17 Mar 2012

IPT IO N SC R SU B

SATURDAY, MARCH 17, 2012

RABIA ALTHANI 24, 1433 AH

No: 15390

Kuwait National & Liberation Days

150 Fils

GCC nations close embassies in Syria Turkey considers Syria ‘buffer zone’

Max 24º Min 12º

in the

news

Qaeda chief urges Pakistanis to revolt DUBAI: Al-Qaeda chief Ayman Al-Zawahiri has called on Pakistanis to revolt against their government and military in a video posted on the Internet yesterday, US monitors said. In a 10-minute speech uploaded to jihadist forums, Zawahiri argued that the Pakistani authorities only represented US interests, according to a statement from SITE Intelligence Group. Zawahiri, shown standing in front of a green curtain, urged Pakistanis to follow the example of the Arab Spring as the military could not be expected to turn against America despite a deadly US strike on Pakistani troops in November. “O our brothers in Pakistan!

O our people in Pakistan! This treacherous army and bribe-taking government have plundered your wealth,” he said in the video. “They have ruined your economy and destroyed your world as well as your hereafter.

White rice, diabetes linked PARIS: Health researchers said they had found a troubling link between higher consumption of rice and Type 2 diabetes, a disease that in some countries is becoming an epidemic. Further work is need to probe the apparent association and diets that are notoriously high in sugar and fats should remain on the no-go list, they cautioned.

“What we’ve found is white rice is likely to increase the risk of Type 2 diabetes, especially at high consumption levels such as in Asian populations,” Qi Sun of the Harvard School of Public Health said. “But at the same time people should pay close attention to the other things they eat.

“It’s very important to address not just a single food but the whole pattern of consumption.” In the British Medical Journal (BMJ), Sun’s team said the link emerged from an analysis of four previously published studies, carried out in China, Japan, Australia and the United States.

Pope to visit Lebanon VATICAN: Pope Benedict XVI will visit Lebanon in September to preach peace and unity for Christians in the Middle East, a senior religious figure said yesterday a day after meeting with the pontiff. “The pope will come to support Christians so that they are united,” said Gregory III Laham, the head of the Melkite Greek Catholic Church, adding that the visit would take place November 14-16, the I.Media religious news agency reported. Benedict will also bring a message of “peace in the Middle East,” where violence has raged in Lebanon’s neighbour Syria for a year and efforts to resolve the decades-long Israeli-Palestinian conflict are as mired as ever, he said. Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati invited the pontiff to visit in November last year during a visit to the Vatican. The trip will mark the second to the region for Benedict, who visited Jordan, Israel and the Palestinian Territories in 2009.

TURKISH BORDER: A group of Syrians fleeing violence in their country, walk towards the Turkish border, near Reyhanli, Turkey. An official says more than 1,000 Syrians have crossed into Turkey over the past 24 hours. (Inset) Syrian refugees seen at the Reyhanli refugee camp in Antakya. — AP DUBAI: Four more members of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) have decided to close their embassies in Syria over its violent crackdown on mass protests against President Bashar Al-Assad, the Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported late on Thursday.

United Arab Emirates, Oman, Kuwait and Qatar follow in the footsteps of Bahrain and Saudi Arabia, the other two members of the six-nation grouping, which announced they were closing their embassies in Syria earlier in the week.

SPA quoted GCC Secretary General Abdullatif Al-Zayani as saying in a statement that the move demonstrated a rejection of “the Syrian regime’s continuing killing and tormenting of the unarmed Syrian people, its insistence on the military option and ignoring all efforts for a way out of the tragic situation lived by the brotherly Syrian people”. Zayani called on the international community to “take firm and quick measures to stop the killings, torture and blatant violation of the dignity of the Syrian people and its legitimate rights”, SPA said.

Meanwhile, Turkey said yesterday it might set up a border “buffer zone” to protect growing numbers of Syrian refugees fleeing a violent uprising against President Bashar Al-Assad. With the bloody revolt entering its second year, government forces

battled protesters in at least three suburbs of the capital Damascus, opposition activists said. They also reported flare-ups in other towns and cities.

Assad faced growing international isolation as more Arab states announced they were shutting their embassies and the Turkish Foreign Ministry said it “strongly urged” its citizens to leave the country because of growing security concerns.

Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan, once a firm ally of Assad, said he was considering setting up a buffer zone along the border with Syria. Ankara might then withdraw its ambassador once its nationals had returned home. “A buffer zone, a security zone, are things being studied,” he told reporters in Ankara, but said other ideas were also under consideration. “It would be wrong to look at it from only one perspective.”

Some 1,250 refugees have fled into Turkey from northern Syria in the last 48 hours, escaping an army onslaught in the frontier Idlib province. Some 45 civilians had been killed in the region in the past day, including 23 whose bodies were found with their hands tied behind their backs, as well as five army deserters, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitoring group reported. Ankara is wary of any military intervention in Syria, fearing a broader

civil war could spill over its borders, but a buffer zone would need armed protection, analysts say. Turkey set up such a zone along the border with Iraq during the Gulf War in the early 1990s when tens of thousands of refugees headed towards its territory.

Syria has given a “disappointing” response to efforts to end the bloodshed, UN-Arab League envoy Kofi Annan told the Security Council yesterday urging major powers to unite to sway President Bashar AlAssad. Annan said his next move would be to send technical experts to Damascus next week to discuss a possible international monitoring mission, according to diplomats at a closed Security Council meeting on Syria.

The former UN secretary general told the 15-nation body he has had a “disappointing response so far” to his proposals to Assad made in talks in Damascus last weekend.

Annan, who spoke to the council by videoconference from Geneva, gave little sign that Assad is ready to halt his military onslaught on protest cities which the UN says has left well over 8,000 dead, envoys at the meeting said. He said his “six point proposals remain on the table but that he was under “no illusions over the scale of the task ahead” in dealings with the increasingly isolated Syrian government. — Agencies

LOCAL

SATURDAY, MARCH 17, 2012

Kuwait-Japan ties to get new boost by Amir visit 55 years of cordial relations

KUWAIT: His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad AlSabah visiting the Popular Heritage Festival of Thursday.

Amir’s KD 1 million in prizes for Popular Heritage exhibition KUWAIT: Organizations and participants in the second Popular Heritage exhibition have expressed their appreciation of the gesture of His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad, for sponsoring the event which started on March 1 and lasts until March 24. Participants and organizers said the presence of His Highness the Amir and the Crown Prince at the exhibition yesterday made it more successful.

His Highness’ allocation of more than one million dinars in prizes for the exhibition competitions shows the continuous generosity provided by the Al-Sabah family to the Kuwaiti people, they added.

Mohammad Al-Mohaini, member of the organizing committee, said the visit of His Highness the Amir and meeting with his sons, who love Kuwaiti heritage, provided an extra push to the exhibition. “It was positively appreciated in our hearts, whether participants or organizers, and it has given heritage lovers the chance to practice their hobby in a beautiful competition,” he said. Al-Mohaini said the visit of His Highness indicates that he is keen to meet with his sons, the citizens, and make sure they are content. All of the exhibition competitions have been successful, whether the competitions for camels, sheep, horses or falcons in addition to fishing exhibitions. Bader Al-Jaian, a participant whose ram won first prize in the best male sheep competition, said the exhibition has caused the livestock market to flourish, especially with quality breeds. He said such an exhibition encourages breeders and owners of sheep, camels and falcons and inspires them to improve. — KUNA

Kuwait urged to speed up passage of anti-graft bills BEIRUT: Dr Nasser Al-Sane, the Kuwaiti Chairman of the Global Organization of Parliamentarians Against Corruption (GOPAC), urged the Kuwaiti Government and Parliament yesterday to speed up talks to pass anti-graft bills.

Speaking at the UN Convention Against Corruption (UNCAC) Parliamentary Oversight Workshop, Al-Sane underlined Kuwait’s seriousness in tackling corruption. He lauded the recent National Assembly decisions to form several panels to a number of graft-related issues.

He stressed the need to pass anti-graft bills as soon as possible, adding that GOPAC will provide Kuwait’s Parliament with all the expertise and advice it needs.

The bills should be carefully studied and written to avoid loopholes that could render the laws invalid, Al-Sane said.

Kuwait approved the UN Convention Against Corruption in early 2007, but until today has failed to fulfill its obligations because it did not set up a special anti-graft body and did not pass relative bills.

Nour Eddine Bouchkouj, Secretary-General of the Arab Inter-Parliamentary Union, highlighted the efforts of the Kuwaiti Government, Parliament and civil society organizations to protect public money and fight corruption.

“There has been remarkable progress in most Arab countries in the fight against corruption due to the new political realities in the region,” he said. —KUNA

TOKYO: His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah will make a four-day state visit to Japan from March 20 to meet Japanese Emperor Akihito, Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda and other leaders. It will be his first visit to the country since assuming the post. KuwaitJapan relations date back to 1958, when the late Sheikh Abdullah Al-Salem Al-Sabah granted Arabian Oil Company Ltd oil and gas concessions in the offshore Neutral Zone (now Divided Zone). On June 19, 1961, Kuwait gained its independence from the United Kingdom. A few days later, the Japanese government sent a congratulatory telegram to Kuwait.

Japan is one of the first countries to recognize Kuwait’s independence through a cabinet decree issued on Dec 8, 1961, and a decision to exchange diplomatic representation was announced.

In February 1962, the first Kuwaiti Ambassador to Japan Sulaiman Mohammed Al-Sanae opened the Kuwaiti Embassy in Tokyo, and the Japanese Embassy in Kuwait was inaugurated in March 1963. Since then, the two countries have benefited substantially from cooperation in broad spheres including energy, economy, scientific technology, environment protection, and education and cultural exchanges.

Japan stood in support of Kuwait upon the Iraqi invasion of 1990, and supported all international conventions and resolutions condemning occupation, calling for return of Kuwaiti sovereignty. Japan provided $13 billion for the liberation of the Gulf country and made many scientific and technological contributions in post-war reconstruction.

The year 1995 is considered the most distinctive in bilateral relations, as Japanese Crown Prince Naruhito and Crown Princess Masako visited Kuwait in January, a visit which was returned by the late Sheikh Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, former Amir of Kuwait, with a trip to Tokyo in October. The late Sheikh Jaber awarded Crown Prince Naruhito the Mubarak Al-Kabeer medal, Kuwait’s highest honorary medal, in appreciation of Japan’s support to Kuwait throughout the occupation.

His Highness the Amir last visited Japan in his former capacity as prime minister in July 2004, when he met the Emperor and then Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi.

The two leaders expressed their intention to further cooperation in all fields, particularly, the economic field, and shared the view that further cooperation is needed in the oil and gas development sector.

Koizumi also appreciated for Kuwait’s support for the Japanese Air Self-Defense Forces stationed in Kuwait on airlift operations to help reconstruction and humanitarian efforts in Iraq since March 2004.

His Highness the Amir had also made five official visits to Japan as foreign minister, with the first trip in April 1964, followed by visits in October of 1968, October 1971, May 1984, and October 1998.

In April 2007, then Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe paid an official visit to Kuwait, accompanied by a 180-strong delegation of businessmen representing companies of energy, finance, and electronics.

Abe was the first Japanese premier to visit the country. During their meeting, Abe and then Prime Minister Sheikh Nasser AlMohammad Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah agreed to reinforce bilateral cooperation based on the Japanese long-term experience and its advanced technology in the fields of conservation of energy and water, management of energy, and alternative energy sources. Abe also met His Highness the Amir. In July 2008, Sheikh Nasser paid a state visit to Japan to meet the Emperor and then Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda. The two leaders witnessed the signing of the Memorandum on establishing a Joint Committee between the two governments to further activate cooperation in all fields, particularly the economic and commercial fields.

The two leaders also reaffirmed their desire to strengthen technical collaboration in the upstream and other oil sectors, and decided to start a joint research project regarding CO2-Enhanced Oil Recovery as a first step.

Kuwait is one of the main sources of crude oil and its derivatives for Japan, with Japan-bound crude oil shipments accounting for roughly 20 percent of Kuwait’s total crude exports of 1.3-1.5 million barrels per day (bpd). Last year, Kuwait’s exports to the world’s third-largest energy consumer totaled 87. 05 million barrels, or 240,000 bpd.

State-run Kuwait Petroleum Corporation established Tokyo Office in 1968 as its first regional market office in order to strengthen KPC’s position in Asian markets.

The concession agreement in 1958 awarded to Arabian Oil Company by Kuwait is considered a symbol of the friendship and common interest between the two countries.

The landmark deal resulted in discovery of the massive Khafji oil field in 1960 and the Hout oil field in 1963.

When the concession agreement

expired in January 2003, Arabian Oil continued to participate in oil field operations in the offshore Partitioned Neutral Zone under a five-year technical services agreement with Kuwait.

The contract expired in January 2008.

But Arabian Oil still holds a 20-year crude oil purchasing agreement, which went into effect in January 2003. Under the deal, Kuwait guarantees Arabian Oil to purchase 100,000 barrels per day (bpd) of output from the Khafji field until 2023.

The quantity of crude oil to be handled was changed to 40,000 bpd after January 2010.

Moreover, Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research (KISR), which was established in 1967 by Arabian in fulfillment of its obligations under the oil concession agreement, currently joins hands with the Japanese team in upgrading technologies for Kuwait’s heavy crude oil.

On the economic front, Japan is Kuwait’s third-biggest trading partner, while Kuwait ranks 27th trading partner for Japan, with two-way trade between the two countries reaching $14.5 billion in 2011, nearly doubled from the $7.5 billion worth for 2001.

Last year, Kuwait’s exports to Japan totaled $12.9 billion, and imports $1.3 billion, according to Japanese government data. Active exchanges between the two countries have borne numerous successful achievements in this field. In February 2010, Kuwait and Japan signed a doubletaxation avoidance agreement aimed at facilitating exchange of and partnership in economic activities and investments.

Kuwait became Japan’s first signatory among the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states.

The Japan-Kuwait Joint Committee held the first meeting in June 2010 in Tokyo, where the two sides agreed to step up cooperation in the fields of renewable energy, energy conservation, atomic energy, water, business, and medical tourism.

In November 2010, the two countries concluded the third round of talks for a bilateral agreement on the promotion and mutual protection of investments, which is expected to contribute to opening up prospects for the flow of investments between Kuwait and Japan.

Reflecting the keenness of the private sectors in Kuwait and Japan to expand economic cooperation through joint ventures, businessmen from both countries established the Japanese-Kuwaiti Businessmen’s Committee in 1995 and meet once a year alternately in Japan and Kuwait. —KUNA

Kuwaiti exhibition at Avenues Mall KUWAIT: A “Talents” exhibition was launched at the Avenues Mall on Thursday by the Sabah Al-Ahmad Center for Giftedness and Creativity. It highlights promising Kuwaiti talents in the fields of music and arts.

The three-day exhibition includes 20 talented Kuwaitis who are photographers, painters and musicians. It is expected that over 120,000 people will attend the event.

The exhibition was opened by Dr. Adnan Shihbudeen, Director General of Kuwait’s Institute for Scientific Research, Dr. Bader Al-Omar, Sabah Al-Ahmad Center Chairman of the boards, Omar Al-Bannaye, its Director, and other board members of the two institutions.

Al-Omar said Kuwait has an ample number of exceptional talents that need to be nurtured and supported. The real goal of launching this exhibition is to develop the creative abilities of youths. It is a goal that corresponds with His Highness the Amir’s belief in the younger generation’s ability to contribute to the advancement of Kuwait.

Al-Bannaye said the event provides a good opportunity for talented youngsters to meet and exchange experiences with participating international talents. The overall message of this event is to raise awareness in the culture of creativity among society members by celebrating and accentuating the works of these gifted people. — KUNA

local

SATURDAY, MARCH 17, 2012

Attempt to smuggle out subsidized food foiled Customs men alert despite strike KUWAIT: Large quantities of subsidized food items, carried by hundreds of travelers leaving Kuwait through Shuwaikh Port during the past three days, have been confiscated by customs men. Sources said a large number of passengers thought that the strike would mean customs men had stopped their duty. Customs men held the subsidized food items, estimated to be worth KD 50,000, which was with over 400 passengers leaving Shuwaikh Port.

Sources said that in spite of the strike, customs men are completing their duties and shall remain guardians over the security of the state.

All subsidized food items confiscated by customs are being returned to the Ministry of Commerce.

Liquor traders An Ahmadi governorate police patrol suspected two Asians inside a car in Mangaf area.

The driver was asked to stop. The first surprise to the policemen was that the Asian driver and his companion were both drunk. After searching the car police found 66 bottles of Red Label, three bottles of Black Label and 29 bottles filled with locally made liquor. Two large water cans containing liquor were also found.

The Asians were arrested and sent to the General Department for Drug Control for further action.

Woman cheated A Kuwaiti woman accused her neighbor of swindling her, at a police station in Ahmadi governorate. She reported that the citizen took KD 12,000 from her, claiming that he was a merchant. She said he claimed to be blessed and that any project he entered into made unimaginable profits. He said investment in his projects reaped double the capital. She allowed herself to be misled by him and withdraw all her savings, estimated at KD 12,000. After the man took her money, he disappeared and closed his mobile phone. When she went to the company where she had handed him the money, she found he had leased the premises for a period of less than three months. A case was filed.

KUWAIT: An Iraqi, driving a vehicle in which he hid 50,000 hallucination pills in the dashboard, was arrested by Abdali customs inspectors yesterday. Security sources said inspectors doublechecked the man, who has been residing in Kuwait for a few years, when he seemed confused. — Photo by Hanan Al-Saadoun

Drug smuggler An Egyptian expatriate was caught trying to smuggle 300 drug pills into the state through Kuwait International Airport. Ibrahim Al-Ghanim, General Director of the customs authority, ordered him sent to the General Department for Drug Control. Sulaiman AlFahad, Airport Supervisor, said a customs inspector suspected the Arab passenger coming from his home country as he looked confused. After searching his luggage nothing was found. But the passenger looked more confused, and started subconsciously looking at his shoes. After checking his footwear, they

found he hid the drugs inside secret holes in the heel of his shoes.

No marriage A GCC citizen, who owns a car rental company in Kuwait and several specialized companies locally and abroad, filed a case against a Kuwaiti woman. The story began when the man found the woman through his office in an Arab country. Their relationship developed into an engagement. It was agreed to hold the wedding party in his country. The Kuwaiti woman and her mother made him pay large amounts of money, saying it was needed for gifts and other preparations for the wedding. The total amount spent was around KD 26,000. The woman kept postponing the wedding, until finally she told him that she did not want to marry him. She denied receiving any gifts or money. The GCC citizen filed a case against her, demanding the return of his money.

Jahra thief An Indian expatriate reported to Jahra police that an unknown person broke into his room and stole his savings. The intruder searched his room, in the industrial area in Jahra, until he found a box where he hid KD830 he had collected during the past year.

He was about to send the money to his family back home. The theft happened during the day time, when the Indian was working at a garage as a mechanic. A case was filed and police are looking for the unknown thief.

Kuwaiti thief Jahra police caught a Kuwaiti man, who specialized in stealing from Asians. The Kuwaiti posed as a detective, then stole whatever they had by force. After his arrest, he confessed to robbing many expatriates that way. Police received reports about the activities of the man and he was kept under surveillance. He was finally arrested behind Saad Abdullah cooperative society. He was placed in a lineup, and one victim was able to identify him. He confessed to having robbed four expatriates using the same method.

Abdul Mohsen Abal Khail

Beach cleanliness campaign launched

By Hanan Al-Saadoun KUWAIT: Abdul Mohsen Abal Khail, Kuwait Municipality acting PR Manager, urged all beach visitors to keep them clean and observe all Municipality bylaws in this regard. He hailed the role played by volunteers in boosting public

awareness of various concerns.

Speaking at the launch of an awareness campaign to keep beaches and green landscapes clean, Abal Khail said campaign inspectors have detected various violations at barbeque sites and littering with charcoal remains and other rubbish.

Over 170 days of dust expected before the end of the year KUWAIT: Well known astronomer Dr. Saleh Al-0jairi has predicted that sand storms this year will exceed 170 days, according to the latest facts on the winter season.

Al-Ojairi said during previous years, dust days were as many as 150 but this year they may exceed 170 days.

There has not been any suitable rainfall during the planting season, he said. Due to the lack of rain this year, the many cars driven in the desert have broken the soil and even medium winds can easily stir the dust.

He said he expects the weather during the next few days to become sandy again on Saturday and Sunday, after easing on Friday.

He said that day and night were equal in Kuwait on Friday. He added that the sun becomes vertical on the equator on every March 21 and September 23 and that is when daylight and night time become equal. He said due to the geographic location of Kuwait, equality of day and night comes five days ahead of that.

3 injured in fights

By Hanan Al-Saadoun KUWAIT: A 47-year-old Saudi national was rushed to Jahra hospital with broken teeth and bleeding gums resulting from a fist fight, security sources said. A 36-year-old citizen sustained a head wound in a fight with others in Salwa, security sources said. The fighters were brought under control and the injured man was rushed to Mubarak Hospital for treatment. A 37-year-old Bangladeshi was rushed to Farwaniya Hospital ICU in very critical condition after receiving three stab wounds in the shoulder and one to the chest during a fight with others in Farwaniya.

Road accidents A 21-year-old female citizen dislodged her left shoulder when her vehicle collided into another in Surra, security sources said.

The girl was rushed to Mubarak Hospital for treatment.

A 28-year-old Egyptian sustained a forehead injury when he was knocked down by a speeding vehicle in Ardhiya.

An 18-year-old citizen broke his right hand, collarbone, some ribs and sustained a head injury. He had to be rushed to Adan Hospital ICU along with a 16 year old who broke his right thigh, right hand and his spine after his vehicle collided with another along Wafra Highway, security sources said. The sources said a 14-year-old cut his lower lip and a 10-year-old sustained a head injury. They were all rushed to Adan Hospital.

A 50-year-old Syrian sustained a head and spine injury when his vehicle turned turtle on the road between Kuwait International Airport and Sabhan, security sources said. The man was rushed to Farwaniya Hospital for treatment.

local

SATURDAY, MARCH 17, 2012

Obeidi lauds outcome of Arab ministers meeting AMMAN: Kuwaiti Health Minister Dr Ali Saad Al-Obeidi hailed yesterday the outcome of the 37th session of the Council of Arab Health Ministers, which concluded here, with the participation of health ministers from 18 Arab countries.

In statements before leaving Amman after the meeting, Al-Obeidi lauded the council’s resolution to send $1.2 million in emergency aid to Syrian, Yemeni and Palestinian people to alleviate their suffering.

“The decision reflects a sense of responsibility towards the humanitarian needs of Arab countries,” he said.

Dr Al-Obeidi noted that he held talks with Jordanian counterpart Dr Abdullatif Wreiket over buttressing bilateral relations especially in the health sector.

The minister also acclaimed Kuwaiti Ambassador to Jordan Dr Hamad Al-Duaij and the whole diplomatic mission to Jordan’s role in strengthening friendly relations between the two Arab nations and facilitating the task of the Kuwaiti health delegation to Amman.

For his part, Ambassador Al-Duaij held a function to welcome Al-Obeidi and his accompanying delegation attended by several Jordanian officials.

Earlier, the 37th session of the Council of Arab Ministers of Health decided to allocate $1.2 million for an urgent relief effort for Syria, Yemen and Palestine.

The council agreed to provide $1 million equally to Syria and Yemen, as the rest of the $200,000 to the Palestinian Authority.

The Council appointed the technical secretariat of the council of Arab ministers of Health to coordinate with the ministries of health in the neighboring countries of Syria to ensure that medical support for Syrian citizens is reached.

The council called for the implementation of the Arab League’s decision which demanded the Syrian government “to allow immediate access to international and Arab aid groups.”

In regards to the $500,000 allocated to the health sector to Yemen, the council decided to coordinate with the Yemeni Ministry of Health to determine their needs and entrusted the technical secretariat of the council to coordinate and cooperate with the Organization of Arab Red Crescent and Red Cross, as well as the Arab Doctors Union to deliver the aid.

As for the amount of $200,000, it was allocated to the Palestinian health sector to provide the needs of medicines and medical supplies.— KUNA

Hayat holds luncheon for Asian envoys NEW MEXICO: Chairman of the group of Asian nations here Kuwaiti Ambassador to Mexico Sameeh Johar Hayat held a luncheon in honor of Asian countries envoys in Mexico.

Head of Government of the Federal District Marcelo Ebrard and the Kuwaiti-Mexican Friendship Society Carlos Peralta were present at the event.

The meeting discussed issues of common interest and the promotion of relations especially in the realms of economy and investments between Mexico and the Asian countries.

Ebrad expressed his appreciation to the Kuwaiti envoy for holding this lunch and providing an opportunity to meet with the Asian ambassadors to help further refine the Asian-Mexican ties.

He showed willingess to work with the ambassadors to provide all facilities to make a success of the Asian cultural week which will be held at the end of April. The Asian envoys, meanwhile, thanked Hayat for organizing this event where they can exchange points of view with the Mexican officials. — KUNA

BEIRUT: Kuwaiti aid workers distributing aid supplies to 500 displaced Syrian families in Lebanon yesterday.

Kuwaiti volunteers deliver aid to Syrian refugees Arab parliamentary delegation in Gaza BEIRUT: The Kuwaiti Social Reform Society declared yesterday distribution of aid supplies to 500 Syrian families that fled violence at home, in addition to support for 150 wounded Syrians undergoing treatment at Lebanese hospitals. Dr Suleiman Al-Shatti, in charge of philanthropic programs, said that the society teams would distribute the materials, including clothes, mattresses, fuel and medicines, for three days.

Walid Al-Suwailem, a volunteer involved in the humanitarian operation, said the teams distributed aid to 50 families and 50 injured Syrians.

Each family was given an of food sufficient for one month, along with gas cylinders and bed sheets.

The International Islamic Charitable Organization has distributed aid to 1,500 Syrian refugees in northern Lebanon.

Abdullah Al-Awadhi, in charge of the organization resources said teams of the organization distributed food, mattresses, fuel and medicines to the refugees, indicating that the action was part of the first phase of a relief operation targeting 5,000 families.

The organization is distributing the aid in coordination with local bodies, namely the Lebanese Zakat

House of Dar Al-Fatwa and Al-Thika Association. Some 7,000 Syrians have recently taken refuge in Lebanon fleeing the violence at home.

A number of Syrian refugees and injured ones in Lebanon yesterday expressed their gratitude to Kuwait, HH the Amir, government, and people for their honorable humanitarian stances toward the Syrian people.

In separate statements on the sideline of a delegation of Kuwaiti people’s visit to Lebanon to provide humanitarian aid, Syrian refugees said these initiatives are not a strange matter for Kuwaitis, adding that the initiatives and donations of His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah affirm the humanitarian dimensions of Kuwaiti policy and the noble stances and keenness of HH the Amir in supporting fair and equitable issues of people all around the world.

In the same context, Ghassan Hablas, caretaker of the Lebanese branch of the Kuwaiti-based International Al-Rahama Society for Relief, stressed that HH the Amir’s donation is considered as a generous initiative which shows the true generous nature of Kuwaiti people, government, and leadership who are always at the vanguard of those helping and aiding friends and

brothers. His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber AlSabah has donated $5 million, on behalf of Al-Sabah family, to help alleviate suffering of the Syrian people. Meanwhile, an Arab parliamentary delegation has arrived in the Israeli-blockaded Gaza Strip via Egypt’s Rafah crossing carrying humanitarian and medical aid.

Led by Abdul-Qader Al-Samari, the team, involving 22 Arab MPs, was welcomed by several Palestinian lawmakers and officials of the government in Gaza.

The humanitarian aid includes 20 tons of medical supplies, garments, school items and blankets.

Al-Samari said the move by the Arab Parliament is intended to remind the Arab and Muslim worlds of the Palestinian issue.

“Our visit is meant to keep the Palestinian cause vivid in the minds of the whole of the nation, Arabs and Muslims,” he told a news conference upon arrival here.

“We are here to offer support and help to the Palestinian people, mainly civilians whose houses are raided

by Israeli occupying forces everyday,” he added. The Arab members of parliament vowed to struggle until Palestine is liberated from the Israeli enemy.—KUNA

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

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

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LOCAL

SATURDAY, MARCH 17, 2012

No govt directives to favor certain parliamentarians KUWAIT: Minister of Information Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah Mubarak Al-Sabah said Thursday that there are no government instructions to line up with any parliamentary party against the other.

“Nor are there any personal desires to favor certain parliamentary force,” Sheikh Mohammad told reporters after attending a National Assembly session. He underlined that the government is striving to live up to its responsibilities and to meet the aspirations of the Kuwaiti leadership and people.

The minister urged all political forces to turn over a new chapter to enhance cooperation between the legislative and executive powers.

“I hope that we allow ourselves to take a breath and benefit from the experienced people in the two authorities,” he said, adding that “Everyone has ambitious ideas, but do not judge us through our actions in the past as if we insisted on divulging in the past we will not be able to achieve the ambitions of the future.”

Sheikh Mohammad voiced hope the National Assembly would soon pass the national unity bill which includes severe penalties against anyone who harm national unity or instigate sectarian sedition. — KUNA

7 billion Kuwait metro to be reviewed KUWAIT: Ernst & Young, a leading professional organization, will deliver an overview of the top priority $7 billion Kuwait Metropolitan Rapid Transit System (KMRT) at an upcoming infrastructure investment summit in Kuwait.

The Infrastructure Investment Kuwait 2012 Summit will be held from March 25 to 28 at Crowne Plaza, Kuwait City. Kuwait continues to invest heavily in expanding the nation’s infrastructure in all major industries.

One sector benefiting from the National Development Plan is the transport sector where The Partnership Technical Bureau (PTB) in Kuwait recently confirming approval for The Kuwait Metropolitan Rapid Transit System Project (KMRT). Kuwait Financial Centre Markaz valued the new 160km project.

The metro service is designed to improve Kuwait’s public transport infrastructure and will involve the development, financing, construction, operation and maintenance of a three line network that will be developed over five phases. The first phase and line will connect Kuwait’s southern metropolitan area with the centre and will run 25.8-km through to the main university.

The other four phases will be developed and constructed over the coming years as demand grows. The PTB has appointed a transaction advisory team of Ernst & Young, Ashurst and Atkins to prepare the procurement stage, including metro infrastructure, control system, rolling stock, depot and operations. During the summit Hashem Al-Tabtabael of the PTB will be giving an overview of infrastructure development in Kuwait and Mohamad Mneimne, senior executive from Ernst & Young will give an exclusive outline of the Kuwait Metro Project. — Agencies

Kuwait stresses importance of right to development One of the cornerstones of advancement GENEVA: The right to national and international development is of utmost importance to Kuwait in order to achieve a sustainable development for countries in all fields of life. This remark was made by Kuwait’s diplomatic attache Rania Abdurahman AlMulaifi in a speech at the current UN Human Rights Council session. She said that the state of Kuwait considers the right to development one of the cornerstones of the advancement of any country; hence, it set up laws and rules to support this right in the country’s constitution.

This right has been a tool to build communities and improve the lives of people by providing good living conditions without any form of discrimination, Al-Mulaifi noted.

She further explained that Kuwait encourages the participation of its people in all social, economic and political activities that take place in the country through the freedom of expression in all media outlets.

This participation has largely led to an overall development inside and outside of the country, she clarified.

As a proof of such development, the Gulf country has paid great interest in alleviating the level of education of its people through providing free education and establishing many cultural and scientific centers, the Kuwaiti diplomat noted.

Economic stability in the country is not only seen on a national level but it

also exceeds its limits to reach other friendly nations, especially the underdeveloped ones. As a vivid proof of Kuwait’s concern for the economic development of these countries, Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development was established to help set up many projects and provide many job opportunities for the people

Rania Abdurahman Al-Mulaifi of these underprivileged nations, she pointed out.

She also said that His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah set up “ The Good Life Fund” during the 2008 Fourth World Islamic Economic Forum. His Highness the Amir also donated $100 million to aid underdeveloped countries. She also

NA approves draft law for Medical City

MoI concludes preventive-measures course KUWAIT: Ministry of Interior concluded the five-day “preventive measures course” held here in cooperation with US Embassy in Kuwait and the Transportation Security Administration (TSA).

The course was under the patronage of the Assistant Undersecretary for borders’ security affairs, Major General Anwar AlYassin. Addressing the closing ceremony, Al-Yassin thanked the US Embassy and the TSA for their active participation in the sessions, and

drew the attention to His Highness the Amir’s contribution of $ one billion at the Arab Economic Summit to establish a fund to financially aid small and medium companies to further encourage development. Meanwhile, Kuwait welcomed the measures taken by the Libyan government to promote and safeguard human rights and its cooperation with international human rights organizations, particularly United Nations Human Rights Council.

The remarks were made by Counselor Sadiq Maarfi, a member of the Kuwaiti permanent delegation to the UNHRC at the session held to review and approve the Libyan government human rights report.

Maarfi noted the UNHRC tackles Thursday a special case as the reviewed report was compiled by the former Libyan regime but the transitional government has vowed fulfill the Libya’s previous human rights commitments.

Kuwaiti diplomat hailed Libyan transitional government acceptance of several recommendations that were rejected by the former regime, which reflects its commitment to promoting human rights.

He added that the Libyan people have suffered over the past 42 years of flagrant violations of human rights at the hands of the former regime who deliberately prevented its people from knowing anything about the culture of human rights. — KUNA

training professionally in the field of aviation security, wishing for more high-level security cooperation in security training courses.

He stressed upon the participants the need to take advantage of the course and apply what they have learned, thanking them for their positive interaction with the trainers. Al-Yassin distributed the certificates to the passing participants from the Directorate General of civil Aviation (DGCA), airport security, and Kuwait Airways. — KUNA

KUWAIT: National Assembly passed Thursday a draft law for establishing a specialized medical city to offer high-quality medical service for Kuwait’s people and residents.

The approved bill stipulates for setting up a shareholding company, to found a comprehensive and integrated medical city, with a capital of KD 100 million. About 40 percent of shares will be put up for private sector and 10 percent will be allocated to Kuwait Investment Authority.

Roughly 50 percent stake will be put up for public offering.

Meanwhile, the parliament postponed the voting for a demand to assign the Education Committee to probe a delay in the establishment of Al-Shedadiya university and a quest to grill the government over the failure to appoint new leaders for the oil sector. — KUNA

SATURDAY, MARCH 17, 2012

Argentina takes aim at Falklands oil companies

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Nigeria, Boko Haram in indirect talks

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North Korea plans to launch long-range rocket

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KABUL: Afghan policemen look at the wreckage from a Turkish helicopter that crashed on the outskirts of Kabul, Afghanistan yesterday. —AP

NATO helicopter crash kills 16 Twelve Turkish soldiers die in crash in Afghanistan KABUL: A NATO helicopter crashed into a house on the outskirts of the Afghan capital, Kabul yesterday , killing 12 Turkish soldiers on board and four Afghan civilians on the ground, Turkey’s military and a senior Afghan police official said.

The crash came amid growing unease among NATO partner countries about the increasingly unpopular and costly war nearly 11 years into the conflict as most foreign combat troops set to leave Afghanistan by the end of 2014. “Twelve of our military personnel on board the helicopter have been martyred,” the Turkish general staff said in a statement in Ankara. A team had been sent to the scene to investigate, it said.

Wreckage as well as corpses and body parts littered the site. Relief workers and

Turkish soldiers covered bodies with red and purple blankets on a ground in front of a smoking hole in a two-storey house. Two women and two children were among those killed when the helicopter crashed into the house, an Afghan police officer said. The officer said the cause of the crash appeared to be a technical fault. NATO’s International Security Assistance Force said earlier that the cause of the crash was still unknown but that there had been no reports of insurgent action in the area.

Turkey’s foreign minister also said the cause was apparently a technical fault. “Both the location and the way the crash happened makes the impression that it’s due to technical failure,” Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu told reporters in Istanbul. “It’s a

cause of great pain, I am sending my condolences once again to the families and the general staff.” Turkey’s mission in Afghanistan is limited to patrols and its soldiers do not take part in combat operations. It has more than 1,800 soldiers serving in the country, most of them around the capital.

Unlike other NATO countries, public opinion in Turkey has been less critical about having troops in Afghanistan, given their noncombat role. Nor is there as much resentment among Afghans over the Turkish presence, because they are fellow Muslims and due to the historical links between the countries. In January, six US Marines were killed in a helicopter crash in southern Afghanistan, which followed the death of 30 American personnel, including 22

Navy SEAL commandos, in eastern Afghanistan in August last year.

An investigation into the August incident confirmed the Taleban had fired a rocket-propelled grenade that hit one of the rotary blades and exploded, sending the helicopter plummeting to the ground and bursting into flames. On Thursday, in a blow to NATO hopes of a negotiated end to the decade-old war, the Afghan Taleban said they were suspending nascent peace talks with the United States, following the massacre of 16 civilians by an American soldier.

The US government said it remained committed to political reconciliation involving talks with the Taleban but progress would require agreement between the Afghan government and the insurgents. — Reuters

INTERNATIONAL

SATURDAY, MARCH 17, 2012

Jordan demonstrators want jailed activists freed AMMAN: Jordanians demonstrated yesterday against a “tight security grip,” demanding the release of activists arrested this week after proreform protests in the southern city of Tafileh.

“No to the tight security grip and no to leniency in dealing with corruption,” read a banner, as around 700 demonstrators who marched in central Amman streets. “The authorities ignore the corrupt and arrest the

activists. Targeting popular movements entrenches corruption,” they chanted.

