work every day in an electric car, and thanks to a recharging station at work, she never worries about running out of power.

For most other people, however, it remains a challenge to find electric charging stations to refuel. As a result sales of electric cars have lagged, with most consumers going for hybrid options that at least offer the possibility of running on petrol or diesel.

But with interest in going green growing among consumers, and with tougher emissions standards to kick in from 2013 across the European Union, companies are beginning to introduce new solutions. At this year’s Geneva Motor Show, several car components firms exhibited portable chargers while others announced deals with major automakers to build more charging stations to ease refueling headaches.

After all, “electricity is the way to go in the future especially if we want to have zero emission vehicles,” Doherty said.

Swiss firm Alpiq E-Mobility AG announced an agreement with Toyota to fit charging infrastructure at its 250 dealers across Switzerland.

In addition, it will also offer a charging

station to go with each of Toyota’s bestselling hybrid car Prius. It is an “an important step towards establishing e-mobility in our country,” said Alpiq managing director Peter Arnet.

Another Swiss company, Green Motion, exhibited several types of chargers at the show, ranging from a portable gadget that weighs just 6 kilograms (13 pounds) to a 210 kilogram installation which looks much like a petrol pump.

“People will want to charge at home,” a spokeswoman for the firm said, as she showcased the portable version.

British company, Controlled Power Technologies, however, had another solution. Rather than offering chargers, it showcased an energy booster that would allow a car to run with the same power as a larger one even though it was using a smaller engine.

“We offer the economy of a diesel, low C02 emissions and the performance of a two liter engine at an affordable price,” said the company’s chief executive Nick Pascoe. Despite substituting a two liter engine on a Volkswagen Passat with a 1.4 liter one, the company’s booster gave the car greater pulling power, while at the same time meeting tougher emission standards, he told AFP. —AFP

HANOVER: When it comes to cars or machines, “made in Germany” is seen worldwide as a sign of quality, but some firms are now extending it to “cloud computing”, the buzzword at this year’s CeBIT tech fair.

It may seem paradoxical to impose borders on this multi-billion-dollar industry, which allows users to store data remotely rather than on individual machines, but this is exactly the aim of Deutsche Telekom.

The head of the German communications giant, Rene Obermann, told visitors to the CeBIT this year that “the ‘German Cloud’ could present a competitive advantage for us.” Why? In a word, security. Having lived through first a Nazi dictatorship, then a Communist one, Germans are especially sensitive when it comes to data protection and Deutsche Telekom hopes to leverage this to its advantage.

“In Germany, the data protection laws are very strict. But several operators do not come from Germany and do not adhere to these standards,” said Obermann.

He is aiming at the 3.6 million prosperous German small and medium sized firms who have not yet taken the leap to storing their data using cloud computing. Only 12 percent have done so. “It’s an enormous potential,” said Obermann, vaunting the advantage of his firm’s 30 giant servers or “datacenters” across Germany.

However, Sergei Schlotthauer,

head of the German IT security lobby Egosecure, accused Deutsche Telekom of “playing on people’s fears.” “For me it makes no difference. Our clients are well aware that with the Internet it is

with security concerns. German Consumer Protection Minister Ilse Aigner said that the country’s strict laws on data protection “could be a competitive advantage.”

Thilo Weichert, an expert in data

Cloud computing difficult to localise something,” he said.

But it is clear that whoever wants to grab a slice of the cloud computing pie-expected this year to exceed the 100-billion-dollar mark for the first time-must deal

freedom, explained the potential risks. “When the servers are situated outside Germany or Europe, there is a risk that companies will use your data for commercial purposes or, worse, they will be spied on by the secret services,” he said.

“This is what the US Patriot Act” allows, he said, referring to the anti-terrorism laws passed in the United States in the wake of the September 11, 2001 attacks.

“American operators are well aware of this and they are preparing tailor-made solutions for the European market, with ser vers located in Europe.

German clouds ‘made in the USA’,” said August-Wilhelm Scheer, former boss of high-tech industry lobby Bitkom on his blog.

The German subsidiary of tech giant Microsoft has also had its cloud computing business “certified” by German authorities. And Hewlett-Packard came to the CeBIT to present “a cloud computer model for the German market and in the German language.”

Germany is not the only country in which there is a debate about the “nationality of the cloud.” The French government has launched a project called “Andromeda” which hopes to bring companies under a national cloud. Nevertheless, some big firms such as Atos or Dassault Systems have already shunned the project.

Global software giant SAP, also a German company, believes that the best response would be to have a “European cloud,” a view shared by Deutsche Telekom. The European Commission has been working on a “European Cloud Computing Strategy”, but with no concrete results so far. —AFP

New mobile scanners recognizing text while saving space MUNICH: The days when scanners came in one variety - flatbed - are long gone. Today’s models don’t take up much space and sometimes even fit into briefcases and laptop carriers. But these mobile scanners are not for everyone.

It is true, individual scanners are facing tough competition as more people get their scanning needs performed at home by a multi-function device that includes a printer and a copier. But there is hope for the standalone variety.

“The sales numbers are still notable,” says Reiner Wichmann of the German Society for Consumer Research (GFK). People still need them for specific purposes, like scanning while on the road or for text recognition. For that, there are handheld scanners which must be moved over the document to be scanned. There are also mobile document scanners with paper-feeding devices included.

Regardless, these new models are compact, usually about 30 centimetres wide and about 5 to 10 centimetres tall - about the dimensions of a roll of paper towels. Most weigh less than one kilogram and get their power through a USB cable. Prices start at about 200 euros (265 dollars).

Of course, they have their limits. Mobile scanners with a feeder device won’t help you much when it is time to scan a page in a book. And, while they can process pictures, many experts say the end result is not worth the effort.

“Most mobile scanners deliver poor performance with pictures. Even the best devices only provide merely acceptable quality,” says Rudolf Opitz, an editor at c’t, a German computer magazine.

Mobile scanners are really just for pure utility.

“If I’m a business traveler going to a lot of fairs and conventions and need to digitize a stack of paper quickly, then a scanner like this is unbelievably practical,” says Opitz. Some manage 15 pages a minute. But note, if you’re focused on fast data transfers, you should get a model that supports USB 3.0.

One advantage of mobile feeder scanners is that they tend to have OCR software for text recognition provided by the manufacturer. This function turns scans into text files that can be searched and copied.

“It’s usually no problem with uncomplicated standard texts,” says Gernot Flink, a professor at the computer science faculty at Dortmund Technical University in Germany. He says business letters are a perfect example.

Previously, certain kinds of font were needed if recognition software was to work. “But that’s not the case anymore,” says Fink. “Standard fonts like Times New Roman can be recognized by the scanner with no problem.”

Scanner quality is also no longer a decisive role for whether text can be recognized, at least not so long as resolutions register at 300 dots per

Hand scanners are yet another separate breed.

These are usually thin, cylindrical devices that are pulled over documents by hand, meaning books are not a problem.

But the fact they’re handheld can make text recognition a problem. “It gets hard to have a uniformly similar scanning result,” which is precisely what’s important for text recognition. To make up for the problem, some handhelds come with rolls or threads to stabilize the scanning operation.

Another advantage of the handhelds is that they can usually work without being attached to a computer. “The scan results can then be stored

Portable mobile scanner inch (dpi) or more.

But problems can crop up with originals that have a mix of details. Varying sizes of font, a lot of special characters or graphics elements can cause problems even for the best text recognition software.

If your scanner did not come with that software, you can search for a free open source OCR programme like Tesseract or Cuneiform, advises Fink. “They really don’t work any differently than commercial options.”

They’re also an option if the prepackaged text recognition software isn’t up to muster. “You usually can’t tell before purchasing what kind of text recognition is included with a scanner,” complains Opitz. “There are major differences in quality.”

on a SD card temporarily,” says Opitz, meaning handhelds can easily be taken into a library for copying needs. They usually cost about 70 euros.

And if you have a lot of scanning to do while you’re travelling, there’s always the option of taking your flatbed scanner with you.

“It’s not as comfortable as with other mobile devices, but it is possible,” says Opitz. That’s because this class also has some new relatively light and compact models that get their power via a USB cord.

But they also rely on a different technology and don’t produce quality to the standard of other models, especially if the scanned item is not pressed right up against the scanner’s glass plate. —dpa

MONDAY, MARCH 12, 2012

H E A LT H & S C I E NC E

Breaks to get up and move good for health MELBOURNE: Taking a break to walk every 20 minutes instead of staying seated for hours helps reduce the body’s levels of glucose and insulin after eating, according to a study-the latest to highlight the hazards of long periods of inactivity.

Though the results, published in the journal Diabetes Care, don’t show whether these reductions have any lasting health benefits, experiencing large glucose and insulin spikes after a meal is tied to a greater risk of heart disease and diabetes.

“When we sit our muscles are in a state of disuse and they’re not contracting and helping our body to regulate many of the body ’s metabolic processes,” said David Dunstan, a pro-

fessor at Baker IDI Heart and Diabetes Institute in Melbourne, Australia.

Dunstan and his colleagues have reported previously that people who watch more than four hours of TV a day are likely to have an earlier death. With this study, they experimented with how prolonged sitting could affect responses to food.

After a meal, glucose levels in the blood go up, followed by a rise in insulin, which helps cells use blood sugar for energy or store it. Then, levels in the bloodstream start to go down. In people with type 2 diabetes, this process falls out of whack usually because the body no longer responds to insulin properly. After a meal, blood sugar and insulin levels spike and

remain high. Dunstan’s group looked at 19 overweight adults who didn’t exercise much, asking them to come into a laboratory and sit for seven hours while having their blood sugar and insulin levels sampled hourly.

After the first two hours, they drank a 763-calorie drink high in sugar and fat, then sat for another five hours.

Each person went through three days of experiments, with each day separated by a week or two. On one day, they sat the entire time, only taking breaks to use the bathroom. On another, they broke up the sitting session and took a two-minute break to walk around every 20 minutes following the drink-and on another day, they took similar breaks, but with more vigorous activity.

The days when people sat without interruption resulted in a spike in blood sugar within an hour of the drink from about 90 milligrams per deciliter (mg/dl) to about 144 mg/dl. On days when they got up every 20 minutes, blood sugar rose from 90 mg/dl to only about 125 mg/dl.

Overall, getting up and engaging in light activity reduced the total rise in glucose by an average of 24 percent, compared to the group that kept sitting. That difference was almost 30 percent with moderate-intensity activity. The results were similar for insulin.

Levels peaked about two hours after the drink, but they rose higher when the people continued sitting compared with moving about. “ What ’s

shocking to me in these studies is not how good breaks are but how bad sitting is,” said Barry Braun, a professor at the University of Massachusetts in Amherst, who was not involved in the study.

He said a good rule of thumb is to try and get up about every 15 minutes, even if it ’s just to walk around the room. What’s not clear is whether the 30 percent reduction in glucose and insulin levels will translate into health benefits.

“This was only studied over one day.

The next question is, can that reduction be (achieved regularly) and translate to reductions in atherosclerosis?” said Dunstan, whose group is now working on a longer experiment. — Reuters

Doctor looks to China for spinal injury ‘cure’ Stem cells are injected into patients’ damaged spines

NEW TAIPEI CITY: This picture taken on February 16, 2012 shows Lee Hua, 77, living alone in a shabby rented house in the Jinshan district of the New Taipei City. With four children, a house and some savings, Lee Hua had high hopes for a comfortable life after retirement rather than collecting recyclable garbages to barely make ends meet. — AFP

Spanish village combats crisis with marijuana plantation MADRID: A Spanish village hit by the country’s economic crisis has sparked a nationwide controversy, after deciding to boost revenues by authorizing a marijuana plantation. Rasquera - a picturesque village of 900 residents lying at the foot of a mountain in north-eastern Catalonia’s Tarragona province - has so far produced olive oil, cherries and other agricultural goods.

But it now intends to lease land to an association of marijuana smokers for them to grow cannabis, the plant from which the drug is made. National and regional authorities are intent on quashing the plan, which they regard as illegal.

But Spanish law is somewhat ambiguous on the production of marijuana regarded as a “soft” drug - and the case of Rasquera has sparked a nationwide debate on the subject. The establishment of a municipal contract for growing cannabis “makes us pioneers in Europe,” Rasquera mayor Bernat Pellisa told dpa by telephone.

Rasquera, which has high unemployment and a debt mountain of 1.3 million euros (1.7 million dollars), is among the many victims of Spain’s deep economic crisis. The national unemployment rate has rocketed to a staggering 23 per cent, while the economy is slipping into recession.

Rasquera’s “anti-crisis” plan includes the creation of two municipal companies to organize the leasing of 2,500 square metres of private land to the Barcelona Personal Use Cannabis Association (ABCDA). The association would use the land to grow cannabis for its 5,000 members, creating about 40 jobs and bringing Rasquera town council an income of 1.3 million euros in two years.

The project has sparked interest from drug observatories and associations interested in the medical uses of cannabis elsewhere in Europe and as far as the United States, according to local officials.

Advocates of marijuana say its recreational use does no harm. But critics list a string of negative effects, ranging from problems with memory to disorientation and an

increased heart rate.

State lawyers, the Catalan regional government and Tarragona prosecutors are investigating how Rasquera’s plans fit in with the law. The are “clearly” illegal, national drug delegate Francisco de Asis said.

Catalan regional Interior Minister Felip Puig vowed to send police to Rasquera as soon as the first pot seed was sown.

The village, however, argues that a cannabis plantation would not be illegal.

Growing marijuana can be punished with up to six years in prison under Spanish law.

But there are also legal precedents for allowing it when the drug is purely for private use. Smoking marijuana is not illegal, while commercializing it is.

ABCDA would control the use of the marijuana grown in Rasquera, making sure it would not be passed on to anyone outside the association, under village proposals. “There is a legal study backing our plan,” Pellisa said.

De Asis, however, has rejected the proposal. “You cannot talk about private use in something that involves thousands of people, distribution plans and contracts worth millions (of euros),” he said.

Spanish legal experts are meanwhile calling for clearer rules on the production of marijuana in a country with an estimated 400 cannabis fields. Catalonia and the nearby Basque region alone have about 80 cannabis consumers’ associations, according to El Pais daily. The Basque region is now preparing to regulate their activities, a move which many see as a de facto legalization of their status. Meanwhile in Rasquera and surrounding areas, opinions are divided. The arrival of a cannabis plantation would bring moral decadence and turn the area into “the Medellin of our country,” priest Damaso Ruiz warned in a homily - comparing Rasquera to the Colombian city famous for its drug trade.

But Domingo Moreso, an unemployed Rasquera mason aged 59, backed mayor Pellisa’s plan. “I will go and plant marijuana if I have the opportunity. It is work, and we need it,” he told El Pais—dpa

HONG KONG: One of the world’s leading researchers into spinal cord injuries says China could hold the key to a cure that he has been searching for since he met late actor Christopher Reeve in the 1990s. US-based Doctor Wise Young first used the word “cure” in relation to his work after a conversation with Reeve, the “Superman” hero who became quadriplegic in an equestrian accident in 1995.

Reeve contacted him looking for help and the two became close friends. The actor died of heart failure in 2004 at the age of 52, having devoted his life to raising awareness about spinal cord injuries and stem-cell research.

But it was a star of a different sort, Chinese gymnast Sang Lan, who set Young on the path he believes has brought a cure closer than ever, thanks to ground-breaking clinical trials of stemcell therapy he is conducting in China.

“Everybody assumed that I’m doing this in China because I wanted to escape George W. Bush, but that’s not the case at all,” Young told AFP in an interview, recalling the former US president’s 2001 decision to effectively stop Federal funding of embryonic stem cell research.

“I started the clinical trials in 2005 here in Hong Kong ... mainly because of a promise that I made to a young woman. Her name is Sang Lan.” Sang crushed her spine during a routine warmup exercise at the Goodwill Games in New York in 1998. She met Young as she underwent treatment and rehabilitation in the United States over the next 12 months.

“Her parents came to me and asked whether or not there would ever be a cure for her, and I said we’re working very hard on it,” recalled Young, who was by then one of the leading US experts on spinal cord injuries.

