2 mar 2013

IPT IO N SC R SU B

SATURDAY, MARCH 2, 2013

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Bangladesh death toll hits 53; New violence erupts

150 Fils

RABI ALTHANI 20, 1434 AH

US ‘biscuits and Band-Aid’ for Syria ridiculed

No: 15735

48

Berdych stuns Federer in Dubai

Gulf awaits Kerry with qualms over US policies GCC officials ‘finding it difficult’ to trust Washington

DUBAI: The conservative Arab monarchies of the Gulf will meet newly appointed US State Secretary John Kerry tomorrow, amid reservations over his administration’s policies on Syria and Iran, analysts say. Kerry is scheduled to meet his counterparts from the six member states of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) in Riyadh, before flying on to the United Arab Emirates and Qatar. There is “concern, frustration and disappointment about US policy. Some high GCC officials say in private they find it difficult to trust the US,” said Abdulaziz Sager, chairman of the Gulf Research Centre.

The Saudi analyst spoke of “differences on key issues, including Syria, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, Iran, and Bahrain.” Several Gulf countries, mainly Saudi Arabia and Qatar, have openly taken up the cause of the Syrian revolt and called for rebel forces to be armed in their battle against President Bashar Al-Assad’s regime. Apart from refusing to arm the rebels, Washington has been “vetoing arms shipments and preventing GCC countries from helping the rebels,” Sager said, calling for Washington to “at least provide intelligence sharing” with rebels.

All such shipments financed by Gulf states have been stopped, according to Dubai-based strategy analyst Mustapha Alani. “Since September, all arms shipments financed by Gulf states have stopped because of an American veto. They want to keep control of the situation and do not want arms to fall into the hands of undesirable elements,” he said. The only exception, according to Alani, was an arms shipment reported this week by the New York Times, which said weapons bought by Saudi Arabia in Croatia were delivered to Syrian rebels through Jordan in December.

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7-year-old girl raped NEW DELHI: Hundreds of protesters clashed with police yesterday outside a New Delhi hospital where a seven-year-old girl who was sexually assaulted at school was admitted earlier in the day, police said.

Angry youths hurled stones at buses and police, who then used batons to break up the demonstration outside the hospital which is located in a low-income neighborhood, India’s NDTV channel reported.”The protesters were angry over the assault on the little girl and were demanding that police act against the culprit,” a police press official said.

The official, who asked not to be identified, said the second-grader was sexually assaulted yesterday morning while at school. After police were called, the child was taken to hospital and later discharged.

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ANKARA: US Secretary of State John Kerry arrives in Ankara, Turkey yesterday. Kerry has expressed concerns over Turkish prime minister’s remarks branding Zionism a “crime against humanity,” a comment that Washington considers offensive and wrong. — AFP

US, Israel fume as Zionism row rages ANKARA: US Secretary of State John Kerry held talks with Turkey’s leaders on the Syria crisis yesterday amid a row over controversial comments by Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan branding Zionism a “crime against humanity.” The talks come a day after Washington announced that it would for the first time provide direct aid to Syrian rebels in the form of food and medical supplies as well as $60 million in extra assistance to the political opposition.

The two-year civil war in neighboring Syria which has killed at least 70,000 people according to the UN will top the agenda for Kerry, who is due to meet with President Abdullah Gul, Erdogan and Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu. But the discussions are likely to be overshadowed by renewed tension

between Turkey and Israel, two major Washington allies, following comments Erdogan made earlier this week at a UN-sponsored forum in Vienna. “As is the case for Zionism, anti-Semitism and fascism, it is inevitable that Islamophobia be considered a crime against humanity,” Erdogan said on Wednesday.

His comments were branded as “a dark and mendacious statement,” by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu while Washington said “characterization of Zionism as a crime against humanity... is offensive and wrong.”

A US official travelling with Kerry on his first trip abroad since taking over as secretary of state from Hillary Clinton said he would raise the issue with his hosts. “This was particularly offensive frankly,” said the official Continued on Page 9

NABLUS: A combination of pictures shows Israeli border guard detain a Palestinian during clashes following a protest against the expropriation of Palestinian land by Israel yesterday .— AFP

LOCAL

SATURDAY, MARCH 2, 2013

Fishing Competition today KUWAIT: Registration of participants in Kuwait’s 39th Fishing Competition closed at 8 pm yesterday. The competition, organized by the Kuwait Sea Sports Club (KSSC)’s Marine Heritage Committee, is scheduled to kick off today at the Reksa Marine Area.

In this regard, KSSC marine heritage committee chairman, Mohammed Al-Faresi said that the competition was open to all fishing lovers, citizens and expatriates of both genders according to the conditions that all fishing should be done by fishing rods or lines, fishing boats should not exceed 33 feet long, boats should be registered, no yachts allowed and that allowed baits should be limited to shrimps, squid, sbour, maid (small mullet), meat and worms.

Al-Faresi added that the first three winners with the highest gross weight of the catch, would receive valuable cash prizes.

Kuwait pays tributes to liberation hero Gen Schwarzkopf laid to rest WEST POINT: Kuwait’s ambassador to the United States Sheikh Salem Abdullah Al-Jaber Al-Sabah headed, Thursday afternoon funeral service for General H. Norman Schwarzkopf, the former commander of the US Central Command (USCENTCOM), who played a paramount role in liberation of the State of Kuwait from the blatant Iraqi occupation in 1991.

Sheikh Salem was accompanied by the Kuwaiti Army Deputy Chief of Staff, Lt Gen Abdul-Rahman Al-Othman, the assistant chief of staff in the operations and planning command, Major General Abdul-Razzag Mohammad AlAwadhi, the military attache, Rear Admiral Marzoug Hassan Al-Bader, and the assistant military attache, Commander Dr. Bashar AbdulHussein Abdul-Reda.

America today bade farewell to one of the most prominent commanders and heroes of the

BAHRAIN: The ambassador of Kuwait to the Kingdom of Bahrain, Sheikh Azzam Mubarak Al-Sabah held a celebration on occasion of Kuwait’s National and Liberation days.

liberation of Kuwait, said Sheikh Salem, adding that he was honored to convey condolences of His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah and the Kuwaiti leadership to the family of the Gen. Schwarzkopf.

Eulogizing the deceased military commander, Sheikh Salem said Gen. Schwarzkopf was a brilliant and extremely brave commander. His shrewdness was manifested in mapping out the plans for the liberation of Kuwait. “His courage was sensed in the execution of the plan of liberation in a short time that did not exceed four days, with minimum losses in souls and properties at the civil and military levels,” the veteran Kuwaiti ambassador noted.

“We are indebted to General Schwarzkopf for what he had accomplished 22 years ago, the liberation of dear Kuwait,” Sheikh Salem said, affirming Kuwait’s gratitude to the great commander, also noting that his eulogy ceremony came only two days after the 22nd anniversary of the liberation of Kuwait.

“The Kuwaiti people will always maintain gratitude to General Schwarzkopf. His demise resulted in mixture of sentiments, simultaneous sadness for his passing and joy for the liberation anniversary,” Sheikh Salem said, adding that he met the family of the general, for the first time, assuring them that Kuwait “will never forget what he had done for the service of our dear homeland.”

For his part, Lt-Gen Al-Othman said Gen. Schwarzkopf “would live forever in the hearts and minds of all Kuwaitis, young and adults,” expressing deep condolences and sympathies to the general’s family and the American people on his recent death.

The service, held at the military academy in West Point, New York, was attended by a large number of senior and eminent officials, figure and dignitaries, namely the former US vice president, Dick Cheney, and the former secretary of state and retired general, Colin Powell. The latter addressed the attendees about life of the deceased general, since joining the academy till his burial on its soil, beside grave of his late father.

Cindy, Gen. Schwarzkopf’s daughter, recalled him as a caring father and a man of sense of humor. Also in honoring of his soul, a 21-gun salute was carried out by an attending military band. Gen. Schwarzkopf passed away on December 27, 2012, in Tampa, Florida. He was 78. — KUNA

Mohammed Al-Faresi

ABK celebrates National Day with Montessori Nursery KUWAIT: With the aim of fostering a stronger spirit of nationalism, Al-Ahli Bank of Kuwait participated in the National and Liberation Day celebrations with the Montessori Nursery.

ABK’s PR team joined the Montessori Nursery’s management board and participated in the children’s activities and entertainment programs. They distributed Kuwaiti flags and ABK gift hampers to the children who enthusiastically took part in the event.

At the occasion, Sahar Al-Therban, Public Relations Manager at ABK said, “ABK aims to

extend itself to the community and participate in their joy. This initiative mirrors our patriotism and ensures that ABK is a part of Kuwait’s national spirit during the National and Liberation Days. Moreover, fostering the spirit of nationalism in children during this period is important even as a part of our corporate social responsibility.”

Montessori Nursery’s management and board expressed their gratitude to ABK for their participation during the national celebrations with the board and the children.

Envoy lays cornerstone of Kuwaiti project in Cambodia KUALA LUMPUR: Kuwaiti Ambassador to Cambodia Dherar Al-Tuwaijri laid the cornerstone of a Kuwaiti medical center and a hospital in Kandal Province, south of the country.

The two medical facilities are funded by Kuwait Zakat House and they are under the supervision of the Kuwaiti charity society of Ihiaa Al-Turath (Reviving of Islamic heritage) and the charity foundation (Manabi Al-Khair).

The cornerstone laying ceremony was attended by Cambodia’s secretary general at the Ministry of Finance, governor of Kandal and other senior officials and figures from charity bodies, the Kuwaiti embassy said in a statement on Friday.

Al-Tuwaijiri lauded the good relations between the State of Kuwait and Cambodia and

thanked Zakat House and Ihiaa Al-Turath for setting up this vital project to elevate humanitarian work in the country.

The Cambodian top official, meanwhile, expressed his appreciation to the Kuwaiti government for this active contribution in developing the healthcare sector in the countryside and the remote areas of Cambodia.

The $945,000 project is the first of its kind in Cambodia and is spread over 15,000 square meters of land. It consists of three phases; phase one of the project will be completed in less than two years. There will be $500,000 budget allocated to buying all necessary medical equipment. Treatment and surgical operations will be offered for free to the poor and the under privileged. — KUNA

Local SATURDAY, MARCH 2, 2013

Buhra leader celebrates 102nd birthday KUWAIT: Thanks to Allah for the happy 102nd birthday of Dr Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin, the spiritual leader of the Buhra community around the world. May Allah keep him. This birthday is also the golden birthday as he has completed 50 years since he occupied the Dai Al-Mutlaq post.

He played his effective roles to attain the blessed achievements both on local and international levels raising the respect and appreciation of the sect among nations and societies and culture and civilization.

Thousands and thousands of the community members all over the world meet around him requesting his answered prayers and kind looks by raising calls: ‘Mubarak - Mubarak’. It is an expression indicating their appreDr Syedna Mohammed ciation and respect for his noble Burhanuddin works and sincere sacrifices for the sake of their happiness in religion, world and doomsday. They strongly believe that he is the glorious leader who gives the society its identity by establishing educational and learning centers, building host and rest houses for pilgrims and visitors in many countries, maintaining the deep-rooted and ancient Fatimi culture, which has been continuing for 900 years, adopting the tradition of the noblest messengers (Peace Be Upon Him), adhering to his noble orders and high instructions by building and reconstructing mosques and antique architectures, restoring old historical monuments, presenting beautiful compartments to the scared shrines in Iraq, Egypt, Sham, Jordan, Palestine and Yemen, giving donations to the Al-Aqsa Mosque and achieving huge beneficial material and spiritual projects.

He is the kind father who enabled and facilitated all clean and honest economic means and constructed hospitals provided with modern tools such as Al-Saifi Hospital which is considered to be one of the most prominent landmarks in Mumbai, India. Further, he established the Burhani Saifi project for building wide and comfortable houses and flats in Bheindi Bazaar, Mumbai that is known of its overpopulation and severe pollution.

Moreover, he is the noble man, who was brought up by his father the late Dai Dr Syedna Taher Saifuddin with the love of humanity and, accordingly, he has been glorifying humanity, benefiting humans and encouraging his followers to perform humanitarian services to the society.

His bounties are not restricted to the community members only; rather, they reach farther as he creates the friendly atmosphere among worshipers from the Islamic Nation as well as other nations and removes the misunderstanding that may be found among them. His wide travels and brotherly and friendly meetings with kings, princes, heads and leaders of states, politicians, scientists and people of different cultures resulted in good and positive outcomes. He received wholehearted official and civil appreciations in the Arab, Islamic and non-Islamic countries as he fostered world ‘peace’ by his words and deeds and supported international organizations concerned with peace.

Attaining 102 years, May Allah Keep him. May his vital activities continue to benefit the worshipers of Allah and disseminate his bounties among his followers. His noble giving is not restricted to the welfare of the society and the establishment of religious and charity institutions only. It has become a good example and a clear map for forming the ideal world.

This is our immortal heritage, which, God Willing, will remain effective and enhanced by the great attentions of his highly-esteemed Prince Syedi Mufaddal Saifuddin to the leadership of the community members.

On this historical and golden occasion, the Buhra community extend our appreciation and respect along with congratulations and best wishes to Dr Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin, his highly-esteemed son the prince Syedi Mufaddal Saifuddin. We pray Allah to endow them a long life and let us enjoy their noble and wise leadership over the years, God Willing.

Super Highway shows Kuwait means business Work to begin this year KUWAIT: After years of dithering, Kuwait has finally started work on a new super highway connecting the port of Shuwaikh with the north of country. The ambitious scheme will cost around KD 7.2 billion for the 22 mile long road to be built by South Korea’s Hyundai. Work will begin later this year and take five years to complete.

The highway is just one of several major infrastructure schemes that are about to start and which may help propel Kuwait up the business success league table.

The causeway will connect the busy port, which is in the more populated south of the country, to a point in the north close to the border with Iraq.

The road is destined to become one of the longest causeways in the world.

Abdulaziz Al-Kulaib, undersecretary at the Ministry of Public Works, said: “This is a

very strategic project and one we have been talking about this since the 1970s.

“This is in the master plan which means it must be implemented.” A lack of infrastructure and poor foreign investment has hampered the Kuwaiti economy in recent years despite the nation’s massive oil wealth. The main reason for the lack of progress is years of political wrangling and bureaucratic inertia resulting in Kuwait having one of the region’s most undeveloped economies.

Among the issues raised by critics is the country’s lack of experience and expertise in drawing up and then running complex projects. In addition, the government also has a reputation for inefficiency.

However, in recent months the Kuwaiti government signed contracts to start some multibillion pound projects.

Among them is a project to build a gas-

fired power and seawater treatment plant.

This project is considered a milestone for development in Kuwait as one of the first tie-ups between the public and private sectors, which will then see a private firm running the completed plant. Once finished, the plant will provide 12% of Kuwait’s power and around 25% of the country’s desalination capacity.

Both of these make up part of a scheme which will see £70 billion being pumped into the economy - plus more cash to follow for a new oil refinery, hospitals and a new airport terminal. Kuwait has also been rocked by big demonstrations demanding political reforms and though these did not form part of the Arab Spring campaigns for regime change, they did become a distraction for the government which help further delay infrastructure progress.

LOCAL

SATURDAY, MARCH 2, 2013

Kuwait backs UAE probe into student’s death All parties urged to be cautious

NBK to award 120 participants during walkathon KUWAIT: National Bank of Kuwait (NBK) will award more than 120 participants in the 19th Annual Walkathon alongside the grand draw for 2 brand new MG5 cars. The Walkathon is scheduled to kick off on Saturday, March 23.

Ten winners will be selected from each of the 12 categories of participants. The Walk for the male participants will start from the Scientific Center located in Ras Salmiya, while the walk for female participants will begin from the Marina Crescent and the walk for kids and Zaina Friends club members will be conducted at the Green Island.

NBK Walkathon this year will hold great surprises, 120 participants will be awarded with valuable prizes in addition to giving away two brand new cars as the grand prize alongside the grand quarterly KD 250,000 prize for Al-Jawhara that will be announced live during the Walkathon.

NBK volunteers representing various departments will be available at the registration location next to the Scientific Center daily to help participants during registration and on the day of the Walkathon. Registration will be held daily From 9:00am to 1:00pm and from 4:00pm to 9:00pm

Kuwait woos China investors BEIJING: Kuwait’s Minister of State for Cabinet Affairs and Minister of State for Planning and Development Rola Dashti yesterday invited Chinese investors to have a share in the development projects in Kuwait. “Kuwait is looking forward to bigger contribution from China state-owned and private companies in the execution of its ambitious multi-billion dollar development plan,” Dashti said in meeting with senior officials of the China Communications Construction Company Ltd (CCCC).

The CCCC, the largest state-owned transportation infrastructure group in China, has won USD-408-million-contract from the Kuwaiti government to construct Boubyan Port’s entrance, which is composed of soft foundation treatment, road and bridge engineering. The work in the project has already started. “Kuwait does not want to confine cooperation with the CCCC on the Boubyan Port, but rather eyes the Chinese giant’s consulting partners in other projects,” Dashti stressed.

“The Kuwaiti government plans put up for private sector’s investments to complete construction and operate the stillunder construction Mubarak Al-Kabir Port and to upgrade other ports.” The Kuwaiti minister shed light on the Gulf Cooperation Council’s plan to build a railway network to link the six member states. “We hope we will be able to take part in the building and operation of the network,” she said.

She revealed that the Kuwait government in cooperation with the National Assembly is planning a series of legislative reforms to encourage foreign investments and remove obstacles that prevents the private sector from contributing effectively in the national economy.

For his part, the CCCC Executive Director and Chairman Zhou Jichang greatly welcomed Minister Dashti and her delegation’s visit to China and its call for the Chinese investors to pour more capitals on Kuwait markets. Zhou made a presentation about the company businesses and fields of work.

He briefed Dashti over a number of obstacles facing foreign investors in Kuwait and urged the government to tackle them to create a more investment-friendly environment. —KUNA

KUWAIT: A Kuwaiti official has urged the media and social networks to exercise utmost care when reporting or making statements on the circumstances surrounding the untimely death of a young Kuwaiti national in the UAE. “The allegations made here and there could cause confusion and could result in abuse to the victim, his family and the suspects,” said Khalid Al-Jarallah, the Foreign Ministry undersecretary. “We urge all parties to be cautious and not to make any statement or issue comments or reports or jump to conclusions without clear evidence,” he said, quoted by local Arabic daily Al Anbaa.

Al-Jarallah said officials in Kuwait were waiting for the results of the investigations by the UAE authorities and “expressed gratitude for their cooperation with the Kuwaiti consulate and for updating them on the progress of the probe.”He added: “The security authorities in the UAE are assuming their responsibilities with aptitude as they are investigating the horrendous crime and quizzing the two Kuwaiti nationals arrested in connection with the case.”

Al-Jarallah said there was no need to send a Kuwaiti team to help with the investigations. “The UAE authorities are well capable of uncovering the truth and we have full confidence in their work and in their credibility. There is no need to send a security team over there,” he said.

Police in Sharjah indicated that severe beatings were behind the death of the Kuwaiti student earlier this week.

Mubarak Mesha Al-Mubarak, 19, was pronounced dead at the university hospital in Sharjah on Sunday. He was taken there in a critical condition by another Kuwaiti student and immediately admitted to the emergency unit but died despite the best efforts of the medical staff to save him, the police said The severe bruising on various parts of Al-Mubarak’s body prompted the hospital to call in the police.

“In his initial statements, the suspect who took the victim to hospital said that he was at a cafe with his friend when he collapsed and he asked a passerby to help him take him to the nearest hospital,” the daily Al Rai quoted police as saying.

However, the suspect, when questioned later about the bruises on Mubarak’s body, admitted that he and another Kuwaiti student had beaten up Mubarak over three days in their shared accommodation, a flat they rented in the Abu Daniq area in Sharjah. The second suspect also admitted to beating up Mubarak over personal and financial matters, but claimed his aim was to discipline him. The prosecution ordered the detention of the two suspects pending the final reports from the doctor and the laboratory.

Theft cases An official at the Ministry of Electricity and Water reported to Ardiya police station about the theft of five lighting poles. But he refused to accuse anyone of the theft. He emphasized that carrying those poles

require special equipments and lorry trailer.

In the meantime, a Kuwaiti man reported to Sabah Al-Nasser police about the theft of KD 23,000. The man said that his sister’s house was robbed after breaking the door. The stolen materials were KD 3,000 in cash and KD 20,000 worth jewelleries. When asked if he suspects anyone, he said he has some doubts, saying that a man had threatened him after a financial dispute between them. A case was filed.

A Kuwaiti man accused his son-in-law of stealing half kilogram of gold which belonged to his daughter, in addition to other things including her passport, bank certificates. A case was filed.

A Pakistani expat reported to Jleeb AlShuyoukh police station and said that somebody broke into his car which was parked in front of his building and stole some KD 3,000 worth of ‘construction materials’ which was kept inside.

Murder attempt An officer at the traffic department reported against the owner of a vehicle who tried to run him down. The officer said that he saw him driving recklessly and when he asked the man to stop he refused and tried to hit him by increasing the speed.

A Kuwaiti woman reported to Sabah Al Salem police station, and accused her father of burning her car due to some disputes between them. Fire men confirmed that fire was set by someone purposely. A case was filed.

Toys festival rounds up Lu&Lu Hala festivities KUWAIT: Lu&Lu Hypermarket, the regional retail heavyweight, concluded its highly successful month-long ‘Enjoy Hala February with Lu&Lu’ promotion with a Toy Festival designed specifically for children.

The ‘Toy Festival’ which was held during the last week of the promotion, featured in addition to special promotions on toys, several interactive activities including drawing competition, helicopter race, coloring competition, yoyo competition and photo session with famous cartoon characters like Dora, Sponge Bob and others.

Several unique promotions, amazing offers, discount coupons, special activities and cultural programs marked the four-week long festivities. The ‘Enjoy Hala February with Lu&Lu’ promotion is yet another indication of the Hypermarket’s commitment to always be an integral part of the community in Kuwait, and to continue joining in celebrating the country’s special occasions and events.

The huge crowd that attended the month-long festivities and participated actively in all the programs arranged during the promotions highlights the brand’s ability to tailor products to expressly meet the needs of its customers. The overwhelming response of customers to the promotion was also an indicator of the immense popularity that Lu&Lu brand enjoys among citizens and residents in the country.

Local SATURDAY, MARCH 2, 2013

CAPITALS: Kuwaiti national celebrations in progress in Tirana, Singapore, Jeddah and Budapest.

Kuwaiti embassies mark anniversaries Hope for further stability, prosperity CAPITALS: Kuwaiti embassies and diplomatic missions across the world have continued holding celebrations marking the country’s 52nd anniversary of the National Day and the 22nd Anniversary of the Liberation Day. In Los Angeles, the General Consul, Ambassador Abdul-Latif Al-Yahia, held a gathering on the two national occasions. It was attended by a representative of the city mayor, many ranking officials, Arab and foreign diplomats, businessmen, Kuwaiti students and others.

On the national occasions, Al-Yahia congratulated His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah AlAhmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, HH the Crown Prince Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah and HH the Prime Minister Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak Al-Hamad Al-Sabah.

He expressed utter pleasure for these dear anniversaries, hoping the homeland would witness further stability, progress and prosperity, under the sagacious leadership of HH the Amir.

The general consul thanked the attendees, noting Kuwait’s keenness on promoting further the close ties with the US. He also recalled the pivotal and historic role of Washington in the liberation of the country from the Iraqi occupation in 1991.

Meanwhile in Canada, the Kuwaiti embassy held a similar reception on the occasions.

Ambassador Ali Al-Sammak was on top of the Kuwaiti diplomats who welcomed the participants in the ceremonial meeting. The ambassador in this respect underlined the growing ties between Kuwait and Canada.

A large number of Kuwaiti students studying in Canada attended the ceremony that was

marked with patriotic, pop and folkloric songs and music. Many Canadian MPs and friends of the Kuwaiti embassy staff were also present.

In Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, Ali Al-Sagaabi, the general consul of the State of Kuwait, also organized a ceremonial gathering, last night, marking the anniversaries of Kuwait.

Greeting Kuwait’s top leaders and people for fall of the occasions, he prayed God to bestow further grace upon the dear homeland. Officials and members of the ruling family were present at the ceremony.

Kuwaiti embassy in Hungary also celebrated national occasions in a ceremony attended by top Hungarian ministers and officials as well as heads of Arab and foreign diplomatic missions.

Kuwaiti Ambassador to Hungary AbdulHamid Al-Filichawi extended his greeting on these National Holidays to the Kuwaiti leadership and the people, wishing security, stability and prosperity of the homeland.

On the fringes of this celebratory gathering, the envoy noted that bringing people from different nationalities to an event such this is an opportunity to familiarize them with the Kuwaiti culture and heritage.

Al-Filichawai described the KuwaitiHungarian relations as “very exceptional and constantly developing.” He also said that there is a desire between the two countries’ leaderships to enhance these ties in all different domains, referring to a number of meetings that will take place in Budapest in May. The Kuwaiti diplomat also mentioned the supporting stance of Hungary to Kuwait during the 1990 Iraqi invasion.

In Thailand, the Kuwaiti embassy held a similar celebration seen by an ensemble of top Thai officials, well-known social figures and diplomats. Kuwaiti acting charge d’affaires Fahad Saqer Al-Jimaz said that the Kuwaiti-Thai relations are good and there are ongoing efforts to always take these ties to the next level.

In Nicosia, Kuwait’s Ambassador to Cyprus Ahmad Salem Al-Wehaib hosted a reception to mark the national days, which gathered a large number of official and political attendants, notably Cypriot President Demetris Christofias, Minister of foreign affairs, Minister of finance, Cypriot Vice President-elect, and a number of senior officials at foreign ministry, officials, diplomats, economists, and prominent figures in Cypriot society.

During the reception, Ambassador AlWehaib lauded Kuwaiti-Cypriot strong relations, noting that they majorly improved recently in various areas.

In Tirana, Kuwaiti Ambassador to Albania Najib Abdulrahman Al-Bader hosted a celebration to mark the national days and was attended

by Albanian Prime Minister Sali Berisha, his wife Liri Berisha, Albanian House Speaker Josefina Topalli, Lulzim Basha, Mayor of Tirana, a number of Arab, foreign, and international organizations, ministers and ambassadors, Tirana’s members of parliament, heads of various political parties, investment, economic, and cultural institutions, and members of Kuwaiti embassy in Tirana.

During the celebration, Ambassador AlBader stressed the depth of historical and distinctive relations between Kuwait and Albania in all political, economic, and cultural fields, noting

that mutual visits by senior officials in both countries fruited in signing many cooperation agreements between the two countries.

In Jakarta, Kuwaiti Ambassador to Indonesia Nasser Al-Enizi hosted a celebration to mark the national days and was attended by many senior Indonesian officials such as ministers, members of parliament, presidents of political parties, heads of Islamic societies, and a number of prominent figures in the Indonesian society.

During the celebration, Ambassador Al-Enizi congratulated HH the Amir Sheikh Sabah AlAhmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, HH the Crown Prince Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah and HH the Prime Minister Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak Al-Sabah as well as all the Kuwaiti people and government on this occasion.

In Laos, Kuwaiti Ambassador to Laos Nabeel Rashid Al-Dikheel hosted a reception to mark the national days, which was attended by Minister of Justice Chaleun Yiapaoheu, Khemmani Pholsena, Vice Minister of Industry and Commerce, Alounkeo Kittikhoun, Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs, Ponmek Dalaloy, former Minister of Health, Dr. Sananh Chounlamany, Vice-President of Lao National Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and number of parliament’s members, ambassadors, officials, businessmen, journalist, as well as heads of diplomatic missions, offices of accredited international organizations in Laos.

During the reception, Ambassador AlDekheel praised development of Kuwaiti-Lao relations and progress it is making in all areas, affirming keenness of both countries’ leaders in bolstering these relations. —KUNA

SATURDAY, MARCH 2, 2013

Egypt opposition heads snub Kerry

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China executes four foreigners

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No pope! Catholic leaderless for now

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RAJSHAHI: Bangladeshi police officials fire rubber bullets and teargas shells towards demonstrators during a clash with Jamaat-e-Islami activists in the north western city of Rajshahi, about 260 kms from the capital Dhaka yesterday. — AFP

Bangladesh death toll hits 53 Fresh outbursts of violence erupts DHAKA: The number of people killed in clashes in Bangladesh over the conviction of Islamist leaders for war crimes rose to 53 yesterday, as fresh outbursts of violence erupted. Two people were killed after hundreds of pro-government supporters and followers of the rival Jamaat-eIslami party fought with sticks in two northern districts of Gaibandha and Chapainawabganj, police chiefs said.

Police also fired rubber bullets and tear gas to disperse Jamaat protesters in the capital Dhaka, after they tried to launch marches following weekly prayers, leaving several people injured, police said. On Thursday, violence flared across the country after Jamaat’s vice president was sentenced to death for murder, religious persecution and rape during the 1971 independence war.

Firebrand preacher Delwar Hossain Sayedee, 73, was the third person to be convicted by a war crimes tribunal whose verdicts have been met by outrage from Islamists who say the process is more about settling scores than delivering justice. At least 35 people were killed in Thursday’s unrest, according to an AFP toll compiled after talking to police in 15 districts where protests have turned deadly. Twenty-three of those killed Thursday were shot dead after police opened fire on thousands of rampaging Jamaat supporters who attacked law-enforcers with sticks and stones.

According to Sultana Kamal, head of rights

group Ain O Salish Kendra, it was the deadliest political day of violence since independence was won from Pakistan in 1971. Yesterday’s killings brought the total number killed since the tribu-

nal delivered its first verdict on January 21 to 53, police said. Jamaat, which has rejected the court’s verdicts as politically motivated, put the death toll from Thursday’s violence at 50, saying

Phone health apps touted as lifesavers BARCELONA: Health-related applications for smartphones and tablets are a booming business, but in Africa and Asia “mobile health” could actually be a lifesaver for millions, industry leaders and aid organizations say. Mobile phones could save up to a million lives over the next five years in sub-Saharan Africa, according to a report by mobile industry association GSMA and global consultants PwC released at the February 25-28 Mobile World Congress in Barcelona.