On Sunday, police arrested more than 20 people following demonstrations in Tafileh last week to demand the government introduce reforms and find jobs for youths in the southern city. Military prosecutors have charged all of them with rioting and six with insulting King Abdullah II. Opposition Islamists,

trade unionists and leftists took part in yesterday’s protest, organised by the National Reform Front of former premier and intelligence chief Ahmad Obeidat.

Police broke up brief clashes between leftists and Islamists, who insisted on raising national flags during the demonstration. The leftists wanted to carry flags of their political parties. Despite a heavy security presence, unknown assailants threw

stones at the protesters from the tops of nearby buildings, but nobody was hurt, according to an AFP reporter.

Similar demonstrations took place in the northern city of Irbid as well as Karak, Tafileh and Theiban in the south, police said. Jordanians have been protesting since January last year demanding sweeping political and economic reforms and an end to corruption. — AFP

Qaeda suspects kidnap Swiss woman: Officials kidnappers demand release of 2 militants ADEN: Suspected Al-Qaeda militants have kidnapped a Swiss woman and are holding her in the southeastern province of Shabwa, a provincial chief and a security official told AFP yesterday. “A Swiss woman was abducted in Hodeida (on the Red Sea coast) by armed men who moved her to Shabwa province,” the official told AFP on condition of anonymity. “According to our information, AlQaeda is responsible for the abduction,” he added.

According to the official, the kidnappers are “demanding the release of two Al-Qaeda militants detained in Hodeida.” He gave no further details. A security official also blamed Al-Qaeda for the abduction. “The kidnapping bears the hallmark of Al-Qaeda,” he told AFP. According to him, only a well-organised group like Al-Qaeda could have undertaken such an operation, which involved abducting the woman in Hodeida and then moving her across three provinces to Shabwa.

Shabwa is a stronghold of loyalists of the jihadists’ local affiliate Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, whose militants fight under the banner of Partisans of Sharia (Islamic law). The Swiss foreign ministry confirmed that a Swiss national was

abducted in Yemen, in a statement released yesterday. The identity of the victim was not revealed but the Swiss foreign ministry said they were informed of the abduction late Wednesday and immediately made contact with competent authorities in Yemen. Last year, Switzerland urged its citizens in Yemen to leave the country. In May, the Islamist militants took control of Zinjibar, capital of Abyan province which neighbours Shabwa, as well as several other southern towns, triggering months of deadly fighting with government troops.

More than 200 people have been abducted in Yemen over the past 15 years, many of them by members of the Arabian Peninsula’s powerful tribes who use them as bargaining chips with the authorities. Almost all of those kidnapped were later freed unharmed. On February 1 four aid workers-a Colombian, a German, a Palestinian and an Iraqi-were freed a day after being abducted by armed men northeast of the capital Sanaa. The Palestinian and Iraqi were women. A Norwegian UN employee, who was abducted by tribesmen in Sanaa on January 14, was released unharmed almost 10 days later. —AFP

Baghdad marketplace oasis holds ‘Iraq of dreams’ BAGHDAD: After a recent wave of attacks in Baghdad, urbane intellectuals sought refuge, as they have for years, in a storied market-place that has been their oasis in the capital’s chaos: Mutanabi Street. It comes alive on Fridays, when its book market vies for the attention of passersby with men who recite verses from poetry by the Arab writer after whom it is named as others sip hot lemon tea at the renowned Shabander Cafe.

And it was no different on this particular Friday, just a day after bomb attacks and shootings left dozens dead in the capital. “I have been coming here for 30 years,” said Kamil Abdulrahim Al-Saadawi, his hands clinging to recently purchased books. “Every Friday, I wake up and I tell myself, I will not come. But Mutanabi is like a sweetheart-she seduces you.”

Mutanabi Street was inaugurated in 1932 by King Faisal I and named after a leading 10th-century poet Abu Al-Tayyib Al-Mutanabi, who was born in what is now Iraq.

Regarded by Iraqis as an intellectual hub of the Arab world, it became over the decades a meeting place for writers, artists and intellectuals from across the capital. With a statue of the poet at one

end, the less than one-kilometre-long (0.6 mile) street is bracketed on the opposite end by an arch that bears an inscription from Mutanabi’s works.

“The desert knows me well, the night and the mounted men, the battle and the sword, the paper and the pen,” it reads.

Saadawi, a 59-year-old businessman, continued: “Mutanabi Street has nothing to do with the reality of Iraq-it is an isolated island, the Iraq of our dreams.” “While outside we are confronted with violence and silly politicians, the Iraq of our reality, here we have the Iraq of our dreams.” The day before, 42 people were killed in nationwide violence and the country’s lawmakers finally ended their wrangling and came to agreement on a federal budget, months after it was first mooted.

Despite the talk on the street of Mutanabi being the ideal Iraq, it has not been immune from the brutal blood-letting that wracked the capital in the aftermath of the 2003 US-led invasion.

On March 5, 2007, a suicide bomber exploded his truck in Mutanabi Street, on the east bank of the Tigris River, killing more than 30 people and wounding at least 60, devastating the street’s historic book stores and coffee shops. — AFP

TUNIS: Tunisian Foreign Affairs minister Rafik Abdessalem (C) with Egyptian counterpart Mohamed Kamel Amr (R) and Libyan counterpart Ashur Bin Khayal (L) speaks at a press conference after the meeting between the three countries to discuss security at the border yesterday in Tunis. Amr is on two days official visit to Tunisia. —AFP

Young lawyer inspires hope among Egypt activists CAIRO: Egyptian revolutionaries who forced Hosni Mubarak out of office last year are struggling to find a voice to represent them in the presidential race that will name his successor. But a young labor activist and rights lawyer hopes he may fit the bill. Khaled Ali, 40, has attracted a dedicated youth following, buzzing media coverage and consideration as a serious contender, less than 10 days after announcing he would run for Egypt’s first real presidential election that starts on May 23.

It is still far from certain that the new entrant stands a chance. And with little financing and a requirement to register the support of 30,000 citizens, it is unsure he will even be able to run. But he says his bid is about showing that a new generation deserves a chance in power. “My decision to run is not about filling a gap. It’s about being a different voice, from a different generation, presenting a different political discourse,” he told Reuters in an interview this week at his downtown Cairo campaign headquarters.

“Throughout these past years, I wasn’t talking, I was working, work

that challenged the repressive authorities, work that defended the simple and the poor,” he said, speaking passionately of social justice and labour rights. Ali said he would run in late February, much later than heavyweight politicians like former Arab League chief Amr Moussa, 75, or former Muslim Brotherhood member Abdel Moneim Abol Fotoh, 60. In a nation, a quarter of whose 80 million people are aged between 18 and 29 and steeped in poverty, Ali’s populist touch, humble roots and legacy of activism is causing ripples.

He is the youngest presidential hopeful — 40 is the minimum age for a candidate-and the volunteers around him say the “nation of the aged” must go. Mubarak was 82 when he lost power, the head of the army is 76 and the interim prime minister 79. Critical of how the military has handled the transition, Ali says the generals have squandered much of the goodwill they enjoyed when Mubarak was toppled. Friends and supporters convinced him to run and he only agreed after deciding that the revolution they started had to be continued. — Reuters

INTERNATIONAL

SATURDAY, MARCH 17, 2012

Oklahoma executes man for wife’s 1996 slaying OKLAHOMA: An Oklahoma man convicted of killing his wife with help from a relative of his mistress to collect insurance money was put to death by injection Thursday. Timothy Shaun Stemple shook his head no when asked if he had any last words, as members of his family and his wife’s sat separately from each other watching the condemned man through glass.

The 46-year-old Stemple gasped for about 20 seconds, his eyes opened and he groaned. He then laid still with closed eyes and his face turned pale. He was pronounced dead at 6:11 pm. His family had asked the governor to stay the execution so that medical testimony disputing his accomplice’s account of the 1996 attack on Trisha Stemple could be heard in court. Stemple’s mother, his 21-year-old daughter and his sisters held each other by their hands and arms as he was being put to death. One of his sisters held his crying daughter’s face close to hers. Afterward, Trisha Stemple’s sister, Deborah Ruddick-Bird, said the day was not about Timothy Stemple. She

said it was “about justice, finality and closure for my gorgeous sister, Trisha, and my family.”

“Today we put a period at the end of the chapter that held us captive for far too long,” Ruddick-Bird told reporters. “Today we breathe again. Today we move forward and move on.”

Trisha Stemple, 30, was beaten with a plasticcovered baseball bat and run over by a pickup truck Oct 24, 1996, along a Tulsa highway. Her husband maintained his innocence throughout the trial and appeals process. And at a clemency hearing last month, he declined to address Pardon and Parole Board members.

The board denied his plea for clemency.

“The state of Oklahoma murdered an innocent man today,” his mother, Lia Stemple, told The Associated Press by phone after the execution.

“I don’t want vengeance but I want the truth to be known so this doesn’t happen to another family. My son was a noble man.” The New York-based Innocence Project also urged Gov. Mary Fallin to stay the execution and called for additional DNA testing to be done. Human

blood was found on the plastic that was on the bat, but it was too deteriorated to determine whose it was, prosecutors said. His family hoped advances in DNA testing could help exonerate him.

Stemple’s execution at the state prison in McAlester is the first of three scheduled over the next two months in Oklahoma. Last month, Department of Corrections officials said the state has four doses left of the lethal injection drug pentobarbital, an anesthetic that manufacturers have objected to selling for use in executions. It was among the drugs used to execute Stemple. Stemple’s accomplice, Terry Hunt, told the AP during a prison interview Sunday that he was disappointed Stemple didn’t confess when given the opportunity at the clemency hearing. “I’m not innocent and Shaun is not innocent,” said Hunt, who’s in prison in Hominy serving a life sentence.

Hunt is the cousin of Dani Wood, who was having an affair with Timothy Stemple. Hunt’s testimony that the crime was brutal, with

Trisha Stemple being conscious during much of the attack, was a factor that helped prosecutors secure the death penalty for Stemple.

Hunt struck the woman with a bat twice and her husband hit her in the back of the head about 20 to 30 times, according to Hunt’s testimony. Hunt said Stemple tried to drive over his wife’s head with the pickup truck. Hunt tried to place a wheel on her chest. Following the initial attack, she managed to drag herself onto grass along the highway after they drove away.

In his testimony, Hunt said they returned and struck her with the truck, traveling about 60 mph. A forensic expert consulted by Timothy Stemple’s family said the wife’s injuries were consistent with being hit by a vehicle and run over but that there’s no evidence she was beaten. The medical examiner first thought she died after being hit by a car, but there was “no primary point of impact below the knees as is usual in the typical autopedestrian collision,” according to prosecutors’ report in the case.— AP

Republican race shifts to Obama’s home state Polls show Santorum within striking range of Romney

ANDREWS AIR FORCE BASE: President Barack Obama boards Air Force One before his departure from Andrews Air Force Base, Md yesterday.

Obama is traveling to Chicago and Atlanta for campaign fundraisers. —AP

Outlaw men, extremists roam the Rockies SALMON: One is a loner who has eluded capture on Utah’s rugged Cedar Mountain for five years. Another is hiding out in the mountain forests of western Montana, wanted for attempted murder. They are extreme versions of the self-reliant, independent-thinking frontiersmen who have long roamed the American West.

From wanted criminals to the more eccentric “Phantom Pooper” or “Dugout Dick,” a wide range of outlaws and drifters live off the land in the rugged Rocky Mountains, folk heroes to the militia movement and a source of chagrin for law enforcement. Among the more storied is Troy James Knapp, 44, a loner wanted for burglaries of resort cabins near Zion National Park in Utah. In his five years in the wild, he has lived off land so rugged the average visitor stocks his four-wheel drive with emergency supplies.

Legend about Knapp’s uncanny outdoor skills and hardiness has grown along with the thefts he is accused of committing frequently of firearms - and the threats he has made against a local sheriff in the forested high country of southern Utah called Cedar Mountain. The snowshoe-clad survivalist has out-maneuvered authorities in manhunts, one as recently as last month when a reported sighting of a rifle-toting figure sent police in camouflage and bullet-proof vests pouring into the woods on foot and by air.

Knapp is one of a number of fugitives thought to be holed up in the vast back country of the Rocky Mountains, a region where self-sufficiency is almost a religion and separatist and militia movements have found fertile ground. The forbidding mountainscape has given rise to characters such as 19th century trapper and explorer Kit Carson, and has acted as a magnet for modernday mountain men and outlaws such as Claude Dallas. — Reuters

CHICAGO: Republican White House hopefuls will yesterday set their sights on President Barack Obama’s home state of Illinois, hoping to gain momentum and become the party’s standard bearer in the general election. Former senator Rick Santorum is aiming to win again as polls show him within striking range of frontrunner Mitt Romney, who has a big lead in allimportant delegates but who has been dented by several failures to kill off his rivals.

Santorum, a devout Catholic and opponent of abortion and gay marriage, is seen as the most conservative Republican candidate vying to take on Democrat Obama on November 6, but his ability to win over independent voters is doubted. A Santorum victory in this midwestern, industrialized state on Tuesday could consequently prove a far more significant upset than his wins in the Deep South states of Alabama and Mississippi, where evangelical voters carry more weight.

It would also give Santorum important momentum going into the southern state of Louisiana’s primary on March 24 and contests in Wisconsin, Maryland and Washington DC on April 3. The former Pennsylvania senator is making an aggressive push in Illinois, adding many campaign stops and launching ads attacking Romney for raising taxes and supporting the Wall Street bailout and government control of healthcare. “It’s time conservatives take a stand,” Santorum said in a fundraising note to supporters on Thursday.

“I am convinced that whoever can activate grassroots activists will not only win the nomination but have the honor of defeating Barack Obama,” he added, in a likely dig at Romney’s big-spending campaign. Romney has responded by moving up plans to campaign in Illinois-squeezing in an appearance early yesterday before he flies to Puerto Rico ahead of caucuses there Sunday and pouring millions of dollars into ads for the local airwaves.

“I’ve got a real strong lead and that’s because I’ve gotten a million more votes

than Rick Santorum has,” Romney told Fox News on Thursday. “The reason that’s happened is because I’ve been talking about the economy and getting people back to work.” While the Republicans have until now controlled the 2012 race for the White House, Obama’s decision to wade in Thursday signaled that his party, sensing a

“If you give any one of these guys the keys to the White House, they will bankrupt the middle class again,” Biden told a crowd of union workers, alluding to the global economic crisis that occurred during the last Republican government, and which prompted US unemployment to rise massively. The campaign’s new intensity comes

ROSEMONT: Republican presidential candidate, former Massachusetts Gov Mitt Romney holds four -month-old Ryan Pratt while campaigning at Pancakes Eggcetera yesterday in Rosemont, Ill. —AP tight election, is upping their effort to gain traction with voters.

Obama mocked Republicans who oppose his energy plans as “naysayers” on a day his reelection campaign released a laudatory 17-minute documentary, narrated by Oscar-winning actor and Democrat supporter Tom Hanks, on his presidency.

Vice President Joe Biden threw even sharper barbs during a major campaign trip to the crucial battleground and swing state of Ohio where he called out the remaining Republican contenders by name.

at a moment of high volatility in American politics, with Obama’s approval rating lurching up and down in several polls, partly influenced by rising gasoline prices.

But the consistently divisive Republican race has been an unexpected boon for Obama and it could continue for weeks if not months to come. Former House speaker Newt Gingrich has vowed to take the battle all the way to the Republican convention in August, ignoring increasing pressure to drop out and consolidate the conservative vote behind Santorum.—AFP

INTERNATIONAL

SATURDAY, MARCH 17, 2012

50 arrested as Chile protest turn violent SANTIAGO: At least 50 people were arrested in Santiago Thursday when police clashed with students angry at the low quality and high cost of public education. The demo, involving some 5,000 protesters, also saw three officers hurt in the hours-long clashes, police said. Police used water cannons and tear gas against the demonstrators and deployed officers on horseback tried to control the crowd. The students responded by hurling stones, sticks and bottles filled with paint. Some of the demonstrators, wearing hoods to mask their identity, lit fire to barricades on the Alameda Avenue, a main downtown avenue, and sought to halt traffic in central Santiago. The protesters did not have an official permit to march, and clashes erupted when police moved in to break up the demonstration. Education Minister Harald Beyer called the clashes “quite incomprehensible” and said the violence was not consistent with “the spirit of the establishments of the country.”

Chilean students staged more than 40 street marches last year. Some of them drew more than 100,000 people, making them the country’s largest rallies since the end of Augusto Pinochet’s dictatorship in 1990. Several marches resulted in clashes with police. The students, backed by professors and labor unions, are demanding that President Sebastian Pinera’s conservative government overhaul the education system to guarantee free, quality public education for all Chileans.

Under Pinochet, state funding for public education was slashed, privatization encouraged and responsibility for public schools passed to municipalities. The result has been a system dividing those who can afford private schools and those who are relegated to lower quality public schools, or benefit from public schools in wealthy neighborhoods. Amnesty International this week expressed concern over what it called “the human rights violations” and reports of excessive force from authorities over the last year of protests. In total last year over 5,000 people were arrested taking part in protests, most of whom were released within hours and not charged due to lack of evidence of crimes.—AFP

Mexican cartel founder gets 35 year sentence MEXICO CITY: A judge in Mexico sentenced a founding member of the Zetas drug cartel to 35 years in prison for kidnapping and organized crime activity, prosecutors announced Thursday Zetas lieutenant Jaime Gonzalez Duran was known as “The Hummer” before he was arrested in the northern city of Reynosa in 2008. Prosecutors had called the army deserter one of Mexico’s most dangerous criminal suspects.

The Attorney General’s Office said that Gonzalez Duran had previously been sentenced to 16 1/2 years for money laundering and another 21 years for weapons possession. At the time of his arrest, authorities found a cache of 540 rifles, 165 grenades, 500,000 rounds of ammunition and 14 sticks of TNT in Reynosa believed to have been linked to him. To confront continued drug cartel violence, the federal government has said the key is to clean up and professionalize Mexico’s often antiquated, poorly equipped and corrupt state and local police.

However, the federal government reported Thursday that only about 25 percent of Mexico’s 430,000 local and state police have been subjected to background and vetting tests. The country also has about 57,000 federal police who have already been vetted. The government says it will distribute 17.3 billion pesos ($137 million) to local forces this year, if they participate by carrying out tests for commanding officers.

Four states have already reached full background testing requirements; the other 17 states are expected to do so by January 2013.— AP

SANTIAGO: A demonstrator holds a Chilean flag that reads in Spanish “For free quality public education!” as a barricade burns and press photographers stand behind during the year’s first student protest in Santiago, Chile, Thursday.—AP

Argentina takes aim at Falklands oil companies Country to pursue ‘administrative, civil and criminal’ penalties BUENOS AIRES: Argentina is intensifying its campaign to block oil development in the Falkland Islands, announcing on Thursday it will pursue “administrative, civil and criminal” penalties against the dozens of companies involved. “We are going to defend the resources of the South Atlantic, which are the property of all the Argentines,” Foreign Minister Hector Timerman said at a news conference. He said that includes any oil found off the shores of the islands they call the Malvinas, which have been controlled by Britain since 1833.

Once the colonial subjects of Britain, the roughly 3,000 islanders now determine their own fate. Already, they have collected millions of dollars in licensing fees for oil exploration, and they’ve had their first major offshore oil discovery - last year’s Sea Lion strike that promises to deliver as much as 450 million barrels of oil. It was found by Rockhopper Exploration PLC, which has been seeking a $2 billion investor to fund production starting in 2016. The company has yet to announce such a deep-pocketed partner, but if and when it finds one, industry analysts estimate that a total of $10.5 billion in taxes and royalties would start flowing into the Falkland Islands treasury from the Sea Lion find alone.

Argentina, which lost a brief and bloody war against Britain for the islands in 1982, aims to keep that production from starting by any means possible short of violence or war, Timerman said, adding that his government will always follow international law. Many financial documents dealing with oil in the islands already note the risks of drilling in territory also claimed by Argentina, but Timerman said Argentina will go to industry regulators in New York and London to make sure such warnings appear in the filings they require. He also threatened to take legal

action against companies involved in the islands’ oil industry wherever possible.

“We won’t let one day pass in the courts without defending our resources,” Timerman said. This April 2 marks the 30th anniversary of the Argentine dictatorship’s invasion and occupation of the islands, which lasted for 74 days before British troops ousted them in a brief and bloody war. It was a humiliating defeat for the military junta that hastened the return of democracy to the country.

But Argentines still consider the islands their lost province, despite nearly 180 years of British control, and President Cristina Kirchner has pushed Britain for negotiations over their sovereignty in every possible international forum. Latin American allies have largely backed her campaign, creating fears in the oil industry that any company supporting oil exploration in Falklands-controlled waters could be shut out from the mainland. It was this Argentine threat - and not poor prospects - that prompted Australia-based BHP Billington to abandon a multimillion-dollar exploration effort in the Falklands several years ago, according to two sources with direct knowledge of the decision who spoke on condition of anonymity because the move remains so politically sensitive.

“We’ve learned there are two types of companies - those who do business in Argentina and those that don’t. But there are a helluva lot of companies around the world with no interest in Argentina or their politics,” said Stephen Luxton, the director of mineral resources for the Falkland Islands government.

Despite Argentina’s efforts to starve the islands’ economy by closing its ports and airspace to ships and planes that would otherwise supply them, many Falkland Islanders are beginning to think that Argentina can do little more to hurt them. The oil exploration already under

way has proven to be resilient to the shipping embargo, for example.

“The Falklands haven’t lost out. All we do is order the stuff from somewhere else,” Luxton said. “There are a helluva lot of companies around the world with no interest in Argentina or their politics.” Now citizens of a direct democracy passes its own laws, sets its own taxes and will collect any oil royalties for its own treasury, islanders say they overwhelmingly want to maintain their ties to Britain and their status as a self-governing British Occupied Territory.

And Britain, in turn, says there’s nothing to negotiate, since the islanders themselves will determine their future. “These latest attempts to damage the economic livelihoods of the Falkland Islands people regrettably reflect a pattern of behavior by the Argentine government,” Britain’s Foreign Office said Thursday. “From harassing Falklands shipping to threatening the islanders’ air links with Chile, Argentina’s efforts to intimidate the Falklands are illegal, unbecoming and wholly counterproductive.” British Prime Minister David Cameron said in New York Thursday that he had discussed the conflict with US President Barack Obama the day before - and that the US clearly supports the status quo. “I wanted to stress how important it is for Britain to set out how clearly we support the right of the Falkland Islanders to determine their own future. They want to remain with us and that is very clear,” Cameron said as he wrapped up a US visit. “To me it is very important that we stick up for the right of self-determination, Cameron added. As the anniversary of the 1982 war approaches, he said he wants to send “a very clear signal to the rest of the world - Argentina and others - that while the Falkland Islanders want that status, Britain will help them keep that status.”—AP

INTERNATIONAL

SATURDAY, MARCH 17, 2012

Archbishop of Canterbury to step down amid rifts LONDON: Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams, the spiritual leader of the world’s Anglicans, said yesterday he will resign at the end of the year after a decade of turmoil over female and gay bishops. The bushybearded 61-year-old announced in a statement that he would take up a position as master of Magdalene College at Britain’s prestigious Cambridge University in January 2013.

“It has been an immense privilege to serve as Archbishop of Canterbury over the past decade, and moving on has not been an easy decision,” he said in the statement, released by his office, Lambeth Palace. “During the time remaining there is much to do, and I ask (for) your prayers and support in this period and beyond.” The Church of England could now see its first black Archbishop of Canterbury, with John Sentamu, the Archbishop of York, widely viewed as front-runner to replace Williams.

Williams’ successor will be formally appointed by Queen Elizabeth II, who is the Supreme Governor of the Church of England. Lambeth Palace said Williams’s intention to resign had been formally conveyed to the queen. The actual decision will rest in the hands of a commission grouping senior churchmen and lay people, who will then forward their nomination to British Prime Minister David Cameron. Welsh-born Williams was appointed the 104th Archbishop of Canterbury in 2002, replacing George Carey.

But his tenure was marked by his difficulties in maintaining unity amid disagreements over the consecration of female bishops in Britain, and of openly gay bishops in the United States. The rows have threatened to cause a permanent rift with conservative Anglican bishops in Africa in particular. Williams told the Press Association, Britain’s domestic news agency, that his resignation comes

ahead of a number of key events including a vote by the Church of England this year on whether to give final approval to women bishops.

“A number of what I call watersheds seemed to make this a reasonable moment, at least, to think about moving on,” he said. He admitted that the disagreements within the Church had been a “major nuisance” but insisted they had not clouded his tenure as Archbishop of Canterbury.

“Crisis management is never a favorite activity, I have to admit, but it is not as if that has overshadowed everything,” he said. “It has certainly been a major nuisance. But in every job that you are in there are controversies and conflicts, and this one isn’t going to go away in a hurry.

“I can’t say that it is a great sense of ‘free at last’.” Sentamu said he had heard the news of Williams’s resignation with “great sadness,” saying he had been “much maligned.” “The last decade has been a challenging time

for the Church of England and the Anglican Communion. Thankfully, Archbishop Rowan is a remarkable and gifted leader who has strengthened the bonds of affection,” he said.

A decision to appoint Sentamu would have a whiff of controversy, however, as he last month agreed to write a weekly column for Rupert Murdoch’s new Sunday edition of The Sun, Britain’s top-selling tabloid.

Murdoch launched the paper to replace the News of the World, which he closed in July last year after a scandal over the illegal hacking of voicemails belonging to celebrities, crime victims and politicians. Cameron described Williams as “a man of great learning and humility” who had “guided the Church through times of challenge and change. “He sought to unite different communities and offer a profoundly humane sense of moral leadership that was respected by people of all faiths and none,” Cameron said. — AFP

Moldova breaks gridlock, parliament elects president Veteran judge elected after support from communist defectors CHISINAU: Moldova’s parliament elected a veteran judge of neutral political stripe to be the country’s president yesterday, ending a threeyear hiatus that had delayed reform in the poor, ex-Soviet republic. “After 917 days, the epic of electing a president is over,” parliamentary commission chairman Tudor Deliu told deputies, after the announcement that Nicolae Timofti, 63, had mustered at least the required 61 votes in the 101-seat chamber.

Timofti was put forward by the ruling Alliance for European Integration to break the impasse caused by communist opposition to its previous candidate, an Alliance leader. Timofti, a relatively neutral figure, won over three communist defectors to bolster the three-party ruling coalition’s 59 votes, giving Timofti 62 votes. Veteran Communist leader Vladimir Voronin angrily denounced “treachery” by the three defectors, who quit the party last November, and tens of thousands of communists marched through the city centre, shouting “Down with the usurpers!”

Police said 70,000 massed near the main government building while the communists put their number at 100,000. Special forces in riot-gear ringed the parliament building itself during the voting session and patrolled side streets. Wedged between Ukraine and European Union member Romania, with which it shares a common language, Moldova is one of Europe’s poorest states with an average salary of $270 per month.

It looks to wine and vegetable exports and inflows of cash from thousands of Moldovans working abroad to sustain an economy that is heavily

reliant on Russian energy imports. But despite its poverty, Moldova, which has a population of 4 million, is pressing for association status with the EU and has received plaudits from Brussels for its economic reform plans.

In a swift reaction to the election, Romanian President Traian Basescu said he had assured Timofti of Romania’s support for reform in Moldova and for moving closer to the EU. A Romanian foreign ministry statement said his election was “a guarantee for continuing the internal reform process and commitments made in relations with the European Union.” A new leadership could also help resolve the status of Transdniestria, a strip of land on Moldova’s eastern border controlled by pro-Moscow separatists for the past 20 years. Transdniestria,

which has no international recognition as an independent territory, itself elected a new leader last December, increasing prospects of a long-term settlement. Igor Dodon, leader of the three man socialist group which broke communist ranks, announced they would support Timofti after he had presented his program, saying his election was a better option than pushing for early parliamentary elections.

“We must put an end to the crisis and get down to work for the good of the country,” he told the parliamentary session. In his speech before the vote, Timofti pledged to maintain strategic ties with the United States, Russia and Germany, as well as strive for a settlement of the Transdniestria problem. — Reuters

CHISINAU: Moldova’s President-elect Nicolae Timofti addresses people gathering outside the parliament in the capital Chisinau yesterday shortly after the presidential polls. —AFP

BRUSSELS: A convoy of hearses carrying the remains of victims from the deadly bus crash, leaves the Brussels Military airport yesterday. —AP

Belgium holds day of mourning for victims BRUSSELS: Belgium held a day of national mourning yesterday for the 28 people who died in a school bus crash in Switzerland while Swiss authorities investigated whether the design of the tunnel contributed to the disaster.

Solemn music filled the airwaves in Belgium and official buildings dropped their flags to half staff. At 11 am, the nation of 11 million held a minute of silence to mark Tuesday’s crash, which killed 22 children returning from “snow classes” in the Alps - a traditional rite of passage in Belgium from childhood to the teenage years.

Six adults - teachers, drivers and ski monitors - also died.

Trains and subways stopped in their tracks for the tribute, culminating three days of shock that slowly turned to heart-wrenching sorrow. Political leaders stood united in silence and Belgian churches slowly chimed their bells in unison. The tourist bus carrying 52 people crashed headon into a wall inside a tunnel as it headed home from a ski vacation in the Swiss Alps. Olivier Elsig, prosecutor for the Swiss canton of Valais, said the crash is being investigated for three possible causes - a technical problem with the bus, a health problem with the driver or human error.

Investigators have so far determined it was a modern bus with two rested drivers and said the tunnel was considered safe.

But the Switzerland Federal Office for Roads said yesterday it was examining whether the angle of the wall that the bus hit contributed to the severity of the crash. That part of the tunnel had a cutout for disabled vehicles, which meant part of the wall was at a right angle to the tunnel road. — AP

INTERNATIONAL

SATURDAY, MARCH 17, 2012

Nigeria, Boko Haram in indirect talks KANO: Nigeria’s government and Islamist group Boko Haram have been in indirect talks to end deadly violence blamed on the extremists, two sources familiar with the discussions said yesterday. “There have been preliminary talks between a Boko Haramappointed intermediary,” a senior security official told AFP on condition of anonymity, adding that Boko Haram has set out terms for a temporary ceasefire.

A diplomatic source said there have been contacts between Nigeria’s government and Boko Haram through intermediaries. The security official said Boko Haram has proposed a three-month truce if all of its

detained members are released and if the government halts any further arrests. He said the government was looking at the proposal. Government officials either declined comment on the information or could not be reached.

Boko Haram has been blamed for scores of shootings and bomb blasts, mostly in northern Nigeria, which have killed more than 1,000 people since 2009. It claimed responsibility for an August suicide attack at the UN headquarters in the capital Abuja which killed 25 people and for coordinated bombings and shootings in Nigeria’s second city of Kano on January 20 which left 185 people

dead-its deadliest assault yet. The group had initially claimed to be fighting for the creation of an Islamic state in northern Nigeria, but its aims and structure have since become less clear, while its attacks have grown increasingly deadly and sophisticated.

Calls have mounted for talks to take place, with Nigerian authorities seemingly unable to stop attacks blamed on Boko Haram that have shaken Africa’s most populous nation and largest oil producer. While there have been no attacks on the scale of the Kano carnage since January, sporadic violence has continued, including bombings of police stations and attacks on checkpoints. The group is

believed to have a number of factions, but the indirect talks were said to be with the main branch of the group led by Abubakar Shekau.

Last week’s killing of a British and an Italian hostage in northwestern Nigeria was blamed on a splinter faction of Boko Haram, though many have expressed doubts over the group’s alleged involvement. Boko Haram had not been previously known to carry out kidnappings, and a purported spokesman for the group has denied responsibility. There has been intense speculation over whether Boko Haram has ties to outside extremist groups, including Al-Qaeda’s north African branch. — AFP

Second African video stars Clooney in Sudan Video highlights attacks on civilians NAIROBI: In the second YouTube video in a week to highlight an African conflict, George Clooney makes an illegal and dangerous trip to the southern reaches of Sudan, where the actor witnesses what an American activist said was likely a Chinese-made missile sail overhead. Clooney’s fourminute video highlights attacks on civilians in Sudan’s Nuba Mountains, a region that US officials say could soon suffer a severe hunger crisis. The video, available Thursday, comes about a week after a YouTube sensation about Joseph Kony, the leader of the brutal Central Africa militia the Lord’s Resistance Army.

In the Clooney video, which he wrote and directed, a man from the Nuba community is seen pushing Clooney to take cover after a rocket sails overhead. Mothers carrying children and young children lugging water jugs can be seen moving toward the rock caves. Ryan Boyette, an American who lives in the Nuba Mountains, said Sudan’s military has been launching large, Chinese-made rockets against civilians - not military

forces with the rebel group known as the SPLM-N. Boyette said most of the rocket victims are caught off guard because they don’t know the rocket is approaching.

Helen Hughes, an arms expert at Amnesty International, said the rockets can travel about 40 miles (60 kilometers) and deliver a “quite large” blast radius. The rockets are supplied

by China. Hughes said the country can’t close its eyes to the evidence that its weapons are being used against civilians. “These rockets are long-range, ground-launched unguided rockets, and they’re being used in Kauda, which is a civilian area,” said Hughes. “There are no military there.

They’re being used indiscriminately and that’s a violation of international humanitarian law.”

Clooney met with President Barack Obama at the White House on Thursday, saying he came away from the talks encouraged. “The good news for us is we feel like there’s a commitment at a high level” to address the Sudanese situation, Clooney told reporters after his meeting with the

president. He added that he sensed “great interest in working with China.”

The actor was questioned about why he would hold out hope for cooperation from China on Sudan. Clooney said energy-hungry China, which receives about 6 percent of its oil from Sudan, has an economic incentive to work to bring peace to the region.

Oil-rich South Sudan and Sudan, the keeper of the pipelines, have been at odds over oil and profits. Exports have stopped, putting pressure on oil prices worldwide. “Suddenly, this affects their economy,” Clooney said of China.

“This is a moment we can appeal to China.” During his advocacy work in Sudan, Clooney helped found the Satellite Sentinel Project, which uses satellite imagery to monitor activities of war.

The project on Thursday released a March 8 satellite image the group said showed an Antonov bomber flying away from two sites where plumes of smoke are rising. The group said no military infrastructure or personnel can be seen near the plumes. — AP

Ethiopia attacked us over border dispute: Eritrea NAIROBI: The Eritrean government said yesterday that the attack on its military outposts by neighboring Ethiopia was meant to divert attention from a border dispute between the two countries. Ethiopia said Thursday it carried out a ground assault on the outposts because Eritrea was training “subversive groups” that carried out attacks inside Ethiopia. No details about the military operations or any damage or casualties have been released.”It is patently clear that the Ethiopian regime could not have unleashed such a flagrant act of aggression with such audacity without the protection and succor of the United States in the Security Council,” said Eritrean Foreign Affairs Minister Osman Saleh.

Eritrea routinely accuses the United States of overlooking abuses by Ethiopia, a key US ally in the region in its war against terror. “The government of Eritrea, urges for the umpteenth time, the UN Security council to shoulder legal and moral responsibilities and to take appropriate measures to rectify acts of aggression against Eritrea’s sovereign territories and to ensure justice and the respect of the rule of law,” he said.

Osman said such attacks have been going on for the last 10 years and Thursday’s assault was meant to divert attention to the fact that Ethiopia occupies Eritrean territory. Ethiopia and Eritrea fought a border war from 1998 to 2000. — AP

MEAUX: France’s incumbent President and UMP ruling candidate for 2012 presidential election Nicolas Sarkozy salutes militants as he arrives to give a speech yesterday as part of a campaign visit in Meaux. —AFP

French presidential battle lines drawn on austerity PARIS: France’s main presidential candidates have drawn clear battle lines over austerity, Europe and Germany as opinion polls show the gap between them narrowing five weeks before the first round of voting. Socialist challenger Francois Hollande, whose wide poll lead over conservative President Nicolas Sarkozy has shrunk in the last week, raised the stakes in a television appearance on Thursday after winning public support from German and Spanish opposition leaders for his stance.

Hollande said that if elected he would not submit a German-inspired European treaty enforcing strict budget discipline for ratification unless it were “completed” by a growth component. “We have to put growth back into Europe and we should adapt our deficit-reduction targets accordingly,” the Socialist told France-2 television.

Sarkozy has said France cannot reopen a treaty that has been signed by 25 countries, but Hollande said he intended to “change the direction of the continent” and renegotiate the fiscal pact. German Social Democratic party leader Sigmar Gabriel and Spanish Socialist chief Alfredo Perez Rubalcaba endorsed Hollande’s call to add pro-growth amendments to the treaty. Sarkozy’s supporters accused Hollande of pandering to voters by abandoning France’s pledge to cut its budget deficit. Invoking the famous “J’accuse” cry of 19th century author Emile Zola, Prime Minister Francois Fillon said in the daily Le Figaro: “I accuse the Socialist candidate of having deliberately chosen to give up on lowering the deficit. I accuse him of not wanting to lower state spending for fear of upsetting people. “I accuse him of having given up respecting France’s European commitments,” Fillon said, warning that any backsliding could reignite the euro zone’s debt crisis. Hollande insists he will stick to the current government’s promises to reduce the deficit to 3 percent of gross domestic product in 2013 but will take a year longer than Sarkozy has pledged to achieve a balanced budget, aiming for 2017. — Reuters

international

SATURDAY, MARCH 17, 2012

India seeks Interpol warrants for Iranians NEW DELHI: Indian police said yesterday that Interpol “red corner” notices were being drawn up for three men of Iranian origin identified as suspects in an attack on an Israeli diplomat in New Delhi. Delhi police commissioner Brijesh Kumar Gupta also revealed that investigations had established a clear link between the February 13 attack and a similar plot targeting Israeli diplomats in Bangkok.

