15 Apr 2012

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SUNDAY, APRIL 15, 2012

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Iran holds ‘positive’ nuke talks with world powers Tehran spurns US request for bilateral meeting conspiracy theories

Show us goodwill

By Badrya Darwish

badrya_d@kuwaittimes.net

M

ahmoud Ahmadinejad’s visit to the strategic Arabian Gulf island of Abu Musa could not have happened at a worse time. By the way, it is unprecedented by leaders of Iran to visit these islands - Abu Musa, Tunb Al-Qubra and Tunb AlSughra - which Iran occupied 40 years ago from the Emirates. Leave alone unprecedented that he meets the international envoy Kofi Annan near one of the islands.

As all of you I am sure know, the three islands were occupied by Iran since the early 70s after the British left the islands and the dispute is not settled yet. In my opinion it was not a peaceful and right time for Tehran’s leader to set a rendezvous with a peacemaker near a disputed island. What message does Ahmadinejad want to give to the Gulf states when he arranges high official meetings there? This falls right in the heart of the strategic Hormuz Strait where oil flows from the Gulf states and Iran to the whole world.

Tehran is under economic sanctions. It cannot sell its oil as it pleases. The area is threatened by defense missile shields by the Americans. This was not appropriate timing especially since Ahmadinejad has said on many occasions that he wants peace with the Gulf states. He keeps on reassuring the world that he has no problems with the Gulf.

I hear Tehran speaking something and then doing something else. Mind you, I am not writing this because I am against Tehran. On the contrary. I am with Iran on its nuclear ambitions. If Iran is not allowed to have nuclear ambitions, then rest of the region should not be allowed to have nuclear plans too, such as Israel, Pakistan and India. I am even against the sanctions imposed on Iran.

But Iran also has responsibility and it has to show goodwill. It says it doesn’t meddle in Bahrain but just open any Iranian media and hear what they have to say. Bahrain seems to be the major issue for them, judging by the biased media reports. The same thing refers to Iraq. They say they don’t interfere in Iraq but their media reports otherwise. So somebody is not speaking the truth.

I hope Iran agrees to cooperate on the issue of Syria, which is a disaster area for the whole Middle East, and Iran could help a lot. If Iran means well as Ahmadinejad keeps on stating, then I would like to say: Tehran, please, show us the goodwill!

ISTANBUL: Iran’s top national security official Saeed Jalili chats as he poses with European Union’s foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton before a meeting yesterday as Iran and six world powers opened talks on Tehran’s disputed nuclear program. — AFP

ISTANBUL: A new Iranian willingness to discuss its nuclear program in crunch negotiations with world powers yesterday raised the chances of a second round of more in-depth talks very soon, diplomats said. In a reminder however of Tehran’s enmity towards Washington, a source close to Iran’s delegation said they spurned a request from their US counterparts for what would have been a rare bilateral meeting on the sidelines. “There is a positive atmosphere ... contrasting with the last time” in January 2011, Michael Mann, spokesman for EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton, told reporters.

“The principles for future talks seem to be there,” he said, adding that the venue and date for the next round of more detailed discussions - possibly in four to six weeks in Baghdad - was to be “probably” decided later yesterday. The last time Iran met with the United States, Russia, China, Britain, France and Germany - the socalled P5+1 - in Istanbul, it quickly became apparent the talks would go nowhere. “They (Iranians) are showing a readiness this time to talk about their nuclear programme and they are not raising preconditions as they did 15 months ago,” a P5+1 diplomat, who wished to remain anonymous, told AFP. “If things continue in this direction we will be ready to start a cycle of negotiations,” the official said, adding however he was “cautious because you never know with the Iranians.”

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov, who is leading Moscow’s delegation, also gave an encouraging appraisal, telling the Interfax news agency that the atmosphere was “constructive” and the talks Continued on Page 13

GCC to meet over UAE-Iran isle row DUBAI: Gulf Arab states plan to meet next week to discuss a territorial dispute between the United Arab Emirates and Iran which flared after the Iranian president visited a tiny Gulf island that both claim, a source familiar with the matter said yesterday. The UAE recalled its ambassador from Tehran on Wednesday after Mahmoud Ahmadinejad visited Abu Musa island, 60 km (40 miles) off the UAE as part of a tour of Iran’s Gulf coast. Ahmadinejad’s visit “is a flagrant violation of the United Arab Emirates’ sovereignty over its territor y,” UAE Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al-Nahayan was quoted as saying by state news agenc y WAM on Wednesday.

A meeting of foreign ministers of the Gulf Cooperation Council will be held on Wednesday in the Saudi capital Riyadh, the source told Reuters. “This will be an extraordinary meeting which was called for by the UAE following Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s visit,” the source added. Both countries claim Abu Musa and two other small islands, located near key shipping lanes in the Strait of Hormuz at the mouth of the Gulf. Iran took control of the islands in 1971, shortly before the Gulf emirates gained full independence from Britain and

formed the UAE. The islands are valued for their strategic position in the Strait and for their potential oil reserves. The UAE also cancelled a friendly match with Iran’s national soccer team, due to be held on Tuesday in the Gulf Arab state, in protest against Ahmadinejad’s visit.

Iran said Ahmadinejad’s visit was an “internal Iranian matter”. Tehran said it was determined to improve bilateral ties and was ready for a dialogue with the UAE to resolve “possible misunderstandings”. Yesterday, the secretary-general of Iran’s Expedienc y Council, Mohsen Rezaei, defended Ahmadinejad’s visit and criticised the UAE’s actions as hasty and premature.

“At a time when Israel bangs the drum of war, what benefit does this behaviour from our friends in the Emirates have? It is better that they apologise and stop following the Zionists (Israelis) because the region needs peace and cooperation,” Rezaei said during a meeting of the council’s defence and security committee. The UAE has urged Tehran to agree to take the dispute to the International Court of Justice in The Hague or to hold direct negotiations but Iran says its sovereignty over the islands is not negotiable. — Reuters

Zahra, the Ice Princess from the Gulf desert

CANAZEI, Italy: Emirati junior figure skater Zahra Lari performs during the figure skating European Cup on April 12, 2012. — AFP

Max 31º Min 17º High Tide 07:40 & 18:23 Low Tide 00:16 & 12:29

CANAZEI, Italy: From the sand dunes of the Rub al Khali desert to the snow-capped peaks of the Dolomites in northern Italy, Emirati teen Zahra Lari made figure skating history this week. The 17-year-old not only became the first figure skater from the Gulf to compete in an international competition but the first to do so wearing the hijab, an Islamic headscarf. “In my country women don’t do much sport and even less figure skating,” the quietly-spoken teenager told AFP after competing alongside skaters from 50 countries in the European Cup. A practising Muslim, her black headscarf and sober costume, stood out among the flashy orange tutus and fluorescent pink tights. “I skate with the hijab, my costume is in line with Islamic tradition,” she explained.

“The other girls are very nice to me. I think they accept me very well. I haven’t had any problems, people are open. It’s not a question of an exhibition, but of sport and my father is in agreement.”

Lari’s American-born mother Roquiya Cochran admitted that it had taken some time to convince her husband to let their daughter compete. “I had to convince him. In the beginning he saw it as his daughter dancing in front of a male audience. But he came along to watch, he saw how beautiful she was on the ice, and he loves her, he wants her to be happy. She’s covered, she hasn’t done anything anti-Islamic.”

Continued on Page 13

RIYADH: Saudi King Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz (right) and Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan drink coffee as they arrive for talks on the Syrian conflict amid Gulf Arab calls to arm rebels despite a tenuous truce going into effect at Rawdhat Khraim in the capital on Friday. — AFP

‘Brangelina’ to wed LOS ANGELES: Hollywood’s hottest couple has made it official, with Brad Pitt proposing to Angelina Jolie after six children and years of unwedded bliss, a spokeswoman said Friday. “Yes, it’s confirmed,” Pitt’s manager Cynthia Pett-Dante told People magazine. “It is a promise for the future and their kids are very happy.” She said no date had been set at this time, and there was no word of the wedding’s location. The news put an end to months of speculation about the couple and their plans to marry.

Jeweler Robert Procop designed Jolie’s engagement ring in collaboration with Pitt, and confirmed the news. The famous Beverly Hills jeweler, who has designed an entire collection inspired by Jolie, worked on the ring for a year. Pitt “wanted every aspect of it to be perfect, so Robert was able to locate a diamond of the finest quality and cut it to an exact custom size and shape to suite Angelina’s hand,” the jeweler said in a statement. “Brad was always heavily involved, overseeing every aspect of the creative design evolution... The side diamonds are specially cut to encircle her finger. Each diamond is of the highest gem quality.”

Pitt, 48, and Jolie, 36, became close on the set of 2005 film “Mr and Mrs Smith”. They have three biological children together and adopted three others, and Pitt apparently caved after pressure from the kids.

“We’d actually like to,” Pitt said of making Jolie his Continued on Page 13

BERLIN: Picture taken on Feb 11, 2012 shows US actress and director Angelina Jolie and US actor Brad Pitt posing for photographers at the premiere of the film ‘In the Land of Blood and Honey’. — AFP (See Page 40)

SUNDAY, APRIL 15, 2012

LOCAL

Naseef forms new bloc to hit hard at Kuwait Hajraf yields to ICM demands

By A Saleh KUWAIT: After being dismissed from the Iraqi White Bloc for adopting a hostile attitude against Kuwait, the Iraqi MP Alya Naseef formed a new bloc along with four other MPs called the ‘Free Iraqi Bloc.’ However, Naseef said that the tripartite committee will discuss the outstanding issues with Kuwait, including new members and excluding old ones to ensure better results. She added that Mubarak port and the border issue should be on top of the committee’s priorities and that international parties should be hired to take part in the discussion.

ICM demands Dr Nayef Al-Hajraf, Minister of Education and Higher Education will have to yield to recent threats issued by members of the

Islamic Constitutional Movement (ICM) unless he reshuffles some of the senior officials at the Ministry of Higher Education. Sources added that after reshuffling top officials at the Education Ministry, Al-Hajraf might yield to ICM demands to exclude undersecretary Khaled Al-Saad and others. Notably, ICM member MP Jamaan Al-Harbash threatened Al-Hajraf with a loss of position unless he removed some senior officials at the Ministry of Higher Education.

PM visits injured footballer HH Sheikh Nasser Al-Mohammed Al-Sabah yesterday paid a visit to national soccer team’s goal keeper, Samir Saeed, who is currently hospitalized in a critical condition at Adan hospital’s ICU after suffering an accident while jogging last Thursday. Notably, Saeed suffers from serious brain hemorrhage and a brain

surgeon was flown in from the UK to examine him while hundreds of his fans flocked to the hospital to donate blood.

GCC states’ job creation A new study revealed that despite the Arab Spring political turmoil dominating the region, GCC countries still provide many job opportunities. The study conducted by Dubaibased Gulf Talent.com that specializes in online recruitment, showed that Saudi Arabia leads in job creation and that 62 percent of companies there increased headcount by 55 percent in 2010.

The study showed that Oman came second, followed by Qatar, Kuwait and UAE. The job market in Bahrain is in a state of fluctuation owing to tense political situation. The study also showed that UAE attracted the most number of western expatriates.

KUWAIT: The Coastguard boat that rescued the stranded Kuwaiti women.

Coastguard save jet boat passengers

By Hanan Al-Saadoun KUWAIT: Coastguard received an emergency call over the weekend from six Kuwaiti women whose jet boat broke down near Al-Zour. Shuaiba port rescue team rescued the girls and found that the boat was stranded at a troubled spot.

The boat was released.

Car accidents A 16-year-old citizen fractured his ribs in a car accident that took place at AlKhairan resort. He was admitted to Adan hospital.

An Egyptian couple (aged 37 and 31 respectively) and a 46-year-old Pakistani

suffered slight injuries after their vehicles collided into each other along the Gulf Road. A 24-year-old female citizen fractured her wrist after her vehicle crashed into another in Riqqa.

A 28-year-old citizen died on the spot after being thrown off his motorbike and it landed headlong, smashing his skull.

A wanted citizen with a criminal record was yesterday arrested when a ‘Smart Police Patrol’ he drove past detected that the insurance of his vehicle had expired and stopped him, said security sources. On interrogating the man, he seemed too confused and did not have any ID. On searching the vehicle more drugs were found.

Arab group condemns Ahmadinejad’s visit to Abu Musa KUWAIT: Ambassador of Senegal Abdou Lahad Mbacke hosted on Wednesday a reception on the occasion of the National Day of his country in Kuwait Sheraton Hotel. It was attended by a number of diplomats and other dignitaries — Photos by Yasser Al-Zayyat

News

in brief

Jordan violence rumors KUWAIT: For the second time, rumors spread yesterday of Kuwaiti students in Jordan being beaten up while their cars were smashed via social media forums like Twitter and Whatsapp. Kuwait ambassador to Jordan Dr. Hamad Al Duaij said that all Kuwaiti students in Jordan are safe and in good health adding that they are available in the embassy to serve their brothers and Kuwaiti sons who are in Jordan. He expressed astonishment at the rumours and said that many Kuwaitis called to check about their children studying in Jordan for no reason.

Major projects’ department KUWAIT: The Ministry of Health is set to establish a new department to oversee major projects, which according to sources would take over all of the current specialties of the engineering affairs department. The sources explained that the new department “which is being set up very secretly” will take care of projects that include establishing new hospitals and polyclinics, in addition to major expansions for current medical facilities. Meanwhile, minor projects and periodic maintenance will be left to the engineering affairs department. The sources further noted that the new step comes simultaneously with a court order in favor of engineer Haidar Dashty to remain at his office as head of the engineering affairs department.

MoH to monitor demands KUWAIT: The Ministry of Health(MoH) has decided to monitor all departments’ demands in hospitals by maintaining a fixed schedule to execute orders. Any violation will be met with legal action and those involved will be prosecuted. Orders worth more than KD 20 million have been made over the year.

Kuwait-Malta relations VALLETTA, Malta: Kuwait’s Ambassador to Malta Faisal Sulaiman Al-Musaleem discussed here on Saturday with the Governor of the Central Bank of Malta Joseph Bonche the role of Kuwaiti investments in his country and distinguished bilateral relations. Al-Musaleem said that he discussed with the governor means of bolstering economic ties between Kuwait and Malta. He stressed the importance of exchange of visits between both countries’ officials for the sake of boosting reciprocal cooperation. He noted in this context that Bonche also praised the excellent role played by Kuwait’s development fund in his country.

Kuwait pavilion extolled MADRID: Spanish Princess Elena Maria Isabel de Bourbon praised here yesterday the “excellent” participation of the State of Kuwait in the international charitable Christmas market which was held here yesterday.

The princess, the eldest daughter of the King Juan Carlos of Spain, also extolled the pavilion of the State of Kuwait, which offered a range of diverse traditional products.

This came during her visit to Kuwait’s pavilion in the market. The market is organized by international association of diplomats in Spain.

The Princess also exchanged cordial talks with Kuwaiti Ambassador in Spain Adel Hamad Al Ayyar, who reviewed the dimensions of Kuwaiti participation in this annual event and expressed his wishes for a speedy recovery to the King of Spain, who underwent surgery today.

The State of Kuwait participates in these activities annually.

A number of Kuwaiti diplomats said here yesterday that participation of the State of Kuwait in various international events and cultural activities contribute to promoting its international attendance at the global level.

The diplomats said on the sidelines of their participation in the international Christmas philanthropy market in Madrid yesterday that Kuwait’s participation has been prompted by the Kuwaiti Ambassador to Spain Adel Hamad Al-Ayyar and his eagerness to deepen its presence worldwide in the Spanish society and promote its rela-

tions with other countries.

Second Secretar y at Kuwaiti Embassy in Madrid and member of of the Arab women diplomats in Spain Jawaher Al-Sabah expressed keenness of the State of Kuwait to participate in such markets in order to show Kuwait’s aspects of humanity and civilization, saying that the market is a good opportunity to strengthen the bonds of friendship between Kuwait with other countries.

She said that Christmas is a rich environment for cultural exchange and a good oppor tunity to exchange expertise with other nations and peoples, noting that Kuwait has been keen to take part in such social gatherings so as to build bridges of communication and achieve greater human convergence with the Spanish society.

For her part, wife of the second secretar y at the Embassy of Kuwait Mashael Al-Kandari said the revenue of the charity market, in which some 50 countries take part, will be directed to four charitable organizations and associations in Spain.

She expected that the Kuwaiti pavilion would attract a large number of visitors, thanks to the great efforts exerted by the Kuwaiti ambassador here Adel Al-Ayyar.

For her part, wife of Diplomatic Attache Kholoud Al-Moawwad said that the main objective of the Kuwaiti participation is to deepen the Kuwaiti presence in international fora, praising the huge turnout of visitors to the Kuwaiti pavilion.

Zain announces ‘direct monthly payment’ winner KUWAIT: Thuraya Al-Zubei was announced winner of the KD 400 grand prize, part of Zain’s monthly award for direct monthly payment clients, the telecommunication service provider said in a recent press statement. Monthly draws are held for clients who are auto-

matically eligible once they subscribe to the direct monthly payment service. With the service ,the bank deducts a client’s phone bill directly from their bank accounts, while also offering special features, including a three percent discount.

UNITED NATIONS: The Arab group at the United Nations has condemned Wednesday ’s controversial visit by Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to the UAE island of Abu Musa that has been occupied by Iran since 1971.

The group, represented by Arab member states at the international organization, in a statement after a meeting chaired by the UAE envoy, Ahmad AbulRahman Al-Jermen, condemned the regretful and unjustified visit by the Iranian president to the occupied island, for it constituted flagrant infringement of the UAE sovereignty, territorial sanctity, the UN charter and international laws.

Ahmadinejad’s visit to the island of Abu Musa reflected obvious disregard by Tehran of the UAE efforts to resolve this issue peacefully, the envoys of the Arab states noted.

The Arab countries declared full support for Abu Dhabi in its quest to reassert its total sovereignty on Abu Musa, the other occupied UAE islands Greater and Lesser Tunbs, stressing that Tehran must abstain from such acts that might deepen regional tension and strain ArabIranian ties.

Moreover, the group emphasized that Iran must express good intentions toward the UAE initiative, that was backed by the Arab League, for resolving this question through peaceful avenues, namely by holding direct negotiations or resorting to the International Court of Justice to reach a sustainable and just settlement and establish friendly and cooperative ties between Iran and the Arab states.

For their part, permanent representatives of the six GCC states at the UN, addressed two letters in this regard to the UN Secretary General Ban-ki Moon and President of the Security Council Susan Rice, noting that the visit was the

first to be made by the Iranian president to the occupied island since Tehran took over the island in 1971.

The States of the Arab Gulf Cooperation Council, which reaffirm full sovereignty of the UAE on Abu Musa, Greater and Lesser Tunbs, which have been occupied by military force by Iran since 1971, strongly condemn this visit by the Iranian President.

They regard the move as a flagrant violation of the principles of the Charter of the United Nations, provisions of international law, and constitutes a flagrant violation of the sovereignty of the UAE. It also demonstrates Iran’s disregard of all the peace initiatives, efforts and other endeavors made so far by the UAE or by the GCC states with the aim of finding a just and lasting settlement to end the Iranian occupation of the three islands through peaceful means.

The GCC countries said in the statement, “We in the Arab Gulf Cooperation Council reiterate our support for the initiative put forward by the United Arab Emirates which calls for the settlement of the three UAE Islands issue by peaceful means through direct negotiations between the two countries, or resort to the International Court of Justice, so that a just, comprehensive and lasting settlement of this issue may be achieved.

“We also emphasize the need for the Islamic Republic of Iran to refrain from committing such provocative and unilateral acts, and to demonstrate its good and sincere intentions towards the efforts made for achieving a just settlement of this issue, in a way that ensures regional and international peace, security and stability, and promotes goodneighborly relations and mutual cooperation between the Islamic Republic of Iran and the States of the Arab Gulf Cooperation Council as well as with the region as a whole.” — KUNA

Dive Team marks World Environment Day KUWAIT: The Environmental Voluntary Foundation organizes a special activity on the World Environment Day on June 5, set to feature launching 60 documentaries about Kuwait’s marine environment as well as the Kuwait Dive Team’s efforts to protect it.

On that regard, the foundation’s president Waleed Al-Fadhl announced that a press conference is set to be hosted on that day at the Kuwait Journalists Association; which co-organizes the event along with the Kuwait Finance House. “The documentaries will be dis-

tributed during the press conference before they are uploaded at the Kuwait Dive Team website”, Al-Fadhl said in a statement released yesterday.

The project aims to document features of Kuwait’s marine environment and biodiversity in Kuwaiti waters including coral reefs, and that through video footage that can serve as research material for specialists in the field. “The project comes to show Kuwait’s commitment to environment protection and encouragement of voluntary work in this field”, Al-Fadhl added.

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SUNDAY, APRIL 15, 2012

LOCAL kuwait digest

kuwait digest

Return to the Syrian issue!

Grilling meter..!!

By Hassan Ali Karam can’t remember the exact details of an old saying, but I can still remember that it was about a man who threatened to divorce his wife if she left the house, if she stayed in the house, if she sat down, if she stood up or if she moved!

This is exactly how we can describe the relationship between the Islamist-dominated Parliament and the government, formed after consulting Salafi Ahmed Baqer and ICM member Mubarak Al-Duwailah!

This means that grilling motions will go on forever with different silly excuses.

Therefore, MP Mohammed Hayef threatens to grill the Minister of Islamic Affairs, Jamal A-Shehab, over issues that are out of his jurisdiction such as a party at the American University. MP Waleed Al-Tabtabae threatens to grill the Minister of Interior, Sheikh Ahmed Al-Humoud, unless he orders the release of the Iranian flag burner. MP Musallam Al-Barrak (who specializes in grilling Finance ministers) threatens to grill Minister of Finance, Mustafa Al-Shamali, over some ‘expired’ issues and violations committed when his predecessors where in office.

They will keep on grilling Cabinet members for things they are not politically responsible for, which means that the Government, which thought that it will be backed by a majority, seems to be drifting alone after this majority cut loose all its life-saving ropes. That’s exactly the case of the poor wife who is threatened with being divorced either way!

However, this does not necessarily mean that the minority is exempt from this ‘baseless grilling motion race’. The excuse the minority uses to grill Cabinet members is that the Government does not represent them and so they have every right to grill its members. This endless series of interpellations will apparently go on for as long as Turkish and Mexican drama series. Ministers must take any chance to catch their breath or rest for a while. This is exactly the price a Government pays when it is weak.

The Government was beguiled by the majority and thought it would be supportive, whereas the majority turned out to be a utilitarian and opportunist one that is more eager for and keen on authority and power than on building and developing the nation and its national unity and solidarity!

Therefore, the current Government has only two options. It should either declare its intention not to cooperate with Parliament and resign, or reconsider and re-evaluate its stances and relations with it.

I think relations between both sides relations will get no better, and tension will remain forever with a new crisis and a new grilling motion every day.

Therefore, I believe the Prime Minister will have to install a special gauge meter to start counting interpellations, as I know for sure there will be a lot of them if this Government hangs in and holds on for long enough! — Al-Watan

By Tariq Al-Homayed could not stop laughing when media outlets published the news of North Korea’s long-range rocket launch failure; the rocket flew for 120 km before breaking up into four pieces.

This was less a rocket launch and more a fireworks display, or as Adel Imam said in his famous film “Al Safara Fil Emara” (The embassy in the building), “don’t exaggerate the issue so much!”

The reason for this laughter was that the US administration wanted to turn the North Korea rocket launch into a political issue that Washington could utilize to draw attention away from what is happening in Syria, with regards to the crimes being carried out by the forces of the tyrant Bashar Assad.

Washington sought to call a UN Security Council meeting, and the Obama administration preoccupied the world with the issue of North Korea’s rocket launch. This reached the point that the White House issued a statement saying that despite the failure of North Korea’s rocket launch, this nevertheless represented a “provocative action” that “threatens regional security (and) violates international law.”

The Obama administration considers the failed rocket launch, in which the rocket itself broke up into four different pieces in the sky, to be a provocation that threatens regional security as well as a violation of international law, whilst the death of more than 11,000 Syrians at the hands of Assad regime forces, not to mention the one million Syrians who are in need of immediate humanitarian aid, does not represent a violation of international law or a threat to regional security, and this is not mentioning Assad forces violating Turkish and Lebanese territory! This is truly puzzling, and even abhorrent!

Saudi monarch Custodian of the two Holy Mosques King Abdullah was right when - commenting on Russia and China’s double veto - he said that the international community’s confidence in the UN Security Council has been shaken, and this, of course, represents a very dangerous state of affairs! Assad has failed to abide by Annan’s cease-fire, he did not abide by the article that called on him to withdraw his troops from Syria’s cities, allow demonstrations to take place, and permit the entry of international press (to Syria); this is not to mention releasing detainees and other requirements of the Annan initiative.

Indeed Assad has failed to abide by any previous initiative, however despite all this, the Obama administration wants to preoccupy the world with the issue of North Korea’s “toy” rockets, under the pretext of protecting international law and regional security! Therefore one can only inform Obama that the North Korean experiment failed, and it was ultimately revealed that this (long-range rocket) experiment was as lacking as North’s Korea’s infrastructure - particularly as the country is in dire need of food aid today - therefore there is no longer any excuse to draw the attention of the world away from the need to confront the unprecedented crimes being committed by the tyrant of Damascus in our region. So Obama, please return to the Syrian issue today, particularly as it is more than enough that the international community has, over the past year, provided Assad with one opportunity after another - or shall we say a license - to kill more Syrian people, and we are now hearing talk about new observers being sent to Syria!

However the reality of the situation is that what is happening in Syria today represents the true violation of all laws, and the real threat to regional - and Mediterranean - security.

US President, return to the Syrian issue, for all excuses have been exhausted, even the North Korean rocket was revealed to be a “toy”, whereas what is happening in Syria is the real crime!

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kuwait digest

Allowance paid to buy property?

By Waleed Al-Ghanim t ’s unacceptable to see former colleagues become real estate owners after seeking employment in the private sector. I doubt that any faculty member owns any private property.” “Many high achievers opt against seeking higher academic degrees because they realize that they can make more money by working at several state departments than as university professor.” “The current situation in which new graduates earn more money than university professors is unacceptable.”

These words, which convey a pure money-oriented mindset, are some scripts taken from Al-Watan’s coverage of a meeting held by academic teaching staff members in the Kuwait University and Public Authority for Applied Education and Training (published March 19, 2012).

Kuwait has been plagued by a fatal disease that wants people to keep demanding allowances. State employees no longer assess whether they are paid on par with their work, but are now saying that they deserve more because they believe that they work hard and “more effectively” than employees in other state departments.

There are so many academic problems that KU and PAAET professors can sit down together and negotiate

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about. If they truly were committed on realizing what is best for the public interest, professors could try to find solutions to the overcapacity problem that public institutions suffer from, or address the general weak educational level there. There are many complaints about cronyism, tribalism and sectarianism present at higher education facilities, in addition to staff appointment manipulation or scholarships rewards, in addition to personal problems cropping up between students and teachers. All these problems can help a professor prepare a PhD quality thesis, should he try to propose probable solutions.

Unfortunately however, Kuwait’s academic elite gathered only to discuss how former colleagues were able to amass property while they do not and are not paid as much as state employees in other departments. The professors further claimed that teaching in the KU and PAAET has become an undesirable job. I find it hard to believe that many qualified Kuwaiti candidates are rejected when they apply for these jobs. But it is easy to claim that the job is unattractive when one is blinded by money. Financial demands will remain a huge problem unless it is stopped with an appropriate decision regardless of the possibility that it could be considered harsh by some. — Al-Qabas

kuwait digest

Easy prey for extremists

kuwait digest

GCC should be more assertive

By Dr Bader Al-Daihani

By Omar Al-Tabtabaei hen group congestion is high and its susceptibility to explode at any moment and for any reason is also high, as the case here nowadays, then it will be easy for any person who is reckless, wild or seeking fame to stir sectarian feelings and direct them where he wants. This is because emotion, any emotion, renders the brain useless because it is not built on any scientific or logical foundation.

In such an unhealthy atmosphere, covered with thick sand, opportunists including the clergy, media, racists, fame and wealth seekers increase because each one of those says “I have more”!

Because the process is very profitable for them, the field is ready and emotions are high while the Government is absent.

So, just one word from this side or that will ignite the fire of strife, and soon enough it will be met with an opposing word from the other side with the same pitch or higher. The group of supporters either dance with happiness, or moan from pain and anger unawareness that the extremes serve each other.

Each one of them will pile up the wealth and achieve personal glories, while their people will only gain a back draft from the trade with their human emotions because they are not aware that the main goal behind steering sectarian and group fights is to preoccupy people with marginal battles. This way they will not unite to demand comprehensive solutions for their joint problems.

Those on the other side, whom the people’s feelings are used against, are the children of the same country. Rather, they belong to the middle and poor social classes with the same interests and share the same worries as far as bad educational, health and social services are concerned.

They share the same fears for high prices, expensive living and the increase in financial inflation, pollution, and high unemployment rates. All of their children wait for months to get any job, which more often than not has no connection to the scientific specialties they spent their lives studying. They all have to wait for a house for nearly two decades and share other concerns of the daily life in which the “fans” of the extreme parties get involved, regardless of the origins or creed or place they live.

For this reason, the vibrant and educated elements of society bear the responsibility to hold the Government responsible for relinquishing its constitutional role in preserving the internal front of security and stability on one side, and in educating people so that they do not become easy prey for extremists who manipulate their feelings and honest emotions. — Al-Jarida

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hile reading this column, please try to be as objective as possible and avoid taking anything from a sectarian viewpoint. “Power in international politics is like the weather. Everyone talks about it, but few understand it” Joseph Nye, Chairman of the National Intelligence Council and Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs in US President Bill Clinton’s Administration.

If we apply this quote to the reality of our region, the only conclusion we can reach at is that Iran’s administration understood the true meaning of power, and managed to utilize power tools properly when compared to the Gulf Cooperation Council(GCC) countries. The Iranian administration was able to threaten GCC countries and inspire fear among its residents.

That became possible by utilizing ‘soft power’ skillfully, forging a connection between goals and religious beliefs. This enabled Iran to exercise control over the holiest sites in the Shiite faith at Najaf and Karbala, going as far as to employ the Shiite decision-making process to serve the Islamic Republic’s interests the most dangerous type of weapons used.

We can’t deny the influence of the Iranian administration in conducting espionage in GCC countries with the support of political groups and business figures who are close to decision makers. The Kuwaiti society probably serves as the best example. The Iranian administration, represented by the Welayat AlFaqih (Guardianship of the Islamic Jurists) system, reached this level of skillfulness with planning, taking the Islamic Republic’s future goals into account. This exemplifies the difference between the Iranian administration and that of the GCC countries, the former lives to achieve a certain goal, while the latter only focuses on enjoying today’s wealth. This is the reason why Iran will assume leadership position as an ambitious country despite not having nearly as much wealth as the GCC states.

Despite all their oil reserves, the GCC countries aren’t considered a ‘threat’ to anyone. It’s a shame that they are mere names on the Third World map. There’s no doubt that the ambition of Iran’s administration to export the concept of the Islamic Revolution is considered a huge threat to the future of stability of GCC countries. However, this threat pales in comparison to the inability of GCC leaderships to keep up with events and realize the type of power by which they can reject the Iranian influence in our countries. And with that, I’m not talking about military force, but utilizing soft power to achieve stability in GCC states.

The rulers of GCC states are should understand the use of media as one of the strongest tools of soft power, in addition to studying the Iranian society , while tackling sleeper cells present in our society. Oh, and If you don’t believe that these cells exist in our societies, then ask local intelligence in GCC countries about Iranian delegations consisting of twenty people out of which only three or four return home following after visiting GCC countries. Honestly, why wouldn’t the Iranian administration do that while knowing that ‘statements of condemnation’ are the farthest we can go in issuing a response?

Before it’s too late, GCC countries should start becoming an integral part of the regional equation. To put it more simply, if we don’t take part in the political equation of the region, we would only serve as tools used by others to achieve goals.

In the end, I would like to reiterate that talking about Iran can in no way be generalized. GCC countries should never be considered as being dominated by Sunni majority.

Final note: Courage is the art of fear management.

— Al-Rai

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SUNDAY, APRIL 15, 2012

local

Assembly panel to reject ‘immunity lift’ requests An act of vengeance KUWAIT: The Parliament’s legislative and legal committee will reject requests to lift the immunity of nine lawmakers who stormed the parliament building, states a report quoting sources. The panel will discuss the topic during a meeting held today. According to sources, most members believe that the request made by the Public Prosecution Department to lift the lawmakers’ immunity is an act of vengeance.

On the other hand, nine lawmakers whom authorities want to stand trial are said to be pushing for the parliament to approve the request “in order to remain in support of citizens who were investigated in the case.”

Meanwhile, the financial and economic committee will convene today to hold three

days of meetings. Discussions will focus on early retirement recommendations, the small and medium projects draft law, as well as amendments made to tenders’ law.

In other news, MP Dr Obaid Al-Wasmi announced a draft law he is co-submitting with MPs Marzouq Al-Ghanim, Musallam AlBarrak, Mohammad Hayef and Dr Hamad AlMattar, to repeal Article 15 of the Penal Code which penalizes citizens for “publishing false data or accusations that damages trust in the nation and subsequently results in national interests being threatened.”

Dr Al-Wasmi explained to Al-Qabas that the proposal will be in support of public freedom to correct a situation in which “an action is punishable without being accurately speci-

fied,” reported Al-Qabas. Separately, MP Mohammad Hayef acknowledged ‘actual measures’ taken by Minister of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs Jamaal Al-Shehab to address subjects, included a grilling motion he threatened to file against the minister.

“I confirmed that the Ministry of Awqaf met some of the demands [addressed by the grilling] motion,” Hayef told Al-Rai recently, reported Al-Rai. In the meantime, Al-Jarida daily reported quoting a governmental source. The Cabinet has so far referred 34 laws to the Parliament for discussion and enforcement, including the partnership law, consumer protection, income tax and value added tax, reported AlJarida. —Al-Qabas, Al-Rai & Al-Jarida

Sheikha Amthal in Cairo for environment preservation award

KUWAIT: Municipality officials holding inspection in Jahra Fish Market.

— Photos by Hanan Al-Saadoun

Municipality continues food inspection campaigns KUWAIT: Director of Kuwait Municipality Ahmad Al-Sabeeh affirmed yesterday continuation of surprise inspection campaigns on all warehouses, cooperative societies, supermarkets, coffee shops as well as butcher shops.

Al-Sabeeh said that the municipal authorities will not be lenient toward transgression of the law or regulations of the municipality, adding that the intensified inspection campaigns are aimed at taking punitive action against various abuses and violations related to food products that cause adverse effects and serious harm to health and safety of consumers.

The inspection campaigns are held during morning and afternoon shifts,

thus reflecting the municipal inspection teams’ readiness around the clock in order to combat the offenders.

These campaigns aim to check production and expiration dates of the product, as well as its ingredients, he said.

Al-Sabeeh lauded the inspection campaign launched by the Municipality of Jahra Governorate in cooperation with the Public Relations’ department at the municipality and security support from the directorate of security at Jahra, on the Fish Market as well as a number of other markets and food shops in Jahra industrial zone. The inspection campaign, among its latest works, recorded 12 violations and issued six warnings over unedible products.

New police college 70 percent complete KUWAIT: The Ministry of Public Works announced yesterday, that 70 percent of the new police college building project has been completed. It will be finished in August with a total cost of KD 45.5 million.

Head of the project, Saeed Yousef Amir, said that the new police college is located in Jeewan area. It is spread over 304,284 square meters and designed to encompass more than 12,00 officers and 165 trainers.

The blueprint of the new building reflects old fashioned and Islamic architectural designs, Amir added. He further pointed out that local climate and cultural aspects were taken in consideration when designing the building.

The project consists of training halls, Olympic swimming pool, mosque, soccer field, running track, security towers, outdoors firing range and services building.

Amir added that dormitories, teaching and administration sections were within the 70 percent which were completed of the project. The new building also consists of outdoor areas that hold ceremony platforms for VIP figures and guests.

Furthermore, the new college parking lot can hold more than 2000 cars, inside and outside the college gates.

The new police college building is a reflection of local environment and traditions but with a twist of the 21st century’s latest technologies architecture, Amir pointed out. — KUNA

CAIRO: Head of Voluntary Work Center in Kuwait Sheikha Amthal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah arrived here yesterday to receive the prestigious award allocated by the Arab-European Organization for Environment for the best Arab women leaders in the field of environment. Upon arrival in Cairo, Sheikha Amthal expressed pride of the State of Kuwait for obtaining such an award from one of the specialized organizations in the environment affairs.

She added that winning such a prestigious award “reflects the role of Arab women in general and Kuwaiti women in particular in the community, especially in the field of preservation of the environment,” saying there is lack of interest in the Arab region of the role of women in the environmental field. Sheikha Amthal expressed hope that the celebration, which will take place here tomorrow, would contribute to the achievement of environmental needs in the Arab region. The celebration will take place at the Arab League headquarters in Cairo. She stressed the need for a more powerful global legislation to reduce the environmental violations. — KUNA

KUWAIT: The Commercial Bank of Kuwait organized a seminar at the Sahla bint Saad Middle School for Girls in Hawally on the benefits of saving money, and also holding demonstrations about the bank’s services including @Tijari account allocated for clients belonging to 14 to 21 age group. CBK staff also introduced students to the bank’s ongoing cultural campaign.

Iraq-Kuwait joint well exploration

By A Saleh KUWAIT: Iraq’s oil ministry will sign an agreement with Kuwait pertinent with the prospecting for joint oil wells between the two countries. The official announcement stated that in collaboration with the Kuwaiti government, international oil drilling firms will be hired to drill wells.

Ministry spokesman, Assem Jihad said that it has reached the final stages of negotiation with both Kuwait and Iran on the project.

Meanwhile, MP Obaid Al-Wasmi said that ‘Iranian threat is being exaggerated ‘ while relations with Tehran are cordial. Speaking in an interview with Al-Arabiya TV, Al-Wasmi said that the recent parliamentary elections were held after a period of political turbulence plagued the Parliament, with the former govern-

ment’s failure to come up with a clearly defined agenda.

In another development, a festival organized by the Social Reform Society (SRS) entitled ‘Victory Flags’ launched a call to support the Syrian people and help them oust the regime.

In this regard, the secretary general of the Islamic Constitutional Movement (ICM), Dr Nasser Al-Sane’ asserted his confidence in being able to topple the Syrian regime.

He also urged Arabs and Muslims to suppor t the Syrian people’s struggle. M oreover, informed sources said that a GCC consultancy summit was due to be held in Saudi Arabia next month, and that the possibility of arming the Syrian opposition (k nown as the Free Syrian Army) would be discussed on the meeting’s agenda.

6

SUNDAY, APRIL 15, 2012

LOCAL

Famous Kuwaiti footballer in coma after accident

Wataniya Telecom welcomes new Deputy CEO

Couple in police custody KUWAIT: Former Kuwaiti footballer Sameer Saied was hospitalized in a critical condition after he was run over by a speeding vehicle in Nuwaiseeb. He was diagnosed with brain and liver hemorrhages, and compound fractures at Adan Hospital where he was admitted late Thursday night. He is in coma and doctors describe his condition as unstable. The former national team goalkeeper was reportedly jogging with a friend when a driver accidently hit him while speeding. He was recognized by paramedics on the scene before he was taken in an ambulance. Meanwhile, the driver turned himself in and told police that he was driving in a dark street when the accident happened. Former Kuwait Football Association President Sheikh Ahmad AlYousuf Al-Sabah told a local daily after returning from the hospital that Saied’s condition is unstable and he requires advanced treatment abroad. Many supporters, including parliament members and sports figures, gathered at Al-Adan Hospital on hearing the news of Saied’s accident. People offered to donate blood on learning about the series of surgeries the victim required. The driver responsible for the accident remains in custody at AlWafra police station pending further investigations.

Couple caught A Kuwaiti couple are facing charges after they were caught on security camera placing a tampered jar of food at a store’s shelf in an attempt to damage the store’s reputation.

Management of a local co-op society decided recently to investigate video footage circulated online since February showing a per-

son opening a jar infected with pests after picking it up from a shelf inside. While the person is not shown in the uploaded video, the management used CCTV tapes to identify a man and a woman who were caught placing the infected jar on the shelf before taking the libellous video. Photos of the couple were provided to the store’s security personnel who identified the man when he came in to buy some groceries. Police were called in and they arrested the perpetrator.

During investigations, police confronted the Kuwaiti man with the surveillance tape that convicts him of his wrongdoing. In addition, they showed him another video footage showing him buying the item he later used from the same store, which suggests that he deliberately, tampered with it. The man remains in custody pending legal procedures while police have summoned his wife for investigations.

Fatal accident An Indian man was pronounced dead on Gulf Road shortly after he was run over by a speeding driver on Friday. The victim’s body was taken to the coroner after paramedics pronounced him dead at the scene.

Investigations are ongoing in the meantime to search for the unidentified driver who drove away following the accident.

Theft to buy drugs A drug addict was recently arrested after stealing two vehicles he later sold for money he used to buy drugs. Investigations were launched at the Bayan police station where the thefts were reported, soon after which

criminal investigators were able to detain a GCC national at his residence in Jleeb AlShuyoukh. The man confessed during investigations that he sold dismantled car parts he stole to buy drugs. He remains in custody pending legal procedures.

Suicide attempt A domestic worker was detained Friday morning after she reportedly attempted suicide by jumping in front of moving cars on the Sixth Ring Road. Police rushed to the highway after a woman was reported running towards moving vehicles in a reckless manner.

Police were able to apprehend the Sri Lankan national before she was harmed, after which she explained that she ran away from a Saad Al-Abdullah house where she worked as a housemaid. She also said that her employer’s mistreatment motivated her escape and subsequent suicide attempt which she said she chose over returning back to her employer’s house. She was taken to the area’s police station for investigations.

Explosives found Two explosives were successfully recovered from Kuwait International Rally in Bnaider (south) site without any complications. Patrol officers drove to a location near the race track where an organizer found a foreign object half buried in the sand. Bomb squads were called after police identified the object as a mortar shell and a similar explosive was found when the area was swept. Investigations revealed that the shells were left by Iraqi forces during the 1990-91 invasion.

—Al-Anbaa, Al-Watan, Al-Rai

NBK launches Instagram contest KUWAIT: National Bank of Kuwait (NBK) launched earlier this week its first Instagram competition, with valuable cash prizes weekly.

NBK launched its official page on Instagram late last year, and is among the first regional banks to establish a strong social media presence, with Facebook, Twitter, Foursquare and Google + pages devoted to customer feedback and engagement.

NBK Public Relations Officer, Badria Al-Reshaid said: “The competition will award a valuable cash prize to one winner each week for three weeks. The participants must be fans of NBK ’s O fficial Instagram page to take part in

the competition.”

Al-Reshaid explained, “The concept behind this competi-

Badria Al-Reshaid tion is to send a picture related to the theme of the week and mention NBK, the picture that

receives the most likes will be announced as the winner.” “ We greatly value social media as a means of easily communicating with customers and also building a strong and lasting relationship,” Al-Reshaid added.

NBK is keen to support customers through all channels and views social media networks as important aspects for supporting the lifestyle and banking habits of NBK clients.

For more information regarding banking transactions, events and competitions check out National Bank of Kuwait official facebook page NBK - Official Page or follow NBK on Twitter @NBKPage, and on Instagram @NBKPage

Manchester, Leeds Universities provide 9 seats for Kuwaiti students LONDON: Head of Kuwait’s cultural office Dr Mohammad Al-Hajiri said that there will be four available seats for Kuwaiti students interested in studying at the Medicine College in Manchester University, another four seats at the Dentistry College in the same university and an extra one at the College of Dentistry in Leeds University.

Al-Hajiri said yesterday that providing extra seats at the beginning of every academic semester is considered one of the challenges

that face the cultural attachÈ office in the UK. He clarified that the British educational system only allocates 5 percent to accept foreign students for every university.

He further said that there are nearly 18 medicine colleges in the UK which is small number against the huge numbers of foreign students wanting to study medicine in the UK. Al-Hajiri noted that Kuwait’s Ministry of Higher Education has updated its list of the accredited UK universities in accordance to a

“clear and specific” study that meets both the requirements of universities and students applying for them.

He also said that the cultural attachÈ has passed to the Ministry of Higher Education a suggestion from the Kuwaiti Students Union to find advanced university programs for excellent Kuwaiti students to further enhance their academic aptitudes; a move similar to that taken to encourage Kuwaiti students in the United States. —KUNA

KUWAIT: Believing in the need to keep up with the process of expansion in the telecommunications sector, Wataniya Telecom announced that Abdulaziz Fakhroo has joined the management team as the Deputy Chief Executive Officer (Deputy CEO) in the company. His experience and knowledge will contribute towards further growth and development of Wataniya Telecom.

Abdulaziz Fakhroo possesses 21 years of experience in the field of telecommunications. He started his career as a network engineer and was part of the team as project manager, which resulted in introducing the first mobile network (GSM) in the Arab world, Qtel back in 1993. Then he advanced his career to become the manager-in-charge for introducing the third and fourth generation networks (3G and 4G) as well as other wireless, wire-line and broadband networks. Prior to joining the Wataniya team, Fakhroo was in charge of innovation and technology planning in Qtel.

In addition to his responsibilities at Qtel in Qatar, Fakhroo is chairing two of Qtel Group’s subsidiaries: ‘ Wi-tribe Jordan’ and ‘Wi-tribe Pakistan’. He has also chaired GSM Arab World (GSMAW),

which is the regional group from GSM Association for Arab region for all the operators in Arab countries.

Fakhroo will be heading vital sectors in Wataniya Telecom including technology, purchasing and logistics as well as

Abdulaziz Fakhroo Projects Management and Regulatory Affairs. The Wataniya team is proud to welcome this talented leader onboard and look forward to learning from his vast experiences and insights.

Kuwait presents papers on garbage treatment KUWAIT: Prof Mohammad Abdelrahman Al-Saraawi, Head of Science, Earth and Environment at the Science College of Kuwait University, represented Kuwait by participating in the 27th International Garbage Conference that was held in Philadelphia City.

Five papers were submitted by post graduate students under the supervision of Dr Al-Saraawi. The papers were the result of experiments and research done on the Wafra Road at kilo 14 at Abdullah port, a site where hazardous liquid garbage was disposed of. The papers concentrated on the ideal way to treat liquid garbage with oils, petroleum, and untreated sewage water through biological and botanic reactions.

The site used to receive no less than 4,000 square meters of hazardous industrial liquids and untreated sewage water at the one kilometer squared site.

The quantity during the past four years reached 20 billion gallons, and the height of the stagnant water reached 4 meters, emitting an obnoxious odor.

The three party committee of Kuwait Municipality, the Environment Public Authority and the committee following security decisions rehabilitated the site and have treated the polluted soil with oil during the past three years. They turned the site into a public park full of birds and tiny desert creatures, in addition to more than 30,000 seedlings planted by school and college students, as well as NGOs, embassies and many citizens.

Alia Al-Shaalan presented a paper on the amount of oxygen extracted from 20,000 plants at the site, and the importance of limiting warm gases emanating from fixed and mobile sources. She said studies proved that the amount of oxygen emanating from the site is enough for 2,000 persons to breathe daily.

Alia Al-Bado gave a paper about

plant treatment of oil polluted soil, and experiments with several plants that were planted at the site. She said the best plant for absorbing pollutants is the willow. Her results showed that it is possible to ingest pollutants, especially radical elements, at polluted sites.

Sharifa Al-Suwaidan dealt with the biological treatment of oil polluted soil.

She researched the importance of aerobic and anaerobic bacteria in treating soil. The study proved the importance of biological treatment, especially with weekly turning of the polluted soil, after adding active bacteria and minerals in addition to grinded (ground) plants.

Alaa Al-Kandary presented a paper on the effect of untreated sewage water on beaches. She concentrated on the technical defects that took place at the sewage water receiving site in Mishrif. The results indicated that sites were polluted with the untreated waters, especially at Injifa and its surrounding areas.

Ahmad Al-Azmi spoke on the difference in plant ability to absorb pollutants. He researched the difference in the amount of pollutants in some plants. He used clover and researched its ability to absorb chemical pollutants. The results were encouraging.

Raed Al-Qassar discussed the chemical contents of liquids and hazardous oils at the kilo 14 site, and extracting the best means of treatment (Arabian Gulf University). More than 10 methods of treatment were discussed, and stressed biological treatment as far as the financial cost and time of execution.

Prof Al-Saraawi said the research by Kuwait University students is considered an achievement at an international level. She confirmed that those responsible for scientific research are keen on such research at the college of higher education at the university and in the participation of students in international conferences.

Gulfmart inaugurates second branch in Farwaniya ulfmart, the supermarket group with the most number of branches in Kuwait, has added yet another link to its chain of outlets across the country, with the opening of their second branch in Farwaniya. The new branch was inaugurated on 11 April, 2012, by Satish C Mehta, Indian Ambassador to Kuwait, in front of a large gathering of customers, well-wishers and top officials of the Group.

Speaking on the opening of their second branch in Farwaniya, Arif Sheikh, Managing Director of Gulfmart Group, said, “In 1999, it was with modest expectations that we launched our first Gulfmart outlet in Kuwait.

But within days of opening, we were convinced that the retail model we had set in place, with its right mix of quality products, competitive prices and convenient shopping atmosphere was a perfect model for Kuwait market. In turn, Kuwait was the perfect market for Gulfmart. We are very grateful to all

G

our customers for their support; it is this patronage and confidence in Gulfmart that has over the years, encouraged and motivated us to open twelve branches across Kuwait, from Fahaheel in the south to Jahra in the north.”

The 11,000 square feet, new outlet of Gulfmart in Farwaniya, located in the Radhi Mutlaq Al-Rashidi Complex, next to Al Sana Round-about and close to Farwaniya policestation, provides easy access, convenient car parking facilities and a comfortable shopping ambience. The spacious supermarket, with its clearly labeled aisles and easily accessible shelves, is stocked with a wide selection of products from around the world, including regularly refreshed array of fresh fruits and vegetables, high-quality fish and meat, as well as an assortment of frozen and packaged food products. The new venue offers shoppers enormous value through convenient access, extensive selection, competitive

prices and great service.

“Gulfmart, renowned for carrying a wide variety of products that cater to the shopping needs of the diverse population in Kuwait, is especially popular for offering products that meet the specific requirements of customers in areas where they are located.

The Group’s business plan that calls for opening new stores in suburbs underserved by full-service retail supermarkets is undoubtedly widely welcomed by residents in those areas,” said Yousuf Bhatti, Projects and Development Head of the Group.

Speaking against the backdrop of the inauguration, Nikhil Ajagaonkar Gulfmart’s Operations Manager, and the team at the Group’s Centralized Merchandizing Department, headed by manager Nicolas Panse, and including Raju Sawlani, Fakhruddin Kabir, Imran Sheikh, Zujer Saifee and Sameer Sheikh, affirmed that amazing prices, great promotions and special offers

for the Indian festival of Vishu, await shoppers at the new branch in Farwaniya.

“The opening of a new branch of Gulfmart is part of our overall strategic expansion plans for Kuwait; however, the decision to open a second branch in Farwaniya was also due to the exceptional customer response that we keep witnessing at our first outlet here,” said T A Ramesh, Gulfmart Country Manager, at the inauguration of the new branch. “Obviously our consistent policy of delivering total customer satisfaction, through incredible promotions, best-in-class services and convenient shopping locations that deliver quality products at affordable prices, is paying off. The synergy in having two Gulfmart branches in the same area will no doubt prove even more beneficial to our customers,” added the country manager.

“With the opening of the twelfth branch in Kuwait, we are embarking on the second phase of our assertive expansion plans that

will see the addition of thirteen more outlets in the country by end of 2013,” asserted Ramesh, before adding, “Our immediate plans call for opening a second branch in Fahaheel and a new outlet in Salwa in May, as well as launching in the immediate future a second Gulfmart mini-supermarket, this time in Abu Halifa.”

In addition to two branches each in Jleeb Al-Shuyoukh, Hawally and now in Farwaniya, and a mini-mart in Salmiya, Gulfmart currently has full-service outlets in Shuwaikh, Salmiya, Fahaheel, Khaitan and Jahra.

“Gulfmart’s success throughout the years can be attributed to the dedication of our staff, the support of suppliers and our unrelenting commitment to customer satisfaction. It is this commitment that has led to the patronage and loyalty of our customers, and allowed us to successfully operate twelve branches in the country,” concluded the country manager.

SUNDAY, APRIL 15, 2012

Breivik trial risks becoming a platform for extremists

Americas summit kicks off amid controversies

Page 9

Page 10

US forecasters warn of ‘life-threatening’ storms

Clashes leave 222 dead in Yemen

OKLAHOMA CITY: Tornado sirens sounded across Oklahoma City hours before dawn yesterday as the US midsection braced for what forecasters cautioned could be a day of “life-threatening” storms, with the most dangerous weather expected to develop in the afternoon.

While officials warned a large area spanning from Minnesota to Texas could be at risk during the weekend, emergency workers focused their attention overnight on central Oklahoma, where they said funnel clouds had been spotted though none had been reported touching down.

The area includes the small town of Piedmont, where a twister last May killed several people, including two young boys, authorities said.

“They’re probably feeling like they’re going through that all over again,” Oklahoma Department of Emergency Management spokeswoman Keli Cain said yesterday. The worst conditions were projected for today afternoon between Oklahoma City and Salina, Kansas, but other areas also could see severe storms with large chunks of hail and winds of up to 70 mph, forecasters said. The warning issued Friday covers parts of Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, Oklahoma and Texas.

On Friday, Norman, Oklahoma, home to the University of Oklahoma campus, got a preview of the potential destruction when a twister whizzed by the nation’s tornado forecasting headquarters but caused little damage. Norman Regional Hospital and an affiliate treated 19 people for mainly “bumps and bruises,” and one patient remained hospitalized in fair condition late Friday, hospital spokeswoman Kelly Wells said. The Storm Prediction Center, which is part of the National Weather Service, gave the sobering warning that the outbreak could be a “highend, life-threatening event.”

Director Russ Schneider said it was just the second time in US history that the center issued a high-risk warning more than 24 hours in advance. The first was in April 2006, when nearly 100 tornadoes tore across the southeastern US, killing a dozen people and damaging more than 1,000 homes in Tennessee. It’s possible to issue earlier warnings because improvements in storm modeling and technology are letting forecasters predict storms earlier and with greater confidence, said Chris Vaccaro, a spokesman for the National Weather Service. In the past, people often have had only minutes of warning when a siren went off.