“When she went back to China after doing her rehabilitation in New York she cried and asked how would therapies go from the United States to China. “In those days China was still relatively poor and backward so she didn’t think

that any therapy would be coming from China.

So I started in 1999 to talk to all the spinal cord doctors in China.”

He said the result was China Spinal Cord Injury Net, the world’s largest clinical trial network for spinal cord therapies. Established in Hong Kong in 2005, it is about to expand into Europe, India and the United States.

“We’re testing umbilical cord blood-cell transplants into the spinal cord combined with lithium treatments,” said Young, professor in neuroscience at Rutgers University, New Jersey. At about 20 centres in China, Hong Kong and Taiwan, stem cells are injected into patients’ damaged spines to help regenerate nerves, while lithium is used to promote the growth of the nerve fibres.

Each component of the combination therapy needs to be tested separately before they are brought together in the third and final phase, due to take place in the coming years if all goes well. The results so far have been promising, although it’s “still too early” to draw conclusions about recovery of movement, Young said.

“What we can comfortably say right now is that the procedure seems to be quite safe.

Nobody has lost any function,” he added. “We don’t expect people to be jumping out of bed and running marathons after this. Regeneration is a slow process.”

The trials also involve intensive walking exercises for some of the severely injured participants at the Army General Hospital in Kunming, southwestern China. In two sessions of three hours each, six days a week, the patients “sculpt” their nerve fibres into shape, Young said. He likened it to running a marathon every day. By comparison, Reeve did about two hours of exercise daily.

“The families are there cheering them on.

There’s a mass effect,” said Young in his tiny office in central Hong Kong, where he was born into a business family in 1950. “They are joshing with

Health

in brief

WASHINGTON: In this March 23, 2010 file photo, President Barack Obama signs the Affordable Care Act in the East Room of the White House in Washington. If Obama’s health care law survives Supreme Court scrutiny, it will be nearly a decade before all its major pieces are in place. The law’s carefully orchestrated phase-in is evidence of what’s at stake in the Supreme Court deliberations that start March 26, 2012. — AP

Exercise can reduce need for disease-fighting drugs

IWAKI: Children sit beside lighted candles in a memorial service for the victims of the last year’s earthquake and tsunami in Iwaki, Fukushima prefecture, Japan yesterday. Japan yesterday was remembering the massive earthquake and tsunami that struck the nation a year ago, killing just over 19,000 people and unleashing the world’s worst nuclear crisis in a quarter century. —AP

each other, saying ‘I’m going to beat you today’.

There’s that kind of atmosphere that allows you to do it six hours a day, and once it becomes a routine you keep going.”

One of the tragic and little-known side effects of the country’s booming economy is the rise in car accidents and construction site accidents, leading to soaring numbers of spinal injuries.

China’s rate of chronic spinal cord injuries has increased more than 10-fold since 1995, and another 80,000 people are added to the list every year, according to Young.

Growing demand for therapies has led some unscrupulous Chinese researchers to offer stemcell treatments at high prices, without any clinical proof that their methods are effective. But Young said such problems existed everywhere.

For him, the real story about China is how it has gone from the backwater of Sang Lan’s day to a country at the cutting edge of spinal cord research.

Chinese government spending on biomedical research is at least on a par with the United States, and the legal framework governing its clinical standards is second to none, the doctor said.

“It’s turned 180 degrees from the time Sang Lan was asking how will therapies get to China.

Now Americans want to go to China,” Young said.

“This is not what I would have said to Sang Lan back in 1998, but it is possible that the cure for spinal cord injury will actually come from China.”

Young does not use the word “cure” lightly.

“Before I met (Reeve) I was very reluctant to use the word cure... It’s very scary to use because when you use the word cure you’re committing yourself to a goal that most scientists feel uncomfortable with,” he said.

“We’re not going to be able to make the body exactly the same as it was before the injury.

“What we should do is get (patients) to a point where you can’t tell that they have been injured, and I think that is an achievable goal.” — AFP

FRANKFURT: Millions of people suffer from what are called lifestyle diseases. Though many of them are treated with expensive drugs, experts are convinced that a different approach is possible. “The major lifestyle diseases are very treatable with exercise,” according Winfried Banzer, a professor at the University of Frankfurt’s Sports Science Institute. Banzer said he would use exercise to treat cardiovascular complaints and metabolism disorders, noting that “they’re responsible for about 70 per cent of the premature deaths in Germany, and for a large proportion of healthcare costs.”

It is astounding that exercise, an inexpensive alternative to drug treatment, still receives relatively little attention, Banzer said.

He pointed to an English study carried out in 1958 that found drivers of double-decker buses in London to have a significantly higher risk of heart attacks than the buses’ conductors, who moved around on the vehicles.

According to Bernd Wolfarth, a sports physician at Munich Technical University Hospital, the ability of regular exercise to lower expenditure on medications is indubitable.

He cites diabetes patients as an example: The more time they spend on outdoor activities, the less money they spend on medications and other therapies. So Wolfarth advises stepping up one’s daily physical activity. “Starting

to exercise is really worth it,” he said. “At any age.” Even septuagenarians who exercise will experience a health boost over their less active ontemporaries, Wolfarth said. But people who have a chronic illness ought to consult with a doctor first, he added. The doctor should determine how much exercise the patient can take, draw up a specific exercise programme and then monitor the results just like a prescription for medication.

Wolfarth said that regular exercise improved the condition of a person’s blood vessels and could even repair existing damage. It also lowers blood pressure more effectively than some drugs do, he remarked, so hypertensives can use exercise to improve their blood pressure levels. Although there is no guarantee they will be able to discontinue their medications, there is a good chance that the dosages will not have to be raised, Wolfarth said.

The same goes for diabetics. “Exercise enhances the effectiveness of the hormone insulin, which lowers blood sugar levels,” noted Andreas Fritsche, treasurer of the German Diabetes Society. A direct effect of regular physical activity is the stimulation of cells in the pancreas responsible for insulin production. In addition, the body becomes more sensitive to the hormone and increases sugar metabolism.— dpa

Use moisturizers to wash feet BERLIN: Split and dry skin on the heels should be treated by washing the feet in a mild moisturizing product, according to Anne Hundgeburth of the German association of dermatologists. In addition, the feet should be rubbed with cream containing urea, ammonium lactate, hyaluronic acid or glycerine. These products help to retain moisture in the skin, allowing it to remain soft. By contrast, creams containing fats seal the skin too effectively, preventing perspiration from evaporating effectively. Cracks tend to occur primarily at spots with thick calluses and corns that may be caused by ill-fitting shoes or unusuallyshaped feet. The callused area often then dries out and cracks. The elderly and people with metabolic ailments like diabetes, zinc deficiency, psoriasis and neurodermatitis are particularly at risk. Patients should seek medical advice when cracks in the skin begin to appear in any case, but definitely see a doctor should the cracks become inflamed, or should painful swelling occur, according to Hundgeburth. Patients should avoid attempting to treat the complaint themselves, as infections or injury could result.

Restless legs syndrome BERLIN: A tickling or itching sensation in the legs may be caused by restless legs syndrome (RLS). The symptoms usually occur shortly after going to bed for the night and often make falling asleep impossible. Those affected are forced to get up to relieve the symptoms, according to Curt Beil, a member of the professional association of German neurologists. The symptoms can persist for an hour. As the ailment is frequently associated with nervousness, tension and feelings of insecurity, patients tend to attribute the symptoms to psychological causes, and for this reason the real causes can remain untreated over a long period. Beil advises seeking the advice of a neurologist who will be able to rule out other causes like circulatory ailments and ascertain whether kidney malfunction, iron deficiency, or other medication could be causing the symptoms. Mild cases of RLS do not necessarily have to be treated with medication. The root cause of the symptoms is not entirely clear, according to the association. RLS can affect up to 10 per cent of the population, with a tenth of those suffering symptoms sufficiently acute to seek medical assistance. Slightly more than half of these are women.

Stroking animals is good for stress BERLIN: Stroking an animal is good for stress, according to a long-term scientific study. The study, published in the February edition of a German animal lovers’ magazine, found that eight-minute stroking sessions of a pet dog or cat were sufficient to cause a drop in the stroker’s blood pressure and pulse rate. Other beneficial effects include strengthening the immune system and improving the mood of the person doing the stroking. This is caused by a rise in the production of endorphins, also known as happy hormones, when an animal is stroked.

MONDAY, MARCH 12, 2012

H E A LT H

Dutch euthanasia clinic swamped with request AMSTERDAM: The Dutch mobile euthanasia clinics that began offering assisted death in people’s homes this week received nearly 60 requests within their two first days of operation, Dutch daily De Volkskrant reported yesterday.

On Thursday, six mobile Levenseinde (Life End) units went into operation around the Netherlands, where euthanasia has been legal since 2002.

Petra de Jong, director of the Dutch right-to-die foundation NVVE which runs the mobile ser vice, told De Volkskrant that patients were “grateful.”

The six teams of doctors and nurses provided assisted deaths, either by lethal injection or by administering a lethal cocktail of drugs, to patients whose own doctors have refused to help them die.

“Some of them start crying on the phone,” De Jong said. “They seemed happy that, finally, someone is listening to them,” she said. In 2002, the Netherlands became the first country

in the world to allow regulated euthanasia, meaning doctors can terminate the lives of seriously ill patients who express a wish to die, without fear of prosecution.

Strict medical codes of practice apply. Euthanasia can only be carried out on patients who suffer unbearable pain caused by an incurable disease, who have no hope of recovery. The patients must also clearly manifest a desire to die, among other conditions.

Many doctors refuse to practise euthanasia, mainly for religious reasons.

Opponents of euthanasia have reacted furiously to the launch of the mobile units, referring to them as “death squads.” De Jong said most of the requests come from patients with incurable physical illnesses. Only a small number came from patients with serious psychological disorders, she assured. “If the number of requests continues growing at this rate, we’ll have to put in place more mobile teams in April,” she said. — dpa

Myanmar’s HIV patients to miss out on new foreign aid BANGKOK: HIV patients in Myanmar are unlikely to benefit from the increased foreign aid expected to flow the countr y as a reward for recent reforms, the medical aid group Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) said last week.

“There are all kinds of indications that more money will be coming into the country, but there is no indication that there is more money for HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis patients,” said Peter Paul de Groote, MSF’s head of mission in Myanmar.

“Of the estimated 125,000 people in need of treatment with anti-retro-viral drugs, only about 40,000 are receiving it now,” he said. This leaves around 85,000 HIV/AIDS sufferers currently without treatment in Myanmar, where around 15,000 to 20,000 people die of the pandemic each year, according to MSF. MSF is the main provider of HIV/AIDS treatment in Myanmar, a former pariah state in the world community that has been ranked among the lowest recipients of humanitarian aid for decades.

A rash of political reforms initiated

by President Thein Sein since coming to

office in March has reignited donor interest in the countr y. The Global Fund, a former donor to Myanmar, in November cancelled a round of funding earmarked to expand HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis treatments worldwide.

The Three Diseases Fund, another donor, has shifted its assistance in the country to maternal and child health care. MSF had planned to add another 46,000 HIV/AIDS patients to its treatment programme next year with anticipated assistance from the Global Fund, which has now dried up. It was also hoping to expand its treatment of patients suffering from drug-resistant forms of tuberculosis from 300 at present to 9,300. Nearly one of four deaths of HIV/AIDS sufferers in Myanmar is from tuberculosis. “The math is simple.

Rapidly scaling up HIV and TB (tuberculosis) treatment now would prevent further transmission and save both lives and money,” Groote said. “With the cancellation of the Global Fund that is not happening now.” It costs an estimated 560 dollars per year to treat an HIV/AIDS patient, and 2,000 to 6,000 dollars a year for someone suffering from drug-resistant tuberculosis. — dpa

China sees steady rise in healthcare costs Adopting British-style system to control medical costs NEW YORK: China’s efforts to overhaul the world’s biggest h ealth c are system an d the in creased medical care demanded by a more prosperous and aging nation will push costs h igh er, accordin g to Health Minister Chen Zhu. In an interview with Reuters during a trip to New York this week, Chen said China’s total healthcare spending could rise from 5 percent of GDP to “maybe 6 to 7 percent” in the next few years.

That spending has been fueled by effor ts to ex tend health coverage to all of China’s 1.3 billion people and by a rise in chronic diseases such as lung cancer, stroke, hear t disease and diabetes.

I n J u l y, t h e Wo r l d B a n k warned that China could see an economic slowdown if it does not take rapid ac tion to improve the health of its population.

But China has seen the danger s of allowin g un ch eck e d medical spending, Chen said.

“We have learned lessons from some of the more developed countries” that spend more than 10 percent of GDP on healthcare, he said (the United States spends about 17 percent). China is therefore taking significant steps to control costs while improving care.

Among them: increasing the number of medications on the “essential drugs list” to about 800 from 307. Prices of drugs on the list are government-controlled and kept low as part of Beijing’s efforts to reduce outof-pocket costs for patients. “ This year we are going to issue a n ew ver sion of the essential drugs list, including drugs for the prevention and control of major diseases, such as can cer,” h e said. “ We wi l l

extend the list to include drugs used not just in primary healthcare institutions but in big hospitals,” which means more specialty drugs, such as those for cancer and cardiovascular disease, will land on the list.

In another effort to control costs, drug procurement will occur at the provincial level rather than by individual hospitals, allowing the government to negotiate better prices.

China is also taking a page from Britain, whose National Institute for Health and Clinical Evidence (NICE) takes into account not only the benefits of particular medical tests or treatments in the guidelines it issues to physicians, but also their costs. The result of such “comparative-effectiveness analysis” is that some expensive interventions that do not improve patients’ survival or quality of life as much as others are not covered by the government-run National Health Service.

“We should pay attention to the affordability of our (health)insurance system,” said Chen.

“So now we are establishing a kind of NICE structure by using comparative -effectiveness analysis.” China has signed an agreement with NICE to implement that.

Although China is still phasing in comparative-effectiveness analysis, one of its first targets might be expensive cancer therapies.

“We have already studied the possibility of including some targeted therapies against cancer in our essential drugs list,” Chen said.

C he n w a s i n N e w Yor k to receive the 7th Annual SzentGyˆrgyi Prize for Progress in Ca n ce r R e s e a rc h f ro m t h e National Foundation for Cancer Research, which was founded in

1973 to support cancer studies and education. He shared the award with his mentor, Dr. Zhen-Yi Wang. Together, they pioneered a treatment for acute promyelocytic leukemia combining arsenic trioxide, a traditional Chinese medicine that has been used for some 2,400 ye a r s, w i t h AT R A ( a l l -t r a ns retinoic acid), a chemotherapy drug sold by Roche Holding AG as Vesanoid.

The combination, now the standard of care, has increased the five -year sur vival rate of patients with APL to 95 percent from about 25 percent, with almost no recurrence.

After being sent to the countryside for “re-education” during the 1960s Cultural R e vo l u t i o n , C h e n b e c a m e a “barefoot doctor,” using tradit i ona l C hi ne s e m e d i c i ne s.

O fficials plucked him out of obscurity and sent him to university for medical training. He was appointed health minister in 2007 at age 54, only the second p e r s on w ho i s not a Communist Par ty member to receive a cabinet post.

Chen said he moved quickly in promoting health reforms, starting in 2009. “The basic concept is to provide basic health services as a public good to all people,” he said.

The country has made significant progress on that front. “ Today, 96 percent of the Chinese people are covered by basic medical insurance, compared to 15 percent 10 years ago,” Chen said. The infant mortality rate has fallen to 12 per thousand from 15 per thousand in three years, and the rate of women dying in childbirth has fallen to 26 per 10,000 from 34.

Among China’s greatest challenges are addressing the coming tsunami of chronic diseases

such as cancer and cardiovascular illness, which become more prevalent as life expec tanc y increases and living standards improve.

To re d uce s m ok i ng, C he n said, the government was pushing for higher taxes on tobacco products, par ticularly lowercost brands popular with teenagers.

