20 Feb 2013

CR IP TI ON BS SU

www.kuwaittimes.net

NO: 15725

RABI ALTHANI 10, 1434 AH

Grillings delayed till next term amid protests

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WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2013

Court reinstates pro-opposition Al-Youm channel

By B Izzak KUWAIT: The National Assembly yesterday approved with a comfortable majority a government request to postpone the debate of two grilling of the ministers of communications and interior until the next term starting late October as the prime minister praised the decision as “wise”. Shiite MPs Hussein Al-Qallaf and Faisal AlDuwaisan, who filed the two grillings respectively, strongly protested against the government request and later against the Assembly’s decision, accusing MPs of being tools in the hands of the government.

The Assembly appears determined to vote to postpone two more grillings submitted on Monday against the ministers of oil and finance when their turn comes up for debate after two weeks. Veteran pro-government MP Khalaf Dumaitheer said the large number of grillings indicated some foul play against the Assembly and not to serve public interest. Qallaf alleges in his grilling that Communications Minister Salem Al-Othaina has com-

mitted a series of administrative violations regarding reinstating a number of senior employees involved in a variety of violations and who had been subjected to a probe.

Othaina however told the Assembly that he was not running away from facing the accusations and refuting them, but the country has suffered a lot because of political disputes until the Amir defused the situation by amending the electoral law. He and state minister for planning Rola Dashti stressed that submitting grillings in this way is not helpful to the stability and the productivity of the Assembly itself.

The two government requests were approved by around 40 MPs, including Cabinet ministers, and opposed by around 23 lawmakers with one abstention.

The Assembly did not set an exact date for the debate of the grillings in the next term. Under the law, the minister can request a delay of the grilling for two weeks and he will be granted that automatically but any Continued on Page 2

Saudi women take seats in Shura for first time RIYADH: Thirty Saudi women took seats in Saudi Arabia’s Shura Council, for the first time in the ultraconservative kingdom’s history, as they were sworn in before King Abdullah yesterday at his palace in Riyadh. The women took their seats in the same room with their 130 male colleagues and were sworn in collectively, state television said. “The development we are working at must be gradual,” King Abdullah said in a brief statement broadcast on state television. He recommended that the council show “realism” in its discussions and allow “reason to prevail in issues it

has to deal” with.

On Jan 11, the king appointed the women, which include university graduates, human rights activists and two princesses, to the body, also known as the Saudi Consultative Council. His decree marked a breakthrough in the kingdom that imposes stringent restrictions on women, who are banned from driving and denied the right to travel without the consent of a male guardian. The monarch took the decisions following consultations with religious leaders in Saudi Arabia, which applies a strict version of Islamic sharia law. — AFP (See Page 7)

King Abdullah

Max 25º Min 12º High Tide 08:57 & 18:20 Low Tide 02:03 & 12:40

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2013

LOCAL

Kuwait celebrates Sheikh Nawaf’s 7th anniversary as Crown Prince An exemplary faithful leader

Al-Zabin honoring Boubyan Bank

MGRP honors Boubyan Bank for best training plan for 2012 KUWAIT: Boubyan Bank continued to realize achievements by receiving awards and appreciations from state institutions as Boubyan ITQAN Academy was honored by Kuwait’s Manpower and Government Restructuring Program (MGRP) for the best training plan and specialized training and development programs for 2012 all over the private sector in Kuwait.

The honors were received by GM Human Resources Group of Boubyan Bank, Adel Al-Hammad at the ceremony organized under the auspices of Minister of State for Cabinet Affairs and Municipal Affairs, Sheikh Mohammed Abdullah Al-Mubarak, President of Civil Service Bureau, AbdulAziz Abdullah Al-Zabin, and Assistant Secretary General for Labor Affairs in MGRP, Fawzi Al-Majdali.

Commenting on his high-level appreciation, Al-Hammad said: “At Boubyan, we are really proud of this achievement made all over the private sector, especially that it is granted by an authority known for efficiency and striving to develop human resources and national cadres across all fields and sectors in pursuit of achieving development for our beloved Country.”

“Since starting the implementation of its new strategy in 2010, the Bank takes into account that developing and growing the capabilities and expertise of human resources should be the key pillar through which it can realize all objectives related to success of this strategy, indicating that the top executive management of the Bank regards this issue as a priority,” added AlHammad.

About ITQAN Academy which received this appreciation, Al-Hammad said: “The Academy represents a unique model, not only in Kuwait but throughout the whole region, as it seeks to develop young Kuwaiti cadres in cooperation with Gulf University for Science and Technology (GUST), accredited by University of Missouri at St. Louis (UMSL), with which agreement was made to act as “the Exclusive Academic Partner” for Boubyan Bank in Kuwait.

“Here, it is important to refer to the support we received from the Bank’s Management headed by the Chairman and MD Adel Al-Majed when since the Academy was just an idea at the beginning, such support which accelerated the pace of implementation and enabled us go in line with the schedule set to carry out the Academy project.”

Notable is that the Academy’s work is

based on transformation of the specialized banking training programs into academic credits accredited by American, international and local universities. Attending the Academy’s courses provides Boubyan staff with the opportunity to obtain a higher academic degree “MBA” after passing the pre-set curriculum of training courses and programs.

The Academy’s trainees satisfying certain conditions will be able to obtain 24 accredited credits of the MBA program at Gulf University for Science & Technology (GUST), representing 53% of the program’s total hours, which suit the basic work requirements in Boubyan Bank. In addition, trainees will be given the opportunity to complete the remaining accredited credits of the MBA program at GUST to obtain the certificate, in case they so desire.

Noteworthy is that Boubyan Bank has signed in early June 2012 an agreement for the establishment of ITQAN Academy in cooperation with GUST to act as a centre for developing the Bank’s human resources in an academic manner by providing latest specialized programs, administrative sciences, and programs accredited by international institutions, in correspondence with work environment in Boubyan Bank and in compliance with the Islamic Shari’ah.

The Academy provides the Bank’s staff with training opportunities throughout a whole year in many fields comprising specialized training programs in financial management, financial statements analysis, business administration, communication skills, human resources development, as well as advanced, distinguished programs in customer service and professional sales of banking products.

Boubyan Bank strives to be the employer of choice for branch managers by providing a work environment that encourages the development of young capabilities and gives opportunities for career development to skilled trainees in a carefully thought-out academic way under the supervision of a professional training team accredited by international institutions who participated in providing training courses to international companies in North America, Europe and GCC countries.

In addition, ITQAN Academy programs are based on Blended Learning Approach which includes training courses, on-job training, rotation among departments, guidance and instruction, e-learning and assessment centers.

Pay hike blamed for private sector exodus KUWAIT: The government has approved KD4 billion in total pay increases for public sector employees over the past eight years, which in turn resulted in exodus of Kuwaiti laborers from the private sector, a local newspaper reported yesterday quoting official statistics.

This was supported by other figures mentioned in the Civil Service Commission statistical report and obtained by AlQabas, which indicated that the number of public sector employees increased by 55% in eight years.

The statistics showed that the number of public sector employees reached 295,945 by the end of 2012, up from 163,942 recorded by the end of 2005. The

repor t estimated that the number of employees doubled in just four years “when taking into account the expected number of graduates of the Kuwait University and Public Authority for Applied Education and Training.”

Meanwhile, Secretary General of the Management and Government Restructuring Program Fawzi Al-Majdali revealed that the MGRP helped nearly 70,000 Kuwaitis find jobs in the private sector. On the other hand, Al-Majdali admitted that a large number of them have since shifted to the public sector following a spree of salar y hikes and allowances enforced over the past couple of years.

KUWAIT: The State of Kuwait celebrates today seventh anniversary of His Highness the Crown Prince ascending to the second top post. Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, the main supporter of HH the Amir, Sheikh Sabah AlAhmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, is renowned for his modesty and ardent belief that Kuwait, regardless of its small geographic size, will always rise to level of challenges, and its faithful people will remain behind the sagacious leadership.

Sheikh Nawaf’s seven years of giving dated back to Feb 20, 2006, when His Highness was sworn in as Heir Apparent at headquarters of the National Assembly, during which members of the Parliament declared allegiance to him unanimously. “I proudly bow to the majesty of this great country and its faithful and generous people under leadership of His Highness the Amir,” Sheikh Nawaf, a leader long known for his modesty declared during the ceremonial session. History witnesses that Kuwait, although small in size, has always succeeded in overcoming predicaments and obstacles, no matter how great they may be, thanks to His Almighty and the people standing in a single line behind the subsequent leaderships, His Highness said in front of legislators of the nation.

HH the Amir issued on Feb 7, 2007, an Amiri Order, naming HH Sheikh Nawaf as Heir Apparent, one of the country’s most qualified prominent personalities for the ranking position, meeting relevant terms stipulated in the National Constitution and the Constitutional Article 4 which stipulates: Kuwait is a hereditary Emirate, the succession to which shall be in the descendants of the late Mubarak Al-Sabah.

Sheikh Nawaf is a veteran leader having served for many years in leading posts in various departments, namely the ministries of interior and defense. Marks of his faithful efforts for development of the national security apparatuses remain noticeable till now.

On Feb 21, 1961, His Highness was named Governor of Hawally and continued to serve in the key position till 1978, when he was appointed minister of interior, and later in 1988, Sheikh Nawaf switched to the ministry of defense holding the ministerial post. Following the 1991 liberation of Kuwait, he was named minister of social affairs and labor. In October 1994, HH was chosen to serve as deputy chief of the National Guards, and retained the position till July 2003, when he was re-chosen to hold the interior portfolio. An Amiri Decree was issued at the time naming him as deputy prime minister too.

Sheikh Nawaf pursued the service in this post till 2006, when he was proclaimed the Heir Apparent.

Sheikh Nawaf ’s profile reveals his special devotion and personal attraction to the security sector, where he worked diligently and devoutly to upgrade it and lure the young citizens be enrolled for the service of the homeland, in line

KUWAIT: His Highness the Deputy Amir and Crown Prince Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber AlSabah receiving at Seif Palace yesterday Awwad Buzai’a Al-Khaldi, Bashaer Abdulwahid Al-Awadhi and Faisal Awwad Al-Khaldi, as they presented Sheikh Nawaf with an Islamic encyclopedia. with the policy of Kuwaitization. His efforts at this level extended to the realm of enhancing cooperation with the other member states of the GCC for sake of establishing a joint security system.

One of the major challenges that faced His Highness was in 1990, when troops of the ousted Iraqi regime of Saddam Hussein invaded and plundered Kuwait. HH Sheikh Nawaf, being minister of defense at the time, scrambled to pool national resources and able-bodied citizens to re-organize the military ranks, in preparation for the showdown to drive the aggressors out of the homeland. The past year, 2012, witnessed a long chain of activities by His Highness.

On January 18, he inaugurated Beit Abdullah Hospice, on behalf of HH the Amir. In April, Sheikh Nawaf patronized annual graduation of the 41th batch of Kuwait University students for the academic year 2010-2011. Addressing the freshly-graduated students, Sheikh Nawaf urged them to view knowledge as a pillar of the religion of Islam and a path for moderation.

In May, HH the Crown Prince attended a ceremony that marked the 30th anniversary of Zakat House. Moreover, the past year witnessed a series of other activities by His Highness, such as meetings with eminent local, foreign and Arab figures and delegations.

Sheikh Nawaf is not only an eminent witness of Kuwait’s modernization but also an active participant in its development and construction, affirmed the Minister of Information in a statement marking the seventh anniversary.

Life of HH Sheikh Nawaf depicts modern history of Kuwait, said Sheikh Salman Sabah Al-

Salem Al-Humoud Al-Sabah, also the Minister of State for Youth Affairs.

Sheikh Nawaf’s professional life coincided with the independence of the State of Kuwait.

Being named as Governor of Hawally in 1962, he succeeded in management of the governorate affairs and expanding it to turn into a vast province.

HH Sheikh Nawaf was a witness and participant in the renaissance of Kuwait in the early 60s, shouldering at the time responsibility of administrating many posts of the country’s key sectors of the state, said Sheikh Salman.

HH the Heir Apparent, who held sensitive posts including the chairmanship of the National Guard, was an exemplary faithful leader who devoted all his time and effort for silent work for sake of making tangible accomplishments that meet aspirations of the natives of Kuwait.

The minister, in his praise of the Crown Prince said, “His Highness the Crown Prince remains the great heart that bears preoccupations of the homeland and responsibility toward the natives, through his life, as a result of his strong attachment and affection to the national territory. “His long record and honorary history testifies that he is a successful and prominent leader .. He is not a conventional leader for he advocates sacrifices for preserving Kuwait’s security and stability and development.”

Sheikh Salman lauded, in particular, Sheikh Nawaf’s contributions to the development of the security apparatus for sake of protecting and safeguarding Kuwait’s security, independence and unity. — KUNA

Hotel industries in Mideast ‘affected’ by Arab Spring

By Ben Garcia KUWAIT: The continuing political struggles in some countries in the Arab world have adversely affected the hotel industry across the Middle East, though there are countries like Turkey which have nevertheless benefitted from the situation, an industry insider said.

Speaking to the Kuwait Times, Leonardo Baiocchi, Four Seasons Hotel (Istanbul) General Manager, said there was no doubt that the so called ‘Arab Spring’ has somewhat affected the hotel business in the Middle East and some countries in North Africa. However, he said the situation did create some real business opportunities in certain GCC countries and generated more visitors in neighboring nations, like Turkey.

“There has been a growing interest in Turkey as a destination. With due respect to some countries in the Arab world, Turkey has been benefiting from the crisis because of countries close to it like Syria badly affected by political developments. No business was happening in Syria while Egypt is slowly getting back on its feet and Lebanon, too, is shaky,” he said.

But he noted that Four Seasons in Amman (Jordan) and Riyadh (KSA) have been performing well and because of this fact, the expansion pro-

GRILLINGS DELAYED TILL...

Continued from Page 1 period beyond that must be approved by the Assembly through an open vote. Prime Minister HH Sheikh Jabr Al-Mubarak Al-Sabah thanked the Assembly for its “wise” decision and assured the house that the problem is not in debating the grillings but in its timing. A number of MPs have alleged that the large number of grillings indicated to a plot that will eventually lead to dissolving the Assembly and added that the grillings were being supervised by “influential people” who wanted to see the Assembly dissolved.

Former opposition MPs who boycotted the December election said that the grillings revealed a plan to dissolve the Assembly before the constitutional court issues its verdict over challenges filed against the controversial amendment to the electoral law. This, they added, would provide legitimacy to the amendment.

In other developments, the appeals court yesterday overturned a verdict by the lower court which confirmed a decision by the information

ministry to scrap the licence of the pro-opposition Al-Youm satellite channel. The channel ordered to go off the air immediately about two months ago after the information ministry cited administrative irregularities when the station ignored several deadlines to appoint a Kuwaiti manager for the station. The station had accused the information ministry of targeting the station to silence the opposition’s voice because it had supplied the necessary documents for the manager.

In another key development, the pro-opposition activist groups have called for a one-hour strike in all government offices tomorrow as the first practical action against the government, the parliamentary election and the amendment of the electoral constituency law that prompted the opposition to boycott the election.

In addition, former opposition MPs are scheduled to hold a press conference late today to shed light on the political situation in the country and their next course of action, especially the formation of an opposition coalition.

grams were currently underway in some countries in the GCC. He disclosed that the Four Seasons Hotel in Kuwait City was to open in another three years.

“Four Seasons Hotel in Kuwait City is under construction as we talk. We also have projects in Bahrain where, too, the hotel is under construction now, besides Doha and Jeddah in Saudi Arabia.” “Hotels in Abu Dhabi and Dubai are also under construction. So, the GCC countries are an important developing market that we believed we should not miss out on. We are adding more to our portfolio in the coming years. We have great hotels in many countries and we are an established and undisputed leader in the hotel business,” he opined.

“Kuwait market is important to us as we have several loyal clients here and found investors here who believe in our brand. We have partnered with a very good family (AlShaya Group). If we decide to open at a place, we tend to stay. I can cite the examples of our hotel in Damascus where, despite the crisis, believe it or not our hotel is still operational.

That is how committed we are to the hotel industry,” he added.

Baiocchi emphasized that there was more potential for five star hotels in Kuwait City regardless of the brand. “But it is not about the five star or four star hotels. The real challenge is to have the most respected professional staff just like we have that can provide the quality of service unique to Four Seasons Hotel.”

The presence of Kuwaitis in Istanbul has doubled over the last several years, according Baiocchi, since they are not only constant travelers but are also good investors.

With regard to keeping the environment green, Baiocchi said the Four Seasons Hotels all over the world have adopted environmentally friendly vehicles for their use.

“We have just signed an agreement with a French motor company to use electric cars in all our operations. We operate 100 percent electric cars now. If you come to our hotel in Istanbul, you will notice the cars lined up in our parking space being charged with electricity. We also signed an agreement with a local company in Istanbul to use a marine friendly detergent which is chemical free though more expensive but we want to help in keeping the environment clean and safer for all,” he said.

As far as the CSR was concerned, the hotel actively gives back to the community. “In 2013, we agreed to help an orphan in Turkey who needed our assistance. Besides this, we are actively supporting many social and non-governmental efforts to help and give back to the society in which we live,” said Baiocchi who is in Kuwait to promote Four Seasons Hotel but also visits their regular clients from Kuwait.

“We have a lot of Kuwaiti guests visiting us. I

Leonardo Baiocchi

am here to thank them. We are not just doing business; instead we are into building relationships over the years. It goes beyond a merely professional approach. I know some families whom I have been meeting since the time when they were four-year-old and are now 25. I have seen them growing up,” he said.

Though Baiocchi has travelled far and wide for Four Seasons in one capacity or another, he has always been involved in openings of hotel and resort addresses that bear his stamp in Asia, Europe and the Middle East.

“I have been lucky or unlucky, depending on how you look at it,” laughs Baiocchi about his history of getting properties off the ground.

“Either way, openings are vital to nurturing your hospitality career. They require bigger vision than already established hotels. And once the doors open, you have to keep that vision going to redo things as necessary.”

As an expat living abroad during the 1980s, Baiocchi was drawn to hotels simply because they were the place to meet people. He studied hospitality in the Swiss tradition and was snatched up right after graduation to work the front desk for the 1993 opening of Four Seasons Hotel Milano. “So I am pure,” he says with a laugh about his one-and-only-employer career. “In this company, they preach promotion from within. I am ‘exhibit A’ that it works.”

Among the many aspects about Istanbul that enthrall Baiocchi is the influence he sees of contemporary art and design on city’s ancient architecture. His own tastes gravitate towards contemporary African art, including a collection of 200 works from across the continent that he has pieced together, thanks to galleryhopping trips through Africa and the United States. “There is expression and colour in those works that are truly unique,” he says. “It reminds me a lot of where I am.”

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2013

LOCAL

Indonesian embassy opens upgraded consular section Ambassador sees rise in tourist numbers

By Sajeev K Peter

‘Cirque de Glace’ extravaganza for Gulf Bank employees KUWAIT: Gulf Bank employees recently got the chance to enjoy the world-renowned ‘Cirque de Glace’ show - compliments of Gulf Bank. The sellout award winning Russian show, which was touring for the first time in the Middle East, visited Kuwait for three days between Feb 6 and 9, performing at the Ice Skating rink in Kuwait City.

Gulf Bank gave its employees the opportunity to attend for free and enjoy the unique show as part of its ongoing employee engage-

ment program, which is designed to create a sense of unity and loyalty and encourage a stronger bond between the Bank and its employees.

The ‘Cirque de Glace’ show was an unforgettable experience, and all Gulf Bank employees who went enjoyed an evening to remember.

February is a festive month in Kuwait and the Bank felt that this was one way to engage employees with the month’s festivities.

HSBC supports blood drive KUWAIT: HSBC recently hosted a blood donation day and invited the staff and tenants of the Kharafi Building to take part in the event. The support for this event was very encouraging with a good number of staff and tenants who took the time to make donations.

“Blood donation features as a priority on the corporate sustainability calendar as one of the important community activities that our staff loyally support.

HSBC takes its role as a responsible corporate citizen very seriously and understands the importance of playing a positive role in the communities in which it serves,” said Simon Vaughan Johnson, CEO of HSBC in Kuwait.

This event coincides with the upcoming Kuwait National Day celebrations in support of initiatives of national importance.

A good number of staff from HSBC and tenants donated blood and boosted the Kuwait Blood Bank’s supply of all the blood groups. Donating blood is one the most important activities one can support as it is beneficial to both the donor and the receiver.

Ali Almahmeed, Head of Public Relations at the Kuwait Blood Bank stressed on the importance of blood donation as a compassionate cause which can save the lives of patients in need of blood, pointing out that anybody can be a donor.He expressed his gratitude to HSBC for the support of this initiative and for contributing to its succes.

NA turns down request to slow down procedures for Jaber bridge KUWAIT: The National Assembly yesterday turned down a written request by the chairman of the panel for investigating contracts of Jaber bridge and Al-Zor power station, MP Khalaf AlDumaitheer, who asked the parliament to address the minister of public works to delay any measure regarding the contract till the committee conclude its task.

The assembly also rejected another message by the chairman of the same panel, asking that the parliament address the ministry of electricity to delay any measures concerning Al-Zor station. It decided to adjourn a decision regarding resignation of MP Ahmad Al-Mulaifi as member

of the committee for protection of public funds till the next session, in line with a proposal by the Speaker Ali Al-Rashed, to give him some time to try dissuade al-Mulaifi from taking this step.

The parliament approved a request by the Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister, Mustafa Al-Shimali, to withdraw a request to seek hasty examination of of the bill for combating money laundering and terrorism financing due to lack of need for such a request after the chairperson of the committee of legal affairs pledged to refer the draft law to the next session. — KUNA

KUWAIT: Indonesian Embassy, Kuwait yesterday opened its upgraded citizen service section at its building in Kaifan offering speedy and transparent services to customers. Indonesian Ambassador Ferry Adamhar, accompanied by his spouse Eva Adamhar cut the ribbon to officially inaugurate the section in the presence of top embassy officials and a host of guests. “The system we have created here today will help us provide smooth and speedy consular services to our customers. It is technologically upgraded and transparent in order to provide fast and efficient service,” said the ambassador after the inauguration of the section.

There are around 17,000 Indonesian expatriates working in Kuwait. With the opening of the new center, the embassy will be able to process visa applications on the same day itself without any procedural hassles. The services will be provided on a first-come first-served basis. A manager will be exclusively in-charge of the section, who will be responsible for the smooth functioning of the center. “We perceive our embassy as a window to Indonesia. As such, Kuwaiti citizens who wish to use our services will be offered a VIP treatment at the embassy,” the ambassador added. The new consular section has taken into account the increasing demand for space in the embassy. The embassy has reversed the proportion of 60 percent for the staff and 40 percent for the customers to 40:60 ratio, earmarking more space for visitors in the newly created section in the basement of the embassy building.

Earlier, Embassy Second Secretary Afrian Asri, who is also the project manager, gave an overview of the new initiative in his welcome address. Vice-project manager Ahmad Ma’rufi and Kuwait Airways Area Manager M Zohar Hassan were among the others who attended the event. ‘Tumpeng rice’ - a dish of mountainshaped rice with vegetables, peanuts and meat an Indonesian traditional meal to celebrate an event, was also served to the guests during the occasion.

Talking to Kuwait Times after the inaugural ceremony, Adamhar said tourism arrivals from Kuwait to Indonesia have witnessed a remarkable rise in the last couple of years.

“Very surprisingly, tourism numbers from Kuwait to Indonesia recorded a 30 percent increase in 2011. We hope that the number will go up significantly in the coming years. This has been evident from the interest we have seen last year, especially during holiday seasons,” he said.

Indonesia is the world’s most expansive archipelago, stretching east to west almost 5,000 km from Sumatra to Irian Jaya, and north to south

KUWAIT: Indonesian Ambassador Ferry Adamhar, accompanied by his spouse Eva Adamhar cuts the ribbon to officially inaugurate the new citizen service section at the embassy.

“We don’t look at tourism as only a means of almost 1,800 km from the Sabah - Kalimantan border to Roti Island off Timor. There are official- boosting economy, but it also gives us an opporly 17,508 islands of which 6,000 are inhabited. tunity to develop better people-to-people interEach of its major islands like Sumatra, Borneo, action between Kuwaitis and Indonesians. We Jawa, Bali and Papua etc represents distinct cul- hope that tourism will help us take the relationtural identity, offering tourists a wide varieties of ship between the people of Indonesia and Kuwait to another level,” the ambassador said. attractions.

KUWAIT: Ambassador Ferry Adamhar hands over a plate of tumpeng rice to Afrian Asri during the ceremony. — Photos by Sajeev K Peter

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2013

LOCAL

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2013

LOCAL

Three-member gang in custody for mugging Asian Child molester arrested KUWAIT: A man and two teenagers were arrested in Sharq after they unsuccessfully tried to rob a pedestrian using a fake police ID. Police officers reached a mall in the area where a man reported three people attacking an Asian man and attempting to kidnap him. Police were able to arrest the three Kuwaiti youngsters before they could escape. The victim said the suspects stopped him and flashed an ID card in his face, asking him to produce his wallet. They attacked him when he refused. Police found a forged police ID with the adult, who was taken along with his two teenage accomplices to the proper authorities for further action.

Child molester A child molester was arrested in Hawally after the victim’s father beat him up. Police reported to a leisure park in the area where people had reporting witnessing a man beating a worker.

The man told officers that he bashed up the Bangladeshi worker after his 12-year-old daughter told him he had harassed her. The suspect was taken into custody to face charges. (Rai) Cabby thwarts harasser A man physically assaulted a taxi driver who confronted him when he harassed three women passengers in his cab. The Egyptian man was reportedly driving in Fahaheel with three customers when the suspect forced him to stop. The two engaged in a fight when the taxi driver refused to allow the suspect to come anywhere near the three women. The suspect escaped

after injuring the taxi driver who bled from the nose. Police were able to identify the suspect after the taxi driver provided the license plate number of his car. (Rai) 8-car pileup Five people were injured in an eight-car pileup reported on Monday at the Shuwaikh Bridge.

Several ambulances accompanied by police rushed to the scene immediately after the incident was reported. The injured, three women and two men, were taken to the Sabah Hospital with contusions. An investigation was opened.

50 people fight Several people were injured when a scuffle broke out recently in Jleeb Al-Shuyoukh.

According to the police report, the fight was triggered by some misunderstanding between two Egyptian nationals who hail from two neighboring towns in Upper Egypt, and later escalated when relatives of both joined in. Police had to intervene to bring the situation under control and officers arrested a number of the around 50 brawlers.

Smuggling thwarted Five people were arrested at the Doha Port for possessing expired medicines and counterfeit items that they were attempting to smuggle into Kuwait. They were caught following an extensive search conducted on the basis of information received in advance of the boat’s arrival. Police arrested five Iranian men onboard

who explained that the items, including fake and expired dentures, were bought from Iran by a man in Kuwait who planned to sell them to local dental clinics and pharmacies.

Investigations are ongoing.

Stolen gun A retired citizen told officers at the Zahra’a police station recently that his licensed weapon was stolen from his house in the area. The man gave officers the license of his firearm which he used to keep in his bedroom before someone stole it after sneaking his way in. Investigations are ongoing.

Motorcyclist hurt A motorcyclist was seriously injured in an accident in Salmiya and was hospitalized in a critical condition late Sunday night. The 24-yearold Kuwaiti was rushed to the Mubarak Hospital where he was diagnosed with severe head injuries and multiple fractures. He is currently recovering at the intensive care unit while police opened an investigation into the accident.

Infant hospitalized An infant was hospitalized with serious burn injuries after he was scalded by boiling hot water in Al-Nugra recently. The one-year-old Kuwaiti child was diagnosed with second degree burns at the Mubarak Hospital where she was admitted to the intensive care unit. An investigation was opened to determine the circumstances behind the incident.

KFAED brings water to 1.6m people in Istanbul ISTANBUL: It was through the contribution of Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development (KFAED) that the Greater Istanbul Water Supply (yesilcay System) Project was able to deliver water to some 1.6 million people out of Istanbul’s population of 16 million, an official told a Kuwaiti delegation here.

In remarks during a meeting with a delegation of Kuwaiti high achieving students on a visit organized for them by KFAED, official at the General Directorate of State Hydraulic Works Murat Alp said the fund shouldered 50 percent of the financing of the project. The fund pumped KD 42.3 million into water projects for Greater Istanbul virtue of agreements signed in 1993 and 1999.

Upon completion in 2003, this was Turkey’s biggest water project, but the increase in the Istanbul population made it necessary to seek another project, which was the Greater Melen Project, partly supported by Japanese financing, the official said. “The plan set in motion by the Turkish Government means there would be no shortage in water supply in the city by 2060, thanks to new technology employed to bring in water even from remote sources.”

In response to questions by the students on the

relationship between the two countries, Alp said, “our nations share strong and long-established bonds, tested and proven during the 1990 Iraqi invasion and occupation of Kuwait and again when agreements were signed in various fields, including those in the water resources and sanitation sector.”

The delegation went on a field trip to a site covered by the Yesilcay project 120 km from Istanbul, and they were given an introduction to and information on a reservoir of water which flows down from the mountains. Engineers responsible for parts of the projects explained some of its details. They also shed light on the operation system at the dam in the location which collects water that is later pumped through a 45kilometer pipeline to reach a treatment center, and then Istanbul.

One engineer said the daily average of water pumped in winter is 800,000 cubic meter, whereas Istanbul has demand of 2.4 million cubic meter.

Student Ahmad Al-Khzam said he felt great pride at the immense Kuwaiti development contributions, which vastly outweigh its actual geographical size. The Saleh Shehab High School student added KFAED plays a key and praiseworthy role in supporting development initiatives and

projects in the Arab World and beyond.

Al-Imam Malik High School student Mohammad Al-Qattan for his part said, “Seeing the extent and nature of projects financed by Kuwait abroad clearly reflects the great standing it now has among world peoples and nations.”

Fellow student from Al-Waha High School Faris Al-Shimmiri remarked the efforts of KFAED and other Kuwaiti institutions in supporting development in other countries reflect the nature of the Kuwaiti people and their belief in global development and global interaction.

In total, KFAED’s 12 loans to Turkey to date came to KD 106 million, starting with a loan in 1979.

Among the most important projects supported in Turkey recently were those related to reconstruction following quakes and natural disasters, with focus on improving infrastructure and systems connecting and serving the population across the City of Istanbul.

The Kuwaiti students are on a visit to Turkey part of the “Aim Higher” initiative organized by KFAED to encourage high schoolers to be more diligent with their study and to broaden their horizons and knowledge of their homeland’s contributions on an international scale. —KUNA

KUWAIT: The Commercial Bank of Kuwait took part in a cultural radio show on Radio 103.7 FM for the third week in a row. The event was part of the CBK’s ongoing Kuwait Heritage Campaign.

Woman sexually assaults minor girl

By Hanan Al-Saadoun KUWAIT: A minor girl complained to the police about a womanl of 26 years of age, accusing her of sexually assaulting her when she visited the older girl’s apartment in Salmiya. She claimed that her behavior was doubtful.

Couple held The Hawally patrol arrested a couple for having sex in the man’s car in the area. The two were identified as an Indian expat and a Bangladeshi girl, and sent to the concerned authorities.

Body found An Indian expat was found dead under the staircase of a building at

Jleeb Al-Shoyoukh. The body was sent to the medical examiner for further examination as it was suspected that he could have fallen while being under the influence of liquor or could have been killed and the body thrown there by someone.

Road accidents A road tanker hit the divider at the King Fahad Road and turned turtle, bringing the traffic on both sides of the road to a halt and thus causing a jam.

A 37-year-old Kuwaiti man died in a car accident in the early morning hours of Monday at the Abdally Road.

His companion in the car sustained serious injuries. The car turned turtle as a result of the collision.

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2013

LOCAL the column

Letter to Badrya

The Future of the Middle East

Strong message badrya_d@kuwaittimes.net Dear madam, I read each and every article of yours, and I must say that you write really well. Each article of yours has a strong message and I am sure that other readers would also be enjoying it as well. I am an expat who loves this country because I have been staying here though not for long. I really hope that Kuwait becomes even more prosperous and moves ahead in a smooth way financially and politically. You are doing a great job in making the officials and concerned authorities know the truth. As long as they are reading it, they will benefit.

Anyway, I hope you keep writing many more such great articles.

Murtaza

By Fouad Al-Obaid

fouad@kuwaittimes.net Twitter:@fouadalobaid

T

kuwait digest

Let us be realistic

By Dr Shamlan Al-Essa

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ran’s President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad declared Iran a nuclear state and rejected any demands outside the framework of the law. He said there was no turning back and added that there was no choice for the G (5+1) - the US, Britain, France, Russia, China and Germany - which is scheduled to hold its meeting on Feb 26 in Kazakhstan except for negotiations.

The superpowers are asking Iran to stop uranium enrichment because if enrichment reaches 90%, Iran can use it to produce a nuclear bomb.

Meanwhile, Iran is demanding that international sanctions be eased as a condition to limit its enrichment activity which was rejected by this power group.

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said last week that the international sanctions imposed on the oil sector in Iran cost Iran $40 billion out of export revenues in 2012.

US President Barak Obama said in his State of the Union address to the US Congress that he will prevent Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon.

What does Iran’s continuation of its nuclear program mean for the Arabian Gulf countries? Saudi Foreign Minster Prince Saud Al-Faisal said his country is against weapons of mass destruction proliferation the Middle East, stressing that Iran announced that it is following a peaceful policy in

Iran will not bow to Arab - Gulf demands. It has been able to trick the West all these years and the entire West and Russia are still negotiating with Iran to reach solutions regarding the nuclear problem but failed to make much headway despite international resolutions on economic embargo.

The oil embargo began few months ago costing the government more than $40 billion, but Iran did not bow to the strong West conditions. its program, and if that is not true, then it will be violating the law and several countries may follow the same path. He added that countries do not look for a solution with Iran but for a solution to keep the region free of nuclear weapons. He said Saudi Arabia backs this intention, adding that it is also the stand of Arab and Muslim countries as well as the United Nations and the Islamic Conference.

The question here is: how can the Arabian Gulf countries deal with the new situation in Iran in case it continues enrichment of uranium? No one disagrees that negotiations and dialogue with our neighbor Iran is the best way to remove obstacles and solve problems between the two sides. Many Arab - Iranian meetings have already happened, the latest of which was the Islamic Summit in Cairo but nothing materialized in any of those meetings.

Let us be realistic and practical. Iran will not bow to Arab - Gulf demands. It has been able to trick the West all these years and the entire West and Russia are still negotiating with Iran to reach solutions regarding the nuclear problem but failed to make much headway despite international resolutions on economic embargo. The oil embargo began few months ago costing the government more than $40 billion, but Iran did not bow to the strong West conditions. So why would Iran pay attention to Arabs or Muslim when they are weak and scattered and do not have a unified vision or a stand? We Arabs including the Gulf countries suffered a new and major insult inflicted by Iran when it proposed to include the situation in Syria and the Kingdom of Bahrain on the agenda of the international conference to be held at the end of this month. The GCC countries rejected Iran’s proposal, but that shows Iran’s potential to interfere in the internal policies of Arab countries, particularly in Syria, Iraq and Lebanon through Hezbollah, and in Gaza through Hamas. It also interferes in Yemen’s internal affairs in the form of large quantities of Iranian weapons heading to Yemen to encourage the Houthis to wage war against their own country. Iran interferes in local issues of Bahrain and other gulf countries by supporting some of the extremist political parties which support Iran’s religious policies. Finally, there are no realistic policies left for the gulf countries other than backing the international efforts that reject nuclear weapons in the region. — Al-Watan

kuwait digest

Educational Planning

By Dr Yaqoub Al-Sharrah

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lanning has become significant in people’s averted if long-term projects and programs had paid lives since it helps prepare for the future and attention to planning.

The education system was subjected to many avoid many problems that could otherwise happen as a result of rushed decisions. Given its fun- changes in the past few years which resulted in disdamental role in tasks carried out at the governmen- trust as the changes were not part of any well tal, institutional and individual levels, planning has thought out plan. I would not be exaggerating when become a field of study in universities where many I say that lack of educational planning in the past couple of decades is responsible for many negative are choosing to specialize in it.

Planning means formulating a strategy to deal aspects in Kuwait’s education system which includes deteriorating level of with an expected event. education. This situation While it is impossible to The education system was subjected is supported by the lack foresee the future, people have successfully been able to many changes in the past few years of a detailed governmental program for the eduto predict future events.

Planning has become an which resulted in distrust as the cational field based on integral par t in different changes were not par t of any well which the parliament can fields including education, thought out plan. I would not be exag- assess development of education domain. Every economy, politics, security, culture and environment, gerating when I say that lack of edu- plan must be based on where many studies indi- cational planning in the past couple of some theory and praccate that it plays a key role decades is responsible for many nega- tice. A flaw in any of these would mean that in achieving development.

I wrote this prologue to tive aspects in Kuwaitís education sys- the system did not protalk about the lack of plan- tem which includes deteriorating level vide suitable criteria to hold the respective state ning in Kuwait’s education of education. official accountable. The system. Planning played a lack of educational planpivotal role in education during the 1970s and through mid-1980s when the ning has also been found as the reason behind the Ministry of Education worked with the state’s plan- waste of millions in funds which were spent without ning department to come up with educational proj- any assessment mechanism to balance the expenses ects aimed at improving the quality of education and outcomes of any educational process. The minfirsthand. The ministry accordingly followed a pro- istry is still focusing on quantity, namely the number gram in tune with the state’s development plan, and of schools, teachers etc. required but has no plans to decided its priorities freely and without any major rationalize spending or identify the areas where the obstacles. There were no individual decisions or money spent failed to achieve results. Without plans interventions in that era to suddenly jolt the execu- that take into account both the quantity and quality equally, we cannot have proper long-term education of any education related programs.

The story is different today when planning has no tional planning. Reconsidering the educational planrole in the education field. This is evident from the ning department requires looking for fundamental recurrent problems and the continuous attempts to change in the administrative structure and work resolve these when, in fact, these could have been mechanism. — Al-Rai

hings never remain constant. The laws of physics seem to indicate that even the hardest of metals is merely electrons and protons flying in a microcosm! Our region has seen much. Two years have passed since the overthrow of the ex-Pharaoh of Egypt only to be replaced by the ‘democratically’ elected theocratic new semi-Mullah! For those that remember an air of 1979 Tehran might be in the making, just as much as a veering towards an ‘Erodoganian’ Istanbul could transform the outcome. Though change did take place in one shape or form in all of the Arab countries. The result of the initial stage of massive popular contestation movements has had a limited effect on the way life goes on for a majority of disillusioned Arabs.

It would be wise to question whether we are the cursed nation, for despite a minor abnormality several centuries ago, we are falling down towards the pit of civilizations. No longer are we valuable to a rapidly changing world. The best we seem to be able to provide is natural resources for export, and then through the currency earned by the initial transaction, we afford to bring ‘experts’ to help clear the mess our countries are in!

Whatever imports we become proud of are mere fallacies for they are a double insult as we are barely able to manufacture meaningful products locally.

In effect our economies and well being are largely the product of a historic ‘accident’ our barren lands ‘foreigners’ discovered last century has enormous wealth, and ever since have meddled into our affairs for better or worse. In a neo-colonial subtle manner they are controlling the show this century just as much as they did last.

The only difference is that last century the domination was military in nature, this one it’s economic.

I have heard many Arabs claim that it is the ‘West’ that stole our ‘knowledge’, which ironically we ‘stole’ from the Greeks! To such baseless claim I counter, go and ‘steal’ knowledge and then apply it in advanced research, and develop new ideas, theories, studies, products, and come add to the enlightenment effort which is much needed.

How much longer will we collectively tolerate the despair much of the region is crumbling under? When will we turn ‘alms’ into successful investment opportunities? When will we take it upon ourselves to make each day worth living, and thriving in? It is a century in its dawn.

Let us collectively envision that by the time we reach the end of this century, we will have a new legacy of Pax Arabia, a fertile land that stretches from the mountains of the Atlas, to the shores of the Indian Ocean. Let us revive the spirit of learning and not merely education.

Let we create beacons of enlightenment and may we spread the light of knowledge to the remotest village so as to fulfill an aspiration of a civilization looking for its rightful place amongst the council of nations. It is up to us to make the Arab nation one that is to be reckoned with, as opposed to the one that is at the mercy and whim of the Western world.

In my view

Invest to serve all

kuwait digest

Change your activities

By Abdullatif Al-Duaij

By Labeed Abdal

A

All of it is not important now as it will not change ll the so-called political groups in Kuwait have limited their activity in the parliament. anything. But what will change something is that Religious groups, for example, are carrying out these groups make amends and go back to do genercertain social activities which in the most part have al political work among the people and through othturned into fundraising for other activities, yet these er social institutions other than the parliament. Of have remained limited or nominal so to speak. In fact, course, it does not mean that the activity should be these activities have also been closely linked to the limited to protests and gatherings that the governparliament as religious groups have become depend- ment can easily suppress on the pretext that they are ent on MPs to maintain their position and continue illegal. In any case, the rebellious nature of such to raise religion-oriented topics. Nationalist groups protests makes people shun them. If demonstrations have almost no activity outside the parliament, are deemed necessary, they must be combined with some ‘positive’ activity in except for holding an which the political groups occasional seminar or releasing a statement Boycotting the elections did not can explain their visions and programs. which cannot be considturn out to be in favour of these political People have grown tired ered a real political activigroups because life goes on and noth- of claims of corruption and ty or a game changer.

After these groups vol- ing can stop the governmental work. theft of public funds, and of negative speeches and untarily chose to boycott The persistent claims that 60 percent the incessant criticism and talk the last elections, they lost their relevance and of the voters boycotted the elections of rejection. People need even their political exis- did not help. The fact of the matter is solutions to their problems They want a solutence. Now they are actthat these 60 percent - or 46 percent instead. tion to the traffic problem, a ing to pull themselves out of the crisis and return to as per those who are more specific - solution to unemployment, the spotlight by pretend- did not vote, did not prove that they and honest effor ts to education. They ing that the country was actually ‘boycotted’ the elections. improve want their housing problem going through a crisis and are calling for reconcilia- There is a difference between not vot- to be addressed socially and tion to avoid this fate. ing and heeding a call for boycotting not architecturally.

They want to understand Boycotting the electhe election. why expatriate labor forces tions did not turn out to continue to increase, and be in favour of these groups because life goes on and nothing can stop why they have to resort to wasta (unlawful mediathe governmental work. The persistent claims that 60 tion) in a modern state ruled by law. They are not percent of the voters boycotted the elections did not really concerned about alleged tampering in tenders help. The fact of the matter is that these 60 percent - and thefts in state projects, as much as they are conor 46 percent as per those who are more specific - did cerned about bad food stuff sold blatantly and lack not vote, did not prove that they actually ‘boycotted’ of security in the country.

In a nutshell, corruption and theft of public funds the elections. There is a difference between not voting and heeding a call for boycotting the election. are slogans that can increase the stock of a candidate The political groups which boycotted the elections like Musallam Al-Barrak, but they sure can never insisted on ignoring this difference and claimed all make a political group take the lead or earn it the people’s respect. — Al-Qabas the absent voters in their favor.

labeed@kuwaittimes.net

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he proposal to grant KD 5,000 to every Kuwaiti after a number of Kuwaiti MPs co-authored a bill calling upon the government to grant that amount to all citizens in addition to KD 300 per month to every unemployed Kuwaiti woman has run into a controversy with many people opposing it. We certainly need a responsible and active Parliament that can exercise its legislative powers, which was its original role, and not comprise its efficacy in issuing new productive legislation and monitoring the performance of the government.

There are other vital issues facing the Kuwaiti society which are more important than pleasing the voters with such shenanigans and making them even more dependent on the state.

Truly, there are pending issues like the development plan’s stages that are worth of billions of dollars. Nationals and expats who are well wishers of Kuwait are waiting to see a more modern country, ready to compete with others and achieve things on the ground.

Kuwait is blessed with patriotic Kuwaitis and well-meaning expats who deserve to experience such a transformation.

They do not want the shrill voices of some of the MPs who are merely looking for some short term benefits to score some brownie points and cater to vote bank politics.

I would love to see them becoming alarmed as wake up calls jolt them into seeing what is good for the people, like granting shares of public investment companies or selling shares in development projects to the people.

All efforts must be directed to serve the interest of the people, which means any funds that are planned to be spent must be spent to serve the interests of Kuwait as a whole, not some isolated groups of voters.

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2013

Author slams ‘plastic’ Kate

India, UK to cooperate in probing copter deal Page 11

Page 9

Saudi king swears in 1st women members of council

RIYADH: Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdallah Bin Aziz is pictured while Speaker, members of Majlis Al-Shura take oath of office.—SPA RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s King Abdullah yesterday swore in the country’s first female members of the Shura Council, an appointed body that advises on new laws, in a move that has riled conservative clerics in the Islamic monarchy. Abdullah, who has not been seen on television since shortly after a back operation in November, was shown on state media sitting in a palace chamber to give a short speech as he swore in the new council members.

King Abdullah is seen as having pushed to cautiously advance the role of women in Saudi society. The health of the king, who turns 90 this year, is closely watched in the world’s top oil exporter because he has the final say on policy. Major speeches in recent months have been made on Abdullah’s behalf by his heir, Crown Prince Salman. State media have also listed Salman as chairing the weekly cabinet sessions in place of the king.

“Your place in the Shura Council is not as those who have been honoured, but as those who have been charged with a duty, as you represent part of society,” he said, addressing the new women members. One fifth of the new Shura Council are women. The decision to appoint women to the body, which functions in place of an elected parliament, was announced in 2011 but their names were only made public last month.

The Shura Council is remodelling parts of its chamber to ensure strict gender segregation between members. Saudi Arabia’s government is entirely appointed by the king, who is also prime minister. The country’s only elections are for half the seats on municipal councils that have few powers. Women will also have the right to vote and stand for office in the next municipal ballot, Abdullah said in 2011. The decision to appoint women to the Shura Council prompted a protest by dozens of conservative clerics outside the royal court in January. They complained that the move, and other reforms aimed at making it easier for women to work, went against sharia law. In the ultra-conservative kingdom, women are banned from driving and need the consent of a male “guardian” to work, travel abroad or open a bank account. —Reuters

million-dollar diamond heist BRUSSELS: Heavily armed robbers disguised as police made off with $50 million worth of diamonds in a spectacular heist on the tarmac at Brussels airport, prosecutors and diamond dealers said Tuesday. The Monday night robbery at Zaventem airport just before 8:00 pm (1900 GMT ) was “one of the biggest” ever, said a spokeswoman for the Antwerp World Diamond Centre (AWDC), the global dealers’ syndicate. The Brussels raid saw a gang of eight hooded thieves pull up on the runway in two black vehicles with blue police-like markings, Brussels prosecutors’ spokeswoman Anja Bijnens told a press conference. They forced their way through security barriers and sped towards a Swiss passenger aircraft about to take off, forcing open the cargo hold to reach gems rough and cut-that had already been loaded, she said. Bijnens said the thieves were wearing police uniforms and carrying machine guns, adding: “They wanted to pass themselves off as cops.”

They seized at least 120 packages, which was only part of the shipment, she said. The pilot, co-pilot and staff from a Brink’s armoured car that transported the gems were held up but “no shots were fired and no-one was injured,” Bijnens said of a robbery that was over “within minutes.” She said the thieves made off at high speed through the same gap in the security cordon they had opened in front of unsuspecting ground staff and travellers, adding that the passengers on board the plane “saw nothing” and that the aircraft, bound for Zurich, did not leave Brussels.

The Swiss air company said the flight was a regular route operated by its partner Helvetic Airways. According to the AWDC, the global diamond business is worth more than $60 billion each year. Some $200 million worth of stones move in and out of Antwerp every day, the spokeswoman added. The diamond community was “shocked by the brutal heist,” said Caroline De Wolf of the AWDC in a subsequent statement. She said traders want “additional security measures” implemented at the airport.

In February 2005, some 75 million euros worth of diamonds and jewels being shipped to Antwerp were stolen in a KLM vehicle at Amsterdam’s Schiphol airport. But the record for a theft of diamonds was in Belgium, in February 2003, when 100 million euros worth of stones were nabbed from the vault of the Antwerp Diamond Centre. Asked to comment, Brussels airport spokesman Jan Van der Cruysse said: “There are very clear and very strict international security standards and we stick strictly to them.” Neither the prosecutor’s office nor the AWDC official would give any details as to whom the shipment belonged. The prosecutor’s office said the packages contained mainly diamonds. The AWDC said the haul was worth $50 million dollars. One of the vehicles was found afterwards completely burnt out near the airport, the spokeswoman for the prosecutor’s office said.— AFP

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2013

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

Turkish police target leftists

SYDNEY: This file photo shows Australian newspapers leading their front pages in Australia with the story of Ben Zygier after Israel confirmed it jailed a foreigner in solitary confinement on security grounds who later committed suicide. — AFP

Spotlight on Mossad after mystery prisoner’s death JERUSALEM: The mysterious arrest and suicide of an Australian-Israeli with Mossad ties in a top-secret prison cell near Tel Aviv has raised questions about how Israel’s shadowy spy outfit chooses its agents.

While some reports suggested the man now identified as Ben Zygier may have been a loose-lipped braggart with psychological problems, a veteran Israeli defence analyst dismissed the claims, saying it would have shown up clearly in the agency’s exhaustive vetting procedures.

Australia’s ABC which broke the story of his identity last week, said Zygier had worked for Mossad until he was arrested in early 2010 for reasons which remain a mystery, and was thrown into an isolated highsecurity cell in Ayalon prison where he was found hanged 10 months later. Although Israel confirmed the death of a dual national in prison in December 2010, it has refused to comment on his involvement with Mossad nor said anything about why he was arrested, key details which remain subject to a court-ordered blackout in the name of national security.

But last week, a human rights lawyer who met Zygier just days before he died, confirmed his contact at the prison was a Mossad agent. And on Sunday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned that exposing intelligence activities could “badly damage” state security in what appeared to be the closest admission yet of the prisoner’s links to Mossad. Australian journalist Jason Koutsoukis, who interviewed Zygier several times in early 2010 said the Melbourne-raised lawyer had vehemently denied spying. But a friend who knew Zygier from his days living on a kibbutz told Haaretz newspaper the young Australian had “bragged about his work for the Mossad.”

Another friend quoted by the paper said Zygier told him about a traumatic experience providing security backup for Israeli intelligence operatives in Lebanon.

“Ben... told me that he had been compelled to kill a boy and girl while providing security for an operation in Lebanon. He told me he was hospitalised for a month with shell shock,” he said. “It astounds me if that could really happen. If so, how did they recruit him into the Mossad?” he wondered. “Israel does not recruit someone who says he’s in Mossad. If someone says he’s Mossad, he’d be fired,” said another Israeli friend who knew the Zygier family. Intelligence and

defence expert Yossi Melman told AFP that any flaws in Zygier ’s character would almost certainly have been known to his employers. “The vetting is very, very, very rigorous,” he said.

“It can take a year before someone is recruited, just to begin as a cadet. You undergo psychological screening and psychometric exams and you talk to psychologists, you are interviewed, then you are given some sort of tests in the field,” he said. “If (Zygier) had any past problems... I am sure that Mossad knew about it,” said Melman, whose book “Spies Against Armageddon” looks at Mossad operations targeting Iranian nuclear scientists. According to the latest report by ABC published on Monday, Zygier was arrested by his Mossad handlers after leaking detailed information about his work to the Australian intelligence services.