Africa’s population of one billion is among the world’s least “connected” yet more than a third already own a mobile phone, often in the most isolated areas, added a study by Wireless Intelligence. The same is true in other parts of the world.

“In India, a lot of people have no access to Internet, they sometimes can’t read, but they have a mobile phone,” said Sara Chamberlain,

head of information and communications technology for India for BBC Media Action. “It’s often the only device they can access,” said Chamberlain, who works on mobile health campaigns.

An SMS text information campaign can significantly improve the impact and efficiency of organizations’ disease prevention programs, she said. “In maternal, newborn and child health, we are witnessing the game-changing effects that mobile technology has to offer through services such as pregnancy and birth registries, immunization and nutrition tracking,” said Patricia Mechael, executive director of mHealth Alliance.

These services could prove useful in sub-Saharan Africa for instance, where more than 1.2 million newborns die each year and one in nine children do not reach the age of five, according to the report by GSMA and PwC. —AFP

its “innocent” supporters were shot dead by police who “hunted them like birds”. Security was tightened around thousands of mosques across the Muslim-majority nation ahead of weekly prayers, with border guards posted in major cities.

“We’ve deployed police intelligence inside mosques and plain-clothed police outside,” Mehedi Hasan, deputy Dhaka police commissioner, said. Police have banned a number of planned demonstrations at several trouble spots while the country’s biggest mosque, Baitul Mokarram, locked some of its gates to limit numbers.

Security was stepped up in Hindu villages and temples after homes and places of worships were torched and vandalized by Islamists in the southern Noakhali and Chittagong districts, killing one Hindu man, police said.

The war crimes tribunal has been shaken by controversies and allegations that it is targeting only the opposition with trumped-up charges.

Rights groups say its legal procedures fall short of international standards. The government rejects the accusations, saying the tribunal is independent and the trials are fair and necessary to heal the wounds of the war it says claimed three million lives. It accuses Jamaat leaders of being part of pro-Pakistani militias blamed for much of the 1971 carnage. Independent estimates put the war death toll much lower at between 300,000 and 500,000. — AFP

INTERNATIONAL

SATURDAY, MARCH 2, 2013

US ‘biscuits and Band-Aid’ for Syria ridiculed WASHINGTON: The United States may be stepping deeper into the Syrian war by agreeing to give the rebels direct aid for the first time, but some analysts fear it is likely too little, too late.

With the grueling conflict poised to enter its third year, the statistics are grim. According to UN figures, some 70,000 people have been killed as the fighting has spread and the regime of President Bashar Al-Assad has turned to increasingly brutal methods, including unleashing Scud missiles.

But with few independent eyes on the ground, observers say the true death toll may already have topped 100,000 and some scoff at the idea that Assad will comply with international calls for a political transition any time soon.

Secretary of State John Kerry said Thursday that President Barack Obama’s administration was providing an extra $60 million in non-lethal assistance to the opposition coalition to help rebuild and provide assistance in “liberated areas” of Syria.

A senior US official said the aim was to thwart the growing influence of extremist groups and show that the opposition “can deliver a better day... where daily life is governed neither by the brutality of the Assad regime nor by the agenda of Al-Qaeda-affiliated extremists.”

So far, the US has provided some $385 million in humanitarian aid to the Syrian people, mostly distributed through non-governmental organizations, plus $110 million total non-lethal aid

with the newly announced funds. Kerry said Washington would separately “extend food and medical supplies” to armed rebels. But the news disappointed those hoping the United States might mirror moves it made in Libya in 2011 and provide some kind of protective military hardware, such as body armor.

“It took seven months to get to the biscuits

and Band-Aid,” said the director of the Brookings Doha Center, Salman Shaikh, referring to the lengthy negotiations to reach what has been billed as a major shift in US policy. “I don’t necessarily see things being speeded up, though you have a new secretary of state who has got a new tone.” But Shaikh insisted: “I don’t think it’s a pathway to arming the opposition at this point

ALEPPO: Photo shows a Syrian child, injured by heavy bombing from military warplanes, in the town of Hanano in Aleppo, Syria yesterday. — AP

News

in brief

SpaceX rocket blasts off CAPE CANAVERAL: A rocket built by Space Exploration Technologies blasted off yesterday carrying a capsule filled with food, supplies and science experiments for the International Space Station. The 157-foot tall Falcon 9 rocket and Dragon cargo ship lifted off at 10:10 am from the company’s leased launch pad at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, just south of NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

“Beautiful liftoff. Probably seen more than 75 in my life, but it just never gets old,” NASA’s Associate Administrator Lori Garver posted on Twitter as the rocket punched through partly cloudy skies and headed toward orbit. The Dragon capsule, which carries more than 2,300 pounds (1,043 kg) of science equipment, spare parts, food and supplies, is scheduled to reach the station today morning.

Bahrain overturns acquittal MANAMA: A senior Bahrain prosecutor says an appeals court has overturned the acquittal and sentenced the daughter of a jailed opposition leader to three months in prison. Zainab AlKhawaja was convicted of insulting a public employee. The decision is the latest in a series of charges against her related to protests calling for the release of her father, Abdulhadi AlKhawaja, who is among eight opposition figures sentenced to life imprisonment. Bahrain’s majority Shiites have led a more than 2-year uprising seeking a greater political voice in the Sunni-ruled Gulf kingdom, which is home to the US Navy’s 5th Fleet. The official Bahrain News Agency yesterday quoted Executive Prosecution Chief Amina Isa as saying the appeals court sided with prosecutors to reinstate charges against AlKhawaja and seek jail time.

Birth of planet spotted SANTIAGO: Astronomers using a powerful telescope in southern Chile said yesterday they have captured the first direct image of a protoplanet forming around another star, still embedded in thick gas and dust. An international team of researchers said the disc of gas and dust surrounding the young star HD 100546, located 335 light years from Earth in the Milky Way galaxy, would be a gas giant similar to Jupiter. “So far, planet formation has mostly been a topic tackled by computer simulations,” said lead scientist Sascha Quanz, an astronomer at Swiss university ETH Zurich. “If our discovery is indeed a forming planet, then for the first time scientists will be able to study the planet formation process and the interaction of a forming planet and its natal environment empirically at a very early stage.”

in time. I just don’t think President Obama’s convinced of that.” He has spent months contacting tribal elders, senior Syrian businessmen and some of the country’s leading families and has shed his previous reservations about America arming the rebels.

“The regime will never negotiate in good faith, they will go to the bitter end,” Shaikh told journalists, saying Assad could still count on some 60,000 to 70,000 troops and was reportedly even arming civilians loyal to him. Last year, Obama rejected a plan put together by his national security team, including Kerry’s predecessor Hillary Clinton, to arm trusted rebel groups. But analysts say America’s tepid response is now creating the kind of vacuum in which militant groups can flourish, and may damage US hopes of gaining long-term sway with whatever post-Assad government emerges.

The Al-Nusra Front-designated a terror organization by the State Department late last yearhas so far been one of the most effective rebel groups on the ground, having honed its skills on Iraqi battlefields. Shaikh highlighted that AlNusra was now providing aid in some villages, “making social connections in a part of the world where people are very poor, but increasing desperate.” However, in “a post-Iraq war and a postAfghan context, there really is limited appetite” to put US boots on the ground, said Aram Nerguizian, senior fellow at the Center for Strategic and International Studies.— AFP

Jerusalem road cuts Arab village, drives discontent City council says road needed, serves all communities JERUSALEM: The mechanical diggers start work soon after dawn, cutting through a leafy village on the outskirts of Jerusalem to build a six-lane highway that has become the latest focal point of Arab-Israeli discontent. The road leads directly to Jewish settlements, built on occupied land around the foothills of Bethlehem. When finished, it will allow the settlers to speed down to Israel’s thriving coastal plains, unhindered by traffic lights or roundabouts.

Their gain is coming at the expense of Beit Safafa, home to some 10,000 people - a largely Arab neighborhood and a rare oasis of peace and calm in an often troubled region. “Ever since the Israelis arrived, all they have done is take land away from the village. Now they are cutting it in two with their road,” said 38-year-old Ala Salman, whose house rattles with the roar of diggers tearing up the nearby ground. “Their aim is to force us all away.”

Local Jewish politicians dismiss any such accusations, saying the road was approved back in 1990 and is part of the normal expansion any major city must undergo to cope with a growing population and increased traffic flows. “This is fulfilling the role of a ring road for the city, helping both the Jewish and Arab communities,” said deputy Jerusalem mayor, Naomi Tzur. “It is perfectly legitimate for the residents to complain, but I do not think this should be seen as part of a geopolitical struggle,” she added. That is an almost impossible wish in this part of the world, where every rock and olive tree is marked by history.

Unlike some nearby Arab villages, most of Beit Safafa’s residents stayed put during the 1948 Arab-Israeli war, but their community was split in two under the 1949 armistice, with a fence built to divide the Jordanian and Israeli halves. After Israel’s victory in the 1967 war, the village was re-united.

Swathes of surrounding agricultural land were taken for Jewish settlements and industrial estates, but the village itself remained largely intact, its neat stone houses interspersed by flowery meadows and olive groves. “If this was a Jewish neighborhood, there would be 100,000 people living here,” said Yair Singer, one of the road construction engineers. “Time cannot stand still.”

TUNNEL VISION When the bulldozers arrived in November, activists went straight to court, saying they had never received detailed plans and arguing that the road broke safety norms by coming within less than 10 meters of some of the homes. They lost the initial verdict and have appealed.

Locals are also staging regular protests, looking to block access to another major road that flanks Beit Safafa on its way to the adjacent urban settlement of Gilo. Yesterday, eight protesters were detained after their latest demonstration. “Beit Safafa was a very peaceful place. We have not made any trouble. But because we are Arabs, they think they can do what they like to us,” said Salman, an artisan who earns his living by making Jewish ornaments in a nearby workshop.

In all, 1,000 people in the village will be left isolated on the wrong side of the highway. Promises by city authorities to build two or three road bridges to connect them to the rest of their community bring little cheer. Locals say it will only lead to more land confiscation, more tarmac and less greenery. Instead, they want the entire 1.6 km stretch of road covered by a tunnel. “Unfortunately we cannot cancel the road, but we are trying to limit the damage,” said Nisreen Alyan, a lawyer and Beit Safafa resident.

Villagers point to two stretches of the same highway that have already been completed and were concealed inside tunnels when they neared Jewish neighborhoods.

Deputy mayor Tsur says the city, as a concession, has promised to cover 180 meters of the new road, but that further tunneling would not be possible because it would require fresh planning permission, which would take years to complete. She hinted that Arabs lacked political clout because most refused to take part in local elections in protest against Israel’s annexation of East Jerusalem after 1967. “We have a basic problem that Arabs do not engage in city politics. They should have a third of the seats in the city council ... and they don’t take advantage of the electoral system as they should,” she said.— Reuters

INTERNATIONAL SATURDAY, MARCH 2, 2013

Netanyahu seeks time to build new coalition March 16 seen as deadline to secure majority JERUSALEM: Deadlocked talks with potential coalition partners have forced Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to seek more time to build a new government and avert a possible snap election, officials said yesterday. They said Netanyahu would meet President Shimon Peres on Saturday to ask for a two-week extension after his right-wing party, the narrow victor in Israel’s Jan 22 ballot, exhausted the standard four weeks allotted to build a coalition. Peres is expected to accept Netanyahu’s request.

However, should Netanyahu fail to win enough allies for a parliamentary majority by March 16 and a third term as premier, Peres could hand the task to a rival party leader. If no government emerged then, Israelis must return to the polls. US President Barack Obama is due to visit Israel at the end of March to discuss the stalemate in Palestinian statehood talks and other regional challenges like Iran and Syria. But he would likely cancel if Netanyahu failed to form a coalition. Washington has not published dates for Obama’s trip, and the US ambassador to Israel, Daniel Shapiro, has said it would take place only after the Israelis had a new government.

Netanyahu’s Likud-Beitenu ticket won 31 of the Knesset’s 120 seats in the January vote - an eroded lead that required he cast a wide net for partners while juggling their disparate demands. He has faced unified resistance from the parties that placed second and fourth, Yesh Atid (There is a Future) and Bayit Yehudi (Jewish Home), which insist Israel scale back the mass exemptions from military conscription and the welfare stipends it provides to ultraOrthodox Jews. The third-biggest Israeli party, centre-left Labor, has ruled out entering a government under Netanyahu.

Likud Beitenu has tried without success to drive a wedge between the centrist Yesh Atid and the ultranationalist Bayit

Yehudi, which differ on other major issues such as how - and if Israel should revive peacemaking with the Palestinians. After inconclusive meetings with both parties Likud Beitenu negotiator David Shimron said Netanyahu’s party would not accept a boycott of the ultra-Orthodox, telling reporters: “We will have to see where we go from here in forming a government.”

Netanyahu’s outgoing coalition includes two ultra-Orthodox parties which have generally backed him on other policies such as the settlement of occupied West Bank land in defiance of world powers, who support the Palestinian drive for a state.

Fourth placed Bayit Yehudi is even less accommodating of the Palestinians than Netanyahu, who says he wants to revive stalled peace talks. By contrast, the centrist Yesh Atid says Netanyahu has not done enough to make peace with the Palestinians. Opinion polls suggest that if a new election were held now, Yesh Atid and Bayit Yehudi, which currently hold 19 and 12 seats respectively, would make further gains on Netanyahu. Analysts attribute that to middle-class Israelis’ support for the newcomer parties’ stand against ultra-Orthodox perks.

Bayit Yehudi says this has eclipsed concern in the Jewish state for the Palestinians, who are themselves divided between USbacked moderates and hardline Hamas Islamists. “Our understandings with Yesh Atid are already proving to have brought positive results for both parties,” Bayit Yehudi negotiator Eyal Gabbai told Israel’s Army Radio. Netanyahu has so far reached a deal with just one other party, the centrist Hatnuah led by former Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni, which brings six seats to his coalition. Livni has made achieving a peace accord with the Palestinians her core policy.— Reuters

CAIRO: Egyptian activists and youth perform the Internet craze, the “Harlem Shake” in front of the Muslim Brotherhood headquarters in Cairo on February 28, 2013. — AFP

Egypt opposition heads snub Kerry CAIRO: An Egyptian opposition head said he and colleague Mohamed ElBaradei have turned down invitations to meet Secretary of State John Kerry when he visits Cairo because of US pressure. Hamdeen Sabahi, a leader of the National Salvation Front (NSF), said late Thursday that he and ElBaradei objected to Washington’s call for the opposition to reconsider its boycott of Egypt’s parliamentary election in April. Kerry is expected in Egypt over the weekend. “I received an invitation and turned it down, and Dr ElBaradei received an invitation and he turned it down,” Sabahi said in an interview with ONTV television channel. “We want to send a message that we reject American pressure,” Sabahi added.

An aide of another NSF leader, former foreign minister Amr Mussa, said Mussa would also not attend a meeting with Kerry at which the opposition could be pressed to reconsider its boycott. “We see that there is not way we can participate in the election, this is an NSF decision, and the unity of the NSF is our number one priority,” the aide said, on condition of anonymity. He said Mussa would instead send a representative. The opposition has sought to ratchet the pressure on Islamist President Mohamed Morsi with a combination of street protests and a boycott of the election, to be held over three months.

The NSF had demanded guarantees

that the election will be transparent as a condition to participate. It has complained of what it sees as US support for Morsi, whom some NSF members backed in last June’s election against ousted leader Hosni Mubarak’s last Prime Minister, Ahmed Shafiq. But they now accuse Morsi of having betrayed the values of the uprising which overthrew Mubarak in early 2011 and having sidelined liberals and Christians since he took power. US President Barack Obama last week told Morsi in a phone conversation that he welcomed his “commitment” to represent all Egyptians but encouraged him and the opposition to find common ground.— AFP

Gulf awaits Kerry...

Continued from Page 1 Gulf states would like to see Washington “lift its veto on arms sent to the rebels,” said Sager. “Some Gulf states, particularly Saudi Arabia and Qatar, feel the US is not going far enough or fast enough in Syria, but Kerry seems to be injecting a little more urgency in the Syrian situation,” said Salman Shaikh from Qatarbased Brookings Doha Centre. GCC countries are also concerned over US policies on their neighbor Iran and its nuclear program.

For some Gulf countries, “Kerry is not tough enough on Iran,” said Alani. “They think the United States should leave the military option on the table in case the policy of sanctions fails.” They have little faith in the US preference for sanctions to curb Iran’s nuclear ambitions. In Gulf eyes, such policies have proven to be a “failure and ineffective” in the cases of Iraq under late dictator Saddam Hussein, Sudan and in North Korea, Alani said.

Sager said the US and the GCC also had “core differences on Bahrain,” where security forces boosted by Saudi-led Gulf troops crushed Shiite-dominated protests in March 2011. “The United States sees political demands (in Bahrain) whereas GCC countries see a problem of terrorism,” said Sager. On the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, Gulf states have made no secret of their frustration at the US administration’s failure to pressure its Israeli ally into a twostate solution. For Shaikh, the Gulf monarchies, which are staunch US allies, were alarmed by “how quickly (President Barack) Obama has moved away from his old allies” in Arab Spring countries like Egypt and Tunisia. — AFP

7-year-old girl raped Continued from Page 1 “The crowds have dispersed and the situation is normal,” the official said. Police are investigating the case, he added, declining to comment on local media reports that three mentwo school-teachers and a security guard-have been detained for questioning.

Delhi chief minister Sheila Dikshit called the attack “shameful”. “Rape inside a school is a shocking incident. It is shameful that it happened,” she said. India has seen a surge in anti-rape demonstrations in recent weeks after thousands took to the streets to protest against police inaction following the fatal gang-rape of a 23-year-old student on a moving bus in Delhi in December. Last month, furious villagers in the western state of Maharashtra staged protests after police failed to make headway in a case in which three sisters between six and 11 were raped, killed and dumped in a well. India’s home minister in an address to parliament yesterday promised a probe into the deaths of the three children and said he was “deeply shocked at the despicable, ghastly and brutal” incident.

No arrests have yet been made in connection with that case. Family members said the girls went missing in midFebruary after going out to look for their mother. They were found in the well two days after their disappearance. In an earlier incident in January at a school in the Indian resort state of Goa, a seven-year-old girl was raped after being dragged into a toilet next to the headmistress’ office during a class break. The attack prompted state-wide demonstrations and police launched a massive manhunt for the attacker who is still at large. Police arrested the headmistress on charges of negligence and destruction of evidence for ordering a teacher to “clean up” the child following the attack. — AFP

US, Israel fume...

Continued from Page 1 who requested anonymity, adding: “I am sure the secretary will be very clear about how dismayed we were to hear it.”

“We have been working hard over the last couple of years to foster a better cooperation to restore what was once an historic cooperation between Turkey and Israel,” he added.

Turkish-Israeli relations have remained in free-fall since Israeli troops raided a Gaza-bound Turkish aid ship in 2010, killing nine people.

The incident strained bi-lateral military and diplomatic ties and left Washington in a bind to mend relations between its two fundamental allies in the region. Turkey, once a close ally of Syria, has joined the US in its campaign to oust the regime of President Bashar Al-Assad and has given shelter to Syrian rebels and to nearly 200,000 refugees along its volatile border. In January, the United States began deploying Patriot missiles, along with Germany and the Netherlands, as part of a NATO mission to protect Turkey from any spillover of the Syrian conflict. — AFP

INTERNATIONAL

SATURDAY, MARCH 2, 2013

Angry scenes in China amid land grab protest BEIJING: Villagers in southern China were yesterday locked in a tense standoff with police after angry protests over land rights, local residents said, as Beijing prepares for its annual meeting of legislators. Residents of Shangpu, in the province of Guangdong, have occupied the village square since last Friday amid claims that corrupt local officials were selling local land, the US-based Radio Free Asia website reported. Hired thugs employed by local officials attempted to remove the protesters on Sunday but were repelled in angry scenes which saw 30 cars being smashed, RFA said. Police arrived to clear the square and became caught up

in the clash, it added.

Six people were arrested, according to the website of the local Jiexi county government. Authorities have since called on the protesters to clear the square, RFA said. A nearby resident who spoke to AFP said the demonstrators were continuing to occupy the square, in a protest echoing a dispute in the nearby village of Wukan which became a symbol of resistance against corruption last year. The resident, who gave his surname as Lin, said: “Right now, both sides are in a stalemate, but there is no more fighting. Police have blocked roads to keep other people away.

Meetings are being held.”

Another villager, surnamed Li, confirmed the road blockage and said 10 or more people had “suffered serious injuries” since the tensions started. Li said that officials in Mianhu township, which has jurisdiction over the area, had called the residents “unreasonable” and blamed them for the trouble. He added that villagers appealed to senior officials and were awaiting a reply.

Villagers in Wukan began protesting in September 2011 in what was initially seen as just another bout of social unrest in China, where land grabs have become a major source of discontent.

But the death of one of the protest leaders in police custody two months

later led to villagers taking their demonstration a step further, barricading roads leading into Wukan and facing off with security forces for more than a week. Then, unexpectedly, Communist Party authorities backed down and promised villagers rare concessions, including pledges to investigate the land dispute and allow village polls to be held in an open manner-a first in Wukan. Many in Wukan claim little has changed since the elections, which were held at the start of last year’s annual session of the National People’s Congress (NPC), or parliament. This year’s meeting begins in Beijing on Tuesday. — AFP

China executes four foreigners BEIJING: China executed four foreigners yesterday for the killing of 13 Chinese sailors on the Mekong River in an attack that highlighted drug smuggling and extortion rackets along the vital waterway and led to a major expansion of Chinese police powers in the region. State broadcaster CCTV showed the four being led in shackles and handcuffs from their cells at a jail in southwestern Yunnan province’s capital of Kunming prior to their execution by lethal injection. Their deaths were announced two hours later by the Yunnan provincial police department.

Accused ringleader Naw Kham and accomplices Hsang Kham, Yi Lai, and Zha Xiha were found guilty of the murder of the 13 Chinese sailors. The four are of Myanmar, Thai, Laotian, and unknown nationality. Two others were given a suspended death sentence and eight years in prison for involvement in the killings. The gang was accused of ambushing two flat-bottomed Chinese cargo ships on the upper reaches of the Mekong River on Oct 5, 2011, in Myanmar waters infested with gangs that make their living from protection rackets and the production and smuggling of heroin, methamphetamine and other drugs.

The Mekong flows south from Yunnan through the infamous Golden Triangle region, where the borders of Myanmar, Laos and Thailand meet, and provides a vital trade and transportation route between southwestern China and Southeast Asia. The ships were recovered downriver later that day by Thai police following a gun battle with gang members, and the bodies of the 13 victims, some bound by the hands before being stabbed and shot, were fished from the river over the following days.

Methamphetamine was found on the boats, leading to speculation they had been hijacked as part of a drug smuggling plot.

However, gang members later testified the killings were in retaliation for the ships refusing to pay protection money and allowing themselves to be used by Thai and Laotian soldiers in attacks on warlord bases. They said the drugs were placed on board to make it look like there had been a struggle between smugglers.

China’s Public Security Ministry made the case a top priority, forming a 200-officer special investigation group and working with Thai, Lao, and Myanmar authorities to gather evidence and track down the perpetrators. Naw Kham was arrested in Laos last April and turned over to China the following month along with the other defendants. Because the killings took place on board Chineseflagged vessels, Beijing, whose massive economy and powerful military give it considerable sway over its smaller southern neighbors, ruled the trials should take place in China. The four were sentenced to death in November in a two-day trial, and the judgment was upheld by China’s Supreme People’s Court in Beijing following an automatic appeal in accordance with Chinese law.

In their testimony, the four said they had conspired with renegade Thai soldiers, nine of whom were arrested in October 2011 in Thailand and charged with taking part in the killings. They have yet to be tried or extradited, and remain in Thai army custody. —AP

TANDUO: Malaysian Police escort the body of dead police commandos killed in a mortar attack during a stand-off with Sulu gunmen in Tanduo village near Lahad Datu, on the Malaysian island of Borneo yesterday. — AFP

Fourteen killed in Malaysia standoff with Filipino clan Filipino Muslim royal clan occupy a village in Malaysia KUALA LUMPUR: Fourteen people were killed in a shootout yesterday as Malaysian authorities tried to end a three-week standoff with about 200 members of a Filipino clan occupying a village in eastern Malaysia, police said. Members of a Muslim royal clan from the southern Philippines landed in the coastal village of Lahad Datu in Sabah state on Feb 9 to claim the territory as their own, citing ownership documents from the late 1800s.

Twelve clan members and two Malaysian police commandos were killed early yesterday in a 30-minute shootout, Sabah Police Chief Hamza Taib said.

Malaysian authorities were tightening a security cordon around the village when members of the clan opened fire, he said, adding that three policemen were injured in the shootout. He said the standoff was ongoing. “We don’t want to engage them but they fired at us. We have no option but to return fire,” Hamza told the Associated Press by telephone.

Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak was quoted by The Star newspaper as say-

ing he had given security forces the authority to take whatever action they thought necessary to end the standoff. He said he regretted the bloodshed. “I am very sad over the incident because what we had wanted to prevent, which is bloodshed, had actually happened,” Najib said. The village was occupied by a group led by Agbimuddin Kiram, a brother of the head of a Filipino Muslim royal clan. The group earlier ignored appeals from Philippine President Benigno Aquino III to leave immediately or face prosecution at home on charges of triggering an armed conflict.

Filipino officials, citing Malaysia’s ambassador to the Philippines, Mohamad Zamri Mohamad Kassim, said earlier yesterday that 10 members of the clan surrendered to police following the shootout, while the rest fled and were being pursued

by Malaysian authorities.

But Hamza said no one had surrendered. He said clan members remained holed up in the village and that the security operation was ongoing. “We will assess the situation again. We want them to sur-

render peacefully. If they still insist, we have no choice, but there is no time frame,” he said.

The Philippine government reiterated its appeal to the group to give up its arms and return home. “The continued defiance has to stop for the peaceful solution of this incident,” said Defense Ministry spokesman Peter Paul Galvez. The Philippines requested that medics aboard a Philippine navy ship near the village be allowed onshore to treat any of the Filipinos who may have been wounded yesterday and take them and the others back to the country. There was no immediate response to the request.

Earlier yesterday, Kiram told Philippine radio station DZBB in Manila that Malaysian police surrounding the village opened fire and that his group fought back. He said there were fatalities on the Filipino side, but there was no independent confirmation.

“They suddenly came in; we had to defend ourselves,” Kiram said. Sounds of shots were heard in the background while he was being interviewed by phone. —AP

INTERNATIONAL

SATURDAY, MARCH 2, 2013

British PM humiliated in election rout EASTLEIGH: British Prime Minister David Cameron was under pressure yesterday after his Conservatives were beaten into third place in a key election by his scandal-hit coalition partners and a eurosceptic party. Cameron admitted it was a “disappointing” night for his party after the Liberal Democrats held the parliamentary seat of Eastleigh in southern England in a contest billed as the most important British by-election in a generation.

The Conservatives had hoped at least to come in second but they were condemned to third place by the antiEuropean Union and anti-immigration UK Independence Party, which registered its best ever performance. The vote was sparked by the resignation of disgraced former energy minister Chris Huhne, a Liberal Democrat who has pleaded guilty to trying to avoid a speeding fine.

Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg, whose own position as Lib Dem leader had been on the line after a collapse in the party’s poll ratings, said the “stunning victory” showed they “can be a party of government and still win”.

UKIP leader Nigel Farage insisted the party’s best ever result in a British election was not a “protest vote”. Cameron said he was “confident” the Conservatives could win back support at the next general election, which is due in 2015. “It is a disappointing result for the Conservative party but it’s clear that in mid-term by-elections people want to register a protest,” the prime minister told the BBC.

RIGA: Latvia’s Prime Minister Valdis Dombrovskis (right) and British Prime Minister David Cameron meet in Riga, Latvia, on Thursday, Feb 28, 2013.

Cameron is on an official visit to Latvia to discuss matters of European mutual interest. — AP The returning officer announced shortly after 0200 GMT yesterday that Lib Dem candidate Mike Thornton had secured 13,342 votes, 1,771 more than UKIP representative Diane James. Tory nominee Maria Hutchings limped in third with 10,559 votes in a seat that the Conservatives held as recently as 1994, while the main opposition Labor party’s candidate John O’Farrell was fourth with 4,088. The Lib Dems overcame not only the Huhne scandal, but also an ongoing row surrounding the

UK-France ‘entente frugale’ pact strives

LONDON: Dubbed the “entente frugale” by wags and criticized by some as a dangerous dilution of military sovereignty, Franco-British defense cooperation is nonetheless growing stronger.

Shrinking budgets, a less indulgent United States and Europe’s diminishing military clout in the world have bolstered the two countries’ determination to work together. That contrasts with the prickly relations between French and British politicians, who have come to blows in recent months on everything from taxes to the European Union budget.

“While the politicians may trade barbs, defense knows there’s nowhere else to go other than working closely together,” said James Arbuthnot, head of the British parliament’s Defense Select Committee. “At the defense level the cooperation and friendships are more than cordial, they are warm,” he said, joking that he had forgiven France for killing an ancestor at Trafalgar. But there have been hiccups in the complex business of bringing Europe’s two biggest militaries together.

Britain has in recent weeks helped France with logistics in Mali, where French forces are battling Islamist rebels, but senior military officials had to step in when British pilots refused to carry French ration packs containing matches. “So what? You can’t carry matches or lighters on British military planes. I think we can work around that,” said a French military official, speaking on condition of anonymity.

“There’s no question how strong our

military ties are. There is no questioning the need for strong defense cooperation, everyone’s convinced of that on both sides of the channel.” There are more serious problems in cooperation on equipment projects, and some question how much each country is prepared to depend on the other to defend vital national interests.

‘WE PAY AND WE PLAY’ Since the Lancaster House defense cooperation treaties of 2010, Britain and France have joined forces to counter Islamists in Mali and helped topple Libya’s Muammar Gaddafi. Last month pilots from each country flew the other’s new fighter jets for the first time, following a major joint naval exercise in October dubbed “Corsican Lion”, part of efforts to create a Combined Joint Expeditionary Force by 2016. And in an unusual step that Arbuthnot labeled an “extreme courtesy”, France has invited Britain’s ambassador - along with a German diplomat - to help draft France’s next long-term military plan, the Livre Blanc.