The strongly worded message came after the National Weather Service announced last month that it would start using terms like “mass devastation,” “unsurvivable” and “catastrophic” in warnings in an effort to get more people to take heed. It said it would test the new warnings in Kansas and Missouri before deciding whether to expand them to other parts of the country. Friday’s warning, despite the dire language, was not part of that effort, but just the most accurate way to describe what was expected, a weather service spokeswoman said. — Reuters

Al-Qaeda trying to seize strategic town

LODER: Yemeni armed tribesmen, supported by the Yemeni army to fight Al-Qaeda militants, ride a tank in the southern town of Loder in Abyan province yesterday. – AFP The source said the Al-Qaeda militants pulled back has suffered 14 dead. Another 24 members of the soADEN: At least 222 people including 183 militants have been killed in five days of clashes around the to Um Sorra five kilometers southwest of Loder and called popular resistance committees were also killed, strategic south Yemen town of Loder which Al-Qaeda towards Wadhia and Arqub 10 and 15 kilometers away in addition to the child killed by shellfire. Al-Qaeda is trying to seize, a security official said yesterday. respectively. Loder lies some 150 kilometres northeast briefly seized Loder in August 2010 before being drivThirty-seven people were killed on Friday, the official of Zinjibar, the Abyan provincial capital that militants en out by the army. A tribal source said the militants said, among them a child of 12 killed by a shell burst of the Al-Qaeda-linked Partisans of Sharia (Islamic law) wanted to recapture it because of its strategic locainside the town. During the day, five tribal auxiliaries overran last May. The authorities announced on Friday tion between Shabwa, Bayda and Lahij provinces were also reported killed along with 31 militants. they had deployed around 200 members of anti-ter- where Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, or AQAP, is Loder was quiet on Saturday “after the Al-Qaeda fight- rorist forces to Loder to counter the mounting Al- also active. Abyan province has fallen completely under AQAP control except for Loder and Mudia. The ers withdrew to positions they occupied before the Qaeda threat.

Firefights erupted on Monday between the army United States considers the Yemen-based AQAP to be fighting began, leaving behind several snipers,” another military source said of the clashes that erupted on backed by tribal levies and the militants. Since then the most deadly and active branch of the global terthe extremists have lost 183 men, and the army said it ror network. — AFP Monday.

SUNDAY, APRIL 15, 2012

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

For Syria refugees in ‘dream city’, hope of return dims Turkish officials build refugee city for 12,000 KILIS: Life is starting to look more permanent for the Syrian refugees in Kilis.

There are no tents in the Turkish camp.

Instead, thousands of white cubicles sit in endless rows. With every grey brick laid along the paths that crisscross the sea of container houses, Terkia Zarzoureh f eels she is further from returning to her home across the border. “We left our home in Jisr AlShughur almost 11 months ago, and I think it will still be a long time before we ever go back again,” says the 27year-old mother-of-six, whose family fled some of the first scenes of bloodshed from President Bashar Al-Assad’s crackdown on the year-long revolt against his rule. Even as diplomats debate ceasefires and the deployment of monitors to calm Syria’s streets, the builders of Kilis seem to think Syrian refugees are in for a long haul.

Three large yellow schools are being constructed. Two mosques with blue minarets and stained glass windows mark either end of the camp.

“This is not a camp, this is a city. Next month you will see a different world here, like a dream city,” says Suphi Atan, a Turkish Foreign Ministry official who oversees the Syrian refugee camps. In the linoleum-tiled floors of a new administrative office, Atan shows visitors seated in black leather chairs a color-coded map outlining this camp,

made for 12,000 of Turkey’s nearly 25,000 refugees. He proudly notes the “Carrefour-style” store being built, for everything from vegetables to shoes.

Back in Syria, security forces and rebels have mostly stuck to a ceasefire imposed on April 12 through a deal brokered by special envoy Kofi Annan.

The United Nations is now discussing sending in a small monitoring mission to observe the truce. But Zarzoureh says it is not convincing enough to leave Kilis. “Who believes in these things? Our neighbors came 10 days ago, they saw rockets and death. Right now all I want to worry about is how to fit a family of eight in two rooms,” she said, frying potatoes for dinner on a stove next to her bed.

“This is not the home I want, but I may have to settle for this for a long time. We will not see our homes again until Bashar Al-Assad falls.” Turkey has spent about $150 million on refugee camps, Atan said. Kilis’ construction will cost $50 million and take another $2 million per month to run. Turkey is now accepting international aid to share the rising cost. “As the Turkish government we should be prepared for the worst scenario,” Atan said. “We do not hope that this conflict continues very long but we want to be prepared for hosting our brothers coming from Syria.”

DREAM IS DEAD Around 500 Turkish employees will work in Kilis, including police, teachers and doctors. The freshly painted clinic will have x-ray machines and operating rooms. But for Syrians living here,

half-paralyzed body for three days to bring him to Kilis, after shrapnel pierced his neck when a rocket hit his home in northern Idlib province. He lies pale on the floor as his mother and seven sisters huddle around him.

KILIS: Syrian refugees go about their daily lives at the Oncupinar refugee camp in Kilis near Syria border. — AFP the tall aluminum walls topped with barbed wire and the police watchtowers that loom above are a stark reminder that they are fleeing a nightmare. Mahmoud’s family carried his

“I can move my left foot a little bit. I don’t know what happens next. A few months ago I was protesting, now I try not to worry about the future,” the 15year-old boy said. Just visible over the

wall near his new home are the green peaks of Syria and the Syrian flags waving from an army border post nearby.

Syria’s Interior Ministry called on refugees to return home after the truce.

But Mohammed says that is not an option. “Look what happened to me, this is a big scar to remember the price for asking for freedom. We won’t go back until Bashar is gone,” he said. Only rows of tattered laundry and a playground swarming with children break up the endless rows of identical houses.

Residents also try to personalize their new homes. Black graffiti labels one road the “Conqueror of Assad Street”, other homes cluster around an intersection dubbed “Freedom Square”. As some 9,000 inhabitants already in Kilis settle in for a long stay, a new pace of daily life emerges. Women roll out dough for bread on door stoops. Nearby, young men have dragged the metal frames of the bunk beds onto the street as makeshift shop counters, filled with candy and cigarettes to sell. Mustafa, a 25year-old activist from Hama, lays on a mat outside rewrapping a gunshot wound through his leg. He is grateful for his new home in Turkey, but says it is no dream. “They could build us a palace and we wouldn’t forget we were refugees,” he said. “It is hard to dream here, being here means that for now, our dream is dead.” — Reuters

Killing puts spotlight on US ‘Gunshine’ state Florida leads in gun ownership

TRIPOLI: A file photo taken shows freed Lockerbie bomber Abdelbaset Ali Mohmet Al-Megrahi at a hospital in Tripoli. — AFP

Lockerbie bomber in critical condition TRIPOLI: Abdelbaset Ali Mohmet Al-Megrahi, the Libyan convicted of the Lockerbie plane bombing, has been hospitalized in Tripoli in critical condition, a source close to his family said yesterday. “Abdelbaset has been in hospital since yesterday and his condition is critical,” the source said. “He was admitted on Friday when his health became not so good,” the source said, adding that Megrahi’s relatives were at his bedside. A Scottish court in 2001 convicted Megrahi of the 1988 bombing that killed 270 people, but he was released on compassionate grounds in 2009 and allowed to return to Libya.

Doctors said at the time that he had terminal cancer and only three months left to live. Last August, after the revolution which toppled Muammar Gaddafi, brother Abdel Nasser told reporters outside the family home in a residential district of Tripoli that Megrahi was “in and out of a coma.” Amid the lack of law and order after the revolt which brought armed fighters out onto the streets, his medicine had been looted and no doctors were available, the family said. Megrahi had been greeted as a hero on his return to Gaddafi’s Libya, after having served eight years of a minimum 27-year sentence for his role in the bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 in December 1988.

The fact that he has survived so long has provoked indignation in Britain and the United States. On the second anniversary of the release of the former Libyan intelligence agent who has always maintained his innocence, the Scottish government insisted its decision to free him had been vindicated. — AFP

MIAMI: Shortly after police arrived at the scene of Trayvon Martin’s death at a gated community in the central Florida town of Sanford, officers seized the alleged murder weapon, a 9mm handgun. For the next 45 days until the arrest this week of George Zimmerman on a charge of second-degree murder, the neighborhood watch volunteer who shot the unarmed 17-year-old teenager continued to hold a concealed weapons permit as allowed under Florida law.

Critics of gun laws in the Sunshine State have seized on the Zimmerman case as an example of the need for tighter regulation of concealed weapons permitting.

Thanks in part to the successful lobbying by the National Rifle Association (NRA), Florida has some of the most lenient gun laws in the United States and by some counts leads the nation in gun ownership, with about 6.5 percent of all adults licensed to carry a concealed weapon, state records show.

New applications for concealed gun permits have quadrupled since 1998. “We’re not surprised the Trayvon Martin shooting happened in Florida,” said Dennis Henigan, vice president of the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence. “We have called Florida the NRA’s armed utopia.” A spokesman for the NRA was not immediately available for comment on Friday. Martin was walking home from a convenience store on the night of Feb 26 when he encountered Zimmerman and an altercation ensued which resulted in Martin’s death from a single gunshot to the chest.

Police initially declined to arrest Zimmerman and turned the case over to prosecutors, citing Florida’s “Stand Your Ground” law, enacted in 2005 and now in effect in more than 20 other states. The law provides shooters with wide latitude to claim a killing was in selfdefense if they fear bodily harm. The “Stand Your Ground” law was just one of several pro-gun laws that have originated in Florida and been adopted in other states, earning it the nickname “Gunshine” state. Florida lawmakers last year passed a measure to prohibit cities from enacting gun ordinances stricter than those of the state, with heavy fines if they transgress.

UNFORESEEN CONSEQUENCES That law is having unforeseen repercussions for city officials in Tampa preparing for Republican Party’s National Convention in late August. They issued a list of items that will not be allowed in the “Clean Zone” being set up to control protesters outside the convention, including clubs, chains and pepper spray. But they say they cannot ban guns in that area. “If you’re walking in the convention area, you can’t have a water pistol but if you’re licensed properly to carry a concealed firearm you can,” said Hillsborough County Public Defender Julianne Holt, adding that this flew in “the face of common sense.”

The state has taken some steps to control gun violence.

In 1999, state lawmakers passed the “10-20-Life” law, also

known as “Use a gun and you’re done,” which increased minimum mandatory sentences for crime with guns, which in 1998 was a three-year minimum.

The number of violent gun crimes dropped 30 percent statewide over the next six years, according to the Department of Corrections. Florida Governor Rick Scott sees nothing wrong with the state’s gun ownership numbers. “We have a logical process” to obtain a concealed weapons permit and to own a gun, he told Reuters, noting that he announced a task force last month in the wake of the Sanford shooting to look into “citizen safety,” including the state’s Stand Your Ground

He sells a 300-page book titled “Florida Firearms Law, Use and Ownership” which explains state and federal laws on firearms, weapons and self-defense issues.

“Your right to use a firearm and deadly force is very limited,” Gutmacher said. “People think they know the law and find out they don’t know when a situation occurs and wind up getting in terrible trouble.” He said many of the concealed weapons courses for gun owners focus primarily on gun safety and do little to educate them about situations when they can use their guns in selfdefense. “It’s a lack of education,” Gutmacher said. “When someone gets through with one of those courses, they

FLORIDA: The walkway area (right) behind 1231 Twin Trees Lane is seen, where slain teenager Trayvon Martin’s body was found after he was killed by George Michael Zimmerma. — AFP law. “We are at a 40-year low in our crime rate in our state,” he said. “From a public safety standpoint we are absolutely heading in the right direction.”

LAWS POORLY UNDERSTOOD The Brady Campaign says that number is deceptive, pointing out that crime is dropping all around the country at a faster rate than in Florida. “Florida has a stunning record of failure in fighting violent crime,” said Henigan, adding that it finished in the top five states for violent crimes “every single year for the last 15 years.” Jon Gutmacher, an Orlando attorney and defender of gun rights, said he believes the problem is not the availability of guns but that many gun owners do not understand laws governing when they can use them.

don’t know the law. It’s that simple.” The number of new and renewed concealed weapons permits issued in Florida has risen steadily in recent years, hitting a monthly record in March with 53,835. More than 919,000 concealed weapons permits have been issued to Florida residents as of March 31, according to the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, which is charged with licensing weapons in the state. Observers say the increasing numbers are a combination of tough economic times and worries that federal standards might become stricter under US President Barack Obama. In Zimmerman’s case, he was licensed to carry a concealed weapon despite a prior arrest for assault on a law enforcement officer and domestic battery complaints by a former girlfriend. — Reuters

Romney woos gun owners; NRA targets Obama ST LOUIS: White House hopeful Mitt Romney on Friday accused President Barack Obama of attacking economic, religious and individual freedoms as the presumptive Republican nominee wooed gun owners. His appearance at the National Rifle Association’s annual meeting came as the nation is embroiled in a debate over gun control, racism and the criminal justice system following the shooting of a black teen by a neighborhood watch guard.

Romney barely touched upon gun control and made no mention of the controversial “Stand Your Ground” laws which led police to initially decline to file charges in the Florida slaying of Treyvon Mar tin, 17, because they determined it was a justifiable homicide.

Shooting suspect George Zimmerman was charged with second-degree murder

on Wednesday after a special prosecutor had been appointed to review the case.

Instead, Romney stuck to his stump speech as he urged the powerful gun lobby’s members to join him in the fight to “take back our nation and defend our freedoms.” “This administration’s attack on freedom extends even to rights explicitly guaranteed by our constitution,” Romney told a crowd of 5,500 NRA members gathered in a football stadium attached to the St. Louis convention center where hundreds of exhibitors displayed acres of guns and gear.

Romney vowed to “stand up for the rights of hunters, sportsmen, and those seeking to protect their homes and their families” and “defend the rights President Obama ignores or minimizes.” The White House dismissed the accusation that Obama has undermined gun rights guaran-

teed by the second amendment to the Constitution. “The president is focused on common sense actions that protect the Second Amendment rights of Americans while ensuring that those who should not have guns under existing law do not get guns,” spokesman Jay Carney told reporters, referring to the constitutional portion on the right to bear arms.

The NRA-which calls itself the nation’s oldest civil rights group-is an influential and highly symbolic lobby group, able to rally millions of dedicated supporters.

Romney was not alone in seeking its approval. The presumptive Republican nominee was joined by rival Newt Gingrich and a virtual who’s who of the Republican establishment. Gingrich called for a new United Nations treaty that would give the right to bear arms to every person on the

planet “because every person on the planet deserves the right to defend themselves from those who would oppress them, exploit them, rape them, or kill them.”

Rick Santorum, who this week suspended his campaign for the Republican presidential nomination, also rallied the crowd in a sign that he has deferred rather than abandoned his political ambitions. The NRA did not endorse Romney, who has been criticized for enacting gun control legislation while governor of Massachusetts, but urged members to fight hard to defeat Obama in November. “If President Obama gets a second term, America as we know it will be on its way to being lost forever,” said NRA chief Wayne LaPierre. “This election-it’s a fight for our country. It’s a fight for our values. It’s a fight for our freedom.” Like Romney, LaPierre focused on the

November election and made little mention of gun control laws.

While the NRA has been instrumental in introducing Stand Your Ground legislation in 30 states-laws which now are at risk of repeal-it has not spoken out publically about the Trayvon Martin case. The omission was deliberate.

“Charlton Heston used to say, ‘Sometimes silence is the right thing to do,’” LaPierre told the St Louis Post-Dispatch.

“And that really is the case here.” However, at a small seminar on grassroots campaigning in an election year where no news cameras were present, a top NRA executive vowed to defend the laws. “We don’t apologize for supporting legislation that recognizes our rights to defend ourselves,” said Chris Cox, director of the NRA’s Institute for Legislative Action. — AFP

SUNDAY, APRIL 15, 2012

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

Breivik’s trial may incite extremism Norway attacks push Nordic populists to change tune OSLO: An Oslo court has insisted it will not allow Norway gunman Anders Behring Breivik to use his trial to convey his ideology to the masses, but the courtroom still risks ending up a platform for extremism.

The far rightwinger considers the trial, which opens Monday, “an excellent opportunity”. The list of witnesses due to testify is made up mainly of medical experts, but is also a Who’s Who of Norway’s extremist circles, including a fundamentalist mullah, a Breivik blogging mentor and a few ex-members kicked out of Norway’s populist anti-immigration party, to name a few.

“I fear that witnesses have been called who don’t have a lot to say in terms of shedding light on the case, but they’ve been called because they are known faces and names,” said Harald Stabell, one of Norway’s top lawyers. “The risk is that we will end up with a political brouhaha, too many irrelevant things and that the attention will be shifted away from the case itself to the witnesses,” he said. The fiery list is due to Breivik’s chosen line of defense, aimed at proving that he was sane and is accountable for his actions on July 22, 2011 when he killed 77 people.

He wants his ideology to be taken seriously, and not seen as the rantings of a madman. The defense’s goal is to prove that Breivik was not alone in his view of the world in which Islam and the West are at war, and that the “delusions” a first psychiatric exam showed him to be suffering from last year are in fact a world view shared by others, albeit a small group.

Among the witnesses are Mullah Krekar, the founder of the radical Iraqi Kurdish Islamist group Ansar al-Islam, who has lived in Norway since 1991 and was recently sentenced to five years in prison for issuing death threats against a former government minister.

Another who will testify is “Fjordman”, a blogger who is quoted at length in Breivik’s 1,500-page manifesto that the gunman published online just before the July 22 attacks, as well as extremists who were expelled from the rightwing populist Progress Party.

The heads of the “Stop the Islamisation of Norway”

Guinea-Bissau’s soldiers set out terms after coup BISSAU: Leaders of Guinea-Bissau’s military coup have set out terms for a “unity government”, amid growing international condemnation of their seizure of the capital halfway through a presidential election. The coup leaders have announced that the prime minister, interim president and army chief-of-staff general had all been deposed hours after the coup attempt was launched late Thursday. They also imposed an overnight curfew, called on members of the toppled government to surrender to the army command and confirmed that private radio stations had been shut down.

The UN Security Council condemned the military action and urged “the immediate restoration of civilian authority”, US ambassador to the United Nations Susan Rice said after council talks on Friday. The United States, Canada and Nigeria were among others joining the chorus of condemnation of the military coup. “We call for the release of all government leaders and urge all parties to reconcile their differences through the democratic process,” White House spokesman Jay Carney said.

Washington also issued a travel warning for Guinea-Bissau, urging American citizens “to shelter in place and avoid the downtown area of Bissau.”

The African Union’s commission chief Jean Ping condemned the “outrageous acts which undermine the efforts to stabilize the situation in Guinea-Bissau and tarnish the image of the country and Africa.” Guinea-Bissau army chiefs had earlier met leaders of the political parties, telling them to consider what they called “a government of national unity” in which the coup leaders would control the defense and interior ministries. “The soldiers told us... to think about a government of national unity and its composition,” one party leader, who requested anonymity, told AFP after the closed-door meeting at the former military headquarters in the southern suburbs of Bissau, which lasted for more than a hour.

The chief-of-staff General Antonio Indjai was among those who attended, though it was later announced that he had been stripped of his post. Also present were the deputy chiefof-staff, General Mamadu Ture Kuruma; the heads of the army, air force and navy; the army’s spokesman and four colonels.

The main political parties were represented at the meeting, except that there was nobody from what was, until Thursday night, the ruling African Party for the Independence of Guinea-Bissau and Cape Verde (PAIGC). Deposed Prime Minister Carlos Gomes Junior, the favourite in a second-round presidential election set for this month, was seized in a military assault on his home using rocket-propelled grenades on Thursday evening.—AFP

Rise in US military sex assault cases WASHINGTON: The number of sexual assaults reported to US military authorities edged up last year, with most involving one member of the armed forces attacking another, the Pentagon said in an annual report released on Friday. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta called the crime “an affront to the basic American values we defend” and said he would announce measures next week during consultations with Congress to try to curb sexual assaults.

“Since taking this office, I’ve made it one of my top priorities to do everything we can to reduce and prevent sexual assault, to make victims of sexual assault feel secure enough to report this crime without fear of retribution or harm to their career, and to hold the perpetrators appropriately accountable,” Panetta said. The 3,192 sexual assault cases reported to military authorities in 2011 amounted to a 1 percent increase over the 3,158 reported in 2010. Some 56 percent of the cases involved one service member attacking another, 26 percent a member of the military attacking a civilian, 6 percent a civilian attacking a service member and 12 percent an unidentified person attacking a service member, the report said. Despite an increased effort by authorities to address the problem and highlight the issue with the annual report, figures on sexual assaults in the military have remained largely unchanged in recent years. Since becoming defense secretary last year, Panetta has taken a number of steps to curb sexual assaults and improve the military’s response to them, including expanded legal assistance, additional care and support for victims, and more funding to support investigators and provide training. —Reuters

OSLO: Law books are pictured in a court room in Oslo City Court. — AFP organization and the Norwegian Defense League will also be called to the stand. “There is reason to believe that some of Breivik’s defense witnesses may turn what is a very serious trial into a circus,” an editorial in the daily Dagsavisen read earlier this month.

But Breivik’s lawyer, Geir Lippestad, has tried to dispel those concerns. “It will not be a week of political propaganda,” he said, referring to the week when the defense witnesses will address the court. “It will be relevant from a judicial point of view,” he insisted. Harald Stangelle, the chief political editor of Norway’s daily of reference Aftenposten, said he was confident the witnesses would not be a problem. “I don’t think it will be a circus or an ideological platform for radicals, Islamists or rightwing extremists, for the simple reason that the

(trial) procedure is required to follow strict rules,” he said. Several of the witnesses have already indicated that they will distance themselves from the killer.

CHANGING TUNE Breivik’s deadly attacks in Norway sent shockwaves through the serene Nordic lands, rocking their populist parties and prompting at least one to clean up its act.

In the nearly nine months since Breivik massacred 77 people on July 22, such parties have experienced several setbacks amid accusations their criticism of immigration and Islam helped pave the way for the tragedy.

“There has been a very infected debate. It is a very uncomfortable feeling to be accused of such a thing,” Mattias Karlsson, party secretary for the Sweden

Democrats said.

In the 1,500-page manifesto he published online shortly before the attacks, Breivik claimed to be on a crusade against multi-culturalism and the “Muslim invasion” of Europe. He hailed the sentiments expressed by Norway’s Progress Party, the Sweden Democrats, the Danish People’s Party (DPP) and members of the Finns Party. Horrified to find themselves mentioned in the document and to find the confessed killer voicing support for some of their cherished ideas, the parties immediately distanced themselves from Breivik. “I resent everything that he stands for. I resent his actions and will not be associated with this guy.

Really, I will not,” Progress Party chief Siv Jensen said shortly after the attacks.

Jensen and her Nordic peers were however quick to insist the attacks would not change their criticism of high immigration numbers and Islamic extremism.

“Under no circumstances do I intend as a politician to be afraid of what I say,” DPP chief Pia Kjaersgaard told the Politiken daily last August. Experts note that surprisingly little has changed within the parties. “The parties have of course had to distance themselves from what Breivik did but they haven’t changed their opinions,” said Ann-Cathrine Jungar of the School of Social Sciences at Sweden’s Soedertoern University.

Anders Hellstroem, a political scientist at Malmoe University, agreed. “A lot could have happened, but it hasn’t,” he said, pointing out: “There could have been a very big discussion after the attacks about what kind of debate is legitimate: is it legitimate to paint Islam as a threat?” Sweden Democrat Karlsson meanwhile stressed that “we haven’t seen any reason to go through political analysis or introspection on the basis of what this crazy man did.” There is one exception: the Progress Party has undergone a process of soul-searching. This, experts say, is in part because the party once counted Breivik as a member but especially because the attacks were such a Norwegian tragedy. — Agencies

SUNDAY, APRIL 15, 2012

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

Ailing Chavez vows to knock out rivals CARACAS: Feisty Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez acknowledged yesterday that radiation treatment for cancer was wearing him down, but he vowed to squash his opponents in October ’s presidential election.

Ramping up the political rhetoric at a huge rally to mark the 10th anniversary of his return to power after a brief coup, Chavez said three sessions of radiation therapy in Cuba had taken their toll.

But he was more combative than usual, vowing to win the Oct 7 “by a knock-out,” repeatedly denouncing his opponents as upper-class “bourgeoisie losers,” and launching a new anti-coup force that would prevent any repeat of the events of 2002. “I continue to recover from the surgery. The radiation has an impact on my body, it has some impact on my physical strength, but I am doing well. We will be alright, thank God,” he told tens of thousands of supporters clad in red T-shirts in honor of his ruling Socialist Party.

Chavez, 57, said his doctors had not decided whether he was fit to attend a summit of the hemisphere’s leaders, including US President Barack Obama,

this weekend in Colombia.

If he did attend, it would only be for a few hours before continuing on to Havana for a fourth session of radiation treatment. This time, he told the rally from the balcony of the Miraflores presidential palace in Caracas, he would spend the whole week in Cuba - longer than his recent trips. The president said he wanted to avoid “coming and going.” His frequent visits to a tightly guarded hospital on the Communist-led island means he is taking himself off the political stage for much of the time, just as the opposition’s candidate Henrique Capriles pushes on with a national campaign.

EMOTIONAL ANNIVERSARY The political temperature has heated up with the coup anniversary. All week, state TV has played video of the dramatic events of April 11-13, when big marches by both sides clashed in the streets around Miraflores and about 20 people died. Chavez was ousted from power for two days until giant demonstrations by his supporters, and allies in the military, returned him to power in a saga that has taken

Drug cartel leader jailed in Colorado DENVER: The leader of a Mexican drug cartel has been sentenced to more than 22 years in prison by a federal judge in Colorado, who said the kingpin’s criminal enterprise sold $1 billion worth of cocaine in eight US states.

Oscar Arriola, 43, was “a clear and present danger to this country and its citizens,” US District Judge Robert Blackburn said. The cartel distributed cocaine in 2002 and 2003 in New York, Illinois, Georgia and five other states from a storage center at a Colorado ranch, before an anonymous tip led to an investigation, the US Drug Enforcement Administration said.

Arriola and his brother, Miguel, were among 29 people indicted in 2003 in federal court in Denver. Oscar Arriola was arrested in Mexico in 2006 and

extradited to the United States in 2010.

In 2010, Miguel Arriola was sentenced to 20 years in prison on drug trafficking charges involving the Arriola cartel’s smuggling of tons of cocaine from Mexico to the United States. Oscar Arriola pleaded guilty last year to drug trafficking and money laundering crimes.

He was one of the top 35 drug traffickers in the world in 2002, Drug Enforcement agent and lead investigator Paul Roach said. A prison term of 22 1/2 years was justified, the judge said, because help Arriola provided to authorities while in US custody was “more than offset by the lives ruined.”

Arriola apologized to the judge for the harm his cartel inflicted on US residents. — Reuters

Misconduct alleged against 12 US Secret Service agents CARTAGENA: President Barack Obama’s diplomatic mission to Latin America this past weekend threatened to be overshadowed by alleged misconduct by a dozen Secret Service agents sent to provide security for him in Colombia. On Friday night, a caller who said he had knowledge of the situation said the misconduct involved prostitutes in Cartagena, site of the Summit of the Americas. A Secret Service spokesman did not dispute that.

The White House had no comment, but also did not dispute the allegations.

A US official, who was not authorized to speak publicly on the matter and requested anonymity, put the number of agents at 12. The agency was not releasing the number of personnel involved.

The alleged activities took place before Obama arrived Friday in this Colombian port city for meetings with 33 other regional leaders. Secret Service spokesman Ed Donovan said the agents involved were relieved from duty and replaced with other agency personnel.

“These personnel changes will not affect the comprehensive security plan that has been prepared in advance of the president’s trip,” Donovan said. Still, the allegations were an embarrassment for the president and his delegation while guests of the Colombian government.

And the incident threatened to torpedo White House efforts to keep the president’s trip focused squarely on the economy and boosting US trade ties with fast-

growing Latin America. Obama was to hold two days of summit meetings with regional leaders before heading back to Washington Sunday night.

The agents at the center of the allegations had stayed at Cartagena’s Hotel Caribe. Several members of the White House staff and press corps were also staying at the hotel. A hotel employee, speaking on the condition of anonymity for fear of losing his job, said the agents arrived at the beachfront hotel about a week ago. The employee described the agents as drinking heavily during their stay. The employee said the agents left the hotel Thursday, a day before Obama and other regional leaders arrived for the weekend summit. The hotel’s public relations chief had no comment.

The Washington Post reported that Jon Adler, president of the Federal Law Enforcement Officers Association, said the accusations related to at least one agent having involvement with prostitutes in Cartagena. The association represents federal law enforcement officers, including the Secret Service. Adler later told the AP that he had heard that there were allegations of prostitution, but he had no specific knowledge of any wrongdoing. Donovan said the agency personnel involved had been sent back from Colombia to their permanent place of duty. The matter was turned over to the agency ’s Office of Professional Responsibility, which handles the agency’s internal affairs. — AP

CARTAGENA: Blanca, a Colombian amateur painter and fan of US President Barack Obama, argues with a policewoman while trying to reach the hotel where the President stays, to give him the painting, in Cartagena. — AFP

on almost religious overtones for some passionate “Chavistas.” A decade later, they still fume at the illegality of how he was ousted from office. It is also an emotional date for some in the opposition who had a brief taste of long-sought power and a sense of

what a post-Chavez Venezuela might feel like.

Others in the opposition were happy to see him replaced, if only temporarily, but remain upset by how it happened. Chavez routinely accuses his political foes of plotting another

CARACAS: Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez (right) embraces his daughter Rosa Virginia, at a balcony of Miraflores presidential palace in Caracas. — AFP

attempt to seize power by force.

“Prepare yourselves to receive the biggest and most crushing defeat,” he said as the crowd cheered. He gave very few details of the new anti-coup force he launched on Friday, but his fiery comments set the stage for a bitterly contested election. They follow threats he made recently to nationalize private banks and any other local businesses that he said were supporting the opposition in its “violent plan” to topple him. “We will make them repent forever,” he said last month.

While he has a solid 13 percentage point lead over Capriles in the most recent poll published last month, many Venezuelans remain undecided and Chavez faces his toughest electoral challenge. His illness has cast further doubt over the future of the man who has dominated politics in South America’s biggest oil exporter during his 13 years in office. Very little is known about Chavez’s health, including the type of cancer he is battling.

He has undergone three operations in Cuba in less than a year and rumors persist that he is more ill than he has admitted. — Reuters

Americas summit kicks off amid controversies Summit marred by explosions CARTAGENA: Washington should turn back to alliances with neighbors in Latin America rather than focus on faraway conflicts like Afghanistan, Colombia’s president said before welcoming US President Barack Obama to the Americas Summit. US influence has waned in recent years in a region it traditionally saw as its backyard, allowing China to gain ground and emerge as the No 1 trade partner with various countries, including regional powerhouse Brazil. “If the United States realizes its long-term strategic interests are not in Afghanistan or Pakistan, but in Latin America ... there will be great results,” President Juan Manuel Santos said just before Obama arrived in Colombia.

Obama had a rapturous welcome at the last Summit of the Americas in 2009. But Latin American hopes, including for a US rapprochement with communist-run Cuba, have been largely dashed as Obama has focused on other global priorities. Santos’ comments came in a speech to hundreds of businessmen from North and South America meeting before the Organization of American States’ sixth summit attended by more than 30 heads of state in the historic Caribbean port of Cartagena. In a reminder of Colombia’s recent bloody past of guerrilla and drug violence, two small bombs exploded in a ditch in residential district of Bogota, near the US Embassy. Police said some windows were broken in nearby buildings, but there were no injuries in the explosions in the capital, which is about 600 miles from Cartagena. They suspected leftist rebels, who have been beaten back but not defeated by the state in a decade-old, US-backed offensive. “It might be a protest by an urban guerrilla cell against Obama’s presence,” a senior police source said.

In Cartagena, there were reports by some residents of another explosion in an empty lot.

Police said they could not confirm a bomb had gone off, and Reuters TV images of some dented metal plates were inconclusive.

Also on Friday, the US Secret Service, which is responsible for protecting Obama, said it recalled a number of agents from Colombia

because of alleged misconduct. “These personnel changes will not affect the comprehensive security plan that has been prepared in advance of the president’s trip,” agency spokesman Edwin Donovan said in a statement. In visits to Cartagena by Bill Clinton and George W Bush during their presidencies, police discovered and foiled assassination plots by Colombian rebels.

was to bur y the hatchet with socialist President Hugo Chavez next door.

Chavez, who has been undergoing radiation treatment for cancer, said his doctors would decide if he could go to Cartagena. But he scoffed at the meeting, saying it was pointless because Cuba was not invited due to US opposition.

“We should put an end to the summits,”

BOGOTA: An Attorney General’s Office forensic agent inspects the site where a small explosive device went off in the area where the US embassy and public offices are located in Bogota, Colombia. — AP CHAVEZ COMING? With deep ideological fissures dividing Latin America over the past decade, Santos urged fellow heads of state - who meet formally on Saturday and Sunday - to follow his example of putting pragmatism first. “Let’s respect our differences, but stay together.

Who would have imagined Venezuela and Colombia working together?” asked Santos, whose first action after taking office in 2010

Cops find charred body MODESTO: The body of a man suspected of gunning down a deputy and a locksmith when they tried to serve eviction papers was discovered Friday in the rubble of an apartment that was gutted by fire during a standoff with authorities. Police said it could take weeks to identify the charred remains found after the blaze collapsed the second floor of the structure.

Property records show James Ferrario, 45, lived at the address in the Whispering Woods development.

Jonathon Mullinix, 20, a neighbor, said Ferrario was reserved and often kept to himself. He had told Mullinix he worked for a private security company and had handguns, rifles and shotguns. Mullinix said Ferrario also had several security cameras in windows of his house. “He seemed like someone who wanted to be left alone,” Mullinix said. State online records show Ferrario’s security guard registration and firearms permit were canceled in 2009 with no disciplinary action indicated.

The Modesto Bee newspaper said the Ferrario property had fallen behind on payments on a $15,000 Bank of America mortgage taken out in 2003. The property owner also appears to have defaulted on $13,406 owed to the Whispering Woods Community Association. The association foreclosed on the condo last year, followed by a bank foreclosure in December, the newspaper reported. R&T Financial Inc is now the property’s legal owner, according to county records. The Associated Press could not find a phone listing for the company.

After getting clearance from fire officials, federal firearms and explosives agents spent Friday afternoon searching the rubble for evidence in the case. Police spokesman Officer Chris Adams would not say if any weapons had been found. The daylong standoff began Thursday morning after a man opened fire as authorities tried to serve the eviction notice. At one point during the standoff, police broke the windows of the apartment with bean bag shots and fired flash-bang grenades and tear gas. — AFP

Chavez said in a speech to tens of thousands of supporters in downtown Caracas.

Most of the 30 or so presidents attending the summit had arrived by Friday, some donning traditional loose-fitting “guayabera” shir ts to cope with the heat in tropical Cartagena. Latin America has weathered the global economic storm better than other parts of the globe, with enviable growth rates. — Reuters

Guatemala urges new strategy in drug war CARTAGENA: Guatemalan President Otto Perez Molina said yesterday that the US-led regional war against drug trafficking is being lost and requires a change in strategy, including decriminalizing drug consumption. “The war we have waged over the past 40 years has not yielded results. It’s a war which, to speak frankly, we are losing,” he said in an interview with AFP on the sidelines of the Summit of the Americas in Cartagena, Colombia. He recalled that when he took office in January, many thought that a retired, right-wing general like himself was going to lead the country into “a frontal war against narcotrafficking, that there would be a bloodbath.”

Given his experience in combating drugs as Guatemala’s intelligence chief 18 years ago, Perez took everybody by surprise, including the United States, when he stated that the war on drugs was lost and there was a need to seek alternatives. “Meanwhile, the black market continues to exist and dollars and weapons continued to flow in from the United States.

The way we are fight this war, we cannot win,” he added. The 61-year-old general is bringing to this hemispheric summit a proposal to open a high-level dialogue both at the continental and global levels to seek new strategies to combat drug trafficking, including decriminalization of consumption and regulation of the drug market. The man who took part

in the battle against leftist guerrillas in the 1980s and in the negotiations which in 1996 put an end to 36 years of civil war said he is not discouraged by US President Barack Obama’s rejection of his proposal. In an interview with the Grupo de Diarios America, an association of leading Latin American newspapers, Obama said Washington would not “legalize or decriminalize drugs because doing so would have serious negative consequences in all our countries in terms of public health and safety.”

The US leader added that legalizing or decriminalizing drugs “would not eliminate the danger posed by transnational organized crime.” But Perez played down Obama’s remarks, noting that the US leader “will not innovate” when he is seeking re-election in the November elections. He said there was a “growing awareness among (US) officials, which they have not expressed but that we know they have discussed in think tanks, non-governmental organizations, academic circles, that it is necessary to seek other alternatives” to the war on drugs.

He conceded that this was a long-term effort, although there was already some progress. “ We are beginning to see that (Washington) is ready to begin a dialogue, although not on decriminalization (of drugs),” Perez said. He succeeded in arranging a meeting with his central American counterparts Saturday on the sidelines of the summit. — AFP

SUNDAY, APRIL 15, 2012

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

Afghan woman MP sets sights on presidency KABUL: Condemned to die shortly after birth for being a girl, outspoken Afghan member of parliament Fawzia Koofi lived to become a champion of women’s rights and is now eyeing the presidency in 2014. The 36-yearold expects harsh opposition, threats of violence and pressure against her family as her campaign gets underway to replace Hamid Karzai, who must step down that year after serving the constitutional limit of two consecutive terms. “I am sure my campaign will be the noisiest.

I will have lots of troubles against me,” the politician from the country’s remote northeastern Badakhshan province told Reuters in an interview this week.

Koofi is the first person to declare an intention to run in the election, which is becoming increasingly fraught with confusion and uncertainty in the run-up to the withdrawal of foreign combat troops by the end of 2014. Her bid would appear a long shot. Most ordinary Afghans in the ultra-conservative, deeply Muslim country do not take the idea of a female leader too seriously but Koofi is undeterred. “It’s very easy to terrorize a woman in Afghanistan. It’s very easy to create accusations against a woman, and then her political life will be finished,” Koofi said in her lavishly decorated palatial home, adorned with masses of gold colored curtains.

She has surprised her male counterparts in the past, first as a member of parliament and later by becoming its first female deputy speaker, victories which brought a near-death attack from the Taleban and threats on her life from the Haqqani militant network allied with the Taleban. She was first elected to parliament in 2005, one of almost 90 women of 240 members. She won a seat again in 2010. The nineteenth of her polygamous father’s 23 children, she also astonished her family by becoming the first girl to get an education, which she achieved by begging her brothers to allow her to attend school.

Her memoir, “The Favored Daughter”, interwoven with letters to her two daughters written before each political trip with the fear of death on her mind, was published in February in several languages to rave reviews. Speaking animatedly and quickly in fluent English, Koofi says she will also face opposition from the

Karzai administration, which she blames for a legion of problems, including endemic corruption, violence and weak rule of law. Her campaign will target those head on. “The basic thing that people in Afghanistan need is a responsible, accountable, good government,” she said adjusting her translucent orange headscarf.

Koofi wants Afghanistan to stop relying on foreign aid, which accounts for more than 80 percent of the budget, and become financially independent, with enforced rules to control its resources, in particular its mineral wealth which she likened to “billions of dol-

lars underground”. “Unfortunately right now the income from mines goes into a few pockets. If you provide people with jobs you are certainly contributing to reducing security risks,” she said, explaining that few unemployed would bother join the Taleban insurgency if they had good jobs. An indomitable campaigner for girls’ education after the ouster of the Taleban a decade ago, she will continue her battle for women’s rights in the country of 30 million which ranked in a poll last year as the worst place on earth to be a woman.

KABUL: Afghan Young Women for Change (YWC) activists, holding placards which read “where is justice?”, take part in a protest denouncing violence against women in Afghanistan. — AFP

Scaled-back US drone strikes reflect success Pakistan’s parliament calls for end to drone strikes WASHINGTON: A reduction in US drone strikes in Pakistan in recent months reflects success in targeting senior Al-Qaeda operatives and forcing militants “underground,” a US official said. The United States suspended strikes by the unmanned aircraft in Pakistani borderlands for nearly two months late last year, partly to ease anger over a Nov 26 NATO air attack that killed 24 Pakistani soldiers and led Pakistan to close supply routes to US-led troops in Afghanistan.

Strikes in the border area of North Waziristan resumed in January, but the rate of attacks has been scaled back so far this year, US officials said. Pakistan’s parliament on Thursday unanimously approved recommendations on the country’s ties with the United States, including a demand to end the strikes.

Some US officials say sensitivities in Pakistan have been factors

considered when the United States decided whether to launch strikes, but others say a lack of targets has been a key reason behind the reduction of attacks. “What’s important is not the number or pace of strikes, but their effectiveness,” a US official said on condition of anonymity. “This year already an (Al-Qaeda) external-ops planner and another key Pakistani military ally have been taken off the battlefield,” the official said. “Another way to look at the number of strikes is to see this as the result of sustained and effective run of aggressive counter terrorism operations that have steadily degraded Al-Qaeda and its allies over the past several years.”

MILITANTS KILLED Militant targets killed in strikes between late September and midOctober included a son of a blind

Egyptian cleric serving a life sentence in the United States for plotting to attack New York City landmarks; and individuals Washington says were a subcommander in the Al-Qaeda-linked Haqqani network and two Al-Qaeda planners. “From the end of September through October, Al-Qaeda and its militant allies experienced a series of significant losses,” a senior US official said.

“Within a matter of days, four significant targets were removed from the battlefield.

After such successes, it is natural that important targets would go into even deeper hiding and it would take time to find them.”

Bruce Riedel, a former CIA officer who is now a foreign policy expert at Washington’s Brookings Institution, said the US administration was also fully aware of Pakistani concerns. “It’s ... clear the administration knows the drone

war is deeply unpopular in Pakistan and it needs to use them with greater care,” he said.

“Now that the parliament formally has demanded they stop completely, the next drone attack sets up a showdown,” he said.

“Pakistan’s finance minister visits Washington next week, the first cabinet visitor since last year. Will the drones fly?” NATO has been seeking to persuade Pakistan to reopen its border crossings with Afghanistan, the closure of which has forced the alliance to use a costlier northern distribution route to get supplies to its troops. The Pakistan government has yet to decide how to respond to parliament’s recommendations. In a speech to parliament on Thursday, Pakistani Prime Minster Yusuf Raza Gilani did not say whether the NATO supply routes would be reopened.— Reuters

Pakistan arms ban ‘no bar’ to NATO convoys But the Pakistani public is deeply uneasy about the counISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s insistence that no arms transit through its territory to Afghanistan is largely a gesture to quell try’s cooperation with the United States in the “war on terror” domestic anti-US sentiment and will not hinder the resump- and retired Brigadier Saad Muhammad, a defense analyst, said tion of NATO convoys, analysts say. Islamabad stopped NATO significant political obstacles to reopening the supply lines supplies travelling overland from its southern Karachi port to remain. “Parliament members had received death threats and Afghanistan in November amid public outrage after 24 resumption will be a loss of face for the ruling party,” Pakistani soldiers were killed in a US air strike on a border Muhammad, who served as Pakistani defense attache in Kabul post. Western officials were keen for Pakistan to commit to said. “There will be public reaction. Now it becomes a real reopening the supply lines to landlocked Afghanistan before a problem for the Pakistan government to resume the supply.”

A general election is due in Pakistan in the next 12 months NATO summit in Chicago next month. A new framework for engaging with the US approved by Pakistani lawmakers late and in a country where anti-American feelings run high, appearing to side with Washington on Thursday was silent on the would be a huge political risk. resumption of NATO convoys but “Religious and right-wing political said Pakistani soil must not be used parties were blaming the governto transport arms or ammunition to ment for its pro-US policies and that Afghanistan. was the reason that passing of this Analysts said this condition-missresolution took more time in the ing from an earlier draft of the parliament,” said political analyst framework-would not hinder the Askari. “Religious and right-wing reopening of NATO routes, as the political parties could use it against convoys were mainly used to carry the ruling Pakistan People’s Party in “non-lethal” supplies. “There is no the upcoming elections.” past evidence that weapons were The “no arms or ammunition” transported via Pakistan ground condition has cut no ice with some routes,” Pakistani political analyst hardline groups opposed to NATO Hasan Askari said. “The US has other convoys. The Defense Council of options to send weapons to Pakistan, an alliance of right-wing, Afghanistan-they can use the religious political parties and European channel, through Turkey extremist groups who have camand central Asia.” Brigadier General paigned against restarting the supCarsten Jacobson, spokesman for ply routes, has vowed to block conthe NATO force in Afghanistan said voys no matter what they carry. he would welcome the Pakistan “Americans used to supply arms route being reopened, but the operand weapons using Pakistani routes ation was not dependent on it. and we fear that again they will Political analyst and author Imtiaz start this practice taking the cover Gul described the bar on transporting deadly weapons as “a gesture to KARACHI: Activists of Shabab-e-Milli set of (non-lethal supplies),” Israr-Ullah, fire to US flags during a protest against a spokesman for the coalition said. address public opinion”.

“It was a pre-planned decision Pakistan-US relations nosedived the reopening of the NATO supply route and the text of this resolution was in 2011, first over a CIA contractor to Afghanistan. — AFP written by Americans.” It is also who shot dead two Pakistanis in Lahore, then over the discovery of Osama bin Laden in the election year in the United States, and domestic political congarrison town of Abbottabad and finally over the November cerns may play a role in how Washington responds to another air strikes. Washington and Islamabad have taken steps key demand made by the Pakistani parliament: an apology for recently to patch up their fractious relationship. President the November air strikes. The White House has so far voiced Barack Obama met Pakistan’s Prime Minister Yousuf Raza regret for the deaths but stopped short of apologizing, and Gilani on the sidelines of a summit in Seoul last month and with Obama’s likely Republican opponent Mitt Romney critilast week US Deputy Secretary of State Tom Nides held talks cizing the president for “apologizing for America” it remains to be seen whether he will take the extra step.—AFP with Gilani and other ministers in Islamabad.

LOSING THE WOMEN’S VOTE Karzai said last week he was considering calling elections a year early to avoid overlapping with the drawdown of US-led NATO forces by end-2014, though analysts were quick to point out the difficulty in doing so legally. Koofi said Karzai could postpone the elections under electoral laws, blaming poor security, to maintain a grip on power amid waning public support. He has certainly lost women’s votes, Koofi said, as he had become out of touch with their needs and their rights were no longer a priority for him. “He has lost the trust of this part of society - women, the civil movements, the activists, the Afghan youth and the intellectuals. That is why he is trying to now rely on conservative forces,” she said.

Concern is mounting among some Western officials, activists and women MPs such as Koofi, that women’s rights could be compromised under any power-sharing deal between the government and the Taleban, which Karzai has been seeking to end the war. Activists were outraged last month when Karzai appeared to back recommendations from his powerful clerics, the Ulema Council, to segregate the sexes and allow husbands to beat wives under certain circumstances, reminiscent of Taleban rule. The Islamist group banned women from most work, education and the right to vote during their 1996-2001 rule, laws which halted Koofi’s medical studies following her bachelor degree in law and political science.

And there other indications that Karzai and his government, by extending an olive branch to the Taleban, have started to clamp down on political rights.

Speculation circulating among politicians is that by bringing the election forward, Karzai could establish what Koofi called a “Putin model”. Russia’s Vladimir Putin stepped down from the presidency in 2008 after serving two consecutive terms, becoming prime minister and handing the reins to his junior partner.

Dmitry Medvedev. Putin was re-elected president in March. “By being the number two he will have all the authority to have the same team, basically,” she said of Karzai.— Reuters

Slain Afghan ex-leader’s son named Peace Council head KABUL: Afghanistan’s government yesterday appointed Salahuddin Rabbani, the son of slain statesman Burhanuddin Rabbani, to replace his father and lead the country’s High Peace Council charged with reaching out to Taleban insurgents. Former President Burhanuddin Rabbani was head of the council when he was assassinated last September by an insurgent carrying a bomb hidden in a turban, a major setback to reconciliation efforts with the Afghan Taleban, and exploratory moves towards peace talks.

Salahuddin Rabbani is currently Afghanistan’s ambassador to Turkey, and his appointment as Kabul’s chief peace negotiator with the Taleban ends a seven-month gap at the top of the 70-member council as the Taleban intensifies a spring bombing offensive in the leadup to the summer fighting months. “The presence of foreign troops has prolonged conflict and insecurity,” he said in a statement issued by President Hamid Karzai’s office, aimed at mollifying insurgents who demand the withdrawal of all foreign forces from the country. “We will have achievement in the peace process when the leadership is in the hands of Afghans. Without it we cannot move it forward and get the nation’s confidence,” he said. His job will be made more difficult by

the Taleban’s refusal to deal with Karzai’s Western-backed government, whose officials it calls US “stooges”. Last month the Taleban suspended exploratory peace negotiations with the United States.

Rabbani’s appointment was “suitable for consolidating national unity and preventing foreign interference”, Karzai said in the statement. The assassination of his father last year in Kabul’s upmarket Wazir Akhbar Khan neighborhood triggered a major diplomatic rift with Pakistan, with Afghan officials accusing the Pakistan’s powerful Inter Services Intelligence agency, or ISI, of having a role in his killing.

An investigative delegation established

by Karzai said evidence and a confession provided by a man involved in Rabbani’s killing on Sept 20 had revealed that the bomber was Pakistani and the assassination had been plotted in Pakistan. Islamabad angrily rejected the allegation. Burhanuddin Rabbani, an ethnic Tajik, was a celebrated former Afghan Mujahideen leader who fought against the Soviet occupation of the country during the 1980s. His Jamiat-e-Islami fighters were among the first to reach Kabul after the Soviet exodus in 1989, paving the way for him to become president until his ousting by the Taleban in 1996.— Reuters

Maldives leader faces popularity test COLOMBO: President Mohamed Waheed of the Maldives, accused of seizing power in a military-backed coup, faced his first popularity test yesterday when voting was held in two key by-elections. Waheed is not directly fielding candidates but has publicly endorsed members of his coalition partners for the Thimarafushi and Kaashidhoo constituencies. The two islands outside the capital, Male, will elect two representatives to the 77member People’s Majlis, or parliament, the elections commission said.

Nearly 6,000 voters were eligible to cast ballots today.

The by-elections were called after the country’s highest court recently disqualified the MPs elected in elections in 2009. Former president Mohamed Nasheed, who stepped down in February, has claimed that he was forced to resign following a military coup which was backed by his then deputy, Waheed, who went on to succeed him. Waheed has denied allegations that he was involved in any coup and has ordered a government investigation into Nasheed’s controversial exit from office. Results of yesterday’s polls, which were being keenly contested by Nasheed’s Maldivian Democratic Party, were expected today, officials said.

Colombo-based diplomats, who are also accredited to Male, said yesterday’s vote was a crucial test for Waheed

who has promised early presidential elections to end a political crisis after Nasheed’s resignation. Nasheed became the first democratically elected leader in the Maldives following the nation’s inaugural multi-party elections in October 2008. However, the 2009 legislative elections led to a hung parliament. Yesterday’s vote is unlikely to change the impasse in parliament. Nasheed’s Maldivian Democratic Party is the largest single group with 32 seats while the DRP, a party launched by former president Maumoon Abdul Gayoom controls 24.— AFP

SUNDAY, APRIL 15, 2012

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

Vietnamese drivers panic over ‘mystery’ engine fires HANOI: From small scooters to luxury SUVs, dozens of vehicles have burst into flames in Vietnam this year, triggering panic among motorists who say the government is failing to respond.

Officials and state media have variously blamed poor maintenance, engine problems or even rats gnawing through cables for the fires which have destroyed buses and reduced motorbikes to charred metal frames.

But anger is growing among skeptical drivers who say poor quality fuel is the real culprit and fear lives will be lost before the government acts. There have been 324 incidents of burning vehicles reported in 2010 and 2011, according to public security ministry figures quoted in a recent report on the government’s website, the majority of which “have not been solved satisfactorily,” officials have told local media.

Since the start of this year, 65 cases of burning vehicles have been reported nationwide, from a 70-year-old man on his scooter to a famous actress in Ho Chi Minh City driving a Nissan saloon.

While not many major injuries have been reported so far, standard insurance policies in the communist country typically exclude fire damage.

Vietnam’s public, wary consumers after a string of food scandals, including the 2007 discovery of formaldehyde in the national dish, pho noodle soup, say the cause of the fires is clear and the gov-

ernment is failing to respond. “It’s the quality of the petrol. Everyone knows that. The authorities know that. But they haven’t investigated (the source of the poor-quality fuel) and ordinary people are in panic,” driver Nguyen Quy Nhuong, 52 said.

Some 85 percent of respondents to a survey on the popular VNExpress website said low-quality fuel was behind the mysterious fires, with many suggesting cheap chemicals are being mixed into petrol by unscrupulous dealers.

Petrol prices soared nearly 30 percent last year, outpacing 18 percent inflation and creating an incentive for traders to cut expensive fuel with cheaper substances. Vietnam boasts rich offshore crude reserves but has to import most of its oil and petroleum products as it has only one refinery in operation. Last year, imports were worth $9.9 billion, up 62 percent from 2010, and in the first two months of this year, Vietnam spent roughly $1.27 billion on importing petroleum products.

This is likely to increase further as the country moves firmly into middle income status and more Vietnamese buy motorbikes and cars. Some 13 corporations have government licenses to import fuel, which is then distributed to about 13,000 petrol stations nationwide. The end price of 22,900 dong

‘Odd duck’ quake surprises scientists Thieves compromise tsunami alert system LOS ANGELES: The massive earthquake off Indonesia surprised scientists: Usually this type of jolt isn’t this powerful. The biggest earthquakes tend to occur in subduction zones where one plate of the Earth’s crust dives under another. This grind produced the 2004 magnitude-9.1 Indian Ocean disaster and the magnitude-9 Japan quake last year.

Wednesday’s magnitude-8.6 occurred along a strike-slip fault line similar to California’s San Andreas Fault. Scientists say it’s rare for strike-slip quakes, in which blocks of rocks slide horizontally past each other, to be this large.

“It’s clearly a bit of an odd duck,” said seismologist Susan Hough of the US Geological Survey in Pasadena, Calif. As one of the world’s most seismically active places, Indonesia is located on the Pacific “Ring of Fire,” an arc of volcanos and fault lines encircling the Pacific Basin. Pressure builds up in the rocks over time and is eventually released in an earthquake.

Wednesday’s quake was followed by a magnitude-8.2 aftershock. Both were strike-slip quakes. “A week ago, we wouldn’t have thought we could have a strike-slip earthquake of this size. This is very, very large,” said Kevin Furlong, a professor of geosciences at Penn State University.

So large, in fact, that the main shock went into the history books. Record-keeping by the USGS National Earthquake Information Center ranks Wednesday’s shaker as the 11th largest since 1900. It’s probably the largest strike-slip event though there’s debate about whether a similar-sized Tibet quake in 1950 was the same kind. A preliminary analysis indicates one side of the fault lurched 70 feet past the other - a major reason for the quake’s size. By contrast, during the 1906 magnitude-7.8 San Francisco earthquake along the San Andreas - perhaps the best known strike-slip event - the ground shifted 15 feet. The Sumatra coast has been rattled by three strong strike-slip quakes since

2004, but Wednesday’s was the largest.