It said Zygier had given the Australians a comprehensive account of a number of Mossad operations, including plans plans for a top-secret mission in Italy that had been years in the making. Zygier, who also went by several other surnames-Alon, Allen and Burrowes was reportedly one of three Australian Jews working for Mossad who changed their names several times to take out new passports, enabling them to travel to Middle Eastern countries where Israelis cannot enter. It said he was involved in setting up a Europe-based communications company for Mossad that exported electronic components to Iran and to other Arab countries, working alongside two other Australian-Israelis also employed by the spy agency.

But the alarms went off at Mossad after it uncovered his contact with the Australian spy agency, ASIO, ABC said. Zygier’s sudden arrest in February 2010 took place shortly after Dubai police accused Mossad of being behind a January hit on a top Hamas militant and said it was seeking more than a dozen suspects with Western passportsfour of them Australian. “Whatever he did, he did something that compromised the organisation and compromised maybe some field operation, maybe he even compromised some field agents, I don’t know,” Melman said, basing his assessment on information published abroad. To his understanding, Zygier would only have been a relatively minor cog in the Israeli intelligence machine. “He didn’t have a serious job, that’s clear for me,” he said. “I think he served for a couple of years.” — AFP

I Coast’s Gbagbo in Hague court over poll violence THE HAGUE: Hundreds of supporters of former Ivory Coast leader Laurent Gbagbo protested outside the International Criminal Court yesterday as he appeared for a hearing on whether he should face trial for crimes against humanity. Gbagbo is accused of plunging his country into civil war after 2010 elections rather than relinquishing his grip on power. He is the only ex-head of state to appear in the Court, whose credibility is at stake after a string of collapsed cases. Underlining the tensions which still plague the West African country, Dutch police on horseback held back some 300 Ivorian supporters protesting outside the court building to demand that the charges that he directed mass killings and rape be dropped.

“He’s not a dictator,” said one supporter who called himself Babadwe. “Gbagbo loves his people and his people love him.

Have you ever heard of a president who kills his people and then have his people love him?” His lawyers accuse the court of political bias in favour of his successor, Alassane Ouattara, a former IMF official who has sought to kickstart the economy of the world’s top cocoa grower and of the country that was once West Africa’s commercial hub.

Gbagbo, a 67-year-old former history professor, was dressed in a sober business suit. He was was alert but largely expressionless as he watched proceedings from a seat at the back of the court and is not due to speak until late next week. The sessions have been spread over several days to take account of his health, which his lawyers say was weakened by months of detention in

Ivory Coast before his transfer to the Hague court in November 2011.

Ouattara’s government said it would have been impossible to have held a fair trial of Gbagbo in Ivory Coast and feared it could have triggered fresh bouts of violence, an argument which Gbagbo’s lawyers reject. “If the chamber declares this case admissible there would be a risk of saying this will be a court of convenience, pliant to the will of local leaders as it is today with Ivory Coast,” said Dov Jacobs, a lawyer for Gbagbo.

The hearing is crucial for the Court’s own prosecutors, who will seek to convince judges that Gbagbo has a case to answer after a string of high-profile failures. They must prove that Gbagbo ordered his forces to commit murders, rapes and other human rights during violence in which some 3,000 people died in a four-month civil war that uprooted a million people from their homes. Late last year Congolese warlord Mathieu Ngudjolo Chui was acquitted in the court’s second ever verdict, and prosecutors have failed to make charges stick against four other African suspects.

Gbagbo says he was leading government resistance against what he describes as Ouattara’s foreign-backed northern rebellion. Ouattara saw himself as the champion of excluded northerners who suffered under Gbagbo’s southern government. The conflict came to an end only after Gbagbo was arrested by forces loyal to Ouattara, with the help of French troops, prompting Gbagbo’s supporters to argue that he is the victim of post-colonial meddling.—Reuters

ISTANBUL: Police arrested more than 100 people including union officials in raids across Turkey yesterday targeting a militant leftist group behind a suicide bomb attack on the US embassy. Turkey is an important US ally in the Middle East with common interests ranging from energy security to counter-terrorism. Leftist groups strongly oppose what they see as imperialist US influence over their country.

Yesterday’s raids unfolded after a member of the Revolutionary People’s Liberation Party-Front (DHKP-C) blew himself up at an entrance of the US embassy in Ankara on Feb 1, killing a Turkish security guard. The DHKP-C, virulently anti-American and listed as a terrorist organisation by the United States and Turkey, has staged a series of deadly attacks on police stations over the last six months.

Police issued arrest warrants for 167 people in 28 provinces across Turkey and by midday detained more than 100 people, among them Akman Simsek, a senior official from public workers union confederation KESK, state -run Anatolian news agency reported.

KESK, a leftist trade union group, demanded the release of their detained members, blaming the raids on an “empire of fear” created by the Islamist-rooted AK Party of Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan.

“According to information obtained by our confederation, more than 100 people have been detained,” KESK said. It did not say how many of those detained were members of the union. “We will stand up against the fascist policies of the AKP government and will not bow down in front of the masters oppression and tyranny,” it said.

“Long live our struggle!” It said 59

of its leaders and members had previously been detained over the last year due to their union activities.

US “puppet” Anti-terror police arrested 15 people in the western coastal province of Izmir and two other provinces in operations targeting a group called the Revolutionary Civil Servant Movement, believed to be linked to the DHKP-C, Anatolian said. Police searched Simsek’s offices in the capital Ankara and Antalya and seized a computer hard disc and documents. Around half of the total were detained in

Istanbul with the others scattered around provinces from the whole of Turkey, including the northwestern province of Tekirdag, where police detained a local official of a teachers’ union, Anatolian said.

Turkish police have carried out a series of major operations in recent years targeting secularists, military officers, Kurds and leftists on charges of terrorist activities.

Opposition groups accuse Erdogan of using those investigations for a broader, authoritarian crackdown on dissent. This month’s attack on the US embassy followed the detention of dozens of people in raids targeting people linked to the

DHKP-C in January.

In a statement claiming responsibility for the attack, the DHKP-C accused Washington of using Turkey as its “slave”, describing Erdogan as a US “puppet” and warning that he too was now a target. A photograph accompanying that statement had shown the bomber, Ecevit Sanli, wearing a black beret and military-style clothes and with an explosives belt around his waist. The DHKP-C also called on Washington to remove Patriot missiles deployed on Turkish soil to protect NATO member Turkey against a spillover of the war in neighbouring Syria. —Reuters

ANKARA: Turkish police stand guard yesterday in Ankara during a raid on the headquarters of the Confederation of Public Workers’ Union (KESK) union. — AFP

Iraq wants rehabilitated Iran ‘terror group’ out BAGHDAD: An Iranian exile group attacked in Iraq this month has moved from terrorism lists to international good graces, but Baghdad wants it out over its opposition to Iran’s rulers and ties to Saddam Hussein. On February 9, mortar rounds and rockets slammed into Camp Liberty, a former US military base near Baghdad that now houses some 3,000 members of the People’s Mujahedeen Organisation of Iran (PMOI), killing five people, according to Iraqi security officials.

The attack triggered condemnation from the United States and United Nations, but in Iraq officials are eager to see the group depart. The PMOI’s “presence in Iraq is illegal and illegitimate,” Ali Mussawi, Prime Minister Nuri AlMaliki’s spokesman, told AFP. “Their presence is rejected.”

Iraqi political analyst Ihsan Al-Shammari said the “nature of the relationship between the (Iraqi) Shiite political powers and Iran,” Baghdad’s Shiite neighbour to the east with which it has close ties, is a key factor in Iraq’s insistence on the PMOI’s ouster.

Shammari also noted other factors including the PMOI’s links to executed dictator Saddam, under whose rule Iraq’s now-empowered Shiite majority was oppressed. Saddam allowed the PMOI to establish a base called Camp Ashraf northeast of Baghdad after he launched the 1980-88 war with Iran, in which the group

fought alongside his forces. According to the US State Department, Saddam armed the group with “heavy military equipment and deployed thousands of (PMOI) fighters in suicidal, mass wave attacks against Iranian forces” near the end of the war.

Following the 2003 US-led invasion of Iraq, the PMOI turned over “2,000 tanks, armoured personnel carriers, and heavy artillery,” the State Department said. The group was also allegedly involved in Saddam’s violent suppression of 1991 Shiite and Kurdish uprisings in Iraq. “The former regime used (the PMOI) to carry out repression” in Iraq, said Dr Adnan Al-Saraj, who has written books about the group.

Saddam gave the PMOI four bases in Iraq, buildings in central Baghdad and other perks including Iraqi passports and free petrol, Saraj said. Almost all PMOI members in Iraq have moved to Camp Liberty from Camp Ashraf, the last of their bases, as part of a UN-backed process that aims to see them resettled outside the country. But after this month’s attack, the PMOI complained about the slow pace of the process, which has dragged on as few countries have come forward with concrete offers of resettlement. The PMOI has not taken the move from Camp Ashraf, where some members have lived for decades, quietly, alleging Baghdad is acting at Tehran’s behest.

It has also criticised the UN’s assertion that the camp meets minimum humanitarian standards and complained about a variety of alleged shortcomings including restrictions on using forklift trucks, which it said amounted to “torture”.

While not accepted in Iraq, the PMOI has made strides internationally. The group, which was founded in the 1960s to oppose the shah of Iran but took up arms against the country’s new clerical rulers after the 1979 Islamic revolution, successfully campaigned for its removal from US and EU terrorism lists.The PMOI said it renounced violence in 2001 after carrying out attacks in Iran and elsewhere for decades. It now issues deluges of statements to the media and has enlisted wellknown western politicians and officials as advocates. The language of the official US condemnation of the attack on Camp Liberty also indicates the progress made by the PMOI, which was listed as a “terrorist organisation” by Washington until last year and by the EU until 2009. The US State Department condemned it as a “terrorist attack,” and also referred to the attack as a “tragedy”.

Although the PMOI has gained international acceptance, Karim Sadjadpour, an Iran expert and senior associate with the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, said the same is not true within Iran. “They’re widely viewed as a backward and intolerant cult by their opposition peers in Iran,” Sadjadpour said. — AFP

Mortars land near Syrian presidential palace DAMASCUS: Two mortars exploded near one of Syrian President Bashar Assad’s palaces in Damascus yesterday but caused only material damage, Syria’s state news service said. The attack was the first confirmed strike close to a presidential palace and another sign that the civil war is seeping into areas once considered safe and reaching closer to the heart of Assad’s seat of power in the capital. The news service, SANA, said “terrorists” fired the rounds that struck near the southern wall of the Tishreen palace in the capital’s northwestern Muhajireen district. The government rebels to antigovernment fighters as “terrorists.”

No casualties were reported and it was unclear whether Assad was in the palace. He has two others in the city. Assad often uses the Tishrin palace to receive dignitaries and as a guest house for foreign officials during their visits to Syria. His two other palaces are the People’s Palace on Qasioun mountain overlooking the capital and Rawda palace in the central neighborhood of Abu

Rummaneh.

For security reasons, Assad movements are shrouded in secrecy and it is unclear how much time he spends in any of the palaces. His public appearances have grown increasingly infrequent as the civil war has spread. The Syrian capital has largely been spared the violence that has left other Syrian cities in ruins. For weeks, however, rebels who have established footholds in the suburbs have been pushing closer to the heart of the city from the eastern and southern outskirts, clashing with government forces.

Rebels have claimed to fire rockets at the presidential palaces before, but yesterday’s strike was the first confirmed by the government. In the northern city of Aleppo, a Syrian missile strike leveled a stretch of buildings and killed at least 19 people, leaving residents combing through the rubble to find those trapped beneath it, antiregime activists said yesterday. The strike was the latest salvo in a fierce and bloody 7-month battle

ALEPPO: This citizen journalism image shows a Syrian man carrying a child’s body in the aftermath of a strike by Syrian government, in the neighborhood of Jabal Bedro yesterday. — AP

for Syria’s largest city and economic center, a key prize in the civil war.

Rebels have slowly expanded their control over parts of Aleppo since first storming it last summer.

The city is now divided between rebel- and regime-controlled zones. Rebel forces have been trying for weeks to capture the city’s international airport and two military airbases nearby, while the government is bringing in reinforcements from areas it still controls further south and regularly bombing rebel areas from the air.

The Britain-based activist group the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said 31 people were confirmed dead in the attack late Monday night, including 14 children and five women. The activist Aleppo Media Center said more than 40 were killed and published the names of 21 off them on its Facebook page. There was no way to reconcile the differing tolls.

Both groups said the strike appeared to be from a ground-to-ground missile. The Syrian government did not comment. Activist Mohammed alKhatib of the AMC said via Skype that the death toll could rise further as residents search the site for more bodies. “There are still many martyrs under the rubble. There are still lots of people missing from the area,” he said.

He said the strike appeared to be from a large ground-to-ground missile because of the scale of the destruction and because residents did not report hearing a fighter jet, as they usually do during airstrikes. Videos posted online showed scores of men searching the destroyed buildings in the poor Jabal Badro neighborhood for the dead and wounded. One man swung a sledgehammer to break through concrete while a bulldozer hauled off rubble. In another video, a man covered in grey dust struggled under pile of concrete.

The videos appeared authentic and corresponded with other Associated Press reporting. Although President Bashar Assad’s forces regularly shell and launch airstrikes on areas held by anti-government rebels, their use of large missiles has been limited.

In December, US and NATO officials confirmed rebel reports that Syrian forces had fired Scud missiles at rebel areas in northern Syria. That was the last confirmed use of such weapons.— AP

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2013

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

2 spoilers who could hold key to Italian elections ROME: Italy’s general election this weekend could hang on the few votes won by two distinct outsiders: one an eccentric journalist with a penchant for pink waistcoats, the other an unshaven former anti-mafia prosecutor. The first is the elaborately moustachioed Oscar Giannino, whose radical free-market campaign is chipping away at suppor t for Silvio Berlusconi and could determine whether the former prime minister wins in the battleground region of Lombardy.

The second is Antonio Ingroia, who has set up a par ty called “Civic Revolution” with traditionally leftist and anti-corruption slogans that are winning over voters disillusioned with the mainstream. “We’re the only real left-wing,” the 53-year-old Ingroia said in one recent interview. He said the prospect of an alliance between the Democratic Party and outgoing Prime Minister Mario Monti would be “a mortal embrace”. “They accuse me of mak ing the left lose but I ask: ‘What left?’”Ingroia’s party is only polling at around 4.2 percent on a national level. That would be just enough to scrape into the lower house of parliament but perhaps sufficient to make a more dramatic difference to the fate of the Democratic Party, which is the current election favourite.

Ingroia has called for the scrapping of Monti’s pension reforms, for a minimum wage for young people and for an increase in child benefits. He says he can fund his plans by fighting tax evasion and seizing what he says are 170 billion euros ($227 billion) in untouched criminal assets. He has said that “moral” issues like “transparency, legality, the fight against the mafia and corruption” should be at the centre of the campaign.

He is also cautious on Europe’s role in the economy. “We are not antiEurope but the problem is which Europe? The Europe of Monti and the banks or the Europe of the peoples and of rights,” he said. An even smaller party with a potentially major role is “Stop the Decline” led by the impish Giannino, who combines a passion for garish waistcoats with a serious economic platform.

The flamboyant Giannino, who became popular with a radio show in which he signed off by shouting

“Basta!” (“Enough!), is clearly enjoying his time in the spotlight even though his party is unlikely to win any seats.

His party in the most recent polls got just 1.0 percent, although the percentage is higher in the key battleground state of Lombardy.

“Berlusconi is clearly worried that we will make him lose all of northern Italy,” Giannino said during a campaign stop this month.

Berlusconi has called Giannino a “Narcissus impressed by television” and has implored him “from the bottom of my heart” to withdraw his candidacy. Italy’s main business daily Il Sole 24 Ore has praised Giannino’s economic proposals and the improbable candidate is gaining traction in an industrial heartland among fed-up entrepreneurs. Emma Marcegaglia, a former president of Italy’s main business lobby Confindustria, attended one of Giannino’s rallies this month.

“I see politicians changing their ideas all the time, while you have got the numbers behind your proposals and you have been coherent,” she said. Giannino is calling for massive privatisation, a radical re-think of the tax system and an overhaul of bank oversight to prevent crises like the one threatening Banca Monte dei Paschi di Siena, the third largest bank.

“The only priority should be largescale sell-offs,” Giannino, looking like a foppish 19th century stationmaster in a red waistcoat with a purple silk pocket square, told the foreign press corps in Rome earlier this month.

Asked about his dandyish preferences, he said: “I have a crazy passion for luxurious textiles. People can dress like me if they want... But this has nothing to do with my campaign.”

Giannino says he wants to put an end to the cronyism of Italian politics.

In one live interview on Rai Uno, the main public television channel, he wrapped himself up in a long metal chain to show the burden of taxes on Italians. He has even written a play that is touring Italy as part of his campaign. “An Italian Dinner” tells the story of a dysfunctional family where everyone wants to vote for different candidates until Giannino appears on the scene. At one recent rally, he quoted Mahatma Gandhi saying: “First they ignore you, then they ridicule you, then they fight you, and then you win.” — AFP

LONDON: Britain’s Kate, The Duchess of Cambridge receives flowers, as she leaves after a visit to Hope House yesterday. — AP

Author slams ‘plastic’ Kate Tabloid condemns Mantel over Kate comments LONDON: British novelist Hilary Mantel faced a right royal row yesterday after describing Prince William’s wife Catherine as a “shop window mannequin” with a “plastic smile” whose only purpose is to breed. Prime Minister David Cameron criticised the double Booker Prizewinning author’s comments as “completely wrong” while Britain’s patriotic press leapt to the defence of the pregnant Duchess of Cambridge.

Mantel, 60, said Kate had neither the personality of William’s late mother Diana, princess of Wales, nor the presence of historical heavyweight Anne Boleyn, who features heavily in Mantel’s novel “Wolf Hall”.

In a lecture given two weeks ago at the British Museum and reprinted this week in the London Review of Books literary journal, Mantel added that Kate appeared “machine-made” when she first emerged in public. “Kate Middleton, as she was, appeared to have been designed by a committee and built by craftsmen, with a perfect plastic smile and the spindles of her limbs hand-turned and gloss-varnished,” Mantel said.

Mantel said the 31-year-old duchess had gone from being a “jointed doll on which certain rags are hung” to someone whose “only point and purpose” was to have children, according to the novelist. Before marrying sec-

Mali probes claims of atrocities PARIS: Malian authorities are investigating claims of torture, killings and reprisals by its own soldiers against minority civilians suspected of links to Islamist militants - accusations that threaten to jeopardize international support for fighting terrorism in the Sahara. Malian Foreign Minister Tieman Coulibaly insisted to The Associated Press that his government is taking the claims seriously and won’t tolerate such “atrocities.” But he acknowledges that it’s a tough and sensitive task to investigate them in a poor, violence-scarred country with a weak, military-led government.

Concerns have mounted in recent weeks about abuses by Malian forces amid the French-led military campaign against al-Qaida-linked rebels who overran northern Mali last year. Arab and Tuareg families are particularly afraid of reprisals, minorities who are accused of having aided the rebels. The AP has documented a shallow grave where the bodies of two Arabs from Timbuktu

were dumped - two men last seen alive being arrested by Malian forces. One of the last Arab residents of Timbuktu was picked up by Malian troops last week, the elderly man’s hands bound and body trembling. The reason for his arrest and his whereabouts are unclear.

“The government will not tolerate atrocities. The government will not accept discrimination,” Coulibaly said yesterday in Paris. He insisted the goal is to arrest suspected terrorists, not torture or kill them, and said that the lighter-skinned minorities in the north are not being unfairly targeted.

“We can’t, in the name of avoiding discrimination, let an Arab or Tuareg go just because he’s Arab or Tuareg, if he is guilty,” he said. He said four or five specific accusations are currently under investigation by Malian military authorities.

Asked whether they’re capable of conducting full, transparent and fair investigations, he acknowledged, “It’s hard.” He said Mali has asked for UN

GAO: A Malian girl carries a water can she just partially filled at a water pump yesterday. — AFP

observers to come and monitor Malian forces to prevent abuses. Mali is hoping for US and European aid for development and help for the Malian military.

But Mali has an unstable government installed by the army after a coup last year, and international partners question whether it will be ready to run the country if French forces start pulling out next month, as they have pledged.

“The first responsibility to avoid this kind of reprisal.. rests with the Malian authorities themselves. If that is not the case, the unanimous support of the international community can only diminish,” French Foreign Ministry spokesman Philippe Lalliot said yesterday. He told a news conference the French government hasn’t seen any legal proof of torture and reprisals yet, but that “no one can reasonably say that no abuses have taken place.” French troops are under orders to stop any atrocities they see, gather any proof and hand it to Malian authorities, Lalliot said. Ethnic tensions between southern Malians and the Tuaregs and Arabs remain high. And securing the north is proving harder as the month-old French-led operation drags on. French and Malian forces quickly took back northern cities such as Timbuktu, but for weeks have been unable to retake the city of Kidal farther north. “The city is not secured,” Coulibaly said yesterday.

And extremists are mixing in with local populations in cities where French and Malian forces have moved in, making them harder to find. “In fleeing they left behind... indoctrinated youth, drugged, who are ready to go and blow themselves up anywhere. That’s harder to fight than a conventional army,” Coulibaly said.

Mali was plunged into turmoil after a coup in March 2012 created a security vacuum that allowed secular rebel Tuaregs to take half the north as a new homeland. In the following months, the rebels were kicked out by the Islamic extremists who imposed strict Shariah law. France, fearing that its former colony was becoming a haven for international terrorists, launched a military operation on Jan. 11 in Mali after the extremists started to move south toward the capital.

The campaign has heightened concerns for Westerners’ safety around western Africa. Yesterday, a group of French tourists - four children and three adults - was kidnapped in Cameroon and taken to neighboring Nigeria, where extremist Islamist groups have seized other foreign hostages, French officials said. Several French hostages also are believed being held in northern Mali. Coulibaly said “things are under way” toward freeing them, but he wouldn’t elaborate. — AP

ond-in-line to the throne William in 2011 and falling pregnant last year, Kate was a “shop-window mannequin, with no personality of her own, entirely defined by what she wore.” “ These days she is a mother-to-be, and draped in another set of threadbare attributions. Once she gets over being sick, the press will find that she is radiant,” she said. The novelist compared Kate unfavourably to Boleyn, the “power player ” who married 16th-centur y English king Henr y VIII before he had her beheaded, and to Diana, who died in a car crash in Paris in 1997.

“Kate seems to have been selected for her role of princess because she was irreproachable: as painfully thin as anyone could wish, without quirks, without oddities, without the risk of the emergence of character,” Mantel said. “She appears precision-made, machine-made, so different from Diana whose human awkwardness and emotional incontinence showed in her every gesture.” Kate, who is expected to give birth to her and William’s first child in July, made no reference to the comments as she visited an addiction charity in London yesterday. A spokeswoman for the royal couple declined to comment when contacted by AFP. Speaking during a trip to India, Cameron told the BBC when asked about Mantel’s comments:

“I think she writes great books, but I think what she’s said about Kate Middleton is completely misguided and completely wrong.” He said that what he had seen of the duchess at public events, at the 2012 Olympics and elsewhere was “someone who’s bright, who’s engaging, who’s a fantastic ambassador for Britain. “We should be proud of that, rather than make these rather misguided remarks.”

Mantel is the only woman to win the Booker Price twice, claiming the first in 2009 for “Wolf Hall”, the opening part of her trilogy about Henry VIII’s adviser Thomas Cromwell. The second instalment, “Bring Up The Bodies”, won the award last year. Britain’s Daily Mail newspaper described Mantel’s comments as an “astonishing and venomous attack on the Duchess of Cambridge.”

Joe Little, the editor of Majesty Magazine, was quoted as saying by The Daily Telegraph newspaper that Mantel’s comments were “incredibly unkind.” A spokesman for Mantel told the Telegraph that the speech was not intended as criticism but was “remarkably sympathetic” to the predicament of Britain’s royals, who have complained for years about media intrusion. Mantel was not available for comment when her representatives were contacted

by AFP. — AFP

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2013

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

Armenian president re-elected Opposition party alleges fraud, protest planned

PALM CITY: President Barack Obama waves to members of the media as he walks across the South Lawn of the White House following his arrival on Marine One helicopter, Monday, Feb 18, 2013. —AP

Obama to apply fresh pressure on Republicans to avoid cut WASHINGTON: President Barack Obama will make a fresh push to force congressional Republicans to make concessions that will head off budget cuts that appear increasingly likely to kick in starting on March 1. Obama, just back from a three-day golf getaway in Florida, will appear at the White House at 10:45 am EST (1545 GMT) with emergency responders who would lose their jobs if the cuts go into effect.

With both houses of Congress off this week, there seemed to be little movement expected soon toward a compromise.

A White House official said Obama would urge Congress to approve a $110 billion tax increase and spending cut plan that would postpone more severe spending cuts set to begin March 1. If Congress fails to act, about $85 billion in across-theboard spending cuts begin on March 1 and continue through Sept. 30 as part of a decade-long $1.2 trillion budget savings plan. Brendan Buck, a spokesman for House of Representatives Speaker John Boehner, said the Republican-led House has twice passed a plan to replace the looming cuts “with common sense cuts and reforms.” He said Obama should be pressuring the Democratic-led Senate to “finally pass a plan of their own.”

Half the $85 billion in cuts would be shouldered by the Pentagon and the other half scattered among many other government agencies. The non-partisan Congressional Budget Office has estimated that, if fully implemented, these cuts would hold back US growth and prevent the creation of about 750,000 jobs this year. But with Democrats and Republicans far apart on how to avoid the automatic cuts, they are widely expected to go into effect on March 1. In subsequent weeks a replacement measure could be negotiated at the same time Congress works on a deal to

fund government agencies that run out of money on March 27.

Obama has been adamant that any budget agreement to replace the cuts reflect a balanced approach and include both budget cuts and tax increases. He wants to raise revenue by eliminating tax loopholes enjoyed mostly by the wealthy.

But Republicans feel they have raised taxes enough after reluctantly agreeing to increase them on the wealthy as part of a deal that avoided the “fiscal cliff” of higher taxes and spending cuts that would have kicked in at the end of 2012.

Republicans want deeper spending cuts to reduce America’s $1 trillion annual deficits and $16 trillion national debt. The White House effort to force Republicans to act is focused on dramatizing just who would lose jobs if the cuts go into effect.

The emergency workers Obama will appear with on Tuesday are “the kinds of working Americans whose jobs are on the line if congressional Republicans fail to compromise on a balanced solution,” a White House official said. At the same time, a bipartisan fiscal commission appointed by Obama added to the Washington debate over spending by proposing $2.4 trillion in deficit reduction over 10 years. The commission, led by co-chairs Erskine Bowles, a Democrat, and Alan Simpson, a Republican, would cut spending, overhaul the tax system and reform the healthcare system.

To give Congress time to act on a longterm solution, Obama will urge congressional Republicans to accept the smaller $110 billion package that Democrats proposed last week. “The president will urge congressional Republicans to compromise and accept this solution so these devastating cuts that will hurt our economy and middle class families won’t hit,” the official said. —Reuters

Texas woman has two sets of identical twins TEXAS: A Texas mother had a one-in-70million kind of Valentine’s Day this year when she gave birth to two sets of identical twin boys, a Houston hospital announced on Monday. The four brothers were delivered at 31 weeks to Tressa Montalvo, 36, via Cesarean section at The Woman’s Hospital of Texas in Houston, according to a news release from the hospital. Tressa and Manuel Montalvo Jr. were not using any fertility drugs and had just hoped for a little brother or sister for their 2-year-old son, Memphis, according to the release. “We planned the pregnancy - I guess we just succeeded a little too much!” said Tressa Montalvo, quoted in the release. When Montalvo was 10 weeks pregnant, her physician told her she was having twins, and on a subsequent visit, the doctor detected a third heartbeat. The Montalvos were later informed they were

having four babies - not quadruplets but two sets of twins.

The odds of delivering two sets of naturally occurring identical twins is somewhere in the range of 1 in 70 million, according to the hospital. Two boys shared one placenta and the two other boys shared another placenta. Ace and Blaine were born at 8:51 am on Feb 14 and weighed 3 pounds, 10 ounces (1.64 kg), and 3 pounds, 15 ounces (1.79 kg), respectively. Cash and Dylan followed a minute later, weighing 2 pounds, 15 ounces (1.33 kg), and 3 pounds, 6 ounces (1.53 kg), respectively. “We tried to stick to the A-B-C-D theme when naming them,” Tressa Montalvo said. “We didn’t expect it, we were trying for just one and we were blessed with four.” Manuel Montalvo said in the release that they’re not done yet he still wants a girl. — Reuters

YEREVAN: Armenian President Serzh Sarkisian yesterday celebrated a crushing victory in elections for a second five-year mandate, but his rival refused to recognise the result and observers complained the polls lacked competition.

Sarkisian, a shrewd former military officer in power since 2008, won Monday’s polls in the small exSoviet state nestled in the Caucasus mountains between Turkey and Iran with 58.64 percent of the votes. His nearest rival, former foreign minister Raffi Hovannisian, trailed in a distant second place with 36.75 percent of votes, the central election commission said after counting results from all the precincts. Voter turnout was 60 percent. “ These elections have again shown that the Armenian people can unite and take the right decision at the most important moments,” Sarkisian told supporters at his campaign headquarters. “I am proud and hope that all who did not vote for me understand the choice of the majority and we develop the country under a stable situation,” he said. But Hovannisian refused to recognise Sarkisian’s victory, saying “the vote was not fair and the (official) results do not reflect people’s will.”

Speaking to hundreds of supporters in Yerevan’s central Liberty Square, the US-born Hovannisian, who used to practise as a lawyer in Los Angeles, insisted he was the true winner. “I will not let the authorities steal the people’s victory,” he said, adding that he might seek to overturn the official results in the Constitutional Court.

Hovannisian’s camp alleged a range of sometimes bizarre electoral violations, including the use of “disappearing ink” to allow multiple voting.

“These were shameful elections with a huge number of violations,” Hovannisian’s spokesman Hovsep Khurshudian told AFP. However the pro-Hovannisian rally was peaceful and there was as yet no repeat of

YEREVAN: Armenian President Serzh Sarkisian smiles as he casts his ballot during presidential election in Yerevan, Armenia. — AP the violent tensions that marked the vote which brought Sarkisian to power in 2008 when 10 people died in clashes with the police.

‘Competition is critical’ Obser vers from the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly said the elections were an improvement on past polls but lacked real competition after two leading candidates pulled out late last year. “This election showed improvement, but lacked genuine competition,” said Tonino Picula, the head of the OSCE PA mission. “Competition is critical if Armenia is going to live up to the aspirations of its people for a vibrant and engaging democracy.”

The observers said the voting process was well organised but confirmed the ink used to stamp passports at polling stations and prove a voter had cast their ballot was not secure. The ink “did not provide the intended safeguard against multiple voting as the ink

could easily be wiped off,” they said in a statement. The authorities had been hoping for a peaceful and internationally-praised process that would improve the country ’s chances of European integration.

Former prime minister Hrant Bagratian came in third with just over two percent of the vote, while Soviet-era dissident Paruyr Hayrikyan came in fourth. The election was also clouded by a mysterious assassination attempt against Hayrikyan last month that at one point risked derailing the polls entirely. But the candidate in the end opted not to use his right to ask for a delay.

The outcome was already clear in December when the highly popular leader of the Prosperous Armenia party-super-rich former arm-wrestling champion Gagik Tsarukian-said he was out of the race and Armenia’s first post-Soviet president Levon Ter-Petrosian said

he was too old for the country’s top job. The OSCE PA said the lack of other top candidates “seems to have contributed to apathy and a lack of trust among voters” as campaigns focused on personalities rather than political platforms.

Sarkisian now has a major task to fight poverty and unemployment with the World Bank estimating that 36 percent of Armenians live below the poverty line. Economic hardship has driven nearly a million Armenians out of the country over the past two decades.

Meanwhile no final peace deal has yet been reached with Azerbaijan over the Armenian- controlled Azerbaijani region of Nagorny Karabakh as the risk of a new conflict remains palpable. Sarkisian, 59, is a veteran of the 1990s war with Azerbaijan over Nagorny Karabakh and derives much of his popularity from a tough can-do militaristic Image. —AFP

After re-election, Ecuador’s Correa eyes broader change QUITO: Fresh from a landslide reelec tion vic tor y, Ecuadoran President Rafael Correa is hoping to follow up with the sweeping legislative win needed to clear the way for deeper socialist changes.

If the leftwing activist can secure an absolute majority in Ecuador’s National Assembly he would have free rein to regulate the media, redistribute land and make other controversial changes. The election process for the 137 assembly seats up for grabs is complex, and it was unclear early Tuesday how long it will take before definitive results are in, but polls suggest Correa will achieve his goal.

“Nobody is going to stop this revolution. We are making history,” Correa told a crowd from the balcony of the presidential palace on Sunday, af ter clinching a new four-year term, his third and constitutionally his last. “We are building our small homeland, and a larger one, too,” he said, referring to Latin America as whole. With 71 percent of the ballots counted in the oil-exporting Andean nation, Correa was ahead with nearly 57 percent of the vote, compared to banker Guillermo Lasso’s 23.1 percent. “Thank you for this majority. The first thing we are going to do is unblock progress on fundamental legislation,” Correa told Telesur television. Lasso, who served as finance minister during an economic crisis in the 1990s, conceded defeat shortly after the results were announced.

Citizen Participation, a nongovernmental organization authorized by poll authorities,

projected that Correa’s Alianza Pais would win 90 seats, or 66 percent, and Lasso’s Creating Opportunities movement 12 seats in the legislative polls also held Sunday. In the mold of Venezuela’s Hugo Chavez, the 49-year- old Correa is one of a group of leftist leaders who have shaken up Latin America in recent years with pop-

need you.” In power since 2007, Correa has taken on big business and media groups, imposed new contracts on oil companies and renegotiated the country’s debt while touting his poverty reduction efforts. His clashes with the media have drawn sharp criticism from international rights and press groups.

QUITO: Supporters of Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez and Ecuadorean President Rafael Correa celebrate in front of Carondelet presidential palace in Quito on February 18, 2013 as Correa appears on the balcony of the palace celebrating his reelection. — AFP ulist and often defiantly anti-US policies. Correa dedicated his victory to Chavez, who made a surprise return home from Cuba overnight after 70 days in Cuba convalescing from cancer surgery.

He wished the Venezuelan a speedy recover y, saying: “Venezuela, your beloved Latin America and we, your friends, all

Yet Correa has vowed to forge ahead with a new communication law that would redistribute radio and television frequencies and tighten regulations.

“We are going to try to make this an honest press, because there is a corrupt press here that is in the hands of a few families who think they can say whatever they

want because they have a printing press,” he warned. Many analysts, however, believe that Correa, an economist with degrees from Belgium and the United States, will make prac tical moves to ensure the country is developing.

“I think Correa has been practical, and will remain so; in his first term he made concessions to the business community in order to get some support from them, and I think he will continue to do this,” said Mark Weisbrot, co-directeur of the Center for Economic and Policy Research in Washington.

“He is not trying to create a centrally planned economy, or one dominated by state ownership of industry or commerce; so private businesses will continue to have an impor tant role,” he stressed. Still, some say Correa’s promotion of hefty public spending-which reached 15 percent of GDP in 2012 — may be not be sustainable in the long run.

“Although the strategy makes the president personally popular, particularly amongst the country’s poorer constituents, it may prove unsustainable if oil revenues fall,” said Arthur Dhont of the IHS institute. Last year, Correa irritated Britain and the United States by granting asylum to Wik iLeaks founder Julian Assange -who is wanted for questioning in Sweden over sexual assault allegations-at Ecuador’s embassy in London. He broached the issue again Sunday by calling on Europe to quickly resolve the fate of Assange, who has been holed up at the embassy for eight months.— AFP

Democrats lead on gun control bills DENVER: Colorado’s Democratic-controlled House has narrowly passed a handful of gun control bills, signaling a political shift in the wake of recent mass shootings and pressure from the White House. “Enough is enough. I’m sick and tired of bloodshed,” said Democratic Rep Rhonda Fields, who sponsored a bill limiting the size of ammunition magazines. Fields, whose son was fatally shot in 2005, represents the district where a gunman opened fire at a suburban Denver movie theater last summer.

The bill was among four that the legislative chamber passed Monday amid strong resistance from Republicans, who were joined by a few Democrats. The ammunition restrictions measure passed 34-31 after three

Democrats joined all Republicans voting no. House lawmakers began debating Friday, when Vice President Joe Biden called four Democrats to solidify support for the measures. Two were in moderate districts.

Castle Rock Republican Rep. Carole Murray made a reference to the calls on Monday, saying she didn’t appreciate “East Coast politicians” trying to influence Colorado legislators. The House also approved bills requiring background checks on all gun purchases, including those between private sellers and firearms bought online; a ban on concealed firearms at colleges and stadiums; and a requirement that gun purchasers pay for their own background checks. The ammunition restrictions measure would limit maga-

zines to 15 rounds for firearms, and eight for shotguns.

The background check measure passed 33-32 in the closest vote of the four. Republicans argued that the proposals restrict Second Amendment rights and won’t prevent mass shootings like the ones in Aurora and a Connecticut elementary school. “This bill will never keep evil people from doing evil things,” said Republican Rep. Jerry Sonnenberg. Republicans also said students should have the right to defend themselves. “Do not disarm our young adults in general and our young women in particular on our college campuses in the name of a gun-free zone,” Republican Rep. Jim Wilson said.

The debate highlighted a fundamental philosophical difference

between many Democrats and Republicans. The Democrats’ leader in the House, Dickey Lee Hullinghorst, said he resented “the implication that unless we all arm ourselves, we will not be adequately protected.” But one of the Democrats who voted against party lines, Democratic Rep. Ed Vigil, said that his decision was rooted in the state’s history.

“This is part of our heritage. This is part of what it took to settle this land. I cannot turn my back on that,” he said.

Vigil’s decision represents some of the hold that histor y has on the West, which a political generation ago swung to the right. But the vote Monday in Colorado’s gun control debate is part of the shift in the region’s politics to the left, including the legalization of mari-

juana in Washington state and Colorado. Washington also upheld the legality of gay marriage in November.

Democratic Rep. Dominick Moreno, who represents a district in suburban Denver and was among the four lawmakers called by Biden, said the vice president “emphasized the importance of Colorado’s role in shaping national policy around this issue.” Democrats in the Colorado House have a 37-28 advantage, giving them enough leeway when some members of their party side with Republicans. The gun control measures go next to the state Senate, where Democrats will need more unified support because their advantage is only 20-15. Republicans need only three Democrats to join them to defeat the bills.— AP

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2013

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

Pakistan Shiites call off protest, set to bury dead QUETTA: Thousands of Pakistani Shiite Muslims called off nationwide protests yesterday and agreed to bury the dead from a bomb attack that killed 89 people, after the government promised to arrest those responsible. Saturday’s attack was the second bomb targeting the Shiite Hazara minority in five weeks in Quetta and saw protesters pour onto the streets across the country, shutting down par ts of Karachi, Lahore and Islamabad. Shiites, who make up around 20 percent of the mostly Sunni Muslim population of 180 million, are facing record numbers of attacks, raising serious questions about security as nuclear-armed Pakistan prepares to hold elections by mid-May. Outlawed militant group Lashkar-e-Jhangvi (LJ) has claimed responsibility for the Quetta attacks and Shiites were furious that authorities have done nothing to prosecute those responsible. Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf sent cabinet ministers to the southwestern city to negotiate with the protesters and announced an operation to arrest those responsible for the attack.

Officials said security forces had killed four men and detained more than 170 alleged suspects, including the purpor ted mastermind of Saturday’s bombing.

Pakistani security forces frequently detain people en masse after major bombings but few if any are ever charged. In 2011 a court released the head of LJ Malik Ishaq on bail, even though he has been implicated in dozens of murders. But a spokesman for the protesters announced along-

side Information Minister Qamar Zaman Kaira after talks that the protest was over. “The sit-in protest all over Pakistan is now finished and people should disperse peacefully,” said Allama Amin Shahidi, from the Shiite Wahdatul Muslemeen

party. “The government has assured us that they will fulfil all our demands. The governor and the government told us that a targeted operation has begun, which will continue until all the culprits are eliminated.” The dead are now expected to be

QUETTA: Pakistani Shiite Muslims gather on an overhead bridge in protest of the February 16 Quetta bombing against Shiite Muslims yesterday. —AP

buried early today. Kaira promised the operation would “arrest all the culprits and eliminate them” and said a committee would be set up to oversee the protesters’ demands for compensation, protection and jobs for families of the victims.

Since late Sunday, scores of coffins lay in neat rows, most decorated with pictures of the victims, in the the courtyard of a Shiite mosque near the protest site. Relatives sat with the coffins reciting verses for the dead from the Koran. The youngest victim was a five-year-old boy who died along with his mother when the bomb, containing nearly a tonne of explosives, demolished a shopping centre.

Last month, Shiites called off a similar protest when Islamabad sacked the provincial government and imposed governor’s rule after suicide bombers killed 92 people at a Hazara snooker hall in Quetta on January 10. Quetta is a small town where the military and intelligence agencies have a heavy presence. Rights groups have questioned whether authorities are complicit with extremists or just incompetent.

Amnesty International repeated calls for Pakistan to do more to protect Hazaras, describing the failure to bring those responsible to justice as “shocking”. Attacks targeting Shiites in Pakistan have claimed almost 200 lives already this year.

Human Rights Watch said more than 400 were killed in 2012, the deadliest on record for Shiites.

Hazaras have suffered disproportionately in Baluchistan, where authorities are also battling to suppress a separatist insurgency. — AFP

India, UK to cooperate in probing copter deal ‘Too early’ to look for foul play

KABUL: An elderly Afghan man talks to a burqa-clad Afghan woman yesterday. — AFP

Afghan civilian casualties rose second half of 2012 KABUL: The number of Afghan civilians killed and wounded in the last half of 2012 rose sharply compared with the same period in 2011 as insurgents took advantage of warmer weather to carry out more attacks, the UN said yesterday. Overall, the annual toll of civilian deaths in 2012 declined compared to the previous year.

But conflict-related violence struck more women and girls last year, with 301 killed and 563 wounded - a 20 percent increase from 2011.

The mid-year reversal suggests that the country is likely to face continued violence as the Taleban and other militants fight for control following the impending withdrawal of US and allied combat forces.

The findings come as the war in Afghanistan is reaching a turning point, with international troops increasingly taking the backseat in operations as government forces take the lead. The UN mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) said civilian casualties rose 13 percent to 4,431 in the second half of the year, including more from roadside bombs placed in public areas, compared with the same period in 2011. That included 1,599 people killed and 2,832 wounded from July 1 to Dec 31, a jump from 1,556 and 2,832 respectively in the same period the previous year.

It cited a growing number in civilian casualties from roadside bombs even as fewer bystanders were hurt in ground engagements in the troubled south and east of the country.

Overall, it documented 2,754 civilians killed in 2012, a 12 percent decrease from 3,131 in the same period a year earlier. It was the first time in six years that the civilian death toll dropped.

But the population faced a sharp increase in assassinations and other insurgent attacks targeting government supporters. Most of the victims were killed by Taleban militants and other armed groups, while the number of civilian casualties at the hands of US and allied forces dropped by nearly 50 percent, according to an

annual report by the United Nations Mission to Afghanistan that tracks statistics in the 11-yearold war.

The number of people killed and wounded by roadside bombs placed in public locations as well as by intensified conflict in some parts of the country also increased by 17 percent, the report said. “The situation for civilians is still very difficult in many communities and many thousands of Afghans are still affected by the armed conflict, so we are again calling on all concerned to redouble their efforts, increase their efforts to protect civilians,” said Georgette Gagnon, the head of human rights for UNAMA. The UNAMA report attributed the overall drop in civilian casualties for the year to a decline in suicide attacks, reduced numbers of airstrikes as well as “an unseasonably harsh winter which impeded insurgent movements and effects of earlier military operations against anti-government elements.” But it expressed concern about the spike in targeted killings and human rights abuses by armed groups, a worrisome trend as the Afghan government works to assert control beyond its seat in Kabul.

The Taleban and other insurgents were responsible for 81 percent of the civilian casualties last year, the U.N. said. The report said socalled anti-government elements killed 2,179 civilians and wounded 3,952, a 9 percent increase in casualties from 2011. Of those, 698 were killed in targeted attacks, often against government employees. That was up from 512 in 2011.

The number blamed on US and allied forces, meanwhile, decreased by 46 percent, with 316 killed and 271 wounded in 2012. Most of those were killed in US and NATO airstrikes, although that number, too, dropped by nearly half last year to 126. The report came a day after President Hamid Karzai banned government forces from requesting foreign air support during operations in residential areas. —AP

NEW DELHI: Indian Defence Minister AK Antony said yesterday it was “too early” to consider the possibility of foul play in a planned $10 billion deal with France’s Dassault Aviation for Rafale war planes. India has threatened to scrap a $750 million deal for a dozen AgustaWestland helicopters after Italian police arrested the former head of parent company Finmeccanica, Giuseppe Orsi, last week for allegedly paying bribes to Indian politicians to win the contract. The Rafale purchase, one of the world’s largest defence deals, has come under increased scrutiny in the Indian media because of the Finmeccanica case.

The allegations surrounding the AgustaWestland deal also hung over the visit by British Prime Minister David Cameron to India this week. After meeting his Indian counterpart, Manmohan Singh, Cameron promised to assist India’s investigation into the sale of the helicopters, which are manufactured in Britain.

Antony was responding to a question from Reuters at a news conference on whether the government was looking into any possibility of corruption in the deal with Rafale to buy 126 fighter jets, which is in the final stages of negotiation between Dassault and India.

“It is too early,” he said, adding that there were many levels of scrutiny in the deal. “I can assure you one thing, as far as our government is concerned, regarding integrity, transparency, we will not compromise,” he said. “We will go to any extent to take action,” he said, if there was any evidence of corruption.

French President Francois Hollande said on a visit to India last week that his government was committed to deals being done according to “commercial rules” and France remained vigilant in the fight against corruption. “We are working with Indian authorities, we have nothing to do with Finmeccanica and even less with the problems that they’re having now,” Eric Trappier, chief executive of Dassault Aviation, told reporters during Hollande’s visit.

“Very serious concerns” The Finmeccanica case has sent shockwaves through the defence industry in India, the world’s largest weapons importer. It follows a series of corruption scandals that have dogged the government, which faces a general election due by 2014. The Defence Ministry is considering cancelling the helicopter deal, which would put in question some $12 billion in sales the Italian company is chasing.

India prohibits any middlemen in arms deals.

NEW DELHI: British Prime Minister David Cameron (left) and Bollywood actor & UNICEF ambassador to promote child nutrition Aamir Khan (second left) meet students at the Janaki Devi Memorial College in New Delhi yesterday. — AP Several Indian newspapers have quoted a 2002 Paris court judgment that a British-based broker, Christian Michel, was employed by Dassault during a bid to sell India 10 Mirage 2000 jets. The court ruled that Dassault and Michel had parted ways by the time that deal was signed in 2000. “Today there are only reports.

We are very clear if for any deal, any foul play is found, we will take action,” Antony said.

Michel is now accused by Italian prosecutors of funnelling bribes to Indian officials to swing the AgustaWestland helicopter deal. Cameron is in India hoping to tap one of the world’s fastest-growing major economies for new trade and investment opportunities, including in the defence sector. Britain was part of a consortium hoping to win the contract to sell Eurofighter jets worth about $10 billion to India. That consortium has lost out to Dassault but Cameron has sought to persuade the Indian govern-

Clergy want intl probe on Sri Lanka civil war

Hitler, Frankenstein contest Indian polls SHILLONG: Politicians named after Adolf Hitler and Frankenstein are among 345 candidates competing in elections this week in a north-east Indian state with a history of bizarre naming conventions. Keeping them company when the hilly state of Meghalaya goes to the polls on Saturday are others called Bombersingh, Boldness Billykid, Predecessor and Process. Hopingstone Lyngdoh, Hilarious Pochen and Hopeful Bamon will also try their luck at nabbing one of the 60 seats up for grabs in the state legislative assembly. The unusual names chosen in Meghalaya are among the most striking legacies of colonial rule, when many Britons frequented state capital Shillong, preferring its temperate climate to the searing heat of the rest of India.

Shillong became known as the “Scotland of the East” and a steady stream of foreign missionaries and soldiers saw Christianity flourish and the English language trickle in.

Today, English is spoken in the state, but not always fluently. Historians say the onceclose ties with England have seen many people name their children using random English words or famous names from the past, often with no knowledge of what they might mean.

“Often they don’t know the background

of the names. They get attracted to these names for their quest of modernity,” Sanjeeb Kakoty, a history professor at the Indian Institute of Management in Shillong told AFP. The stocky, balding politician Adolf Lu Hitler-Marak said his parents did not know the background to his controversial name and insisted that apart from his moustache, he had nothing in common with the Nazi dictator. “Maybe my parents liked the name. But I am not a dictator,” he told AFP. A member of the Nationalist Congress Party, Hitler-Marak is contesting the elections from the constituency of Bajengdoba in west Meghalaya.

In the past, Indian shops and restaurants named after Hitler have been forced to change their names after facing protests.

Hitler-Marak has never run into any trouble, however, having even served once as forestry minister-an acknowledgement perhaps by the state’s 2.9 million citizens that a strange, even scandalous, name is still just a name.”Parents may christen their children funny names, but as long as the candidates perform their duties, we have no problem,” an imaginatively titled trader, Class One, told AFP. “What’s in a name?” he asked.

Election results will be announced on February 28. — AFP

ment that Eurofighter remains an attractive option if India decides to review the Rafale deal.

The timing of Cameron’s visit was not ideal, coming just after the AgustaWestland corruption allegations erupted. “I also conveyed to the prime minister our very serious concerns regarding allegations about unethical means used in securing the 2010 contract of the AgustaWestland helicopters,” Singh told reporters after their meeting. “I have sought full assistance from the UK in this case. Prime Minister David Cameron has assured me of the cooperation of his government in the investigation.” Cameron, speaking after Singh, said his government would respond to any request for information about the deal.

“I’m glad the Italian authorities are looking into this issue in detail as Finmeccanica is an Italian company, the parent company of AgustaWestland,” Cameron said. — Reuters

KATHMANDU: A member of the splinter faction of the Unified Communist Party of Nepal Maoist carries a communist flag during a general strike yesterday. — AP

Nepal parties agree on interim PM KATMANDU: Nepal’s major political parties have agreed to form an interim government led by the Supreme Court chief justice and hold elections in June, likely ending a deadlock that left the nation without a fully functioning government since last year. The leaders of the four main political parties reached the agreement late Monday, said Narayan Kaji Shrestha of the Unified Communist Party of Nepal Maoist.

The agreement was expected to be formally signed at a meeting yesterday where they also would finalize the election date and the makeup of the new council of ministers. The parties want Supreme Court chief justice Khilraj Regmi to be the chairman of the council. The idea of appointing the chief judge as the head of the interim government to conduct elections was proposed by the ruling Maoist party last week because these par-

ties could not agree on who would lead the new interim government.

Nepal has been without a fully functioning government and parliament since last May. Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai has been running a caretaker government.

Bhattarai’s government has been unable to hold elections, with opposition parties wanting Bhattarai’s removal before a vote is held. The Constituent Assembly was elected in 2008 with the task of writing a new constitution after Nepal’s centuries-old monarchy was abolished and the country was declared a republic. The assembly failed to complete the task even after the term was renewed and finally ended in May 2012. It was not clear how the head of the judiciary would also be given the task of executive head but the leaders said they would seek to amend the interim constitution. — AP

COLOMBO: Christian clergy from Sri Lanka’s ethnic Tamilmajority north have asked the UN Human Rights Council to push for an independent international inquiry into alleged atrocities in Sri Lanka’s civil war. A letter dated Monday and signed by 133 Roman Catholic, Anglican and Methodist pastors and nuns said the government lacks the will to resolve causes of the conflict on its own.