Beijing is also welcoming foreign healthcare providers to set up shop in China. “Some people are not satisfied with the services provided in government-run hospitals and would like higher quality” care, Chen said.

China may have already surpassed the United States in one aspect of healthcare management. “More than 50 percent of the population” is now covered by electronic health records, Chen said. By comparison, only 34 percent of U.S. outpatient visits are with doctors who use E H R s, s a i d As hi s h J ha of Har vard S chool of Public Health.

As ke d a b out C hi na’s HIV/AIDS population, Chen said the number of patients taking anti-viral drugs is on the rise. To meet the demand, he said, the country would rather see more joint ventures with global drugmakers to reduce the cost of imports.

“It has also been suggested by some people that we use compulsory licensing,” or forcing pate nt-holders to allow manufacture of a drug in China, Chen said. “I believe we should be prudent in doing this. Only when there is a major public health crisis, then we can consider this type of possibility like we did several years ago during the SARS outbreak or the H1N1 pandemic, when Tamiflu was made in China” after negotiations with Roche. — Reuters

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MONDAY, MARCH 12, 2012

W H AT ’ S O N

10th anniversary

UMSL’s Dr Glassman visits GUST

T

he Gulf University for Science and Technology (GUST) hosted a press conference in honor of Dr. Joel Glassman, University for Missouri St. Louis (UMSL)’s Associate Provost and Director of International Studies and Programs, visit. The conference brought together Dr. Glassman with Dr. Abdulrahman Al-Muhailan, Chairman of the Board of Trustees at GUST, Dr. Robert Cook, Vice President for Academic Services and Dr. Masoud Asad, Director of Public Affairs, to highlight the importance of the occasion.

Dr. Abdulrahman Al-Muhailan started the 10 year anniversary discussion noting that GUST opened its doors to a handful of students in the fall of 2002 and now, 10 years later, is home to over 3,500 students. He acknowledged the imperative role that EYAS played in opening the University as

well as the solid academic foundation that was put forth in the collaboration with UMSL, “we are still and always will be partners,” he said, noting that GUST thrived under this partnership.

Dr. Al-Muhailan also mentioned the growing partnerships with Sun YatSen University in China, a key partnership in the e-Learning aspect, as well as the Missouri University of Science and Technology which will play a big role in the development of the architecture and engineering programs at GUST in the future, pending Private University Council (PUC) approval.

GUST also enjoys a partnership with Florida International University to work on more Masters Programs and possibly a PhD program in the future.

Dr. Al-Muhailan emphasized and thanked the Ministry of Education and Ministry of Higher Education and all its Ministers, present and past, for their

support and cooperation throughout the past 10 years. “If it wasn’t for the giving nature of our country and its diplomacy, we wouldn’t be where we are today. We are proud to be a part of the growing educational landscape in Kuwait.”

Dr. Joel Glassman spoke next stating that UMSL is proud of what GUST has accomplished in the past 10 years.

“We are privileged to have been involved from the very beginning and therefore have a great deal of pride in GUST and its accomplishments,” he said. Dr. Glassman touched on certain things which he’s observed in this, his latest visit to GUST, which he thought deserve to be emphasized on. First was the growth of faculty research at GUST, which exceeds anyone’s expectations in number and quality. The development of this particular aspect allows GUST to be considered in the

ranks of many international institutions. Dr. Al-Muhailan and Dr. Cook both reiterated this point and noted that GUST is known to have one of the highest faculty research published in reputed journals in the GCC. This includes over 60 published researches for the College of Arts and Sciences in different international journals in the last year alone. The second item Dr. Glassman highlighted was the establishment of the Student Success Center, which is a very important variable in the providing what the students need for growth and wellroundedness. He congratulated the GUST Management for this realization and taking action on establishing this center. Thirdly, was the leap of improvement in the Foundation Program; “One of the biggest challenges that many universities have in this region is the ability to improve

the students’ English language skills,” which is why he was pleased with the level of improvement in the program and the outcome. Fourth was the improvement on the administrative systems which will support continued growth. And finally, he was glad to learn of the future plans of broadening the programs available and including architecture and engineering. “UMSL enthusiastically supports this proposal,” and he hoped that the PUC would welcome and support this proposal as well. Dr. Glassman said on behalf of UMSL, that he looks forward to this continued cooperation and that it is a privilege to have been working and continue working with this group.

Dr. Robert Cook concluded the speakers by welcoming the attendees and talked about their visit to the newly appointed Minister of

Education and Minister of Higher Education Dr. Nayef Falah Al-Hajraf who Dr. Al-Muhailan said that GUST is extremely proud of as he was one of the founders of GUST and was there from the very start. The meeting also included the General Secretary of the PUC, and both were very encouraging and optimistic about the future. “It’s very important to note as well, that in my 42-43 years in education and bilateral cooperation, I have never come across the same partnership as GUST enjoys with UMSL,” and with that thanked Dr. Glassman and UMSL for their continuous support in the past 10 years.

Dr. Masoud Asad concluded the conference thanking the attendees and the speakers and spoke about the coming celebrations GUST will be hosting in honor of its 10th anniversary this year.

Announcements Talent launch Kuwait’s Sabah Al-Ahmad Center for Giftedness and Creativity (SACGC) called on to the Kuwaiti community to come out and support its local young talented Kuwaitis by visiting the “Mawaheb” gallery exhibition on March 15, 16, and 17 at the Avenues Mall. The exhibition, created and organized by SACGC, provides a platform for 15 of the top Kuwaiti photographers, artists and musicians, to showcase their talent directly to the community through unique, signature performances, displays, and presentations. SACGC General Manager, Dr Omar Al Bannai said, “”Mawaheb” is a talent-driven exhibition that connect Kuwait’s undiscovered talents to the community and showcases to Kuwait some of the great art. “Mawaheb” will kick-off on 7 pm on March 15 at the Avenues location near Dean and Deluca in the presence of SACGC CEO, Dr. Bader Al-Omar, Kuwait Foundation for the Advancement of Sciences General Manager, Dr. Adnan Shihab-Eldin, SACGC General Manager, Dr. Omar Al Bannai, and all members of the SACGC Board of Directors.

Aware Seminar The AWARE Center invites you to its diwaniya presentation Tuesday March 13 entitled, “The Fundamentals of Islamic Banking & Finance” by Dr. Muhammad Al-Qattan. Have you ever wondered what is Islamic Banking? How is it different?

What principals is it based on? Does it work? Are there any benefits? Do you have to be Muslim to have an account in an Islamic Bank? Come along to AWARE’s diwaniya at 7pm on Tuesday 13th March when Dr. Mohammed Al-Qattan will be discussing all these issues and more. For more information, call 25335260 ext 0 / 104 / 105 or log onto: www.aware.com.kw or email: saleha.aware@gmail.com “

‘Nano Games’ at ICSK junior branch

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he Junior Branch of Indian Community School, Kuwait conducted Annual Sports Day for its Nursery Section on Thursday 1st March 2012 in the school premises. Apty titled ‘Nano Games’, the event was for the youngest athletes of the school - from LKG and UKG. Vice Principal Mrs Gayatri Ravindran welcomed the gathering and said in her welcome address that while the children look small or nano, their energy is phenomenal and the urge to be ahead is as high as adults. They are pocket size dynamos bubbling over and all they

need is an opportunity to channelize their energy. Speaking on the occasion, Chief Guest Rajan Daniel, Hon Secretary to the Board of Trustees ICSK, said that ICSK is working hard towards training the students in becoming responsible citizens of our country and urged the parent community to join hands with the school. He also said that all children are born with latent talents and it is our responsibility to identify and nurture the talents.

Track events for the tiny tots were conducted such as running and obstacles races.

Each event was cheered as the athletes dressed up in track suits, competed with full vigour. The winners received medals and certificates from the Chief Guest Rajan Daniel. An aerobic display presented by students to foot tapping music was the highlight and a sight very much pleasing to the eyes of the spectators.

Members of the Parent Advisory Council of ICSK have always encouraged all activities of the school. Sherin Thomas Mani, Parent Representative to the Board of Trustees from Junior Branch along with members Manoj

Mathew, Mohammad Rafi, Biju Abraham, Mathew George and Muazzim Shaukat were present on the occasion. The parents of the participants in the events attended the programme. It was a heart warming sight to see them happily taking photographs. Nano Games at the ICSK Junior Branch was a highly successful event for the Nursery Section.

ICSK looks at every program for the students as an important event in their growth. And when it is for the youngest students of the school, the encouragement is always with a lot of smiles of appreciation.

Jayachandran to perform Popular 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. 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 or email to kalanjaliq8@gmail.com 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 AlMubarak 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 AlIslamiyyah 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 50100734.

Open Day at ILOA unfolds talents

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f we are to teach real peace in this world, and if we are to carry on a real war against injustice, we shall have to begin with the children.” The father of our nation was absolutely right while making this beautiful but sober comment on our unpredictable little children.

No one has yet fully realized the wealth of sympathy, kindness, generosity and above all, the artistic talents hidden in the soul of a child. The effort of every true education should be to unlock that treasure. LKG teachers of Learners own academy were able to unlock that immense treasure on 23rd February 2012 at their open day celebrations thereby proving that every child comes with the message, “God is not yet discouraged of man.”

They managed to put up the show with creativity, dedication, punctuality and self-discipline. It was a fabulous performance with a fairy tale ambience.

The recitation of The Holy Quran followed by Kuwait and Indian national anthems instilled a blend of piety and patriotic fervour in the minds of the spectators. The lighting of the ceremonious lamp of knowledge by the

respected chief guest E.D.Titus, the director of Bahrain Exchange Company, was an explicit symbol of the eradication of ignorance through proper education. School principal Mrs. Sharma welcomed the chief guest and addressed the

august gathering by expressing the school’s gratitude to all for churning together the institution’s incredible success.

The anchors who were a step above both in their use of vocabulary and its pronunciation

proved that lingua franca in any angle is not an Achilles’ heel but a monopoly game in their dexterous hands. They reminded us that, it is only the early bird that gets the worm! The more that we put forth the more we are going to

gain from it. The credit of putting forth and gaining back goes to the LKG coordinators and teachers who did a wonderful job. Hats off to a team that worked!

For adults it was a recollection of their ever green memories of their childhood. It was an anecdotal display, portraying the multi-faceted talents of the tiny tots and it left everyone in splits.

Children enjoy the present because they have neither a past nor a future. The whole fiesta ended in a crescendo of applause by all.

Titus urged parents not to stress their children and allow them to grow independently and naturally. He cited example of Bill gates. He stressed on the importance of good health of tiny tots which is much more important than proficiency in academics at this stage.

The whole show was a piece of advice to the adults; “Bitter are the tears of a child: Sweeten them.

Deep are the thoughts of a child: Consider them.

Sharp is the grief of a child: Take it from him.

Soft is the heart of a child: Do not harden it.”

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MONDAY, MARCH 12, 2012

W H AT ’ S O N

Embassy Information EMBASSY OF BRAZIL The Embassy of Brazil requests all Brazilian citizens in Kuwait to proceed to the website www.brazil.org.kw (Contact Us Form / Fale Conosco) in order to register or update contact information. The Embassy encourages all citizens to do so, including the ones who have already registered in person at the Embassy. The registration process helps the Brazilian Government to contact and assist Brazilians living abroad in case of any emergency. nnnnnnn

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. nnnnnnn

Kuwait National English School Primary Sports Day

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uwait National English School Primary Department celebrated its annual Sports Day on Monday, 5th of March 2012. The focus was on skills stations which tested the pupilsí motor

control, vision, awareness, speed, dynamic balance etc. Overall, the Sports Day was designed to get all pupils active whilst enjoying the challenge of competing against their peers. The values of suc-

cess and failure are an invaluable lesson experienced by all and the ability to deal with this is invaluable in all aspects of school and outside life. The winning team received medals for their team effort.

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 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

PGA launches new spring coaching program

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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

The Everton Under 10 team with Coach Yousef.

The Everton Under 12 team with Coach James.

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.

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he Premier GOAL Academy in association with Everton F.C. and sponsored by Porsche Centre Kuwait, Behbehani Motors Company, launched its new Spring Coaching Programme at Shaab Park this weekend with over 250 boys and girls aged from 3 to 18 years participating in the fun and games throughout Friday and Saturday. A limited number of places remain available in some age groups, for further details contact Academy Director Mike on 99981327 or Executive Director Baker on The Everton Under 15 and Under 17 teams with Coaches 66918666. Visit www.pga-kuwait.com.kw The Everton Under 14 team with Coaches Darren, Liam or email info@pga-kuwait.com.kw Mike, Roman and Baker. and Nasser.

Write to us Send to What’s On upcoming events, birthdays or celebrations by email: local@kuwaittimes.net Fax: 24835619 / 20

MONDAY, MARCH 12, 2012

TV PROGRAMS

00:50 Animal Cops Philadelphia 01:45 Untamed & Uncut 02:40 Africa’s Outsiders 03:35 Wild France 04:30 The Beauty Of Snakes 05:25 Wild France 06:20 Escape To Chimp Eden 06:45 In Too Deep 07:10 Animal Cops Philadelphia 08:00 Orangutan Island 08:25 Growing Up...: Orang-Utan 09:15 The Really Wild Show 09:40 Project Puppy 10:10 Trophy Cats 11:05 Speed Of Life 12:00 Michaela’s Animal Road Trip 12:55 RSPCA: On The Frontline 13:20 Wildlife SOS 13:50 Wild Animal Orphans 14:45 Animal Cops Houston 15:40 Speed Of Life 16:30 Shamwari: A Wild Life 17:00 The Really Wild Show 17:30 Chris Humfrey’s Wildlife 18:00 Talk To The Animals 18:25 Dogs 101 19:20 My Cat From Hell 20:15 Orangutan Island 20:40 Wildlife SOS 21:10 Escape To Chimp Eden 21:35 Planet Wild 22:05 Speed Of Life 23:00 Animal Planet’s Most Outrageous

00:10 01:05 01:30 02:20 03:10 03:25 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 08:35 09:20 09:50 10:20 11:10 12:00 12:30 13:00 13:45 14:15 14:45 15:35 16:25 17:10 17:40 18:10 19:00 19:30 20:00

00:35 01:20 02:15 03:00 03:55 05:35 06:25 08:05 08:25 09:15 10:25 11:10

Lark Rise to Candleford Orang-Utan Diary Monarch Of The Glen Last Woman Standing Doctor Who Confidential Allo ‘Allo!