UN Security Council members France and Britain together account for around half of European military spending, have armed forces of similar size and are unafraid to deploy troops “We pay and we play”, in the words of one British official. But for decades Britain closely allied its defense strategy to that of the United States, while France sought to develop independent military muscle, and in 1966 left U.S.dominated NATO’s integrated military structure. —Reuters

party’s handling of claims that its former chief executive Chris Rennard molested female party members.

A jubilant Clegg told supporters in Eastleigh that they had won the election in “exceptionally difficult circumstances” and that “our opponents have thrown everything at us”. “Two and a half years ago when we entered into coalition with the Conservatives our critics said we were going to lose our soul. Last night we proved those critics are emphatically wrong,” Clegg told

supporters. The coalition has brought in a series of unpopular austerity measures to tackle Britain’s record deficit, but it is the centrist Lib Dems who have taken a far bigger hit in opinion polls than the centre-right Conservatives.

UKIP’s James said her second-place finish was a “humongous shock” that showed the party was now a major force in British politics. Farage-a member of the European parliament who had reportedly considered standing in Eastleigh himself before backing outsaid he was confident UKIP would win seats in the 2015 general election. “If the Conservatives hadn’t split our vote we would have won,” he told the BBC. He said Cameron had alienated voters by “talking about gay marriage, wind turbines, unlimited immigration from India (and) he wants Turkey to join the European Union.”

Senior Conservative David Davis had earlier warned that third place for the party would be a “crisis” that would place serious doubt over Cameron’s leadership. But Cameron rejected the claims and dismissed talk that the party would now lurch to the right. The result came despite Cameron’s pledge in January to renegotiate Britain’s relationship with the European Union and then put British membership of the bloc to a referendum by the end of 2017. The vow was supposed to head off both the threat from UKIP and the increasingly noisy eurosceptic wing of his own Conservative party, but appeared not to have resonated with voters.— AFP

Facing tough times, Czechs long for Communist return Communist party jumps to 2nd in polls, wins in regions PRAGUE: Before the fall of communism, Vaclav Sloup trained the soldiers who caught thousands trying to flee across Czechoslovakia’s fortified border to West Germany. Today, he helps power a Czech communist party that has surged to second place in polls, tapping anger over poverty and graft.

But rivals’ rejection of any alliance with a party they see tainted by trappings of the Cold War era threatens to hamper future formation of governments able to manage a frail economy. When communism collapsed in 1989, the once-dominant party was slow to yield up the reformist wing that emerged in other east European countries. While statues of Lenin have vanished, party lawmakers still greet one another with “comrade” and maintain hardline foreign policy views such as leaving NATO. The Communist Party of Bohemia and Moravia (KSCM), for all its protests that it has reformed, remains a pariah in Czech politics, but a pariah commanding now a 20 percent vote.

Sloup’s rise to become education councilor in the northern region of Karlovy Vary has aroused protests by students and former dissidents that demonstrate the strength of emotion, but the 63-year-old refuses to quit because of his past.

“I carried out my duties when

Europe was divided by an Iron Curtain, and it was in accordance with laws of the time,” he said. “I have nothing to be ashamed of.” Sloup is hardly alone.

Protests in the South Bohemia region have already forced two Communist councilors to resign, one of them also a former border guard and secret police informant. “The Communist party is antidemocratic,” said David Pithart, a 47-year-old environmental consultant, whose father Petr was a leading dissident and served as Czech prime minister in 1990. “The party doesn’t know how to govern any other way,” he said while at a protest in Ceske Budejovice in December.

PROTESTS The communists have jumped past ruling conservative parties to second place in surveys and would be a prospective partner for the poll-leading opposition centre-left Social Democrat party (CSSD) after a 2014 general election. Social Democrat leader Bohuslav Sobotka now talks openly about prospects of forming a minority government backed by Communists. He wants to avoid a repeat of 2010 when his party won the most votes but could not find a partner that would allow it to form a government. Any cooperation, however, would require ending a 1995 ban on

government-level cooperation with the Communists. The Social Democrats will debate this controversial issue at a national congress on March 15-16, and many delegates may yet shrink from any close political contact.

Should they refuse to deal with the Communists, the country would most likely face an awkward coalition of left and right parties that could stall policymaking.

“There is still a Communist party running in elections and getting real support. We can’t behave like they are not democratic,” said Jiri Dienstbier Jr., 43, a party deputy chairman who was active in the 1989 anti-Communist movement and whose father was once jailed with Vaclav Havel for dissent. A Social Democrat and Communist alliance could undo some of the health and pension reforms-that are unpopular for many voters-carried out by Prime Minister Petr Necas’s centreright cabinet since taking power in 2010.

There are broader implications for the political culture. In the longer term, an easing of the taboo could shift Czech politics to the left, allowing a political consolidation and ending years of unstable rule where cabinets with a shaky power base were repeatedly unable to push through their full agenda. —Reuters

International SATURDAY, MARCH 2, 2013

With no pope, Catholic Church leaderless for now VATICAN CITY: The Catholic Church awoke yesterday with no leader following Benedict XVI’s resignation, in which he pledged obedience to his successor and described himself as “simply a pilgrim” starting the final pilgrimage of his life. Now begins a period known as the “sede vacante” or “vacant see” - the transition between the end of one papacy and the start of another. During these few days no more than 20 - a few key players take charge running the Holy See, guiding the College of Cardinals in their deliberations and organizing the conclave to elect Benedict’s successor.

With the 8 pm Thursday end of Benedict’s papacy, every department head in the Vatican lost his job - except for those whose offices are crucial for the smooth running of the transition period. Cardinals on Monday begin meetings to set the conclave date and discuss problems facing the church. Here are the top figures who will run the church in the coming days: CAMERLENGO Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone. The camerlengo, or chamberlain, takes over the dayto-day running the Holy See as soon as the papacy ends. He places the seal on the pope’s study and bedroom and takes possession of the Apostolic Palace, “safeguarding and administering the goods and temporal rights of the Holy See” until a new pope is elected. On Thursday night, Bertone sealed the apartment, which will not be reopened until a new pope is elected. Benedict in 2007 gave the camerlengo job to Bertone, 78, a natural choice given Bertone is currently the Vatican No 2 as secretary of state and runs the Vatican bureaucracy anyway.

A priest of the Salesian order, Bertone was trained as a canon lawyer and taught in various Roman universities for several years before coming to work for the former Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger at the Vatican’s doctrine office in 1995. As secretary of state, Bertone has had Benedict’s unwavering trust, but his legacy has been mixed. He had no diplomatic training coming into the Holy See’s most important diplomatic and administrative post, and critics blame the gaffes of Benedict’s

papacy and current state of the Vatican’s dysfunction on Bertone’s managerial shortcomings. The 2012 leaks of papal documents appeared aimed at undermining his authority further, by exposing power struggles and turf battles that festered under his watch. In his last speech as pope, however, Benedict singled out Bertone for thanks.

COLLEGE OF CARDINALS Cardinal Angelo Sodano. The dean is the senior member of the College of

longtime secretary of state.

As dean he spoke on behalf of all the cardinals in giving a final farewell to Benedict on Thursday, thanking him for his “selfless service.” Sodano and Benedict were known to have clashed when Benedict was Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, particularly over the scandal-plagued Legion of Christ religious order. Sodano was a chief backer and protector of the Legion’s late founder, the Rev Marcial Maciel, even though the Vatican had known for years of solid allegations that he

VATICAN CITY: Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, Vatican Secretary of State (center left with red skull cap) officially takes over the vacant See as camerlengo, chamberlain, before sealing Pope Benedict XVIís apartment, after Benedict left the Vatican on Thursday, Feb. 28, 2013. —AP Cardinals, the so-called “princes” of the church whose main task is to elect a pope.

In one of his first official acts as dean, Sodano on Friday officially summons cardinals to Rome to participate in the conclave, a formality given that most are already here. The dean oversees the preconclave meetings of the College and also has duties inside the conclave itself, including asking the newly elected pontiff if he accepts the job. But Sodano is 85 and cannot vote, so some of those duties shift to the sub-dean. Burly and sociable, the Italian Sodano was Pope John Paul II’s

was sexually molesting his seminarians.

Within Benedict’s first year in office, Maciel was sentenced by the Vatican to a lifetime of penance and prayers for his crimes. That same year Benedict named his trusted Bertone to replace the retiring Sodano as secretary of state.

MASTER OF LITURGICAL CEREMONIES Monsignor Guido Marini. The master of liturgical ceremonies runs the religious side of the conclave and the installation Mass for the new pope, all of them careful-

ly choreographed rites and rituals. He is by the side of the dean when the newly elected pope is asked if he accepts the election.

And as the main witness and notary, he draws up the formal document certifying that the new pope’s name and that he has accepted the job. Benedict appointed Marini to the job in 2007, replacing Monsignor Piero Marini who for two decades was Pope John Paul II’s right-hand man for all things liturgical. The shift was intentional. Under Guido Marini, papal Masses became far more reverent, with more Latin, Gregorian chant and the heavy silk-brocaded vestments of the pre-Vatican II church. In changes introduced just before he resigned, Benedict made clear he wanted this more traditional vision of his papacy carried forward for the installation of a new pope. He called for the rites of installation to be separate from the liturgy itself and for cardinals to make a public pledge of obedience to the new pope during the Mass.

Previously, their pledge of obedience was done in private in the Sistine Chapel immediately after the election. In keeping with Benedict’s classical musical tastes, the new rites also allow for more flexibility in musical choices rather than the modern selections previously in favor. The aim, Marini recently told the Vatican newspaper L’Osservatore Romano, was to make “the most of the rich musical repertoire of church history.”

PROTO-DEACON Cardinal Jean-Louis Tauran. The protodeacon’s main task is to announce to the world that a pope has been elected: “Habemus Papam!” (“We have a pope!”) he shouts from the loggia overlooking St. Peter’s Square after the white smoke has snaked up from the Sistine Chapel chimney. He then introduces the new pope - in Latin - along with the name he has chosen.

The French-born Tauran is a veteran Vatican diplomat who served in the Dominican Republic and Lebanon. He currently heads the Vatican’s office for interreligious dialogue - in other words the Vatican’s primary point man for CatholicMuslim relations. Benedict appointed him proto-deacon in 2011. —AP

‘Believing without belonging,’ Catholicism faces a huge task More people have faith but reject organized religion VATICAN CITY: Roman Catholicism faces a serious challenge from the rising number of people who believe in God but no longer see any need for a church, according to New York Cardinal Timothy Dolan.

Opinion research shows that some people today have problems “with the very nature and meaning of the church”, Dolan, in Rome to prepare for a conclave to elect a replacement to the retired Pope Benedict, told Reuters in an interview. Dolan said this trend, which sociologists of religion call “believing without belonging”, should be high on the list of issues that cardinals discuss at the Vatican next week before they retreat into the Sistine Chapel to vote for the pope.

Benedict officially stepped down on Thursday, the first pope in almost six centuries to do so, and the 115 cardinals due to pick his successor began informal meetings on Friday to discuss procedures for the vote and size up candidates. “We hear that more and more people have absolutely no problem with faith, but they do with religion,” Dolan, 63 and mentioned among possible candidates for the papacy, said. “While more and more people have no problem at all with Jesus Christ, they love him and accept him as their Lord and savior, they do

have problems with the church,” he said. “More and more people don’t see the need for the church.”

The phrase “believing without belonging”, coined by British sociologist Grace Davie in the 1990s, describes the growing number of people who say they are “spiritual but not religious” and leave organized religion behind. The trend, seen in Europe and North America, has especially hurt established Christian churches that have seen their ranks dwindle. In the United States, the “nones” - people with no religious affiliation - have grown from seven to 18 percent of the population since 1972, according to a Pew Forum study.

A third of those born after 1980 are unaffiliated, it said, compared to 15 percent among their “baby boom” parents and five percent in their grandparents’ generation. Dolan noted this and other studies showed most Catholics did not abandon the “faith of their fathers”, but the church could not ignore the trend. “It is a problem,” he said. For Catholics, he said, faith in and love of Jesus Christ have always been linked with being part of the church. “The two were a package deal you don’t have one without the other,” he said. “We have to reclaim

that lustre. We have to reclaim that relationship that Jesus and his church are one.”

RELIGIOUS PERSECUTION The New York archbishop said the Catholic Church, which with 1.2 billion faithful is by far the world’s largest church, should also become more active in fighting religious persecution against people of all faiths around the globe. At a recent synod of bishops to discuss Church efforts to revive Catholicism’s missionary spirit, he said, several bishops suggested the Vatican create a separate office to monitor violations of religious liberty around the world.

“If people are persecuted anywhere for their religious belief, they should be able to look to the Catholic Church as a major defender,” he said. Dolan, who has led opposition to the Obama administration’s healthcare mandate requiring religious institutions to provide birth control in their health plans, said this office should also monitor violations that “take place not in Third World countries but in First World countries”. —Reuters

SATURDAY, MARCH 2, 2013

INTERNATIONAL

SATURDAY, MARCH 2, 2013

Kenya braces for repeat of election bloodshed Front-runners lie neck-and-neck, may face run-off NAIROBI: Kenyans choose a new president on Monday in a closely fought election that has divided the east African nation and raised fears of a repeat of the bloodshed that followed the tightly contested race five years ago. Rival tribe members wielding machetes, knives, and bows and arrows butchered more than 1,200 people after the disputed 2007 vote, shattering Kenya’s reputation as one of the continent’s most stable democracies and dealing a heavy blow to east Africa’s biggest economy from which it is only now recovering.

The government has spent five years trying to rebuild confidence with a reformed judiciary and newly appointed police commanders. Church preachers and civil society groups have brought politicians and rival voters together in rallies in Nairobi’s central park to appeal for a peaceful vote. Yet, this year’s race is haunted by the past.

One of the top two candidates, Uhuru Kenyatta, 51, has been indicted by the International Criminal Court (ICC) for instigating the violence after the 2007 race. And tribal loyalties will again largely determine who backs Kenyatta or his main rival Raila Odinga, 68.

The United States and other major Western donors are watching warily. Victory by an ICC suspect would make for tricky relations with a nation seen as vital to regional stability and a bulwark against militant Islam in neighboring Somalia.

Other neighboring countries fear another bout of violence will again choke the Kenyan trade corridor and send shockwaves through their economies. Landlocked Uganda has built up fuel reserves and its construction firms have stockpiled

materials. In Nairobi’s Kibera slum, where a railway line was uprooted and shacks that were homes to thousands were torched after the last election, 32year-old Esther Musemi said voters and politicians had learned the lesson and would accept the result. “Last time, we were not aware but this time we know what is going on,” she said. But she still put the chance of another flare-up at “fifty-fifty” and nearby store owners had depleted their stock to reduce potential losses if a new rampage erupts.

HIGH STAKES Both top contenders are way ahead of the other six rivals, but polls suggest the race is too close to call, raising the prospect of a bruising run-off in April unless one candidate can get more than 50 percent. A narrow victory, however, could well be challenged by the loser or his backers. Provisional results could emerge hours after the vote because of a new electronic tallying system, but official results may not be announced for a day or two, or even longer. “Many people are saying they don’t think Kenyans are going to be suckered into another round of clashes led by the political elite,” said Africa Confidential editor Patrick Smith. “But at the end of the day this is a bare-knuckle, brutal contest in which the stakes have rarely been higher,” he said. For Deputy Prime Minister Kenyatta, son of the first president after Kenya became independent from Britain in 1963, losing means he would have an unsympathetic government at home while he faces charges of crimes against humanity in The Hague.

Pentagon resumes F-35 flights WASHINGTON: The Pentagon said yesterday it would resume flights of its F-35 fighter jets following a week-long precautionary grounding imposed after a crack was found on an engine blade on a test plane in California. “F-35 flight operations have been cleared to resume,” Pentagon spokeswoman Kyra Hawn said in a statement. She said flights could begin today, depending on weather conditions. No additional cracks were found during inspections of engines on the remaining 50 planes in the Pentagon’s fleet, or any spare engines, Hawn said.

The order allowing flights to resume is good news for the $396 billion F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, the Pentagon’s biggest weapons program which is bracing for big cutbacks when automatic across-the-board budget cuts take effect. It comes two days after the Pentagon’s F-35 program chief blasted enginemaker Pratt & Whitney and prime contractor Lockheed Martin Corp for trying to “squeeze every nickel” out of the Pentagon and not shouldering enough risk on the program.

The order ends the program’s second engine-related flght ban in less than two months. The Marines Corps version of the plane was grounded for nearly a month from midJanuary because of a faulty hose in the engine, later blamed on manufacturing errors. Matthew Bates, a spokesman for Pratt & Whitney, which supplies the engines for the planes, said the Pentagon’s F-35 program office had decided to rescind the grounding order after extensive tests and analysis of the cracked turbine blade, which was discovered on Feb. 19 during a routine inspection conducted after ever 50 hours of flight time.

Bates said Pratt engineers had been working around the clock with Pentagon experts to determine the cause of the crack in the engine blade, including a “destructive” test that cracked open the blade. The tests showed that the crack resulted from the “unique operating environment” in flight tests-many of which tested the engine’s powerful after burners-rather than a high-cycle fatigue crack, which would have required a design change. Bates said the engine in question had operated at high temperatures for more than four times longer than a typical F-35 flight, which led to a separation of the “grain boundary” of this particular blade.—Reuters

Prime Minister Odinga, on the other hand, may be facing his last shot at the top job after narrowly missing out in 2007. Failure would mark another defeat in the family’s political ambitions after Odinga’s father fell out with Kenyatta’s father in a long-running rivalry during the early years of Kenyan independence, and failed to secure the top post. There are however differences this time that may reduce the prospects of widespread violence that had its epicenter in the Rift Valley, the agricultural heartland in the west of Kenya.

“Now you can hear all the key players saying

that in the case of any disputes they will revert to the legal process for the resolution of that dispute,” said Adams Oloo, head of political science at the University of Nairobi. The new committee overseeing the vote has won support across the political divide. The judiciary has been reformed to free it from executive interference and has a new, widely respected chief justice, Willy Mutunga. Investors are betting on a calm vote.

Share prices have rallied and the shilling is trading around its strongest levels against the dollar this year.—Reuters

NAIROBI: Kenyan electoral officials make final touches at the election center’s call center yesterday in Nairobi. — AFP

Chavez cancer puts Venezuela on an undeclared vote footing Candidates face familiar problems, tricky economy CARACAS: Opposition leaders plot strategy behind closed doors.

The government’s presumed candidate blitzes the airwaves. Posters plaster walls. Hugo Chavez is still president, but Venezuela feels like a nation heading fast towards an election for his successor. A new vote would be called if the socialist leader fails to recover from cancer or cannot continue governing from hospital. Apart from a set of photos, he has not been seen or heard from in nearly three months, spawning rumors that he is close to death.

So it is hardly surprising that both sides of Venezuela’s bitter political divide, while publicly wishing Chavez a full recovery, are also feverishly preparing for a snap campaign. “A presidential election has not been called yet, but you have to be prepared and we are ready,” said Henrique Capriles, the most likely opposition candidate. Chavez beat Capriles when he won re-election in October, but the opposition leader has defeated two former vice presidents in regional votes and would probably face the current vice president, Nicolas Maduro, if Chavez dies or steps down. “I’ve thrashed two vice presidents already ... . Bring on the third!” he said this week.

It was Chavez, 58, himself who fired the starting gun of sorts in the race to succeed him back in December. In an emotional address to the nation before heading for surgery in Cuba - his last public speech, in fact - the president acknowledged he may not beat his cancer. In that case, Venezuelans must adhere to the constitution and hold an election, he said, urging voters to back Maduro, a protege and loyalist whom Chavez views as the best qualified to continue his self-styled revolution. Since that day, Maduro, 50, a burly and moustachioed former bus driver, has been running day-to-day affairs. Although lacking Chavez’s charisma, Maduro has set out to copy his style and lingo. He appears daily on television to harangue opponents and inaugurate public works, paying homage to his boss at every turn. “We all feel like children of our commander-president Hugo Chavez. We want to be like Chavez, we are all Chavez,” he said in one typical address, overseeing a handout of TV decoders in a Caracas shantytown. Such daily appearances around the nation smack of an undeclared election campaign.

Though Maduro and other senior allies insist Chavez is still in charge, they also concede he is fighting for his life and Socialist Party sources confirm preparations are underway for a possible vote.

Worried at being caught by surprise and not having enough time to campaign, leaders of the opposition Democratic Unity coalition also started discreet meetings this week to discuss strategy and begin choosing a consensus candidate. The centrist Capriles garnered a relatively impressive 44 percent of votes in his loss to Chavez - the opposition’s largest share against the president, who has been in power since 1999.

While the sports-loving, 40-year-old state governor is the obvious opposition choice, there are mutterings of discontent from some of the parties in the coalition, who feel he elbowed them aside during the last campaign. A protracted or unseemly tussle between Capriles and other aspirants could damage them by reminding voters of the divisions that held back the opposition in the past. “It would be suicide” not to choose Capriles, said Henri Falcon, another of the opposition’s three governors. He endorsed Capriles this month despite being seen by some as a possible rival.

Signs of discord inside the fragile opposition coalition, and discussion over a possible election, have been fodder for the government’s ferocious daily verbal attacks. “They’re obsessed ... delirious,” scoffed Diosdado Cabello, a former army buddy of Chavez who leads the National Assembly. “The president’s here, governing ... and they’re desperately looking for candidates ... . Didn’t they lose one election badly on October 7? And don’t even mention December 16!” he said, referring to Capriles’ loss to Chavez, and then the opposition’s thrashing in gubernatorial elections.

Right now, Maduro looks favored to beat Capriles, given that the vice president would be viewed as the anointed heir and a continuation of “Chavismo” in a highly emotional atmosphere that would surround Chavez’s retirement or death. Local pollster Hinterlaces said Maduro had 50 percent of voter intentions versus 36 for Capriles, if a vote were held now. One keen observer of Latin American leftist politics said the likely survival of “Chavismo” after Chavez showed just what a unique phenomenon his personalitydriven and oil-financed rule was. “The death of the strongman will strengthen the movement and the regime,” said Joaquin Villalobos, a former Marxist guerrilla leader in El Salvador who is now a consultant and frequent critic of the left, in a column for Spain’s El Pais newspaper. —Reuters

Business Britain heads for new recession

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Asia factory growth cools on weak global demand

SATURDAY, MARCH 2, 2013

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Euro-zone unemployment hits record, inflation falls

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Japan shoppers upbeat as PM pushes spending

The United States Capitol is reflected in the Capitol pool in Washington. — AP

US lurches toward austerity Harsh budget cuts taking effect WASHINGTON: Sweeping US government spending cuts totaling $85 billion began taking effect yesterday, slicing deeply into military and other programs in an unwanted move toward austerity that displays Washington’s paralyzing partisan divisions. A White House spokesman said the cuts would be put into force as close to midnight as possible because President Barack Obama was “ever hopeful” on a deal to avoid them. Obama was meeting congressional leaders of both parties Friday, but there were no expectations of a breakthrough.

The cuts are kicking in after the White House and congressional Republicans could not overcome bitter disagreements and come up with a better plan to tackle the country’s $11.7 trillion debt.

The warring sides have spent this week assigning blame rather than seeking a way out. The automatic spending reductions are part of a law passed two years ago and designed to be so offputting to both Democrats and Republicans as to force a compromise. It hasn’t worked. The immediate impact of the cuts on the public was uncertain. They would carve 5 percent from domestic

agencies and 8 percent from the Pentagon between now and Oct. 1 but would leave several major programs alone, including the Social Security pension program, the Medicaid health care program for the poor and food stamps.

But the cuts are just the first of a series of budget crises that will confront Congress and the White House before summer. Friday’s talks will look past the automatic spending cuts to the next looming fiscal fight: a possible government shutdown. The annual ritual of passing agency spending bills collapsed entirely last year, and Congress must act by March 27 to prevent the partial shutdown.

Then, in April, Congress will confront a renewed standoff on increasing the government’s borrowing limit - the same the issue that, two years ago, spawned the law forcing the current spending cuts in the first place. Failure to raise the borrowing limit could force the US to default on debt for the first time in history. So entrenched are the two parties that chaplain Barry Black opened the Senate session Thursday with a prayer that beseeched a higher power to intervene. “Rise up, O God, and save us from ourselves,” he said.

Agency leaders for weeks have warned what would happen when the cuts take effect: The busiest airports could close some runways, causing widespread flight delays and cancellations.

Hundreds of illegal immigrants already have been freed from jail across the country. One military aircraft carrier’s tour of duty to the Persian Gulf has been delayed. Democrats on Thursday thwarted a Republican proposal that would have required Obama to propose alternative cuts that would cause less disruption in essential government services. Moments later, a Democratic alternative to spread the cuts over a decade and replace half with higher taxes on millionaires and corporations met the same fate.

In a written statement after the votes, Obama lambasted Republicans. “They voted to let the entire burden of deficit reduction fall squarely on the middle class,” he said.

Said House Speaker John Boehner, the top Republican in Congress: “Obama and Senate Democrats are demanding more tax hikes to fuel more ‘stimulus’ spending.” Many conservatives are willing to accept the cuts as the only way to reduce government spending, even though the

budget knife cuts into cherished defense programs. Some Republicans held out hope the current struggle might lead to talks on completing work on the final piece of a deficit reduction package that has been more than two agonizing years in the making. The opposition party wants to overhaul the US tax law and win reductions in social safety net programs, the federal pension system and medical insurance for Americans of retirement age and health care for the poor.

Obama and some Democrats are willing to see some small alterations to those programs but nothing on the scale sought by Republicans. And the Democrats want to raise taxes on the wealthy to, in part, fund new or expanded government programs. Republicans want any increase in tax revenue to go straight toward reducing the debt.

In a cycle of crisis followed by compromise over the past two years, Obama and congressional Republicans have agreed to more than $3.6 trillion in long-term deficit savings over a decade.

While much of that has come from spending restraint, Republicans allowed legislation pass late last year that raised taxes on upper-income Americans by $600 million. — AP

Business SATURDAY, MARCH 2, 2013

Japan shoppers upbeat as PM pushes spending Price fall points to task ahead for Abe

Iraqi Finance Minister Rafa Al-Essawi

Iraq FM announces resignation at demo RAMADI: Iraqi Finance Minister Rafa Al-Essawi announced his resignation yesterday at an anti-government protest, ramping up a conflict between his secular Sunni-backed Iraqiya bloc and the Shiite premier. State television quoted Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki’s office as saying the resignation of Essawi, a leading Sunni and Iraqiya member, would not be accepted until an investigation into “his financial and administrative violations” was complete.

“I am with you, I am your son, and I announce today... that I am presenting my resignation from the Iraqi government, and I will not return to this government,” Essawi told thousands of demonstrators in Ramadi, west of Baghdad. “We are with you, Essawi,” protesters chanted in response.

Maliki is at loggerheads with Iraqiya, which is a part of his national unity government, over its accusations of authoritarianism and sectarianism in the run-up to key provincial polls scheduled to be held next month. Protests have been staged in Sunni-majority areas of Iraq for weeks, calling for Maliki’s resignation and decrying the alleged targeting of their community by the Shiite-led authorities.

The protests were initially sparked by the arrest of several of Essawi’s guards on terrorism charges in December, but have since expanded markedly. The resignation “was taken after coordination with Iraqiya, because Dr Rafa al-Essawi thinks that the procedure taken against him by the prime minister made it impossible for (Essawi) to work with him,” MP Haidar al-Mullah, an Iraqiya spokesman, told AFP, referring to the arrest of the guards. “Iraqiya will discuss all options in order to put pressure to achieve the demands of the protesters,” Mullah said.

In Baghdad, security forces cordoned off Sunni areas including Adhamiyah to prevent protesters from leaving, and set up additional checkpoints in the city.

The Iraqi government has sought to curtail demonstrations by saying it has released thousands of detainees and raised the salaries of the Sahwa anti-Qaeda militiamen.

Deputy Prime Minister Hussein al-Shahristani said on Thursday that 4,000 prisoners have been released since the start of the year, some of whom can request compensation if they are not guilty of a crime. —AFP

US consumer spending up, income posts drop WASHINGTON: US consumer spending rose in January as Americans spent more on services, with savings providing a cushion after income recorded its biggest drop in 20 years.

The Commerce Department said yesterday Friday consumer spending increased 0.2 percent in January after a revised 0.1 percent rise the prior month. Spending had previously been estimated to have increased 0.2 percent in December. January’s increase was in line with economists’ expectations. Spending accounts for about 70 percent of US economic activity and when adjusted for inflation, it gained 0.1 percent after a similar increase in December.

Though spending rose in January, it was supported by a rise in services, probably related to utilities consumption.

Spending on goods fell, suggesting some hit from the expiration at the end of 2012 of a 2 percent payroll tax cut. Tax rates for wealthy Americans also increased. —Reuters

TOKYO: Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s plan to kickstart the economy and fuel inflation with big spending got a boost yesterday with data indicating consumers beginning to loosen their purse-strings.

The internal affairs ministry said households spent 2.4 percent more than the same period last year, much stronger than an average 0.4 percent growth predicted by economists. Spending alone by households with a wage earner soared 4.1 percent, the data showed. The data will be welcome news for Abe, who took office in December promising to turn around decades of growth-sapping deflation, while pressuring the Bank of Japan into setting a two percent inflation target.

However, while spending rose prices continued to fall-dipping 0.2 percent in January-indicating the work ahead for Abe. The prime minister’s push of spending and bond-buying by the central bank, dubbed “Abenomics”, has already driven the yen down more than 15 percent since November and boosted stock prices more than 20 percent in the same time.

Increasing consumption is an important plank of his strategy. Abe stepped up his campaign on Thursday when he nominated Haruhiko Kuroda, an advocate of aggressive monetary easing, to become the next Bank of Japan governor. “The economy is moving in a positive direction helped by the yen’s rapid fall,” said Masahiko Hashimoto, economist at Daiwa Institute of Research.

However, he cautioned that a bump in consumer spending was not enough to herald the kind of real inflation Japan needs. “The spending figures today look a bit too good as wages have not increased yet. Even so, the sentiment is picking up

thanks to the lower yen and higher stock prices,” he said.