Gupta said the red corner noticestantamount to international arrest warrants-would be issued “in the next two days.” In the attack last month, a hitman

on a rented motorbike attached a magnetic bomb to the back of an Israeli embassy car carrying the 42-year-old diplomat as she went to pick up her children from school.

The woman, also the wife of the defence attache at the embassy, was left in a critical condition with spinal injuries and has since been flown to Israel for further treatment. The three suspects were named as Houshang Ashfar Irani, Sayed Ali Sadr Mehdian and Abolghasemi Mohammad Reza-all now believed to be in Iran.

Last week, a veteran Indian freelance

journalist called Syed Mohammed Kazmi who worked part-time for Iran’s news agency IRNA became the first person arrested in connection with the attack. Gupta said interrogation of Kazmi, who denies involvement, had led to the “unravelling of the conspiracy.”

According to Gupta, Kazmi had helped the Iranians come to New Delhi to secure information on the movement of Israeli embassy officials and identify possible routes where a bomb attack could be carried out.

A scooter that police believe was used to scope out the Israeli embassy

was found at Kazmi’s house and Gupta said foreign remittances of around $43,000, “for which there is no satisfactory explanation,” were uncovered in the accounts of Kazmi and his wife.

Israel immediately accused Iran of being behind the Delhi bombing which came on the same day as another attempted attack on an Israeli embassy car in Georgia. A day later, Thai police arrested two Iranian men in Bangkok who are suspected of planning a separate attack on Israeli diplomats. One of them had his legs blown off as he attempted to hurl an explosive device at police.—AFP

Top Marine targeted in vehicle runway crash ABOARD A US MILITARY AIRCRAFT: The top US commander in Helmand Province and his British deputy were with the US Marines that an Afghan man tried to run down as they waited for Defense Secretary Leon Panetta to arrive in southern Afghanistan, defense officials acknowledged yesterday, proving the incident to be more serious than had been disclosed earlier. A senior defense official also said that three Afghans, including the father and brother of the alleged attacker, were detained by the military. It was not clear if they were still in custody. The official spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss an ongoing investigation. Pentagon press secretary George Little said Maj. Gen. Mark Gurganus, the other Marines and the British official were at Bastion Air Field waiting to greet Panetta, when an Afghan contractor hijacked a white Toyota SUV and tried to run down the Marines. The Afghan, who worked as an interpreter, had a lighter and a container of fuel in the vehicle which ignited. He was badly burned and later died.

Panetta’s C-17 military transport plane was taxiing toward the landing ramp when officials at the airport saw the smoke and the burning man, and directed the secretary’s plane to a different landing area, the senior defense official said. The emerging details fuel speculation that the attacker may have been targeting Panetta or at least may have been aware that a VIP was about to land. It was not clear if the driver was intending to take his own life in a suicide attack.

What is clear, however, is that if the attacker had waited just a few more minutes, Panetta’s plane would have been at the ramp where the Marines were waiting and the car crashed. US defense officials have said repeatedly that Panetta was never in any danger, and that, at this point, they believe the attacker did not know who was on the plane. The senior defense official said that the father and brother of the attacker are also interpreters, and that the third person taken into custody may also be one.

Gurganus and the other Marines in the welcoming party had to take evasive action to avoid the SUV racing at them, and security personnel doused the fire. The SUV was a military vehicle that had been reported stolen about a half hour before, the senior defense official said. A British soldier was injured when he was run over by the attacker shortly before the crash. Officials said he was in stable condition.

Very shortly after Gurganus dodged the car, the commander spoke to reporters at Camp Leatherneck, which is adjacent to Bastion, a British air field. And despite repeated questions about security in the area, did not reveal the incident. Instead, he told reporters that there had been no violence in his area in the wake of the shooting spree by a US soldier that killed 16 Afghans last weekend. “We’ve had zero incidents,” Gurganus said. “We’ve not so much as even had a two man protest at this point in time.” He later added that, “You can’t get a whole lot safer than right here when you’re surrounded by everybody else on the base.”

Gurganus’ involvement in the incident also raises new questions about the highly unusual order he gave for all the Marines at a town hall meeting just a short time later with Panetta to get up and take their weapons outside and leave them there while the secretary was speaking. The officer who announced the order just before Panetta came in to speak, told reporters that “something had come to light” and that he was told to get the weapons out of the building. —AP

KABUL: Afghanistan’s President Hamid Karzai talks during a meeting with relatives of victims of the Kandahar incident at the presidential palace in Kabul yesterday.—AFP

Afghan leader blasts US over probe into shootings Karzai says he is at the ‘end of the rope’ KABUL: Afghan President Hamid Karzai lashed out at the United States yesterday, saying he is at the “end of the rope” because of the lack of US cooperation into a probe of a killing spree allegedly carried out by an American soldier. In a meeting with families of the 16 Afghan civilians killed Sunday in southern Afghanistan, Karzai said the delegation he sent to investigate the shootings did not receive the cooperation the Afghans expected from American officials.

During the meeting, the relatives of the dead insisted there must have been more than one shooter and argued that they did not receive all the information they asked for from Americans. Previously, Afghan officials had said that there was surveillance video that was kept from them. “This has been going on for too long. This is by all means the end of the rope here,” Karzai told reporters at the end of the meeting.

“This form of activity, this behavior, cannot be tolerated. It’s past, past, past the time,” Karzai added. The Afghan leader stressed that he wants a good relationship with the US but that it is becoming increasingly difficult. He insisted that the US

needs to respect Afghan culture and laws.

The US staff sergeant suspected in the killings is accused of slipping out of his base before dawn on Sunday and sneaking into the homes of three Afghan families, shooting 16 of them dead and burning some of the bodies. Another five people were wounded. The soldier has not been identified, but officials have said the 38-year-old is based in Washington state. He was transferred late Wednesday to a facility in Kuwait and is expected to be flown to a military prison in the US as early as yesterday.

On Thursday, the American campaign in Afghanistan suffered two punishing blows as the Taleban announced they were breaking off talks with the US and Karzai tried to speed up the transfer of security responsibilities to Afghan forces and said the international forces should pull out of rural areas. Afghan officials said Karzai wanted the pullback to start now, but US officials said he did not tell Panetta that it should happen immediately.

Karzai said President Barack Obama called him earlier yesterday seeking to confirm the Afghan leader had requested the pullout of international troops from bases

in rural areas such as the one where the accused US soldier was stationed.

“Yesterday, I said clearly that the Americans should leave our villages,” Karzai said. “This morning, Obama called regarding this issue. He asked, ‘Did you announce this?’ I said, “Yes, I announced it.’” “I insist on this issue,” Karzai said, adding: “The fight is not in the villages, not in the houses of Afghanistan.” The Taleban said they were calling off the talks because US had failed to follow through on its promises and made new demands. The militant group also said the US falsely claimed that it had entered into multilateral negotiations that included the Afghan government.

Karzai also said yesterday that the Taleban should be talking directly with his government. The moves represent new setbacks to America’s strategy for ending the 10-year-old war at a time when support for the conflict is plummeting. Part of the US exit strategy is to transfer authority gradually to Afghan forces. Another tack is to pull the Taleban into political discussions with the Afghan government, though it’s unclear that there has been any progress since January.— AP

international

SATURDAY, MARCH 17, 2012

Bangkok airport problems threaten tourist-friendly image BANGKOK: When Bangkok’s futuristic $4 billion Suvarnabhumi airport opened six years ago, it was hailed as a model for the region. Today, it is beset by two-hour immigration queues, passenger numbers far beyond capacity and a crisis over management. Immigration queues have grown so long travellers have been told to arrive three hours before a flight, an hour longer than in most air hubs, threatening to damage Thailand’s tourist-friendly image.

The problems have become so acute in recent days that the government is trying to convince growing numbers of low-cost carriers to move operations to Don Muang, a domestic airport. Airport of Thailand Pcl expects Suvarnabhumi to handle 51 million

passengers this year, well above its capacity of 45 million, suggesting little relief for chronically overcrowded arrival and departure halls. The immigration bureau has in the past blamed long queues on a staffing shortage. An official at Suvarnabhumi’s immigration division, however, said it had more to do with lack of space. “There’s construction going on which is limiting the space we have available for security checks,” he said, declining to be identified.

But travelers grumble at the frequent site of empty immigration kiosks and lines for foreigner nationals stretching far longer than those of Thais. Others say kiosks designed to hold two officers are often manned by one. Some airlines expressed

Australian flood inquiry faults dam operator SYDNEY: A review of the emergency response to last year’s deadly floods in Australia concluded yesterday that the operator of a major dam that controlled the release of water from a swollen river breached its own protocols during the height of the disaster. The floods that swept across Queensland state in late 2010 and early 2011 killed 35 people, damaged or destroyed 30,000 homes and businesses and left Brisbane, Australia’s third-largest city, under water for days.

The Queensland Floods Commission of Inquiry was formed to investigate the way officials dealt with the crisis. Much of the criticism following the disaster fell on the actions of Seqwater, the state government-run water authority in charge of operating the Wivenhoe Dam, which controls the release of water from the Brisbane River. Critics questioned whether Seqwater’s engineers improperly managed the flow of water from the dam, thereby worsening the inundation of Brisbane and the nearby city of Ipswich.

The investigation found that Seqwater did indeed breach the protocols listed in the dam’s operating manual, and used the wrong water release strategy in the lead-up to the flooding in Brisbane. But Queensland Supreme Court of Appeal Judge Catherine Holmes, the inquiry’s commissioner, acknowledged that the manual itself was “ambiguous, unclear and difficult to use, and was not based on the best, most current research and information.” The commission could not say whether the dam operator’s actions made the flooding worse, though Holmes wrote in the 700-page report that had Seqwater followed protocols, “the possibility exists of at least some improvement in the flooding outcome for Brisbane and Ipswich.”

The commission also recommended the state crime commission investigate three Seqwater engineers in charge of determining the water release strategy for the dam. The report questioned whether the engineers were truthful in their testimony to the commission about their actions during the disaster. Seqwater officials did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The finding opens up the possibility of a class action lawsuit against Seqwater, but Queensland Premier Anna Bligh cautioned against a rush to judge the water authority. “This does open the potential for legal action against Seqwater, but it does not of itself establish liability,” Bligh told reporters in Brisbane.

Attorney Rod Hodgson, whose law firm has held public meetings with flood victims to rally support for a class action, said he and his fellow lawyers will now work to determine exactly what impact Seqwater’s improper management of the dam had on flood levels. “It’s crystal clear that the report lays blame at the feet of Seqwater for its operation of the dam,” Hodgson said. The commission made 177 recommendations, including revisions to the dam operating manual, improved floodplain management plans and better public access to flood information. Bligh said the government would adopt all the recommendations. Overall, however, the inquiry found that the government response to the disaster was good. “As to how the floods were managed, there is no doubt that they took a state more accustomed to drought by surprise,” the commission’s report said. —AP

concern and confusion yesterday over an announcement a day earlier by Thailand’s transport minister, Jarupong Ruangsuwan, to move flights to a different airport. “We’ve never said we won’t move but I’m asking for the government to be clear on this issue,” Udom Tantiprasong, founder of local lowcost airline Orient Thai, told Reuters .

“If Don Muang is definitely going to be Bangkok’s second airport for the foreseeable future, then we will begin our decisionmaking process but at the moment Orient Thai is waiting for clarification,” he said.

Covering 3,200 hectares (7,900 acres), Suvarnabhumi and its two runways were the largest of its kind in Asia when they was unveiled, touted as Bangkok’s answer to

rival world-class airports in Singapore, Hong Kong and Kuala Lumpur. Its construction was marred by graft scandals, delays and design problems. It was first proposed more than 40 years ago. But even before it was christened in 2006, aviation experts predicted it would reach capacity in just a few short years. Some officials vowed the airport would be expanded to handle as many as 100 million passengers, but that never happened.

Suvarnabhumi, Thai for “golden land” and built on a swamp 25 km (15 miles) east of the sprawling capital, replaced the congested single runway of Don Muang, which re-opened a year later for domestic flights due to the capacity problems. — Reuters

North Korea plans to launch long-range rocket Surprise move could jeopardize US agreement PYONGYANG: North Korea announced plans yesterday to blast a satellite into space on the back of a long-range rocket, a surprise move that could jeopardize a weeks-old agreement with the US exchanging food aid for nuclear concessions. The North agreed to a moratorium on long-range launches as part of the deal with Washington, but argues that satellite launches are part of a peaceful space program that is exempt from international disarmament obligations. The US, South Korea and other critics say the rocket technology overlaps with belligerent uses and condemn the satellite program as a disguised way of testing military missiles in defiance of a UN ban.

The launch is to take place three years after a similar launch in April 2009 drew widespread censure. US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton called the announcement of the launch “highly provocative.” “Such a missile launch would pose a threat to regional security and would also be inconsistent with North Korea’s recent undertaking to refrain from long-range missile launches,” she said in a statement, urging Pyongyang to abide by its international obligations.

Japan urged Pyongyang to abandon the launch, calling it a violation of a UN resolution restricting the North’s use of ballistic missile technology, and South Korea’s Foreign Ministry called the plans a “grave provocation.” Liftoff will take between April 12 and 16 from a west coast launch pad in North Phyongan province, a spokesman for the Korean Committee for Space Technology said in a statement carried by state media.

He said the launch would be part of celebrations marking the April 15 centenary of the birth of North Korea’s founder, Kim Il Sung. “This is a grand event that shows off our national power,” Pyongyang officer worker Choe Myong Suk told The Associated Press as rain fell in the North Korean capital yesterday. “We can say that our country has proudly joined the ranks of developed countries.”

North Koreans often repeat official state slogans when asked their views of current events. Pyongyang’s announcement comes as North Korea’s new leader, Kim Jong Un, seeks to solidify his rule of the nation 24 million in the wake of father

Kim Jong Il’s death in December. “The window for the launch is important in terms of the domestic politics of the North,” said Daniel Pinkston, an expert on North Korea’s weapons programs at the International Crisis Group. He said the launch serves to underline North Korea’s military capabilities and reinforce Kim’s fledgling rule. Kim Jong Il began grooming the son to take over as leader after suffer-

inspectors in exchange for much-needed food aid. Uranium enrichment is one way to make atomic bombs. In the past North Korea has also weaponized plutonium for nuclear devices. North Korea called the April 2009 launch a bid to send a communications satellite into space, but it was widely viewed in the West as a violation of UN Security Council resolutions prohibiting North Korea from engaging in nuclear

SEOUL: A war veteran takes picture near the portraits of the sailors killed while on duty onboard South Korean warship, “Cheonan,” which was sunken by North Korea in March 2010 near the sea border, during an anti-North Korea protest rally in Seoul, South Korea yesterday.—AP ing a stroke in 2008. Footage aired yesterday on state-run TV showed Kim Jong Un observing the 2009 rocket launch. Such a launch aims to reinforce unity at home by provoking new tensions that will allow its leadership to portray the country as beset by hostile forces. A third nuclear test could be next, Pinkston said.The launch also jeopardizes the recent food aid deal with the US, he said. “I can’t see how the US is going to deliver this food aid,” he said. “I think this is going to kill it.”

North Korea agreed last month to suspend uranium enrichment, place a moratorium on nuclear and long-range missile tests, and to allow back UN weapons

and ballistic missile activity.

Shortly after the 2009 launch from an east coast station, Pyongyang declared that it would abandon six-nation negotiations on offering the North aid and concessions in exchange for nuclear disarmament. And weeks later, North Korea tested a nuclear device, the second in three years - earning the regime tightened UN sanctions. Japan’s Foreign Minister Koichiro Gemba said going ahead with the launch would harm peace and stability in the region. Japan has set up a crisis management task force to monitor the situation and is cooperating with the US and South Korea.—AP

Business EU diplomats discuss Iran oil insurance exemption

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Merkel firm against euro fund increase

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Goldman manifesto raises questions

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New foreign investment rules drafted in Myanmar

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SATURDAY, MARCH 17, 2012

JAKARTA: An Indonesian student tries to tear a banner supporting the government’s plan to raise fuel prices yesterday. Indonesia said that it is considering raising fuel prices or lowering the current subsidy to private vehicles, in anticipation of rising global oil prices. — AFP

SWIFT to expel Iranian banks UAE exchange houses stop handling rials BRUSSELS: The world’s biggest electronic payment system today will cut off Iranian banks blacklisted by the European Union in an attempt to further strangle Tehran’s ability to finance a nuclear program. Belgium-based SWIFT, which facilitates the bulk of global cross-border payments, said it would disconnect designated Iranian financial firms from its messaging system today at 1600 GMT after European regulators ordered the company to do so.

“The EU decision forces SWIFT to take action,” SWIFT Chief Executive Lazaro Campos said in a statement on Thursday.

“Disconnecting banks is an extraordinary and unprecedented step for SWIFT. It is a direct result of international and multilateral action to intensify financial sanctions against Iran.” SWIFT, or Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication, has been described as the glue of the global banking system, handling daily payments estimated at more than $6 trillion.

Expelling the designated Iranian banks from SWIFT will shut down a major avenue through which Tehran does business with the rest of the world. The West hopes that will pressure Iran into curbing its nuclear program. “The joint action of the US and EU sends a strong message to Iran that we are serious about imposing punishing sanctions,” said US Senator Robert Menendez, a Democrat who pushed to make the expulsion of banks from SWIFT part of pending US sanctions legislation.

SWIFT’s move will follow a decision by the European Union

Council, which represents EU member states, to tighten asset freezes on a number of people and entities associated with Iran’s nuclear activities, which Western powers think aim to produce a weapon. Iran maintains its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes. “The Council agreed that no specialized financial messaging shall be provided to those persons and entities subject to an asset freeze,” the Council said.

The Obama administration applauded the EU decision and said it reflected consensus in the international community that “substantially increased pressure” was needed to convince the Iranian government to address their concerns about its nuclear program.

But US lawmakers pushing for tougher sanctions on Iran said SWIFT needed to eradicate all Iranian financial institutions from its network, not just those blacklisted by the West.

“The impact of financial sanctions will not come close to full potential if Iran can simply go across the street to a non-designated bank to conduct the transactions with those still willing to do business with it,” said Democratic Representative Brad Sherman, who is working with Republican Senator Mark Kirk on legislation that would extend sanctions to all Iranian banks.

Iranian businesses devastated Overseas Iranian businesses said the move might strangle their operations. One said he had been expecting SWIFT to act in a few

months, and was surprised at the news on Thursday. “It will make life even more difficult for us than before, because this is like our lifeline to the outside being cut,” Naser Shaker, who owns an oil and gas trading company in Dubai, told Reuters by phone. “All the transactions will be stopped. Through the banks, there are no more options.” Another forecast the collapse of businesses dealing with Iran. “If Iranian banks cannot exchange payments with banks around the world, then this will cause the collapse of many banking relations and many businesses,” said Morteza Masoumzadeh, a member of the executive committee of the Iranian Business Council in Dubai and managing director of the Jumbo Line Shipping Agency. “This is devastating news for our businesses, but what can I do? Do we have any options?” he said.

The announcements coincided with news that major money exchange houses in the United Arab Emirates - an important trading hub for Iran - have stopped handling Iranian rials over the past few weeks. Nineteen banks and 25 affiliated institutions from Iran made a total of 2 million cross-border payments using SWIFT in 2010. They included banks the United States accuses of financing Iran’s nuclear program or terrorism - Mellat, Post, Saderat and Sepah. SWIFT, founded in 1973, said its decision reflected the extraordinary circumstances of international support for the intensification of sanctions against Iran. — Reuters

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SATURDAY, MARCH 17, 2012

IMF approves second rescue loan for Greece WASHINGTON: The International Monetary Fund on Thursday approved a second rescue loan for debt-riddled Greece, joining the European Union again in an attempt to save the country from bankruptcy. The IMF executive board authorized a four-year, 28 billion euro ($36.7 billion) loan for Greece “in support of the authorities’ economic adjustment program,” the global lender announced. “Greece has made tremendous efforts to implement wide-ranging painful measures over the past two years, in the midst of a deep economic recession and a difficult social environment,” IMF managing director Christine Lagarde said in a statement.

“However, the challenges confronting Greece remain significant, with a large competitiveness gap, a high level of public debt, and an undercapitalized banking system.” The new Fundsupported program “will enable Greece to address these challenges while remaining in the eurozone,” Lagarde

said. The IMF loan approval came days after eurozone ministers signed off on their part of a huge 237 billion euro rescue plan for Greece, that combines 130 billion euros in new financing and 107 billion euros of debt reduction by the private sector.

The Fund made a first instalment of 1.65 billion euros available immediately, with other tranches dependent on Athens’s progress in hitting economic benchmarks. The economic outlook was worse than previously believed, the IMF said. The Greek economy was expected to exit recession only in 2014, not 2013 as forecast in December. But with gross domestic product growth in the low digits beginning in 2014, Greece’s public debt would be on track to meet the loan program’s debt-to-GDP benchmark of below 120 percent by 2020.

The IMF projected debt would fall from 163 percent this year to 117 percent in 2020. Lagarde highlighted that the Greek authorities were “fully com-

mitted” to the program objectives and “stand ready to take any additional measures as may be necessary.”

“Greece’s priority is to undertake competitiveness-enhancing structural reforms,” she said. But, Lagarde warned, “risks to the program remain exceptionally high, and there is no room for slippages.

“Full and timely implementation of the planned adjustment-alongside broad-based public support and support from Greece’s European partnerswill be critical to success.” The IMF mission chief to Greece, Poul Thomsen, said the structural reforms Athens needs to take will be “undoubtedly socially and politically challenging.” But with the support of the IMF, the EU and private creditors, he said, Greece can overcome its debt problems and get its economy on the recovery track.

“This is doable,” he told reporters.

The loan approval had been expected, despite some misgivings among mem-

bers over the Fund pouring more money into troubled Greece and Europe, and worries that Greece’s fractious politics might impede progress in restructuring its finances. After keeping its plans secret for weeks until Athens and its private lenders could complete the 107 billion euro debt write-off deal, last Friday Lagarde announced the largerthan-expected 28 billion euro proposal under its extended fund facility program. The four-year version of the EFF was freshly minted by the board, which on Wednesday approved extending the maximum time frame from three years, just in time for the Greek loan approval.

The IMF said it would disburse the 28 billion euros in equal tranches over the four-year period. The IMF was disappointed by Greece’s progress under its previous 30 billion euro loan in 2010, the biggest direct loan in IMF history and part of the first IMF-EU bailout that failed to get Athens’s finances on a sustainable path. — AFP

EU diplomats discuss Iran oil insurance exemption Importers seek out other options BRUSSELS/TOKYO: EU diplomats are debating whether to exempt some insurers from a ban on dealing with Iranian oil shipments after Asian oil importers lobbied for exceptions to ensure oil deliveries, government and industry sources said yesterday. Diplomats in the European Union are divided on the issue before EU foreign ministers meet on March 23, said one EU diplomat. “At the moment, there is no agreement on this.”

The wrangling shows the difficulty of achieving consensus on how to isolate Iran over its suspected nuclear weapons programme.

Tehran denies Western charges, saying its nuclear programme is for peaceful purposes such as power generation. The EU agreed an oil embargo on Jan. 20 to stop members from importing Iranian oil from July. The embargo also specified a ban on EU insurers and reinsurers from indemnifying vessels carrying Iranian crude and fuel anywhere in the world.

Europe’s insurers cover the majority of the world’s global oil tanker fleet, and the ban could prevent Iran’s biggest crude buyers in Asia from importing Iranian crude.

“We argue that this regulation applies too broadly as it also hits non-European companies,” said a South Korean government source with direct knowledge of the matter. “We could fail to receive Iranian crude from July 1 if no solution is reached,” he said.

After the January agreement, EU talks on the implementation of the ban led at first to a clause excluding certain types of insurance, according to a discussion document seen

by Reuters. The document, dated Feb. 20, said: “It shall be prohibited

... to provide, directly or indirectly, financing or financial assistance, including financial derivatives, as well as insurance and re-insurance, except for third party liability insurance and environmental liability insurance.”

That exemption might have made it easier for shippers to meet Asian importers’ national laws requiring insurance. But it is unclear whether such an exemption will be maintained. The exemption clause had been deleted from the discussion paper on Thursday, said the EU diplomat, but would be up for discussion again on Monday.

The presidency of the bloc - held

by Denmark for the first six months of 2012 - wants an agreement on implementing the regulations before next week’s meeting, said the diplomat. Rising international political tension between the West and Iran and uncertainty over how the EU embargo and US sanctions will impact oil supplies have driven up benchmark crude prices, with Brent crude up around 14 percent so far this year.

Higher oil prices mean Iran is receiving a higher price for its exports, while importers such as Japan and South Korea face a rising fuel bill. China, India, Japan and South Korea are Iran’s top four oil customers, buying more than half of the OPEC producer’s exports of 2.6 million barrels per day. “It’s possible the meeting will end up being a place of tumult with various opinions being expressed. If a deal is not reached, it’s possible talks could be extended to late April,” a Japanese industry source said.

Affecting trade The sanctions are affecting oil

trade, with European insurers halting tanker coverage for new contracts to ship Iranian crude oil. “Who would take such big risks if European companies do not provide insurance?” said a South Korean shipping source. “We are internally studying solutions but I don’t think it is possible to find a solution unless the EU suggests another alternative.” The sanctions have forced many private oil tanker companies, such as Frontline and Maersk Tanker, to stop carrying Iranian oil on their ships.

India’s largest shipping company, Shipping Corp. of India , was forced to cancel an Iranian crude shipment last month after its European insurers refused it coverage. The firm is in talks with domestic insurers to provide replacement cover, while the Indian government is considering offering sovereign guarantees. “If the oil is important enough, what you will find in this situation is the states stepping in to provide the reinsurance and liability insurance cover,” said a top official with a leading maritime insurer in Asia. Although Japan, China and other Asian maritime insurers do not fall under the sanctions, they are exposed due to their dependence on Europe’s reinsurance market, where they need to hedge their risk. “Chinese tankers are exposed to similar risks as European ones as the sources of reinsurance are similar,” said an official with a stateowned Chinese shipowner.

Once the EU sanctions come into force, Japan’s P&I Club, the country’s main ship insurer, will only be able to provide coverage of a maximum $8 million to tankers operating in Iran, down from the current $1 billion. — Reuters

COLORADO: This photo, shows a line of 2012 Camaros at a Chevrolet dealership. US factories stepped up production in February for the third straight month, helping the economy recover and driving the best job growth since the recession ended. — AP

France’s Hollande seeks growth over austerity PARIS: France’s poll-leading Socialist presidential candidate Francois Hollande said that budget-cutting targets should not be set in stone and he would bend them in favour of growth. Hollande, who has been shown mostly ahead of rival President Nicolas Sarkozy in pre-election polls, has promised to balance French finances by 2017 if he wins the April-May contest. “I will make the savings that are needed, but at the same time I will not sacrifice the interests of our country,” Hollande said on French television.

The Socialist leader’s deficit targets are based on forecasts of 1.7 percent growth in 2013, 2 percent in 2014 and between 2 and 2.5 percent from 2015 to 2017, figures which economists have said are overly optimistic.

Hollande said if nothing was done to boost the economy, growth would indeed fall short of forecasts, both in France and Europe, jeopardising deficit targets. He said the priority should therefore be securing growth rather than austerity.

“We have to put the growth back in Europe and we should adapt our deficit-reduction targets accordingly,” Hollande said on France 2. Hollande has long advocated modifying a freshly signed European fiscal compact to include clauses on economic growth and job creation, and has begun to gain support for his stance from left-wing opposition parties in Germany and Spain.

“I am a European who is going to change the direction of the continent,” Hollande said. “Germany should not decide the direction of Europe alone.” Earlier, he said there was growing awareness in Europe that the treaty was flawed and that, if elected, he would renegotiate it from the start of his term. “If Europe is not capable of taking decisions, I will not ratify the treaty because I consider it’s a very important point for growth,” he told France 2. —Reuters

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SATURDAY, MARCH 17, 2012

Europe eyes global trade to kick-start new growth BRUSSELS: The European Union looked yesterday to spur growth via revamped trade with the Americas and the Far East, with a warning that it has to act now in view of the rise of emerging economies. But a row with Russia over its threat from ex-Soviet Latvia seemed likely to feature in talks at a ministerial meeting in Brussels. The European Union wants to stimulate trans-Atlantic trade ahead of a G8 summit in Chicago in May, and yesterday’s talks among foreign and trade ministers were fundamentally about how to achieve this.

“This is not just political talk,” Pia Olsen Dyhr, Danish Minister for Trade and Investment, told AFP before chairing the meeting. A former World Trade Organization (WTO) specialist, she said that a changing environment which could be dominated by China meant that the EU had to act now, not least because “by 2050, I don’t see any of the big G7 economies as stands keeping their place in the future.”

Estimates by employers’ federation Business Europe, to be presented to G8 business leaders at a so-called “shadow” summit next week and shown to AFP, suggest that between 200,000 and 520,000 new jobs could be created in the EU if a new baseline were agreed with the United States. Between 110,000 and 400,000 more jobs could be created in America, if certain trade barriers can be eliminated, they say.

The employers estimate that a cut of 10 percent in non-tariff barriers could boost growth by 24.4 billion euros ($31.6 billion) in the EU, and 8.2 billion euros ($10.6 billion) in the United States. As the EU slips into a longexpected “double-dip” recession following two years of austerity owing to the eurozone debt crisis, it is looking to a further opening up of trade as a route to new growth. Work is being done on several Free Trade Agreements (FTA) intended to boost business sectors which have shown they can benefit from such arrangements but negotiations with countries such as India can take years.

The ministers are close to signing final contracts with Colombia and Peru, although not on this occasion since difficulties over equities trading are being ironed out before a visit by members of the Colombian government to Brussels next week, sources said. There are also problems over access to banking markets and financial services in negotiations for an agreement with Singapore which will be discussed by a wider meeting of European and Asian counterparts in Cambodia at the end of March.

Denmark, which chairs the process, said that the EU would probably open FTA talks with Japan before the end of June. Japan, the world’s third-biggest economy after the United States and China, was responsible for 11 percent of global production and six percent of trade last

year. According to papers put before the ministers, negotiations here will concentrate on the subject of government procurement and on the sectors of agriculture and food, and autos. The talks will also aim for so-called “green growth”, or growth which takes account of environmental factors, when covering air, rail and maritime transportation. A shadow was cast over yesterday’s meeting as EU experts flew to Russia in a last-minute bid to defuse a new trade battle with Moscow.

A Latvian government official told AFP that “two thirds” of the Baltic state’s export revenue was at risk because of the Russian decision, set to take effect on Tuesday, March 20. The row emerged after Moscow’s veterinary surveillance agency suspended in January imports of live animals and genetic material from Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium and France over fears about the newly-discovered Schmallenberg virus, which causes birth defects in sheep, goat and cattle.

Russia had already restricted imports from Britain, where the virus was also detected.”This is a very serious problem for us, for our farming sector,” a Latvian official said.”It’s very important the Union reacts as a Union,” said an EU official, who warned that Russia’s reported Schmallenberg claim was “not relevant.” The EU official added that the decision in Moscow appeared to flout World Trade Organization regulations. — AFP

Cyprus finance minister quits NICOSIA: The Cyprus government is to undergo a mini-reshuffle next week after popular Finance Minister Kikis Kazamias tendered his resignation citing health reasons, a spokesman said yesterday. Kazamias is credited with standing up to powerful public sector trade unions in order to push through an austerity drive which aims to get the island’s bloated deficit down to below the EU-required 3 percent of GDP this year. A member of the ruling communist AKEL party, Kazamias is also credited with neatly steering eurozone Cyprus away from the need for an EU bailout, despite a series of sovereign debt downgrades to junk status over exposure to Greek debt.

“The president of the republic (Demetris Christofias) has decided to go forward with a partial reshuffle of the government,” said a written statement from government spokesman Stefanos Stefanou. “The resulting decisions will be announced on Monday.” Stefanou said the minister had tendered his resignation some days ago “exclusively and only for reasons of health”. This was in response to media reports yesterday that Kazamias had stood down because of his opposition to the replacement of central bank governor Athanasios Orphanides and because of the reluctance of Christofias to give the green light to legalising casinos in government-held areas of the island.

“Naturally the president urged the finance minister to remain in his post but he insisted on his resignation,” said Stefanou.

Orphanides’s term expires on April 30 with the Phileleftheros daily saying it will not be renewed. The paper said Commerce Minister Praxoulla Antoniadou was also expected to get the chop from her key position. Both Antoniadou and Kazamias were drafted in during a major reshuffle last August following a munitions blast at the Mari naval base on the island’s south coast which triggered the centre-right DIKO party to walk out of the governing coalition. The reshuffle comes at a sensitive moment. Cyprus is gearing up to take the EU’s rotating presidency for six months from July and is also conducting a second licensing round for offshore oil and gas exploitation, while a presidential election looms in 2013.

Among the contenders tipped to take the finance ministry job are chamber of commerce boss Phidias Pilides and senior Bank of Cyprus official Vassos Shiarlis. Interior Minister Neoclis Sylikiotis could also be transferred from his post to take over the lucrative oil and gas hunt at the commerce ministry. He is viewed as a safer pair of hands than the incumbent, who has unwittingly courted controversy during her short term.

Leftwing former Nicosia mayor Eleni Mavrou is seen as favourite to take over at the interior ministry for the next 11 months. Panicos Demetriades-a former central bank official who is currently professor of economics at the University of Leicester in central England-and auditor general Chrystalla Yiorkadji are among those tipped to take over as governor of the bank. — AFP

MUNICH: (From left) President of German Confederation of Skilled Trades and Crafts (ZDH) Otto Kentzler, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, president of the German Federal Association of Industry (BDI) Hans-Peter Keitel and Head of the Federation of German Employers’ Associations (BDA) Dieter Hundt address a press conference after the annual meeting of German economy representatives yesterday. — AFP

Merkel firm against euro fund increase Schaeuble tipped as new Eurogroup chief BERLIN: German Chancellor Angela Merkel signalled some flexibility yesterday on strengthening the 17-country eurozone’s financial firewall, but insisted that there would be no increase in the headline value of the continent’s rescue fund. The permanent, 500 billion euros ($650 billion) European Stability Mechanism is to start work this summer. Germany, Europe’s biggest economy, has staunchly resisted pressure for a much bigger figure. Over the past two years, the 17 countries that use the euro as their currency have been rocked by a series of financial crises as Portugal, Ireland and, most of all, Greece have asked for bailouts to protect them from defaulting on their debt. Many economists argue that to save eurozone from further financial shocks, a trillion-euro financial firewall needs to be in place.

The European Commission, the International Monetary Fund and several eurozone countries want the ESM to run in parallel with its temporary predecessor, the European Financial Stability Facility potentially taking the overall lending capacity to around 750 billion euros. Berlin hasn’t dismissed that idea but has shown little enthusiasm. Merkel met yesterday with leaders of Germany’s main industry groups, which said in a

joint statement that “an increase in the rescue funds is to be avoided.” They said the ESM must not lead to “the granting of unlimited rescue loans.”

“I can absolutely confirm that and say no one wants that, at least no one in the German government,” Merkel said at a televised press conference in Munich. “We will discuss further ... to what extent we can see whether there are possibilities to combine the EFSF and ESM, but the ESM will remain at 500 billion euros,” she said. “No permanent, incalculable increase of the funds - I find that very important.” She added that no decisions had been made about a possible combination of the funds. “You can expect that we can say toward the end of March how it is,” she said.

The prospect of endless bailouts is unpopular in Germany and particularly in the ranks of Merkel’s centre-right governing coalition. In Germany, decisions on the rescue funds require parliamentary approval. Merkel sidestepped a report by the Financial Times Deutschland newspaper that she is lobbying for her finance minister, Wolfgang Schaeuble, to become the new head of the eurozone’s finance minister gatherings.—AP

BUSINESS

SATURDAY, MARCH 17, 2012

Cisco to buy tech company NDS for about $4 billion NEW YORK: Cisco Systems Inc. is buying digital video technology company NDS Group Ltd. to enhance the range of products it sells to pay-TV providers and to expand in emerging markets. The roughly $4 billion purchase would be Cisco’s biggest since it paid $3.4 billion for Norwegian teleconferencing company Tandberg in April 2010.

The networking gear maker has been working to turn its business around. It missed the early stages of the economic recovery and lost out to competitors when orders began to rebound. Cisco said Thursday that the NDS purchase will speed up the delivery of its Videoscape entertainment platform and help it grow in emerging markets such as China and India, where NDS already does business. Videoscape is a service that lets customers watch video on mobile gadgets and laptops along with their TVs. Cisco is putting a $5 billion price tag on the planned acquisition. That number includes debt. NDS carried about $1 billion in debt at the end of 2011, the latest available figure from its regulatory filings. San Jose, California-based Cisco has narrowed its focus in recent years by culling divisions and cutting costs through layoffs. It shuttered its consumer-oriented Flip video camera business last year, but video offerings for businesses have remained a big part of its focus. It acquired Scientific-Atlanta, a maker of TV settop boxes, in 2006 for $7.1 billion and online conference provider WebEx a year later for $3 billion.