Both the government and the now-defeated Tamil Tiger rebels have been accused of serious human rights violations during the quarter-century-long war, especially its final stages. According to a UN report, tens of thousands of civilians were killed in just the five months before fighting ended in 2009. Last week, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay said Sri Lanka has failed to investigate reports of atrocities, and that opposition leaders are still being killed or abducted.

“We are convinced that the root cause of these problems is a lack of political will,” the letter from the clergy said. “Hence, it is our firm conviction that technical assistance from the UN in the form of training, advice, financial and material support will not suffice.” They called for an international, independent commission of inquiry.

The UN rights council last year passed a resolution urging Sri Lanka to investigate human rights abuses, as the country’s own war commission had recommended. The clergy asked the council to pass a new resolution noting a lack of progress by the government. The clergy said that they have observed key recommendations from the war commission being flouted, including power sharing, release of political prisoners, dealing with disappearances, returning private land occupied by the military, lifting restrictions on the media and giving people the freedom to commemorate their dead.

The letter said the government is also engaged in systematically destroying the identity of the Tamil people by undermining their political, religious, cultural and land rights in areas where they live in majority. Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa this month ruled out giving Tamils greater political autonomy. That goes against the war commission’s recommendation and appears to back away from the president’s own long-stalled promise to empower the ethnic minority as part of the country’s reconciliation process. —AP

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2013

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

Komodo dragon attacks tour guide in Indonesia JAKARTA: A Komodo dragon mauled a tour guide in an Indonesian national park yesterday, just two weeks after a previous attack there by one of the giant lizards. The reptile, over two metres (6.6 feet) long, appeared when the guide passed its lair while he was trekking with four Indonesian visitors to Rinca island-one of two Komodo-inhabited islands frequently visited by tourists. “He tried

to protect himself with a stick but the Komodo was stronger and faster than him, and he was bitten on his right calf,” the administrative official of the Komodo National Park, Heru Rudiharto, told AFP by telephone.

The 25-year-old guide named Abdurahman was taken to hospital on the nearby island of Flores where his wounds were being stitched,

Stefanus Jalak, a colleague who accompanied him, told AFP. Until recently, Komodos were believed to hunt with a “bite and wait” strategyusing toxic bacteria in their saliva to weaken or kill their prey before descending in numbers to feast.

But recent research found that the dragons’ jaws have highly sophisticated poison glands that can cause paralysis, spasms and shock

through haemorrhaging.

They are native to several Indonesian islands and are considered a vulnerable species, with only a few thousand left in the world. Their normal diet consists of large mammals, reptiles and birds.

Komodos, the world’s largest monitor lizards, can grow up to three metres and typically weigh to 70 kilograms (154 pounds).

Earlier this month one attacked two park employees, leaving them hospitalised with serious injuries. A 50-year-old ranger was sitting at his desk at the Rinca island front office, where tourists usually check in, when the twometre-long lizard sneaked into his room.

Another employee, aged 35, heard the ranger scream and quickly ran to his aid but the lizard also attacked him and bit his leg. —AFP

Whistle-blower at the centre of Malaysia corruption fight Graft top concern of voters KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysians head to the polls in the coming months with the country’s persistent corruption high on the list of public concerns, and few have done more to put it there than baby-faced Rafizi Ramli. Officially the strategist for the political party of opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim, Rafizi is best-known to his enemies in the ruling coalition as Malaysia’s foremost whistle-blower on official graft.

Formerly a top executive at state oil firm Petronas, Rafizi joined the opposition full-time

Elections expected in the next two months however could be Malaysia’s tightest yet after the opposition handed the Front its worst-ever showing in 2008 polls. As the ballot nears, a survey in December found corruption was the top concern of 51 percent of voters, which the opposition has fed by hammering the government on recurring scandals, and through revelations coming from Rafizi. Most recently, Rafizi produced documents late last year that he says show a powerful state leader received $13 mil-

KUALA LUMPUR: This picture shows Rafizi Ramli (left), the strategist for the political party of opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim, joining hands with other political leaders at a late night corner meeting in Kuala Lumpur. —AFP five years ago and has used his financial smarts to sting the government with corruption revelations pulled from his now-feared files. “I have about three more in my back pocket,” Rafizi, 35, told AFP at his office in the capital Kuala Lumpur, where the odour of cigarette smoke hangs over stacks of documents. The Barisan Nasional (National Front) has governed the multi-ethnic nation since 1957 independence, bringing economic growth and political stability under its authoritarian rule, but also longstanding allegations of large-scale graft.

lion in kickbacks and a cabinet minister’s son got a Hummer SUV in exchange for timber contracts.

The accusations were denied. His top expose was a scandal brought to light in 2011 in which the women’s affairs minister allegedly helped a company owned by her family win an $83 million contract to increase domestic beef production. Funds were allegedly siphoned off to buy luxury cars and property in the “cows for condos” affair-now a catchphrase for official graft.

The disgraced minister resigned in what was a major embarrassment for Prime Minister Najib

Razak, who has pledged to fight corruption.

“People in power can’t just do whatever they want anymore. Those below now have the courage to blow the whistle,” said Wan Saiful Wan Jan, head of Malaysian think tank IDEAS. Corruption-ranging from small bribes sought by police, up to huge kickbacks alleged in a string of large projects-is blamed for hastening a decline in Malaysia’s economic competitiveness compared to its neighbours. Despite Najib’s antigraft pledges, Malaysia has failed to significantly improve its standing in corruption rankings.

It suffered the world’s third-highest illicit capital flight from 2001-2010 $285 billion-according to financial watchdog Global Financial Integrity, and topped Transparency International’s (TI) 30economy bribery survey in 2012. “When 50 percent of businesses surveyed say they lost a deal because they refused to pay a bribe, it’s not just perception. It’s institutionalised,” said TIMalaysia’s president, Paul Low. A Malaysian government spokesman told AFP tackling corruption remains a “key priority” of Najib’s, adding that “failure to eradicate it will harm our democratic and economic progress”.

He pointed to recent initiatives such as setting up special corruption courts across the country and a 2010 Whistleblower Protection Act. Despite that law, however, Rafizi is now facing charges of revealing private banking details in the cow case, which the opposition dismisses as an attempt to muzzle him.

“I have no children, so I don’t have to worry about threats against my family. And with a finance background, I guess I was the best man for the job,” said Rafizi, who now plans a parliament run. Rafizi’s notoriety has brought him a flood of documents from other whistle-blowers who distrust the commission. In August, he set up a centre to handle the flow.

Criticised by the government as partisan, Rafizi insists the centre will also look into credible allegations against the opposition. As for future revelations involving the government, Rafizi does not rule out wielding them as campaigning begins. Rafizi said the three-party opposition alliance led by Anwar expects to find “massive” corruption in government books if it takes power, and Anwar has said he will save the country billions of dollars by wiping out official graft. But Rafizi insists the opposition won’t launch a “witch-hunt”, but instead will focus on recouping lost funds in larger cases. —AFP

North Korea tourism ‘booming’

TOKYO: Greenpeace International Nuclear project leader Aslihan Tumer (right) speaks during a press conference yesterday. —AFP

SEOUL: Foreign tourism is “booming” in North Korea, state media said yesterday a week after the country triggered global outrage by conducting its third nuclear test. The number of foreign visitors to the North has grown steadily since 2000 and witnessed a surge after 2009, especially in the number of European visitors, the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said. “The global popularity of tourism to (North Korea) is booming,” the agency said, without providing any breakdown on the number of visitors. A range of “shining, socialist accomplishments” made under the leadership of the ruling Kim family have elevated North Korea’s status and sparked interest in travelling to the country, KCNA said.

It did not mention if the “accomplishments” included its long-range rocket launch in December-condemned as a disguised ballistic missile test-or the February 12 nuclear test. “Most tourists gave positive reviews about their experiences in (North Korea) on the Internet and other media ... and the range of travel routes is expanding,” KCNA said.

North Korea’s direct air links with other countries are extremely limited, with China the main conduit for most travellers heading to Pyongyang.

The state carrier, Air Koryo, also flies to the Czech Republic, Hungary, Malaysia, Switzerland, Russia and Thailand, according to its website. North Korea is not a cheap tourist destination, as the hard currency-strapped nation charges high prices for everything from beer to accommodation. —AFP

Reactor makers must share accident costs: Greenpeace

Briton arrested in Indonesia over drugs

TOKYO: Anti-nuclear activists kicked off a global campaign yesterday to urge governments to force makers of nuclear reactors to shoulder some of the cost of accidents.

Greenpeace said in many countries blame for nuclear disasters falls on operators, but laws often limit their liability, leaving taxpayers to pick up the bill for compensation.

Meanwhile, suppliers of nuclear reactors, including GE, Toshiba and Hitachi, companies involved in the design and building of units at Fukushima, are often legally shielded from sharing blame for accidents involving their products, they said.

There have been no suggestions that the meltdowns that started after a tsunami thumped the plant nearly two years ago were in any way the fault of those companies. “The nuclear industry evades responsibility in... a big accident,” said Aslihan Tumer of the pressure group. “Every business around the world as well as all technologies have certain levels of risk when it comes to accidents.

“However, it’s only the nuclear industry

that can avoid this risk despite the large, long-term and trans-boundary impacts that these accidents cause.” The group’s campaign aims to raise public awareness that the same companies that make TVs and refrigerators also produce nuclear reactors, said activists, who hope social pressure will force businesses to rethink their nuclear strategy.

Around 19,000 people were killed and hundreds of thousands left homeless in March 2011 when a huge tsunami smashed into Japan, swamping reactors’ cooling systems and sending radiation over a large area.

No one has officially been recorded as having died as a direct result of the nuclear accident at Fukushima, but many livelihoods were wrecked.

Fukushima operator Tokyo Electric Power (TEPCO) bears legal responsibility under Japanese laws for compensating those affected by the accident. The Japanese government has agreed to release 3.24-trillion yen ($34 billion) worth of public funds to help TEPCO with the payouts after bringing the utility under state control. —AFP

JAKARTA: A Briton arrested for marijuana possession in Indonesia’s capital Jakarta could face up to 12 years in prison if convicted, a police spokesman said yesterday.

Kirk Elliott Neville, 36, who worked as an English teacher in eastern Jakarta, was detained on Saturday with a one-gram (0.035 ounce) package and two joints of marijuana, the East Jakarta police spokesman Didik Haryadi told AFP. “Based on a tip-off from locals, we arrested him on Saturday evening when he was smoking a marijuana joint at his house,” he said, adding that under the antinarcotics law, Neville could face between four to 12 years’ jail. The British embassy confirmed his arrest and said it had offered consular assistance. Indonesia enforces stiff penalties for drug offences. Trafficking is punishable by life imprisonment or the death penalty. A British grandmother was sentenced to death last month for trafficking drugs into the resort island of Bali. Two members of an Australian drug smuggling gang known as the “Bali Nine” who were arrested in 2005 are on death row, while seven others face lengthy jail terms.

Another Australian, Schapelle Corby, who was sentenced to 20 years in prison for smuggling 4.1 kilograms of marijuana in 2005, recently had her term slashed by five years after a clemency appeal to President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono. —AFP

RINCA ISLAND: In this file photo, Komodo dragons are seen on Rinca island, part of the protected area of Komodo National Park in Indonesia’s Nusa Tenggara Timur province. —AFP

Royal prank cost Aus radio network $2.9m SYDNEY: The Australian radio network behind a royal hoax call controversy in which a nurse was found hanged yesterday said the prank had cost it millions of dollars in revenue and expenses. Southern Cross Media Group said the fake call by presenters from its Hot 30 programme to the hospital where the pregnant Duchess of Cambridge was being treated had resulted in a revenue hit of Aus$2.2 million and Aus$1.4 million in expenses in the six months to December 31, 2012. It did not give the overall impact on net profit but said there was a 0.4 cent decline in earnings per share, which works out at Aus$2.8 million ($2.9 million). “We have had one of the most difficult 12 months in our history,” said chief executive Rhys Holleran. “Despite this, we have produced a result that has met market expectations through rigorous operational management.” Unsuspecting nurse Jacintha Saldanha put the prank call, in which the DJs pretended to be Queen Elizabeth and Prince Charles, through to Catherine’s ward, resulting in details of her morning sickness condition being revealed on air.

The hoax made global headlines and

Indian-born Saldanha was found hanged days later, triggering a major backlash against the radio network and the hosts which saw the station involved temporarily pull all advertising. “The adjustment is the UK incident that occurred in December and reflects the three weeks of that incident,” the company ’s chief financial officer Stephen Kelly told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. “The $2.2 million on the revenue line is really revenue that was cancelled from the schedule, not lost opportunity, and the $1.4 million in expenses is largely made up of legal costs and the amount that we have reserved for the family.” Southern Cross said any further financial impact from the incident was expected to be “immaterial” and full-year profit would come in between Aus$90-95 million. Southern Cross reported a net profit of Aus$45.1 million in the six months to December 31, 2012 — a 52 percent drop from the previous corresponding period’s $94 million which had been boosted by a one-off item. Underlying net profit was slightly above expectations at Aus$47.6 million. —AFP

COLOMBO: Maldives former Foreign Minister Ahmed Naseem (right) speaks to reporters in Colombo yesterday. —AFP

Maldives oppn will boycott election COLOMBO: Maldives’ main opposition party will boycott a presidential election scheduled in September unless it is held under a transitional government, a party spokesman said yesterday. Ahmed Naseem, a former foreign minister and a spokesman for the Maldivian Democratic Party, said the party doesn’t trust President Mohammed Waheed Hassan to hold a fair election. He said the party wants a transitional government led by the speaker of Parliament for two months as allowed under the constitution of the Indian Ocean nation. “An interim government and then elections. Nothing else. If these arrangements are not made, the MDP will not participate in the election,” Naseem told reporters in Colombo in neighboring Sri Lanka. Maldives is scheduled to hold its second multiparty presidential election on Sept 7. The country’s former president, MDP leader Mohamed Nasheed, has taken refuge

in the Indian embassy since last Wednesday, when a court ordered his arrest for not appearing to face charges that he illegally ordered the arrest of a senior judge while president.

Nasheed says the charges are politically motivated to disqualify him from running in the presidential election. Nasheed became the Maldives’ first democratically elected president in 2008, ending a 30-year autocracy. He resigned as president last year after losing the support of the military and police during weeks of public protests over the judge’s detention. His deputy, Hassan, succeeded him. An inquiry commission last year dismissed Nasheed’s claim that he was ousted in a coup. Maldives police said they have asked for help from the Foreign Ministry in arresting Nasheed from the embassy. The Indian government has said it will deal with Nasheed on a day-to-day basis. —AP

WENESDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2013

14

ANALYSIS

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2013

THE LEADING INDEPENDENT DAILY IN THE ARABIAN GULF ESTABLISHED 1961

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Issues

UAE leads Gulf push to build up defence industry

By Stanley Carvalho and Raissa Kasolowsky he United Arab Emirates (UAE) is at the forefront of a regional push to build up domestic defence manufacturing capability to reduce reliance on imports that come with too many strings attached, analysts say.

Wary of non-Arab adversary Iran in a competition for regional predominance, and seeing an increased security threat from Islamist militants, Gulf Arab monarchies have some of the fastest growing military budgets in the world.

The UAE has established a small defence industry that includes maritime security and defence-related services such as maintenance and repairs over the past two decades.

Now, the UAE has begun to pursue more sophisticated, high-tech capabilities in a strategy combining joint ventures with foreign firms and a program in which deals commit companies to transfer technology and skills to the Emirates. “The point of the UAE having an indigenous defence industry is to become self-sufficient and break away from the stranglehold of particular countries,” said Theodore Karasik, director of research at the Institute for Near East and Gulf Military Analysis. “The United States has some of the most advanced technology capabilities but because of technology transfer restrictions to other countries, the UAE wants to find solutions to those problems from elsewhere.”

The UAE and Saudi Arabia are among several states, according to diplomatic cables released by WikiLeaks, that have asked US officials to buy armed drones but which have been rebuffed. The Gulf Arab state this week awarded a contract to buy an unarmed version of a Predator drone from US firm General Atomics. “The aim is both to be defence-capable and part of the diversification of the economy,” UAE military spokesman Obeid Al-Ketbi told a news conference at the biennial International Defence Exhibition and Conference (IDEX) in Abu Dhabi.

“We are working hard through joint ventures on this strategy of defence capabilities and industry.”

The UAE is forecast to spend up to $12.9 billion per year on defence over the next three years, compared with $9.3 billion in 2011, said David Reeths, director of aerospace and defence consulting for Europe, Middle East and Africa at IHS Jane’s. Funded from huge oil and gas revenues, Gulf Arab states are on pace for an overall 4.6 percent yearly growth in defence spending over the next few years, Reeths said. In contrast, the global annual rate is forecast at 1.3 percent over the same period. China’s defence budget is expected to rise 9 percent in the same time.

High-tech and small scale is the best way forward for the UAE’s local defence manufacturing, according to Ali al-Dhaheri, general designer at the privately-owned, Abu Dhabi-based ADCOM Systems, which makes and exports drones. “We don’t care about larger-scale industry, the country is small. We don’t want to fool ourselves. We are small and all our manufacturing will probably be hi-tech and small-scale. And services will also be part of it.”

A recent joint venture between Abu Dhabi government-owned Tawazun and Sweden’s Saab AB to build advanced radar systems in the UAE highlights the strategy. “That’s really a very high-technology capability so that’s a first for the UAE,” Reeths said. The UAE already has several joint venture defence deals with global players including Boeing and Lockheed Martin. Abu Dhabi’s investment vehicle Mubadala is expanding on the services side of the sector, running seven local companies in defence-related operations such as maintenance and repairs. Yesterday, Ketbi announced that over 2 billion dirhams ($544.5 million) worth of deals had been awarded with Mubadala’s Advanced Military Maintenance Repair and Overhaul Centre (AMMROC, winning a 1.8 billion dirham aircraft maintenance contract. Analysts and industry players said Gulf Arab countries would need to coordinate if they wanted their region to develop a broad industrial defence base. But mistrust and rivalry among Gulf states was preventing any such coordination, Karasik said, and for now the UAE was leading the pack. “In the short term I don’t see unity or alignment in the defence industry (in the Gulf ), but I do see a lot of countries mimicking the UAE,” he said. “You see Saudi trying to do this, and also Oman and Kuwait but it’s on a much smaller scale. They don’t have the Mubadalas and Tawazuns.”

ADCOM’s Dhaheri agreed that any coordination among the Gulf states - which maintain a loose economic and political bloc as well as a Gulf defence pact - on this front was a long way off. “We would love to see that but given the turbulence in the region we have to be realistic.

I don’t think we are ready yet for integration.” —Reuters

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Egypt in clinch as economic cliff looms

By Paul Taylor wo years after a pro-democracy uprising, Egypt resembles a rickety bus rolling towards a cliff, its passengers too busy feuding over blame to wrench the steering wheel to safety. Foreign exchange reserves are dwindling.

Tourism is moribund. Investment is at a standstill. Subsidised diesel fuel and fertiliser are in short supply, while the cost of subsidies is swelling the budget deficit unsustainably. The Egyptian pound has lost 14 percent of its value since the 2011 revolt. Dollars are scarce. An IMF loan that could unlock wider aid is on hold. Unemployment is rising. Public security has deteriorated, and arms smuggling is rife.

With little regard for the looming economic cliff, politicians in the most populous Arab nation are trading blows over an Islamist-tilted constitution, political violence and an alleged power grab by the Muslim Brotherhood. To President Mohamed Morsi and his supporters in the Freedom and Justice Party, the Brotherhood’s political arm, this is just a tough home stretch in Egypt’s delayed transition to democracy. With the strongest national machine, they confidently expect to win parliamentary elections in April or May, completing their conquest of the new democratic institutions, then set about reforming the country along conservative Islamic lines.

“We are going through a bottleneck,” said Essam Haddad, the president’s national security adviser. “We’d like to get through this bottleneck as quickly as possible, and without cracking the bottle.” Cash injections from Qatar, the Brotherhood’s main foreign backer, are holding the country’s head just above water, and Haddad says a big informal economy will keep Egypt going.

Others are less sure. US ambassador Anne Patterson warned this month that the dearth of foreign currency could cause food and fuel shortages and put social stability at risk in a country where two-fifths of the population lives on less than $2 a day. Contacts with the International Monetary Fund continue by telephone and email, but there is no sign of an IMF mission returning to Egypt to conclude a $4.8 billion loan agreement vital to stabilise the economy. The IMF demanded in December that Egypt amend its economic adjustment programme to qualify for the loan. Diplomats say an IMF deal could unlock up to $12 billion in funding

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from a range of sources including the World Bank, the European Union, the United States and Gulf Arab countries.

Haddad made clear the government would not risk implementing before polling day the unpopular subsidy cuts and austerity measures required by the global lender. “It is very well known by the IMF that nobody would do such an action just before the elections,” he said. “However, our message is very clear. These reforms are essential for the economic recovery. There is no other choice.”

Some liberal opposition leaders, who have failed to pressure Morsi into amending disputed articles in the constitution or replacing a weak cabinet led by pale Prime Minister Hisham Kandil with a national unity government, are now offering a pact on a platform of economic priorities. Hassan Malek, the Muslim Brotherhood’s top business leader, played down that idea, saying opposition politicians Mohamed ElBaradei, a former UN nuclear agency chief, and Amr Moussa, a former head of the Arab League, were only speaking for themselves and could not deliver their National Salvation Front.

The leftist Popular Current party of Nasserite firebrand Hamdeed Sabahi, a key member of the NSF, and hardline Islamist Salafi parties have distanced themselves from the IMF program. Malek said in an interview the economy was going through a sticky patch because the transition to democracy launched by the 2011 revolt that toppled former President Hosni Mubarak was not yet complete and institutions were not working fully. “The Egyptian economy is not going to collapse,” he said. Malek is trying to lure home Egyptian billionaires and Mubarak-era economic reformers, some of whom had their assets seized or were convicted in absentia after the uprising.

The opposition intelligentsia in Cairo and young street activists who spearheaded the anti-Mubarak uprising and feel their revolution has been confiscated, denounce what they call a growing “Brotherhoodisation” - a drive to infiltrate and control all institutions. In one example, veteran AlAhram journalist Hani Shukrallah, a respected commentator, blamed Brotherhood pressure on the government-owned media group for his enforced retirement. The paper’s new management denied political motives.

Yet there is little sign of any monopolisation of state power or civil society so far. It looks more like the kind of rotation

of elites that occurred in Turkey when the mildly Islamist AK party won election a decade ago. The armed forces and to some extent the Interior Ministry and security services remain autonomous power centres that appear to have reached a modus vivendi with Morsi based on mutual noninterference rather than being under his thumb.

A vibrant independent media forced the president’s son this week to forgo a job with a state-affiliated company by raising accusations of nepotism. Shrill late-night television talk-shows offer a wide range of trenchant opinion. The judiciary is still full of Mubarak-era holdovers who show little inclination to do the Brotherhood’s bidding. Neither the government nor opposition parties control the young street.

And a clumsy effort to gain more sway over the religious authorities failed last week when senior Muslim scholars picked an apolitical Islamic lawyer as Egypt’s top cleric in preference to the Brotherhood’s preferred candidate.

Haddad said any talk of Brotherhoodisation was “black propaganda trying to exclude a whole sector of society”. He noted that Brotherhood members had been excluded from many state institutions and the armed forces under Mubarak.

Ziad Bahaa el-Din, a former investment authority chief who is now vice -president of the opposition Social Democratic party, says the Brotherhood, like past Egyptian rulers, is trying to secure its grip on power before tackling the country’s problems. “This has happened ever since (Ottoman pasha) Muhammad Ali slaughtered the Mamluks in the early 19th century,” he said in an interview. “(Gamal Abdel) Nasser locked up the Muslim Brothers and the Communists in 1954. (Anwar) Sadat locked up his opponents in 1971. “The difference now is that people’s acceptance is no longer there. You cannot control public opinion, and the kind of economic problems we are facing cannot be postponed for a couple of years,” he added.

Dan Kurzer, a former US ambassador to Cairo now teaching at Princeton University, said Egypt was only in “round three of a 15-round heavyweight contest”. Among the players in the ring, he sees the Brotherhood, the military, the internal security forces, the revolutionary street, and what he called “the fourth heavyweight - old regime loyalists who may be off balance, in jail or in exile but who will be energised if the economy collapses”.— Reuters

Abe looks to prove he has the right stuff

By Linda Sieg ive years after staring into a political and personal abyss, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is out to prove that the man who threw in the towel after barely a year in office has what it takes to survive as a long-term leader. Abe, whose 2006-2007 term as premier ended with his abrupt resignation after a year plagued by scandals, an election defeat and a gastrointestinal ailment worsened by stress, won a rare second chance when his party surged back to power in December. This time, in an effort to show he’s taking care of his health, Abe has resumed jogging and is sipping room-temperature water during parliament sessions, apparently to avoid stomach upsets. The prime minister also, media say, still consults memos reflecting on mistakes that he jotted down after quitting.

Even some opposition members say Abe and his aides display a better ability to govern than the first administration, when gaffes and scandals cost him five ministers including one who committed suicide. “I think we can see ... the effect of lessons they learned from the first Abe administration, which gave up mid-stream,” said Tetsuro Fukuyama, an upper house lawmaker whose Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) ousted Abe’s Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) in 2009, only to be crushed themselves at the polls in December. “I don’t know (if he is a changed man), but I sense that those close to him are pulling together more effectively.”

That said, members of Abe’s team do occasionally show signs of singing a bit out of tune. Finance Minister and former premier Taro Aso - who some suspect of dreaming of a comeback of his own - said yesterday Japan had no plan to buy foreign currency-denom-

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inated bonds as part of a monetary easing program. A day earlier, Abe had said buying foreign bonds was a monetary option. Those who know Abe say the 58-year-old leader, who goes to Washington this week with a message that Japan is reviving its economic and diplomatic strength, has learned a lot from his first term, when critics said he packed his cabinet with inexperienced cronies.

The grandson of a prime minister and scion of an elite political family, Abe was 52 when he first took office, making him Japan’s youngest postwar premier. He also succeeded a popular prime minister, Junichiro Koizumi, without having to fight a general election. “He’s more mature, seasoned, a sort of a ‘comeback’ guy after seeing hell,” said Kunihiko Miyake, a former diplomat who has known Abe for years.

“Before, he was a person in a hurry and wanted results soon, impatiently. Now he is comfortable and not in a hurry,” added Miyake, research director at the Canon Institute for Global Studies in Tokyo.

Critics say Abe’s improved image benefits from the low bar set by predecessors, including himself. Abe is Japan’s seventh prime minister since Koizumi ended a five-year term in 2006.

“He’s assiduously avoiding previous mistakes,” said Brad Glosserman, executive director at Pacific Forum CSIS in Hawaii.

“It’s not a lot to be proud of.”

Clearly, Abe has rethought his priorities, not least to avoid a repeat of the stinging 2007 upper house election loss that created a deadlock in parliament and helped seal his fate.

Abe has made reviving the

economy his top priority, a big shift from his first term when his main agenda was to loosen the limits of Japan’s pacifist constitution on the military and restore national pride and patriotism. Those remain vital to Abe’s platform, but for now are taking something of a back seat. Rising Tokyo share prices and support rates of over 60 percent suggest investors and voters are willing to give the benefit of the doubt to “Abenomics” - a mix of big spending and hyper-easy monetary policies with a promise of reforms to come.

“The strategy is totally different. He’s clearly decided that at least until the upper house election (in July), he is going to focus on the economy,” said Gerry Curtis, a Columbia University political science professor who has watched some two dozen Japanese prime ministers come and go during his career. Well aware voters punished the Democrats for their perceived inability to govern, Abe’s team is taking pains to act quickly when crises erupt, such as this month’s North Korean nuclear test. The tight grip at the top also applies to damage control. Finance Minister Aso, known for verbal bloopers, quickly retracted a remark last month that implied terminally ill old people should be allowed to die quickly to save tax money. And a junior cabinet minister swiftly resigned this month just before a magazine was to publish a damaging article.

Early success might, ironically, carry its own risks. “If he wins the next upper house election, he would have no obstacles in parliament,” Miyake said, adding that Abe could become over-confident. “He might be tempted to rush ahead again, although I don’t think he would.” A further flare-up in ties with China or South Korea, strained by territorial feuds and disputes over Japan’s wartime history, could also erode Abe’s image as a deft leader.

Whether Abe can survive the rough patches expected when his honeymoon with markets and voters fades remains to be seen. “The consistency of the message is one thing that has encouraged people to think more positively,” said Jeffrey Young, research director at US-based hedge fund Woodbine Capital, referring to Abe’s monetary easing push.

“The government must know it is all done on the basis of expectations and are wondering at what point the public, media and the markets will turn to results.” — Reuters

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2013

S P ORTS

Pistorius accused of ‘premeditated’ murder Blade Runner in court for bail hearing

PORT ELIZABERTH: June Steenkamp, center, the mother of Reeva Steenkamp, arrives for her funeral in Port Elizabeth, South Africa, yesterday. Olympic athlete Oscar Pistorius is charged with the premeditated murder of Reeva Steenkamp on Valentine’s Day. — AP

Pistorius girlfriend Steenkamp laid to rest PORT ELIZABETH: Tearful family and friends said goodbye to slain model Reeva Steenkamp in a private funeral ceremony in South Africa yesterday as her boyfriend Oscar Pistorius appeared in court charged with her murder.

Steenkamp’s coffin, draped in a cloth with a white flower arrangement on top, was carried into the chapel at the crematorium in her hometown of Port Elizabeth at 10:00 am (0800 GMT) by six people.

Sombre-faced mourners exchanged hugs and wiped away tears after the intimate memorial service in the southeastern coastal city where Steenkamp grew up. “There’s a space missing inside all of the people that she knew that can’t be filled again,” her brother Adam, who gave the eulogy, told reporters after the ceremony. “We’ll miss her.”

The late law graduate and cover girl was shot dead at her boyfriend’s luxury home on Valentine’s Day, in a case that has rocked the nation where Pistorius, a double amputee Olympian and Paralympian, is a national hero.

While Steenkamp was being laid to rest, a sobbing Pistorius appeared in a Pretoria court seeking to be released on bail, sparking a fresh media frenzy. But in Port Elizabeth, the focus was firmly on Steenkamp.

A funeral programme simply entitled “Reeva”, with the dates of her birth and death on it, showed a black-and-white portrait of the 29-year-old. The words “God’s Gift, A Child” were written on the back.

When her family addressed the media, they made no mention of Pistorius, whom Steenkamp had been dating since late last year. Steenkamp’s brother said the mood at the ceremony was sad, but also an opportunity to remember the good times they had shared. “At certain points we were smiling whilst remembering Reeva because

we only have good memories of her and I think that’s what we were all thinking,” he said.

Her uncle Michael Steenkamp, who broke down while speaking about his niece, recalled how she wanted to be an activist who spoke up for women’s rights and advocated against violence.

He said he hoped her death might make a difference. “By her passing away, it actually can make a change in the lives of many people,” he said. “She was an angel,” added Gavin Venter, an ex-jockey who worked with her race horse trainer father.

Venter said there had been no indication that the glamorous young woman was having relationship problems. “I asked her father, her father said no, she was very happy with Oscar, there was no problems, but maybe she was just hiding it away,” he told journalists.

Venter said he thought the star athlete should be denied bail. “I’m disgusted and he must be dealt with harshly,” he told reporters. “He’s a danger to the public. He’ll be a danger to witnesses, he must stay in jail, they mustn’t release him.”

Pistorius himself broke down in court as the prosecution accused him of premeditated murder. One of Steenkamp’s former classmates at a local private Catholic school, Bongiwe Gaxambaa, said she would remember her school friend’s smile, the way she got along with people, and her love and warmth for others.

Steenkamp’s murder was hard to come to terms with, she added. “It’s kind of only sinking in now that I’m actually here, that she’s really gone.”

Also among the mourners were nuns from her old school, a well-known DJ who hosted a reality show that Steenkamp appeared on and the Springbok rugby player Francois Hougaard. — AFP

PRETORIA: South African sporting hero Oscar Pistorius broke down in court yesterday as he was accused of shooting his model girlfriend through a locked bathroom door in what prosecutors said was a “premeditated” Valentine’s Day murder.

The double -amputee Olympian and Paralympian “Blade Runner” is seeking bail at the Pretoria court hearing, which revealed startlingly different accounts from the prosecution and defence about how his covergirl law graduate lover Reeva Steenkamp was killed.

Prosecutor Gerrie Nel said Pistorius armed himself, put on his prostheses, walked seven metres and fired four shots through a locked bathroom door at his luxury Pretoria home, hitting a terrified Steenkamp three times and fatally wounding her.

“She could go nowhere,” he said, adding that Pistorius had “shot and killed unarmed innocent woman”. He said Steenkamp, 29, had arrived at Pistorius’s home on Wednesday evening with an overnight bag, seeking to counter claims that the athlete had mistaken her for an intruder.

As the court hearing was under way in the South African capital, Steenkamp was being laid to rest at a private ceremony in her hometown of Port Elizabeth.

Pistorius, wearing a black suit, blue shirt and grey tie for his second court hearing since the February 14 shooting, broke down in sobs every time Steenkamp’s name was mentioned.

The 26-year-old-who became an inspiration to millions when he became the first double amputee to run against able-bodied athletes at last year’s Olympics-spoke only to confirm he had no previous convictions.

“Yes, your worship,” he said in a shaking voice.

Magistrate Desmond Nair asked Pistorius to speak up and he repeated the phrase louder.

Pistorius’s heavyweight legal team rejected claims that the killing was premeditated. “We submit it’s not even a murder. There’s no concession that it’s murder,” said lawyer Barry Roux.

Roux challenged the claim that Pistorius put on his prostheses before shooting and argued the runner believed the person in the bathroom to be an intruder. “I will put before court case after case where husbands through accident shot wives... believing it was an intruder,” said Roux. “Is that now preplanned murder?”

Roux also claimed Pistorius had broken down the door to help Steenkamp. Defence lawyers are expected to argue that Pistorius should be freed pending trial but the state has said it would oppose bail.

The killing has put Pistorius’s career on hold,

PRETORIA: Olympian Oscar Pistorius, foreground, stands following his bail hearing, as his brother Carl, left, and father Henke, second from left, look on in Pretoria, South Africa, yesterday. — AP forcing him to cancel races in Australia, Brazil, but wanted clarity about Steenkamp’s death.

Britain and the United States between March “The family haven’t got that animosity or hatred or anything like that but questions, and we and May. The Johannesburg-born athlete, whose nick- realise that it’s going to come out,” Reeva’s uncle name was inspired by his custom-built carbon- Michael Steenkamp told AFP. On Saturday a celebrity television show aired fibre running blades, had both legs amputated below the knee when he was 11 months old haunting footage of Steenkamp speaking about the need to leave a positive mark on life, words after being born without lower leg bones.

In Port Elizabeth, Steenkamp’s coffin with laden with poignancy after her death.

“Not just your journey in life, but the way that white flowers laid on top was carried into the chapel at the crematorium as sombre-faced you go out and make your exit is so important, mourners exchanged hugs. “It’s kind of only sink- you have either made an impact in a positive ing in now that I’m actually here, that she’s really way or a negative way,” she said.

Pistorius, who off the track has a rocky private gone,” said Bongiwe Gaxambaa, one of Steenkamp’s classmates at a local private life of rash behaviour, beautiful women, guns and fast cars, has built up a powerful team of Catholic school.

In an interview published on Monday, lawyers, medical specialists and public relations Steenkamp’s mother described Reeva’s death as experts for his defence.

Stuart Higgins, a former editor of British “horrendous.”

“Why my little girl? Why did this happen? Why tabloid The Sun, whose lengthy list of clients did he do this?” June Steenkamp told the Times includes British Air ways, Chelsea FC and of South Africa. “She had so much of herself to Manchester United football club, has taken over give and now all that is gone. Just like that, she is his public relations.

One of his lawyers, Kenny Oldwage, defended gone... In the blink of an eye and a single breath, the most beautiful person who ever lived is no the driver in a 2010 accident that killed former president Nelson Mandela’s great-grandchild longer here.”

The family said bore the runner no grudge Zenani. The driver was acquitted. —AFP

Indian luge pioneer, Shiva fears slide into oblivion MUMBAI: On more than one occasion, luger Shiva Keshavan has been on the brink of quitting due to India’s frosty attitude towards winter sports, but the pioneer’s passion and devotion are driving him towards a fifth Olympics. Keshavan was just 16 when he participated in the 1998 Winter Olympics at the Japanese city of Nagano and since then he has represented India at three more Games.

The 31-year-old retained his Asia Cup title in Nagano last December with an Asian track

Shiva Keshavan record of 49.590 seconds but the feat has failed to translate into recognition or support in India, where winter sports remain at a very nascent stage. “When an athlete represents his country, he is like an ambassador for his nation,” Keshavan told Reuters in an interview. “It is normally expected that your foreign trips, your training and your basic expenses are borne by your country.

“It’s actually very sad to see that this mentality is not shared by our sports administrators. “When I go and ask our sports administrators to pay for our training expenses, it seems like I am asking for a personal favour.”

Last month, Keshavan lost his coach Yann Fricheteau, a former Olympian, after the Frenchman quit due to the non-payment of his salary.

“Over the years, I have come to know of the government schemes and funds that are meant for supporting the athletes and I am eligible for so many of these things,” he said by phone. “I have been applying but despite that, nothing is happening. Despite promises, nothing has materialised and it has merely

stayed at words and promises.”

The International Olympic Committee granted the luger the Olympic Solidarity Scholarship on Monday which will help him travel and participate in the test event and the World Cup final, a mandatory qualifying race for next year’s Sochi Games.

But having reached the top of Asia, Keshavan said it was impossible for him to raise his performance to the next level without government support.

“I have made a program... I need training time, I need exposure to the international venues and I need to have a coach,” he said after a training stint at Albertville in France.

“It’s quite bizarre that until now I have never had a (full-time) coach, which is a fundamental requirement for any level of any sport.” Keshavan said on more than one occasion he had asked himself whether all the trouble was worth it. “Quitting has not just crossed my mind, sometimes I have gone through phases when it was physically impossible for me to compete,” he said.

“I had no choice but to stay back and contemplate what the next step is going to be. I thought if the situation remains as it is, I would not be able to continue the sport.”

Born to an Indian father and Italian mother, Keshavan does not rue a decision to decline an offer to represent the Italian flag more than a decade ago.

“I never gave that (representing Italy) much thought to be honest. It was an offer that was made to me in 2002,” he said. “Of course, it would have been an opportunity.

“But the only way to fulfil my dreams and that of the area where I grew up, was by representing my own country.” Born in the North Indian hill station of Manali, pursuing winter sports was a natural choice for Keshavan and he thinks his struggle for recognition was down to the fact he has been the pioneer for luging in the country. “It’s just a matter of time before the infrastructure reaches the mountains,” he said. “I think it’s a tremendous opportunity for the community and for us that winter sports can come in and change their lives. “I am a bit unlucky that being the first one, I won’t be able to use much of that infrastructure, but it will be a help for the next generations for sure.” — Reuters

MONTMELO: Sauber’s Mexican driver Esteban Gutierrez leaves his car after it broke down during the first day of Formula One testing at the Catalunya racetrack in Montmelo, near Barcelona, yesterday. — AFP

Kyle Larson poised for stardom in NASCAR DAYTONA BEACH: Kyle Larson just may be the nex t great NASCAR driver. Scratch that. Make it, “will be” the next star in the sport’s top series. Says who? Just ask Tony Stewart. “I guarantee it,” Stewart said. “If not, you can take everything I own, because I’m that confident. It’s not a matter of if, it’s when.”

That’s a bold prediction from a three -time Cup champion not known for hyperbole. Stewar t, though, has every reason to be impressed. So are many of NASCAR’s elite drivers, from Jeff Gordon to Kasey Kahne, who are wowed by the natural speed, talent and versatility flashed by the 20-year-old Larson. New cars, new series, new tracks. None of it has slowed down Larson from the fast track to stardom.

He won a low-level NASCAR developmental series championship last season, the first time he raced in stock cars, and had three top-10s in his four Truck Series starts.

He raced all over the world in any series where he could find a ride. Larson counted 92 races in 2011 and 123 races in 2012. “The past two years have been pretty crazy,” Larson said. “I’ve been running different cars, it seems, every night. I kept busy. I had a lot of fun, won a lot of races. I won a lot of big races, too.”

Larson won again Monday night, taking a short-track race at

Daytona International Speedway in the “Battle at the Beach.” He’ll compete in another short-track race tonight, then take a big step up when he drives in Saturday’s Nationwide Series race.

Oh, and that’s after he finished second in the ARCA race, making him one of the busiest drivers of Speedweeks. He even found time Sunday night to win a USAC midget race at nearby New Smyrna Speedway. In case you missed it, (at) KyleLarsonRacin tweeted video of the race.

Larson is leading the way of a new generation of young stars ready to make an impac t in NASCAR. Chase Elliott, Darrell Wallace Jr., and D ylan Kwasniewski are just a few of the prospec ts set to take over as today’s crop of 40-something Cup drivers inch closer toward retirement. They ’ve raced their way through NASCAR’s Drive for Diversity program or been pegged as members of the “Next 9” - a select group of up-and-coming drivers.

It’s more than just young blood they’re adding to NASCAR - but different bloodlines. Wallace will drive in the Truck Series, making him the fourth full-time black driver in NASCAR history. Larson’s mother is Japanese and his father is of Native American descent.

Larson openly talked of wanting to usher in a new fan base in a sport that has long suffered on

the track and in the stands from a lack of diversity.

He just needs a crash course on Japanese: “All I say is, ‘Sayonara,’” he said, laughing. But he’s serious about sparking interest in auto racing in new cultures. “It’s the greatest sport in the world and a lot of people haven’t been here to experience it,” he said. “If I can get Japanese-Americans interested in the sport, I think it would be good for me and NASCAR. “As long as I can keep running up front, I’ll catch their eye a little bit. They might come to watch the races and meet me and walk around the garage area.”

Larson, locked into a development contrac t with Earnhardt Ganassi Racing, put the sport on notice in 2011 when he won races in three different series on the same night at Stewar t- owned Eldora Speedway. He moved on to a ride with Rev Racing and was the first series champion out of NASCAR’s Drive for Diversity program.

Larson has talked at length of wanting to pattern his career after drivers like Stewart and Kahne, who started their careers on dirt tracks in open wheel cars. Stewart turned down an offer by owner Roger Penske to return to his open wheel roots and run in this year’s Indianapolis 500. Larson said he’d love the chance to drive in IndyCar ’s signature race some time down the road.

“I’d like to run the Indy 500 someday, for sure,” he said. “I think being with Chip Ganassi Racing, you have that chance. I’d also like to run the 24-hour race at Daytona. Being with Chip Ganassi, you get those options if you’re doing well and he likes you.”

What ’s not to like? Gordon went on TV last year and said, “he makes me look like nothing,” at his age. Gordon, the four-time Cup champion, is friends with Larson and texts him after ever y win.

That’s a lot of texts.

“It’s definitely been beneficial for my career getting my name on Speed Channel and every Sunday on ‘Speed Report,’” Larson said.

“I t ’s been really big with Jeff Gordon talking about me quite a bit. Hopefully, I can keep running up front and keep those guys talking about me.”

But NASCAR history is littered with “can’t miss” prospects who missed. Joey Logano was called “Sliced Bread,” as in, greatest thing since, when he was just a teen and replaced Stewar t at Joe Gibbs Racing. Only 22 and with two Cup wins, Logano has already moved on to Penske Racing looking for a fresh start after failing to live up to the massive hype at JGR. Larson understands there are no guarantees in auto racing. But he feels he’s ready. “I haven’t felt any pressure yet,” he said. “But I can see how people would think I might feel pressure.” — AP

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2013

S P ORTS

Victorious Team with officials.

Royal Coast, Behbehani clinch GC Trophies

Behbehani Captain receiving Plate Cup KUWAIT: In an exciting & nail biting match played at GC ground, Royal Coast cricket club prevailed over a spirited challenge posted by Desert Warriors to lift the prestigious Gulf Consults Cup trophy. In the Plate finals played at GC ground 1, Behbehani cricket team defeated Enigma by 5 wickets to get hold of the Plate final trophy. The tournament was organized by Gulf Consults, a leading & pioneer organizer in promoting cricket in Kuwait under the auspicious of Kuwait Cricket.

In the GC Cup final, Royal Coast & Desert Warriors brushing their skills & gave the spectators their time worth as the match went on till the last over and in a thrilling game Royal Coast holding their nerves till the final ball won by 9 runs.

Batting first, Royal Coast got on to a positive start as Amjad, their opener produced the sort of innings that any captain would like as he plundered runs at will.

Amjad elegantly crafted his innings and played some extraordinary shots with confidence & exuberance and his polished knock of 59 runs in 35 balls had 8 hits to the fence. A sudden collapse resulted in Royal Coast loosing 3 quick wickets which brought Omar & Osman together and the duo blossomed gradually to put 74 runs partnership for the 5th wicket. Both the batsmen came good just when Royal Coast needed them, rekindling the form to rescue their team from a shaky middle order collapse. Omar scored a dashing 36 runs and played the pull shot with awesome power, while

Osman plundered a quick fire 22 runs as he whipped three consecutive hits to the fence to give their team the needed boost. A late onslaught of 28 runs in just 14 deliveries by Saleem was another highlight of Royal Coast’s innings which enabled them to post a decent total of 193 runs in 20 overs. Sajid was the most economical bowler for Desert Warriors with a tight spell of 2 for 20 in 4 overs.

Dessert Warriors openers chasing a huge total took the challenge to the Royal Coast camp as Sajid the all rounder timed the ball with great punch to launch a fierce attack. A flowing cover drive which rattled into the boundary board was the shot of the day. Usman on the other hand started slowly but soon matched his senior partner as he played with determination and called his shots to perfection. Usman’s innings of 53 runs was worth a ton of gold and Desert Warriors were possibly eyeing a great victory when these two batsmen were at crease. Sajid meanwhile scored his half century and in an unfortunate mix up was run out at a crucial time after top scoring with 65 valuable runs.

Needing to accelerate the scoring, Usman mistimed an attempted lofted shot and was caught at mid on for a cracking 53 runs. Needing almost 10 runs an over, Arif did not give up his heart as he slammed a useful 23 runs but Afzaal bowling the 19th over of the match turned the match in Royal Coast’s favor by bowling a nagging and accurate over as he conceded just 4 runs in that over to highlight his match figures of 1 for 14 in

Jayawardene ruled out of Bangladesh Tests COLOMBO: Former Sri Lanka captain Mahela Jayawardene has been ruled out of next month’s two-test home series against Bangladesh after dislocating the middle finger of his left hand in a domestic match on Sunday.

Jayawardene picked up the injury while fielding in the slips during the Singhalese Sports Club’s Premier league match against Nondescript’s Cricket Club. “Initial scans showed that it was only a dislocation but the scans were sent to Australia for further opinion,” Sri Lanka team manager Michael de Zoysa said.

“The opinion from Australia is that Mahela will have to undergo surgery and have a wire inserted to keep the dislocated bone in place.

“He will be out for between four-to-six weeks which means he is certainly ruled out of the Bangladesh test series.”

Thilan Samaraweera would replace Jayawardene for the two tests against Bangladesh, Sri Lanka Cricket said in a statement. Another former captain Kumar Sangakkara is also fighting to recover in time for the first test starting in Galle on March 8.

Sangakkara had his left index finger broken by Australian fast bowler Mitchell Johnson during the Boxing Day test in Melbourne and had a pin and plate inserted for his injury.

The left-handed batsman has begun having light batting sessions in the nets but is still uncertain for the Galle Test.

Jayawardene and Sangakkara are Sri Lanka’s two most prolific run-getters in tests and one-day internationals, having scored over 10,000 runs each in both formats. Bangladesh will also play three one-day internationals and a Twenty20 international on the tour. — Reuters

Griner reaches 3,000 pts as Baylor beats Uconn HARTFORD: It had been a while since Brittney Griner and Baylor faced a true test on the court. The top-ranked Lady Bears and their 6-foot-8 star passed a tough one Monday night, rallying to beat No. 3 Connecticut 76-70 in a women’s basketball showdown that certainly lived up to its billing.

Griner scored 21 of her 25 points in the second half, including the 3,000th of her career, to extend Baylor’s winning streak to 23 games. The reigning AP player of the year became the eighth women’s player in Division I history to reach the milestone, doing it on two free throws with 1:05 left.

“Just got more aggressive,” Griner said.

“Coach told me I need to be more aggressive in the paint, go to the goal, so that’s what I did.”

Baylor (25-1) went 40-0 last season en route to the school’s second national championship, and its only loss this season came in Hawaii against Stanford back in November. Griner and her talented teammates hadn’t really been challenged since, with no opponent coming within single digits. But when UConn built a seven-point lead in the second half, the Lady Bears were ready. “It’s always good to give yourself a gauge of what you need to work on,” Baylor coach Kim Mulkey said. “I told them at halftime, it’s been a long time since we’ve had to execute on offense. We’re so athletic and so good and so talented, we just go play

Enigma receiving their cup

basketball. But against good teams who play great defensively, you must execute.

And we needed to do some things better in the second half.”

Griner and fellow preseason All-America Odyssey Sims had a tough first half, combining to go 3 for 19 from the field. They responded after halftime, though. Baylor, which has already clinched the Big 12 regular-season title, led 54-53 midway through the second half before Griner took over.

She scored seven points during a quick burst, and her putback made it 67-61 with 5 minutes left.

UConn (24-2) rallied behind Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis to cut it to 67-65, but Griner answered with a putback. Then she hit the two milestone free throws 1:30 later to make it 73-67, all but sealing the win.

Griner had missed key free throws down the stretch when she was a sophomore and her team lost at Connecticut by one point.

She wasn’t going to let that happen again, beating the only team in the country that she didn’t have a winning record against.

“It meant a lot to me to get it on the free throw line,” Griner said, smiling. “Last time I was here I was horrible, my free throws were horrible.” The game, hyped up all season, lived up to the buzz - even though neither coach wanted to put too much emphasis on this one, knowing there will be a lot more at stake if the schools meet again in the NCAA tournament.—AP

Baig presenting MOM award

four overs. Requiring 20 runs in the last over, Desert Warriors fought like true Warriors but lost the game by a margin of 9 runs.

Amjad of Royal Coast was declared Player of the match for his dashing knock of 59 runs. Riding on a magnificent 79 runs, Mirza guided Behbahani cricket team to an exciting 5 wickets win over ENIGMA in the Plate finals of the Gulf Consults trophy.

Electing to bat first on a beautiful sunny afternoon, ENIGMA openers laid a solid foundation as Nasser & Mussafar batted beautifully to post 59 runs partnership. Mussafar returning to form with a swashbuckling 38 runs while Isthiyaq building a firm foundation with some quick singles slowly accelerated to knock a useful 38 runs. A minor collapse triggered the scoring rate in the 11th over but Zahoor & Yassir stood firm to notch up another fruitful partnership of 65 runs.

Zahoor went of aggressively and both the batsmen appeared to be in good nick as they rotated the strikes with some well runs singles & doubles. A thumping drive straight down the ground by Zahoor was a treat to watch. Zahoor’s well timed innings of 52 runs and Yasser with a fighting 25 runs helped ENIGMA to post a challenging total of 182 runs for the loss of just 3 wickets in their allotted 20 overs.