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 2 Point 4 Children dinnerladies The Weakest Link My Family Doctors The Planets Monarch Of The Glen dinnerladies 2 Point 4 Children The Weakest Link My Family Doctors The Planets Monarch Of The Glen The Weakest Link Eastenders Doctors Holby City 2 Point 4 Children Supernova Waking The Dead

Holmes On Homes Diy SOS Holmes On Homes What Not To Wear Gok’s Fashion Fix What Not To Wear Gok’s Fashion Fix Cash In The Attic USA James Martin’s Champagne MasterChef Australia Bargain Hunt Antiques Roadshow

12:00 12:50 13:35 15:15 16:00 16:45 17:30 18:20 19:00 19:25 21:05 21:55 23:35

Come Dine With Me 10 Years Younger Gok’s Fashion Fix Fantasy Homes By The Sea House Swap Bargain Hunt Antiques Roadshow Cash In The Attic USA James Martin’s Brittany James Martin’s Champagne 10 Years Younger Gok’s Fashion Fix Bargain Hunt

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 07:30 07:55 08:20 08:45 09:00 09:25 09:50 10:15 10:40 11:05 11:25 11:50 12:15 12:40 13:00 13:15 13:40 13:55 14:45 15:10 Doo 15:35 16:00 16:50 17:15 17:40 18:05 18:20 19:10 19:35 Doo 20:00 20:15 20:40 21:05 21:30 21:55 22:20 22:45 23:10 23:35

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 The Garfield Show Bananas In Pyjamas Baby Looney Tunes Gerald McBoing Boing Jelly Jamm Pink Panther And Pals Pink Panther And Pals Puppy In My Pocket The Scooby Doo Show Scooby Doo Where Are You! The Flintstones Duck Dodgers Tom & Jerry Kids Pink Panther And Pals Wacky Races Jelly Jamm Baby Looney Tunes Bananas In Pyjamas The Garfield Show A Pup Named Scooby-Doo Scooby-Doo And Scrappy-

00:00 00:30 01:00 03:00 03:30 04:00 05:00 06:00 06:30 07:00 07:30 08:00 10:00 10:30 11:00 12:00 12:30 13:00 14:00 15:00

Mainsail World Sport World Report The Best Of Backstory Talk Asia Fareed Zakaria Gps CNN Newsroom World View News Special World Sport Inside Africa World Report World Sport News Special World Business Today The Best Of Backstory African Voices World One Fareed Zakaria Gps News Stream

Looney Tunes Puppy In My Pocket Pink Panther And Pals Pink Panther And Pals Tom & Jerry Tom & Jerry The Garfield Show The Scooby Doo Show Scooby-Doo And ScrappyJelly Jamm Baby Looney Tunes Gerald McBoing Boing Bananas In Pyjamas Pink Panther And Pals Tom & Jerry Looney Tunes Scooby Doo Where Are You! Droopy: Master Detective The Flintstones

16:00 World Business Today 17:00 International Desk 18:00 Global Exchange 19:00 World Sport 19:30 African Voices 20:00 International Desk 21:00 Quest Means Business 22:00 Piers Morgan Tonight 23:00 Connect The World With Becky Anderson

00:00 Programmes Start At 7:00am KSA 07:00 Kid vs Kat 07:10 Pokemon: Black And White 07:35 Phineas And Ferb 08:00 Pair Of Kings 08:25 I’m In The Band 08:50 Kick Buttowski 09:15 Zeke & Luther 09:40 Zeke & Luther 10:05 Phineas And Ferb 10:30 Kid vs Kat 10:55 Spiderman 11:20 Pair Of Kings 11:45 Rekkit Rabbit 12:10 American Dragon 12:35 Kick Buttowski 13:00 Phineas And Ferb 13:25 I’m In The Band 13:45 Kid vs Kat 14:10 Pair Of Kings 14:35 Zeke & Luther 15:00 Kick Buttowski 19:15 Pair Of Kings 19:40 Rated A For Awesome 20:05 Pokemon: Black And White 20:30 Phineas And Ferb 20:55 Zeke & Luther 21:20 Kid vs Kat 21:45 Aaron Stone 22:10 Phineas And Ferb 22:35 The Avengers: Earths Mightiest Heroes 23:00 Zeke & Luther 23:25 Kid vs Kat

00:15 01:05 01:55 02:45 03:35 04:25 05:15 06:00 06:15 06:40 07:05 07:30 07:55 08:20 08:45 09:10 09:35 09:49 10:00 10:25 10:45 10:50 11:15 11:40 12:05 12:30 12:55 13:20 13:45 14:10 14:35 15:00 15:25 15:50 16:15 16:40 17:05 17:30 17:55 18:20 18:45 19:10 19:30 19:35 20:00 20:25 20:50 21:15 21:40

Replacements Fairly Odd Parents A Kind Of Magic Stitch Replacements Fairly Odd Parents A Kind Of Magic Fish Hooks Recess Timon And Pumbaa Phineas And Ferb Good Luck Charlie Fish Hooks Wizards Of Waverly Place Mickey Mouse Clubhouse Jake & The Neverland Pirates Handy Manny The Hive Recess So Random Have A Laugh Hannah Montana Suite Life On Deck Jake & Blake Sonny With A Chance Wizards Of Waverly Place Phineas And Ferb So Random Suite Life On Deck Wizards Of Waverly Place Shake It Up Good Luck Charlie A.N.T. Farm Phineas And Ferb Recess So Random Fish Hooks Wizards Of Waverly Place Shake It Up A.N.T. Farm Suite Life On Deck Good Luck Charlie Have A Laugh Wizards Of Waverly Place Hannah Montana Phineas And Ferb Shake It Up Fish Hooks Recess

DOROTHY MILLS ON OSN MOVIES ACTION

00:40 07:00 07:50 08:45 09:40 10:05 10:30 10:55 11:25 16:00 16:55 17:50 18:45 19:10 19:40 20:05 20:35 21:00 21:30 22:25 23:20

Stan Lee’s Superhumans Mythbusters Gold Rush Swords: Life On The Line How Does It Work Cake Boss Border Security Dirty Money Perfect Disaster Overhaulin’ Ultimate Survival Mythbusters Cash Cab Us Border Security Dirty Money How It’s Made Rebuilding Japan Cake Boss Gold Rush Swords: Life On The Line Swamp Loggers

00:40 01:35 02:25 02:50 07:10 08:00 08:25 08:50 09:15 09:40 10:35 11:25 12:20 13:15 14:05 14:55 15:20 15:50 16:40 17:05 18:00 18:50 19:40 20:30 21:20 22:10 23:00 23:50

Weird Or What?

What’s That About?

The Tech Show Da Vinci’s Machines Future Weapons The Gadget Show The Gadget Show How Does That Work?

How Stuff’s Made Meteorite Men Primal Connections Engineered Thunder Races Moon Machines Science Of The Movies How Does That Work?

How Stuff’s Made The Gadget Show The Tech Show Thunder Races Engineered Moon Machines Mega World Superships The Gadget Show Thunder Races Mega World Superships

00:40 Meat & Potatoes 01:05 Reza, Spice Prince Of India 01:30 Good Eats 01:55 Restaurant: Impossible 02:45 Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives 03:35 Barefoot Contessa - Back To Basics 04:25 Chopped 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 Luke Nguyen’s Vietnam 22:10 Easy Chinese: San Francisco 23:00 Reza, Spice Prince Of India 23:25 Reza, Spice Prince Of India 23:50 Mexican Made Easy

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 Jungle Junction 08:45 Mickey Mouse Clubhouse 09:10 The Hive 09:20 Handy Manny 09:35 Jake & The Neverland Pirates 10:15 Mini Adventures Of Winnie The Pooh 10:20 Mouk 10:45 The Hive 10:55 Mickey Mouse Clubhouse 11:45 Art Attack 12:10 Imagination Movers 12:35 Special Agent Oso 12:45 Lazytown 13:10 Handy Manny 13:25 Jungle Junction 13:40 Imagination Movers 14:05 The Hive 14:15 Special Agent Oso 14:25 Little Einsteins 14:50 Lazytown 15:15 Mickey Mouse Clubhouse 15:45 Jake & The Neverland Pirates

16:05 Mouk 16:25 Handy Manny 16:40 Jake & The Neverland Pirates 16:55 Imagination Movers 17:20 Lazytown 17:45 Art Attack 18:15 Jungle Junction 18:35 Handy Manny 18:55 Jake & The Neverland Pirates 19:10 Mickey Mouse Clubhouse 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 E!es 02:20 E! Investigates 04:10 Sexiest 05:05 Then And Now 05:30 Wildest TV Show Moments 06:00 15 Remarkable Celebrity Body Bouncebacks 07:50 Behind The Scenes 08:20 E! News 09:15 Kourtney & Kim Take New York 10:15 25 Hottest Hollywood Cougar Tales 12:05 Kendra 13:05 Dirty Soap 14:05 Keeping Up With The Kardashians 15:00 Style Star 15:30 THS 16:25 Behind The Scenes 16:55 Bridalplasty 17:55 Kourtney & Kim Take New York 18:55 E!es 19:55 Khloe And Lamar 20:55 Chelsea Lately 21:25 Dirty Soap 22:25 Fashion Police 23:25 Chelsea Lately 23:55 Keeping Up With The Kardashians

00:00 00:50 02:30 03:20 05:50 07:30 09:00 09:25 11:55 12:45 13:35 14:25 15:15 16:05 16:55 17:45 18:10 20:40 21:30 22:20 23:10

Best Of The Streets Wrestling With Reality Ed’s Up Fantasy Factory FIM World Supermoto 2010 Ride Guide Snow 2008 Freeflow Tour Alli Presents Man’s Work Ed’s Up Dragrace High Fight Girls World Combat League Man’s Work Ed’s Up Freeflow Tour Alli Presents Fight Girls Dragrace High Fantasy Factory World Combat League

00:40 01:30 01:55 02:15 03:05 03:50 04:40 05:05 05:25 Jones 06:15 07:10 08:00 08:50 09:40 10:25 11:10 11:35 11:55 12:40 13:25 14:15 15:00 15:25 15:50 16:35 17:20 18:10 19:00 19:45 20:10 20:55 21:45 22:10 23:00 23:25

Scorned: Crimes Of Passion I Married A Mobster I Was Murdered Behind Mansion Walls Kidnap And Rescue Scorned: Crimes Of Passion I Married A Mobster I Was Murdered True Crime With Aphrodite

00:00 00:30 01:00 02:00 03:00 03:30 04:30 05:30 06:00 06:30 07:00 08:00 09:00 09:30 10:30 11:30 12:00 12:30 13:00 14:00 15:00 15:30 16:00 17:00 18:00 19:00

Disappeared Mystery Diagnosis FBI Case Files Forensic Detectives Murder Shift Killer Outbreaks Real Emergency Calls Who On Earth Did I Marry?

On The Case With Paula Zahn Disappeared Murder Shift Killer Outbreaks Real Emergency Calls Who On Earth Did I Marry?

On The Case With Paula Zahn Disappeared FBI Files Forensic Detectives Murder Shift Real Emergency Calls Mystery Diagnosis Mall Cops ‚ Mall Of America Who On Earth Did I Marry?

Disappeared I Married A Mobster Scorned: Crimes Of Passion

Travel Madness Earth Tripping Meet The Natives: USA Young Global Hotshots Bondi Rescue Endurance Traveller Long Way Down The Best Job In The World Travel Madness Earth Tripping Meet The Natives: USA Young Global Hotshots Bondi Rescue Endurance Traveller Long Way Down The Best Job In The World Travel Madness Earth Tripping Banged Up Abroad Banged Up Abroad Graham’s World Destination Extreme Somewhere In China Perilous Journeys Bite Me With Dr. Mike Leahy Banged Up Abroad

BRIGHTON ROCK ON OSN CINEMA

00:00 Reykjavik: Whale Watching Massacre-18 02:00 The Siege-18 04:00 In The Line Of Fire-PG15 06:00 Flight Of The Phoenix-PG15 08:00 Red Faction: Origins-PG15 09:45 Cross-18 11:30 Rocky-PG15 13:30 Red Faction: Origins-PG15 15:15 Spartacus-PG15 18:30 Rocky-PG15 20:30 Nine Dead-PG15

01:00 Brighton Rock-PG15 03:00 Prom-PG15 05:00 The LXD: Secrets Of The RaPG15 07:00 Certified Copy-PG15 09:00 Prom-PG15 11:00 Unanswered Prayers-PG15 13:00 Just Wright-PG15 15:00 Adventures Of A Teenage Dragonslayer-PG 17:00 Love The Beast-PG 19:00 Red-PG15 21:00 Peter And Vandy-18 22:45 Cars 2-FAM

00:00 Wilfred 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 Friends With Benefits 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 Friends With Benefits 09:00 The Simpsons 09:30 Two And A Half Men 10:00 Hot In Cleveland 10:30 Til Death 11:00 The Tonight Show With Jay Leno 12:00 Just Shoot Me 12:30 Dharma And Greg 13:00 The Simpsons 13:30 Til Death 14:00 Friends With Benefits 14:30 Hot In Cleveland 15:00 Two And A Half Men 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 The Simpsons 18:30 Mr. Sunshine 19:00 Two And A Half Men 19:30 Hot In Cleveland 20:00 Community 20:30 Allen Gregory 21:00 The Daily Show Global Edition 21:30 The Colbert Report Global Edition

00:30 Empire-18 03:00 Dorothy Mills-18 05:00 Rocky III-PG15 07:00 The Day After Tomorrow 09:15 The Crocodile Hunter: Collision Course-PG15 11:00 Drunken Master-PG15 13:00 A Lonely Place For Dying 15:00 The Crocodile Hunter: Collision Course-PG15 17:00 Madso’s War-18 18:45 Alive-PG15

16:00 18:00 20:00 22:00

That Old Feeling-PG15 Cop Out-PG15 40 Days And 40 Nights-18 Rag Tale-18

01:30 03:00 05:00 07:00 09:00 11:00 13:00 15:00 17:00 19:00 21:00 23:00

Wrong Turn At Tahoe-18 The Joneses-PG15 Get Low-PG15 Leap Year-PG15 12 Men Of Christmas-PG15 I, Robot-PG15 The Girl In The Park-PG15 Salt-PG15 12 Men Of Christmas-PG15 Death At A Funeral-PG15 40 Days And 40 Nights-18 Piranha-R

00:00 In Search Of The Titanic-PG 02:15 A Venetian Rascal Goes To America-FAM 04:30 Little Bee 2-FAM 06:00 Yona Yona Penguin-PG 08:00 North-PG 10:00 Ice Age-FAM 12:00 Hua Mulan-PG 14:00 A Venetian Rascal Goes To America-FAM 16:00 Christmas In New York-PG 18:00 Ice Age-FAM 20:00 Ramona And Beezus-PG 22:00 Hua Mulan-PG

01:00 01:30 02:00 04:00 06:00 06:30 07:00 09:00 09:30 11:00 13:00 13:30 17:30 18:30 19:00 20:00 22:00

Cricket ODI Highlights Futbol Mundial UFC The Ultimate Fighter Scottish FA Cup Cricket ODI Highlights Futbol Mundial Super League Cricket ODI Highlights Volvo Ocean Race Highlights Live NRL Premiership Futbol Mundial Scottish FA Cup Trans World Sport Cricket ODI Highlights Super Rugby Highlights NRL Premiership Premier League Darts

00:30 NRL Premiership 04:30 Volvo Ocean Race 05:00 Top 14 07:00 Super Rugby 08:00 Golfing World 10:00 World Cup Of Pool 11:00 World Pool Masters 12:00 Ping Pong World Championship 13:00 ODI Cricket Highlights 13:30 Anglo Welsh Cup 15:30 Super Rugby 17:30 Volvo Ocean Race Highlights 18:00 Golfing World 19:00 Trans World Sport 20:00 NRL Full Time

00:00 02:00 04:00 07:00 10:00 12:00 16:30 17:00 19:00 19:30 21:30 22:00

01:00 02:00 04:00 06:00 00:00 That Old Feeling-PG15 07:00 02:00 Whatever Works-PG15 08:00 04:00 Nothing Like The Holidays- 09:00 PG15 10:00 06:00 Lost In Yonkers-PG 10:30 08:00 Dead Men Don’t Wear Plaid-PG 11:00 10:00 Post Grad-PG15 13:00 12:00 Guarding Tess-PG 14:00 14:00 Mr. Wrong-PG15 15:00

Anglo Welsh Cup Super League Scottish FA Cup Golfing World Scottish FA Cup Golfing World Cricket ODI Highlights NRL Premiership ICC Cricket World Anglo Welsh Cup Top 14 Highlights Super League

WWE Bottom Line V8 Supercars Highlights UFC The Ultimate Fighter UFC Unleashed WWE Bottom Line WWE Experience Speedway Mobil 1 The Grid V8 Supercars Extra V8 Supercars Highlights WWE NXT WWE Experience WWE SmackDown

00:00 How The Earth Was Made 01:00 The Universe 02:00 Mud Men 03:00 Pawn Stars 04:00 Ancient Aliens 05:00 Europe’s Forgotten Tsunami 06:00 How The Earth Was Made 07:00 The Universe 08:00 Mud Men 09:00 Pawn Stars 10:00 Ancient Aliens 11:00 Europe’s Forgotten Tsunami 12:00 How The Earth Was Made 13:00 The Universe 14:00 Mud Men 15:00 Pawn Stars 16:00 Ancient Aliens 17:00 Europe’s Forgotten Tsunami 18:00 How The Earth Was Made 19:00 The Universe 20:00 Patton 360 21:00 IRT: Deadliest Roads‚ The Andes 22:00 IRT: Deadliest Roads‚The Andes

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 10:25 10:55 11:50 12:50 13:50 14:45 15:45 16:40 17:35 19:25 21:20 22:15

Glam Fairy Open House Fashion Classics Open House Videofashion Daily Videofashion News How Do I Look?