Brian Marshall, an analyst with ISI Group, said the deal makes sense for Cisco as it focuses on video offerings for service providers. NDS, which competes with Cisco, counts pay-TV operators such as DirecTV, Vodafone, Cox and BSkyB among its customers. NDS, based in the United Kingdom, is jointly owned by News Corp. and private equity firm Permira. Its software helps cable and satellite TV companies deliver content to subscribers’ digital video recorders, tablets, smart phones and other devices. It had filed documents as part of a planned initial public offering before agreeing to the deal with Cisco.

Cisco is acquiring NDS’ sites in Britain, Israel, France, India and China and is absorbing its 5,000 employees. The boards of both companies have approved the deal. The deal is expected to close in the second half of this year.

Marshall said that while the acquisition is a “good use of offshore cash” for Cisco, the company is paying a lot. He estimates that Cisco is paying about 25 times NDS’s earnings, while Cisco’s stock trades at about 10 times its earnings.

BGC Financial analyst Colin Gillis said video is a big priority for Cisco. While the company is not moving away from networking gear, growth in that area has slowed and is now in the single-digits, he said. So, the company needs to find the next high-growth area, and that would be video, he added. Cisco stock fell 12 cents, or less than 1 percent, to $19.91 in trading Thursday after trading as high as $20.20 earlier in the session. That was near its 52-week high of $20.49 reached about a month ago.— AP

India vows to bring down budget deficit Budget delivers blow to foreign investors MUMBAI: India pledged to reduce its deficit by capping subsidies and raising taxes in a new budget yesterday that gave investors little hope the weakened ruling party would enact long promised economic reforms.

India had targeted a budget deficit of 4.6 percent of gross domestic product for the current fiscal year ending in March and will miss that by a wider margin than expected. Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee said he now expects a deficit of 5.9 percent of GDP and forecasts it to fall to 5.1 percent in the next fiscal year.

“It’s not smacking of confidence,” said Andrew Holland, chief executive for investment advisory at Ambit Capital. “The big reforms have to come afterwards. I’m only hoping that will happen.” The benchmark Sensex index closed down 1.2 percent in Mumbai. The budget, which must be approved by Parliament, also delivered a blow to foreign investors in the form of a new tax liability, retroactive to 1962, on overseas transfers of Indian assets. The law would make transactions like Vodafone’s $11 billion acquisition in 2007 of the Indian telecom assets of Hong Kong’s Hutchison Telecommunications taxable. In January, India’s Supreme Court ruled that Vodafone is not liable for up to $4.4 billion in back taxes and penalties on that deal. “It’s quite shocking,” said Sudhir Kapadia, a partner at Ernst & Young. “They have done it in a manner to essentially nullify the Supreme Court verdict on Vodafone.”

GE, SAB Miller, Cadbury, AT&T, Sanofi, and Vedanta are among the companies fighting tax cases in India that could be affected by the change.

Kapadia said that the move could be challenged in court, but in similar cases in the past the Supreme Court has deferred to Parliament.

“Parliament has the right to make the law,” he said. “The Supreme Court only interprets it.” Mukherjee pledged

to improve the quality of government spending by cutting subsidies to under 2 percent of GDP. This year, subsidy spending swelled from unexpectedly high global oil prices, which increased the cost of India’s fuel and fertilizer subsidies, he said. Mukherjee said the government hopes to raise

cal year, up from 6.9 percent this year.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh praised Mukherjee for striking a balance between the need to accelerate growth and control inflation.

“Right now the challenge before the country is to accelerate the tempo of economic growth. At the same

HYDERABAD: An Indian model poses on the steps of a Hawker 4000 aircraft during a photo call at the India Aviation-2012 show at Begumpet airport yesterday. The third edition of India Aviation 2012, a five day event runs from March 14-18. — AFP 300 billion rupees ($6 billion) from selling stakes in state-run companies next fiscal year. India raised about 140 billion rupees ($2.8 billion) from such asset sales this year, against an initial target of 400 billion rupees ($8 billion).

He also said the government would allow greater foreign investment in India’s fund-starved aviation and power sectors, as well as in corporate debt, and doubled its allotment of tax free bonds for infrastructure projects.

Mukherjee sounded an optimistic note on the economy, saying growth will accelerate to 7.6 percent next fis-

time to ensure that we don’t not slip on our obligations to moderate the price rise. I do believe that both these tasks the finance minister has tackled and tackled well,” he said. Indian business leaders bemoaned increases of two percentage points in excise duties and service taxes as inflationary and likely to forestall interest rate cuts.

“If the fear of inflation looms large, how will interest rates come down?” said Suketu Shah, joint managing director of Mukand Ltd., a steel company. “If interest rates don’t come down, how do you stimulate growth?”— AP

US airlines post record on-time rating DALLAS: Mild winter weather helped the nation’s airlines post their best January on-time performance on record.

The government said Thursday that 83.7 percent of flights on the biggest airlines arrived on time in January. That’s up from 76.3 percent in January 2011, and the best January since 1995, when the government changed the way that delays are reported. But it was a dip from December’s 84.4 percent rating.

The Department of Transportation said that fewer flights were cancelled in January, too. About 1.5 percent of scheduled flights were scratched, down from 3.9 percent a year earlier. And there were no reports of US flights stuck on the tar-

mac for three hours or more - or of international flights delayed for four hours or more. Airlines risk a hefty fine if planes sit on the runway that long.

Hawaiian Airlines reclaimed its traditional spot atop the on-time rankings, at 93.14 percent. AirTran Airways was next, followed by AirTran owner Southwest Airlines. Frontier Airlines had the worst on-time rating, at 77.65 percent.

Frontier’s Lindsey Carpenter said weather at the airline’s Denver hub was a problem. The other leading operators in Denver - United, Southwest and SkyWest - all had better arrival records there than Frontier.

Airlines benefited from fewer airport-

snarling snowstorms. It was the fourthwarmest January on record, and snow cover in the lower 48 states was the third-lightest since 1967, according to government weather scientists. Mild weather, however, can cause heartburn for airline bean-counters. When flights are cancelled, airlines cram displaced passengers on to remaining planes. This results in the airline earning more money per seat because there are fewer empty seats.

This week Southwest’s chief financial officer said the airline’s revenue per seat per mile - a closely watched measure of financial performance in the airline industry - was lower this winter because

fewer flights were cancelled. Whatever the weather, airlines seemed to be doing a better job handling baggage. The rate of mishandled bags fell 23 percent, to about three for every 1,000 passengers.

American Eagle was the most likely to lose your bag, followed by two other regional carriers, ExpressJet and SkyWest.

The Transportation Department said it received 708 complaints about US airlines in January, an increase of 3 percent compared with a year earlier. However, most passengers don’t bother to file paperwork with the government, so it’s hard to draw conclusions from such small numbers. — AP

business

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New foreign investment rules drafted in Myanmar Foreign investors can own firms 100%

TOKYO: A journalist looks around the flagship store of Japan’s cheap-chic clothing chain Uniqlo at Ginza shopping district yesterday. — AFP

Japan’s Uniqlo eyes Asia with megastore TOKYO: Japan’s cheap chic clothing chain Uniqlo opened the doors to its new 12-storey megastore in Tokyo yesterday, making a splash in the upmarket Ginza area as part of a drive across Asia.

“Opening a flagship store here is the first step to expand the business from here to the whole of Asia,” Uniqlo chief executive Tadashi Yanai said ahead of the opening on the district’s glitzy “Chuo Dori” high street. “Ginza is the best place in Japan, and more so it is the best place in Asia,” he said. “This is Japan’s largest gateway to the global market.”

Uniqlo’s parent company Fast Retailing, which began in 1949 as a small clothing shop for men in western Yamaguchi prefecture under Yanai’s father, has grown into one of Japan’s most successful corporations. After opening megastores in several major world cities, including New York, London and Paris, Uniqlo has now shifted its focus to rapidly growing Asia, operating in Shanghai, Taipei and Seoul.

“We want to expand our stores to all the main cities in Asia,” said Yanai, who is looking at 100 stores new stores across the continent in the year to August 2012. “Unfortunately, Japan is in a state of deadlock due to the ageing population, the low birth rate and politics being in deadlock,” Yanai said. “But when I look at Japan as a part of Asia, a member of the world, I feel excited about the gigantic potential.”

For the Ginza flagship store, the company has hired sales staff who can assist customers in five foreign languages-English, Chinese, Korean, French and Spanish.Ginza has for years been the centre of upmarket fashion in Japan, host to the likes of Louis Vuitton and Hermes, with price tags-and real estate rents to match.

But global fast-fashion and casual retailers-H&M, Zara, Forever 21 and Gap-have appeared on Chuo Dori in recent years. Yanai said the new megastore is expected to post 10 billion yen ($119 million) in revenues after a year. More than 300 shoppers queued up ahead of the official start time to be the first to set foot inside the shop-Uniqlo’s largest store in the world. “I wanted to see the store,” said Yuki Kurihara, 26.

“For a long time Ginza had the image of being a place for sophisticated grown-ups, and I hardly came here to shop,” Kurihara said. “But that image is changing. Ginza is becoming more approachable.”— AFP

YANGON: Foreigners will no longer need a local partner to set up businesses in Myanmar and may be granted a five-year tax holiday from the start of commercial operations, according to the draft of a new investment law obtained by Reuters. The long-awaited new investment regulations, along with plans to float its currency, the kyat, from April mark the boldest economic reforms since resource-rich Myanmar emerged from decades of dictatorship last year, its economy decimated by chronic mismanagement and trade-crippling sanctions.

Its nominally civilian government has begun to court Western investors, who have swarmed into the commercial capital Yangon in recent months ahead of a possible end to US and European sanctions in the former Burma. The draft law adds to other signs of a remarkable economic liberalisation in the long-isolated country.

Foreigners, it said, can now either own companies 100 percent or set up a joint venture with Burmese citizens or government departments. Such joint ventures must involve at least 35 percent foreign capital.

Foreign investors can also lease land from the state or from private citizens who have permission to use land, the law says.

The initial lease would be for up to 30 years, depending on the type and size of foreign investment, and could be extended twice, for up to 15 years on each occasion. Foreign firms will not be allowed to employ unskilled foreign workers, and citizens of Myanmar must make up at least 25 percent of their skilled workforce after five years, with companies ensuring the necessary training to achieve that.

The percentage rises to at least 50 percent after 10 years and 75 percent after 15 years. It also dropped a requirement from previous legislation that products manufactured by foreign firms in Myanmar must be entirely for export. The aim is to provide more for the domestic market to reduce Myanmar’s reliance on imports, which are often too expensive for domestic consumers.

No nationalisation The draft law goes some way to reassuring investors worried about a reversal of the reforms and the possible seizure of assets. “The government gives a guarantee that permitted businesses will not be nationalised during the period allowed in the contract or extended in the contract other than by giving compensation based on current prices in the market, in the interest of the general public,” it says, according to a Reuters translation. The law is likely to be approved by parliament

Southeast Asia with ports on the Indian Ocean and Andaman Sea, all of which have made it a coveted energy-security asset for Beijing’s western provinces.

Bordering five countries, Myanmar offers multiple avenues of Asian engagement as US President Barack Obama shifts focus from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan towards economic growth and security in the Asia-Pacific region.

Half a century of isolation has taken its toll on the former British colony. Barriers to progress are formidable: US and

LASHIO, Myanmar: A stall holder waits for customers as she sells clothes at a market yesterday. — AP during the current session, which is expected to end later in March. The president then has 14 days to either approve it or send it back to parliament, according to the constitution.

The latest reforms will heighten debate over Myanmar’s economic potential. As big as France and Britain combined, the resource-rich country sits strategically between India, China and

European sanctions, woeful infrastructure, a crippled banking system, a shortage of skilled Burmese as well as weak investment laws. Some expect sanctions to begin to be lifted if by-elections on April 1, in which Nobel peace laureate Aung San Suu Kyi will run for parliament, are free and fair. A November 2010 general election was widely criticised as a sham. —Reuters

Broken turbine? Call the British armed forces LONDON: Expanding renewable energy businesses short on engineers could set their sights on ex-servicemen whose skills are seen as surplus to requirements in Britain’s austerity drive. The wind power sector is being held back by a shortage of skilled personnel and one company is already hiring army, navy and air force engineers forced on to civvy street after drastic cuts across the armed forces.

David Surplus, managing director of wind operating business B9 Energy, said former servicemen are armed with transferable skills which can solve the industry’s engineer problem. “The ex-helicopter engineers, for example, are multidisciplined technicians, which means mechanical, electrical control, electronic engineering and a bit of structural.”

Britain’s Ministry of Defence is in the front line for billions of pounds of cuts as the government gets to grips with the country’s huge budget deficit, including

thousands of redundancies, bases closed and fewer planes, warships and tanks likely to need servicing. The Northern Irelandbased company, which services 35 wind farms across the UK and Ireland, has recruited around 10 former air force servicemen over the past decade, with a further 10 engineers hired from the army and navy combined.

“They’ve got good communication skills, their written word is very good, they’re disciplined and willing to stay until the job is finished, so it’s an easy job for us to convert those guys into the wind industry.” The Ministry of Defence’s resettlement office has sought to build ties with growing industries that are struggling to attract enough skilled technicians. One such sector is subsea engineering, largely for the oil and gas industry, where recent recruiting drives have focused on Scotland, which has a high concentration of ex-military personnel.

“You cannot fast-track experience and transferring skilled professionals from the military into our workforce is one way of addressing the short-term problem,” said Neil Gordon, chief executive of industry body Subsea UK. Ballistic missiles B9 Energy stumbled upon the idea of hiring former armed forces engineers after recruiting two technicians in the United States who previously worked for the US Air Force. “We had one man who was a technician on the old Minuteman II ICBMs (intercontinental ballistic missiles), which were designed to blow up Russian cities in case of war,” Surplus said.

“If you imagine a rocket in a silo underneath the ground and a technician working on it, they are working on heights in the same way that they have to work on a wind turbine, so the principles are the same.” —Reuters

Business

SATURDAY, MARCH 17, 2012

Goldman manifesto raises questions NEW YORK: The young banker whose dramatic public resignation stung Goldman Sachs this week joins officials from every corner of the government in questioning whether the august investment house deals honestly with all its clients. In separate cases, judges, lawmakers and regulators have suggested the bank ignores conflicts of interest and sells to its client’s investments it knows are weak, all in the pursuit of profit. The resignation Wednesday by Greg Smith, a 33-yearold banker for Goldman in London, was a shot from within Goldman’s ranks. In an Op-Ed article for The New York Times, Smith said the bank sells financial products “that we are trying to get rid of.” “It makes me ill how callously people talk about ripping their clients off,” Smith wrote. The essay was widely circulated online, and Smith became a trending topic on Twitter. But his charges were only the latest embarrassment for Goldman, which has built a sterling reputation over 143 years on Wall Street.

The bank paid $550 million in 2010 to settle civil charges that it misled investors while selling them investments in the US housing market as the bubble burst - even as Goldman reaped hundreds of millions from its own bets against housing. A congressional committee recommended that law enforcement authorities look into a series of deals that Goldman sold while executives derided them in emails as “junk,” “crap” and another profane adjective.

And last month, a Delaware court nearly blocked a merger between Kinder Morgan and El Paso, two energy companies, because Goldman had ties to both companies, raising questions about a conflict of interest. “This is the latest entry into a long-running narrative that they don’t put their clients first,” said Michael Robinson, a former official with the Securities and Exchange Commission. “If your business is built on trust, that’s not going to fly.”

Robinson, who now works for Levick Strategic Communications, a public relations company, said regulators, Congress and prosecutors are almost certain to look into Smith’s claim that Goldman sold investments to clients that it wanted to get rid of. The SEC, the FBI and federal prosecutors in Manhattan declined comment. A spokesman for Goldman also declined comment. Legal experts said the bar for proving wrongdoing by executives at the bank would be high.

The real danger for Goldman, Robinson said, is that clients will lose faith and abandon it. “Whether what they’re doing is legal or not, it sure is going to keep them in the headlines and remind people that they can’t always trust what they’re hearing from their banker,” he said. On Wednesday, as Smith’s essay was read millions of times on the Times’ website and circulated by countless others online, Goldman’s leadership suggested he had not portrayed the bank’s culture accurately.—AFP

NEW YORK: This file photo shows Goldman Sachs headquarters. — AP

NEW YORK: Christian Djomatin displays freshly baked and frosted doughnuts at the Dough Bakery in Brooklyn. — AP

US industries help job recovery sustain itself Applications for jobless aid drop to 351,000 WASHINGTON: A resurgent US job market that has lifted the economy appears to be enduring. Factories in the Northeast kept hiring in early March.

And the number of people applying for unemployment aid last week fell back to a four-year low. The economy is adding jobs at a time when inflation remains relatively mild outside of higher gas prices.

Upbeat government reports Thursday reinforced the message sent by last week’s encouraging February job figures.

The good economic news drove stocks higher. The Standard & Poor’s 500 index closed above 1,400 for the first time since June 2008. The Dow Jones industrial average finished up for the seventh straight session at 13,252.76 the highest close since the last day of 2007. “More solid US economic data (are) pointing to a gradually improving labour market, a bounce-back in manufacturing and no material ... inflation pressure,” said Robert Kavcic, an economist at BMO Capital Markets.

Applications for unemployment aid dropped to a seasonally adjusted 351,000, the Labour Department said Thursday. That matched a four-year low reached last month. The four-week average, which smoothes fluctuations, was unchanged at 355,750, also a four-year low. Applications have declined 14 percent since October. When applications drop consistently below 375,000, it usually signals that hiring is strong enough to lower the unemployment rate. The steady decline has coincided with the best three months of hiring in two years.

From December through February, employers added an average of 245,000 jobs a month. The unemployment rate

has fallen to 8.3 percent, the lowest in three years. The figures “indicate that the labour market is steadily, if slowly, improving,” said Steven Wood, an economist at Insight Economics. “Another month of 200,000-plus payroll employment in March is likely.”

US factories in the Northeast are likely to contribute to those March payroll gains, based on two surveys conducted by the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia and the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. The Fed banks said manufacturing in both regions is growing at a healthy pace in March. The Philadelphia Fed manufacturing index posted its highest reading since April 2011; the New York Fed index hit a 21month high. The two surveys also showed that factories in those areas are hiring more workers. Factories have played a leading role reviving job growth. The Labour Department reported last week that manufacturing jobs grew by 31,000 in February. Over the past year, manufacturing added 227,000 jobs.

Rising auto sales and increasing demand for heavy equipment, such as mining and agricultural machinery, have kept factories busy. Still, there were some cautionary signs in the Fed surveys. Both showed that new orders and shipments slowed, indicating that output may decelerate in coming months.

Higher gas prices could also force consumers to cut back on discretionary spending. That could weigh on growth and slow hiring.

On Thursday, the average price nationally for a gallon of gas rose to $3.82, according to AAA. That’s 51 cents higher than a month ago. Rising gas

costs drove US wholesale prices up last month, according to a separate Labour Department report. But excluding the big jump in gas, inflation was mostly tame. In the past 12 months, wholesale prices have increased 3.3 percent. That’s the smallest year over-year gain since August 2010.

The report “suggests that inflationary pressures are still contained,” Paul Ashworth, an economist at Capital Economics, said in a note to clients.

“More evidence that the U.S. economy could finally be on the right track.” The Federal Reserve said this week that it expects oil and gas prices to temporarily boost inflation. But it predicted longerterm inflation should remain stable. Fed policymakers sketched a slightly more upbeat view about the recovery after their one-day meeting on Tuesday, largely because of the surge in hiring.

They said unemployment should continue to decline gradually as the economy expands. And they noted that consumer spending and business investment have picked up.

The central bank took no further steps to aid the recovery and repeated its plan to keep short-term interest rates near zero through 2014. The job market has a long way to go to fully recover from the Great Recession. More than 12.8 million people remain unemployed. And the economy still has 5 million fewer jobs than before the downturn. But the more robust job market has caused many so-called “discouraged workers” who had stopped looking for jobs to start looking again. The workforce surged by 476,000 in February and by nearly 750,000 in the past two months. — AP

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Beauty queen shaves head for cancer research money Page 24

US Iranians slam ‘Tehrangeles’ reality TV show Page 28

Peelander Red, bassist for the Brooklyn band Peelander-Z, jumps into the audience during his performance at the Chicken Ranch Records day party at Elysium during SXSW on Wednesday in Austin, Texas. — AP

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JLS star Aston hospitalized T

he 24-year-old singer - who is joined in the band by Marvin Humes, Oritse Williams and JB Gill - suffered concussion when he landed on his head while executing the tricky move during the penultimate dress rehearsal for the ‘Beat Again’ hitmakers’ ‘4th Dimension’ tour. JB explained: “This show really has been blood, sweat and tears ... and scratches. We’re all injured.

One of our dancers slipped a disc, one had a really bad neck injury and one a knee injury. Then Aston fell on his head, which was pretty nasty.” Aston added: “It’s been full-on. As well as landing on my head, I busted my knee and JB did his, too.”

However, this isn’t the only injury Aston has suffered as a result of the tour, as he also “nearly drowned” during a tricky water stunt. Marvin added to the Daily Mirror newspaper: “Aston also nearly drowned during one of the water stunts.

Our lives have definitely been at risk.” Despite risking life and limb to put on the show, the band have promised fans will enjoy a “proper event”.

Marvin said: “We wanted to step it up, so we’ve gone crazy. It’s a show, not a concert. We wanted it to be a proper event. “I’ve got bruises and scratches all over my body.”

T

in line to make theatre debut

Mel B feels ‘old’ because she has a teen daughter

Kate Winslet

Alec Baldwin urges boycott of circuses

he ‘Contagion’ actress has spoken several times with David Hare about him directing her in a play called ‘Skylight’ opposite Bill Nighy and, following three months of negotiations, is now looking to clear her schedule to appear in the production.

A source said: “She’s in love with the play and would very much like to do it.” However, it is claimed there are some “obstacles of a private nature” that could prevent the actress - who has two children, Mia, 11, and eight-year-old Joe, from her two marriages from taking part as well as reorganizing her professional commitments. The source added to the Daily Mail newspaper: “It may change, and the way is clear for her to do ‘Skylight’, but there’s no 100 per cent guarantee.” It has not yet been decided whether the play will be staged in London’s West End or Broadway in New York. ‘Skylight’ - which originally featured Michael Gambon and Lia Williams won a string of awards.

T

he ‘30 Rock’ actor has posted a four-minute video on YouTube which alleges the Ringling Bros. company, as well as many others, mistreat the animals and he wants people to stay away. In the video posted by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), Alec said: “Having worked with actors for many years, it’s hard to believe that anyone would have to be dragged kicking and screaming into show business.

“But for the elephants for Ringling Bros. and other circuses, that’s exactly what happens.” He cites PETA’s multi-state investigation of Ringling Bros, which includes undercover video footage of animal handlers beating elephants with metal-tipped bull hooks “just moments before they walked onstage”. However, Ringling Bros. spokesman Stephen Payne said the video was from 2009 and lashed out at PETA for distorting their record and for rehashing the footage as he says their practices have improved. He said: “The health and vitality of our animals is something we can showcase at every Ringling Bros. performance. We invite families everywhere to come and see for themselves how all the animals are thriving at ‘The Greatest Show On Earth’. “ Alec is not the first celebrity to speak out about the mistreatment of elephants as Jada Pinkett Smith and Ashley Judd have both expressed their concerns.

T

he 36-year-old singer can’t believe Phoenix - her child with first husband Jimmy Gulzar - is now 13, though she still considers her eldest girl to be her “baby”. Mel - who also has fouryear-old Angel with Eddie Murphy and six-month-old Madison with current spouse Stephen Belafonte - said: “Phoenix has just turned 13, I can’t believe I’ve a teenager on my hands, I feel old. “She’s a little bit moody because she’s a teenager but we’re very close. She’s my first so I still consider her my baby, she’s a sweetheart.”

Mel is so close to Phoenix, she even let her name her youngest sister, and insists she wasn’t worried her daughter would come up with a wacky moniker for the tot.

Speaking on UK TV show ‘Lorraine’, she said: “Phoenix was there at the hospital with me and I said, ‘Why don’t you name your sister?’ “I mean, everything about Phoenix is very funky and very stylish so I knew she’d pick a nice name.” Mel can next be seen hosting ‘Dancing with the Stars’ in Australia - a contest she came second in the US in 2005 - and though she is nervous about her first presenting job, she is relieved not to be taking part in the celebrity dancing competition this time around. She said: “I’m glad I’m hosting because those rehearsals are a killer. Your feet hurt because of the shoes ... it’s hard work. I’m going to be nervous hosting but I like a challenge.”

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Javier Bardem says there are no positives to fame

Sofia Vergara to host ‘Saturday Night Live’

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he Oscar winning Spanish actor - who has a 14month-old child with wife Penelope Cruz - hates talking about his personal life and is annoyed that people are interested in anything other than his movies.

He said: “There is no good side to celebrity. [Talking about my personal life] brings some other pressure and expectation that maybe a movie doesn’t deserve. It can help in some ways but not in others. There is nothing perfect.” He added, “I guess these ideas belong to people’s perceptions from the outside. But we’re used to that. There are perceptions from the outside and then there is us. The real us.” Javier also called acting one of the hardest jobs in the world and says he finds it difficult to shake off his more emotional roles after filming ends. He explained to The Independent newspaper: “I do a job and am lucky enough that to do a job that I love but it is a hard one. I’m not saying it is as hard as working in a coal mine but it is still difficult in a different way. Sometimes you have to go through very strong emotional journeys and then come back to yourself and that can be difficult to control.”

T

he ‘Modern Family’ actress and model is to follow in the footsteps of recent host Lindsay Lohan and many other stars, including Robert Downey, Jr, Eddie Murphy, Tina Fey, Will Ferrell and Jodie Foster in guest presenting the iconic show in April 7. She told website Access Hollywood: “I’m very happy, very excited because I never thought I was going to be part of that TV show.” She added, “I think it’s an American tradition. It’s a TV show that the whole world knows, so for me, it’s an honor to be part of that group of actors that are known for their excellence.” The Colombian

Jennifer Lawrence obsessed with reality TV T

he 21-year-old actress - who stars in ‘The Hunger Games’, set in a futuristic world where teenagers are forced to fight to the death in televised contests - worries about people losing their “empathy” as they watch personal tragedies being played out live in their homes.

She said: “I’m no different. We watch people’s tragedy for entertainment, we watch people’s lives fall apart and we sit on our sofas and eat popcorn.

Once you lose touch with your empathy, there’s no telling what could happen.” Jennifer is in a relationship with British actor Nicholas Hoult and has adopted some of his favorite swear words - which she particularly likes because her friends in the US don’t understand their meaning. Speaking to the Daily Mail newspaper - who deemed her favorite curse unprintable - she explained: “I say it all the time in America because they don’t know what it means.” Despite her fame, the ‘Winter’s Bone’ star doesn’t view herself any differently because of her career. She said: “It’s a job. Other than that, I’m normal.”

star has also recently said while she acknowledges her stunning looks have helped her career, she has the talent to back it up. She said: “Part of my career has always been because of the way I look. I’m not ashamed. It has opened doors. But I also know that if I didn’t have something else, I’d be long gone.” The 39-year-old beauty often features heavily in polls praising her looks and finds it amusing she can compete with actresses much younger than her. She said: “I am on these lists for ‘best ass’ or ‘most beautiful’ with women like Mila Kunis, who’s, like, 20 years old.”

Mark Wright

set for Hollywood success

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he former ‘The Only Way Is Essex’ star will travel to Los Angeles next month to begin six weeks of filming on a secret new project, after signing up with Piers Morgan’s and Ryan Seacrest’s agent.

He wrote on twitter: “On the way 2 the west end 4 a nice bit of dinner with my management@roarglobal 2 talk and I suppose celebrate for my exciting news 4 2012 x” “A lovely meal with my management @roarglobal & my new american agent @Ferretmorgue at nobu 1 thing. Hollywood wrighty is coming 2 town” “Rolling in Arua right now. In 4 weeks I’ll be filming in L.A 4 6 weeks and u guys r guna love it !! P.s so am I (sic).” It is thought that the ‘Take Me Out: The Gossip’ presenter will relocate to America for two months but will stay for longer if his initial filming is successful. Mark has previously revealed his ambitious film star plans, claiming he wants to be the next James Bond. He said: “My granddad told me before he died that if you don’t reach for the stars you won’t get there. I want to be James Bond one day. Nothing fazes me. I want to be a massive Hollywood actor.”

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Beauty queen

shaves head

for cancer research money

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he Miss Alaska pageant requires contestants to perform a public service project. Under Debbe Ebben’s silver tiara is evidence of hers.

The reigning Miss Chugiak-Eagle River has raised more than $4,000 for children’s cancer research for the St. Baldrick’s Foundation, and last weekend, delivered on a promise to people who pledged by allowing her brown tresses to be buzzed off. She’s proud of raising money, but the underlying message is for children who lose their hair because of cancer treatments. “You’re proving it’s OK to be bald regardless of

whether you chose to be or not,” Ebben said.

Ebben, 23, stands 5-feet-4 inches tall, and her official talent is playing the piano. She has been entering pageants affiliated with Miss Alaska since 2007.

She used scholarship money to attend the University of Alaska Fairbanks for four years. She was motivated to get involved with St. Baldrick’s by another beauty queen, Miss Virginia 2008 Tara Wheeler. Near the end of her reign, Wheeler decided to raise $50,000 for St. Baldrick’s and pledged to become a “shavee” if she reached her goal. “She

inspired me to get involved with them,” Ebben said. “She did it kind of on the side after her reign. I decided to make it my entire personal platform.”

Ebben was looking for a different kind of community project. “It’s my job as a title holder to make a really bold statement, and to be someone that people can look up to, and make an impact on the community. And that was really why I fell in love with it. It was something that was different. It was something that was unique. It was something that I could do and accomplish in a community and was something that everyone could get involved with.” Everyone included her mother Julie, who also pledged to shave her head. Debbe Ebben’s turn began with auctioning off ponytails of her hair. KTUU-TV in Anchorage reported the shearing. “It looks like I’m the Who from Whoville,” Ebben said. A barber finished the job.

Ebben has not decided whether to grow her hair out as the Miss Alaska Pageant approaches in June, with the chance to compete in the Miss America Pageant. She may, she said, rock the current hairdo. She doesn’t think stubble will hurt her chances. “I don’t see it as anything negative. Girls wear extensions. Girls wear weaves. Girls wear wigs.

There’s no difference. The true beauty is what you emanate yourself. That’s really what the Miss America organization is about. It’s not what you look like, it’s how you represent and carry yourself.”

Alisa Parrent, director of the Miss Chugiak-Eagle River program, calls Ebben courageous and said the sacrifice of her hair for a cause demonstrates how pageants are more than swimsuit competitions. Parrent also sees how it could affect a child.

“There’s a lot of young girls who are just recently being diagnosed with cancer, that are going to be faced with losing their hair, and maybe they’ve always dreamed of being Miss America, and the idea of losing their hair is just devastating to them,” Parrent said. “So to see

Miss Chugiak-Eagle River Debbe Ebben poses for a photo on Wednesday in Town Square Park in Anchorage, Alaska. —AP

This April 30, 2011 photo provided by Shalem Photography shows Miss Chugiak-Eagle River Debbe Ebben in Anchorage, Alaska. Ebben, who will compete for the title of Miss Alaska in June, recently had her head shaved to raise money for the St. Baldrick’s Foundation, which awards grants for child cancer research. — AP Debbe, who is a beauty queen, and who says it’s OK to beautiful and to be bald, that’s just really touching.” St. Baldrick is not a real saint. The name morphs “bald” with “St. Patrick,” said spokeswoman Traci Shirk by phone from Monrovia, Calif. The organization began on March 17, 2000, when three insurance executives turned a St. Patrick’s Day party into a head-shaving event to help children with cancer. The organization now raises money for childhood cancer research grants and has pulled in nearly $16 million this year. Events are held yearround, but nearly 800 are scheduled for March, Shirk said.

“It’s pretty extraordinary when any female does it,” she said of head shaving. “It’s always a bigger stand, just because you know, hair and women. But definitely a beauty queen - someone who’s in the spotlight ... we’re really honored to have their support.” Ebben’s experience, along with her work with Children’s Miracle Network, a Miss America cause, has shaped more than her hair. Instead of engineering, she’s now studying to be a “child life specialist” working with children in hospitals.

“They’re kind of the in-between, go-to person to put the kid at ease, describe things to families, and interact with them at the hospital and really be a positive role model for them,” she said. “You could say that pageants really led me to that career.” — AP

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Star food: Dead celebrities’ top recipes, revived

This group of six original color transparency slides taken in 1957 by Marilyn Monroe’s make-up artist Allan Whitey Snyder shows Monroe on the set of “The Prince and the Showgirl.” This item is part of Julien’s Auctions Hollywood Legends being held on Saturday, March 31, 2012 and Sunday April 1 in Beverly Hills, Calif. — AP

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atharine Hepburn made mean brownies.

And Liz Taylor adored chicken with avocado and mushrooms. The gastronomic secrets of stars past are being served up in a new book. And they taste good. “The Dead Celebrity Cookbook,” just published in the United States, reveals a smorgasbord of top dishes from artists of yesteryear, whose films and songs we all know, but whose favorite recipes have until now mostly been a mystery.

The fruit of a decade and a half of passionate research, the book “was a labor of love,” its author Frank DeCaro told AFP. “I’ve been collecting for about 15 years, I would go to flee markets, I would use eBay. I ended up with so many of them that I had to pick and choose,” he said. “I would buy everything, manuals that came with microwave ovens, or flyers handed out in supermarkets in the 60s, recipes attributed to specific celebrities.

“I hope, I like to believe that they were in fact truly their recipes,” he added. The volume includes recipes from more than 140 stars of music, cinema and television, ranging from Michael Jackson’s sweet potato pie and Frank Sinatra’s barbecued lamb to Patrick Swayze’s chicken pie. “In the past, celebrities used to always be asked to provide recipes... that was part of public relations. They would offer up recipes in benefit cookbooks or magazine articles,” explained DeCaro. “They were published all over the place,” added the writer, formerly a film critic on US television.

“These recipes come from a time when we didn’t know everything there was to know about every celebrity. They were more in control of their image, and when they chose a recipe I think it said something about them.”

DeCaro decided to only include recipes chosen by celebrities who are already dead, partly because he hopes his work will help people rediscover forgotten stars. “I get very upset when people say ‘Oh, it was before my time’ or ‘I wasn’t born when it was on air.’ If Lady Gaga can know who Liberace is, so can you. It’s good to know what came before,” he said. The other reason he focused on dead artists was because present-day celebrities barely ever talk about their favorite food.

“I think part of it was that people cooked at home. To be a home cook was something people were proud of, they knew they could connect with their fans that way,” said DeCaro.

“But I think also that when you have chefs who become celebrities, you don’t really need an actor to share his kitchen activity with us. The chefs themselves are the stars, now, when it comes to food, so you don’t really care what the cast of ‘Glee’ is cooking, which kind of makes me sad.” Now, the reader can gorge on pianist Liberace’s sticky buns, Ann Miller’s “terrific” fettucini alfredo, and Hepburn’s brownies.

“If you have an Oscar party, you will get an award for serving Katharine Hepburn’s brownies. “They are the best brownies ever. There are not a ton of recipes out there from her, but the ones that are out there are really good,” he added. And his least favorite celebrity recipe?

“Isabel Sanford’s Boston chicken,” he replied without hesitation, referring to the actress who played the mother in American sitcom “The Jeffersons” in the 1970s and early 80s. “It’s chicken with Russian dressing, and apricot jam and onions, all at the same time. And I’m not convinced those three things should be mixed and put on a chicken.” — AFP

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collection of never-before-seen photos of Marilyn Monroe - and their accompanying copyrights - are going up for auction. Celebrity auctioneer Darren Julien says more than 100 images of Monroe will be sold to the highest bidders later this month. The photos come from the estate of Allan “Whitey” Snyder, Monroe’s personal

makeup artist for 15 years. Letters, telegrams and a money clip from Monroe to Snyder are also among the lots set to be sold during Julien’s Auctions’ Hollywood Legends sale on March 31 and April 1. The auction also includes memorabilia from Frank Sinatra, James Dean, Charlie Chaplin and Sammy Davis, Jr. — AP

This undated image released by Julien’s Auctions, shows a Tiffany Money Clip, stamped 14K gifted to Allan “Whitey” Snyder from Marilyn Monroe.

This undated image, released by Julien’s Auctions, shows a Western Union Telegram from Marilyn Monroe to Allan “Whitey” Snyder upon her being fired from the film “Something’s Got to Give.”

This image, taken in 1962, shows Marilyn Monroe on the set of “Something’s Got to Give.” — AP photos

Warhol’s ‘Double Elvis’ could fetch $50 million at auction

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n iconic portrait of Elvis Presley by pop artist Andy Warhol is poised to fetch as much as $50 million when it hits the auction block in May, Sotheby’s said on Thursday. The life-size painting, “Double Elvis (Ferus Type)” from 1963, epitomizes Warhol’s obsessions with fame, stardom and the public image, according to Sotheby’s.

Estimated to sell for $30 million to $50 million, it will be included in the auction house’s May 9 sale of post-war and contemporary art. “The silver background of ‘Double Elvis (Ferus Type)’, along with the subtle variations in tone give the serial imagery a sense of rhythmic variation that recalls the artist’s masterpiece, ‘200 One Dollar Bills’ completed the previous year,” Sotheby’s said in a statement. That work soared to nearly $44 million or four times its estimate in 2009, when the art market was reeling from the financial crisis that

struck in 2008. It was the highlight of the season, and achieved the highest price of any work at the fall auctions.