Chasing almost 9 runs per over is always a challenging task for any team but the determined Behbahani players doing their home work well started in a positive note. The tall & lanky Mirza was in full command

from the word go and hit the cherry with precise timing and stole a clear initiative from the Enigma bowlers. Mirza cut & drove and flourished with a couple of handsome strokes to hit a strokeful 79 runs while Omar & Taher supported him to earn their team a well deserved victory and lift the Plate trophy. Omar batted sensibly well to score 24 runs while Taher played a sheet anchor role to notch 29 runs. Mussafar bowled well with a 3 wicket haul for Enigma and clearly indicated his talent as a good all-rounder. Mirza was rightly declared Player of the match for his splendid knock of 79 runs.

A large gathering of cricket lovers witnessed the finals and cheered their favorite teams. Emad AlJassam, Board member of Kuwait Cricket & Osama AlHoli, Section Head of PAAAF jointly presented the Winner’s trophy to the Captains of Royal Coast & Behbahani teams and later on handed over the Runners Up trophy to the captains of Dessert Warriors & Enigma teams. Asad Baig, Director General, Kuwait Cricket presented the Player of the match trophy to Amjad of Royal Coast in the Cup category & Iqbal Rajpurkar presented the Player of the match to Mirza in the Plate category. Riaz Choudhury, Director, Umpires panel, Kuwait Cricket & Arjuna, General Manager, Web site & Administration of Kuwait Cricket along with Ejaz Ahmed of Hala Pakistan jointly presented the individual trophies to all the participants of the match.

NBA to resume, with Lakers in funk and Heat on top HOUSTON: Kobe Bryant and the Los Angeles Lakers turned their attention Monday from bad basketball and trade talk to more somber matters. The death of Jerry Buss, their longtime owner, was a blow for a franchise that was so often in championship chase under his leadership.

With Magic Johnson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal, and finally Bryant and Pau Gasol, the Lakers won 10 titles under since Buss became owner in 1979.

The Br yant-Gasol-Dwight Howard-Steve Nash combination wasn’t working nearly as well. The Lakers are 25-29, currently in 10th place in the Western Conference, miles behind the Clippers in their division and their own building, and out of the playoff race. Gasol is hurt and Howard has been unhappy, leading to speculation he could be dealt before Thursday’s trade deadline even though the Lakers have said otherwise.

Yet Bryant spoke confidently of a turnaround Sunday after the All-Star game, just hours before Buss’ death at 80. “I think we’ve been playing pretty well coming into the break,” Bryant said. “We laid a couple of eggs there against the Celtics and the Clippers, but all in all we’ve been playing pretty well, much better than we have been. We just have to continue to improve and we’ll do much better in the second half.”

It starts today, with the Lakers looking to get back on track, the Miami Heat in command in the East and LeBron James in command of everyone. Bryant blocked James’ shots twice in the final minutes of the West’s 143-138 victory over the East on Sunday in the All-Star game.

It was a rare failure for James, who has been sensational all season and whose Heat have hit their stride.

Miami ran off seven straight victories going into the break and starting to build a comfortable lead in the conference. “We just want to play our game,” he said. “We want to continue to get better each and every game. Not waste an opportunity when we get on the floor. Play as a team and if we do that, we’ll be fine. The Heat overwhelmed the Thunder in Oklahoma City on

Los Angeles: Lakers fan Jeannette Hernandez, lays a flower at the statue of the late Laker announcer Chick Hearn for Lakers’ owner Jerry Buss at the Staples Center in downtown Los Angeles on Monday Feb. Buss, the Los Angeles Lakers’ owner who shepherded the NBA team to 10 championships from the Showtime dynasty of the 1980s to the Kobe Bryant era, died Monday. He was 80. —AP Thursday in an NBA Finals rematch, improving to just 13-11 on the road.

All-Star for ward Chris Bosh said Miami is only a 7 on a scale of 1 to 10, believing the Heat still have to put together a string of road victories to prove they are really in championship form.

“Just the fact that we had room to improve, we can play better on the road and we’re still first in the East, that means a lot to us and that means we can get a lot better,” Bosh said. New York is the closest challenger in the standings, while Indiana and Chicago have already beaten Miami this season and could become stronger with Danny Granger soon returning to the Pacers and perhaps Derrick Rose coming back to the Bulls at some point. San Antonio, with the league’s best record, Oklahoma City and the Clippers are the teams in best position to face the Heat if they reach their third straight finals. The Lakers were considered a candidate, but that was long ago.

The summer acquisitions of Howard and Nash were supposed to

get the Lakers right back to the top.

But Nash was hurt early and Howard has never fully recovered from back surgery, adding a torn labrum in his right shoulder to his problems. He has not fit well in Mike D’Antoni’s offense and has acknowledged not always having fun this season.

What’s more, he has given the Lakers no guarantee he will return when he becomes a free agent in July. But would they really deal a player who was the NBA’s dominant big man before his injuries?

“I don’t know what they are going to do. But at this point, it doesn’t matter,” Bryant said. “What matters to us is what we do on Wednesday and go from there.

That’s the most important thing.

That’s my message to the team, is that you can’t worr y about the future, you can’t worry about the past. You just have to focus on the present.” Paul will also be a free agent in July, yet the Clippers have far less reason to think he would bolt. They have built a team that’s been as good as any when healthy, a deep group led by Paul, the MVP of

the All-Star game after finishing with 20 points and 15 assists.

Four games behind the Spurs, the Clippers will have plenty of eyes on them heading in Thursday’s 3 pm EST deadline to see if they think there’s a move out there that would solidify them as a championship contender. Paul believes they already are. “Whatever we have out there, we’re going to fight with. I don’t care what it is, either. We’re like brothers,” Paul said. “I love our team and what we’re doing and we’re going to keep moving forward.”

So, says Bryant, will the Lakers.

An NBA Finals duel like the one he had with James down the stretch of the All-Star game seems out of reach this season. Yet the way Br yant defended shows he’s ready for the challenge.

“My switch never went off. It was on all weekend,” he said. “It was good to see the guys but at the same time there was an undercurrent that went on during the first half of the season that I won’t let go.

Come Wednesday we have to be ready to go.” — AP

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2013

S P ORTS

NHL results/standings

Wozniacki eases through in Dubai

Ottawa 2, New Jersey 1 (SO); Philadelphia 7, NY Islanders 0; Colorado 6, Nashville 5; Montreal 3, Carolina 0; Toronto 3, Florida 0; Phoenix 4, Calgary 0; Anaheim 3, Columbus 2.

Eastern Conference Western Conference Central Division Atlantic Division Chicago 12 0 3 51 31 27 W L OTL GF GA PTS St. Louis 9 5 1 52 48 19 Pittsburgh 11 5 0 52 38 22 Nashville 7 4 5 35 35 19 New Jersey 9 3 4 42 38 22 Detroit 7 6 2 40 44 16 NY Rangers 8 5 1 38 35 17 Columbus 4 10 2 36 51 10 Philadelphia 7 9 1 45 49 15 Northwest Division NY Islanders 6 8 1 45 54 13 Vancouver 8 3 3 41 33 19 Northeast Division Minnesota 7 6 2 33 38 16 Edmonton 6 5 3 35 38 15 Montreal 10 4 1 43 34 21 Colorado 6 7 1 37 43 13 Boston 9 2 2 37 31 20 Calgary 5 6 3 39 51 13 Toronto 10 6 0 46 36 20 Pacific Division Ottawa 8 6 2 37 31 18 Anaheim 12 2 1 53 39 25 Buffalo 6 9 1 46 54 13 Phoenix 8 6 2 44 41 18 Southeast Division San Jose 7 4 3 37 33 17 Carolina 8 5 1 41 40 17 Dallas 8 7 1 41 43 17 Tampa Bay 7 6 1 55 45 15 Los Angeles 5 6 2 30 36 12 Florida 4 7 4 35 56 12 Note: Overtime losses (OTL) are worth one point in the standings and are not included in Winnipeg 5 8 1 35 46 11 the loss column (L) Washington 5 9 1 41 51 11

Azarenka pulls out

Coyotes roll to 4-0 win over Flames GLENDALE: Mike Smith stopped 30 shots, Keith Yandle scored in the opening minute of the first period and Mikkel Boedker did the same to start the third, lifting the Phoenix Coyotes to a 4-0 win over the Calgary Flames on Monday night.

Yandle knocked in a rebound 41 seconds into the game for his fourth point in two games and Boedker scored 30 seconds into the third by squeezing a puck between Calgary goalie Danny Taylor’s pads in front of a standing-room only crowd at Jobing.com Arena. That was enough for Smith, who was sharp all night for his 22nd career shutout and third this season. Antoine Vermette and Raffi Torres each added goals in the third period, David Moss had two assists against his former team and Oliver Ekman-Larsson added two assists in Phoenix’s sixth win in eight games.

Taylor stopped 33 shots in his first NHL start. The Flames have played well lately despite their revolving door of goaltenders.

Starter Miikka Kirprusoff hasn’t played since Feb. 5 because of a sprained knee and Calgary sent Leland Irving to Abbotsford of the AHL after he gave up two goals on four shots in 5-2 loss to St. Louis on Friday.

Joey MacDonald, picked up off waivers from Detroit last week, earned his first victory with Calgary after the Flames rallied with three goals in the third period for a 4-3 win over the Stars on Sunday night, giving them at least a point in three of four games.

Against the Coyotes, Flames coach Bob Hartley decided to go with Taylor, whose only previous NHL experience was one period with the Los Angeles Kings during the 200708 season.

Phoenix got to him right away, with Yandle punching in a rebound after a sharpangle shot from Moss, a former Flames forward, caromed off Taylor into the slot.

The Coyotes beat Taylor again early in the third period when a shot by Ekman-Larsson bounced hard off the back boards to the other side of the goal. Taylor dropped to his knees as he scrambled around the crease, but Boedker’s shot slipped between his legs and bounced off his right pad into the goal.

Vermette, who had an assist on Boedker’s goal, scored later in period by swatting the puck in during a scramble in front, and Torres scored on a wrister from along the right boards. That was more than enough for

Phoenix. The Coyotes have gotten back to their defense-first style after a rough start to the season, earning at least a point in eight of 10 games, including a pair of shutouts by Smith.

Smith was sharp again against the Flames, positionally sound and tracking the puck well as the Coyotes limited the chances in front of him in the first period. He was just as good in the second when Calgary picked up the offensive pressure, turning away 13 shots, including a snatching glove save on a wrister

by Lee Stempniak late.

Smith was still sharp in the third after Phoenix broke it open, sending the Coyotes into a four-day break with a solid all-around victory. The Montreal Canadiens unleashed a three-goal salvo in the third period and goaltender Peter Budaj protected the shutout in a 3-0 victory over Carolina Hurricanes on Monday.

Brandon Prust broke the deadlock at 2:06 in the final period before Tomas Plekanec and Max Pacioretty also netted shots 28 seconds apart to overwhelm the visiting Hurricanes and give the Canadiens a fourth straight win.

Budaj, filling in for the flu-ridden Carey Price, needed to make just 19 saves to record his first shutout with Montreal. In Price’s absence, Budaj has won a pair of games while fending off 37-of-38 shots.

“It definitely helps my confidence to get two wins and to be able to play well,” Budaj told reporters. “Especially when the team in front of me works really hard, I wanted to play really great.” After finishing last in the Eastern Conference a season ago, the red-hot Canadiens (10-4-1) have moved to the top of the Northeast Division in the 48-game lockout-shortened season.

Cam Ward turned back 23 shots for Carolina but folded in the third as the injuryweakened Hurricanes saw their three-game winning run come to an end. Captain Eric Staal had his 11-game point streak snapped in the defeat for Carolina (8-5-1) as they battled with an ailing lineup.

Forwards Jeff Skinner and Tim Brent along with defensemen Joni Pitkanen and Tim Gleason were all sidelined with injury. “You’re going to have injuries, everyone’s going to go through it, and you have to find a way to win,” Hurricanes coach Kirk Muller said. “It was an opportunity for other guys and we just didn’t capitalise or get the job done.” — Agencies

MONTREAL: Tim Wallace #29 of the Carolina Hurricanes misses his body checks on P.K. Subban #76 of the Montreal Canadiens during the NHL game at the Bell Centre on Monday in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. — AFP

DUBAI: Caroline Wozniacki of Denmark returns the ball to Czech Republic’s Lucie Safarova during their WTA Dubai Open tennis match in the Gulf emirate yesterday. — AFP DUBAI: Former world number one Caroline Wozniacki strolled into the second round of the Dubai tennis championships by beating Lucie Safarova 6-2 6-2 yesterday after Australian Open champion Victoria Azarenka withdrew due to a foot injury.

Wozniacki 22, made short work of her Czech opponent, winning in an hour, although she lost her serve at 5-1 in the first set before breaking back immediately.

Safarova double-faulted to gift the world number 10 a 3-1 lead in the second set and she capped a miserable display with a shanked forehand to lose the match.

Wozniacki ended 2010 and 2011

as the top-ranked women’s player, but endured a tough 2012, slipping down the standings as she made little impression at the grand slams.

This year has also proved difficult for the Dane, who has gone beyond the last 16 in only one tournament, and she will now face Chinese qualifier Jie Zheng before a potential showdown with new world number one Serena Williams in the quarterfinals.

Williams, who received a bye to the second round, will play France’s Marion Bartoli on Wednesday and the American’s chances of winning a 48th singles tour title were boosted by the withdrawal of Azarenka.

The Belarussian, 23, who also

pulled out of last year’s Dubai tournament, said she needed to rest after injuring her right foot. “I have been obviously playing a lot of tennis over the last five days, especially, so going to a new tournament is too much to handle right now - it keeps getting worse,” said the world number two.

Azarenka has a near-per fect record this year, winning 12 matches in a row since she withdrew from her Brisbane International semifinal against Williams in January due to “a bad pedicure experience”.

That run includes winning her second successive Australian Open title, plus the Qatar Open in which she beat Williams in three sets in

the final on Sunday. Earlier, Italy’s Sara Errani defeated Germany’s Julia Goerges 6-3 4-6 6-4. The diminutive world number seven will play Romania’s Sorana Cirstea in the second round.

Czech Petra Kvitova put an indifferent start to 2013 behind her as she thumped qualifier Daniela Hantuchova 6-2 6-1. Kvitova won Wimbledon in 2011, but suffered a second-round exit at January ’s Australian Open.

“At the beginning of the season I wish (I had) better results,” Kvitova told reporters. “I changed my fitness preparation, so I needed some time to get used to it.” — Reuters

Azarenka injury ensures Williams to number one DUBAI: Top-seeded Victoria Azarenka suffered a blow for the second successive year at the Dubai Open when she pulled with a heel injury, ensuring that Serena Williams will hold on to the world number one ranking this week.

Azarenka, the only unbeaten leading player on the tour this year, beat Williams in three sets in the final of the Qatar Open on Sunday, having played through part of that tournament with painkillers.

Now, however, the bruising continues to cause pain in practice and the Belarussian has decided against risking it any further. Last year she also won the Qatar Open and similarly withdrew from the Dubai Open with a foot injury.

Azarenka would have regained the top spot had she won the title this week. Instead Williams is likely to remain number one at least until the Indian Wells tournament next month.

“I’m very disappointed, but I have to listen to my body,” said Azarenka, who suffered a ranking oddity by losing the world number one spot to Williams yesterday despite a rare success against the American the day before. “ The injury happened last week when I played a lot of tennis, so going on to a new tournament is just too much. The heel kept getting worse, and I needed to re-evaluate.

“Sometimes the schedule is just too difficult.

Unfortunately you can’t know when you plan it in November what will happen in February. “I didn’t want to continue taking painkillers because sometimes it’s better to feel the pain. so that you can control the injury. Otherwise it can cause something which is much worse.

“This is just a warning that I have to take care of myself.” Azarenka also admitted that planning a schedule would become “progressively more difficult” as the women’s game is becoming

Victoria Azarenka more and more physically demanding.

This was something which became clearer, she said, after she had won the Australian Open for the second successive time last month. “I never realised before just how much it takes out of you,” she said.

“Physically and mentally it just drains you out - and then you realise.” Williams, who ended the Australian Open with back and ankle injuries and a cold, said in contrast to Azarenka, that she had improved physically a great deal during the Qatar Open.

“I was really, really, really, really sick last week and physically I just wasn’t at my best, considering I couldn’t train, and I didn’t practise,” she said. “I practised only one or two days before

playing because I had the ankle problems. But I didn’t want to not show up and not play. So at least if I could show up and play my way into shape I would be able to compete and that’s what I did.

“I feel so much better this week already. I feel like a completely different athlete, and a completely different person, compared with last week.”

Williams is now the overwhelming favourite to win the $2,000,000 Dubai Open for the first time.However after starting against Marion Bartoli, the world number 11 from France tomorrow (Wednesday), she may go on to a potentially difficult semi-final with the titleholder, Agnieszka Radwanska of Poland. — AFP

‘Toxic’ culture fuelled Aussie swimming flop SYDNEY: Slack management allowed a “culturally toxic” environment to develop in Australia’s swimming team at the London Olympics with abuse of alcohol and prescription drugs as well as flouting of cur fews and bullying going unchecked, a review said yesterday.

Australia’s worst Olympic swimming performance for 20 years came amid reports of schoolboy pranks, inflated egos, a lack of team unity and unrealistic expectations, prompting the review into team culture by business consultants Bluestone.

“Standards, discipline and accountabilities for the swim team at the London Olympics were too loose,” it said.

“Situations were left to bleed with not enough follow through for fear of disrupting preparation for competition.

“Although few situations relating to

London reported through this review were truly grave in nature, they compounded in significance as no one reigned in control.

“There were enough culturally toxic incidents across enough team members that breeched agreements (such as getting drunk, misuse of prescription drugs, breeching curfews, deceit, bullying) to warrant a strong, collective leadership response that included coaches, staff and the swimmers.

“No such collective action was taken.”

Australia’s swimmers are usually expected to lead thecountr y ’s charge for medals in the first week of the Games but they failed to win an individual title and ended up with just one relay gold, six silver and three bronze medals. An Independent Swimming Review commissioned by the Australian Sports Commission also reported yesterday,

making recommendations on leadership, governance and administration, culture and declining achievement on the world stage.

Swimming Australia chief Barclay Nettlefold welcomed both reports and acknowledged there was much to be done to restore the credibility of the sport with the nation. “Before we look at winning gold medals, we want to win back the admiration of the nation, and we want to engage with our swimming community like never before at every level,” he said in a news release.

“Work has already started on the majority of the recommendations in these reports, including the introduction of a high performance director and an ethical framework.”

The Bluestone report said there was no headline cultural issue that caused the underper formance, nor did the

problems suddenly emerge in London.

“The findings of this review were that cultural factors did play a significant role in the ‘unpleasant’ experience that many Australian swimmers, coaches and staff had at the London Olympics in 2012 and the culture did not appear to assist or support high-level performance for most people,” it said.

“It seems that the most significant issue in swimming was the quietly growing lack of focus on people across the board,” the report continued.

“Participants reported that in the zealous and streamlined attempts to obtain gold medals, the delicate management of motivation, communication and collaboration were lost.”

Once the expected medal haul failed to materialise over the first few days of the meet team morale plummeted, the report said.

“Swimmers described these Games as the ‘Lonely Olympics’ and the ‘Individual Olympics’,” it added. “There was not much connection between groups of athletes, or between athletes, staff and coaches other than what was engineered reactively.”

The report makes a raft of recommendations on areas such as standards and accountability, how to build better lines of communication both inside the team and with the media, as well as on building community in the team.

It also recommended head coach Leigh Nugent be sent on an “an intensive coach-the-coach leadership program” for three to six months.

“There is a dire need to develop and enable leadership throughout swimming, and to orient people to consider leadership as personal, not just functional,” it said. — Reuters

19

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2013

SPORTS

Experts condemn China corruption penalties BEIJING: Commentators yesterday described penalties for corruption in Chinese football as inadequate, after 33 people were banned for life and Didier Drogba’s former club Shanghai Shenhua was stripped of the 2003 league title.

Shenhua were among a number of clubs and individuals punished by the Chinese Football Association (CFA) for widespread match-fixing scandals that have blighted the game in China.

But the measures would not deter corruption, football pundits said, because ever more money was flowing into the sport. “These are not really serious punishments,” Yan Qiang, vice-president of Titan Media, one of China’s leading sports publishers, told AFP. “I do not think this is enough to set an extreme example to warn off future offenders.

“The professional football league is getting more popular and attracting more public attention,” he added. “But where there is profit, there will be more people trying to get into it with illegal ways, so it will be an ongoing fight.”

Shanghai Shenhua were also fined one million yuan ($160,000) and received a six-point deduction for the new Chinese Super League season starting next month, as were Tianjin Teda. “I personally think this is not enough and it is regrettable that no clubs were relegated this time,” said Xi Jiren, head of sports at Xinhua news

agency.

“The CFA should learn from what Europe has done,” Xi told the China Daily, referring to a series of corruption clampdowns which saw Italian giants Juventus relegated and stripped of two Serie A titles.

China also has previously relegated teams from the country’s top league for match-fixing. Chengdu Blades FC and Guangzhou Pharmaceutical, who later became current champions Guangzhou Evergrande, were demoted in 2010.

Shanghai did not comment when contacted by AFP but a club source was quoted in domestic media as saying they had been “treated unjustly”. “The football association believed the current team isn’t completely different to the mainstay of the team back then, so they insisted on the punishment and we cannot do anything about it,” the insider told the Oriental Sports Daily newspaper.

Shanghai were found guilty of fixing a game against Shanxi Guoli during the 2003 campaign and were among 12 clubs given “disciplinary punishments”. Tianjin were found guilty of fixing a game in the same season.

Jilin Yanbian were fined 500,000 yuan and deducted three points for throwing a match in 2006. The CFA also banned 33 peo-

ple from involvement with football for life, including former CFA heads Nan Yong and Xie Yalong, who have both been convicted and jailed for taking bribes. Another 25 people were banned for five years.

Social media users blamed the authorities themselves for the scandals. “To see where the environment for this corruption was bred, one need look no further than the original culprit-the CFA,” said one post on Sina Weibo, China’s version of Twitter.

“I would suggest the CFA be banned for life from Chinese football.” China launched a high-profile crackdown on corruption in football in 2009, and scores of officials, referees and players have been imprisoned in recent months as the campaign reaches a climax.

The league appeared to turn a corner as star foreign names were brought in, among them Drogba and Nicolas Anelka, his former team-mate at English Premier League side Chelsea, who both joined Shenhua.

But both players have since left the club, with Drogba going to Turkish league leaders Galatasaray in disputed circumstances and Anelka signing for Juventus on loan.

China’s top sides are mainly bankrolled by cash-rich business titans willing to pay top salaries to lure foreign talent. — AFP

AC Milan to test Euro credentials against Barca

ISTANBUL: Galatasaray’s Ivorian striker Didier Drogba attends a training session yesterday. Galatasaray coach Fatih Terim has backed Didier Drogba and Wesley Sneijder to be a success together as they seek a place in the Champions League quarter-final with Shalke 04 today. — AFP

Schalke faces daunting task at Galatasaray ISTANBUL: Schalke coach Jens Keller could hardly face a more daunting Champions League debut when his team visits Galatasaray for the first leg of the last 16 today. Keller was supposed to halt Schalke’s midseason slump, but the interim coach has managed only one win from six games across all competitions since taking over from the dismissed Huub Stevens in December.

Altogether, Schalke has only one win from 12, and its unbeaten record in the Champions League this season faces a somber test against a Galatasaray bolstered by the recent signings of Didier Drogba and Wesley Sneijder.

Drogba, who won the competition with Chelsea last year, scored a spectacular header five minutes into his debut at Galatasaray on Friday, in a move instigated by Sneijder, a 2010 winner with Inter Milan.

“Both of them have quickly merged and integrated with the team,” Galatasaray coach Fatih Terim said.

The Turkish champions recovered from a poor start in the Champions League with three straight wins to finish second behind Manchester United in Group H. Galatasaray leads the Turkish league by six points with five wins from its last eight games, in sharp contrast to Schalke, which has tumbled from second to ninth in the Bundesliga.

The Gelsenkirchen-based side had Michel Bastos to thank for salvaging a 2-2 draw at Mainz on Saturday, when the Brazilian scored twice for three goals in as many games since his recent transfer from Lyon.

“That was important,” Bastos said. His late goal provided breathing space for Keller, whose melancholy demeanor has not instilled confidence, and who spoke before

the game of “a curse” affecting his side.

Keller had to do without the injured Klaas-Jan Huntelaar, Atsuto Uchida, Lars Unnerstall, Ibrahim Afellay, Kyriakos Papadopoulos, Ciprian Marica and Christoph Moritz in Mainz.

But his side will be boosted by the return for Huntelaar for the game in Istanbul. The Netherlands striker has been passed fit to play after recovering from a ruptured vein in his left eye.

“I had no problems in training and am ready for Istanbul,” Huntelaar said. “I feel good and can see everything.” With only five goals in the Bundesliga so far this season, the Dutchman hasn’t shone, but he has four from six Champions League games and the side is counting on his experience.

“It’s important that the ‘Hunter’ is fit again,” said Marco Hoeger, who will play at right back in place of Uchida, who has a hamstring injury. Afellay (muscle tear), Marica (meniscus) and Moritz (torn ankle ligaments) also remain out, while defender Papadopoulos and goalkeeper Unnerstall are both recovering from knee operations.

Raffael is ineligible after playing for Dynamo Kiev in the competition already this season. Bastos can play as Lyon only took part in the Europa League. The buildup has been dominated by speculation linking Bayern Munich coach Jupp Heynckes with the job at Schalke next season. “This is the usual madness. We have to live with it. It doesn’t affect the preparations,” Schalke sports director Horst Heldt said. Heldt said a good result in Istanbul can help kick-start a recovery and lead the team back to the promising form that Schalke showed at the beginning of the season. — AP

MILAN: The veracity of AC Milan’s resurgence in Italy’s Serie A is set to be put to the test when Barcelona visit the San Siro today for the first leg of a last 16 tie in the Champions League.

After their worst ever start to a league campaign the Rossoneri have climbed to third place and within touch of securing one of the three Champions League places for next year.

However their survival in this year’s competition could depend on a strong showing in Milan ahead of a return to the formidable surroundings of the Nou Camp on March 12.

Although billed, by Milan, as a match between ‘the best of the world’-Milan are seven-time European champions while Barcelona, four-time winners, are widely considered the strongest team in the world-the Spanish league leaders have the bragging rights.

The last time the two sides met, in last season’s competition, Barcelona came away from the San Siro with a scoreless draw in the first leg of the quarter-final, before winning 3-1 at home to secure a semi-final spot.

Only four months earlier, Barcelona emerged from Milan with a 3-2 win on their way to topping the group ahead of Milan, while in the 2006 semi-finals the Catalans won 1-0 to virtually secure their place in the final.

Since the recent acquisition of striker Mario Balotelli, AC Milan have continued making up for their disastrous start to sit third in the league, 11 points behind leaders Juventus.

But because he played in this season’s competition with Manchester City, Balotelli is Cuptied for the remaining Champions League fixtures.

That paves the way for the likes of Bojan Krkic, formerly of Barcelona, to step up for a game that will have special emotional significance as well as being a crucial step in Milan’s roller-coaster season.

“It is a different game, a special game for

Today’s matches (Local Timings) UEFA Champions League Milan v Barcelona 22:45 Aljazeera Sport 1 HD Aljazeera Sport +4 Galatasaray v Schalke Aljazeera Sport +5 Aljazeera Sport 2 HD

22:45

Mourinho an ‘aggressive coach’, says Del Bosque MADRID: Spain manager Vicente del Bosque has described Real Madrid boss Jose Mourinho’s management style as ‘aggressive’ and far different to his own.

Del Bosque, a former Madrid manager and the man in charge when they last won the European Cup in 2002, did

Jose Mourinho

though reject the idea that he was missed by his old club. “There are many varying factors like the character and personality of the coach,” he told an event hosted by Marca Espana, a political body that promotes the image of Spain at home and abroad.

“Mourinho seems like a very aggressive coach. I, on the other hand, am more calm. There may be a world between these two extremes, but the most important things is that the group functions.

The rest is of secondary importance.

“I don’t think they miss me. We are talking about the best club of the 20th century and one of the best currently.

“Madrid are a strong and extraordinary organisation that maintains, along with Barcelona, an incredible level that everyone who enjoys football likes to see.”

Del Bosque also took the opportunity to address the ongoing controversial topic of Spain playing friendly games in farflung destinations.

Already this season the World and European champions have played away games in Panama and Puerto Rico and also clashed with Uruguay in Qatar a fortnight ago.

However, rather than being an unnecessary strain on his players, del Bosque insists it is an honour to be invited to play

in such games. “For us it is an honour to go there. The national team is in demand in many countries throughout the world.

“It makes us happy to represent our country like modest ambassadors of the Spanish brand and we are proud to do so.

However, there are those that rather than helping seem to be against it.”

The 62-year-old also doesn’t believe another two clashes between Madrid and Barcelona in the next 10 days will hamper relations inside the Spanish camp for their upcoming World Cup qualifiers against Finland and France.

“In the Madrid-Barca game we saw a few days ago the debates after the game were not about the great game we saw, but the unnecessary controversy over whether there had been something in the car park or something else on the pitch. People are always looking for the bad in football and not the good.

“We have many Catalan or Basque payers and I have never had to remind anyone that we are in the Spanish national team. “The best example is the three goalkeepers. One from Madrid (Iker Casillas) with over 100 caps, another from Cordoba (Pepe Reina) with 20 odd caps and a Catalan (Victor Valdes) with just five. “And yet it is the best relationship that there is in the team.” — AFP

CARNAGO: AC Milan’s forward Stephan El Shaarawy (C) trains yesterday at the Milanello training center near Carnago on the eve of his team’s Champions League match against FC Barcelona. — AFP me but I don’t want to think too much about game over 180 minutes where goals are allwhat feelings I have inside, I just want to con- important. We have to score and also not concentrate on the game and on the 90 minutes cede. We have to remain focused for the of football that awaits us,” Bojan told entire 180 minutes.”

Barcelona currently hold a 12-point lead acmilan.it.

“I have never played against Barcelona over Atletico Madrid at the top of La Liga in before and for that very reason this is more Spain but will travel to Milan without coach than just a game for me but all I want to do is Tito Vilanova as he continues treatment in New York to help him recover from a throat help the team.”

He added: “We are going through a posi- cancer operation he underwent before tive patch at the moment, we have to believe Christmas.

The reins will remain with assistant managin ourselves. “We have to try and work hard and go into the match knowing that we are er Jordi Roura, who last weekend had occaplaying in the knock-out stages of the sion to hail star forward Lionel Messi as the Champions League, against Barcelona, in one Argentine scored a double to take his Barcelona goals tally to beyond the mythical of the biggest matches in the world.

“This isn’t a three point match, this is a 300 mark. — AFP

Messi tops AP rankings again, ahead of Reus BERLIN: Barcelona’s Lionel Messi again topped the Associated Press global football rankings this week, but Borussia Dortmund striker Marco Reus came close to toppling the Argentina forward.

Reus’s hat trick against Eintracht Frankfurt in the Bundesliga earned him 163 points from the 21 panelists, who give 10 points for their top player and team of the week. The panel is made up of global football journalists.

Messi had 165 points and has dominated the rankings since they started last year. Barcelona, 12 points clear at the top of La Liga, was voted team of the week with 128 points, closely followed by two German teams - Dortmund, with 116 and Bayern Munich, which is 15 points clear at the top of the Bundesliga, with 115.

Roma’s 36-year-old veteran Francesco Totti led the field of those trailing a long way behind Messi and Reus. Totti won 80 points, with last week’s leader Cristiano Ronaldo and Manchester United goalkeeper David De Gea sharing fourth place.

“A Francesco Totti special fizzed past Gianluigi Buffon to give Roma victory against Juventus,” said Will Tidey of the San Francisco-based Bleacher Report. “The veteran Italian icon has still got it.”

Bundesliga.com writer James Thorogood said Mario Goetze and Reus stood out for Dortmund. “If Mario Goetze was the director, then Marco Reus, a perpetual motion machine in his own right, was the leading man in Dortmund’s successes this week,” Thorogood said. “The 14-time German international stood out from the crowd against Frankfurt courtesy of his first hat trick as a BVB player.

Borussia Dortmund top the pile on account of

twice overcoming adversity this week.” Fiorentina’s Montenegro striker Stevan Jovetic was in sixth place after his two goals helped beat Inter in Serie A, while Tottenham’s Gareth Bale was seventh, dropping from third last week. Filip Bondy of the New York Daily News paid tribute to the Welsh winger. “Bale is on an incredible run right now for Tottenham, and for Wales,” Bondy said. “His direct kicks are now every bit as deadly as David Beckham’s, but he also has the mobility and power that Beckham lacked.”

“Spurs won’t hold on to him for long,” Bondy added, echoing widespread speculation that Bale will leave England for a top Spanish club next season. Orfeo Suarez Gonzalez of Spain’s El Mundo said, “it was the best week for the goalkeepers, with De Gea as the man of the match in the Bernabeu against Cristiano and Company.”

Manchester United, which held Real Madrid to a 1-1 draw in the Champions League at the Bernabeu, was fourth in the team rankings after Barcelona and the two German clubs, with Fiorentina in fifth and Madrid in sixth. Roma, French clubs Sochaux and Lyon and Manchester City made up the last four places.

Paolo Condo of Italy’s sports daily Gazzetta dello Sport said the development of Reus was the top headline around the footballing world.

“The ranking involves this week not only the weekend clashes for national championships and cups, but also the first four first legs of the Champions League round of 16,” he said. “So, I really appreciated the pride and the strength of Dortmund and Manchester United, able to achieve a good draw in the home of their opponents.” — AP

AP Global Football Rankings for week ending Feb. 10 (Previous rankings in parentheses): Players Teams: 1.Lionel Messi, (4), 165 points.

1.Barcelona, (1), 128 points.

2.Marco Reus, 163.

2.Borussia Dortmund, 116.

3.Francesco Totti, 80.

3.Bayern Munich, (2), 115.

4.David De Gea, 70.

4.Manchester United, (3), 92.

4.(tie) Cristiano Ronaldo, (1), 70.

5.Fiorentina, 81.

6.Stevan Jovetic, 64.

6.Real Madrid, (4), 75.

7.Gareth Bale, (3), 61.

7.Roma, 65.

8.Mario Balotelli, (9), 48.

8.Sochaux, 43.

9.Luis Suarez, 32.

9.Olympique Lyon, 42.

10.Mario Goetze, 30.

10.Manchester City, 38

Wozniacki eases through in Dubai

Pistorius accused of ‘premeditated’ murder

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WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2013

AC Milan to test Euro credentials against Barca

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LONDON: Bayern's Mario Mandzukic of Croatia (center) deflects a shot by Arsenal's Bacary Sagna (right) to score Bayern's 3rd goal as Arsenal goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny (left) looks on during a Champions League, round of 16, first leg soccer match between Arsenal and Bayern Munich at Arsenal's Emirates stadium in London, yesterday. —AP

Bayern blacken Arsenal’s nightmare LONDON: Bayern Munich loaded fresh misery onto beleaguered Arsenal with a 3-1 win at the Emirates Stadium yesterday that left them with one foot in the Champions League quarter-finals.

Seeking a reaction after Saturday’s shock FA Cup exit at the hands of second-tier Blackburn Rovers, Arsenal were instead soundly beaten by a Bayern side desperate to atone for last season’s Champions League final heartache. Runaway leaders in the Bundesliga, Bayern bossed the first half of the last 16, first leg, and went in 2-0 up at halftime through goals from Toni Kroos and Thomas Mueller.

Lukas Podolski replied early in the second half, breaching his former club’s defence for

the first time in 2013, but Mario Mandzukic struck late on to put Bayern firmly in control ahead of the second leg on March 13.

With defeat, Arsenal’s hopes of ending an eight-year trophy drought recede still further, and although Bayern will be without the suspended Bastian Schweinsteiger in the second leg, with three away goals, they may not miss him. The return of the Champions League gave Arsenal the opportunity to forget their domestic woes, and the smoke from the Bayern fans’ flares that drifted across the pitch at kick-off only served to emphasise the change of atmosphere.

Greeted by roars from the home fans as they left the tunnel, Arsenal began with intent, and saw first Santi Cazorla and then

Theo Walcott thread inviting crosses into the Bayern box from the right.

However, the wind was sucked from their sails in only the seventh minute as Bayern took the lead from their first attack. Mueller’s cross from the right eluded the stretching Mikel Arteta and Kroos beat Per Mertesacker to the bouncing ball to hit a crisp half-volley that skipped off the turf and flashed past the flailing Wojciech Szczesny.

It was a cruel blow for Arsenal and things got even worse in the 21st minute, with Mueller volleying into the roof of the net from close range after Szcezsny parried Daniel Van Buyten’s header from a right-wing corner.

Bacary Sagna and Arteta found their way into the referee’s book as the hosts’ frustra-

tions threatened to get the better of them, while Bayern’s fans launched a gleeful chorus of the English terrace chant, ‘Football’s coming home!’ Mandzukic almost put Bayern out of sight when he directed a header inches wide of Szcezsny’s right-hand post shortly before half-time, which was met with a torrent of boos from the stands.

Bayern retreated in the second half, content to look for opportunities on the break, but it back-fired in the 55th minute as Arsenal pulled themselves back into the match.

Jack Wilshere’s looping corner from the Arsenal right was somehow allowed to bounce in the heart of a crowded area and Podolski exploited hesitancy in the visiting ranks to nod a header past flat-footed

Germany team-mate Manuel Neuer.

Szczeszny had to tip a rising drive from Kroos over the bar as Bayern resumed their assault on the home goal, with Javi Martinez heading over from the ensuing corner.

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger introduced Tomas Rosicky and Olivier Giroud in the 72nd minute and the pair almost made an immediate impact. Rosicky found Walcott wide on the right with a strafing pass and Giroud met the Englishman’s subsequent cross with a first-time shot that Neuer scrambled away. It proved an illusory glimpse of hope. Five minutes later, substitute Arjen Robben released Philipp Lahm on the overlap and the Bayern captain’s low cross was bundled in by Mandzukic. — AFP

Moutinho goal gives Porto slim advantage MADRID: Porto beat Malaga 1-0 in their Champions League last-16 first leg clash here yesterday after Joao Moutinho’s second-half goal decided a cagey affair at the Estadio do Dragao. The hosts dominated the opening period but failed to create a clear opening until six minutes after the break when Alex Sandro’s fine pass was swept past Willy Caballero first time by Moutinho.

Porto were then happier to hold on to their advantage than go in

search of a second and with Malaga unable to muster any sort of response the tie is delicately balanced heading into the return at La Rosaleda in three weeks’ time.

Malaga’s only previous defeat in European competition had come in the city of Oporto to Boavista in 2003 and they seemed set to suffer a similar fate throughout a first-half which the hosts dominated.

Marat Izmailov was handed a start ahead of James Rodriguez as the lat-

PORTO: Porto’s Brazilian defender Alex Sandro (L) vies with Malaga’s midfielder Joaquin Sanchez during the UEFA Champions League round of 16 first leg football match FC Porto vs Malaga CF at the Dragao stadium in Porto yesterday. — AFP

ter continues his return from injury and the Russian tested Caballero with a low drive just four minutes in.

However, for all their possession Porto failed to force the Argentine into another save for the rest of the opening period. Twice Fernando headed just off target from Moutinho corners before Danilo and Izmailov also fired wide of Caballero’s righthand post.

Izmailov was again off the mark as he slid in at the back post moments after the break but ironically it was when the visitors had been enjoying their best spell of possession when Porto eventually found a way through.

A lovely pass from Sandro split the Malaga defence wide open and Moutinho timed his run perfectly to slot confidently past Caballero.

Rodriguez then replaced Silvestre Varela and the Colombian nearly had an immediate impact as he curled a shot just wide two minutes later.

Manuel Pellegrini then also turned to his bench in search of a goal, but despite introducing an extra striker as Javier Saviola and Lucas Piazon replaced Julio Baptista and Manuel Iturra, Malaga still failed to create anything of note going forward.

And the Spanish side will have it all to do on homesoil if they are to reach the quarter-finals in their first ever Champions League campaign. — AFP

— Photo by Joseph Shagra

Qadsiya wins Kuwait Crown Prince Cup KUWAIT: His Highness the Prime Minister Sheikh Jaber Mubarak Al-Hamad Al-Sabah represented His Highness the Crown Prince to the final game, held at Kuwait Stadium in Kaifan Area.

Qadsiya’s defender Musaad Neda scored his team’s first goal from a header in the 11th minute, prompting Al-Arabi to equalize the score in the first half but failed to do so.

Al-Arabi began the second half with a determination to score but Qadsiya, who won their seventh Crown Prince Cup, was solid on defense. Right winger Hamad Aman tried to manipulate Al-Arabi defense and struck the ball to hit the far post and return to striker Bader AlMutawwa who found the goal open for a second goal.

Al-Arabi scored their lonely goal in the 87th minute but Al-Mutawwa scored his team’s third in the 94th minute. His Highness the Deputy Amir and Crown Prince Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah sent a cable of congratulations yesterday to Sheikh Khaled Fahad Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, President of Qadsiya Sporting Club, after the club’s soccer team won the Crown Prince Cup for the season 2012/2013.

In the letter, HH the Crown Prince valued the great efforts put by the club’s board of directors, managing and coaching staff, as well as the upscale athletic level displayed by the players, wishing them all success in upgrading Kuwaiti sport and hoisting Kuwait’s name in regional and international arenas. — KUNA

Shares boosted by M&A activity, German data Page 22

Business

All-new BMW M6 Gran Coupé to make world debut Page 25

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2013

United Real Estate posts record profits for 2012

Burgan Bank Group reports KD55.6m net profits for 2012 Page 23 Page 26

ATHENS: Greek Prime Minister Antonis Samaras (second left) and France’s President Francois Hollande (right) arrive to take part in a meeting at Maximou Mansion in Athens yesterday at the beginning of a one-day visit. —AFP

Hollande urges investment in Greece Euro-zone recovery to help meet fiscal targets ATHENS: French President Francois Hollande promised yesterday to promote French investment in recession-hit Greece as he argued that a recovery in European growth was the best way to meet fiscal targets. “I am here to mobilize French companies to invest in Greece,” Hollande told reporters at the start of his one-day visit after meeting with Greek Prime Minister Antonis Samaras.

“We need more growth in Europe, this is how we will be able to achieve our deficit-reduction targets,” he said. France under Hollande has repeatedly stressed that austerity must be accompanied by measures that fuel sustained growth. In this, his line has contrasted with the emphasis by European powerhouse Germany which insists on balanced budgets above all.

Hollande admitted yesterday that France would miss its growth forecast for 2013.

But he insisted that France “is among countries which are in the least poor position, even if we are far from meeting our objectives.”

Hollande was greeted with military honours at Athens airport by Samaras.

He arrived during a 24-hour strike by Greek media, but state broadcaster NET showed footage of his arrival without journalistic commentary.

And in contrast to German Chancellor Angela Merkel, whose arrival had sparked an angry demonstration by some 30,000 people last year, the streets of Athens were quiet ahead of a general strike on Wednesday.

“Today we inaugurate a new chapter in our relations,” Samaras said. “France is always the political centre of Europe. It gave decisive backing not only for us to enter Europe but to stay in Europe in past months, and it supports us today

Du leads Dubai rally as Q4 beats forecasts MIDEAST STOCK MARKETS DUBAI: Dubai telecom operator du made its largest one-day gain in 10 months yesterday, surging to a four-year high and boosting the broader index after it posted quarterly results that beat analysts’ estimates.

Most regional markets in the Gulf Arab region declined. Shares in Du jumped 11.7 percent to 4.12 dirhams in its biggest gain since April 2012.

Du’s fourth-quarter profit more than doubled to 994 million dirhams ($270.6 million) as it wrote back tax provisions. UAE telecom operators are taxed via royalties under license agreements with the federal government. The latter announced a new formula in December that includes a levy on revenues as well as profits.

Du had provisioned to pay 50 percent of its profit in royalty fees through the year, but the new formula means it pays less tax as a percentage of profit than 2011, enabling it to write back some of the provisions it set aside in the first nine months of 2012. The firm also proposed a cash dividend of 0.3 dirhams per share.

“The surprise was on earnings as well as dividend yield, which at 8 percent is very attractive,” said Ali Adou, portfolio manager at The National Investor. “The royalty fee restructuring will be negative for du after three years, but for the time being, the stock looks very attractive.”

Dubai’s measure rose 1.7 percent to its highest close since November 2009. It has risen 16 percent year-to-date. Stocks have rebounded following tentative signs of recovery in Dubai’s property sector, but the share index remains about 70 percent below a 2008 peak.

Abu Dhabi’s index eased 0.2 percent, down from Monday’s 39-month high.

Elsewhere, Egypt’s index fell 1.2 percent to its lowest level in February as political uncertainty spurred foreign investors to cut risk exposure.

Egypt’s constitutional court rejected five articles of a draft election law on Monday and sent the text back to the country’s temporary legislature for redrafting in a ruling that may delay a parliamentary poll due in April.

Investors are worried about the economic uncertainty caused by the delay, including a $4.8 billion loan from the International Monetary fund, seen as crucial to support the country’s battered economy and to stabilize a currency crisis. “The law debate makes it very difficult to expect when the elections will be held,” said Ahmed Kheir El Din, a Cairo-based trader. “We don’t know what will happen with the IMF (International Monetary Fund) loan or the appointment of a new government.”

Non-Arab foreign were net sellers, while Arab were net buyers, bourse data shows.

Commercial International Bank is the main drag, falling 3.2 percent. Orascom Telecom and Media sheds 1.4 percent and EFG-Hermes dips 2.8 percent. In Saudi Arabia, the index slipped 0.4 percent, declining for a third session.

Large-caps led losses with Saudi Basic Industries Corp (SABIC) and Al Rajhi Bank slipping 0.8 and 0.7 percent respectively. Investors shunned large-caps, petrochemical and banking shares, after disappointing fourth-quarter earnings and muted growth. —Reuters

so we can exit the crisis,” the Greek PM said.

On the sidelines of the visit, a Greek government source told AFP that France would loan two navy frigates to Greece.

This deal is expected to be signed later this month when French Defence Minister JeanYves Le Drian is scheduled to visit. The loan of four navy support aircraft is also under consideration, the source said. Owing to the crisis, Greece has curtailed previously extensive arms purchases from the United States, Germany and France.

“I did not come here to sell (arms),” Hollande stressed in his comments. The FREMM-type frigates will be included in the Greek navy and could assist a search for hydrocarbons which Greece hopes to start in coming months, the government source said. Hollande later met President Carolos Papoulias and addressed a

meeting with the heads of around 40 leading Greek companies. He was also to meet the head of the Greek socialist party, Evangelos Venizelos.

The Socialists are part of an uneasy three-party coalition headed by Samaras’ conservatives.

Under the terms of bailout help from the European Union and International Monetary Fund, Greece must sell or lease a number of state assets including gas and water companies, ports and its national railroad operator Trainose.

Hollande said that French companies had “quality services” to offer in water utilities, electricity, railways and other sectors. “From the moment the tenders begin, French companies must be present,” he said. A number of French countries have a significant presence in Greece, including Bic, which has one of its main shaver factories in the country as well as its main research and development centre.

Cement maker Lafarge and transport infrastructure and power company Alstom also have a significant presence.

In contrast, prominent French banks Credit Agricole and Societe Generale extricated themselves from Greek subsidiaries last year, at the height of fears that Greece would be forced to leave the euro.

European Union leaders agreed in December to provide Greece with 49.1 billion euros ($66 billion) in return for additional austerity measures, breaking a six-month stalemate.

Senior auditors from the EU, the IMF and the European Central Bank are returning to Greece later this month to gauge the progress of reforms. Their report will determine whether Athens will have access to a scheduled slice of 2.8 billion euros from its international creditors due in February. —AFP

Nestle finds horsemeat in pasta meals ZURICH/LONDON: Nestle has removed beef pasta meals sold under its Buitoni brand from sale in Italy and Spain after finding traces of horsemeat, becoming the latest victim of a food scandal still spreading across Europe. The world’s biggest food company, which said as recently as last week its products had not been affected by the scare, said the decision to withdraw the products came after tests over the weekend showed traces of horse DNA in batches of meat used to prepare the meals.

Nestle spokesman Chris Hogg said on Tuesday the withdrawals would have no material financial impact on the company. “These are chilled pasta products that do not have a long shelf life so there are very low levels of inventory,” he said.

Hogg said Nestle was not attempting to estimate the level of impact the recall would have on the reputation of its brand. The scandal of horsemeat in products labelled as beef has spread across Europe since last month, prompting product withdrawals, consumer concerns and government investigations into the continent’s complex food-processing chains.

A fifth of adults said they had been buying less meat as a result of the discovery, according to a poll conducted by research company Consumer Intelligence and published on Monday.

Swiss-based Nestle withdrew two chilled pasta products, Buitoni Beef Ravioli and Beef Tortellini, in Italy and Spain. Lasagnes ‡ la Bolognaise Gourmandes, a frozen product for catering businesses produced in France, will also be pulled, it said. The group said tests had found more than 1 percent horse DNA in the products.

It was not immediately clear whether the tests had been carried out by Nestle or by a third party.

“We have informed the authorities accordingly,” Nestle said in a statement. “There is no food

safety issue.” Nestle said it was suspending deliveries of all products using beef from a German company called H J Schypke, a subcontractor to one of its suppliers, JBS Toledo NV. JBS Toledo said in a statement on its website it had suspended all its contracts with Schypke and no case of co-mingling of species had been identified in products produced in or at its factories.

Schypke said it was only a meat processor and that it buys meat from certified suppliers, adding it was collaborating with authorities. One analyst said the immediate impact on Nestle as a whole would be small, but it illustrated the scale of the issue for the industry.

“In terms of the large and diversified size of Nestle’s portfolio (it will be) largely irrelevant - we assume that barely 3 percent of its portfolio might be affected, mostly in its culinary division,” said analyst Jon Cox at brokerage Kepler in a note.

“However, it will lead to further pressure on the meat category overall amid the problem of (cheaper) horsemeat getting into a beef supply chain and could lead to increased regulatory pressure on the food industry generally.”

Governments across Europe have stressed that horsemeat poses little or no health risk, although some carcasses have been found tainted with a painkiller banned for human consumption.

But the scandal has damaged the confidence of consumers in supermarkets and fast-food chains since horsemeat was first identified in Irish beefburgers.

Retailer Lidl said on Monday it had withdrawn products from its stores in Finland and Sweden after finding traces of horsemeat. Shares in Nestle traded 0.4 percent firmer at 0933 GMT, trailing a 0.9 percent rise in the STOXX Europe 600 food and beverages index. —Reuters

VEVEY: View of Nestle’s logo on a road sign near the world’s biggest food company headquarters on August 10, 2011 in Vevey. —AFP

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2013

BUSINESS

Advanced economies retreat in last quarter PARIS: The economies of advanced countries shrank in the final quarter of last year, giving a twist to broad slowdown in 2012, data from the OECD showed yesterday.