INDONESIAN THIEVES Indonesia’s tsunami early warning system, widely praised during this week’s Indian Ocean-wide alert, has been compromised by thieves and vandals in the country’s waters, officials said yesterday.

The $130-million system of tidal gauges, buoys and seismic monitors sent warnings to Indonesian authorities Wednesday after an 8.6-magnitude quake struck off Sumatra island. Ten people died in the earthquake, mostly elderly people suffering heart attacks from shock, and little damage was reported to buildings and infrastructure.

“We have had problems with theft and vandalism of our system for a while,” Indonesian National Disaster Mitigation Agency spokesman Sutopo Purwo Nugroho said. “We got the tsunami warning from a seismograph but because so many of the buoys are destroyed we can’t tell how big a potential tsunami would be.” Nugroho said just three of 25 buoys in Indonesian waters were in operation, mostly because of vandalism. Since the system was set up in 2008, fishermen have reportedly used the buoys to moor their vessels, at times damaging the instruments.

Indonesian authorities are now working with the United States to try and develop deeper-water equipment to prevent theft and vandalism, officials said.

Experts said the system had functioned well in Aceh province on the northern tip of Sumatra, where 170,000 people were killed and entire towns were flattened by the massive Indian Ocean tsunami in 2004. They said government agencies sent SMS messages and sounded sirens to warn people to search for higher ground. But an AFP correspondent in Aceh province said some sirens did not work and the government did not sound the sirens until 45 minutes after the quake. — Agencies

($1.09) per liter ($4.12 per US gallon) is kept artificially low by subsidies and dealers regularly complain it is hard to turn a profit. Suspicions run high that petrol tanker drivers or fuel station owners are cutting fuel to make more

HANOI: A man using an extinguisher to put out a fire on a motorcycle which, on circulation minutes ago, is almost completely destroyed on a street in downtown Hanoi. — AFP profit-which many say is the real cause of the fires. “We are absolutely not putting any additives into the imported petroleum,” said Vuong Dinh Dung, CEO of the Military Oil and Gas Corporation.

“The sales agents are the one to

ly’s achievements in a lengthy and passionate speech. “ The achievement of our great leader Kim Jong-Il, who turned our country into a proud nuclear-armed state, will be admired forever,” Kim Yong-Nam said. “It is our greatest honor to hold respected leader Kim Jong-

tributor was fined. The government carries out spot checks across the distribution chain but experts say it is an uphill struggle, and the small fines imposed are seen as unlikely to deter tampering. “It it really difficult to control the quality of fuels used in

Vietnam,” said Huynh Quyen, director of the Refinery and Petrochemicals Technology Research Center, who is investigating the spate of engine fires.

“We are investigating whether fuel problems could have caused the fires,” he said, adding that the research would not be made public before a scientific conference scheduled for April because of the sensitivity of the issue.

Deputy Prime Minister Hoang Trung Hai said this month that “market control agencies (must) pay more attention to the sales and use of additives,” in petroleum, according to a report on the government’s website. “The quality of petroleum continues to be the key focus for quality checking,” the March report continued.

But until the problem is sorted out, some have sarcastically suggested rejecting modern transport in favor of time-tested conveyances. “The safest means of transport here would be to go back to carriages drawn by cows, buffalos or horses,” one reader commented on the VNExpress website. The government response has been vague, with Transport Minister Dinh La Thang saying his ministry “would take charge” of the situation this year, but not offering any details of what this would entail. So until a solution is found, drivers such as 35-year-old office worker Nguyen Vu Ninh are “praying it will not happen to me.” — AFP

US and Philippines to hold war games China’s rising power sparks concerns MANILA: Thousands of US soldiers will begin nearly two weeks of war games in the Philippines tomorrow as the two nations look to strengthen their military alliance amid concerns over China’s rising power. The Balikatan (Shoulder-to-shoulder) exercises are an annual event but this year are expected to attract a greater focus with some of the drills set to be held close to sensitive South China Sea waters claimed by the Chinese.

The Philippines insists the exercises, involving 4,500 US personnel and 2,300 Filipino troops, should not be seen by China as a provocation. “Our aim is not against any country, our aim is to protect maritime security and to protect the interests of our country,” Major Emmanuel Garcia, Philippine military spokesman for Balikatan said.

Nevertheless, Garcia confirmed US and Philippine ships will stage drills in waters facing the South China Sea, while Filipino leaders have repeatedly said that China is one of the country’s main “maritime security” concerns. China claims all of the South China Sea as a historic right, even waters close to the coasts of the Philippines and other Southeast Asian countries. The competing claims to the strategically vital waters have long made the area one of Asia’s potential flashpoints for military conflict.

The Philippines has complained over the past two years that China has become increasingly aggressive in staking its claim to the waters, accusing the Chinese of acts such as firing warning shots at Filipino fishermen.

Tensions spiked again this month when Philippine and Chinese ships became locked in a standoff at a tiny set of islets called Scarborough Shoal in the South China Sea. After nearly a week, both sides have refused to back down and are still keeping civilian vessels at the shoal, 230 kilometers west of the Philippines’ main island of Luzon, in an effort to assert sovereignty. Facing the per-

N Koreans vow loyalty to regime after launch flop PYONGYANG: Tens of thousands of people gathered in a football stadium yesterday to shout support for North Korea’s ruling dynasty, a day after a failed rocket launch seen as a major embarrassment for the regime. In spring sunshine, bemedalled soldiers, women in colorful hanbok gowns and men in dark suits and ties packed Kim Il-Sung Stadium to hear fulsome praise for the family that has headed the nation since its founding in 1948.

“Let’s safeguard Kim Jong-Un with our lives!” they shouted, referring to the young man proclaimed as “great successor” after his father Kim Jong-Il died last December.

The event was the latest in a series marking the centenary of the birth on April 15 of founding leader Kim IlSung, father of Jong-Il. Celebrations will culminate Sunday with a massive rally and probably a military parade in the huge city centre square named after the first leader. The festivities are designed to build loyalty to the dynasty and especially to the untested leader, aged in his late 20s.

He sat under a giant portrait of his grandfather as the ceremonial head of state Kim Yong-Nam extolled the fami-

take charge of ensuring the petroleum standards,” he told local media after one of the army-owned company’s distributors was caught selling adulterated petrol. A sample was found to have too much methanol in it and the dis-

Un high at the top of our party, state and military.” But several analysts see the launch flop as a damaging setback. “Inviting many foreign media, North Korea has become an object of public ridicule in the world,” Masao Okonogi of Tokyo’s Keio University told IHS Jane’s Defense Weekly. — AFP

PYONGYANG: Attendees applaud during an official ceremony at the Kim Il-Sung stadium in Pyongyang yesterday. Tens of thousands of people gathered in a football stadium to shout support for North Korea’s ruling dynasty. — AFP

ceived growing threat from China, Philippine President Benigno Aquino last year called for closer military ties with the United States.

The United States was the colonial ruler of the Philippines in the first half of the 20th Century and maintained military bases until the early 1990s, but was forced to end its

significance in terms of sending a message to China, according to John Blaxland, a regional security and political expert from the Australian National University. “It’s a subtle message affirming for the Philippines that the US is serious about playing in Asia and will lend assistance to those in need,”

SAN ANTONIO: US marines take their position during a amphibious landing simulation on the shores of San Antonio town, Zambales province, north of Manila as part of RP-US Amphibious Landing Exercise (PHIBLEX). — AFP permanent presence amid anti-US sentiment. Aquino’s appeal last year was welcomed in the United States, which has been seeking to rebuild its presence across the Asia Pacific, partly to counter the growing political, economic and military might of China. Aquino said last month that, although there would be no return to permanent US bases in the Philippines, he welcomed a greater American military presence through more joint exercises such as Balikatan.

In this context, Balikatan will hold extra

Blaxland told said. The Balikatan exercises, which run from tomorrow until April 27, are scheduled to be held on Luzon as well as Palawan, a narrow island that forms the country’s western-most landmass.

The Philippines and the United States have emphasized that Balik atan is not focused solely on conflict, with troops also set to conduct humanitarian and disasterrelief exercises. Balikatan will be launched tomorrow with opening ceremonies in Manila. — AFP

Turkmen minister fired ‘for being bad father’ ASHGABAT: Turkmenistan President Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov fired a key cabinet minister for being a bad father after one of his sons was involved in a road accident, state media repor ted yesterday.

Energy and Industr y Minister Yarmukhammet Orazgulyev was sacked after his son was involved in a traffic accident with the children of other high-ranking Turkmen officials.

“Some officials are not paying enough attention to the upbringing of their children, at a time when the authority of an official depends a lot on the kind of upbringing his children receive and how they behave in society,” Berdymukhamedov told a cabinet meeting. “Badly brought-up children as rule get into unpleasant and tragic situations, like this traffic accident, which was caused by the children of high ranking officials and had serious consequences,” he added.

At the meeting shown on state television, Orazgulyev asked the president’s forgiveness for failing to “inspire the members of my family with the teachings and directions of the Protector.”

Berdymukhamedov-who won a new term in February with 97 percent of the vote in presidential elections-is known in Turkmenistan as the “Arkadag” or

“Protector”. Orazgulyev also promised to work in any job that Berdymukhamedov offered him. The accident involved the children of top officials studying at the prestigious Turkmenistan Polytechnic Institute.

Its head was also fired and the minister of education and her deputy given formal warnings. Further details about the accident were not disclosed by the state Turkmenistan media. State newspaper Neutral Turkmenistan confirmed the minister had been fired in a short statement yesterday which gave no details on the circumstances.

The fired minister was one of seven candidates who stood against Berdymukhamedov in the elections but they offered no more than a token challenge and spent most of the campaign praising the president to the skies.

Orazgulyev managed to come second in the elections-with just 1.2 percent of the votes. Berdymukhamedov has made stabs at reform in the reclusive ex-Soviet state since taking over after the death of his notoriously eccentric predecessor Saparmurat Niyazov in 2006. But Berdymukhamedov is accused by critics of setting up his own personality cult which risks becoming just as excessive as that of the late president. — AFP

SUNDAY, APRIL 15, 2012

NEWS

UN approves initial Syria observer force UNITED NATIONS: The UN Security Council yesterday voted unanimously in favor of a Western-drafted resolution to send observers to monitor a shaky truce in Syria, where the latest reports claim sporadic violence has killed 12 people. Russia, a staunch ally of the regime of President Bashar al-Assad, which raised earlier reservations over the draft, backed the vote for the first ever resolution on Syria since the uprising against Assad broke out 13 months ago. UN Resolution 2042 approved sending the first 30 unarmed military monitors, who are expected to leave within days. A new resolution with a full mandate will be required for the monitoring mission of more than 200 observers.

The resolution called on both sides to achieve a sustained halt “of armed violence in all its forms” and urged the Syrian government to “implement visibly” all commitments under special envoy Kofi Annan’s peace plan - including the withdrawal of all troops and heavy guns from Syrian cities. It also called on Assad and the opposition “to guarantee the safety of the advance team without prejudice to its freedom of movement and access,” stressing that “primary responsibility” for the observers’ safety rests with the Syrian government.

Even as the vote took place, forces loyal to Assad killed four civilians when they opened fire on a funeral procession for a demonstrator in Aleppo, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. State television aired footage of youths burning tyres and hurling stones in the Aleppo district of Izaa, and accused gunmen of fanning out in the area and opening fire at random. Troops also shelled the Jurat al-Shayah and Al-Qarabis districts of the central city of Homs, killing three civilians, the Observatory said. Except for the old quarters in Homs, where dissidents remain active, regime forces control most of the city since they overran the rebel stronghold district of Baba Amr at the beginning of last month.

One civilian was also shot dead by soldier manning a checkpoint in Qalaat al-Madiq, in the central province in Hama, while a dissident policeman was killed in a raid by security forces in

Jabal al-Zawiya, in the northern province of Idlib, the rights group said. Farther south, in the town of Dmeir outside Damascus, security forces opened fire on a car, killing one civilian and wounding two, the watchdog said. Meanwhile, it added that two soldiers were killed in an attack on their car in the southern province of Daraa.

The death toll is far lower than the dozens of people killed on a daily basis before the ceasefire entered into force. The latest deaths came after six civilians were killed on Friday as tens of thousands of people protested across Syria, heeding calls by the opposition to test the UN-backed truce that came into force at dawn on Thursday. Yesterday, demonstrations were staged in several areas, according to videos posted on the Internet by activists. “Activate the revolution. It is ours. Syria is free,” chanted hundreds of people in the village of Kfar Roma, in the northern province of Idlib.

In Daraa province, the cradle of dissent against Assad’s regime, hundreds turned out in the village of Inkhel. “We shall not give up until the regime falls,” they chanted. The United States had called for a vote at the UN Security Council after a second day of wrangling with Russia over security guarantees for the first 30 unarmed military monitors UN-Arab League envoy Annan wants in Syria early next week. Russia had opposed a council demand that Assad’s regime carry out its promise to withdraw troops and heavy weapons from towns and cities, which is part of the Annan peace deal.

The Russian ambassador Vitaly Churkin said earlier negotiations had been “rather difficult”, but had insisted Russia wanted a vote that allows the Syrian ceasefire to be “reinforced”. Russia and China had vetoed two previous Security Council resolutions on Syria. A new version of the resolution drafted by the United States with Britain and France was sent to other council members late on Friday for national governments to decide which way to vote. Churkin said that “substantive changes” had been made to make it “more balanced”. — AFP

DAEL, Syria: Syrians gather during a protest against the regime of Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad close to the Syrian-Jordanian border on Friday. — AFP

Palestinian couple gets Bahraini shot amid West Bank wedding mounting F1 concern DUBAI: A mourner shot by police was in intensive care yesterday in protest-hit Bahrain as Formula One bosses said next week’s Grand Prix will proceed as planned, despite fears it could spark anti-regime protests. The 15-year-old youth was shot by anti-riot police while attending the funeral of a citizen journalist killed during a protest in the Gulf kingdom late last month, the opposition said.

Mohammed Ahmed Abdel Aziz was among several people wounded during the funeral ceremony for Ahmed Ismail, 22, said Al-Wefaq, the main Shiite opposition movement in the Sunni-ruled nation with a Shiite-majority population.

Abdel Aziz sustained bullet wounds to the chest as police fired tear gas and live rounds at mourners.

F1 governing body the FIA (Federation Internationale de l’Automobile) and commercial rights holder Bernie Ecclestone both said in Shanghai, venue of today’s Chinese Grand Prix, that the April 22 Bahrain event would take place.

US-based watchdog Human Rights Watch said the decision to go ahead with the race would be exploited by the ruling Sunni dynasty. The decision “gives Bahrain’s rulers the opportunity they are seeking to obscure the seriousness of the country’s human rights situation,” HRW said in a statement.

“Formula One promoters say their decision to race in Bahrain should not be derailed by political considerations, but the ruling family will attempt to portray today’s (Friday’s) decision as a political statement of support for its repressive policies,” said Tom Porteous, deputy programme director at HRW. “The FIA has played into the government’s narrative to gloss over Bahrain’s continuing human rights crisis.”

The controversial Bahrain event has overshadowed the lead-up to the Shanghai race, and many teams are believed to have grave concerns about the Gulf event. It was postponed last year after protests broke out against the government, and was thought to be in jeopardy once again because of the more than year-long demonstrations. The FIA said in a statement on Friday that it was “satisfied” that sufficient security was in place at Bahrain’s Sakhir circuit to deter protesters who say they will target the event.

The “Revolution of February 14” youth group has called for “three days of rage” in Bahrain from April 20 to 22, and launched a campaign on Twitter to cancel the Grand Prix.

Bahrain reiterated on Friday that the kingdom was safe.

“The FIA made the right decision,” Bahrain International Circuit (BIC) chief executive Sheikh Salman bin Issa AlKhalifa told AFP. HRW said Bahrain’s “rulers have not fully carried out the key recommendations of the Bahrain Independent Commission of Inquiry” (BICI) into the “largely peaceful pro-democracy protests in February-March 2011”. Last year’s month-long protests centring on the now demolished monument in Pearl Square in Bahrain’s capital Manama left 35 people dead, including five from torture, according to the BICI report into the unrest issued in November. “The FIA, having given a green light for the Grand Prix to be exploited for human rights harm, needs to take all the steps it can to redress the damage it has caused and make sure the Bahraini authorities implement the measures that are needed,” Porteous said. — AFP

DEIR ISTIYA, West Bank: Maha Surougi and Thaer Qasem have lived their entire lives in Syria’s largest Palestinian refugee camp on the outskirts of Damascus. Their first trip to the Palestinian West Bank is the one they will never forget - they went to get married. Israel maintains a military occupation of the West Bank and strictly controls travel to Palestinian areas of that territory. It also generally bars entry to visitors from Syria and other Middle Eastern countries officially at war with Israel, just as those countries forbid their own residents from visiting Israel.

Exceptions to those travel restrictions are rare. The Palestinian Authority has been able to arrange Israeli entry visas for Palestinian refugees in Syria and Lebanon to visit the West Bank for cultural and sport activities - but only a few dozen visas are granted a year. In this case, Palestinian authorities helped the young couple get visas so they could transit through Israel, according to the Palestinian commission for education, culture and science.

At the wedding Thursday in the West Bank village of Deir Istiya, female guests were greeted with coffee before a lively procession of women to the wedding venue - a house on loan for the day from a local family. The bride was dressed in traditional Palestinian clothes and a headdress embellished with

DEIR ISTIYA: Bride Maha Surougi walks towards Thaer Qasem, the groom, during their wedding in this West Bank village near Nablus. — AP gold coins. Observant Muslim himself and his bride from the men Palestinian weddings are segregat- of the village, who chanted. “I have ed by gender. Men gathered in one chosen this place because it’s my group with the groom, and women homeland, it’s my country. My gathered in another section, blood and my soul are here,” singing songs in which they mainly Surougi said. Both 23, the couple praised the bride for wanting to met at the Yarmouk refugee camp, take care of her new husband and which was established in 1957 and her future family. They ululated, houses more than 100,000 making a sharp loud but pleasant Palestinian refugees. Surougi said sound, then heaped praise and best she never thought her dream of wishes on the bride and her family, getting married in the place her and the groom and his family. ancestors had to leave would come Surougi’s husband-to-be also true. “It was even an impossible was surrounded by friends and fam- dream for me to be here, imagine to ily as he prepared for the wedding. have my wedding here,” she said. “I Tradition was strictly followed. After thank God and all those who being escorted to the house of a helped and stood next to me by local elder, Thaer received praise for bringing me here.” — AP

‘Brangelina’ to wed Continued from Page 1

MANAMA: Anti-government protesters approach riot police holding pictures of a jailed opposition human rights activist yesterday outside the British Embassy. Dozens gathered in support of Abdulhadi Al-Khawaja, who has been on a prison hunger strike for more than two months. Police blocked surrounding roads and dispersed the demonstrators with sound grenades. — AP

Iran holds ‘positive’ nuke talks with...

Continued from Page 1 “business-like”. “What was very striking as soon as Jalili started talking was that there was a difference in tone, in mood,” another diplomat said, referring to the head of the Iranian delegation, Saeed Jalili. The diplomat also noted that there was a “clear sign that Iran... wants to get into a serious process”. The envoy said that a second round of talks should take place in no more than a month.

However, the Iranians were not ready for a direct meeting with their US counterparts. Diplomats had earlier said that the US delegation led by Wendy Sherman, undersecretary for political affairs, had let Iran know via Ashton - that she was ready for face-to-face talks with Jalili. “Their request was presented numerous times but Iran has refused,” said the source close to the Islamic republic’s team said, however. The last time that the US and Iran held bilateral talks about the nuclear issue was on the sidelines of a similar meeting in Geneva on Oct 1, 2009, when William Burns, the senior official leading Washington’s delegation, met Jalili.

The UN Security Council has imposed four rounds of sanctions on Iran because of suspicions that its civilian nuclear program is a cover for a secret atomic weapons drive, a charge Iran vigorously denies. The international community’s main concern, particularly for Iran’s arch foe Israel, is Tehran’s growing capacity to enrich uranium, which can be used for peaceful purposes but, when purified further, for a nuclear weapon. Of particular wor-

ry is the formerly secret Fordo site in a mountain bunker near the holy city of Qom, currently enriching to 20-percent purity but which experts say could be reconfigured to produce 90-percent weapons-grade material. Fordo’s expansion plus a major UN atomic agency report in November on alleged “weaponisation” efforts have led to tighter EU and US sanctions on Iran’s oil sector due to bite this summer, as well as talk of Israeli military strikes.

Ahead of yesterday’s talks Western powers stressed that they were in no mood for a repeat of previous doomed attempts at resolving once and for all the Iranian nuclear issue. As he seeks re-election this November, US President Barack Obama in particular is wary of being accused of being duped by empty Iranian promises that just buy Tehran more time to inch closer to getting the bomb. At the same time all parties in the talks, not least energy-hungry China, want the crisis resolved in order to bring down oil prices to help the stuttering global economy.

Whether a second round of talks would succeed remains to be seen, however, with Iran likely to insist on the right to a peaceful nuclear program while demanding sanctions be eased. US media reports have suggested that the P5+1 want Iran to halt all enrichment of uranium to 20 percent, shutter Fordo and send Tehran’s stockpiles of enriched uranium abroad. The world powers also want Iran to grant the International Atomic Energy Agency greater access to ease fears that it might have covert facilities, and to answer accusations in the IAEA’s November report. — AFP

wife, “and it seems to mean more and more to our kids”. “We made this declaration some time ago that we weren’t going to do it till everyone can,” he added in a January interview with The Hollywood Reporter, in a reference to the legalization of gay marriage. “But I don’t think we’ll be able to hold out. It means so much to my kids, and they ask a lot. And it means something to me, too, to make that kind of commitment.”

Jolie had also stoked the media firestorm when she told ABC News in December that “the kids asked me the other day, and I asked them if it was just because they wanted to have a big cake”. “I explained to them that our commitment, when we decided to start a family, is the greatest commitment you can possible have. Once you have six children, you’re committed,” she added.

Last year was very busy for Jolie, with the release of “In the Land of Blood and Honey”, a Bosnian War tell that marked her directorial debut. And Pitt has taken a pause from the frenetic pace of his film career to spend a bit more time with Jolie and their children. “It’s family

first. This year, I needed to spend more time with my family so I spent more quiet time developing stuff,” he told AFP in February.

Earlier this year, Jolie raised eyebrows, and probably temperatures, by exposing a thigh in a gown with a fulllength slit while presenting one of the Oscars show in Hollywood. Within less than an hour someone had created @AngiesRightLeg - subhead: “I am Angelina Jolie’s right leg” - and by morning the Twitter feed had more than 15,500 followers.

Jolie’s directorial debut was a love story set in the Bosnian war. It tells the story of a Muslim woman and a Serbian man who have a fling before the war and meet again when she has been taken prisoner by a Bosnian Serb army unit commanded by her former lover. This week it was announced that Jolie will play Maleficent, the villain from Sleeping Beauty, in a film due out in 2014. Pitt was nominated for Oscars for last year’s Moneyball, a story about baseball and money. He is to star in 2013 in “Twelve Years a Slave,” about a man kidnapped in New York in the 19th century and sold into slavery in the Deep South. — AFP

Zahra, the Ice Princess from the Gulf desert Continued from Page 1 Lari explains that her love of the ice began when she watched a Disney movie when she was 11 years old. “I watched The Ice Princess over a 100 times, I loved it! I said to myself ‘That’s what I want to do’.” Three years later she realised her dream when she pulled on her first pair of skates at the Zayed Sports City in Abu Dhabi where she met her coach Noemi Bedo. “Promising skaters usually start aged 3 or 4 years,” explains Romanian Bedo. “But she’s very talented, she’s ver y power ful and jumps higher than the others. I also believe in the Olympic

Games,” added Bedo, of Lari’s dream of competing at the Winter Olympics.

The European Cup in Canazei does not have the stature of the ISU Grand Prix events and Lari did not compete at the world junior championships last February, but she nevertheless finished in the top 15. “This has been an incredible learning experience and I am happy to have been able to show what I have learnt in the last few years,” she said. “I may not have the competition experience that the other skaters have but I feel that I held my own and look forward to participating in future competitions. For Sochi (2014 Winter

Games) I’m giving 100 percent, I can do it. Otherwise I’ll try for the 2018 Games,” she said.

She certainly has the determination, getting up six days a week at 4:30 to practice before her day b e gi ns at t he American International School. “I’m on the ice until 7:30 and at 16:00 I’m back skating for an hour and a half. It’s not difficult, I love that, and I want to succeed.” Apart from wanting her own success, Lari added: “I want to encourage girls from the Emirates and the Gulf to achieve their dream too and not to let anyone tell them not to do sport, not only figure sk ating but all sports.” — AFP

14

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After rocket fiasco, N Korea may test bomb

By Stephen Coates he humiliating failure of North Korea’s much-publicised rocket launch may push the hermit state into testing a nuclear bomb in an attempt to save face, analysts said Friday. Touted as a glorious demonstration of North Korean technology to mark the centenary of the birth of founding leader Kim Il-Sung, the rocket turned into a damp squib when it crashed into the sea. The 30-m Unha-3 (Galaxy-3) rocket blasted off early Friday morning from a newly built space centre on the country’s northwestern coast. But shortly after launch it broke apart and the debris fell into the Yellow Sea off South Korea, the South’s Yonhap news agency quoted a high-ranking military source as saying.

“North Korea executed its highly anticipated missile launch and with its failure managed to achieve the second-worst outcome imaginable. The worst would have been hitting China,” Marcus Noland of the Washingtonbased Peterson Institute for International Economics wrote in a blog post. “The North Koreans have managed in a single stroke to not only defy the UN Security Council, the United States, and even their patron China, but also demonstrate ineptitude.”

North Korea invited up to 200 foreign journalists to Pyongyang for the launch and the centenary commemorations on the weekend, the largest number of overseas media ever welcomed in to the reclusive state. The humiliation of the rocket failure will be keenly felt by new leader Kim Jong-Un - who took over after his father, Kim Jong-Il, died in December - said Toshimitsu Shigemura, North Korea expert and professor at Waseda University in Tokyo.

“What the young leader of North Korea lacks most is legitimacy. He is the blood-related son of Kim Jong-Il and Kim Il-Sung. But he has no achievement, which was troublesome,” said Shigemura. “In order to make him legitimate, he needed a successful satellite or missile launch. But it ended in a failure.” Shigemura said North Korea would not have been able to hide the flop from its citizens because of the presence of tens of thousands of Chinese tourists and business people with mobile phones. He said authorities are now faced with the difficult task of stemming an inevitable sense of disappointment before it becomes a threat to the regime.

“Starting today or tomorrow in Pyongyang, rumours will start that the new leader has failed to impress and is no good,” he said. “Kim Jong-un and the leadership will have to take measures to make up for that, either by providing food or building new housing. They have to do something to show real achievement.” The Washington-based Noland said a nuclear test was now all but inevitable. “Before the launch, it was probable that North Korea would conduct a third nuclear test; now it is a virtual certainty.” Analysts say satellite imagery showing what looks like preparations, and the communist regime’s previous patterns of behavior with missile tests followed by bomb tests - suggest a third nuclear test could be imminent. Rory Medcalf, international security program director at the Lowy Institute think-tank in Australia, said the regime’s plans to test a uranium-fuelled nuclear device could be pushed forward. “I will not say definitively that we are going to see a nuclear test or some other provocation but I think the chances are higher today than they were yesterday,” he told AFP. North Korea has said the rocket launch was a peaceful attempt to put a satellite into orbit but the United States, South Korea and Japan have condemned it as a poorly disguised ballistic missile test. UN resolutions ban the North from testing long-range missiles that could be used to launch a satellite or a nuclear warhead. The North is believed to have six to eight plutonium-fuelled atom bombs, and analysts say it is working on a uranium-based device. It last conducted a nuclear test in 2009. Jingdong Yuan, acting director at the Centre for International Security Studies at the University of Sydney, said that if the country’s military leaders wanted to push on with a nuclear test “they will have their way”. But the temptation will be weighed against the risk that another embarrassing failure will ruin the centennial celebrations, he said. IHS Jane’s managing director Tate Nurkin said the “biggest concern about North Korea is their weakness not their strength”. “We don’t think that North Korea is seeking conflict. They are seeking attention and the concessions that come with that attention that can help prop up the regime,” he said in a statement. —AFP

T

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With echoes of Saddam, Assad may endure

By Alistair Lyon aving crushed a popular uprising, he rules by force over an Arab land shattered by conflict and sanctions, his people too exhausted and cowed to resist.

Is this the fate awaiting Syria under Bashar Al-Assad?

Saddam Hussein lasted for 12 years after his defeat in the 1991 Gulf War until a US-led invasion unleashed chaos and carnage from which Iraq, for all its oil, has yet to recover.

The trajectories of the two Baathist leaders are far from parallel, but Saddam’s prolonged survival is a warning to anyone who believes Assad will fall simply because he has alienated the West and its Arab allies or earned the hatred of countless Syrians, including perhaps most of its Sunni Muslim majority.

Kofi Annan’s UN-backed ceasefire may temporarily calm a conflict that has already cost more than 9,000 dead, but it is hard to see a compromise emerging between Assad’s ruling Alawite elite and those bent on ending its four decades in power. After so much blood, both sides now see it as a life or death struggle from which they cannot step back, and the United Nations lacks the international consensus to make them. Time may not be on Assad’s side, but while the 46-year-old president hangs on, sectarian rifts he has exploited are likely to widen as Syria descends towards all-out civil war.

In recent weeks, some of Assad’s visitors reported him confident he could weather the storm, as his forces unleashed withering bombardments of towns and cities where lightly-armed rebels had possibly unwisely attempted to hold ground. Military assaults persisted right up to Thursday’s dawn ceasefire, which was not preceded by a withdrawal of tanks, troops and big guns as stipulated in Annan’s six-point plan. For now, the Syrian leader remains entrenched, albeit in a battle-scarred landscape and a ruined economy in which his legitimacy and his international repute have been shredded. Parts of restive cities like Homs have been reduced to rubble. Russia and China still shield Assad from UN Security Council action. Iran and its Lebanese Hezbollah ally back him to the hilt, while Lebanon and Shiite-led Iraq offer open borders to mitigate the impact of sanctions on their Syrian neighbour.

“The economy is very deeply in the red,” said Jihad Yazigi, editor of the economic Syria Report online newsletter. The only bright spots were a rise in exports to Iraq and a good rainy season, he said, although two of Syria’s best farming areas have suffered severe disruption during the unrest. “Daily life is increasingly harsh,” Yazigi said, declining to predict how this might affect prospects for political change. Sanctions have at best a patchy record, and the crippling UN measures against Iraq failed to loosen - and may have reinforced Saddam’s grip on power for more than a decade.

Sanctions and hardship could similarly perpetuate Assad’s reign. “If the middle classes emigrate ... then an exhausted population ruled over by a state tightly controlling the supply of food and fuel could look very much like the Saddam model,” said Chris Phillips, a Middle East lecturer at Queen Mary, University of London.

Russia and China have twice vetoed draft resolutions on Syria in the UN Security Council. Assad has long derided Western sanctions targeting him and his entourage, but which have now been extended to Syria’s small but vital oil sector. Decades of isolation have had little

H

impact on Assad’s policies and his Western adversaries, weary of costly foreign wars, have disavowed any military option, even when the bloody siege of Baba Amr in Homs was at its height in February.

Careful not to provoke outside intervention, Assad has kept assaults on cities a notch below the one meted out to Hama in 1982 when his father Hafez al-Assad crushed an armed Islamist revolt by razing neighbourhoods and killing many thousands of civilians in a three-week attack that had a lasting deterrent effect. Despite Saudi and Qatari promises of weapons and money, the assorted army deserters and civilians who took up arms after Assad’s relentlessly violent response to initially peaceful protests remain mostly on their own, ill-trained and outgunned.

The wild card may be Turkey. Having shifted from amity to hostility as Assad turned his tanks on civilians and rebels alike, the Turks are now incensed by an influx of 25,000 Syrian refugees. After Syrian soldiers fired over the border this week, Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan asserted Turkey’s right to ask its NATO partners to defend it. In 1991, Turkey prodded its Western allies to create a safe haven in Iraq after half a million Kurds fled from Saddam’s helicopter gunships. It has floated the same idea for Syria, while signalling any such move would need U.N. or NATO cover.

Turkey almost went to war with Syria in 1998 over its support for Turkish Kurd rebels. Assad’s father caved in, expelling Kurdish leader Abdullah Ocalan and opening the way for a surprise rapprochement with Ankara. Phillips said the spectre of Turkish military intervention was more likely to alarm Assad than any Gulf Arab effort to channel weapons to disparate insurgent groups - something which would fit Syria’s portrayal of the unrest as the work of “terrorist” gangs fighting at the behest of foreign enemies.

Extra weaponry for opposition groups might speed Syria’s descent into civil war, but would scarcely tip the military balance against Assad. In Libya last year, it was NATO warplanes, not rebel guns, that decided Muammar Gaddafi’s fate. “But if Turkey launched some full-frontal assault using air power on Syrian military bases, Bashar might be concerned about his own military turning on him and saying, ‘We’re going to be destroyed by this, it’s time for you to go’,” Phillips said.

So far Assad’s Alawite-led military and security forces have remained generally cohesive, despite a flow of desertions to the rebel Free Syrian Army, which has its own internal divisions. It is unclear how much aid Assad’s opponents are getting from Gulf Arab states, despite reports of $100 million pledged at a “Friends of Syria” meeting in Istanbul this month. “There is nothing of the sort,” said one official of the opposition Syrian National Council. The group, he said, had previously been promised $50 million, with $5 million to be paid every two weeks. “But it’s not coming regularly,” he complained.

The Saudis are eager for the demise of Assad, a close ally of their regional nemesis Iran, but even they may be allowing private Saudi citizens to fund groups in Syria, rather than setting up any government channels, a Western diplomat said.

Such methods, reminiscent of previous Saudi backing for Islamist militants in Afghanistan and elsewhere, might disquiet Western powers concerned lest armed Sunni radicals shoulder aside more moderate and secular elements in the opposition. Some rebel groups have named themselves after Sunni warriors of old, and are beyond Free Syrian Army control, said Marwa Daoudy, a visiting Middle East scholar

at Princeton University.

This was “raising fears that the conflict is evolving into an armed struggle between Sunni-led groups and the Alawite-dominated regime”, she said, while stating that minority Druze, Christians and Ismailis were represented in the opposition. But Assad also has support from some in these groups who prefer the leader they know to an uncertain fate if Syria should fall under hardline Sunni rule, fears shared by some wealthy Sunni merchant families long allied with the governing elite.

From the outset of the revolt, the Syrian leader has played on sectarian fears to shore up his Alawite base.

“Long before the protest movement had turned violent, the authorities sought to convince the Alawite community that it risked slaughter at the hands of an opposition movement depicted simultaneously as a minority of murderous terrorists, a majority of hegemonic Sunni fundamentalists and an alien fifth column working on behalf of a global conspiracy,” the International Crisis Group (ICG) said in a report this week. Tit-for-tat sectarian killings and kidnappings have been on the rise, notably in the scarred city of Homs, and the ICG warned of a “growing disconnect between an insurgency and a popular movement” that were previously intertwined.

Syria’s violent dynamics may prove unstoppable, although a glimmer of hope could emerge if the truce holds - and many of Assad’s foes say he cannot afford to stop shooting as people will demonstrate in vast numbers if they feel safe to do so. Annan will have a hard job to achieve what his plan calls “an inclusive Syrian-led political process to address the legitimate aspirations and concerns of the Syrian people”, gliding over the opposition demand for Assad’s removal. The Security Council, including Russia and China, has endorsed the plan, which Daoudy described as “one of the last political solutions available to the Assad regime in its interactions with the international community”. “If it fails to seize the opportunity, it might very well alienate its Russian and Chinese allies,” she said.

Assad has unilaterally decreed political reforms, including a planned parliamentary election next month that his opponents have dismissed as a cynical ploy given Syria’s bloody upheaval. Syria’s UN envoy Bashar Al-Jaafari told US PBS television’s Charlie Rose his country only needed time to meet popular demands but that “collective suicide” was not the way. “We are saying to our external wing opposition as well as to the people inside, ‘Let us reform our country collectively speaking without the bloodshed’,” Jaafari said on Thursday. Asked if this could lead to a change of president, he said this was “up to the people’s will” and accused countries such as the United States, France, Turkey, Qatar and Saudi Arabia of meddling in Syria’s affairs by backing Assad’s domestic enemies.

For those opponents, the idea that the Syrian autocrat would voluntarily cede power in a democratic process seems a sick joke, although a withdrawal of crucial Russian support might conceivably force Assad to rethink his calculations. There has been no sign of a shift in Russia’s position, but Western diplomats say Moscow does expect Assad to step aside although it sees someone from his Alawite circle taking over. Without some agreed political transition, Syria risks even bloodier turmoil, with incalculable consequences for its 23 million people and for an already unstable Middle East. “There is the potential for radicalisation and sectarianism,” said Phillips, “and a major possibility of it turning into a Lebanon- or Iraq-type civil war.” —Reuters

SUNDAY, APRIL 15, 2012

sp orts Semenya defends 800m title

Indian hockey player caught for doping

Funnell out of London Games

PORT ELIZABETH: Caster Semenya retained her 800-meter title at the South African championships yesterday but was still well off the qualifying time for the London Olympics. The world silver medallist led the two-lap final almost from start to finish but could only manage 2 minutes, 2.68 seconds with no one to push her below the 1:59.90 she needs to be eligible for South Africa’s team in London.

Double-amputee sprinter Oscar Pistorius finished seventh in the 400 final in 47.28, backing off in the last 50 meters after he struggled to recover from a slow start despite running in lane two. Lebogang Moeng won in 45.75, but Pistorius is still the only men’s 400 runner in South Africa to post an Olympic qualifying time this year after his season-opening 45.20 last month. He needs one more run below 45.30 seconds on his carbon fiber blades in an overseas event to be eligible to go to London.

Semenya eased home in the south coast city of Port Elizabeth for her second straight national title, but hasn’t gone under two minutes this year. She has yet to shake off a sluggish start to her Olympic preparations under new coach Maria Mutola. — AP

LONDON: British equestrian rider Pippa Funnell will miss out on the London Olympics in July because two of her top horses are injured.

Redesigned and Billy Shannon cannot compete in the selection process, ending 43-year-old Funnell’s hopes of a place.

She won individual bronze and team silver at the 2004 Athens Olympics and team silver in Sydney four years earlier and is the only rider to win the Grand Slam, eventing’s greatest prize for consecutive wins at Kentucky, Badminton and Burghley.

“A medal in London would have been the pinnacle of my

career,” Funnell told the BBC. “I am devastated I will not have a horse.

“Disappointment is part and parcel of equine sport. Perhaps that is why the successes are so sweet,” added Funnell who claimed a podium finish at last year’s London test event.

World number one William Fox-Pitt, Mary King, Piggy French and Nicola Wilson are expected to fill four of the five places.

Funnell was in contention for the final spot alongside Tina Cook, the 2008 bronze medallist, Oliver Townend, Laura Collett, Lucy Wiegersma, Zara Phillips and James Alliston. — Reuters

NEW DELHI: Indian field hockey player Adrian D’Souza tested positive for a banned substance while playing in a professional league unsanctioned by world body FIH. The goalkeeper, who turned out for Mumbai Marines in the World Series Hockey from Feb. 29April 2, tested positive for a metabolite of marijuana during tests conducted by the National Anti Doping Agency.

NADA director-general Rahul Bhatnagar said though they did not announced the name of the player, “the information was leaked from some other source” as letters had also been sent out to WSH organizers, national body Hockey India and the FIH. No provisional suspension has been announced as according to rules, a player can be let off with a warning for using marijuana with a maximum ban of two years. — AP

Nationals, Dodgers triumph WASHINGTON: Washington’s Jayson Werth hit a basesloaded single in the bottom of the 13th inning to give the Nationals a marathon 2-1 victory over the Cincinnati Reds on Friday and their fourth straight win. The NL East-leading Nationals improved to 6-2, their best start since moving from Montreal to Washington in 2005.

Reds closer Sean Marshall (0-1) got the first batter of the 13th on a groundout, but Danny Espinosa reached with a broken-bat infield single and Ryan Zimmerman and Adam LaRoche then walked. That brought up Werth, who got the winning hit to end the game after 4 hours, 4 minutes. Craig Stammen (2-0), Washington’s sixth pitcher, worked the top of the 13th for the win.

CHICAGO: White Sox manager Robin Ventura (left) and Detroit Tigers manager Jim Leyland meet before a baseball game. The White Sox won 5-2. — AP

White Sox defeat Tigers CHICAGO: Chicago’s Jake Peavy pitched effectively into the seventh inning to steer the White Sox to a 5-2 win over the Detroit Tigers on Friday in a clash of the early American League Central pacesetters. Dayan Viciedo hit his first homer of the season in the fifth to break up a scoreless duel between Peavy and Detroit’s Max Scherzer (0-1), who struck out 11 in six innings. Paul Konerko singled in a run and then scored himself in the sixth to make it 3-0.

Peavy (1-0) had only given up one hit until Delmon Young’s two-run homer in the seventh made it 3-2 and prompted Peavy’s removal. With runners at second and third, Viciedo made a diving catch of Andy Dirks’ sinking liner to end the inning and preserve the lead. The Tigers again had two men on base in the eighth before an innings-ending double play.

Orioles 7, Blue Jays 5 In Toronto, Wilson Betemit hit a two-run single in the eighth inning that helped rally Baltimore past Toronto, snapping a three-game skid. Darren O’Day (1-0) worked one inning of relief to take the win for the Orioles, who opened a 10-game road trip, their longest of the season.

The teams combined for seven home runs, all solo shots.

Robert Andino, Adam Jones and Nolan Reimold connected for the Orioles, while Edwin Encarnacion, Yunel Escobar, Kelly Johnson and Colby Rasmus went deep for the Blue Jays. Toronto’s Darren Oliver (0-1) took the loss.

Rangers 4, Twins 1 In Minneapolis, Matt Harrison breezed through eight innings to lead Texas past Minnesota. Harrison (2-0) allowed one run with four strikeouts. Ian Kinsler homered and Elvis Andrus had three hits for the Rangers. Anthony Swarzak (02) gave up four runs in seven innings for the Twins.

Athletics 4, Mariners 0 In Seattle, pitcher Bartolo Colon recorded his 16th career win over Seattle as Oakland ruined the Mariners’ home opener. Making his third start already this season against Seattle, Colon (2-1) threw seven shutout innings, striking out five.

Cliff Pennington had an RBI double and Coco Crisp an RBI single in the third and Jemile Weeks all but sealed the game with a solo homer in the ninth.

Seattle starter Felix Hernandez (1-1) gave up two runs in seven innings but got no help from Seattle’s offense and lost for the first time against the A’s in seven starts.

Yankees 5, Angels 0 In New York, Alex Rodriguez hit his 630th home run to tie Ken Griffey Jr. for fifth place on the career list as New York shut down Los Angeles. Yankees starter Hiroki Kuroda (1-1) pitched scoreless into the ninth inning in his home debut, striking out six. Nick Swisher lined a three-run double off Ervin Santana (0-2) in the first inning before the homers from Curtis Granderson and Rodriguez as New York won its 14th home opener in 15 seasons. The Angels have lost three straight and are still awaiting the first homer from $240 million signing Albert Pujols.

Red Sox 12, Rays 2 In Boston, the hosts notched their eighth straight win in a home opener, trouncing Tampa Bay. Josh Beckett (1-1) pitched eight solid innings for the Red Sox, who were glad to be home after a rough 1-5 road trip to start the season.

However they did lose center fielder Jacoby Ellsbury, the runner-up for AL MVP last year, to an injured shoulder when a Rays runner fell on him as he was attempting to break up a double play. The Red Sox began their 101st season at Fenway Park, and their winning streak in home openers is the longest current string in the majors. Rays starter David Price (1-1) lasted just three innings.

Indians 8, Royals 3 In Kansas City, Michael Brantley broke out of a 0-for-15 slump with a pair of hits during a seven-run first inning that set up Cleveland’s win over Kansas City. The Indians roughed up Royals starter Luke Hochevar (1-1) by scoring more times in the opening inning than they had in any of their first five games. Things got even worse for Hochevar, who was hit in the left ankle by a line drive in the fourth and left the game. The scans showed no major damage.

Cleveland starter Derek Lowe (2-0) yielded three runs in 6 23 inning. — AP

Dodgers 9, Padres 8 In Los Angeles, Aaron Harang set a Dodgers record with nine consecutive strikeouts, one short of the major league mark, and Los Angeles beat San Diego on four straight walks in the bottom of the ninth inning.

Matt Kemp hit a two-run homer and Harang tied his career high with 13 strikeouts in 6 1-3 innings to help the Dodgers win their fourth in a row. They lead the majors with a 7-1 record, their best start since 1981 when they opened 9-1 and went on to win the World Series. Chase Headley hit a tying, two-run homer for the Padres with two outs in the ninth off Kenley Jansen (20). But in the bottom half of the inning, Andrew Cashner (0-1) retired his first two batters then walked Mark Ellis, Kemp and James Loney. Joe Thatcher came in to pitch and walked Andre Ethier on four pitches to force in the winning run. The Padres struck out 18 times, tying the most by a Dodgers pitching staff for a nine-inning game. Still, Los Angeles blew an 8-3 lead.

Harang gave up a leadoff single before striking out the next nine San Diego hitters, breaking Johnny Podres’ club record of eight in a row set against the Philadelphia Phillies on July 2, 1962.

Cubs 9, Cardinals 5 In St. Louis, Ian Stewart hit a three-run homer and Bryan LaHair connected for a grand slam to power Chicago past St. Louis in the Cardinals home opener.

The Cubs have scored 17 runs over the past two games after totaling just 19 in the first six. St. Louis starter Adam Wainwright (0-2) gave up eight earned runs matching a career worst - in three innings.

Cubs starter Jeff Samardzija (2-0) gave up 10 hits and barely qualified for the decision after the Cardinals scored five runs in the fifth.

Mets 5, Phillies 2 In Philadelphia, knuckleballer R.A. Dickey threw seven sharp innings to steer New York past Philadelphia and opposing ace pitcher Cliff Lee. Dickey (2-0) allowed just one run, struck out seven and lowered his career ERA against Philadelphia to 2.40 in seven starts.

MLB results/standings NY Yankees 5, LA Angels 0; Boston 12, Tampa Bay 2; Chicago White Sox 5, Detroit 2; Chicago Cubs 9, St. Louis 5; Cleveland 8, Kansas City 3; San Francisco 5, Pittsburgh 0; Washington 2, Cincinnati 1 (13 innings); NY Mets 5, Philadelphia 2; Baltimore 7, Toronto 5; Miami 5, Houston 4 (11 innings); Atlanta 10, Milwaukee 8; Texas 4, Minnesota 1; Colorado 7, Arizona 6; Oakland 4, Seattle 0; LA Dodgers 9, San Diego 8.

American League Eastern Division W L 4 3 4 3 4 3 4 3 2 5

PCT .571 .571 .571 .571 .286

GB 2

Detroit Chicago W. Sox Kansas City Cleveland Minnesota

Central Division 5 2 4 2 3 4 2 4 2 5

.714 .667 .429 .333 .286

0.5 2 2.5 3

Texas Oakland Seattle LA Angels

Western Division 6 2 4 4 4 5 2 5

.750 .500 .444 .286

2 2.5 3.5

Washington NY Mets Philadelphia Atlanta Miami

National League Eastern Division 6 2 5 2 3 4 3 4 3 5

.750 .714 .429 .429 .375

0.5 2.5 2.5 3

St. Louis Milwaukee Houston Cincinnati Chicago Cubs Pittsburgh

Central Division 5 3 4 4 3 4 3 5 3 5 2 5

.625 .500 .429 .375 .375 .286

1 1.5 2 2 2.5

LA Dodgers Arizona San Francisco Colorado San Diego

Western Division 7 1 5 2 3 4 3 4 2 6

.875 .714 .429 .429 .250

1.5 3.5 3.5 5

NY Yankees Tampa Bay Toronto Baltimore Boston

Braves 10, Brewers 8 In Atlanta, Brian McCann had four hits, including a homer and four RBIs, to help Atlanta beat Milwaukee. A three-run homer by McCann highlighted a six-run fifth that put the Braves up 8-3. Milwaukee rallied, tying it on Corey Hart’s homer in the eighth but Dan Uggla’s brokebat single in the bottom of the eight scored two runs and put the hosts back in front. Braves reliever Jonny Venters (1-0) earned the win for the Braves, who won their third straight. Milwaukee’s Francisco Rodriguez (01) took the loss.

WASHINGTON: Cincinnati Reds’ Joey Votto (19) lies on the ground after being called out at first base after Scott Rolen hit into a double play in the sixth inning of a baseball game against the Washington Nationals. — AP

Scott Hairston homered for the surprising Mets, who are off to a 5-2 start despite being tipped to struggle this season. Lee (0-1) gave up four runs in seven innings.

Rockies 7, D’backs 6 In Denver, Todd Helton drove in three runs, including a tiebreaking double in the eighth inning, to rally Colorado past Arizona.

Carlos Gonzalez singled off Bryan Shaw (0-1) with one out in the eighth and the a pickoff attempt scooted past the first baseman for a two-base error. Shaw (0-1) got the second out with a strikeout but Helton stroked a cutter into the left-field corner to bring in Gonzalez.

That made a winner of Rex Brothers (1-1), who pitched a scoreless eighth. Rafael Betancourt got three outs for his second save.

Marlins 5, Astros 4 In Miami, Gaby Sanchez doubled in the 11th inning to drive in the winning run and lift Miami over Houston.

Chris Coghlan started the 11th with a sharp single that deflected off pitcher Brandon Lyon (0-1) before Sanchez pulled a hit that reached the wall in leftfield, scoring Coghlan from first base.

Marlins reliever Ryan Webb (1-0) pitched a perfect 11th for the win. The game was the first at the Marlins new ballpark, and Houston’s J.D. Martinez - a Miami native - will be recorded as the first man to hit a homer there.

Giants 5, Pirates 0 In San Francisco, Matt Cain threw a one-hitter in a near-perfect performance to guide San Francisco past Pittsburgh.

Cain (1-0) allowed only a single - to opposing pitcher James McDonald - in the sixth inning, struck out 11 and permitted just a single runner all game. It was his third career one-hitter, his fifth shutout and 14th complete game. Aubrey Huff homered as the Giants got an important win in their home opener after a 2-4 road trip. Catcher Buster Posey hit an RBI double in his first home game since his season-ending collision at the plate last May. McDonald (0-1) allowed three runs in 5 23 innings as the Pirates lost their fourth straight. — AP

SUNDAY, APRIL 15, 2012

sp orts

Mutai hopes Boston can fuel Olympic bid BOSTON: When Geoffrey Mutai, who clocked the fastest ever marathon in Boston last year, returns to the starting line tomorrow he will be racing to defend not only his title but also to clinch a spot on Kenya’s Olympic team. “ This will be my bridge to the Olympics,” Mutai said less than a year after winning in Boston and New York fanning speculation he could run away with Olympic gold in August.

In 2011, ideal weather conditions helped the 30year old from Eldoret tear across Boston’s grueling course in two hours three minutes and two seconds to claim the crown. His time, while the fastest ever recorded, failed to stand as an official world record because of the brisk tailwind and because Boston is considered too much of a downhill course.

The 26.2-mile layout loses 459 feet in elevation from the start in Hopkington to the finish in down-

town Boston but has a series of challenging hills in the second half.

At this year’s 116th running of the race Mutai is sure to have a pack of fellow Africans on his heels, all eager for their own chance to run in the Olympics.

“This is a young, fierce, fast, and fearless crowd,” said Amby Burfoot, an editor with Runner’s World magazine who won Boston in 1968. “This is the best Boston field I have ever seen and the speed of the Kenyans and Ethiopians is phenomenal.”

Kenyans Wilson Chebet, who won Rotterdam in 2:05:27 and Ethiopian Gebregziabher Gebremariam, who came in third in Boston last year in 2:04:53 are considered among Mutai’s chief rivals in the $806,000 event. “My training has not changed much from last year but this year I feel faster,” Gebremariam said.

With the Olympics only three months away, the US

men’s marathon team - Meb Keflezighi, Ryan Hall, and Abdi Abdirahman - are skipping Boston.

“I will fire the starting gun and ride the route in a car, waving to the crowds and maybe stopping for coffee,” Keflezighi, who won silver in Athens in 2004 and will serve as Boston’s grand marshal this year, told reporters.

Kenya’s and Ethiopia’s Olympic teams will be chosen only after Boston and the April 22 London Marathon, increasing pressure on athletes to perform well on Monday.

Still, the pace is expected to be slower considering tomorrow’s forecast for warm temperatures which are expected to hit 84 Fahrenheit (29 Celsius).

On the women’s side, Kenyan Caroline Kilel, who collapsed at the finish line last year after edging out American Desiree Davila by two seconds, for a win in

2:22:36 is back and claims to be ready for a repeat. “ I will not be ‘kaput’,” she said with a laugh. She too faces tough competition from a group of Ethiopians.

Mamitu Daska owns a personal best of 2:21:59 while Firehiwot Dado Tufa won New York in 2:23:15 last year.

Buzunesh Deba, who trains year round on New York’s streets, put up her personal best of 2:23:19 in that race.

The crowd is also expected to cheer Joan Benoit Samuelson, an emotional favorite among the race’s estimated 27,000 entrants. After winning Boston twice and capturing the first Olympic women’s marathon gold in 1984, the 54-year old mother of two will be running with her daughter.

On paper, mother is faster than daughter, but “this is going to be Abby’s race, and she will set the pace,” Samuelson said. — Reuters

Rosberg claims first F1 pole spot at Chinese GP

FORT WORTH: Danica Patrick (7) pulls out of the pits during the NASCAR Nationwide Series auto race at Texas Motor Speedway. — AP

Stenhouse wins Nationwide race FORT WORTH: Ricky Stenhouse Jr. regained the lead with 23 laps to go when he charged past Austin Dillon, then held on after Friday night’s final restart to give Roush Fenway its fourth consecutive NASCAR Nationwide victory at Texas.

After the restart with six laps left, Stenhouse pushed out in front before Denny Hamlin came from behind to get side-by-side at the start-finish line. Stenhouse was ahead by only .001 seconds after that first lap before pulling away for his second victory this season.

It was the fourth career victory for the defending series champion, and the ninth Nationwide victory for owner Jack Roush at the 11/2-mile, highbanked track. Polesitter Paul Menard finished second after leading 100 of the 200 laps. Kasey Kahne, Hamlin and Austin Dillon rounded out the top five.

The race restarted with 28 laps left after a caution caused when an inside bank of lights near Turn 3 coming off the backstretch went out for the second time in the Friday the 13th race.

When track officials determined the problem was caused by a bad breaker, there was a red flag for 51/2 minutes to make repairs.

Dillon and David Ragan were the only lead-lap cars that didn’t pit when the caution flag first came out, and they were 1-2 when the race resumed.

Stenhouse and Menard quickly got by Ragan, and were .250 seconds behind Dillon one lap later.