Whose Wedding Is It Anyway?

Married Away Clean House Videofashion News Videofashion Daily Open House Fashion Classics How Do I Look?

Whose Wedding Is It Anyway?

Clean House Mel B: It’s A Scary World How Do I Look?

Giuliana & Bill Kimora: Life In The Fab Lane Designer Marathon Tia And Tamera Clean House: New York Giuliana & Bill

00:00 Globe Trekker 01:00 Short History Of Convict Australia 02:00 Indian Times 03:00 World’s Greatest Motorcycle Rides 04:00 Inside Luxury Travel-Varun Sharma 05:00 Globe Trekker 06:00 Glutton For Punishment 07:00 Planet Food 08:00 Globe Trekker 09:00 Planet Sports 10:00 Intrepid Journeys 11:00 Planet Food 12:00 Flavours Of Spain 12:30 Going South 13:00 Globe Trekker 14:00 Planet Food 15:00 Spring 16:00 World’s Greatest Motorcycle Rides 17:00 Globe Trekker 18:00 Going South 18:30 Flavours Of Greece 19:00 Planet Food 20:00 Globe Trekker 21:00 Essential 21:30 Cruise Today 22:00 Tall Ship Explorers 23:00 Cruising The Spirit Of Adventure

00:55 02:55 05:00 07:30 08:00 09:35 11:30 13:10 16:45 18:20 19:55 21:25 23:00

Dangerous Liaisons Shoot The Moon How The West Was Won-PG TCM Presents Under The...-PG Saratoga-PG An American In Paris-FAM Adam’s Rib-FAM Gone With The Wind-PG Flamingo Road-PG Invitation To The Dance-FAM Never Let Me Go-FAM The Little Hut-PG Spinout-FAM

Classifieds MONDAY, MARCH 12, 2012

DIAL 161 FOR AIRPORT INFORMATION

Airlines JZR QTR KLM PIA JZR ETH AFR THY UAE QTR DHX MSR FDB ETD GFA RBG KAC DHX FCX JZR JZR BAW KAC KAC FDB KAC KAC KAC KAC UAE ABY QTR ETD FDB BAB GFA KAC JZR MEA IRC MSR UAL GFA SYR FDB OMA QTR KNE SVA RBG RJA KAC JZR KAC KAC QTR JZR JZR ETD KAC UAE GFA SVA ABY JZR ALK JZR FDB KAC KAC KAC BAB KAC KAC AIC KAC KAC FDB KAC JAI DHX GRF MEA GFA QTR UAE JZR UAL KLM TAR JZR BBC DLH PIA

Arrival Flights on Monday 12/3/2012 Flt Route 185 DUBAI 138 DOHA 447 AMSTERDAM 205 LAHORE 539 CAIRO 620 ADDIS ABABA 6708 PARIS 772 ISTANBUL 853 DUBAI 148 DOHA 370 BAHRAIN 612 CAIRO 67 DUBAI 305 ABU DHABI 211 BAHRAIN 3555 ALEXANDRIA 544 CAIRO 170 BAHRAIN 201 DUBAI 503 LUXOR 555 ALEXANDRIA 157 LONDON 412 MANILA 206 ISLAMABAD 53 DUBAI 352 COCHIN 302 MUMBAI 284 DHAKA 362 COLOMBO 855 DUBAI 125 SHARJAH 132 DOHA 301 ABU DHABI 55 DUBAI 436 BAHRAIN 213 BAHRAIN 344 CHENNAI 165 DUBAI 404 BEIRUT 6521 LAMERD 610 CAIRO 982 WASHINGTON DC 219 BAHRAIN 341 DAMASCUS 57 DUBAI 645 MUSCAT 140 DOHA 745 JEDDAH 500 JEDDAH 3557 SOHAG 640 AMMAN 788 JEDDAH 257 BEIRUT 550 SOHAG 546 ALEXANDRIA 134 DOHA 561 SOHAG 535 CAIRO 303 ABU DHABI 118 NEW YORK 857 DUBAI 215 BAHRAIN 510 RIYADH 127 SHARJAH 777 JEDDAH 227 COLOMBO 177 DUBAI 63 DUBAI 542 CAIRO 786 JEDDAH 618 DOHA 438 BAHRAIN 743 DAMMAM 674 DUBAI 975 CHENNAI 104 LONDON 774 RIYADH 61 DUBAI 552 DAMASCUS 572 MUMBAI 372 BAHRAIN 81 BAGHDAD 402 BEIRUT 217 BAHRAIN 136 DOHA 859 DUBAI 135 BAHRAIN 981 BAHRAIN 445 AMSTERDAM 327 TUNIS 239 AMMAN 43 DHAKA 636 FRANKFURT 239 SIALKOT

Time 0:20 0:20 0:30 0:40 0:50 1:45 2:05 2:15 2:35 2:55 2:55 3:00 3:05 3:10 3:15 3:15 4:40 5:15 5:30 5:55 6:00 6:40 6:45 7:40 7:45 7:50 7:55 8:15 8:20 8:30 9:00 9:05 9:15 9:20 9:40 9:55 10:35 11:20 11:55 12:00 12:55 13:05 13:25 13:45 13:50 14:15 14:20 14:25 14:30 14:35 14:40 14:50 15:00 15:15 15:20 15:25 16:10 16:25 16:50 16:55 16:55 17:15 17:20 17:40 17:45 18:10 18:15 18:40 18:50 19:10 19:15 19:20 19:25 19:25 19:30 19:35 19:40 20:00 20:05 20:10 21:00 21:15 21:20 21:25 21:35 21:40 21:55 22:00 22:05 22:35 22:45 23:45 23:50 23:55

Airlines AXB AIC DLH PIA KLM ETH THY FDB UAE AFR DHX RBG ETD MSR QTR QTR JZR GFA FDB KAC BAW KAC JZR JZR KAC JZR UAE ABY ETD FDB QTR BAB GFA KAC KAC JZR KAC MEA IRC KAC JZR MSR GFA UAL FDB KAC SYR KAC KNE OMA RBG RJA SVA KAC KAC KAC QTR KAC JZR QTR ETD JZR GRF UAE GFA ABY SVA JZR ALK FDB JZR BAB KAC FDB KAC DHX KAC JAI KAC DHX MEA GFA FCX QTR KAC UAE KAC KLM TAR JZR UAL KAC

Departure Flights on Monday 12/3/2012 Flt Route 390 KOZHIKODE 982 AHMEDABAD 637 FRANKFURT 206 PESHAWAR 447 AMSTERDAM 621 ADDIS ABABA 773 ISTANBUL 68 DUBAI 854 DUBAI 6708 DUBAI 371 BAHRAIN 3558 SOHAG 306 ABU DHABI 613 CAIRO 139 DOHA 149 DOHA 164 DUBAI 212 BAHRAIN 54 DUBAI 545 ALEXANDRIA 156 LONDON 549 SOHAG 256 BEIRUT 534 CAIRO 787 JEDDAH 560 SOHAG 856 DUBAI 126 SHARJAH 302 ABU DHABI 56 DUBAI 133 DOHA 437 BAHRAIN 214 BAHRAIN 165 ROME 541 CAIRO 776 JEDDAH 103 LONDON 405 BEIRUT 6522 LAMERD 785 JEDDAH 176 DUBAI 611 CAIRO 220 BAHRAIN 982 BAHRAIN 58 DUBAI 551 DAMASCUS 342 DAMASCUS 673 DUBAI 746 JEDDAH 646 MUSCAT 3556 ALEXANDRIA 641 AMMAN 501 JEDDAH 617 DOHA 617 DOHA 773 RIYADH 141 DOHA 743 DAMMAM 238 AMMAN 135 DOHA 304 ABU DHABI 538 CAIRO 82 BAGHDAD 858 DUBAI 216 BAHRAIN 128 SHARJAH 511 RIYADH 134 BAHRAIN 228 DUBAI 64 DUBAI 184 DUBAI 439 BAHRAIN 283 DHAKA 62 DUBAI 331 TRIVANDRUM 171 BAHRAIN 351 KOCHI 571 MUMBAI 543 CAIRO 373 BAHRAIN 403 BEIRUT 218 BAHRAIN 102 BAHRAIN 137 DOHA 301 MUMBAI 860 DUBAI 205 ISLAMABAD 445 BAHRAIN 327 DUBAI 528 ASSIUT 981 WASHINGTON DC 411 BANGKOK

Time 0:05 1:05 1:20 1:40 1:45 2:45 3:15 3:45 3:50 3:50 3:55 3:55 4:00 4:00 4:40 5:40 6:55 7:00 8:25 8:30 8:40 8:55 9:00 9:15 9:25 9:30 9:40 9:45 10:00 10:05 10:10 10:25 10:40 11:45 12:00 12:15 12:30 12:55 13:00 13:40 13:50 13:55 14:20 14:25 14:35 14:40 14:45 15:05 15:10 15:15 15:15 15:35 15:45 15:50 15:55 16:25 16:30 16:40 17:15 17:25 17:35 17:40 18:00 18:10 18:15 18:25 18:35 19:05 19:10 19:20 19:55 20:05 20:15 20:40 21:00 21:00 21:05 21:10 21:55 22:00 22:20 22:25 22:30 22:35 22:45 22:50 23:00 23:05 23:35 23:35 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 VW Tiguan (car) 2010, exterior white, interior black / Tan manual gear, in great condition, 22000 mph, under Kuwait warranty. Price KD 4900. Contact: 66663494. (C 3907) Mitsubishi Pajero 2003, baige color, GLX, 1,35000 km, 2 doors, 6 cyl, (one owner, company maintained). Contact: 66133001.

12-3-2012 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)

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

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.

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.

Arabic language teacher, masters in methods of teaching for secondary and intermediate students. Tel: 50644685.

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.

Senior chemistr y and physics teacher. Long experience for 10th, 11th and 12th stages.

Intermediate science and applied institutions. Highly competent. Tel: 99542922.

Mathematics and statistics female teacher for female students in the secondary, intermediate, university and applied institutions

No: 15385

female students.

99410370.

Tel:

Senior Arabic language and Islamic studies teacher to help weak and slow learning students in a short time. 20 years experience, teaching all elementary subjects excep E. Arabic and Islamic studies for elementary and intermediate.

Tel: 66896088.

Senior mathematics and statistics teacher. Long experience in Kuwait curricula to teach secondary students both science and arts branches, and university admission exams. Tel: 97975096.

Senior chemistry teacher for secondary students and science for intermediate. All reviews and exams, and university qualification chemistry. Tel: 99560268.

Female senior mathematics teacher, 35 years experience in Kuwait for secondary, intermediate and elementary stages, applied, initial university, communications and navigation and special courses. Tel: 97926737.

Elementary stage teacher, 12 years experience, ready to give remedial lessons for all topics in the elementary stage in a simple method.

Tel: 66594901.

English teacher specialized in elementary and intermediate, experienced in grammar, book questions and synonyms. Highly experienced in Kuwait curricula.

Tel: 97373301.

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 Flat in South Surra, 3 bedrooms, 2 of which are master + living room + kitchen + maid room, new, super deluxe. Tel: 97864628.

For rent, commercial flat in Hawally, can be used as workshop, large area. No middle men. Parking. Tel: 66043961.

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.

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.

Flat in Salmiya 2 rooms + 2 bathrooms + living room + kitchen + central satellite + internet. Families only, no middle men. Tel: 66043961.

A commercial floor in Salmiya. Close to Blajat. Car parking. No middle men.

Tel: 66043961.

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 west Jleeb, 3 rooms + living room + kitchen + 2 bathrooms first floor. No elevator. Must be newlyweds or one child only.

Tel:99719887.

Flat in Salam, 3 rooms + living room + kitchen + 3 bathrooms + maid room.

Must be newlyweds or two children only. 60308586.

First floor in Rumaithiya. 4 rooms + living room + kitchen + maid room + 6 bathrooms. Super deluxe.

Must be foreigners and expats only. Tel: 60308586, 99719887.

Large first floor with the roof in Firdous. No middle men. Tel: 99490502.

Fully furnished flat in Mahboula 2 rooms + 2 baths + living room + Gym + DSL, Satellite + full sea view. Rent starts from KD 450. Tel: 66060822.

Furished flat in a Salmiya resort 3 rooms + maid room + garden + swimming pool + children play room + DSL. Sea view + hotel service + car parking.

Rent KD 800. Tel: 66060299.

34

MONDAY, MARCH 12, 2012

stars CROSSWORD 614

STAR TRACK

CALVIN & HOBBES

Aries (March 21-April 19) A balancing act continues when you report to a place of business and have dreams of being in a completely different type of business. Patients . . . for now, the bills get paid and soon, you will be able to move in a different direction, one that you will like. There are a few scattered energies but as you plan a new path you will be able to leave the old path without any problems. Creating a goal calendar will help you begin to see realistic timing. Now concentrate on three things you can do now that will help you to succeed with your goals. You are moved to appreciate and discover the beauty in your life this afternoon and that may take place with a bit of gardening or an artistic project. Someone special wants to return a favor this evening.

Taurus (April 20-May 20) Do not stay to yourself today—others benefit from your presence and you benefit from being in the presence of others. Ideals and a sense of belonging to something bigger than the merely personal become a greater focus. You may begin to attach more importance to friendships and taking part in group activities that center on group goals. You also may want to join a group of people from an Audubon Society or a similar group and go hiking or wild herb hunting. Teach, learn, communicate—social contact has ways of outlining new directions in your life and there is much involvement with these kinds of issues. You may be able to unravel a mystery of your own today. Enjoy an after-dinner walk with a loved one tonight.

POOCH CAFE ACROSS 1. The length of a straight line passing through the center of a circle and connecting two points on the circumference.

5. British writer of short stories (1870-1916).

9. Any tree or shrub of the genus Inga having pinnate leaves and showy usually white flowers.

13. Large genus of erect or climbing prickly shrubs including roses.

14. A material effigy that is worshipped as a god.

15. Any small compartment.

16. (Sumerian) Water god and god of wisdom.

17. Of or relating to or characteristic of Thailand of its people.

18. (of persons) Neat and smart in appearance.

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

20. A group of African language in the Niger-Congo group spoken from the Ivory Coast east to Nigeria.

22. Baked dish of layers of lasagna pasta with sauce and cheese and meat or vegetables.

24. Shrubby tree widely distributed along tropical shores.

25. Flatter in an obsequious manner.

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

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

31. A small cake leavened with yeast.

33. A person forced to flee from home or country.

37. King of Saudi Arabia since 1982 (born in 1922).

39. (Greek mythology) The father of Odysseus.

42. A member of the Siouan people formerly living in the Missouri river valley in NE Nebraska.

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

45. Type genus of the family Arcidae.

46. Call upon in supplication.

49. A metallic element having four allotropic forms.

51. A rare silvery (usually trivalent) metallic element.

52. Covered with beads of liquid.

55. City in southwestern Colombia in a rich agricultural area.

59. Fiddler crabs.

60. An Indian nursemaid who looks after children.

61. Very large red gum tree.

62. The 22nd letter of the Greek alphabet.

63. A Chadic language spoken south of Lake Chad.

64. God of wealth and love.

65. (Greek mythology) The winged goddess of the dawn in ancient mythology.

DOWN 1. A series of mental images and emotions occurring during sleep.

2. Region of western Asia Minor colonized by Ancient Greeks.

3. Inquire about.

4. South American plant cultivated for its large fragrant trumpet-shaped flowers.

5. Wife of Ramachandra.

6. Hormone secreted by the posterior pituitary gland (trade name Pitressin) and also by nerve endings in the hypothalamus.

7. Sluggish tailless Australian arboreal marsupial with gray furry ears and coat.

8. A Greek epic poem (attributed to Homer) describing the siege of Troy.

9. Of or relating to a seizure or convulsion.

10. (Akkadian) God ruling with his consort Ereshkigal the world of the dead.