And in the whole of 2012, OECD economies grew by 1.3 percent from the level in 2011, when output had expanded by 1.9 percent. Overall, the economies of OECD countries shrank by 0.2 percent in the fourth quarter of last year after a rise of 0.3 percent in the third quarter. The economy of the United States slowed down to about zero growth in the fourth quarter from growth of 0.8 percent in the third quarter. On a 12-month comparison, the OECD economies grew by 0.7 percent, a sharp slowdown from growth of 1.2 percent in the third quarter. The Organization

for Economic Cooperation and Development, which groups 34 advanced countries, said that the contraction in the last quarter, from output in the previous quarter, was the first since a sharp reversal of 2.3 percent in the first quarter of 2009. Output by the 27 members of the European Union shrank by 0.5 percent, the OECD said, highlighting contraction of 0.6 percent in Germany, the first since early in 2009. The economies of Britain and France shrank by 0.3 percent, a reversal from growth of 0.9 percent in Britain in the third quarter of and 1.0 percent in France.

The Italian economy continued shrinking for the sixth quarter in a row, by 0.9 percent, the biggest setback since the first quarter of 2009. —AFP

US homebuilder confidence dips from a 61/2 year high LOS ANGELES: Confidence among US homebuilders slipped this month from the 61/2 year high it reached in January, with many builders reporting less traffic by prospective customers before the critical spring homebuying season.

The National Association of Home Builders/Wells Fargo builder sentiment index released yesterday dipped to 46 from 47 in January. It was the first monthly decline in the index since April.

Readings below 50 suggest negative sentiment about the housing market. The last time the index was at 50 or higher was in April 2006, when it was 51. It began trending higher in October 2011, when it was 17.

The latest index, based on responses from 402 builders, comes as the US housing market is strengthening after stagnating for roughly five years after the housing boom collapsed.

Steady job gains and near-record-low mortgage rates have encouraged more people to buy homes. Prices have been rising. In part, that’s because the supply of previously occupied homes for sale has thinned to the lowest level in more than a decade. And the pace of foreclosures, while still rising in some states, has slowed sharply on a national basis.

The trends have led homebuilders to increase construction. Last year, builders broke ground on the most new homes in four

years. All told, sales of new homes jumped nearly 20 percent last year to 367,000, the most since 2009. Still, many economists don’t foresee a full housing recovery before 2015 at the earliest.

“The index remains near its highest level since May of 2006, and we expect homebuilding to continue on a modest rising trajectory this year,” said David Crowe, the NAHB’s chief economist.

Even so, builders remain concerned about the sturdiness of the US economy and unemployment, which ticked up to 7.9 percent last month from 7.8 percent in December.

Many builders are facing higher costs for building materials and having trouble obtaining financing for construction. Some also are facing a shortage of workers in markets where residential construction has picked up sharply, such as Texas and Arizona. An index that measures current sales conditions fell one point to 51. And a gauge of traffic by prospective buyers declined four points to 32 from 36 in January. But builders’ outlook for sales in the next six months improved one point to 50. Though new homes represent only a fraction of the housing market, they have an outsize impact on the economy. Each home built creates an average of three jobs for a year and generates about $90,000 in tax revenue, according to NAHB statistics. — AP

Etisalat takes $769m charge on foreign units DUBAI: Etisalat, the United Arab Emirates’ biggest telecom operator, has written down the value of businesses in Pakistan and Sudan by a combined $769 million, blaming tough political and economic conditions and crimping quarterly profit growth.

The state-controlled firm operates in about 15 countries across the Middle East, Africa and Asia, having expanded into new markets in the last decade in an attempt to offset the impact of the launch of domestic rival du in 2007. These acquisitions have provided mixed results, with Saudi Arabia affiliate Mobily among most analysts’ top regional picks, but Etisalat has found it much harder going in lower income markets outside the Gulf. Last year, the Abu Dhabi firm wrote off the $827 million value of its Indian operation in its 2011 fourth-quarter results. Of the latest 2.83 billion dirhams of impairments, 2.37 billion relate to Pakistani affiliate Pakistan Telecommunication Co Ltd (PTCL) and 459 million to Sudan fixed-lined operator Canar.

Etisalat said it took the impairments due to inflation and “challenging economic and political conditions as well as by the downtrend in real estate prices combined with negative local currency fluctuation”.

These impairments reduced Etisalat’s fourth-quarter net profit to 854.3 million dirhams, according to Reuters calculations.

This compares with a profit of 704 million dirhams in the prior-year period when the company took the India write down.

One analyst at Bahrain’s Securities & Investment Co (SICO), who had not expected Etisalat’s new write-downs, forecast the operator would make a quarterly profit of 2.84 billion dirhams.

Etisalat’s 2012 net profit was 6.74 billion dirhams, up from 5.84 billion dirhams in 2011. The firm reported rising profits in the second and third quarters, with the latter period boosted by the $510 million sale of a 9.1 percent stake in Indonesian affiliate PT XL Axiata. These appeared to mark a turnaround for the company, which up to and including the first quarter of 2012 had posted falling profits in eight out of nine quarters, prompting Etisalat’s revamped management to focus on high growth or high population markets such as Egypt and Saudi Arabia as well as mounting a fight-back against domestic rival du. Fourth-quarter revenue was 8.48 billion dirhams. This compares to 8.23 billion dirhams a year ago. — Reuters

AHMADABAD: An Indian laborer sun dries red chilies at Shertha village, outskirts of Ahmadabad yesterday. Millions of Indians earn their livelihood from agriculture.— AP

Shares boosted by M&A activity, German data Yen gains as Japan rift muddles policy view NEW YORK: Global stock markets rose yesterday, with US stocks boosted by merger and acquisition activity, while a pick-up in German economic sentiment supported European stocks.

But Wall Street’s gains were capped as the S&P 500 hovered near a five-year high, extending its seven-week winning streak. Investors scrambled for new catalysts to push the market higher with the benchmark index already up 6.6 percent for the year. In Europe, shares chalked up their strongest gains in a week after losing around 1.5 percent since the end of January. Following last week’s GDP figures showing a weaker-than-expected end to 2012 in the euro zone, Germany’s ZEW survey of investors and analysts brightened the mood as it comfortably beat expectations and hit its highest level since April 2010. Boosting the US market, Google shares rose more than 1 percent to an alltime high of $804.00.

Office Depot Inc, the No 2 US office supply retailer, was in advanced talks to merge with smaller rival OfficeMax Inc and a deal could come as early as this week, according a person familiar with the matter. Office Depot shares surged 17 percent to $5.37 and OfficeMax shares jumped 25.5 percent to $13.49. Shares of larger rival Staples Inc also shot up 14.3 percent, to $14.81.

“M&A is providing an enormous amount of enthusiasm in pockets and it is really a function of the cost of money, the cost of borrowing. It is a sign there is a shift going on in the economy that is very, very positive,” said Peter Kenny, managing director at Knight Capital in Jersey City, New Jersey.

“At the same time, if you take the M&A activity out of the picture, you will see that many on the Street are expecting a pullback.” MSCI’s world equity index was up 0.6 percent, though markets have been falling for two weeks since a big run-up in January.

The Dow Jones industrial average was up 43.37 points, or 0.31 percent, at 14,025.13. The Standard & Poor’s 500 Index was up 6.36 points, or 0.42 percent, at 1,526.15. The Nasdaq Composite Index was up 10.97 points, or 0.34 percent, at 3,203.00.

The FTSEurofirst 300 rose 1.1 percent, led by a 1.8 gain on Paris’ CAC-40 and a 1.5 percent rise for

Frankfurt’s DAX. In the currency market, the yen climbed after two days of losses after Japanese Finance Minister Taro Aso said he was not considering buying foreign bonds as part of efforts to ease monetary policy, a day after Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said this was an option.

That highlighted the open disagreement between the two Japanese officials, which has somewhat muddled the outlook for the country’s monetary policy and created two-way risk for dollar/yen trades.

Markets still expect Japan to ease policy aggressively-a negative for the yen-but the approach is less clear-cut, which could slow the currency’s fall.

In addition, although Japan was not singled out at this weekend’s Group of 20 meeting for monetary and fiscal measures that have resulted in yen weakness, Choi Hee Nam, South Korea’s directorgeneral at its finance ministry, said Japan’s policies were not endorsed by the group and did spark controversy, according to a report from Bloomberg News.

“Developments in the past few days highlight the fact that there are internal rifts on the policy

approach and there may be external constraints on what sort of easing measures Japan’s partners will deem acceptable,” said Shaun Osborne, chief currency strategist at TD Securities in Toronto.

He added that near-term downside risks loom large for the dollar against the yen.

In early New York trading, the dollar fell 0.5 percent to 93.50 yen, well below a peak of 94.22 yen hit on Monday after Japan escaped direct criticism from its G20 peers over the weekend. However, it remained above chart support at 93.38 yen, the 200-hour moving average.

The euro was down 0.5 percent against the yen at 124.81 yen Against the dollar, the euro was little changed at $1.3349 after hitting session highs on an upbeat German economic sentiment survey.

US Treasury debt was little changed, with the benchmark 10-year US Treasury note yielding 2.0034 percent. Brent crude oil fell for a third session in a row on signs of lackluster European growth and easing geopolitical tensions.

Brent crude for April delivery was down 66 cents at $116.72 per barrel. US crude for March fell 17 cents from Friday’s close to $95.69. — Reuters

Kurdistan in oil deal with Gazprom Neft MOSCOW: The president of the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) was quoted yesterday as saying that the autonomous region of Iraq had signed new agreements in recent days with Russia’s fifth-largest oil producer, Gazprom Neft.

The deals may increase friction between KRG and Baghdad, which insists that only it has the authority to grant oil contacts and control crude exports in the country. “We are satisfied with Gazprom Neft’s work in the region. New agreements have been reached with this Russian company in recent days,” Masoud Barzani was quoted as saying by news agency Interfax, which didn’t report

any details. A spokesman for Gazprom Neft, the oil arm of world’s top oil company, Gazprom, declined to comment.

Gazprom Neft acquired interests in two Kurdistan blocks last August. That followed moves by international oil firms to develop fields in the autonomous region that angered the central Iraqi government in Baghdad.

The Russian company also has a contract for the Badra oilfield, controlled by the government. Industry insiders have said that Kurdistan offers more lucrative conditions under production sharing agreements - than the central government. — Reuters

EXCHANGE RATES Thai Baht Irani Riyal - transfer Irani Riyal - cash

Commercial Bank of Kuwait US Dollar/KD GB Pound/KD Euro Swiss francs Canadian Dollar Australian DLR Indian rupees Sri Lanka Rupee UAE dirhams Bahraini dinars Jordanian dinar Saudi riyals Omani riyals Egyptian pounds

US Dollar/KD GB Pound/KD Euro Swiss francs Canadian dollars Danish Kroner Swedish Kroner Australian dlr Hong Kong dlr Singapore dlr Japanese yen Indian Rs/KD Sri Lanka rupee Pakistan rupee Bangladesh taka UAE dirhams Bahraini dinars Jordanian dinar Saudi Riyal/KD Omani riyals

.2740000 .4350000 .3740000 .3040000 .2780000 .2880000 .0040000 .0020000 .0764740 .7450620 .3900000 .0720000 .7304010 .0420000 CUSTOMER TRANSFER RATES .2817000 .4371560 .3764220 .3057300 .2799220 .0504610 .0445570 .2903200 .0363270 .2276730 .0030130 .0000000 .0000000 .0000000 .0000000 .0767260 .7475120 .0000000 .0751400 .7319730

Al-Muzaini Exchange Co. Japanese Yen Indian Rupees Pakistani Rupees Srilankan Rupees Nepali Rupees Singapore Dollar Hongkong Dollar Bangladesh Taka Philippine Peso

ASIAN COUNTRIES 3.024 5.216 2.883 2.224 3.272 229.220 36.519 3.572 6.967

.2840000 .4450000 .3830000 .3150000 .2890000 .3000000 .0067500 .0035000 .0772420 .7525500 .4050000 .0760000 .7377420 .0470000

.2838000 .4404150 .3792280 .3080100 .2820090 .0508370 .0448890 .2924840 .0365980 .2293700 .0030350 .0052550 .0022460 .0029040 .0036100 .0772980 .7530850 .4014140 .0757000 .7374300

9.478 0.271 0.273

Dollarco Exchange Co. Ltd

GCC COUNTRIES 75.550 77.845 735.870 752.490 77.145

Saudi Riyal Qatari Riyal Omani Riyal Bahraini Dinar UAE Dirham

ARAB COUNTRIES Egyptian Pound - Cash 42.100 Egyptian Pound - Transfer 41.980 Yemen Riyal/for 1000 1.322 Tunisian Dinar 182.710 Jordanian Dinar 400.080 Lebanese Lira/for 1000 1.901 Syrian Lier 3.078 Morocco Dirham 34.327 EUROPEAN & AMERICAN COUNTRIES US Dollar Transfer 283.200 Euro 379.490 Sterling Pound 439.530 Canadian dollar 281.370 Swiss Franc 307.830 US Dollar Buying 282.000

UAE Exchange Centre WLL COUNTRY Australian Dollar Canadian Dollar Swiss Franc Euro US Dollar Sterling Pound Japanese Yen Bangladesh Taka Indian Rupee Sri Lankan Rupee Nepali Rupee Pakistani Rupee UAE Dirhams Bahraini Dinar Egyptian Pound Jordanian Dinar Omani Riyal Qatari Riyal Saudi Riyal

SELL DRAFT 296.76 286.29 310.97 379.77 282.20 440.66 3.12 3.584 5.221 2.228 3.279 2.879 76.90 751.40 41.92 402.04 734.45 77.93 75.46

282.950 283.170 438.875 378.640 306.980 749.110 77.015 77.665 75.415 398.860 41.982 2.227 5.211 2.878 3.567 6.958 694.080 4.020 9.550 3.980 3.355 91.260

Bahrain Exchange Company

GOLD 311.000 157.000 81.500

20 Gram 10 Gram 5 Gram

Rate for Transfer Selling Rate US Dollar Canadian Dollar Sterling Pound Euro Swiss Frank Bahrain Dinar UAE Dirhams Qatari Riyals Saudi Riyals Jordanian Dinar Egyptian Pound Sri Lankan Rupees Indian Rupees Pakistani Rupees Bangladesh Taka Philippines Pesso Cyprus pound Japanese Yen Thai Bhat Syrian Pound Nepalese Rupees Malaysian Ringgit

SELL CASH 296.000 286.000 313.000 385.800 282.000 445.000 3.750 3.800 5.350 2.520 3.450 2.933 77.000 747.000 46.750 398.000 733.000 78.500 75.400

COUNTRY British Pound Czech Korune Danish Krone Euro Norwegian Krone Scottish Pound Swedish Krona Swiss Franc Australian Dollar New Zealand Dollar Uganda Shilling Canadian Dollar Colombian Peso US Dollars Bangladesh Taka Cape Vrde Escudo Chinese Yuan Eritrea-Nakfa Guinea Franc

SELL CASH 0.430536 0.006056 0.046827 0.372985 0.046901 0.427225 0.040558 0.301399

SELLDRAFT 0.439536 0.018056 0.051627 0.380485 0.052101 0.434725 0.045558 0.308399

Australasia 0.281964 0.230854 0.000110

0.293964 0.240854 0.000110

America 0.272980 0.000147 0.280850

0.281980 0.000165 0.283000

Asia 0.003540 0.003138 0.044491 0.016333 0.000044

0.033595 0.003366 0.049491 0.019433 0.000050

Hong Kong Dollar Indian Rupee Indonesian Rupiah Jamaican Dollars Japanese Yen Kenyan Shilling Malaysian Ringgit Nepalese Rupee Pakistan Rupee Philippine Peso Sierra Leone Singapore Dollar Sri Lankan Rupee Thai Baht

0.033940 0.005157 0.000024 0.002824 0.002938 0.003176 0.087350 0.003115 0.002854 0.006510 0.000072 0.224560 0.001929 0.009074

Bahraini Dinar Egyptian Pound Ethiopeanbirr Ghanaian Cedi Iranian Riyal Iraqi Dinar Jordanian Dinar Kuwaiti Dinar Lebanese Pound Moroccan Dirhams Nigerian Naira Omani Riyal Qatar Riyal Saudi Riyal Sudanese Pounds Syrian Pound Tunisian Dinar UAE Dirhams Yemeni Riyal 0.001376US Dollar

Arab 0.744238 0.039967 0.012936 0.147304 0.000079 0.000184 0.393576 1.000000 0.000173 0.022308 0.001198 0.724052 0.077078 0.074933 0.049700 0.003157 0.181641 0.075623 0.001276 282.100

0.037040 0.005227 0.000029 0.003824 0.003118 0.003406 0.094350 0.003315 0.002884 0.006980 0.000075 0.230560 0.002234 0.009674 0.752738 0.041997 0.019436 0.149094 0.000079 0.000244 0.401076 1.000000 0.000193 0.046306 0.001833 0.735052 0.077861 O.075573 0.050250 0.003377 0.187641 0.077073

Al Mulla Exchange Currency Currency US Dollar Euro Pound Sterling Canadian Dollar Japanese Yen Indian Rupee Egyptian Pound Sri Lankan Rupee Bangladesh Taka Philippines Peso Pakistan Rupee Bahraini Dinar UAE Dirham Saudi Riyal

Transfer Rate (Per 1000) Transfer Rate (Per 1000) 282.700 379.650 439.900 282.900 3.050 5.212 41.975 2.229 3.577 6.963 2.880 752.800 77.000 75.500

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2013

BUSINESS

Burgan Bank Group reports KD55.6m net profits for 2012 10% y-on-y growth • KD119 million in operating profit before provisions

SINGAPORE: Malaysia’s Prime Minister Najib Razak (third left) meets with Singapore’s Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong (fourth right) and their respective delegations during a leaders retreat in Singapore yesterday. — AFP

Singapore, Malaysia agree to build high-speed rail link SINGAPORE: Singapore and Malaysia announced plans yesterday to build a highspeed rail link, fuelling hopes that Southeast Asia could one day enjoy a rapid European-style train system connected to China.

Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and his Malaysian counterpart Najib Razak hailed the project, which would cut travel time between the city-state and Kuala Lumpur to 90 minutes. The target year for completion is 2020. “This is a strategic development in bilateral relations that will dramatically improve the connectivity between Malaysia and Singapore,” the leaders said in a joint statement issued after meeting in Singapore.

“It will facilitate seamless travel between Kuala Lumpur and Singapore, enhance business linkages and bring the peoples of Malaysia and Singapore closer together.”

The existing rail link between the two countries dates back to the period of British colonial rule over both, with stops at several Malaysian towns. No cost was given for the new rail link. “(We) have some very preliminary figures but I am not inclined to mention those figures because it will tend to stick in people’s minds,” Najib said at a joint news conference with Lee. “Our two cities will complement each other, our two countries will look at each other differently and the opportunities are boundless between our two countries,” Najib said. Lee quipped that Singaporeans would be able to have lunch with friends in Kuala Lumpur and get back within the day.

The 90 minute travel time for the train compares with four hours by car, including immigration clearances, and five hours by

bus. And while a flight takes less than an hour that does not take into account the time taken to check in, pass immigration and pick up luggage. “It’s a strategic project for the two countries. It will change the way we see each other,” said Lee, likening it to the heavily used London-Paris connection.

Both countries belong to the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), which hopes to one day link most of the member states by rail and extend the connection to China and possibly India.

ASEAN is contemplating a link that will run from Singapore to Kunming in southwestern China.

According to ASEAN’s website, there is an estimated 4,069 kilometres (2,522 miles) of missing links that need to be built, or existing railways that need to be rehabilitated, in several countries.

“Beyond ASEAN, once these links are built, it will connect both the mainland ASEAN and ASEAN with its trading partners China and India,” a fact sheet on the project said. The Singapore-Malaysia high-speed rail link was first mooted in the 1990s by Francis Yeoh, head of Malaysian infrastructure conglomerate YTL, which built an express train service from the Kuala Lumpur International Airport to the capital’s downtown area. The idea was repeatedly shelved largely due to cost concerns.

Malaysian media reports said in 2009 that the project’s cost was estimated at $2.5 billion-$3.5 billion.

Hopes for the project were revived in 2010 when it was tapped as a potential key project under an economic transformation drive launched by Najib, who became prime minister the year before. — AFP

KUWAIT: Burgan Bank Group announced yesterday significantly improved financial results for the year ended December 31, 2012. The group posted KD 55.6 million net profits, 10% increase from the same period of 2011 reported at KD 50.6. Million. Earnings per share (EPS) grew 12% to reach 37.8 fils compared to 33.7 fils reported last year. The Board of Directors recommended a payout of 10 fils as a cash dividend and 5 % as bonus shares subject to the approval of the annual general assembly meeting.

The group’s performance during 2012 reflects a solid performance reflecting a constant growth trend. Compared to the same period last year, Operating income grew 16% to reach KD190 million while operating profit before provisions grew 17% reaching KD119 million. International Operations (Algeria, Iraq, Jordan, Tunis, Turkey) are profitable and on growth mode, the contribution of the International Operations ( Excluding the subsidiary in Turkey which was acquired on December 21st 2012) to the group’s total revenues during 2012 stood at 48%.

Majed Essa Al-Ajeel, Chairman of Burgan Bank said: “We are continuously increasing our market share with profitability, Loans and advances grew 50% reaching KD3.4 Billion while customer deposits

grew 39% reaching KD3.9 Billion. Our NonPerforming Loans (NPLs) are decreasing and our total provisions reached KD 194.4 millions. Our NPL ratio (net of collateral) to gross loans stands at 1.9%.

Capital Adequacy Ratio stands at 18.5%” “The solid performance reiterates our foremost commitment to our shareholders as well as our customers, and we are optimistic that we will continue achieving sound results. On behalf of the board, I take this opportunity to thank the executive management team and staff under the leadership of Mr. Eduardo Eguren, Chief Executive Officer, for their continuous hard work and delivery of strong results.

I also take this opportunity to express our gratitude towards our customers and shareholders for their continued confidence in our capabilities,” added Al Ajeel.

During 2012, Burgan Bank Group achieved an impressive array of international awards. Burgan Bank achieved the “Best bank in Kuwait” award by EMEA finance, Bank of Baghdad achieved the “Best bank in Iraq” award by EMEA finance, Jordan Kuwait Bank achieved the “Best Bank in Jordan” award by Global Banking and Finance review, Tunis International Bank achieved the “Bank of the Year”

by Intercontinental Finance Magazine. In recogni-

tion of its delivery of sound results across its operations in the region, Burgan Bank Group also achieved the “Best banking group in MENA” by Global Banking & Finance Review.

Majed Essa Al-Ajeel, Chairman of Burgan Bank

Google stock price breaks $800 SAN FRANCISCO: Google’s stock price topped $800 for the first time yesterday amid renewed confidence in the company’s ability to reap steadily higher profits from its dominance of Internet search and prominence in the increasingly important mobile device market.

The milestone comes more than five years after Google’s shares initially barreled through $700. Not long after breaking that barrier in October 2007, the economy collapsed into the worst recession since World War II and Google’s stock tumbled into a prolonged malaise that eventually led to a change in leadership.

Besides enriching Google’s employees and other shareholders, the company’s resurgent stock is an implicit endorsement of co-founder Larry Page. He replaced his managerial mentor, Eric Schmidt, as CEO in April 2011. Google’s stock has risen by about 35 percent since Page took over.

The significance of crossing the $800 threshold is largely symbolic. If Google had its way, the stock wouldn’t even be priced near these levels. The company, which is based in Mountain View, California, had hoped to split its stock last year in a move that would have at least temporarily halved the trading price by doubling the total number of outstanding shares. But the proposed stock split was put on hold until Google resolves a shareholder lawsuit alleging that the stock split unfairly cedes too much power to Page and fellow cofounder Sergey Brin. Page and Brin have been

the company’s largest shareholders since its inception. A trial on the lawsuit is scheduled to begin June 17 in a Delaware state court.

Assuming more investors wouldn’t have bought the stock had it split, the company’s market value probably wouldn’t have changed from its current level of more than $260 billion.

There is little dispute among analysts that Google appears well positioned for many years of prosperity. The reasons: its Internet search engine remains the hub of the Web’s biggest marketing network; its YouTube video site has established itself as an increasingly attractive advertising vehicle; and its free Android software is running on more than 600 million smartphones and tablet computers to create even more opportunities to sell ads. The lower prices attached to mobiles ads have raised recurring concerns on Wall Street about the decline in the average rate paid for ads that run alongside Google’s search results. The company, though, is trying to reverse the trend with upcoming changes to its ad system that will prod more marketers to buy mobile ads when they are creating campaigns for desktop and laptop computers.

Opinions about Google weren’t as upbeat a few years ago. Although Google weathered the Great Recession better than most companies, its revenue growth slowed and its stock plummeted to as low as $247.30 near the end of 2008.

Things looked so bleak in 2009 that Google

took the rare step of re-pricing stock options that had been doled out to its employees to give them a chance to make more money when the shares rebounded. The program allowed Google workers to swap their old stock options for new ones with an exercise price of about $308.

Even after the economy snapped out of the recession toward the end of 2009, Google’s stock began to lag the rest of the market. Investors began to wonder if the company was losing its competitive age as it morphed from a hard-charging startup to giant organization with thousands of employees working in dozens of offices scattered around the world.

At the same time, Facebook was emerging as the Internet’s fastest growing company in a meteoric rise. The social networking company had some people convinced it would eventually become a more important advertising vehicle than Google’s search engine.

Perceptions have changed since Page became CEO. Under Page’s leadership, Google has streamlined its decision-making and operations while closing dozens of services. It established its own toehold in social networking with the 2011 introduction of Google Plus.

Meanwhile, Facebook Inc. has lost much of the luster that made its initial public offering of stock one of the biggest in US history. Since going public at $38, Facebook’s stock has sunk 25 percent. — AP

French PM: No new austerity despite growth forecast cut

Employees work on the new low-cost TGV high-speed train “Ouigo” at the assembling plant in Bischheim, eastern France, yesterday. France’s state rail firm SNCF opened its online booking service for its new budget train service ‘Ouigo’ yesterday inspired by the budget airline model. — AFP

Amplats workers down tools after rival union clashes RUSTENBURG: Anglo American Platinum workers downed tools yesterday to protest the shooting of colleagues by guards during a stand-off by rival unions, the latest outbreak of unrest at the crisis-hit firm. The world’s top platinum producer said its operations in the northwestern mining towns of Rustenburg and Pilanesburg had ground to a halt owing to “an illegal work stoppage this morning.”

The strike is “in sympathy with the employees who were involved in yesterday’s incident,” Amplats spokeswoman Mpumi Sithole said in a statement.

At least 13 people were wounded in gunfire and machete attacks at an Amplats’ Siphumelele mine on Monday after security guards battled to disperse a 1,000-strong mob that besieged a rival union’s office. The government has weighed in to condemn the violence.

Yesterday, nearly 5,000 workers from the Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (AMCU) gathered at a stadium near the Siphumelele shaft to demand the shutdown of the rival National Union of Mineworkers (NUM), which they blamed for Monday’s violence.

AMCU leader Joseph Mathunjwa addressed the workers urging them to return to work. “We condemn the violence that took place yesterday, (but) being away from work eats into our pockets, so let’s return to work,” he said. He urged the workers to report back to work today “and allow the leadership to take care of your grievances.” The battle for control of workers was partly blamed for the outbreak of last year’s deadly wildcat strikes that rattled the country’s vital mining sector. Amplats has said it is verifying union membership at its mines. Mathunjwa claimed the AMCU had overtaken the ruling party aligned NUM at Amplats as the leading union,

with over 18,000 members out of the 26,000-strong workforce. “We want Anglo mine bosses to sign the recognition agreement and allow us to operate without problems, and recognise our right to exist represent our members,” said Mathunjwa.

After Mathunjwas’s address, the crowd shouted in unison that they will return to work on Wednesday, before dispersing. Armed mine security guards and police patrolled the area around the stadium, where workers in the workers clad in red AMCU t-shirts chanted slogans. “We want the employer to remove NUM, they have protected them for too long, while they are busy threatening and killing our members,” said Gaddafi Mdoda, a workers’ representative told AFP. South African government spokeswoman Phumla Williams condemned the clashes. “Government will not tolerate violent disputes.Violent acts are not what we want to become familiar with in a democracy that is bound by the rule of law,” she said. Monday’s violence at the mine was sparked by the return of four NUM shop stewards.Thirteen people, including four security guards were hurt when mine guards fired rubber bullets on mob of rampaging workers that had besieged NUM offices. Some of the policemen were hacked with machetes and sharp objects. Operations at the world’s number one platinum producer were crippled by rolling strikes over wages that hit the country’s mining sector last year. The dispute halted mining at some Amplats mines for months, forcing a slump in fourth quarter production.

Last month it announced plans to slash some 14,000 jobs but was forced to put the layoff procedures on hold following an outcry from unions and the government over the global miner’s restructuring move. — AFP

PARIS: Prime Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault said yesterday that the French government was not planning further spending cuts after admitting that the 2013 growth forecast would be cut, thus disrupting budget plans. Speaking before Socialist deputies, Ayrault said the government “won’t announce a package of spending cuts for 2013,” according to one lawmaker.

French President Francois Hollande, speaking during a visit to Athens, said: said: “Today everybody knows that we will not reach 0.8 percent (of growth) as forecast.” Saying that a revised forecast would be issued at the end of March, he declared: “On the economic growth plan, France is among countries which are in the least poor position, even if we are far from meeting our objectives.”

The prime minister said the government’s main objective was to reach a balanced budget at the end of its fiveyear mandate in 2017, according to another lawmaker.

Ayrault spoke after ambiguous comments by Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius on an impending cut to the government’s 2013 growth forecast. When asked by a journalist on RTL radio if the figure would be 0.2-0.3 percent, Fabius replied that “it’s around this figure”, having previously recalled that the forecast had first been 1.2 percent, and then 0.8 percent. The finance ministry said later that the forecast for 2013 had not yet been decided.

Fabius did not specify whether he meant that the previous forecast of 0.8-percent growth would be cut to 0.2-0.3 percent, or by 0.2-0.3 percentage points which would put the new forecast at 0.5-0.6 percent. He said: “There was a

growth forecast which was to begin with 1.2 percent. Then it was revised to 0.8 percent and now, as across Europe, things don’t seem to be going at all well. We will be obliged to revise downwards.” He said: “This must be done in the next few days.” The statements left Ayrault stating there was no “cacophony” within his government.

The prime minister said the government would make any decisions about what actions to take after the European Commission announces updated growth forecasts for EU member states on Friday.

There has been recent feverish speculation in recent days that would mean the government would turn to cutting spending after its previous austerity package favoured tax increases. France’s Sunday Journal said the government was looking at taxing, cutting and means-testing family allowances.

France’s Cour des Comptes, which audits government spending and provides policy advice, has also urged the government to focus on spending cuts. Finance Minister Pierre Moscovici also said Monday the government would have to put greater emphasis on cutting spending. Slower growth would mean that the French government would have to either raise taxes or cut spending to meet its target of reducing this year the public deficit to the EU-ceiling of 3.0 percent of economic output.

However the European Commission has indicated that it may give France some slack in achieving this target, and the IMF has recently warned EU countries that cutting deficits too fast was harming growth. — AFP

MADRID: Strikers of Spanish airline Iberia demonstrate at Madrid-Barajas airport in Madrid, on the second day of a fiveday strike yesterday. Iberia’s cabin crew, ground staff and maintenance workers struck from February 18 to February 22 in the first of a series of three five-day strikes to protest plans to axe 3,800 jobs. —AFP

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2013

BUSINESS

Qatar GDP growth to slow to 5% NBK GCC BRIEF KUWAIT: Real GDP growth in Qatar is expected to slow to 5.0% and 4.9% in 2013 and 2014 respectively, with real non-oil GDP forecast to grow by 8.0% and 7.6% respectively in the next two years. Meanwhile, inflation in Qatar is forecast to pick up in 2013 and 2014 and reach 3.4% y/y and 4.0% y/y, respectively.

By the end of 2012, Qatar’s economy should benefit from its first full year of maximum LNG

output (77 million tons). This will cap a remarkable decade of investment and expansion in the country’s gas sector which has delivered double-digit average annual growth and seen Qatar assume the mantle of the world’s largest LNG exporter and highest per capita income country.

In view of the completion of LNG expansion and the moratorium on further gas exploration in the North Field until at least 2014, growth is set to moderate substantially. As a result, real GDP is forecast to slow to 5% during 2013-14. Moreover, pending enhancement and further development of the country’s aging oil fields, which is scheduled over the next few years, oil production is likely to remain below potential.

Economic expansion will therefore be driven largely by developments in the nonhydrocarbon sector - manufacturing, construction and services especially.

Manufacturing output will be boosted by the attainment of full production at the 140,000 bpd Pearl gas-to-liquids (GTL) facility during 2013- 14 as well as further expansion in petrochemical and fertilizer production, of which Qatar Fertilizer Company’s QAFCO-6 project and Qatar Petrochemical Company’s (QAPCO) low density polyethylene plant LDPE3 are notable examples.

Meanwhile, as the government proceeds with realizing its National Development Strategy 2011-2016, a pipeline of major infrastructure projects including the $45 billion Lusail development, the $17.5 billion New Doha

International Airport and a host of road, railway and associated World Cup construction projects - will, alongside the government’s broader efforts to position Qatar as a financial services and tourism hub, gain increased momentum.

While inflation is expected to repeat its performance of 2011 and average 1.9% y/y in 2012, it is forecast to pick up in 2013 and 2014 and reach 3.4% y/y and 4.0% y/y, respectively. This is largely due to a turnaround in the rental component of the consumer price index, which has, since the middle of 2012, posted consecutive monthly increases. Demand in that sector, spurred on by an expansion in the workforce, finally looks to be rising to meet the oversupply that has characterized the Qatari real estate market since the financial crisis. In spite of relatively muted global food and commodity prices and a stronger US dollar, which are tempering inflation for the moment, domestic pressures stemming from rising consumer demand and expansive fiscal and monetary policies are likely to feature in the medium term inflation outlook.

After posting a record fiscal surplus in 2011-12, Qatar’s budget balance is expected to narrow in 2013 and 2014, to 8.2% and 7.0% of GDP, respectively, as current and capital spending increases are expected to outpace revenue growth. The current account surplus is also projected to decline over the next two years, from 29% of GDP in 2012 to 22% of GDP in 2014, reflecting rising imports and softer hydrocarbon prices.

Oil falls to $117 on slowing growth LONDON: Brent crude oil slipped towards $117 per barrel yesterday, falling for a third session in a row on signs of lacklustre European growth and easing geopolitical tensions.

Oil prices rose strongly during the first six weeks of the year, but peaked more than a week ago and have since consolidated as investors have reassessed the prospects for global growth and potential worries over oil supply. Forecasts for a slowdown in France’s GDP growth in 2013 and elections in Italy have added to uncertainty on the euro zone outlook, curbing investors’ appetite for riskier assets like oil. Concerns of possible threats to Middle East and North African oil supply also appear to have receded, trimming a risk premium that at one point added $10 to $20 per barrel to prices.

Brent crude for April delivery eased 5 cents to $117.33 per barrel by 1155 GMT. US crude for March fell 41 cents from Friday’s close to $95.45. There was no settlement for US crude futures on Monday due to a holiday in the United States. “The oil price currently appears to have reached a ceiling of $118 per barrel, which could prompt short-term-oriented market players to abandon their long positions,” Carsten Fritsch, senior oil analyst at Commerzbank in Frankfurt, said.

Brent speculators reduced their net long positions from a record high in the week to Feb. 12.

Brent is nearly $2 below a nine month high of $119.17 hit earlier in February on a price run-up spurred by economic recoveries in the world’s top two oil consumers, the United States and China, and higher demand forecasts

from the US Energy Information Administration and OPEC. “With a significant geopolitical risk premium currently priced in, we feel that some downside is warranted, unless there is a significant escalation in Middle East North/Africa tensions,” Standard Bank commodities analyst Marc Ground said. Andrey Kryuchenkov of VTB Capital identified a risk premium of around $10 a barrel in the Brent price linked to Middle Eastern tensions over Iran’s disputed nuclear program.

Investors are keeping a close eye on nuclear talks between major powers and Iran next week. Sanctions on the OPEC producer have reduced its oil exports, which could have fallen below 1 million barrels per day (bpd) in January, according to estimates from the International Energy Agency (IEA). “ The political risk premium is overblown, so Brent won’t get any higher unless something happens in the Middle East. People will probably take profits this week,” Kryuchenkov said.

Volumes were thin in early trade on Tuesday but could pick up later as U.S.based traders place bets ahead of the release of two sets of US oil inventories data, delayed by a day to Wednesday and Thursday. Housing data from the United States later this week could also provide signs on its economic health.

Technical charts point to lower prices in the absence of fresh data that could sway the market.

Brent oil is expected to fall into a range of $111.97 to$113.67 per barrel over the next four weeks, similar to a downtrend between March and June last year, Reuters markets analyst Wang Tao said.— Reuters

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2013

BUSINESS

All-new BMW M6 Gran Coupé to make world debut 2013 Geneva International Motor Show KUWAIT: BMW Group will unveil its new BMW M6 Series Gran Coupé the third body variant of the BMW M6 high-performance sports car - to global audiences at the 83rd Geneva International Motor Show.

Expec ted to go on sale in the Middle East during the middle of this year, the new member of the M6 family is set to attract crowds to the BMW stand with its customar y M per formance characteristics with extra helpings of luxury and aesthetic appeal. Following in the tracks of the BMW M6 Series Convertible and CoupÈ that were launched last year, the new BMW M6 Series Gran CoupÈ is set to cause a storm with its hard

hitting looks and head turning, high revving V8 engine. The new BMW M6 Gran Coupé will be immediately recognizable as an elegant and sporty 6 Series, but with enhanced M styling design cues that make it look sportier and more powerful. These elements include wider air intakes, stunningly contoured headlight units, the newly designed M kidney grille, which bears an “M6” badge, and powerful 17 and 18-inch M light-alloy wheels.

Additional 2013 Geneva International Motor Show model introductions for the BMW Group will include the BMW 3 Series Gran Turismo, which boasts spaciousness and practicality in aesthetic form, the innovative BMW i3 and i8 con-

cepts and the BMW Concept Active Tourer, which combines comfort with dynamism and style.

Commenting on BMW Group’s participation at the Motor Show, Dr Joerg Breuer, Managing Director of BMW Group Middle East, said: “The M6 Gran CoupÈ follows in the tyre tracks of the 6 Series Gran CoupÈ by offering a unique combination of sporty driving pleasure and elegant design, but at the same time, offering enhanced spor t y st yle and increased engine power. It is these elements which will ensure the model stands out from the crowd at the 83rd Geneva International Motor Show in March.”

German investor morale soars to near 3-year high Optimism about euro crisis, low rates behind rise MANNHEIM: Optimism that the worst of the eurozone debt crisis is over has helped German investor and analyst sentiment soar to its highest level in nearly three years this month.

In the latest sign that Europe’s largest economy is bouncing back after a dismal end to 2012, the Mannheim-based ZEW think tank said yesterday its monthly poll of economic sentiment rose to 48.2 points in February from 31.5 in January. It was above the highest forecast in a Reuters poll and much higher than the consensus for 35.0 points.

The news, along with other recent data suggesting the German economy will avoid recession, will come as a relief to the centre-right government of Chancellor Angela Merkel, who is campaigning to win a third term in a September election. “Financial market experts have made their peace with the weak fourth quarter of 2012,” said ZEW president Wolfgang Franz. “In their opinion the German economy faces less headwinds from the euro crisis than throughout the last months.”

The better-than-expected reading, which a ZEW economist said was also fuelled by low interest rates, boosted the euro and European shares and sent German Bund futures lower, although particularly on the bond market the move was short-lived.

Germany’s economy held up strongly during the first 2-1/2 years of the euro zone debt crisis but sputtered in the second half of 2012 as firms postponed investment and exports suffered due to a gloomy economic outlook in Europe and elsewhere. Economists expect a moderate return to

growth in the first quarter of the year after a 0.6 percent contraction, but there is little hard data to support hopes that Europe’s powerhouse economy will rebound quite as strongly as recent sentiment indicators suggest.

“This (rise) is still driven by the good mood on financial markets,” said Alexander Koch of Unicredit. “But it’s no bad supporting factor for the economy when financial markets don’t go down the drain.”

As euro-zone peers suffered under their debt and the currency bloc fell into recession, German exports - usually the backbone of the economy proved a drag on growth late last year and private consumption is becoming more important.

Market research institute GfK, which also publishes a monthly consumer sentiment indicator, said on Tuesday that private consumption would grow by 1 percent after inflation this year after 0.8 percent growth last year.

“Private consumption is making a stable contribution to the domestic economy,” GfK chief Matthias Hartmann told a news conference in Nuremberg. “Given low interest rates and concerns about the future of the euro, purchases of durable goods are the trend for consumers.”

Even as ZEW said the euro zone crisis had lost much of its horror, some risks remain to the outlook and German growth would likely not be dramatic, economists said. Uncertainty has grown about a corruption affair in Spain and the political future of euro-zone member Italy could still unset-

tle the currency bloc. “If (Silvio) Berlusconi wins the election, the (reform) path could be in danger.

Doubts about Italy’s solidity could have serious consequences for the euro,” said Norbert Barthle, budget expert for the Christian Democrats.

Investor sentiment on the current state of the German economy has yet to pick up. In February, it worsened to 5.2 from 7.1 in January, and some economists cautioned that ZEW was better at predicting turning points rather than the pace of growth.

“The ZEW provides further evidence that Germany is likely to see a little V-shaped rebound in Q1 after the sharp GDP contraction at the end of 2012,” said Christian Schulz at Berenberg Bank.

Markets will now turn their attention to business sentiment figures from the Munich-based Ifo institute and purchasing managers data, both due later this week, for confirmation of the recovery.

Hopes for a German - and a broader euro zone economic upturn have yet to feed through to the real economy, however. German newspaper Handelsblatt, citing union sources, reported on Tuesday that economic bellwether Siemens may cut 7,000 jobs in Germany. At the moment Siemens employs 129,000 workers in Germany and 405,000 globally.

Data on Tuesday also showed that European car sales fell to a new low in January, starting 2013 with an 8.5 percent decline. Germany in particular weighed on the outlook. After resisting much of last year’s slump, Europe’s biggest car market is in sharp decline, extended by an 8.6 percent drop in January. —Reuters

Indian unions call strike as govt grapples with crises NEW DELHI: Major Indian trade unions have called for a two-day strike starting today, as the beleaguered government prepares to present an austerity budget to parliament and weather a corruption scandal in a big arms deal.

Financial services, mining and transport are likely to be affected by the strike, called by all major trade unions to protest high inflation, a fuel price increase and what they say are violations of labor laws. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, grappling with the country’s worst economic slowdown in a decade, asked the unions to call off the strike, but talks between a ministerial panel and union leaders broke down on Monday.

“As far as we have seen, the government has nothing to offer to laborers,” said Atridev Tiwari, general secretary of Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh (Indian Workers Union), one of the main unions leading the strike. “It doesn’t matter what the prime minister says now because we cannot rely on his word. He says something and does something else.” The Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry said the two-day strike was expected to cause an estimated loss of 150 billion-200 billion rupees ($2.8 billion-$3.8 billion), hurting sectors such as banking, insurance and transport. Narsing Rao, the head of state-owned Coal India Limited which accounts for about 80 percent of India’s coal, said output losses this week could touch 4 million tons pushing the compa-

ny further away from its production target of 464 million tons in this fiscal year through March.

“The strike is totally uncalled for and will be destructive,” said Chandrajit Banerjee, director general of the Confederation of Indian industries.

Parliament’s budget session begins tomorrow. India’s finance minister plans to cut the public

spending target for fiscal 2013/14 by up to 10 percent from this year’s original target, in what would be the most austere budget in recent history as he tries to avert a sovereign credit downgrade. The session is also likely to be disrupted by opposition protests over a $750 million deal for AgustaWestland helicopters that the defense ministry is

threatening to cancel over allegations of kickbacks. The opposition Bharatiya Janata Party has said the prime minister’s offer of a debate on the deal is not sufficient, but has not specified how it will respond.

The last two sessions of India’s parliament were badly disrupted by opposition protests and little business was conducted. —Reuters

French Dairy firm Danone’s biggest plant in Ferrieres-en-Bray, northwestern France. French food industry group Danone reported yesterday a flat net profit for 2012 of 1.81 billion euros ($2.4 billion) and said it would cut about 900 jobs in management and administration across Europe to reduce costs. —AFP

BP, Reliance plan $5bn investment in India NEW DELHI: BP Plc and Reliance Industries Ltd yesterday announced plans to invest over $5 billion to reverse a decline in output from India’s biggest natural gas reservoir in the Bay of Bengal.

The energy partners, who tied up two years ago, said they would jointly invest in a string of projects to develop four trillion cubic feet of gas resources from the D6 block in the KrishnaGodavari basin to supply energy-hungry India.

At current prices, it would cost more than $50 billion to import this volume of gas into India, BP, already India’s largest single British investor, and Reliance, India’s largest private company, said in a statement.

“The partnership is focused on finding more hydrocarbons and addressing the complexities of the geology along the east coast of India,” Reliance’s billionaire chief Mukesh Ambani said in a statement. The announcement came as British Prime Minister David Cameron was in New Delhi on the second-day of a trade-focused official visit during which he declared Britain wanted to be India’s trade “partner of choice”.

“The decision to join forces with Reliance Industries to invest $5 billion in the next few years in India’s gas markets reinforces how two of Britain and India’s leading companies can work together,” Cameron said. The firms hope to “significantly contribute to India’s domestic production and help the country attain energy security”, Ambani said. In 2011, BP, seeking to benefit from access to new hydrocarbon

resources and markets, agreed to buy a 30 percent stake in 23 of Reliance’s oil and gas blocks, including KG-D6, for $7.2 billion.

Reliance teamed up with BP in the hope its deepwater drilling expertise would raise output from KG-D6 that has slumped sharply due to geological complexities and left India more dependent on costly imported liquefied natural gas. “This plan, when implemented, would entail a potential total investment in excess of $5 billion over the next three to five years,” the two companies said, referring to the KG-D6 gas field.

Gas from these projects “will deliver energy to millions of Indians and would significantly help India in reducing its import dependence”, India’s petroleum minister Veerappa Moily said.

Greater fuel access for India has become especially vital given turmoil in the energy-rich Middle East and north Africa and the need to reduce a record current account deficit of which fuel imports account for the largest chunk.

Reliance and BP have since formed a 50:50 joint venture to source and market gas in India called India Gas Solutions Private Ltd. “We will bring all our expertise in deep water to explore the prolific gas basins in India,” said BP’s Bob Dudley, who was part of what Cameron called the biggest-ever British overseas trade delegation.

Moily promised to “fast-track” India’s notoriously slow government approval process so that BP and Reliance could start stepping up development. —AFP

Gold firms on Asian buying

TOKYO: Japanese Finance Minister Taro Aso (second right) speaks with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe (left) in the House of Councilors budget committee session at Parliament in Tokyo yesterday. Aso said Tokyo has no plans to change any laws concerning the country’s central bank, just a day after Prime Minister Shinzo Abe warned he was eyeing such a move. —AFP

LONDON: Gold firmed yesterday as physical buying from Asia powered a recovery from sixmonth lows hit last week, but a lack of interest from Western investors limited gains ahead of Federal Reserve minutes due later this week.

Spot gold was up 0.1 percent at $1,610.94 an ounce at 1106 GMT, having fallen to a six-month low of $1,598.04 on Friday after breaching key support levels. US gold futures for April delivery were up 0.1 percent to $1,611.00. Last week’s drop pushed gold into a new lower technical range between $1,550 and $1,625, making it vulnerable to further losses in the short term, traders said.

Gold fell 3.8 percent last week and despite recovering some lost ground, analysts see little chance prices will rally in the short term.

Sentiment remains fragile and investor confidence has been tarnished by signs of improving economic conditions.

“There is a general perception that things are getting better in China and in the United States, so the argument would be, why would you hold gold when there are signs of macroeconomic improvement?” Citigroup metals strategist David Wilson said.

“It seems that investor money is generally going into other assets including equities at the moment, and metals seem to be

detaching from that.”

European stocks rose and Bunds fell yesterday after better-than-expected German ZEW economic sentiment data. The euro rose to a session high against the dollar, before surrendering gains.

Gold has tended to track stock markets for much of the last year, benefiting from a sharper appetite for assets seen as higher risk, but the relationship is volatile.

Investors will scour the minutes from the latest policy meeting of the US Federal Reserve due on Wednesday for hints on the central bank’s attitude to monetary stimulus, which has been a key driver behind gold’s rally over the past two years. “The previous minutes... indicated the potential for removing quantitative easing by the end of the year, and if that’s confirmed, gold would fall further because you would expect the dollar to strengthen,” Wilson said.

Platinum prices steadied above early lows after labor tensions in South Africa’s platinum sector raised renewed concerns over supply.

Anglo American Platinum said that all its South Africa shafts are closed due to an illegal work stoppage following mine violence on Monday, when at least 13 workers were wounded in clashes between rival unions. —Reuters

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2013

BUSINESS

Al-Babtain launching new Renault Fluence Even more dynamic and high-tech KUWAIT: Abdulmohsen Albdulaziz Al-Babtain Co, the exclusive dealer for the Renault cars in Kuwait announced new Renault Fluence launching which was developed in association with the international engineering divisions created by the group at the end of 2009 and is a status-enhancing three-volume saloon which targets markets across the world. The model has emerged as a key player in its segment, with more than 255,000 cars registered in around 80 countries.

During the month of February, Abdulmohsen Albdulaziz Al-Babtain CO, announced the launch of its new offer, an Iphone 5 is offered to all New Renault Fluence retail buyers. Under the concept of “Your Generation Car”.

The campaign aim is to contribute and continue Renault Brand Vision enhancement of being peoplecentric, innovative and connected to strengthen Brand Awareness and familiarity of the New Renault Fluence as one of Renault pillar models towards the young and cosmopolitan population living in the region.

Renault Fluence was launched in GCC in July 2010 and has sold at the end of 2012 around 7000 units. Since its start, Renault Fluence has received a very positive market response. In 2012, it ranked number one European car in the C segment and came in the Top 10 best selling European cars all segments combined in GCC markets.

In little over than 2 years after the launch of the First Generation, Renault is pleased to introduce the New Renault Fluence that is set to reinforce Renault’s offensive in this segment. The New Renault Fluence builds on the comfort and roomy interior of its predecessor but places the emphasis on technology and design enhancement with more dynamic lines. It is manufactured at the Samsung-Renault plant in Busan, Korea.

The New Renault Fluence is made available across the GCC with the new 1.6 16V 112 CVT X-Tronic auto-

matic gearbox and the 2.0 16V 143 CVT X-Tronic Automatic Gearbox .

More assertive, more dynamic With a length of 4,618mm, a wheelbase of 2,702mm, a height of 1,485mm and a width of 1,813mm, the balanced and generous proportions of New Renault Fluence mark it out as a substantial three-box C-segment saloon (compact family cars). With its flowing and modern lines, New Renault Fluence features the Renault Brand’s new, confident and more dynamic frontal design identity. Inside, the cabin carries over the major themes of the previous version but delivers finishes that are more sophisticated and a more high-tech ambience.

The front-end design of New Renault Fluence takes its inspiration from the Brand’s higher segment models, Renault Koleos and Renault Safrane. The focal point at the front is a prominent logo set vertically to a gloss black & chrome strips background. Meanwhile, New Renault Fluence’s curvier lines and full surfaces ensure a more dynamic, assertive stance, underlining the model’s status-enhancing look.

The design of the front bumper is bolder, with a large lower air intake that broadens towards the base: fog lights set against a gloss black surround have the effect of visually widening this lower intake, giving the front a sporty touch. Finally, wheel arch openings that are two centimetres tighter than on the previous version provide New Renault Fluence with an even more dynamic allure.