A few laps later, they both passed Dillon, driving the No. 3 car for grandfather Richard Childress, with Stenhouse leading the way.

There was one more caution, and Hamlin raced

to the outside after the restart and almost got past Stenhouse. Stenhouse had an early 3-second lead, but lost five spots during an early pit stop.

Trevor Bayne, who won for Roush in Texas last November, wasn’t in the race since the team didn’t enter the No. 60 car because of a lack of sponsorship. That was even though Bayne had completed every lap the first five races and was fourth in points.

Carl Edwards won the previous two Nationwide races in Texas to start the Roush streak that came after Joe Gibbs drivers won five in a row there.

The lights first went out midway through the race during a caution. “It’s dark over there,” Dale Earnhardt Jr. was heard saying over his radio. That caution period was extended a couple of laps while the problem was resolved and the lights came back on.

About 60 laps later, those lights went out again.

There were actually a couple of laps run under green before the caution came out and the cars were brought down pit road and parked while the problem was fixed for good.

That caution allowed Danica Patrick, then running 17th, to get back on the lead lap. She went on to finish eighth, the first top 10 of her first full-time Nationwide season.

Kurt Busch, driving his first race for younger brother Kyle’s new Nationwide team, was running 15th with 13 laps left when the engine blew in the No. 54 Toyota. Kurt Busch started sixth but scraped the wall in the first half of the race for an early trip down pit road. He finished 30th. — AP

SHANGHAI: Nico Rosberg and Michael Schumacher gave Mercedes the front row for the Chinese Grand Prix yesterday as the German team showed it has enough speed to challenge for victories in Formula One this season.

Rosberg secured the first pole position of his career with a blistering lap in the final qualifying session, while Schumacher will start from second after earning his first spot on the front row since his comeback in 2010.

Rosberg was a full half-second ahead of McLaren’s Lewis Hamilton, who was given a five-place grid penalty this week for having to change his gearbox and will start Sunday’s race from seventh. That puts Schumacher right behind his teammate, as the German seventime Formula One champion followed up his quick practice times by finishing third in the qualifying session.

Rosberg completed just one lap in the third session and then returned to the pits, watching as rival after rival failed to come close to his time of 1 minute, 35.121 seconds.

“It was strange beforehand because I was standing there on my own and everybody else was still going round and I can’t do anything anymore,” he said. “And then slowly but surely, I saw the sector times and I saw that it was definitely going to be enough, so fantastic.”

It was a disappointing day for defending world champion Sebastian Vettel, however, as the Red Bull driver failed to even make it into the final qualifying session and will start from 11th place.

Schumacher is still looking for his first podium finish since returning to the sport in 2010, and Mercedes looks to have finally produced a car that can get him there. Even the German great, though, was surprised at how fast Rosberg was.

“For all of us, to see the gap that big is a bit of a surprise, but there you go,” Schumacher said. “He’s known as a good qualifier and no reason to be unhappy.”

The 26-year-old Rosberg captured his first pole in his 110th race in F1. He’s only had five podium finishes in his entire career.

The true test for Mercedes, however, will come today. The team has been quick in qualifying this year, but then failed to keep up with the other teams in both races. Schumacher was third in qualifying in Malaysia, but then finished 10th in the race.

Mercedes has been trying to remedy its quick tire degradation since then, and hopes

SHANGHAI: Mercedes Formula One driver Nico Rosberg of Germany steers his car during qualifying for the Chinese Grand Prix. — AP to find out on Sunday whether the work has 2011 season, the team has had a relatively lackluster start to 2012, with just one podium been successful.

“In qualifying we’re very, very strong right finish - Vettel’s second place in Melbourne.

The German, who had won three consecunow,” Rosberg said. “In the race we’re still not quite as strong and not where we want to be tive poles in Shanghai, was well off the pace of yet. But also there, we’re learning a lot and pro- teammate Webber in the second qualifying gressing fast. The thing is we can’t make huge session Saturday. The Australian is using a jumps in a couple of weeks, it’s going to take a revamped exhaust system this weekend, which Vettel had decided to forego as the bit more time, but we’re getting there.”

Hamilton was attempting to top qualifying reduced downforce did not suit his driving for the third straight race to start the season, style.

It’s the first time Vettel won’t start in the top but the McLarens could not match a Mercedes car which is perfectly suited for the China cir- 10 on the grid since Brazil 2009. “There was no problem with the car, but I couldn’t get the cuit and its very long straight.

Sauber’s Kamui Kobayashi was an impres- final few tenths,” he said. “We weren’t fast sive fourth in qualifying, followed by Kimi enough and we have to accept it.” Sauber’s Raikkonen of Lotus, Jenson Button of McLaren, good run continued as both Kobayashi and Mark Webber of Red Bull and Sergio Perez of Perez recorded their best results in F1 qualifySauber. Fernando Alonso of Ferrari and ing.

“For quite a while, we have kept saying we Romain Grosjean of Lotus rounded out the top need to improve our qualifying performance, 10.

Even though Hamilton will have to work his and I think this was a clear improvement way up through the field, the Briton is not dis- today,” said Kobayashi, whose previous best counting his team’s chances today after a result was eighth at last year’s British GP. “This grid position obviously means a lot of strong start to the season. Button captured the season-opening Australian GP and Hamilton chances. However, I am not a dreamer and the target remains the same: score as many points has two third-place finishes.

“I’ve set my car up to be at its strongest in as you can.”

The 22-year-old Perez is coming off a surthe race,” Hamilton said. “So, although Jenson and I are a little bit further back than we’d like, prising second-place finish in Malaysia. The and we’ve got a bit of work to do, we can still Mexican driver had expected to do better in make it. There’s a good group of drivers ahead the final qualifying session after clocking some of us on the grid, but we’re right with them in fast times earlier in the day. “It is obviously a good qualifying result for our team,” he said. terms of race pace.”

Red Bull may need to wait a bit longer for “Personally I must admit I even hoped for more its first win of the season. After dominating the than (eighth).” — AP

Flyers win 13-goal thriller PITTSBURGH: Philadelphia’s Sean Couturier and Claude Giroux each scored hat tricks as the Flyers rallied for a thrilling 8-5 victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins on Friday, taking a 20 lead in their NHL Eastern Conference quarterfinal series.

Giroux added three assists for Philadelphia, and former Penguins Max Talbot and Jaromir Jagr also scored for the visitors. Ilya Bryzgalov overcame another shaky start to stop 23 shots for the Flyers, who twice trailed by two goals.

Chris Kunitz had two goals for Pittsburgh, and Sidney Crosby and Tyler Kennedy scored for the second straight game, but the

Penguins failed to close out the Flyers for the second time in three days.

Pittsburgh also lost the opener of the series after leading by three goals, and its failure to close out both contests leaves it vulnerable as the series moves to Philadelphia for Game 3 today.

Kings 4, Canucks 2 In Vancouver, Dustin Brown notched his first playoff hat trick as Los Angeles beat topseeded Vancouver to take a 2-0 series lead.

Brown had two short-handed goals and also scored on a power play, two nights after

capping the Kings’ 4-2 Game 1 victory with an empty-net goal.

He opened the scoring with a short-handed goal with 9 seconds left in the first period, gave the Kings a 2-1 lead with another shorthanded goal at 5:17 of the second, and completed the hat trick on a power play at 8:30 of the third. Trevor Lewis made it 4-1 with 5:09 left.

Kings goalie Jonathan Quick made 46 saves including 22 in the third period, allowing only Samuel Pahlsson’s goal with 3:38 to play.

Jannik Hansen also scored for the Canucks.

Game 3 is today in Los Angeles.

Red Wings 3, Predators 2 In Nashville, Ian White and Cory Emmerton scored in the first period as Detroit got the best kind of revenge by beating Nashville and tying the series 1-1.

Johan Franzen also scored, and Jimmy Howard made 24 saves as the Red Wings responded on the ice to the decision to fine Predators defenseman Shea Weber only $2,500 for smashing Henrik Zetterberg’s head into the glass at the end of Game 1.

Todd Bertuzzi also had a stoush with Weber 1:36 into the game and landed a good punch.

Weber and Andrei Kostitsyn scored for Nashville. Game 3 today in Detroit.

PITTSBURGH: Philadelphia Flyers goalie IIya Bryzgalov stands in the goal crease during the national anthem before Game 1 of an opening-round NHL hockey playoff series against the Pittsburgh Penguins. — AP

Devils 3, Panthers 2 In Sunrise, Florida, Martin Brodeur stopped 24 shots for his 100th postseason victory as New Jersey won and spoiled Florida’s longawaited return to the playoffs.

Brodeur became only the second goalie to notch three figures in playoff wins, behind Patrick Roy’s 151. Patrik Elias, Dainius Zubrus and Ryan Carter scored in an 8:25 span in the opening period.

Sean Bergenheim and Kris Versteeg scored for the Panthers, who were playing their first postseason game for 12 years. Coincidentally, their most recent playoff game also saw them lose to Brodeur and the Devils. — AP

MALAYSIA: Martin Kaymer of Germany tees off on the fourth hole during the third round of the Malaysian Open golf tournament. — AP

Oosthuizen takes lead at rain-hit Malaysian Open MALAYSIA: Louis Oosthuizen remained on target to successfully move on from last week’s heartbreak of narrowly missing out on a US Masters victory with a one-shot lead after the unfinished third round at the Malaysian Open yesterday. Scotland’s Stephen Gallacher trailed South African Oosthuizen by one shot at 12-under par with seven holes of his third round remaining, while Rafael Cabrera-Bello, Danny Willett and David Lipsky were tied for third on 10-under.

Oosthuizen, who also led by a stroke at the halfway stage of the co-sanctioned European and Asian Tour event, is still recovering from losing out to American Bubba Watson on the second extra hole in Augusta on Sunday.

The 2010 British Open champion was at 13-under par after 10 holes of the penultimate round when thunderstorms and rain ended play early for the second consecutive day at the Kuala Lumpur Golf & Country Club.

“You never know with the weather here so you are trying to get ahead of the guys just in case all of a sudden it becomes a 54 hole event,” Oosthuizen told reporters.

“I feel good now. I made good putts on

nine and ten for birdie and I have another birdie putt to come back to in the morning so it feels really good. I am playing well and just have to keep giving myself chances.”

The four-time European Tour winner made a 30-hour journey from Augusta National to take part in the $2.5 million tournament in the Malaysian capital and, with his family around, he was still struggling to get over the jet lag. “The jet-lag has been pretty rough, especially having the kids with us because they are sleeping all day and then coming alive at night,” Oosthuizen, 29, who also had to return to the course early on Saturday to complete his second round, said.

“Thankfully my wife has been able to sit up with them at night in the room next door while I try and sleep but I haven’t had more than four hours straight at any one time.

“It’s a tough week but it was always going to be the case this week. None of that will matter if I can win tomorrow.” Germany’s former world number one Martin Kaymer was six shots behind the leader through 12 holes while 2011 Masters champion Charl Schwartzel of South Africa was also trailing by six after 14 holes in the third round. — Reuters

17

SUNDAY, APRIL 15, 2012

SPORTS

Basketball gold on Spanish menu at London Games TORONTO: When the Memphis Grizzlies paid a recent visit to the Toronto Raptors, gracious host Jose Calderon invited Marc Gasol out for dinner. For the six Spaniards on National Basketball Association (NBA) payrolls this season, dining with the enemy is an act of friendship not treason.

When the Raptors stop by Memphis, it will be Gasol’s turn to pick up the tab and the Grizzlies All-Star centre says he has just the spot in mind.

While the menu may differ, the dinner conversation will be the same, as it always is when Spanish NBAers break bread, with talk eventually turning to the national team and the 2012 London Olympics.

“Last night when I had dinner with Jose we talked about it (Olympics),” said Gasol. “We went through the possibilities of what might happen a little bit.

“We know it is going to be a great event. It is one of the biggest things ever you can live, being in the village with other guys from your country fighting for the same thing.

“It’s a beautiful experience.” It is also a shared experience for many of the La

Furia Roja (the Red Fury), who grew up learning the game together on the Spanish hardwood.

Calderon, Gasol and his Los Angeles Lakers brother Pau, Denver Nuggets swingman Rudy Fernandez and Minnesota Timberwolves flashy point guard Ricky Rubio were all on the Beijing Olympic squad that lost to the United States in the gold medal game.

All, with the exception of Rubio who had his sensational rookie season cut short by a knee injury, are expected to be back challenging for a medal in London.

While the United States will roll out its newest version of the Dream Team, drawing from a bottomless talent pool, Spain will rely on the team chemistry that cannot be developed in 15 days spent in an Olympic pressure cooker.

“We are really good friends. The kind of friends you can call for anything not just about basketball,” Calderon told Reuters. “We go to each other’s places; we have dinners together with families.

“When you are all together for a month and a half and all together everyday it’s nice. It’s like a family, a second family. That’s why we all want to be on that team.

“You can be less talented or not as good but that good relationship outside the court is going to help any team. “You know how to talk to your team mate when you are on the court because you know him. It’s everything.”

That special chemistry, along with equal amounts of skill, has helped transform Spain into a European basketball powerhouse that has claimed back-to-back Eurobasket titles in 2009 and 2011, world championship gold in 2006 and climbed to number two in the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) world rankings.

As the Iberians’ success has grown so has the attention paid to a vibrant domestic league that continues to prove Spain can produce more than world class soccer and tennis players and fine sherry.

Over the last decade, basketball players have become a quality Spanish export to the NBA. Those players have never forgotten their Spanish roots, always mindful of the debt of gratitude owed to the system that helped them realise their hoop dreams as they answer the call to represent their country.

“Olympics are always something

different, something special,” explained Calderon, who will be playing in his third Summer Games. “Our team has done well lately, so when you go with a chance to do something big it’s even better.

“At these Olympics there are only 12 teams, it’s not easy but for sure the main thing is to be able to compete to get a medal - it doesn’t matter which colour.

Spain has participated in 10 Olympic Games in basketball, taking silver in 1984 and again in 2008. It fully expects to add to its medal haul in London but will face significant challenges after Fernandez and Rubio sustained late season injuries.

Calderon insists Fernandez will be recovered from back surgery and ready for duty, but the team will have to survive without Rubio’s slick ballhandling.

Both the Gasol brothers and Oklahoma City Thunder’s Serge Ibaka, who was born in the Republic of the Congo and will represent his adopted country at Olympics for the first time after obtaining Spanish citizenship, will put in a little overtime before heading to London with their teams

still in the chase for an NBA title.

For Calderon, the Olympics represent a chance to salvage something from another barren NBA season as the Raptors head towards an early exit.

In Rubio’s absence, Calderon is likely to play a larger role but it is a workload the Spaniard, with the seemingly permanent smile and two-day growth, is capable of carrying.

“Jose is a winner, his heart is always in the right place,” said Raptors coach Dwane Casey. “A lot of teams have been calling wanting him and we’re trying to hold on to him and keep him.

“He gives us stability. Watching him this summer he was a steady rock for their team (Spain). “I don’t care what level it is, you need that leadership at your point guard.” Although NBA trade rumours swirl around him, for Spain there is no player they would rather have leading the way.

“All he (Calderon) cares about is making his team mates better and winning,” added Marc Gasol. “Those guys are hard to find. Guys who try to play the right way and get everybody involved and not care about anything else but winning.” —Reuters

Lakers pound Nuggets

LONDON: Neptune Collonges with Jockey Daryl Jacob onboard jumps the Water Jump on the way to winning the Grand National horse race at Aintree Racecourse Liverpool. —AP

Neptune Collonges wins Grand National LIVERPOOL: Neptune Collonges won the Grand National here at Aintree racecourse yesterday to become the first grey to win the race since Nicolaus Silver in 1961.

The Daryl Jacobs-ridden 33-1 Neptune Collonges, who succeeded where trainer Paul Nicholls’s previous 52 runners had failed, beat home Sunnyhillboy (16/1) in a thrilling finish which saw the winner reel in the runner-up in the final furlong and win by just a nose.

However, the race was overshadowed by the deaths of Cheltenham Gold Cup winner Synchronised, who fell at Bechers first time round, and According to Pete, who came down at Bechers on the second circuit.

The authorities had actually modified Bechers after a couple of runners died there last year and for Synchronised’s trainer Jonjo O’Neill it brought back the awful memory of when he rode then Gold Cup winner Alverton in the National and came to grief at Bechers and was put down in 1979.

For 27-year-old Jacobs it was an emotional win as he had contemplated retiring from the sport when his best friend Kieran Kelly was killed in a riding accident in 2003.

Indeed the Irishman on hearing he had prevailed in a stewards enquiry pointed to the heavens, saluting his dead friend.

“I owe everything to Kieran,” said Jacob. “But I always said to Paul Nicholls that I would ride a National winner for him and I have delivered,” he added.

Nicholls said it surpassed any other race that he had won including the Cheltenham Gold Cup. “This is the race to win and it is unbelievable. The winner I always believed in because he has the class and the stamina,” he said.

The 8/1 joint favorite Seabass came in third under Katie Walsh — the best ever finish by a female jockey — and Cappa Bleu fourth in an incident-packed race that saw Synchronised dump Tony McCoy before the start.

Sadly, as it transpired, they were reunited and O’Neill was to suffer further heartache as Sunnyhill Boy saw glory snatched on the line. Synchronised was the third of the fancied runners not to make it past the first six fences as both Junior and another grey West End Rocker had gone at the fourth and the field were taken along by the heavily-backed Shakalakaboomboom and Planet of Sound.

That duo exchanged the lead virtually till the business end of the race where Walsh came alongside them looking as if she could become the first woman to ride the winner of the race.

However, just as Shakalakaboomboom and Planet of Sound faded so Sunnyhillboy arrived looking as if he was coasting under Richie Mclernon while Neptune Collonges was still looking good for just a place.

Over the last and Mclernon went clear of Seabass but then Jacob conjured up a stunning bust of pace from Neptune Collonges.

Mclernon looked to have held him off but inch by inch Jacob got closer and on the line had done just enough to get his nose in front.

Walsh was delighted with her performance. “I was never going to win it, but he gave me a fantastic ride and I feel so pumped up that I want to get back here as soon as possible,” said the 27year-old. It wasn’t a happy day for her brother Ruby, as the two-time winning National rider had to stand down from the race for the second time in three runnings because of a heavy fall he took earlier on the card.—AFP

Hawks 109 Magic 81 In Florida, The Atlanta Hawks extended their recent dominance of Orlando by cruising past the Magic 109-81 on Friday, moving above their rivals in the NBA’s Southeast Division.

Jannero Pargo hit five 3-pointers and scored 17 points, and Joe Johnson, Josh Smith and Marvin Williams each had 16 for the Hawks, who have won their past six regular-season games against Orlando.

Atlanta shot 50 percent from the field (40 for 79) for the game, including 14 3-pointers. The Hawks led by 35 at one point. Glen Davis and Von Wafer each scored 16 points to lead the Magic, which was without center Dwight Howard due to back spasms.

Suns 112, Rockets 105 In Houston, Phoenix boosted its playoff hopes with a win at Houston. Marcin Gortat had 20 points and 15 rebounds and Steve Nash had 18 points and 10 assists for the Suns, who moved into the ninth spot in the Western Conference. Phoenix also moved within one game of the Rockets, who came in holding the No. 7 seed in the West. Marcus Camby had 14 points and 18 rebounds for Houston.

Thunder 115, Kings 89 In Oklahoma City, Kevin Durant had 29 points and nine rebounds to lead Oklahoma City past Sacramento. Russell Westbrook scored 22 points for the Thunder, who didn’t even need their starters in the fourth quarter to hang onto the best record in the Western Conference. Rookie Isaiah Thomas scored 21 points for the Kings, who dropped their seventh straight for their longest losing streak of the season.

The Gulf Bank team

Gulf Bank take on NBK in KBC League semis KUWAIT: The Gulf Bank takes on National Bank of Kuwait this evening in the opening match of the semifinals of the 2012 KBC Football League.

The Gulf Bank finished the regular season on top of the standings with 30 points in 12 matches, after winning nine matches while three others ended in a draw. The NBK fin-

LOS ANGELES: The Los Angeles Lakers clinched an NBA playoff spot by beating the Denver Nuggets 103-97 on Friday despite the absence of Kobe Bryant and coach Mike Brown.

Andrew Bynum had 30 points and eight rebounds and Matt Barnes added a season-high 24 points for the Lakers, who have won three of four without Bryant, who is resting a bruised shin.

Los Angeles also played without Brown, who left shortly before tipoff for undisclosed personal reasons. Assistant John Kuester filled in.

Barnes played an enormous game in a reserve role while matching his highest-scoring performance in two seasons with the Lakers. He scored six consecutive points after Denver trimmed Los Angeles’ lead to one point, hitting a 3-pointer and adding a clutch jumper with 1:29 to play. Andre Miller scored 20 points for the Nuggets, who are clinging on to a playoff spot.

ished fourth with 15 points, with two wins, one loss and nine draws.

The match kicks-off at 8:00 pm at the Ministry of Information Stadium, and is officiated by Kuwait Football Association referees. The tournament is organized by the Kuwait Banks Club featuring teams representing local banks.

Mavericks 97, T Blazers 94 In Portland, Dirk Nowitzki had 24 points and nine rebounds as Dallas hung on to beat fast-finishing Portland.

Delonte West added 21 points, seven assists and six rebounds for the Mavericks, who have a 1-1/2 game lead over Denver and Houston for the sixth playoff spot in the Western Conference.

Nicolas Batum had 20 to lead the

Blazers who trailed by 16 points with four minutes to go before closing hard but fruitlessly in the closing stages.

Pacers 102, Cavaliers 83 In Indianapolis, Danny Granger scored 18 points to help Indiana clinch a playoff berth with victory over Cleveland. Tyler Hansbrough scored 16 points for the Pacers, who have won seven of eight to reach 37 victories this season, matching their total from last season.

Indiana, which is in third place in the Eastern Conference standings, is best known for its defense but has reached three figures in eight out of nine games. Omri Casspi matched a season high with 14 points for the

Milwaukee pulled away from Detroit in the third quarter.

Milwaukee is in ninth place in the Eastern Conference, trailing New York and Philadelphia by two games in the race for the playoffs. The Bucks led by five points at halftime but pushed the lead out to 20 in the third quarter.

Brandon Jennings had 20 points and 10 assists for Milwaukee, which had all five starters score in double figures. Brandon Knight scored 25 points for the Pistons.

Heat 105, Bobcats 82 In Miami, LeBron James had 19 points and nine rebounds as Miami completed a three-game season sweep of lowly Charlotte.

and nine rebounds to lead Charlotte, which lost its 15th straight.

Hornets 96, Jazz 85 In New Orleans, Eric Gordon scored 10 of his 25 points in the fourth quarter to shore up New Orleans win over Utah.

Gordon starred in his return from two games off with back soreness, and Chris Kaman added 19 points for the Hornets, who were playing after news that Tom Benson, owner of the NFL’s New Orleans Saints, had agreed to buy the Hornets from the NBA. Paul Millsap scored 27 points for Utah, which suffered a severe blow to its playoff ambitions.

LOS ANGELES: Lakers guard Ramon Sessions (middle) tries to get a hand on a loose ball between Denver Nuggets guard Ty Lawson (left) and forward Al Harrington during the second half of a NBA basketball game. —AP Cavaliers, who shot just 35 percent from the field.

Raptors 84, Celtics 79 In Toronto, DeMar DeRozan scored 13 of his 22 points in the third quarter and made four pivotal late free throws to lead Toronto past Boston.

DeRozan was a perfect 13-for-13 from the line as the Raptors ended a four-game losing skid despite being without injured stars Andrea Bargnani and Jose Calderon.

Paul Pierce’s 18 points paced the Celtics, who nearly wiped out a 15point fourth-quarter deficit but ultimately fell shot in the opener of a dizzying stretch that will see them play six games in six cities over eight days. Boston remained three games ahead of Philadelphia atop the Atlantic Division.

Nets 95, 76ers 89 In Philadelphia, Gerald Green scored 23 points in New Jersey’s win over Philadelphia. Kris Humphries had 18 points and 13 rebounds for the Nets, who recorded their 13th road win of the season against only nine at home.

Jrue Holiday’s 19 points led the Sixers, who suffered a critical loss as they try to cling onto a playoff spot, with six of their final seven games on the road.

Bucks 113, Pistons 97 In Auburn Hills, Michigan, Drew Gooden scored 26 points as

Chris Bosh had 18 points and seven rebounds for the Heat, who led by 22 after three quarters and rested James the entire final period.

The Heat, playing without Dwyane Wade again due to an ankle injury, improved to 11-1 in the star guard’s absence. He is expected back for today’s game at New York.Derrick Brown had 21 points

Knicks 103, Wizards 65 In New York, Baron Davis scored a season-high 18 points on his 33rd birthday as New York crushed Washington and surged into a tie for seventh in the East.

JR Smith had 23 points for the Knicks, who moved level with Philadelphia. New York holds the tiebreaker between the two. —AP

NBA results/standings Atlanta 109, Orlando 81; New Jersey 95, Philadelphia 89; Indiana 102, Cleveland 83; Toronto 84, Boston 79; NY Knicks 103, Washington 65; Miami 105, Charlotte 82; Milwaukee 113, Detroit 97; Phoenix 112, Houston 105; New Orleans 96, Utah 85; Oklahoma City 115, Sacramento 89; Dallas 97, Portland 94; LA Lakers 103, Denver 97.

Western Conference Northwest Division Oklahoma City43 16 .729 Denver 32 27 .542 Utah 31 29 .517 Portland 28 32 .467 Minnesota 25 35 .417

11 12.5 15.5 18.5

8 16 23 25

Pacific Division LA Lakers 38 22 .633 LA Clippers 36 23 .610 Phoenix 31 28 .525 Golden State 22 36 .379 Sacramento 19 41 .317

1.5 6.5 15 19

6.5 7.5 27.5 34

Southwest Division San Antonio 41 16 .719 Memphis 34 24 .586 Dallas 34 26 .567 Houston 32 27 .542 New Orleans 17 42 .288

7.5 8.5 10 25

Eastern Conference Atlantic Division W L PCT Boston 34 25 .576 NY Knicks 31 28 .525 Philadelphia 31 28 .525 New Jersey 22 38 .367 Toronto 21 39 .350

GB 3 3 12.5 13.5

Central Division Chicago 45 14 .763 Indiana 37 22 .627 Milwaukee 29 30 .492 Detroit 22 37 .373 Cleveland 19 38 .333 Southeast Division Miami 41 17 .707 Atlanta 35 24 .593 Orlando 34 25 .576 Washington 14 45 .237 Charlotte 7 51 .121

18

SUNDAY, APRIL 15, 2012

sp orts

Crusaders end Stormers’ perfect start CHRISTCHURCH: Canterbur y Crusaders’ rookie flyhalf Tom Taylor scored all of his team’s points as the seven-times champions brought an end to only perfect record in Super Rugby with a 31-24 victory over South Africa’s Stormers yesterday.

Two sides packed with All Blacks and Springboks made for a contest of the highest quality at Christchurch Stadium but it was 23-year-old student Taylor’s try and 26 points from a perfect display of kicking that proved decisive.

Joe Pietersen kicked a penalty well

after the siren to give the Stormers a bonus point that will give them at least with a share of the lead in the South African conference despite their first defeat in seven matches this year.

With Dan Carter being played out of position at inside centre the Crusaders backline had an unusual look about it as it came up against what is traditionally the meanest defence in the competition.

The South Africans showed that they had qualities aplenty in attack too, though, with an opportunist try

from centre Juan de Jongh and a brilliant team effor t finished off by winger Bryan Habana.

It was Taylor who got the first try, however, when the Crusaders put together an attack of dazzling simplicity from a turnover in the 13th minute.

Straight running and quick hands got the ball out to hooker Corey Flynn on the wing and his pass inside gave Taylor a clear run to the line.

Taylor, the son of All Black Warwick Taylor, added the extra points but the Stormers charged back with a try of their own seven minutes later when

de Jongh hacked on a grounded pass from Carter and won a footrace to recover the ball and score.

The Crusaders managed to see out Wyatt Crockett’s 10 minutes in the sin bin for a high tackle around the halftime break and still emerge with a 2216 lead as Taylor continued to punish all Stormers’ infractions.

The Cape Town-based outfit ramped up the tempo considerably around the hour mark and phase after phase of pressure drew its reward when Dewaldt Duvenage’s clever crosskick was gathered by Habana for

the Springbok flyer ’s 51st Super Rugby try.

Pietersen missed the conversion and a chance for the Stormers to edge ahead, though, and a yellow card for flanker Rynhardt Elstadt, also for a high tackle, combined with Taylor’s sixth penalty gave the home side daylight at 25-21.

Two more Taylor penalties secured a fourth win in seven matches for the Crusaders and made up in some part for the disappointment of falling to a narrow defeat to the Bulls in South Africa last week. —Reuters

Chiefs surge to the top

PUNE: Chennai Super Kings batsman Faf Du Plessis (left) is stumped by Pune Warriors India wicketkeeper Robin Uthappa during the IPL Twenty20 cricket match. —AFP

Ryder, Smith help Pune beat Chennai by 7 wkts PUNE: Jesse Ryder and Steven Smith combined for an unbeaten 117 runs as Pune Warriors scored an impressive seven-wicket win over Chennai Super Kings in the Indian Premier League yesterday.

New Zealand opener Ryder (73) and Australian allrounder Smith (44) added 66 runs for the unbroken fourth wicket to help Pune score 156-3 in 19.2 overs after defending champion Chennai had been restricted to 155-5.

Ryder steadied the ship with his 56ball knock that included one six and seven fours, while Smith hammered three sixes and four fours in his 22-ball innings.

Ryder remained cool despite seeing two of his partners - Robin Uthappa and Sourav Ganguly - being run out.

He kept the team in the hunt with singles, twos and the occasional boundary, setting the stage for Smith who finished the game off with a four and six off the first two deliveries of the final over bowled by pace bowler Yo Mahesh.

“I wanted to bat through the innings, I wanted to continue with that idea,” Ryder said after being declared man of the match. “Steven made it easy for me to do that.”

Earlier, Chennai was boosted by the

in-form Faf du Plessis, who was man of the match for his innings of 71 in the team’s last game against Royal Challengers Bangalore, which it won off the last ball.

The South African scored 18 off the fourth over of the innings bowled by Ashish Nehra, which comprised one six and two fours.

Du Plessis was stumped off the bowling of leg-spinner Rahul Sharma but not before he had hit two sixes and five fours off 33 balls.

After steady knocks by captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni (26) and Suresh Raina (20), allrounder Ravindra Jadeja made a well-paced 44 off 26 balls with two sixes and four fours.

The game featured the added attraction of being led by two of India’s recent captains - Chennai’s Dhoni and Sourav Ganguly with Pune.

This was the third win in four games for Pune, while Chennai has two wins and three losses from five games.

Scores: Pune Warriors 156-3 in 19.2 overs (Jesse Ryder 73 not out, Steven Smith 44 not out) def. Chennai Super Kings 155-5 (Ravindra Jadeja 44, Faf du Plessis 43, Mahendra Singh Dhoni 26; Rahul Sharma 2-16). —AP

BLOEMFONTEIN: Waikato Chiefs surged to the top of the Super 15 southern hemisphere championship table when they beat Central Cheetahs 39-33 at Free State Stadium yesterday. Three tries within seven minutes late in the second half enabled Chiefs to secure a bonus point and move two points ahead of Western Stormers on the combined table and five points in front of Otago Highlanders in the hotly-contested New Zealand conference.

Chiefs scored five tries to two by Cheetahs and always looked the more likely winnersbut they trailed 20-25 with 18 minutes to go after an intercept try by Ashley Johnson was followed by a penalty by Johan Goosen.

“It was a tough per formance by the Cheetahs,” said Chiefs captain Craig Clarke.

“We knew they love to play an expansive game and they’ve got some good ball runners. We expected a tough game from them and we certainly got it.”

Tongan international prop Sona Taumalolo scored two tries for the Chiefs, who also scored through right wing Lelia Masaga and centres Sonny Bill Williams and Richard Kahui.

Fly-half Aaron Cruden, who sparked numerous attacking moves, added four conversions and two penalties. Both Cheetahs tries were scored by replacements, with flanker Johnson scoring seven minutes after coming on and fly-half Johan Goosen scoring in the corner a minute from time.

Goosen missed the conversion but after an extended series of phases after the final hooter, he landed a long-range penalty to enable the home side to earn a bonus point for a loss by seven points or fewer.

It was one of seven penalties kicked by the Cheetahs from as many attempts, with start-

ing fly-half Sias Ebersohn landing four and Goosen three. Chiefs dominated most phases of the game but only led 10-9 at half-time.

They seemed set to take control when Taumalolo scored his first try to end a multiphase attack by the visiting team which started within 10 metres of their own line.

They were attacking again when Johnson intercepted a pass 40 metres out and bullocked to the line. Trailing by five points, the

Chiefs twice opted to kick for touch five metres from the Cheetahs line after being awarded penalties and were rewarded the second time when Taumalolo finished off a forward drive.

Cruden missed the conversion but Williams put the Chiefs ahead when he twisted out of a tackle by Cheetahs centre Robert Ebersohn and stretched out to place the ball over the line. —AFP

FRANCE: Biarritz’s flanker Imanol Harinordoquy (center) tries to catch the ball during the French Top 14 rugby union match Aviron Bayonnais versus Biarritz Olympique PaysBasque at the Jean Dauger stadium. —AFP

Brumbies smash Rebels with first half onslaught CANBERRA: ACT Brumbies blew the Melbourne Rebels away with four first-half tries before running out 37-6 winners in Canberra to cement their position at the top of the Australian Super Rugby conference yesterday.

Two tries from Scott Fardy as well as scores from Pat McCabe, Michael Hooper and Ben Mowen gave the Brumbies a bonus point victory to resume their revival under coach Jake White after defeats in their last two outings.

The Rebels had been looking to back up their shock win over the Auckland Blues last week but their

defence was poor and the talented backline trio of Danny Cipriani, James O’Connor and Kurtley Beale were given few chances to show their skills.

“We weren’t happy with the way we played last week,” Brumbies skipper Mowen said in a pitchside interview. “We needed to get across the gainline before we went out wide and in the first 40 minutes we built that platform.” Wallaby centre McCabe opened the floodgates when he ran straight through an O’Connor tackle to score under the posts in the 18th minute but it was two tries in two minutes soon

afterwards that broke the Rebels.

First openside flanker Hooper powered through three tacklers to touch down in the 24th minute before O’Connor was caught in possession with lock Fardy bulldozing his way across the line from the resultant turnover.

Rebels skipper Gareth Delve was sin-binned for a deliberate foul just after the half hour mark and he was still sitting on the touchline when another McCabe break gave flanker Mowen the fourth try three minutes before halftime. The Rebels tightened things up in the second half but were unable to

breach the twice-champions’ line as a combination of errors and strong Brumbies defence stymied their efforts leaving them with just two wins from seven matches this season.

Fardy added his second try with another tackle-busting run 13 minutes from time but by that stage the destiny of the spoils was in no doubt. “We just weren’t at the races, especially in the first 30, we didn’t step up and make our tackles,” said disappointed Welshman Delve. “I thought they played really solid, smart rugby and they’ll go well.” —Reuters

Kuwait Rally: Al-Attiya withdraws after leading first day KUWAIT: Nasser Al-Attiya of Qatar led the standings during the first day of the 2012 Kuwait International Rally on Friday, but mechanical problems forced him out of second day competitions yesterday.

Meanwhile, Salah bin Eidan of Kuwait moved to fourth place after he finished eleventh at the end of the first day. The first day results put Al-Attiya ahead of his compatriot Abdul-Aziz Al-Kuwairi, winner of the first round of the FIA Middle East Rally Championship, who had to withdraw during the fourth period of the first day due to mechanical problems.

Mechanical problems also ended participation of Kuwait’s Mufeed Mubarak and Saudi Arabia’s Saied Al-Moori during the fifth and sixth periods respectively of the tournament which is held as the second round of the Middle East Rally Championship.

Al-Attiya is followed in the standing at the end of first day competitions

by Qatar’s Khalid Al-Suwaidi, followed by Sheikh Abdullah Al-Qasimi from the United Arab Emirates and Misfer Al-Merri from Qatar. In fifth place came Kuwait’s Essam Al-Najadi followed by compatriot Meshal Al-Najadi, and Lebanon’s Michelle Saleh.

The fourth period during first day competitions was canceled due to safety reasons.

Photos by Yasser Al-Zayyat

19

SUNDAY, APRIL 15, 2012

SPORTS

Rovers on the rack as Swansea bounce back Swansea 3

Blackburn 0

SWANSEA: Swansea City made sure of their place in the Premier League for next season and sent Blackburn a step closer to the drop with a 3-0 victory at the Liberty Stadium.

Goals from Gylfi Sigurdsson, Nathan Dyer and a Scott Dann own goal were enough to see off Rovers as Swansea scored their first win in five matches.

Blackburn felt sure they should

have had a penalty inside three minutes when Ayegbeni Yakubu appeared to be hauled down five yards from goal. Moments later, Grant Hanley’s far post header landed on the top of the Swansea net.

It was an impressive start from the visitors who were in desperate need of a boost after their last gasp defeat to Liverpool.

It took a dozen minutes for the Swans to launch their first attack of note and when they did, Blackburn were forced to concede a corner after Dyer’s delightful reverse pass to Angel Rangel.

At the opposite end, Hanley was again the target for Morten Gamst Pedersen after David Dunn had been fouled. This time, Hanley was wide of

EPL results/standings Norwich 1 (Surman 51) Man City 6 (Tevez 18, 73, 80, Aguero 27, 75, Johnson 90); Sunderland 0 Wolves 0; Swansea 3 (Sigurdsson 37, Dyer 43, Dann 63-og) Blackburn 0; West Brom 1 (Dorrans 22) QPR 0.

Playing today Man Utd v Aston Villa Playing tomorrow Arsenal v Wigan English Premier League table after yesterday’s matches (played, won, drawn, lost, goals for, goals against, points): Man Utd 33 25 4 4 78 28 79 Norwich 34 11 10 13 47 58 43 Man City 34 24 5 5 85 27 77 Swansea 34 11 9 14 38 44 42 Arsenal 33 20 4 9 66 41 64 West Brom 34 12 6 16 40 47 42 Tottenham 33 17 8 8 57 38 59 Stoke 33 11 9 13 32 45 42 Newcastle 33 17 8 8 50 42 59 Aston Villa 32 7 14 11 35 44 35 Chelsea 33 16 9 8 56 38 57 QPR 34 8 7 19 38 57 31 Everton 33 13 8 12 38 34 47 Wigan 33 7 10 16 31 57 31 Liverpool 33 12 10 11 40 36 46 Bolton 32 9 2 21 36 65 29 Sunderland 34 11 10 13 42 41 43 Blackburn 34 7 7 20 45 73 28 Fulham 33 11 10 12 43 43 43 Wolves 34 5 8 21 34 73 23

Wolves on brink of drop zone Sunderland 0

Wolves 0

SUNDERLAND: Wolves edged closer towards relegation from the Premier League as their winless run under caretaker manager Terry Connor continued with a goalless draw at Sunderland.

The Molineux club are eight points from safety with just four games remaining, and have now failed to win in all nine of their matches since Connor replaced Mick McCarthy. This result secured only their second point under Connor, and Wolves were marginally the better side in a desperately poor encounter at the Stadium of Light.

Sunderland hardly created a chance of note all afternoon, and having performed superbly since Martin O’Neill was appointed in December, their season is threatening to end with a whimper.

The Black Cats drew 0-0 with Tottenham in their previous home game and find themselves back in the bottom half of the table, having risen as high as seventh position in recent weeks.

Sunderland’s mid-table position means they have little to play for in the final month of the season, and there was a general lack of urgency in the home side’s play throughout.

Seb Larsson should have done better with an early shot that failed to find the target, before James McClean shot wide at the culmination of a slick passing move that also involved Larsson and Stephane Sessegnon.

However, with Jack Colback and Craig

Gardner failing to stamp their authority on the heart of midfield, Sunderland lacked fluency and impetus before the break.

Wolves were no better, although the visitors’ dire recent form perhaps explained their unwillingness to commit too many players into an attacking position.

Anthony Forde tested Simon Mignolet with a 25-yard curler in the tenth minute, but despite Steven Fletcher’s willingness to drag defenders into the channels, the Premier League’s bottom side rarely looked like piercing a Sunderland rearguard that was again without injured duo John O’Shea and Wes Brown. At least they were more reliable at the back than they have been recently, although they were grateful for goalkeeper Wayne Hennessey’s reflexes 14 minutes before the break. Sessegnon’s low shot was creeping inside the left-hand post until Hennessey got down well to turn it around the upright.

Chances remained at a premium in the second half, even if Wolves’ need for three points meant they gradually began to become more frenetic in their attacking play. Forde’s low shot was easily saved by Mignolet, before Sylvan Ebanks-Blake wasted his side’s first clear sight of goal in the 61st minute by failing to find the target.

Fletcher teed up his fellow striker in the right-hand side of the area, but Ebanks-Blake shanked his shot wide of the upright.

Wolves had the ball in the net with 12 minutes left, but while Fletcher rolled home from close range, the effort was disallowed for a foul

by Ebanks-Blake on Mignolet.

Sunderland created next to nothing in the second half, but almost grabbed an undeserved winner with 60 seconds left. Sessegnon skewed an attempted shot across the face of the area, and Larsson stabbed the ball over the crossbar despite being unmarked on the edge of the six-yard box. —AFP

West Brom see off QPR West Brom 1

QPR 0

BIRMINGHAM: QPR’s survival bid suffered a significant setback after Graham Dorrans’ fine first-half goal earned West Bromwich Albion a 1-0 victory at The Hawthorns yesterday.

Dorrans’ long-range strike mid-way through the first half handed the Baggies only their second win in seven matches as they moved onto 42 points to guarantee a third successive Premier League campaign for the first time in their history.

For Mark Hughes’ team, the wait for a first away win since beating Stoke City on 19 November goes on and, while they remain outside the bottom three, they lead 18th-placed Bolton Wanderers by just two points, having played two more matches than Owen Coyle’s side.

West Brom were forced into a change even before a ball had been kicked after Jonas Olsson sustained a groin injury in the warm-up.

England Under-21 international Craig Dawson was drafted in as his replacement and, when the rookie defender failed to intercept an early Rangers through-ball, he had goalkeeper Ben Foster to thank for darting quickly off his line to block Bobby Zamora’s attempt.

The Baggies threatened for the first time

six minutes later when Marc-Antoine Fortune pinched possession from Shaun Derry before slipping in Peter Odemwingie but, from a narrow angle, he could only fire past the post.

However, Roy Hodgson’s team took a 22nd-minute lead and it arrived in some style when Scotland international Dorrans unleashed an unstoppable strike into the top-left corner from 25 yards, having been teed up by Peter Odemwingie.

Opportunities went to waste at either end, with Odemwingie and Samba Diakite both shooting into the side netting, then a surge of pressure from the visitors late in the half culminated with Zamora heading a hanging cross from Jamie Mackie narrowly wide.

Just a minute later the former Fulham forward brought down Taye Taiwo’s raking diagonal pass superbly only for Foster to make another fine save, blocking Zamora’s shot.

Mackie threatened once more in the 44th minute when he cut inside, only to see his scuffed shot creep past the left post with the wrong-footed Foster beaten.

The Baggies almost doubled their advantage 10 minutes after the restart when Billy Jones and Odemwingie exhanged passes neatly to leave the rightback with a sight of goal 10 yards out, yet his effort came back off the foot of the post.

Joey Barton threatened with a curling attempt that narrowly cleared the Albion crossbar on the hour mark and the QPR captain came to his team’s aid soon afterwards with a block to deny substitute Shane Long.—AFP

Michel Vorm’s far post.

It was another far post header, this time from Swansea’s Scott Sinclair, that caused Blackburn their biggest worry. Thankfully, for Rovers that is, Bradley Orr’s last ditch challenge diverted the ball high and wide.

Hanley’s contribution to the game was becoming ever greater. Another header inside the Swansea penalty area was Blackburn’s next best opportunity while at the other end he was first to react to a searching cross from Rangel.

Junior Hoilett’s rash challenge on Neil Taylor earned the striker a yellow card, but from the ensuing free kick Joe Allen blasted high and wide of Paul Robinson’s goal.

It was that type of game, high on

endeavour but short on star quality until Sigurdsson popped up with two wonderful efforts in as many minutes.

The first was beaten away for a corner by Robinson. The second, with his left foot, gave Swansea a 37th-minute lead. It was an exquisite finish from the loanee.

Three minutes from half time, the game was over as a contest when a shocking piece of defending from Dann allowed Sinclair and Danny Graham to tee up Dyer. The former Southampton winger made no mistake from eight yards.

A slick move involving Graham and Sigurdsson should have brought goal number three, two minutes into the second half. Graham teased in a cross towards Sinclair only to see Jason

Lowe arrive in the nick of time and steer the ball away to safety.

David Dunn scuffed a shot goalward after Dann had headed back a free kick from Pedersen, but that was as good as it got for the visitors.

Rangel shot over the top of Robinson’s goal after 52 minutes and Graham twice caused a stir in the penalty area as Blackburn found themselves at sixes and sevens.

But it was a piece of individual magic from Sinclair that brought the third goal after 63 minutes. Last season’s England under 21 star dribbled his way through the Rovers defence before setting up Sigurdsson whose shot rebounded back off the post, against Dann and into the empty net.—AFP

Tevez slams treble as City hit Norwich for six Norwich 1

Man City 6

NORWICH: Carlos Tevez smashed a brilliant hat-trick as Manchester City thrashed Norwich 6-1 at Carrow Road yesterday to move within two points of Premier League leaders Manchester United.

Tevez’s treble was the headline act but the Argentine’s compatriot Sergio Aguero also netted two fine strikes and Adam Johnson bolstered City’s goal difference in stoppage-time.

Substitute Andrew Surman had given Norwich hope when he scored to move the hosts within one goal of City early in the second half, but the Canaries were well and truly trounced by full-time.

Roberto Mancini’s side were written off as title flops after last weekend’s defeat at Arsenal, yet the pressure is now on United, shock losers at Wigan in midweek, to re-open a five-point lead by beating Aston Villa at Old Trafford today.

With 10 goals from their last two matches, City have at last rediscovered the swagger that marked their play at the start of the season and United will be well aware they can’t afford to slip up before their showdown with Mancini’s men at Eastlands on April 30.

City’s controversial striker Mario Balotelli missed out as he served the second game of his threematch ban. But the Italian was not needed as Argentina duo Tevez and Aguero tore Norwich apart.

The visitors felt let down by the officials in the ninth minute when Tevez was booked for diving even though Norwich centre back Ryan Bennett stood on his ankle in the penalty area.

A minute later, referee Chris Foy

LONDON: Manchester City’s Argentinian striker Carlos Tevez (left) scores his second goal defended

by Norwich City’s English defender Ryan Bennett (right) during the English Premier League football match.—AFP waved away another City penalty appeal when Aguero tumbled under an Anthony Pilkington challenge.

But Norwich missed early opportunities as well. They could have taken the lead as early as the fourth minute when Pilkington whizzed

by Pablo Zabaleta on a swift break but after cutting inside he curled his shot wide of the far post.

Joleon Lescott nodded a Grant Holt header off the line and the Norwich skipper also had a quick shot on the turn saved by Joe Hart.

City finally sparked into life as Gareth Barry went close, while David Silva forced a couple of good saves from Norwich goalkeeper John Ruddy.

Tevez scored his second goal in

successive games after Norwich defender Elliott Ward lost the ball in midfield in the 19th minute.

Aguero pounced and set Silva on his way and he played it wide for Tevez.

Ruddy seemed to have Tevez’s shot covered at his near post but the 20-yard strike took a dip and swerve in mid-air and rocketed past him.

Tevez and Aguero combined again for the second goal in the 27th minute as City ripped through Norwich once more.

Aguero played a one-two with his countryman who back-heeled the ball back into his path and the striker beat Ruddy from 20 yards for his 20th league goal of the season, but his first outside London or

Manchester.

Surman got one back for Norwich with a low shot in the 51st minute, but Tevez leapt to nod in his second after Ruddy saved from Yaya Toure in the 73rd minute.

Aguero tucked away his second two minutes later with a well-struck shot from the edge of the area as City cut loose.

Tevez completed his hat-trick when a Ryan Bennett back-pass to Ruddy fell woefully short and the striker was deadly in his 80th minute finish.

Johnson added to the all-important goal difference with a simple finish after Aguero found Gael Clichy with a deep cross and he pulled the ball back across the area for the winger to side-foot in.—AFP

Dortmund on verge of German title BERLIN: Defending champions Borussia Dortmund put one hand on the German league title yesterday as their 2-1 win at Schalke left them eight points clear at the top of the table with three games left.

With second-placed Bayern Munich being held to a goalless draw at home to Mainz late yesterday, Bayern now have only a mathematical chance of denying Dortmund a second consecutive title.

Bayern host Real Madrid in the Champions League semi-final, first-leg, on Tuesday and coach Jupp Heynckes paid the price for resting several stars as captain Philipp Lahm, wing Franck Ribery and striker Mario Gomez all started on the bench.

After Borussia beat the Bavarians 1-0 in Dortmund on Wednesday, Jurgen Klopp’s side took the opportunity to extend their lead but they had to come from behind in Gelsenkirchen.

“That was real work for all parties with Borussia Dortmund as the lucky winners,” said Klopp, who has steadfastly refused to talk about the title.

“We squeezed out everything we had against a

GERMANY: Mainz’s Eric Maxim ChoupoMoting of Cameroon (left) and Rafinha of Brazil challenge for the ball during the German First Division Bundesliga soccer match between Bayern Munich and Mainz. —AP

robust, physical opponent and we were better after it went 1-1. That was a hard opponent on a tough ground. “After we took the lead, we defended with real passion, the team has a great character and never seems satisfied.”

Schalke took the lead when Peru forward Jefferson Farfan blasted his shot home from the edge of the penalty area with just nine minutes on the clock, the ball deflecting off Dortmund’s Shinji Kagawa. But the champions roared back as Poland defender Lukasz Piszczek drilled home the equaliser from a seemingly impossible angle on 17 minutes. Dortmund captain Sebastian Kehl then scored the crucial winner on 63 minutes from a corner when Schalke defender Christoph Metzelder inadvertently headed down into Kehl’s path and the visiting skipper fired home. In claiming victory, Dortmund set a new Bundesliga record of 25 games without defeat.

They now face fourth-placed Borussia Moenchengladbach, bottom side Kaiserslautern and Freiburg before the league finishes on May 5, while Bayern face Werder Bremen, Stuttgart and Cologne in their title run-in.

Kaiserslautern have no more than a mathematical chance of avoiding relegation after they were beaten 2-0 at home by Nuremberg, which kept them nine points from safety.

Ten-man Hertha Berlin remain second from bottom despite picking up a point in a dramatic 3-3 draw at Bayer Leverkusen, after they scored three goals in 15 second-half minutes.

The hosts went 2-0 up through attacking midfielder Andre Schuerrle on 44 minutes and striker Stefan Kiessling on 51 minutes.

Berlin pulled a goal back when Germany Under21 striker Pierre-Michel Lasogga scored with a header on 62 minutes, but Hertha were reduced to 10 men when captain Levan Kobiashvili brought down Eren Derdiyok in the area.

Hertha goalkeeper Thomas Kraft palmed Simon Rolfes’ penalty attempt onto the post on 66 minutes and away from danger then five minutes later it was 2-2 as Turkey striker Tunay Torun equalised.

The 21-year-old grabbed his second on 77 minutes after Brazil striker Raffael counter-attacked

and squared for his forward partner to drill home his shot, before Kiessling equalised on 83 minutes.

Cologne, who are at Moenchengladbach today, are in the third relegation place, and now four points behind 15th-placed Augsburg, who poached a 2-1 win at Wolfsburg.

Hamburg also gave themselves a fighting chance of staying up with a 1-0 win at home to Hanover. Stuttgart are fifth in the league and challenging for a Champions League place after their 41 hammering of Bremen on Friday night extended their run without defeat to nine games.—AFP

Matches on TV (Local Timings)

FA Cup Tottenham v Chelsea Aljazeera Sport +5 Aljazeera Sport 2 HD

20:00

English Premier League Man United v Aston Villa 18:00 Abu Dhabi Sports HD 3 Abu Dhabi Sports HD 5

Spanish League Espanyol v Valencia Aljazeera Sport +2 Aljazeera Sport 2 HD Villarreal v Racing Aljazeera Sport 2 HD Malaga v Sociedad Aljazeera Sport +5 Betis v Osasuna Aljazeera Sport +10 Bilbao v Mallorca Aljazeera Sport +2 Vallecano v Atletico Aljazeera Sport +2 Aljazeera Sport 2 HD

13:00 17:00 17:00 17:00 19:00 22:30

Ryder, Smith help Pune beat Chennai by 7 wkts

Rosberg claims first F1 pole spot at Chinese GP

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16

SUNDAY, APRIL 15, 2012

Basketball gold on Spanish menu at London Games

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SPAIN: Real Madrid’s Cristiano Ronaldo from Portugal (left) controls the ball past Sporting Gijon’s Alejandro Galvez during a Spanish La Liga soccer match. —AP

Record-breaking Ronaldo, Messi lead Real, Barcelona MADRID: Lionel Messi went level with Cristiano Ronaldo’s record of 41 league goals for the season yesterday when he scored twice in Barcelona’s come-frombehind 2-1 win over Levante. The victory closed the gap on Real Madrid to four points with El Clasico to come next weekend.

Earlier Real beat Sporting Gijon 3-1 with Ronaldo hitting his 41st league goal of the campaign, beating his own record set last year, but Argentine star Messi was quick to reply just hours later.

Levante had gone ahead from a 23rd minute penalty, converted by Jose Barkero after a foul by Sergio Busquets, but with Barcelona heading for defeat Messi hit a second half brace.

His second, from the penalty spot after a foul by Pedro Botelho on Juan Cuenca, drew him level with his great Portuguese rival. A Sergio Ramos handball had seen Miguel Angel De las Cuevas put Sporting ahead against Real from the penalty spot before Gonzalo Higuain equalised with a header after 36 minutes.

Ronaldo finally broke Sporting’s resistance with a header after 73 minutes and following the dismissal of Roberto Canella for a second yellow card, Karim Benzema hit the third which was Real’s record 107th goal of the season.

It puts them level with John Toshack’s Real Madrid team in the 1989-90 season with Jose Mourinho’s side still with five matches to play.

“The records come as a result of the work of all the players who have given so much and deserve to be champions. For those who say that Mou (Jose Mourinho) is a defensive coach then you just need to look at these statistics,” said Real assistant coach Aitor Karanka.

Nuri Sahin began in midfield for Real alongside Sami Khedira, with Xabi Alonso suspended. Jose Callejon was included in a four-pronged attack with Benzema on the bench, with Mourinho perhaps holding him back for the Champions League semi-final with Bayern Munich on Tuesday. The first clear opening fell to Sporting’s Gaston Sangoy after 13 min-

utes. He stole the ball off Alvaro Arbeloa, the last man, but his shot was palmed away by keeper Iker Casillas.