In the “Double Elvis” work, Presley is dressed as a cowboy, shooting a gun. Sotheby’s described him in the work “a Hollywood icon of the sixties rather than the rebellious singer who shook the world of music in the sixties.” The double in the title refers to a shadowy image of Presley in the same pose that appears next to him in the work. Of 22 works in Warhol’s Elvis series which were first exhibited at Los Angeles’ Ferus gallery, nine are in museum collections, including the Museum of Modern Art. At the Los Angeles exhibit, Warhol stipulated that “the paintings were to be displayed as a ‘continuous surround,’ encircling the gallery like flickering pictures reminiscent of early film,” Sotheby’s said. —Reuters

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In this photograph taken by AP Images for Doritos, Snoop Dogg performs at the Doritos JACKED Maxim Party in Austin, Texas, Thursday, March 15, 2012. — AP

Lil Wayne leads hip-hop’s SXSW overnight invasion

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il Wayne was feeling inspirational while making an appearance at South By Southwest. Snoop Dogg admitted he was too high to notice he was performing on a stage six stories tall that looked like a vending machine. And rumors that Eminem would make a surprise appearance continued to swirl around 6th Street. Hip-hop stars completed a near takeover of the music conference and festival overnight Thursday and early Friday with Lil Wayne, Snoop Dogg, B.o.B., T I and Wale all playing bass-booming showcases just blocks from each other into the early morning. And later in the day, Nas would be the subject of a Q&A interview and 50 Cent

was expected to headline the Shady Records showcase where he would perform his iconic album “Get Rich or Die Tryin’” live in its entirety for the first time.

Posters teasing Lil Wayne’s concert at Austin Music Hall appeared Thursday all over town and Weezy was in high spirits as he played his hits, introduced fellow rappers Chanel and Birdman, kicked off a partnership with Mountain Dew and introduced his new clothing line. As Weezy wound down, Snoop Dogg held court about six blocks away. There, he regaled reporters with tales of his love for the long-gone sour cream and onion Doritos rather than the new “JACKED” flavor he was

promoting, his requirement that the company give him a couple of vending machines so his friends can have some and how he couldn’t see the five-story stage on which he performed a set that stretched into Friday. He also didn’t exactly deny he’s reuniting with Dr. Dre at Coachella, talked about a new project with producer Diplo, his upcoming movie release in June with Wiz Kalifa, gave a shoutout to Virginia Commonwealth basketball coach Shaka Smart and talked of sharing a bucket of fried chicken in Amsterdam with Willie Nelson.

He also explained hip-hop’s takeover of Austin and the big-money deals he, Lil Wayne

and Jay-Z - who was brought to SXSW on Monday by American Express - are landing.

“You know, it’s a hip-hop world,” Snoop said in an interview as he stretched out on an orange couch at Carmelo’s in a Texas Longhorns basketball jersey next to a surreal 5-foot-tall snack bag.

“I don’t mean that in a cocky way, I mean that in a real way. If you watch TV, anything that’s got to do with a commercial or selling something, it’s hip-hop orientated, whether it’s the music we personalize, the artists involved, even attention on football and basketball. Whatever it is, it’s trying to be something that’s hip-hop.” — AP

MTV to launch broad Springsteen gives music online store for musicians history lesson at SXSW M

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hey call him The Boss for a reason. Showing there’s no need for a backing band to bring out his outsized charisma on stage, Bruce Springsteen took a rapt audience on a personal music history journey. He also gave young rockers insightful advice in an often hilarious tour-de-force keynote speech that was one of the most anticipated events at the South By Southwest Music Conference and Festival

Musician Bruce Springsteen gives the keynote address at the SXSW Music Festival in Austin, Texas on Thursday. — AP

this year. “Good morning, good morning, good morning,” Springsteen said after taking the stage at 12:30 p.m. “Why are we up so (expletive) early. How important is this speech if we’re giving it at noon? Every musician in town is asleep, or they will be by the time I finish this speech.”

The Boss on Thursday takes over Austin. Besides the speech, he’s putting on an exclusive show later in the evening. He got off to an often riotous start as he name-checked all the musicians that have inspired him over the years from Elvis to James Brown and Woody Guthrie to Johnny Rotten. He marveled at the unfathomable diversity at SXSW and led a sing-a-long of “This Land is Your Land.” Springsteen is hot with his new album, “Wrecking Ball,” debuting at No. 1 in 14 countries after its release last week and with a world tour scheduled. It’s his first tour since last year’s death of his saxophonist and main on-stage sidekick Clarence Clemons. Those musicians who managed to wake up and catch the speech got a lesson in how to approach your career and a long list of influences to check out.

About 1,000 SXSW attendees filled a ballroom in the Austin Convention Center for the 50-minute speech and NPR carried it live via Internet stream.

TV is launching a broad platform of musician Web pages in a bid to replace MySpace. MTV Music Group President Van Toffler announced the initiative Thursday at the South By Southwest Music Conference. The site, Artists.MTV, will launch this summer. It will begin with more than 10,000 artist pages and an expectation to expand.

Musicians can customize their pages with music, video, merchandise and ticket sales. Artists. MTV will be open to established acts and aspiring ones. MTV describes it as a chance for acts to have “a digital homestead” to gather their presence across MTV and its myriad sister channels and websites.

“There is infinite choice out there, but with this artist platform, we want to provide a meaningful road map for consumers to weed through the chaos and discover the musical gems that should break through,” Toffler said in a statement.

MySpace, the once-popular social network that was dethroned years ago by Facebook, has been reconfigured to focus on its still visited music section. The site, once valued in the billions of dollars, was sold last year to Specific Media for $35 million. Toffler said MTV also will hope to bridge digital fame to its television networks, which include VH1 and CMT. A monthly contest called “Full Frontal” will select an artist to be featured on MTV, VH1 or CMT. The act will be chosen from fan votes and then a revolving panel of musicians, industry members and music producers. The site will launch in private beta in May. — AP

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Back to the future for new season of ‘Mad Men’

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n retrospect, the bombshell with which “Mad Men” concluded last season was inevitable. With a busted marriage behind him and a romance in high gear with a selfassured psychologist, Don Draper pulled a fast one in the finale, proposing to his twenty-something secretary. This was classic Don. He was seizing what appeared to be a quick fix - the devotion of a younger woman he said “got” him - after he had spent a season lonely and lost and in a tailspin. He needed the recovery, the structure, the renewed sense of identity she seemed able to provide. “He’s smiling like a fool, like he’s the first man who ever married his secretary,” scoffed one of his adagency colleagues in the finale, which was set in October 1965 and aired what seems almost that long ago (though it was actually October 2010).

Now - glorioski! - “Mad Men” begins its fifth season on Sunday, March 25, on AMC. Viewers who want to keep the re-entry experience pure are duly warned: Below are a few tiny spoilers.

Many questions will be answered. For one thing, will Don (series star Jon Hamm) still be linked with Megan (Jessica Pare) - an ooh-lah-lah FrenchCanadian who channels the glamour of Jackie Kennedy by way of Jean Shrimpton? And will she still be working at the Manhattan agency Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce, where, in last

season’s finale, her engagement instantly sparked awkwardness and resentment from her colleagues?

The two-hour premiere includes a surprise birthday party for Don - a surprise he doesn’t welcome. Pete (Vincent Kartheiser) has a new home and a baby with his wife, Trudy, but, as usual, he feels undervalued at the office as he manages the bulk of the accounts. But what about the baby that Joan (Christina Hendricks) was carrying at season’s end? Even hard-

In this undated image released by AMC, the cast of “Mad Men,” from left, Christina Hendricks, John Slattery, Jared Harris, Vincent Kartheiser, Jon Hamm, Robert Morse and Elisabeth Moss are shown. — AP

‘Bully’

documentary could hit theaters without rating

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new documentary film about bullying set for theaters this month could come out unrated after objections from teenaged victims, celebrities, members of Congress and others over its restrictive rating by a Hollywood studio group. The head of the Motion Picture Association of America said on Thursday there were several options to get around the “R” rating that would prevent people under 17-year-old from seeing the film in the United States without a parent, including releasing it without a rating. “There are ways of doing this,” said MPAA chairman Chris Dodd during an emotional debate after a screening at the group’s Washington office. “One, they don’t have to be rated.” Dodd added: “My hope is we can find some way to work through this.”

“Bully,” set for release starting March 30, has drawn controversy over the MPAA’s rating.

Opponents of the group’s decision say many youth need to see the film in order to tackle the problem of bullying, and its “R” rating will prevent kids from seeing it not only in theaters but also in schools. The MPAA, which represents Hollywood’s major movie studios in governmental matters, rates films for content such as violence and language to give audiences an idea of what will be in the movies they see. In

working Peggy (Elisabeth Moss) seems to have lost her creative mojo at least with one client, Heinz, whose baked beans she proposes showing animated in a commercial, dancing into their can. “You ever see beans up close?” asks the client as he nixes that idea. “They look like a bunch of bloody organs. And it’s not just for fellas like me that saw things in Korea.” Stiff-upper-lip British partner Lane (Jared Harris) apparently has made peace with lowered expecta-

the case of “Bully,” the movie was given its restrictive “R” rating due to foul language. The director, so far, has declined to change the movie, arguing the language is essential to the story. The MPAA has refused to budge, too.

Harvey Weinstein, whose The Weinstein Co. is distributing the film, called Dodd’s proposal of an unrated film a “lifeline” and said “unrated could give us the options that we want.” The special screening just two blocks from the White House drew emotional pleas from not only director Lee Hirsch, but also from a teenaged victim and a parent who are featured in his movie, as well as another bullied teenager who started an online petition to fight the rating. “Our reality is not censored,” said Kelby Johnson, a 16-year-old from Oklahoma featured in the documentary.

She said she was called worse names than those heard in the movie when she went to school, on the bus or at the mall. “Since when did curse words become more important than our children’s lives?” she asked Dodd. David Long, a father from Georgia whose son Tyler Long hanged himself in 2009 at age 17 after years of being bullied, also called on Dodd to take action. “We take a step back” if communities don’t show the movie because of the rating, said Long. —Reuters

tions for his life. But in the premiere he allows himself a flicker of hope that his life might still take a naughty turn. The episode is book-ended with glimpses of the civil rights movement, which has spread to a sidewalk in midtown Manhattan. And at Don’s birthday party, arguments arise about the wisdom of the nation’s involvement in Vietnam. Clearly, things have kept on changing since the start of the “Mad Men” saga, initially set in 1960. It will continue at least two more seasons, fulfilling series creator Matthew Weiner’s original vision of covering that full, tumultuous decade.

But the changes “Mad Men” tracks so vividly aren’t national in scope.

They’re the changes its characters experience within. This season’s premiere continues the rich “Mad Men” narrative style - a purposeful meandering, an uneasy drift of the characters’ lives where time is always threatening to get away from them. Just consider Don Draper, the show’s charismatic but tormented hero. In the bathroom slathering his Hollywood-handsome face with shaving cream, he peers at himself in the mirror. There’s a flash of dread in his eyes, and a not-so-young-man’s bags apparent under his eyes.

What is he thinking? Viewers can’t be sure. But that’s why they keep watching. They can’t be sure they aren’t thinking the same thing. — AP

Rachael Harris picks top films about strong women

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he’s been best known for her comic roles in movies like “The Hangover” and “For Your Consideration,” and TV shows including “New Girl” and “The Daily Show With Jon Stewart.” But Rachael Harris reveals a dramatic facet to her talent in “Natural Selection,” in which she plays a conservative woman who goes on a road trip to find the son her husband never knew he had. Along the way, she also finds an inner strength she never knew she had.

With this indie film festival favorite arriving in theaters this weekend, we asked Harris to choose her five favorite movies about strong women. But since she’s so nice (and full disclosure: since she’s a friend) we let her pick six, in her own words: • “Hannah and Her Sisters” (1986): I love Dianne Wiest so much in this film it makes my heart hurt. I find her arc very satisfying.

She’s a complete disaster who finds dignity and acceptance by the final frame. Just honest and brave and I am a sucker for a happy ending.

• “Kramer vs. Kramer” (1979): Two words: Meryl Streep. She’s just open - her heart is full and open. She makes a woman leaving her son to live with his father a likeable person. You feel deep compassion for her character - that’s crazy hard to do. She does it effortlessly, like everything else she does.

• “Broadcast News” (1987): I love Holly Hunter in everything I think I’ve ever seen her in. I loved watching her character

In this file photo, actress Rachael Harris arrives at the Vanity Fair Oscar party in West Hollywood, Calif. — AP wrestling with her needs to be successful and driven and at the same time be a vulnerable woman wanting and trying to find love.

• “Waitress” (2007): Adrienne Shelly wrote and starred in the film and the entire cast was perfection in my opinion: Keri Russell, Cheryl Hines, Jeremy Sisto and Nathan Fillion. Simple and honest. A beautiful story of an unconventional romance.

• “Tootsie” (1982): This is my favorite movie - I love the way Dustin Hoffman is playing a woman. He does more for women in his portrayal of Dorothy Michaels than a lot of female actresses. —AP

SATURDAY, MARCH 17, 2012

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he graphic scenes of real life destruction wreaked by last year’s tsunami left manga artist Jiro Taniguchi wondering what the point of his art form was. The 64-year-old was sitting at his desk on March 11 last year when Japan was changed forever by the huge earthquake and the enormous tsunami it sent hurtling into the coast. Like many in Japan, he was captivated by the pictures of devastation that were played out on television over the coming days and weeks, in a tragedy that killed more than 19,000 people and sparked a nuclear crisis at Fukushima. “I immediately questioned what I should do in this tragic period. I thought about quitting, not knowing how drawing manga could still be useful,” he told AFP as he sat in his Tokyo studio, surrounded by towering stacks of books. “I had deadlines that I had to meet for work that I was doing at the time, so I kept going, but for months I wondered what to do.”

Taniguchi’s exquisitely detailed line drawings set his work apart from much of what is known of manga in the West. Each panel is painstakingly hand-drawn by a man who refuses to learn the modern tricks of his craft. “I do not use a computer because I don’t know how, I don’t have that skill,” says Taniguchi, who relies on paper, pencils, a pen and a craft knife to create his images. His subject matter also stands in stark contrast to the usual fare of high school romance or sometimes violent pornography consumed by some of Japan’s manga fans. In works such as “Arukuhito”, published in English as “The Walking Man”, the protagonist is occupied less by any

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n exhibit that opened Thursday offered New Yorkers a rare glimpse of life inside North Korea, including children singing in a theater, stark views of Pyongyang at dusk and North Koreans bowing before a monument of the nation’s founder, Kim Il Sung. “Windows on North Korea: Photographs From the DPRK,” is a joint exhibition by The Associated Press and

specific action as by a fascination with aspects of everyday life-the things he finds, the scenes he sees and the people he meets on his strolls through suburban neighborhoods.

Taniguchi’s intricately constructed landscapes populated by vaguely cartoonish characters have drawn comparisons in the West with some of the better-known European comic heroes, such as Tintin. This seeming familiarity has given him a big following in France, where this week he was invited to a literary fair in Paris. “I don’t know why I am also known outside Japan. Perhaps it is because my work is similar to Western comics, which I’ve followed for 30 years and they have influenced my subconscious,” he told AFP. “I was very surprised to meet European children who had read my manga... Japanese school children do not read me.” A year on from the tsunami, and Taniguchi is back at work, inspired by the way that his compatriots dealt with the privations and the hardships of the tragedy. “Seeing the images on television, I was struck by this nightmarish vision and could not work. I wondered if it could be real. “But the nuclear accident and events that followed made me learn a lot about how the Japanese react” in times of difficulty, he said. It was this determination that inspired Taniguchi to carry on. “I continued thanks to my readers, thanks to the voice of the survivors that made me realize that they still wanted to read my work,” he said. — AFP

the state-run Korean Central News Agency, and features a mix of archival and contemporary images. The show was timed to open before the 100th anniversary of the birth of Kim Il Sung on April 15 and comes two months after the AP opened a bureau in Pyongyang, becoming the first Western news organization to do so inside the secretive communist country.

Associated Press Senior Vice President and Executive Editor Kathleen Carroll, left, and Korean Central News Agency Senior Vice President Kim Chang Gwang tour the gallery during an opening reception for the Window on North Korea: Photographs from the DPRK photo exhibit, Thursday, March 15, 2012, in New York. — AP

Japanese comic artist Jiro Taniguchi, who won a decoration of the L’ Ordre des Arts et des Lettres (The Order of Arts and Letters) last year, draws at his studio in Tokyo on March 5, 2012. Japan’s pop culture Manga, comic or bande desinee exhibition will be held in Paris. — AFP

Democratic People’s Republic of Korea and the United States have never had formal diplomatic relations, and the two nations have experienced tensions over the years, particularly over Pyongyang’s nuclear ambitions. North Korea has tested two atomic devices in the past six years. Tensions have recently eased somewhat. Late last month, the United States and North Korea announced an agreement that calls for Pyongyang to freeze its nuclear activities in exchange for food aid. Days later, a senior North Korean nuclear envoy traveled to the US to attend a university forum while the US and North Korea held more talks in Beijing to finalize the food aid. “It is our hope that this exhibition would give exhibition-goers visual understanding of the people, customs, culture and history of the DPRK, thereby helping to deepen mutual understanding and improve the bilateral relations,” Kim Chang Gwang, KCNA’s senior vice president, said in an address at the show’s opening.

Images on display included a 1953 KCNA photograph showing residents helping to rebuild Pyongyang’s central district after the Korean War, AP photos documenting visits by foreign dignitaries, as well as everyday scenes ranging from sunbathers at the beach to shoppers inside a modern department store. The photographs “give us rare views of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, a nation of great interest to the world, though little known,” said Kathleen Carroll, executive editor of the AP. “In this exhibit, we are offered two perspectives of the DPRK - as viewed by her native daughters and sons from KCNA and by AP journalists visit-

ing to chronicle news and daily life there. We can appreciate the different styles and techniques and points of view,” Carroll said.

“These photographs also show us that different people can find common ground,” Carroll said.

Several of the photographs are by AP Chief Asia Photographer David Guttenfelder, who has made many reporting trips to North Korea since 2010. “Daily life is really what I try to focus on when I’m there. ... It’s unscripted, it’s candid,” Guttenfelder said.

“For people to see their own life in other people’s lives, I think it has a lot of power to break down barriers.” The show also includes images taken by KCNA journalists who participated in a joint workshop in October led by AP instructors. It runs from March 15 to April 13 at The 8th Floor gallery in New York City. The AP, an independent news cooperative founded in New York and owned by its US newspaper membership, has operations in more than 100 countries and employs nearly 2,500 journalists across the world in 300 locations. — AP

SATURDAY, MARCH 17, 2012

A woman crosses a street off Westwood Blvd, near where hangs a small sign reading “Persian Square” in Los Angeles, California, on March 15, 2012. A new reality TV show about the lavish lifestyles of rich young American-Iranians in Los Angeles has sparked angry claims it is degrading, and exploits the Persian community’s image for ratings. — AFP

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new reality TV show about the lavish lifestyles of rich young American-Iranians in Los Angeles has sparked angry claims it is degrading, and exploits the Persian community’s image for ratings. At least two Facebook pages have been set up to protest against “Shahs of Sunset,” which depicts a group of well-to-do friends partying and shopping on exclusive Rodeo Drive. The show is set in Tehrangeles, the name given to the West Coast metropolis’s Persian community — 20 percent of Beverly Hills’ residents are of Iranian stock — said to be the biggest outside the Islamic Republic.

Critics are concerned that it further taints the reputation of a community which already has something of an image problem.

“It’s just putting a very bad spin on something that we already have-the Persians don’t have a very good positive image in America,” said Jimmy Delshad, who came to the US as a teenager and rose to be mayor of Beverly Hills, twice. “It seems to be very degrading, even though they’re showing very high end, supposedly, people in the community, but it shows us as spoiled and nouveau riche, people without much family training,” he told AFP. Bravo, the channel which airs the show, describes it as following “a group of friends who are trying to juggle their active social lives and up-and-coming careers while balancing the demands of their families and traditions.”

“From outings on Rodeo Drive to traditional Persian feasts at home, this series celebrates the unique lifestyle of a group of friends who have worked hard for what they have and are not afraid to flaunt it,” its blurb says. The first episode last weekend introduced the cast of good-looking characters shopping for wedding dresses, throwing pool parties, and having rows abouthorror-allegedly wearing clothes from mainstream retailer H and M. “There are two things I don’t like: I don’t like ants, and I don’t like ugly people,” says GG, who is unashamedly obsessed with her appearance. “Image is everything in our community,” adds MJ, a real estate agent. “For example, I might spend more money on my handbag than I do on my rent, because more people are going to see my purse than my crib.”

The Iranian community in LA, boosted significantly by the 1979 Revolution and ouster of the Shah, is traditionally centered

on Westwood, also known as “Little Persia,” including its own Persian Square. Critics in the community have lined up to slam the show. “Perhaps the most egregious aspect of the show is that the actors do not pretend to represent only themselves; they pose as experts on the Iranian-American national character,” said novelist and academic Gina Nahai. “I’m not unaware of the negative sentiments on the part of many Americans toward the Iranians among them,” Nahai, a professor of creative writing at University of Southern California, told AFP. “It seems to me that in this case, the producers have made a list of every one of these negative impressions, then cast the show with prototypes for each.”

American-Iranian comedian Firoozeh Dumas said trailers for the show were enough for him. “I did not watch the first episode, nor will I ever watch any episodes .. I would rather spend an hour at the dentist’s. If television’s motto is ‘how low can you go,’ then Bravo TV should be proud of having hit rock bottom,” he said.

And the show’s Facebook page has been plagued with links to another, protest page. “After watching this hot mess, I think I can relate to how embarrassed the Armenian community has been by the Kardashians. I wince in particular at having to share a surname with one of these people,” one contributor commented. The storm sparked by the show is reminiscent of the controversy which surrounded “Jersey Shore” in 2009, over its alleged slurs against the Italian American community. A spokesman for Bravo defended the show. “We wanted to present an exciting group of friends who live interesting and dynamic lives as well as give an inside look at their culture and rituals. We are hoping to entertain and engage our viewers. This group of friends does not represent an entire nationality,” she told AFP. — AFP

All eyes on China as world’s biggest antiques fairkicks off

C

hina dominates the global art and antiques market as of last year, said a report published yesterday ahead of the launch of the European Fine Art Fair in the Netherlands. Published by organizers of the world’s biggest antiques fair, to open to collectors in the southern city of Maastricht, the report said China now claims a 30 percent share of the worldwide market. “China overtook the United States for the first time in 2011 to become the largest arts and antiques market worldwide,” said the paper. It said the findings were based on “both auction and dealer sales”.

The US was pushed into second place with a share of 29 percent, as art sales worldwide jumped by seven percent from the previous year to a staggering 46.1 billion euros in 2011. Britain, overtaken by China in 2010, was third with 22 percent, while France came fourth with six percent, said the report “The International Art Market in 2011: Observations on the art trade over 25 years”. The report, compiled by Claire McAndrew, a cultural economist specializing in the fine and decorative art market, called the development “perhaps one of the most fundamental and important changes in the last 50 years”. “The dominance of the Chinese market has been driven by expanding wealth, strong domestic supply and the investive drive of Chinese art buyers.” The arts and antiques market recovered significantly over the past two years, McAndrew wrote, as the global economy slowly recovered from the 2008-09 crisis, which had created a “more cautious buying climate”. —AFP

TECHNOLOGY

SATURDAY, MARCH 17, 2012

Australians first to get hands on new iPad SYDNEY: Hundreds of gadget lovers laid siege to Apple’s flagship Sydney store yesterday to be the first in the world to get their hands on the new iPad as the company’s shares in New York spiked above $600.

Apple is looking to tighten its grip on the tablet market with its third generation launch, which boosts a more powerful processor, increasing pressure on competitors including Google to make devices more enticing. The anticipation saw Apple shares briefly top $600 for the first time on Wall Street on Thursday before closing at $585.56. The stock has gained more than 50 percent in the past three months alone.

In scenes expected to be repeated worldwide in the nine other countries and territories launching the product, hundreds were gathered outside its Sydney store when it opened at 8:00 am local time.

But the first of the new iPads were not collected from Apple, instead from shops owned by Australian telecom giant Telstra in Sydney and Melbourne, which threw their doors open just after midnight.

While queues snaked through the city streets outside Apple’s Sydney store, the hype was not on the scale seen for the launch of iPad 2, when people began camping out up to four days before.

Only one person had staked his claim outside by mid-afternoon Thursday and he was being paid to do so. Former truck driver Steve Parkes began his vigil on Monday after being offered Aus$950 ($1,000) by a jobs site to line up wearing a T-shirt emblazoned with the employment company’s logo.

The free publicity garnered by an Apple launch seems to have caught on, with others donning promotional shirts in front of the barrage of television cameras. Parkes, 37, admitted he had no interest in the iPad and was motivated by the cash. “I admire them from afar, but I’ve got no great interest in Apple itself,” he said.

The new tablet is being released in Australia, the United States, France, Canada, Germany, Japan, Singapore, Switzerland, Britain and Hong Kong on Friday. A key upgrade is its eye-grabbing screen resolution, or Retina display, which is on a par with that of an iPhone 4S and which Apple says is the sharpest ever on a mobile device. —AFP

SYDNEY: Customers lining up outside an Apple store are given apples in Sydney yesterday. Apple fans in Australia became the first in the world to get their hands on the latest iPad as hundreds of gadget lovers laid siege to the company’s flagship Sydney store. — AFP

Apple-mania grips Asia HONG KONG: Apple-mania gripped Asia yesterday as the company’s latest iPad went on sale, drawing hordes of die-hard fans to shops selling the highly anticipated tablet.

Gadget fans lined up in Tokyo, Hong Kong and Singapore so they could be among the first to get their hands on the device. The third version of Apple’s iPad also went on sale in Australia and it will be available in the US and five other countries beginning at 8 a.m. local time, with 25 other countries getting it a week later. The new model comes with a faster processor and a much sharper screen. It also boasts an improved camera, similar to that of the latest iPhone.

For many customers, visiting a store in person — instead of having one shipped — offers consumers a chance to mingle with die-hard Apple fans. About 450 people lined up outside Apple’s Ginza store in downtown Tokyo. Some had spent the night sleeping outside the store to be among the first when it opened at 8 a.m. - two hours ear-

lier than usual. “I wanted to be able to show it off to my friends,” said Norio Nakayama, a 33-yearold computer consultant outside Apple’s crosstown shop in the trendy Shibuya district. “I think I’ll give my older iPad 1 to my wife.”

In Hong Kong, a steady stream of buyers picked up their new devices at preset times at the city’s sole Apple store after entering a random drawing online.

The system, which required buyers to have local ID cards, also helped thwart attempts by visitors from mainland China - Apple’s fastest growing market - who have a reputation for scooping up Apple gadgets to get them earlier and avoid sales tax at home.

“I’m happy I won the lucky draw,” said Kelvin Tsui, a 26-year-old hospital worker who was allowed to buy two. Tsui said he would use the opportunity to make some money. “If I’ve got more than one, of course I’ll sell the other one.”

The iPad’s release date in China has not yet been

TOKYO: Japanese customers show off their newly purchased Apple’s new iPads in Tokyo yesterday. Hundreds of gadget lovers queued up for the new IPads as a worldwide launch followed the global sunrise. — AFP photos

announced.

Two years after the debut of the first iPad, the device’s launch has become the secondbiggest “gadget event” of the year, after the annual iPhone release. A year ago, thousands lined up outside the flagship Apple store on New York’s Fifth Avenue. The device sold out on launch day, even though it didn’t go on sale until 5 p.m.

For some customers, standing in line will offer the only chance to get a new iPad on Friday.

Apple quickly ran out of supplies it set aside for advance orders. The company was telling customers Thursday to expect a two- to three-week wait for orders placed through its online stores.

Some buyers feared even longer waits.

“I knew that if I didn’t buy it today it may be difficult in the future,” said Anfernee Au, 33, who spent more than three hours outside a Hong Kong Apple reseller the day before for a ticket that allowed him to buy one iPad.

The new iPad is called just that: “the new iPad.” Apple declined to give it a name like “iPad 3” or “iPad HD.” That is consistent with its naming practice for iPods, MacBooks and iMacs, but a break with the way iPhone models are named.

Despite competition from cheaper tablet computers such as Amazon.com Inc.’s Kindle Fire, the iPad remains the most popular tablet computer. Apple Inc. has sold more than 55 million iPads since its debut in 2010, including some 40 million last year. Researchers estimate that the iPad has more than 60 percent of the market for tablets.

The iPad’s accomplishments have contributed to the company’s success on Wall Street.

Apple’s stock touched $600 briefly for the first time on Thursday. Apple is the world’s most valuable company, with a market capitalization of nearly $555 billion. It topped $500 billion for the first time in late February, a market value peak where few companies have ventured. —AP

TOKYO: Apple fans display a countdown clock as they wait for the launch of the new iPad at an Apple store in Tokyo yesterday. Hundreds of gadget lovers queue up for the new tablet PC as a worldwide launch followed the global sunrise.

TECHNOLOGY

SATURDAY, MARCH 17, 2012

PayPal lets shops take payments on smartphones SAN FRANCISCO: Online financial transactions titan PayPal has started to allow merchants across the world to take payments using smartphones in a direct challenge to startup Square.

The PayPal Here system uses a triangleshaped “dongle” card reader that plugs into mobile devices to let people make purchases. PayPal Here software also lets shopkeepers take payments by snapping a picture of a card with a smartphone instead of having to swipe it in the dongle.

“No business will ever have to say they can’t accept a form of payment,” PayPal mobile vice president David Marcus said while unveiling the new service at a press event at San Francisco’s famed Ghirardelli Square on Thursday.

The service from eBay-owned PayPal is a spin on one offered by startup Square, a brainchild of Twitter co-founder Jack Dorsey. Square has been a hit with independent entrepreneurs and small businesses as wide ranging as masseuses and taxi drivers to farmers and bicycle shops.

PayPal, which also announced a major push into Asian markets, plans to capitalize on its dominant position as a global service for online purchases.

“We are going to aggressively push this out to our 100 million PayPal users around the world,” Marcus said. “We can accept any form of payment, short of barter.”

PayPal Here thumb-sized plug-ins and accompanying software for smartphones are free. Here was being rolled out for Apple’s popular iPhones with a promise that a version for Android-powered smartphones would be available soon.

PayPal will charge merchants a flat fee amounting to 2.7 percent of each transac-

HONG KONG: Senior Vice President of Asia Pacific for Paypal, Rupert Keeley, poses for a picture with Paypal’s triangle-shaped smartphone payment dongle in Hong Kong yesterday. Online financial transactions titan PayPal began letting merchants worldwide take payments using smartphones through the usage of a triangle-shaped “dongle” card reader that plugs into mobile devices to let people make purchases. — AFP tion. The California-based company enticed merchants to funnel money from sales into PayPal business debit cards that give onepercent cash-back rewards for purchases, ostensibly cutting transaction fees to 1.7 percent.

PayPal Here smartphone software for customers comes with social and shopping features including finding nearby participating merchants and automatically alerting shopkeepers to their presence in stores.

“We want every PayPal user to feel like a VIP when they walk into a coffee shop,” Marcus said. Payment card data scanned

into Here devices is encrypted for protection.

Dorsey’s Square, based in San Francisco, has been lauded as disruptive new technology since the application and accompanying dongle, the shape of which gave the startup its name, was released in the United States in 2010.

Square charges a 2.75 percent fee, on par or lower than merchants would be charged per transaction if they went directly through credit card companies, but has the advantage of no set up costs.

By the end of last year, Square, which has

plans to expand outside the United States, was used by 750,000 merchants and was handling $2 billion in transactions annually, according to chief operating officer Keith Rabois. PayPal’s Asia-Pacific chief Rupert Keeley, however, said Friday that it planned to expand there over the next 12 to 18 months.

Australia and Hong Kong are the first countries in the region to have the PayPal Here system but Keeley said it would soon be available in other markets including mainland China, where the licensing process was under way.

“We’re delighted to be the first in Asia Pacific to offer this innovative mobile solution,” he said, noting that Asia had a $1.3 trillion small-medium business retail market combined with rapid uptake of smart phones.

The online financial transactions company’s Asia Pacific headquarters is in Singapore but it serves many of its customers in the vast region remotely through a network of six sales offices, he said.

Keeley said PayPal was “looking to expand our footprint in Asia” with the opening of new offices in several countries, including India.

Square, and now PayPal Here, eliminate the need for traditional commercial payment technology such as receipt printers and desktop credit card machines.

“The intersection of technology and traditional retail is having a bigger impact on shopping than at any point in history,” eBay chief executive John Donahoe said at the Here unveiling.

“There will be a lot of change in the coming weeks and months in how consumers shop and pay.” — AFP

Google making search smarter SAN FRANCISCO: Google says it is retooling its search machine to go beyond recognizing words in queries and begin understanding what it is people are asking for.

The California-based Internet titan is intent on adding “semantic” capabilities to automatically comprehend meanings of phrases and questions to better fetch the online information being sought.

“Right now, our understanding is pretty darn limited,” Google fellow and online search veteran Amit Singhal said of online search Thursday in a message posted at the company’s Google+ online social network.

“Ask us for the 10 deepest lakes in the US and we’ll give you decent results based on those keywords, but not necessarily because we understand what depth is or what a lake is,” he explained.

To make search smarter, Google is tapping into the virtual brain of a Freebase database of knowledge regarding what things are and how they relate to one another.

Google acquired the “open-source knowledge graph” when it bought San Francisco-based Metaweb Technologies in 2010 for an undisclosed sum.

“In the time since, we’ve grown (Freebase) from 12 million interconnected entities and attributes to over 200 million,” Singhal said.

“Our vision for this knowledge graph is as a tool to aid the creation of more knowledge-an endless cycle of creativity and insight.”

Traditional Internet search formulas recognize words typed into query boxes and then deliver links to websites that appear relevant.

Google did not reveal a timeline for the evolution to “semantic” capabilities.

Google is perpetually tuning its search engine, and in January wove content from its social network and Picasa photosharing service into its search formula to serve up personalized results to online queries. “Search, plus Your World” lets people signed into Google accounts get search results that include content approved for sharing by them or friends at Google+ or Picasa.

“Let me just say that every day, we’re improving our ability to give you the best answers to your questions as quickly as possible,” Singhal said. “So stay tuned for updates on what will continue to be a long road ahead.” — AFP

DUBAI: City lights of Dubai are featured in this image provided by NASA and photographed by an Expedition 30 crew member on the International Space Station. The city presents an eye-catching appearance at night that vividly displays the urban development pattern. In this detailed nighttime image-taken with a long focal length lens and digital camera optimized for fast response and high light sensitivity-several interesting patterns can be observed. The highways and major streets are sharply defined by yelloworange lighting, while the commercial and residential areas are resolved into a speckle pattern of individual white, blue, and yellow-orange lights. Several large and brilliantly lit areas are large hotel and mall complexes, including the Burj Khalifa Tower; at 828 meters height it is the world’s tallest building. The brilliant lighting of the city contrasts sharply with both the dark Gulf to the northwest, and largely undeveloped and unlit areas to the southeast. Likewise, the clusters of lighting in the Palm Jumeira complex at bottom right correspond to the relatively small part of the archipelago that has been developed. Isolated areas of blurred city lights are due to patchy clouds. — AP

TV listings

SATURDAY, MARCH 17, 2012

00:50 Pit Bulls And Parolees 01:45 Untamed & Uncut 02:40 After The Attack 03:35 How Not To Become Shark Bait 04:30 Crime Scene Wild 05:25 Extreme Animals 06:20 Gorilla School 06:45 Planet Wild 07:10 Wild Africa Rescue 07:35 Wild Africa Rescue 08:00 Monkey Life 08:25 Michaela’s Animal Road Trip 09:15 Crocodile Hunter 10:10 Chris Humfrey’s Wildlife 10:35 Chris Humfrey’s Wildlife 11:05 The Really Wild Show 11:30 The Really Wild Show 12:00 Gorilla School 12:25 Project Puppy 12:55 Corwin’s Quest 13:50 Wildlife SOS 14:15 Wildlife SOS 14:45 Animal Planet’s Most Outrageous 15:40 Wild Animal Orphans 16:05 Wild Animal Orphans 16:35 Venom Hunter With Donald Schultz 17:30 Big Five Challenge 18:25 Untamed China With Nigel Marven 19:20 Wild France 20:15 Wild France 21:10 Weird Creatures With Nick Baker 22:05 Austin Stevens: Most Dangerous...