The insides of the headlamp units have been reworked in order to convey a more expressive and more upmarket effect. The headlight module is equipped with a lens, which concentrates the beam of light and ensures superb quality illumination at night.

The metal-effect ‘eyelid’ and dark-coloured headlight mask add further depth to New Renault Fluence’s look.

The higher-end equipment levels are distinguished by the addition of a series of gloss black trim features, as well as bright-effect chrome.

New Renault Fluence is packed with high-end technologies designed to make driving simpler. The principal instrument inside the cabin incorporates a large round LCD screen, the main functions of which include a digital speed display and the visual component of the parking assistant function. White segments around the circumference of the LCD screen indicate the settings of the cruise control and the speed limiter systems.

The multimedia functions on the New Renault Fluence include hands free mobile phone connectivity and audio streaming music with Bluetooth or with USB / Jack connection.

In a first for the model, the New Renault Fluence features a 4x20W audio system with a three-line display and an MP3-compatible CD player, Jack/ USB sockets, remote control on steering wheel and Bluetooth. 3D sound by Arkamys is fitted at the LE equipment level. In addition, this system has a remote A3 screen and dual tuner. Bose premium radio is available as an option in the higher equipment at LE level.

The New Renault Fluence also offers a range of driver-assistance technologies, including the hands-free key card for no-touch locking and unlocking of doors, as well as push-button ignition.

On the higher equipment level, the parking assist system of New Fluence features four rear-parking sensors neatly integrated into the rear bumper. Another intelligent feature is the automatic parking brake, which applies itself as soon as the ignition is turned off and released once the engine is running again.

The New Renault Fluence offers more generous passenger space than other vehicles in the same class.

Interior measurements are highly impressive, with elbow room of 1,480mm in the front and 1,475mm at

the rear. Rear passengers enjoy class-leading legroom, with 238mm of knee space, with access to more than 23 litres of in-cabin storage.

The boot capacity of 530 litres is among the biggest in C-Sedan class, with a low loading sill (727mm) and wide aperture (1,020mm). Notably, the New Renault Fluence is equipped with climate control system that is specially designed to cope with the intense sunlight and high levels of humidity of the GCC markets. In addition, an automatic dual-zone climate control system is offered as standard equipment on the higher-end version LE. New Renault Fluence offers a range of powerplants which have been developed by the Renault-Nissan alliance to meet customer expectations in the different markets where the model will be sold. They all combine fuel efficiency with driving enjoyment: The new 1.6 16V 112 CVT X-Tronic Automatic gearbox The 2.0 16V 143 CVT X-Tronic Automatic gearbox Sure Values of Quality and Safety New Renault Fluence builds on the quality and safety standards of its predecessor. Reliability and durability have been the focus of detailed design work, guaranteed with extreme endurance testing, to meet the specific needs of GCC markets.

From its entry level model, New Renault Fluence offers ABS with electronic brake force distribution, emergency brake assist, three-point front safety belts with pretensioners and load limiters, driver and front passenger airbags, three-point Isofix child seat anchorage for the outer rear seats and projector headlights. Available as standard or optional, depending on the equipment level, are safety key features such as stability control (ESP) with under steer control, front side airbags, as well as front and rear curtain airbags.

United Real Estate posts record profits for 2012 Net profit rises 122% to KD22.5m

flydubai launches new Juba route Airline starts operations to S Sudan DUBAI: flydubai, Dubai’s innovative airline, has announced operations to Juba, the capital city of the Republic of South Sudan. Commencing on 21 April 2013, flights will operate four times a week between Dubai Terminal 2 and Juba Airport. flydubai’s CEO, Ghaith Al-Ghaith, said: “We are pleased to start operations to Juba as it enables us to further broaden our network in Africa and opens up more routes to previously underserved markets.”

With the addition of Juba to its network, flydubai has increased accessibility to and from Dubai, launching to date 32 routes that either did not previously have direct links with the emirate or were not served by an UAE national carrier from Dubai.

Flight details Flights to Juba will operate on Mondays, Tuesdays, Fridays and Saturdays. FZ611 will take-off from Dubai Terminal 2 at 1010, landing in Juba at 1400 local time, with the return flight, FZ612, departing Juba at 1500, with a scheduled arrival time in Dubai of 2115 local time.

Round trip fares Return fares to Juba from Dubai start at AED 2,380 while return fares to Dubai from Juba start at $650. All fares are inclusive of 20kg checked baggage allowance, a 7kg hand baggage allowance plus one small laptop bag or

handbag and taxes.

A seat with extra legroom costs AED 100. Once on board, passengers can choose from a range of optional extras, including in-flight entertainment packages priced from AED 10 or select from the varied menu of refreshments and Duty Free items.

Flights can be purchased from flydubai’s website (flydubai.com), its Call Centre (+9714 231 1000), flydubai Travel Shops or through travel partners.

Bookings in Juba can be made by calling (+211 95 416 6999). Further information and details of the carrier’s car rental and travel insurance services can also be found on flydubai.com.

KUWAIT: United Real Estate Company(URC) yesterday announced that the company achieved a net profit of KD22.5 million for 2012, an increase of 122% compared to the previous year net profit. Tariq Mohammed Abdul Salam, Chairman of URC said, “We are very proud to have achieved these excellent results. They are a reflection of the success of the company’s overall business strategy in the past year in assessing and managing our high value assets more effectively to achieve greater value and returns for the company and its shareholders. With the highly appreciated efforts of the executive management team, we shall continue to apply this strategy for the upcoming years.”

Chief Executive Officer of URC, Eng. Mohammed Ahmed Al-Saqqaf commented, “We are pleased with this year’s outstanding results and look forward to continuous achievements that will strengthen URC both operationally and financially. I would like to take this opportunity to thank the members of the Board of Directors for their continuous support and URC’s executive management team for their invaluable efforts and dedication”. URC is one of the largest real estate development companies in the Middle East and North Africa with major projects such as Abdali Mall in Jordan, Salalah Gardens Mall in Oman and the luxurious high-end Raouche View at 1090 residential tower in Lebanon.

In addition to the company’s projects under development, URC has a portfolio of operational assets, one of which is the Fairmont Hotel in Egypt. In Kuwait, URC’s notable properties include Marina Mall, Marina Hotel, Marina Plaza, City Tower, Shaheed Tower, and the recently completed, KIPCO Tower.

URC’s majority shareholder is Kuwait Projects Company (KIPCO), one of the largest and most diversified holding companies in MENA region, with assets under management worth $ 23 billion with substantial ownership interests in over 60 companies operating across 26 countries.

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Commenting on Al Tajer Account Stewart Lockie, General Manager of Retail Banking said, “At ABK we try to support a range of our merchant’s banking needs, with Al Tajer we cover their business requirements, whether it’s a start up or an established one.”

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Priority Visa pass card for Commercial Bank customers KUWAIT: Commercial Bank announces that its Visa Platinum and Infinite cardholders will get the world recognized and state-of-the art- priority pass card which allows its holder to have access to 600 VIP lounges over the globe.

Commercial Bank stressed that this initiative comes within the Bank’s endeavors to provide its cardholders with stress-free VIP experience. CBK Infinite and Platinum cardholders will have everything they need to relax before their multiple trips in a quiet and comfortable place way from the crowds of the busy departure halls at airports. In addition to this, the cardholders shall have the chance to catch up on their work and use entertainment and busi-

ness facilities while waiting for their flights.

CBK credit cardholders also enjoy free of charge travel insurance as required to get Schengen Visa entry. This insurance covers crises and responds to emergencies such as required medical expenses for unexpected sicknesses, delay departure, luggage delay, assault and robbery near the ATMs. All of the above benefits make CBK credit cards the best companion for customers in their travel. Apart from the peace of mind CBK credit cards provide to cardholders, the Infinite and Platinum cards provide customers all the reassurance and security that Visa’s world presence provides.

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2013

technology

Microsoft’s Outlook takes aim at Google’s Gmail SAN FRANCISCO: Microsoft is so confident it has the Internet’s best email service that it is about to spend at least $30 million to send its message across the US. The barrage begins Tuesday when Microsoft’s twist on email, Outlook.com, escalates an assault on rival services from Google Inc, Yahoo Inc, AOL Inc and a long list of Internet service providers. As part of the process, all users of Microsoft’s Hotmail and other email services operating under different domains such as MSN.com will be automatically converted to Outlook.com by the summer, if they don’t voluntarily switch before then. All the old messages, contacts and settings in the old inboxes will be exported to Outlook.com.

Users will also be able to keep their old addresses.

Email remains a key battleground, even at a time when more people are texting each other on phones. People still regularly check their inboxes, albeit increasingly on their smartphones. The recurring email habit provides Internet companies a way to keep people coming back to websites. It gives people a reason to log in during their visits so it’s easier for email providers to track their activities.

Frequent visits and personal identification are two of the keys to selling ads, the main way most websites make money.

That’s why Microsoft, Google and Yahoo have been retooling their email services in recent

months. After keeping Outlook.com in a “preview” phase since July 31, Microsoft Corp. is ready to accept all comers. To welcome new users, Microsoft is financing what it believes to be the biggest marketing blitz in the history of email. Outlook.com will be featured in ads running on primetime TV, radio stations, websites, billboards and buses. Microsoft expects to spend somewhere between $30 million to $90 million on the Outlook campaign, which will run for at least three months.

The Outlook ads will overlap with an anti-Gmail marketing campaign that Microsoft launched earlier this month. The “Scroogled” attacks depict Gmail as a snoopy service that scans the contents of messages to deliver ads related to topics being discussed. The Gmail ads are meant to be educational while the Outlook campaign is motivational, said Dharmesh Mehta, Outlook.com’s senior director.

“We are trying to push people who have gotten lazy and comfortable with an email service that may not be all that great and help show them what email can really do for them,” said Mehta.

By Microsoft’s own admission, Hotmail had lost the competitive edge that once made it the world’s largest email service. The lack of innovation left an opening for Google to exploit when it unveiled Gmail nearly nine years ago. Gmail is now the industry leader, although estimates on its populari-

ty vary. Google says Gmail has more than 425 million accountholders, including those that only visit on smartphones and other mobile device. The latest data from research firm comScore, which doesn’t include mobile traffic, shows Gmail with 306 million worldwide users through December, up 21 percent from the previous year. Yahoo’s email ranked second with 293 million users, a 2 percent decrease from the previous year, followed by Hotmail at 267 million users, a 16 percent decline from the previous year.

Microsoft, which is based in Redmond, Washington, is counting on Outlook.com to catapult the company back to the top of the email heap.

During the preview period, Outlook attracted 60 million accountholders, including about 20 million that defected from Gmail, according to Microsoft.

Comscore listed Outlook with 38 million users through December. The new features being introduced in Outlook include: the ability to send massive files, including hundreds of photos at a time, in a single email; address books that automatically update new contact information that connections post on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn; and about 60 percent fewer ads than Hotmail.

None of these features are revolutionary. Google already has been giving its users the option to switch to a new version of Gmail that also allows for

larger files to be sent in a single email. And address books in Gmail already fetch new contact information posted on Google Plus, although it doesn’t yet mine Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. Google declined to comment on Outlook.com.

The company, which is based in Mountain View, California, plans to convert all of its Gmail users to its redesigned format within the next few months.

Yahoo, which is based in Sunnyvale, California revamped its email service late last year in an effort to provide a more consistent experience on personal computers and mobile devices.

Outlook.com is the latest in a series of major product leases from Microsoft, which has been struggling to regain the cachet that once made it the world’s most valuable technology company. Now, both Apple Inc and Google are worth more because they have been growing far faster than Microsoft as their products win more fans. Apple’s biggest gains have come from the iPhone and IPad, while Google has been benefiting from its dominance in Internet search and its widely used Android software for mobile devices. Microsoft has been trying to catch up with a major makeover of its Windows operating system, new smartphone software and a tablet computer called Surface. Like Outlook.com, all those products have been backed by expensive marketing campaigns in recent months. — AP

US security firm alleges massive Chinese hacking Mandiant says China army unit likely behind attacks SEOUL: Models pose with Samsung Electronics’ new 75 inch F8000 Smart LED TV during a media conference yesterday. — AFP

Samsung launches new premium ‘smart’ TVs SEOUL: South Korea’s Samsung Electronics yesterday launched a range of giant Internetenabled televisions as part of a strategy to cement its lead in slowing global markets by focusing on premium models. The 16 new “smart TV” models, which come in sizes ranging from 46 to 75 inches, allow users to navigate the Internet, offer specialised apps such as video games and recognise various spoken queries and hand motions. Questions such as “What’s today’s TV schedule for football matches?” or “Any action films scheduled on T V this weekend?” will result in a list of requested TV programs.

They also zoom in and out, or rotate images on screen as well as change channels by recognising certain hand motions.

The firm said the new models would hit South Korean stores on Saturday but did not say when overseas sales would start.

One 55-inch model is priced at nearly 6.0 million won ($5,550). Samsung, the world’s biggest flat-screen TV maker, and domestic rival LG have aggressively promoted pricier premium T V models in recent years to cushion the fallout from the global slowdown which has dampened demand.—AFP

BEIJING/SAN FRANCISCO: A secretive Chinese military unit is believed to be behind a series of hacking attacks, a US computer security company said, prompting a strong denial by China and accusations that it was in fact the victim of US hacking. The company, Mandiant, identified the People’s Liberation Army’s Shanghai-based Unit 61398 as the most likely driving force behind the hacking. Mandiant said it believed the unit had carried out “sustained” attacks on a wide range of industries. “The nature of ‘Unit 61398’s’ work is considered by China to be a state secret; however, we believe it engages in harmful ‘Computer Network Operations’,” Mandiant said in a report released in the United States on Monday. “It is time to acknowledge the threat is originating in China, and we wanted to do our part to arm and prepare security professionals to combat that threat effectively,” it said.

China’s Defence Ministry issued a flat denial of the accusations and called them “unprofessional”. It said hacking attacks are a global problem and that China is one of world’s biggest victims of cyber assaults. “The Chinese army has never supported any hacking activity,” the Defence Ministry said in a brief faxed statement to Reuters. “Statements about the Chinese army engaging in cyber attacks are unprofessional and not in line with facts.”

Unit 61398 is located in Shanghai’s Pudong district, China’s financial and banking hub, and is staffed by perhaps thousands of people proficient in English as well as computer programming and network operations, Mandiant said in its report. The unit had stolen “hundreds of terabytes of data from at least 141 organisations across a diverse set of industries beginning as early as 2006”, it said. Most of the victims were located in the United States, with smaller numbers in Canada and Britain. The information stolen ranged from details on mergers and acquisitions to the emails of senior employees, the company said.

The 12-storey building, which houses the unit, sits in an unassuming residential area and is surrounded by a wall adorned with military propaganda photos and slogans; outside the gate a sign warns members of the public they are in a restricted military area and should not take pictures. There were no obvious signs of extra security yesterday.

The Chinese Foreign Ministry said the government firmly opposed hacking, adding that it doubted the evidence provided in the US security group’s report. “Hacking attacks are transnational and anonymous. Determining their origins are extremely difficult. We don’t know how the evidence in this so-called report can be tenable,” spokesman Hong Lei told a daily news briefing. “Arbitrary criticism based on rudimentary data is irresponsible, unprofessional and not helpful in resolving the issue.” Hong cited a Chinese study which pointed to the United States as being behind hacking in China. “Of the above mentioned Internet hacking attacks,

attacks originating from the United States rank first.”

Some experts said they doubted Chinese government denials. “The PLA plays a key role in China’s multifaceted security strategy, so it makes sense that its resources would be used to facilitate economic cyber espionage that helps the Chinese economy,” said Dmitri Alperovitch, chief technology officer and cofounder of CrowdStrike, one of Mandiant’s competitors. Though privately held and little known to the general public, Mandiant is one of a handful of US cyber-security companies that specialise in attempting to detect, prevent and trace the most advanced hacking attacks, instead of the garden-variety viruses and criminal intrusions that befoul corporate networks on a daily basis.

tactics and programs in response to its report but concluded that the disclosure was worth it because of the scale of the harm and the ability of China to issue denials in the past and duck accountability. The company traced Unit 61398’s presence on the Internet - including registration data for a question-and-answer session with a Chinese professor and numeric Internet addresses within a block assigned to the PLA unit - and concluded that it was a major contributor to operations against the US companies.

Members of Congress and intelligence authorities in the United States have publicised the same general conclusions: that economic espionage is an official mission of the PLA and other elements of the Chinese government, and that hacking is a primary method. In Nov 2011, the US National Counterintelligence Executive

SHANGHAI: A person walks past a 12-storey building alleged in a report yesterday by the Internet security firm Mandiant as the home of a Chinese military-led hacking group after the firm reportedly traced a host of cyber attacks to the building in Shanghai’s northern suburb of Gaoqiao. — AFP

But Mandiant does not promote its analysis in public and only rarely issues topical papers about changes in techniques or behaviours. It has never before given the apparent proper names of suspected hackers or directly tied them to a military branch of the Chinese government, giving the new report special resonance.

The company published details of the attack programs and dummy websites used to infiltrate US companies, typically via deceptive emails. US officials have complained in the past to China about sanctioned trade-secret theft, but have had a limited public record to point to.

Mandiant said it knew the PLA would shift

publicly decried China in particular as the biggest known thief of US trade secrets. The Mandiant report comes a week after US President Barack Obama issued a long-awaited executive order aimed at getting the private owners of power plants and other critical infrastructure to share data on attacks with officials and to begin to follow consensus best practices on security. Both US Democrats and Republicans have said more powerful legislation is needed, citing Chinese penetration not just of the largest companies but of operations essential to a functioning country, including those comprising the electric grid. — Reuters

Goal-line technology and how it works PARIS: Ever since the dawn of football, governing bodies have been looking for ways to avoid controversial refereeing decisions. Goals have always been awarded when they should not have been and disallowed when they should have stood, because referees and linesmen are unsighted or too far from the action. Probably the most famous cases on the international stage, curiously all involve England, but the three events span 46 years.

The argument still rages to this day on whether Geoff Hurst’s controversial third goal in the 1966 World Cup final at Wembley, awarded by referee Gottfried Dienst and Soviet linesman Tofik Bakhramov, actually crossed the line.

Then, in the 2010 World Cup against Germany, Frank Lampard had a perfectly good goal wiped out as England slipped to a 4-1 defeat, a decision which led FIFA president Sepp Blatter to apologise and push for goalline technology to be introduced. And in last year’s Euro 2012, Ukraine were on the receiv-

ing end when Marko Devic’s effort, which had clearly crossed the line, was hooked away to safety by John Terry.

Goal-line Technology (GLT) will be in place for this year’s Confederations Cup in Brazil, as a dress rehearsal for next year’s World Cup when it will be fully operational. At present, two rival systems have been licensed by FIFA although when it comes to putting the contracts out to tender, two more German firms are expected to throw their hats into the ring.

The most high profile system is Hawk-Eye. Hawk-Eye works by utilising six cameras at each goal to track the ball on the pitch, not disimmilar to the system in use at the Wimbledon tennis tournament.

The British system’s software employs “triangulation” to pinpoint the exact location of the football and if it crosses the goal-line, then an encrypted radio signal is sent to the referee’s wristwatch to indicate a goal has been scored.

In line with FIFA’s requirements, the whole process takes less than a second to complete.

The other competing system is GoalRef from Germany. GoalRef uses a microchip implanted in the ball and low magnetic waves around the goal. The system detects any change in the magnetic field on or behind the goal-line to determine if a goal has been scored and, again, the process takes under one second for a message to be relayed to the referee.

Barring any last-minute problems, the expectation is that one or both systems will be used for the Confederations Cup and the World Cup. And in line with England’s history of controversy with goal-line incidents, London bookmakers have immediately quoted England at 66-1 to have a goal awarded by goal line technology at the 2014 World Cup. The same odds are quoted for a disallowed goal. Or anyone who fancies a more ambitious flutter should get down to Ladbrokes and put money on England at 400-1 to become the first side to win a major tournament thanks to being awarded a goal in the final under the new rules. — AFP

BLOEMFONTEIN, South Africa. In this June 27, 2010 file photo made from a combination of six photos, Germany’s goalkeeper Manuel Neuer looks at a ball that hit the bar to bounce over the line during the World Cup round of 16 match between Germany and England at Free State Stadium. — AP

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2013

H E A LT H & S C I E N C E

Patient dies from SARS-like virus in Britain: Hospital Sixth fatality from this virus worldwide LONDON: A person suffering from a SARS-like virus has died in Britain, hospital officials said yesterday, becoming the sixth fatality from the illness worldwide. The patient was being treated for so-called novel coronavirus at Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham, central England, and died on Sunday, the hospital said.

The victim was one of three people in the same family with the virus, which appeared to have been caught by one of the family members during a recent visit to the Middle East and Pakistan.

“A patient being treated for novel coronavirus at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham has died. The patient passed away on Sunday morn-

ing in the hospital’s critical care unit,” the hospital said in a statement to AFP. The World Health Organisation on Saturday urged countries to be vigilant over the spread of the virus. A total of 12 cases of the virus have so far been reported to the WHO with five previous fatalities-three in Saudi Arabia and two in Jordan.

The person who died in Britain already had a “long-term, complex unrelated health condition”, the hospital said. “The patient was immuno-compromised and is believed to have contracted the virus from a relative who is being treated for the condition in a Manchester hospital,” it added.

The hospital was working with Britain’s Health Protection Agency to trace other family members

Phoebe Kilham is seen inside an 8-acre forested enclosure with a group of orphaned bear cubs in Lyme, NH. Ben Kilham is the state’s only licensed bear rehabilitator. —AP

and contacts of the patients, it added.

The other two patients from the same family are said to be recovering. The cases raised alarm because they appeared to show person-to-person transmission of the virus, although the WHO said the risk of infection appeared to be low.

There have been four cases of the virus in Britain so far after a 49-year-old Qatari man was treated at a London hospital in September for the virus.

Coronaviruses cause most common colds but can also cause SARS (severe acute respiratory syndrome).

A SARS epidemic killed more than 800 people when it swept out of China in 2003, sparking a major international health scare. —AFP

Black bears are seen inside an 8-acre forested enclosure in Lyme, NH. Ben Kilham is the state’s only licensed bear rehabilitator.

Typically he cares for three to five black bear cubs each winter. —AP

Lively orphaned bears keep NH rehabilitator busy When a bad year for feeding followed a good one for breeding, Ben Kilham, New Hampshire’s only licensed bear rehabilitator, found himself spending the winter with 27 lively and orphaned cubs - a huge jump from the three to five he typically sees.

“We didn’t know what to expect as they kept coming in,” Kilham said. “It was every week or twice a week we were getting calls, ‘We’ve got a group of cubs,’ then ‘another group of cubs.’”

Kilham keeps the cubs in an 8-acre enclosed forest behind his house until spring, when he works with the state Fish and Game Department to release them in remote locations. Normally, the bears sleep all winter, but not this bunch.

“They’ve managed to keep themselves awake,” he said. “There’s always somebody who stirs up somebody else, and pretty soon, everybody’s up.”

For a while, Kilham tried withholding food in hopes that the bears would sleep, but that didn’t work.

“They just roto-tilled the pen,” he said. “It was obvious that they were seeking food, so we just gave up and started going back once a day feeding them.” Staying awake all winter won’t hurt the bears any, he said, and if anything, they are better off having spent the winter in a large group. With just a few cubs, it was common for one to pace back and forth near the fence, Kilham said. But none of the current cubs are showing that kind of anxiety.

“They’re just one big happy family, they roam around, play with each other,” he said. “They are very, very happy as a big social unit.” Andy

Timmins, the bear project leader for the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department, said officials were expecting more orphaned cubs than usual but were surprised at just how many turned up.

“It was like nothing we’ve ever seen. A high year in the past was maybe, seven or eight bears,” he said. “It was a very challenging year, for sure, and we’re not done yet. I’m absolutely positive there will be more showing up this spring as a result of these conditions last year.”

The bumper crop of cubs can be traced to a two-year swing in the bears’ food supply.

Younger female bears often don’t give birth during leaner years, but with an abundance of beechnuts, berries and other food in 2011, there was a baby boom.

In 2012, however, dry conditions meant food was scarce, and bears were forced to venture into backyards for food. Sows that foraged for food in chicken coops and beehives ended up getting shot by property owners, leaving the cubs behind.

That’s how 16 of the 27 cubs ended up with Kilham. “The big wave of them came in June and July as a direct result of females getting shot in chicken pens,” Timmins said. “It was just bang, bang, bang, with calls coming in from people saying, ‘I just shot a bear, come and pick it up.’”

The state has a program to help landowners install electric fencing to protect their coops, he said, but many are unwilling to use it. And the law is on the side of property owners.

“We bend over backwards to help people with

that problem, and we’d like to see a little more tolerance out there among the public towards wildlife that might be attracted to the chicken pen,” he said. “It’s an easy fix.”

Kilham agreed. “Once the bear’s in your chicken coop, the damage is done so there’s nothing gained by shooting the bear,” he said.

Kilham, who has been studying bears for more than 20 years, has produced and appeared in numerous documentaries and written two books about bear social behavior. The second, titled “Out on a Limb,” is due out this summer, and he’s also working on a doctoral degree in environmental conservation that builds on his work in China helping wildlife experts who are reintroducing pandas to the wild.

Back in Lyme, much of the day-to-day care of bears falls to Kilham’s sister, Phoebe, who said despite the added workload this year - which includes four sets of triplets - it’s not hard for her to keep track of so many bears. Some of them are named for the towns where they were found - there’s “Moultonborough One” and “Moultonborough Two” - while others have more whimsical such monikers as Clarkie, Big Girl and Slothy. Clarkie is the group lookout and runs up to be fed first, she said. Others hang back and don’t eat until the Kilhams leave. And thanks to an outpouring of donations after a local television publicized the situation, they have plenty of dog food to keep everyone well-fed until spring.

“You get to recognize them by behavior as well as by sight,” she said. “We do pretty well.

Some of those last triplets were hard to tell apart, but otherwise we do pretty well.” —AP

N Zealand to introduce plain packets for tobacco WELLINGTON: New Zealand announced plans yesterday to force tobacco companies to sell cigarettes in plain packaging, becoming only the second country in the world after Australia to introduce the measure.

Associate Health Minister Tariana Turia said banning tobacco branding and selling ciga-

ing,” she told reporters.

“The move to plain packaging would make more explicit what tobacco is-a product that kills 5,000 New Zealanders a year.” The move was widely anticipated after New Zealand gave support in principle to plain packaging last year and praised Australia’s pioneering

WELLINGTON: Associate Health Minister Tariana Turia announces plain cigarette packaging plans at a press conference in Wellington yesterday. Strict against smoking already, New Zealand plans to make tobacco companies remove their logos from cigarette packs but will wait until a challenge to Australian legislation is resolved. —AP rettes in drab boxes plastered with explicit health warnings “will remove the last remaining vestige of glamour from these deadly products”.

“Currently the packaging does everything it can to attract consumers and increase the perceived appeal and acceptability of smok-

efforts.

The packaging was introduced in Australia in December, meaning all cigarettes must be sold in identical, olive-brown boxes bearing the same typeface and large health warnings bearing graphic images of diseased smokers.

Turia said the government would introduce

legislation later this year but delay enforcing it until legal challenges launched by tobacco firms against Australia’s ban had been decided. She said it was almost inevitable that cigarette manufacturers would also take legal action in New Zealand but the government was determined to press on with the change.

“We know we’ve got trade obligations but we are confident plain packaging can be introduced with those,” she said.

“I know that when we look back we will know we had made the right decision today.”

The Cancer Society of New Zealand said it was “over the moon” at the government’s decision, while Action on Smoking and Health (ASH) said it would prevent tobacco firms using marketing to hook customers.

“The lives of New Zealanders are being put above the interests of the tobacco giants,” ASH director Ben Youdan said, adding that he would have preferred for the ban to be introduced immediately.

British American Tobacco’s New Zealand general manager Steve Rush said his company remained opposed to plain packaging, arguing they breach international trade rules and intellectual property rights. “While we can’t rule out legal action at this stage, we can say that we will fully participate in the legislative process,” he said in a statement.

Rush said last year that there was no proof plain packaging reduced smoking and it set a dangerous precedent that could eventually spread to other products such as alcohol.

Australian Health M inister Tanya Plibersek welcomed New Zealand ’s announcement and said she hoped other counties would follow suit. “I am absolutely delighted the New Zealand government joined Australia in putting the health and welfare of its citizens ahead of profits for Big Tobacco,” she said. —AFP

Diaper Rash Cream For 79% of all test persons, the dermatologist recommends this product for skin care in the diaper area... ● Eases the symptoms of diaper rash while simultaneously protecting the skin ● Contains a rich lipid complex with squalane and lecithin ● Panthenol helps to heal wounds and supports the healing process ● Camomile soothes irritated skin and helps to protect from infection ● Titanium dioxide and paraffin form a protective barrier against aggressive constituents of excrements ● The skins condition improves significantly within three weeks - shown in a dermatological study ● Prof J Wetzel, 2007 The skin of a baby in the diaper covered area is significantly stressed through occlusion (coverage of the area) and by ammonia, which is a decomposition product of urine. This leads to swelling and irritative skin damage as well as impairing the still unstable acid mantle through an increase in pH. This, in turn, activates other harmful factors such as lipolytic enzymes (lipid degrading) and proteolytic enzymes (protein degrading) in excrements. Combined, these factors can lead to diaper rash, redness and skin irritation. In addition, bacteria, fungi and yeast from the feces can cause infections.

To prevent skin damage, the diaper covered area must be thoroughly cleaned with a gentle cleanser and then protected and cared for with a suitable skin care product, such as Diaper Rash Cream. In

addition, diaper changes should be frequent.

Titanium dioxide and paraffin oil form a protective barrier on the surface of the skin to prevent direct contact with urine and feces. This also facilitates the removal of residue of excrements from the skin.

The high panthenol content promotes skin regeneration and the healing of damaged skin.

Diaper Rash Cream should be applied after each diaper change. With its optimal composition, it spreads easily leaving a light, protective film. For this reason it offers optimal treatment of mild forms of diaper rash (napkin dermatitis), as well as accompanying medicated treatment.

Diaper Rash Cream cannot replace medical therapy if infection occurs.

When compared to zinc-containing preparations, Baby sebamed Diaper Rash Cream has an advantage in that it stabilizes the skin’s pH of 5.5 and therefore fortifies the natural barrier function of the skin. Zinc oxide formulations are stable only at pH values of 7 or more thus placing additional strain on the acid mantle.

Dermatological testing demonstrated good skin tolerability.

Notes: A dermatological study shows that the skin’s condition improved significantly after three weeks of use (in combination with Baby Cleansing Bar). In 79% of the cases the dermatologist recommends the continued use of Baby sebamed Diaper Rash Cream (Prof J wetzel, 2007 - Study summary see Part 5).

Man-made chemicals cited in health scourges: Report GENEVA: Man-made chemicals in everyday products are likely to be at least the partial cause of a global surge in birth deformities, hormonal cancers and psychiatric diseases, a UN-sponsored research team reported yesterday. These substances, dubbed EDCs, could also be linked to a decline in the human male sperm count and female fertility, to an increase in once-rare childhood cancers and to the disappearance of some animal species, they said.

“It is clear that some of these chemical pollutants can affect the endocrinal (hormonal) system and ....may also interfere with the development processes of humans and wildlife species,” the report declared.

The international group, academic experts working under the umbrella of the United Nations environmental and health agencies UNEP and WHO, issued their findings in a paper updating a 2002 study on the potential dangers of synthetic chemicals.

Declaring “a global threat that needs to be resolved,” the team said humans and animals across the planet were probably exposed to hundreds of these often littlestudied or understood compounds at any one time.

“We live in a world in which man-made chemicals have become part of everyday life,” said their 28-page report, “State of the Science of Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals, 2012,” issued as a policy guide for governments. EDCs include phthalates long used in making plastics soft and flexible.

Products made from them include toys, children’s dummies, perfumes and pharmaceuticals, as well as cosmetics like deodorants that are absorbed into the body.

Another is Bisphenol A, or BPA, which is used to harden plastics and is found in food and beverage containers, including some babies’ bottles and the coating of food cans.

A few countries - including the United States, Canada and some European Union members - have already banned the use of some of them in certain products, especially those destined for the use of children. But, the report said, “many hundreds of thou-

sands” are in use around the world and only a small fraction had been assessed for their potential to spark disease by upsetting the endocrinal, or hormonal, systems of humans and animals.

Experts believe that in general, such chemicals can be absorbed into drinks and food from the containers they come in.

The team, created by a 17-year-old chemical management body called the IOMC working with a range of UN agencies, said a key problem was that manufacturers of consumer products did not identify many of their chemical components. Consequently, the researchers said, they had only been able to look at “the tip of the iceberg”. Disease risk from the use of EDCs - or what could be even more dangerous a combination of them “may be significantly underestimated.”

Using studies of the effect of the chemicals on humans and animals, the team added, a link to EDCs could be suspected in breast and prostate cancer, diabetes, infertility, asthma, obesity, strokes, and Alzheimer and Parkinson’s diseases. Babies exposed to EDCs in the womb or in puberty, these studies suggested, were especially vulnerable to developing these diseases in later life as well as behavioral and learning problems like dyslexia as children.

In many countries, these disorders affected 5-10 percent of babies born, while autism was now recorded at a rate of one percent. Childhood leukemia and brain cancer is also on the rise, according to the report. “All of these complex non-communicable diseases have both a genetic and an environmental component,” it said.

“Since the increases in incidence and prevalence cannot be due solely to genetics, it is important to focus on understanding the contribution of the environment to these chronic disease trends in humans.”

The researchers said their report had been based largely on studies in the developed world. But the size of the problem in developing countries had yet to be adequately assessed due to a lack of data from Africa, Asia and Latin America. —Reuters

ANKARA: University students smoke the hookah, or the water pipe, in a cafe downtown Ankara. After banning smoking in public places, the Turkish government has gone one step further by clamping down on an ancient tradition — the hookah, or water pipe. — AFP

States’ choices set up national health experiment WASHINGTON: President Barack Obama’s health care overhaul is unfolding as a national experiment with American consumers as the guinea pigs: Who will do a better job getting uninsured people covered, the states or the feds?

The nation is about evenly split between states that decided by Friday’s deadline they want a say in running new insurance markets and states that are defaulting to federal control because they don’t want to participate in “Obamacare.” That choice was left to state governments under the law: Establish the market or Washington will. With

some exceptions, states led by Democrats opted to set up their own markets, called exchanges, and Republican-led states declined.

Only months from the official launch, exchanges are supposed to make the mind-boggling task of buying health insurance more like shopping on Amazon.com or Travelocity. Millions of people who don’t have employer coverage will flock to the new markets. Middle-class consumers will be able to buy private insurance, with government help to pay the premiums in most cases. Low-income people will be steered to safety net programs like Medicaid.—AP

H E A LT H & S C I E N C E

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2013

Can acupuncture help relieve seasonal allergies?

Watery eyes and stuffy noses are seasonal martyrdom for millions of allergy sufferers around the globe, but now a German study finds that some help may come from an unlikely source acupuncture. Researchers, publishing in the Annals of Internal Medicine, found that 71 percent of people reported an improvement in their allergies after eight weeks of acupuncture.

But so did 56 percent of allergy sufferers who were treated with sham acupuncture as a comparison. “Acupuncture led to statistically significant improvements in disease-specific quality of life an antihistamine use measures after eight weeks of treatment compared with sham acupunc-

ture and with (medication) along,” wrote lead researcher Benno Brinkhaus and colleagues. “But the improvements may not be clinically significant.”

Brink haus, at Charite -University Medical Center in Berlin, and his colleagues randomly assigned 422 people with seasonal allergies to receive real or sham acupuncture or to take only antihistamines as needed. Af ter eight weeks and 12 treatment sessions, average allergy symptom scores dropped among people in the acupunc ture group from 2.7 to 1.7 points on a 0-to-6 scale, where lower scores indicate fewer symptoms.

Among patients treated with sham

acupuncture, symptom scores improved from 2.3 to 1.8 point, and from 2.5 to 2.2 in the medication only group.

However, by another eight weeks after the treatment ended, there was no longer any difference in the degree of symptom improvement between groups.

People with allergies would likely notice about a half-point change on the symptom scale in their daily lives, the researchers said - the difference between the real and sham acupuncture groups after eight weeks in the current study.

“It works, but there are some caveats (for) people who might think of using

it,” said Harold Nelson, who treats allergies at National Jewish Health in Denver, Colorado and was not part of the study.

“This is pretty invasive, particularly when you compare it to something like spraying a nasal steroid in your nose once a morning,” he added. It is also more time consuming and requires finding a qualified, licensed acupuncture’s. Researchers aren’t sure why acupuncture might help people with seasonal allergies, other than its possible beneficial effect on the immune system.

Nelson said antihistamines might not have been the best drug compari-

son for acupuncture, since daily use of nasal steroids is better at preventing symptoms.

But drugs don’t work well for everybody.

“We mostly saw patients in our outpatient practice who have had this disease for years,” Brinkhaus told Reuters Health. “They are not very happy taking the medications every day, and some of them suffer from side effects.” For those people, acupuncture could be a good add-on option, he added. “It’s not an alternative. We use it firstly as some sort of complementary medicine,” he said. “If the acupuncture has good results, we can reduce the anti-allergic medication.” —Reuters

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2013

W H AT ’ S O N

SEND US YOUR INSTAGRAM PICS

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hat’s more fun than clicking a beautiful picture? Sharing it with others! Let other people see the way you see Kuwait - through your lens. Friday Times will feature snapshots of Kuwait through Instagram feeds. If you want to share your Instagram photos, email us at instagram@kuwaittimes.net

British Embassy closed for national holidays

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he British Embassy will be closed on Monday, February 25 on the occasion of Kuwait’s National Day. The Embassy will re-open on Tuesday, February 26. The Visa Application Centre (VAC) will be closed on the same date above. The opening hours of the Visa Application Centre are 0930 - 1630 for submissions, and 1600 - 1730 for passport collection.

Application forms remain available online from the UKBA’s website: www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk or from the Visa Application Centre’s website: www.vfs-ukkw.com The UK Visa Application Centre is located at: 4B, First Floor, Al-Banwan Building, (Burgan Bank Branch Office Building), Al-Qibla area, opposite Central Bank of Kuwait, Kuwait City. Telephone: 22971170. The Consular Section will also be closed on the same dates.

Announcements ECC organizes Omra trip for Egyptians ecretary general of the Egyptian Community Council (ECC), Dr Azmi Abdul Fattah congratulated all Egyptians on the second anniversary of the January 25 revolution urging everybody to consolidate and unite for the best of Egypt as a whole. On this occasion, Abdul Fattah announced that the council would organize its annual Omra trip pointing out that it would last eight days in the period of February 21 till 28.

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Goan Culinary Club

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he Goan Culinary Club - Goa encourages you to log on to their website where you can find a video of Odette and Joe Mascarenhas sharing their thoughts on Goan cuisine. These videos were recorded at the launch of the Goan Culinary Club in Goa on March 3, 2012. Thanks to support from all at the Goan Culinary Club, we have made great progress in six months.

Evening of the arts at ABS

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he Evening of the Arts was a great success at The American Baccalaureate School. The February 7th event was held in the school cafeteria and featured a wide range of artistic talent and performances featuring elementary through high school students.

Artwork created throughout the beginning of the school year from students of all ages was also displayed. The Evening of the Arts was organized by Ms. Heba Haji, elementary art teacher.

As well as the art work that was on display there was also three performances at the event. The sixth grade girls began

with a dance to the song “Waka, Waka” (It’s time for Africa) made popular by Shakira. The dance was choreographed by the students with assistance from their drama and art teacher, Pamela Muir. The second performance was a group of fourth graders performing “Lean On Me” originally written by Bill Withers. Andy Litwiller, elementary music teacher, led the ensemble of singers and drummers.

The evening concluded with the twelfth grade girls’ performance of Anton Chekov’s “Three Sisters”. The play tells the story of three women who were forced out of Moscow because of communism,

and addresses the theme of the divisions caused by love and war. Catherine Tuohy, high school drama teacher, directed the classic play.

Perfect Attendance Assembly at ABS Quarter 2 ended at for the KG students at The American Baccalaureate School with 16 students being awarded for their Perfect Attendance, 5 of who have not had a day off school or been tardy since September 9! All the students were presented with a certificate from Ms. Amal and Ms. Sarah handed them all goodie bags. They then had their photographs taken as a reminder of their special day.

The students with perfect attendance from September 9-January 23 are: Deyain Al-Deyain Prek A, Jana Al-Terkait KG1E, Abdulrahman Al-Sayer KG2A, Ahmed Al-Saad KG2B and Salman AlSuwaidi KG2D. The students with Perfect Attendance from November 8-January 23: Abdullah Al-Kharafi, Muniah AlOmran and Ruslia Boresli all from KG1A, Jawhara Al-Babtain and Munia AlMuneefi from KG1B. Ali Abdullah KG1E, Badreyah Al-Mansour, Saeed Al-Othman and Abdullah Al-Shereedah from KG2C, lastly, Hana Al-Asousi KG2E and Khaled Yaqoub from KG2F.

Basketball Academy he new Premier Basketball Academy offers coaching and games every Friday and Saturday from 10 am onwards for 6 to 18 year olds, boys and girls. Located in Bayan Block 7, Masjed Al-Aqsa Street by Abdullah Al-Rujaib High School. Free Basketball and Tee Shirts for all participants, with certificates and special awards on completion of each 6 week course. Qualified and experienced British and American Coaches, Everyone Welcome.

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Kuwait Carnatic Music Forum Thyagaraja program

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J Nandini disciple of Bombay Jayasree who sang the title song in the Oscar nominated movie Life of Pi and winner of Ragarathnam program Amrutha TV classical music competition; accompanying artistes: Kanchi Kamakodi Pitham asthana vidwan Karunagappalli S Balamurali on violin; Kanchi Kamakodi Pitham asthana vidwan Perunna G Harikumar on mridangam; Gireesh Sundareshan on ganchira; Vazhappalli G Anil kumar on ghatam; and Manoj Mavelikkara on morshankh will perform. Full day classical music program on Feb 19 am - 4.30 pm. Participants: music students and devotees. Pancharathna keerthanaalapanam at 5 pm at the Indian Community School Salmiya (senior girls). All are welcome.

Air India Valentine ‘Ladies Special’ offer he Maharaja is pleased to offer the “Ladies Special” on his flights from Kuwait to Indian Gateway Points of Ahmedabad, Goa, Hyderabad and Chennai as a special gesture to kick start the International Women’s day Celebration falling on 8th March 2013, with the following features: You will get a 10% discount on the base fare if you are an adult lady passenger and you are purchasing your ticket in February 2013 for travel between Kuwait/India/Kuwait on AI 975/976/981/982 for destinations Ahmedabad, Goa, Hyderabad and Chennai.

You can avail it for your one way or return journeys.

You may start you travel anytime between now and 31st Mar’13 We welcome all our valued Women passengers on board Air India to fly the Maharani way!

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

BSK student wins Young Musician of the Gulf Award

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nce again The British School of Kuwait returned triumphant from the Young Musician of the Gulf Competition held in Dubai. Hai Wei Li (Age 9) joined a distinguished group of BSK alumni when he won the Most Promising Musician under 15 award and the Owerjkowicz Trophy thus following in the footsteps of Claudia Verniswho first came to prominence in this competition with the same award some six years ago. Hai Wei is already a veteran of many competitions and his outstanding ability on both violin and piano made him a shoo in for this prestigious prize. BSK has an illustrious history in this competition with Shahin Khodei( First Runner Up), Feixue Li (First Place) and BSK’s ensemble group La Camerata winning five years in a row. BSK places a high value on the musical education on offer at the school and Hai Wei and his peers can be seen performing at the annual BSK Music Festival Week in March.

Bharat Vikas 2013

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eva Darshan Kuwait, a voluntary non-profit organization registered with the Indian Embassy, Kuwait, will hold a day-long mega event named as ‘Bharat Vikas, 2013’ on February 25, 2013 at the Marina Hall, Abbasiya.

The event will be marked with the esteemed presence of embassy officials, Viswanatha Subramanyam (Deputy General Manager, Karur Vishay Bank), Pritpal Jit Singh (Branch Manager, Karur Vishay Bank, Delhi), Krishana Dasan Rajan (Branch Manager, Karur Vishay Bank, Kollam), Dr T A Ramesh (Gulfmart Country Head), and other eminent personalities in Kuwait.

A 100-page souvenir will be released on the occasion with a wide variety of articles to commemorate the all round development and the influence and contributions that India has bestowed for a better world. On the occasion of 150th birthday celebration of Swami Vivekananda, the cultural event incorporates a signature show throwing light to his life which will be presented by our members and children. The highlight of the function will be the presence of talented professional team from India, ‘Cochin Guinness’. The program commences from 10 am. The entry to the show would be free. Seva Darshan was set up basically to fulfill its long standing ideals of being a support to the needy back in India and to help its members and people of our community in Kuwait when needed.

W H AT ’ S O N

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2013

Embassy Information

MESCE alumni host inaugural function

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ESCE Alumni inaugural function was hosted at Hotel Rajadhani Palace, Khaitan on Thursday, Feb 14, 2013. The official inauguration was done by Mohamed R afi, President MES Kuwait (MES Kuwait Unit is registered with Indian Embassy of Kuwait and involved in many educational and social welfare programs for the needy people). “ We had been working with this idea of forming an alumni association for MESCEians for some time. I think we can be happy that our association became a reality today with our inaugural function. This is definitely a joyous moment for all of us” said MESCE

General Secretar y Jezeen Abdul Jabbar.

The overwhelming response by the members was appreciated and association’s future plans and activities were then detailed by the new association President Shanu Basheer, followed by felicitation by distinguished guests. Lot of fun-filled events, cultural activities were also performed and during dinner the members were found rejoiced to reunite with their old friends and shared their campus memories.

MES College of Engineering, established as an institution with minority status in 1994, is the first self-financing engineering college in the state of

Kerala. The college is, located along the banks of the Bharathapuzha River near Kuttippuram town in the Malappuram district, is currently one of the largest engineering colleges in Kerala. It is ISO 9001:2000 certified and is affiliated to the University of Calicut.

The college was selected under the scheme of TEQIP (Technical Education Quality Improvement Programme) by Govt: of India in the year 2004. The college is managed by the Muslim Educational Society, one of major educational organisations in India. Now it is considered as one of the top engineering institute in the state with top class infrastructure and faculties.

EMBASSY OF AUSTRALIA The Australian Embassy Kuwait does not have a visa or immigration department.

All processing of visas and immigration matters in conducted by The Australian Consulate-General in Dubai. Email: info.ausdxb@vfshelpline.com (VFS) immigration.dubai@dfat.gov.au (Visa Office); Tel: +971 4 355 1958 (VFS) - +971 4 508 7200 (Visa Office); Fax: +971 4 355 0708 (Visa Office). In Kuwait applications can be lodged at the Australian Visa Application Centre 4B 1st Floor, Al-Banwan Building Al-Qibla Area, Ali Al-Salem Street, opposite the Central Bank of Kuwait, Kuwait City, Kuwait. Working hours and days: 09:30 - 17:30; Sunday - Thursday. Or visit their website www.vfs-au-gcc-com for more information. Kuwait citizens can apply for tourist visas on-line at www.immi.gov.au/e visa/e676.htm.

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EMBASSY OF CANADA The Embassy of Canada in Kuwait does not have a visa or immigration department. All processing of visa and immigration matters including enquiries is conducted by the Canadian Embassy in Abu Dhabi, UAE Individuals who are interested in working, studying, visiting or immigrating to Canada should contact the Canadian Embassy in Abu Dhabi, website: www.UAE.gc.ca or www.goingtocanada.gc.ca, E-mail: abdbi-imenquiry@international.gc.ca. The Embassy of Canada is located at Villa 24, Al-Mutawakei St, Block 4 in Da’aiyah. Please visit our website at www.Kuwait.gc.ca. The Embassy of Canada is open from 07:30 to 15:30 Sunday through Thursday. The reception is open from 07:30 to 12:30. Consular services for Canadian citizens are provided from 09:00 until 12:00, Sunday through Wednesday.

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Farewell The staff members of Virology Laboratory in Kuwait recently bid farewell to M K Cherian, the chief technician at the laboratory. Cherian, who has served with the Ministry of Health for many years and now returning to India for good, was given an affectionate farewell that was attended by friends and colleagues.

EMBASSY OF CYPRUS In its capacity as EU Local Presidency in the State of Kuwait, the Embassy of the Republic of Cyprus, on behalf of the Member States of the EU and associated States participating in the Schengen cooperation, would like to announce that as from 2nd October 2012 all Schengen States’ Consulates in Kuwait will use the Visa Information System (VIS). The VIS is a central database for the exchange of data on short-stay (up to three months) visas between Schengen States. The main objectives of the VIS are to facilitate visa application procedures and checks at external border as well as to enhance security. The VIS will contain all the Schengen visa applications lodged by an applicant over five years and the decisions taken by any Schengen State’s consulate. This will allow applicants to establish more easily the lawful use of previous visas and their bona fide status. For the purpose of the VIS, applicants will be required to provide their biometric data (fingerprints and digital photos) when applying for a Schengen visa. It is a simple and discreet procedure that only takes a few minutes. Biometric data, along with the data provided in the Schengen visa application form, will be recorded in the VIS central database. Therefore, as from 2nd October 2012, first-time applicants will have to appear in person when lodging the application, in order to provide their fingerprints. For subsequent applications within 5 years the fingerprints can be copied from the previous application file in the VIS. The Cypriot Presidency would like to assure the people of Kuwait and all its permanent citizens that the Member States and associated States participating in the Schengen cooperation, have taken all necessary technical measures to facilitate the rapid examination and the efficient processing of visa applications and to ensure a quick and discreet procedure for the implementation of the new VIS. ■■■■■■■

EMBASSY OF KENYA The Embassy of the Republic of Kenya wishes to inform the Kenyan community residents throughout Kuwait and the general public that the Embassy has acquired new office telephone numbers as follows: 25353982, 25353985 - Consular’s enquiries 25353987 - Fax Our Email address: info@kenyaembkuwait.com.

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EMBASSY OF MYANMAR Embassy of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar would like to inform the general public that the Embassy has moved its office to new location at Villa 35, Road 203, Block 2, Al-Salaam Area in South Surra. The Embassy wishes to advice Myanmar citizens and travellers to Myanmar to contact Myanmar Embassy at its new location. Tel. 25240736, 25240290, Fax: 25240749, email:myankuwait11@gmai1.com.

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KNES holds annual Mathematics Quiz

EMBASSY OF NIGERIA The Nigerian embassy has its new office in Mishref. Block 3, Street 7, House 4. For enquires please call 25379541. Fax25387719. Email- nigeriakuwait@yahoo.com or nigeriankuwait@yahoo.co.uk.

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ebruary 10th was the day this year on which Kuwait National English School held its annual Mathematics Quiz. Every year group in the Secondary Department took part in the event and this year also saw representation from the primary section of Kuwait National English School with Year 6 pupils giving a very good account of themselves.

The purpose of the annual quiz is to foster the competitive spirit amongst students as well as to provide an opportunity for the many mathematically-able pupils to display

their skills and knowledge of the subject. This year the Year 9 were particularly impressive in competition against themselves, while all pupils taking part showed an enthusiasm for the subject which is at the core of the British National Curriculum. The winners for the Mathematics Quiz 2013 are: Year 6: Ahmed Al-Kabi, Sama Abuazma, Abdelrahman Hosni and Ritaj Al-Qallaf.

Year 7: Abdulaziz Al-Shawwaf, Ayeh Shalchi, Mario Matta, Elza Morgan, Mishal Shereef and Mohammad AlSaffar.