Sporting had most of their players encamped in and around their penalty area in a very defensive formation and Real were struggling to break them down.

Instead, at the other end, in another foray forward, Sporting won a controversial penalty after Ramos slid in to clear the ball and the referee claimed he handled.

De las Cuevas sent the ball straight down the middle of the goal to give Sporting the lead. The tension was building but Real responded with first Khedira going close with a shot from the edge of the area and then Higuain headed in the equaliser.

Ramos crossed for the Argentine who had not been picked up by Sporting defence and he knocked the ball past keeper Juan Pablo.

Mourinho brought on Benzema and Angel Di Maria for the second half but while Real had almost continual possession in the Sporting half the visitors

defended valiantly and closed down the spaces.

Ronaldo had further shots from distance and Benzema missed a half chance but they appeared to be lacking inspiration before Ronaldo headed in a Di Maria cross when Real needed him most.

Canella who was already on a yellow card picked up a second for a foul on Di Maria and then, nine minutes from the end, Benzema sealed the win with a shot from a Mesut Ozil pass.

Barcelona had a depleted defence with Dani Alves and Gerard Pique only fit for a place on the bench along with Andres Iniesta who was rested with Chelsea up next in the Champions League. It was a familiar start though for the Catalan side who pressed Levante back with their incisive football.

Pedro Rodriguez had a shot saved by keeper Gustavo Munua and Thiago Alcantara headed wide as Barca looked comfortable in possession. Levante set their stall to defend deeply and try and find the pace and strength of frontman

Italian football called off after player’s death ROME: All weekend football in Italy was called off yesterday following the death of Livorno midfielder Piermario Morosini, a player whose own private life had been plagued by a series of tragedies.

The 25-year-old, on loan from Serie A side Udinese, collapsed on the pitch during a second division game at Pescara and was later pronounced dead in hospital.

It continued a tragic family history that saw Morosini’s parents die while he was a teenager, after which his disabled brother also committed suicide.

He is survived by an older sister, who is handicapped. Morosini’s death comes just under a month after Bolton Wanderers midfielder Fabrice Muamba suffered a cardiac arrest during his side’s FA Cup quarter-final match with Tottenham, prompting calls for more stringent medical checks on footballers.

The Italian Football Federation general manager Antonello Valentini responded to yesterday’s tragedy by suspending all remaining weekend football, starting with the Serie A match between AC Milan and Genoa.

The match had been due to kick-off at 6:00 pm local time (1600 GMT). Fans already at the San Siro

stadium responded to that announcement largely with applause, although some jeered.

Italian Olympic Committee president Giovanni Petrucci later invited all Italian sports federations to observe a minute’s silence in memory of Morosini.

Morosini suffered a heart attack during the first half of the match. He collapsed suddenly and was treated on the pitch before being taken away by ambulance to the Civile Santo Spirito hospital in Pescara.

But the former Italy under-21 international was later pronounced dead. Pescara’s masseur Claudio D’Arcangelo said he knew immediately something was wrong. “I darted onto the pitch because I understood straight away that it was a serious situation,” he said.

“I didn’t even wait for the referee’s permission. I gave him heart-massage straight away and for a moment I felt he was coming back but there was nothing we could do.”

There was a delay as the ambulance was initially prevented from entering the stadium due to a police car blocking an exit.

Pescara goalkeeper Luca Anania explained: “There were moments of great confusion and I tried to understand what was happening, also with

SPAIN: Barcelona’s Lionel Messi from Argentina celebrates after scoring against Levante.—AP

Spanish League results/standings Real Madrid 3 (Higuain 37, Cristiano Ronaldo 74, Benzema 82) Sporting Gijon 1 (De las Cuevas 30-pen); Levante 1 (Barkero 23-pen) Barcelona 2 (Messi 64, 72-pen) Spanish League table after yesterday’s matches (played, won, drawn, lost, goals for, goals against, points): Real Madrid Barcelona Valencia Malaga Levante Osasuna Sevilla Bilbao Atletico Espanyol

33 33 32 32 33 32 32 32 32 32

27 25 14 15 14 11 12 10 11 11

4 6 10 5 6 13 9 12 9 9

2 2 8 12 13 8 11 10 12 12

107 96 50 48 47 37 39 47 43 39

29 24 38 45 46 52 33 44 41 43

85 81 52 50 48 46 45 42 42 42

Arouna Kone on the counter. It was a policy which paid dividends as they took the lead against the run of play from the penalty spot after a handball from Busquets. Keeper Victor Valdes was unable to hold a corner and Busquets blocked a header from Juanfran Garcia with his hand. The referee awarded a

Getafe Mallorca Rayo Betis Sociedad Granada Villarreal Sporting Zaragoza Racing

32 32 32 32 32 32 32 33 32 32

11 10 12 11 10 10 8 7 7 4

9 10 4 6 8 6 11 7 7 13

12 12 16 15 14 16 13 19 18 15

33 35 49 39 39 30 33 33 28 23

43 40 57 45 48 48 46 63 59 51

42 40 40 39 38 36 35 28 28 25

penalty which was converted clinically by Barkero.

Barca’s cause was starting to look increasingly forlorn when Messi drew them level from the edge of the area.

Then following a foul by Pedro Botelho on Juan Cuenca, Messi won the game for Barcelona from the penalty spot.—AFP

Liverpool in FA Cup final

Livorno midfielder Piermario Morosini regard to the delay of the emergency services.

“They said the ambulance couldn’t come onto the pitch because the entrance was blocked by another car. Some of my team-mates carried the stretcher to the ambulance.”

Local authorities opened an investigation into the incident but a heart specialist said the delay made no difference. “A minute more or less in the ambulance would not have done anything,” cardiologist Dr Paloscia told ANSA. “His heart had stopped and never started beating again. We tried to reanimate him for an hour and a half but it was all to no avail.”

Italian media were alerted to Morosini’s death initially by an “explosion of shouts and tears” from his team-mates who had come to the hospital, ANSA said.-—AFP

LONDON: Andy Carroll scored a dramatic late winner as Liverpool came from behind to defeat Merseyside rivals Everton 2-1 to reach the FA Cup final at Wembley here yesterday.

Carroll-the club’s much-maligned £35 million record signing-glanced in a Craig Bellamy free-kick in the 87th minute to keep Liverpool on course for a domestic cup double.

It was the second time in five days that Carroll had come to Liverpool’s rescue after scoring an injury-time winner in the Premier League victory over Blackburn in midweek.

More importantly the goal ensured Liverpool have the opportunity to finish a disappointing season on a high in next month’s final where they will face the winner of Sunday’s last-four clash between Tottenham and Chelsea.

Carroll’s decisive strike came after Liverpool had fought back to level through Luis Suarez on 62 minutes following Nikica Jelavic’s opener for Everton.

“It’s the best feeling ever,” Carroll told ESPN. “I had a few chances earlier, but it was a great ball in from Craig (Bellamy) so I just had to score with that one.

“I’ve had some criticism but I’ve just kept on going. It’s a great feeling.” Reds skipper Steven Gerrard added: “He (Carroll) doesn’t hide and he takes criticism on the chin. That’s what we bought him for, to score big goals, and he’s

delivered today.” Liverpool manager Kenny Dalglish hailed his side’s achievement in reaching two Wembley finals following their triumph in the League Cup in February.

“I think it was fantastic and although it’s not been too good in the league recently, that’s two cup finals-one we’ve won and won we’re looking forward to,” Dalglish said.

“That gives everybody who supports Liverpool Football Club a lift. We’re very proud and pleased that we’re in the final.”

Everton manager David Moyes said mistakes at crucial times had been his team’s undoing, most notably when defender Sylvain Distin gifted Liverpool their equaliser midway through the second half.

“We were just beginning to get back in the game when obviously we made a mistake and that gave Liverpool a bit more impetus,” Moyes said. Liverpool had started well, with Glen Johnson surging forward menacingly after only three minutes to release Carroll.

The pony-tailed striker cut back deftly to Jay Spearing but the young midfielder should have done better than a shot which flew harmlessly over. Liverpool chances thereafter were few and far between and while Dalglish’s side often advanced into good attacking positions their forays invariably fizzled out because of poor play in the final third.—AFP

Ocampo ends WBank bid, supports Nigerian Page 23

First Cuba offshore well slows; May finish seen Page 25

SUNDAY, APRIL 15, 2012

China to widen yuan band against dollar

Kuwait bourse firms after volatility Page 24

Page 22

FLORIDA: President Barack Obama is greeted after speaking at the Port of Tampa in Tampa, Florida on Friday about trade with Latin America before heading to Colombia for the Summit of the Americas. —AP

Obama promoting US-LatAm trade ties Business sessions include top US executives CARTAGENA, Colombia: President Barack Obama’s challenge during a weekend summit in Colombia with business executives and political leaders from the Americas is convincing US business that he’s serious about expanding trade in Latin America and persuading the region to look northward once again. “Put simply, we have one of the world’s most dynamic trade relationships,” he planned to tell CEOs during the sixth Summit of the Americas.

But playing the persuader is not an easy task. The US faces trade competition from China, resistance from labor at home, a set of difficult regional issues that could dilute any focus on trade, and now the distraction of Secret Service agents in Cartagena relieved of duty on allegations of misconduct.

The business session was expected to include executives from Wal-Mart Stores Inc, PepsiCo, Yahoo and Caterpillar. “Here in Latin America, the US is the largest foreign investor, and we’re the largest customer of manufactured goods from countries across

the hemisphere,” according to Obama’s remarks released in advance by released by the White House.

While US exports in dollar amounts have increased in the Americas, its share of the market has declined over the past decade.

China, in particular, is surpassing the US as a trading partner with Brazil, Chile, and Peru.

In the United States, labor is restive over a trade deal with Colombia that is awaiting final certification. The Colombian government has worked to meet the requirements of a labor rights agreement that was a condition of passage in Congress last year. The question in Cartagena was whether Obama, over the objections of US union leaders, would certify that Colombia successfully has met the terms.

US Chamber of Commerce President Tom Donohue said in an interview Saturday that even if Obama did not take that step while in Cartagena, a final certification probably would come soon. He said Obama may not make a major announcement so as not to irri-

tate allies who oppose the deal.

Trade could be eclipsed by other issues: the discussion over Cuba’s exclusion from the summit; a call from Latin American countries to consider legalizing drugs to ease the violence associated with narcotrafficking; even Argentina’s claims to the British-controlled Falkland Islands.

Adding an embarrassing wrinkle to the visit was Friday’s acknowledgement by the Secret Service that agents facing allegations of misconduct for deeds before the president’s arrival had been sent home.

What’s more, US influence in Latin America has waned as countries such as Brazil and Chile gain economic stature. The US no longer can buy its standing in the Americas through development assistance. Obama was appealing to the business leaders to work with governments to expand commerce and help improve the lives of people mired in poverty despite the region’s improving economic stance.

“Governments can’t do it alone,” he said.

“We need you - the private sector - to work with us.

We need your ideas. We need you to join with us. Working together, I’m confident that we can advance the jobs, prosperity and opportunity that our people seek.”

Among those pushing Obama to engage further in trade with Latin America is the US Chamber of Commerce. Donohue told business leaders in Colombia that the US is focusing too much on the Asia-Pacific region at the expense of Latin America. He called for more countries from the Americas to join the TransPacific Partnership, which includes Chile and Peru. “When people think about trans-Pacific they’re all thinking about Asia,” Donohue said in the interview. “The reason I raised that is to put focus on the bigger question: ‘Where are we going to put our assets? Where are we going to put our energy?’” Donohue is pressing for a trade deal with Brazil, South America’s largest economy and one with growing global influence. But he acknowledged that there is no appetite in the United

Italian business group points to suicides

US inflation mild as gas prices rise slowly WASHINGTON: Gas prices rose more slowly in March, keeping overall US inflation mild. The consumer price index rose 0.3 percent in March, the Labor Department said Friday. That’s slower than February’s 0.4 percent rise. Excluding food and gas, so-called “core” prices increased 0.2 percent in March.

Inflation has eased since last fall and is expected to stay tame. In 12 months that ended in March, prices rose 2.7 percent.

That’s below last year’s peak year-overyear rate of 3.9 percent. Core prices have risen 2.3 percent in the past 12 months, close to the Federal Reserve’s inflation target of 2 percent. Prices are “benign and likely to stay that way for some time yet,” said Ian Shepherdson, an economist at High Frequency Economics. Mild price increases leave consumers with more money to spend, which boosts economic growth. Lower inflation also gives the Fed more leeway to keep interest rates low.

Gas prices are high but have started to level off. In March, they gained 1.7 percent, slower than the 6 percent increase in Februar y. And in the past week, the national average price per gallon fell 4 cents, to $3.90 on Friday.

Despite more hiring, unemployment is still high and few workers are getting pay raises. So many retailers can’t charge more without risking the loss of some business.

Food prices ticked up last month but are moderating after sharp increases last year.

The cost of meat, poultry and some fruits rose. Chicken prices jumped by the most in four years. The price of used cars and trucks also increased and rents rose, driving up core prices. Americans also paid

more for medical care, clothing and airline fares. A small amount of inflation can be good for the economy. It encourages businesses and consumers to spend and invest money sooner rather than later, before inflation erodes its value.

Still, few workers are receiving pay raises, which makes even a small amount of inflation challenging for most Americans.

Average hourly wages, adjusted for inflation, fell for the third month in a row, the department said Friday. Fed chairman Ben Bernanke has acknowledged that rising gas prices have boosted inflation. But he has maintained that the increases are likely temporary.

Most economists expect the Fed won’t announce any new policy initiatives at its April 24-25 meeting. Policymakers appear less inclined to take further steps to boost growth. Minutes from their March 13 meeting showed only a couple members expressed support for purchasing more bonds as a way to drive down long-term interest rates and promote more borrowing and spending.

A report Thursday indicated that inflation pressures aren’t increasing much at the wholesale level. The producer price index, which measures price changes before they reach the consumer, was unchanged in March. Rising costs for food and pickup trucks were offset by a drop in wholesale gas prices.

I n the past 12 months, wholesale prices rose 2.8 percent, the smallest year- over-year rise since June 2010.

Excluding food and gas, core wholesale prices rose 0.3 percent and 2.9 percent in the past year. —AP

States to initiate such a step before the November elections.

Obama, in answers to questions submitted

by Latin American journalists before leaving for Cartagena, said the U.S. exports three times more to Latin America than to China.

He said 60 percent of Latin America’s exports to the United States are manufactured goods, whereas 87 percent of Latin America’s exports to China were commodities. “We believe that economic partnerships can’t just be about nations extracting another ’s resources,” he said.

The US relationship with Argentina is increasingly contentious. US companies complain that Argentina is erecting sizable barriers to US exports. The Obama administration has bristled at the behavior and some in Washington wonder whether Argentina will retain in the Group of 20 large and emerging world economies.

Those issues could likely come up when Obama meets with Argentina’s president, Cristina Fernandez, today.—AP

WASHINGTON: President Barack Obama congratulates Warren Buffett after presenting him with a 2010 presidential Medal of Freedom in an East Room ceremony at the White House in Washington. —AP file photo (See Page 25)

Swiss banks allowed to name staff in US tax dispute: Report GENEVA: Switzerland is to allow banks to hand over to the United States the names of any employees who may have helped American clients evade taxes, a Swiss newspaper reported yesterday.

The government has authorized banks to supply emails relating to business with American clients, including the names of workers and third parties such as lawyers and trustees, the Tages Anzeiger reported. The Federal Council has given its approval for banks to be able to supply information, “including data on bank employees and third

parties, though not client data, directly to the US authorities,” the Zurich paper quoted Mario Tuor, spokesman for the State Secretariat for International Financial Matters, as saying. Swiss lawmakers last month approved a revised tax accord with the United States that eases banking secrecy rules, allowing Washington to obtain details of tax cheats from Swiss banks with greater ease. The new treaty will allow US authorities to demand information on suspected tax cheats if the bank in question or its employers have acted illegally. —AFP

ROME: Amid Italy’s biting economic crisis, 23 entrepreneurs have committed suicide so far this year, a smallbusiness association said yesterday.

Nine suicides were reported in Veneto, the northeastern region where the Italian General Confederation of Artisan Firms (CGIA) is based. There were three suicides each in Puglia, Tuscany and Sicily and another five elsewhere. “These suicides are real cries of alarm by those who can’t take it anymore,” the group’s secretary general Giuseppe Bortolussi was quoted as saying by Italian media. “Taxes, charges, bureaucracy, lack of credit and late payments have created a hostile climate that penalizes entrepreneurs.

Many see suicide as an act of rebellion against a deaf and insensitive system that fails to grasp the seriousness of the situation.”

According to latest data from Italy’s national statistics institute, 3,048 people committed suicide in 2010 against 2,986 the previous year. Suicides linked to economic factors numbered 187 in 2010, against 198 in 2009. In recent weeks Italian media have focused on economic pain as business owners weighed down with debt have closed up shop and people joined the ranks of the unemployed, with joblessness at a record 9.3 percent in February.

Italy was shocked by the case last month of a bricklayer in the northern city of Bologna who self-immolated and died after nine days of agony, after being accused of tax evasion.

Italy’s economy entered recession in the second half of last year, shrinking by 0.2 percent in the third quarter and 0.7 percent in the fourth.It is expected to contract further this year despite austerity measures and structural reforms aimed at liberalizing the economy and boosting growth. — AFP

SUNDAY, APRIL 15, 2012

BUSINESS

China to widen yuan band against dollar

News

in brief

Kuwaiti oil price up to $117.84pb KUWAIT: Price of Kuwaiti crude oil rose by $0.57 cents to $117.84 per barrel on Friday, compared to USD 117.27 pb on Thursday, Kuwait Petroleum Corporation (KPC) said yesterday. The increase in oil prices is attributed to the decline of the US dollar among other major currencies. Furthermore, Saudi Arabia is determined to bring down high oil prices and is working with fellow Opec members to accomplish that, Oil Minister Ali Al-Naimi said Friday. “We are seeing a prolonged period of high oil prices,” Al-Naimi said in a statement during a visit to Seoul. “We are not happy about it. [The kingdom of Saudi Arabia] is determined to see a lower price and is working towards that goal.”

Beijing succumbs to international pressure BEIJING: China’s central bank said yesterday it would widen the yuan’s trading band against the dollar following international pressure to allow its tightly controlled currency to appreciate.

The yuan is currently allowed to trade 0.5 percent on either side of a midpoint price set by the central bank every trading day. The new rules will come into effect on Monday and allow the currency to fluctuate by up to 1.0 percent either side, the bank said in a statement.

Beijing’s trading partners have long criticised its yuan exchange rate, saying it is kept artificially low, fuelling a flow of cheap exports that have helped trigger huge trade deficits between some countries and China. China has repeatedly vowed to loosen its grip on the yuan as it moves towards full convertibility but it has rejected calls for a faster appreciation for fear of hurting its manufacturing sector, a key driver of its economy.

Yesterday’s announcement means that the yuan will be allowed to fluctuate further against the dollar but not necessarily appreciate as much as is demanded by China’s trading partners, including the United States.

The bank said the change was decided “in order to meet market demands... (and) enhance the flexibility of RMB (renminbi, as the yuan is officially known) exchange rate in both directions”. “In view of the domestic and international economic and financial conditions, the People’s Bank of China will continue to fulfil its mandates in relation to the RMB exchange rate, keeping RMB exchange

rate basically stable.”

Ting Lu, China economist at Bank of America Merrill Lynch, said the move would ease international pressure to allow the yuan to appreciate and was bigger than market expectations of a 0.7 percent trading band. “External pressure for RMB-USD appreciation will be alleviated,” he said in a note. China said on Friday its economy grew by 8.1 percent in the first three months of 2012, its slowest pace in nearly three years. However, analysts predicted the world’s second-largest economy would avoid a hard landing, which could trigger massive job losses and spark social unrest.

The central bank called in February for the government to move faster to loosen currency controls to make it easier for Chinese companies to invest overseas and boost the yuan’s global status.

China restricts the movement of money outside the country such as investment in real estate, stocks and bonds to prevent sudden inflows and outflows of capital that could destabilize its financial system.

Beijing has vowed to increase the use of the yuan in international trade and encourage foreign investment in Shanghai’s financial markets, according to a five-year blueprint unveiled this year by the National Development and Reform Commission, a powerful state planner.

But in its study released in February, the central bank said reforms were taking too long and China could loosen investment controls and encourage more enterprises to take opportunities abroad in the next three years. — AFP

Sudan pound hits low after south takes oilfield KHARTOUM: The Sudanese pound has hit a historic low on the black market as people rush to move savings into dollars, fearing an economic crisis will deepen after South Sudan seized a vital oilfield, money traders said yesterday.

Sudan has been gripped by economic crisis since South Sudan seceded in July, taking with it three quarters of the formerly united country’s oil output, and local people find it hard to buy foreign currency legitimately. The loss of oil revenue has driven up the cost of imports and fuelled food inflation.

In a shock to many Sudanese, South Sudan’s army seized the Heglig oil field on Tuesday as fighting in the poorly-defined border area escalated. Juba said yesterday it had repulsed an attempt by Sudan to retake Heglig. Money traders said the seizure had prompted many people to buy dollars, fearing foreign currency might become even more scarce if the government has to import more fuel.Heglig used to produce about half of the country’s roughly 115,000 barrels a day of oil output but production there has stopped because of the fighting, officials say.

Yesterday, one US dollar bought 6.1 pounds on the black market, a historic low since the Sudanese pound was introduced in 2007, the traders said. Last week the greenback fetched about 5.6 pounds. The official rate has remained about the same, at around 3 pounds to the dollar.

“There are no dollars in the market,” one trader said. “There is no one in the market who will sell you dollars.” Some banks give limited amounts of foreign currency at the official rate in certain circumstances such as for travel and for business purposes, but it can be a complicated and lengthy process.

This means many Sudanese people and businesses rely on the black market to get dollars.

Money traders often operate in normal shops, using a business such as a clothing store or a supermarket to give an official cover for the black market trade. A Sudanese businessman, who asked not to be named, said yesterday his mobile phone import business was suffering because he could not find enough dollars to keep it going. “There is no way for me to do my business. There is no way to get dollars anywhere,” he said.—Reuters

Serbia to seek new investors for its sole steel plant BELGRADE: The Serbian government said yesterday it would issue a public call to find a new partner for its sole steel plant after US Steel pulled out in January.

“Potential bidders for Zelezara Smederevo can be companies or legal persons involved in mining, production of raw iron, coke, steel of ferroalloys, whose profit in 2011 was at least one billion euros ($ 1.34 billion) or assets worth least 1.5 billion euros ($ 1.97 billion),” the government’s website said.

Applications to buy transaction documents should be submitted by April 27 while the deadline for final binding bids was set for May 4, it added. The government bought the plant, 40 kilometers (25 miles) east of Belgrade, from US Steel in January for a symbolic one dollar, after the

US giant decided to pull out from Serbia after nine years because of the global economic downturn.

In 2003 US Steel brought then bankrupt plant for 33 million dollars, announcing its annual capacity at around two million tons.

The government said its move to buy back the plant was aimed at preventing lay-offs of some 5,500 workers and keep it operating while a new long-term strategic partner was sought.

During the 2000s, the steel plant was Serbia’s biggest single exporter, accounting for 14 percent of all the country’s exports.

Local media reported that Luxembourgbased United Group SA and Ukraine’s steel magnate Rinat Akhmetov were interested in bidding for the plant.—AFP

Saudi Cement Q1 net up 53%, beats estimates DUBAI: Saudi Cement Co posted a 53.4 percent rise in first-quarter net profit, beating estimates. The firm made a net profit of 325.6 million riyals ($86.8 million) in the period, compared with 210.8 million riyals a year earlier, it said in a bourse statement yesterday.

Analysts polled by Reuters had forecast average earnings of 269.3 million riyals.

SHANGHAI: A bank clerk counts Chinese 100 yuan notes in Shanghai. China’s central bank announced yesterday, a slight easing of its controversial currency controls. — AP

Saudi’s Riyad Bank Q1 net up 22% DUBAI: Saudi Arabia’s Riyad Bank posted a 21.6 rise in net profit in the first quarter, beating forecasts. The kingdom’s third-largest lender by market value made 901 million Saudi riyals ($240.3 million) in the three months to end-March, up from 741 million riyals in the year-earlier period, the firm said in a bourse statement yesterday. Analysts polled by Reuters had estimated average earnings of 843.9 million riyals.

US politics in clash with reality over China currency WASHINGTON: US politicians readily muscle up to talk tough against China on the campaign trail, charging its policies undermine American manufacturing, but two key planks of the argument for criticizing Beijing are crumbling. The Chinese currency has risen 31 percent against the dollar over the past seven years, eroding a chunk of the price advantage Chinese exports once enjoyed on world markets. At the same time, China’s huge trade surplus with the world has shriveled.

Yet Republican White House hopeful Mitt Romney says at every turn that as president he would declare China a currency manipulator from day one, and he regularly criticizes Beijing for unfair trade practices. President Barack Obama, a Democrat, used the backdrop of a lock factory in America’s industrial heartland in February to berate China for failing to “play by the same rules” on trade.

Experts say the United States increasingly will have to temper its tone toward China on economic policies - at least behind closed doors - given that the raw argument of currency manipulation no longer holds as much water. “ The US should be praising China for reducing its external surplus so rapidly since 2007,” said Nicholas Lardy, a China expert at the Peterson Institute for International Economics.

The head of the institute, C Fred Bergsten, has been a leading critic of China’s currency, saying the yuan was 40 percent undervalued.

But Lardy says the gap is now “very modest, not more than 10 percent.”

More important is to focus on keeping China’s external surplus in check, he said.

China’s current account surplus, the broadest measure of its trade with the world, fell by almost one half in 2011 to $155 billion, well below the 4 percent of GDP level considered a benchmark for a balanced external account.

That is a big move down from its peak above 10 percent in 2007.

The question is whether China’s surplus will

remain in check once global growth accelerates. The decline probably reflects a mixture of a rising currency, a shift inside China toward domestic consumption and hence more imports, and sluggish demand from advanced economies for its exports.

The IMF is studying the issue, but Managing Director Christine Lagarde signaled on Thursday that the shift toward more balanced Chinese growth appears longer lasting.

She said it looks as if China’s external surplus will be in the 4 percent to 5 percent range, not 7 percent as forecast six months ago, though it could move up again.

“We believe there is more work to be done for the rebalancing to take place, but it is moving in the right direc tion,” she said at a Brookings Institution conference.

The IMF’s view is significant because its reading of a 10 percent external surplus had provided a major basis for the US argument since 2008 that China’s currency was substantially undervalued.

Already, Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao has signaled that the days of Beijing engineering major yuan appreciation are largely over. He said in mid-March that the currency “is possibly near an equilibrium level” and that China will focus on speeding up work on exchange rate reform - a necessary precursor to floating the currency.

Already the Obama administration has shifted the focus of US-China economic relations away from the currenc y and more toward the thornier issues of reducing hidden subsidies that make it difficult for US firms to compete for business in China’s vast government contracts market. It has also pressed to end rules that require U.S. companies to hand over intellectual property by registering their patents in China.

At the same time, Washington is bringing more trade cases against Beijing and consistently has refused to use its twice yearly foreign exchange report to name China a currency manipulator. The next repor t was due today, but the US Treasury delayed its release

until after a series of international meetings take place.

US Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner continues to call for more yuan appreciation.

But he too sees a change and told Congress last month the playing field is starting to move in favor of the United States. “We are seeing a very promising shift in the relative competitive position of our economies,” he said.

But complex trade issues make for poor campaign fodder. “The election campaign will cause candidates for many offices from both parties to say simple-minded things about China. Calling for market exchange rates is more complicated than just saying ‘China cheats.’ So ‘China cheats’ will continue to be the main message,” said Derek Scissors, senior fellow at the Heritage Foundation.

Scissors said the United States should keep up the pressure on China until Beijing does deliver on allowing markets to set the exchange rate. “A higher fixed exchange rate is just a price control at a different level and still a bad idea, no matter what the current account balance is,” he said.

Romney, a former governor of Massachusetts who is in line to win the Republican nomination, is heeding that advice. Asked if the yuan’s rise and the disappearing trade surplus undercut the case on currency manipulation, his campaign said: “Romney is committed to confronting China on these practices, from intellectual proper ty theft, to restrictions on market access, to currency manipulation. If China is still manipulating its currency when Governor Romney takes office, he will take the straightforward step of designating them as a currency manipulator.” Analysts are divided over whether Romney would indeed follow through and whether he would have the grounds to name China a manipulator. Even if he did, it would trigger no sanctions, only talks with China and the IMF. “The key question is what would happen next,” said Scissors. — 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 US Dollar/KD GB Pound/KD Euro Swiss francs Canadian dollars Danish Kroner Swedish Kroner Australian dlr Hong Kong dlr Singapore dlr Japanese yen Indian Rs/KD Sri Lanka rupee Pakistan rupee Bangladesh taka UAE dirhams Bahraini dinars Jordanian dinar Saudi Riyal/KD Omani riyals Philippine Peso

.2730000 .4400000 .3630000 .3010000 .2750000 .2860000 .0040000 .0020000 .0753500 .7341090 .3830000 .0720000 .7196620 .0040000 .0430000 CUSTOMER TRANSFER RATES .2775500 .4420120 .3645480 .3030680 .2769820 .0490120 .0408800 .2878050 .0357490 .2210320 .0034300 .0000000 .0000000 .0000000 .0000000 .0755960 .7365000 .0000000 .0740330 .7211900 .0000000

.2810000 .4490000 .3690000 .3100000 .2840000 .2950000 .0070000 .0035000 .0761070 .7414870 .4000000 .0770000 .7268950 .0072000 .0500000 .2796500 .4453570 .3673060 .3053610 .2790780 .0493830 .0411890 .2899830 .0360190 .2227040 .0034560 .0054730 .0021860 .0030960 .0034330 .0761680 .7420720 .3955450 .0745930 .7266470 .0066030

Kuwait Bahrain Intl Exchange Co. Currency US Dollar Pak Rupees

Rate per 1000 (Tran) 278.800 3.075

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

Indian Rupee Sri Lankan Rupee Nepali Rupee Pakistani Rupee UAE Dirhams Bahraini Dinar Egyptian Pound Jordanian Dinar Omani Riyal Qatari Riyal Saudi Riyal

5.430 2.160 3.409 6.555 75.995 74.580 742.000 46.154 449.500 3.190 1.550 370.700 285.500 3.510

Transfer Rate (Per 1000) 278.350 370.300 447.000 280.600 3.465 5.425 46.105 2.165 3.405 6.507 3.073 741.250 75.850 74.350

UAE Exchange Centre WLL COUNTRY Australian Dollar Canadian Dollar Swiss Franc Euro Sterling Pound Japanese Yen Bangladesh Taka

SELL DRAFT 294.34 284.72 310.13 370.16 447.09 3.51 3.403

5.700 2.600 4.000 3.250 76.50 741.00 47.20 395.50 725.00 77.25 74.95

Dollarco Exchange Co. Ltd

Al Mulla Exchange Currency US Dollar Euro Pound Sterling Canadian Dollar Japanese Yen Indian Rupee Egyptian Pound Sri Lankan Rupee Bangladesh Taka Philippines Peso Pakistan Rupee Bahraini Dinar UAE Dirham Saudi Riyal *Rates are subject to change

5.417 2.166 3.402 3.079 75.85 741.46 46.13 396.57 724.45 76.87 74.43

SELL CASH 292.00 284.50 307.50 369.00 447.00 3.70 3.650

Rate for Transfer 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

Selling Rate 278.900 281.160 444.435 367.515 305.395 738.565 75.910 76.555 74.335 392.590 46.189 2.224 5.460 3.095 3.411 6.521 684.130 4.385 9.070 5.875 3.505 92.285

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 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

Bahrain Exchange Company

GOLD 10 Tola

COUNTRY Australian dollar Bahraini dinar Bangladeshi taka

SELL CASH 290.000 741.730 3.670

SELL DRAFT 291.500 741.730 3.405

283.100 547.800 45.500 50.000 167.800 47.650 369.100 36.620 5.750 0.032 0.159 0.237 3.540 395.250 0.189 93.260 45.400 4.290 233.700 1.807 49.400 724.450 3.170 6.840 77.150 74.470 225.070 39.130 2.657 446.200 41.900 307.400 4.200 9.430 198.263 76.040 279.300 1.340

Sterling Pound US Dollar

1,735.480 TRAVELLER’S CHEQUE 444.200 278.900

281.600

225.100 46.200 367.600 36.470 5.420 0.031

395.210 0.188 93.260 3.410 232.200

724.270 3.081 6.538 76.720 74.470 226.070 39.130 2.191 444.200 305.900 4.200 9.270 75.940 278.900

SUNDAY, APRIL 15, 2012

business

Middle income trap and the risks that lie ahead KCIC weekly economic report

By Dana Al-Fakir KUWAIT: The middle income trap is a term that is gaining popularity and is becoming a rising risk among the Asian emerging market economies. It describes the situation in which countries fail to realize early enough, the need to implement institutional changes to develop a new set of skills and capabilities, which will allow them to progress towards a higher income economy. As the availability of rural workers dwindles and real wages rise, they become increasingly incapable of competing with the lower income economies still exploiting low-cost labor; and if they fail to compete with advanced economies with high skills and innovation, the economies essentially become trapped. To leap into the ranks of a developed economy, economies in the middle income phase need to realize soon enough that they can no longer rely on low cost labor and foreign technology to grow and they need to invent technologies of their own and move up the value-added production chain, via investments in innovation and human capital, and ultimately increase their total factor productivity (TFP) to compensate for the rise in real wages and secure a share of the international market. Countries such as Indonesia, India and China, whose growth rates have been high over the past decade are on the brink of the middle income trap.

According to the World Bank, a country is classed as being: low income if it has a GDP per capita value of less than $4,000, middle income if it is within the range of $4,000 and $10,000 and high income if it enjoys a per capita income value greater than

$10,000. A country’s transition from being a low to a middle income economy is relatively easier and quicker when compared to the progression from a middle to a high income economy. An economy’s transition from a low income to a middle income status is driven by the abundance of low cost labor using foreign technology, encapsulating a large portion of the international market share because of their strong competitive edge. The transition is also driven by the large productivity gains from the reallocation of abundant rural labor from the agricultur-

al sector to the manufacturing sector. However, as economies approach the middle income range, they tend to embark a stickier territory, at which stage, unless they undergo major structural transformations, are likely to stay there for decades to come and see their growth rates plateau and eventually stagnate.

Economies stuck in the middle income trap typically have one or more of the following characteristics: 1) low investment ratios, 2) slowing manufacturing growth, 3) limited industrial diversification or 4)

poor labor market conditions. Thus, the obstacles that hinder a particular economy’s transition from middle to high income status can vary from one economy to another; so there is no one policy that will be applicable for all. Policies will need to be tailored to suit the needs of each economy. For instance, Indonesia is largely a resource based economy and hence needs to work towards producing more value added products, that will generate greater returns. There are already some signs of progress on that front: Indonesia has recently imposed a tax on commodity exports in the run up to the full export ban by 2014, in an attempt to get companies to get a head start at producing more value-added products. To join the ranks of the developed economies, India must overcome caveats in its infrastructure, via greater investment, boost its human capital via improved education and training to improve skills and tackle its rising inequality.

China on the other hand, needs to focus more on the efficiency of its investments rather than its scale, which appears to be becoming more and more unsustainable in the long-run. It also needs to shift gears and move away from being heavily reliant on export-led growth and more dependent on domestic demand; by allowing small and mid-size firms to prosper via improvements in its financial system, China will enable individuals greater access to credit.

What is applicable for all is that for any of these structural transformations to be successfully implemented, sound policy making and institutions need to be in place, and that the seeds of supply-side policies need to be sown early if these economies are to escape the looming middle income trap.

Ocampo ends WBank bid, supports Nigerian Russia says it supports Kim

RABAT: Unemployed university graduates from across Morocco parade through the capital Rabat and protest in front of the parliament demanding government jobs. Morocco’s parliament is finally voting on the country’s 2012 budget four months late amid rising expenditures, falling revenues and a serious drought hitting the agricultural sector. — AP

Drought and falling tourism threaten Morocco economy RABAT: Morocco’s new Islamist government finally passed its 2012 budget last week - four months late - while outside parliament hundreds of unemployed protesters demanding government jobs clashed with police.

Long seen as a haven of stability and relative prosperity in North Africa, this close US ally has a rough year ahead. Its budget is overstretched, its farm fields drought-stricken, its credit rating is wobbly, and economic crisis is hobbling its closest trading partners in Europe, even as protests by disgruntled Moroccans are on the rise.

Morocco escaped much of the unrest linked to the Arab Spring elsewhere in North Africa, where the governments of Libya, Tunisia and Egypt all fell, but it could face new troubles this year. The Islamist government elected in November has to pay off a heavy bill of salary increases and promised new government jobs made by its predecessors.

Meanwhile, the skies and Morocco’s northern neighbors have made things even worse than originally expected. Abdelilah Benkirane’s government came in with a five-year plan predicting 5.5 percent growth, which it then had to revise downward at the beginning of the year to 4.2 percent. Then at the end of March, the central bank, noting the crisis in Europe and impending drought, cut its own predictions to less than 3 percent.

It was a long way from the past several years of around 5 percent growth buoyed by a string of excellent rains. This year, the harvest is dramatically down and sectors like tourism are suffering as well, as European tourists tighten their belts and forgo Moroccan vacations. “The main engines of the Moroccan economy are in the process of running out of steam,” said Najib Akesbi, an economist with the Hassan II Institute of Agronomy in Rabat. Morocco remains reliant on agriculture, which makes up 15 percent of the gross domestic product and is almost entirely rain-fed.

In a report from mid-March, the US Embassy estimated that the total cereal harvest would not exceed 3.2 million tons, a sharp drop from 8 million tons in 2011. “The crops this year suffered not just from drought but from freezing conditions - abnormally low temperatures sustained for a long time,” said Hassan Ahmed, the report’s author. “That’s what really hurt the germination and the crop development.” The saying in Morocco is that the make or break limit for the rains to come in time for the harvest is March. This year, the rain didn’t start falling until the final days of the month, long after the damage had been done.

“The latest rains might help the vegetables, but for the wheat it’s too late,” said Mohammed Boujellaba, a small farmer along the coast, as a light rain pattered down on to his fields of stunted, calf high wheat, south of the capital.

“The wheat is now just between 20 and 30 centimeters (a foot) high, it’s abnormal,” he said. “In years where there is plentiful rain, it can reach up to a meter (yard) or more.” Bread is the country’s main source of calories and Moroccans are among the highest per capita consumers of

wheat in the world, eating 570 pounds (258 kilograms) a year, according to the US embassy report. With an annual demand of at least 7 million tons, the country now faces a massive import bill. In the debate to pass a budget, Finance Minister Nizar Barakat on Tuesday dismissed the effects of the drought, saying Morocco’s economy had sufficiently diversified into other sectors.

Except that the non-agricultural parts of the economy are ailing as well. Tourism, which makes up at least 10 percent of GDP, was down across the board in 2011 amid the financial crisis in Europe.

The number of hotel nights spent by visitors in Marrakech, the country’s main tourist draw, dropped 9 percent, while in the resort city of Agadir they went down 7 percent, according to Tourism Ministry figures. The biggest drops were nights spent by French and Spanish visitors, 16 and 25 percent, respectively, which make up the bulk of Morocco’s tourists.

These pale compared to the catastrophic drops experienced by Egypt and Tunisia in the wake of the Arab Spring, but come at a bad time for Morocco. The figures help explain the rage of tour operators when the new Islamist justice minister made a recent dig at nonpious visitors. Speaking at a Quranic school in Marrakech, Mustapha Ramid complimented the sheikh for his work in a city that “people come from all over the world to spend time sinning in and being far from God,” he was quoted as saying in the press. “It is economic suicide in a time crisis,” stated an angry editorial in the French-language daily Le Matin on Thursday. “We are shooting ourselves in the foot when we attack tourists - it’s irresponsible and dangerous.” Exports to Europe and remittances from Morrocans working abroad have also been hurt by the crisis there.

The new budget projects a deficit of 5 percent of GDP, which will have to be covered with further borrowing. While international ratings agencies have given Morocco a stable outlook, the country’s BBB- rating is just above the speculative level and more debt could prompt a lower rating - making international borrowing onerous. Morocco’s rating could be downgraded if the current increase in public deficits was not addressed and caused a further substantial increase in public debt ratio,” noted Moody’s Investor Service in a March statement. Amid these grim figures, social unrest is on the rise. Hundreds of unemployed protesters had to be forcibly removed Wednesday from the parliament while the budget was approved, an action typical of the small-scale demonstrations breaking out all over the country.

With the economic situation hurting government efforts to address unemployment and the gaps between rich in poor that sparked last year’s pro-democracy protests, more unrest could be on the way. “Nothing, unfortunately, has changed or is on the road to change,” said Akesbi. “The same causes will continue to produce the same effects in the coming year.” —AP

WASHINGTON/BRASILIA: Former Colombian finance minister Jose Antonio Ocampo ended his bid to become World Bank president, leaving two candidates in an unprecedented challenge to US control of the global development institution. With the board of the World Bank to meet on Monday to pick a new president, Ocampo said he hoped emerging-market nations would rally behind Nigerian Finance Minister Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala in a race that he said had turned highly political. Okonjo-Iweala, a former World Bank managing director, is now the sole candidate from developing nations in a race against US nominee Jim Yong Kim, a Korean-American health expert who appears almost certain to secure the post.

Ocampo, who was nominated by Brazil, said his candidacy had been “handicapped” by a lack of support from his own country. Colombia said last month it was focusing on a bid for the presidency of the International Labor Organization, where it had a greater change of success. “It is clear that the process is shifting from a strict merit-based competition, in which my candidacy stood on strong grounds, into a more political-oriented exercise,” he said in a statement.

“In this process, I stand on weaker grounds due to the lack of open support from the government of my home country, Colombia,” he added. Ocampo, now the director of economic and political development at Columbia University in New York, said he did not believe the selection process had been conducted in a fully open, transparent and merit-based fashion, but it had established a strong precedent.

However, his decision to leave the race does not mean all developing countries will support Okonjo-Iweala in a straw poll on Monday when the World Bank board tries to find consensus on a successor to Robert Zoellick, who is departing in June.

Indeed, the promise of a united front from emerging markets evaporated on Friday when

Russia said it would support Kim, becoming the first major emerging economy to do so.

“Taking into account Mr Kim’s considerable professional qualities, as well as his experience and knowledge, the Russian Federation will support the candidacy of Jim Yong Kim during the voting by the bank’s board of directors,” the Russian Finance Ministry said in a statement.

Under a informal agreement, the World Bank has always been headed by an American and the International Monetary Fund by a European.

Emerging-market nations have been seeking to challenge US leadership at the bank to increase their influence in global economic institutions long dominated by rich nations.

While Kim is still the favorite to win the World

Bank presidency due to backing from the United States and European countries, a rigorous challenge from developing countries could put them in a stronger position to extract concessions.

It also increases their odds of winning senior jobs coming open in the next few months, including chief economist and head of the International Finance Corp, the World Bank’s private-sector lending arm. Okonjo-Iweala thanked Ocampo and said his presence had helped to further a shared goal of an open selection process.

“I am proud that Dr. Ocampo and I have helped make history by changing the way that World Bank presidential elections are contested,” she said in a statement. — Reuters

BRASILIA: World Bank presidential nominee Jose Antonio Ocampo, of Colombia (right) laughs out loud during a meeting with Brazil’s Economy Minister Guido Mantega, in Brasilia, Brazil. Ocampo, a former Colombian finance minister, opted out of the race for the World Bank post.—AP

Wells Fargo beats Q1 expectations NEW YORK: Wells Fargo’s profit jumped 13 percent in the first three months of the year, thanks to strong mortgage lending and a drop in delinquent loans, the bank said.

Net income available to common shareholders climbed to $4.02 billion from $3.57 billion a year ago. On a per-share basis, earnings were 75 cents, beating the 73 cents expected by analysts polled by FactSet. The bank also beat on revenue, bringing in $21.6 billion instead of the predicted $20.4 billion.

The San Francisco-based bank, the country’s fourth-largest, has fared better than many of its peers throughout the global economic meltdown, muscling its way to become both the biggest mortgage lender and servicer as rival Bank of America dramatically scaled back its own mortgage business. Nearly a third of mortgages made in the US now come from Wells, according to Guy Cecala of Inside Mortgage Finance. That distinction has brought revenue gains but also legal and public-relations headaches. Friday, the bank said it set aside more money to pay investors who allege they were misled about mortgage-backed securities the bank sold them before the financial crisis imploded in the fall of 2008. Wells also said it set aside more money for litigation expenses, though it didn’t give specifics.

In February, Wells and other banks agreed to settle allegations that the banks had bungled some foreclosure filings. The Securities and Exchange

Commission is also examining whether it properly disclosed risks about its mortgage-backed securities shortly before the financial crisis.

RW Baird analyst David George said Wells had “a solid quarter” and predicted it would be able to trim expenses and raise its capital level throughout the year. But he also said he expected the stock price would be

loans, helped offset a slight decline in consumer loans over the year.

But Mutascio said Wells’ strong mortgage banking would help it bridge the gap until lending picks up throughout the country.

In mortgages, noninterest income soared 42 percent from the year before to $2.9 billion, far greater than the $2.1 billion that Mutascio was

The logo at a Wells Fargo Home Mortgage center in Pittsburgh. —AP flat given its previous run-up. As of Thursday’s close, Wells’ stock was up 23 percent for the year. It fell 3.5 percent Friday.

Stifel Nicolaus analyst Christopher Mutascio noted the lack of loan growth and called it “concerning.”

Total loans were up about 2 percent compared to the previous year, and down 0.4 percent from the previous quarter. An increase in commercial and industrial loans, as well as foreign

predicting. The bank’s portfolio of mortgage application loans jumped 20 from the previous quarter, and its application pipeline jumped 10 percent. About a quarter of the bank’s fee income came from making new mortgage loans.

Gains on trading and stock investments also helped drive the results.

Expenses increased as Wells set aside more money for commissions and bonuses in mortgage lending and

other business areas, but the bank said it expects to trim expenses this quarter. Its headcount stands at 264,900 employees, down 5,300 from a year ago but up 700 from the previous quarter.

There were encouraging signs about ability of borrowers to pay back their loans. The percentage of loans that were charge-offs, meaning the bank doesn’t expect to collect on them, dropped to 1.25 percent from 1.73 percent a year ago. The bank said that was the lowest since 2007, before the financial crisis imploded. The bank also set aside less money for future potential losses.

Chief risk officer Mike Loughlin said in a statement that he expected “continued but slower improvement” in losses for the rest of the year, “absent significant deterioration in the economy.”

Wells paid a 22-cent dividend in the first quarter, up from 12 cents a year ago, after passing the government’s most recent round of stress tests. That compares with token dividends of just 1 cent at Bank of America and Citigroup. “Our shareholders have been very patient, and we are pleased to reward them with an additional return on their investment,” chief financial officer Tim Sloan said in a statement. There are still challenges for Wells Fargo on the horizon. The bank’s net-interest margin, which measures its profitability in lending, fell slightly from a year ago, to 3.91 percent from 4.05 percent. — AP

24

business

SUNDAY, APRIL 15, 2012

Kuwait bourse firms after volatility

BAYAN WEEKLY MARKET REPORT KUWAIT: Kuwait Stock Exchange (KSE) ended last week in the green zone. The price index ended last week with an increase amounted to 0.65%, while the weighted index advanced by 0.71% compared to the closings of the week before.

Furthermore, last week’s average daily turnover increased by 5.11%, compared to the preceding week, reaching KD 35.04 million, whereas trading volume average was 308.67 million shares, recording decrease of 2.23%.

The market managed to come back to the green zone after two weeks of consecutive losses. The market was supported by the buying trend on some leading stocks, especially in Banking and Services sectors. The quick speculations, which concentrated on Real Estate and Investment sectors, participated with a positive effect.

Moreover, KSE performance marked with hesitation as a result of some profit taking operations, which pushed the market indices to close in the red zone in some session. In addition, last minute trading had a great impact on the positive closings during last week.

By the end of the week, the price index closed at 6,188.9 points, up by 0.71% from the week before closing, whereas the weighted index registered a 0.65% weekly gain after closing at 412.43 points.

Sectors’ Indices Five of KSE’s sectors ended last week in the green zone, while the other three recorded declines. Last week’s highest gainer was the Services sector, achieving 1.72% growth rate as its index closed at 14,250.2 points. Whereas, in the second place, the Real Estate sector’s index closed at 2,246.0 points recording 1.69% increase. The Banks sector came in third as its index achieved 1.38% growth, ending the week at 11,505.4 points. The Industry sector was the least growing as its index closed at 4,259.4 points with a 0.63% increase.

On the other hand, the Food sector headed the losers list as its index declined by 1.81% to end the week’s activity at 4,223.8 points. The Non Kuwaiti Companies sector was second on the losers’ list, which index declined by 1.61%, closing at 5,755.1 points, followed by the Investment sector, as its index

closed at 3,964.5 points at a weekly loss of 0.74%.

Sectors’ activity The Services sector dominated total trade volume during last week with 448.55 million shares changing hands, repre-

senting 29.06% of the total market trading volume. The Real Estate sector was second in terms of trading volume as the sector’s traded shares were 24.56% of last week’s total trading volume, with a total of 379.11 million shares. On the other hand, the Services sector’s stocks were the highest traded in terms of value; with a turnover of KD 52.52 million or 29.98% of last week’s total market trading value. The Investment sector took the second place as the sector’s last week turnover of KD 39.25 million represented 22.40% of the total market trading value.

Market capitalization KSE total market capitalization grew by 0.62% during last week to reach KD 28.21 billion, as Three of KSE’s sectors recorded an increase in their respective market capitalization, Four recorded declines, whereas the Insurance sector’s market capitalization remained the same from the week before. The Services sector headed the growing sectors as its total market capitalization reached KD 6.69 billion, increasing by 2.03%.

The Real Estate sector was the second in terms of recorded growth with 1.85% increase after the total value of its listed companies reached KD 1.96 billion. The third place was for the Banks sector, which total market capitalization reached KD 12.63 billion by the end of the week, recording an increase of 0.58%.

On the other hand, the food sector headed the decliners list as its total market capitalization decreased by 2.58% to reach, by the end of the week, KD 666.13 million. The NonKuwaiti Companies sector was second on this list, in which market value of its listed companies declined by 0.90%, reaching KD 1.69 million. The Investment sector was the least declining with 0.65% recorded decrease after its market capitalization amounted to KD 2.11 billion. — Prepared by the Studies & Research Department, Bayan Investment Co.

SUNDAY, APRIL 15, 2012

BUSINESS

Stocks to track earnings with an eye on Europe WALL STREET WEEKLY OUTLOOK NEW YORK: After suffering their worst two weeks of the year, stocks will look to quarterly earnings to determine whether the recent pullback has been exhausted or more losses are justified.

Alcoa Inc opened the earnings season with a bang, reporting a first-quarter profit on Tuesday instead of the expected loss. That positive surprise foretold a trend. Of the 32 companies in the S&P 500 that have reported earnings so far, Thomson Reuters data showed that 75 percent - or two dozen - have beaten Wall Street’s expectations. Next week will start one of the two busiest weeks of the quarterly earnings reporting period. About 86 companies in the Standard & Poor’s 500 are expected to post results, according to Thomson Reuters Director’s Report.

At Friday’s close, both the Dow Jones industrial average and the S&P 500 wrapped up their worst two-week percentage drops since late November.

The Dow and the S&P each fell 2.7 percent for the two weeks from the close on March 30.

“It seems like everybody’s been waiting for this so-called correction to potentially get back into the stock market,” said Kei Sasaki, managing director of listed equities at PineBridge Investments in New York, which has $67 billion in assets under management. “But I’d point to the extremely high levels of correlation within equity markets that we saw in 2011. That was coupled with heightened volatility in 2011,” Sasaki added. “Even with the down moves in

the market over the past several days, the volatility has stayed relatively subdued.

“The correlations on a moving average have also stayed relatively subdued, which tells us that investors are still looking at the market in a fundamental way that they haven’t for the past year. So if earnings come in positive for the first quarter, we think they will get rewarded for it,” he said.

Among the marquee names on next week’s earnings calendar are 10 Dow components: Intel Corp, Johnson & Johnson , Coca-Cola Co, DuPont, Microsoft, The Travelers Companies Inc, Verizon Communications Inc , American Express Co, General Electric Co, and McDonald’s Corp.

Financials will be eyed next week on the heels of Friday’s results from JPMorgan Chase & Co and Wells Fargo & Co with both big banks’ earnings exceeding forecasts. In the coming week, earnings are expected from the likes of Citigroup Inc, Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley.

But even with earnings attracting investors’ attention, equities remain vulnerable to flare-ups in the euro zone as the bloc continues to grapple with its debt crisis. “Earnings are beating expectations.

Outlooks still look pretty optimistic,” said Jack Ablin, chief investment officer of Harris Private Bank in Chicago.“Overall pretty good news, but it takes one lousy headline out of Europe to trump the whole thing.” Equities snapped a two-day advance on Friday, pulled lower as the rising cost of insuring

Spanish debt against default increased concerns about Europe’s financial health.

The benchmark S&P 500 rose for two consecutive days this week after a drop of more than 4 percent in the previous five sessions - opening the possibility that equities had seen the pullback many analysts were expecting after the S&P 500 climbed 12 percent in the first quarter.

The S&P 500 remained near its 50-day moving average, a key technical level that could help indicate the next direction for stocks.

“Technically, we were due for a correction, we started that correction, and the market will always come up with reasons and find excuses that fundamentally will trigger what should happen technically - and it’s happened almost perfectly,” said Paul Mendelsohn, chief investment strategist of Windham Financial Services in Charlotte, Vermont.

“How far backwards we are going to fall remains to be seen - we’ve got support at that 1,358 area, and we are playing around the 50-day moving average area.”

On Friday, the S&P 500 closed at 1,370.26.

The data will also get plenty of scrutiny next week for signals on the US economy’s health after a weaker-than-expected payrolls report during the Good Friday holiday cast doubt on the strength of the recovery. Economic indicators due next week include the Empire State and Philadelphia Federal Reserve’s manufacturing surveys, retail sales for

March, housing starts and existing home sales.

“It will be interesting to see if this is the beginning of a soft patch, if this unemployment number is a harbinger of more,” said Stephen Massocca, managing director of Wedbush Morgan in San Francisco.

The March nonfarm payrolls report, which was released on Good Friday when the cash US stock market was closed, showed just 120,000 jobs added last month. That figure fell far short of the forecast for 203,000 new jobs and raised questions about whether the recovery in the US labor market was stalling.

Sasaki of PineBridge Investments pointed out that “employment’s been under everybody’s watch since last Friday. We still continue to see improvement. We believe it was a hiccup but in aggregate, we think the economic recovery is still continuing to improve.” But even if earnings are solid and data shows improvement, markets could be susceptible to further losses if more signs of fiscal distress in the euro-zone emerge.