23:00 Karina: Wild On Safari 23:25 Karina: Wild On Safari 23:55 Animal Planet’s Most Outrageous

00:20 Doctor Who Confidential 00:40 My Family 01:10 Doctors 01:40 Jekyll 02:30 Taking the Flak 03:00 The Cup 03:30 My Family 04:00 Me Too! 04:20 Charlie and Lola 04:30 Jackanory Junior 04:45 Boogie Beebies 05:00 Poetry Pie 05:05 Tikkabilla 05:35 3rd & Bird 05:45 The Adventures of Spot 05:50 Fimbles 06:10 Charlie and Lola 06:20 Jackanory Junior 06:35 Boogie Beebies 06:45 Poetry Pie 06:50 Tikkabilla 07:20 3rd & Bird 07:30 The Adventures of Spot 07:35 2 Point 4 Children 08:05 Keeping Up Appearances 08:35 The Weakest Link 09:20 Doctor Who 10:05 Doctor Who Confidential 10:20 Eastenders 10:50 Eastenders 11:20 Eastenders 11:50 Eastenders 12:20 The Weakest Link 13:05 2 Point 4 Children 13:35 Born and Bred 14:30 Doctor Who 15:15 Keeping Up Appearances 15:45 The Weakest Link 16:30 Holby City 17:20 Holby City 18:15 Doctor Who 19:00 One Foot In The Grave 19:30 The Old Guys 20:00 The Impressions Show 20:30 The Impressions Show 21:00 Rob Brydon’s Annually Retentive 21:30 Beautiful People 21:55 Doctor Who 22:40 One Foot In The Grave 23:10 The Old Guys 23:40 The Impressions Show

00:10 01:00 02:30 02:55 03:40

Antiques Roadshow French Food At Home French Food At Home 10 Years Younger Fantasy Homes By The Sea

GRIDLOCKʼD ON OSN ACTION HD 04:30 06:00 06:20 07:15 07:35 08:00 13:45 14:35 16:50 17:35 19:20 19:45 22:20 23:10

00:00 00:30 01:00 01:30 01:40 02:00 02:30 03:00 03:10 03:30 04:00 06:00 06:30 07:00 07:30 08:00 08:30 09:00 09:30 10:00 10:10 10:30 11:00 11:10 11:30

French Food At Home French Food At Home Antiques Roadshow Cash In The Attic USA Cash In The Attic USA MasterChef Australia MasterChef Australia Bargain Hunt Bargain Hunt Cash In The Attic USA Cash In The Attic USA Antiques Roadshow Antiques Roadshow 10 Years Younger

BBC World News America World Football Focus BBC World News Sport Today Weekend World BBC World News America Newsnight BBC World News Weekend World The Bottom Line BBC World News BBC World News Fast Track BBC World News My Country BBC World News Middle East Business Report BBC World News Click BBC World News Weekend World The Bottom Line BBC World News World Football Focus BBC World News

13:00 13:10 13:30 14:00 14:30 15:00 15:10 15:30 16:00 16:15 16:30 17:00 17:30 18:00 18:10 18:30 19:00 19:30 20:00 20:30 21:00 21:10 21:30 22:00 22:15 22:30 23:00 23:10 23:30

BBC World News World Features Newsnight BBC World News Our World BBC World News Weekend World World Olympic Dreams BBC World News Sport Today Fast Track BBC World News Dateline London BBC World News World Features BBC World News BBC World News Click BBC World News Final Score BBC World News World Features My Country BBC World News Sport Today Fast Track BBC World News World Features World Olympic Dreams

00:00 00:20 00:45 01:10 01:35 02:00 02:25 02:50 03:15 03:40

Wacky Races Dastardly And Muttley New Yogi Bear Show Duck Dodgers The Perils Of Penelope Pitstop Tom & Jerry Kids A Pup Named Scooby-Doo The Jetsons Puppy In My Pocket Popeye

04:00 04:25 04:50 05:15 05:40 06:00 06:25 06:50 07:00 07:10 07:35 08:00 08:25 08:55 09:20 09:50 10:15 10:40 11:05 11:30 12:20 12:30 12:50 13:10 13:35 14:00 14:25 14:50 15:40 16:05 16:30 17:20 17:45 18:10 18:40 19:05 19:30 21:00 21:30 22:00 22:25 22:50 23:15 23:35

Tom & Jerry Looney Tunes Scooby Doo Where Are You! Droopy: Master Detective Wacky Races The Flintstones A Pup Named Scooby-Doo Popeye Classics Wacky Races Pink Panther And Pals Pink Panther And Pals Gerald McBoing Boing Bananas In Pyjamas Baby Looney Tunes Jelly Jamm The Garfield Show The Looney Tunes Show Scooby Doo Where Are You! Sylvester & Tweety Mysteries Tom & Jerry Wacky Races The Perils Of Penelope Pitstop Help! It’s The Hair Bear Bunch The Garfield Show The Flintstones Pink Panther And Pals Pink Panther And Pals Looney Tunes Scooby-Doo And Scrappy-Doo A Pup Named Scooby-Doo Puppy In My Pocket Pink Panther And Pals Pink Panther And Pals Tom & Jerry Kids The Garfield Show The Looney Tunes Show Scooby Cinema Sylvester & Tweety Mysteries The Garfield Show Duck Dodgers The Flintstones Help! It’s The Hair Bear Bunch Popeye Scooby-Doo And Scrappy-Doo

00:00 00:30 01:00 02:00 03:00 04:00 05:00 05:45 06:00 07:00 07:30 08:00 08:15 08:30 09:00 09:15 09:30 10:00 10:30 11:00 12:00 12:30 13:00 13:30 14:00 14:30 15:00 15:30 16:00 16:30 17:00 17:30 18:00

The Best Of Backstory World Sport The Situation Room World Report Anderson Cooper 360 Piers Morgan Tonight Quest Means Business CNN Marketplace Africa Erin Burnett Outfront World Sport Cnngo World Report CNN Marketplace Africa The Best Of Backstory World Report CNN Marketplace Middle East World View World Sport Mainsail The Best Of The Situation Room World Report The Best Of Backstory The Brief Inside Africa World Report Inside The Middle East Talk Asia Eco Solutions News Special The Best Of Backstory International Desk African Voices CNN Marketplace Europe

18:15 18:30 19:00 19:30 20:00 20:30 21:00 21:30 22:00 23:00 23:30

CNN Marketplace Africa World Report This Week World Sport Living Golf International Desk Inside Africa International Desk Cnngo The Best Of The Situation Room World Report News Special

00:15 00:40 01:35 02:30 03:25 04:20 05:15 05:40 06:05 07:00 07:25 08:15 09:10 10:05 10:55 11:50 12:45 13:40 14:35 15:30 16:25 17:20 18:15 19:10 20:05 20:35 21:00 21:55 22:50 23:20 23:45

Destroyed In Seconds Surviving Disaster Dirty Jobs Overhaulin’ Ultimate Survival Mythbusters How Do They Do It? How It’s Made Dirty Jobs How Does It Work Really Big Things Huge Moves Extreme Engineering Mighty Ships Man, Woman, Wild Dual Survival Ultimate Survival Ultimate Survival Oil, Sweat And Rigs Swamp Loggers Swords: Life On The Line Gold Rush Storm Chasers River Monsters Baboons With Bill Bailey South Africa Walks Extreme Fishing Freddie Flintoff vs The World Scrappers Carfellas An Idiot Abroad

00:40 01:35 02:25 02:50 03:15 03:40 04:35 05:00 05:25 06:20 07:10 08:00 08:55 08:58 09:25 09:55 10:20 10:45 11:35 12:25 13:15

Man Made Marvels Asia Nasa’s Greatest Missions The Tech Show Tech Toys 360 Tech Toys 360 Ways To Save The Planet How Does That Work?

How Stuff’s Made Science Of The Movies Thunder Races Nasa’s Greatest Missions Future Weapons Head Rush Sci-Fi Science Weird Connections Tech Toys 360 Tech Toys 360 Ways To Save The Planet Prototype This Prototype This Prototype This

14:05 14:55 15:45 15:48 16:15 16:45 17:10 18:00 18:50 19:15 19:40 20:30 21:20 22:10 22:35 23:00 23:50

Prototype This Prototype This Head Rush Sci-Fi Science Weird Connections The Tech Show Future Weapons Meteorite Men Tech Toys 360 Tech Toys 360 Smash Lab Catch It Keep It Weird Or What?

Bang Goes The Theory Bang Goes The Theory Smash Lab Catch It Keep It

00:15 00:40 01:05 01:30 01:55 02:20 02:45 03:10 03:35 04:00 04:25 04:50 05:15 05:35 06:00 06:25 06:40 Cody 07:05 07:30 07:41 07:55 08:20 08:45 09:10 09:35 10:00 10:25 11:50 12:05 12:16 12:25 12:30 12:55 13:20 13:45 14:10 14:35 15:00 15:25 15:35 15:50 16:12 16:40 17:05 17:30 19:04 19:10 19:35 20:00 20:25 20:50 21:15 22:43 22:55 23:06 23:20 Cody 23:45

Fairly Odd Parents Fairly Odd Parents Brandy & Mr Whiskers Brandy & Mr Whiskers Replacements Replacements Emperor’s New School Emperor’s New School Brandy & Mr Whiskers Brandy & Mr Whiskers Replacements Replacements Fairly Odd Parents Fairly Odd Parents Mickey Mouse Clubhouse Jake & The Neverland Pirates The Suite Life Of Zack And

00:20 00:35 00:50 01:15 01:40 01:55 02:10 02:30 02:45 03:00 03:25 03:50 04:05 04:20 04:40 04:55 05:10 05:35 06:00 06:15 06:30 06:50 07:15 07:30

Special Agent Oso Special Agent Oso Lazytown Little Einsteins Jungle Junction Jungle Junction Little Einsteins Special Agent Oso Special Agent Oso Lazytown Little Einsteins Jungle Junction Jungle Junction Little Einsteins Special Agent Oso Special Agent Oso Lazytown Little Einsteins Jungle Junction Jungle Junction Little Einsteins Lazytown Jungle Junction Jungle Junction

So Random Fish Hooks S2 Splits Fish Hooks S2 Splits Timon And Pumbaa Good Luck Charlie Wizards Of Waverly Place Jessie Shake It Up A.N.T. Farm Halloweentown Phineas And Ferb Fish Hooks S2 Splits Fish Hooks S2 Splits Have A Laugh Shake It Up Good Luck Charlie A.N.T. Farm Recess Timon And Pumbaa Wizards Of Waverly Place So Random Phineas And Ferb Phineas And Ferb Shake It Up Good Luck Charlie Jessie A.N.T. Farm Cheetah Girls 2 Have A Laugh So Random Wizards Of Waverly Place Jessie Good Luck Charlie Shake It Up Halloweentown Phineas And Ferb Fish Hooks S2 Splits Fish Hooks S2 Splits The Suite Life Of Zack And Sonny With A Chance

TV listings

SATURDAY, MARCH 17, 2012 07:45 08:00 08:15 08:40 08:55 09:20 09:30 09:50 10:10 10:30 10:45 Pooh 10:50 11:15 11:30 11:45 12:10 12:30 12:40 13:05 13:15 13:30 13:45 14:00 14:15 14:25 14:35 14:50 15:05 15:15 15:40 16:05 16:25 16:45 17:05 17:20 17:45 18:10 18:35 19:00 19:20 19:40 20:00 Pooh 20:05 20:25 20:40 20:50 21:05 21:20 21:30 Pooh 21:35 21:40 21:45 22:00 22:25 22:40 22:55 23:20 23:30 23:45 23:55

Handy Manny Special Agent Oso Mickey Mouse Clubhouse Jungle Junction Little Einsteins The Hive Jake & The Neverland Pirates Jake & The Neverland Pirates Handy Manny Jungle Junction Mini Adventures Of Winnie The Mickey Mouse Clubhouse Mouk Mouk Art Attack Imagination Movers The Hive Lazytown The Hive Mouk Mouk Jake & The Neverland Pirates Jake & The Neverland Pirates The Hive Timmy Time Special Agent Oso Handy Manny The Hive Mickey Mouse Clubhouse Mickey Mouse Clubhouse Mouk Mouk Jungle Junction Handy Manny Lazytown Art Attack Imagination Movers Little Einsteins Jake & The Neverland Pirates Handy Manny Jungle Junction Mini Adventures Of Winnie The Mickey Mouse Clubhouse 101 Dalmatians 101 Dalmatians Jake & The Neverland Pirates Jake & The Neverland Pirates The Hive Mini Adventures Of Winnie The

06:15 07:10 08:00 08:50 09:40 10:25 11:10 11:35 11:55 Jones 12:40 13:25 14:15 15:00 15:25 15:50 Jones 16:35 17:20 18:10 19:00 19:45 20:10 20:55 21:45 22:10 23:00 23:50

Psychic Witness Mystery Diagnosis FBI Files Forensic Detectives Murder Shift Mystery ER Real Emergency Calls Who On Earth Did I Marry?

True Crime With Aphrodite Disappeared Murder Shift Mystery Diagnosis Real Emergency Calls Who On Earth Did I Marry?

True Crime With Aphrodite Disappeared FBI Files Forensic Detectives Murder Shift Real Emergency Calls Mystery Diagnosis Mall Cops – Mall Of America Who On Earth Did I Marry?

Disappeared The Haunted Ghost Lab

00:00 Which Way To 01:00 Geo Sessions 01:30 Geo Sessions 02:00 Travel Madness 02:30 Travel Madness 03:00 Lonely Planet: Roads Less Travelled 04:00 Pressure Cook 04:30 Pressure Cook 05:00 City Chase Marrakech 06:00 Which Way To 07:00 Geo Sessions 07:30 Geo Sessions 08:00 Travel Madness 08:30 Travel Madness

09:00 Lonely Planet: Roads Less Travelled 10:00 Pressure Cook 10:30 Pressure Cook 11:00 City Chase Marrakech 12:00 Which Way To 13:00 The Ride: Alaska To Patagonia 13:30 Madventures 14:00 Departures 15:00 Word Travels 15:30 Word Travels 16:00 Don’t Tell My Mother 17:00 Don’t Tell My Mother 18:00 Departures 19:00 The Ride: Alaska To Patagonia 19:30 Madventures 20:00 Departures 21:00 Word Travels 21:30 Word Travels 22:00 Don’t Tell My Mother 23:00 Don’t Tell My Mother

00:00 02:00 04:00 06:00 08:00 10:00 12:00 14:00 16:00 18:00 20:00 22:00

Camp Hope-PG15 RoboCop 2-PG15 Sleep Dealer-18 Top Gun-PG15 The Three Musketeers-PG15 Wild Bill-PG15 Rocky II-PG15 The Three Musketeers-PG15 The Warrior’s Way-PG15 Rocky II-PG15 RoboCop 3-PG15 Gridlock’d-18

01:00 03:00 05:00 07:00 09:00 11:00 13:00

Pete Smalls Is Dead-18 Dear John-PG15 Freestyle (2010)-PG15 Miles From Nowhere-PG15 Gasland-PG15 The Eagle-PG15 Dear John-PG15

15:00 Yona Yona Penguin-PG 16:45 Pirates Of The Caribbean: On Stranger Tides-PG15 19:15 The Roommate-PG15 21:00 Jackass 3.5-R 23:00 No Strings Attached-18

00:30 The Daily Show With Jon Stewart 01:00 The Colbert Report 01:30 Neighbors From Hell 02:00 The Ricky Gervais Show 02:30 The Cleveland Show 03:00 New Girl 03:30 Happy Endings 04:00 Dharma And Greg 04:30 The Tonight Show With Jay Leno 05:30 The Simpsons 06:00 Just Shoot Me 06:30 Yes Dear 07:00 Late Night With Jimmy Fallon 08:00 Dharma And Greg 08:30 New Girl 09:00 The Simpsons 09:30 The League 10:00 Perfect Couples 10:30 Yes Dear 11:00 The Tonight Show With Jay Leno 12:00 Just Shoot Me 12:30 Dharma And Greg 13:00 The Simpsons 13:30 Yes Dear 14:00 Happy Endings 14:30 Perfect Couples 15:00 The League 15:30 The Daily Show With Jon Stewart 16:00 The Colbert Report 16:30 Just Shoot Me 17:00 Late Night With Jimmy Fallon 18:00 Parks And Recreation 18:30 2 Broke Girls

A Poem Is...

Animated Stories Mouk Mickey Mouse Clubhouse Jake & The Neverland Pirates Special Agent Oso Little Einsteins Timmy Time Jungle Junction Handy Manny Mickey Mouse Clubhouse

00:25 Kendra 00:55 Style Star 01:25 15 Unforgettable Hollywood Tragedies 03:15 25 Most Stylish 04:10 Sexiest 05:05 Extreme Hollywood 06:00 40 (More) Crimes Of Fashion 07:50 Behind The Scenes 08:20 E! News 09:15 Bridalplasty 10:15 Bridalplasty 11:10 THS 12:05 E! News 13:05 Khloe And Lamar 13:35 Khloe And Lamar 14:05 Dirty Soap 15:00 Keeping Up With The Kardashians 16:25 Keeping Up With The Kardashians 16:55 Style Star 17:25 Style Star 17:55 E! News 18:55 Kourtney & Kim Take New York 19:55 Kourtney & Kim Take New York 20:55 Khloe And Lamar 21:25 Fashion Police 22:25 E! News 23:25 Chelsea Lately 23:55 Keeping Up With The Kardashians

00:40 01:30 02:15 03:05 03:30 03:50 04:40 05:25

Extreme Forensics Ghost Lab Psychic Witness I Was Murdered I Was Murdered I Escaped Death Extreme Forensics Ghost Lab

19:00 The Office 19:30 Man Up! 20:00 The Tonight Show With Jay Leno 21:00 The Daily Show With Jon Stewart 21:30 The Colbert Report 22:00 Saturday Night Live 23:00 The Cleveland Show 23:30 Late Night With Jimmy Fallon

00:00 01:00 02:00 03:00 04:00 05:00 06:00 07:00 08:00 09:00 10:00 11:00 12:00 13:00 14:00 15:00 16:00 17:00 18:00 18:30 19:00 20:00 21:00 22:00 23:00

American Idol Drop Dead Diva Survivor: One World Glee Bones The View Live Good Morning America The Good Guys Law & Order: Los Angeles The Ellen DeGeneres Show Downsize Me The View American Idol Glee Drop Dead Diva Live Good Morning America The Good Guys The Ellen DeGeneres Show Emmerdale Coronation Street Warehouse 13 Criminal Minds Sons Of Anarchy Top Gear (UK) Justified

00:00 01:00 03:00 05:00 06:00 07:00 08:00 09:00 12:00 12:30 13:00 14:00 15:00 16:00 16:30 17:00 18:00 19:00 20:00 21:00 22:00 23:00 23:30

White Collar Survivor: One World Drop Dead Diva Drop Dead Diva White Collar Law & Order: Los Angeles Terriers Drop Dead Diva Emmerdale Coronation Street The Ellen DeGeneres Show Terriers White Collar Emmerdale Coronation Street The Ellen DeGeneres Show Terriers Warehouse 13 Criminal Minds Sons Of Anarchy Top Gear (UK) In Treatment In Treatment

01:00 Lock, Stock And Two Smoking Barrels-18 03:00 Rollerball-18 05:00 Camp Hope-PG15 07:00 Hurricane Season-PG15 09:00 Riddles Of The Sphinx-PG15 11:00 Law Abiding Citizen-18 13:00 What Lies Beneath-PG15 15:15 Riddles Of The Sphinx-PG15 17:00 Fighting-PG15 19:00 Kalifornia-18 21:00 Gridlock’d-18 23:00 Army Of Darkness-18

00:00 Miami Rhapsody-PG15 02:00 Away We Go-PG15 04:00 A Cinderella Story: Once Upon A Song-PG15 06:00 Nanny Mcphee And The Big Bang-PG 08:00 Love Happens-PG15 10:00 The Big Green-PG 12:00 Last Of The Living-PG15 14:00 Charlie & Boots-PG15 16:00 Miami Rhapsody-PG15 18:00 Kuffs-PG 20:00 Evan Almighty-PG15 22:00 Pretty Bird-18

NO STRINGS ATTACHED ON OSN CINEMA

01:00 03:00 05:00 07:15 09:00 11:00 13:00 15:00

Greener Mountains-PG Romeo Is Bleeding-18 Coach Carter-PG15 Tresor-PG15 On Broadway-PG15 Greener Mountains-PG Timeline-PG15 Flying By-PG15

17:00 19:00 21:00 23:00

Blind Mountain-PG15 Soapdish-PG Mona Lisa Smile-PG15 Whatever-18

00:00 Furry Vengeance-PG 02:00 Marco Antonio-PG 04:00 The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie-PG 06:00 The Lion King 2: Simba’s PrideFAM 08:00 Furry Vengeance-PG 10:00 Free Birds-FAM 12:00 How To Train Your Dragon-PG 14:00 Cats & Dogs: The Revenge Of Kitty Galore-PG 16:00 Turtle Hero: Part I-FAM 18:00 Free Birds-FAM 20:00 Gladiators: The Conspiracy-PG 22:00 How To Train Your Dragon-PG

01:40 03:45 05:30 07:05 08:40 10:25 11:55 13:30 15:45 18:05 19:50 20:10 22:00

Thieves Like Us-PG Mad Dog Coll-PG Blood Red-PG Beyond The Door III Romantic Comedy-PG Mary Christmas-PG Valdez Is Coming-PG Carrie (2002) Avanti-PG Stanley & Iris-PG Mgm’s Big Screen-FAM Hannah And Her Sisters-PG Battle Of Britain-PG

01:00 02:45 05:15 06:00 07:00 09:00 09:30 11:30 13:30 14:00 15:30 18:00 20:00 20:30 23:00

Super Rugby Volvo Ocean Race Highlights Cricket ODI Highlights UFC The Ultimate Fighter Super Rugby Futbol Mundial Live Super Rugby Live Super Rugby Cricket ODI Highlights Volvo Ocean Race Live Scottish Premier League Live Super Rugby Cricket ODI Highlights Live Super League UFC The Ultimate Fighter

01:00 01:30 03:30 07:00 10:30 12:00 14:00 15:00 15:30 16:00 20:00 22:00

Total Rugby NRL Premiership Premier League Darts European PGA Tour Volvo Ocean Race Super League Trans World Sport Futbol Mundial European Tour Weekly Live European PGA Tour Scottish Premier League Anglo Welsh Cup

00:30 01:30 07:00 09:00 09:30 14:00 14:30 15:00 17:00 17:30 18:00 20:30

Trans World Sport Super League NRL Premiership NRL Full Time Live NRL Premiership Total Rugby SPL Highlights Super Rugby Top 14 Highlights Total Rugby Live Anglo Welsh Cup European Tour Weekly

01:00 03:00 04:00 07:00 08:00 10:00 11:00 12:00 14:00 15:00 17:00 18:00 19:00 20:00 21:00 23:00

WWE SmackDown WWE Bottom Line UFC Unleashed WWE NXT WWE SmackDown WWE Bottom Line WWE Vintage Collection V8 Supercars Highlights WWE Bottom Line WWE SmackDown WWE Vintage Collection Aquabike World UFC The Ultimate Fighter UFC Unleashed V8 Supercars Highlights UFC The Ultimate Fighter

WHAT’S ON SATURDAY, MARCH 17, 2012

Library Night at ABS

A Leisure activities

t 2:15 pm on March 5, students at the American Bilingual School hurried from their final classes of the day to get to the library where they listened as Elementary Principal, Melissa Woods, read Bartholomew and the Oobleck by Dr. Seuss. The celebration took place in honor of Dr. Seuss’ March 2nd birthday. Students of all ages were

eager to learn what this ooey-gooey green oobleck was and why the king had ordered his royal magicians to have such a funny thing to fall from the sky. Following the story the seventy boys and girls present watched as librarian, Hadeel Thebian, mixed corn starch, water and food coloring to create this special oobleck which covered the Kingdom of Didd.

Kuwait Zoo The Kuwait Zoo is located in Omariya on the Airport Road. It is open everyday except on Saturdays. The timings during winter are 8am to 8pm. For more information contact: 24733389.

Aqua Park Aqua Park will be open from 1st April 2011 from 10am-10pm everyday. For information contact: 22431960/1/3 or visit: www.aquaparkkuwait.com.

Entertainment City Entertainment City is open from Sunday to Wednesday from 3pm to 11pm during winter. It is also open on Thursdays and Fridays from 10am to 10pm. For more information contact: 24879455.

The Scientific Centre Scientific Centre is located on the Gulf road in Salmiya. It is open from Saturdays to Thursdays from 9am to 10.30pm and on Fridays from 2pm to 10.30pm. For more information contact: 22240025 or visit their website at: www.tsck.org.kw.

Annual staff party at Safir Hotel & Residences Kuwait

S

afir Hotel & Residences Kuwait organized their annual staff party to reward all the associates who strived to maintain the success and the professionalism of the hotel’s achievement during the year of 2011. Their achievements were highly acknowledged and, in return, rewarded and celebrated.

The party was held at the Seif Ballroom in Safir Hotel & Residences on February 2, 2012. Everyone dressed up fancy based on the theme to create more excitement for the associates. All hotel associates, managers and executive committee gathered at the annual staff party to celebrate their outstand-

ing efforts and great accomplishments attained throughout the past year.

The party started by a speech from Urs Weiskopff, Safir Hotel & Residences General Manager, thanking all the associates for their exceptional dedication and work while encouraging them to keep up the hard work and care of the guests by offering superior five-star services and quality. Shortly after the speech, the announcement of ‘The Employee of the Year’ was unveiled. The award went to Lilia Bergonia for her dedication and tremendous work throughout her career at Safir Hotel & Residences Kuwait.

Smiles filled the room as the students put their hands in the slime they created. They described the feeling as ‘quick sand’ when their little fingers sank into the substance as it solidified around them. Each month ABS hosts an after school activity in the library, and each month students are excited to take part in the fun.

Sultan Art Gallery The Sultan art gallery is located on Street no: 105, building no: 168, Subhan, Kuwait city.

Boshehri Gallery Boshehri Gallery is located on the Al-Mobarak street, Salmiya, Kuwait. For more information on their collection please contact: 25714883/25724883.

WHAT’S ON SATURDAY, MARCH 17, 2012

NBK organizes Banking Familiarization Tour

N

ational Bank of Kuwait (NBK) hosted a group of students from Sabah Al-Salem High School for girls at the bank’s head office in a banking familiarization tour. NBK Public Relations officers Yaqoub Al-Baqer received the visiting group of students in a tour of the bank’s various departments, including the main banking hall.

Al-Baqer said “The students showed great

interest with the broad-spectrum of NBK financial and banking products and services and were particularly inquisitive about the multi-benefit Al-Azraq and Al-Shabab AlWatani accounts, exclusively designed for high schools, colleagues and university students.”

NBK’s team representative, were present to inform the students about the PR, media rela-

tions and CSR work in addition to the importance of saving behaviors, and to brief the teaching staff on NBK the benefits of NBK accounts. Commenting on the conclusion of the visit, the students expressed their sincere thanks for NBK and the opportunity they have been given to gain a better understanding of the banking job and get a personal insight about NBK and the career field in general.

Announcements Desert get-together A full day in the desert with the collaboration of the BBF (British Business Forum), BLS (British Ladies Society), ANZAK (Australians & New Zealanders), Diwaniya Italia (Italians in Kuwait), UFE (French Community in Kuwait), and the Lebanese community as well. It’s a get together day with loads of fun and a chance to compete in a real Paint Ball arena in the desert, participate in a mini football tournament & volleyball tournament, and there will also be many other activities such as ATV (Quads) Karaoke and more! A BBQ buffet catering will be provided by Holiday Inn Salmiya, and entertainment will be provided by DJ Shatti and Chromatic Band). For more information and early booking please call 5010-0734.

Cinderella comes alive at GIS

T

he Pre-Primary Parents’ Day of Gulf Indian School was held on March 5, 2012. The spectacular play ‘Cinderella’ enacted by the little ones left the audience spellbound. The musical came out very colourful with vibrant costumes and agile movements. In short, ‘Cinderella’ was unique!

Jayachandran musical concert postponed

L

ive musical concert by ‘Bhava Gayakan’ P Jayachandran organized by Kalanjali Kuwait has been postponed to May 4, 2012 due to certain unavoidable circumstances, organizers announced. The time and the venue will be notified at the earliest.

Write to us Send to What’s On upcoming events, birthdays or celebrations by email: local@kuwaittimes.net Fax: 24835619 / 20

IOC arts cpmpetition Indian Overseas Congress, Kuwait is conducting Arts Competitions-2012 on 11th and 12 May 2012 at United Indian School. The winners of this prestigious competition will be awarded with trophies and medals. The awards will be distributed during the Gandhidarshan Program in October, this year.

The competitions include Elocution, Solo, Poetry Recitation, Dance, Indian Patriotic Song, Mono act, Drawing/Painting and Poster Poetry. Although the competitions are mainly meant for children from various disciplines, Elocution and Indian Patriotic Song Competitions will be held for elders also. For entry forms, please contact the following collection points. Abbassiya - Hidine Super Market, Sakina Book Stall; Salmiya - Uduppi Restaurant, Sakina Book Stall; Riggae - Al Dallah Super Market; Fahaheel Royal Mobile Services and Sales. For details, contact 24316426, 24884175, 24343173, 66110570, 66853100. Filled forms can be sent to fax : 24331461 or Email : iockuwait@yahoo.com Or deliver by hand to Sakina Book Stall, Abbassiya.

Lecturers at AUK The Center for Gulf Studies (CGS) will be organizing the following events in March. Event Title: “The People are Missing” Lecturer By Dr Mai Al Nakib, on March 21, 2012 at 6-9 pm, AUK Auditorium.

Event Description: Dr. Mai Al-Nakib’s presentation looks at the Palestinian community in Kuwait prior to the first Gulf War, and considers the ethical consequences to Kuwait after their expulsion in 1991. Event Title: City Images, on March 27, 2012, at 6-9 pm, AUK Auditorium. Event Description: This talk presents the issues surrounding the concept of ‘branding’ in relation to the city states of the Gulf, such as Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Qatar.

HEALTH

SATURDAY, MARCH 17, 2012

Isle Royale wolves may become extinct Inbreeding weakened gene pool TRAVERSE CITY: Isle Royale National Park’s gray wolves, one of the world’s most closely monitored predator populations, are at their lowest ebb in more than a half-century and could die out within a few years, scientists said yesterday. Only nine wolves still wander the wilderness island chain in western Lake Superior and just one is known to be a female, raising doubts they’ll bounce back from a recent free-fall unless people lend a hand, Michigan Tech University wildlife biologists Rolf Peterson and John Vucetich said in a report obtained by The Associated Press. There were 24 wolves - roughly their long-term average number - as recently as 2009. “The wolves are at grave risk of extinction,” Vucetich said in an interview.

Their crash apparently results from a run of bad luck rather than a single catastrophe. A shortage of females has cut the birth rate, while breakdown of several packs boosted inbreeding and weakened the gene pool.

Other troubles include disease and starvation from a drop-off of moose, the wolves’ primary food source.

Their population is the smallest since biologists began observing their interactions with moose in 1958, beginning what became the world’s longest-running study of predators and prey in a single ecosystem, Vucetich said. Previously, the closest they came to extinction was during a parvovirus outbreak in the 1980s when their numbers plummeted from 50 to 12.

Unless the wolves rebound quickly, the National Park Service will face the thorny question of whether to intervene. Officials could bring in reinforcements from the mainland to salvage the existing population. Or they could let nature take its course and, if the wolves die, start over with a new group. They also could leave it to the wolves to repopulate the island if they can.

Agency experts have begun analyzing their options, Isle Royale Superintendent Phyllis Green said. “We don’t want to make a decision based on a single species without evaluating the effects on other species that have been a part of the ecosystem through time,” Green said.

Scientists believe the island’s first moose swam there from the Canadian mainland, 15 miles away, in the early 20th century and were so prolific that the island’s balsam firs, aspens and other trees were severely overbrowsed. Wolves crossed an ice bridge to the island around 1950 and eventually formed packs that helped keep moose numbers in check. Although wolf sightings are rare, their presence is treasured by park visitors who hope to catch a glimpse on a backcountry trail or hear their eerie howls at night. “People like to know the wolves are there,” said Peterson, who joined the study team in 1970. “It could be argued that this is the wolf’s greatest refuge in the world. It’s the only place they’ve never been killed by human beings.”

Because Isle Royale is a federal wilderness area, hunting and trapping are prohibited.

Vucetich, Peterson and other scientists spend seven weeks on the island each winter, monitoring the wolves and moose by air. During their recently concluded visit, they discovered the wolf population had dropped from 16 last year to nine. The only intact pack had six members. One wolf wandered alone, while a couple - including the only known female - staked out territory and apparently mated.

The wolves’ best hope may be that the female will bear a healthy litter of pups next month and help form a new pack, Peterson said. Another positive sign: moose numbers rose from an estimated 515 last year to about 750. But a shortage remains of elderly moose that are easiest for wolves to kill. Prospects are increasingly remote that more wolves will find their way to Isle Royale without help, Vucetich said. A male is believed to have made the crossing on an ice bridge in the late 1990s and sired offspring, temporarily reinvigorating the gene pool. But a study published last week found that Great Lakes ice cover has declined 71 percent over the past 40 years.

Vucetich and Peterson said they’d prefer to let the wolves determine their own fate - even if it means extinction. But if that happens, the park service should airlift more wolves to the island to prevent moose from running rampant and damaging the ecosystem, they said. Otherwise, “we’d be taking a vital wilderness and turning it into an overstocked barnyard,” Peterson said.

Restoring wolves also would enable continuation of the study, which has yielded a wealth of discoveries about both species, he said. In an essay scheduled for publication next month, Peterson and Vucetich acknowledge some scientists consider it unethical for humans to manipulate wildlife populations in wilderness areas.

But they contend people have already changed Isle Royale’s environment and the primary consideration should be protecting the ecosystem, for which wolves are essential as long as long as there are moose.

David Mech, a wolf expert with the US Geological Survey, advocated a hands-off policy unless the wolves die out. Even in their diminished state, they could last a decade or more and may pull a surprise comeback, he said. “This is a really unique opportunity to see what they can do,” Mech said. “If there’s any intervention, it destroys that potential.” But if more wolves were brought in before the existing ones disappear, they could interbreed to the benefit of all, said Philip Hedrick, an Arizona State University conservation biologist. “Having the wolf eliminated for some period of time may result in secondary effects that would make it difficult to re-establish a population,” he said. — AP

MICHIGAN: In this file photo provided by Michigan Technological University, a gray wolf is shown on Isle Royale National Park in northern Michigan. Six decades after gray wolves made their way to the park by crossing a Lake Superior ice bridge from Canada, the population is on the verge of dying out. — AP

Monarch butterflies fall by 28 percent in Mexico MEXICO CITY: The number of Monarch butterflies wintering in Mexico dropped 28 percent this year, according to a report released Thursday, a decline some experts attribute to droughts in parts of the United States and Canada where the butterflies breed and begin their long migration south. Others say damage to wintering grounds in central Mexico’s mountains remains a factor in the decline, citing deforestation of the fir and pine forests they favor.

The numbers of butterflies spending the winter in Mexico have varied wildly in recent years. Concern rose two years ago, when their numbers dropped by 75 percent in the wintering grounds, the lowest level since comparable record-keeping began in 1993. They partially recovered last year, when the number of butterflies nearly doubled from that record low point.

“Fluctuations in insect populations are normal. In the case of the Monarch, we have shown that these fluctuations are mainly due to climate conditions,” said Omar Vidal, head of World Wildlife Fund in Mexico, adding that “during 2011, the abnormal patterns of drought and rainfall in breeding grounds in Canada and the United States ... could have caused high mortality rates and a lack of plants” on which the butterflies feed.

But others were more worried.

Lincoln P. Brower, an expert on monarch butterflies and zoology professor at the University of Florida said this year’s number is the third lowest since systematic monitoring began, adding “the current data indicate a continuation of the downward trend.” Brower said the climate argument “ignores the fact that severe degradation of the Oyamel (fir) forest ecosystem has been and still is occurring.”

Vidal said a survey indicated that only about an acre (half-hectare) of trees were lost to deforestation last year, down two-thirds from the preceding year. Illegal tree-cutting destroyed about 3.7 acres (1.5 hectares) in 2010, itself a decrease of 97 percent from 2009. At its peak in 2005, logging devastated as many as 1,140 acres annually in the reserve.

The survey carried out by the WWF, private donors and Mexico’s National Commission on Protected Areas measures the millions of butterflies that arrive each year based on the number of acres of forest they cover. Since the butterflies “clump” together by the thousands on tree branches, apparently to conserve heat, counting individuals would be near impossible. This year, the Monarchs covered 7.14 acres of forest, compared to 9.9 acres last year and 4.7 acres two years ago.

The highest documented migration occurred in 1996, when nearly 45 acres of butterflies were spotted in the Monarch reserve, a series of mountaintops in a protected area west of Mexico City. Vidal said about 18 percent of this year’s butterflies had wintered in areas outside the reserve’s boundaries, and said activists would ask state governments in the area to extend protection to those nearby areas. The reserve itself has protected status, but is largely owned by communal farmers. Homero Aridjis, who as Mexico’s ambassador to UNESCO lobbied to get the Monarch butterfly reserve on the US World Heritage List in 2008, said the Monarch reserve should be moved to the “world heritage in danger” list, because of ongoing forest cover loss, logging and building.

The butterflies depend on the mountaintop pine forests in western Michoacan state which serve as “blankets” to protect the insects against winter rain and cold. Aridjis says logging has continued and noted that less than half of the 193,000-acre reserve is now forested. The butterflies also depend on milkweed to breed and feed. The plant has grown less common as farmers increasingly use herbicide-tolerant corn and soybeans, and droughts further reduce the plant’s availability. Luis Fueyo, the head of Mexico’s National Commission on Protected Natural Areas, said the United States has to do more to stem the effect of herbicides on milkweed. In October, Chip Taylor, director of the Lawrence, Kansas-based Monarch Watch, said the Monarchs faced especially dire conditions as they passed through the Midwest on their annual migration to Mexico. —AP

SATURDAY, MARCH 17, 2012

HEALTH

CLASSIFIEDS

SATURDAY, MARCH 17, 2012

ACCOMMODATION

112 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

Room available in Salmiya near City Center for decent bachelor, rent KD 75 (Pakistani or Indian). Tel: 99959140. (C 3914) Accommodation available for non smoking decent bachelor in Khaitan with separate bathroom and C-A/C, sharing with Sri Lankan family. Contact: 66704630.