Year 8: Menatalla Sherif, Salma Khodabocus, Omar Alnaoot, Alayna Tague, Khaled Al-Barghouthi and Maroun Chdid.

Year 9: Ala Haidar, Nour Sabaneh, Amal Al-Enezi, Mario Morgan and Seaton Stoffels.

Year 10: Faisal Al-Adwani, Reem Al-Zayab, Zeinab Chamkha, Ahmed Moustafa and Mayar Ezzat.

Year 11: Abdullah Can, Aly Aly, Saqer Al-Rowaiei, Abdullah Al-Najem, Hailah Al-Saeidan and Nouran Abdelhalim. ‘Pure mathematics is, in its way, the poetry of logical ideas’.

EMBASSY OF PERU The Embassy of Peru is located in Sharq, Ahmed Al Jaber Street, Al Arabiya Tower, 6th Floor. Working days / hours: SundayThursday /9 am - 4 pm. Residents in Kuwait interested in getting a visa to travel to Peru and companies attracted to invest in Peru are invited to visit the permanent exposition room located in the Embassy. For more information, please contact: (+965) 22267250/1.

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2013

TV PROGRAMS

00:50 Animal Cops South Africa 01:45 Killer Jellyfish 02:35 I’m Alive 03:25 Wildest Arctic 04:15 Wildlife SOS 05:05 Venom Hunter With Donald Schultz 05:55 Call Of The Wildman 06:20 Escape To Chimp Eden 06:45 Shamwari: A Wild Life 07:10 Shamwari: A Wild Life 07:35 Wildlife SOS 08:00 The Really Wild Show 08:25 My Cat From Hell 09:15 Dogs 101 10:10 Animal Airport 10:35 Animal Airport 11:05 Wildest Arctic 12:00 Animal Cops Phoenix 12:55 Call Of The Wildman 13:20 Wildlife SOS 13:50 Wildlife SOS 14:45 Animal Precinct 15:40 Wildest Arctic 16:30 Escape To Chimp Eden 17:00 The Really Wild Show 17:30 Dogs 101 18:25 Weird Creatures With Nick Baker 19:20 Breed All About It 19:45 Breed All About It 20:15 Bondi Vet 20:40 Safari Vet School 21:10 Call Of The Wildman 21:35 Escape To Chimp Eden 22:05 Wildest Arctic 23:00 Mutant Planet 23:55 Daniel And Our Cats

00:00 Homes Under The Hammer 00:50 Extreme Makeover: Home Edition Specials 01:30 Extreme Makeover: Home Edition Specials 02:10 Come Dine With Me 02:55 Holmes On Homes 03:45 MasterChef 04:35 House Swap 05:20 Bargain Hunt 06:05 Living In The Sun 07:00 House Swap 07:45 Perfect Day 08:10 Homes Under The Hammer 09:00 Bargain Hunt 09:45 Bargain Hunt: Famous Finds 10:30 Extreme Makeover: Home Edition Specials 11:10 Extreme Makeover: Home Edition Specials 11:50 MasterChef 12:40 Come Dine With Me 13:30 Perfect Day 13:55 Baking Made Easy 14:20 10 Years Younger 15:10 Bargain Hunt 15:55 Bargain Hunt: Famous Finds 16:40 Extreme Makeover: Home Edition Specials 17:20 Extreme Makeover: Home Edition Specials 18:00 Homes Under The Hammer 18:50 Rick Stein’s Spain 19:45 Baking Mad With Eric Lanlard 20:10 French Food At Home 20:30 Come Dine With Me 21:20 Perfect Day 21:45 Celebrity Fantasy Homes 22:30 Bargain Hunt: Famous Finds 23:15 Bargain Hunt

00:00 00:30 00:45 01:00 01:30 01:45 02:00 02:30 02:45 03:00 03:30 04:00 04:30

Newsday Asia Business Report Sport Today BBC World News Asia Business Report Sport Today BBC World News Asia Business Report Sport Today BBC World News Hardtalk BBC World News World Business Report

04:45 BBC World News 05:00 BBC World News 05:30 World Business Report 05:45 BBC World News 06:00 BBC World News 06:30 World Business Report 06:45 BBC World News 07:00 BBC World News 07:30 World Business Report 07:45 BBC World News 08:00 BBC World News 08:30 Hardtalk 09:00 BBC World News 09:30 World Business Report 09:45 Sport Today 10:00 BBC World News 10:30 BBC World News 11:00 GMT With George Alagiah 11:30 GMT With George Alagiah 12:00 Impact With Mishal Husain 12:30 Impact With Mishal Husain 13:00 Impact With Mishal Husain 13:30 Hardtalk 14:00 BBC World News 14:30 BBC World News 15:00 BBC World News 15:30 World Business Report 15:45 Sport Today 16:00 BBC World News 16:30 BBC Focus On Africa 17:00 BBC World News 17:30 World Business Report 17:45 Sport Today 18:00 World News Today With Zeinab Badawi 18:30 World News Today With Zeinab Badawi 19:00 World News Today With Zeinab Badawi 19:30 World Business Report 19:45 Sport Today 20:00 Business Edition With Tanya Beckett 20:30 Hardtalk 21:00 BBC World News America 21:30 BBC World News America 22:00 Newsday 22:30 Asia Business Report 22:45 Sport Today 23:00 Newsday 23:30 Asia Business Report 23:45 Sport Today

00:05 Taz-Mania 00:30 Pink Panther And Pals 00:55 Moomins 01:20 Tom & Jerry Kids 01:45 A Pup Named Scooby-Doo 02:10 Puppy In My Pocket 02:35 Wacky Races 03:00 Looney Tunes 03:25 Duck Dodgers 03:50 Dastardly And Muttley 04:00 Dexter’s Laboratory 04:30 Wacky Races 04:55 Sylvester & Tweety Mysteries 05:20 Tom & Jerry 05:45 The Garfield Show 06:00 Bananas In Pyjamas 06:25 Gerald McBoing Boing 06:45 Jelly Jamm 07:00 Ha Ha Hairies 07:25 Baby Looney Tunes 07:50 Lazy Town 08:15 Krypto The Superdog 08:40 Jelly Jamm 09:05 Gerald McBoing Boing 09:30 Cartoonito Tales 09:55 Bananas In Pyjamas 10:20 Ha Ha Hairies 10:45 Lazy Town 11:10 Krypto The Superdog 11:35 Baby Looney Tunes 12:00 Jelly Jamm 12:25 Gerald McBoing Boing 12:50 Cartoonito Tales 13:15 Krypto The Superdog 13:40 Lazy Town 14:00 A Pup Named Scooby-Doo 14:25 Tom And Jerry Tales 14:50 Sylvester And Tweety Mysteries 15:20 Johnny Bravo 15:45 Tom & Jerry 16:10 Pink Panther And Pals 16:35 The Garfield Show 17:00 What’s New Scooby-Doo? 17:25 Sylvester And Tweety Mysteries

17:50 Tom And Jerry Tales 18:15 The Looney Tunes Show 18:40 Taz-Mania 19:05 Moomins 19:30 Pink Panther & Pals 19:45 The Garfield Show 20:00 Sylvester And Tweety Mysteries 20:20 Tom And Jerry Tales 20:45 Moomins 21:10 Dexters Laboratory 21:20 Johnny Bravo 21:35 Puppy In My Pocket 22:00 The Garfield Show 22:25 What’s New Scooby-Doo? 22:50 Sylvester & Tweety Mysteries 23:15 Tom & Jerry Tales 23:40 The Looney Tunes Show

00:40 Chowder 01:30 Bakugan Battle Brawlers 01:55 Bakugan Battle Brawlers 02:20 Foster’s Home For...

02:45 Foster’s Home For...

03:10 Courage The Cowardly Dog 04:00 The Amazing World Of Gumball 04:25 Ben 10: Ultimate Alien 04:50 Adventure Time 05:15 The Powerpuff Girls 05:40 Generator Rex 06:05 Ben 10 06:30 Ben 10 06:55 Angelo Rules 07:00 Casper’s Scare School 07:30 Casper’s Scare School 08:00 Mucha Lucha 08:25 Johnny Test 08:45 Adventure Time 09:05 Total Drama World Tour 09:30 Total Drama World Tour 09:55 Ben 10: Omniverse 10:20 Young Justice 10:45 Thundercats 11:10 Regular Show 12:00 The Amazing World Of Gumball 12:50 Foster’s Home For...

13:15 Foster’s Home For...

13:40 Courage The Cowardly Dog 14:30 Powerpuff Girls 15:20 Angelo Rules 16:10 Batman: The Brave And The Bold 16:35 Young Justice 17:00 Ben 10: Omniverse 17:20 Transformers Prime 17:40 Johnny Test 18:00 Level Up 18:25 The Amazing World Of Gumball 18:50 Adventure Time 19:15 Regular Show 19:40 Mucha Lucha 20:05 Total Drama World Tour 20:30 Total Drama World Tour 20:55 Ben 10: Ultimate Alien 21:20 Hero 108 21:45 Bakugan: Mechtanium Surge 22:10 Grim Adventures Of...

23:00 Ben 10: Ultimate Alien 23:25 Ben 10: Ultimate Alien 23:50 The Powerpuff Girls

00:00 Connect The World With Becky Anderson 01:00 Amanpour 01:30 World Sport 02:00 Piers Morgan Tonight 03:00 World Report 03:30 World Sport 04:00 Anderson Cooper 360 05:00 Piers Morgan Tonight 06:00 Quest Means Business 07:00 The Situation Room 08:00 World Sport 08:30 News Special 09:00 World Report 11:00 World Sport 11:30 Inside Africa 12:00 World Business Today 13:00 Amanpour 13:30 On China 14:00 World One 15:00 Piers Morgan Tonight 16:00 News Stream

DO NO HARM ON OSN ACTION HD

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World Business Today International Desk Global Exchange World Sport On China International Desk Quest Means Business Amanpour CNN Newscenter

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

Flying Wild Alaska Man, Woman, Wild Finding Bigfoot Mythbusters Border Security Auction Kings Auction Hunters How Do They Do It? How It’s Made American Guns Mythbusters Fine Dining With Bear Grylls Outback Truckers Border Security Auction Kings Auction Hunters How Do They Do It? How It’s Made Flying Wild Alaska Man, Woman, Wild Finding Bigfoot Border Security Auction Kings Auction Hunters Unchained Reaction Outback Truckers Mythbusters American Guns How Do They Do It? How It’s Made Auction Kings Auction Hunters Magic Of Science Time Warp Mythbusters

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

Prototype This The Gadget Show The Gadget Show Investigation X Sci-Fi Science Da Vinci’s Machines Squid Invasion Mega Builders Sport Science Meteorite Men Da Vinci’s Machines Engineered Prototype This Sport Science The Gadget Show The Gadget Show Meteorite Men Engineered Prototype This Sci-Fi Science Da Vinci’s Machines Investigation X The Gadget Show The Gadget Show Sport Science Mega Builders Meteorite Men Scanning The Skies Bermuda Triangle Exposed The Gadget Show The Gadget Show Scanning The Skies Bermuda Triangle Exposed

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

Hannah Montana Brandy & Mr Whiskers Brandy & Mr Whiskers Replacements Replacements Emperor’s New School Emperor’s New School Brandy & Mr Whiskers Brandy & Mr Whiskers Replacements Replacements Emperor’s New School Emperor’s New School Brandy & Mr Whiskers Phineas And Ferb Suite Life On Deck My Babysitter’s A Vampire A.N.T. Farm Phineas And Ferb Phineas And Ferb Jessie Good Luck Charlie Doc McStuffins Mickey Mouse Clubhouse Jake & The Neverland Pirates The Hive Mouk Jonas So Random Hannah Montana Sonny With A Chance Kim Possible Shake It Up Wizards Of Waverly Place Phineas And Ferb Austin And Ally Art Attack A.N.T. Farm Suite Life On Deck My Babysitter’s A Vampire Shake It Up Austin And Ally Jessie A.N.T. Farm Good Luck Charlie Gravity Falls Suite Life On Deck Austin And Ally Phineas And Ferb Phineas And Ferb A.N.T. Farm Good Luck Charlie Jessie That’s So Raven Cory In The House Phil Of The Future Hannah Montana Good Luck Charlie Good Luck Charlie Wizards Of Waverly Place Wizards Of Waverly Place Hannah Montana

00:20 00:50 01:00 01:15 01:40 01:55 02:10 02:20

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

02:30 Mickey Mouse Clubhouse 03:00 Lazytown 03:25 Special Agent Oso 03:40 Special Agent Oso 03:50 Imagination Movers 04:20 Handy Manny 04:30 Handy Manny 04:40 Special Agent Oso 04:50 Special Agent Oso 05:00 Timmy Time 05:10 Lazytown 05:35 Little Einsteins 06:00 Jungle Junction 06:15 Jungle Junction 06:30 Little Einsteins 06:50 Special Agent Oso 07:05 Special Agent Oso 07:15 Jungle Junction 07:30 Jungle Junction 07:45 Handy Manny 08:00 Special Agent Oso 08:15 Imagination Movers 08:40 Cars Toons 08:45 Handy Manny 09:00 The Hive 09:10 New Adventures Of Winnie The Pooh 09:35 Jake & The Neverland Pirates 09:50 Jake & The Neverland Pirates 10:05 Doc McStuffins 10:20 Doc McStuffins 10:35 Mickey Mouse Clubhouse 11:00 Lilo And Stitch 11:30 Cars Toons 11:35 Mouk 11:45 Art Attack 12:10 The Adventures Of Disney Fairies 12:35 Mickey Mouse Clubhouse 13:00 Winnie The Pooh: Tales Of Friendship 13:10 Doc McStuffins 13:25 Handy Manny 13:40 Jungle Junction 13:55 Timmy Time 14:05 The Hive 14:15 Mouk 14:30 Little Einsteins 14:55 Mickey Mouse Clubhouse 15:20 New Adventures Of Winnie The Pooh 15:45 Jake & The Neverland Pirates 16:00 The Little Mermaid 16:25 Lilo And Stitch 16:55 Zou 17:10 Zou 17:20 Handy Manny 17:35 The Hive 17:45 Mickey Mouse Clubhouse 18:10 Doc McStuffins 18:25 Doc McStuffins 18:40 Jake & The Neverland Pirates 18:55 Jake & The Neverland Pirates 19:10 The Adventures Of Disney Fairies 19:35 Zou 19:50 Zou 20:05 Timmy Time 20:15 Winnie The Pooh: Tales Of Friendship 20:25 Doc McStuffins 20:40 Jake & The Neverland Pirates 20:55 Jake & The Neverland Pirates 21:10 The Hive 21:20 Timmy Time 21:30 Mouk 21:45 Handy Manny 22:00 Mickey Mouse Clubhouse 22:25 The Hive 22:35 New Adventures Of Winnie The Pooh 23:00 Timmy Time 23:10 Animated Stories 23:20 Winnie The Pooh: Tales Of Friendship 23:30 Jungle Junction 23:45 Handy Manny 23:55 Mickey Mouse Clubhouse

00:40 I Almost Got Away With It 01:30 Dr G: Medical Examiner 02:20 Ghost Lab 03:05 Couples Who Kill 03:55 Deadly Women 04:45 I Almost Got Away With It 05:30 Dr G: Medical Examiner 06:20 Ghost Lab 07:10 Murder Shift 08:00 Life Or Death: Medical Mysteries 08:50 Street Patrol 09:15 Street Patrol 09:40 Real Emergency Calls 10:05 Who On Earth Did I Marry?

10:30 On The Case With Paula Zahn 11:20 Murder Shift 12:10 Disappeared 13:00 Life Or Death: Medical Mysteries 13:50 Street Patrol 14:15 Street Patrol 14:40 Forensic Detectives 15:30 On The Case With Paula Zahn 16:20 Real Emergency Calls 16:45 Who On Earth Did I Marry?

17:10 Disappeared 18:00 Murder Shift 18:50 Forensic Detectives 19:40 On The Case With Paula Zahn 20:30 Disappeared 21:20 Nightmare Next Door 22:10 Couples Who Kill 23:00 American Greed 23:50 I Almost Got Away With It

00:00 Opening Act 00:55 Style Star 01:25 E! Investigates 03:15 Behind The Scenes 03:40 Extreme Close-Up 04:10 E!es 05:05 E!es 06:00 15 Remarkable Celebrity Body Bouncebacks 07:50 Behind The Scenes 08:20 Opening Act 09:15 Opening Act 10:15 THS 12:05 Khloe And Lamar 12:35 Khloe And Lamar 13:05 Married To Jonas 13:35 Married To Jonas 14:05 Kourtney & Kim Take New York 14:30 Kourtney & Kim Take New York 15:00 Style Star 15:30 THS 16:30 Behind The Scenes 17:00 Giuliana & Bill 18:00 THS 18:30 E!es 19:00 Fashion Police 20:00 THS 21:00 Keeping Up With The Kardashians

THE BIG BANG ON OSN CINEMA 22:00 Ice Loves Coco 22:30 Giuliana & Bill 23:30 Chelsea Lately

00:15 Kimchi Chronicles 00:45 Around The World For Free 01:40 A World Apart 02:35 Long Way Down 03:30 Banged Up Abroad 04:25 City Chase Rome 05:20 Lonely Planet: Roads Less Travelled 06:15 David Rocco‚Äôs Dolce Vita 3 06:40 Food Lover’s Guide To The Planet 07:10 Exploring The Vine 07:35 Kimchi Chronicles 08:05 Around The World For Free 09:00 A World Apart 09:55 Long Way Down 10:50 Banged Up Abroad 11:45 City Chase Rome 12:40 Lonely Planet: Roads Less Travelled 13:35 David Rocco‚Äôs Dolce Vita 3 14:00 Food School 14:30 Exploring The Vine 14:55 Kimchi Chronicles 15:25 Around The World For Free 16:20 A World Apart 17:15 Long Way Down 18:10 Banged Up Abroad 19:05 City Chase Rome 20:00 Exploring The Vine 20:30 Kimchi Chronicles 21:00 David Rocco‚Äôs Dolce Vita 3 21:30 Delinquent Gourmet 22:00 Lonely Planet: Roads Less Travelled 22:55 David Rocco‚Äôs Dolce Vita 3 23:20 Food Lover’s Guide To The Planet 23:50 Eccentric Uk

00:00 Kill List-R 02:00 Deadtime Stories 2-18 04:00 True Justice: Urban WarfarePG15 06:00 Tank Girl-PG15 08:00 True Justice: Vengeance Is Mine-PG15 10:00 Do No Harm-PG15 12:00 Enter The Phoenix-PG15 14:00 True Justice: Vengeance Is Mine-PG15 15:45 Mission: Impossible-PG15 17:45 Enter The Phoenix-PG15 19:30 Monsters-PG15 21:15 Street Kings 2: Motor City-18 23:00 The Godfather II-18

01:00 Feed The Fish-PG15 03:00 When Love Is Not EnoughPG15 05:00 Shanghai-PG15 07:00 Black Forest-PG15 09:00 Feed The Fish-PG15 11:00 Space Chimps 2: Zartog Strikes Back-PG 13:00 An Invisible Sign Of My OwnPG15 15:00 Blank Slate-PG15 17:00 Henry’s Crime-PG15 19:00 The People vs George LucasPG15 21:00 The Big Bang-18 23:00 Snowtown-R

00:30 The Daily Show With Jon Stewart 01:00 The Colbert Report 01:30 The New Normal 02:00 American Dad 02:30 Veep 03:00 The Simpsons 03:30 Raising Hope 04:00 Less Than Perfect 04:30 The Tonight Show With Jay Leno 05:30 Less Than Perfect 06:00 Seinfeld 06:30 Hope & Faith 07:00 Late Night With Jimmy Fallon 08:00 Less Than Perfect 08:30 Less Than Perfect 09:00 The Simpsons 09:30 How I Met Your Mother 10:00 Modern Family

10:30 Hope & Faith 11:00 The Tonight Show With Jay Leno 12:00 Seinfeld 12:30 Less Than Perfect 13:00 Less Than Perfect 13:30 Hope & Faith 14:00 Raising Hope 14:30 Modern Family 15:00 How I Met Your Mother 15:30 The Daily Show With Jon Stewart 16:00 The Colbert Report 16:30 Seinfeld 17:00 Late Night With Jimmy Fallon 18:00 The Simpsons 18:30 Raising Hope 19:00 Allen Gregory 19:30 The Mindy Project 20:00 The Tonight Show With Jay Leno 21:00 The Daily Show With Jon Stewart 21:30 The Colbert Report 22:00 The League 22:30 Louie 23:00 Veep 23:30 Late Night With Jimmy Fallon

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

Castle World Without End Homeland Justified Castle Emmerdale Coronation Street Alphas The Ellen DeGeneres Show Emmerdale Coronation Street The Ellen DeGeneres Show Alphas Castle Emmerdale Coronation Street The Ellen DeGeneres Show Alphas The Finder Franklin & Bash Awake The Carrie Diaries Justified

00:00 Kill List-R 02:00 Deadtime Stories 2-18 04:00 True Justice: Urban WarfarePG15 06:00 Tank Girl-PG15 08:00 True Justice: Vengeance Is Mine-PG15 10:00 Do No Harm-PG15 12:00 Enter The Phoenix-PG15 14:00 True Justice: Vengeance Is Mine-PG15 15:45 Mission: Impossible-PG15 17:45 Enter The Phoenix-PG15 19:30 Monsters-PG15 21:15 Street Kings 2: Motor City-18 23:00 The Godfather II-18

00:00 Super-18 02:00 Paul-PG15 04:00 Zookeeper-PG15 06:00 The Ladykillers-PG15 08:00 The Year Dolly Parton Was My Mom-PG 10:00 Just Crazy Enough-PG15 12:00 Zookeeper-PG15 14:00 Scooby-Doo! Curse Of The Lake Monster-PG 16:00 Just Crazy Enough-PG15 20:00 Old School-18 22:00 The Guru-18

01:00 George Harrison: Living In The Material World-PG15 04:30 A Separation-PG15 06:30 The Evening Star-PG15 08:45 Justice For Natalee HollowayPG15 10:15 Soldier Love Story-PG15 11:45 Loosies-PG15 13:15 Roger And Me-PG15 15:00 Soldier Love Story-PG15 17:00 Sunshine State-PG15 19:00 Frozen-PG15 21:00 Hugo-PG 23:15 Adaptation-18

01:00 Ondine-PG15 03:00 Larry Crowne-PG15 05:00 B-Girl-PG15 07:00 Certain Prey-PG15 09:00 Judy Moody And The Not Bummer Summer-PG 10:45 Transformers: Dark Of The Moon-PG15 13:15 Battle For Terra-PG 15:00 Diary Of A Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules-PG 17:00 Judy Moody And The Not Bummer Summer-PG 19:00 The Beaver-PG15 21:00 The Big Bang-18 23:00 In Time-PG15

00:00 European PGA Tour Highlights 01:00 Futbol Mundial 01:30 Premier League Darts 05:00 Super League 07:00 HSBC Sevens World Series Highlights 09:00 Super Rugby 10:00 European PGA Tour Highlights 11:00 Super Rugby 13:00 Trans World Sport 14:00 HSBC Sevens World Series Highlights 15:30 HSBC Sevens World Series 18:30 Futbol Mundial 19:00 European PGA Tour Highlights 20:00 Live PGA Tour

00:00 UFC The Ultimate Fighter 01:00 Trans World Sport 02:00 Top 14 04:00 Futbol Mundial 04:30 ICC Cricket 360 05:00 PGA European Tour Highlights 06:00 PGA Tour Highlights 07:00 Trans World Sport 08:00 Snooker 11:00 Super Rugby 13:00 Premier League Darts 16:30 Super League 18:30 ICC Cricket 360 19:00 Top 14 21:00 Trans World Sport 22:00 Inside The PGA Tour 22:30 PGA European Tour Weekly 23:00 Premier League Darts

00:00 World Cup of Pool 01:00 Dubai World Cup Carnival 05:30 Top 14 Highlight 06:00 Golfing World 07:00 Golfing World 08:00 European PGA Tour Highlights 09:00 World Pool Masters 10:00 World Cup of Pool 11:00 Top 14 13:00 Top 14 Highlight 13:30 Golfing World 14:30 World Pool Masters 15:00 World Cup of Pool 16:30 Pro 12 20:30 European PGA Tour Highlights 21:30 Adventure Challenge 22:30 Top 14 Highlight 23:00 Futbol Mundial 23:30 Golfing World

00:00 WWE Bottom Line 01:00 NHL 03:00 Ping Pong World Championships 04:00 US Bass Fishing 05:00 NHL 07:00 WWE Vintage Collection 08:00 WWE NXT 09:00 Ping Pong World Championships 10:00 US Bass Fishing 11:00 NHL 13:00 WWE SmackDown 15:00 WWE Vintage Collection 16:00 UAE National Race Day Series 17:00 Ping Pong World Championships 18:00 UFC 157 Countdown 19:00 UFC TUF 20:00 UFC

Classifieds WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2013

Kuwait SHARQIA-1 BULLET TO THE HEAD (DIG) SAFE HAVEN (DIG) GAMBIT (DIG) SAFE HAVEN (DIG) GAMBIT (DIG) BULLET TO THE HEAD (DIG) NO SUN+TUE+WED SHARQIA-2 THE SNOW QUEEN (DIG-3D) A GOOD DAY TO DIE HARD (DIG) THE SNOW QUEEN (DIG-3D) 3ALA GOSETY (DIG) A GOOD DAY TO DIE HARD (DIG) 3ALA GOSETY (DIG) A GOOD DAY TO DIE HARD (DIG) NO SUN+TUE+WED MUHALAB-1 BULLET TO THE HEAD (DIG) BULLET TO THE HEAD (DIG) SAFE HAVEN (DIG) SAFE HAVEN (DIG) SAFE HAVEN (DIG) BULLET TO THE HEAD (DIG) NO SUN+TUE+WED MUHALAB-2 MAMA (DIG) BROKEN CITY (DIG) SAVE YOUR LEGS! (DIG) MAMA (DIG) BROKEN CITY (DIG) MAMA (DIG) NO SUN+TUE+WED

1:30 PM 3:45 PM 6:00 PM 8:00 PM 10:30 PM 12:45 AM

12:30 PM 2:15 PM 4:15 PM 6:00 PM 8:15 PM 10:30 PM 12:30 AM

1:30 PM 3:30 PM 5:30 PM 7:45 PM 10:00 PM 12:15 AM

1:45 PM 3:45 PM 6:00 PM 8:15 PM 10:15 PM 12:30 AM

FANAR-1 GAMBIT (DIG) THE GUILT TRIP (DIG) BULLET TO THE HEAD (DIG) GAMBIT (DIG) BULLET TO THE HEAD (DIG) GAMBIT (DIG) NO SUN+TUE+WED

1:45 PM 4:00 PM 6:00 PM 8:00 PM 10:00 PM 12:05 AM

FANAR-2 MAMA (DIG) BROKEN CITY (DIG) MAMA (DIG) BROKEN CITY (DIG) MAMA (DIG) BROKEN CITY (DIG) NO SUN+TUE+WED

2:00 PM 4:00 PM 6:15 PM 8:15 PM 10:45 PM 12:45 AM

MARINA-1 MAMA (DIG) THE GUILT TRIP (DIG) SAFE HAVEN (DIG) SAVE YOUR LEGS! (DIG) SAFE HAVEN (DIG) MAMA (DIG) MAMA (DIG) NO SUN+TUE+WED

12:30 PM 2:30 PM 4:30 PM 6:45 PM 8:45 PM 11:00 PM 1:00 AM

MARINA-2 3ALA GOSETY (DIG) GAMBIT (DIG) 3ALA GOSETY (DIG) 3ALA GOSETY (DIG) GAMBIT (DIG) BULLET TO THE HEAD (DIG) NO SUN+TUE+WED

1:30 PM 3:45 PM 5:45 PM 8:00 PM 10:15 PM 12:15 AM

AVENUES-1 BULLET TO THE HEAD (DIG) THE GUILT TRIP (DIG) BULLET TO THE HEAD (DIG) THE GUILT TRIP (DIG)

12:45 PM 3:00 PM 5:15 PM 7:30 PM

KNCC PROGRAMME FROM THURSDAY TO WEDNESDAY (14/02/2013 TO 20/02/2013)

BULLET TO THE HEAD (DIG) BULLET TO THE HEAD (DIG) NO SUN+TUE+WED

9:45 PM 12:05 AM

AVENUES-2 GAMBIT (DIG) GAMBIT (DIG) GAMBIT (DIG) GAMBIT (DIG) GAMBIT (DIG) GAMBIT (DIG) GAMBIT (DIG) NO SUN+TUE+WED

1:15 PM 3:15 PM 5:15 PM 7:15 PM 9:15 PM 11:15 PM 1:15 AM

360º- 1 3ALA GOSETY (DIG) 3ALA GOSETY (DIG) 3ALA GOSETY (DIG) 3ALA GOSETY (DIG) 3ALA GOSETY (DIG) NO SUN+TUE+WED

1:45 PM 4:15 PM 6:45 PM 9:15 PM 11:45 PM

360º- 2 GAMBIT (DIG) GAMBIT (DIG) GAMBIT (DIG) GAMBIT (DIG) GAMBIT (DIG) GAMBIT (DIG) NO SUN+TUE+WED

2:15 PM 4:15 PM 6:15 PM 8:15 PM 10:15 PM 12:15 AM

360º- 3 SNOWFLAKE, THE WHITE GORILLA 1:00 PM SNOWFLAKE, THE WHITE GORILLA 3:00 PM SNOWFLAKE, THE WHITE GORILLA (DIG) 5:00 PM SNOWFLAKE, THE WHITE GORILLA 7:00 PM HANSEL & GRETEL: WITCH HUNTERS 9:00 PM HANSEL & GRETEL: WITCH HUNTERS 11:00 PM AL-KOUT.1 THE SNOW QUEEN (DIG-3D) THE SNOW QUEEN (DIG-3D) THE SNOW QUEEN (DIG-3D) 3ALA GOSETY (DIG) MAMA (DIG) 3ALA GOSETY (DIG) MAMA (DIG) NO SUN+TUE+WED

12:45 PM 2:45 PM 4:30 PM 6:15 PM 8:30 PM 10:30 PM 12:45 AM

AL-KOUT.2 A GOOD DAY TO DIE HARD (DIG) A GOOD DAY TO DIE HARD (DIG) THE GUILT TRIP (DIG) SAVE YOUR LEGS! (DIG) A GOOD DAY TO DIE HARD (DIG) A GOOD DAY TO DIE HARD (DIG) A GOOD DAY TO DIE HARD (DIG) NO SUN+TUE+WED

1:00 PM 3:00 PM 5:00 PM 7:00 PM 9:00 PM 11:00 PM 1:00 AM

AL-KOUT.3 GAMBIT (DIG) BROKEN CITY (DIG) GAMBIT (DIG) BROKEN CITY (DIG) GAMBIT (DIG) BROKEN CITY (DIG) NO SUN+TUE+WED

1:30 PM 3:30 PM 5:45 PM 7:45 PM 10:00 PM 12:05 AM

AL-KOUT.4 SAFE HAVEN (DIG) SNOWFLAKE, THE WHITE GORILLA SAFE HAVEN (DIG) BULLET TO THE HEAD (DIG) SAFE HAVEN (DIG) BULLET TO THE HEAD (DIG) NO SUN+TUE+WED BAIRAQ-1 THE SNOW QUEEN (DIG-3D)

1:30 PM 3:45 PM 5:30 PM 8:00 PM 10:15 PM 12:30 AM

12:30 PM

THE SNOW QUEEN (DIG-3D) THE SNOW QUEEN (DIG-3D) 3ALA GOSETY (DIG) 3ALA GOSETY (DIG) 3ALA GOSETY (DIG) 3ALA GOSETY (DIG) NO SUN+TUE+WED

2:15 PM 4:00 PM 5:45 PM 8:00 PM 10:15 PM 12:30 AM

BAIRAQ-2 A GOOD DAY TO DIE HARD (DIG) SAFE HAVEN (DIG) A GOOD DAY TO DIE HARD (DIG) SAFE HAVEN (DIG) A GOOD DAY TO DIE HARD (DIG) A GOOD DAY TO DIE HARD (DIG) NO SUN+TUE+WED

2:00 PM 4:15 PM 6:30 PM 8:30 PM 10:45 PM 12:45 AM

BAIRAQ-3 GAMBIT (DIG) SNOWFLAKE, THE WHITE GORILLA GAMBIT (DIG) MAMA (DIG) GAMBIT (DIG) MAMA (DIG) NO SUN+TUE+WED

1:30 PM 3:30 PM 5:30 PM 7:30 PM 9:45 PM 11:45 PM

PLAZA 3ALA GOSETY (DIG) MIRCHI (DIG) (TELUGU) MIRCHI (DIG) (TELUGU) THU+FRI+MON 3ALA GOSETY (DIG) NO THU+FRI+MON

3:30 PM 6:30 PM 9:45 PM

SITUATION WANTED

Sharing accommodation available for bachelors or families in Farwaniya with an Indian family. Please contact: 50540846, 97337658. (C 4324) 20-2-2013

Post Graduate Diploma in Business Accounts & Tax Management + B.Com, Indian female having 15 years experience in Financial Accounting, worked as Accounts Manager (having Kuwait Ekama), looking for a suitable job in a reputed company. Email: zafhaf@yahoo.com (C 4320) 19-2-2013

FOR SALE Jaguar XF V8 model 2012 (new look) grey color - off white leather inside - low mileage (km 9,000), five year warranty by Zayyani (like new), full specification, price KD 14,500 firm. Call 90000162. (C 4322) Mercedes Benz G55 AMG (Designo) model 2011, pearl white color, red leather inside - under warranty by dealer until 5/2014 - include rear two T Vs, mileage km 27,000 (like new) price KD 34,000 firm.

Call: 90080013. (C 4323) 19-2-2013

9:45 PM

LAILA A GOOD DAY TO DIE HARD (DIG) 3ALA GOSETY (DIG) BROKEN CITY (DIG) A GOOD DAY TO DIE HARD (DIG)

4:00 PM 6:00 PM 8:15 PM 10:30 PM

AJIAL.1 MIRCHI (DIG) (TELUGU) MIRCHI (DIG) (TELUGU) MIRCHI (DIG) (TELUGU)

3:30 PM 6:30 PM 9:30 PM

AJIAL.2 SNOWFLAKE, THE WHITE GORILLA SNOWFLAKE, THE WHITE GORILLA 3ALA GOSETY (DIG) 3ALA GOSETY (DIG)

4:00 PM 6:00 PM 7:45 PM 10:00 PM

AJIAL.3 SPECIAL 26 (DIG) (Hindi) SPECIAL 26 (DIG) (Hindi) SPECIAL 26 (DIG) (Hindi)

4:00 PM 7:00 PM 10:00 PM

AJIAL.4 LOKPAL (DIG) (MALAYALAM) LOKPAL (DIG) (MALAYALAM) LOKPAL (DIG) (MALAYALAM)

3:45 PM 6:45 PM 9:45 PM

METRO-1 LOKPAL (DIG) (MALAYALAM) LOKPAL (DIG) (MALAYALAM) LOKPAL (DIG) (MALAYALAM)

3:30 PM 6:30 PM 9:30 PM

METRO-2 MIRCHI (DIG) (TELUGU) MIRCHI (DIG) (TELUGU) MIRCHI (DIG) (TELUGU) NO SUN+TUE+WED MIRCHI (DIG) (TELUGU) SUN+TUE+WED

ACCOMMODATION

3:45 PM 6:45 PM 10:00 PM 9:45 PM

MATRIMONIAL Financially sound Ex. NRI Orthodox parents invites proposal for their daughter 29/152, ME+MBA, from parents of God fearing professionals with good family backgrounds.

Email: gracegeevar@gmail.com (C 4325) 20-2-2013 Proposals invited from parents of Urdu speaking Indian girl - from Karnataka for a boy aged 26 years old/ 5.9ft, working in Kuwait. Interested please contact: kasim@clicq8.com (C 4321) 19-2-2013

Indian male MBA Finance having 7 years experience in Finance/Accounting in Kuwait is seeking a suitable placement. Proficient on Excel, Word, Powerpoint.

Fluent in English, Arabic and Hindi. Visa #18, transferable.

Call: 66765077.

(C 4316) CHANGE OF NAME I, Shabbir Moizbhai Dahodwala, holder of Indian Passport No. J4441363, son of Moizbhai F. Bhatia, change my name to Shabbir Moizbhai Bhatia.

(C 4319) 18-2-2013 I, Rachaveeti Prameela holder Indian Passport No: E6134736 hereby change my name to Rayachoty Prameela. (C 4317) 17-2-2013

No: 15725

Proposals invited for an Orthodox Syrina Christian boy (29 years, 155cm, Btech) from Central Travancore, working as Engineer in Kuwait. gheevarhese@gmail.com (C 4314) Arab national, residing in Kuwait well established seeking matrimonial with a woman of any nationality who value family life, age between 20 - 30y. Email: noor99969@yahoo.com (C 4318)

DIAL 161 FOR AIRPORT INFORMATION

Airlines JAI THY JZR JZR QTR ETH GFA UAE ETD OMA FDB THY MSR QTR DHX THY JZR JZR BAW KAC KAC FDB KAC KAC KAC ETD UAE KAC ABY QTR FDB ETD GFA FDB QTR IRA IRA JZR MEA KNE IAW KNE MSR UAE IRM KAC ABY JZR IZG FDB IRC KAC SVA QTR

Arrival Flights on Wednesday 20/2/2013 Flt Route 574 MUMBAI 772 ISTANBUL 267 BEIRUT 539 CAIRO 148 DOHA 620 ADDIS ABABA 211 BAHRAIN 853 DUBAI 305 ABU DHABI 643 MUSCAT 67 DUBAI 5592 ISTANBUL 612 CAIRO 138 DOHA 170 BAHRAIN 770 ISTANBUL 555 ALEXANDRIA 529 ASSIUT 157 LONDON 412 MANILA 206 ISLAMABAD 53 DUBAI 382 DELHI 302 MUMBAI 352 COCHIN 933 ABU DHABI 855 DUBAI 344 CHENNAI 121 SHARJAH 132 DOHA 55 DUBAI 301 ABU DHABI 213 BAHRAIN 8055 DUBAI 9045 DOHA 603 SHIRAZ 3401 TEHRAN 165 DUBAI 404 BEIRUT 482 TAIF 785 BAGHDAD 470 JEDDAH 610 CAIRO 871 DUBAI 1190 MASHAD 284 DHAKA 123 SHARJAH 359 MASHAD 4167 MASHAD 57 DUBAI 6692 MASHAD 672 DUBAI 500 JEDDAH 140 DOHA

Time 0:05 0:35 0:45 0:50 1:00 1:45 1:50 2:35 2:45 2:50 3:05 3:05 3:10 3:45 5:15 5:30 6:00 6:35 6:40 6:45 7:40 7:45 7:45 7:55 8:05 8:30 8:40 8:40 9:05 9:10 9:15 9:20 9:55 10:05 10:30 10:40 11:00 11:20 11:55 12:00 12:00 12:15 12:45 12:50 12:50 12:55 13:00 13:00 13:30 13:50 14:10 14:10 14:30 14:35

JZR KAC MPH QTR FDB KAC JZR JZR IYE UAE JZR ETD RJA GFA FDB SVA KNE JZR QTR ABY UAL KAC JZR CLX KAC FDB KAC KAC KAC KAC KAC OMA FDB KAC JAI AXB MSR ABY QTR ALK MEA QTR GFA ETD UAE JZR FDB DHX JZR KLM AIC JZR GFA JZR UAL DLH

561 788 93 134 8057 538 787 535 824 857 357 303 640 215 8063 510 462 777 144 127 982 542 177 870 786 63 166 618 102 674 774 647 61 614 572 389 606 129 146 229 402 136 221 307 859 135 59 372 175 417 975 239 217 185 981 636

SOHAG JEDDAH AMSTERDAM DOHA DUBAI SHARM EL SHEIKH RIYADH CAIRO SANAA DUBAI MASHAD ABU DHABI AMMAN BAHRAIN DUBAI RIYADH MEDINAH JEDDAH DOHA SHARJAH WASHINGTON DC DULLES CAIRO DUBAI LUXEMBOURG JEDDAH DUBAI PARIS DOHA NEW YORK DUBAI RIYADH MUSCAT DUBAI BAHRAIN MUMBAI MANGALORE LUXOR SHARJAH DOHA COLOMBO BEIRUT DOHA BAHRAIN ABU DHABI DUBAI BAHRAIN DUBAI BAHRAIN DUBAI AMSTERDAM CHENNAI AMMAN BAHRAIN DUBAI BAHRAIN FRANKFURT

14:50 14:55 15:20 15:30 15:35 16:05 16:10 16:25 16:30 16:40 16:45 16:50 16:55 17:15 17:15 17:20 17:45 17:45 17:50 17:55 17:55 18:05 18:15 18:20 18:30 18:45 19:10 19:20 19:35 19:35 19:50 19:55 20:00 20:05 20:10 20:20 20:25 20:35 20:55 20:55 21:20 21:25 21:30 21:35 21:40 21:50 22:00 22:00 22:00 22:05 22:30 22:45 22:50 23:05 23:25 23:55

Airlines AIC KAC JAI UAL DLH ETH THY FDB UAE OMA ETD MSR THY QTR QTR JZR JZR GFA THY KAC JZR FDB BAW JZR KAC KAC ABY UAE FDB KAC ETD QTR ETD GFA JZR KAC FDB KAC IRA QTR IRA JZR KAC MEA JZR IAW KAC KNE KNE ABY MSR JZR UAE IRM

Departure Flights on Wednesday 20/2/2013 Flt Route 982 AHMEDABAD 283 DHAKA 573 MUMBAI 981 WASHINGTON DC DULLES 637 FRANKFURT 621 ADDIS ABABA 773 ISTANBUL 68 DUBAI 854 DUBAI 644 MUSCAT 306 ABU DHABI 613 CAIRO 5433 ISTANBUL 139 DOHA 149 DOHA 164 DUBAI 358 MASHHAD 212 BAHRAIN 771 ISTANBUL 537 SHARM EL SHEIKH 560 SOHAG 54 DUBAI 156 LONDON 534 CAIRO 787 JEDDAH 671 DUBAI 122 SHARJAH 856 DUBAI 56 DUBAI 117 NEW YORK 302 ABU DHABI 133 DOHA 934 ABU DHABI 214 BAHRAIN 356 MASHHAD 175 FRANKFURT 8056 DUBAI 541 CAIRO 602 SHIRAZ 9045 COLOGNE 3402 IMAM KHOMEINI 776 JEDDAH 103 LONDON 405 BEIRUT 786 RIYADH 158 AL NAJAF 785 JEDDAH 461 MADINAH 483 TAIF 124 SHARJAH 611 CAIRO 176 DUBAI 872 DUBAI 1191 MASHHAD

Time 0:05 0:10 1:05 1:10 1:20 2:45 2:55 3:45 3:50 3:55 4:00 4:10 4:25 4:50 6:05 6:55 7:00 7:00 7:35 8:10 8:15 8:25 8:45 9:15 9:25 9:35 9:45 9:55 10:00 10:00 10:05 10:10 10:30 10:40 10:45 10:45 10:55 11:30 11:40 11:45 12:00 12:15 12:20 12:55 12:55 13:00 13:00 13:10 13:40 13:40 13:45 13:50 14:15 14:15

Directorate General of Civil Aviation Home Page (www.kuwait-airport.com.kw)

FDB IZG KAC IRC SVA KAC FDB QTR KAC MPH KAC JZR JZR IYE ETD JZR QTR UAE RJA FDB GFA JZR SVA KNE ABY JZR QTR JZR UAL FDB CLX FDB KAC KAC OMA JAI ABY MSR DHX ALK MEA ETD QTR GFA KAC KAC FDB JZR UAE DHX KAC KLM QTR JZR GFA JZR KAC

58 4168 673 6693 503 617 8058 141 773 93 613 174 238 824 304 538 135 858 641 8064 216 184 511 471 128 266 145 134 982 64 792 62 353 331 648 571 120 619 171 230 403 308 137 222 301 381 60 554 860 373 205 417 147 502 218 528 415

DUBAI MASHHAD DUBAI MASHHAD MADINAH DOHA DUBAI DOHA RIYADH SHARJAH BAHRAIN DUBAI AMMAN SANAA ABU DHABI CAIRO DOHA DUBAI AMMAN DUBAI BAHRAIN DUBAI RIYADH JEDDAH SHARJAH BEIRUT DOHA BAHRAIN BAHRAIN DUBAI NAIROBI DUBAI KOCHI TRIVANDRUM MUSCAT MUMBAI SHARJAH ALEXANDRIA BAHRAIN COLOMBO BEIRUT ABU DHABI DOHA BAHRAIN MUMBAI DELHI DUBAI ALEXANDRIA DUBAI BAHRAIN ISLAMABAD DAMMAM DOHA LUXOR BAHRAIN ASSIUT KUALA LUMPUR

14:30 14:45 15:05 15:10 15:45 15:45 16:15 16:15 16:25 16:50 17:05 17:15 17:15 17:30 17:35 17:40 17:45 17:50 17:55 17:55 18:15 18:30 18:35 18:40 18:40 18:45 18:50 19:05 19:10 19:25 19:50 20:40 20:45 20:55 20:55 21:10 21:15 21:25 21:50 21:55 22:20 22:20 22:25 22:30 22:35 22:40 22:40 22:45 22:50 23:00 23:00 23:05 23:10 23:35 23:50 23:50 23:55

34

stars CROSSWORD 106

STAR TRACK Aries (March 21-April 19)

Work that could advance you professionally could take you away from loved ones, Aries, and cause some emotional tension. You might feel down because you’d rather be with your loved ones but feel it’s important to move ahead now. Try to make up for it with some quality time. It’s crucial to make the most of the current planetary positions. Everyone will be glad when you see results.

Taurus (April 20-May 20)

A task, perhaps job related or perhaps one of your own, might prove weightier than you expected. You’re working too hard and you could be feeling tired and dejected, Taurus.

Exactly how crucial is it to get this done right now? If it isn’t vital, get as much done as you can without compromising your wellbeing. Do the rest tomorrow. The world won’t end if you take another day.

Gemini (May 21-June 20)

ACROSS 1. A depression in an otherwise level surface.

4. Japanese admiral who planned the attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941 (1884-1943).

12. A light touch or stroke.

15. Any of various systems of units for measuring electricity and magnetism.

16. Decorate with colors.

17. The rate at which heat is produced by an individual in a resting state.

18. Australian clover fern.

20. Expletives used informally as intensifiers.

21. Informal terms for a mother.

22. A topical sulfonamide (trade name Sulamyd) used to treat eye infections.

24. A former agency (from 1946 to 1974) that was responsible for research into atomic energy and its peacetime uses in the United States.

27. The square of a body of any size of type.

28. A soft silvery metallic element of the alkali earth group.

29. Lack of strength or vigor esp from illness.

32. Deciduous South African tree having large odd-pinnate leaves and profuse fragrant orange-yellow flowers.

33. One-hundredth of a right angle.

36. A health resort near a spring or at the seaside.

38. A substance produced by the hypothalamus that is capable of accelerating the secretion of a given hormone by the anterior pituitary gland.

39. A feudal lord or baron in Scotland.

40. Having a gray or brown streak or a pattern or a patchy coloring.

45. Airtight sealed metal container for food or drink or paint etc..

46. The content of cognition.

50. Agency of the United States government charged with mediating disputes between management and labor.

51. Beat with a cane.

53. The blood group whose red cells carry both the A and B antigens.

54. A brittle gray crystalline element that is a semiconducting metalloid (resembling silicon) used in transistors.

55. A benevolent aspect of Devi.

57. A member of the Circassian people living east of the Black Sea. 60. A metric unit of volume or capacity equal to 10 liters.

62. Relating to or near the radius.

65. Fertilizer made of ground bones.

70. A nucleic acid that transmits genetic information from DNA to the cytoplasm.

71. Type genus of the Ardeidae.

72. East Indian tree yielding a resin used medicinally and burned as incense.

74. Beat thoroughly in a competition or fight.

75. Type genus of the Aceraceae.

78. A constellation in the southern hemisphere near Telescopium and Norma.

79. A polite name for any woman.

80. Draw air into, and expel out of, the lungs.

81. Imperial dynasty that ruled China (most of the time) from 206 BC to 221 and expanded its boundaries and developed its bureaucracy.

DOWN 1. Permitting little if any light to pass through because of denseness of matter.

2. (Islam) The man who leads prayers in a mosque.

3. Gold or silver wire thread.

4. Class of small freeholders who cultivated their own land.

5. Any of the forms of Chinese spoken in Fukien province.

6. A unit of information equal to one million (1,048,576) bytes.

7. A white linen liturgical vestment with sleeves.

8. A constitutional monarchy in southeastern Asia on Borneo and the Malay Peninsula.

9. A chronic disease of the nose characterized by a foul-smelling nasal discharge and atrophy of nasal structures.

10. Male cat.

11. Used of a single unit or thing.

12. A logarithmic unit of sound intensity.

13. Projectiles to be fired from a gun.

14. (informal) Exceptionally good.

19. A Chadic language spoken south of Lake Chad.

23. East Indian tree bearing a profusion of intense vermilion velvet-textured blooms and yielding a yellow dye.

25. An utterance made by exhaling audibly.

26. A percussion instrument consisting of a pair of hollow pieces of wood or bone (usually held between the thumb and fingers) that are made to click together (as by Spanish dancers) in rhythm with the dance.

30. Remove offensive capability from.

31. A confusion of voices and other sounds.

34. Squash bugs.

35. The brightest star in Cygnus.

37. `Father' is a term of address for priests in some churches (especially Roman or Orthodox Catholic).

41. Used as a Hindi courtesy title.

42. A beverage made by steeping tea leaves in water.

43. Cubes of meat marinated and cooked on a skewer usually with vegetables.

44. An Arabic speaking person who lives in Arabia or North Africa.

47. Satisfy (thirst).

48. Essential oil or perfume obtained from flowers.

49. A small ball with a hole through the middle.

52. Utter a harsh abrupt scream.

56. Designer drug designed to have the effects of amphetamines (it floods the brain with serotonin) but to avoid the drug laws.

58. Formerly a contemptuous term of address to an inferior man or boy.

59. Having come or been brought to a conclusion.

61. (Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation) Optical device that produces an intense monochromatic beam of coherent light.

63. Frogs, toads, tree toads.

64. Hungarian choreographer who developed Labanotation (1879-1958).

66. Predatory black-and-white toothed whale with large dorsal fin.

67. Suggestive of the supernatural.

68. Cleanse (one's body) with soap and water.

69. Having the slant of a bevel.

73. A unit of length of thread or yarn.

76. A soft silvery metallic element of the alkali metal group.

77. The branch of engineering science that studies the uses of electricity and the equipment for power generation and distribution and the control of machines and communication.

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2013

Someone, perhaps a person involved with a group you’re in, may ask you to help in some way today. You probably don’t want to do it, Gemini, possibly because you have plans.

Don’t be afraid to say no. Your creative energy should be high and your imagination working overtime, but other responsibilities interfere with your doing anything about it now. Note your ideas and come back to them later.

Cancer (June 21-July 22)

Career developments could look promising now, Cancer, and you might be in a hurry to finish whatever needs to be done. But responsibilities to home and family might interfere. For some reason, you might have to stay home. Perhaps you experienced some intense dreams that you feel are significant but you can’t remember them. If you stop trying to remember, they may come back to you.