“You have to put Europe, Spain and Italy, on any ‘watch list’ at this point. That may even be more important than earnings,” Massocca said. “It’s not really a liquidity issue. It’s a solvency issue, and there are a lot of political whirlwinds around that, and there are a lot of concerns that the political will to actually do something is not going to be. We shall see.” — Reuters

First Cuba offshore well slows; May finish seen Cuba says 5 wells to be drilled in 2012-2013

PHILADELPHIA: Dodge pickup trucks are parked at an auto dealer’s lot in Philadelphia. US wholesale prices were flat in March after a drop in energy prices offset rising costs for food and pickup trucks. The figures suggest that modest growth isn’t spurring inflation. — AP

Dupont seeks new bids for car paint unit NEW YORK: Chemical maker DuPont has asked private equity bidders to team up and make new offers for its car paint business after initial bids fell short of expectations, according to people familiar with the matter. New bids for the business, which could be worth as much as $4 billion, are due on May 7, following management presentations to the buyout firms in recent weeks, according to two of the sources.

Five private equity groups have formed to bid for the Dupont business, all the sources said. Carlyle Group LP and Apollo Global Management LLC have paired up, while TPG Capital LP has teamed up with Advent International, and KKR & Co LP with Onex Corp , they said.

Sources told Reuters previously that Blackstone Group LP has teamed up with Bain Capital, and Clayton Dubilier & Rice LLC paired up with CVC Capital Partners. Several

of the private equity firms have concerns about the earnings assumptions that DuPont made for the business, as well as an industry trend where volumes in selling paint to auto body shops have been on a steady decline, according to the sources.

The interested parties have expressed those concerns in meetings with the management in the past few weeks, they said.

The performance coatings business primarily sells to Maaco and other auto paint refinishers. Ford Motor Co and General Motors Co are also key customers, though selling to so-called original equipment manufacturers are not as lucrative.

All the sources were not authorized to speak with the media and asked not to be named. Representatives for the private equity firms did not have immediate comment, while DuPont declined to comment. — Reuters

HAVANA: Drilling of the first well in the longawaited exploration of Cuba’s offshore oilfields has gone slower than expected, but should be completed by mid-May, sources close to the project said on Fri day.

They said drillers had encountered harder rock beneath the sea bed than expected, which combined with other minor problems, had slowed progress. When drilling began on Feb. 1, Spanish oil giant Repsol YPF said the average deepwater well takes 60 days to complete, but that many drag on much longer, depending on conditions.

A Repsol spokesman could not confirm on Friday the projected mid-May completion date.

This well, which is in 5,600 feet (1,706 metres) of water off the communist-run island’s northwest coast, is the first of five currently planned, Cuban officials say.

Cuba has said it could have 20 billion barrels in its offshore fields. It needs the oil to end its

dependence on Venezuela, which ships it 114,000 barrels a day. Cancer-stricken Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez is Cuba’s top ally, but island leaders worry that the oil flow could stop if he dies or loses his bid for re-election later this year.

The US Geological Survey estimated Cuba may have 5 billion barrels of oil and 10 trillion cubic feet of natural gas offshore, but its study covered only part of the Cuban zone.

Various sources said Repsol has been encouraged by its findings thus far, but the company has said results will not be known until the well is finished and studies are conducted.

Oil experts say it will take three years or more to bring the Cuban oil on line, if enough is found to justify production. After Repsol completes its well, it will hand the Scarabeo 9 drilling rig over to Malaysia’s state-owned Petronas and its Russian partner Gazprom Neft for a second well.

Obama urges Congress to pass ‘Buffett Rule’ WASHINGTON: US President Barack Obama yesterday urged Congress to pass the so-called “Buffett Rule,” which calls for increasing the tax rate on Americans making more than $1 million a year.

“Most Americans support this idea,” Obama said in his weekly radio and Internet address. “One survey found that two-thirds of millionaires do, too. So do nearly half of all Republicans.” The “Buffet Rule” was named after billionaire investor Warren Buffett, who has publicly spoken out against being taxed at a lower rate than his secretary a consequence of tax loopholes imposed by former president George W Bush under which investment revenues are taxed at a lower rate than wages. —AFP

A natural gas well operated by Northeast Natural Energy in Morgantown, West Virginia. The well is the subject of a dispute over a drilling ban recently enacted by the city of Morgantown, which is directly across the Monongahela River from the well. — AP

Oil declines on signs of weaker economic growth NEW YORK: The price of oil slipped below $103 per barrel following weak economic reports out of China and Europe. Oil, a globally traded commodity, typically swings with investor expectations for economic growth, world oil supply and demand.

On Friday, traders saw signs of trouble from two continents. China, the second-largest oil consumer after the US, said its economy grew by just 8.1 percent from January to March. While that would be strong growth for most countries, it was the weakest in three years for China. A slowdown

Then it will go back to Repsol, which has a consortium with Norway’s Statoil and ONGC Videsh, a unit of India’s ONGC, for another well.

The massive, Chinese-built rig, which is more than 20 miles(32 km) offshore but visible from Havana, is being leased from owner Saipem, a unit of Italian oil company Eni. Due to the longstanding US trade embargo against Cuba, no American oil companies are involved in the project. Repsol drilled a well in Cuban waters in 2004 and found oil, but said it was not commercially viable. Technological limitations imposed by the embargo made it difficult to find another rig for work in Cuba, industry sources have said.

The project has raised environmental concerns in the United States, particularly in Florida, which is 90 miles (145 km) north of Cuba and fears its shores could be damaged if there is an accident similar to the BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico in 2010. — Reuters

in China could have major implications for oil prices, since its burgeoning cities and factories have been among the primary drivers of world oil demand. In Europe, massive national debts continued to worry investors. Yields rose on government bonds issued by Italy and Spain, meaning those countries will have to pay more to borrow money from investors.

Benchmark US crude fell by 81 cents to end at $102.83 per barrel on Friday in New York.

Brent crude lost 31 cents to end at $121.21 per

barrel in London. Retail US gasoline prices fell for the seventh day in a row, to a national average of $3.90 per gallon, according to AAA, Wright Express and Oil Price Information Service. A gallon of regular has dropped by about 3.5 cents in the past week. In other energy trading, natural gas stayed near 10-year lows, nearly unchanged to finish at $1.981 per 1,000 cubic feet. Heating oil was up less than a cent to finish at $3.1746 per gallon and gasoline futures lost 1.06 cents to end at $3.3461 per gallon. — AP

NEW YORK: Traders gather at a post on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange during the IPO of Forum Energy Technologies. — AP

Global growth worries pound US stocks NEW YORK: US stocks closed out a miserable week with steep losses Friday as worries about growth in the United States, China and Europe eclipsed a solid start to the corporate earnings season. All three main stock indices lost more than 1.0 percent Friday, snapping a two-day rally as investors fretted about Spain’s rocky finances amid spiking borrowing costs. The Dow Jones Industrial Average finished at 12,849.59 points, down 1.61 percent on the week. The Standard & Poor’s 500 index, a broad measure of the markets, shed 2.0 percent for the week at 1,370.26. That was its biggest weekly decline so far this year “as European sovereign debt fears and disappointing US data weighed,” Briefing.com analysts said. The tech-rich Nasdaq tumbled 2.25 percent over the week, landing at 3,011.33.

“Looks like the steam has run out of Wall Street’s sail,” said Karee Venema at Schaeffer’s Investment Research. According to the company, “the last three Friday the 13ths have been down days” and Friday’s action made it four in a row.

Official data revealed Friday that borrowing by Spanish banks from the European Central Bank hit a new record high in March as they snapped up emergency cheap loans.

The figures from Spain’s central bank were a sign of weak confidence in Spain’s troubled financial sector, with commercial banks turning to the ECB because they are struggling to borrow on interbank lending markets.

“Worries about Spain have replaced worries about Greece,” said Paul Ausick at 24/7WallSt.com.

Investors fear Spain will become the next euro-zone country to need an international bailout after Greece, Ireland and Portugal.

News that China’s emerging economy grew at its slowest pace in almost three years in the first quarter also frayed nerves.

China said Friday its economy grew by 8.1 percent in the January-March period, well

below the 8.9 percent annual rate in the last quarter of 2011.

IHS Global Insight analysts said they still believed that China will achieve a “soft landing” as it tries to control inflation.

“Nevertheless, the risk of a sharper slowdown has increased with this report,” Paul Edelstein and Nigel Gault said in a research report.

“The primary channel linking the US and Chinese economies is our export sector. From that standpoint, slower Chinese growth poses a real, but limited risk to the US economy.”

The health of the US economy looked murkier than it had for some time after a weak March jobs report, released when markets were closed Friday, cast a pall over trading this week. In corporate news, Dow member Alcoa unveiled a surprise first-quarter profit Tuesday, setting an upbeat tone at the start of the quarterly earnings season. Internet giant Google delivered what investors were searching for Thursday better-than-expected soaring profits-and announced a stock split that keeps founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin in command.

Before the market opened Friday, it was the turn of two big banks to launch financial earnings. Both Wall Street behemoth JPMorgan Chase and Wells Fargo reported results that topped market expectations.

Citigroup is next, reporting Monday, heading up a week packed with heavyweights: Goldman Sachs on Tuesday, and Bank of America and Morgan Stanley on Friday.

The economic calendar brings March retail sales Monday, offering a look at how much strength the vaunted American consumer sees in the economy.

Investors will have March data on the depressed housing market, with housing starts and building permits on Tuesday, and existing-home sales on Friday. Manufacturing will be in focus Tuesday, with industrial production numbers for March. — AFP

26

SUNDAY, APRIL 15, 2012

BUSINESS

ADIPEC expo expands to meet surge in demand Over 45,000 visitors from 90 countries to attend KUWAIT: ADIPEC, the largest oil and gas exhibition in the Middle East and the third biggest event of its kind in the world, has been enhanced and expanded in light of continued development in the sector and an increase in the number of exhibitors looking to showcase their technologies in the

region. Held under the patronage of the President of the United Arab Emirates, Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al-Nahyan, and organized by dmg : events, the 15th edition of the Abu Dhabi International Petroleum Exhibition and Conference (ADIPEC) 2012 takes

place from 11 - 14 November, at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre.

The largest exhibition for the Middle East oil and gas industry, ADIPEC is supported by Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) and the UAE’s Ministry of Energy.

Hosting more than 1,500

exhibitors and attracting more than 45,000 attendees, ADIPEC is the destination where oil and gas industry professionals get together to experience, discover, network, discuss and debate core industry issues. It also features the biggest attendance of national oil

companies (NOCs) and international oil companies (IOCs) of any event in the region.

The event will feature the participation of some of the biggest names in the industry, including Strategic Sponsor ARDECO, Platinum Sponsors ExxonMobil, JOGMEC, KPC, OilSERV and Total, as

well as Gold sponsors JODCO, OMV, Oxy and Statoil. A number of additions are in store for this year’s exhibition, including the first public museum archiving the achievements of the UAE oil and gas industry from the 1930’s through to the modern day and providing

an interactive journey from the discovery and extraction to production of oil in the UAE. In addition, this year’s exhibition brings the region to Abu Dhabi with the introduction of GCC Country Briefings featuring key industry figures and companies.

The country briefings will serve as a key platform to assist international businesses in entering GCC markets, while promoting awareness of local regulations, trends and best practices. The Country Briefings have already attracted the support of PDO, KPC and ADNOC, and more NOC’s are due to come on board shortly.

Kimon Alexandrou, Commercial Director, dmg energy group, said: “ We are pleased to reaffirm ADIPEC’s position as the largest oil and gas exhibition in the Middle East. As a result of increased demand, the exhibition is, for the first time, opening its halls and giving exhibitors and visitors an openair arena to showcase and experience real equipment whether they operate onshore or offshore.

“ADIPEC offers a unique and strategic platform for the industry’s marine services and heavy equipment manufacturers, who are typically limited to the confines of indoor areas in industry exhibitions. In total we have only 1,000 sq. m left to sell, meaning that the show has grown by more than 22% since 2010.”

“We’re in the process of finalizing the full schedule of events for ADIPEC, and this will be communicated in due course,” Alexandrou concluded.

Zain distributes $911 million profit KUWAIT: Zain announced during a recent meeting of its extraordinary general assembly an approval to increase the firm’s capital from KD432.257 million to KD433.198 million. The meeting took place at Zain’s head office with 73.79% attendance.

Zain also announced the distribu-

tion of profits to shareholders starting from April 9, 2012. The distributed profits reached KD252.7 million ($911 million), the largest in Kuwait in 2011, based on a 65fils per share ratio agreed upon during an ordinar y general assembly meeting held on March 29, 2012.

Special offer for ABK Visa platinum, gold cardholders KUWAIT: In cooperation with Visa Middle East, Al-Ahli Bank of Kuwait announces an excellent offer for ABK Emirates Platinum & Gold Credit Card holders, giving them the opportunity to enjoy special prices and discounts up to 50% at select restaurants in the UAE. “At ABK we try to understand our customers’ lifestyle and develop plans to meet those requirements, especially by providing fantastic offers such as this one,” said Stewart Lockie, GM, Retail. “This promotion comes as an added value to the privileges provided by ABK for their credit card holders so they can make the best use of it whilst traveling to the UAE. Customers holding either the ABK Emirates Platinum or Gold can enjoy dining at a lower price in any of the 200 restaurants participating in this campaign, to avail of discounts ranging from 10% to 50% on the total bill, provided they pay with these cards.”

Lockie added, “For the full list of restaurants participating in this offer you can visit visacemea.com/uv/promos/din-

ing.jsp.” For more information about the promotion call “Ahlan Ahli” at 1899899 or talk live to any of our account managers through “Ahli Chat “ via our website www.eahli.com

Gulf Bank announces winners of 14th Al-Danah weekly draw

Market ends on negative note MARKAZ KSE REPORT KUWAIT: The Kuwaiti market closed on a negative note this week. The Price index was down -0.43%, closing at 6,118.9 points. The Weighted index gained 0.65%, closing at 412.43 points. Liquidity levels improved during the week. Value traded was up 5.1%. The market traded 1.54 billion shares with a value of KD 175.2 million.

Sector performance This week’s traded value was derived from activities on the Services sector 28.6% contribution, followed by Investment and Real Estate with, 22.1% and 18.7% respectively. HITS Telecom

Holding took 7.9% of the total (KD 13.7mn), and closed up 1.9%. Zain Group followed with 6.7% of the total (KD11.7mn) and closed up 4.3% to 730 fils.

Loser, winners 132 companies were traded during the week out of which 45 closed positive, 60 were negative and 27 unchanged.

National Ranges Company was the biggest gainer by booking a return of 33.3% and closing at 20 fils. On the other side of the spectrum, Al-Imtiaz Investment Company was the biggest loser; the stock declined by 12.5% to 112fils.

KUWAIT: Gulf Bank held its fourteenth Al Danah weekly draw on April 8th, 2012, announcing a total number of ten Al Danah weekly prize draw winners, each awarded with prizes of KD 1,000.

The 14th Al-Danah weekly winners are: Sulaiman Thunaian Al-Ghanim, Khaled Humood Rashed AlHunaidi, Aabdullatif Salem Ali AlWahaib, Moushary Mouajeb Marthab Al Outaiby, Sayeda Emam Mohammed Younis, Hamada Mohd Abotaleb Shaheen, Sabekah Ahmed Mohammed Alghanem, Fareed Abdulkareem Al-Qatash Ali Shliwi Al-Azmi and Aadel Jaweed Jaweed Aqbal.

Gulf Bank encourages everyone in Kuwait to open an Al Danah account and/or increase their deposits to maximize their chances of becoming a winner in the upcoming weekly (KD1,000 each for 10 winners). Gulf Bank’s Al-Danah allows customers to win cash prizes and encourages them to save money. Chances increase the more money is deposited and the longer it is kept in the account.

Al-Danah also offers a number of unique services including the Al Danah Deposit Only ATM card which helps account holders deposit their money at their con-

Qadriyah Al-Marshoud, Jabriya Branch Manager congratulating Moushary Al-Outaiby, one of the Al Danah weekly winners. venience; as well as the Al Danah calculator to help customers calculate their chances of becoming an Al-Danah winner.

To be part of the Al-Danah draws, customers can visit one of

Gulf Bank’s 56 branches, transfer on line, or call the Customer Contact Center on 1805805 for assistance and guidance.

Customers can also log on to www.e-gulfbank.com, Gulf Bank’s

website, to find all the information regarding Al-Danah or any of the Bank’s products and services or log on www.e-gulfbank.com/aldanahwinners, to find out more about Al Danah and who the winners are.

IMF funds drive caught in global power shift WASHINGTON: Tensions among some of the world’s leading economies have boiled up over a plan to raise new resources for the International Monetary Fund to contain the euro zone debt crisis, and a quest by emerging economies to win more say in the global lender. World financial leaders gathering in Washington next week will focus on proposals for countries to contribute more money to the IMF so it is better prepared in case of fallout from any further escalation of Europe’s debt problems.

Emerging market countries like China, Brazil and Russia are willing to provide more money for the IMF, but they want something in return: greater voting power.

It has become a hot issue given negotiations formally began this week on the next phase of IMF voting reforms to be completed in 2013. The emerging-market push means Europe’s voting share will likely be further diluted. In January, the IMF said it would need $600 billion in new resources to help “innocent bystanders” who might be affected by economic and financial spillovers from Europe.

Earlier this week , IMF Managing Director Christine Lagarde said it might not need as much money as it had thought because economic risks had

waned. On Friday, officials from the Group of 20 nations told Reuters the world’s major economies were likely to agree to provide the IMF with somewhere between $400 billion and $500 billion..

A G20 official said the fundraising effort would likely raise about $50 billion from Japan and a similar amount from China and Saudi Arabia, in addition to the $250-300 billion already committed

by EU countries. Smaller amounts will likely come from countries such as Russia, Mexico and Brazil.

IMF funding will be discussed by the Group of Seven wealthy nations on April 19, jointly by the G20 and G7 that evening, and at a lunch the following day among the G20 and the Fund’s steering committee, G20 sources said. Lagarde said she hoped to make progress on the issue at next week’s meetings but said an agreement could take time.

G20 sources said Beijing was being cautious given internal opposition to providing money for wealthy Europeans, even though the funds are meant to protect non-European nations.

Beijing, together with other emerging economies like Brazil and India, wants any funding commitment eventually tied to greater IMF voting power.

The United States, which is heading

into a presidential election in which its hefty budget deficits are a key topic, has insisted it will not be part of the fundraising effort for the IMF. Canada is also unlikely to give money. US officials say they are already helping Europe by providing swap lines to the European Central Bank to ease dollar-funding strains among European institutions.

Some senior IMF officials say that not having Washington’s participation had changed the dynamic of the fundraising effor t since the United States is the largest IMF shareholder and its leadership is often sought on such issues.

IMF sources said an agreement on new IMF resources would likely be postponed until a G20 leaders’ summit in June. “The Americans have to be part of this, perhaps not quite as much as they would’ve been in the past, but through some significant gesture,” said Uri Dadush, director of the International Economics Program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.

“They have to be part of the leadership group that makes it happen.”

The growing frustration among emerging economies with the slow pace of IMF governance reforms has been exacerbated by a likely delay of a 2010 agreement on voting reforms, which the United States pushed for aggressively. At

the insistence of the United States, the reforms included changes in the makeup of the IMF’s 24-member board, in which two chairs occupied by European countries would go to emerging economies.

However, the pack age cannot go through until the US Congress approves the move, something that is highly unlikely ahead of November elections because it would require the authorization of additional funding for the IMF. The 2010 reforms would move China into third place in the ranks of IMF voters and also increase the voting share of Brazil and India. Paulo Nogueira Batista, the IMF executive director for Brazil and a constituency of other Latin American and Caribbean nations, said the United States needed to stick to its 2010 commitment. “There is a commitment in the agreement to undertake best efforts to complete the steps by the annual meetings this year (in October), and that commitment includes the US,” said Nogueira Batista, speaking in his personal capacity.

“I expect them to follow through with the commitment.”

“The problem is that the economic and political difficulties of the advanced economies, mainly the US and euro area, are having negative spillover effects on international governance,” he said, “They

are negatively affecting the G20 and the functioning of the IMF through delays in the implementation of the agreed reforms.”

While there are frustrations with US delays, many countries understand the tough political environment the Obama administration faces. The new negotiations under way on voting reforms will initially focus on a formula for calculating membership quotas. The new formula will influence how members’ voting shares are realigned to give emerging and developing countries more say.

Domenico Lombardi, a senior fellow at Washington’s Brookings Institution, said emerging economies were using the IMF’s push for more resources as leverage to gain even more voting power in the next round of reforms.

“This is a very political game,” said Lombardi, a former World Bank board director. “What emerging economies are saying is that even if the 2010 reform package is not approved, at least you have to be more lenient and concede more on the quota formula discussion.

“They are in a position to exert the greatest bargaining power they can and extract concessions from the advanced economies,” said Lombardi, who is also president of the Oxford Economic Policy Institute. —Reuters

SUNDAY, APRIL 15, 2012

TECHNOLOGY

Word-spotting baboons leave scientists spell-bound PARIS: Baboons can recognise scores of written words, a feat that raises intriguing questions about how we learn to read, scientists reported last week. In a specially-made facility in France where they could come and go at will, monkeys learned to differentiate between a real word, such as KITE, and a nonsense word such as ZEVS. The baboons had access to a large enclosure with several touch-sensitive computer screens, each projecting a fourletter word. The animals had to tap one of two shapes on the screen to show that they understood whether the word was a real one or garble.

Choosing the real word got them a tempting reward of food-a pellet of dry wheat that came from an automatic dispenser. The six baboons used the computers up to 3,000 times a day, notching up an average total of 50,000 “trials” over a month and a half.

They learned to distinguish scores of words, identifying them with an accuracy of 75 percent, according to the study led

by Jonathan Grainger at the Cognitive

Research Laborator y at France’s AixMarseille University.

There were 500 real words and 7,832 nonsense ones in the data bank. “This ... is a remarkable result, given the level of orthographic similarity between the word and nonword,” according to the paper, published by the US journal Science.

“More detailed analysis revealed that baboons were not simply memorising the word ... but had learned to discriminate words from nonwords on the basis of differences in the frequency of letter combinations.” The champion speller was a baboon called Dan, who learned 308 words, around three times as many as his chums.

There was no sign that the animals actually understood the meaning of the words. But the fact that they learned to distinguish one word from another opens insights into the acquisition of reading.

According to a popular theory, we humans learn to recognise words thanks to speech-we process the sequence of letters into words by building on the sequence of sounds in speech. But the

baboons do not speak any human language, which means the speech hypothesis “may be at best incomplete and possibly wrong,” said Michael Platt and Geoffrey Adams of Duke University in North Carolina in a commentary also carried by Science.

That leaves the field open for a rival theory: that there are brain circuits which evolved to support other functions-and we share this circuitry with our primate cousins. One possible candidate is the visual word form area ( VWFA), in the occipitotemporal sulcus region of the brain.

If so, the evidence of cerebral versatility is reassuring news for people with reading difficulties.

“The observation that the neural circuits involved in reading and writing are not hard-wired may explain why most people with dyslexia can learn to read,” said Platt and Adams. “ The ver y plasticity that enabled humans to invent reading and writing can be harnessed to overcome dysfunctions in the underlying neural circuitry.” — AFP

MARSEILLE: A picture released on April 12, 2012 shows a baboon looking at a computer screen housed in a booth in Marseille. The animals could freely enter the booths and complete multiple rounds of the computer-based exercise, in which they saw a four-letter sequence appear and then tapped one of two shapes on the screen to classify the sequence as a word or a non-word. They received a food treat after a correct response. — AFP

Facebook advertisers lose bid for class status Judge: Too little in common among advertisers OAKLAND: Facebook Inc, which runs the world’s largest social networking website, won a court ruling yesterday rejecting a bid by thousands of advertisers to sue the company as a group for overcharging them.

US District Judge Phyllis Hamilton in Oakland, California, denied the advertisers’ request for class-action status, saying they failed to show they had enough in common to sue for breach of contract and violating California’s unfair competition law. “ The court is persuaded by Facebook’s argument that plain-

LONG BEACH: This undated image provided by the SPCALA shelter shows a “painting” produced by a cat using the iPad app, Paint for Cats, in Long Beach, California.

The results were so compelling, the shelter turned them into notecards and are selling them online for $5.99 a pack. The Los Angeles animal shelter is hoping a few crafty cats can sell their artwork. — AP

PC sales beat expectations, China growth slowing SAN FRANCISCO: Global sales of personal computers climbed more than expected in the first three months of the year but slowing in China’s booming market tempered optimism about the figures released yesterday.

PC makers shipped 89 million units worldwide in the first quarter of this year, a 1.9 percent increase from the same period in 2011, according to industry tracker Gartner.

“The results were mixed depending on the region,” said Gartner principal analyst Mikako Kitagawa. While the region including Europe, Africa and the Middle East had impressive PC shipments of 6.7 percent, the Asia-Pacific area containing India and China saw slower growth than anticipated, according to Gartner.

“While the PC industry has high expectations for strong growth in the emerging markets, the slowdown of these countries in this quarter provides a cautionary notice to vendors,” Kitagawa said.

“The future growth for the PC industry

cannot heavily depend on the emerging markets even though PC penetration in these regions is low.” Sales of business machines powered growth, with consumer purchases of PCs for personal uses continuing to slide, according to Gartner.

Non-business demand for PCs was being hurt by tight personal budgets as well as competition from tablet computers, especially Apple’s coveted iPads.

The world’s largest computer maker, USbased Hewlett-Packard, increased its share of the global market to 17.2 percent.

Second-place computer maker Lenovo saw the biggest gains, with the China-based company’s piece of the market swelling more than 28 percent to 13.1 percent when compared to the same quarter a year earlier. Gartner reported that “Lenovo has been enjoying healthy growth in the professional market, while the company is successfully expanding into the consumer space.” Dell and Acer lost market share, slipping to 11 percent and 10.9 percent respectively, according to Gartner.— AFP

Intel sees swelling market for cheaper ultrabooks SAN FRANCISCO: Some 75 new designs of next-generation “ultrabook” computers will hit store shelves in the coming months, according to comments by a top Intel executive reported by PC Magazine.

The new ultrabooks, based on Intel’s Ivy Bridge processor, are meant to offer the portability of tablets and the flexibility of traditional laptops in a thinner, lighter design that also features longer battery life and quicker startup. Intel hopes they will help PCs claw back market share from Apple’s iPad and other tablet computers.

Intel introduced the new category last May, but it has been slow to get off the ground with prices for basic models near 1,000 dollars. However, Kirk Scaugen, Intel’s general manager for the PC Client Group said that the number of such computers would soon grow from 32 at present to 75, with some of them selling for as little as 699 dollars.

“I think we can deliver the best of a tablet, and the best in what (users) know in a notebook,” Skaugen said at Intel’s

Developer Forum in Beijing.

Skaugen said that some of the new devices would feature pivoting and detachable touch screens to enable the devices to transform easily from laptops to tablets. Skaugen added that Intel planned a “a multi-hundred million dollar” advertising campaign for the devices, which will lead to new TV and Internet advertisements, and had launched a 300 million dollar fund to help hardware makers develop new products.

The success of the new category is seen as vital to the future of Intel since which is battling an unprecedented challenge to the dominance of computer chips based on its so-called x86 design.

M icrosof t ’s Windows 8, which launches later this year, will be the first operating system from the software giant not to feature exclusive compatibility with x86. Windows 8 will also be compatible with the ARM architecture that is the chip design in popular tablets like the iPad as well as most smartphones. — dpa

tiffs have not shown that they have a viable method for proving each class member’s recovery,” Hamilton wrote. “ The need to determine both liability and damages on an individualized basis makes this case inappropriate for class treatment.”

Jonathan Shub, a lawyer for the advertisers, declined to comment. Facebook spokesman Andrew Noyes said the company is reviewing the decision.

Class certification often leads to higher recoveries and allows plaintiffs to cut legal bills.

Facebook is expected this year to conduct perhaps the most

anticipated U.S. initial public offering ever. The Menlo Park, California-based company is valued at $95.8 billion, according to SharesPost Inc, which tracks valuations of private companies.

In their 2009 lawsuit, the advertisers accused Facebook of overcharging them on their “costper-click” contracts, under which they paid fees each time users clicked their ads.

According to the advertisers, Facebook improperly imposed charges for nonexistent clicks, for clicked ads that never opened, for clicks caused by server problems, and for accidental multiple clicks

by individual users, among other types of clicks.

But citing a 2011 US Supreme Court decision involving WalMart Stores Inc that limited classaction litigation, Hamilton said the advertisers showed neither a “systemic breach of contract” nor enough similarity among the claims raised. “There is no way to conduct this type of highly specialized and individualized analysis for each of the thousands of advertisers in the proposed class,” she said. Hamilton scheduled a May 17 conference to discuss how best the case should proceed. — Reuters

Apple denies e-book pricing scheme SAN FRANCISCO: Apple on Thursday denied a charge that it schemed with publishers to hike prices for e-books, portraying itself as a hero for pr ying Amazon’s “monopolistic grip” from the market.

“The DOJ’s accusation of collusion against Apple is simple not true,” Apple spokesman Tom Neumayr said in an emailed statement a day after a Department of Justice antitrust suit was filed.

“The launch of the iBookstore in 2010 fostered innovation and competition, breaking Amazon’s monopolistic grip on the publishing industry.”

The Justice Department sued Apple and five publishing firms Wednesday alleging a conspiracy to raise prices and limit competition for e-books. It immediately announced a partial settlement in the case.

Officials said three of the publishers agreed to end the scheme to force retailers such as Amazon to accept a new pricing plan that ended their ability to offer discounts for electronic books.

Hachette Book Group, HarperCollins and Simon & Schuster reached a settlement but the case will proceed against Apple and the other two-Macmillan and Penguin Group-”for conspiring to end e-book retailers’ freedom to compete on price,” the Justice Department said.

Attorney General Eric Holder said that as a result of the conspiracy, “consumers paid millions of dollars more for some of the most popular titles,” and competition was eliminated.

Prior to the introduction of Apple’s iPad, online retail giant Amazon sold electronic versions of many new best sellers for $9.99.

After Apple’s “agency” model was adopted, the prices rose to $12.99 and higher, the suit said, and price competition among

NEW YORK: Photo dated March 16, 2012 shows a customer trying a new Apple iPad at Apple’s flagship store on Fifth Avenue in New York. Three publishing houses reached a settlement April 11 with US antitrust authorities after the Justice Department sued Apple and five publishers for conspiring to raise the price of e-books. — AFP The suit filed in US District Court owners, and we look forward to retailers was “unlawfully eliminated.” Sharis Pozen, head of the in New York said a conspiracy dat- being allowed to lower prices on Justice Department’s antitrust divi- ing back to 2009 involved more Kindle books,” said Amazon sion, said the scheme was aimed at “schemes to limit Amazon’s ability spokesman Drew Herdener.

But Macmillan chief executive ending a discounting effor t by to discount e-books.”

Named in the suit with Apple John Sargent said his firm would Amazon.

She said executives in the con- were CBS Corp.’s Simon & Schuster; fight the settlement because “the spiracy “knew full well what they Hachette Book Group, par t of terms the DOJ demanded were too were doing. That is, taking steps to France’s Lagardere; the British- onerous” and would allow Amazon make sure the prices consumers based Pearson’s Penguin Group; “to recover the monopoly position Macmillan, a unit of Verlagsgruppe it had been building before our paid for e-books were higher.”

The move almost instantly Georg von Holtzbrinck; and News switch to the agency model.”

The lawsuit comes amid probes raised the prices consumers paid Corp. unit HarperCollins.

Amazon on Wednesday hailed on both sides of the Atlantic over for e-books, she said.

“Just as we’ve allowed develop- the settlement and said it would the efforts to limit discounting on ers to set prices on the App Store, mean lower prices for e-books for electronic books, which had been dominated by Amazon until Apple publishers set prices on the its Kindle reader. “ This is a big win for Kindle launched its iPad in 2010. —AFP iBookstore,” Neumayr said.

Design guru Starck reveals ‘revolutionary’ Apple project PARIS: Design guru Philippe Starck is working on a “revolutionary” project with US computer giant Apple that will come out in time for Christmas, the French designer revealed on Friday.

“Indeed, we have a big project together that will be out in eight months,” Starck told France Info radio, declining to com-

ment further because of what he called California-based Apple’s “secrecy cult”.

The 63-year-old designer did however say that the project was “fairly, if not very, revolutionary”.

Starck, who has previously designed everything from night clubs to bus passes, also told how for years he regularly visited

legendary Apple boss Steve Jobs, who died in Oc tober, at his Palo Alto, California, home. “For seven years I went to see him once a month in Palo Alto and I’m going there on Monday because even if he’s dead, now I go to see his wife. We used to love talking about interesting things,” he said. — AFP

SUNDAY, APRIL 15, 2012

H E A LT H & S C I E NC E

China’s Tibetan herders face uncertain future GUOLUO: Tibetan herder Gatou used to live a nomadic life on the grasslands of the Tibetan plateau before he was rehoused under a controversial Chinese government scheme.

Now he inhabits one of scores of small brick houses that have sprung up in incongruously neat rows in the rugged and mountainous terrain of the Guoluo Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture in northwest China. “They are giving us houses for free, with electricity,” Gatou, who like many Tibetans only goes by one name, told AFP at a prayer festival he has organised for his community, his brown eyes beaming from a dark tanned face. “Most people welcome this. But they are also making people settle down in fixed homes, which does not conform with the traditional lives of herders.”

China has invested billions of dollars into resettling Tibetan herders, who have for

centuries led a nomadic life, moving regularly to seek fresh grazing for their animals. Beijing says the policy is aimed at improving nomads’ living standards, creating markets for their livestock and the traditional herbal medicines they gather and curbing rampant environmental degradation on the roof of the world.

But while some Tibetans welcome the changes, many worry about the disappearance of a lifestyle that has endured for hundreds of years, and see the resettlements as part of a broader erosion of Tibetan culture in China.

Kate Saunders, spokeswoman for the International Campaign for Tibet pressure group, told AFP the policy appeared to be aimed largely at bringing nomadic populations traditionally free of government interference under control.

“These policies give the authorities greater administrative control over peo-

ple’s movements and lifestyle,” she said.

Herders also complain of being forced to sell their livestock, of unfulfilled government promises of jobs, schools and medical facilities, and of corruption in the settlement scheme. “They promised me a job if I sold my herds and settled down,” said a former nomad in his 40s who identified himself as Norbu. “But I can only find seasonal work and I can never make enough money to support my family. I feel cheated,” he told AFP. One of the greatest expulsions The resettlements into exclusively Tibetan neighbourhoods are ostensibly voluntary, but activists say there is plenty of government pressure.

Simmering resentments have fed into rising tensions in China’s Tibetan-inhabited areas, where anger at Beijing’s rule has sparked a series of self-immolations

by Tibetan Buddhists over the past year.

Stephanie Brigden, head of the rights group Free Tibet, has described the policy as “one of the greatest expulsions of a people from their land in history,” and said there is no doubt it has fuelled the protests in Tibet.

It is hard to know exactly how many Tibetan herders have been resettled.

The UN cited recent Chinese reports saying between 50 and 80 percent of the 2.25 million nomads on the Tibetan plateau were being “progressively relocated.”

The UN Human Rights Council in January urged China to “suspend the non-voluntary resettlement of nomadic herders from their traditional lands.”

China should “examine all available options, including recent strategies of sustainable management of marginal pastures,” and allow herders more say in

how they seek out their livelihoods, it said. The United Nations says the settlement programme covers the Tibetan Autonomous Region and Tibetan-inhabited areas in Qinghai, Sichuan, Yunnan and Gansu provinces, although policies differ widely from one area to another.

Gatou said those rehoused herders who have been able to keep their animals and still have access to grasslands were now enjoying better lives, although unemployment was turning some settlements into shanty towns.

“Things are changing quickly on the Tibetan plateau,” Gatou told AFP as he fiddled with his mobile phone and looked out over a line of cars and motorbikes parked next to a quiet meadow below snow-capped peaks. “Not even a decade ago, most people travelling in those cars would have been on horseback.” — AFP

Graying America gets wired to cut healthcare costs Home technologies could help slash billions of dollars

CALIFORNIA: In this Dec. 6, 2011 file photo, owner Kevin Lunny holds a Pacific oyster at the Drake’s Bay Oyster Co. in Point Reyes National Seashore, California. Scientists blame higher levels of carbon dioxide in Pacific Ocean waters caused by man-made global warming for the failure of oysters to produce young at an Oregon hatchery. — AP

Study blames ocean CO2 for oyster declines OREGON: Scientists are blaming slightly higher levels of carbon dioxide in Pacific Ocean waters linked to global warming for the failure of oyster larvae to survive in an Oregon hatchery.

They say higher acidity of the water that comes with more carbon dioxide makes it harder for young oysters to form their shells, dooming them in a matter of days, even if they are moved to more favorable environments. “A lot of studies talk about the year 2050 when ocean acidification becomes a problem,” for sea life, said lead author Alan Barton, production manager at the Whiskey Creek Shellfish Hatchery on Netarts Bay. “It showed up five years ago for us,” and almost put the hatchery out of business.

The study appeared Tuesday in the online edition of the journal Limnology and Oceanography. “The predicted rise of atmospheric CO2 in the next two to three decades may push oyster larval growth past the breakeven point in terms of production,” study coauthor Burke Hales, professor of biogeochemical oceanography at Oregon State University, said in a statement.

The study represents some of the first research taking the issue out of the laboratory and putting it into the natural environment, said Annaliese Hettinger, a doctoral candidate at the University of California at Davis Bodega Lab, who did not take part in the study.

“This is a good example of industry coming together with scientists to come up with potential solutions to the environmental problems we are facing in this area,” she said.

Hatcheries and oyster farms relying on natural reproduction started having trouble with larvae survival in 2005, said Barton. At Whiskey Creek, which raises larvae from Pacific and kumamoto oysters that originally come from Japan, they began noticing a cor-

relation between times when ocean upwelling was strong and larvae die-offs.

“One day all the larvae in the hatchery was dead,” he said. “It was right in the middle of a big upwelling event. That’s when the light went on for us. We needed to start looking at the water chemistry.”

Ocean upwelling is a phenomenon on the West Coast triggered by north winds that cause waters from the bottom to rise to the top, bringing with them nutrients that feed the whole food web. Those deep ocean waters have always been more acidic than surface waters. When rising carbon dioxide levels in surface water combined with the deep ocean water, it pushed conditions past the point where oyster larvae could survive, the study found.

Oyster larvae start to form their shells from a form of calcium carbonate called aragonite, said Chris Langdon, a professor of fisheries at Oregon State University who runs the shellfish broodstock program at Hatfield Marine Science Center and took part in the study. Once they stop swimming and attach themselves to a rock or oyster shell, they switch to a tougher form known as calcite that is less vulnerable to acid levels. But by then it is too late.

“It looks like to us that they are the most sensitive in the first 48 hours,” said Hales. “If we can just get them over that hump, then they are a lot less sensitive to subsequent variations.” It appears that larvae just don’t have the energy to properly form their shells under higher acid conditions, Langdon said.

Hales said the good news is that if hatcheries can manage their water supply to reduce the acidity, either by changing the times they take water from the ocean, or by adding neutralizing chemicals, they will have better larvae survival. However, oysters reproducing in the wild will have a harder time. — AP

US warns two drugs may have sexual side effects WASHINGTON: Two Merck drugs for treating male baldness and enlarged prostate will now carry extended labels to add more possible sexual side effects, US regulators said.

The changes involve Propecia and Proscar, both of which contain the active ingredient finasteride, after patients reported additional adverse effects that were not apparent at the time of the drugs’ approval, the US Food and Drug Administration said yesterday.

The new Propecia label will include “libido disorders, ejaculation disorders, and orgasm disorders that continued after discontinuation of the drug,” the FDA said. Propecia is a drug to treat male baldness.

Proscar, which treats symptoms of enlarged prostate, will now have a label that adds “decreased libido that continued after discontinuation of the drug.”

In addition, both labels are being revised to “include a description of reports of male infertility and/or poor semen quality that normalized or improved after drug discontinuation,” the FDA said. FDA spokeswoman Stephanie Yao said the drugs were previously known to cause adverse sexual events in a small number of patients, and that information was included on labels at the time of approval. The latest labeling change “expands the list of sexual adverse events reported to the FDA postmarketing,” she told AFP, adding that “no new clinical studies were reviewed to evaluate these adverse events.” Proscar was

approved for the US market in 1992 and Propecia in 1997. In 2011, both drugs’ labels were “revised to include erectile dysfunction that continued after drug discontinuation,” the FDA said.

Last year, labels for Proscar and Propecia were also changed to advise of the possibility of an increased risk of high-grade prostate cancer. The agency noted that even though “clear causal links between finasteride (Propecia and Proscar) and sexual adverse events have NOT been established, the cases suggest a broader range of adverse effects than previously reported in patients taking these drugs.”

Since these side effects may be important to some patients, doctors were urged to discuss them with patients when deciding on treatment options. In the case of Propecia, clinical trials showed 3.8 percent of men had reported one or more adverse sexual experiences, compared to 2.1 percent who were taking a placebo. “Propecia and Proscar are generally well tolerated and effective for their respective intended uses in accordance with their approved product labeling,” Merck said in a statement. The company added that “a causal relationship between the use of Propecia or Proscar and continued sexual dysfunction after discontinuation of treatment has not been established,” and expressed support for ongoing monitoring of adverse event reports. — AFP

WASHINGTON: Baby boomers wired to their iPads and smart phones are giving US health experts some new ideas about ways to cut the soaring costs of medical care in graying America. Some of the ideas might sound like “Robo-Granny”. An astronautical engineer at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology has made a skin-tight undersuit equipped with sensors that can constantly monitor the vital signs of its elderly wearer and feed the data into a computer that fires off health alerts. It was first designed for a landing on Mars.

There’s also Paro, the robotic seal that has fur, big eyes and responds to voice commands, a low-cost companion that the AgeLab at MIT is testing to help calm elderly people with dementia. Then there is the magic carpet with a built-in sensor that monitors gait to check for risk of falling.

Other ideas are simpler and already are being tested by governments and private health insurers.

Marilyn Yeats, 79, is suffering from congestive heart failure and uses a personal healthcare computer, called the Guide, provided by the health insurer Humana Corp. She calls it My Little Nurse for helping her keep track of her blood pressure, weight, temperature and whether she is taking her medicines on time.

“It rings me up every morning at 10 am, and there I am, on my machine measuring myself, and if I have gained weight, it asks me additional questions. I say it is like having your own nurse come into your house every day,” said the Naples, Florida, resident.

If these programs succeed, home technologies could help slash billions of dollars from the nation’s $2.6 trillion healthcare bill by keeping the elderly in their homes longer and out of expensive hospitals and nursing homes. The United States spends far more on healthcare than any other country at 17.9 percent of GDP compared with the OECD average for advanced countries of 9.5 percent.

And yet dollar for dollar it gets results that are consistently in the bottom third of developed countries along with Mexico or Hungary, as measured by average health outcomes.

Cutting healthcare costs is essential if the United States is to tame its $15 trillion government debt load.

Medicare, the healthcare program for the elderly, consumes 15 percent of US budget spending. It is the biggest single expense after defense and the pension program Social Security.

Medicare costs are growing rapidly as the 79 million baby boomers -

roughly equivalent to the entire population of Germany retire over the next 20 years, threatening to push the US debt load to $25 trillion in a decade.

Left unchanged, the Medicare hospital fund is forecast to go bankrupt by 2024. The ratings agency Standard & Poor’s, which already has downgraded the US credit standing, has warned of further action within three years if the United States and other advanced G20 countries fail to get to grips with the costs of aging. It singled out healthcare as the biggest factor. New technologies hold out promise for lowering costs. But they run into a basic problem - the fee-for-service payment model, which pays US healthcare professionals for delivering treatments, diagnostic service or surgical procedures, rather than for keeping someone healthy and out of the hospital.

“We have to rethink entirely how we are paying our doctors, and the longer we fail to look at the results they deliver for the healthcare they provide the more we will fail,” said Prof. Amitabh Chandra, a health economist at Harvard University. S&P report on rising healthcare costs in G20 Initial studies on home health computers are sufficiently encouraging that Humana, the largest healthcare insurance company in the United States, is testing 1,000 patients in 34 states. They conduct daily self-monitoring and weekly video check-ins with a nurse. Its aim is to see whether it reduces emergency medical visits.

The Center for Disease Control in a study last year estimated that fewer emergency hospital stays could save $7 billion annually. One night in an intensive care unit can cost $10,000, in a nursing home over $200, while staying at home with a health monitor could cost as little as $10.

A Stanford University study last year found that two clinics using a similar product called Health Buddy saved between 7.7 percent and 13 percent per elderly person per quarter. UnitedHealthcare, which insures one out of every five Americans on Medicare, is also running a program.

The Obama administration, in its 2010 healthcare reform legislation now before the U.S. Supreme Court, is seeking to encourage this type of experimentation in healthcare delivery to cut costs. One initiative would pay healthcare providers a set price for each medical condition rather than reimbursing for each service. Douglas Elmendorf, director of the Congressional Budget Office.

Elmendorf said the idea is to create incentives for doctors to treat patients

more effectively by allowing them to pocket the difference if they save money. “It is a period of great ferment, and how successful that will be is a big question,” he said.

A telehealth project conducted by the National Health Service in Britain has excited health information technology advocates here in the United States. Britain collected 12 months of data on 6,191 patients in using home health monitoring, half of whom had chronic conditions such as heart failure and diabetes. It found that emergency hospital admissions fell by 20 percent, patient stays were cut by a quarter and re-admissions by 14 percent. The results, released last December, were sufficiently impressive that the British government plans to roll out telehealth monitors to three million homes over the next five years.

“It shows you can really do simple things with simple technology. It’s about getting the right information into the right hands at the right time,” said Louis Burns, chief executive of Care Innovations, a joint project of GE and Intel Corp. which developed the Guide.

Dr. Jeff Kaye, a gerontologist at the Oregon Center for Aging and Technology, is out to prove the case for wide rollout of telehealth devices in the United States. The center has wired 400 homes of the elderly with sensors and computers that feed medical and behavioral data into a computer bank. He wants to expand the project to 10,000 homes nationwide, a large enough sample to produce compelling scientific evidence of its value.

Software programs sift through all the data to check for developing trends or changes in personal habits such as whether someone is getting up more frequently at night, or communicating less with friends, or walking differently. These could signal the onset of dementia, Parkinson’s or a stroke. A nurse can call or arrange a doctor’s visit. Without the data, Kaye said he might miss important signals in a short monthly visit.

“If you think that the average appointment is 15.7 minutes long, half of that time I am talking and half of that the patient is talking, that leaves only about five minutes to actually reach the diagnosis and prescribe the treatment. It is crazy,” he said.

Collecting reams of highly personal health information sounds intrusive, and adult children often protest. But if it keeps Dad in his home longer and if he controls who sees the information, most people welcome it, Kaye said.

The gerontologist is a huge advo-

cate for these technologies. But he is no starry eyed evangelist. While it might be relatively cheap to turn the home into a health check-up center, comparable to the cost of a home burglary alarm, someone has to read all the print-outs and spotting diseases early can increase the medical bill further, Kaye and other experts say.

Under the fee-for-service payment model, where every time a doctor reads a chart, orders a test or consults with a patient a bill is generated, home monitoring devices would be scarcely affordable. And even if the technologies do help keep someone healthier, a longer lifespan pushes up the total healthcare bill. A 90-year-old is far more likely to have multiple chronic conditions from heart failure, diabetes and cancer to dementia.

“The simple connection from better health information technology to cost savings is very aspirational,” said Harvard economist Chandra.

In fact, longevity increases the bill.

The MacArthur Research Network on an Aging Society estimated in a December 2009 study that by 2050, Americans will live between three and eight years longer on average than the government projects, adding $3.2 trillion to the Medicare and pension program.

The job of Dr. Richard Baron, group director at the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation at the US Department of Health and Human Services, is to cut through this knot.

His task is to improve the quality of care for America’s oldest and poorest, while lowering costs. His agency is distributing $900 million in grants this year to test various projects, including those including home technologies.

A specialist in geriatric and internal medicine, Baron was early to adopt email contact with patients, switch to electronic medical records and use some basic home health monitoring under a state-funded project at his Philadelphia practice in 2004.

“Patients loved it. Email was hugely popular,” he said. The business challenge was how to make technology cost effective. Rather than charge for each email a doctor sent or electronic chart read, Baron focused health results - what does the patient want and how can we use technology to achieve that? “If people are rewarded for the rates at which they use the technology, they will find ways for the technology to reward them. If they are rewarded for the way in which they solve the health problem, they will find ways to make that happen,” Baron said. —Reuters

Killer stray dogs put Bulgaria on edge SOFIA: Sprawling in the sun or barking and chasing cars, stray dogs have become part of urban life in Bulgaria but after a pack mauled a US university professor to death, the mood of tolerance is over.

The 87-year-old man, who chose to spend his retirement in his native Bulgaria, was attacked in a Sofia street late last month by some 25 dogs who knocked him to the ground, tore at his face and bit his legs and arms to the bone.

He died in intensive care 10 days later, prompting the government to suggest a large-scale euthanasia programme for aggressive animals and construction of emergency shelters to remove other strays from the street. Rights groups struck back, accusing authorities of weak control over pet owners who do not register their animals and often abandon them or their litters on the streets.

“This spring there are about 1,000 more stray dogs than last year,” said Aksinia Bosneva of the “Care For the Stray Dogs” non-governmental animal rights group. She also blamed corrupt practices when it comes to castrating dogs.

“Some dogs are only partially

neutered so that castration squads can return and get double money.

Dogs already neutered are captured twice and workers get paid for something already done,” Bosneva charged. For Lolita Radeva, head of the Sofia municipal council’s environmental committee, the economic cri-

sis has made things worse. “The current economic crisis has forced people to increasingly abandon their pets. Many dogs were also let go from abandoned construction yards they used to guard,” Radeva said.

She put the total number of stray dogs roaming the capital, which

SOFIA: Stray dogs are pictured in a cage at a shelter in Sofia on April 3, 2012. Leisurely sprawled out in the sun or fiercely barking and chasing cars, stray dogs have become a constant part of Bulgarian urban culture over the past 20 years.

But renewed fears and calls for extermination have surfaced after the death of a retired US university professor, violently mauled in Sofia on March 28. — AFP

counts two million people, at about 9,500. A new city hall programme aims to halve this number within two years and get rid of all the animals by 2016. Current legislation only allows authorities to put down sick and aggressive animals, while others must be neutered and returned to the streets.

Many animals are fed by locals-as was the case with the pack that mauled the elderly professor-out of pity or so they might guard their apartment blocks or parking lots.

Since the professor’s killing, Sofia mayor Yordanka Fandakova has called for a ban on people feeding stray animals unless they take them home. The government’s talk of allaround euthanasia caused an uproar among dog lovers, while animal rights’ experts have been offering advice on radio and television on how to avoid being attacked by dogs.

“Dogs have the predator’s instinct to chase which manifests itself even more strongly when they are in a pack,” Ventsislav Techevski of the Animal Rescue group told state BNR radio. Above all, people confronted with dogs should “keep calm,” he urged.— AFP

SUNDAY, APRIL 15, 2012

H E A LT H

Great Ormond Street Hospital to participate in exhibtion KUWAIT: Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children (GOSH), one of the world’s leading centres for treating sick children, is continuing its global outreach and building awareness of its work with Kuwait’s Ministry of Health, as it participates in the 3rd Kuwait Medica Conference and Exhibition as a Silver Sponsor.

The conference, which aims to bring together the latest trends, products, services and ideas in healthcare, will take place from 16th - 18th April 2012 at The Marriott Courtyard, Kuwait. At the conference, members of the GOSH team will deliver detailed presentations about the hospi-

tal’s work, and the programmes and treatments available to patients and their parents living in the region.

Dr. Phil Ancliff, consultant haematologist at GOSH and one of the key speakers at the conference, said: “There is a strong demand for specialist children’s healthcare services in Kuwait. This exhibition provides an opportunity to share best practice in paediatric patient care with medical and healthcare professionals, to stay current with the latest developments and innovations within the industry, and to showcase the services provided by GOSH in Kuwait through our partner-

Haiti health workers to give cholera vaccine PORT-AU-PRINCE: The chief advocates for a cholera vaccination program in Haiti will begin distributing the vaccine this weekend after a government ethics committee gave approval following months of delay, a project organizer said yesterday.

Jonathan Lascher, Haiti program manager for the Boston-based Partners in Health, said more than 200 trained health workers will start administering the oral vaccine on Sunday to almost 50,000 people outside the western port city of Saint Marc.

A Health Ministry ethics committee initially blocked the campaign because it mistook it for a research project rather than a pilot program that could be expanded throughout the Caribbean nation, Lascher said. The vaccination campaign had been planned to begin in January.

“We’re all set to go and there are no more bureaucratic hoops to jump through,” Lascher said by telephone. The ethics committee “understands that it’s not a research project.”

Haitian health officials couldn’t be reached for comment Friday. PIH and partner Gheskio Center, a Haitian nonprofit supported by the US Agency for International Development, plan to vaccinate almost 100,000 Haitians in the Saint Marc area and

in a downtrodden neighborhood of the capital as the country’s rainy season begins and threatens to spread the waterborne disease.

Gheskio began administering the first of two required doses of the vaccine this week in Haiti’s capital, Port-au-Prince, Gheskio director Jean William Pape wrote in an email Friday. The proposal for a vaccine campaign in Haiti surfaced soon after cholera emerged in October 2010, when UN peacekeepers from Nepal apparently introduced the disease inadvertently, according to several scientific studies. Since then, cholera has killed more than 7,000 people and sickened 530,000 more, health officials say, giving Haiti the highest cholera infection rate in the world.

It seemed obvious that Haiti would benefit from such a vaccine but there were obstacles from the beginning. Some public health experts questioned the program because it would inoculate only 100,000 people, or 1 percent of Haiti’s population, and could deplete the world’s stock of available cholera vaccine, potentially putting people at risk in other vulnerable places. At the time, there was only one cholera vaccine on the global market. A second, Shanchol, wasn’t approved by the World Health Organization until September.— AP

ship with the Ministry of Health.” Dr. Ancliff will speak about the treatment of childhood leukaemia, other cancers and blood diseases. He will also touch on the partnership between GOSH and the Kuwait Ministry of Health and will conclude with the benefits of the programme and Minimal Residual Disease (MRD) as a leading edge technology to Kuwaiti patients.

At the conference, GOSH is keen to reach out to both investors and visitors who are keen to learn about the hospital’s services. GOSH’s team will deliver detailed presentations about “Treating childhood leukaemia, other cancers

and blood disease: a partnership between Great Ormond Street Hospital and the Kuwait Ministry of Health.”

In Kuwait GOSH has established a successful working partnership with NBK Hospital. Senior GOSH medical staff have been providing practical support and training to NBK nurses and doctors which has increased understanding of paediatric procedures, diagnosis and care in a clinical setting. GOSH also provides leading edge diagnostic capability to patients in Kuwait through its Minimal Residual Disease (MRD) testing for children with leukemia at NBK hospital.