(C 3913) 15-3-2012 Sharing accommodation available in Abbassiya with Keralite Christian family near German clinic, rent KD 55 (Christian visiting couples only). Contact: 97145592. (C 3909) 13-3-2012 Accommodation available in Abbassiya double bedroom flat, two bachelors accommodation available April 1st, rent KD 40. Contact: 99162583.

(C 3900)

Rabiya

4732263

Roudha

22517733

Adhaliya

22517144

Khaldiya

24848075

Keifan

24849807

Shamiya

24848913

Shuwaikh

24814507

Abdullah Salim

22549134

Al-Nuzha

22526804

Industrial Shuwaikh

24814764

Al-Khadissiya

22515088

FOR SALE

Dasmah

22532265

Bneid Al-Ghar

22531908

Al-Shaab

22518752

Al-Kibla

22459381

Ayoun Al-Kibla

22451082

Al-Mirqab

22456536

Toyota Yaris model 2011 car, 4 cylinder strong engine km done 35000, registration March 2014, grey color, excellent condition, installment possible, cash price KD 2880, negotiable. Tel: 99105286.

(C 3916) 17-3-2012

Sharq

22465401

Salmiya

25746401

Jabriya

25316254

Maidan Hawally

25623444

Bayan

25388462

Mishref

25381200

W.Hawally

22630786

Sabah

24810221

Jahra

24770319

New Jahra

24575755

West Jahra

24772608

South Jahra

24775066

North Jahra

24775992

North Jleeb

24311795

Al-Ardhiya

24884079

Firdous

24892674

Al-Omariya

24719048

N.Kheitan

24710044

Fintas

3900322

Sharing accommodation in Farwaniya near Gulf Mart, big room for bachelor or couple, Filipino only, available April 21. Contact: 94418396.

10-3-2012

Toyota Prado 2006, golden color, 6 clr, 4 doors, km 101000. Price KD 5250. Mob: 66729295. (C 3908) 13-3-2012

MATRIMONIAL Alliance sought for Brahmin boy aged 28, decently employed in Kuwait, from parents of girls preferably employed in Kuwait. Please contact: nagan21@gmail.com 11-3-2012

CHANGE OF NAME I, Kandli Qadar Shaikh Ahmed, Indian Passport No: E5351994, hereby change my name to Kadar Ahmed Kundlik. (C 3906) 11-3-2012

SITUATION VACANT Manager (Asian) in Maidan Hawally looking for a maid.

Part time. Good salary. Call 97263962 for details.

(C 3915) 17-3-2012 A Kuwaiti family looks to hire experienced driver and cook.

Contact: 97691119.

(C 3911) Housemaid wanted for an Indian doctor family in Kuwait City. Call 55003696 / 55003699. (C 3912) 14-3-2012

TUITION

Math teacher for secondary stage, language schools, bilingual schools and intermediate stage: Algebra, Gmath, Geometry, Statistics for arts and science branches. Tel: 66974020.

English language teacher specialized in starting elementary and intermediate, 10th and 11th experienced

No: 15390 VW Tiguan (car) 2010, exterior white, interior black / Tan manual gear, in great condition, 22000 mph, under Kuwait warranty. Price KD 4900. Contact: 66663494. (C 3907) Mitsubishi Pajero 2003, baige color, GLX, 1,35000 km, 2 doors, 6 cyl, (one owner, company maintained).

Contact: 66133001.

12-3-2012 Lady driven Land Rover model 1996, passing up to Nov 2012, available for sale, KD 550. Contact: 97358878.

(C 3905) 11-3-2012

in starting functions, grammar, set book, vocabulary, notes and model exams available. Tel: 65791555.

Female Syrian Arabic language teacher for elementary and intermediate, and starting the weak using Halaby method in her house located in Abdallah AlMubarak area. Tel: 50513699.

Senior biology and science teacher for 12th, 11th and 10th grades, and science for all intermediate classes, religious institutes, nursing, educational experience, simple explanation for fast understanding.

Tel: 66543474.

Arabic language teacher, masters in methods of teaching for secondary and intermediate students. Tel: 50644685.

Senior Arabic language teacher, elementary and intermediate, long experience in Kuwait curricula, explaining grammar rules and starting those weak in reading and writing. Tel: 99262948.

FOR RENT

men. Tel: 66043961.

Flat in Salmiya 3 bedroom + 2 bathrooms + living room + kitchen + central satellite + internet. 4x4 rooms, 4x8 living room for expatriates only. Rent KD 330. No middle men. Tel: 66043961.

Flat in Salmiya 2 rooms + 2 bathrooms + living room + kitchen + central satellite + internet. Families only, no middle men. Tel: 66043961.

A commercial floor in Salmiya. Close to Blajat. Car parking. No middle men. Tel: 66043961.

First floor in Shuhada, 4 rooms + living room + 5 bathrooms + maid room + balcony. Must be small family. Tel: 60308586.

Flat in Zahra, 2 rooms + living room + kitchen + 3 bathrooms + laundry room + maid room. Tel: 60308586.

A floor in Zahra, 4 rooms + living room + kitchen + 3 bathrooms, second floor, elevator. Must be small family.

Tel: 99719887.

Flat in west Jleeb, 3 rooms + living room + kitchen + 2 bathrooms first floor. No elevator. Must be newlyweds or one child only. Tel:99719887.

Flat in South Surra, 3 bedrooms, 2 of which are master + living room + kitchen + maid room, new, super deluxe. Tel: 97864628.

Flat in Salam, 3 rooms + living room + kitchen + 3 bathrooms + maid room. Must be newlyweds or two children only. 60308586.

For rent, commercial flat in Hawally, can be used as workshop, large area. No middle men. Parking. Tel: 66043961.

First floor in Rumaithiya. 4 rooms + living room + kitchen + maid room + 6 bathrooms. Super deluxe.

Must be foreigners and expats only. Tel: 60308586, 99719887.

Flat in Bneid Al-Gar, 2 rooms + 2 bathrooms + living room + kitchen + Gym + swimming pool overlooking the sea, central satellite + internet. For families, no middle

Large first floor with the roof in Firdous. No middle men.

Tel: 99490502.

information SATURDAY, MARCH 17, 2012

DIAL 161 FOR AIRPORT INFORMATION In case you are not travelling, your proper cancellation of bookings will help other passengers to use seats Airlines QTR JZR KLM JZR ETH THY PIA UAE OMA QTR DHX MSR NCR FDB ETD GFA THY DHX FCX JZR JZR KAC BAW KAC KAC FDB KAC KAC KAC KAC KAC KAC UAE ABY QTR ETD FDB BAB GFA JZR RBG IRM MSR UAL KAC GFA MSR FDB MSR GRF KAC QTR KNE SVA RJA KAC KAC JZR QTR KNE JZR IRC ETD JZR KAC UAE GFA SVA ABY JZR KAC ALK JZR

Arrival Flights on Saturday 17/3/2012 Flt Route 138 DOHA 185 DUBAI 447 AMSTERDAM 539 CAIRO 620 ADDIS ABABA 772 ISTANBUL 239 SIALKOT 853 DUBAI 641 MUSCAT 148 DOHA 370 BAHRAIN 612 CAIRO 962 BAGRAM 67 DUBAI 305 ABU DHABI 211 BAHRAIN 770 ISTANBUL 170 BAHRAIN 201 DUBAI 503 LUXOR 555 ALEXANDRIA 416 JAKARTA 157 LONDON 412 MANILA 206 ISLAMABAD 53 DUBAI 352 COCHIN 382 DELHI 302 MUMBAI 284 DHAKA 362 COLOMBO 344 CHENNAI 855 DUBAI 125 SHARJAH 132 DOHA 301 ABU DHABI 55 DUBAI 436 BAHRAIN 213 BAHRAIN 165 DUBAI 3553 ALEXANDRIA 5066 MASHAD 610 CAIRO 982 WASHINGTON DC DULLES 672 DUBAI 219 BAHRAIN 621 ASSIUT 57 DUBAI 606 LUXOR 93 KANDAHAR 1782 JEDDAH 140 DOHA 745 JEDDAH 500 JEDDAH 640 AMMAN 562 AMMAN 786 JEDDAH 257 BEIRUT 134 DOHA 839 JEDDAH 535 CAIRO 6791 MASHAD 303 ABU DHABI 357 MASHAD 118 NEW YORK 857 DUBAI 215 BAHRAIN 510 RIYADH 127 SHARJAH 777 JEDDAH 550 SOHAG 227 COLOMBO 177 DUBAI

Time 0:20 0:20 0:30 0:50 1:45 2:15 2:20 2:35 2:50 2:55 2:55 3:00 3:05 3:05 3:10 3:15 4:50 5:15 5:30 5:55 6:00 6:25 6:40 6:45 7:40 7:45 7:50 7:50 7:55 8:15 8:20 8:25 8:30 9:00 9:05 9:15 9:20 9:40 9:55 11:20 11:35 12:40 12:55 13:05 13:20 13:25 13:30 13:50 13:55 14:15 14:20 14:20 14:25 14:30 14:40 14:45 14:50 15:00 15:25 16:15 16:25 16:30 16:50 16:50 16:55 16:55 17:15 17:20 17:40 17:45 18:00 18:10 18:15

RBG BAB FDB KAC KAC JZR QTR KAC KAC IRA KAC KAC KAC KAC SYR JAI OMA AIC AXB MSR KAC KAC DHX KNE MEA GFA QTR UAE JZR UAL KAC KLM KNE FDB JZR BBC DLH

3563 438 63 502 542 125 6130 178 618 607 674 104 774 789 341 572 647 975 393 618 1514 788 372 789 402 217 136 859 135 981 614 445 843 61 239 43 636

ASSIUT BAHRAIN DUBAI BEIRUT CAIRO BAHRAIN DOHA GENEVA DOHA MASHAD DUBAI LONDON RIYADH MEDINAH DAMASCUS MUMBAI MUSCAT CHENNAI KOZHIKODE ALEXANDRIA TEHRAN JEDDAH BAHRAIN JEDDAH BEIRUT BAHRAIN DOHA DUBAI BAHRAIN BAHRAIN BAHRAIN AMSTERDAM JEDDAH DUBAI AMMAN DHAKA FRANKFURT

Airlines PIA AIC DLH KLM ETH THY PIA FDB UAE OMA DHX MSR ETD QTR QTR THY JZR GFA NCR FDB BAW KAC KAC JZR JZR KAC KAC KAC UAE ABY ETD KAC FDB QTR BAB

Departure Flights on Saturday 17/3/2012 Flt Route 216 KARACHI 976 GOA 637 FRANKFURT 447 AMSTERDAM 621 ADDIS ABABA 773 ISTANBUL 240 SIALKOT 68 DUBAI 854 DUBAI 642 MUSCAT 371 BAHRAIN 613 CAIRO 306 ABU DHABI 139 DOHA 149 DOHA 771 ISTANBUL 164 DUBAI 212 BAHRAIN 961 AL MAKTOUM 54 DUBAI 156 LONDON 1781 JEDDAH 671 DUBAI 256 BEIRUT 534 CAIRO 561 AMMAN 785 JEDDAH 101 LONDON 856 DUBAI 126 SHARJAH 302 ABU DHABI 549 SOHAG 56 DUBAI 133 DOHA 437 BAHRAIN

18:25 18:40 18:40 18:45 18:50 19:00 19:00 19:10 19:15 19:20 19:25 19:35 19:40 19:55 20:00 20:10 20:15 20:25 20:40 20:45 20:50 20:55 21:00 21:05 21:20 21:25 21:35 21:40 21:55 22:00 22:05 22:05 22:10 22:15 22:45 23:45 23:50

Time 0:30 0:50 1:20 1:45 2:45 3:15 3:30 3:45 3:50 3:55 3:55 4:00 4:00 4:40 5:40 5:50 6:55 7:00 7:00 8:25 8:40 8:55 9:00 9:00 9:15 9:20 9:25 9:35 9:40 9:45 10:00 10:00 10:05 10:10 10:25

GFA JZR KAC KAC JZR RBG KAC JZR MSR IRM GFA UAL MSR FDB MSR KAC KNE KAC RJA JZR KAC KAC KAC SVA KAC QTR KAC KNE JZR QTR IRC ETD JZR GRF UAE GFA ABY SVA JZR KAC JZR RBG ALK FDB BAB JZR KAC IRA QTR SYR KAC DHX KAC JAI OMA MSR KNE KAC DHX KAC MEA GFA KAC FCX QTR KAC JZR UAE KAC KNE KLM FDB JZR UAL KAC

214 356 165 541 776 3564 501 176 611 5065 220 982 622 58 607 673 746 789 641 124 617 787 1513 505 773 141 153 840 238 135 6792 304 538 82 858 216 128 511 266 613 134 3554 228 64 439 184 283 616 6131 342 331 171 351 571 648 619 790 543 373 675 403 218 381 102 137 301 554 860 205 844 445 62 528 981 411

BAHRAIN MASHHAD ROME CAIRO JEDDAH ASSIUT BEIRUT DUBAI CAIRO MASHHAD BAHRAIN BAHRAIN ASSIUT DUBAI LUXOR DUBAI JEDDAH MADINAH AMMAN BAHRAIN DOHA JEDDAH IMAM KHOMEINI JEDDAH RIYADH DOHA ISTANBUL JEDDAH AMMAN DOHA MASHHAD ABU DHABI CAIRO BAGHDAD DUBAI BAHRAIN SHARJAH RIYADH BEIRUT BAHRAIN BAHRAIN ALEXANDRIA DUBAI DUBAI BAHRAIN DUBAI DHAKA AHWAZ DOHA DAMASCUS TRIVANDRUM BAHRAIN KOCHI MUMBAI MUSCAT ALEXANDRIA JEDDAH CAIRO BAHRAIN DUBAI BEIRUT BAHRAIN DELHI BAHRAIN DOHA MUMBAI ALEXANDRIA DUBAI ISLAMABAD JEDDAH BAHRAIN DUBAI ASSIUT WASHINGTON BANGKOK

Directorate General of Civil Aviation Home Page (www.kuwait-airport.com.kw)

10:40 10:50 11:45 12:00 12:15 12:15 13:00 13:50 13:55 14:15 14:20 14:25 14:30 14:35 14:55 15:05 15:10 15:30 15:35 15:50 15:50 15:55 16:00 16:00 16:25 16:30 16:35 17:05 17:15 17:25 17:30 17:35 17:40 18:00 18:10 18:15 18:25 18:35 18:45 19:00 19:05 19:05 19:10 19:20 19:30 19:55 20:15 20:20 20:30 21:00 21:00 21:00 21:05 21:10 21:15 21:45 21:50 21:55 22:00 22:10 22:20 22:25 22:30 22:30 22:35 22:45 22:45 22:50 23:00 23:00 23:05 23:10 23:35 23:45 23:55

To Yester

Word Sleuth Solution

Yesterday始s Solution

C R O S S W O R D

6 1 9

SATURDAY, MARCH 17, 2012

ACROSS

1. A plant hormone promoting elongation of stems and roots.

4. Cause to be confused emotionally.

10. A health resort near a spring or at the seaside.

13. An accountant certified by the state.

14. A new embodiment of a familiar idea.

15. Imperial dynasty that ruled China (most of the time) from 206 BC to 221 and expanded its boundaries and developed its bureaucracy.

16. American professional baseball player who hit more home runs than Babe Ruth (born in 1934).

18. A Tibetan or Mongolian priest of Lamaism.

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

20. A state in northwestern United States on the Pacific.

21. Type genus of the Majidae.

27. A woman hired to suckle a child of someone else.

29. British informal term.

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

31. A member of an agricultural people of southern India.

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

35. Essential oil or perfume obtained from flowers.

39. An independent agency of the United States government responsible for collecting and coordinating intelligence and counterintelligence activities abroad in the national interest.

42. A flat wing-shaped process or winglike part of an organism.

43. American dwarf fan palms.

45. (Islam) The man who leads prayers in a mosque.

46. A resource.

47. A constellation in the southern hemisphere near Telescopium and Norma.

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

50. A state in midwestern United States.

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

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

59. Tall feather palm of northern Brazil with hard-shelled nuts yielding valuable oil and a kind of vegetable ivory.

63. Either of two folds of skin that can be moved to cover or open the eye.

66. Hormone produced early in pregnancy by the placenta.

67. A doctor's degree in education.

68. An unwholesome atmosphere.

69. The federal agency that insures residential mortgages.

DOWN 1. The United Nations agency concerned with civil aviation.

2. South American armadillo with three bands of bony plates.

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

4. Obvious and dull.

5. A unit of energy equal to the work done by an electron accelerated through a potential difference of 1 volt.

6. A port city and resort in Andalusia in southern Spain on the Mediterranean.

7. A reptile genus of Iguanidae.

8. The language of the nomadic Lapp people in northern Scandinavia and the Kola Peninsula.

9. A period marked by distinctive character or reckoned from a fixed point or event.

10. A package of several things tied together for carrying or storing.

11. Proceeding from or ordered by or subject to a pope or the papacy regarded as the successor of the Apostles.

12. Squash bugs.

17. A member of the Siouan people formerly living in the Missouri river valley in NE Nebraska.

22. An island in Indonesia south of Borneo.

23. A small cake leavened with yeast.

24. A member of an agricultural people in southeastern India.

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

26. An official prosecutor for a judicial district.

28. Type genus of the Majidae.

32. A Russian prison camp for political prisoners.

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

36. An official language of the Republic of South Africa.

37. American prizefighter who won the world heavyweight championship three times (born in 1942).

38. A unit of absorbed ionizing radiation equal to 100 ergs per gram of irradiated material.

40. A statement that deviates from or perverts the truth.

41. A benevolent aspect of Devi.

44. An Arabic speaking person who lives in Arabia or North Africa.

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

51. Harsh or corrosive in tone.

53. God of fire.

54. A software system that facilitates the creation and maintenance and use of an electronic database.

55. United States writer (born in Poland) who wrote in Yiddish (1880-1957).

56. (anatomy) A fold or wrinkle or crease.

58. A condition (mostly in boys) characterized by behavioral and learning disorders.

60. An anticipated outcome that is intended or that guides your planned actions.

61. The cry made by sheep.

62. 3 to 30 gigahertz.

64. Before noon.

65. (Akkadian) God of wisdom.

Yesterday始s Solution

SPORTS

SATURDAY, MARCH 17, 2012

Crosby’s return lifts Penguins Flames overwhelm Coyotes NEW YORK: Sidney Crosby’s return after three months of inactivity didn’t hurt the chemistry of the Pittsburgh Penguins as they dominated the Eastern Conferenceleading New York Rangers in a 5-2 victory Thursday in the NHL. Crosby played for the first time since another bout of concussion symptoms forced him to the sidelines on Dec 5. He had an assist as the Penguins stretched their winning streak to 10. The Penguins now trail the Rangers by only four points in the Atlantic Division. Matt Cooke scored twice, Tyler Kennedy had two assists and NHL points leader Evgeni Malkin added a goal for the Penguins, who haven’t lost since Feb 19 at Buffalo. Marc-Andre Fleury made 29 saves to earn his ninth win during the Penguins’ streak.

FLYERS 3, ISLANDERS 2 In Uniondale, New York, Ilya Bryzgalov made 29 saves to lead Philadelphia, coming within 6:30 of reaching the rare NHL feat of a fourth straight shutout. Zac Rinaldo, Claude Giroux and Scott Hartnell scored for the Flyers, who got their seventh win in eight games. Michael Grabner ruined Bryzgalov’s shutout bid with his 16th goal with 6:30 to go. John Tavares scored his career-best 31st goal 35 seconds later, but New York couldn’t tie it.

Bryzgalov set a new Flyers shutout streak record of 249 minutes, 43 seconds, breaking the previous team record of 227:40 set by John Vanbiesbrouck from Oct. 17-27, 1999.

PHOENIX: Yani Tseng of Taiwan hits her tee shot on the 12th hole during the first round of the RR Donnelley LPGA Founders Cup at the JW Marriott Desert Ridge Resort & Spa in Phoenix, Arizona. — AFP

Tseng, Park share Founders Cup lead PHOENIX: World number one Yani Tseng of Taiwan played a seven-hole stretch in seven-under Thursday, her seven-under 65 giving her a share of the LPGA Founders Cup first-round lead with South Korean Hee Young Park.

Tseng powered to the top of the leaderboard with birdies at the 11th, 13th and 14th holes, followed by an eagle at the par-five 15th and two more birdies at 16 and 17. Her four-foot birdie attempt at 18 just missed left. “I tried too hard on the last hole,” Tseng admitted. “I think it’s harder at the end because you are trying, you’re saying, ‘Oh, I have three, I have four.’ And you want to go five, six, seven, and every hole is harder. You’re just trying harder and harder.”

Park closed with a bogey on the parfour ninth for her 65, but said she couldn’t be disappointed with her day. “Most of the shots were perfect,” she said.

Former world number one Jiyai Shin of South Korea opened with a 66 in the first LPGA event on US soil this season after tournaments in Australia, Thailand and Singapore. A group on 67 included South Koreans Na Yeon Choi and Hee Kyung Seo along with England’s Karen Stupples and Sweden’s Pernilla Lindberg.

Tseng, coming off a mammoth 2011 season that included 12 global titles-seven of them on the LPGA tour and two of them at major championships-last month successfully defended her LPGA title in Thailand. She was even through 10 holes, with one bogey and one birdie, but came alive on the back nine of the

Wildfire Golf Club course. At the par-five 15th she landed her 219-yard approach shot nine feet from the pin for an eagle.

“It was a little fade, a little cut there,” Tseng said. “It was just a little crowd, so I didn’t know if my ball was close or not.

But I had a good shot, and it was like 9 feet, and a pretty straight putt.”

She nabbed her final birdie of the day at the par-three 17th, where she landed her tee shot three feet from the pin. “I just hit it one shot at a time, because I don’t even know what hole I am on,” Tseng said. “I just really focus on one shot at a time, try to hit a good drive, get a good second shot and make good putt.” Park, winner of the season-ending Titleholders last year, birdied all four of the par-fives. “I played really good on the fairway,” Park said. “I hit the fairway and then green. Lucky thing was most putts, birdie putts, were uphill. So, that’s why I just hit it aggressive.”

Shin, who won eight LPGA titles over three years before finishing last season with out a victory, played without a bogey and birdied three of her last five holes. “The weather was perfect this morning, no wind, and the greens were soft,” Shin said. “I know this course is pretty tough. Desert course is always tough because the bounce, and the rough is pretty tough. I just more focus to the accuracy with my shot.”

Defending champion Karrie Webb of Australia was in a group of a 13 players on 68 that included Kraft Nabisco winner Stacy Lewis and US Women’s Open champion So Yeon Ryu. — AFP

PANTHERS 6, BRUINS 2 At Sunrise, Florida, Jose Theodore stopped 24 shots to lead the Panthers to their third straight win with a rout over Boston. Wojtek Wolski, Tomas Kopecky, John Madden, Stephen Weiss, Marcel Goc and Mikael Samuelsson scored for the Panthers. Brian Campbell had three assists. Florida increased its lead in the Southeast Division to three points ahead of Washington. Brian Rolston and Joe Corvo scored for the Bruins, who gave up six goals for the second straight game.

MAPLE LEAFS 3, LIGHTNING 1 At Tampa, Florida, James Reimer made 34 saves as Toronto ended a five-game skid. Reimer stopped a number of good scoring chances, including shots by Brett Connolly, Martin St Louis and Nate Thompson during the first period. The goalie also turned aside two close shots by league goals leader Steven Stamkos in the second. St Louis spoiled Reimer’s shutout bid with 26 seconds left.

John-Michael Liles, Joey Crabb and Jake Gardiner scored for the Maple Leafs, who have only won three games in their last 18.

SHARKS 2, PREDATORS 1, SO In San Jose, California, Ryane Clowe scored in a shootout and Antti Niemi came up with a big save to give San Jose the win. Joe Thornton also scored for the Sharks, who broke a three-game home losing streak and drew within one point of Colorado for the final Western Conference playoff spot. Patric Hornqvist scored as the Predators saw their three-game winning streak come to an end. Pekka Rinne made 34 saves for the Predators, while Niemi stopped 32 shots for the Sharks.

FLAMES 4, COYOTES 1 In Calgary, Alberta, Jarome Iginla scored the winner in the second period, giving him a goal in six straight games, as Calgary beat Phoenix. Iginla has eight goals and six assists during an eight-game points streak. Sven Baertschi, Matt Stajan and Alex Tanguay also scored for the Flames, who have won five straight to pull within one point of seventh-place Phoenix and eighth-place Colorado in the Western Conference standings. Miikka Kiprusoff made 27 saves for his 33rd win of the season.

DEVILS 1, AVALANCHE 0, SO In Newark, New Jersey, Ilya Kovalchuk and Zach Parise

each scored in the shootout to lead the Devils. After the first two shooters for the Devils connected, Martin Brodeur sealed the win with stops on Milan Hejduk and Peter Mueller. New Jersey picked up its league-leading 11th shootout win and ended Colorado’s three-game winning streak. Brodeur made 28 stops through overtime for New Jersey, which won its fifth in six games.

HURRICANES 2, BLUES 0 At Raleigh, North Carolina, Chad LaRose and Jeff Skinner scored and Cam Ward recorded his 200th NHL victory as Carolina beat St Louis. It was the 20th career shutout for Ward, who won the Conn Smythe Trophy in 2006 when Carolina captured the Stanley Cup. He made 40 saves in his fourth shutout of the season. St Louis’ Andy McDonald left the game late in the second after falling and hitting his right shoulder on the boards in a collision with Carolina’s Tuomo Ruutu. — AP

NHL results/standings New Jersey 1, Colorado 0 (So); Philadelphia 3, NY Islanders 2; Pittsburgh 5, NY Rangers 2; Carolina 2, St Louis 0; Toronto 3, Tampa Bay 1; Florida 6, Boston 2; Calgary 4, Phoenix 1; San Jose 2, Nashville 1 (SO); (SO denotes shootout)

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

St Louis Detroit Nashville Chicago Columbus Vancouver Colorado Calgary Minnesota Edmonton Dallas Phoenix San Jose Los Angeles Anaheim

Eastern Conference Atlantic Division W L OTL GF 44 19 7 194 43 21 5 224 41 22 7 226 41 25 5 196 28 32 11 166 Northeast Division 40 27 3 225 36 25 10 218 33 29 9 178 31 32 8 205 28 32 11 188 Southeast Division 34 23 13 177 36 28 6 189 33 29 8 186 32 31 7 198 27 29 15 185 Western Conference Central Division 45 19 8 186 44 24 3 219 41 21 8 201 38 25 8 213 22 41 7 161 Northwest Division 42 20 8 219 38 30 5 191 34 25 12 180 29 31 10 150 27 36 7 185 Pacific Division 39 27 5 188 35 26 11 188 35 25 10 191 33 25 12 159 30 30 11 177

GA PTS 155 95 175 91 199 89 182 87 214 67 176 209 201 218 198

83 82 75 70 67

195 197 197 237 211

81 78 74 71 69

141 171 181 209 226

98 91 90 84 51

177 194 194 194 209

92 81 80 68 61

188 186 179 154 196

83 81 80 78 71

Note: Overtime losses (OTL) are worth one point in the standings and are not included in the loss column (L).

SPORTS

SATURDAY, MARCH 17, 2012

Harrington turns in a record start PALM HARBOR: Padraig Harrington has lost track of how many times he has set the course record. Most of them were when he was just starting out his career, young enough to see opportunity instead of the risk of failure. “When I was a young pro and naive and innocent, I used to go out there and shoot more course records than now as a seasoned pro with a lot of fear and damage in my system,” he said Thursday after opening with a 61 to establish the record at Innisbrook. He began his week at the Transitions Championship with a hole-inone during the pro-am, using a 6-iron on the fourth hole.

Harrington tried to count up the number of aces he has made in his career and was off. Way off.

He thought he had as many as 12. There have been only six. “And the fact that I can remember the clubs and the shots and everything about them suggests that there really isn’t a seventh,” Harrington said. “I just

assumed I had more. So don’t believe whatever a professional golfer says.” The only thing that can be trusted is the score on the card. And it was unbelievable.

Harrington opened with two birdies and closed with three straight birdies along the “Snake Pit” stretch of holes on the Copperhead Course at Innisbrook. That included a 75-foot birdie putt from one end of the 17th green to the other.

How good was his 10-under 61? It was one shot better than the previous record set by Mark Calcavecchia in 2007 and Jeff Sluman in 2004. It was three shots better than anyone else in the opening round on a gorgeous spring day. Will Claxton had a 64. Claxton played with William McGirt, who shot a 66. Harrington nearly beat their better-ball score. Perhaps most impressive is that Harrington was nearly 8.7 shots better than the course average. And he managed this 61 despite failing to

birdie three of the par 5s at Innisbrook. That included a simple, uphill 6-foot putt on the 11th hole in which he “choked like a dog.” And it was probably a good thing.

It was the one time Harrington started thinking ahead, wondering if this day was so good that a 59 was in the works. “I got over it and started thinking, ‘If I hole this, I’m 7-under par, seven holes to go, I only need to make five more birdies,’” he said. “I just got totally out of where I should have been, hit a bad putt and missed. But if anything, it kind of got the 59 out of my head. So as much as I did choke, it made it easier for the rest of the holes.” The 61 was the lowest score of his career in an official event. His previous best was a 62 done three times, most recently at the 2009 Portugal Masters. He also had a 61 at the Nedbank Challenge in 2001, though it was an unofficial event and didn’t even count as a course record because of preferred lies.—AP

Wall leads Wizards to win after trade Mavericks floor determined Bobcats NEW ORLEANS: John Wall had 26 points and 12 assists to lead the Washington Wizards to a 99-89 victory over the New Orleans Hornets on Thursday, just hours after making a multiplayer deal at the NBA trade deadline. Roger Mason scored 17 of his season-high 19 points in the second half to help the Wizards end a threegame losing streak and win for only the 10th time this season. Chris Kaman scored 20 points for the Hornets, who erased a 16-point deficit and took a brief lead in the fourth quarter only to watch Mason hit three 3-pointers during a 13-0 Washington run that put the game away.

Earlier in the day, Washington traded guard Nick Young and centers JaVale McGee and Ronny Turiaf to Denver as part of a three-team deal.

MAVERICKS 101, BOBCATS 96 In Dallas, Dirk Nowitzki scored 27 points as the Mavericks rallied from 14 points down in the second quarter to beat lastplaced Charlotte. The Mavericks won their second straight game, although the victories have come against woeful Washington and Charlotte. Jason Terry added 18 points for the Mavs, who had lost eight of their previous 11. Corey Maggette scored 21 points to lead the Bobcats, who trailed by 17 in the final quarter before pulling to 9996 on DJ Augustin’s layup with 19 seconds left. But Nowitzki converted two free throws on his team’s next possession to clinch the victory.

THUNDER 103, NUGGETS 90 In Denver, Kevin Durant scored 24 points and Russell Westbrook had 23 as Oklahoma City beat short-handed Denver.

James Harden scored 18 off the bench for the Thunder, who bounced back from a loss to Houston at home Monday. Andre Miller had 17 to lead the Nuggets, who played the game while a trade sending Nene to Washington for JaVale McGee and Ronny Turiaf was finalized. Denver signed Nene to a new five-year, $67 million contract in December, and the Brazilian was averaging 13.4 points and 7.4 rebounds in an injury-plagued season. But the recent play of rookie forward Kenneth Faried made Nene expendable.

LOS ANGELES: Los Angeles Clippers’ Blake Griffin (right) is fouled by Phoenix Suns’ Ronnie Price during the second half of an NBA basketball game in Los Angeles. — AP JAZZ 111, TIMBERWOLVES 105, OT At Salt Lake City, Gordon Hayward scored 18 of his 26 points in the fourth quarter and overtime and Paul Millsap made a flurry of key plays in the final minute to lead Utah. Millsap stole the ball twice in the final minute of overtime, made a key jumper and fed Hayward for a dunk as Utah scored the final six points. Millsap finished with 16 points, 11 rebounds and a career-high eight steals. Devin Harris scored 18 points and Alec Burks had a career-best 15. Kevin Love had 25 points and 16 rebounds to lead Minnesota.

SUNS 91, CLIPPERS 87 In Los Angeles, Shannon Brown scored a season-high 21 points, including four free throws in the final 1:33, to help shorthanded Phoenix end a four-game road losing streak. Channing Frye had 12 points for Phoenix and Jared Dudley added 11 points and six rebounds.

Sebastian Telfair had seven points and eight assists in place of starting point guard Steve Nash, who was rested due to the Suns playing three games in three nights. Blake Griffin had 25 points and eight rebounds for the Clippers. — AP

NHL results/standings New Jersey 1, Colorado 0 (So); Philadelphia 3, NY Islanders 2; Pittsburgh 5, NY Rangers 2; Carolina 2, St Louis 0; Toronto 3, Tampa Bay 1; Florida 6, Boston 2; Calgary 4, Phoenix 1; San Jose 2, Nashville 1 (SO); (SO denotes shootout)

NY Rangers Pittsburgh Philadelphia New Jersey NY Islanders

Eastern Conference Atlantic Division W L OTL 44 19 7 43 21 5 41 22 7 41 25 5 28 32 11

GF 194 224 226 196 166

GA 155 175 199 182 214

PTS 95 91 89 87 67

Boston Ottawa Buffalo Toronto Montreal

Northeast Division 40 27 3 36 25 10 33 29 9 31 32 8 28 32 11

225 218 178 205 188

176 209 201 218 198

83 82 75 70 67

Florida Washington Winnipeg Tampa Bay Carolina

Southeast Division 34 23 13 36 28 6 33 29 8 32 31 7 27 29 15

177 189 186 198 185

195 197 197 237 211

81 78 74 71 69

St Louis Detroit Nashville Chicago Columbus

Western Conference Central Division 45 19 8 44 24 3 41 21 8 38 25 8 22 41 7

186 219 201 213 161

141 171 181 209 226

98 91 90 84 51

Vancouver Colorado Calgary Minnesota Edmonton

Northwest Division 42 20 8 38 30 5 34 25 12 29 31 10 27 36 7

219 191 180 150 185

177 194 194 194 209

92 81 80 68 61

Dallas Phoenix San Jose Los Angeles Anaheim

39 35 35 33 30

Pacific Division 27 5 26 11 25 10 25 12 30 11

188 188 191 159 177

188 186 179 154 196

83 81 80 78 71

Note: Overtime losses (OTL) are worth one point in the standings and are not included in the loss column (L).

SPORTS

SATURDAY, MARCH 17, 2012

Sharapova outlasts Kirilenko Ivanovic, Sharapova advance into last 4 INDIAN WELLS: Former champions Ana Ivanovic and Maria Sharapova advanced to the semi-finals of the Indian Wells WTA tournament in sharply contrasting fashion on Thursday. Serb Ivanovic completed a 6-3 6-4 upset over ailing seventh seed Marion Bartoli of France while Sharapova battled back from a set and break down to beat fellow Russian Maria Kirilenko 3-6 7-5 6-2 after a wildly fluctuating encounter.

Fifteenth-seeded Ivanovic, the 2008 champion, and second seed Sharapova, who triumphed here in 2006, will meet in the last four at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden on Friday.

World number one Victoria Azarenka of Belarus will face 18thseeded German Angelique Kerber in the other semi-final, both having played their quarter-finals on Wednesday. In dazzling desert sunshine, Ivanovic broke Bartoli, last year’s runner-up, three times before wrapping up her quarter-final win in one hour 17 minutes when her opponent pushed a forehand service return wide. The elegant Serb, who had ousted defending champion Caroline Wozniacki in the previous round, seized control with her powerful serving and strong baseline game after being broken in the first game of the match.

“I’m definitely very happy to be through and get my revenge for last year in the quarters,” Ivanovic, who was beaten by Bartoli in straight sets at the same stage 12 months ago, said. “I really knew I had to be aggressive. She does strike the ball a lot harder than maybe it looks.”

Ivanovic, who repeatedly clenched her left fist to celebrate points won, felt her service break in the eighth game of the first set had paved the way for her win. “That was kind of a turning point because after that we both played really solid,” said the 24year-old Serb, who became world number one for the first time after claiming her maiden grand slam singles crown at the 2008 French Open.

“That game I really stepped up another notch, I really stayed low and I was aggressive with my feet.”

VIRAL INFECTION Bartoli was evaluated by doctors courtside when trailing 1-2 in the second set and said she had succumbed to the viral infection that has already forced eight players to withdraw from Indian Wells. “The more the match was going on the worse it was getting for me,” the 27year-old added. “I was having a lot of joint pains and feeling shaky and very cold. “I just tried my hardest under the circumstances, tried to

not to retire during the match and still show everyone that I could complete the match,” said the Frenchwoman, who has beaten Ivanovic three times in eight career meetings. Sharapova, who had been the only player left in the draw yet to drop a set, initially struggled on her backhand and was broken twice in the first six games before losing the opening set to Kirilenko in 44 minutes. She leveled the match after battling through a tight second set, where Kirilenko was penalized a point for hindrance after tapping her racket on the ground three times, and broke her opponent in the second and fourth games of the third to race 4-0 up.