SMBC Nikko Securities economist Koya Miyamae said spending data was strong “especially due to the rise in optional consumption” on things such as entertainment.

It could indicate the positive impact of Abe’s pro-growth policies on consumer

he met members of the Japan Business Federation, or Keidanren. While stressing that he was not demanding they accept immediate permanent pay rises, he warned that “private consumption won’t grow unless labour’s share of income is addressed”. Daiwa’s Hashimoto said there was little likelihood of an immediate rise in prices, but it may come in time. But, he cau-

TOKYO: A woman shops at a discount drugstore in Tokyo. Japan reports that its chronic deflation persisted in January, with consumer prices falling 0.2 percent from a year earlier, though the employment situation showed a modest improvement. —AP sentiment, he said, but added the increase in consumption was not likely to continue unless there was a rise in wages. Finance Minister Taro Aso yesterday said he was “looking to businesses to boost compensation in some form” as

tioned, the yen’s fall was also triggering price rises in imported goods, which could dampen consumption if wages stay flat.

Unemployment rate edged down to 4.2 percent in January from 4.3 percent in December. —AFP

Indonesia inflation accelerates to 5.31% JAKARTA: Indonesian inflation in February hit a 20-month high after government measures to limit commodity imports pushed up consumer prices, an official said yesterday.

Inflation rose 5.31 percent on-year, edging closer to the target range cap of 5.5 percent, while on-month inflation was 0.75 percent, slower than the four-year high recorded in January of 1.03 percent.

“One cause of high inflation in February was the import restrictions on certain commodities, such as horticulture products, so the prices of goods have increased,” Central Statistics Bureau chief Suryamin told reporters. Core inflation, which excludes volatile food prices, slowed to 4.29 percent from 4.32 percent in January. The central bank has kept its benchmark interest rate at 5.75 percent for the past year and is unlikely to change it as inflation, although accelerating, is still within the target range of 4.5 to 5.5 percent. —AFP

TANGERANG: A banana vendor takes a nap at his kiosk at Babakan market in Tangerang, Banten province yesterday. Indonesian inflation in February hit a 20-month high after government measures to limit commodity imports pushed up consumer prices, an official said. —AFP

Business SATURDAY, MARCH 2, 2013

Britain heads for new recession Factories slump and mortgage lending slides LONDON: The risk that Britain is entering its third recession in four years grew on Friday with figures showing that manufacturing shrank unexpectedly last month and mortgage approvals for home buyers dropped in January. Gross domestic product fell at the end of last year, bringing Britain within sight of another recession and the latest data suggested the central bank may need to do yet more to revive the economy.

The pound sank to its lowest level against the dollar in more than 2-1/2 years, while prices of British government bonds - which the Bank of England could resume buying - rose after the releases.

The Markit/CIPS Manufacturing Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) fell to 47.9 from a downwardly revised 50.5 in January, confounding forecasts for a rise to 51.0. It was the first reading below the 50 line that separates growth from con-

traction since November.

A separate release showed that mortgage approvals fell unexpectedly despite the authorities’ efforts to boost lending. “It’s a bit of a double whammy of disappointing news,” said Alan Clarke, economist at Scotiabank. “Not a good start (to the year) and really shouldn’t change anyone’s view that there’s precious little growth momentum in the UK and particularly not in manufacturing.”

The numbers are the latest in a string of bad news for the Conservative-led coalition government and its finance minister George Osborne. Moody’s downgraded Britain’s triple-A rating last week, prompted by weak economic growth prospects.

In the last quarter of 2012, a plunge in factory output - which accounts for around a 10th of the economy - shaved 0.1 percentage point off economic growth, according to official data

released earlier this week. Markit said factory output fell last month at the fastest pace since October.

“The return to contraction of the manufacturing sector is a big surprise and represents a major setback to hopes that the UK economy can ... avoid a triple-dip recession,” said Chris Williamson, the Markit economist who compiled the survey.

“A strong rebound is needed in March to prevent the sector from acting as a drag on the economy as a whole in the first quarter.”

On some measures, the chances of such a rebound look slim. The subindex for new orders fell to 46.6 in February, the lowest reading since July, as market conditions remained tough at home and abroad, especially in Europe. Backlogs of work also shrank. However, Williamson said there were good reasons to believe manufacturing could recover in March,

noting that the weaker pound might help exporters, while factories were also hit by disruption to deliveries from bad weather in late January.

“The Chinese New Year holidays are having an increasingly disruptive impact on global trade flows ... and appear to have had a stronger than usual effect in February,” he added.

The housing sector also revealed signs of weakness. Mortgage approvals fell to 54,719 in January from 55,632 in December, short of analysts’ forecasts for a rise to 56,500, the central bank said.

A rise in the flow of credit in recent months, particularly in home loans, fed hopes that the BoE’s flagship Funding for Lending Scheme is helping home buyers, though lending to companies remains sluggish. Mortgage lending grew by 147 million pounds, the smallest increase since August, also less than forecast. —Reuters

Orban ally named as head of Hungary CB BUDAPEST: Hungary’s Prime Minister Viktor Orban yesterday named a close ally, the controversial Economy Minister Gyorgy Matolcsy, as the new head of the country’s central bank (MNB), a move that had investors worried of resurging inflation and renewed instability.

“The new president of the central bank will be heard in parliament this afternoon: it is Gyorgy Matolcsy,” Orban announced in his weekly interview on state MR1 radio.

The 57-year-old economy minister will replace Andras Simor, whose mandate ends on Saturday and whose six-yearterm was marked by frequent clashes with Orban’s government over state interference in monetary policy (IMF) and the bank’s independence. Minister without portfolio Mihaly Varga, who has been leading Hungary’s negotiations with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) over a much-needed 15-billion-euro credit line ($19-billion), will meanwhile take over as

economy minister, Orban said.

Matolcsy’s nomination was widely forecast by analysts and financial markets, who have described the appointment as a “bad choice”. Investors worry that the new bank head will focus too much on getting Hungary out of recession and not enough on battling inflation.

Matolcsy is seen as something of an economic maverick behind many of the government’s more “unorthodox” policies, like nationalizing private pension funds and imposing “crisis taxes” on certain sectors, which have drawn fire at home and abroad.

His nomination will be interpreted by the markets as a takeover of the bank by Orban, analysts William Jackson and Neil Shearing at Capital Economics in London said.

The centre-right Fidesz-run government has come in for repeated criticism for its attempted encroachment on the

SINGAPORE: Shipping containers stacked along the docking bay at a port in Singapore yesterday. Growth in Singapore’s trade-reliant economy slowed down sharply last year, expanding 1.3 percent as exports tumbled due to a global economic slump, official data showed. —AFP

bank’s independence, including with new reforms last year, which caused IMF talks to break down and had to be ultimately revised. In parliament on Thursday, Matolcsy stressed that the primary objective of the bank was to “achieve and maintain price stability”.

He also said the MNB’s foreign currency reserves would not be used “either for defending the economy, or development purposes”. In an interview with the Wall Street Journal last month, Matolcsy said the central bank should follow a European Central Bank-type policy mandate that sets inflation targeting as its primary goal.

The central bank should “absolutely not” engage in monetary financing and should be run in an “extremely cautious” manner, he added.

The new governor also said it would be a “huge mistake” to inject cheap central bank money into the banking system, unless it was done in a very well-targeted, conservative and cautious way.

The main goal of the central bank, following the European model, should be to bring inflation down to the 3.0-percent target, set by the EU. “There should be no shock therapy from monetary policy, no surprises,” he said. Hungarian inflation stood in January at 3.7 percent, the lowest in 16 months.

Rumours that Matolcsy would be named as central bank head already sent Hungary’s currency, the forint, falling in early February.

On Friday morning, it fell again to 296.30 forints to the euro from 295.40 forints before Orban’s statement. It recovered to 295.60 by 0900 GMT. Sandor Jobbagy, an analyst with CIB bank (part of the Sanpaolo Intesa group), said the moderate market reaction reflected the lack of surprise over the nomination. Peter Duronelly of Budapest Alapkezelo (GE Capital) said: “The markets have already factored in Matolcsy”. —AFP

BANGKOK: Employees work at a construction site in Bangkok yesterday. Thailand’s economy enjoyed record growth in the fourth quarter of 2012 as industry recovered from the impact of the kingdom’s worst floods in decades, official data showed. —AFP

Thai inflation dips for second month BANGKOK: Thailand’s headline inflation in February eased, dipping for the second month in a row, as government subsidies held down prices and a strong baht made imports cheaper, giving the central bank room to keep monetary policy accommodative to support the exportdriven economy amid slow global demand. Most economists expect the Bank of Thailand’s (BOT) policy committee to leave its policy rate unchanged at 2.75 percent for the rest of the year, but some think tightening is possible later in the year if inflation picks up again.

Annual inflation in February eased for the second month in a row to 3.23 percent, below a median forecast of 3.4 percent in a Reuters poll and January’s 3.39 percent.

Inflation was at a more than one-year high in December at 3.63 percent. Core inflation-which strips out prices of fresh food and energy-was little changed at 1.57 percent in February after 1.59 percent in January. That is inside the BOT’s core inflation target range of 0.5-3.0 percent, which guides monetary policy.

Economist Usara Wilaipich at Standard Chartered said still-benign inflation, especially regarding core inflation, “should allow the BOT to keep its accommodative monetary policy stance for the rest of this year.” “Inflation in February was suitable for the economy and quite stable following government measures to manage the price of goods and energy,” Vatcharee Vimuktayon, the Commerce Ministry’s permanent secretary, told a news conference. —Reuters

Business SATURDAY, MARCH 2, 2013

Italy behind rise in EU jobless rate: Poll LONDON: Italy’s voters gave their messy verdict on the austerity medicine they’ve been forced to take when they went to the polls this week. By yesterday, one of the reasons behind the protest was highlighted when unemployment hit its highest level in at least two decades. Official figures Friday showed that unemployment in the country in January rose to 11.7 percent from the previous month’s 11.3 percent. January’s figure was the highest since the current way of measuring unemployment was introduced in 1992.

The unexpectedly large monthly spike was

one of the key backdrops to the election results earlier this week that reignited concerns over Europe’s dormant debt crisis. No party, or coalition of parties, emerged with enough votes to govern alone, triggering uncertainty in the markets about the future course of Italian economic policy.

The rise in the Italian rate, which comes as the country experiences an 18-month recession and after a wave of economic reforms and tight budgetary discipline, was also the main reason why unemployment across the 17 European Union countries that use the

euro rose to a record 11.9 percent during the month. Eurostat, the EU’s statistics office, said nearly 19 million people were unemployed in the euro-zone following an increase of around 200,000 in January. That took the rate up from January’s 11.8 percent, the previous record.

The increase was not a particular surprise given that the euro-zone economy as a whole is in recession and expected to continue to contract in the first half of 2013. In the final three months of 2012, the euro-zone contracted by a quarterly rate of 0.6 percent, with

eight countries in recession - officially defined as two straight quarters of negative growth.

Even though concern in the financial markets over the euro-zone’s problems of too much government debt has calmed recently, there appears to be a rising groundswell among people against the austerity measures that have been prescribed as the main cure.

The Italian elections were just the latest manifestation of that apparent discontent - others include regular protests in Spain and Portugal, as well as the rise of right-wing extremists in Greece. —AP

Asia factory growth cools on weak global demand China PMI at 5-month low on slack overseas demand BEIJING/SEOUL: Growth in Asia’s manufacturing sector cooled in February as the pace of economic recovery slackened, according to factory surveys and trade data yesterday that pointed to continuing weakness in the strength of global demand. Purchasing managers’ index (PMI) reports from Europe and the United States due later should offer more insight into the state of the world economy.

European reports are expected to paint a picture of divergence between economic powerhouse Germany and the struggling rest of the euro-zone, while US growth is seen picking up after a weak fourth quarter last year.

China, the most closely watched of Asia’s big manufacturing economies, saw factory

the strength came from domestic demand, with export orders remaining subdued.

China’s official PMI from the National Bureau of Statistics eased to 50.1 after seasonal adjustments in February, the weakest reading in five months and just above the 50-point level demarcating growth from contraction on a monthly basis. A second PMI issued by HSBC fell to a 4-month low of 50.4 after seasonal adjustments, off January’s 2-year high and in line with a flash, or preliminary, reading late last month. But the bigger-than-expected retreat in the purchasing managers’ indexes does not signal China’s economy is slipping into another slowdown, analysts said. Instead, they show China’s growth recovery this year

HANOI: Workers from a railway maintenance service working on a portion of a railway in northern province of Hai Duong. Vietnam’s railway network, whose status is described by some official published reports as remaining the same one as hundred years ago when it was first built in French colonial time, is subjected to a national upgrading program approved by the central government. —AFP growth slow to multi-month lows as sluggish domestic demand added to the effect from already depressed foreign sales, two separate PMI surveys showed. “Today’s data point to a stabilization of economic activities in coming months, not a strong recovery of growth,” said Jian Chang, a Barclays analyst, referring to China’s PMIs. In South Korea, trade data showed a sharp fall in exports, while a PMI report from last year’s emerging market investor favourite Indonesia showed a slight improvement in manufacturing overall, but a fall in new export orders. Factory growth was stronger in India, struggling to escape the grip of its weakest economic growth in a decade, but there too

would be mild, as widely expected.

The Lunar New Year holiday, China’s biggest annual holiday and widely observed across much of East Asia, fell in February this year making it harder to draw firm conclusions, even though the data was seasonally adjusted. Tim Condon, head of Asian economic research at ING in Singapore, argued China’s economic data in January and February has “a lot of noise” due to the festive season. “When it settles down we expect the data will reveal that industrial production is growing around 10 percent,” he said.

South Korea, a big exporter of cars and electronics whose trade data is watched closely as it is the first major exporting economy to

release figures, reported an 8.6 percent fall in exports in February, compared with a year earlier. “If you look at the indicators released so far, they signal that economic conditions are worse than initially anticipated,” said Park Sang-hyun, economist at HI Investment & Securities in Seoul.

Analysts blamed the decline partly on the slide in the value of the yen after Japan embarked on a renewed campaign to beat deflation, the spillover effects of which have drawn complaints from Brazil to Germany amid talk of “currency wars”.

Indonesia’s February PMI was 50.5, up from a 49.7 reading in January which showed the first contraction since May. But new export orders contracted for the first time since September, and at the fastest pace of decline since May. Official trade data released on Friday showed exports improved in January, but HSBC Markit, which released the PMI survey, said anecdotal evidence suggested demand from European and American markets weakened in February.

Indian factories stepped up production last month as domestic orders poured in at a faster pace than in January, with the HSBC Markit manufacturing PMI rising to 54.2 in February, after falling to 53.2 in January. The PMI index, which gauges business activity in Indian factories but not its utilities, has held above 50 for almost four years despite a sharp slowdown in the broader economy.

Data released on Thursday showed economic growth eased to 4.5 percent in the three months to December, its lowest in nearly four years and cementing expectations for a decade-low growth rate for the current fiscal year to March.

Asia’s third-largest economy has been hurt by slowing overseas demand. The new orders index rose to 56.3 last month, from 55.9 in January, but the export orders index fell for a second straight month. Final PMI reports from the euro zone, India’s biggest trading partner, are expected to confirm the picture from flash reports last month of a chasm opening up between core economies France and Germany.

France’s manufacturing PMI is forecast at a dismal 43.6, while the reading for the eurozone as a whole is seen at 47.8. Germany, by contrast, is seen just above the crucial 50 line.

Twin US PMI surveys from Markit and the Institute of Supply Management are expected to come in well above 50. Data on Thursday showing rising consumer spending and falling jobless claims suggested the US economy was picking up after growing just 0.1 percent in the fourth quarter. —Reuters

LONDON: Friends look on as a woman uses a Lloyds bank ATM in central London yesterday. —AFP

Insurance costs push Lloyds Banking into loss LONDON: Lloyds Banking Group PLC succeeded in halving its losses in 2012 even though it raised the amount of money it has put aside to pay for the mis-selling of insurance products.

The bank said yesterday it made a full-year loss of 1.34 billion pounds ($2 billlion), as against the 2.71 billion pounds deficit it recorded in 2011. Despite the loss, the bank is optimistic about its outlook and pointed to an improvement in its underlying performance in 2012.

“We are making significant investments in our simple, lower-risk, customer-focused UK retail and commercial banking model, thereby continuing to support our customers and helping Britain to prosper,” said chief executive Antonio Horta-Osorio, who despite the losses will receive a 1.48 million pound bonus. “We expect this to enable us to return to profitability and to grow our core business, to realize our full potential to deliver strong, stable and sustainable returns to shareholders, and to allow UK taxpayers’ investment in the group to be repaid,” he added.

His bonus will be linked to the future value of Lloyds shares. The bank, that is 39 percent owned by the British government, has suffered over the past couple of years by the costs of the insurance mis-selling to individuals and to businesses. Other banks have been hit by similar charges stemming from the mis-selling of insurance products. There are indications the British government is interested in selling some of its shares in the banking group if prices reach the break-even level of 0.61 pounds.

Horta-Osorio said he is confident British taxpayers will eventually recover the money paid out for the bank shares, predicting that more cost cutting measures and a stronger focus on the UK retail market would yield stronger results.

He said the company’s core businesses are strong and stable and that non-core assets are being shed, with portfolio reductions ahead of schedule. The initial market reaction was negative, with the share price down 3.4 percent soon after the open at 0.53 pounds.

“Despite underlying improvement in the wider business, the large rise in mis-selling provision has marred otherwise good results,” said Rebecca O’Keeffe, head of investment at Interactive Investor.

The bank’s earnings report did not specify how much it may eventually have to set aside to deal with allegations involving the rigging of the LIBOR rate. —AP

BUSINESS

SATURDAY, MARCH 2, 2013

Euro-zone unemployment hits record, inflation falls Data paints a gloomy picture of economy

BERLIN: German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble uses his mobile phone on the government bench during a session of the German Federal Parliament Bundestag at the Reichstag building in Berlin yesterday. — AP

German MP calls for Italy to leave euro BERLIN: A deputy from German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s Christian Democratic Union (CDU) called yesterday for Italy to leave the euro if it could not stick to EU rules after its inconclusive election. “If one can’t succeed in persuading the people of a country that they have to stick to the commitments they have themselves signed up to in terms of how the common currency works, then you can’t demand new elections from outside, but the country must return to its own currency,” said Klaus-Peter Willsch.

“If we want to return to peaceful and respectful cooperation in Europe and take seriously peoples’ right to self-determination, we need to give up on this euro-Europe ideology,” said the conservative politician, a known eurosceptic.

Germany, Europe’s top economy and political powerhouse, has scarcely concealed its concern that uncertainty in Italy after its election could spark a reawakening of the euro-zone crisis that has lain dormant for months.

On Thursday, Merkel’s spokesman Steffen Seibert said she had “confidence in the sense of responsibility of the political forces in Italy who now have to form a government capable of acting in this complex situation.” Political leaders around Europe are nervously watching the gridlock in Italy as wrangling between the main leftist party and a new anti-establishment movement has reduced the chances of a government being formed quickly. —AFP

Argentina faces greater debt risks: Analysts NEW YORK: Argentina’s attempt to fight a US court ruling in favor of bondholders seeking $1.3 billion may backfire and make the country’s attempt to recover from its 2001 debt default even harder, analysts said Thursday. Lawyers for Argentina clashed Wednesday in a US appeals court in New York with holdout bondholders who want full payment and have refused to accept a restructuring deal struck with 92 percent of other creditors.

Argentina says it fears that having to pay the $1.3 billion would trigger a new default, describing the holdouts as “vultures” with no regard for the bigger picture.

But analysts believe the 2nd US Circuit Court of Appeals will confirm the earlier ruling by District court Judge Thomas Griesa that insisted Argentina cough up the money. “Our overall impression was that the outlook for resolution of the litigation by holdouts is negative for Argentina,” said a Credit Suisse report by research analysts Casey Reckman and Daniel Chodos.

“We would not be surprised to see the appeals court panel affirm Judge Griesa’s 21 November order.” Gabriel Torres, an analyst at Moody’s rating agency, was more cautious, saying, “We’re not issuing an analysis of the chances of how the legal issue will turn out one way or the other.” But he added that “there is a sense that this could be negative for Argentina.”

Argentina defaulted on some $100 billion in debt in 2001, and has since restructured its debt twice, covering around 75 percent of the nominal value of the bonds.

But NML Capital Ltd and Aurelius Capital Management are demanding 100 percent repayment, plus interest. With the US courts seemingly pushing for that to happen-a hearing before the US Supreme Court would be the last chance to reverse the appeals court decision-Argentina might soon need to consider other avenues, analysts said. —AFP

BRUSSELS: Official data yesterday painted a far from encouraging picture of the European economy, with unemployment running at record highs in the euro-zone while inflation fell sharply, highlighting the weakness of consumer demand.

Separately, a closely followed manufacturing survey showed the euro-zone remained in the doldrums for a 19th consecutive month in February, although it also noted some signs of increased export demand-a key growth driver.

The Markit Eurozone Manufacturing Purchasing Managers Index was 47.9 points in February, unchanged from January when it hit an 11-month high, albeit one still below the 50-points boombust line.

The Eurostat data agency said unemployment in the 17-nation euro-zone rose to a record 11.9 percent in January from 11.8 percent in December, with nearly 19 million people out of work.

That outcome makes uncomfortable reading, coming in so close already to the official forecast of 12.2 percent unemployment for this year and with the debt-laden euro-zone not expected to return to growth until 2014. Eurostat said that compared with December, some 201,000 joined the jobless queues in the euro-zone in January and 222,000 in the EU. Martin van Vliet at ING Bank said the data represented a “sharp acceleration from December” and meant that “an end to the labor market downturn is not yet in sight. “Even if the euro-zone economy exits from recession in due course, the labor market is likely to remain in recession for most if not all of this year,” van Vliet said. In the 27-member EU, the unemployment rate edged up to 10.8 percent from 10.7 percent in December, with 26.2 million jobless. The highest jobless rates were in bailed-out Greece, at 27 percent-although this figure is for Novemberand in struggling Spain, on 26.2 percent.

The lowest rates were Austria with 4.9 percent, and Germany and Luxembourg, both on 5.3 percent. In January 2012, euro-zone unemployment was 10.8 percent and the EU 10.1 percent, highlighting

A man walks along the bank of Lake Pamvotis amid heavy morning fog in the northwestern Greek city of Ioannina, yesterday. Athens has overtaken the northwestern Epirus region as the area with the highest unemployment in Greece. The national jobless rate reached 27 percent in November, according to newly announced figures, led by greater Athens at 29 percent and followed by northwestern Greece at 28.2 percent. —AP how the debt crisis and economic slump have hit the jobless numbers, especially among the under-25s. Euro-zone youth unemployment was put at 24.2 percent in January, up from 21.9 percent in January 2012. In the EU, under-25 unemployment rose to 23.6 percent from 22.4 percent.

For Greece, the youth unemployment rate in January was given as 59.4 percent, with Spain on 55.5 percent and Italy 38.7 percent. On the euro-zone inflation front, Eurostat said the rate of price increases fell to 1.8 percent in February, putting it well below the European Central Bank’s target rate for the first time in more than two years.

In January, the inflation rate was 2.0 percent. The last time inflation was below this level was in November 2010 when it hit 1.9 percent. The ECB, whose first responsibility is price stability, has a longterm inflation target of close to but below 2.0 percent.

Low inflation would normally be seen as a positive, meaning price pressures are

contained, but it also reflects the state of consumer demand which inevitably suffers at times of high unemployment when people worry about job security and prefer to save their money rather than spend it. Global Economics analysts said the jobs figures “suggest that wage growth is set to weaken from already low rates of around 2.5 percent.”

That may be good for inflation but it will also “add to the downward pressure on consumer spending from fiscal austerity,” they wrote in a note. On the PMI report, Markit chief economist Chris Williamson said there was “some consolation” in the fact that February at least held steady with January, suggesting the pace of the downturn has eased.

“While the manufacturing sector is likely to have again acted as a drag on the overall economy in the first quarter, causing GDP to fall for a fourth consecutive quarter, there are signs that the downturn has become less severe,” Williamson said.

— AFP

Austerity fuels novel protests in Portugal LISBON: A Portuguese revolutionary song from 40 years ago is haunting the bailed-out country’s government. Anti-austerity protesters are hounding senior officials by loudly singing at public events a celebrated tune from the 1974 Carnation Revolution. They have managed to silence some of their targets, including the prime minister when he was trying to give a speech in Parliament.

At the same time, people are putting the prime minister’s name and tax number on their store receipts. That makes it possible, in theory at least, that Pedro Passos Coelho’s spending will outstrip his official income and leave him liable for an end-of-year tax assessment.

Portuguese unhappy about the centerright government’s relentless austerity drive aren’t just getting mad, they’re getting even - in imaginative ways. The government is locked into debt-cutting measures in return

for the ailing country’s 78 billion euros ($102 billion) financial rescue in 2011. More tax hikes this year sliced another chunk off wages. The result: public outrage has mounted as living standards have tumbled.

After winter weather discouraged street protests and with strikes petering out amid falling income, dissenters in Portugal have formed civic movements which have come up with new ways of retaliating against their leaders’ unpopular policies.

People in other European countries stricken by the euro-zone financial crisis appear no less disaffected.

In Italy’s national elections last weekend Beppe Grillo - a comedian with no political experience whose blog fed off public discontent with austerity - and his 5 Star Movement collected almost a quarter of the votes cast.

In Spain, “Surround Parliament” protests take aim at what are perceived as discredited

politicians amid a 26 percent unemployment rate. “There’s a broad feeling of powerlessness” among aggrieved Europeans, says Antonio Costa Pinto, a political scientist at Lisbon University’s Institute of Social Science.

“With few resources, (the civic movements) can make a big impact.”

In Portugal, civic movements whose message travels quickly on social media have to a degree eclipsed trade unions, traditionally in the vanguard of protests. Those movements are behind protest marches planned Saturday in more than 20 Portuguese cities that are expected to draw big crowds.

They are trying to persuade the government to reverse course by jettisoning austerity policies and switching focus to statefueled economic growth and job creation.

Even so, while the protests have earned headline media coverage, the government shows no sign of budging. —AP

BUSINESS

SATURDAY, MARCH 2, 2013

Penney CEO to testify over Martha Stewart Shares lose 60% value after Johnson expose NEW YORK: It’s been a tough week to be Ron Johnson. After facing down investors this week over a dismal quarterly performance, the JC Penney CEO will be in the spotlight again - in court.

Johnson is expected to testify in New York State Supreme Court in a trial that pits the struggling department store chain against rival Macy’s Inc over a partnership with domestic diva Martha Stewart.

The trial focuses on whether Macy’s has the exclusive right to sell some of Martha Stewart branded products such as cookware, bedding and bath items.

Macy’s is seeking to block Penney from opening Martha Stewart mini shops in its stores. The shops are part of Johnson’s big plan to reinvent the shopping experience at the beleaguered chain.

Penney’s shares have now lost nearly 60 percent of their value since early last year when Johnson revealed his plan to scale back most sales in favor of everyday low prices. The stock drop is the latest indictment that Johnson’s turnaround strategy is failing on Wall Street as much as on Main Street.

Johnson is counting on the rollout of the shops, particularly Martha Stewart’s, to bring back shoppers who have fled to rivals like Macy’s. Johnson’s testimony comes four days after Macy’s CEO Terry J. Lundgren testified in court that the company had built the Martha Stewart brand

Teresa Chavez shops at JC Penney’s in the Southaven Towne Center Mall in Southaven, Mississippi . — AP to be the biggest name in home items since it began carrying some of the products in 2007. Martha Stewart, who founded Martha Stewart Living, is expected to take the stand next week.

Johnson’s testimony marks a culmination of a legal battle between the three companies that started shortly after the Penney-Martha Stewart deal was announced in December 2011.

Macy’s renewed its 2006 pact with Martha Stewart Living in January 2012 but then immediately sued the company,

saying it breached a long-standing contract when it penned the 10-year deal with Penney. Penney also invested $38.5 million in a nearly 17 percent stake in Martha Stewart Living. In a separate lawsuit, Macy’s sued Penney, claiming it had no regard for the Macy’s contract and that Johnson had set out to steal the business that it had worked hard to develop.

Macy’s also contends that Johnson “knowingly and purposely demanded and received confidential information”

from Martha Stewart about the contract and crafted a deal that was more lucrative than the terms of the Macy’s agreement.

The two suits were consolidated for the bench trial. Supreme State Court Judge Jeffrey Oing is presiding over the trial, which is expected to last three weeks.

Penney is aiming at what it believes is a loophole in the agreement between Macy’s and Martha Stewart. It’s a provision that allows Martha Stewart to sell goods in categories like bedding in Martha Stewart Living’s own stores.

According to Martha Stewart, because the Macy’s agreement doesn’t say the goods under dispute can be sold “only in “stand-alone” stores, the mini shops within J.C. Penney stores do not fall under the exclusive agreement.

Macy’s Inc., based in Cincinnati, disagrees. Lundgren argued that a typical definition of a store is that it has a parking lot, is part of a mall or has a sidewalk in front. Macy’s claims substantial damages and said the maneuver by Penney “threatens to inflict incalculable further harm on Macy’s.” The company claims that “billions of dollars of sales are involved.” But according to a memo filed

by Penney, Macy’s rights to Martha Stewart aren’t nearly as sweeping as it suggests. Under Macy’s interpretation of the contract, Martha Stewart Living is “little more than an in-house designer for Macy’s,” according to Penney. —AP

Groupon fires CEO, still faces problems

NEW YORK: Trader Leon Montana (right), works on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange on Thursday. —AP

Dow edges near record, then sputters NEW YORK: It came so close. The Dow Jones industrial average came within 15 points of its all-time high Thursday afternoon. But the momentum petered out, and the Dow and other indexes broke a two-day winning streak and closed lower.

Economic data and company reports reflected an economy beating investors’ low expectations, rather than one growing like gangbusters. Impending government budget cuts also cast a pall for some investors. “There was no dramatic, great news,” said Leon LaBrecque, CEO of LJPR in Troy, Michigan.