11. A momentary flash of light.

12. Primitive chlorophyll-containing mainly aquatic eukaryotic organisms lacking true stems and roots and leaves.

21. English writer and a central member of the Fabian Society (1858-1943).

23. Leather with a napped surface.

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

29. A rotating disk shaped to convert circular into linear motion.

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

32. Type genus of the Alcidae comprising solely the razorbill.

34. Capital and largest city of the Czech Republic.

35. A former agency (from 1946 to 1974) that was responsible for research into atomic energy and its peacetime uses in the United States.

36. North American republic containing 50 states - 48 conterminous states in North America plus Alaska in northwest North America and the Hawaiian Islands in the Pacific Ocean.

38. Any member of a Siouan people speaking one of the Dhegiha languages.

40. A city and port in northern Jutland.

41. Speak unfavorably about.

42. A momentary flash of light.

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

47. Tropical Asian starlings.

48. A narrow headband or strip of ribbon worn as a headband.

50. Common Indian weaverbird.

53. The persistence of a sound after its source has stopped.

54. A platform raised above the surrounding level to give prominence to the person on it.

56. A broad flat muscle on either side of the back.

57. The executive agency that advises the President on the federal budget.

58. A self-funded retirement plan that allows you to contribute a limited yearly sum toward your retirement.

Gemini (May 21-June 20) A little extra energy is available today and you will need it because a friend or family member may need your help. This could involve the care of animals or children or even your help to make a move easier to handle. Close relationships take on more emotional importance. Feeling cared for and needed is comfortable; the lack of these things can cause an instinctive feeling of uneasiness. You could find that you are appreciated or valued for your abilities to act and get things done. Someone understands how you feel and is sympathetic today.

Your willingness to help others endears you to them—take care of yourself this evening. Perhaps bathing with bubbles, surrounded by a few good smelling candles—relaxation is good.

Cancer (June 21-July 22)

NON SEQUITUR

Deal with the phone calls or they will spill over into next week—patience. You may feel that you are in touch and in harmony with others; the lines of communication are open. Your personal magnetism is at a high. This is a great time to be with others in work or in play. If a short-term project is needed to help or aid in some neighborhood project, you could take the lead. You are entering into a cycle of mental development that emphasizes the past and your roots in life. Curiosity about such things may lead to study and research. Real estate or home and family planning take on greater importance for you. You will find this a time of nostalgia, of thinking about security and permanence. Now is a good time to keep in touch with friends.

Leo (July 23-August 22) A volunteer service or your effort to help in a religious setting may take up most of your morning. You set an example of giving that others could follow. You enjoy giving as well as having a diversion from your usual routine. This afternoon you may choose to enjoy a bit of relaxation. Steam baths and a good massage will help you to feel at the top of your energy and pampered— increase your drinking water intake. You are excellent at research and may find yourself in the public library or some other facility where you can study and research a subject that is important to you. This period also represents an excellent time to enjoy the company of friends, and a card game or game of charades would be a fun way to end a very busy day.

ZITS

Virgo (August 23-September 22) Health is of interest to you and you may become more and more involved in learning and helping others with healthy foods and exercise. You may spend some time today in an elaborate health-food store. Good for you—take in the good smells—ginger, cinnamon, etc. You have also made some big forward strides with self-confidence and faith in your abilities. Now is the time to learn and to live life to its fullest. Your psychological and mental growth will depend on your ability to keep a balance in all your affairs. Others certainly reflect their confidence in you, as they rely more and more upon your insights. Movies, books and all forms of escape could prove enjoyable this afternoon. A young person or small animal may come to your attention this evening.

Libra (September 23-October 22)

MOTHER GOOSE AND GRIMM

Scorpio (October 23-November 21) Energy, excitement and the opportunity for new discoveries rule the day. You will rise early tomorrow to do the chores. Take advantage of your heightened good feelings and the world around you. You will enjoy good relations with your family or your spouse’s family today. Relatives take on a greater importance than usual. You could be most persuasive with others just now.

Someone previously emotionally cold to you is beginning to warm. Intellectually stimulating conversations are rewarding. There is a good opportunity to get many things done. Interaction with friends is encouraged this evening and may find you having fun around town today. Leisure activities with friends create good opportunities for pictures.

Sagittarius (November 22-December 21) You are tuned-in and turned-on to the vibrations around you and you enjoy talking and listening to your family or friends today.

This increase in communication also applies to business friends as well as your close relationships. The frequent phone calls today may be fringed with levity. This day can bring spiritual development with it. However, you should be aware of tendencies to believe too quickly, too deeply, or to become dependent on things or people that seem to offer quick and easy answers to life’s deepest yearnings. You will enjoy just about everything today, whether it is work or play. It is just that sort of day. You may decide to do a little meditation this evening . . . consider writing in a diary for about six weeks . . . list your insights.

Capricorn (December 22-January 19)

To

Yesterday’s Solution

You are not usually the one that others have to tell to go with the flow. Today would be the best time to be in the mode of goingwith-the-flow. Taking care of the necessary ingredients for the support of life may become the greater preoccupation of your mind set now. Sorting things out and getting them organized to utmost efficiency keeps you busy. This could mean running errands, dealing with store clerks or disgruntled neighbors. It could be especially important that you concentrate on becoming more practical and conscientious today.

Trying to convince someone of a needed change may be difficult for some people, but you take great pleasure in disclosing a truthful picture. This evening would be a good time for a movie with the family.

You could be teaching spiritual lessons today. You have a great interest in guiding young people and there are several students that enjoy having you as their teacher. Everything works well today! Your self-confidence and courage enable you to pursue any objective with ease—you will finish anything you start. This afternoon could be set aside for the beginning of a spring cleaning. Do not forget to bag the still useable items for your community shelter or charity organization. You may find yourself being put to good use by your friends, or it could be that circumstances give you the drive to reorganize and become more conservative. All of this should go rather smoothly. You will express your emotions through a creative endeavor this evening.

Yesterday’s Solution Yester

Aquarius (January 20- February 18) Communications, in general, may be clouded this morning. You could be immovable and resistant to others’ ideas as you go about your routine at home, knowing exactly what you want and where you want it. Some sort of stress could be pushing in on you. You may be spending more energy than necessary in planning for a party today. You could have a great deal of fun in the preparation, particularly since you have all the ingredients necessary for great success.

This party will run smoothly because of your ability to organize . . . so, relax. Music, poetry or some other fun occasion at your house is usually a lot of fun. Your creative side is uppermost. Smile! There is time after the party or gathering for meditating on the day’s activities.

Pisces (February 19-March 20)

Word Sleuth Solution

A little extra energy is available today to sort through some of those relationship problems you have been pushing aside for another day. Two things to remember at this time are firstly, to think before speaking; and secondly, to listen. You may be able to better understand a situation from the other side of the coin, so to speak. You are flexible and find pleasant surprises at every turn today. Professionally speaking, your conduct is exemplary and can be mentor quality. A pleasant environment at home this evening fills you with the desire to just enjoy what you have, stay home and love your family or friends. It may be your turn to cook or . . . you will probably find a loved one is willing to please you with a special type of meal this evening.

A

y

e niv rsar n

Years

MONDAY, MARCH 12, 2012

i n f o r m at i o n

FIRE BRIGADE

112

Al-Madena

22418714

Al-Shohada’a

22545171

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24810598

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22545171

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24742838

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22434853

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22545051

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24711433

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24316983

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23927002

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24316983

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23980088

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23711183

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23262845

24812000

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25610011

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22450005

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25616368

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24843100

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25312700

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24849400

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24892010

Adan Hospital

23940620

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24840300

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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

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4732263

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22517733

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22517144

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24848075

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24849807

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24848913

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24814507

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22549134

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22526804

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24814764

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22515088

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22532265

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22531908

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22518752

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22459381

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22451082

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22456536

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22465401

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25746401

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25316254

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25623444

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25388462

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25381200

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22630786

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24810221

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24770319

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24575755

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24772608

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24775066

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24775992

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24311795

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24884079

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24892674

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24719048

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24710044

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3900322

22434064 22435865 22544200 22547133 22515277 22616662 25714406 22530801

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ON 24 HRS DUTY GOVERNORATE

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23915883 23715414 23726558

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Modern Jahra Madina Munawara

Jahra-Block 3 Lot 1 Jahra-Block 92

24575518 24566622

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Ahlam Khaldiya Coop

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22436184 24833967

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New Shifa Ferdous Coop Modern Safwan

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22547272

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Dr. Abdal-Redha Lari

22617700

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Dr. Abdel Quttainah

25625030/60

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23729596/23729581

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22635047

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23729596/23729581

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2572-6666 ext 8321

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25665898 25340300

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25710444

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22621099

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25713514

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23713100

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24334282

(1) Ear, Nose and Throat (2) Plastic Surgeon Dr. Abdul Mohsin Jafar, FRCS (Canada)

25655535

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Dr. Fozeya Ali Al-Qatan

22655539

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25343406

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22641071/2

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25739272

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22562226

22618787

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22561444

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22619557

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22525888

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25653755

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25620111

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22610044

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25327148

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22666300 25728004

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25355515

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24726446

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25654300/3

Soor Center Tel: 2290-1677 Fax: 2290 1688

Neurologists

22639939

Dr. Mousa Khadada

info@soorcenter.com www.soorcenter.com

3729596/3729581

Dr. Sohal Najem Al-Shemeri

25633324

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25345875

Gastrologists Dr. Sami Aman

22636464

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25322030

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22633135

Dr. Naif Al-Mutawa, Ph.D. 2290-1677 Susannah-Joy Schuilenberg, M.A. 2290-1677

25339330

Dr. Ahmad Al-Ansari 25658888 Dr. Kamal Al-Shomr 25329924 Physiotherapists & VD Dr. Deyaa Shehab

25722291

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22666288

Rheumatologists: Dr. Adel Al-Awadi

Dr Anil Thomas

Dr. Salem soso

Dr. Abd Al-Naser Al-Othman

25330060

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25722290

Internist, Chest & Heart DR.Mohammes Akkad

24555050 Ext 210

Dr. Mohammad Zubaid MB, ChB, FRCPC, PACC Assistant Professor Of Medicine Head, Division of Cardiology Mubarak Al-Kabeer Hospital Consultant Cardiologist Dr. Farida Al-Habib MD, PH.D, FACC Inaya German Medical Center Te: 2575077 Fax: 25723123

2611555-2622555

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36

MONDAY, MARCH 12, 2012

LIFESTYLE G o s s i p

Schwarzenegger’s son injured in Idaho ski accident he 18-year-old son of Arnold Schwarzenegger and Maria Shriver says he has been treated for injuries after getting in “a little ski accident” in Idaho. Patrick Schwarzenegger tweeted Saturday that he received stitches “down the back and but” (sic) after the accident, and he also thanked doctors who he said cared for him in Sun Valley. He provided a link to a photo he posted to the social networking application Instagram, showing a deep cut on his lower back. He also said that he had been bruised in the accident, but did not provide details on how he got injured. A spokesman for Shriver did not provide further details. In 2006, Arnold Schwarzenegger broke his leg in a ski accident at Sun Valley while he was governor of California.

T

Madonna finds being a single mother ‘hard work’

Chicago-area house featured in

he ‘Give Me All Your Luvin’ singer - who is currently dating dancer Brahim Zaibat - has four kids, Lourdes, 15, Rocco, 12, David, six, and fiveyear-old Mercy and admits juggling raising them and maintaining her busy career can be difficult. She said: “I’m not going to lie - it’s hard work having four kids and doing all the work I do. “Everybody has something to say about the way I live my life. At the end of the day I’m doing my best. If people don’t like it, then that’s really their problem.

“Sometimes I cope with it very well, sometimes it’s a struggle. It’s a challenge juggling everything-multitasking is my middle name.”

The 53-year-old singer also revealed her kids try to outsmart her by speaking to one another in French because they know her grasp of the language isn’t as good as theirs. She added in an interview with The Sun newspaper: “We just try to have as normal a life as possible. My life with them at home is really just about schoolwork and health and the after-school lessons just like everybody else. “Most of them go to a French school. My French is not very impressive, but it’s good enough. Everyone in my house speaks perfect French but me. I’m getting better at understanding when they’re not talking about their homework. “I’m now picking up things and saying, ‘What did you say?’. I know the necessary swear words, so they have to be careful.”

T

‘Home Alone’ movies sold he stately red brick house featured in the 1990 comedy film “Home Alone” has sold for nearly $1.6 million, a person involved in the transaction said on Saturday. The 14-room, Georgian-style house, located in the northern Chicago suburb of Winnetka, Illinois, was originally priced at $2.4 million when it was first put up for sale 10 months ago. It sold earlier this week for $1.59 million. “Home Alone” told the story of boy, played by Macaulay Culkin, who is accidentally left behind when his family goes on a Christmas holiday and has to fight off bungling burglars, played by Joe Pesci and Daniel Stern.

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Madsen arrested after fight with son ctor Michael Madsen, known for roles in films such as “Thelma & Louise,” was arrested for child cruelty after getting into a fight with his teenage son, authorities said on Saturday. The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department said Madsen, 54, was arrested at his Malibu, California home on Friday afternoon by deputies investigating a report of a family disturbance. Madsen “appeared under the influence of alcohol,” the sheriff’s department said in a statement. He was arrested without incident. The Chicagoborn actor, best known for his roles in films such as “Reservoir Dogs,” “Thelma & Louise” and “Kill Bill,” was booked and jailed on charges of cruelty to a child. His bail was set at $100,000.

A

Hasselhoff hates being alone avid Hasselhoff finds the silence “deafening” when he is alone. The former ‘Baywatch’ star is renowned for his positive outlook and upbeat nature, but says that when he’s alone at night, he gets lonely. The star - who is currently dating Welsh Beauty Hayley Williams - said: “Eighty per cent of the time I am positive and upbeat. But you know what? You can meet 10,000 people in a night, however, if you then go back to your hotel room and you’re on your own, the silence can be deafening. “I worked on Christmas Day, I’ve missed a lot of weddings because of work commitments. You miss a lot.” One way in which David finds solace however is in his canine friends, as he spends a great deal of time and his own money on saving rescue dogs. He added to Britain’s OK! magazine: “Travel and dogs are my biggest extravagances.

No expense is spared when we travel and my family love dogs. I probably spend $1,000 a time on dogs as we help rescue a lot of them.”

D Prince Harry runs charity race in a William mask ritain’s Prince Harry donned a Prince William mask for a charity fun run. The fun-loving royal joined families, athletes and supermodel Lily Cole in running the Sport Relief mile in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and unexpectedly donned the paper face cover midway through the event. Harry was given the mask by fellow runner Hettie Allison, who was part of a group of three who donned royal disguise for the run, and an aide said the prince thought it would give his elder brother “a laugh”. He was joined for part of his sprint by 17-year-old blind 200m runner and long-jump athlete Alice de Oliveura Correio, who joked: “To run with ‘William’ was fantastic, very cool.” Harry completed the mile in eight min-

B

utes and 32 seconds. Following the run, Harry - who is vice-patron of the Rugby Football Union (RFU) and a qualified touch rugby coach - joined several Aviva Premiership coaches for a session with local children. At one point, the prince scooped up two children and ran down the beach with them. The prince - wearing a shirt in Brazil’s green and yellow colours with his name on the back - was then treated to a beach volleyball coaching session, and his technique was praised by the players. Two-time Olympic medallist Adriana Behar said: “We’re showing him how to do spikes and some other techniques, but he looks like he’s already got the moves.”