Argentina says corn crop slammed by drought BUENOS AIRES: Argentina’s corn crop has been walloped by the drought that hit the Pampas grains belt at the height of the Southern Hemisphere summer, the government said in its weekly crop report yesterday.

The six weeks of dry weather that parched corn and soy fields in December and early January have resulted in yield losses of up to 40 percent in some areas, the report said.

Soy has a longer flowering period, which allowed it more time to soak up moisture and avoid such extensive damage. Grains exporting powerhouse Argentina is the world’s No. 2 corn exporter after the United States and its No. 1 supplier of soymeal, used as animal feed, and soyoil, used for cooking and in the booming biofuels sector.

The farm sector is a key source of government revenue at a time of increasing global economic headwinds. Not only growers and soy traders but long-term investors are evaluating Argentina’s ability to help meet rising world food demand.

In key corn-growing area Bragado, Buenos Aires province, early-planted fields are being harvested with yields coming in at 2,000 to 5,000 kilos per hectare, the report said. “As

expected, the loss in corn yields is averaging about 40 percent compared with full potential yields,” it added. Nearly half of Bragado’s 2011/12 corn has been collected at an average yield of 4,500 kilo per hectare. Some earlyplanted corn fields in Rio Cuarto, Cordoba province, are so thin that farmers have decided not to harvest them at all. The province’s late-planted corn is developing normally, “except in western Rio Cuarto, which was affected by frost 10 days ago,” the report said.

The Southern Hemisphere has entered the fall season. Farmers who avoided having their corn plants parched by the December-January drought by planting later than normal now hope to collect their fields before they are damaged by any early autumn cold spells.

About 5 percent of Argentina’s tax revenue comes from grains exports. The country needs all the revenue it can get as its economy slows due to global sluggishness, lower demand from key trade partner Brazil and higher energy prices, which are weighing on domestic consumption.

Despite these challenges to investment in the farm sector, the world is counting on Argentina to help meet demand for food,

which the United Nations expects to double as global population grows to an estimated 9 billion by 2050.

In the Buenos Aires coastal zone of Bahia Blanca, soy fields have gotten good rains, allowing crops to develop normally. The area of Bolivar, also in Buenos Aires province, rains were so heavy over the last week that collection was suspended as harvesting machines got bogged down in the moist earth.

Buenos Aires is Argentina’s key producing process. On Thursday, the Buenos Aires Grains Exchange but its 2011/12 Argentine soy crop estimate to 44.0 million tonnes, down from a previous estimate of 45.0 million. The exchange kept is corn forecast steady at 20.8 million tonnes. Grains exporters with operations in Argentina include Cargill Inc, Bunge Ltd, Molinos Rio de la Plata , Noble Group Ltd and Louis Dreyfus. Early this month, the Rosario grains exchange cut its 2011/12 soy harvest forecast to 43.1 million tonnes from an earlier 44.5 million, saying that the downgrade better reflected the extent of drought damage. Rosario analysts also shaved their 2011/12 corn crop forecast to 19.7 million tonnes from 19.8 million. — Reuters

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SUNDAY, APRIL 15, 2012

W H AT ’ S O N Greetings

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ongratulations to Mariam Yasser Suker for being awarded the Certificate of Merit from Pakistan Sunshine School for her outstanding performance through the year. Her parents, relatives and friends join in to congratulate her on her achievements.

Women as global leaders Creating a sustainable future for the world

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R

amesh Chennithala M.L.A, Kerala Pradesh Congress committee (K.P.C.C) president and former Minister of Kerala, along with Abey Varicad Managing Partner of Orma Group International presents gold gifts to the lucky draw winner of Orma Jewellery’s monthly scheme.

Announcements IKFS calligraphy competitions Indo-Kuwait Friendship Society (www.indo-kuwaitfriendshipsociety.com) is conducting calligraphy competitions in 3 languages (Hindi, Urdu and Arabic) on Friday, 11th May 2012 (8 am to 11 am) at Salmiya Indian Model School, Salmiya, for both gender from age: 17 years and above for all the nationalities in Kuwait. IKFS is requesting the participants to register their names with their contact phone and email IDs on or before 06th May 2012 either by phone: 99430786/97337861 or by email: ikfsociety@gmail.com Kala-Kuwait, Balakalamela-2012 KALA-Kuwait is pleased to announce the registration for the Balakalamela-2012, the art & literary completions for Indian school children, to be held on two consecutive Fridays 27 April 2012 & 4 May 2012 at Carmel School, Khaitan, to provide maximum opportunity for the students to participate. Based on the repeated requests from the community, KALA have included instrument music also in addition to the existing list of items. Competitions on dance and performing arts are scheduled to 27 April 2012 while Literary & instrument music competitions will be held on 4 May. The registration is free and forms are already distributed to Indian schools in Kuwait as well as available in our website www.kalaonweb.com The filled form may be sent to kalabalakalamela@gmail.com or fax to 24317875.

The completions shall be for the 3 categories SubJunior, Junior & Seniors and are open to students from Class-I to XII. The prize distribution will be on June 1, the KALA mega event for the year ‘Thathwamasi’ at Central School Auditorium Abbassiya. For further information/ clarification contact 66180229, 66863957, 97817100, 67765810 Palakkad Pravasi Association to conduct Arts Day Palakkad Pravasi Association of Kuwait is conducting Arts Day, a full day socio-cultural event for its members and children. The program will be held on 27th April 2012 at 10 am at Indian Central School Auditorium, Abbassiya. The program will consist of various items include bharatanatyam, mohiniyattam, folk dance, Mono Act, mimics, fancy dress, mappilapaattu, recitation, cinematic, group dance etc. PALPAK has been conducting similar event every year since its inception aiming to encourage the talents of its members and children. For registration and more details please contact Suresh Pulikkal - Arts Secretary (97260159) and the Area Secretaries Suresh Madhavan - Salmiya (97253235), Sankaranarayanan - Fahaheel (90925460), Sunilkumar - Farwaniya (97201399), Udayavarman Abbassiya (97216434).

Open House for Indian Citizens The Ambassador of India will be holding an Open House for Indian citizens to address their problems/grievances on Wednesdays of the second and the fourth week of every month between 1500 hrs and 1600 hrs at the embassy. In case Wednesday is an Embassy holiday, the meeting will be held on the next working day. To ensure timely action/follow-up by the Embassy, it is requested that, wherever possible, Indian citizens should exhaust the existing channels of interaction/grievance redressal and bring their problems/issues in writing with supporting documents. It may be mentioned that Embassy of India’s Consular Wing is providing daily service of Open House to Indian citizen on all workings days from 1000 hrs to 1100 hrs and from 1430 hrs to 1530 hrs by the consular officer in the Meeting Room of the Consular Hall. For any unaddressed issues, Second Secretary (Consular) could be contacted.

Furthermore, the head of the Consular Wing is also available to redress grievances. Similarly, a labor wing Help Desk functions from 0830 hrs to 1300 hrs and 1400 hrs to 1630 hrs in the Labor Hall to address the labor related issue. There is also a 24X7 Help Line (Tel No. 25674163) to assist labors in distress. For any unaddressed issues, the concerned Attaches in the labor section and the head of the labor wing could be contacted.

he American University of Kuwait (AUK) selected five female students to attend the 4th “Women as Global Leaders” conference at Zayed University in Abu Dhabi. The event was sponsored by Her Highness Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak. This year’s conference theme “Creating a Sustainable Future for the World” focused on social, environmental, and economic aspects that would lead to a sustainable future.

Throughout the conference, reputable guest speakers gave speeches on leadership, climate change, women’s role in society, etc. The delivered speeches were aimed at motivating young women to contribute positively to the development of their communities. Raja Al Gurg, Managing Director of the EasaSaleh Al Gurg Group, and one of the guest speakers said, “An empowered woman is the best catalyst to promote a sustainable future.” Being mothers, sisters, daughters, employees, or employers, women play a major role in shaping the future of the world.

Another distinguished speaker, Sigourney Weaver, winning actress and environmentalist mentioned that women are 14 times more vulnerable to climate change than men. She urged women to seek education and compete to obtain decision making positions.

According to ZeinabBadawi-BBC TV personality, one thing that makes women better leaders is their passion,Indicating that passion is a sign of a successful leader and not a weakness.

Furthermore, delegates of the conference were encouraged to attend assorted workshops and panel discussions with centric focus of the conference theme. The various lectures delivered were both practical and theoretical, engaging all participants to interact and integrate with each other towards sustainability.

Dalaa Al-Qahtan, a senior at AUK studying Computer Science was inspired by one of the panelists saying, “one speaker whom I won’t forget was Her Excellency Noura Al Kaabi the head of TwoFour54 Tawasol and human development, whom prior to that was an IT sup-

port manager at Zayed Military Hospital, the things she said were extremely motivating coming from another tech major, seeing that there is a future for female computer scientists/engineers in the Arab world especially it being a male dominated field.”

One of the most rewarding aspects of this conference was having the opportunity to network with prominent women as well as female students from all around the world. Lujain Abu Zaid, an accounting and finance student at AUK said, “Observing Women coming from conservative backgrounds that fight for their rights wanting to leave their own

fingerprint makes us wonder of the great power that lies within every women.”

The conference was a great experience for the AUK delegation, allowing the students to learn about women around the world, and obtain a deeper understanding of leadership education.

The American University of Kuwait (AUK) is an independent, private, equal opportunity, and co-educational liberal arts institution of higher education. The educational, cultural and administrative structure, methods and standards of AUK are based on the American model of higher learning. The language of instruction is English.

Orientation program for parents of kindergarten students of Bhavans, IES

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n the eve of the new academic year a parent orientation program was held at Bhavans for the parents of kindergarten students, a welcome gesture by the school authorities to provide an open forum for the parent fraternity.

They were formally welcomed by Honourable Vice-principal Lalitha Premkumar and the programme was conducted by the kindergarten supervisor Rajni Menon.

Highlight of the evening was a guided tour of the prestigious state of the art “Digital Campus” and its component “Learning Management SystemLMS”, an effective web based teaching learning environment conducive for a holistic and all encompassing education system. The parents were guided through the various steps of using the LMS. Rajni Menon further highlighted the methodologies to be used in school and the scheduled co-curricular activities, competitions, theme days and activities to be conducted during the year.

Parents turned up in overwhelming numbers and gave evidence of their interest in being an active part of their child’s kindergarten days. The session culminated with a forum for parents to put forth their queries and lay to rest their various fears as their precious bundles of joy would step out of a protected environment into a world of strangers.

The parents highly appreciated this gesture of openness displayed by IES as many of them candidly expressed their happiness to be a part of the BHAVANS family.

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SUNDAY, APRIL 15, 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

GUST opens up with Layan and iGive

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he Gulf University for Science and Technology (GUST) student-run club iGive, collaborated with Layan, a media volunteer team from around the Gulf, who are specialized in covering the tragedy of Syrian refugees in Lebanon.

Both groups are working together to raise awareness and collect donations in attempts to provide aid for the Syrian refugees and so they got together to tell their stories of what they saw, what they did and how it is important to reach out.

The main purpose is to educate individuals about the conditions in Syria, spread awareness about what is happening and encourage people to participate in whatever means they can whether it be engaging in the act of volunteering, helping spread awareness or even donating.

First, iGive share the story of Lulu AlShaheen, GUST Student and iGive Member who was nominated to join the Layan team on their trip to Lebanon. A small video was shared, where Lulu talks about what she saw, the hospitals and homes they visited and what she felt

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 until 12:00 on Sunday through Wednesday. The Embassy resumes its duties on Tuesday 10 April 2012. 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

when she was there: “It became very clear to me that the people there needed more moral support than they did material support.”

Other members of the trip were there to share their stories, including Abdulkareem Al-Shatti, Fahad AlRahmani, Talal Al-Mattar and Wasan AlBudaiyeh. All normal Kuwaiti citizens, living ordinary lives here in Kuwait, but all who were determined to go lending a helping hand and ended up being helped themselves, as they said. The

team took turns speaking about their journey, the families they met, their need for someone to hear them out.

They all mentioned how they were there to help, but from the hope they felt from the people there, it gave them hope in themselves. The team members shared stories of the strength and hope of the refugees and urged the audience to help in any way they can, and that doesn’t necessarily mean money or to go there, but even a word - spreading awareness - is of utmost importance.

iGive is a GUST voluntary youth club that hosts and organizes activities in and out of university. It addresses topics that touch the students’ lives in order to increase their efficiency, productivity, and responsibility towards their community. It also aims to promote the principle of diversity and social responsibility.

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 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: Saturday to Thursday Morning: 8:00 am to 12:30 pm Lunch Break: 12:30 pm to 1:00 pm Afternoon: 1:00 pm to 3:30 pm nnnnnnn

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

Art competition at Dar El-Cid Exhibition hall

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fter the splendid inauguration of the art exhibition ‘Impressions and Expressions’ of Artist Kondalraj and 20 eminent Indian artists, an art competition was also held at the at Dar El-Cid Art Gallery, Jabriya on April 10 in the morning hours.

Students of Indian Central School, Kuwait participat-

ed in the competition enthusiastically. The competitors were divided into groups according to their grades and were given various challenges and topics.

More than 60 children participated and quenched their artistic thirst. The prizes were distributed on a glittering closing ceremony on 13th April, Friday and

celebrity writers Nanjil Nadan (Sahitya Academy winner) and Jeyamohan gave the prizes away. A sumptuous dinner followed the function. The parents and children who took part in the competition are invited to take part without fail as also the art lovers.

EMBASSY OF NEPAL The Embassy of Nepal will be moving from its current location to a new place in Jabriya, Block 8, St. 13, House No. 514, effective from Sunday, 15th April, 2012. Till the new telephone connections are installed, the Embassy may be contacted by email: info@nepembku.org nnnnnnn

EMBASSY OF NIGERIA The Nigerian embassy has its new office in Mishref. Block 3, Street 7, House 4. For enquires please call 25379541. Fax25387719. Email- nigeriakuwait@yahoo.com or nigeriankuwait@yahoo.co.uk nnnnnnn

JW Marriott launches ‘Friday Brunch’ at La Brasserie

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ridays now are more memorable than ever at the JW Marriott Kuwait City hotel with the launch of its new and innovative Friday Brunch promotion. JW Marriott’s premier La Brasserie restaurant now grants families the opportunity to enjoy a sumptuous feast of international culinary delights, a fascinating chocolate

fondue fountain, and endless varieties of cake, ice cream and more.

The perfect start to a weekend, Friday Brunch at the JW Marriott is offered at only KD 8 for adults and absolutely free for children under the age of nine. La Brasserie offers an elegant French-inspired atmosphere that provides for an enjoyable setting for both family and friends

to bond with the brunch buffet opening from 12:30 pm to 3:30 pm.

Alwin Karkada, Director of Restaurants at JW Marriott Hotel Kuwait City stated, “A weekend is always looked forward to, where one seeks the ideal blend between relaxing and having the chance to re-connect with family and friends .At JW Marriott, we have created that perfect balance to cater to every guest’s tastes and expectations through innovative promotions like the exciting Friday Brunch accompanied by programs such as the Executive Card. The card serves as a dining privilege card at the JW Marriott and the Courtyard by Marriott to offers its members generous dining discounts and promotions on restaurants and cafes for a whole year. “ Besides La Brasserie, JW Marriott is home to a unique selection of signature restaurants and cafes to suit a variety of preferences, each with a unique flair for the hotel’s renowned ambience of ‘Approachable Luxury’.

The hotel had recently launched a new website, www.diningatjwmarriottkuwait.com, to enable guests to explore the dining world at JW Marriott.

Kochurani Vincent

Lissy Wilson

TRASSK elects new office bearers

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hrissur Association of Kuwait (TRASSK) elected new office bearers of ladies wing (Vanithavethi) during the Annual General Body Meeting in March.

Kochurani Vincent (Vanithavedi President), Preetha Manikandan (Vanithavethi Secretary) and Lissy Wilson (Vanithavethi Treasurer) are the new office bearers of ladies wing for the year 2012-2013.

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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. nnnnnnn

Preetha Manikandan

Charity evening for ‘Palestine’s Children’

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EMBASSY OF ROMANIA The Embassy of Romania to the State of Kuwait would like to inform that the Consular Section of the Embassy will be close for construction works beginning with 18 April 2012, till 10 May 2012. During this period of time the Consular Section will not issue any type of visas for Romania and will not issue any Romanian passports or travel documents. The Consular Section will only be able to assist with notary deeds. We would like to apologize for any inconvenience.

he ‘Kuwaitis for Jerusalem’ committee; a joint committee between the Women’s Cultural and Social Society and the Kuwait Graduates’ Society, organizes a charity evening next Sunday, April 22, 2012, to support a planned project for the ‘Relief for Palestine’s Children Society’ to establish a cancer treatment pediatric hospital in Bait Jala, Palestine. The event, titled ‘We Deserve to Live’, takes part at the Movenpick Hotel at the Free Trade Zone. For reservations or other inquiries, please call: 99714347 - 99723474 - 67676167.

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.

Write to us Send to What’s On upcoming events, birthdays or celebrations by email: local@kuwaittimes.net Fax: 24835619 / 20

Classifieds SUNDAY, APRIL 15, 2012

DIAL 161 FOR AIRPORT INFORMATION

Airlines JZR QTR JZR JZR ETH RJA GFA UAE ETD DHX FDB MSR QTR KAC THY CLX KAC DHX FAH JZR KAC BAW KAC KAC IRA FDB KAC KAC KAC KAC KAC UAE ABY QTR FDB IRA ETD GFA IRC FCX MEA JZR MSR RKM JZR AFR SYR KAC MSR GFA KAC FDB KAC KNE KAC QTR SVA RJA KAC JZR QTR JZR JZR ETD UAE GFA SVA UAL JZR JZR ABY ALK KAC KAC KAC KAC FDB MSR JZR KAC KAC JAI KAC KAC AXB FDB OMA MEA QTR GFA KAC JZR KLM UAE JZR ETD KAC ABY QTR DHX KAC AIC RBG GFA UAL JZR DLH THY PIA

Arrival Flights on Sunday 15/4/2012 Flt Route 185 DUBAI 148 DOHA 539 CAIRO 267 BEIRUT 620 ADDIS ABABA 642 AMMAN 211 BAHRAIN 853 DUBAI 305 ABU DHABI 370 BAHRAIN 67 DUBAI 612 CAIRO 138 DOHA 544 CAIRO 770 ISTANBUL 792 LUXEMBOURG 154 ISTANBUL 170 BAHRAIN 201 DUBAI 555 ALEXANDRIA 412 MANILA 157 LONDON 206 ISLAMABAD 382 DELHI 615 SHAHRE KORD 53 DUBAI 302 MUMBAI 332 TRIVANDRUM 352 COCHIN 676 DUBAI 284 DHAKA 855 DUBAI 125 SHARJAH 132 DOHA 55 DUBAI 603 SHIRAZ 301 ABU DHABI 213 BAHRAIN 6801 AHWAZ 203 DUBAI 404 BEIRUT 165 DUBAI 618 ALEXANDRIA 310 RAS ALKHAIMAH 561 SOHAG 6708 PARIS 341 DAMASCUS 742 DAMMAM 610 CAIRO 219 BAHRAIN 672 DUBAI 57 DUBAI 774 RIYADH 472 JEDDAH 538 SOHAG 140 DOHA 500 JEDDAH 640 AMMAN 788 JEDDAH 257 BEIRUT 134 DOHA 213 DEIREZZOR 535 CAIRO 303 ABU DHABI 857 DUBAI 215 BAHRAIN 510 RIYADH 982 WASHINGTON DC DULLES 177 DUBAI 777 JEDDAH 127 SHARJAH 227 COLOMBO 502 BEIRUT 542 CAIRO 786 JEDDAH 166 PARIS 63 DUBAI 624 SOHAG 787 RIYADH 618 DOHA 674 DUBAI 572 MUMBAI 102 NEW YORK 562 AMMAN 389 KOZHIKODE 61 DUBAI 647 MUSCAT 402 BEIRUT 146 DOHA 221 BAHRAIN 514 TEHRAN 481 SABIHA 417 AMSTERDAM 859 DUBAI 135 BAHRAIN 307 ABU DHABI 172 FRANKFURT 129 SHARJAH 136 DOHA 372 BAHRAIN 678 MUSCAT 981 CHENNAI 3553 ALEXANDRIA 217 BAHRAIN 981 BAHRAIN 239 AMMAN 636 FRANKFURT 772 ISTANBUL 205 LAHORE

Time 0:15 0:20 0:30 0:50 1:45 2:10 2:20 2:25 2:30 2:55 3:10 3:20 3:25 4:10 4:35 4:55 4:55 5:00 5:30 6:00 6:15 6:30 7:15 7:30 7:35 7:45 7:50 7:55 8:05 8:05 8:15 8:25 8:30 9:00 9:20 9:25 9:30 10:00 10:15 10:30 10:55 11:05 11:25 11:55 12:25 12:35 12:35 13:25 13:30 13:35 13:40 13:45 13:45 14:15 14:20 14:25 14:30 14:55 15:00 15:00 15:15 15:30 16:00 16:35 16:55 17:15 17:20 17:25 17:30 17:40 17:45 18:00 18:00 18:15 18:40 18:40 18:45 18:55 19:10 19:15 19:25 19:35 19:35 19:50 19:55 20:00 20:10 20:15 20:25 20:35 20:55 20:55 21:05 21:15 21:15 21:20 21:25 21:30 21:35 22:00 22:05 22:25 22:30 22:35 22:40 22:55 23:10 23:40 23:55

Airlines AIC UAL DLH THY ETH UAE FDB DHX ETD MSR QTR QTR JZR RJA JZR GFA THY KAC CLX BAW FDB IRA KAC JZR ABY JZR KAC KAC UAE JZR KAC QTR FDB ETD IRA KAC KAC GFA IRC KAC FCX MEA KAC JZR MSR KAC RKM KAC JZR JZR SYR GFA AFR FDB MSR KAC KAC KNE KAC SVA RJA KAC JZR QTR KAC ETD JZR JZR QTR UAE GFA JZR ABY SVA UAL JZR ALK FDB MSR JZR KAC JAI FDB KAC KAC OMA MEA GFA JZR DHX KLM ABY ETD UAE FAH KAC QTR KAC KAC DHX JZR QTR AXB RBG GFA KAC KAC JZR

Departure Flights on Sunday 15/4/2012 Flt Route 976 GOA 981 WASHINGTON 637 FRANKFURT 773 ISTANBUL 621 ADDIS ABABA 854 DUBAI 68 DUBAI 371 BAHRAIN 306 ABU DHABI 613 CAIRO 139 DOHA 149 DOHA 560 SOHAG 643 AMMAN 164 DUBAI 212 BAHRAIN 771 ISTANBUL 537 SOHAG 792 GIALAM 156 LONDON 54 DUBAI 614 SHAHRE-KORD 171 FRANKFURT 256 BEIRUT 126 SHARJAH 534 CAIRO 671 DUBAI 787 JEDDAH 856 DUBAI 212 DEIREZZOR 117 NEW YORK 133 DOHA 56 DUBAI 302 ABU DHABI 602 SHIRAZ 773 RIYADH 741 DAMMAM 214 BAHRAIN 6802 AHWAZ 541 CAIRO 204 DUBAI 405 BEIRUT 501 BEIRUT 776 JEDDAH 623 SOHAG 103 LONDON 311 RAS ALKHAIMAH 785 JEDDAH 480 ISTANBUL 176 DUBAI 342 ALEPPO 220 BAHRAIN 6708 DUBAI 58 DUBAI 611 CAIRO 561 AMMAN 673 DUBAI 473 JEDDAH 677 MUSCAT 503 MADINAH 641 AMMAN 617 DOHA 786 RIYADH 135 DOHA 513 IMAM KHOMEINI 304 ABU DHABI 238 AMMAN 538 CAIRO 141 DOHA 858 DUBAI 216 BAHRAIN 134 BAHRAIN 128 SHARJAH 511 RIYADH 982 BAHRAIN 266 BEIRUT 228 DUBAI 64 DUBAI 621 ALEXANDRIA 184 DUBAI 361 COLOMBO 571 MUMBAI 62 DUBAI 283 DHAKA 351 KOCHI 648 MUSCAT 403 BEIRUT 222 BAHRAIN 502 LUXOR 171 BAHRAIN 417 DAMMAM 120 SHARJAH 308 ABU DHABI 860 DUBAI 102 DUBAI 343 CHENNAI 137 DOHA 301 MUMBAI 205 ISLAMABAD 373 BAHRAIN 554 ALEXANDRIA 147 DOHA 390 MANGALORE 3554 ALEXANDRIA 218 BAHRAIN 411 BANGKOK 415 KUALA LUMPUR 528 ASSIUT

Directorate General of Civil Aviation Home Page (www.kuwait-airport.com.kw)

Time 0:05 0:25 0:30 2:15 2:45 3:45 3:50 3:55 4:05 4:20 4:50 5:40 6:00 6:50 6:55 7:05 7:10 8:05 8:15 8:25 8:25 8:35 8:55 9:00 9:05 9:10 9:20 9:35 9:40 9:45 10:00 10:00 10:05 10:15 10:25 10:25 10:25 10:45 11:15 11:30 11:45 11:55 12:00 12:15 12:25 12:30 12:55 13:10 13:15 13:20 13:35 14:20 14:20 14:25 14:30 14:40 15:05 15:15 15:25 15:45 15:50 15:50 15:50 16:15 16:25 17:20 17:30 17:40 17:45 18:05 18:15 18:20 18:25 18:35 18:40 18:50 19:10 19:25 19:55 20:05 20:20 20:35 20:40 20:45 21:05 21:10 21:15 21:35 21:45 21:50 22:05 22:10 22:20 22:25 22:30 22:30 22:35 22:40 22:45 23:00 23:00 23:10 23:10 23:15 23:30 23:40 23:50 23:50

ACCOMMODATION Sharing accommodation available for one or two working ladies to share with other Filipina. Airport road, Khaitan, just one minute to all route bus stop. Contact: 60077068. (C 3950) 14-4-2012 A flat in Farwaniya air conditioned 2 bedrooms + 1 drawing room with 2 bathrooms, only Pakistani or Indian family. Rent KD 180.

Contact: 55321944. (C 3949) A room available for a single working class lady in a furnished 2-bedroom flat in Salmiya -close to Hadi hospital. Please call 66801355 Furnished room in apartment (for Pakistani or Indian decent bachelor) in Salmiya near City Center. Rent KD 65. Tel: 99959140. (C 3946) 11-4-2012 For decent bachelor (non smoking) or working ladies location: Amman street, opposite to Al Rashid hospital. Building no. 44 2nd floor, room no. 10. Contact: 66232356, 50223132.

(C 3945) 10-4-2012

CHANGE OF NAME Marali Surya Pujari holder of Indian Passport No: F1052862 has converted to Christianity with name of SURESH JOSEPH ARANHA, and shall be known here forth.

(C 3951) I, Abul Abdul Rehman Bongai holder of Indian Passport No: F8708599 hereby change my name to ANSAR ABDUL REHMAN BONGYA. (C 3952) I, Pushpa Boosey Tanaji holder of Indian Passport No: F5734663 have changed my name and hereafter be known by my new name FLORY JOHN HERMAN. (C 3953) 14-4-2012

SITUATION VACANT A family is looking to hire a cook for Arabian and Indian dishes. Contact: 99006777.

(C 3942) 9-4-2012

MATRIMONIAL Looking for young Pakistani Muslim girls age 23-28 for two Pakistani Muslim Hanafi, well established, drawing 500-1000 Kuwaiti Dinars. Marriage

can be arranged within the shortest possible time.

Please contact Email: mkamalazhar@gmail.com (C 3948) 12-4-2012 Australian man 50 years old Lebanese born just arrived in Kuwait, seeking alliance from a Kuwaiti lady single divorce widow ok, must be God fearing lady.

Contact dadogeorge@hotmail.com (C 3947) 11-4-2012 Marthomite parents in Kuwait, invite proposals for their daughter (27/160/Fair), B/B in Kuwait, Masters from UK, currently working in Bangalore as senior executive, from well qualified and employed MARTHOMA /CSI/ORTHODOX boys (preferably working in (USA/UK/AUSTRALIA/CANADA/KUWAIT/DUBAI). Email: thomaskw8@yahoo.com (C 3943) Pakistani parents Sunni Muslim in Kuwait invite proposals for their son (31/179/Fair) currently working in Kuwait. Email: wwxxyyzz123@live.com (C 3944) 10-4-2012

FOR SALE Eitcher half lorry model 2001 for sale. Contact: 50631577. (C 3937) 10-4-2012

SITUATION WANTED Diploma in Civil Engineering having 7 years experience in India, transferable residency no. 18, seeking suitable placement.

Can join immediately.

Please contact: 66242041.

Email: abrahamkjohn@rediffmail.com (C 3955) 15-4-2012

Hospitals Sabah Hospital

24812000

Amiri Hospital

22450005

Maternity Hospital

24843100

Mubarak Al-Kabir Hospital

25312700

Chest Hospital

24849400

Farwaniya Hospital

24892010

Adan Hospital

23940620

Ibn Sina Hospital

24840300

Al-Razi Hospital

24846000

Physiotherapy Hospital

24874330/9

Clinics Rabiya

24732263

Rawdha

22517733

Adailiya

22517144

Khaldiya

24848075

Khaifan

24849807

Shamiya

24848913

Shuwaikh

24814507

Abdullah Salim

22549134

Al-Nuzha

22526804

Industrial Shuwaikh

24814764

Al-Qadisiya

22515088

Dasmah

22532265

Bneid Al-Ghar

22531908

Al-Shaab

22518752

Al-Kibla

22459381

Ayoun Al-Kibla

22451082

Mirqab

22456536

Sharq

22465401

Salmiya

25746401

Jabriya

25316254

Maidan Hawally

25623444

Bayan

25388462

Math teacher for secondary stage, language schools, bilingual schools and intermediate stage: Algebra, Gmath, Geometry, Statistics for arts and science branches. Tel: 66974020.

Mishref

25381200

W.Hawally

22630786

Sabah

24810221

Jahra

24770319

New Jahra

24575755

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.

West Jahra

24772608

South Jahra

24775066

North Jahra

24775992

North Jleeb

24311795

Ardiya

24884079

Firdous

24892674

Al-Omariya

24719048

N.Khaitan

24710044

Fintas

3900322

TUITION

Arabic language teacher, masters in methods of teaching for secondary and intermediate students. Tel: 50644685.

SUNDAY, APRIL 15, 2012

Events around the world mark Titanic centenary LONDON: From Titanic’s birthplace in a Belfast shipyard to its resting place in the North Atlantic, thousands were gathering yesterday to remember the cruise ship that embarked on its maiden voyage as an icon of Edwardian luxury but became, in a few dark hours 100 years ago, an enduring emblem of tragedy.

The ship was traveling from England to New York, carrying everyone from plutocrats to penniless emigrants, when it struck an iceberg at 11:40 pm on April 14, 1912. It sank at 2:20 am on April 15, with the loss of more than 1,500 of the 2,208 passengers and crew.

Aboard the Balmoral, a cruise ship that is taking 1,309 history buffs and descendants of Titanic victims on the route of the doomed voyage, passengers and crew were to hold two memorial services at the site of the disaster, 640 km off the coast of Newfoundland one marking the time when the ship hit the iceberg, the other the moment it sank below the waves. A minister will lead prayers, floral wreaths will be thrown into the sea and a shipboard band, which has been entertaining guests in the evenings during the cruise, will play “Nearer My God To Thee”, the tune the Titanic’s band kept up as the vessel went down.

The Rev Huw Mosford, who will lead the prayers, said he hoped the service would be uplifting. “It will bring healing, it will bring some form of closure, perhaps - but I think it will also bring hope,” he told the BBC. The cruise seeks to recreate the experience onboard the Titanic - minus the disaster. Many passengers have dressed in period costume for elaborate balls and a formal dinner recreating the last meal

Passengers in costumes pose for a group picture following a reception at the MS Balmoral Titanic memorial cruise ship in the Atlantic Ocean on Friday. — AP

served aboard the ship. Another cruise ship, Journey, left New York on Tuesday and was to join Balmoral at the site.

In Belfast, Northern Ireland, where Titanic was built - pride of the Harland & Wolff shipyard - thousands were to attend a choral requiem at the Anglican St Anne’s Cathedral or a nationally televised concert at the city’s Waterfront Hall yesterday. The concert will feature performances by Bryan Ferry and soul singer Joss Stone, as well as 100 drummers beating out a new percussion work, “Titanic Drums.”

Actors including Kenneth Branagh, Simon Callow and Imelda Stanton were to read from contemporary accounts of the disaster.

At the cathedral, the performance of composer Philip Hammond’s “The Requiem for the Lost Souls of the Titanic” was to be followed by a torch-lit procession to the Titanic Memorial in the grounds of Belfast city hall. In the ship’s departure port of Southampton, England, an orchestra will play composer Gavin Bryars’ work “The Sinking of the Titanic”. Other events were planned over the weekend from Houston, Texas to Halifax, Nova Scotia - where more than 100 victims of the tragedy are buried.

The centenary of the disaster has been marked with a global outpouring of commemoration and commerce. Events have ranged from the opening of a glossy new tourist attraction telling the ship’s story in Belfast to a 3-D rerelease of James Cameron’s 1997 romantic weepie “Titanic”, which awakened a new generation’s interest in the disaster. — AP

SUNDAY, APRIL 15, 2012

TV PROGRAMS

00:45 Untamed & Uncut 01:40 Killer Whales 02:35 Deep Into The Wild With Nick Baker 03:00 Baboons With Bill Bailey 03:30 Animal Planet’s Most Outrageous 04:25 Great Ocean Adventures 05:20 Escape To Chimp Eden 05:45 In Too Deep 06:10 Animal Cops Philadelphia 07:00 Gorilla School 07:25 Crocodile Hunter 08:15 The Jeff Corwin Experience 09:10 Baby Planet 10:05 The Really Wild Show 10:30 The Really Wild Show 11:00 Chris Humfrey’s Wildlife 11:25 Bondi Vet 11:55 Dogs 101 12:50 Speed Of Life 13:45 Speed Of Life 14:40 Wildlife SOS 15:05 Wildlife SOS 15:35 Must Love Cats 16:30 Wild Animal Orphans 16:55 Wild Animal Orphans 17:25 Big Five Challenge 18:20 Venom Hunter With Donald Schultz 19:15 Untamed China With Nigel Marven 20:10 Weird Creatures With Nick Baker 21:05 Austin Stevens Adventures 22:00 Planet Earth 22:55 The Beauty Of Snakes 23:50 Animal Cops Philadelphia

00:15 00:40 01:30 02:20 03:15 04:00 04:45 05:30 06:15 07:00 13:05 13:30 14:20 15:10 16:00 16:25 16:50 17:40 18:30 19:20 20:10 21:00 21:50 22:40 23:30

Diy SOS Holmes On Homes What Not To Wear What Not To Wear Coleen’s Real Women Bargain Hunt Bargain Hunt Bargain Hunt Bargain Hunt MasterChef Australia MasterChef Australia 10 Years Younger Gok’s Fashion Fix Gok’s Fashion Fix Diy SOS Diy SOS Holmes On Homes Holmes On Homes What Not To Wear Gok’s Fashion Fix Gok’s Fashion Fix Holmes On Homes Holmes On Homes 10 Years Younger Gok’s Fashion Fix

00:00 BBC World News 00:10 Mark Zuckerberg: Inside Facebook 01:00 BBC World News 01:30 Middle East Business Report 02:00 BBC World News 02:10 World Features 02:30 Our World 03:00 BBC World News 03:10 World Features 03:30 Spirit Of Golf 04:00 BBC World News 04:30 Dateline London 05:00 BBC World News 05:10 Mark Zuckerberg: Inside Facebook 06:00 BBC World News 06:30 Click 07:00 BBC World News 07:30 Newsnight 08:00 BBC World News 08:30 India Business Report 09:00 BBC World News 09:30 Fast Track 10:00 BBC World News 10:10 World Features 10:30 Spirit Of Golf 11:00 BBC World News

11:10 World Features 11:30 Dateline London 12:00 BBC World News 12:10 My Country 13:00 BBC World News 13:10 World Features 13:30 The Culture Show 14:00 BBC World News 14:30 Newsnight 15:00 BBC World News 15:10 World Features 15:30 World Olympic Dreams 16:00 BBC World News 16:15 Sport Today 16:30 Click 17:00 BBC World News 17:30 Horizons 18:00 BBC World News 18:10 Mark Zuckerberg: Inside Facebook 19:00 BBC World News 19:30 India Business Report 20:00 BBC World News 20:30 World Olympic Dreams 21:00 Sports World Have Your Say 21:30 Sports World Have Your Say 22:00 BBC World News 22:30 Spirit Of Golf 23:00 BBC World News 23:10 World Features 23:30 Horizons

00:00 00:30 01:00 01:30 02:00 02:30 03:00 03:15 03:30 04:00 05:00 06:00 06:30 07:00 07:30 08:00 08:15 08:30 09:00 09:15 09:30 10:00 10:30 11:00 11:30 12:00 12:30 13:00 14:00 14:30 15:00 16:00 17:00 17:30 18:00 18:15 18:30 18:45 19:00 19:30 20:00 20:30 21:00 21:30 22:00 23:00 23:30

Mainsail World Sport World Report Talk Asia World Report World Report This Week CNN Marketplace Europe CNN Marketplace Africa The Brief CNN Presents CNN Newsroom Business Traveller Inside Africa World Sport Inside The Middle East World Report CNN Marketplace Middle East Talk Asia World Report CNN Marketplace Europe Eco Solutions World Sport Living Golf African Voices The Brief World Report News Special CNN Presents World Report Cnngo Fareed Zakaria Gps State Of The Union International Desk Inside Africa Global Exchange CNN Marketplace Africa Global Exchange CNN Marketplace Middle East World Sport Mainsail International Desk African Voices International Desk Inside The Middle East Fareed Zakaria Gps World Report News Special

00:40 Behind Bars 01:35 Mobster Confessions 02:05 Destroyed In Seconds 02:30 How It’s Made 03:00 How Do They Do It? 03:25 How It’s Made 03:55 How Stuff’s Made 04:20 How It’s Made 04:50 How Stuff’s Made 05:15 How It’s Made 05:40 How Stuff’s Made 06:05 How It’s Made 06:35 How Stuff’s Made 07:00 How Stuff’s Made 07:25 American Chopper: Senior vs Junior 08:15 Desert Car Kings

09:10 10:05 11:50 12:20 14:10 14:35 16:25 16:55 18:45 19:10 20:05 21:00 21:55 22:50 23:20 23:45

World’s Toughest Tools How It’s Made How It’s Made Border Security Border Security Auction Kings Auction Kings Cake Boss Cake Boss Penn & Teller Tell A Lie Dynamo: Magician Impossible Mythbusters Igenius Carfellas Carfellas Carfellas

00:35 Bad Universe 01:25 The Tech Show 01:50 Sci-Trek 05:15 Sci-Trek 06:10 Eco-Tech 07:00 Head Rush 07:03 Sci-Fi Science 07:30 Weird Connections 08:00 Mean Green Machines 08:25 Mean Green Machines 08:55 Smash Lab 09:45 Catch It Keep It 10:35 Sci-Trek 13:55 Sci-Trek 14:45 Head Rush 14:48 Sci-Fi Science 15:15 Weird Connections 15:45 The Tech Show 16:10 Mean Green Machines 16:35 Mean Green Machines 17:00 Through The Wormhole With Morgan Freeman 17:50 Sci-Fi Saved My Life 18:40 Robocar 19:30 Robocar 20:20 Mega World 21:10 Futurecar 22:00 Robocar 22:50 Robocar 23:40 Weird Or What?

00:15 Replacements 00:40 Replacements 01:05 Fairly Odd Parents 01:30 Fairly Odd Parents 01:55 A Kind Of Magic 02:20 A Kind Of Magic 02:45 Stitch 03:10 Stitch 03:35 Replacements 04:00 Replacements 04:25 Fairly Odd Parents 04:50 Fairly Odd Parents 05:15 A Kind Of Magic 05:35 A Kind Of Magic 06:00 Mickey Mouse Clubhouse 06:25 Jake & The Neverland Pirates 06:40 The Suite Life Of Zack And Cody 07:05 So Random 07:30 Phineas And Ferb 07:55 Wizards Of Waverly Place 08:20 Good Luck Charlie 08:45 Wizards Of Waverly Place 10:00 Wizards Of Waverly Place 10:25 Wizards Of Waverly Place The Movie 11:55 Phineas And Ferb 12:05 Fish Hooks 12:25 Have A Laugh 12:30 Shake It Up 12:55 Good Luck Charlie 13:20 A.N.T. Farm 13:45 Recess 14:10 Suite Life On Deck 14:35 Wizards Of Waverly Place 15:00 So Random 15:25 Phineas And Ferb 15:50 Shake It Up 16:15 So Random 16:40 So Random 17:05 So Random 17:30 Twitches Too 18:50 Phineas And Ferb 19:00 Have A Laugh 19:10 So Random 19:35 Wizards Of Waverly Place 20:00 Jessie 20:25 Good Luck Charlie

20:50 Shake It Up 21:15 Wizards Of Waverly Place The Movie 22:40 Phineas And Ferb 22:55 Fish Hooks 23:20 The Suite Life Of Zack And Cody 23:45 Sonny With A Chance

06:00 Kid vs Kat 06:20 American Dragon 06:45 Rekkit Rabbit 07:10 Pokemon: Black And White 07:35 Phineas And Ferb 07:45 Phineas And Ferb 08:00 Kick Buttowski 08:20 Phineas And Ferb 08:45 Phineas And Ferb 09:00 Mr. Young 09:30 Iron Man Armored Adventures 10:00 Kickin It 10:30 Scaredy Squirrel 10:55 Zeke & Luther 11:20 I’m In The Band 11:45 Phineas And Ferb 12:10 Rekkit Rabbit 12:35 Pair Of Kings 13:00 Phineas And Ferb 14:20 Phineas And Ferb 14:35 Phineas And Ferb 15:00 Iron Man Armored Adventures 15:25 Timon And Pumbaa 15:50 Pair Of Kings 16:15 The Avengers: Earths Mightiest Heroes 16:40 Zeke & Luther 17:05 Mr. Young 17:30 I’m In The Band 17:55 Rated A For Awesome 18:20 Kickin It 18:45 Iron Man Armored Adventures 19:10 Phineas And Ferb 19:35 Phineas And Ferb 19:45 Phineas And Ferb 20:00 Rekkit Rabbit 20:25 Zeke & Luther 20:50 I’m In The Band 21:15 Pair Of Kings 21:40 Phineas And Ferb 22:05 The Avengers: Earths Mightiest Heroes 22:30 Kid vs Kat 23:00 Programmes Start At 6:00am KSA

00:25 Kendra 00:55 Style Star 01:25 THS 02:20 15 Most Infamous Child Star Mugshots 04:10 Sexiest 05:05 Then And Now 05:30 Then And Now 06:00 THS 07:50 Behind The Scenes 08:20 E! News 09:15 Extreme Close-Up 09:45 Extreme Close-Up 10:15 E!es 11:10 Ice Loves Coco 11:40 Ice Loves Coco 12:05 E! News 13:05 Style Star 13:35 Style Star 14:05 Keeping Up With The Kardashians 14:35 Keeping Up With The Kardashians 15:00 Kourtney & Kim Take New York 15:55 Kourtney & Kim Take New York 16:55 Behind The Scenes 17:25 Behind The Scenes 17:55 E! News 18:55 Scouted 19:55 Kendra 20:25 Ice Loves Coco 20:55 Khloe And Lamar 21:25 Khloe And Lamar 21:55 Ice Loves Coco 22:25 Fashion Police 23:25 Chelsea Lately 23:55 Keeping Up With The Kardashians

00:15 01:30 02:20 04:00 04:50 05:40 06:30 2008 07:00 2008 07:30 2008 08:00 09:40 10:30 11:20 13:00 13:50 14:15 14:40 16:45 17:10 17:35 18:00 18:25 18:50 19:40 20:30 21:20 21:45 22:10 22:35 23:00 23:25 23:50

COACH CARTER ON OSN ACTION HD

Aiya TV M1 Selection 2010 Cowboy U Carpocalypse Summer Dew Tour 2011 Summer Dew Tour 2011 Ride Guide Mountainbike Ride Guide Mountainbike Ride Guide Mountainbike Ticket To Ride 2010/11 Winter Dew Tour 09/10 Winter Dew Tour 09/10 Summer Dew Tour 2011 I’ll Do Anything Dragrace High Dragrace High Featured Featured Man’s Work Man’s Work Dragrace High Dragrace High Summer Dew Tour 2011 Summer Dew Tour 2011 I’ll Do Anything Ed’s Up Ed’s Up Dragrace High Dragrace High Man’s Work Man’s Work Aiya TV

00:05 Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives 00:30 Kid In A Candy Store 00:55 Iron Chef America 01:45 Food Network Challenge 02:35 Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives 03:00 Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives 03:25 Luke Nguyen’s Vietnam 03:50 Luke Nguyen’s Vietnam 04:15 Dessert First With Anne Thornton 04:40 Good Eats 05:05 Luke Nguyen’s Vietnam

05:30 Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives 05:50 Food Network Challenge 06:35 Barefoot Contessa 07:00 Food Network Challenge 07:50 World Cafe Asia 08:15 Barefoot Contessa 08:40 Good Eats 09:05 Dessert First With Anne Thornton 09:30 Paula’s Best Dishes 09:55 Luke Nguyen’s Vietnam 10:20 Lidia’s Italy 10:45 Reza, Spice Prince Of India 11:10 Unwrapped 11:35 Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives 12:00 Food Network Challenge 12:50 Aarti Party 13:15 Cooking For Real 13:40 Barefoot Contessa 14:05 Dessert First With Anne Thornton 14:30 Kid In A Candy Store 14:55 Paula’s Best Dishes 15:20 Meat & Potatoes 15:45 Iron Chef America 16:35 Cooking For Real 17:00 Barefoot Contessa 17:25 Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives 17:50 Aarti Party 18:15 Luke Nguyen’s Vietnam 18:40 Dessert First With Anne Thornton 19:05 Kid In A Candy Store 19:30 Food Network Challenge 20:20 Iron Chef America 21:10 Restaurant: Impossible 22:00 Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives 22:25 Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives 22:50 Barefoot Contessa - Back To Basics 23:15 Barefoot Contessa - Back To Basics 23:40 Meat & Potatoes

00:30 01:20 02:05 02:55 03:45 04:30 05:20 06:10 07:00 07:50 08:40 09:30 09:55 10:20 11:10 12:00 12:50 13:40 14:30 14:55 15:20 16:10 17:00 17:50 18:40 19:05 19:55 20:20 21:10 22:00 22:50 23:40

A Haunting Ghost Lab The Haunted A Haunting A Haunting On The Case With Paula Zahn Mystery Diagnosis Disappeared FBI Files Murder Shift Mystery Diagnosis Real Emergency Calls Mall Cops – Mall Of America On The Case With Paula Zahn Disappeared FBI Files Murder Shift Mystery Diagnosis Real Emergency Calls Mall Cops – Mall Of America On The Case With Paula Zahn Disappeared FBI Files Murder Shift Real Emergency Calls Mystery ER Mall Cops – Mall Of America On The Case With Paula Zahn Disappeared Behind Mansion Walls LA: City Of Demons Scorned: Crimes Of Passion

00:00 01:00 01:30 02:00 03:00 04:00 05:00 06:00 07:00 07:30 08:00 09:00 10:00 11:00 12:00 13:00 14:00 14:30 15:00 15:30 16:30 17:30 18:00 19:00 20:00 20:30 21:00 21:30 22:30 23:30

Departures The Best Job In The World Madventures Departures Nomads City Chase: Argentina Don’t Tell My Mother Departures The Best Job In The World Madventures Departures Nomads City Chase: Argentina Don’t Tell My Mother Departures Meet The Natives Food School One Man & His Campervan Bondi Rescue Extreme Tourist Afghanistan Danger Men Naked Lentil

By Any Means Meet The Natives Food School One Man & His Campervan Bondi Rescue Extreme Tourist Afghanistan Danger Men Naked Lentil

00:00 01:00 01:30 02:00 03:00 04:00 05:00 06:00 07:00 07:30 08:00 09:00 10:00 11:00 12:00 13:00 14:00 14:30 15:00 15:30 16:30 17:30 18:00 19:00 20:00 20:30 21:00 21:30 22:30 23:30

01:35 03:15 04:40 06:20 07:45 10:05 11:45 13:25 14:55 16:50

Departures The Best Job In The World Madventures Departures Nomads City Chase: Argentina Don’t Tell My Mother Departures The Best Job In The World Madventures Departures Nomads City Chase: Argentina Don’t Tell My Mother Departures Meet The Natives Food School One Man & His Campervan Bondi Rescue Extreme Tourist Afghanistan Danger Men Naked Lentil

By Any Means Meet The Natives Food School One Man & His Campervan Bondi Rescue Extreme Tourist Afghanistan Danger Men Naked Lentil

Welcome To L.A.-18 Gothic Angel Of Desire-18 Dying To Dance Avanti-PG Hercules-PG One Summer Love-PG Vera Cruz-PG Comes A Horseman-PG Mgm’s Big Screen-FAM

FASTER ON OSN CINEMA 17:05 18:45 20:25 22:00 23:55

High Tide-PG Big Stickup At Brink’s-PG Some Girls-PG Platoon-18 Coming Home-18

00:00 Across The Hall-PG15 02:00 Monsters-PG15 04:00 League Of Extrordinary Gentlemen-PG15 06:00 Top Gun-PG15 08:00 Snake In The Eagle’s ShadowPG15 10:00 True Justice: Deadly CrossingPG15 12:00 Flight Of The Phoenix-PG15 14:00 Snake In The Eagle’s ShadowPG15 15:45 Coach Carter-PG15 18:00 Flight Of The Phoenix-PG15 20:00 The Killer Inside Me-18 22:00 30 Days Of Night: Dark Days-18

01:00 Black Death-PG15 03:00 Cars 2-FAM 05:00 Arthur And The Revenge Of Maltazard-PG 07:00 Miles From Nowhere-PG15 09:00 Ramona And Beezus-PG 11:00 Cars 2-FAM 13:00 Arthur And The Revenge Of Maltazard-PG 15:00 Prom-PG15 17:00 Ramona And Beezus-PG 19:00 The Social Network-PG15 21:15 Faster-PG15 23:00 Tamara Drewe-PG15

00:30 The Daily Show With Jon Stewart 01:00 The Colbert Report 01:30 Saturday Night Live 03:00 Parks And Recreation 03:30 2 Broke Girls 04:00 The Simpsons 04:30 The Tonight Show With Jay Leno 05:30 Tyler Perry’s House Of Payne 06:00 Weird Science 06:30 How I Met Your Mother 07:00 Late Night With Jimmy Fallon 08:00 The Simpsons 08:30 Parks And Recreation 09:00 Tyler Perry’s House Of Payne 09:30 The Office 10:00 Man Up! 10:30 How I Met Your Mother 11:00 The Tonight Show With Jay Leno 12:00 Weird Science 12:30 The Simpsons 13:00 Tyler Perry’s House Of Payne 13:30 How I Met Your Mother 14:00 2 Broke Girls 14:30 Man Up! 15:00 The Office 15:30 The Daily Show With Jon Stewart 16:30 Weird Science 17:00 Late Night With Jimmy Fallon 18:00 Friends With Benefits 18:30 10 Items Or Less 19:00 Raising Hope 19:30 Modern Family 20:00 Whitney 21:00 The Daily Show With Jon Stewart 21:30 The Colbert Report 22:00 Saturday Night Live Syndicated 23:00 It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia 23:30 Whitney

00:00 01:00 02:00 03:00 04:00 05:00 06:00 07:00 08:00 08:30 09:00 10:00 11:00 12:00

Criminal Minds Sons Of Anarchy Top Gear (UK) Warehouse 13 True Blood The View Live Good Morning America The Protector Emmerdale Coronation Street The Ellen DeGeneres Show The Martha Stewart Show The View Criminal Minds

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Warehouse 13 Top Gear (UK) Live Good Morning America The Protector The Ellen DeGeneres Show Emmerdale Coronation Street Body Of Proof Unforgettable Missing True Blood

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Bones Top Gear (UK) Criminal Minds Sons Of Anarchy Warehouse 13 Burn Notice Bones Emmerdale Coronation Street Surface Top Gear (UK) Criminal Minds Warehouse 13 Emmerdale Coronation Street The Ellen DeGeneres Show Surface Bones Emmerdale Coronation Street The Ellen DeGeneres Show Surface Body Of Proof Unforgettable Missing The Killing

01:00 Empire-18 03:00 League Of Extrordinary Gentlemen-PG15 05:00 Jason X-18 07:00 The Front-PG15 09:00 Ip Man-PG15 11:00 Salt-PG15 13:00 Tracker-PG15 15:00 Ip Man-PG15 17:00 Attack On Leningrad-PG15 19:00 Wild Bill-PG15 21:00 Shutter Island-18 23:15 2:22-18

00:00 Head Over Heels-PG15 02:00 Pete Smalls Is Dead-18 04:00 12 Men Of Christmas-PG15 06:00 The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie-PG 08:00 Bubble Boy-PG15 10:00 Finding Lenny-PG15 12:00 Vice Versa-PG 14:00 Like Mike-PG 16:00 Head Over Heels-PG15 18:00 Bob Roberts-PG15 20:00 Tomcats-18 22:00 Beavis And Butt-Head Do America-PG15

01:30 03:15 05:30 07:30 09:30 11:00 13:00 15:15 17:00 19:00 21:00 23:15

The Gray Man-PG15 Ghost-PG15 Mr. Jones-PG15 Khao Niao Moo Ping-PG15 9-PG Mr. Jones-PG15 The Sting-PG Greener Mountains-PG Soapdish-PG My Enemy’s Enemy-PG15 Random Hearts-18 Body Of Evidence-U

01:00 Drag Me To Hell-18 03:00 That’s What I Am-PG15 05:00 The Open Road-PG15 07:00 Unanswered Prayers-PG15 09:00 Another Year-PG15 11:15 A Soldier’s Love Story-PG15 13:00 Elle: A Modern Cinderella Tale-PG15 15:00 Soul Surfer-PG15 16:45 Another Year-PG15 19:00 Zookeeper-PG15 21:00 Biutiful-18 23:30 Spread-PG15

00:00 Live PBS Newshour 01:00 ABC World News Now With David Muir 01:30 Live NBC Nightly News (SatSun) 02:00 ABC World News Now With David Muir 02:30 Live NBC Nightly News (SatSun) 03:00 Live NBC Saturday Today Show 05:00 Live ABC 20/20 06:00 ABC World News Now With David Muir 06:30 Live NBC Nightly News (SatSun) 07:00 ABC World News Now With David Muir 08:00 Live PBS Newshour 09:00 ABC World News Now With David Muir 09:30 Live NBC Nightly News (SatSun) 10:00 MSNBC The Dylan Ratigan Show 11:00 MSNBC Hardball W/ Chris Matthews 12:00 MSNBC The Ed Show 14:00 MSNBC Hardball Weekend 14:30 MSNBC Your Business 15:00 Live NBC Sunday Today Show 16:00 Live NBC Meet The Press 17:00 ABC This Week With G Stephanopoulos 18:00 MSNBC Melissa Harris-Perry 19:00 Live NBC Meet The Press 20:00 ABC This Week With G Stephanopoulos 21:00 MSNBC Hardball W/ Chris Matthews 23:00 MSNBC The Rachel Maddow Show

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UFC The Ultimate Fighter Super Rugby Super Rugby Volvo Ocean Race Super Rugby WWE Smackdown Super Rugby Live Scottish FA Cup UFC Prelims UFC UFC The Ultimate Fighter

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Super Rugby Trans World Sport Futbol Mundial Premier League Darts Live NRL Premiership Total Rugby Pro 12 Celtic League Mobil 1 The Grid SPL Highlights Scottish FA Cup Futbol Mundial Live Rugby League Challenge

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European PGA Tour Pro 12 Celtic League Live European PGA Tour Scottish FA Cup NRL Premiership Asian Tour Golf Show European PGA Tour Scottish FA Cup AFL Premiership

01:00 02:00 04:00 05:00 06:00 07:00 08:00 11:00 12:00 12:30 14:30 15:00 17:00 18:00 19:00 20:00 23:00

UFC The Ultimate Fighter WWE SmackDown WWE Bottom Line UFC Unleashed UFC The Ultimate Fighter WWE Bottom Line Live AFL Premiership WWE Experience WWE This Week V8 Supercars Highlights V8 Supercars Extra WWE SmackDown WWE Experience WWE Bottom Line UFC Prelims UFC WWE SmackDown

AFL Premiership NRL Premiership Rugby League Challenge Cup

35

SUNDAY, APRIL 15, 2012

stars CROSSWORD 648

STAR TRACK

CALVIN & HOBBES

Aries (March 21-April 19) Your energy is high and you feel vital today. Others can feel this, so they in turn are drawn to you, making this a successful and fun day for any kind of group endeavor. Make sure both your expectations and abilities are realistic before diving into something you may not be able to get out of without harm or embarrassment today. This is a good time to follow someone’s lead in a family project—your help will be greatly appreciated. This could mean providing a truck to help someone move or babysitting so relatives can celebrate an anniversary. Your uniqueness is unusually keen at this time and you will bring forth many smiles from others. If you are not otherwise occupied—tonight is a wonderful time for a date, to be married or to be in love.