“There’s no remarkable economic information. Earnings are pretty much mixed.” The day started with the stock market plodding along before sending investors on a whipsaw day. After gaining a combined 291 points on Tuesday and Wednesday, the Dow spent Thursday morning darting between small gains and losses. It took a decisive turn upward in the early afternoon.

Around 2:30 p.m. (1930 GMT), it hit 14,149 just 15 points from the Oct. 9, 2007 record of 14,164.53. Then the rally sputtered and stocks turned lower in the final few minutes of trading. The Dow ended down 20.88 points, or 0.2 percent, to 14,054.49. The Standard & Poor’s 500 index slipped 1.31, or 0.09 percent, to 1,514.68. The Nasdaq composite index edged down 2.07, or 0.07 percent, to 3,160.19. —AP

NEW YORK: Now that Groupon has gotten rid of its quirky founder and CEO, the chief question is whether the company’s underlying online deals business is promising enough to reverse its falling stock price, declining revenue growth and waning consumer interest.

Groupon Inc. fired Andrew Mason on Thursday, one day after the company reported another disappointing quarter amid worries that people are tiring of the restaurant, spa and Botox deals that Groupon built its business on.

In a refreshingly candid memo to staff, Groupon CEO Andrew Mason admitted he “failed at this part of the journey” and said the company’s employees “deserve the outside world to give you a second chance. I’m getting in the way of that. A fresh CEO earns you that chance.”

Mason’s firing has been “fairly widely expected” given the company’s performance, and the surprise was how long it took, Gartner analyst Michael Gartenberg said. But a new CEO may not be enough to tackle all of Groupon’s problems. “The question is whether this as a business model can last,” Gartenberg said. “It’s easy to replicate and under a lot of pressure.

The question is where the company goes from here.... Clearly something wasn’t working, isn’t working.”

Benchmark Capital analyst Daniel Kurnos also questioned whether a change in leadership will be enough, but he said a successor might succeed in getting Groupon more focused and steering it toward more traditional businesses. For example, Groupon Goods, which sells products rather than restaurant or spa deals, has been performing well. With its

deals, Groupon’s challenge is to balance pleasing merchants who sell the deals with pleasing the customers who buy them, he added.

“There was always a sense that Groupon had a lot of good ideas but no real focus,” he said. The company appointed Executive Chairman Eric Lefkofsky and Vice Chairman Ted Leonsis to the Office of the Chief Executive while a replacement for Mason is found.

Groupon Inc’s stock jumped more than 4 percent in extended trading following Thursday’s announcement. Mason, a Northwestern University graduate and former punk band keyboardist, founded Groupon in 2008, pioneering the daily deals business. The idea is that if enough people sign up for a discount - for restaurant meals, manicures or weekend getaways - offering the deals will be worthwhile for businesses, especially if customers bring friends or come back.

Groupon makes money by taking a cut from those deals. By 2010, Groupon was available in 25 countries, and some people saw online deals as the next big thing in retailing.

But analysts have been questioning the long-term viability of such a business, not just at Groupon but also at the long list of copycats, which include LivingSocial, Google Offers and Amazon Local.

While the business is easy to set up, it is difficult to sustain and to stand out.

Companies must make both their customers and the businesses that offer the deals happy. Many merchants have become reluctant to offer deals because of how little they were getting in payments and repeat business once the promotions

Andrew Mason, the CEO of Groupon, poses for a photo in Chicago. — AP ended. And to keep growing, companies need to make more from each subscriber, rather than simply add more addresses to email deals lists. Investors had been worried that instead of buying more, people were suffering from fatigue over the frequent emails.

LivingSocial, Groupon’s closest competitor, laid off 9 percent of its workforce late last year. To diversify its business, Groupon has expanded into product sales, payments services and other areas, but there have been worries that those efforts haven’t been paying off.

Mason, known for an eccentric character that didn’t fit the mold of a buttoneddown CEO, made no qualms about what had happened. —AP

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Bollywood film recreates Mumbai attacks of 2008

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Baghdad beats: Iraqis look to revive traditional music PAGE 24

Hadi from Denmark jumps over one of the last heaps of snow during a stop of his tourist group in front of the Reichstag Building in Berlin. —AFP

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he One Direction heartthrob has become smitten with the 22-year-old actress after watching her collect the Best Actress Oscar at the 85th Academy Awards last Sunday and is now “begging” mutual friends to introduce them. A close pal of Harry’s told the Daily Star newspaper: “He fell in love with Jennifer after watching her speech at the Oscars. Harry likes goofy girls and thinks it’s hilarious that she fell over as she went to accept her award for Best Actress. “And obviously, like most men, he thinks she’s drop-dead gorgeous. He’s been begging mutual friends who know Jen to put the word out for him so they can hook up next time they’re in the same city. “Harry is quietly confident because he normally gets whichever

girl he sets his sights on.”It was only last week that the 19-year-old lothario was spotted flirting with model Millie Brady at the BRIT Awards in London and Harry has apparently already made more plans to see the British beauty. A source said: “Nothing actually happened between them that night - there were too many people about. But there was some pretty serious flirting going on. She and Harry plan on meeting up at this weekend or next week.

“They are talking about hitting a few clubs. It’s obvious they are keen to see each other again but they won’t want it to look like a date.”

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he 65-year-old actor has been spotted on several dates with 38-year-old blonde beauty Heather Milligan and he is said to be smitten with her. According to the New York Daily News, on a recent dinner date Arnold and Heather “laughed and smiled through their meal and left together in the actor’s car”. Arnold’s 25-year marriage to wife Maria Shriver collapsed in 2011 after it was revealed he had fathered a secret love child, Joseph, now aged 15, with his housekeeper Mildred Baena, but the actor recently claimed he isn’t worried about the future or his relationship with his other four kids because he always bounces back from his mistakes. He said: “This is not the first time I have been confronted by failure or by a disastrous situation.

I’ve had my share of disasters. But there were more victories and I’ve always been able to get up again

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he 30-year-old singer - who has kids Madeline Grace and Mason Evan with his actress fiancee Monyetta Shaw - has opened up about his surprise teenage marriage, which ended in divorce.

When questioned by TMZ, he admitted: “Wait, actually, yeah, when I was like 19. It wasn’t even for like a year. “It isn’t well known because nobody really asked.” The union broke down when Ne-Yo’s ex made him choose between her and a career in

when I fall. “I always knew how to enjoy life and I always believed very strongly in both working and playing really hard. And I have four wonderful kids ... Well, actually, five ... who have been a great joy, so life couldn’t be better.” The ‘Last Stand’ actor insists he still has a good relationship with his estranged wife and insists they have been able to put their differences behind them and maintain a civil relationship for the sake of their family. He said: “Under the circumstances, living in divorce, I have a wonderful relationship with my wife. There are no fights, we talk all the time on the phone and we raise the kids together. “We are responsible parents and we know the only way it works is if both of us work together and that is working really well.”

music. He explained: “[Music] is honestly the only thing I’ve ever loved, so I chose this over her. Now I’m here, and I don’t know where she is.” Ne-Yo previously revealed he only found true love when he met Monyetta at a Jamie Foxx concert in 2009. He said: “It becomes like everybody has an agenda. She proved to me there is no agenda. She’s not trying to get money, fame or recognition. “She was beautiful.

Through a couple of mutual friends, I got in

he ‘Safe Haven’ actor’s wife Fergie is currently expecting their first baby and Josh, 40, has been enjoying one sided conversations with the child. He told People: “I’ve had full conversations with the baby already. I’m trying my best to communicate from beyond the womb. Whether it can hear me, I don’t know, but I’m talking to it a lot. “She looks so beautiful. I look at her now as not only as my beautiful wife, but also as the woman carrying our child. That takes our relationship to a whole new level.”

Josh also revealed he and Fergie, 37, can’t wait to become parents. He said: “I actually look forward to that stuff that people warn you about. I don’t mind waking up and dealing with the middle of the night stuff. I wake up early anyway. So I’m definitely ready for it. More so than I’ve ever been. “I hope to be a great dad. “I have a lot more life experience than I had at 24. I feel like I’m a little more patient and more wise than I was before. It’s easier said than done, but I’m just looking to raise a good person.” “When we saw the ultrasound that thing was moving around a lot. So I think we are going to have our hands full.”

touch with her and invited her to a big tour bus with a studio I was staying in. “We were hanging out and, you know, there’s always that stigma - ‘Will she like me? None of that was there, it was like I was hanging out with a person I’d known for a long time. “We became friends first - which was strange for me - really, really cool friends first. It’s rare when that happens.”

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he 43-year-old actor - who divorced his first wife Ryan Haddon in 2007 - is set to tie the knot with his longtime girlfriend Brittany Lopez. Speaking on ‘Late Night With Jimmy Fallon’, he shared details of how they first met in Florida, explaining: “I went down to Miami a couple years ago, stayed at this little resort called Little Palm Island ... and this girl came walking along with another lady, a slightly older lady. I was sitting in my usual spot, eating my oatmeal that morning ... and this spot was famous for people proposing to each other ... and next thing I know she gets down on one knee and proposes to this older lady ... “I thought I had just witnessed a nice engagement, so I was coming over to say congratulations, but it turns out it was her aunt and she was just trying to help her aunt capture the beauty and the romance of the

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moment. She was making a joke, and I witnessed it, and it intrigued me, and the next thing I know we were hanging out in the Everglades.” Christian has children Jaden Christopher, 13 and Eliana Sophia, 11, from his first marriage.

he ‘Stoker’ star insists the country singer - with who she has two daughters, Sunday Rose, four, and twoyear-old Faith Margaret - has given her a “very strong” home life to offset some of her characters’ lives in her movies. She said: “He’s given me a home. He’s given me really strong love - he’s given me a love shield. I have my girls and my husband and I have a very, very strong real life to counterbalance my fantasy life now.”

But this has not always been the case, as the 45-year-old star - who also has adopted kids Isabella, 20, and Conor, 17, with ex-husband Tom Cruise - admits she felt “incredibly lonely” after winning an Oscar in 2003 for her portrayal of Virginia Woolf in ‘The Hours’ because she didn’t have such a strong family structure around her. She

he ‘Crazy In Love’ singer is teaming up with ‘Grown Ups’ actress Salma Hayek to launch the global campaign to raise money and awareness for girls’ and women’s empowerment by sharing “powerful stories” from females around the world. The movement aims to focus on three main pillars Education, Health and Justice - and Beyonce, 31, is “honoured” to be able to help change the fate of women around the globe.

Speaking in a statement, Beyonce - who has 13-month-old daughter Blue Ivy with husband Jay-Z - explained: “I have always felt strongly about equal opportunity for women.

Girls have to be taught from early on that they are strong and capable of being anything they want to be. “It’s up to us to change the statistics for women around the world.

I’m honoured to be in the company of women who live fearlessly and set an example for the next generation of young ladies.”

Salma, 41, is also extremely “proud” to be a part of the charity set up by Gucci - who also support her husband Francois-Henri Pinault’s company PPR’s Corporate Foundation for Women’s Dignity and Rights, of which she is a board member. She added: “I am proud to be joining the growing international movement on behalf of girls and women around the

world. “I believe that by working together we can change the course of history to ensure that girls and women are empowered to realise their potential and thrive.” The ravenhaired beauty will also be executive producer of a film unit dedicated to creating ten short films about inspiring girls and women from around the world. Chime For Change also has a star-studded advisory board, with Julia Roberts, Jada Pinkett Smith, John Legend and Meryl Streep being just a few of the celebrities involved.

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explained: “When I won the Oscar it was kind of a mix of popping open a bottle of champagne but at the same time feeling incredibly lonely because I didn’t have what I have now.” Nicole has no plans to retire from acting just yet, and she is encouraged her career can last a long time after being inspired by 86-year-old star Emmanuelle Riva’s recent Best Actress Oscar nomination for her role in French-language drama movie ‘Amour’. She added to Radio Times magazine: “That’s glorious. That says something great about the longevity of an actress’ career. Everyone always says, ‘Oh, they only have a shelf life of 40 years,’ and you look at that and go, ‘No way.

— Bangshowbiz

lthough the 40-year-old actress recently ended her romance with Simon Cowell and is currently single, she would love to have kids some day and is open to the idea of giving a home to a parentless child. Speaking to the new issue of In Touch Weekly magazine, she said: “I’m open to it. Work has been my priority this year but I’m not closed off to the idea of adoption. I love kids. “I’d be an encouraging and fun mom. I’d let my kid be who they are but also be a good solid mom. I definitely have an edgy, wild side to me - and I know people are surprised by this - but I can be very traditional too.” Carmen has been married twice to retired basketball star Dennis Rodman and rocker Dave Navarro, and although both unions ended in divorce the former ‘Baywatch’ star would tie the knot again. She said: “I’ve had two marriages and that’s all right. I’m not going to let that hold me back from living. I love those experiences. Dave and I are still so connected - we laugh, we talk on the phone, and we meet for lunch.” Carmen briefly dated Simon after meeting him when she acted as a judge on ‘Britain’s Got Talent’ but the relationship ran its course.

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n a small room in the Cambodian capital, laboratory technicians wearing latex gloves and flip-flops inspect hundreds of buzzing white silkworm moths before pairing them up to mate.

With its silk industry in rapid decline, Cambodia is pinning its hopes on moth matchmaking and disease control to save its precious silkworms and keep centuries-old traditions alive. More than 30 years ago, the brutal Khmer Rouge regime all but eliminated silk farming and the sector has been slow to recover, lagging regional rivals that use modern technology to produce better quality silk. Now the country’s silkworms are once again under threat, but from a different kind of enemy.

“Disease is killing more than 50 percent of the silkworms,” said Mey Kalyan, director of the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation’s (FAO) Cambodian silk programme. “Those that do survive are a third of the size compared to other regional producers,” Kalyan said. “In a nutshell, the (silk) farmers have stopped doing it. The weavers have stopped weaving and the plantations have stopped growing mulberries needed to feed silkworms,” he added.

The amount of Cambodian land set aside for mulberry cultivation has plummeted from about 6,000 hectares in the 1940s to just 40 hectares today, Kalyan said. Established by the FAO, the Silkworm Egg Production Centre in Phnom Penh is part of a $475,000 rehabilitation project launched in September 2009. Placed over several sheets of newspapers, the silkworm moths are each inspected by technicians who then couple them so that they can reproduce.

After four to six days, the female moths will be placed on a chemically treated sheet and isolated to lay their eggs, which are later sterilised and incubated.

Under the project, seven silk farms have also been opened across the country and training in silk production has been provided for those interested in the industry. But after three years, funds from the FAO to run the egg production centre will run out in March and no one else seems interested to invest. There is hope however. After three years of work, the researchers discovered a high-yield silkworm hybrid that feeds exclusively on cassava, something which is abundant in Cambodia.

Dwindling trade The breakthrough provided a rare glimmer of optimism for protecting a tradition which dates back to the 13th century. The fine texture and quality of Cambodia’s “golden silk” has been sewn by local reelers and weavers into some of the finest quality garments in Southeast Asia, but the trade is slowly dwindling into extinction. Silk yarn production has slowly declined in recent years, from five tonnes in 2009 to about four tonnes a year today.

Locally made yarn has more than doubled in price since 2010 and Cambodia now imports approximately 400 tonnes each year worth a total of nearly $10 million. Ven On, a 60-year-old silk weaver in Takeo province’s Prey Kabbas district who uses Cambodian yarn, is only able to make about $50 a month selling her silk scarves and traditional sarongs, which are too expensive for most buyers.

“I make only a little money and I can’t support my family,” she said. Her handwoven sarongs fetch between $120 and $150, depending on the quality, but her profit is only 10 percent. The quality of Cambodian-made silk is generally poorer than that of other regional producers due to a traditional manual reeling process that results in fabric that is too coarse for the luxury market.

In more developed silk-producing markets such as China and India, which together produce more than 90 percent of world supply, reeling machines make the process less time consuming. “The Cambodian silk industry, especially silk thread production, is having trouble right now,” said Madagascar-born clothing designer Eric Raisina, who has shops in Phnom Penh and Siem Reap but uses mostly silk imported from Thailand and China. “That is a shame for a country that used to have a great reputation with its unique yellow cocoon called ‘golden silk’,” he added. — AFP

A musician of an ensemble plays the violin during a concert at the Musical Institute in Baghdad. — AFP photos

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ussein Abdullah clutches his oud, long the symbol of Iraqi music, and sighs. “Iraqis do not care for their musical heritage,” he laments. “On TV, all you see are singers who have no voice.” While his contemporaries may have chosen to play the drums or guitar, or belt out modern lyrics, the 25-year-old has instead opted for the oud, part of an attempted revival of Iraqi traditional music, long in decline. The contrast is evident in the up-market neighbourhood of Jadriyah in central Baghdad-in the evenings, when restaurants are packed and the streets are filled with bumper-tobumper traffic, revellers are more likely to hear the melodies of Egyptian singer Amr Diab than the Iraqi oud. Hussein is one of a growing number of students at Baghdad’s Musical Studies Institute, a bastion of the country’s traditional music and a breeding ground for budding talents. At the vanguard of that effort is Sattar Naji, the institute’s director who meets with every prospective student hoping to, one day, break into the elite of Iraqi traditional music. “It is better now,” Naji told AFP, recalling that after the US-led invasion of 2003, “we did not even have 30 students.”

“Today, we are working with more than 150.”

Among the hopefuls who want to join that group is Mohammed Ali Mohammed, an 18-year-old with slick-black hair. As part of an entrance exam, Naji, who works with three teachers at the institute, asked the teenager to reproduce a beat he made by humming and clapping his hands. Though awkward at first, Mohammed quickly caught on, and after 10 minutes, Naji consulted with his colleagues. “Not bad,” he said. “We’ll take him-he will get better over time.” Despite his talent, Mohammed lacked Hussein’s passion, admitting afterwards that he would have preferred to have auditioned for ‘Iraqi Star’, a television talent show that is the local equivalent of American Idol or the X-Factor. “But I had to go to school, so I could not try out,” he said. The young man is nevertheless in line for four years of intensive teaching teachers will work with him on his singing and playing the oud, but also on performing with the qanoon, an Arab take on the sitar, and the violin. Though he will be accomplished in the art, it is unclear whether he will find an audience. “Sadly, us, the Iraqis, we have lost our traditions,” lamented Mustafa Zair, an oud teacher and renowned concert musician.

Fighting violence with music From 2005 to 2008, Iraq was blighted by a bru-

tal sectarian war in which tens of thousands died, and many chose to stay in their homes after dark rather than take their chances with the rampant violence.At the time, music, even in its traditional Iraqi form, was often targeted by insurgents. “From 2005 to 2007, when I was studying at the Musical Studies Institute,” recalled Murad, a flautist in a traditional music orchestra, “I was afraid to carry my instruments in public.” “I was even scared to tell my neighbours that I was studying music.” Though still violent — 246 people were killed in Iraq in Januarysecurity is markedly improved from its darkest days, and musicians have experienced greater freedom. But they increasingly find themselves constrained by a new challenge: a lack of resources and listeners. One victim of those challenges has been maqam, a slow form of music that was developed at around the time of the foundation of modern Iraq. It accomplished little in recent years but satisfy connoisseurs, and has all but disappeared.—AFP

Musicians of a musical ensemble perform in a concert.

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ew York is famously photogenic, but photographer Brandon Stanton is not interested in the skyscrapers, bridges or famous yellow cabs. It is New Yorkers themselves he wants to capture — 10,000 of them. Every day, the obsessive shutterbug goes out through Harlem, Brooklyn, Manhattan and the Bronx to snap another New York face. He is up to nearly 5,000. The results go on the 27-year-old’s vibrant blog Humans of New York, a family album for America’s biggest city, with subjects ranging from streetwise youngsters to the homeless and fashionably dressed lovers.

There is a woman in white furs, an older man in a fake tiger-skin coat, a nun, a man in wizard costume, ballerinas posing over heating vents, and a Michael Jackson lookalike busking in the subway.

“I am going on a treasure hunt,” Stanton told AFP. The photographer describes himself on his website as “really passionate about things”, which is something of an understatement.

The 10,000 pictures idea came up after he moved to New York from Chicago where he had just lost a job trading bonds on the Chicago Board of Trade. The fact he had no photography experience did not faze him. “Mom wasn’t too happy about that decision, but so far it’s gone pretty well,” he writes. After two years, Stanton has earned a big following, with nearly 560,000 Facebook fans. His method is to walk, often for hours, in search of a striking image that he thinks

will let him get through to the subject’s personality. He always starts with a simple, “Hi, can I take a picture of you?” This then develops into more personal questions aimed at getting to know his latest New Yorker, which include things like “What was the happiest moment of your life?” A few answers stick out in Stanton’s mind, among them an alcoholic homeless man who dreamt of going fishing and a young punk who said simply she wanted to be happy. A widow told him she still had a lot of love to give.

The first year of the project was difficult, he says, with only 3,000 online followers. “We were very worried for him, but he kept going,” his friend Samuel Ward said. “When he begins something, he is very into it, very focused.” When Stanton’s blog caught on, the nature of the idea changed. “At the beginning it was about my work. Now it is more about the phenomenon which brings people,” he said.

He’s even stopped focusing on the idea of trying to reach a specific number of photos: he has bigger responsibilities. “In two years, I’ve never had holidays. We could think that it is easy to be my own boss, but my actual boss is my 560,000 followers, for whom I have to update pictures every day.

It can be very stressful,” he said. Even New York is no longer big enough for the Humans project.

In December Stanton traveled to Iran to do the same thing. He now has 20,000 Iranian followers on his blog. “My perspective now is to go every-

where,” he said. Inspired by Stanton, other photographers are already starting to do the same kind of photographic catalogue of their cities. There are imitation projects like Humans of Paris, Humans of Beirut, Humans of Buenos Aires and even Karachi on Facebook. “It is great, but I prefer to be focused

on my work, without caring about them,” Stanton said. — AFP

A chef breaks cigar leaves into a measuring instrument as he prepares a dessert seasoning during a cooking event.

In this photo, farmer Jose Correa, 84, works at a tobacco field in the western province of Pinar del Rio, Cuba. — AP photos

A bronze statue depicting Cuba’s leader Fidel Castro smoking, made by the Cuban artist Ernesto Milanes (background) is seen during the inauguration of the 15th Cigar Festival in Havana, Cuba.

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t’s what’s for dinner. A team of Croatian chefs whipped up a pungent meal Thursday, infusing the flavor of the tobacco leaf synonymous with Cuba into baked stone bass filets, bread and butter, a rich demi-glace sauce, even ice cream.The result was a tangy heat that one taster likened to ancho chili powder, and a powerful finish with all the nicotine kick of a chubby Montecristo cigar.

“Wow, buzz city!” said Gary Heathcott, a public relations worker from Little Rock, Arkansas, who also writes for Smoke magazine. “The first buzz I ever received from biting into fish.” Grgur Baksic, owner and executive chef of the Gastronomadi dinner club in Zagreb, led the demonstration before a standing-room-only crowd of aficionados at a Havana convention center as part of Cuba’s 15th annual Cigar Festival.

It’s a six-day bash that brings together hundreds of cigar sophisticates from around the world, and culminates tonight with a gala and auction of humidors worth hundreds of thousands of dollars. A dozen cameras following their every move, Baksic and two other chefs care-

Brandon Stanton, creator of the “Humans of New York” blog, is seen with his camera in this February 22, 2013 file photo across the street from Union Square in New York. — AFP

fully wrapped the bass filets in tobacco and banana leaves, with a sprinkling of garlic and honey to draw out the smoky flavor. As the mild white fish baked for about a half hour, they demonstrated how stirring tobacco sauces into butter can create a sharp spread for bread and crackers, and used a torch to dry out liquid infused tobacco salt that can be employed in just about any dish. “It’s like how you can put chili on a sweet or a sour, you can put honey on a fish and on a fruit and on a meat,” Baksic said. “Something that is good is always good.

You cannot make a mistake.”

Baksic said Thursday’s demonstration was the result of two years of trial and error. He said they unsuccessfully tried American, European and African tobacco varieties before settling on Cuban tobacco, which he called the finest in the world. The chefs warned tasters not to eat the leaves themselves, which would be hard on the stomach.

Why tobacco? “Why rosemary? Why chili? It’s about variety,” Baksic said. “We are a little bit crazy. Our company are gastro-explorers, so

we are always looking for what... is not normal for other people.”Some at the demonstration found the ice cream, a creation by Italian chef Bruno Luciani, overwhelming. What started out as a smooth, milky sweetness soon set throats on fire.

“I think they (nonsmokers) might find it a bit strong, and also they might actually get high,” said James Suckling, an American food, cigar critic living in Hong Kong. “So probably in small doses they might find it amusing.” Suckling, like other cigar aficionados sitting on a 16-member tasting panel, gave the meal good reviews, however. “At first I didn’t really get much flavor and I thought it wasn’t up to much,” he said.

“But then I started tasting the fish ... and it has a very spicy, almost intense black-pepper taste. And then you get the nicotine and it’s like you’ve been chewing tobacco.” Heathcott put it more succinctly: “It grabs you by the throat.” — AP

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This photo shows Harrison Ford, as Han Solo, Carrie Fisher, as Princess Leia Organa, and Mark Hamill, as Luke Skywalker in a scene from the 1977 “Star Wars” movie released by 20th Century-Fox. —AP

This file photo shows Gregory Peck (right) as Joe Bradley, and Audrey Hepburn, as Princess Ann, in the 1953 film “Roman Holiday.” —AP

5 awesome movie

princesses

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his week’s “Jack the Giant Slayer,” a 3D retelling of the Jack and the Beanstalk legend, contains all the elements of the classic tale: farm boy, beans, giants, etc. But along for the ride is a new character, Princess Isabelle, played by Eleanor Tomlinson. At the film’s start, Isabelle has sneaked away in disguise from her overprotective father, the king, to see what the real world is like. Eventually she ends up finding more of an adventure than she’d bargained for when she’s sent skyward into the clutches of some fierce, bloodthirsty giants. Still, she rolls with whatever comes her way and learns not just to survive but thrive - and even find time to fall in love. Here’s a look at five other movies featuring strong princesses: “Roman Holiday” (1953): Truly a classic in the princess-in-disguise genre, this romantic comedy charmer stars a young, radiant Audrey Hepburn in her only Oscarwinning role. She plays Princess Ann, who’s tired of the schedules and demands that are forced upon her during a European tour. When she dares to sneak out one night and enjoy the people and sights of Rome, she crosses paths with American journalist Joe Bradley (a handsome and dashing Gregory Peck). Together they do all the things she’s always wanted to do: drink midday, race around on a scooter, dance under the moonlight and even get into a wild brawl. While she retains her elegance, she’s truly up for anything.

“Star Wars” (1977): Stands up to Darth Vader. Leads the Rebel Alliance in taking on the evil Empire. Enjoys snappy banter with Han Solo. And she does it all with enormous, symmetrical buns on either side

of her head. Is there anything Princess Leia can’t do? As played indelibly by Carrie Fisher, she’s petite but driven, smart and smart-mouthed. She has enough foresight to hide the stolen Death Star plans inside R2-D2 but can always think on her feet.

Even in subsequent “Star Wars” films, when she’s tethered to Jabba the Hut in a metal bikini as Slave Leia or forced to fraternize with Ewoks, she at least maintains some shred of her vivacious, independent spirit.

A handout video still image released by David Bowie The Stars (Are Out Tonight) shows British musician and actor David Bowie (left) and British actress Tilda Swinton playing their roles in a scene of the short film “The Stars (Are out Tonight)”. —AFP

This publicity image provided by Toho shows the title character “Princess Mononoke,” heroine of Japan’s megahit movie. —AP

“The Princess Bride” (1987): Because any excuse to write about this movie will do. Don’t let the name Buttercup fool you.

As played by Robin Wright, this is a woman who’s as resourceful as she is beautiful. And she’d rather risk her life than be forced into a marriage with a man she doesn’t love, the evil Prince Humperdinck. Although she’s kidnapped at one point, Buttercup is no damsel in distress. She survives the Fire Swamp, complete with Rodents of Unusual Size, and many other dangers to be with the man who is her destiny, the virtuous farm boy Westley. This cheeky fairy tale is of Rob Reiner’s best films: endlessly quotable and as clever and hilarious as ever.

“A Little Princess” (1995): OK, admittedly this pick is a bit of a cheat because the little girl at its center isn’t actual royalty, but she’s so lovely - as is the film as a whole that I had to sneak it in there. This early Alfonso Cuaron movie is beautiful and truly magical, with Oscar nominations for its cinematography and art direction. Liesel Matthews (better known as Hyatt Hotel

heiress Liesel Pritzker) stars as Sara, a child of privilege at an exclusive New York boarding school. When her beloved father is presumed dead while fighting in World War I, Sara is forced into servitude by the school’s cruel headmistress. But no matter the situation, she’s plucky and full of personality, a loyal and generous friend who brings out the best in everyone around her.

Sounds pretty regal to me.

“Princess Mononoke” (1999): She was raised by wolves, people, come on! What more do you need to know? This gorgeous and wondrous animated fantasy from Japanese master Hayao Miyazaki features a true warrior princess: a fierce young woman named San (voiced by Claire Danes in the English-language version) who can communicate with the spirits. She finds herself in the center of a war between animals, humans (whom she hates) and demons in a mystical 14th century setting.

The film is complex and densely plotted but San’s strength and intensity are never in question. —AP

SATURDAY, MARCH 2, 2013

Berlin Wall memorial uprooted for condo project

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onstruction crews stopped work yesterday on removing a small section from one of the few remaining stretches of the Berlin Wall to make way for a condo project after hundreds of protesters blocked their path. Crews were only able to remove one section from the famous East Side Gallery before about 300 protesters pressed too close for the work to continue. Demonstrators then wheeled in a mock wall section they had set up in front of the gap.

One protester carried a sign asking “does culture no longer have any value?” in bold letters, with “die yuppie scum” written in smaller letters.

The East Side Gallery is the longest remaining stretch of the Berlin Wall and is one of the German capital’s most popular tourist attractions, with Nicholas Cage recently mugging for snapshots with his wife Alice Kim during some time off from the Berlin film festival. It was recently restored at a cost of more than ?2 million ($3 million) to the city. The wall section stood on the eastern side of the elaborate border strip built by communist East Germany and, when the border

was closed, carried none of the graffiti that covered the western side of the wall.