Shannon grows up with role ichael Shannon believes appearing in a forthcoming Superman movie proves he has “grown up”. The 37-year-old actor is playing the role of evil General Zod in ‘Man of Steel’ and he admits although he is nervous about taking on such a responsibility, he thinks it proves he can deal with the pressure and act like an adult about it. He said: “It’s good to do something like this. It’s good to take on that kind of responsibility - be a grown up, be able to feel that pressure and be OK with it. “And let’s face it, it’s not neuroscience!” Despite the importance of the part, ‘Take Shelter’ star Michael confesses he is not a fan of comic books - the medium by which Superman was originally portrayed. He said: “I can’t read comic books. They don’t make any sense to me. I find they’re very hard to follow. I’m never sure which panel to look at, and then I get confused.” —Agencies

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37

MONDAY, MARCH 12, 2012

LIFESTYLE F e a t u r e s

Winners announced for King Faisal International prizes rince Khalid Al-Faisal, director of ‘The King Faisal Foundation’, announced the winners of the King Faisal International Prizes. l The King Faisal International Prize for Science (Biology) for the year 2012 has been awarded to: Professor George Alexander Varshavsky Professor Varshavsky has made groundbreaking discoveries into how the living cell works.

He elucidated how cell functions are regulated by protein degradation. Proteins are essential parts of organisms and participate in virtually every process within the cell. Cells continuously produce and destroy proteins to ensure optimal function.

Varshavsky’s work led to the unraveling of the cellular mechanisms that determine how cellular proteins are being selected for destruction. He also discovered how proteins are marked for rapid degradation. These advances have created a new realm of biology and have been essential for progress in research on human cancer, neurodegeneration, immune responses and other fundamental biological

P

processes. This may lead to clinically useful therapies. l The King Faisal International Prize for Medicine ( Minimal Invasive Fetal Managemen) for the year 2012G has been awarded jointly to:

Professor Richard L Berkowitz and Professor James Bruce Bussel Professors Berkowitz and Bussel worked together for more than two decades to study the natural history, optimal diagnostic criteria, and management of pregnant women having infants affected with Alloimmune thrombocytopenia. This disease causes intracranial hemorrhage either inutero or during neonatal period, causing death or substantial disability in 10% of untreated cases.

Professor Bussel has provided expertise in the diagnosis and medical management of these patients through safe administration of intravenous gamma-globulins, while Professor Berkowitz has provided expertise in obstetrical management of these patients. Both professors

developed the study protocols, analyzed the data, interpreted the results and wrote the reports for publications. In addition they have served as consultants for clinicians from all over the world seeking guidance for the clinical management of these patients. The worldwide ongoing treatment for this disorder is largely based on their work. lThe King Faisal International Prize for Arabic Language and Literature (Computer Processing of The Arabic Language: Individual and Institutional Endeavors) for the year 2012G has been awarded jointly to:

Professor Ali Hilmi Ahmed Mousa and Professor Nabil Ali Mohamed Professor Ali Hilmi Ahmed Mousa has been awarded the Prize in recognition of his distinguished contributions towards computer applications in Arabic language research, a field he has explored since early stages of computerization and its applications in language Studies. His pioneering work in this field since the 1970’s has

field of human rights and his ability to present his work in a comprehensive and well-documented manner. l The King Faisal International Prize for Service to Islam for this year 2012G has been awarded to: Sheikh Sulaiman Bin Abd Al-Aziz Al-Rajhi Sheikh Sulaiman Al-Rajhi, a world leading philanthropist, has been awarded the prize In recognition of his outstanding services to Islam, including: 1- Endowing more than 50% of his wealth for humanitarian purposes, and establishing a special foundation to monitor this endowment, maintain it and ensure that it is spent on its intended recipients.

2- Participating in establishing the world’s largest and most venerable Islamic banking institution operating in concordance with Islamic Shari’ah teachings.

3- Contributing regularly towards humanitarian efforts to fight poverty.

This is accomplished by providing national and international humanitarian societies with material support and training.

4- Encouraging Quranic memorization groups and providing them

set an example for other researchers.

Dr Nabil Ali Mohammed has been awarded the Prize in recognition of his leadership in research and applications of computerized Arabic linguistic studies, coupled with his deep knowledge and remarkable ability to express and analyze his findings and present them as practical programs that benefit scholars of both linguistics and computerization fields. Dr. Mohammed’s research on computerbased management of Arabic language provides an indispensable reference to many scholars and program designers. lThe King Faisal International Prize for Islamic Studies (Human Rights in Islam) for the year 2012 has been awarded to: Professor Adnaan Mohammed Al-Wazaan In recognition of his highly authoritative, Arabic encyclopedia of human rights in Islam and its attributes in Saudi Arabia. This scholarly and thoroughly researched, 8-volumed text is based on extensive resources from Islamic jurisprudence and contemporary human rights studies, and reflects the writer’s experience and depth of knowledge in the

with financial support and prizes, in addition to printing hundreds of thousands of copies of the Holy Quran and distributing them free of charge worldwide, particularly in Africa.

5- Establishing non-profit colleges as a nucleus for a university soon to be announced. There are currently three health sciences colleges as well as other academic institutions for developing Arabic and Islamic studies curricula in different languages and for teaching Arabic language to non-Arabic speakers.

6- Building large mosques with places for prayers, education and seclusion, such as Al-Rajhi mosque in Riyadh and his mosque in Ha’il, each of which accommodates thousands of worshippers.

7- Investing in major projects aimed at providing food security and serving industry, construction and other sectors.

8- Contributing to the development of Muslim communities through investment and strengthening of commercial relations with the Islamic world.

9- Encouraging Muslim youth, through his talks and personal experience, to indulge in private business.

Fishing competition winners announced at

Popular Heritage Festival

oor weather conditions prevented fishermen from participating in the inaugural fishing competition held during the Popular Heritage Festival that will end on March 24. The organizing committee crowned winners selected through a draw held at the Fishermen’s Diwaniya in AlFintas on Saturday.

A crowd of fishermen gathered early in the morning to take part in the competition, but the organizing committee decided to cancel fishing due to strong winds. “Due to unfavorable weather conditions, the organizing committee has decided select winners through a draw so as to protect contestants’ safety,” said Sheikh Salem Al-Nawaf AlSabah, Head of the organizing committee.

Following the draw, contestant Tariq AlSaied won the KD 1,500 grand prize, followed by Waleed Al-Mubarak who won the KD 1,200 second place prize, and Abdulwahab Al-Khazal who received the KD 1,000 as third place prize. The draw was held to select top ten winners from among 45 contestants who participated, out of the 84 fishermen that registered. The next fishing competition will take place on March 17 at the Fishermen’s Dewaniya in Salmiya, AlSabah said.

Saturday’s activities also featured a camel beauty contest for the breed known as ‘AlMujaiheem’ commonly used by Bedouin tribes. The contest was held for the 30camel herd category featuring nine breeders.

Meanwhile, Saturday’s events also included a beauty contests for sheep, featuring 30 male sheep from the Najd breed. Abdul-Aziz Al-Shutaiti of Saudi Arabia won the first place, followed by Mahdi Al-Ajmi of Kuwait, and Hashal Al-Dousary of Saudi Arabia.

Competitions featuring other Arab sheep breeds including Al-Ardy, Al-Nuaimi and AlShami will continue to be held until the end of the festival, said Fahad Al-Handas, Head of the judging committee.

Today, a grand equestrian race will be hosted at the Kuwait Hunting and Equestrian Club. This year, an unprecedented number of nine rounds will be held, with the participation of 136 Arabian and crossbred horses.

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Unique cultural exhibition to open in Kuwait uwait’s Amricani Cultural Centre will be the destination for a unique cultural event held under the patronage of His Excellency Sheikh Mohammed Abdullah Al-Mubarak Al-Sabah, Minister of Information and President of the National Council of Culture, Arts and Letters.

Taking place from March 15 to June 16 at the Amricani Cultural Centre in Kuwait City, ‘The Golden Age of the Arab Sciences’ exhibition will present rare artefacts and texts, as well as informative audiovisual presentations, exploring the Arab world’s pioneering contribution to ancient science and philosophy.

Hosted by Dar al-Athar al-Islamiyyah (DAI), the exhibition is being brought to Kuwait by the Institut du Monde Arabe of Paris (IMA), with the support of Total and the French embassy. The three-month exhibition will feature priceless items from The Al-Sabah Collection of art from the Islamic world, the private art collection of Sheikh Nasser Sabah Al-Ahmed Al-Sabah and his wife, DAI director general and co-founder Sheikha Hussah Sabah Al-Salem Al-Sabah.

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MONDAY, MARCH 12, 2012

lifestyle M U S I C

&

M O V I E S

Georgian

Russia slays ‘monsters’ in Kremlin-backed film

A handout photo provided on February 16, 2012 by the IMARS PR agency and taken on June 12, 2011, shows actress Svetlana Ivanova starring in ‘August 8th,’ a Kremlin-funded blockbuster that gives the Russian view of the country’s 2008 war with Georgia. — AFP

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lone heroine fights off giant monsters and sinister masked warriors in “August 8,” a Kremlin-funded blockbuster that gives the Russian view of the country’s 2008 war with Georgia. Almost entirely financed by the government, the film came out after Georgia last year backed a Hollywood version starring Andy Garcia as its president Mikheil Saakashvili. Izvestia daily praised the film, which depicts a young Muscovite’s search for her son around the town of Tskhinvali in South Ossetia-a breakaway region of Georgia-after both unwittingly stray into the war zone, as a “symmetrical response to Hollywood.” Hundreds died in the brief war beginning August 8 that saw Russian forces pour into neighbouring Georgia to repel Tbilisi’s attempt to retake the Kremlin-backed rebel region.

Bursting with special effects, the war is sometimes shown through the eyes of the woman’s traumatized and injured child as a battle

between benevolent smiling robots and scaly monsters. President Dmitry Medvedev recently praised “August 8” for keeping the memory of the war alive and reinforcing the view that Georgia was first to attack. “The film has a very important mission to tell the truth,” he said. At the premiere late February, director Dzhanik Faiziyev insisted it was not a political statement.

“We didn’t give ourselves the task of setting out any political accents. We wanted to make a film about a sweet girl, about her heroic journey, about how she tried to find her life, to find herself,” he told AFP. But Russia is still aggrieved at international support for Georgia and its vehemently proWestern leader Saakashvili over the brief but bloody conflict, and the film was financed by a fund that promotes patriotic cinema. Sergei Tolstikov, the CEO of the Cinema Fund, set up by the government to support national films, told AFP the film cost over $10 million, and that the

fund gave “around 90 percent.”

On its first weekend, the film came second in the box office to US action film “Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance,” making $4.8 million on 1,500 screens across the country, according to ProfiCinema website. The subject is inevitably political, Tolstikov said. “We’re not going to pretend that these events took place in a fantasy country,” he said. “It was a very complex and difficult time, and there is a political element. Many of our peacemakers and citizens died. This affected the country very strongly. When these guys came to us with this idea, it would have been wrong to say no.”

The film has scenes starring Russian President Medvedev (played by big-shouldered hunk Vladimir Vdovichenkov) and square-jawed Russian troops who laugh at danger and love their mothers. In contrast, the heroine comes under fire from black-masked Georgian troops whose faces are not shown until the very end,

when one soldier takes pity on her. Saakashvili, who was demonised by Russian media during the war, is nowhere in sight.

The director said he deliberately did not show Georgians’ faces because he believes rank-andfile troops were not to blame for the conflict. “In Russia no one has a bad attitude to Georgian people as such. No one sees Georgia as an enemy,” he said. “This was one of those rare wars when the soldiers had no personal motive, and so I didn’t want people to look into the eyes of the people who shot at us.” Moscow’s position on the war comes through clearly, despite the fantasy elements, one prominent Russian critic said.

“The fact is that the film justifies Russian foreign policy, depicting Georgia as the aggressor,” wrote Lidiya Maslova in Kommersant business daily. Soon after the war, Russian television ran a propagandistic drama called “Olympius Inferno” about an American caught up in the conflict whose eyes were gradually opened to Georgian

excesses. Last year, “Five Days of August”, a Georgian-US project directed by Renny Harlin of “Die Hard 2” that depicted the conflict as Kremlin aggression, premiered in the Georgian capital Tbilisi.

With action scenes, a love story and a cute child actor, the new Russian film hits all the Hollywood buttons. It even attempts a rerun of the famous faked orgasm scene from “When Harry Met Sally.” The style is no accident, since the screenplay was co-written by an American, former Newsweek war correspondent turned scenarist Michael Lerner, who said at the premiere that his inspirations included “Terminator 2.” “I think what they wanted was somebody who understood structure,” he told AFP. Russian senator and television host Alexei Pimanov said at the premiere that the film was equal to any American effort. “Technically this is a breakthrough film, it’s really made just like in Hollywood,” he said. — AFP

Comic books giant Moebius dies M

Photo shows talk show host Ellen DeGeneres walks with Brad Pitt in the Lower Ninth Ward in New Orleans, during the taping of ‘The Ellen DeGeneres Show,’ on Friday. —AP

Brad Pitt stages ‘mini-Grammys’ show to help New Orleans

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very time he crosses the Claiborne Avenue bridge heading east across the New Orleans Industrial Canal, actor Brad Pitt gets a lump in his throat.

From that vantage point, he can look down on a section of the city’s Lower Ninth Ward that is ground zero for “Make It Right,” a home rebuilding initiative Pitt launched to help people whose homes were destroyed

by Hurricane Katrina in 2005, which killed 1,500 people and devastated the historic Southern city. “Each time I come back to New Orleans and drive over that bridge, I get this swell of joy,” Pitt told Reuters, his eyes going watery. “It’s means a lot to me to watch that neighborhood take shape.”

Pitt and his movie star partner, Angelina Jolie, own a house in the city’s French Quarter, and they visit the city regularly with their six children. The actor shares his feelings about the city and its recovery with a few thousand people on Saturday evening, as he and comedian Ellen DeGeneres, a New Orleans native, host the Make It Right Foundation’s biggest fundraiser at a New Orleans hotel. Billed as “A Night to Make It Right,” the star-studded, sold-out gala is expected to draw 1,200 guests who paid between $1,000 and $2,500 to attend a dinner prepared by New

Orleans celebrity chefs John Besh and Emeril Lagasse, and a concert featuring musical stars Rihanna, Sheryl Crow, Seal and Dr John.

The lineup includes Hollywood luminaries and honorary hosts Sean Penn, Spike Lee, Josh Brolin and Kevin Spacey. In addition, some 2,000 people have anted up $150 for an “after party” hosted by actorcomedian Aziz Ansari, with musical performances by Kanye West, Snoop Dogg and the Soul Rebels. Asked if it was difficult to get the big names to journey to New Orleans for the event, Pitt joked, “Even though these people don’t like me that much, it really was simple.”

Noting that the celebrities traveled from as far away as Paris for the event, Pitt said the turnout was a mark of their regard for New Orleans. “They carved this time out of their schedule strictly for this event, and came on their own dime,” he said. “We have so much incredible talent that wanted to come and support the city - it’s going to be like a mini-Grammys show.” Pitt estimated the events and sponsorships would raise $4 million for Make it Right, which aims to build 150 homes in the Lower Ninth Ward and has pulled in about $30 million since its founding four years ago. —Reuters

oebius, the French comic-book artist whose spectacular science fantasy-based work wrought its magic on Hollywood classics such as “Alien” and “Tron”, has died after a long illness. He was 73. “He died this morning following a long illness,” a friend and colleague told AFP on Saturday. Such was the appeal of Moebiusor Jean Henri Gaston Giraud-that he won a devoted following as far afield as Japan and the United States, countries working in radically different comic-book traditions. “The whole profession is in shock, totally devastated, even if we knew that he was seriously ill,” Gilles Ratier, head of France’s Association of Comic-Book Critics, told AFP. Colleagues paid tribute to the artist and writer generally acknowledged as having been one of the most daring and innovative in his field. Giraud, who grew up drawing cowboys and indians, published his first drawings in 1957 and found fame with the western character Lieutenant Blueberry in 1963. The lean, mean gunslinger was to become one of the most iconic figures in French comicbook history. He adopted the pseudonym Moebius for his illustrations in science fiction books and magazines.

But he also worked under other pseudonyms, including Gir, Giraud and Moeb. But as Moebius, he

Picture taken on February 9, 2008 in Poitiers, central France, shows French cartoonist Jean Giraud, aka ‘Moebius’, posing in front of a fresco made from one of his albums. — AFP said, he operated on a whole different level. “When I am in the skin of Moebius, I draw in a state of trance, I try to escape from my ‘ego’,” he told AFP in 2010. In 1975, Moebius was one of the cofounders of “Metal Hurlant” (Heavy Metal), a spectacular blend of visually arresting comic-book art that was heavily inspired by the counter-culture vibe from across the Atlantic.