Taurus (April 20-May 20) Today you may feel that you are stuck in a rut and everyone is conspiring to keep you there. Take another look! It just could be that your self-discipline has become a little lax and you are not giving your plans the extra push necessary for success. If you give your best effort now, considerable progress can be achieved in whatever you want to attempt. If you have made a commitment to someone else, make that extra push to complete the task. You should, however, be careful of bending over backwards just to please someone. You may feel yourself being used if you do not set a time limit to your services. Whether you realize it or not—you are the one in charge of you. Leisure activities with a loved one this evening brings much harmony.

POOCH CAFE ACROSS 1. A federally chartered savings bank.

4. The 2nd longest European river.

10. A bachelor's degree in theology.

13. A Nilotic language.

14. Any of numerous ornamental shrubs grown for their showy flowers of various colors.

15. The seed of the cereal grass.

16. Muslim name for God. 18. United States composer noted for his innovative use of polytonality (1874-1954).

19. The month following March and preceding May. 20. Any of numerous local fertility and nature deities worshipped by ancient Semitic peoples.

22. Unable to relax or be still.

24. In bed.

26. Relating to or accompanying birth.

27. A shot in billiards made by hitting the cue ball with the cue held nearly vertically.

31. A rare silvery (usually trivalent) metallic element.

32. The elementary stages of any subject (usually plural).

36. Rock that in its molten form (as magma) issues from volcanos.

40. A collection of objects laid on top of each other.

42. A Chadic language spoken south of Lake Chad.

43. Someone who is morally reprehensible.

44. Primitive chlorophyll-containing mainly aquatic eukaryotic organisms lacking true stems and roots and leaves.

45. Wet spongy ground of decomposing vegetation.

48. Being one hundred more than three hundred.

49. Kamarupan languages spoken in northeastern India and western Burma.

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

54. German mathematician (1804-1851).

58. A short labored intake of breath with the mouth open.

61. Surpassing the ordinary especially in size or scale.

62. Stem of the rattan palm used for making canes and umbrella handles.

65. United States writer noted for his droll epigrams (19021971).

66. An ancient city in northern Portugal.

68. A compartment in front of a motor vehicle where driver sits.

69. Type genus of the family Arcidae.

70. Wood of a sumac.

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

DOWN 1. Loose or flaccid body fat.

2. Type genus of the Sulidae.

3. A cord fastened around the neck with an ornamental clasp and worn as a necktie.

4. The longer of the two telegraphic signals used in Morse code.

5. The azimuth of a celestial body is the angle between the vertical plane containing it and the plane of the meridian.

6. Submerged aquatic plant having narrow leaves and small flowers.

7. Type genus of the family Ulvaceae.

8. Any of numerous hairy-bodied insects including social and solitary species.

9. A change for the better.

10. An extended area of land.

11. Any of the threadlike filaments forming the mycelium of a fungus.

12. The chief source of beryllium.

17. By bad luck.

21. That is to say.

23. An official language of the Republic of South Africa.

25. A light strong brittle gray toxic bivalent metallic element.

28. Norwegian mathematician (1802-1829).

29. A narcotic that is considered a hard drug.

30. Feline mammal usually having thick soft fur and being unable to roar.

33. A small pellet fired from an air rifle or BB gun.

34. A Tibetan or Mongolian priest of Lamaism.

35. A small cake leavened with yeast.

37. A radioactive element of the actinide series.

38. British informal term.

39. A condition (mostly in boys) characterized by behavioral and learning disorders.

41. Fudge made with brown sugar and butter and milk and nuts.

42. The longer of the two telegraphic signals used in Morse code.

46. A midwestern state in north central United States in the Great Lakes region.

47. Mentally or physically infirm with age.

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

51. United States chemist (1839-1903).

53. An indehiscent fruit derived from a single ovary having one or many seeds within a fleshy wall or pericarp.

55. South American armadillo with three bands of bony plates.

56. (computer science) A kind of computer architecture that has a large number of instructions hard coded into the cpu chip.

57. (Islam) The man who leads prayers in a mosque.

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

60. A metabolic acid found in yeast and liver cells.

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

64. Resinlike substance secreted by certain lac insects.

67. A rare polyvalent metallic element of the platinum group.

Yesterday’s Solution

Gemini (May 21-June 20) Your feelings may be tied to a rather short fuse today. All that energy could explode in your face! If you have dealt with your feelings in the past and understand your emotional nature, then today could bring valuable insights that may help cut through some pesky problems in an ongoing venture.

Research interests you and if the library is open today, you might enjoy spending time in research. The family tree, or research for a book you want to write, might prove to be a lot of fun. You should experience all the benefits of this most powerful planet today—you are influenced and encouraged by your surrounding. Your creative juices are flowing and your intuition is enhanced. This is the perfect time to work on your long- or short-term goals.

Cancer (June 21-July 22)

NON SEQUITUR

Procrastination is not all bad. Sometimes an extra push on the throttle just floods the engine or spins the wheels. A good plan of action will emerge soon. A very expressive cycle of experience has begun for you now.

More than ever, you want to be admired and appreciated by others—to do and create things that stir the heart. This is child’s play; this is romance; this is taking a chance.

Mental inspiration from others is a pathway for you right now. It is a good idea to make every effort to cooperate and compromise with others. A project you are working on or helping others to work on should, therefore, be a great success. You are obliging to loved ones today. Your ability to perceive others’ thoughts and feelings may bring you unexpected rewards.

Leo (July 23-August 22) Exchanging information takes on an emotional significance for you now. Being more involved with neighbors or sibling(s) satisfies a deep emotional need. Shopping this afternoon, you may feel you want to buy everything in sight. Everything is seen as precious and may become quite tempting. You may find someone close to you understands what you are looking for and can help you make wise decisions. You could come up with new solutions or inventions. This is a good time to try and foster a sense of togetherness among family members, and you should try hard at this time to squelch the desire to do everything by yourself.

Your disposition is open and welcome to all you meet. Relating with old chums is pleasant tonight.

ZITS

Virgo (August 23-September 22) A fascination with the mysterious may be reawakened within you today. Going beyond just finding a good novel or movie, you may be drawn toward the serious study of some occult subject at this time.

Your relationships are harmonious. Physical activity, like sports or games among friends, is recommended now. You are in tune with your needs and the needs of friends and family now. Sympathy and understanding for loved ones is heightened. Don’t be surprised if everyone comes to you for help! Changes at home should be undertaken in order to secure your peace of mind. This is a fine time to solidify existing friendships while gaining the affection of acquaintances. Seize the chance when it comes!

Libra (September 23-October 22)

MOTHER GOOSE AND GRIMM

This is a good day to weed the garden, clean up your desk or wash the car. Stick to routine tasks and avoid starting new projects or moving into new directions. You could wind up going in circles! Your creative intellect and your communication skills are enhanced. You may feel a renewed interest in art, literature and nature. Your eloquence today will strengthen your influence over others. You are apt to spend a considerable amount of time and effort to improve finances—principally through physical or manual activity. This is a time when the desire for material success and considerable financial gain is great, though you may be reckless through gambling or speculation in handling newfound finances. This evening is a good time for love.

Scorpio (October 23-November 21) In your hunger for emotional excitement, you may be seeking out new and different kinds of people or new and different kinds of places to spend the day or evening. If you deal with groups, you will probably be advocating sweeping changes. Just do not become involved in any project that may require a follow-through. You reap what you sow, thus working hard now will most likely pay off with many good times with friends and family in the future. You have a deep desire to succeed and accomplish much. If you are not working in a place of business, people that are looking for you could find you involved in some community affair. Social activities that take place at this time should be both well-attended and successful.

Sagittarius (November 22-December 21) Indulge your curiosity because today your imagination and creativity are at their best. New ideas are easily understood and bring interesting and exciting rewards. Make the most of this exciting day. A common interest in spiritual and mystical values among family members may occur at this time. You have a desire to accomplish much today and may find yourself looking around to choose one or two of the many things you said you would accomplish if you had the time. Now is a favorable time to work with friends or a family member on a project.

You may get to know them a lot better without even really trying. Relations with a spouse or friend are on solid ground. Expressing affection comes and can does much for your disposition.

Capricorn (December 22-January 19)

To

This rare period indicates a time span when fundamental beliefs about your position in society and responsibilities as an adult are seriously examined. You may decide that now is the time to dedicate some time to the community in some form of service or perhaps politics. This is a time when you may question your position in life and work. The time is ripe now for some sudden and unexpected change. You may experience a change of scenery in your living arrangements. Perhaps a long trip is planned. You might think about working out of your home or taking in a border. Take a break from all these possibilities and enjoy the evening. Communication comes easily and you are successful with a family member that at one time seemed quite remote.

Yesterday’s Solution Yester

Aquarius (January 20- February 18) Now is a time to be practical in personal decisions about finances. You expend great zest in moneymaking efforts and are cautious to the type of activities in which you engage yourself. Mostly, though, you set examples for others to learn to keep life simple and enjoy one day at a time. There are opportunities now for you to pull in some extra money with a temporary job. Your mental faculties are enlivened, making you readily receptive to all thoughts that impinge upon you. It’s best to rely on facts rather than feelings for now, especially when an expensive mistake might occur. Parental instincts may come to center stage now. You make every effort to appease any discordance in the home today. A movie with a friend is in order this evening.

Pisces (February 19-March 20)

Word Sleuth Solution

You may feel that you need a vacation from the outside world today. Somehow you just cannot stomach having to deal with people, being on display or putting up a front. You would be far more comfortable at home, surrounded by family and loved ones, where you can just be yourself. If you have to deal with someone today, meet in your own environment. You need the rest and relaxation, so be alone as much as you can. Careful, there are some powerful energies spilling into your life in unpredictable ways. The decisions and actions of today will have long-lasting effects. This is a time period in which you greatly desire peace and quiet in the family setting and will do everything you can to create that peaceful environment. Love is in full bloom.

36

SUNDAY, APRIL 15, 2012

lifestyle M U S I C

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M O V I E S

Kolkata Knight Riders team owner Shah Rukh Khan waves to the crowd during the IPL Twenty20 cricket match between Rajasthan Royals and Kolkata Knight Riders at The Sawai Mansingh stadium in Jaipur on April 8, 2012. —AFP

India fumes over Bollywood star’s US airport row I ndia has reacted sharply to Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan’s questioning by US airport immigration authorities, saying “detention and apology” have become a US habit. India lodged a diplomatic complaint after Khan said he was detained for over 90 minutes on Thursday when he landed at New York’s small White Plains airport on his way to deliver a speech at Yale University. “More than an apology will have to take place,” Minister of State for External Affairs Preneet Kaur was quoted as saying in New Delhi by the semi-official Press Trust of India yesterday. The United States has apologized and denied allegations that Khan was singled out because of his Muslim name after the star jetted in on a private plane.

Other passengers on the flight were cleared but Khan was only allowed to proceed after the Indian Consulate intervened. Khan was also detained for more than two hours in 2009 at Newark airport outside New York, sparking a similar Indian outcry and a US apology. “Detention and apology” have become a habit with the United States and cannot continue, External Affairs Minister S.M. Krishna said in Moscow, the Press Trust of India reported. “A repeated problem for the same person followed by clearance on account of (Indian) consulate intervention and a mechanical apology is not adequate,” the news agency quoted Krishna, who was in Moscow for official talks, as saying, The 46-year-old actor, one of the most popular

95 years after film, Tarzan returns to LA jungle he echoing cry of Tarzan, King of the Apes, rang out this past weekend in the coastal Louisiana oil town of Morgan City.

The Tarzan Festival started with a proclamation by Gov. Bobby Jindal. Author Edgar Rice Burroughs’ tale of the boy who grew up to be king of the jungle was first published 100 years ago, and the first movie version was shot in Morgan City in 1917.

It was a silent film that earned $1 million - startling by standards of the day. The festival will include a Tarzan yell contest, a Tarzan and Jane lookalike contest, and the premier of a Bossier City, filmmaker’s documentary on the 1917 filming.

The area’s lush swamp, with its dark bayous and vine draped trees, so mimicked Tarzan’s Africa that it drew fledgling filmmakers from Hollywood at a time when few movies were made on location. Over the years, though, the swamp has thinned out, whipped by raging storms and housing developments. Filmmaker Al Bohl and his daughter Allison Bohl spent four years making “Tarzan: Lord of the Louisiana Jungle,” which recounts the dangers and daring of the first Tarzan production. “I got hooked on that first movie after a friend of mine told me they released all the monkeys they used in the movie before leaving and left them behind,” Bohl said. “I wanted to know if that was true and if so, what happened to them.”

Carrie Stansbury, director of Cajun Coast Visitors and Tourism bureau, said there was no evidence any monkeys ever were left behind. “Tarzan of the Apes” was first released in the October 1912 issue of All-Story magazine, earning Burroughs $700. It went on to become a book in 1914. The 1917 movie, starring Elmo Lincoln as Tarzan, was shot in the Atchafalaya swamp. Lincoln made two more silent Tarzan films, pioneering the movie-going public’s taste for jungle fare and leading to the iconic series of the 1930s starring Olympic swimmer Johnny Weissmuller as Tarzan and Maureen O’Sullivan as Jane.

The producers of the 1917 film had first considered filming in Florida, but the jungle-like terrain in Morgan City about 70 miles from New Orleans seemed perfect. “They wanted three things that Morgan City had,” Al Bohl said. “It resembled jungles in the book, and it had large populations of AfricanAmericans to be extras and a really good railroad system.” The

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railroads were necessary to easily move supplies in the days before the interstate system.

The Spanish moss, though not native to African jungles, also proved to be a draw, according to Bill Stark, director at the Patterson Museum, where a yearlong exhibit based on the Bohl documentary will run. The book mentioned the “‘moss covered jungles,’ so they loved it,” Stark said. The love of the setting rapidly changed when the crew and actors showed up in August 1917, the steamiest month of the brutal Louisiana summer. “The crew got malaria,” Bohl said. “They had about 40 circus acrobats that were supposed to play apes, but in the heat they could only wear the costumes for a minute before they had to get out of them.”

The film was innovative, however. For example, more than 800 locals - including African-Americans - were in the movie.

And they were allowed to perform without black-face makeup, a departure from style of the time. “It had a tremendous impact on the area,” Stark said. The location also had an impact on future Tarzan films. In the book, Tarzan jumped from limb to limb. But Lincoln used the thick swamp vines to swing from tree to tree, and it became an enduring image.

The movie was a huge hit, becoming one of only 10 from that era to earn $1 million. Movie tickets typically cost 7 cents at the time; tickets to Tarzan sold for $1.50, Stark said.

Although it was a silent film, Lincoln does portray Tarzan’s cry while pounding his chest in “Tarzan of the Apes.” The cry was later immortalized in the “talkies” starring Weissmuller. That yell will be the centerpiece of Saturday’s contest. “We had one man who called to tell us his wife had recorded him doing the Tarzan yell everywhere they go, and he was headed here to do it this weekend,” Stansbury said.—AP

Faces donate bio to Rock Hall’s new library ith his guitar, Ronnie Wood made rock and roll history.

On Friday, he helped make sure it’s preserved. On the eve of his second induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Wood and two other members of British bands The Small Faces and The Faces donated a bio of the bands to the hall’s new library and archives. Best known for his time with the Rolling Stones, Wood was joined by Ian McLagan

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and Kenney Jones, who were in The Small Faces before the band reformed as The Faces with Rod Stewart as its lead singer. The three musicians donated the biography titled “Faces” that chronicles the history of both bands to the library’s vast collection of recordings, periodicals, photographs and other documents. The archives, which are located a few miles from the Rock Hall, opened in January. It was officially

dedicated this week. Housed inside a new four-story building are materials chronicling rock history donated by some of music’s most significant figures. The archives will be a place for fans, students and scholars to have access to items including lyric sheets, personal papers and rare concert footage. McLagan said the archives will ensure rock’s rich history is passed down to future generations.—AP

stars of the nation’s prolific Bollywood industry, made his way to Yale after his latest incident and said he was used to such hassles at US airports. “Yes, it always happens... Whenever I start feeling arrogant about myself, I always take a trip to America,” he joked with students. “The immigration guys kick the star out of stardom.” Khan’s questioning at the US airport was front-page news in India in yesterday’s newspapers.

“India protests Shah Rukh Khan’s detention in US,” said the Hindustan Times in a headline. “Khanned again,” said the tabloid Mail Today. Last November, the United States apologised to former Indian president Abdul Kalam after the New Delhi government complained he had been frisked at a New York airport.

India is sensitive about its VIPs undergoing security checks. Kalam, 80, is a Muslim who served as a popular president of India from 2002-07. He was previously the country’s chief military scientist. A similar diplomatic incident erupted in 2009 when Kalam was questioned in New Delhi before boarding a flight to the United States.—AFP

Bee Gee Robin Gibb seriously ill with pneumonia ritish singer Robin Gibb, musician with legendary band the Bee Gees, is seriously ill in hospital after contracting pneumonia in his battle against cancer, sources said yesterday. Gibb had surgery on his bowel 18 months ago for an unrelated condition but a tumor was found and he was diagnosed with cancer of the colon and the liver.

Back in February, Gibb said he had made a “spectacular” recovery from his treatment, sparking hopes that his cancer was in remission, but he has since experienced a sharp deterioration amid reports of a secondary tumor. British media reported yesterday that the 62-year-old is believed to have fallen into a coma at the hospital in Chelsea, west London, where wife Dwina, brother Barry and three children are keeping a bedside vigil.

Sources close to the singer confirmed that he was very ill in hospital, but his agent declined to comment on speculation that Gibb may have just days to live. Last week, Gibb was too ill to attend the premiere of his first classical work, “The Titanic Requiem”, which he composed with his son RJ Gibb to commemorate the 100th anniversary of

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File photo shows British singer Robin Gibb performing during a general rehearsal for the Jose Carreras Gala taking place later the evening in Leipzig, eastern Germany.—AFP a battle against cocaine addiction. the sinking of the luxury liner in 1912. Gibb had also been due to per- Barry, Maurice and Robin Gibb scaled the heights of the pop world form a new song, “Don’t Cry Alone”, in the 1970s with disco hits includat the concert last Tuesday. ing “How Deep Is Your Love”, “Stayin’ The Bee Gee underwent surgery for an ongoing problem with a twist- Alive”, and “Night Fever”. The band notched up record sales of more ed intestine in 2010. The same than 200 million during a career hereditary condition led to the which has spanned seven death of his twin brother Maurice at decades.—AFP the age of 53 in 2003, while younger brother Andy died in 1988 following

Rock Hall in Cleveland ready to induct new class

he Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony, a musical celebration that in the past has included awkward moments, touching tributes and unforgettable performances, in Public Hall before 6,000 fans, 1,400 wellheeled guests and many of music’s biggest stars. One will be missing. Axl Rose is skipping the event. The show will rock on without him. Frontman and co-founder of Guns N’ Roses, the head-banging, hard-partying band that achieved global dominance before its inevitable breakup, Rose announced this week that he’s skipping this year’s ceremony.

He and former band mates headline an eclectic class that includes the Red Hot Chili Peppers, rap pioneers the Beastie Boys, the late singer/songwriter Laura Nyro, folk icon Donovan, and the Small Faces/the Faces, two British bands that included Rod Stewart and Rolling Stones guitarist Ronnie Wood. Rose’s decision, which he explained in a rambling letter to the hall, ended months of speculation about whether the original Guns N’ Roses lineup would unite for the first time since 1993 and perform any of their classic hits like “Welcome to the Jungle” or “Sweet Child O’ Mine.” But Rose, who has toured under the G N’R name for years with a revolving group of musicians, didn’t want any part of the festivities and asked that he not be inducted.

“The Hall Of Fame Induction Ceremony doesn’t appear to be somewhere I’m actually wanted or respected,” Rose wrote, citing his feud with former band mates. The hall plans to enshrine him with whether Rose likes it or not, and despite the drama, some of his fellow inductees aren’t going to let him spoil their big night. “Who cares?” Ian McLagan of the Faces said when asked about Rose’s slight.

Wood, who is being inducted for the second time, believes Rose will one day regret his decision.

“He’ll think, ‘I should have done it,’” Wood said. “Drop all the qualms and all the differences.” Rose won’t be the only lead singer missing. Stewart came down with the flu this week and can’t perform in a Faces reunion. “I’m absolutely devastated,” Stewart said in a statement. “Shattered that I’m going to miss my second induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame - and this time alongside my mates.” Faces will be joined for a short set of songs by Simply Red’s lead

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Guns N’ Roses performs during a concert on the Yas Island in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.—AP singer Mick Hucknall, a friend of the band who has played with them before and will take Stewart’s spot.

“Lead singers,” the affable Wood joked, “they’re dropping like flies.” Like Guns N’ Roses, the Red Hot Chili Peppers emerged from Los Angeles during the 1980s when Sunset Strip’s rock scene was dominated by “hair” bands more concerned with their tight lycra pants and eyeliner than their sound. Not the Chili Peppers, who found their unique groove by blending funky hooks and a punk ethos.

While their lineup has undergone some changes - founding guitarist Hillel Slovak died of a heroin overdose in 1988 - lead singer Anthony Kiedis and bassist Flea have survived personal highs and lows and the band remains one of music’s top live acts.

Three white middle-class smart alecks from New York, the Beastie Boys were initially dismissed as beer-swilling frat boys following their 1986 debut album “License To Ill,” which featured songs like “(You Gotta) Fight For Your Right (To Party!)” and “Girls.” But their follow-up, “Paul’s Boutique,” was acclaimed by critics and brought the Beasties credibility in the black hip-hop community.—AP

SUNDAY, APRIL 15, 2012

lifestyle F A S H I O N

—Photos by Yasser Al-Zayyat

Splash showcases a tropical fashion paradise C

elebrating 10 successful seasons Splash showcased its all new tropical collection to make the headlines. The brand hosted a fashion show at the Avenues showroom which was attended by local media and senior officials from Landmark Group Kuwait. Attendees were treated to a sneak peak of the new colorful collection. The collection inspired from the world of Aqua Mania, Out of the Blues, Survivor and Soul Searcher was presented by live models creating a contrasting medley.

Brimming with glitz, glamour and gloss this year’s Tropical collection is a mix of contemporary and traditional fashion statements. A perfect way to unwind with the 60’s for inspiration. The clean graphic lines of simple and dropped-waist shifts, pinafore dresses, Aline skirts, and collarless cardigan jackets, printed and knee-length shorts with highly decorated fabrics lend texture and depth. Shades of grey and white, offbeat mid-tones of burnt orange, parrot green, saxe blue and yellow ochre are contrasted with fabrics like lightweight suitings, drapy viscose, micro checks, twills and jersey.

Speaking on the concept of Splash Fashion Paradise Saibal Basu, C.O.O, Landmark Group, Kuwait said: “We are very excited to showcase the new collection and give our customers the opportunity to experience new trends, tread unexplored fashion territory and immerse in cultural chic and discover the language of fashion.

We aim to provide our customers with trendy fashion and edgy styles coupled with sophisticated glamour.”

Splash’s growing presence in Kuwait is an indication that people are getting more discerning when it comes to fashion. We combine quality and style to appeal to a broad customer base. This season we decided to transport people into a travel destination that was surrounded by cool blues, tropical sunshine and the serenity of life. Customers come to Splash and find something that fits their personal style and their budget.”

“Every season, Splash produces a collection that is unique and fits with our overall philosophy,” said Basu.

“Our 2012 Spring/Summer collection is an eclectic mix of clothing that is inspired by the tropical paradise, whether in far-off locales or closer to home, with tropical-themed contemporary and traditional fashion statements with a twist.”

Changing it up for the season fashionistas mix elements of utility sportswear with modernist shapes and a raft of functional layers in ‘City Sportif’.

Women turn up more elegant with styles that are either timelessly feminine or sporty and activeinspired. Mod, nautical and prints inspired by the flora and fauna of the islands are used in looks that are created with contoured eaming. Zipped-through dresses, cropped tops, racer-shoulder vests and tanks, athletic shorts, mesh knits, tailored sports

jackets are the key products to sport this look.

Replete with unique attractions but with a firm focus on fashion, the aptly named Splash Fashion Paradise was a Paradise of vigor, enthusiasm and freshness for fashion enthusiasts. LED screens will be present at all Centrepoint and Splash outlets playing interesting videos from latest Splash Spring Summer 2012 collections.

The trend of combining handcrafted looks with allthings tribal is reflected through ‘Artisan Stroke’ where women are dressed in lustrous silky fabrics alongside jersey, satin and nylon. Mixed-message prints with micro patterns, graphic stripe blocking and decoinspired geometrics are available in key colors like orange, emerald, black, old gold, navy, white. Men wear the same trend in material like linen or silk, smooth or printed cotton in crumpled finishes with over-dyed effects and textured knits having Traditional filigree and arabesque motifs in ethnic African prints.

Presenting a world of the choicest of trends coupled with the chicest of shapes that are classic yet bold and edgy, vivid prints, colors and designs, the wellresearched Splash collection will be in stores starting now till July, 2012. Splash is located in Centrepoint stores across Kuwait in Al Rai, Salmiya, Kuwait City, Hawally, Fahaheel, Jahra, Fintas and the stand alone store at The Avenues.

Shorts say spring

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bout a week into spring, it’s a good bet that balmy weather will soon be upon us-and with it, an influx of women of all ages eager to show some skin. What better way to flaunt your toned, tan stems than in a pair of flirty shorts? Whether it’s a knickergrazing pair of hot pants, party-ready high-

DV by Dolce Vita Jude wedges at Macys.com.

waist sequin shorts or a pair of denim cutoffs, celebrities such as Selena Gomez and Michelle Williams have already been spotted sporting all varieties of this hot spring trend.

At the recent Maiyet ready-to-wear launch celebration at Barneys New York, “Pan Am” leading lady Christina Ricci wore a pair of the label’s hand-loomed Tanchoi orange shorts.

She looked sexy in the short cut, but the lush fabric added a sense of refinement. She kept her look structured by pairing the shorts with a plain black blouse, also by Maiyet, a long necklace and strappy wedges.

Ricci’s colored, textured shorts would be a versatile addition to any spring wardrobe. For a similar pair, snag the Motel Lolly lace short from Revolveclothing.com for $70, floral lace shorts for $19.80 from Forever21.com, the Shakuhachi mixed borders silk short from Urbanoutfitters.com for $130 or the more subtle embroidery and lace shorts from Zara.com for $49.90. Pair your shorts with a plain black blouse such as the Marc by Marc Jacobs Cass short-sleeve blouse from Shopbop.com for $49 and add strappy wedges. Try the Kenneth Cole Sole My Heart

Floral lace shorts at Forever21.com. wedges from Macys.com for $85 or the DV by Dolce Vita Jude wedges, also from Macys.com, for $89. Accessorize with a long chain necklace with a tassel charm such as the tassel chain necklace from Forever21.com for $7.80 or for a more classic look, get the Tasha long multichain necklace from Nordstrom.com for $38. These necklaces will prove lasting investments, perfect to dress up a plain tee or add a little sparkle to a long maxi dress.-MCT

Tasha long multi chain necklace at Nordstrom.com.—MCT photos

Marc by Marc Jacobs Cass short-sleeve blouse, at shopbop.com.

SUNDAY, APRIL 15, 2012

lifestyle F e a t u r e s

Pictures show scenes performed from the ballet ‘La Bayadere’.

La Bayadere , Beloved Friend

By Sahar Moussa

I

was really lucky this year to be invited to the Abu Dhabi Festival to cover three of the most prestigious, prominent and spectacular shows amongst the program of various and different festivals lined up.

Honestly, I came to Abu Dhabi expecting good shows, but what I didn’t expect was to see astounding shows starting with ‘La Bayadere’, a ballet from Semperoper, one of the world’s youngest and most dynamic ballet companies.

The 8th Emirates International Peace Music Festival wound up with an international ensemble of actors, singers and ballet dancers brought from the Royal Opera House who performed ‘Beloved Friend’ for the first time outside the United Kingdom. ‘Connecting Cultures’ was this year’s theme, and without any doubt the shows reached the expectation that they were set for in every aspect, culturally and artistically between different people and countries introducing one thing in common. The outstanding performances from all across the world were able to transcend borders and unite cultures through a love for art and culture.

‘La Bayadere’ The first show ‘La Bayadere’ was a dramatic ballet of eternal love, mystery, fate, vengeance and justice intertwined. They told the story of Nikiya, a temple dancer, and Solor, her lover, and the vengeance that keeps them apart, at least in this life. When the curtains opened, I was immediately transported out of reality to an exotic and authentic place as the set was in ancient India.

The dancing began with all the dancers wearing colourful Indian costumes. The stage was full of amazing and vibrant saris that the ballet dancers wore. There was a kind of fluidity and lightness between the acts, which prevented one from getting bored stiff or feeling disinterested. The dancing in the love scenes, or intense moments, emotionally moved me with their detailed and expressive body movements. The first and third scene gave me a warm feeling and the second act made me feel cold, yet mesmerized.

The artistic director of the whole production is Aaron S. Watkin. I had the chance to interview him before the show, and he spoke passionately about his work. “About the production, I decided to bring ‘La Bayadere’ as it’s a very famous classical ballet. In fact, it is one of the most famous classical ballets, but obviously in a lot of circles it is not really as well known as Swan Lake or Sleeping Beauty. It is a story set in India so it has an imperial theme and it has a very simple story. It’s about love between a noble warrior and a temple dancer whose name is Nikiya. Nikiya is a virgin maiden, and obviously her life is dedicated to god. She falls in love with Solar, who is a very noble warrior already betrothed to the Rajah’s daughter, Hamsatti. When Hamsatti finds out that Nikiya is having an affair with her future husband, she invites her to dance at her wedding. In the third scene, she arranges a basket of flowers with a snake in it and gives it to Nikiya saying it is from Solar.

She gets bitten by the snake and dies,” said Watkin. The second act of the ballet was strictly classic, although I found that the theatre at the

Emirates Palace was a bit small for such a big production. But I believe that the dancers put up a remarkable show with specific and exact movements, and it was really one of the most difficult pieces as Watkin described.

“In the second act, we have one of the most famous scenes of the classical ballets called the ‘Kingdom of the Shades’”. It is actually a piece of a production that can be by itself. The ‘Kingdom of the Shades’ had 24 girls in tutus.

Basically, Solar smokes some opium in his tent and has a vision of

Nikiya, his love, was killed.

We have a series of 24 girls coming down from around the sky doing very exact movements. They all have to do over five minutes of exactly the same type of choreographed positions and that is very difficult to do. Basically, Solar’s vision of Nikiya is repeated. This act is the most technical dancing in the ballet.

You find ‘La Bayadere’ in the Paris Opera, Royal Ballet, the Bolshoi and the big classical companies but it’s not really in a lot of other opera houses in the world because you need to have a very strong chord of ballet. This ballet lies like most ballets in the soloist but predominantly if you don’t have a chord of ballets girls, a group of girls strong enough to do this section, the whole production goes down.”

‘La Bayadere’ was the first ballet to mark the transition from the romantic period into the clas-

sical period. Before ‘La Bayadere’, all ballerinas dresses were longer. The ballerinas were bigger and their technique was lesser. The technical aspect of the dancing was not so demanding. ‘La Bayadere’ was the first time with the ‘Kingdom of the Shades’ that the tutu was invented. It is basically the idea of the dress, but cut a lot shorter so that you can see the women’s legs. The technical dancing positions were a lot more demanding and you have to be able to see what they are doing.

He continued his portrayal of the scenes by saying, “The Kingdom of the Shades is very traditional. The choreography is almost exactly as the classical productions are. Then in the last act of the ballet, Solar comes back

from his dream. He is ready to go to the wedding ritual in the temple but he is having second thoughts. We go to the temple and the guards are very upset with what happened. Then there will be a huge storm and the temple is crushed and everybody dies, but Nikiya and Solar are reuniting in heaven together.”

‘La Bayadere’ shows Watkin’s vision when he mixes contemporary with classical ballet. He is interested in reworking classical ballets to make them less heavy, less long, where the momentum of the piece takes you more easily through the productions. “You don’t have to be a ballet kind to be able to appreciate these productions. That was one of my main desires, that if you know nothing of ballets and this is your first experience you should be easily able to follow the story and appreciate the wonderful set and costumes,” Watkin said.

As for the restrictions or adjustments, Watkin had to change the acts to suit the Middle East and the Gulf. He had a very interesting view to discuss the issue, “There are some similarities between this culture and the Indian culture, especially with the tradition of the costumes for women, especially that they are covered wearing their saris. So there was nothing really in the production that we had to change except maybe there was a moment that we had to think about the golden idol in the third act. It is supposed to be a statue that comes to life and he is basically spray-painted gold with a small loin cloth, but otherwise exposed. That was an issue for five minutes, but then it was fine. It is a very big highlight for the third act. It is tasteful and it’s not like you are looking at it as a naked man. You are looking at a statue and he’s got a wonderful costume and paint sparkling all over him. You have to find the way to introduce the right thing at the right time and take the right energy to do it. You can’t just throw everything into another culture at once. I think it is very appropriate. What we decided to bring now, this is the first step. Hopefully as time develops ballets will become more interesting here.

You will be able to see different types of styles and also modern dance as well, which is also very interesting,” Watkin explained.

As for the music, it is known that over the years in classic ballets techniques usually get stronger and the more evolved the tempo slows down. In ‘La Bayadere’ the dancers and musicians were able to work in a harmony and find a way to compromise between slightly fast and different tempo, and classical dancing. Accompanying the Semperoper Ballet from Dresden was the NDR Radiophilharmonie Hanover, widely regarded as one of the most versatile orchestras in Germany.

Conductor David Coleman said after the performance “I am very proud to have worked with Semperoper on this special ballet and I would like to thank the Abu Dhabi Festival for providing us with such a fantastic platform with which to introduce ‘La Bayadere’ to the Middle East”.

Soul-ed out

The second show that really took my breath away was the Emirates Youth Symphony Orchestra per-

forming at the 8th Emirates International Peace Music Festival in Abu Dhabi Theatre.

What made it so inspirational was not just witnessing how Abu Dhabi is becoming synonymous with arts and culture but also watching youngsters display such enthusiasm and passion for music at such an early age. It’s true what they say: Legends start early.

Before the night show, I was pleased to watch the Royal Opera House conducting with the Youth Orchestra, giving them tips and motivating them. The show began on a truly elegant note where the young musicians played with grace, style, and precision during the first performance of their five-day tour of the Emirates.

The show presented an elite group of international child virtuosos from the Emirates Youth Symphony Orchestra and the Premiere Music College of Prague Youth Symphony Orchestra.

They were joined by musical prodigies from Korea.

Watching children around the age of six, seven and above performing Vivaldi with an extraordinary energy infused me with much hope, exuberance and cheer. But what really left me speechless was seeing a local Emirati girl playing solo on the piano. She participated with the other children from across the world and provided testimony to the festival’s theme: ‘Connecting Cultures’.

Behind the passion that I experienced at the festival is a very dedicated woman, Founder and Artistic Director of the Abu Dhabi Festival Hoda Al-Khamis Kanoo. Kanoo had a vision nine years ago which she translated to reality, thanks to her grit and spirit. She doesn’t feel the need to search hard for beauty or art because she sees them around her all the time. Believing that dreams and creativity have no limits, she said, “The Abu Dhabi Festival is proud to partner with the Emirates International Peace Music Festival.

This is a wonderful platform which gives an opportunity to young musicians from across the UAE to come together to showcase their talents.

We hope that this tour proves inspirational and educational for all participants and encourages the cross-pollination of ideas and influences between UAE-based performers and our international guests - which will connect our cultures better.”

When I asked Kanoo how she has continued for nine years in ADMAF, she said, “They always ask me the same question and I always answer the same thing: The only way I have continued is because of all of you. When I see joy in people’s eyes, it’s a struggle; it’s not an easy task to work for art and culture and bring people together, but it’s absolutely wonderful and I would not change this path. It’s like having a little closed flower which you see blossoming little by little every day.”

The Emirates International Peace Music Festival was founded in 2004 by musician Riad Kudsi. Arriving in UAE in 1986, his violin skills led him to establish the Emirates Youth Symphony Orchestra in 1993. Commenting on the challenges they faced together, Kanoo said “The difficulties that Riad is facing, is bringing all these kids together, working with them throughout the year, and sustaining the quality of work because many kids would come to UAE and leave with their parents, and then he would have to start all over again.”

“We had many challenges, and one of them was to secure funds. We need to deliver the same standards, even during the economic crisis because culture and education can simply not be compromised upon. I’m a person who appreciates how life moves. I have kids and appreciate their interests. Sometimes I understand them and sometimes I don’t but I like them to be open to the world and this is something I want from the youth - this is one of the greatest challenges”.

Abu Dhabi is considered to be a new country with a small population and it was really interesting to note how ADMAF was able to reach out to people and change their mindset towards art and culture over the past nine years. “People have been responding better each year, and what has changed largely is the mentality. Even when I look at the press and media, the questions are different; they know now that the festival is a meeting of the mind. They know now that it’s about interaction between the public and the artiste and this energy is rare in other places.

International partnerships have also changed today like the Royal Opera House who are one of the most important musicians to have worked with us. This is the first time this kind of a partnership has taken place between an Arab country and the Royal Opera House and this makes me feel very proud. One cannot buy culture; it has to be built,” Kanoo said.

As for the economical and cultural boost that ADMAF has given the country and opened the gates for the Middle East, West, and far-East to get to know Abu Dhabi’s culture better, Kanoo said “Abu Dhabi festival is now a destination; people are coming from all over the place like Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman and the farEast. It is a destination, not only to listen to music but also for us to talk to each other. This is the soul of Abu Dhabi festival.”

SUNDAY, APRIL 15, 2012

lifestyle F e a t u r e s

A scene from the ballet ‘La Bayadere’.

All the world’s a stage

My favourite act was ‘Beloved Friend,’ which was a mind-blowing performance. Inspired by the composer Piotr II’yich Tchaikovsky and his muse and patron Nadezhda von Meck, ‘Beloved Friend’ was publically performed in the Middle East as part of this year’s Abu Dhabi Festival line-up. The act transports you back to the 17th century, with all its complications, passion and discreet relationships where written letters witnessed the boon of great music and an intense love story.

The act was performed in the Emirates Palace Auditorium, and for the first time in Abu Dhabi Festival history, the audience were invit-

Hoda Al-Khamis Kanoo

book as people stand and inhabit the ideas and discuss it on stage. We also see our lives enacted on stage. When we look from the auditorium, we see our lives. We can understand ourselves better.”

She continued to express her ideas. “I think Abu Dhabi is quite new and they should create their own stories that are peculiar to this area.

Theatre should be a reflection of your community and you shouldn’t try and copy what is made in England. There are great artistes in every culture; you just create the culture that is communicated to your people, but also has some degree of international relevance where theatre is best understood by everybody; from the man on the street to the world. I think this

Dame Harriet Walter

ed onstage to experience the performance in an amphitheatre-like set-up, enchanting me, leaving me dazzled in a world full of emotions and genuine sensations that one forgets to reach out for these days. It took me back to a safe indisputable place that I knew of when I was a child. Yes, it was an unforgettable emotional journey.

Commissioned by the Royal Opera House, the performance was brought to life through an innovative use of words, music and dance.

Written by the Oscar-winning playwright Sir Ronald Harwood OBE, ‘Beloved Friend’ features principal dancers of the Royal Ballet, worldclass opera singers and a quartet of internationally acclaimed musicians. The piece stared celebrated British actor Simon Russell-Beale as Tchaikovsky and Dame Harriet Walter as Nadezhda von Meck in a piece that explores the relationship of the composer with his muse and patron Nadezhda.

“She is a very interesting woman, being a good business woman, countess from Meck, and was musically-inclined herself. She had nine children and was free to pursue a career.

She nurtured Tchaikovsky’s career. Without her money, he would have been a destitute and died in peace knowing that she helped create these works. Meck loved him as an artiste, didn’t want to know him as a person and she did get involved. They never met one another and I think it’s a very interesting story,” said Dame Harriet Walter.

Dame Harriet had an interesting point of view and advice to give on the growth of theatre and art in the Gulf region, especially in Abu Dhabi. “They need good writers. The most famous English man in the world is William Shakespeare. He was not famous for waging wars, for being a king or building bridges. He was famous for his writing. We also have Sir Ronald Howard who is a great writer. It is a great writing tradition that created our great theatre. Other cultures don’t have much of an oral tradition. Maybe it is more spectacular and visual, but the British theatre, the German culture, Ibsen from Norway and Strindberg from Sweden and the Russians and Americans may be exceptions. Also, theatre begins bringing ideas to life. It is not just an idea you read in a

“Lord Hall, our chief executive met Kanoo at AdMAF and they inspired each other to find a way to cooperate and find a meaningful longterm partnership, which we believe would be with the Opera House and its ability to create world-class performing arts, ballet opera and other things with all the combined talents that should be brought together. ADMAF, which started in 1996, from the past nine years has

‘Beloved Friends’ to be performed in Abu Dhabi, “I have done a few things on these lines before, and I think to tell a story through people’s letters is a wonderful way to tell it because you can always fictionalize anything and it never shows. If you have their letters you know that this is what they said.

Nadezhda von Meck and Tchaikovsky were in love in a way, and they understood each other.

perfection so as to emote the feeling and illustrate it through music.”

The production of ‘Beloved Friend’ brought together a stellar cast of actors, opera singers and ballet dancers, including baritone Vasily Ladyuk, soprano Hibla Gerzmava, Christopher Vanderspar on cello, Vasko Vassilev and Sophia Durrant on violin, Konstantin Boyarsky on viola and world-renowned Peter Jablonski and

Sir Ronald Harwood

is a new country and it’s a great fresh start. I also think that people should not feel that they will never be as good as Europe. They know how to do these things and we don’t. This is because there is no such thing as judgment.

They should create their own place, cabaret, comedy and music. It takes a long time to build this, but it is good to invite other people.“ Originally conceived for a special gala performance at the Royal Opera House in 2009, ‘Beloved Friend’ was later repeated at the request of the Prince of Wales at Buckingham Palace. Abu Dhabi is the first venue to host it, outside of the United Kingdom. Danny Wyler and Lady June Chichester, Countess of Chichester had an interesting outlook on the collaboration that took place between ADMAF and the Royal Opera House:

‘Beloved Friend’ is performed to an intimate audience including Sheikh Nahyan. this ever growing impact on culture and building a new definition of bringing culture to the people and the community. The Royal Opera House does in the UK, and the wish of Lord Hall is to build a new audience combined with the incredible vision that Kanoo brought to Abu Dhabi. It was a very logical partnership and marriage. We believe it has a great future,” said Danny Wyler.

Lady Chichester explained why she chose

He lived on through his music and she understood his music. They began to communicate like that, and his letters became quite passionate. You can really look into their soul, spirit and understand. So to tell a story through letters is a very interesting way to bring people to life. Sir Ronald Harwood has done a perfect job in narration. He is such a brilliant playwright and has an understanding of how to entertain people. In a musical, he used it to

Emirates Youth Symphony Orchestra is pictured performing during the 8th Emirates International Peace Music Festival.

Renato Balsadonna on piano. Roberta Marquez and Valeri Hristov performed as dancers and the production was narrated by Alex Jennings. sahar@kuwaittimes.net

A scene from ‘Beloved Friend’.

India fumes over Bollywood star’s US airport row

SUNDAY, APRIL 15, 2012

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File photo shows actress Angelina Jolie, right, and actor Brad Pitt arrive before the 84th Academy Awards in the Hollywood section of Los Angeles. — AP/AFP photos File photo shows Angelina Jolie and actor Brad Pitt arriving for the screening of the movie “Inglourious Basterds” directed by Quentin Tarantino in competition at the 62nd Cannes Film Festival.

ill and Kate were just the warm up for the true wedding of the century.

After years of cohabitation, six kids and countless tabloid headlines, Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie made it official: They plan to make it official. If you thought the media circus involving the world’s most glamorous couple was on overdrive before, just wait.

Now that Brangelina are officially engaged, expect endless speculation about where and when they’ll wed, what they’ll wear, what their kids’ roles will be, and who might get to attend the celebration. “This is really a state wedding,” said Stephen Galloway, executive editor of features at The Hollywood Reporter.

“This is America’s equivalent to Prince William and Kate Middleton.” He called the Brangelina wedding “the media event of the new century.”

Pitt’s manager confirmed the couple’s engagement Friday after Jolie was spotted wearing a diamond ring on her wedding finger. Jeweler Robert Procop said he spent a year working with Pitt to design the ring. “The prominent engagement ring is giving the world a warning,” Galloway said. “It says ‘look out, get ready.’” But Bradley Jacobs, a senior editor at Us Weekly, sees things differently. He anticipates the wedding will be a private, even low-key affair. “I don’t think you’re going to see a bunch of fanfare,” he said. “It’s certainly not going to be a Kim Kardashian-style wedding ...

It’s going to be very subdued.” Still, expect massive media coverage either way: “We will not rest until we know when and where and how and who’s going to be there,” Jacobs said.

Entire magazine issues could be devoted to each star’s wedding-day outfits and hairdos. “Every single designer on the planet will be pursuing Angelina for the dress,” Galloway said. “It’s literally worth millions of dollars in business.” Jolie’s wedding dress is a careermaking outfit for the winning designer. Even Pitt’s look leaves room for ample speculation: Long hair or short? Facial scruff or clean shaven? A classic tuxedo? And designed by whom? Then there’s the guest list. Who will be the best man and maid of honor? Will Jolie’s father, Jon Voight, attend? Will George Clooney be in the house? Jolie has said she doesn’t have many close friends.

Actress Angelina Jolie, sports an engagement ring as she and Brad Pitt, view works from the Chinese collection at the The Los Angeles County Museum of Art.

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haos and man’s attempts to tame it are at the heart of a spectacular new show at Paris’ museum of tribal arts that pits voodoo and shamanic artefacts alongside the work of contemporary artists. By the entrance to the show stands a voodoo talisman meant to ward off evil spirits-a colorful female statue with a calabash at its centre, and covered with grasses, fabric, palm oil and scraps of animal horn. “She is there to watch over the museum, its staff and visitors,” explained Aze Kokovivina, a voodoo priest and artist from Togo who “activated” the statue with ritual prayers ahead of the show opening this week.

“She is a force for good-but she can lose her temper easily if she is not obeyed!” warned the 52-year-old in traditional African garb, who stood a smaller male calabash fetish by her side “to calm her down a little.” Until July 29, the Quai Branly museum on the banks of the Seine is showcasing more than 300 ethnological objects alongside two dozen contemporary artists, among them US giants like Paul McCarthy or the late Jean-Michel Basquiat.

“We are not saying these Western artists are chamans, but they are ‘men at the edge’-they are in the grip of forces that can be bigger than them,” explained Bertrand Hell, science advisor for the exhibition. Architects Jakob MacFarlane designed the set for the show, a serpentine, mesh-and-plaster-covered steel structure that winds through the space, leading the visitor from one end to the other. Starting with an exploration of chaos, the journey turns to the shamans and voodoo priests who would channel its forces. “The visitor is swallowed up, transported and spat out at the other end,” said the agency’s Brendan MacFarlane. “The aim is for him to come out with a new

perspective, enriched by all he has seen.”

The show is the brainchild of Jean de Loisy, the curator of Anish Kapoor’s “Monumenta” exhibit at the Grand Palais last year and chairman of Paris’ newly revamped Palais de Tokyo contemporary art museum. Its title, “Les Maitres du Desordre” (Masters of Chaos), is borrowed from a 1999 book on shamanism by French ethnologist Bertrand Hell.

“The idea of a disturbing force that exerts an influence on the world is universal,” explained co-curator Nanette Jacomijn Snoep in her preface to the show. “We find it from Egypt to Ancient Greece, Morocco to Congo, Brazil to Greenland, and Bali to Siberia.” Pieces on show range from a 19th-century Sri Lankan exorcism mask, aimed at protecting pregnant women, and its modern-day equivalent: a 1975 video in which the US choreographer Anna Halprin-a pioneer of the arts healing movement-is shown to “expel” disease from her body through dance.

How shamans use psychoactive drugs to access the spirit world, is mirrored by a contemporary “Garden of Addiction” by the French duo Christophe Berdaguer and Marie Pejus, filled with vials of cocaine, opium and mysterious herbs. Other works, ancient and new, explore the themes of mystic flight, metamorphosis, disease and healing, musical trance and the unbridled revelries that have served throughout the ages as a conduit for man’s wilder impulses. “No Art Without Chaos,” concludes a work on show by the French artist Ben. — AFP

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“This is going to be a map of the inner state of their private life,” Galloway said. “This is like Kremlinology. You’ll be able to read all sorts of things into this wedding.” Unless, of course, the two elope. The timing of the engagement and the wedding are also fodder for editorial exploration. The couple long maintained that they wouldn’t marry until the right to do so was extended to all Americans, but when Galloway interviewed Pitt for a February cover story, the 48-year-old actor said he didn’t think they’d be able to hold out that long. “It means so much to my kids, and they ask about it,” Pitt said at the time. “And it means something to me, too, to make that kind of commitment.”

But days later, he backtracked, saying he’d spoken too soon. “There’s a certain mystery in these contradictory statements made in the weeks leading up to this (engagement news),” Galloway said. “People who’ve been together a long time get married when things are great or when you want to shore up things that are not so great.” The A-listers have been partners since they began a relationship in 2005 while working on the film “Mr. & Mrs. Smith.” Already megawatt superstars in their own right, the romantic pairing of Pitt and Jolie instantly made them Hollywood’s most glamorous and photographed couple. The fact that Pitt was still married to Jennifer Anniston when he met Jolie only fueled the tabloid fire; Pitt and Aniston divorced in 2005 after five years of marriage.

Jolie was previously married to Billy Bob Thornton and British actor Jonny Lee Miller.

Regardless of the size of the celebration or where it takes place, the Jolie-Pitt wedding has major economic implications. Journalists from all over the world will swarm to the wedding location; the designers of each nuptial element will see their businesses boom; the rights to the photos and footage will be haggled over by publishers and broadcasters with deep pockets. Galloway predicts the bidding has already begun. “A mini-industry in itself will be created as a result,” he said. “The money generated by the wedding in direct fees to them and indirect income to other people will be more than the equivalent of everything the two of them have earned in their career. You’re

Angelina Jolie, center, sports an engagement ring as she and Brad Pitt, and their son, Pax view works from the Chinese collection at the The Los Angeles County Museum of Art.

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onathon Keats finds the Chinese-US currency war electrifying-literally. Fascinated by the virtual nature of modern finance and currency swings, the California-based artist decided to meditate on monetary instability by exploring different physical characteristics of competing coins. The result is the “Electrochemical Currency Exchange Co,” an exhibition that opened Thursday and runs through the end of next week under New York’s famous Rockefeller Plaza, named for American tycoon John D Rockefeller.

Mimicking, or perhaps mocking, the mechanics of international currency trading, Keats pits virtually worthless US and Chinese coins against each other so that they produce electricity-”electro-chemical arbitrage,” in Keats’s words.

The science is basic. An American cent is copper coated, while a Chinese fen is aluminum. Place the two in saltwater, link them, and the different metals begin to exchange ions, creating electric current. By stringing a whole lot of coins in dishes of salt water, Keats can generate enough juice to power three small calculators. The science may be straightforward, but Keats, whose previous projects include ballet for honeybees and cinema for plants, has zany-and serious-intentions.

Grandly calling the three machines that run on penny-fen ions a “currency exchange and data processing center,” he invites members of the

File photo shows Angelina Jolie and actor Brad Pitt posing upon arrival for the premiere of Jolie’s latest movie “The Tourist” by German director Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck, in Rome. talking about two empires meeting.”

Some of that revenue will, of course, be in magazine sales. After the rash of celebrity divorces last year, Brangelina fans “will be happy to see them affirm their relationship and what they mean to each other,” Jacobs said.

And they might be just as eager to read accounts of why the wedding is not to be.

Galloway speculates that “between now and whenever the wedding takes place, there will be at least a dozen stories that say it’s off; Brangelina call it quits.” — AP

File photo shows Angelina Jolie and actor Brad Pitt attending the Cinema for Peace Gala ceremony at the Konzerthaus Am Gendarmenmarkt during the 62nd Berlin International Film Festival in Berlin.

public to crunch financial sums and reflect on the slippery meaning of monetary value.

“I wanted to put my money to work. It didn’t seem to be doing anything for me,” said Keats, 40, in a mad inventor outfit of corduroy suit, bow tie and surgical gloves.—AFP

Students wearing costumes dance during the Aliwan Festival in Manila yesterday. The Aliwan Festival is an annual event bringing together major cultural festivals from different Philippine provinces to showcase their talents and compete against one another. — AFP