It was transformed into an openair gallery months after East Germany opened its borders on Nov. 9, 1989, and is now covered in colorful murals

painted by about 120 artists. They include the famous image of boxy East German Trabant car that appears to burst through the wall; and a fraternal communist kiss between Soviet leader Leonid Brezhnev and his East German counterpart, Erich Honecker.

A part of Berlin Wall known as the East Side Gallery is pictured in Berlin yesterday. —AP

Despite its popularity, local city district chairman Franz Schulz told Bild newspaper that historical preservation authorities had given a construction firm permission to remove a section to build a road to access a new luxury apartment complex it is building on the nearby banks of the Spree river. The plan is for an approximately 20-meter (22-yard) stretch of the 1.3 kilometer (3/4 mile) section of wall to be removed and relocated. It’s not the first time a section has been removed; a few years ago, a section of wall in front of a new sports and concert arena was taken down. Crews were only able to remove one approximately 1.5 meter (yard) section yesterday from a mural depicting a stylized version of another Berlin landmark, the Brandenburg Gate, before the protests brought an end to the work. “It’s unbearable to see that the wall here is being so brutally torn down,” artist Thierry Noir, whose painted section of the wall is one likely to be removed, told the dpa news agency. —AP

Bollywood film recreates Mumbai attacks of 2008

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dramatised Bollywood account of the Mumbai attacks of 2008, when 166 people died in a threeday rampage, opened in Indian cinemas yesterday to present an unusually emotive tale told from the perspective of a police officer. “The Attacks of 26/11” chronicles the events that began on Nov 26 2008, when 10 gunmen went on a killing spree throughout the coastal city, attacking two luxury hotels, a train station and a Jewish centre, among other places.

It is the latest in a recent spate of Bollywood movies taking inspiration from real-life incidents, a practice that used to be unusual. Just over the last few years, there have been films on the gruesome murder of a model and a dar-

ing bank heist. The film’s director, Ram Gopal Varma, said he decided to make the film to try and answer questions about how a small handful of attackers was able to lay siege to a vast metropolis the size of Mumbai.

“How can 10 men hold a city of 1.5 crore (15 million) people to siege? That is something everyone should know,” Varma told Reuters. The film focuses on the city police and their response to the attacks, for which India blames the Pakistan-based militant group Lashkare-Taiba, with veteran actor Nana Patekar playing a high ranking Mumbai police officer referred to only as “joint police commissioner.”

Patekar’s character, based on a real policeman, narrates the film, which por-

This photo shows Indian film director Ram Gopal Varma (left) posing with actor Nana Patekar during the music launch of his upcoming film “The Attacks of 26/11” in Mumbai, India. —AFP

trays in graphic detail how the hapless police force, caught completely unawares, struggles to cope with an attack of such enormity. At one point he frantically tells a government official, “I don’t know what to do.” “You need to understand that the police were confused and didn’t know what to do,” Varma said. “If you were in their shoes, you would react the same way to an incident of this magnitude. It is important to understand their point of view.”

Advertising posters show a group of 10 men, the attackers, in a dinghy heading towards the iconic sea-facing Taj Mahal hotel, one of the most recognised buildings in Mumbai - a nod to the powerful shock and emotions the attack still evokes, symbolised by the hotel. Varma himself has fallen afoul of these still unhealed emotional scars, setting off controversy several times.

The first came just days after the attack, when he was seen at the Taj Mahal hotel with a major politician and accused of insensitivity for visiting the site so soon after the disaster and of gathering material for a film, which he denied. Last November, a political ally of the government said shooting at the actual locations of the attack “mocked” Mumbai residents.

“Seeing broken glass or grenade dust isn’t going to help me make a film,” said Varma, who has directed around 40 movies in the past 25 years. “But after two-and-a-half years, once the investigations were completed and the charge sheet was filed... that is when I had the time to study it and that is when the idea of making a film came into my mind,” he said. —Reuters

Indian Bollywood actor John Abraham (center), flanked by actresses Chitrangada Singh (left) and Prachi Desai (right), pose during a promotional event for the forthcoming Hindi film “I Me Aur Main” in Mumbai, India. —AFP

SATURDAY, MARCH 2, 2013

Lanvin, Nina Ricci, Balmain

are ladylike at show

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LANVIN Designer Alber Elbaz took the Lanvin guests on a typically encyclopedic journey for fall-winter. The Lebanese designer’s imaginative show in 52 diverse looks saw references that spanned from the furs of the 30s, the satins of the 40s, the full skirts of the 50s - right up to the inflated sleeves and shoulders of cutting-edge trends.

Several satin looks even fused the flora and fauna of the garden, with dragonflies, moths, beetles and butterflies. With the

irst it was Marlene Dietrich and Greta Garbo who played with men’s clothing in the 1930s. Then came Yves Saint Laurent, who in the 60s made it fashionable for every woman with the masculinity of “Le Smoking.” Ever since this time, menswear for women has been inescapable on the Paris catwalks - a sure sign of breaking taboos. But in Paris on

myriad references, it’s little wonder several of the model worn gold necklaces with featuring the word “help.” There were some sublime furs, dip-dyed jackets and the seemingly endless boas really conjured up pre-Second World War glamor. If one thing Elbaz used to hold this all beautifully together it was this: femininity.

Thursday, the third day of fall-winter 201314 ready-to-wear, some collections were different. They made no apologies about being feminine. Nina Ricci looked to balletic style, featuring sisters playing live piano; and Balmain adorned women in jewels.

While Lanvin’s message was clear - the 20th century is the story of feminine glamor. Could this be the start of the fightback of ladylike style?

Models present creations for Lanvin during the Fall/Winter 2013-2014 ready-to-wear collection show, on February 28, 2013 in Paris.

Models present creations for Balmain.

SATURDAY, MARCH 2, 2013

British fashion designer Peter Copping (center) for Nina Ricci acknowledges the public during the Fall/Winter 2013-2014 ready-to-wear collection show.

BALMAIN Balmain went to the Far East for fallwinter, and came back with a Siamese princess and half the crown jewels for the Paris house’s luxuriant ready-to-wear display. Oriental wrapped silks combined with Bejeweled couture, which embellished the show’s hourglass silhouettes.

Waists were cinched to within an inch of life; and high-waisted silk harem pants defined the esthetic.

27-year-old designer Olivier Rousteing has indeed come a long way in stamping the house with his youthful exuberance.

And it’s no small feat: it’s only his fourth season at the storied house - founded on the eve of World War II. “Upbeat, modern and real” were the words he used to described the collection. With the spiky, in-trend 80s shoulders, “upbeat” and “modern” it definitely felt. But “real” - given the collection’s ample Lurex stripes,

chandelier crystals, and metallic leather tweed - was stretching it.

NINA RICCI The Nina Ricci show was fashion-onstage. The music was provided by a live grand piano performance by sisters Katia and Marielle Labeque, who played “Two Movements for Two Pianos” by Phillip Glass. The dance, seen in the balletic inspiration of the show - which featured models with hair pulled back, and heels like pointed shoes and ballet slippers. Though the show didn’t take too many risks it was slick, saleable and, at times, very sexy. With full red lips models walked in blacks, crimsons and soft pink in silhouettes that varied from the long to the super short, with the odd revealing bustier. Some wonderful flared knee length skirts channeled designer Peter Copping’s fascination with the vintage and romantic.

Models present creations for Nina Ricci.

BARBARA BUI “Sometimes simple, sometimes powerful, but always balanced,” said Barbara Bui of her restrained fall-winter 2013-14 show.

With this mantra, the French-Vietnamese designer delivered a clean collection that played on textures and transparencies in black and white - and a dash of Londonstyle. Commercially-minded Bui is not one to break any boundaries, and Thursday’s show certainly didn’t. But some of the 30 looks did add a twist to her tried-and-tested formula of simple, balanced feminine elegance.

Models present creations by Barbara Bui.

RICK OWENS Avant-garde romantic Rick Owens is always full of surprises. On Thursday, it came in the form of what Owens called “wedding cake” stitching alongside billowing-sleeved Samurai silhouettes, and models with wild, Wagnerian hair. The Gothic edge to much of Owen’s bichrome repertoire should not fool anyone: What he does is always genuinely subtle. Oversize white tunics and black fabric layers seem haphazard - but were in fact delivered delicately, with soft architecture: the first look’s white hanging robe frames the sectioned, column silhouette. Elsewhere, collars - like flaccid marzipan in celebratory cakes unfurled down from the neck; while a few white stitches, that he used sparingly, succeeded in dominating and defining whole looks in black. Owens said the collection was a celebration of his favorite things - by the applause he got, it seems he’s not alone. Friday’s shows include Christian Dior, Roland Mouret and Issey Miyake. — AP

Models present creations by Rick Owens.

TECHNOLOGY

SATURDAY, MARCH 2, 2013

Kaspersky Lab Identifies ‘MiniDuke’ KUWAIT: Kaspersky Lab’s team of experts published a new research report yesterday that analyzed a series of security incidents involving the use of the recently discovered PDF exploit in Adobe Reader (CVE-2013-6040) and a new, highly customized malicious program known as MiniDuke. The MiniDuke backdoor was used to attack multiple government entities and institutions worldwide during the past week. Kaspersky Lab’s experts, in partnership with CrySys Lab, analyzed the attacks in detail and published their findings.

According to Kaspersky Lab’s analysis, a number of high profile targets have already been compromised by the MiniDuke attacks, including government entities in Ukraine, Belgium, Portugal, Romania, the Czech Republic and Ireland. In addition, a research institute, two think tanks, and healthcare provider in the United States were also compromised, as was a prominent research foundation in Hungary.

“This is a very unusual cyberattack,” said Eugene Kaspersky, Founder and CEO of Kaspersky Lab. “I remember this style of malicious programming from the end of the 1990s and the beginning of the 2000s. I wonder if these types of malware writers, who have been in hibernation for more than a decade, have suddenly awoken and joined the sophisticated group of threat actors active in the cyberworld. These elite, “old school” malware writers were extremely effective in the past at creating highly complex viruses, and are now combining these skills with the newly advanced sandbox-evading exploits to target government entities or research institutions in several countries.”

“MiniDuke’s highly customized backdoor was written in Assembler and is very small in size, being only 20kb,” added Kaspersky. “The combination of experienced old school malware writers using newly discovered exploits and clever social engineering to compromise high profile targets is extremely dangerous.”

Kaspersky Lab’s Primary Research Findings:

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have created malware as recently as February 20, 2013. To compromise victims, the attackers used extremely effective social engineering techniques, which involved sending malicious PDF documents to their targets. The PDFs were highly relevant - with well-crafted content that fabricated human rights seminar information (ASEM) and Ukraine’s foreign policy and NATO membership plans. These malicious PDF files were rigged with exploits attacking Adobe Reader versions 9, 10, and 11, bypassing its sandbox.

A toolkit was used to create these exploits and it appears to be the same toolkit that was used in the recent attack reported by FireEye. However, the exploits used in the MiniDuke attacks were for different purposes and had their own customized malware.

Once the system is exploited, a very small downloader is dropped onto the victim’s disc that’s only 20kb in size. This downloader is unique per system and contains a customized backdoor written in Assembler. When loaded at system boot, the downloader uses a set of mathematical calculations to determine the computer’s unique fingerprint, and in turn uses this data to uniquely encrypt its communications later. It is also programmed to avoid analysis by a hardcoded set of tools in certain environments like VMware. If it finds any of these indicators it will run idle in the environment instead of moving to another stage and exposing more of its functionality by decrypting itself further; this indicates the malware writers know exactly what antivirus and IT security professionals are doing in order to analyze and identify malware.

If the target’s system meets the pre-defined requirements, the malware will use Twitter (unbeknownst to the user) and start looking for specific tweets from

Apple CEO promises investors ‘great stuff’ to come CUPERTINO, California: Apple CEO Tim Cook sought to reassure shareholders worried about the company’s sagging stock price that the iPhone and iPad maker is on the verge of inventing more breakthrough products that will prove it hasn’t lost its creative edge. “The company is working as hard as ever, and we have some great stuff coming,” Cook told shareholders Wednesday before taking their questions during Apple’s annual meeting at its Cupertino, Calif., headquarters.

True to Apple’s secretive nature, Cook didn’t provide any further product details, although at one point he said the company is considering entering other categories besides its popular line of digital music players, smartphones and tablet computers. There has been speculation that Apple is working on an Internet-connected watch or TV that will be introduced later this year. One shareholder at Wednesday’s meeting threw a new idea for Apple to ponder - a computerized bicycle.

Cook, an avid bicyclist, chuckled at the suggestion, along with the rest of the audience.

Although there were more moments of levity, Wednesday’s meeting was less celebratory than the events in past years, when Apple’s stock price was soaring to the delight and enrichment of its shareholders. Since hitting an all-time high of $705.07 five months ago, Apple’s stock has plunged by 37 percent. The decline has wiped out collective shareholder wealth totaling $240 billion.

That amount exceeds the total market value of Microsoft Corp., which reigned as the most influential company in personal computing until Apple ushered in an era of mobile devices with the 2007 release of the iPhone and the 2010 introduction of the iPad. Cook, who became CEO shortly before Apple co-founder Steve Jobs died in October 2011, has a huge incentive to get the company’s stock price strong again. The 1.1 million Apple shares he owns are worth about $300 million less than they

pre-made accounts. These accounts were created by MiniDuke’s Command and Control (C2) operators, and the tweets maintain specific tags labeling encrypted URLs for the backdoors. These URLs provide access to the C2s, which then provide potential commands and encrypted transfers of additional backdoors onto the system via GIF files.

• The MiniDuke attackers are still active at this time and

New malicious program designed for spying on multiple government entities and institutions across the world

• Based on the analysis, it appears that MiniDuke’s cre-

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ators provide a dynamic backup system that also can fly under the radar. If Twitter isn’t working or the accounts are down the malware can use Google Search to find the encrypted strings to the next C2.

This model is flexible and enables the operators to constantly change how their backdoors retrieve further commands or malcode as needed.

Once the infected system locates the C2, it receives encrypted backdoors that are obfuscated within GIF files and disguised as pictures that appear on a victim’s machine. Once they are downloaded to the machine they can download a larger backdoor that carries out several basic actions, such as copy file, move file, remove file, make directory, kill process, and, of course, download and execute new malware.

The malware backdoor connects to two servers, one in Panama and one in Turkey, to receive instructions from the attackers.

Google clings to cash for acquisitions: CFO Firm hoards $48 billion in cash

were five months ago. “I don’t like it, either,” Cook said of the downturn in Apple’s stock.

Apple Inc. hasn’t unveiled another trailblazing product since Cook took over, raising concerns about whether the company is losing the ingenuity that has set it apart from the rest of the technology pack. Cook told shareholders the company’s commitment to innovation remains Apple’s “North Star” and “the beat of its heart.”

His pep talk evidently didn’t inspire many investors. Apple’s stock shed another $4.40 to close Wednesday at $444.57. Shareholders still affirmed their confidence in Cook at the meeting.

Preliminary results showed Cook was re-elected to Apple’s eight-member board of directors with 99 percent of the vote. Wall Street may have been disappointed that Cook didn’t provide any further clarity on whether Apple might distribute some of its $137 billion in cash to shareholders in the form of a dividend increase or a special one-time payment. Apple shareholder David Einhorn, who runs the Greenlight Capital hedge fund, turned Apple’s cash hoard into a hot topic in the weeks leading up the meeting. He sued to block a proposal that would have required shareholder approval for Apple to issue preferred stock. —AP

SAN FRANCISCO: Google plans to cling to its bulging stash of cash to pay for potential acquisitions and other technology investments that might boost future profits, a top executive said Thursday. Patrick Pichette, who oversees Google Inc’s bank accounts as the company’s chief financial officer, explained the company’s rationale for hoarding $48 billion in cash during a technology conference hosted by Morgan Stanley. “It serves the shareholder best to actually have that strategic ability to pounce” when there is the opportunity to make a major acquisition, Pichette said.

Although he didn’t identify possible takeover candidates for the future, Pichette cited Google’s $12.4 billion acquisition of cellphone maker Motorola Mobility last year as a prime example of why the company believes it needs to have lots of money at its disposal.

Although Motorola has been a financial drag on the company so far, Google believes having it will ultimately will help it put its digital services on more smartphones and tablet computers.

The money-management policies of publicly traded companies are getting more attention as more firms hoard huge amounts of cash instead of introducing or increasing dividends to reward stockholders. Apple Inc, the world’s most valuable company and a Google rival, is currently under the most scrutiny because it holds $137 billion in cash. One of Apple’s shareholders, hedge fund manager David Einhorn of Greenlight Capital, is pressing Apple to create a new class of dividend-paying stock that would

supplement the quarterly dividend of $2.65 per share that the company now pays. Apple CEO Tim Cook told shareholders Wednesday that the iPhone and iPad maker is in “very, very active discussions” about what to do with its money.

Google has never paid a dividend since the company went public in 2004. It hasn’t yet faced intense pressure to distribute its cash, partly because its stock has delivered a nice return for long-term investors. The stock is currently hovering around $800, more than nine times its initial public offering price of $85.

Much of the company’s success has flowed from the $11 billion Google has paid to buy 237 companies besides Motorola Mobility since its IPO. Some of them have been small deals, such as the ones that brought in the technology for its Android software for mobile devices and the technology for its online maps. Bigger acquisitions such as the $1.76 billion purchase of YouTube and the $2.3 billion purchase of DoubleClick have made Google more successful in Internet video and online advertising.

Google primarily bought Motorola for its portfolio of more than 17,000 patents. Its cellphone business has been slumping. Instead of helping Google boost its profit, Motorola has accumulated operating losses of $1.1 billion since the takeover was completed in May. Google has been trying to turn things around by laying off thousands of workers, shedding some operations and sharpening the focus on the development of the most promising products.—AP

TECHNOLOGY SATURDAY, MARCH 2, 2013

RSA launches RSA NextGen security operations services DUBAI: RSA, The Security Division of EMC yesterday announced the release of RSA(r)NextGen Security Operations Center (SOC) services designed to help organizations establish the core foundations for security operations while integrating newly released security analytics, threat intelligence, incident response and asset criticality capabilities. This transformation of the SOC can help organizations respond faster and more efficiently to attacks, reduce breach exposure times and develop more predictive defense capabilities.

The RSA NextGen SOC services offer customers access to a deep bench of highly trained security practitioners with real-world experience in cyber defense who are capable of fulfilling SOC requirements specifically tailored to each organization’s unique needs.

These services are designed to establish the organizational foundation required to prepare for, discover and

respond to threats in an agile, methodical and repeatable approach that reduces risk and business impact of incidents.

The RSA NextGen SOC services are designed to deliver customers a repeatable and sustainable service delivery framework that can enable organizations to transform current state reactive security programs into a predictive, intelligence-driven Advanced SOC. The services are engineered to ultimately deliver a program for organizations to leverage actionable data that can be presented in a unified method to aid security analysts and operators to make real-time decisions on incidents to help minimize impact to their organization.

As IT infrastructures and threats have evolved, driven by cloud, mobility and the hyper-connectivity of data centers, organizations are left struggling with tools, processes and skills designed to defend a non-existent

perimeter. To be fully prepared for the advanced nature and proliferation of future threats, organizations are starting to take action now to revamp their SOC and incorporate newly released advanced security analytics, intelligence and risk assessment tools on top of traditional security controls for defense in depth.

RSA’s approach helps facilitate actionable intelligence for security teams by focusing on key technical and operational areas including: • Aggregation and analysis of threat intelligence data • Correlation of content intelligence data throughout the organization • Deployment of solutions that provide advanced analytic intelligence capabilities • Development of security operations processes and procedures and the automation of related workflows.

Companies work hard to popularize mobile money Consumers not warming to it yet

BARCELONA: A man uses the NFC communicate library system at the Mobile World Congress, the world’s largest mobile phone trade show, in Barcelona. —AP

Hollywood targets ‘rogue’ mobile apps LOS ANGELES: Hollywood studios, which for years have waged a war against online piracy, are now going after so-called “rogue” mobile apps that use images from movies and television shows without their permission. Time Warner Inc Warner Bros Studio sent Google Inc a “take down” notice late last week demanding that the Internet company remove from its app store “Hobbit 3D Wallpaper HD,” a mobile app that uses images of the Oscar-nominated film, according to a spokesman for the studio.

Google responded to Warner’s notice and removed the app within days, in the latest example of how Hollywood is stepping up its efforts to protect its intellectual property in the quickly expanding app market, which is pegged at $20 billion in 2013.

For many studios and other content providers, mobile apps are a new source of income and a powerful way to engage audiences, sell games and merchandise. But these revenues are threatened if developers do not pay licensing fees.

Walt Disney Co’s Marvel unit, Sony Corp, Viacom Inc’s Paramount, and News Corp’s Twentieth Century Fox and Warner have all submitted infringement notifications to Google, according to information made available by Google and posted on ChillingEffects.org. The apps targeted by the studios contain images from movie titles such as “Clash of the Titans,” “Spiderman,” and “Green Lantern” and TV shows like “Glee” and “Gossip Girl.” A Google spokesman declined to discuss any specific take down requests. He cited the company’s policy to remove apps that show clear cases of copyright infringement and then notify the app developer. The “Hobbit 3D Wallpaper HD” app was developed by Any View, which did not return an email from Reuters requesting comment. Comcast’s NBC Universal also issued a notice of infringement on apps using images of its film “Ted,” according to documents on ChillingEffects.org.—Reuters

BARCELONA: Mobile money may seem like a hot concept, but consumers aren’t warming to it. At the world’s largest cellphone trade show, here in Barcelona this week, the 70,000 attendees are encouraged to use their cellphones -instead their keycards- to get past the turnstiles at the door. But very few people took the chance to do that. The process of setting up the phone to act as a keycard proved too much of a hassle.

It’s a poor omen for an industry that’s eager to have the cellphone replace both tickets and credit cards. Companies are building chips antennas into phones that let the gadgets interact with “tap to pay” terminals and other devices equipped with short-range sensors, like subway turnstiles. But getting the technology to do something useful and convincing people to adopt it is a slow process.

To make a payment in a store with your cellphone, “you need a lot of things to align,” said Reed Peterson, who heads the Near-Field Communications initiative for the GSM Association, a global trade group for the wireless industry. The phone needs to be properly equipped with NFC hardware and software; the store needs to have the proper equipment and training.

The phone company needs to support the transaction, and banks and payment processors need to be in on it.

Some of these things have fallen into place, Peterson said, but the network of commercial agreements that supports these payments needs to expand. And consumer demand remains elusive.

“I want to get to the point where the consumer goes into the store and says ‘Show me only the phones that have NFC’,” Peterson said.

Today, a buyer is quite likely to go into a store and ask for an iPhone, and that’s an obstacle to NFC adoption. Apple Inc. is the lone holdout among major smartphone makers, and hasn’t built NFC into any of its devices yet.

Visa, the global payments network, announced a coup at the show: it has struck a deal with Samsung Electronics to take charge of the “secure element” in the next flagship phone from the South Korean company. The Galaxy S IV is

expected to be launched at an event in New York on Mar. 14, though the name has not been confirmed.

The “secure element” is sort of like a safe inside the phone. Whoever controls access to it decides which credit cards, transit passes or other verified “documents” the phone can store. A bank that wants to let customers use their Samsung smartphones as virtual credit cards will have to go through Visa.

Control of the secure element is a crucial battleground for NFC. The GSMA, which is dominated by cellphone carriers, advocates putting the secure element not in the phone itself, but in the subscriber identity module, or SIM card, which plugs into the phone to identify the user and supply a phone number to the network. SIM cards are issued and controlled by the carriers who would like to be the ones in control of the secure element.

While Visa, phone companies and Google (which has its own payment initiative) duel over the secure element, eBay Inc.’s PayPal is wondering what all the fuss is about. The online payment network thinks NFC is a lot more trouble than it’s

worth. The company isn’t afraid to say so at the wireless industry tradeshow.

“If you want to change something, you have to solve problems that people have in everyday life,” said David Marcus, the president of PayPal. “It’s not like everyone is thinking ‘Oh, I wish someone came up with something better’” than paper money and credit cards.

PayPal is putting a lot of effort into making cellphones central to the way we shop, but is focusing on the shopping experience itself, rather than payments.

The company’s ideal vision for buying a cup of coffee: You pull out your phone on the way to the store, fire up PayPal’s app to order your double-skim latte and pay for it in advance. When you arrive at the counter, the barista has your picture and your coffee, and gives it to you right away.

Then you’re out the door.

Thirty years ago, Marcus said, store clerks knew the people in their neighborhood and greeted them by name. “We think with this technology, we could recreate that personal connection,” he said.

“We feel this is going to leapfrog the efforts of NFC.” — AP

BARCELONA: A host holds a new smartphone “Care Plus” by Emporia, a model for people aged 55 and over, at the 2013 Mobile World Congress in Barcelona on Thursday. — AFP

TV listings

SATURDAY, MARCH 2, 2013

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

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

Crime Scene Wild Untamed & Uncut Wildest Latin America Deadly Waters Whale Wars: Viking Shores Rescue Vet Escape To Chimp Eden Animal Precinct The Really Wild Show Pandamonium Bad Dog Crocodile Hunter Too Cute!

Animal Airport Animal Airport My Cat From Hell The Really Wild Show Animal ER Animal ER Animal ER Animal ER Animal ER Animal ER Wild France Wild France Into The Lion’s Den Wildest Latin America My Cat From Hell Ned Bruha: Skunk Whisperer Ned Bruha: Skunk Whisperer Animal Cops Houston

00:00 Extreme Makeover: Home Edition Specials 01:15 Come Dine With Me 02:05 House Swap 02:50 Saturday Kitchen 2008/09 03:15 Saturday Kitchen 2008/09 03:40 Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is 04:25 Come Dine With Me 05:10 Antiques Roadshow 06:05 House Swap 06:50 Saturday Kitchen 2008/09 07:15 House Swap 08:00 Antiques Roadshow 11:25 Fantasy Homes By The Sea 12:10 Rhodes Across The Caribbean 12:55 Rick Stein’s Mediterranean Escapes 13:50 Eating In The Sun 14:15 Eating In The Sun 14:40 Come Dine With Me 15:30 Come Dine With Me 16:20 Bargain Hunt 17:05 Extreme Makeover: Home Edition Specials 18:20 Extreme Makeover: Home Edition Specials 19:40 Come Dine With Me 20:30 Antiques Roadshow 23:05 Fantasy Homes By The Sea 23:50 Bargain Hunt

00:00 Homes Under The Hammer 00:50 Extreme Makeover: Home Edition 01:35 Come Dine With Me 02:25 The Boss Is Coming To Dinner 02:45 The Boss Is Coming To Dinner 03:10 MasterChef 04:05 Bargain Hunt 04:50 Bargain Hunt 05:35 Homes Under The Hammer 06:25 Living In The Sun 07:20 Homes Under The Hammer 08:15 Bargain Hunt 08:55 Homes Under The Hammer 09:50 Homes Under The Hammer 10:40 Homes Under The Hammer 11:35 The Boss Is Coming To Dinner 11:55 The Boss Is Coming To Dinner 12:20 Come Dine With Me 13:10 Come Dine With Me: South Africa 14:05 Rick Stein’s Spain 15:00 New Scandinavian Cooking 15:25 The Hairy Bikers USA 15:50 The Hairy Bikers USA 16:15 Bargain Hunt 17:00 Bargain Hunt 17:45 Extreme Makeover: Home Edition Specials 18:25 Extreme Makeover: Home Edition Specials 19:05 Extreme Makeover: Home Edition 19:50 Come Dine With Me: Supersize 21:25 Come Dine With Me: South Africa 22:20 Bargain Hunt

THE GREEN HORNET ON OSN ACTION HD 23:05 Bargain Hunt 23:55 Extreme Makeover: Home Edition Specials

00:05 00:30 00:55 01:20 01:45 02:10 02:35 03:00 03:25 03:50 04:00 04:30 04:55 05:20 05:45 06:00 06:25 06:45 07:00 09:00 09:25 09:40 09:55 10:10 10:25 10:45 11:05 11:30 11:55 12:20 12:45 13:10 13:35 14:00 14:50 15:15 15:40

Taz-Mania Pink Panther And Pals Moomins Tom & Jerry Kids A Pup Named Scooby-Doo Puppy In My Pocket Wacky Races Looney Tunes Duck Dodgers Dastardly And Muttley Dexter’s Laboratory Wacky Races Sylvester & Tweety Mysteries Tom & Jerry The Garfield Show Bananas In Pyjamas Gerald McBoing Boing Jelly Jamm Lazy Town Krypto The Superdog Bananas In Pyjamas Cartoonito Tales Ha Ha Hairies Jelly Jamm Gerald McBoing Boing Lazy Town Krypto The Superdog Baby Looney Tunes Ha Ha Hairies Jelly Jamm Gerald McBoing Boing Lazy Town Krypto The Superdog The Garfield Show Pink Panther And Pals Pink Panther And Pals Tom And Jerry Tales

16:30 16:55 17:20 18:10 19:00 19:30 19:55 20:20 20:45 21:00 21:25 21:50 22:15 22:40 23:05 23:30 23:55

Taz-Mania Taz-Mania Johnny Bravo Dexter’s Laboratory Looney Tunes Sylvester And Tweety Mysteries Taz-Mania The Looney Tunes Show Tom & Jerry The Garfield Show Pink Panther And Pals What’s New Scooby-Doo? Sylvester And Tweety Mysteries Puppy In My Pocket The Perils Of Penelope Pitstop The Addams Family Droopy: Master Detective

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 06:45 CNN Marketplace Africa 07:00 The Situation Room 08:00 World Sport 08:30 Leading Women 08:45 Future Cities 09:00 World Report 09:15 CNN Marketplace Africa 09:30 Backstory 10:00 World Report 10:15 CNN Marketplace Middle East 10:30 Sanjay Gupta MD 11:00 World Sport

11:30 11:45 12:00 13:00 13:30 14:00 14:30 15:00 15:30 16:00 16:30 17:00 17:30 18:00 18:30 19:00 19:15 19:30 20:00 20:30 21:00 21:30 22:00 22:30 22:45 23:00

Winning Post The Gateway The Best Of The Situation Room World Report The Brief Amanpour Inside Africa Talk Asia I Report For CNN World Report On China News Special Backstory International Desk African Voices CNN Marketplace Europe CNN Marketplace Africa The Brief World Sport Open Court International Desk Inside Africa International Desk Leading Women Future Cities The Best Of The Situation Room

00:15 01:10 02:05 03:00 03:55 04:20 04:50 05:15 05:40 06:05 07:00 07:50 08:15 08:45

Fast N’ Loud Jesse James Outlaw Garage American Chopper Mythbusters How Stuff’s Made Auction Kings Auction Hunters Factory Line How Stuff’s Made American Guns Mythbusters Magic Of Science Time Warp Life On A Wire

Future Shark River Monsters Animal Cops South Africa Gold Divers Gold Divers Gold Divers Gold Divers Gold Divers Gold Divers Fast N’ Loud Gold Rush Gold Divers Sons Of Guns Auction Hunters Auction Hunters Auction Hunters Auction Hunters Auction Hunters Auction Kings

00:40 Prototype This 01:35 The Gadget Show 02:00 The Gadget Show 02:25 Weird Or What?