Leo (July 23-August 22)

Some rather depressing information could come to you today from far away, Leo. This is less likely to be about your immediate situation or circle of friends than it is about something social or political in nature. It’s probably the subject of a lot of talk around you. You might need to run some errands in your community, but for some reason you can’t. Relax. Tomorrow should be fine.

Virgo (August 23-September 22)

You’ve been working hard to improve your financial situation, Virgo. You might be on the verge of attaining what you want, but temporary obstacles could get in your way. You could be in a bit of a panic, wondering if this means you will never get where you want to be. Don’t worry. That isn’t the case.

You just need to assess the situation and figure out what to do to get over this hurdle.

Word Search

Libra (September 23-October 22)

A partner might be feeling rather down and need you to cheer him or her up, Libra. Too many social invitations could come your way today. You may have to turn one of them down. You may not be in the mood for socializing and need to be alone to organize your thoughts. One of the events could be business related and you may feel obligated to go. Put in an appearance. Don’t feel compelled to stay long.

Scorpio (October 23-November 21)

Today you might enjoy planning to have some visitors stay with you for a while, Scorpio. Worry about developments on the job or unfinished chores of your own might have you feeling a bit stressed and under the weather. You need to look at your situation objectively. It isn’t all that bad, just something that needs to be done. Get it handled and then reward yourself somehow.

Sagittarius (November 22-December 21)

A friend could be depressed and need your advice, Sagittarius. Some long-held, cherished goals that you’ve been working toward could be temporarily blocked, causing you to wonder if they will ever come to fruition. Don’t waste any time lapsing into negative thoughts. Assess what needs doing and do it. This is only a temporary situation. You will get through it, but it’s up to you how quickly.

Capricorn (December 22-January 19)

Some professional colleagues might be coming to visit, Capricorn, and you may not be looking forward to it. You could be worried. How will it go? Will you make a good impression? Don’t drive yourself crazy. It will be fine. Family members should be doing well regarding their responsibilities, although you might be a bit worried about them today. Relax. All is going to go very well.

Aquarius (January 20- February 18)

Today you might need to run some errands, Aquarius, but they might prove difficult for a number of reasons.

The errands could be personal or business related.

Communication may be temporarily blocked. Messages may not be delivered or you could be playing phone tag. On days like this, you need to make a special effort to keep cool. Nothing is so important that you have to drive yourself crazy.

Pisces (February 19-March 20)

You might reflect on recent successes in business and money and suddenly feel a strong sense of gloom, wondering if it’s going to continue. Don’t panic, Pisces. It isn’t a vision of the future. It’s only a temporary feeling. Work it off through exercise or throw yourself into a task. Meditation could also help. Get the endorphins going and your optimism and enthusiasm should return.

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Al-Madeena Al-Shuhada GOVERNORATE

Sabah Hospital

24812000

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22450005

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24843100

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25312700

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24849400

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24892010

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23940620

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24840300

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24846000

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24874330/9

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25716707

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22517733

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22517144

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24848075

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24849807

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24848913

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24814507

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22549134

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22526804

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24814764

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22515088

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22532265

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22531908

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22518752

PHARMACY

ADDRESS

PHONE

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Fahaeel Makka St Abu Halaifa-Coastal Rd Mahboula Block 1, Coastal Rd

23915883 23715414 23726558

Jahra

Modern Jahra Madina Munawara

Jahra-Block 3 Lot 1 Jahra-Block 92

24575518 24566622

Al-Helaly

Capital

Ahlam Khaldiya Coop

Fahad Al-Salem St Khaldiya Coop

22436184 24833967

Al-Faiha

Farwaniya

New Shifa Ferdous Coop Modern Safwan

Farwaniya Block 40 Ferdous Coop Old Kheitan Block 11

24734000 24881201 24726638

Tariq Hana Ikhlas Hawally & Rawdha Ghadeer Kindy Ibn Al-Nafis Mishrif Coop Salwa Coop

Salmiya-Hamad Mubarak St Salmiya-Amman St Hawally-Beirut St Hawally & Rawdha Coop Jabriya-Block 1A Jabriya-Block 3B Salmiya-Hamad Mubarak St Mishrif Coop Salwa Coop

25726265 25647075 22625999 22564549 25340559 25326554 25721264 25380581 25628241

Hawally

ST TATE T OF KUW K WA AIT

Tel.: e 161

DIRECTORA ATE T GEN GENERAL OF CIVIL AVIA V AT TION METEOROLOGICAL DEP PA ARTMENT

Ext.: 2627 26 - 2630

BY Y NIGHT:

Cool with light to moderate north easterly becoming north westerly wind, with speed of 08 - 30 km/h

BY Y DA AY:

Sunny with moderate wind in general north westerly to northerly wind, with speed of 20 - 35 km/h

WA ARNING

No Current Waarnings arnin

ST TATION T

MAX. REC.

MIN. N. EXP P.

24 °C

16 °C

KUW WA AIT AIRPOR RT

24 °C

12 °C

Mirqab

22456536

NUW WAISEEB A

23 °C

14 °C

WA AFRA

24 °C

12 °C

SALMI

23 °C

12 °C

ABDAL LY

26 °C

10 °C

Sharq

22465401

Salmiya

25746401

Jabriya

25316254

JAL ALIY YA AH

24 °C

12 °C

Maidan Hawally

25623444

FAILAKA A

23 °C

14 °C

Bayan

25388462

AHMADI POR RT

21 °C

17 °C

Mishref

25381200

QARUH ISLAND

21 °C

18 °C

W Hawally

22630786

UMM AL-MA-

21 °C

17 °C

Sabah

24810221

Jahra

24770319

SFC. CHART

19/02/2013 1200 UTC

4 DA AY YS FORECAST Temperatures DA AY

DA AT TE

Weednesday

20/02

Thursday

21/02

WEA AT THER

Wind Speed

Wind Direction

MAX.

MIN.

sunny

25 °C

12 °C

NW-N

20 - 35 km/h

sunny

26 °C

11 °C

NW

08 - 30 km/h

New Jahra

24575755

West Jahra

24772608

South Jahra

24775066

Friday

22/02

clouds to increase

26 °C

11 °C

NW-VRB

06 - 26 km/h

North Jahra

24775992

Saturday

23/02

partly cloudy + raising dust

28 °C

14 °C

SE

20 - 45 km/h

North Jleeb

24311795

24719048

N Khaitan

24710044

Fintas

23900322

RECORDED YESTERDA AY AT KUW WA AIT AIRPOR RT

AY YER TIMES PRA Fajr

05:04

MAX. Temp.

Sunrise

06:23

MIN. Temp.

11 °C

Zuhr

12:02

MAX. RH

64 %

23 °C

Asr

15:15

MIN. RH

14 %

Sunset

17:41

MAX. Wind

N 39 km/h

Isha

18:58

TOT TA AL L RA AINF FA ALL L IN 24 HR.

00 mm

All times are local time unless otherwise stated.

PRIVATE CLINICS Ophthalmologists Dr. Abidallah Al-Mansoor 25622444 Dr. Samy Al-Rabeea 25752222 Dr. Masoma Habeeb 25321171 Dr. Mubarak Al-Ajmy 25739999 Dr. Mohsen Abel 25757700 Dr Adnan Hasan Alwayl 25732223 Dr. Abdallah Al-Baghly 25732223 Ear, Nose & Throat (ENT) Dr. Ahmed Fouad Mouner 24555050 Ext 510 Dr. Abdallah Al-Ali 25644660 Dr. Abd Al-Hameed Al-Taweel 25646478 Dr. Sanad Al-Fathalah 25311996 Dr. Mohammad Al-Daaory 25731988 Dr. Ismail Al-Fodary 22620166 Dr. Mahmoud Al-Booz 25651426 General Practitioners Dr. Mohamme Y Majidi 24555050 Ext 123 Dr. Yousef Al-Omar 24719312 Dr. Tarek Al-Mikhazeem 23926920 Dr. Kathem Maarafi 25730465 Dr. Abdallah Ahmad Eyadah 25655528 Dr. Nabeel Al-Ayoobi 24577781 Dr. Dina Abidallah Al-Refae 25333501 Urologists Dr. Ali Naser Al-Serfy 22641534 Dr. Fawzi Taher Abul 22639955 Dr. Khaleel Abidallah Al-Awadi 22616660 Dr. Adel Al-Hunayan FRCS (C) 25313120 Dr. Leons Joseph 66703427 Psychologists /Psychotherapists

Paediatricians

Plastic Surgeons Dr. Mohammad Al-Khalaf

22547272

Dr. Khaled Hamadi

Dr. Abdal-Redha Lari

22617700

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Dr. Abdel Quttainah

25625030/60

Family Doctor Dr Divya Damodar

23729596/23729581

Psychiatrists Dr. Esam Al-Ansari

22635047

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22613623/0

Gynaecologists & Obstetricians DrAdrian arbe

23729596/23729581

Dr. Verginia s.Marin

2572-6666 ext 8321

Endocrinologist

25665898 25340300

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25710444

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22621099

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25713514

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23713100

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24334282

(1) Ear, Nose and Throat (2) Plastic Surgeon Dr. Abdul Mohsin Jafar, FRCS (Canada)

25655535

Dentists

Dr. Fozeya Ali Al-Qatan

22655539

Dr. Majeda Khalefa Aliytami

25343406

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22641071/2

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25739272

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22562226

22618787

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22561444

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22619557

Dr. Abdallateef Al-Katrash

22525888

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25653755

Dr. Bader Al-Ansari

25620111

Dr. Salem soso General Surgeons Dr. Amer Zawaz Al-Amer

22610044

Dr. Mohammad Yousef Basher

25327148

Internists, Chest & Heart Dr. Adnan Ebil Dr. Mousa Khadada Dr. Latefa Al-Duweisan

22666300 25728004

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25355515

Dr. Mobarak Aldoub

24726446

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25654300/3

info@soorcenter.com www.soorcenter.com

3729596/3729581

Neurologists

22639939

Dr. Abd Al-Naser Al-Othman

Dr. Sohal Najem Al-Shemeri

25633324

Dr. Jasem Mola Hassan

25345875

Gastrologists Dr. Sami Aman

22636464

Dr. Mohammad Al-Shamaly

25322030

Dr. Foad Abidallah Al-Ali

22633135

Kaizen center 25716707

25339330

Dr. Ahmad Al-Ansari 25658888 Dr. Kamal Al-Shomr 25329924 Physiotherapists & VD Dr. Deyaa Shehab

25722291

Dr. Musaed Faraj Khamees

22666288

Rheumatologists: Dr. Adel Al-Awadi

Dr Anil Thomas

Soor Center Tel: 2290-1677 Fax: 2290 1688

Al-Fahaheel Jleeb Al-Shuyoukh Ahmadi Al-Mangaf Al-Shuaiba

Al-Salmiya

Expected Weeather for the Next 24 Hours

22451082

Omariya

Al-Sulaibikhat

INTERNATIONAL CALLS

Ayoun Al-Qibla

24892674

Al-Farwaniya

WWW.MET.GOV V..KW

22459381

Firdous

Sabhan

Fax: 24348714

Qibla

24884079

Al-Nuzha

Al-Jahra

KUW WA AIT CITY

Ardhiya

Al-Shuwaikh

Ahmadi

25330060

Dr. Khaled Al-Jarallah

25722290

Internist, Chest & Heart DR.Mohammes Akkad

24555050 Ext 210

Dr. Mohammad Zubaid MB, ChB, FRCPC, PACC Assistant Professor Of Medicine Head, Division of Cardiology Mubarak Al-Kabeer Hospital Consultant Cardiologist Dr. Farida Al-Habib MD, PH.D, FACC Inaya German Medical Center Te: 2575077 Fax: 25723123

2611555-2622555

William Schuilenberg, RPC 2290-1677 Zaina Al Zabin, M.Sc. 2290-1677

Afghanistan 0093 Albania 00355 Algeria 00213 Andorra 00376 Angola 00244 Anguilla 001264 Antiga 001268 Argentina 0054 Armenia 00374 Australia 0061 Austria 0043 Bahamas 001242 Bahrain 00973 Bangladesh 00880 Barbados 001246 Belarus 00375 Belgium 0032 Belize 00501 Benin 00229 Bermuda 001441 Bhutan 00975 Bolivia 00591 Bosnia 00387 Botswana 00267 Brazil 0055 Brunei 00673 Bulgaria 00359 Burkina 00226 Burundi 00257 Cambodia 00855 Cameroon 00237 Canada 001 Cape Verde 00238 Cayman Islands 001345 Central African 00236 Chad 00235 Chile 0056 China 0086 Colombia 0057 Comoros 00269 Congo 00242 Cook Islands 00682 Costa Rica 00506 Croatia 00385 Cuba 0053 Cyprus 00357 Cyprus (Northern) 0090392 Czech Republic 00420 Denmark 0045 Diego Garcia 00246 Djibouti 00253 Dominica 001767 Dominican Republic 001809 Ecuador 00593 Egypt 0020 El Salvador 00503 England (UK) 0044 Equatorial Guinea 00240 Eritrea 00291 Estonia 00372 Ethiopia 00251 Falkland Islands 00500 Faroe Islands 00298 Fiji 00679 Finland 00358 France 0033 French Guiana 00594 French Polynesia 00689 Gabon 00241 Gambia 00220 Georgia 00995 Germany 0049 Ghana 00233 Gibraltar 00350 Greece 0030 Greenland 00299 Grenada 001473 Guadeloupe 00590 Guam 001671 Guatemala 00502 Guinea 00224 Guyana 00592 Haiti 00509 Holland (Netherlands) 0031 Honduras 00504 Hong Kong 00852 Hungary 0036 Ibiza (Spain) 0034 Iceland 00354 India 0091 Indian Ocean 00873 Indonesia 0062

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2013

lifestyle M U S I C

&

M O V I E S

Singer Mindy McCready dies in apparent suicide P

erhaps there was one heartbreak too many for Mindy McCready. The former country star apparently took her own life on Sunday at her home in Heber Springs, Ark. Authorities say McCready died of a suspected self-inflicted gunshot to the head and an autopsy is planned. She was 37, and left behind two young sons.

McCready had attempted suicide at least three times since 2005, as she struggled to

File photo shows Country singer Mindy McCready per forms, in Nashville, Tenn. —AP photos

File photo shows Mindy McCready performs at the CMA Music Festival in Nashville. cope amid a series of tumultuous public events that marked much of her adult life.

Speaking to The Associated Press in 2010, McCready smiled wryly while talking about the string of issues she’d dealt with over the last half-decade.

“It is a giant whirlwind of chaos all the time,” she said of her life. “I call my life a beautiful mess and organized chaos. It’s just always been like that. My entire life things have been attracted to me and vice

versa that turn into chaotic nightmares or I create the chaos myself. I think that’s really the life of a celebrity, of a big, huge, giant personality.” This time it seems the whirlwind overwhelmed McCready. Her death comes a month after that of David Wilson, her longtime boyfriend and the father of her youngest son. He is believed to have shot himself on the same porch of the home they shared in Heber Springs, a small vacation community about 65 miles north of Little Rock. His death also was investigated as a suicide.

It was the most difficult moment in a life full of them. McCready issued a statement last month lamenting his death. And she called him her soul mate and a caregiver to her sons in an interview with NBC’s “Today” show. “I just keep telling myself that the more suffering that I go through, the greater character I’ll have,” she said, according to a transcript of the interview.

Melinda Gayle McCready arrived in Nashville in 1994, still in her teens with tapes of her karaoke vocals and earned a recording contract with BNA Records. She had a few memorable moments professionally, scoring her first No. 1 hit almost immediately.

“Guys Do It All the Time,” a self-assured dig at male chauvinism, endeared her to female fans in 1996. She also scored a hit with “Ten Thousand Angels,” and her album of that title sold 2 million copies. Like so many times before, McCready showed a little toughness in the midst of a personal storm, again endearing herself to her fans.

But as usual, the brave face for the camera hid a much more complicated internal struggle that surfaced publicly time and again over the last 10 years. This time, along with her remembrances of finding Wilson as he lay dying, she also answered questions about whether they’d argued earlier that evening about an affair and if she’d shot him.

“Oh, my God,” the “Today” transcript reads. “No. Oh, my God. No. He was my life.

We were each other’s life.” It’s unclear what circumstances led to McCready taking her own life, but it appears she was struggling again with twin issues that have persisted for years: substance abuse and the custody of her children. She checked into courtordered rehab and gave her children up to foster care earlier this month after her father asked a judge to intervene, saying she’d stopped taking care of herself and her sons, and that she was abusing alcohol and prescription drugs.

It’s unclear why McCready was out of rehab. Billy McKnight, McCready’s exboyfriend and the father of her oldest son, said the children remain in foster care.

Arkansas Department of Human Services spokeswoman Amy Webb could not confirm their whereabouts, citing agency rules.

McCready’s relationship with McKnight was one of the more difficult periods of her life. McKnight was arrested in 2005 on charges of attempted murder after authorities say he beat and choked her. And the two continued to struggle over their son with McKnight recently filing for custody in light of McCready’s latest stint in rehab.

McCready made headlines in April 2008 when she claimed a longtime relationship with baseball great Roger Clemens.

Published reports at the time said she met the pitcher at a Florida karaoke bar when she was 15 and he was 28 and married.

Clemens has denied the relationship. On Monday, Clemens handed a written statement to reporters at the Houston Astros spring training facility in Kissimmee, Fla., where he is serving as a special instructor for the team. “Yes, that is sad news. I had heard over time that she was trying to get peace and direction in her life. The few times that I had met her and her manager/agent they were extremely nice.”

McCready also was engaged to actor Dean Cain in 1997, but their relationship fell apart as well. Her troubles weren’t just romantic. Over time she was arrested for fraudulently obtaining prescription drugs, probation violation, misdemeanor assault of her mother Gayle Inge and other problems. In 2010, after a stint on Dr Drew Pinsky’s “Celebrity Rehab 3” where she was treated for “love addiction,” she told The Associated Press she may have finally found love and the strength to get her life back on track.

Pinsky, who had no comment Sunday, called McCready an “angel” in the season finale and expressed hope she would con-

File photo shows country singer Mindy McCready reacts as she testifies in Davidson County General Sessions court .

tinue to seek treatment in a later interview.

McCready suffered a seizure in one of the show’s scarier moments. Tests showed she had suffered brain damage, something she attributed to her abuse at the hands of McKnight. McCready is the fifth celebrity to pass away since appearing on Pinsky’s show and the third from Season 3. Alice in Chains bassist Mike Starr and “Real World” participant Joey Kovar both died of overdoses.

She entered her relationship with Wilson, a producer and musician who was 34 when he died last month, a short time later. She’d just met Wilson and talked openly about their relationship in the 2010 interview. Wilson declined to speak on the record. With a publicist, reporters, cameras, makeup artists and musicians swirling around her during a press day for her last album, “I’m Still Here,” McCready fended off questions about a sex tape and said she and Wilson started out as friends. “And I’ve never had a relationship like that before where we started completely as friends,” she said. “It turned into friends really caring about each other and then it turned into love and I’ve never had that happen before.”

Things didn’t remain calm for long, though. Unhappy with custody arrangements, McCready took her older son from her mother, the boy’s legal guardian, in late 2011. She fled to Arkansas without permission over what she called child abuse fears.

Authorities eventually found McCready hiding in a home without permission and took the boy into custody. She and Wilson had their son in April 2012, and she regained custody of Zander in December.

But Wilson’s death appears to have led to another dark period. “I met Mindy at 23 coming off of a big record, and from knowing her as personal as I did back then, sometimes being famous can hurt you,” McKnight said in a phone interview Monday from Tampa, Fla. “I think she was too young. I think that she was having some personal issues in her life and her family anyways, and when she got famous ... she started mixing booze and pills and the negativity, it took the best of her.” — AP

Int’l Jazz Day to celebrate Turkish jazz link

Premiere of Hindi film

‘Kai Po Che’ P

Indian Bollywood actress Shazahn Padamsee

(Left) Bollywood actors Amit Sadh and Ankita Lokhande.

ianist Herbie Hancock will celebrate the special connection between Turkey and jazz music forged decades ago when the Turkish ambassador opened his residence to white and black musicians at a time when segregation held sway in the US capital. Hancock, a UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador, is organizing a gala concert with jazz stars from around the world on April 30 at the famed Hagia Irene in the outer courtyard of Topkapi Palace in Istanbul, which has been designated the host city for the second annual U.N.-sanctioned International Jazz Day. “There’s an amazing history of the relationship between Turkey and jazz,” Hancock told The Associated Press in a telephone interview ahead of yesterday’s official announcement of the 2013 International Jazz Day program. It began in the ‘30s and ‘40s when the two sons of Turkish Ambassador Mehmet Munir Ertegun pursued their passion for jazz by frequenting the capital’s black neighborhoods to buy “race” records not available elsewhere, and attend concerts at the Howard Theater, a hub for leading African-American entertainers.

Their father readily agreed when the brothers began inviting musicians to the ambassador’s mansion for Sunday lunches followed by integrated jam sessions in an upstairs music parlor. The guests included jazz royalty from the Duke Ellington and Count Basie bands such as Lester Young, Benny Carter, Harry Carney, Johnny Hodges and Rex Stewart. Hancock says he was particularly impressed by a story told to him

by Turkey’s current ambassador, Namik Tan, about how his predecessor responded whenever outraged Southern senators would complain that “a person of color was seen entering your house by the front door (which) is not a practice to be encouraged.”

The ambassador would offer a terse one-sentence reply such as: “In my

home, friends enter by the front door however we can arrange for you to enter from the back.” “That was fantastic ... that he always had the embassy open to jazz musicians,” Hancock said. “Think about the state of civil rights and race relations at that time.” After the ambassador died in 1944, his sons remained in the US Ahmet Ertegun founded Atlantic Records where he helped move African-American music into the mainstream of American pop culture, launching the careers of Ray Charles and Aretha Franklin, among others. His older brother, Nesuhi, headed the

This publicly distributed handout photo made available by the Library Congress shows from left, Lawrence Brown, Johnny Hodges, and Adele Girard, performing at the Turkish Embassy in Washington, in the 1930s. — AP photos

File photo shows US musician Herbie Hancock performs during a concert, as part of the 10th edition of the Panama Jazz Festival, in Panama City. label’s jazz department, producing significant recordings by jazz legends such as the Modern Jazz Quartet, John Coltrane, Charles Mingus and Ornette Coleman.

Tan acknowledged the tradition by launching the Ertegun Jazz Series of concerts at the Embassy Residence in 2011. He hopes that International Jazz Day will further spotlight the “unknown, or even surprising” connection of Turkey with jazz. “International Jazz Day 2013 will provide a unique opportunity to pay tribute to the legacy of the Ertegun Brothers by bringing

together artists from all around the world to celebrate jazz music’s universal messages of peace, freedom and fraternity in the unique city of Istanbul where continents and civilizations meet,” Tan said in an email.

Hancock will kick off the April 30 celebration with an early morning educational performance for students at Galatasaray High School, Turkey’s oldest secondary school. Two local universities will be hosting seminars, workshops, panel discussions, film screenings and master classes during the day.

The festivities conclude with an evening concert at Hagia Irene, known for its phenomenal acoustics, which is the city’s oldest church dating back to the 4th century and now a museum.

The concert will be streamed live and taped for broadcast on public television stations worldwide.

The lineup includes such American jazz stars as Hancock, Wayne Shorter, Jimmy Heath, George Duke, Robert Glasper, Christian Scott, Marcus Miller, Lee Ritenour, Al Jarreau and Dianne Reeves, with pianist John Beasley serv-

ing as musical director. The international contingent features Hugh Masekela and Abdullah Ibrahim (South Africa), Keiko Matsui (Japan), Anat Cohen (Israel), Milton Nascimento (Brazil), John McLaughlin (Britain), Igor Butman (Russia) and Jean-Luc Ponty (France), among others. Clarinetist Husnu Seniendirici and trumpeter Imer Demirer will represent Turkey.

Tom Carter, president of the Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz, says Istanbul is symbolically well suited to foster the goals of International Jazz Day because it bridges two continents.

“We look at jazz music as a means of bridging people together around the world,” Carter said.

“Turkey is a Muslim nation that has embraced democracy and is a very open society. That’s very much what jazz represents - peace, harmony and democracy.” The Monk Institute is sponsoring the day’s festivities along with the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization and the Istanbul Foundation for Culture & Arts. —AP

Maggie Smith on ‘60 Minutes’: Somebody Hated Her ‘California Suite’ Director

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Bollywood actor Rajkumar Yadav attends the premiere of Hindi film ‘Kai Po Che’ in Mumbai. —AFP photos

Indian Bollywood actress Chitrangada Singh.

e may have guided her to her second Oscar, but Maggie Smith is no fan of Herbert Ross. The “Downton Abbey” star made it clear during an appearance Sunday on “60 Minutes” that she did not enjoy working with the late director on “California Suite.” “I found the director a bit tricky, a bit spikey,” Smith told interviewer Steve Kroft. “He was jagged,” she added. “He was very difficult.” She said the only thing that made her feel better was when somebody on the production said that her co-star Walter Matthau was so upset over Ross’ harsh techniques that he left the set in tears.

The experience may have been bad, but Smith’s performance as a fading star desperate to win an

Oscar earned her the Best Supporting Actress statue in 1978.

Her description of Ross might also have applied to the septuagenarian star; at least if “60 Minutes” is to

Maggie Smith

be believed. Indeed the whole subtext of Kroft’s talk with Smith was that she’s unbelievably intimidating and many of her castmates cower around her.

“Don’t let her smell your fear,” Kroft said someone warned him about Smith, who it must be said was a relatively good sport about the whole interview. Smith even acknowledged that some of the rumors about her formidableness are true, although she chalked it up to an accident of age.

“Old people are scary, and I have to face it - I am old, and I am scary, and I’m very, very sorry about it, but I don’t know what you do,” the 78-year-old Smith said.

Ross’ name was never mentioned explicitly, but Smith said she had no qualms about libeling him, given that director of such films as “The Turning Point” and “Footloose” died in 2001 at the age of 74. “I had nothing to do with his demise,” Smith assured Kroft. —Reuters

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2013

lifestyle M U S I C

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Afghan street kid heads for the

Oscars red carpet A

n Afghan street kid is off to Hollywood and the red-carpet treatment at the Oscars-a fairytale ending to a chance encounter that led to a starring role in a movie.

Fawad Mohammadi, 14, was selling maps to passing foreigners on Kabul’s famed Chicken Street to help feed his family when he met American director Sam French. Now he is preparing for his first flight in an aircraft and his first trip outside war-torn Afghanistan to a glamorous world almost beyond imagination on the grimy streets of Kabul.

French cast Mohammadi as one of the main characters in “Buzkashi Boys”, a movie shot entirely in Afghanistan and nominated for Best Live Action Short Film at the Academy Awards on February 24.The film is about two youngsters growing up in Kabul who dream of becoming Buzkashi horseback riders in Afghanistan’s dramatic national sport, which uses a headless goat in place of a ball in a wild version of polo. In the movie, one of the boys is a street kid like Mohammadi, the other the son of a blacksmith forced to spend long hours in his father’s dark workshop sharpening axe heads. Ahead of the US trip, Mohammadi, sporting a leather coat and jeans, told AFP the adventure would be a “great privilege for me and for all Afghanistan to meet the world’s most famous superstars”. “It’s truly such a great feeling to go to the Oscars, I had never thought about it. I still don’t believe it.” Mohammadi, whose ambition is to become a pilot, said he hoped to be able to visit the cockpit of the airplane during his flight to Los Angeles. “I have grown up watching Afghan movies. When I watched them, I dreamt of becoming an actor.

Then I met Sam French on Chicken Street, that’s how I came to act in the film,” he said, with a big smile.

Mohammadi is the youngest of seven siblings. Their father died several years ago, and his five brothers all also work. He started selling chewing gum on the streets and expanded his trade to selling maps and dictionaries to foreigners. He learned English as he worked on Chicken Street, a popular destination for

decades of war, especially during the 19962001 Taliban regime, when music and films were banned. Now Afghan cinema is struggling to re-emerge amid an ongoing Taliban insurgency against the Western-backed government of President Hamid Karzai. “There were many logistical challenges,” French said.

“We spent over a year in pre-production to ensure we had the support of the Afghan government and police protection in all the loca-

Afghan actor Jawanmard Paiz, 14, talks as Fawad Mohammadi, 14, listens during an interview with AFP at the ‘Afghan Film’ organization in Kabul.

In this photograph taken on February 9, 2013 Afghan actors Jawanmard Paiz, 14, (L) and Fawad Mohammadi, 14, chat during an interview with AFP at the ‘Afghan Film’ organization in Kabul. — AFP photos expats shopping for Afghan carpets, jewellery and craftwork. “We knew him from Chicken Street as the kindest and most warm-hearted street-kid, who would provide ‘bodyguarding’ services and sell maps-he always had a smile and witty remark,” French told AFP by email.

“The challenge was to make him not ‘act’ but to be himself. His kind and generous char-

acter was the very same character we had written-so we wanted him to be himself as much as possible and connect with the story on a personal level. He did a fantastic job.” The other Buzkashi Boy is Jawanmard Paiz, also 14 and the son of a prominent Afghan actor, who plays an orphan in the movie. Both boys were 12 at the time the movie was shot. Paiz has

already appeared in a few films after starting his acting career at the age of five, and has attended the Cannes film festival. “When I saw Fawad acting he was such a good talent although he was a street vendor and he really surprised all of us on set,” Paiz said.

Afghanistan’s once burgeoning cinema industry was hammered by more than three

tions we filmed.”

The boys will arrive in Los Angeles on Wednesday ahead of the Oscars on Sunday, with the cost of their trip covered by a fundraising campaign, free tickets from Turkish Airlines and help from the US State Department. They will stay “with an Afghan family to provide some cushion against the culture shock of travelling from Kabul to Hollywood”, French said. Some of the extra cash raised will be used on Mohammadi’s education and to provide for his family.

Mohammadi, who has used his earnings from the film to attend sixth grade at a private school, says he refuses to be swept away by dreams of movie glory. “I will continue to sell maps and dictionaries and go to school,” he said. — AFP

Daniel Day-Lewis as Abe Lincoln makes unstoppable Oscar force

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Country Musician Leon Eric ‘Kix’ Brooks performs on stage at the NASH FM 94.7 Country Music Concert Night 1 at Roseland Ballroom yesterday in New York. — AP

NYC’s ‘Sleep No More’ shows off its musical side

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hey were hooked: The moment singer-songwriter Jim James and his bandmates from My Morning Jacket first wandered into the immersive, genre-bending show “Sleep No More,” there was no turning back. The five guys spent hours wandering around the 100,000-squarefoot warehouse space in Chelsea, visiting dozens of carefully designed rooms, following mysterious actors and generally having their minds blown. “I’ve never experienced a piece of art like that before,” James says by phone from Louisville, Ky. “The thing is just so overwhelming. And you get a sense that you created your experience.”

James was so excited that he and some of the band returned the next night and he also came back a few months later. So it comes as no surprise that he picked “Sleep No More” as one of the stops on his new tour promot-

File photo shows musician Jim James in New York. — AP ing “Regions of Light and Sound of God,” his first full-length solo album. He joins a long list of musicians - from Bjork to Florence Welch - who have become part of the experience.

Now approaching its second year, “Sleep No More” has found itself evolving into a musical draw as well as a theatrical one.

“This has taken on a life of its own,” Jonathan Hochwald, a producer of the show, says while sipping a rye and ginger beer cocktail in the space’s nightclub as a recording of Marlene Dietrich singing “Falling in Love Again” played.

“What surprised us is how versatile and open-minded not only the people are but the place is as well.” Becoming a music venue wasn’t necessarily a goal when the doors opened on three empty hulking warehouse spaces on 27th Street, a spot renamed the McKittrick Hotel. It houses the show “Sleep No More,” a kind of art installation-meets-theater-and-dance piece with elements of both Shakespeare’s

“Macbeth” and Alfred Hitchcock.

Created by the British theater troupe Punchdrunk, visitors are handed Venetian-style mask to wear and are encouraged to explore. About 25 performers act out mostly wordless scenes inspired by Shakespeare’s play while dressed in 1930s outfits and giving off a film noir vibe. The show, which doesn’t advertise and relies on word-of-mouth, ends with an invitation to gather in the hotel’s Manderlay Bar for a drink and to listen to the house band, an invitation some professional performers have found inviting enough to get up on stage themselves.

The punk-pop singer Pink and Police drummer Stewart Copeland, each at different times, began jamming with the band. The space inspired Perry Farrell, frontman for the alternative rock band Jane’s Addiction, to renew his wedding vows in the bar after a show. The list of musicians embracing “Sleep No More” and its haunting space include John Legend, Wyclef Jean, Meshell Ndegeocello, David Garza, Dita Von Teese and the band Chairlift. Everest and Skeleton Key had album launch parties there. Songwriter and musicians Glen Hansard turned it into an Irish pub one night.

Bjork spun records in a private party in the creepy hospital during a stop on her latest tour, while Broadway legend Joel Grey celebrated his 80 birthday in the bar by getting up and singing the chilling “Willkommen” from the show “Cabaret,” an event that participants said sent shivers down their spines. The Preservation Hall Jazz Band earlier this year wrapped up a 16-show residency, adding a jazzy mournfulness to the atmosphere.

At the end of the show’s regular performance on Wednesday night, James will play a concert in the main ballroom. In addition to the new songs from the CD, he’ll do a few covers of songs relevant to the experience. “The place just inspires creativity,” he says. “I’ve seen it three different times now and every experience was different. It’s kind of a limitless thing. I think that’s why it’s been so successful.”

Hochwald says the musicians get excited about riffing off the noir vibe or Shakespearian themes explored by the show and by a space that includes a spooky cemetery, an indoor forest, a candy store and a cemetery, all beautifully realized.

“What they love is this idea of a totally different kind of gig, a totally different way of presenting of concert where your mind is completely blown, you don’t know where you are but you’re having this one-of-a-kind experience,” he says.

“It’s like the next generation of how to present a concert.”

The evolution of the space into a music venue is part of the show’s constant updating. —AP

f there is one sure bet in this roller coaster movie awards season, it is that Daniel Day-Lewis will take home the Best Actor statuette at the Oscars on Sunday. Day-Lewis, known for his meticulous preparation, would become the first man to win three Best Actor Oscars, and awards pundits say it’s not hard to see why. The tall, intellectual actor has swept every prize in the long Hollywood awards calendar for his thoughtful, intense portrayal of US President Abraham Lincoln in Steven Spielberg’s movie “Lincoln.”

“No-one has emerged to take him on.

I don’t think he has lost a single (preOscar) race. We have 25 experts and every single one is betting on Daniel DayLewis,” said Tom O’Neil of awards website Goldderby.com. More surprising perhaps is that Day-Lewis will also be the first person to win an Oscar for playing a US president. And it has taken a Briton with dual Irish citizenship, portraying one of America’s most revered leaders, to do it.

Although “Lincoln” started the Oscar race with a leading 12 nominations, its Best Picture front-runner status has dimmed in recent weeks with the ascendance of Iran hostage drama “Argo.” But Day-Lewis’s star has only risen with Golden Globe, Screen Actors Guild and British BAFTA trophies, along with a slew of honors from film critics.

Lincoln for a new generation Day-Lewis, 55, plays Lincoln in the last few months of a life cut short by his 1865 assassination in a film that focuses on the president’s personal commitment to abolish slavery and end the bloody fouryear US Civil War. He’s not the first actor to play Lincoln on screen. Yet his quiet assurance, his adoption of a high-pitch voice rather than the booming tones associated with Lincoln, and the movie’s focus on complex political debates have

File photo shows cast member Daniel Day-Lewis and director Steven Spielberg arriving for the closing night Gala Screening of “Lincoln” at the AFI Fest in Hollywood, California. —AFP shone new light on a man that many Americans thought they already knew well. “It’s a performance that is subtle. It’s not the Lincoln you expect. It’s a different interpretation of Lincoln than we have seen and we feel, wow! This could be the way Lincoln was,” said Pete Hammond, awards columnist at Deadline.com. “We are seeing a real human being played out here for the first time and that is extraordinary. Day-Lewis is bringing the character to life in a way we haven’t seen in years,” Hammond told Reuters.

It took Spielberg three attempts to convince Day-Lewis to play the role.

Explaining his decision last month to take the part, Day-Lewis noted that “it was an actor that murdered Abraham Lincoln. Therefore, somehow it’s only fitting that every now and then, an actor tries to bring him back to life again.”

The London-born actor threw himself into the role with the same devotion that

Fergie, Josh Duhamel expecting their 1st child

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er hump, her hump, her lovely lady lump: Fergie is pregnant with her first child. A representative for the Black Eyed Peas singer confirmed the news Monday. Fergie’s actor husband Josh Duhamel tweeted about the news with joy, saying: “Fergie and Me and BABY makes three.”

The 37-year-old Fergie and 40-year-old Duhamel married in 2009. She joined the Black Eyed Peas when the group released its third album, “Elephunk,” in 2003. The foursome is known for its pop-inspired hip-hop tunes like “My Humps,” “I Gotta Feeling” and “Boom Boom Pow.” Fergie launched her solo debut, “ The Duchess,” to much success in 2006. It featured five Top 5 hits, including “Fergalicious” and “Big Girls Don’t Cry.” Duhamel has appeared in the “Transformer” films and most recently in “Safe Haven.” — AP

File photo shows Singer Fergie of the Black Eyed Peas walks with her husband Josh Duhamel, right, on the sidelines during the first quarter of an NFL football game between the San Francisco 49ers and the Miami Dolphins in San Francisco. — AP

marked his Best Actor Oscar-winning performance as quadriplegic Irish writer Christy Brown in “My Left Foot” in 1989, when he spent weeks living in a wheelchair. In “Gangs of New York,” he sharpened knives on sets between takes to capture the menace of Bill “The Butcher” Cutting, earning another Oscar nomination, and in 2008 he won his second Best Actor Award at the Oscars for his turn as a greedy oil baron in “There Will Be Blood.”

Texting like lincoln Sally Field, who plays his screen wife Mary Todd Lincoln, said Day-Lewis sent her text messages that were completely in character and in 19th century vernacular over a seven-month period prior to shooting “Lincoln.” Joseph Gordon-Levitt who plays Lincoln’s son Robert, said he didn’t get to know Day-Lewis until after production wrapped. —Reuters

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2013

lifestyle F a s h i o n

Models present creations by Burberry Prorsum during the 2013 Autumn/Winter London Fashion Week in London. — AFP photos

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old looks at Burberry Prorsum and a much-anticipated show

by Tom Ford brought London Fashion Week to an exhilarating climax Monday, packed with starry front rows and catwalks awash in a riot of animal prints, contrasting textures and embellishments. Burberry design chief Christopher Bailey and Ford delivered the goods, but strong showings by Christopher Kane and Erdem both rising talents with an international following - helped round out day four of the style event. Ford said after his show that he wanted his autumn collection to express exuberance and color. Aside from rich, saturated hues, he also featured bold animal prints, which happened to also dominate Burberry’s catwalk.

Kane, who was showing his first collection since luxury conglomerate PPR bought a majority stake in his label, unveiled an extensive, assured collection that included everything from camouflage and kilts to velvet and feather trims. Meanwhile, Erdem Moralioglu delivered his usual elegant looks, though surprising some with a dark and moody twist to his typically delicate pastel floral dresses. His collection was mostly black, though the different textures (lace, velvet, mesh) and layers kept things interesting. Floral prints and feathers peeked out under black organza overlays, while sheer black polka dot layers were draped over abstract yellow florals. The designers were the last major stars to show during London Fashion Week. Designers including Vivienne Westwood, Mulberry, Preen and Temperley London had already shown their latest earlier in the week. The event winds down yesterday, as editors, models and bloggers prepare for more catwalk shows in Milan and Paris.

BURBERRY PRORSUM Burberry’s creative director, Bailey, has taken its classic trench

coats on safari for a makeover. In a catwalk show that drew actresses Kate Beckinsale and Michelle Dockery to its front row, the luxury British brand updated its coats with calfskin and mink in bold leopard and giraffe prints, cinched in with glossy gold belts. Bailey said he stuck to elegant fabrics such as cashmere and a classic palette of camel, oxblood, black and white for his new autumn collection, but injected contrast with innovative fabrics such as plasticized leather.

Those certainly are not for the conservative dresser. A camel trench coat had its sleeves, gun flaps and skirt made of a brown rubber, while another trench coat is made in shiny wine-colored PVC. A tight translucent rubber skirt revealed flirty heart-print knickers underneath. Python-printed leather joined the various big cat prints on skirts and jackets, and gold hardware gave the collection a luxurious sheen throughout.

TOM FORD Ford’s show included lacy black tops, brightly colored metallic skirts, and long, form-fitting black dresses set off by explosive sunbursts of sequined, metallic color. The American designer also made use of leopard-printed coats of varying lengths and - in a nod to the 1960s - soft black leather jackets with fringes in the back. Other outfits emphasized a basic color palette of black and white in interesting contrasts, playing on a zebra-striped theme. The outfits were not revealing but very feminine and flattering, with many jackets offering high neck collars and dramatic shapes.

CHRISTOPHER KANE Kane’s latest display was so diverse and included so many creative themes that it seemed like several collections rolled into one.

The designer opened his show with oversized, boxy and buckled

Tom Ford

army coats, then moved on to develop the military theme with muted blue and grey camouflage prints on kilts and silky separates. Offshoulder dresses with big fur trims came next, and then it was a riot of different themes and looks: Short, sexy dresses in crochet, tight velvet numbers held together with crochet panels or adorned with ruffle-like feather trims, 3D flowers and organza patchwork. The finale consisted of a series of sparkly party dresses embellished with wiry orange, green and cobalt tinsel-like material.

ERDEM London designer Erdem Moralioglu has garnered a long list of fans with his delicate, ice cream-colored floral dresses, but this season he decided to put a darker twist on his romantic style. The show began with all-black dress and coat ensembles, with a rich mix of textures to keep things interesting: Feather trims, boucle, exposed zips and shimmering sequins on sheer blouses. There were deep burgundy and black lace dresses with a contrasting pale blue collar, followed by Erdem’s signature florals in knee-length dresses. The frocks introduced pinks, purples and neon yellows to the collection’s palette, though the color was largely subdued by the sheer black layers over them. The final pieces of the collection returned to just black, playing on sheer layers of lace, velvet and polka dots - sometimes all together. — AP

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2013

lifestyle F a s h i o n

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ihanna thinks British people are the most stylish in the world. The ‘Stay’ singer - who unveiled her first fashion line for British high street chain River Island at London Fashion Week on Saturday - has revealed she wanted to launch her collection in the UK because she thinks Brits have the most fashion sense. She told Grazia magazine: “Britain has the most fashionable kids in the world. These kids inspired the high-end designers - they say what’s cool. So

why not to go to the source when you want to be ahead of the trend and create something inspirational and fresh? That’s why I wanted to work with River Island.”

The 24-year-old Bajan singer’s daring collection features neon colored separates, saucy thigh-high splits and crop tops and Rihanna commented that she’s wanted to launch her own line for quite some time. She added: “I’ve wanted to design my own fashion line for a very long

time now. It’s been something I’ve thought about since I started loving fashion. Every time I saw a garment on the rack there was something I wanted to change, so I felt like the only way I could do that was by designing the perfect thing for me.” Rihanna for River Island is in stores nationwide from March 5.-Bang showbiz

Models display outfits by Spanish designer Maria Barros of the Autumn/Winter 2013-2014 collection during the Mercedes-Benz Madrid Fashion Week in Madrid yesterday.

— AFP photos

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arlie Kloss shuns parties during Fashion Week.

The supermodel thinks it’s imperative to take care of her skin and stay hydrated during the whirlwind marathon of fashion shows in New York, London and Paris and claims she ditches drinks for water to look her best on the runway. She told PEOPLE magazine: “I am definitely a sleep over champagne kind of girl. I’m a hardworking girl, so I have to take care of myself. You have to rest while you can, drink water and power through.” Quizzed about her must-have item to get her through Fashion Week, Karlie said: “These stick-on eye

patch things that stick to your skin, called Skyn.

I almost walk out of the house wearing them.” The Victoria’s Secret Angel - who walked the catwalk for Burberry at London Fashion Week yesterday - admitted the worst thing about the fast-paced event is not being able to keep one nail varnish color for long. Karlie exclaimed: “In fashion shows nails are almost as much of a statement as the clothes themselves. In every show you’ve got to change. It’s awful when I get a great color that I love and I’m like, ‘Dang it, I only get to wear it for the next twenty minutes!’” The 20-year-old brunette

has just closed shows for the likes of Carlina Herrera, Oscar de la Renta and Calvin Klein in New York, but she revealed the most important thing is keeping a level head and staying focused. She said: “It’s a marathon, not a sprint... I know my limits.” — Bang Showbiz

Fergie, Josh Duhamel expecting their 1st child

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WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2013

Myanmar Hindu devotees spray holy water onto devotees during a traditional Hindu fire festival in Dalla, about 15 kilometers (9 miles) south of Yangon, Myanmar, Sunday. — AP

I

ndia’s steep new tax on gold imports doesn’t deter Mousumi Rao as she holds up a glittering $5,000 filigree necklace that could adorn her daughter on her wedding day. Rao’s daughter isn’t getting married next month or even next year. The 12-year-old is at least several years away from her wedding. Since tradition demands a bride practically drip with gold jewelry, it’s never too early for an Indian family to start preparing, particularly with the high cost of gold these days. “I’m collecting things for her now so when she grows older and marries, I should have enough gold for her,” said Rao. “It is very auspicious for us, one of the most auspicious things, to give gold to your daughter.”

Gold has been deeply entwined in Indian culture for thousands of years. Nowadays, India is by far the world’s biggest buyer of gold and those imports are an increasing drain on an economy that is growing too slowly to reduce widespread poverty. Last year Indians imported 864 tons of gold, about one fifth of world sales. The cost of 2.5 trillion rupees ($45 billion) was second only to India’s bill for imported oil. The unquenchable appetite for gold coins, bars and jewelry has swelled India’s trade deficit and weakened its currency, making crucial imports such as fuel more expensive.

The government can’t do much about oil imports - without fuel, the economy would grind to a halt - so in the past year it has tried to rein in gold demand, raising the import duty three times in a year to its current level of 6 percent. The higher tariff is proving little match for age-old tradition. “Every Indian wants gold. Now is the wedding season, and I’m seeing an increase in demand no matter about the tax,” said jeweler Arun Kaigaonkar. “Prices have been rising for years, and still people buy.”

He said not only jewelry, but gold bars and coins remain in high demand because in many rural areas banking is less available. “In the countryside, people save their money only in gold.”Last year Indian gold-buying briefly dropped for six months, but then it roared back in the second half of the year. And in January, sales spiked sharply as jewelers and investors rushed to buy ahead of the import tax hike to 6 percent, which took effect on at the end of the month. “The culture of gold is so strong in India. It’s difficult to contain this demand by just tweaking import duties,” said Samiran Chakraborty, an economist with Standard Chartered Bank in Mumbai.

Through centuries of warfare and the shifting borders of regional kingdoms, gold was the safest currency. In some Hindu legends, Brahma, the god who created the universe, was born from a gold egg.

In India, gold is spiritual and it is also practical. Parents of the bride give gold as a symbol of their prosperity. But it is also an insurance against a bad marriage, since the jewelry is the wife’s, though many

File photo shows an Indian woman looks into a mirror as she tries out gold jewelry at a shop in Mumbai, India. — AP photos

men take it anyway. In early 2011, an ounce of gold cost about $1,375 on the world market, or nearly 62,000 rupees inside India at the exchange rate at the time.

It now costs over $1,600 an ounce but the drop in the rupee against the dollar means the cost in India has risen by an even greater extent, to about 90,000 rupees. The rising price does reduce demand but each festival and wedding season brings sales back up again.

Industry experts say there are signs that higher import taxes have encouraged smuggling, which hasn’t been a problem since India lifted strict gold controls more than 20 years ago.

Few expect a return to those draconian measures. Potentially more effective is a new scheme to get the vast amounts of gold already in India back into circulation. “India is not only the world’s biggest importer of gold, it’s the biggest hoarder of gold,” said Albert Cheng, a managing director of the World Gold Council, which estimates there are some 18,000 tons of gold locked up in bank vaults and family homes around the country. Standard Chartered’s Chakraborty said such “non-productive” gold in India is worth some $1 trillion, about half of India’s GDP. The government’s recently stopped requiring gold-backed exchange-traded funds to hold physical gold in the amount of their sales. Instead, the funds will be allowed to deposit some gold with banks who in turn can lend it to jewelers, which in theory should reduce imports for a time. “Up to now, both jewelers and ETF’s have been driving the rise in import demand. Now, maybe they can start to cancel each other out,” Chakraborty said. The funds have combined assets of about $1.8 billion, a small proportion of India’s gold purchases, so progress might be slow.

“Gold is considered pure in our culture, and giving it is a virtue.

Certain amount of gold must be bought,” said 26-year-old Rohini, a Mumbai physiotherapist as she browsed in a jewelry shop. Her mother, Jaishri, agreed. “Of course, nobody can afford as much as we used to. Once upon a time, we used to buy gold by the kilo,” she said. “But the price is so high now, we just buy what we can for the necessary things.” — AP

An Indian woman looks at a display of gold jewelry at a shop in Mumbai.

This frame grab taken yesterday from the Facebook page of ‘TheSunnyCoastSkate’ shows a group of Australian teenagers who have been credited with stoking a Gangnam Style-like viral dance craze called the ‘Harlem Shake’ which has seen an outpouring of Internet copycat clips. — AP

A

group of Australian teenagers have sparked a Gangnam Style-like viral dance craze called the “Harlem Shake”, with their pelvisthrusting moves inspiring tens of thousands of Internet copycat clips. The fivesome, from Australia’s Sunshine Coast, have shot to fame with their 31-second clip “The Harlem Shake v1 (TSCS original)”, which has been viewed more than 12 million times since being uploaded to YouTube on February 2. The video-sharing site said the clip by TheSunnyCoastSkate-which the five Australian skateboarding aficionados shot on a rainy day when they were bored cooped up inside-has led to an explosion of spinoffs.

“As of Valentine’s Day (February 14) the number of ‘Harlem Shake’ videos has increased to around 40,000 — based on video title-and those videos now have 175 million views,” YouTube said on its Australian trends blog. The pelvis-thrusting clip starts with a helmeted man dancing unnoticed in a room full of people to a song called “Harlem Shake” by the up-and-coming Brooklyn DJ Baauer. A few seconds later, a number of people break into a wild dance, shaking and twisting, as the bass kicks in.

The concept originated with a video blogger named Filthy Frank, but it appears to be the Australian version that sent the meme viral. “We didn’t start the dance... But we put our own input into it which is why I think it went viral,” TheSunnyCoastSkate said on their Facebook page.

Thousands of “Harlem Shake” clips are being uploaded every day, according to YouTube, with workplaces, locker-rooms, groups of soldiers, train carriages and bus-stops full of people swept up in the craze.

Most of the videos feature people in bizarre costumes and various states of undress, progressing from a single masked dancer ignored by the others to a writhing mass of bodies.

TheSunnyCoastSkate boys said they had been astonished by the clip’s popularity. “I think it’s pretty crazy, I didn’t think anyone would care at all,” 15-year-old high school student Corey Walsh, who appears in the video, told the Courier Mail newspaper. “Some of the groups like the US army doing it, it’s pretty crazy the way it’s taken off.” Walsh said he believed the “Harlem Shake” could eclipse Gangnam Style-South Korean rapper Psy’s 2012 online video hit which has been viewed by more than 1.3 billion people-if it continued to spiral at such a rate. Walsh’s father said the teens hadn’t realised what they had created. “They got bored, and the rest is history,” he said. — AFP