Though Sharapova lost serve in the fifth when she pushed a backhand wide, she broke Kirilenko in the eighth when her opponent doublefaulted to seal victory in three hours, five minutes. “I tried to keep my head up high today even though I wasn’t playing my best tennis,” said Sharapova, who was beaten by Kirilenko when they last played in the first round of the 2010 Australian Open. “I was just trying to find my rhythm a little bit on everything, movement and playing wise. Little by little, I started feeling better. Towards the end I really got my groove back, so that was good.” — Reuters

Israel, Palestinians battle over player SHFARAM: Depending on whom you ask, Ali Khatib is either a superstar football player, a national traitor or both. The 22-yearold midfielder, the pride of the Palestinian territories just a few weeks ago, has enraged his fans by bolting the second-tier Palestinian football league to play in Israel.

He has taken Israel’s higher-level league by storm, scoring four times in his first four starts and boosting Hapoel Haifa out of the relegation zone.

But Khatib’s former Palestinian team from east Jerusalem says he is still under contract and accuses Haifa of poaching the player illegally. Further outraging Palestinians, Khatib, an Arab Muslim from a town in northern Israel, now says he wants to play for Israel. Until recently, he was the poster boy for the Palestinian team, affectionately nicknamed “the sniper” for his penchant of scoring in key situations.

Khatib scored six goals for the Palestinian team in 29 internationals, including 2014 World Cup qualifiers.

Khatib doesn’t understand what all the fuss is about. He denied being under a binding contract with the Palestinian team and says he is merely progressing professionally to a better league that pays him more money and opens a potential door to playing in Europe. “My ambition is to achieve a good reputation in the Israeli league and play in the Israeli national team,” he said in an interview in his home in the northern Israeli town of Shfaram, where a framed picture of him shaking Palestinian President’s Mahmoud Abbas hand hangs on the wall.

“My future here (in Israel) is more promising. Every Arab player who lives in Israel dreams of this chance.”

But Mohammed Zahaika, an official for Khatib’s former Palestinian team, Jabel Mukaber, said the player’s move amounted to no less than “treason.” “We gave him a Palestinian passport, advertisements and he became the face of the Palestinian football league. He ignores all that, everything we did for him,” he said. “We made him a star.

He abandoned all that to go play with the occupiers.” Zahaika accuses the Israelis of stealing Khatib because of his success in the Palestinian league. “It became a political issue, it’s a political provocation,” he said.

He said the team planned to take its case to FIFA. Hapoel Haifa spokesman Noam Regev insisted the team acted properly, and a Tel Aviv District Court that reviewed the transfer ruled it was legitimate. “They can go to FIFA if they want to,” he said. “But Hapoel Haifa did everything legally.” — AP

Ali Khatib

INDIAN WELLS: Maria Sharapova, of Russia, returns a shot to Maria Kirilenko, of Russia, during their match at the BNP Paribas Open tennis tournament in Indian Wells, Calif. — AP

Djokovic storms into semis INDIAN WELLS: World number one Novak Djokovic powered into the semi-finals of the Indian Wells ATP tournament with a commanding 6-3 6-4 victory over Spaniard Nicolas Almagro on Thursday. The top-seeded Serb, champion here in 2008 and last year, will face big-serving John Isner in the last four on Saturday, the 11th-seeded American having edged past Frenchman Gilles Simon 6-3 1-6 75 in a little under two hours. Djokovic, the hottest player in the sport for more than a year, broke Almagro twice in the opening set and again in the ninth game of the second when the Spaniard hit a backhand long.

The Serb then held serve to love in the 10th, an ace putting him 40-0 up before he ended the match with a crunching backhand winner down the line after one hour, 22 minutes. “It’s definitely satisfying to play well,” Australian Open champion Djokovic told reporters after reaching the last four for a fourth time at Indian Wells. “It was always going to be a tough match. “I had a very powerful ball striker on the opposite side of the net. He’s very solid with ground strokes and has a powerful serve but I knew that he’s inconsistent with that, so I just needed to hang in there, which I did.”

Djokovic was especially pleased with his serving after firing five aces on the hardcourt surface at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden and winning 73 percent of his second serve points. “I served well,” said the Serb, who has won four of the last five grand slams to establish himself as the sport’s top player. “I didn’t lose many points on my service games in both sets and that’s something I have been working on. I have been trying to get more free points on the first serves. This hasn’t been my weapon in the past.”

Djokovic and the 12th-seeded Almagro

pounded the ball ferociously from the baseline to create several lengthy rallies which, more often than not, ended in the Serb’s favour. “I have played so many matches on the tour and on the big stage in major events, and I learned over the years what I need to do in order to play my best when it matters the most,” Djokovic added.

“I use that necessary experience to perform my best, to cope with pressure and just understand what shots I need to play at a certain time, even though sometimes you don’t need to go for winners.” Djokovic, who outlasted Spaniard Rafa Nadal 5-7 6-4 6-2 6-7 7-5 in an epic final at the Australian Open in January, improved his win-loss record this season to 14-1 by reaching his third straight semi-final. Isner and Simon, both playing in the quarter-finals for the first time at Indian Wells, traded the first two sets in their evening match and the third then went with serve until Simon was broken in the 12th game.

A deep forehand service return by Isner forced a baseline error from Simon and the American converted the first of his two match points when Simon hit a backhand long. “It’s my first match on this court this year and the ball was flying out there,” the 6ft 9in (2.05m) Isner said in a courtside interview after blasting 11 aces. “It was a bit difficult for both of us to adjust. “I’m very happy to get through. I didn’t get too frustrated. A lot of times, I felt like I could hit forehand winners but I made a lot of mistakes. He does that to a lot of players. I stayed focused and I pulled it out.” In the remaining quarter-finals, three-times champion Roger Federer was scheduled to play Juan Martin del Potro of Argentina before twice winner Rafa Nadal of Spain faces Argentina’s David Nalbandian. — Reuters

SPORTS

SATURDAY, MARCH 17, 2012

Tendulkar reaches new heights with 100th ton NEW DELHI: A mythical statistic attributes one third of India’s road accidents to drivers craning their neck out to catch a glimpse of Sachin Tendulkar reaching a century on a television set in a roadside shop. Roads in India should be marginally safer for the pedestrians now that the man from Mumbai has got his 100th international century. Industry bosses must curse him as India’s biggest single cause for sudden falls in productivity levels. Every time Tendulkar nears the 100-mark, the world’s second most populous nation comes to a standstill, almost as a ritual.

Since his 1989 Karachi debut, what the 38-year-old has accumulated is much more than scoring almost 34,000 international runs from 188 test matches, 462 one-dayers and one T20 international. The curly-haired boy with a sing-song voice has acquired an aura that only grew over the last last couple of decades. Some of his fans, and they are sizeable, have lost interest in the Don Bradman v Sachin Tendulkar debate. They suggest it is rather Don v God. Putting aside the obvious exaggeration, the great Australian once remarked that the diminutive Indian’s batting reminded him of his own playing days and many feel the debate should rest there.

When it comes to accumalating runs, Tendulkar has established himself as the greatest cricketer of all time and if the bowlers he has tormented for over 22 years wanted to blame someone for his never-ending run spree, accusing fingers would be pointed at Dennis Lillee and Waqar Younis. Lillee for not entertaining then school student Tendulkar’s request at a Chennai bowling academy to mould him into a fast bowler and instead advising him to work on his batting.

Waqar for hitting Tendulkar on the mouth in the 1989 series in Pakistan where both made their debuts. The wunderkind batted with a blood-soaked shirt in that match and more than two decades since that incident, bowlers across the cricketing world continue to bleed boundaries to the little master. Javed Miandad was part of the squad Tendulkar made his debut against and the former Pakistan skipper said he could sense he was watching someone very special. “We had heard a lot about this teenager from Mumbai and there was lot of hype surrounding his debut in the Karachi test,” Miandad said. — Reuters

Sachin Tendulkar

HAMILTON: Morne Morkel of South Africa ducks a bouncer during day two of the second five day international cricket Test match between New Zealand and South Africa at Seddon Park yesterday. — AFP

S Africa seize control of second N Zealand test De Villiers anchors S Africa’s innings HAMILTON: South Africa grabbed the second test against New Zealand by the scruff of the neck yesterday, reducing the hosts to 65 for four at the close of the second day’s play at Seddon Park in Hamilton. The hosts were still three runs behind South Africa’s first innings score of 253 with Kane Williamson (41) and Daniel Vettori (nought) together at the close after they had slumped to 7-3 in the first 25 balls of their second innings.

Rob Nicol was bowled by Vernon Philander for one when the ball thudded off his pads and bounced back onto the stumps, Brendon McCullum was trapped in front by Philander for five then Martin Guptill hit the ball straight to Hashim Amla at mid-wicket off Dale Steyn to leave New Zealand floundering. Ross Taylor and Williamson were worked over by South Africa’s pace trio but began to resurrect the innings and gave the hosts a slim chance of going into the third day only three wickets down. Taylor, however, was trapped lbw by Steyn for 17 with a little more than two overs remaining in the day and with the match so well advanced, South Africa are heavily favoured to take a 1-0 lead in the bestof-three series.

The visitors had established a 68-run first innings lead courtesy of AB de Villiers’ top score of 83 and the tail producing 165 runs after Mark Gillespie had ripped the heart out of South Africa’s batting line-up with career best

figures of five for 59. While De Villiers ensured his side passed New Zealand’s 185, after the hosts had lost five wickets for no runs late on the first day as they slumped from a comfortable 1332 to 133-7 in the space of about 15 minutes, his more valuable contribution was guiding the tail-end partnerships.

He combined with Mark Boucher (24), Philander (14) and Morne Morkel for 131 runs after Gillespie’s spell in the first session had reduced them to 88 for

six. Imran Tahir (16) and Morkel (35 not out) then added another 34 runs for the final wicket as the visitors eked out a valuable advantage before Tahir was caught by Gillespie off the bowling of Williamson. Gillespie, who returned to the side after last playing a test in Dec 2008, had figures of 4-24 from seven overs before lunch and completed his second five-wicket haul in his fourth test when he bowled Boucher, surpassing his previous best figures of 5-136, also against South Africa. — Reuters

Scoreboard Scoreboard at the close of play on the second day of the second test between New Zealand and South Africa at Seddon Park in Hamilton yesterday.

New Zealand first innings 185 South Africa first innings (overnight 27-2) G. Smith c van Wyk b Martin 13 A. Petersen lbw b Gillespie 29 D. Steyn c van Wyk b Martin 4 H. Amla c Williamson b Gillespie 16 J. Kallis c van Wyk b Gillespie 6 AB de Villiers b Vettori 83 J. Rudolph c van Wyk b Gillespie 1 M. Boucher b Gillespie 24 V. Philander b Bracewell 14 M. Morkel not out 35 I. Tahir c Gillespie b Williamson 16 Extras (lb-9, w-1, nb-1, b-1) 12 Total (all out, 77.3 overs) 253 Fall of wickets: 1-14 2-18 3-63 4-69 5-

84 6-88 7-151 8-185 9-219 Bowling: Martin 16-6-38-2; Bracewell 18-7-50-1 (w-1); Gillespie 15-2-59-5 (nb-1); Vettori 19-3-49-1; Arnel 9-246-0; Williamson 0.3-0-1-1 New Zealand second innings R. Nicol b Philander 1 M. Guptill c Amla b Steyn 1 B. McCullum lbw b Philander 5 R. Taylor lbw b Steyn 17 K. Williamson not out 41 D. Vettori not out 0 Extras 0 Total (for four wickets, 31 overs) 65 Fall of wickets: 1-1 2-7 3-7 4-64 Bowling: Steyn 9-4-10-2; Philander 71-21-2; Morkel 7-4-12-0; Tahir 8-2-22-0.

sports

SATURDAY, MARCH 17, 2012

German League Preview

Hertha out to halt Bayern goal-machine BERLIN: Hertha Berlin coach Otto Rehhagel has told his players they must show courage and passion if they are to throw a spanner in the works of Bayern Munich’s goalmachine today in the German league. Bayern have scored a remarkable 14 goals in their last two games having hammered Hoffenheim 7-1 in Munich in the Bundesliga, then demolished FC Basel 7-0 in the Champions League. Victory over the Swiss puts Bayern in the quarter-finals of European football’s top club competition, but the Bavarians are now concerned about bridging the five-point gap behind leaders Dortmund in the league.

Bayern’s recent form has given their stars a confidence boost with Germany striker Mario Gomez having scored seven goals in his last two games, including a record-breaking four against Basel. Likewise Dutch winger Arjen Robben has hit four in the two games, and Rehhagel, who took charge in February, has warned his team they must punch above their weight at Berlin’s Olympic Stadium. Bayern are second while Hertha are 16th of 18 teams and just three points from bottom with the Berlin coach admitting his team need a small miracle. “Everybody has seen what condition Bayern are in,” said the 73-year-old Rehhagel who steered Greece to the Euro 2004 title.

“We all need to reach beyond ourselves, then we might have a slim chance. We need courage, passion and enthusiasm, but if we get caught like a rabbit in front of the headlights, we have no chance.” Having scored just five goals in their last 10 games, Rehhagel’s team are struggling to score and strikers Adrian Ramos and Pierre-Michel Lasogga must find some form if Berlin are to escape the relegation places. Despite all the euphoria surrounding Bayern, Jupp Heynckes’ team have lost both of their last two away games, failing to score in either.

Just a fortnight ago they lost 2-0 at Leverkusen, when they did everything but score, and their shock 1-0 first-leg defeat at Basel three weeks ago put them on the verge of a Champions League exit before they roared back in the return. Heynckes knows his side has to improve their away form if they are to prevent Dortmund winning a consecutive title having suffered four of their six league defeats on the road this season. “Barcelona are the best team in the world, but they trail Real Madrid in the Spanish league by 10 points,” he pointed out. “Why? Because they failed in the away games. It is the same for every team.” Dortmund host six-placed Werder Bremen today eager to get back to winning ways after they were held to a goalless draw at Augsburg, who are just above the relegation zone.

Bremen will be without top scorer Claudio Pizarro, who has been banned for two games for slapping Hanover defender Emanuel Pogatetz across the face in Bremen’s 3-0 win last weekend. “It won’t make is easier that Pizarro is not playing, because Bremen will be more difficult to calculate,” said Dortmund coach Jurgen Klopp. “The whole team will step up a gear.” Fifth-placed Bayer Leverkusen host Borussia Moenchengladbach, who are third in the table, and will be without Germany midfielder Lars Bender who tore his right thigh during their 3-2 defeat at Wolfsburg last Saturday. Gladbach, who are eight points behind Dortmund and three behind Bayern, need a win to stay in touch with the leaders after being held to a goalless draw at second-from-bottom Freiburg last weekend.— AFP

RIO DE JANEIRO: Footballer Dario Bottinelli (center), of Brazilian team Flamengo, celebrates with teammates after scoring against Paraguay’s Olimpia during a Libertadores Cup match at the Joao Havelange stadium. — AFP

Olimpia rally for 3-3 draw with Flamengo Copa Libertadores Roundup RIO DE JANEIRO: Olimpia scored three unanswered goals in the final 13 minutes of the match to draw Flamengo 3-3 in the Copa Libertadores on Thursday. Midfielder Vladimir Marin scored an 89th-minute equalizer for the Paraguayan club, firing a shot from inside the area after a pass by former Flamengo midfielder Maxi Biancucchi. Ronaldinho also scored a goal and set up another for Flamengo, which was jeered by fans after the match at the Engenhao stadium in Rio de Janeiro.

Brazil’s most popular club still leads Group 2 despite the draw. It has five points from three matches, while Olimpia and Lanus of Argentina have four points each. Also Thursday, defending champion Santos came from behind to defeat Juan Aurich 3-1, joining Internacional and The Strongest atop Group 1. Argentine playmaker Dario Bottinelli opened the scoring for Flamengo with a 38th-minute goal over Olimpia goalkeeper Martin Silva from inside the area after a pass by striker

Vagner Love. Ronaldinho added to the lead with a penalty kick in the 57th after Silva fouled Vagner Love inside the area.

Ronaldinho, a two-time FIFA player of the year, then made a no-look pass from near midfield to Luiz Antonio, who slipped a shot past Silva in the 64th. Olimpia began its comeback in the 77th minute with a powerful free kick by substitute striker Pablo Zeballos, and Luis Caballero got the Paraguayans within a goal with a low left-footer from the top of the area in the 85th. “There’s no explanation, we can’t allow the goal that we allowed after the advantage that we had throughout the match,” Vagner Love said. “We had to win at home. Now we will have to win a match away, it’s not going to be easy.”

Flamengo had a goal disallowed in the 45th after Vagner Love was caught offsides following a pass from Ronaldinho.

The Brazilian club was without goalkeeper Felipe, who has not recovered from a head trauma sustained in a match in the Rio de

Janeiro state championship two weeks ago. He was replaced by Paulo Victor, who made a key save on Sergio Orteman’s header off a corner in the first half.

In Peru, Juan Aurich took the early lead against Santos with a goal by Panamanian striker Luis Carlos Tejada in the 15th minute, but Santos rallied with goals by Jorge Fucile in the 36th, Paulo Henrique Ganso in the 40th and Borges in the 69th.

Juan Aurich played a man down from the 58th minute after defender Luis Guadalupe was sent off for a hard foul on Santos midfielder Arouca. Guadalupe had received his first yellow card just three minutes earlier.

Tejada opened the scoring by turning around a defender after a cross inside the area and striking with a right-footer from near the penalty spot. Santos equalized with a close-range goal by Uruguay defender Fucile, and Ganso scored the goahead goal with a free kick, curling a leftfooted shot around the wall. —AP

French League Preview

Lyon under pressure ahead of vital derby PARIS: For the first time in almost two decades, Lyon will be the underdogs when they face fierce local rivals Saint-Etienne in the Rhone derby later today. But that does not mean that the pressure will be off Remi Garde’s side when they head to the Chaudron for what is one of the biggest fixtures in the French game. After all, missing out on Champions League qualification for the first time since 1999 is unthinkable for Lyon, but

defeat in the 104th Rhone derby would be another major blow to their chances of finishing in the top three.

Garde’s men are seventh in the table, four points away from Lille in third and three points behind fourth-placed Saint-Etienne. Followers of Les Verts are rightly excited by the prospect of their side beating OL to that Champions League place and in the process finishing above their neighbors in the table for the first

time since 1993. Saint-Etienne, who are coached by former Lyon assistant coach Christophe Galtier, have not won at home to their great rivals since April 1994.

Indeed, they went 16 years without beating Lyon at all until a 1-0 victory at Stade Gerland at the beginning of last season. “I almost have the impression that we have never lost a derby,” said OL midfielder Maxime Gonalons, a sentiment likely to be shared by

any Lyon fan under the age of 20. But Lyon’s outspoken president, Jean-Michel Aulas, has tried to take some of the pressure off his side by insisting that this is a derby that SaintEtienne should win. “Everything has been going right for Saint-Etienne, while we have been struggling away from home,” he said.

“We have reason to be worried. I am not sure if our players have the necessary pride to compete with them.”—AFP

sports

SATURDAY, MARCH 17, 2012

Mancini targets Premier League after Europa exit MANCHESTER: Roberto Mancini saw his expensive Manchester City side fail in Europe once more on Thursday, but still insisted they can still win their first ever Premier League title. The Italian held himself responsible for the end of their European interest, as a 3-2 second leg victory led to defeat on away goals against Sporting Lisbon, a team currently fourth in the Portuguese league.

City, who trail leaders Manchester United by one point in the Premier League, saw their local rivals also go out of the Europa League just two hours before they did. Now, both clubs have only the league title upon which they need concentrate. “We were envious of United,” joked Mancini. “They lost so we wanted to lose this game. “I think it will be a good fight between them and us until the end of the season because we only have the Premier League and we can put all our strength into this. I think it will be good.”

Mancini attempted to deflect pressure from his players by blaming himself for the setback, claiming he had failed to prepare his team adequately although he insisted he will not err again, especially with a home game against Chelsea looming on Wednesday. “It is the second time this year, I hope not,” said Mancini who also blamed himself for a recent league defeat at Everton. “We only have one problem and that is that four important players are injured, that is not good. But I think if we have a spell like we did in the second half, we can win our next game against Chelsea and I am confident for the Premier League.

“We stayed at the top for seven months, now we are in second, one point behind and I am very confident we can win the title. “I’m proud of this performance but I’m disappointed by the two games because over the two games, I don’t think we deserved to go through. The first game we didn’t play well and tonight we didn’t deserve to lose but didn’t deserve to go through. “The first half we didn’t play but I’m the manager, it is not the players’ fault, it is my fault. I’m proud of my players because they fought on the pitch but when a manager doesn’t prepare for a game well, that’s why we lost. When I lose a game I think about why and I think I made mistakes.

“I probably made mistakes preparing for the first game because I thought after beating Porto to play Sporting would be easy but football is never easy and today was probably the same because I gave them a lot of space to counter attack in the first half and we conceded two goals. “After that, I was proud for the second half because we had a fantastic 45 minutes and I’m very sorry for the players and the supporters who were fantastic. In the end, I am disappointed with myself.” Without the injured Gareth Barry, Joleon Lescott, Pablo Zabaleta and Gareth Barry, City won their second leg tie 3-2, thanks to a remarkable second half comeback, but exited the competition on away goals, having lost the first meeting in Lisbon 1-0.—AP

Matches on TV (Local Timings)

English Premier League Wigan v West Brom..........................................18:00 Abu Dhabi Sports HD Fulham v Swansea ..........................................18:00 Abu Dhabi Sports HD

Spanish League Getafe v Real Sociedad....................................20:00 Aljazeera Sport +6 Real Zaragoza v Osasuna................................20:00 Aljazeera Sport +8 Sevilla v Barcelona...........................................22:00 Aljazeera Sport +2 Aljazeera Sport 1 HD Tomorrow Rayo Vallecano v Real Betis.............................0:00 Aljazeera Sport +4

Italian League Parma v AC Milan.............................................20:00 Aljazeera Sport +1 Fiorentina v Juventus......................................22:45 Aljazeera Sport +1 Aljazeera Sport +3

BILBAO: Manchester United’s English midfielder Michael Carrick (right) vies with Athletic Bilbao’s defender Fernando Amorebieta (center) as Athletic Bilbao’s forward Gaizka Toquero (left) heads the ball during the UEFA Europe League match at the San Mames stadium in Bilbao. — AFP

EPL Preview

Man United look to turn screw on City LONDON: Manchester United will look to crank up the psychological pressure on Manchester City this weekend as they aim to extend their lead at the top of the table with victory over Wolverhampton Wanderers. Neither United nor City have anything else to distract them in their pursuit of the English crown, with both sides having been eliminated from the Europa League in the last 16 on Thursday.

United were outclassed 2-1 at Athletic Bilbao for a 5-3 aggregate defeat, while City fell victim to the away goals rule despite battling back from 2-0 down at home to Sporting Lisbon to claim a 3-3 draw on aggregate.

A reduced Premier League fixture list owing to the FA Cup quarter-finals means United have the opportunity to go four points clear if they manage to defeat second-bottom Wolves at Molineux tomorrow. But United, who displaced City from the top of the table last weekend, will be all too aware of the dangers of complacency, having seen a 29-match unbeaten run end in defeat at the same venue last season.

Wolves’ victory in the corresponding fixture last year proved to be a turning point in their season, with the Midlands club eventually climbing off the bottom and narrowly avoiding relegation.

However, few pundits are expecting a repeat upset this weekend, with Wolves heading into the game on the back of three defeats in four games that have seen their leaky defense ship 14 goals. United, by contrast, are on a

roll-Europa League disappointments notwithstanding-with four consecutive league wins suggesting that the reigning champions are building an ominous momentum. And manager Sir Alex Ferguson insists that he will not dwell on the Europa League exit.

“Feeling sorry for myself is not an issue for me,” he said. “There is a disappointment, but analyzing the performances is more important and we have an important game tomorrow.” In-form United winger Ashley Young also believes the Red Devils are perfectly positioned after successfully taking maximum points in recent fixtures against Liverpool, Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur. “A lot of people might not have said that we’d be in front of City but we’ve got that belief that as long as we’re winning our games, the pressure’s on them,” Young said.

“We said if we came through the tough (recent) fixtures then we set ourselves up for the rest of the season. We have managed to do that away from home and our home form is key now.”

Second-placed City will not re-enter the title fray until next Wednesday, when they entertain Chelsea at Eastlands. City manager Roberto Mancini has reiterated the need for cool heads, insisting the fate of the league title is still in the club’s hands with United still to visit the City of Manchester Stadium next month. “We can’t cry, now is the time to be strong and keep going. We have a top team

and we have time to recover,” Mancini urged. “We can’t cry because we are one point behind Manchester United.

“We have 10 games, our fortune is in our hands and we can change it if we want to. Just like we lost points against Swansea, United can lose points against Wolverhampton. Every game will be difficult for both teams.”

Mancini believes his team’s Europa League defeat will tee-up a dramatic season’s finale. “I think it will be a good fight between them and us until the end of the season because we only have the Premier League and we can put all our strength into this. I think it will be good,” he said. Elsewhere this weekend, Wigan Athletic will attempt to move off the bottom of the table with victory over West Bromwich Albion. Wigan manager Roberto Martinez insists that his club is unfazed at being one of the favourites for the drop. “The belief is always there. From the outside the first team to go down is always Wigan. That has never affected us and you learn to live with that,” said Martinez, whose side are just two points behind 17th-placed Bolton Wanderers.

“We are bottom of the league, but we don’t play like a team at the bottom of the league.” In other matches this weekend, Newcastle United will attempt to bounce back from their lastgasp defeat by Arsenal on Monday when they face Norwich City at St James’ Park, while Fulham tackle Swansea City at Craven Cottage.— AFP

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SPORTS

SATURDAY, MARCH 17, 2012

NYON: A giant screen displays the draw for the quarter-final of the 2011-2012 UEFA Champions League at the UEFA headquarters yesterday in Nyon. — AFP

NYON: A board shows the draw made for the quarter-finals of the Europa League football matches at UEFA headquarters in Nyon. —AFP

Spanish giants kept apart in UEFA draw Barca face Milan; Chelsea take on Benfica NYON: Spanish giants Barcelona and Real Madrid were kept apart in the draw for the Champions League quarter- and semi-finals yesterday, setting up the possibility of a final showdown between the two in Munich.

Real Madrid got the draw everyone wanted in the shape of Cypriot minnows APOEL Nicosia, while defending champions Barcelona landed Italian powerhouse AC Milan. Sole English survivors Chelsea will take on Benfica of Portugal, while the remaining tie sees Marseille up against Germany’s Bayern Munich. Both Barcelona and arch-rivals Real have advanced to the last eight of the competition without really being tested and, given the size of the gap

between them and the rest of the continent, the feeling was that only the draw could prevent them from meeting in the final itself on May 19.

That did not happen but Real coach Jose Mourinho will be happier than his Barcelona counterpart Pep Guardiola at having drawn APOEL-the first club from the Mediterranean island ever to reach the last eight of the Champions League. Six of the quarter-finalists are previous winners of Europe’s premier club trophy, with APOEL and Chelsea being the two exceptions. After the routs of the two Manchester clubs and Arsenal, Chelsea saved face for the English by squeezing into the last eight in extra-time at

the expense of Italy’s Napoli having lost the first leg 3-1.

Interim coach Roberto Di Matteo will not be disappointed by the prospect of taking on outsiders Benfica, who are back in the Champions League quarter-finals for the first time since 2006. The club’s chief executive Ron Gourlay said: “I think it’s a good one for us. “It doesn’t matter who you get at this stage, it’s going to be a difficult game but I think it was important for us to get the away game first and then hopefully build the foundation from there. So, I think we’re pleased. “With Ramires and David Luiz they’ll know quite a bit about the club and also we know quite a lot about Benfica from

FA Cup Preview

Gerrard ready for Liverpool assault LONDON: Liverpool will look to the inspiring form of Captain Steven Gerrard as they attempt to book their place in the semi-finals of the FA Cup with victory over Stoke at Anfield. Gerrard scored a superb hat-trick in the Merseyside derby win over Everton in midweek to give Liverpool a badly needed lift heading into tomorrow’s quarter-final clash with the Potters. Consecutive league defeats to Arsenal and Sunderland have all but extinguished Liverpool’s chances of a top-four finish this season, leaving Kenny Dalglish’s side to focus on achieving a domestic cup double.

The Reds already have the League Cup in the bag following last month’s win over Cardiff and are now pursuing a swift return to Wembley as they seek a first FA Cup win since 2006. Liverpool veteran Jamie Carragher said Gerrard’s Roy-of-the-Rovers style display against Everton proved he deserved to be ranked as the best player ever to represent the club. “I think it’s a case with Stevie that people will not fully realise how good he has been until he stops playing,” Carragher said. “It’s been harder for him in many ways because when you spend an entire career at one club, the supporters see you as a youngster, remember all the mistakes you’ve made growing up and then when you get towards the end start to ask if you’re the same player anymore.

“But none of the players who’ve played alongside him would dispute he’s the best the club has ever had, and I would hope none of the managers would either.” While Liverpool will be favored to progress at home against Stoke tomorrow, cross-town rivals Everton face an awkward clash against Sunderland at Goodison 24 hours earlier. Everton defender Phil Jagielka said Tuesday’s comprehensive Merseyside derby defeat, which marked the end of a nine-match unbeaten run, had raised the pressure on the Toffees. Jagielka said he expected manager David

Moyes to restore several first-choice players who were rested against Liverpool, including Croatian striker Nikica Jelavic, Tim Cahill, Phil Neville, Leon Osman and John Heitinga. “The boys have been doing really well and I am sure the gaffer will put those lads back in for the weekend and we will be able to continue the good cup run we have had,” Jagielka said. “But after the result it puts a bit more pressure on the cup because 3-0 isn’t good enough. It was a big game for us and a lot of us got a chance to play but it didn’t really work out very well.” Meanwhile Tottenham will be determined to put their faltering league form to one side as they chase a place in the last four against Bolton today.

Spurs slumped to their third consecutive league defeat for the first time under Harry Redknapp last weekend, and have seen a 10-point lead over rivals Arsenal whittled away to just one point in recent weeks. However Spurs’ Dutch striker Rafael van der Vaart insisted the club were determined to give the FA Cup their full attention. “It’s important to the whole club,” said van der Vaart. “Of course you’d love to win league titles and the Champions League, but the FA Cup is also good, every title counts. “It would mean the world to win the FA Cup. As a club and as a player you want to win titles, you want to win something and the FA Cup is big.” In the other quarter-final, Chelsea are hoping the feelgood factor from their remarkable Champions League comeback against Napoli in midweek can carry them into the last four as they face Leicester at Stamford Bridge. Chelsea veteran Frank Lampard, who scored in the 4-1 win over the Italians, along with John Terry and Didier Drogba, believes the result proved that the club’s old guard still have a role to play at the club.

“You can’t win these sorts of competitions without that,” the 33-year-old said. “They’re players that want to play, players that want to win.” — AFP

the fact they topped Manchester United’s group. They’re a very, very strong side and we’re looking forward to the upcoming games.” Marseille, who are back in the last eight for the first time since they won the trophy in Munich in 1993, will start as underdogs against in-form Bayern who defeated FC Basel 7-1 over two legs to go through.

The French club’s president Vincent Labrune said the match against Bayern would be “very, very difficult” and that he had feared drawing the German side in the last eight.

“Our German friends are happier than us,” he told Eurosport. “But we have to try our luck to the maximum and continue to dream.” — AFP

Spurs seek Cup respite LONDON: Harry Redknapp’s Tottenham Hotspur side will aim to put aside concerns about their recent Premier League slump when they face Bolton Wanderers in the FA Cup sixth round at White Hart Lane here today. Spurs went into the north London derby with Arsenal at the end of February in third place and 10 points clear of their local rivals. However, in the space of 15 days that gap was reduced to one point with defeat by the Gunners quickly followed by reverses against Manchester United and, most recently, Everton.

With an improving Chelsea sitting three points further adrift in fifth spot, Tottenham’s passage into next season’s Champions League suddenly looks far less assured. The visit of Bolton for the Cup clash will provide a break from the increasingly intense battle for a top four finish. And while the prospect of a place in the semi-finals and a confidenceboosting trip to Wembley is clearly an incentive in itself, Redknapp’s team also need a victory to reignite their season after their worst run of an impressive campaign.

“It’s important to the whole club,” said Spurs forward Rafael van der Vaart.

“Winning medals and trophies is the most important thing for a player and you need a little bit of luck to do it. “Of course you’d love to win league titles and the Champions League, but the FA Cup is also good, every title counts. “It

would mean the world to win the FA Cup. As a club and as a player you want to win titles, you want to win something and the FA Cup is big. “I’m not from England, but when I was young I always used to watch the FA Cup Final, it’s a big day and it would be a dream to play that game,” the Dutch international added.

Concern about Redknapp’s long term future at the club has dominated recent weeks, with the manager rated the odds on favorite to succeed Fabio Capello as England coach. Redknapp insists the speculation is not to blame for Spurs’ recent dip in form, but another defeat by a struggling Bolton team will only fuel suggestions it is proving a distraction. However, Wanderers manager Owen Coyle is convinced the two factors are unrelated and maintains Tottenham go into this quarter-final tie as favorites. “If you analyze the performances-as we do because we are playing against them-you realize Tottenham have been playing at a very high level,” Coyle said. “People are talking about how Spurs’ recent results haven’t been great but you have to look further than that. Their performances recently have been of a very high standard but they haven’t carried that little bit of luck.

“Tottenham against Manchester United were outstanding and at Goodison today there were spells when it was like the Alamo when they were looking to get the equalizer. —AFP

SATURDAY, MARCH 17, 2012

Sports

Spanish giants kept apart in UEFA draw

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MANCHESTER: Manchester City’s English defender Micah Richards (center) and Ivorian defender Kolo Toure (right) react to their defeat in the UEFA Europa League match between Manchester City and Sporting Lisbon at The Etihad Stadium. — AFP

Utd, City shown Europa exit door Three Spanish sides through to last eight MANCHESTER: The Manchester clubs’ wretched continental seasons ended on Thursday as outclassed United and battling City suffered contrasting Europa League last-16 exits to an exhilarating Athletic Bilbao and a fortunate Sporting respectively. While the failure of the Premier League title rivals to progress means the end of English representation, Spain has three sides in Friday’s draw for the quarter- and semi-finals with Atletico Madrid and Valencia joining Bilbao.

United and City had parachuted into the second-tier competition after group-stage exits from the Champions League and boasted much bigger resources than their conquerors. But the manner of the exits could not have been more different. United, who this time last year were well on their way to the Champions League final, were outplayed in both legs by Bilbao, losing 2-1 in Spain and 5-3 overall. City clawed their way back from 2-0 down on the night with three goals in the last half-hour to win 3-2 at home to Sporting but went out on away goals after a 3-3 aggregate result.

Their recovery at Eastlands was breathtaking

as two goals by Sergio Aguero and a Mario Balotelli penalty put them on the verge of a remarkable comeback. A fairytale ending was millimeters away when goalkeeper Joe Hart’s header whizzed just wide in the last minute of stoppage time after his opposite number Rui Patricio tipped it past the far post. In the end, first-half goals from Matias Fernandez and Ricky van Wolfswinkel were enough for Sporting after their 1-0 first-leg win as City were left contemplating the two very different performances they had given either side of the break.

“It was really a strange game,” defender Kolo Toure told ESPN. “I think we gave it (our) all. Joe had a great header at the end and it’s a very unlucky day for us.” Manager Roberto Mancini had been left angrily shaking his head when Balotelli, the villain of City’s departure at the same stage last season when he was sent off against Dynamo Kiev, needlessly gave away the free kick that led to the opener. But while Mancini said he was disappointed at yet another example of the Italian striker’s ill discipline, he did not blame him for the defeat this time. “It is

not his fault we lost this game, I’m the manager, it’s my fault,” he said. City’s verve was not mirrored by a poor United who were undone by a stunning first-half volley from Fernando Llorente and a deflected strike from Oscar de Marcos.

DAMAGE DONE United forward Wayne Rooney scored a superb 80th-minute consolation goal but the damage was already done as the enthusiasm and skill of La Liga’s seventh-placed side proved too much for the English champions. “I don’t think we can complain,” United manager Alex Ferguson told Channel Five television. “There are always lessons in every football match whether you win or lose.” “It’s the disappointment more than anything that we haven’t progressed in the Champions League and we’re out of the Europa League now.” While the two English clubs are left to give their undivided attention to domestic matters, the European adventure continues for others including Germany’s Hanover 96 who beat Standard Liege 4-0 for a 6-2 aggregate win.

AZ Alkmaar also progressed despite being

reduced to 10 men after two minutes when Nick Viergever was sent off and going two goals behind in the first quarter of an hour at Udinese.

The Dutch side pulled a goal back on the halfhour through Erik Falkenburg and missed a second-half penalty before losing 2-1 on the night and squeezing through 3-2 on aggregate.

Schalke 04 also made the quarter-finals having overhauled a first-leg deficit to beat Twente Enschede 4-1 on Thursday and 4-2 overall thanks to a hat-trick from Klaas-Jan Huntelaar.

It was also an exciting night in Greece where Metalist Kharkiv beat Olympiakos 2-1 to go through on away goals with a 2-2 aggregate draw. Metalist’s Marko Devic had missed a 78th minute penalty that looked like costing them the tie before making amends eight minutes later to grab the goal that put them through. Atletico Madrid had a much smoother ride in a 6-1 aggregate win over Besiktas after a 3-0 win in Turkey courtesy of goals from Adrian, Radamel Falcao and Eduardo Salvio. Fellow La Liga side Valencia drew 1-1 at PSV Eindhoven to go through 5-3 overall. — Reuters