03:15 Mean Green Machines 03:45 Tech Toys 360 04:10 Tech Toys 360 04:35 Return To The Bermuda Triangle 05:25 Mega World 06:15 Sci-Trek 07:05 Alien Planet 08:00 Tech Toys 360 08:25 Tech Toys 360 08:50 Stunt Junkies 09:15 Stunt Junkies 09:40 Through The Wormhole With Morgan Freeman 10:30 Finding Bigfoot 11:25 The X-Testers 11:50 The X-Testers 12:15 The World’s Strangest UFO Stories 13:10 Weird Connections 13:35 Weird Connections 14:00 Weird Or What?

14:50 Mean Green Machines 15:20 Da Vinci’s Machines 16:10 Weird Or What?

17:00 Tech Toys 360 17:25 Tech Toys 360 17:55 Superships 18:45 Through The Wormhole With Morgan Freeman 19:35 Food Factory 20:00 Food Factory 20:30 Meteorite Men 21:20 Weird Or What?

22:10 Tech Toys 360 22:35 Tech Toys 360 23:00 Meteorite Men 23:50 Dark Matters: Twisted But True

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 06:25 06:40 07:05 07:30 07:55 08:05 08:20 08:45 09:10 09:35 10:00 10:25 10:50 11:15 12:55 13:20 13:45 14:10 14:35 15:00 15:25 15:50 16:15 16:40

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 Mickey Mouse Clubhouse Jake & The Neverland Pirates Suite Life On Deck A.N.T Farm Wizards Of Waverly Place Fish Hooks Fish Hooks That’s So Raven Good Luck Charlie Shake It Up Austin And Ally Austin And Ally Austin And Ally Austin And Ally Camp Rock Wizards Of Waverly Place Suite Life On Deck Good Luck Charlie Gravity Falls A.N.T Farm My Babysitter’s A Vampire Austin And Ally Austin And Ally Austin And Ally Austin And Ally

17:00 18:45 19:10 19:35 20:00 20:25 20:50 21:15 21:40 22:05 22:30 22:55 Cody 23:20 Cody 23:45

Camp Rock 2 Good Luck Charlie Wizards Of Waverly Place Shake It Up Austin And Ally My Babysitter’s A Vampire A.N.T. Farm Jessie Jessie Good Luck Charlie Good Luck Charlie The Suite Life Of Zack And The Suite Life Of Zack And Stitch

00:00 Opening Act 00:55 Style Star 01:25 E! Investigates 03:15 Style Star 03:40 Extreme Close-Up 04:10 E!es 05:05 E!es 06:00 THS 07:50 Style Star 08:20 E! News 09:15 Keeping Up With The Kardashians 10:15 THS 11:10 THS 12:05 E! News 13:05 Scouted 14:05 Giuliana & Bill 15:00 Giuliana & Bill 16:00 Opening Act 17:00 Opening Act 18:00 E! News 19:00 Keeping Up With The Kardashians 20:00 Keeping Up With The Kardashians 21:00 Fashion Police: The 2013 Academy Awards 22:30 E! News 23:30 Chelsea Lately

00:15 Heat Seekers 00:40 Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives 01:05 Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives 01:30 Andy Bates Street Feasts 01:55 Andy Bates Street Feasts 02:20 Unwrapped 02:45 Andy Bates American Street Feasts 03:10 Andy Bates American Street Feasts 03:35 Heat Seekers 04:00 Heat Seekers 04:20 Kid In A Candy Store 04:50 Unique Sweets 05:15 Charly’s Cake Angels 05:40 Chopped 06:30 Iron Chef America 07:10 Unwrapped 07:35 Unwrapped 08:00 Healthy Appetite With Ellie Krieger 08:25 Healthy Appetite With Ellie Krieger 08:50 Healthy Appetite With Ellie Krieger 09:15 Healthy Appetite With Ellie Krieger 09:40 Cooking For Real 10:05 Cooking For Real 10:30 Cooking For Real 10:55 Cooking For Real 11:20 Symon’s Suppers 11:45 Symon’s Suppers 12:10 Symon’s Suppers 12:35 Symon’s Suppers 13:00 Iron Chef America 13:50 Barefoot Contessa - Back To Basics 14:15 Barefoot Contessa - Back To Basics 14:40 Barefoot Contessa - Back To Basics 15:05 Unique Sweets 15:30 Unique Sweets 15:55 Unique Sweets 16:20 Unique Sweets 16:45 Chopped 17:35 Barefoot Contessa - Back To Basics 18:00 Barefoot Contessa - Back To Basics 18:25 Barefoot Contessa - Back To Basics 18:50 Barefoot Contessa - Back To Basics 19:15 Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives

TV listings

SATURDAY, MARCH 2, 2013 19:40 20:05 20:30 21:20 22:10 23:00 23:25 23:50

Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives Chopped Chopped Chef Hunter Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives

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

I Almost Got Away With It Dr G: Medical Examiner A Haunting Fatal Encounters Ghost Lab I Almost Got Away With It Dr G: Medical Examiner A Haunting Undercover Mystery Diagnosis Street Patrol Street Patrol Real Emergency Calls Who On Earth Did I Marry?

True Crime With Aphrodite

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

Living With The Amish Travel Madness Bondi Rescue David Rocco’s Dolce Vita 2 David Rocco’s Dolce Vita 2 Living With The Amish Bondi Rescue Bondi Rescue Walking The World Departures Departures Long Way Down Long Way Down Living With The Amish Travel Madness Travel Madness Bondi Rescue Bondi Rescue David Rocco’s Dolce Vita 2 Maverick Chef Living With The Amish Banged Up Abroad Departures Long Way Down Long Way Down Bondi Rescue Bondi Rescue Walking The World Departures Don’t Tell My Mother Bite Me With Dr. Mike Leahy

By Any Means

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

Disappeared Murder Shift Forensic Detectives True Crime With Aphrodite Disappeared Nightmare Next Door Couples Who Kill Deadly Sins I Was Murdered

07:00 Marion Jones: Press Pause-PG15 09:00 Madea’s Big Happy Family-PG15 11:00 Space Chimps 2: Zartog Strikes Back-PG 13:00 No Surrender-PG15 15:00 When Love Is Not Enough-PG15 16:45 The Way-PG15 19:00 The Descendants-PG15 21:00 After Life-18 23:00 Chloe-R

00:30 The Daily Show With Jon Stewart 01:00 The Colbert Report 01:30 The Ricky Gervais Show 02:00 Louie 02:30 Family Guy 03:00 Parks And Recreation 03:30 2 Broke Girls 04:00 Gary Unmarried 04:30 The Tonight Show With Jay Leno 05:30 Brothers 06:00 Seinfeld 06:30 Less Than Perfect 07:00 Late Night With Jimmy Fallon 08:00 Gary Unmarried 08:30 Brothers 09:00 Parks And Recreation 09:30 30 Rock 10:00 Cougar Town 10:30 Last Man Standing 11:00 The Tonight Show With Jay Leno 12:00 Seinfeld 12:30 Gary Unmarried 13:00 Brothers 13:30 Less Than Perfect 14:00 2 Broke Girls 14:30 Cougar Town 15:00 30 Rock 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 Parks And Recreation 18:30 Happy Endings 19:00 The Neighbors 19:30 Don’t Trust The B In Apartment 23 20:00 The Tonight Show With Jay Leno 21:00 The Daily Show With Jon Stewart 21:30 The Colbert Report 22:00 Saturday Night Live 23:00 Family Guy 23:30 Late Night With Jimmy Fallon

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

00:00 01:00 02:00 06:00 07:00 07:30

American Idol Glee Survivor: Caramoan Smash Good Morning America The Practice Emmerdale Coronation Street The Ellen DeGeneres Show Body Of Proof The Practice American Idol Body Of Proof Live Good Morning America The Ellen DeGeneres Show Emmerdale Coronation Street Top Gear (US) Criminal Minds The Mob Doctor Sons Of Anarchy

Royal Pains Survivor: Caramoan Smash Royal Pains Emmerdale Coronation Street

08:00 10:00 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

00:00 Wrong Turn 4: Bloody Beginnings 02:00 The Ring 04:00 The Reunion 06:00 The Green Hornet 08:00 Time Machine: Rise Of The Morlocks 10:00 Devil 12:00 True Justice: Deadly Crossing 14:00 Time Machine: Rise Of The Morlocks 16:00 Deadly Hope 18:00 True Justice: Deadly Crossing 20:00 Hustle And Flow 22:00 Iron Sky

00:00 02:00 04:00 06:00 PG15 08:00 10:00 12:00 14:00

The Dilemma-PG15 Take Me Home Tonight-18 Smooch-PG15 The Marc Pease ExperienceBelow The Beltway-PG15 Hitch-PG15 Smooch-PG15 Cheaper By The Dozen-PG

16:00 18:00 20:00 22:00

Hitch-PG15 Wayne’s World-PG15 Detention-18 The Dilemma-PG15

01:00 Mr. Nobody-PG15 03:15 Dead Again-PG15 05:15 Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind-PG15 07:15 Backwash-PG15 09:00 Loosies-PG15 11:00 My Afternoons With Margueritte-PG15 13:00 The LXD: The Uprising BeginsPG15 15:00 Loosies-PG15 17:00 My Enemy’s Enemy-PG15 18:45 Terms Of Endearment-PG15 21:00 Dying Young-PG15 23:00 Arc-PG15

00:00 02:00 04:00 06:00 07:15 09:00 11:00 13:00 PG15 14:00 16:00 18:00 20:00 22:00

13-PG15 Big Miracle-PG Last Holiday-PG15 Into The Wind-PG15 Rising Stars-PG15 Dr. Seuss’ The Lorax-PG Big Miracle-PG Tim Richmond: To The Limit-

01:00 02:45 04:30 06:00 08:00 10:00 11:30 13:00 Seas 14:30 16:00 18:00 20:00 22:00 Seas 23:30

Tom Tom & Nana Olentzero And The Magic Log The Apple & The Worm Barnyard The Great Bear Shark Tale The Apple & The Worm Sinbad: Legend Of The Seven

Green Lantern-PG15 Dr. Seuss’ The Lorax-PG This Means War-PG15 Meeting Evil-18 30 Minutes Or Less-18

Looney Tunes: Back In Action Arthur’s Missing Pal Shark Tale The Hairy Tooth Fairy 2 Sinbad: Legend Of The Seven Arthur’s Missing Pal

00:00 MSNBC Martin Bashir 01:00 MSNBC Hardball With Chris Matthews 02:00 MSNBC Politicsnation 03:00 Live NBC Nightly News 03:30 ABC World News With Diane Sawyer 04:00 MSNBC The Ed Show 05:00 MSNBC The Rachel Maddow Show 06:00 MSNBC The Last Word W/ Lawrence O’Donnell 07:00 NBC Nightly News 07:30 ABC World News With Diane Sawyer 08:00 NBC Nightly News 08:39 ABC Nightline 09:06 MSNBC The Rachel Maddow Show 10:00 MSNBC The Ed Show 11:00 MSNBC Morning Joe 14:00 MSNBC Caught On Camera 15:00 Live NBC Saturday Today Show 17:00 MSNBC Up With Chris Hayes Saturday 18:57 Live MSNBC Hardball With Chris Matthews 19:38 Live MSNBC The Ed Show 20:19 Live MSNBC The Rachel Maddow Show 21:00 Live ABC 20/20 22:00 MSNBC Weekends With Alex Witt Saturday

00:00 Wrong Turn 4: Bloody Beginnings-PG15 02:00 The Ring-PG15 04:00 The Reunion-PG15 06:00 The Green Hornet-PG15 08:00 Time Machine: Rise Of The Morlocks-PG15 10:00 Devil-PG15 12:00 True Justice: Deadly CrossingPG15 14:00 Time Machine: Rise Of The Morlocks-PG15 16:00 Deadly Hope-PG15 18:00 True Justice: Deadly CrossingPG15 20:00 Hustle And Flow-18 22:00 Iron Sky-PG15

01:00 Madea’s Big Happy Family-PG15 03:00 Young Adult-PG15 05:00 The Proud Family Movie-FAM

Alphas American Idol Emmerdale Coronation Street The Ellen DeGeneres Show Alphas Royal Pains Emmerdale Coronation Street The Ellen DeGeneres Show Alphas Top Gear (US) Criminal Minds The Mob Doctor Sons Of Anarchy Boardwalk Empire

YOUNG ADULT ON OSN CINEMA

00:00 Kingdom Of Heaven-PG15 02:30 Jack And Jill-PG15 04:00 Green Lantern: Emerald Knights-PG15 05:30 Kingdom Of Heaven-PG15 08:00 Johnny English Reborn-PG15 10:00 Star Trek: First Contact-PG 12:00 Jack And Jill-PG15 14:00 The Eagle-PG15 16:00 Johnny English Reborn-PG15 17:45 Captain America: The First

Avenger-PG15 20:00 Waiting For Forever-PG15 22:00 Shadows & Lies-18

02:00 04:00 06:00 07:00 09:00 09:30 11:30 12:00 13:00 13:30 17:30 18:00 20:00 22:00 23:00

Super Rugby Super League Trans World Sport Super Rugby ICC Cricket 360 Live Super Rugby Futbol Mundial Trans World Sport PGA European Tour Weekly Live PGA European Tour ICC Cricket 360 Live Super Rugby Live Super Rugby Trans World Sport Live Top 14

01:00 02:00 04:00 05:00 06:00 06:30 09:00 11:30 14:30 15:00 17:00 19:00 19:30 20:30 21:00

UFC The Ultimate Fighter WWE SmackDown WWE Bottom Line WWE NXT ICC Cricket 360 Live AFL Premiership Live AFL Premiership Live AFL Premiership ICC Cricket 360 Super Rugby Live Top 14 Futbol Mundial Trans World Sport Inside The PGA Tour Live PGA Tour

00:45 01:30 02:30 03:30 04:00 06:00 07:00 08:30 09:00 11:00 11:30 15:00 16:00 16:30 17:00 17:30 21:30 23:30

Trans World Sport Golfing World World Pool Masters Total Rugby PRO 12 Golfing World Super League Total Rugby PRO 12 ICC Cricket 360 Premier League Darts Trans World Sport Total Rugby ICC Cricket 360 Asian Tour Highlights Live Dubai World Cup Carnival Live PRO 12 Super League

01:00 WWE Bottom Line 02:00 UFC The Ultimate Fighter 03:00 Ping Pong World Championships 04:00 US Bass Fishing 05:00 NHL 07:00 WWE SmackDown 09:00 WWE Bottom Line 10:00 WWE Vintage Collection 11:00 NHL 13:00 UAE National Race Day Series 14:00 WWE Smackdown 16:00 WWE Bottom Line 17:00 UFC The Ultimate Fighter 18:00 NHL 20:00 Mobil 1 the Grid 20:45 Live Super League 23:00 WWE Vintage Collection

00:00 01:00 01:30 02:00 03:00 05:00 06:00 06:30 07:00 08:00 10:00 12:00 14:00 14:30 16:00 16:30 18:00 20:00 20:30 21:00 21:30 22:00 23:00 23:30

Soviet Storm: WWII In The East Pawn Stars Storage Wars Ancient Aliens Soviet Storm: WWII In The East Mud Men Pawn Stars American Restoration Ancient Aliens Storage Wars Pawn Stars American Restoration Storage Wars Storage Wars Pawn Stars Pawn Stars American Restoration Storage Wars Storage Wars Texas Pawn Stars Cajun Pawn Stars American Pickers Storage Wars Storage Wars Texas

W h a t ’s o n SATURDAY, MARCH 2, 2013

Announcements St Patrick Day Kuwait Irish Society presents our St Patrick’s Day celebration at Hilton Hotel, Al-Dorra Ballroom, Friday March 15, 2013. Dress Code: Black tie.

Musical extravaganza with Dr Yesudas

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rend setter Udupi Restaurant, Kuwait proudly present “Gandharva Nadamritham”, a live classical musical extravaganza featuring the living legend & maestro Padmabooshan Award winner Dr. K.J. Yesudas with his troupe from India, on March 22 at American International School, Maidan Hawally, Kuwait.

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.

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.

T ABS celebrates Science Week

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ast week saw Science Week at The American Baccalaureate School. This culminated with the Grades 3, 4 and 5 Science Fair on Thursday. These grades had been working on their projects since September and it really showed as the

attention to detail was outstanding.The end result was so close that there was a two-way-tiefor 1st, 2nd and 3rd places.The students really showed some imagination and creativity with their projects and ideas.

Grade 3 producedprojects such as,

how to get DNA from a strawberry.

Grade 4 produced classics such as, how do snowflakes form and grade 5 students won the day with the very entertaining and informative, “Rust story.” A great week of learning and fun was had by everyone.

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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ABS Ski Trip to Switzerland

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n February 2, ABS sent nine middle school students and two teachers to Verbier in Switzerland. They stayed in beautiful stone and wood chalets surrounded by breathtaking views of the Swiss Alps.

All members of the group started at

the beginner level but gradually, over the course of the week, they built up their skills and finished the week at an impressive intermediate level.

Everyone could handle just about anything the mountain threw at them, including skiing in a blizzard! At the end of each day, and after a hard day’s

skiing, the evenings were packed with lots of fun activities and fantastic food.

An amazing week was had by all and everyone ended the week feeling exhilarated. Friendships were formed and experiences were enjoyed that will be remembered for a very long time.

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

W h a t ’s o n SATURDAY, MARCH 2, 2013

Embassy Information 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 he Embassyof 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, U.A.E. 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.

T GIS hosts workshop

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ulf Indian School organized a workshop for all its pre-primary and primary teachers on Sunday, January 27, 2013 from 9 am to 4 pm in the school auditorium. The main resource person for the workshop was the renowned educationist Manjushree Patil. She was assisted by Shilpa Vaidya a specialist in pre-primary education. The focus of the workshop was on sensitizing teachers towards the needs of individual children and helping them maintain a happy and healthy classroom atmosphere. The session succeeded in empowering the teachers through sound and thorough theoretical and practical inputs.

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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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KAC bids farewell

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ircraft Maintenance Section (Hangar) of Kuwait Airways Corporation (KAC) recently conducted a farewell to Adnan Darwish Hasan and Jaber Ali Al-Temimi.

The function was organized at Winners Restaurant. Salmiyah on February 15, 2013, in recognition of their exceptional services to KAC. It was co-ordinated by colleagues of aircraft maintenance section.

The meeting was presided over by

Khalid Sahzali. Manager Maintenance, Engineering Department. Mahindaran welcomed the guest and Khalid Sabzali, Hussam Al-Yousef, Yousaf Malallah, ex staff Thomas George, Shakil Ahmed, Kochath Suresh and Ali Haider reminisced their association with the departing colleagues.

Khalid Sabzali presented the memento to Adnan Darwish and Hussam Al-Yousef received memento on behalf of Jabir Ali by Yousaf

Malallah.

The meeting was also attended by aircraft engineers Mohan Menon, Anthony Alphonso, leading hands K Sethu, R Murty, M Nassif and Alejandro Torres and employees of the department.

Vote of thanks was given to all dignitaries invitees. Subsequently. meeting organizers Keloth Vijayan, Salman Arif, KP Rajees and Raza Rizwan for the job well done.

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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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.

HEALTH

SATURDAY, MARCH 2, 2013

Polio fight critical despite attacks SYDNEY: The head of the World Health Organization’s polio drive said yesterday it was crucial to push on with the fight to eradicate the disease despite a rising death toll among vaccination workers. A Pakistani policeman was shot dead earlier this week while protecting a polio team, police said, bringing the number of deaths in such attacks in the troubled country to 20 since December. Speaking in Australia Dr Bruce Aylward said the WHO was working to reduce risk factors for those involved in work to tackle the crippling illness in countries such as Pakistan.

“It’s a horrible tragedy. As you can imagine, it’s something very personal, the pain you feel for families that lose people in the course of a programme that you are actually the head of,” he said in Canberra. “(But) every time it does happen... invariably the peo-

ple come back and say to us ‘this makes finishing that much more important’.”

The umbrella Taliban faction in Pakistan last year banned polio vaccinations in the tribal region of Waziristan, alleging it was a cover for espionage.

Rumours about vaccines being a plot to sterilise Muslims have also dogged efforts to tackle the highly infectious disease in Pakistan, one of three countries along with Nigeria and Afghanistan where polio remains endemic. Last month gunmen stormed two clinics where polio vaccination workers had gathered in Nigeria, killing at least 10 people, prompting the government there to vow to press on with the eradication programme. Aylward said the violent reactions had occurred as health workers moved into areas that had often been long neglected, and in many instances were

not experiencing polio outbreaks at the time. “This is an incredible landscape for suspicion and conspiracy theories,” he said.

“And it also provides an incredible opportunity for people who want to embarrass the government or play out a political agenda. And that’s really what’s happened.” Aylward said it was important to push on with the programme because it was the low season for polio after the peak at the end of the calendar year, and this year there were unusually low levels of the disease around. “This is the Achilles heel of the virus right now so it would be really unfortunate to have to stop at this time-but at the same time we won’t do something stupid.” There were 223 cases of polio in 2012, with all but six of these in Nigeria (122), Pakistan (58) and Afghanistan (37), according to WHO data. — AFP

New steps to improve health care in prisons ‘Give needles, condoms’ BUCHAREST: Giving inmates drug substitution treatment, needles and condoms are key ways to help curb addiction and HIV infection in European jails, experts say, calling on authorities to change their approach to prison health care. “We support opioid substitution treatment and harm reduction measures, including needle exchange programmes. These measures are crucial, otherwise we cannot tackle HIV and other infections in prisons,” Stefan Enggist of the World Health Organisation (WHO) said during an international conference on addiction in prisons organised by the Council of Europe this week in Bucharest.

So far, only 60 prisons around the world conduct needle and syringe exchange programmes, said Heino Stover, a professor at Frankfurt University. Some countries, such as Poland for religious reasons, even forbid condom distribution in prisons, he added.

Patrick Penninckx, executive secretary of the Council’s Pompidou Group, a drug policy agency, said strategies should aim both to “reduce drug supplies and deal with the consequences of addiction.”

Statistics show that 15 to 25 percent of Europe’s inmates were convicted of drugrelated offences and one prisoner in six is a drug user. Most inmates inject drugs and share needles, which leads to the transmission of blood-borne viruses, especially HIV and hepatitis C, said Stover.

In Eastern Europe and Central Asia, the number of people living with HIV surged by 250 percent from 2001 to 2010, with Russia and Ukraine accounting for almost 90 percent of the region’s epidemic, UNAIDS figures show. “Over the last 15 years, there was an enormous uprise in HIV infection in Romania and Bulgaria, a phenomenon driven by injecting drug use,” Stover said.

Prison populations are among the most vulnerable. Estimates released by AVERT, an international HIV and AIDS charity, show that 55,000 out of Russia’s 846,000 inmates were infected with HIV in 2010. In Estonia, four studies revealed HIV prevalence in prisons ranging from 8.8 to 23.9 percent.

To reduce HIV incidence, experts call on penitentiary authorities to admit that drug smuggling cannot be altogether stopped.

Instead they should supply clean needles

and condoms. But progress is slow. In Germany, the programme is in force in barely one prison out of 185. In Romania, the prison of Jilava, south of Bucharest, has recently introduced the system.

“Our aim is to reduce the risk of HIV and other infections,” Cristian Micu, the Jilava prison’s spokesman, told AFP. In a country where drug possession and use is a crime, information about inmates benefitting from this programme is confidential as only penitentiary doctors are authorised to supply needles, he stressed.

“Romania is ahead of other East European countries, but it should expand this programme,” Stover said.

A study conducted in 11 prisons has shown that needle distribution has not led to an increase in drug use, nor were needles used as weapons and no new case of HIV was recorded, he said.

Georgia’s government last year started a pilot programme to supply condoms to inmates - much to the surprise of prison

officials - to fight hepatitis transmission.

“With no treatment available, hepatitis equals death penalty for prisoners serving longer sentences,” said Georgian deputy minister of Correction and Legal Assistance, Archil Talakvadze.

Experts also insist on the need to provide opioid substitution treatment to drugusing inmates. “This will reduce illegal drug use, prevent infectious diseases and eventually save lives,” said Hans Wolff, head of the Geneva University Hospitals Unit of Penitentiary Medicine.

In Moldova, seven prisons out of 17 provide methadone to inmates and according to Svetlana Doltu, a prison psychologist, this has made them “more willing to work and more tolerant”.

And then there is abstinence. At Jilava, 25 inmates, former addicts, several of whom were convicted over drug trafficking, are part of a “therapeutic community” set up under a Norwegian-backed programme.—AFP

Japan riled by WHO’s Fukushima cancer warning TOKYO: Japan yesterday insisted warnings by the World Health Organisation of a rise in the risk of cancer for people in Fukushima were overblown, saying the agency was unnecessarily stoking fears.

The UN’s health agency said the 2011 nuclear disaster had raised the cancer threat for people living near the crippled plant, which spewed radiation when reactors went into meltdown after a huge tsunami struck.

But Japan’s environment ministry said the WHO had overstated the risks and called on people living in the area to respond calmly to the report, which it said did not reflect “reality”.

On Thursday, the WHO said rates of thyroid cancer among women who were exposed to radiation as infants

within a 20km radius of the plant were expected to be up to 1.25 percent.

This represented a 70-percent increase over the baseline risk of thyroid cancer over a Japanese woman’s lifetime, which is 0.75 percent, the UN health agency noted.

“Their calculations were made based on the assumption that people continued living inside the evacuation zone and ate banned food. But there are no such people,” a ministry official said.

“Experts are still divided over ways to calculate the impact of limited levels of radioactive exposure over a long period,” the official said.

“It is incorrect to think that residents will develop cancer in these ratios,” he added.

CAPE TOWN: A woman holds a piece of lean beef biltong, a kind of spicy dried meat, in Gogo’s Meat and Biltong Deli yesterday in Newlands, Cape Town. Most of South Africa’s biltong has little to do with the ingredients on the label. —- AFP

Most of S Africa popular ‘game biltong’ not so wild JOHANNESBURG: Most of South Africa’s biltong — dried strips of cured meat and a much loved snack-has little to do with the ingredients on the label, according to DNA tests results published yesterday. Game biltong which is popular with the health conscious, as it is considered lean and free-range, is the most mislabelled, according the study by scientists from the Univeristy of the Western Cape.

“The finding was that there is a major substitution of species in the market,” said researcher Maria Eugenia D’Amato. Of the 146 samples tested over 100 contained undeclared meat species.

All the samples marked beef were correctly labelled, but for the most badly labelled case 92 percent of packets of kudu biltong contained different species such as horse, giraffe, pork beef and even kangaroo. Reasearchers were concerned that one sample labelled zebra, contained meat from a mountain zebra, a specie threatened with extinction.“Some of the substitutions are intentional because kangaroo does not occur in South Africa and it must have been imported,” D’Amato said.

“Also finding pork in ostrich sausage, that is intentional, there is no way that is going to be a mistake,” she said pointing that such actions infringed on some people’s religious beliefs such as Jewish and Muslims who do not eat pork.

The study, published in the European scientific journal BioMed Central, was conducted between 2009 and last year. It is the first of its nature in South Africa and entirely unlinked to the horse meat scandal that has riveted Europe.—AFP

HEALTH SATURDAY, MARCH 2, 2013

SATURDAY, MARCH 2, 2013

backgrounds.

Email: gracegeevar@gmail.com (C 4325)

MATRIMONIAL Alliance invited for a Marthomite boy, age 29 years/182cms graduate born and bought up in Kuwait, currently working in Kuwait for American Drilling Company as a Logistic Controller. Invites proposal from God fearing well educated/employed girls. Email: proposal1984@ymail.com (C 4326) 23-2-2013 Financially sound Ex. NRI Orthodox parents invites proposal for their daughter 29/152, ME+MBA, from parents of God fearing professionals with good family

SITUATION VACANT Required cook for local family, know both international and local dishes, transferable residence, males only, full time. Contact: 94088822.

(C 4332) A lady maid is needed to work for 2 to 3 days a week in a flat located in Salmiya.