The magazine’s blend of science fiction, epic fantasy and politically incorrect humor-which featured in a 1981 animated film of the same nameprovided the perfect platform for Moebius’ far-out creations. As his reputation grew, he collaborated with US comic-books legend Stan Lee on an adventure featuring the enigmatic The Silver Surfer character. And in another style entirely, he tackled the story of Icarus with Jiro Taniguchi, a master in the Japanese manga tradition. His influence also spread into cinema, as he put his visual stamp on the first “Alien” film and the science fiction adventure “Tron”. In 2010-11 France’s Cartier Foundation for Contemporary Art acknowledged his stature, staging a major retrospective of his work. Giraud was born in Nogent-sur-Marne east of Paris on May 8, 1938. After art school he began training as an illustrator for advertisers and the fashion industry before turning to comic strips. —AFP

MONDAY, MARCH 12, 2012

lifestyle F A S H I O N

Makeovers for disenfranchised women in Paris salon T

he Josephine beauty parlor in northern Paris is celebrating its first birthday Thursday and the success of a simple idea: When life is ugly, make women feel beautiful. Some 1,200 disadvantaged women - abuse victims, former convicts or addicts, disabled women, single unemployed mothers - have come for a professional haircut and makeup, or to borrow clothes for a job interview, since it opened on International Women’s Day a year ago. Thanks to volunteer workers and private sponsors, it’s just Ä3 ($3.95) for a haircut including color or highlights, less than the cost of a cafe au lait in a Parisian bistro. But the salon’s real attraction is the boost to morale, confidence and even job prospects that it provides.

In a city synonymous with women’s beauty and fashion, this salon is the first to reach out to the disenfranchised, at a time when France is struggling to lower jobless rates and shrink a growing gap between the rich and poor. Similar projects have sprouted up in the United States and elsewhere.

“It’s better than for Hollywood stars. Over there, there are only lights. Here, there is something more,” says Souad, a 39 year-old mother of three, just before undergoing the first facial of her life. “Without getting into our personal lives, they know how to comfort us,” she says of the volunteers working at the parlor. She, like many women who come to the salon, asked that her last name not be published because they didn’t want to be identified as destitute or otherwise troubled.

Some of the women are referred to the parlor by charitable associations, others come of their own initiative, in which case they need to show documents proving they are in a difficult situation. Hairdresser Lucia Iraci, who created the Josephine salon, started volunteering several years before that. First she went to rundown housing projects, liaising with local charities and setting up makeshift hair studios in kitchens or dining halls.

Then she welcomed poor women in her own hair salon, in the chic Saint-Germain-des-Pres neighborhood on Paris’ Left Bank, on Mondays, when the shop was closed to other customers.

That was until she met another woman, Maya

Wendling, a development director at a charity, who helped her find sponsors for the full-scale solidarity beauty parlor that had been on her mind for a long time. Her idea was simple. “When things are going bad, you hide in your bed and you stop taking care of yourself,” she said in an interview. “I thought that through beauty one could give back this self-esteem that you lose when you’re not well.”

clean lines with a touch of fuchsia on one wall, a comfortable sofa to wait in, bunches of flowers on the coffee table and by the mirrors. Nothing, in other words, that looks like a place for the poor and disenfranchised. “It’s not about turning them into bimbos,” says founder Iraci, who used to work with fashion designers and photographers. “We’re leading them towards natural elegance.”

File photo shows Mehdi, a volunteer hairdresser, applies highlights for a customer, who asked not to be named, at the Josephine beauty parlor in Paris. — AP “They welcome us with smiles and laughs,” said customer Ouarda, who has taken off her headscarf for the appointment. “It’s time for me,” she said of this respite in her busy mother schedule, adding that she simply feels “like a woman, free.” One customer came with her 4-year-old daughter, who stayed busy with a coloring book of princesses.

The visitors seem to like the salon’s design, too:

If women want more than the haircut/makeup package, for instance some nail polish, they must pay Ä1 extra. “I want to leave them the pride of being customers, of not owing anything to anybody,” explains the Josephine founder.

Women can also borrow clothes - a stylist comes regularly to offer them some clothing advice - but they need to give them back after their job interview.

“We don’t give just to give,” Iraci says. “Rehabilitation is also about respect.” Iraci has had the satisfaction of seeing some concrete results: “A few women have found a job; another one for the first time filed a complaint for rape.” “The hardest moment is when I need to set my empathy aside, to stop pitying them, to go on speaking normally and to make things evolve,” she says. Her biggest satisfaction, she says, is to see women “move forward.”

Mehdi Glaoua Gonzalez, a hair stylist who volunteers at Josephine, says his biggest reward is when “women feel beaming when leaving the place.” He also explains that most volunteers come from the fashion world because their freelance work leaves them free days to do so. Among similar initiatives is Dress for Success, an international NGO that aims at getting disadvantaged women in the work force by giving them a suit for a job interview and other clothes if they find work. According to their website, the group serves some 50,000 women every year in countries including the United States, Mexico, Australia, the Netherlands and Poland.

Some hairdressers in the United States offer free or discounted haircuts one day a week for the unemployed or other women in difficulty. The Josephine salon is a full-time operation focused on these women, who rarely get the chance to be the focus of anything positive.

With an annual budget of Ä250,000, the Josephine salon has only three paid employees; all the other workers, including Iraci, are volunteers. The project was supported by the municipality but most of the funding comes from corporate donors who give money or donations such as hair products, beauty products, clothes and shoes.

The association now hopes to open a similar beauty parlor by the end of the year in Saint-Denis, a northern suburb of Paris. And it is working on two more projects in central and northern France. The philosophy will remain unchanged: “kind feminism,” as Iraci calls it. The principles will stay the same also: “We don’t ask women their life story. “Although, of course, they often chat because, well, we’re still at the hairdresser’s!”—AP

E

very fashionista’s address book contains the name of a great tailor and a reliable cobbler. After all, some alterations and repairs are best left to the pros. But there are loads of inexpensive, easy-touse and invaluable tools that can be kept on hand for minor wardrobe emergencies, touch-ups and maintenance.

At-home helpers Even high-quality sweaters will start to pill eventually, especially under the arms and at the hem. Sweater stones can help a bit, but a $10 sweater shaver is faster, more effective and less likely to cause snags.

The best versions of these little devices look like men’s electric shavers, with a perforated metal head that guards fibers from the whirring internal blades. Pills are gently lifted, trimmed away and deposited into a lint catcher. A quick pass with a sweater shaver can make a pilly old sweater look good as new.

Matching a shoe polish color to every pair you own is virtually impossible, and creams and treatments can backfire. But an inexpensive oiled leather sponge can work wonders on scuffed and faded shoes.

These sponges are injected with mild protective oils that restore suppleness and shine to most porous leathers. They’re surprisingly dry and mess-free — unlike smelly, goopy polishes — and can last for years if stored properly.

Test an interior patch first to make sure the oils won’t drastically alter your shoe’s color, then gently rub the sponge across any worn areas.

Shoes that have been thoroughly damaged by water, salt or dryness won’t be saved, but those with minor scuffs and fading will be restored instantly. Nothing makes a button-front shirt look crisp and new like a thorough pressing, but ironing takes time and a certain amount of skill.

If you’re short on either, consider a handheld steamer instead. For $30 or less, you’ll get a portable device that works wonders on wrinkled garments. In most cases, you’ll fill a small tank with tap water, plug in the steamer, and wait while the water boils. Once steam begins to flow, slowly pass the steamer across wrinkled surfaces from the inside of the garment. Stubborn wrinkles in wovens and twill may require an iron, but knits, jersey, wool and cashmere will respond beautifully.

Storage solutions Tall boots are a fall and winter staple, but keeping them in shape can be challenging. Instead of purchasing expensive boot shapers, try rolling up old magazines and sliding them into boot shafts. This will keep all but the most slouchy of boots upright and crease-free. Wine bottles work equally well, but can prove hazardous if boots are stored on high shelves. Storing a large collection of scarves can be tricky, especially because they vary in weight, size and texture. If you’ve got room inside your closet door or on an interior wall, try installing a towel rack.

Scarves can be draped over the rack itself, or you can add shower rings to the bar and insert multiple scarves in each ring. Extremely delicate and valuable scarves should be kept packed away, but casual ones will fare well. This simple storage method keeps scarves visible, accessible and relatively wrinkle-free.

On the go Keeping wardrobe maintenance tools at home is only helpful if you’ve got the time and foresight to examine your outfit before heading out the door. Most wardrobe malfunctions happen while you’re on the go, and they are guaranteed day-ruiners. Having the tools on hand to deal with common style-related problems can make a world of difference, so consider assembling an emergency kit to keep in your purse.

Fill a small zippered bag with blister block, double-sided fashion tape, safety pins, a stain removal stick, a mini bottle of clear nail polish, bobby pins and nail clippers. If you can squeeze them in, add ponytail holders, blotting papers and tweezers, but remember that the ideal emergency kit can be tucked into a handbag. Don’t let it get too bulky. — MCT

Moda Lisboa

wardrobe

fashion week

Make a toolkit part of your

Models display Autum/Winter 2013 creations by Portuguese fashion designer Nuno Gama during the 38th Edition of Moda Lisboa at Patio da Gale, Terreiro do Paco Square in Lisbon.

—AFP photos

NunoBaltazar

Brad Pitt stages ‘mini-Grammys’ show to help New Orleans

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MONDAY, MARCH 12, 2012

A scene is played out in an Opera Australia production of “Turandot” at the Sydney Opera House in Sydney, Australia. Opera Australia’s revival of Puccini’s “Turandot” represents a triumph of the traditional, taking a fairy tale of ancient China on its own terms and bringing it to life through dazzling stagecraft. —AP

Indian artist sets his goals sky-high ‘Painting ‘larger than life’ oil portraits my passion’

By Sajeev K Peter

H

e has set his goals sky-high. His ambitious plans include the creation of a 150-feetlong oil painting of His Highness the Amir of Kuwait. Indian artist Venugopal knows clearly that it is a tall order as he fervently hopes to receive permission to realize his dream project, and secure adequate financial support to do it in Kuwait. He is emboldened by the encouraging experiences in Oman and the UAE where his ‘larger than life’ hand-painted por-

tures have a very harmful impact on our environment as they are bio-non-degradable. It is important that we generate a better awareness about the harmful effect of plastic, especially in the Gulf region,” he adds.

“Even though I’m a mason, art is my passion.

But today, artists like me face an uncertain future.

Remember, it is the age of digital painting.

Demand for hand-made portraits has been dwindling over the years, and original artists like me find it hard to survive in today’s competitive environment,” Venugopal says.

However, Venugopal sounded optimistic when he said, “the motto in my life is not to go where the path may lead, instead go where there is no path and leave a trail.”

traits brought him fame and appreciation.

“I am in Kuwait with high hopes,” Venugopal told the Kuwait Times during a brief interview outlining his ambitious plan to do portraits of the ruling family members including a 150-feet tall and 120-feet wide portrait of HH the Amir.

The Indian artist arrived in Kuwait recently after his long sojourns in Oman, UAE, Qatar and Bahrain where he has done hundreds of gigantic oil paintings of ruling family members and leaders. Hoping to find an entry into the Guinness Book of World Records in the category of the largest hand-painted portrait by an individual artist, Venugopal appears to be quite optimistic about achieving his goal.

Shot to fame The mason-turned Indian artist shot to fame in

Indian artist Venugopal

Oman with his mammoth 42-feet portrait of Sultan Qaboos in 2008 that adorned a strategic point on Rex Road, Muscat. In the UAE, his 80-feet oil painting of Prime Minister, Vice President and Dubai ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid AlMaktoum, became a sensation and set a record in hand-painted portrait category.

“I was inspired by Dubai’s Burj Khalifa, the world’s tallest tower. Also this is one of my ways of showing my love towards this great leader,” he says. “And I don’t think there is such a big handpainted oil portrait created by an individual artist anywhere in the world,” Venugopal adds.

He had to import more than 200 kilograms of canvas and special oil paints from India that would not fade away in the UAE’s extreme summer heat to complete the painting.

The artist, who lived more than 18 years in

Oman, and more than four years in other parts of the Gulf region, has painted numerous portraits of leading political leaders and prominent personalities. Back home in India, he has done portraits of several film stars and political leaders. The series of portraits of Mahatma Gandhi he did for the Gujarat government to adorn Gandhiji’s ashrams are some of the astounding works, he recalls.

Venugopal, who hails from Attingal, Kerala, has done several extraordinary landscapes and nature paintings on canvas in addition to portraits. His works characterize a rare blend of colors and aesthetics.

Nature-friendly “I’m promoting oil painting on canvas and this kind of art form because of an environmental reason also,” points out Venugopal. “Digital flex pic-

The 42-feet-long portrait of Sultan Qaboos done on canvas.

Belgian racing pigeons lure rich Chinese aficionados R

ich Chinese pigeon fanciers are offering tens of thousands of euros to buy Belgian champions, to the despair of local pigeon-lovers unable to compete in such sky-high auction bids. Pigeon-breeding is an old Chinese passion, even though long-distance pigeon-racing has never caught on the way it has in northern Europe. In Belgium, the Netherlands, northern France, and Britain pigeon-racing can take place over distances of over 1,000 kilometres (660 miles) with birds vying to return as quickly as possible to their home roost, their homing instinct allowing them to find the way.

Champion racing pigeons can win large sums in prize money for their owners. In Belgium, pigeon-fancying had been on the decline in recent years, but the arrival of Chinese aficionados has changed the market’s dynamic. Pigeon racing in China goes back to

the Ming dynasty, when they were used as carrier pigeons. Banned during the Cultural Revolution, it made a comeback in the 1970s. According to Chinese state media, there are about 300,000 people in the country involved in the sport. In late January, a rich Chinese industrialist Hun Zhen Yu came to Europe and paid 250,000 euros ($328,000) for “Special Blue”, a world record for a champion of legend.

The bird’s former owner, Pieter Veenstra from Holland, has sold 245 pigeons over the past few years for more than two million euros, according to the specialized Pigeon Paradise (PIPA) website which claims that half its customers are from China. Rich Chinese fanciers will pay very large amounts “if the pigeon has won several prizes and is of good lineage,” said Nikolaas Gyselbrecht, the head of PIPA, speaking on the sidelines of the second world pigeon fair in

Kortrijk, Belgium. “I think Belgium is the kingdom of homing pigeons,” said one of the fair’s visitors, Johnson Kiang from Taiwan.

But not everyone is pleased by the Chinese invasion. “I find it too expensive. 200,000 euros, that’s not a normal price,” said Marcel Candenir, who travelled to the fair from Lille in northern France. “It’s daft, it’s killing the sport, how do you expect a young person to start out?” asked fellow Frenchman Gilles Vanneuville. Willy Anquinet, a 75-year-old from the village of Gooik, near Brussels, fell victim to this new golden goose-like craze. In early February, one of his champions-the “Black”-was stolen from his pigeon loft. “I’d been offered 15,000 euros (19,600 dollars), but I wanted 20,000 so that I could buy a new car,” he said. A few days after a visit by would-be customers, “the lock to the pigeon loft was broken”. “They stole

“Black” and tried to take another, but just broke its wing,” he said, saddened by the loss both of his champion, and by the injury that will force the second bird to retire from competition.

Marc De Cock, who owns 600 pigeons in Temse, northern Belgium, has invested in a top-of-the-range secure lock-up for his birds, some of which are worth 100,000 euros. They are watched by 15 video cameras, have their own shower and solarium, a sort of sauna for pigeons, and are treated like top sport champions.

De Cock is looking to sell many of his birds to Asian clients. “The Chinese attach a lot of importance to prestige. Even if they don’t want to breed them, or race them, they want to buy a luxury pigeon much like an art collector would like to buy a Rubens or a Rembrandt,” said De Cock who remains very discreet about his earnings. — AFP