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Hospitals Sabah Hospital

24812000

Amiri Hospital

22450005

Maternity Hospital

24843100

Mubarak Al-Kabir Hospital

25312700

Chest Hospital

24849400

Farwaniya Hospital

24892010

Adan Hospital

23940620

Ibn Sina Hospital

24840300

Al-Razi Hospital

24846000

Physiotherapy Hospital

24874330/9

Prayer timings Fajr:

04:54

Shorook

06:13

Duhr:

12:00

Asr:

15:19

Maghrib:

17:48

Isha:

19:05

Kuwait

Clinics Rabiya

24732263

Rawdha

22517733

Adailiya

22517144

Khaldiya

24848075

Khaifan

24849807

Shamiya

24848913

Shuwaikh

24814507

Abdullah Salim

22549134

Al-Nuzha

22526804

Industrial Shuwaikh

24814764

Al-Qadisiya

22515088

Dasmah

22532265

Bneid Al-Ghar

22531908

Al-Shaab

22518752

Al-Kibla

22459381

Ayoun Al-Kibla

22451082

Mirqab

22456536

Sharq

22465401

Salmiya

25746401

Jabriya

25316254

Maidan Hawally

25623444

Bayan

25388462

SHARQIA-1 PARKER (DIG) 3ALA GOSETY (DIG) PARKER (DIG) PARKER (DIG) 3ALA GOSETY (DIG) PARKER (DIG) NO SUN+ TUE+WED

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KNCC PROGRAMME FROM THURSDAY TO WEDNESDAY (28/02/2013 TO 06/03/2013)

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AVENUES-2 BEASTS OF THE SOUTHERN WILD (DIG) BEASTS OF THE SOUTHERN WILD (DIG) BEASTS OF THE SOUTHERN WILD (DIG) BEASTS OF THE SOUTHERN WILD (DIG) PARKER (DIG) PARKER (DIG) PARKER (DIG) PARKER (DIG)

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360ยบ- 1 SNITCH (DIG) SNITCH (DIG) SNITCH (DIG) SNITCH (DIG) SNITCH (DIG) SNITCH (DIG) NO SUN+ TUE+WED

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360ยบ- 2 MAMA (DIG) MAMA (DIG) MAMA (DIG) MAMA (DIG) MAMA (DIG) MAMA (DIG) NO SUN+ TUE+WED

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AL-KOUT.1 PARKER (DIG) APARTMENT 1303 (DIG-3D) PARKER (DIG) APARTMENT 1303 (DIG-3D) PARKER (DIG) PARKER (DIG) AL-KOUT.2 A GOOD DAY TO DIE HARD (DIG) VEHICLE 19 (DIG) A GOOD DAY TO DIE HARD (DIG) VEHICLE 19 (DIG) A GOOD DAY TO DIE HARD (DIG) VEHICLE 19 (DIG) VEHICLE 19 (DIG) NO SUN+ TUE+WED

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information SATURDAY, MARCH 2, 2013

DIAL 161 FOR AIRPORT INFORMATION In case you are not travelling, your proper cancellation of bookings will help other passengers use seats Airlines JAI MEA KLM THY JZR JZR QTR SAI ETH GFA UAE ETD OMA FDB PIA MSR RBG MSC THY QTR MSC JZR DHX THY JZR JZR KAC JZR BAW KAC KAC KAC FDB KAC KAC KAC UAE KAC ABY QTR FDB ETD GFA JZR MSC IZG KNE JZR GBG MSR UAE IRM KAC ABY JZR JZR IZG IRC FDB IAW KAC KNE SVA QTR FDB JZR KAC KAC SYR KNE QTR IRA THY JZR JZR KAC UAE JZR ETD RJA GFA SVA UAE JZR QTR ABY UAL KAC KAC NIA

Arrival Flights on Saturday 2/3/2013 Flt Route 574 MUMBAI 406 BEIRUT 413 AMSTERDAM 772 ISTANBUL 267 BEIRUT 539 CAIRO 148 DOHA 441 LAHORE 620 ADDIS ABABA 211 BAHRAIN 853 DUBAI 305 ABU DHABI 643 MUSCAT 67 DUBAI 239 ISLAMABAD 612 CAIRO 3555 ALEXANDRIA 2403 ASSIUT 5438 ISTANBUL 138 DOHA 2401 ALEXANDRIA 537 CAIRO 170 BAHRAIN 770 ISTANBUL 503 LUXOR 555 ALEXANDRIA 416 JAKARTA 529 ASSIUT 157 LONDON 412 MANILA 206 ISLAMABAD 382 DELHI 53 DUBAI 302 MUMBAI 352 COCHIN 344 CHENNAI 855 DUBAI 362 COLOMBO 121 SHARJAH 132 DOHA 55 DUBAI 301 ABU DHABI 213 BAHRAIN 165 DUBAI 401 ALEXANDRIA 4161 MASHAD 482 TAIF 359 MASHAD 913 BISHKEK 610 CAIRO 871 DUBAI 1190 MASHAD 284 DHAKA 123 SHARJAH 325 NAJAF 331 NAJAF 4171 MASHAD 6592 MASHAD 57 DUBAI 157 BAGHDAD 672 DUBAI 472 JEDDAH 500 JEDDAH 140 DOHA 8055 DUBAI 257 BEIRUT 788 JEDDAH 790 MEDINAH 341 DAMASCUS 470 JEDDAH 134 DOHA 3403 MASHAD 5426 ISTANBUL 787 RIYADH 535 CAIRO 118 NEW YORK 857 DUBAI 357 MASHAD 303 ABU DHABI 640 AMMAN 215 BAHRAIN 510 RIYADH 3853 DUBAI 777 JEDDAH 144 DOHA 127 SHARJAH 982 WASHINGTON DC DULLES 538 SOHAG 542 CAIRO 251 ALEXANDRIA

Time 0:05 0:15 0:30 0:35 0:45 0:50 1:00 1:30 1:45 1:50 2:35 2:45 2:50 3:05 3:05 3:10 3:25 3:30 3:35 3:45 4:50 5:05 5:15 5:30 5:55 6:00 6:25 6:35 6:40 6:45 7:40 7:45 7:45 7:55 8:05 8:40 8:40 8:45 9:05 9:10 9:15 9:20 9:55 11:20 11:30 11:45 12:00 12:05 12:30 12:45 12:50 12:50 12:55 13:00 13:00 13:00 13:05 13:10 13:50 14:00 14:15 14:15 14:30 14:35 14:50 14:50 14:55 15:00 15:00 15:05 15:30 15:55 16:05 16:10 16:25 16:35 16:40 16:45 16:50 16:55 17:15 17:20 17:35 17:45 17:50 17:55 17:55 18:00 18:05 18:10

FDB JZR RBG FDB IZG JZR IRC MSC KAC KAC KAC KAC KAC IRA KAC OMA FDB JAI FDB AXB MSR JZR ABY KNE QTR ALK RBG KNE JZR KAC MEA QTR GFA ETD UAE JZR FDB KLM KAC AIC JZR GFA JZR KAC THY UAL DHX BBC DLH Airlines AIC KAC JAI UAL MEA DLH KLM SAI ETH THY FDB UAE OMA ETD RBG MSR PIA MSC THY QTR MSC QTR JZR JZR GFA THY FDB BAW JZR JZR KAC KAC JZR KAC ABY KAC UAE FDB ETD QTR KAC

8055 DUBAI 177 DUBAI 3553 ALEXANDRIA 63 DUBAI 4167 MASHAD 327 NAJAF 6692 MASHAD 405 SOHAG 176 GENEVA 618 DOHA 674 DUBAI 104 LONDON 774 RIYADH 607 MASHAD 562 AMMAN 647 MUSCAT 61 DUBAI 572 MUMBAI 8063 DUBAI 389 MANGALORE 618 ALEXANDRIA 189 DUBAI 129 SHARJAH 462 MEDINAH 146 DOHA 229 COLOMBO 3551 ALEXANDRIA 474 JEDDAH 329 NAJAF 502 BEIRUT 402 BEIRUT 136 DOHA 221 BAHRAIN 307 ABU DHABI 859 DUBAI 135 BAHRAIN 59 DUBAI 415 AMSTERDAM 786 JEDDAH 975 CHENNAI 239 AMMAN 217 BAHRAIN 185 DUBAI 614 BAHRAIN 5428 ISTANBUL 981 BAHRAIN 370 BAHRAIN 43 DHAKA 636 FRANKFURT Departure Flights on Saturday 2/3/2013 Flt Route 976 GOA 283 DHAKA 573 MUMBAI 981 WASHINGTON DC DULLES 407 BEIRUT 637 FRANKFURT 413 AMSTERDAM 442 LAHORE 621 ADDIS ABABA 773 ISTANBUL 68 DUBAI 854 DUBAI 644 MUSCAT 306 ABU DHABI 3556 ALEXANDRIA 613 CAIRO 240 SIALKOT 2404 ASSIUT 5591 ISTANBUL 139 DOHA 2402 ALEXANDRIA 149 DOHA 358 MASHHAD 164 DUBAI 212 BAHRAIN 771 ISTANBUL 54 DUBAI 156 LONDON 256 BEIRUT 534 CAIRO 101 LONDON 787 JEDDAH 324 AL NAJAF 671 DUBAI 122 SHARJAH 537 SOHAG 856 DUBAI 56 DUBAI 302 ABU DHABI 133 DOHA 789 MADINAH

18:15 18:15 18:20 18:45 18:50 18:55 18:55 19:00 19:15 19:20 19:35 19:35 19:50 19:50 19:55 19:55 20:00 20:10 20:15 20:15 20:25 20:30 20:35 20:40 20:45 20:55 21:00 21:00 21:05 21:10 21:20 21:25 21:30 21:35 21:40 21:50 22:00 22:05 22:25 22:30 22:45 22:50 23:05 23:15 23:20 23:25 23:40 23:45 23:55 Time 0:05 0:10 1:05 1:10 1:15 1:20 1:45 2:30 2:45 2:55 3:45 3:50 3:55 4:00 4:05 4:10 4:20 4:30 4:45 4:50 5:50 6:05 6:05 6:55 7:00 7:35 8:25 8:45 8:50 9:15 9:20 9:25 9:35 9:40 9:45 9:50 9:55 10:00 10:05 10:10 10:15

JZR GFA JZR KAC KAC JZR MSC JZR IZG KNE ABY MSR JZR IRC YYY IZG UAE IRM FDB KAC IAW KAC KNE KAC JZR FDB KAC SVA SYR KNE JZR QTR KAC KAC JZR IRA ETD JZR JZR QTR UAE RJA THY GFA GBG JZR SVA ABY JZR QTR FDB RBG UAE JZR UAL NIA FDB IRC MSC IZG KAC FDB IRA OMA KAC JAI ABY MSR FDB KAC KAC RBG KNE DHX ALK KNE JZR ETD MEA QTR GFA KAC FDB KAC JZR UAE KAC KLM QTR GFA KAC

330 214 356 541 165 776 406 786 4162 483 124 611 176 6593 0 4172 872 1191 58 561 158 673 473 501 326 8058 617 505 342 461 188 141 773 785 238 3402 304 328 538 135 858 641 5597 216 914 184 511 128 266 145 8056 3554 3854 134 982 252 64 6693 402 4168 613 62 604 648 331 571 120 607 8064 351 543 3552 475 171 230 471 536 308 403 137 222 301 60 381 554 860 205 415 147 218 411

AL NAJAF BAHRAIN MASHHAD CAIRO ROME JEDDAH SOHAG RIYADH MASHHAD TAIF SHARJAH CAIRO DUBAI MASHHAD HERAKLION MASHHAD DUBAI MASHHAD DUBAI AMMAN AL NAJAF DUBAI JEDDAH BEIRUT AL NAJAF DUBAI DOHA JEDDAH DAMASCUS MADINAH DUBAI DOHA RIYADH JEDDAH AMMAN TEHRAN ABU DHABI AL NAJAF CAIRO DOHA DUBAI AMMAN ISTANBUL BAHRAIN SHARJAH DUBAI RIYADH SHARJAH BEIRUT DOHA DUBAI ALEXANDRIA DUBAI BAHRAIN BAHRAIN ALEXANDRIA DUBAI MASHHAD ALEXANDRIA MASHHAD BAHRAIN DUBAI ISFAHAN MUSCAT TRIVANDRUM MUMBAI SHARJAH LUXOR DUBAI KOCHI CAIRO ALEXANDRIA JEDDAH BAHRAIN COLOMBO JEDDAH CAIRO ABU DHABI BEIRUT DOHA BAHRAIN MUMBAI DUBAI DELHI ALEXANDRIA DUBAI ISLAMABAD DAMMAM DOHA BAHRAIN BANGKOK

Directorate General of Civil Aviation Home Page (www.kuwait-airport.com.kw)

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

SATURDAY, MARCH 2, 2013

Word Search

Yesterdayʼs Solution

C R O S S W O R D 1 1 6

ACROSS 1. Electrical conduction through a gas in an applied electric field.

4. Having uncoordinated muscular movements, symptomatic of a CNS disorder.

12. Headdress that protects the head from bad weather.

15. A unit of length of thread or yarn.

16. Hunting rabbits with beagles.

17. A period marked by distinctive character or reckoned from a fixed point or event.

18. A hospital unit staffed and equipped to provide intensive care.

19. An accessory or adjoining anatomical parts or appendages (especially of the embryo).

20. A blow from a flat object (as an open hand).

22. Relating to or characterized by basidia.

24. A chronic progressive nervous disorder involving loss of myelin sheath around certain nerve fibers.

26. An ancient Hebrew unit of dry measure equal to about a bushel.

27. A medicinal drug used to evoke vomiting (especially in cases of drug overdose or poisoning).

28. Any member of Athapaskan tribes that migrated to the southwestern desert (from Arizona to Texas and south into Mexico).

30. (Irish) Mother of the ancient Irish gods.

31. A tiny or scarcely detectable amount.

32. Waterproofed canvas.

36. The head of a branch of an organized crime syndicate.

39. A monarchy in northwestern Europe occupying most of the British Isles.

40. Of or relating to the spleen.

41. A metal-bearing mineral valuable enough to be mined.

45. Ice crystals forming a white deposit (especially on objects outside).

46. Remorse for your past conduct.

49. A state in east central United States.

51. Extinct flightless bird of New Zealand.

52. A bar of sand.

53. Submerged marine plant with very long narrow leaves found in abundance along North Atlantic coasts.

56. Leave or strike out, as of vowels.

57. Conforming to an ultimate standard of perfection or excellence.

59. 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.

60. An organization of independent states to promote international peace and security.

61. A public promotion of some product or service.

62. Large sweet juicy hybrid between tangerine and grapefruit having a thick wrinkled skin.

64. Short account of an incident (especially a biographical one).

70. Type genus of the Aceraceae.

73. Produced by a manufacturing process.

74. A member of a North American Indian people of southeastern California and northwestern Mexico.

77. A loose sleeveless outer garment made from aba cloth.

80. A small drink of liquor.

81. A humming noise.

Daily SuDoku

82. Of or relating to or exhibiting pyknosis.

83. A conspicuous disparity or difference as between two figures.

DOWN 1. (law) A defense by an accused person purporting to show that he or she could not have committed the crime in question.

2. A summary that repeats the substance of a longer discussion.

3. Events that provide the generative force that is the origin of something.

4. A port city in southwestern Iran.

5. A tricycle (usually propelled by pedalling).

6. Type genus of the Ranidae.

7. Red-winged blackbirds.

8. Being ten more than one hundred fifty.

9. (Akkadian) Mother of the gods and consort of Apsu.

10. Not out.

11. System of measurement based on centimeters and grams and seconds.

12. A collection of objects laid on top of each other.

13. (of persons) Highest in rank or authority or office.

14. The basic unit of money in Bangladesh.

21. A person who participates in a meeting.

23. The United Nations agency concerned with civil aviation.

25. A burn cause by hot liquid or steam.

29. Perennial of the genus Phytolacca.

33. (Jungian psychology) The inner self (not the external persona) that is in touch with the unconscious.

34. Having branches.

35. Give pleasure to.

37. Of or relating to or involving an area.

38. 100 penni equal 1 markka.

42. Straighten up or out.

43. A beautiful and graceful girl.

44. The part of the eye that contains the iris and ciliary body and choroid.

47. Advance evidence for.

48. A white metallic element that burns with a brilliant light.

50. 1/10 gram.

54. (Welsh) A warrior god.

55. Become less tense.

58. One of the evil spirits of traditional Jewish and Christian belief.

63. The formation of frost or ice on a surface.

65. (Babylonian) God of wisdom and agriculture and patron of scribes and schools.

66. Mild yellow Dutch cheese made in balls.

67. (informal) Being satisfactory or in satisfactory condition.

68. Any piece of work that is undertaken or attempted.

69. Anything that serves as an enticement.

71. English essayist (1775-1834).

72. A fabric with prominent rounded crosswise ribs.

75. The United Nations agency concerned with the interests of labor.

76. A former agency (from 1946 to 1974) that was responsible for research into atomic energy and its peacetime uses in the United States.

78. A physician who is not a specialist but treats all illnesses.

79. A hard malleable ductile silvery metallic element that is resistant to corrosion.

Yesterdayʼs Solution

Yesterday’s Solution

SPORTS SATURDAY, MARCH 2, 2013

DENVER: Curtis Glencross No. 20 of the Calgary Flames controls the puck while under pressure from Shane OíBrien No. 5 of the Colorado Avalanche at the Pepsi Center. —AFP

DALLAS: Sam Gagner No. 89 of the Edmonton Oilers skates the puck against Kari Lehtonen No. 32 of the Dallas Stars at American Airlines Center.— AP

Blackhawks soar over Blues ST. LOUIS: Jonathan Toews scored twice, and Ray Emery and Corey Crawford combined on a shutout as the Chicago Blackhawks extended their NHLrecord season-opening points streak to 20 games with a 3-0 win over the St. Louis Blues on Thursday night. Andrew Shaw also scored for Chicago, which was coming off a 6-0-1 homestand and improved to 9-0-2 on the road. The Blackhawks, who have won seven in a row overall, have earned 37 out of a possible 40 points this season with a 17-0-3 start.

Chicago has a point in its last 26 regular-season games since a loss on March 25, 2012, to Nashville.

Chicago, playing its first road game in 18 days, has won four in a row against St. Louis, which has lost three of four. Crawford was pulled with an upperbody injury after making six saves in the first period.

Emery made 15 saves over the final two periods.

Toews scored 12 seconds into the game.

Bruins 2, Senators 1 In Boston, Patrice Bergeron’s goal at 3:39 of overtime, awarded after a replay review, lifted Boston over Ottawa. Nathan Horton also scored for the surging Bruins, who won their fourth straight and improved to 13-2-2. Tuukka Rask made 30 saves, including a pair of stellar stops in OT. Jim O’Brien scored for the Senators, who had a five-game winning streak snapped. Bergeron deflected a shot from the left circle that glanced off Ottawa goalie Robin Lehner and trickled across the goal line. The crowd roared, the light went on and horn sounded, but the referee behind the net waved it off. After a review, replays clearly showed the puck slid across the line when Lehner reached back and knocked it into the net before pulling it back out.

Lehner finished with 44 saves.

Hurricanes 4, Penguins 1 In Raliegh, Jiri Tlusty had two goals and an assist, and Carolina beat Pittsburgh in ex-Penguin Jordan Staal’s first game against his former team. Eric Staal had a goal and two assists, Alexander Semin added two assists and Jeff Skinner scored a goal in his first game back from a concussion.

The Southeast Division co-leaders erased an early 1-0 deficit by scoring three goals in a span of 6 minutes, 14 seconds and won for just the second time in six games. Chris Kunitz scored for the Penguins, who entered leading the Atlantic Division but were held without a power-play goal for the first time since Feb. 2. Cam Ward made 26 saves for Carolina. Marc-Andre Fleury stopped 25 shots for the Penguins, who have lost the first two games of a three-game road swing.

Rangers 4, Lightning 1 In New York, Carl Hagelin and Derek Stepan scored in a one-sided first period, and the suddenly healthy New York Rangers snapped a four-game losing streak with a victory over Tampa Bay. Defenseman Marc Staal added just the eighth power-play goal of the season in the second period for New York, which ended an 0-3-1 skid in the sec-

ond game of a four-game homestand and completed a three-game, season-series sweep of the Lightning. The Rangers were bolstered by the return of top forward Rick Nash, who missed four games, and defensemen Ryan McDonagh and Michael Del Zotto. New York moved one point ahead of Tampa Bay in the Eastern Conference playoff race.

Nash, who assisted on Staal’s goal, finished the scoring with 1:33 remaining off a feed from Brad Richards on a rush for his fourth goal. McDonagh had two assists.

New York held a 20-3 shots advantage after the first period, 35-11 through two, and 42-25 overall.

Henrik Lundqvist stopped 24 shots. Lightning counterpart Mathieu Garon made 38 saves, and Martin St. Louis scored Tampa Bay’s lone goal in the first period. Steven Stamkos had an assist to stretch his point streak to eight, but his NHL-best goal-scoring run ended at six. Tampa Bay, which fell out of a tie for the Southeast Division lead, lost for the fourth time in five games.

Red Wings 2, Sharks 1 In San Jose, Damen Brunner scored the lone goal in a shootout and Jonas Gustavsson stopped all three shots in his first start of the season to lead Detroit past slumping San Jose.

Patrick Eaves scored the equalizer midway through the third period and Gustavsson made 25 saves to get his first win since March 3, 2012, for Toronto against Montreal. Logan Couture scored the only goal for the Sharks, who lost 10 of 12 games in February and have just one regulation win in their

past 14 games. Antti Niemi made 33 saves.

Maple Leafs 5, Islanders 4 In Uniondale, Nazem Kadri had his first career hat trick and Dion Phaneuf scored at 1:11 of overtime to give Toronto a victory over the New York Islanders.

Phaneuf’s fourth goal of the season lifted Toronto to its third straight win and fourth in five games at New York. The Maple Leafs have six wins in their last nine games against the Islanders. James van Riemsdyk also scored for the Maple Leafs, who improved to 94 on the road. New York rallied on third-period goals

by Andrew MacDonald and Kyle Okposo after Kadri finished his hat trick to put Toronto up 4-2 at the 14:12 mark of the second. The Islanders also got goals from Josh Bailey and Lubomir Visnovsky.

Avalanche 5, Flames 4 In Denver, Gabriel Landeskog had a goal and two assists, and Colorado scored three times in the third period to rally past Calgary. Matt Duchene and Paul Stastny each had a goal and an assist for Colorado, which improved to 6-2-1 at home. Ryan O’Byrne and David Jones scored early in the second period for the Avalanche to cut it to 3-2.

The game had added intrigue when it was announced before the opening faceoff that the Flames had signed restricted free agent Ryan O’Reilly to an offer sheet. While Calgary was taking a 2-0 lead early in the first period, the Avalanche announced they had matched the offer and were keeping the 22-year-old forward.

TSN in Canada reported the deal was for $10 mil-

NHL results/standings Boston 2, Ottawa 1 (OT); Toronto 5, NY Islanders 4 (OT); NY Rangers 4, Tampa Bay 1; Carolina 4, Pittsburgh 1; Buffalo 4, Florida 3 (SO); Winnipeg 3, New Jersey 1; Chicago 3, St. Louis 0; Edmonton 5, Dallas 1; Colorado 5, Calgary 4; Minnesota 4, Phoenix 3; Detroit 2, San Jose 1 (SO).

Eastern Conference Western Conference Central Division Atlantic Division Chicago 17 0 3 64 37 37 W L OTL GF GA PTS Detroit 10 8 3 60 57 23 Pittsburgh 13 8 0 70 58 26 Nashville 9 7 5 45 52 23 New Jersey 10 6 4 49 52 24 St. Louis 10 7 2 55 55 22 Philadelphia 10 11 1 64 67 21 Columbus 5 12 3 44 61 13 NY Rangers 9 8 2 48 49 20 Northwest Division NY Islanders 8 11 2 61 73 18 Vancouver 10 5 4 54 52 24 Northeast Division Minnesota 10 7 2 43 46 22 Montreal 13 4 3 58 43 29 Edmonton 8 7 4 47 50 20 Boston 13 2 2 51 36 28 Colorado 8 8 3 49 58 19 Calgary 7 8 4 53 66 18 Ottawa 12 6 3 49 39 27 Pacific Division Toronto 13 9 0 64 55 26 Anaheim 14 3 1 64 48 29 Buffalo 8 12 1 54 67 17 Los Angeles 10 6 2 47 42 22 Southeast Division San Jose 9 6 4 45 43 22 Carolina 10 8 1 54 55 21 Dallas 10 9 2 57 62 22 Winnipeg 10 9 1 55 61 21 Phoenix 9 8 3 57 55 21 Tampa Bay 9 10 1 71 64 19 Note: Overtime losses (OTL) are worth one Florida 6 9 5 51 73 17 point in the standings and are not included in Washington 7 11 1 52 59 15 the loss column (L).

lion over two years, including a $2 million signing bonus. Jarome Iginla scored twice and Jay Bouwmeester and Mike Cammalleri each had a goal for the Flames, who had earned at least one point in eight consecutive games at Colorado.

Sabres 4, Panthers 3 In Sunrise, Nathan Gerbe scored his first two goals of the season, Ryan Miller made 38 saves and Buffalo beat the struggling Florida Panthers in a shootout. Thomas Vanek and Jason Pominville both scored in the tiebreaker for Buffalo. Jonathan Huberdeau and Peter Mueller missed their attempts for Florida. Tyler Ennis also scored in regulation for the Sabres and Steve Ott had two assists. Buffalo has won two straight since losing four in a row and is 2-1 since Ron Rolston took over as interim coach when Lindy Ruff was fired. Brian Campbell, Marcel Goc and Drew Shore scored for the Panthers. Jose Theodore, who replaced Scott Clemmensen in goal with 3:14 left in the first period, stopped all 12 shots he faced.

The Panthers have lost eight of their past 10 games.

Campbell tied it at 3 with 1:26 left in regulation. All the other scoring came in the first period.

Jets 3, Devils 1 In Winnipeg, Andrew Ladd scored 8 seconds into the game, tying a franchise record, and finished with two goals and an assist to lead Winnipeg over New Jersey. Blake Wheeler added an empty-net goal for the Jets, who have won three straight and five of six.

Andrei Loktionov had the lone goal for the slumping Devils, who have one win in their last six games after a fast start. Ladd, the Jets’ captain, added his 12th goal of the season to break a 1-all tie with 8 minutes remaining.

Wild 4, Coyotes 3 In Glendale, Dany Heatley scored two goals and Minnesota used a rare offensive outburst to hold off Phoenix. Jason Zucker scored 1:35 into the game on Minnesota’s first shot and Heatley added one late in the period on its third. Heatley scored again in the second and Jared Spurgeon added his first goal in more than a year to put the Wild up 4-1.

The Coyotes rallied in the third period, getting a strange goal by Keith Yandle that caromed off the glass past goalie Niklas Backstrom and another score

by Shane Doan with 59 seconds left. Phoenix couldn’t score again, though, sending Minnesota to its fourth win in five games. Rostislav Klesla also scored for the Coyotes, but goalie Mike Smith allowed four goals on 19 shots before being replaced by Jason LaBarbera to start the third period.

Oilers 5, Stars 1 In Dallas, Ales Hemsky had a goal and two assists, Jeff Petry added a goal and an assist, and Devan Dubnyk made 33 saves to lead Edmonton over Dallas. The win snapped Edmonton’s six-game losing streak against the Stars, including two meetings earlier this season. It was the Oilers’ first victory in Dallas (0-10-1) since Dec. 8, 2006. —AP

SPORTS SATURDAY, MARCH 2, 2013

Woods trails Villegas PALM BEACH GARDENS: Tiger Woods, who saved par with a barefoot shot in water, and Rory McIlroy fired even-par 70s at the Honda Classic on Thursday that left the world’s top two golfers six shots back of first-round leader Camilo Villegas.

Colombian Villegas capped a flawless sixunder-par 64 with an eagle at the par-five 18th that left him one stroke ahead of South Africa’s Branden Grace, Canada’s Graham DeLaet and Americans Rickie Fowler and Robert Streb.

Villegas, who won here in 2010 but has struggled over the past 18 months, was one-under through 12 holes at PGA National but grabbed the outright lead with a scorching finish that saw him pick up five strokes over his final six holes.

World number one McIlroy had a similar day to Woods with a pair of birdies and bogeys and remained hopeful of getting in the frame for the weekend. “If I had been playing well or playing the way I know I can there is something in the mid-sixties out there,” said the 23-year-old Northern Irishman.

Woods, who started on the back nine, had a rough start with bogeys on his first and fourth holes but recovered with two birdies on the back nine in unusually chilly and overcast conditions for Florida.

The 14-times major winner bogeyed the parfour 10th hole and added another at the par-four 13th before recovering with a birdie on the parfive third hole. On the par-four sixth, Woods hooked his tee shot into the water hazard but managed to save par after going barefoot, putting on his rain pants and playing out of the water. “It was only half submerged so I could play some sort

of explosion shot and get it back in the fairway,” said Woods, who used a nine-iron out of the water. “I wasn’t trying to advance it very far just get it back on the fairway and give myself some sort of wedge shot in there - which I did and got up and down.”

It might have been uncomfortable for Woods but his decision to get wet saved his round, particularly when he followed the par with a birdie on the par-three seventh.

“If I didn’t get that up-and-down, I am looking at a six, three-over, and all of a sudden I flip it, make par there and birdie the next,” said Woods.

“Could easily have been three and all of a sudden I’m even.”

Woods needed 32 putts in his round but appeared unconcerned with his performance on the greens. “Just a ton of good putts that burned the edge and either the green didn’t take it or I snagged it and I never really made anything until number seven,” Woods told reporters. “It was a pretty boring day on the greens and I hit a lot of good shots.”

Villegas has not won on the PGA Tour since winning the Honda Classic in 2010 and the 31year-old looked at home hitting 10 of 14 fairways and 14 greens in regulation, needing just 27 putts, including nine one-putts. “It’s a great score, good day, perfect conditions, we got away a little bit with the weather,” said Villegas, who enjoyed warmer and less breezy conditions in the afternoon. Britain’s Paul Casey had a nightmare round that saw him finish eight-over 78 after a round that included a birdie, seven bogeys and doublebogey. — Reuters

PALM BEACH GARDENS: Ernie Els of South Africa plays a shot on the 17th hole during the second round of the Honda Classic. — AFP

Lewis leads HSBC Champions SINGAPORE: Stacy Lewis heads into the weekend at the HSBC Women’s Champions with a two-stroke lead - the second week in a row she’s led a tournament after 36 holes.

At the LPGA Thailand last week, her putting failed her in the third round and she shot a 76 and eventually tied for third place. She doesn’t want to make the same

mistake at Sentosa Golf Club. Lewis set up her weekend by holing six birdies in a 6under 66 in the second round on Friday.

The reigning U.S. LPGA Tour player of the year was at 11-under 133 overall.

“Last week, my putter just went sideways,” she said. “I don’t know what happened. But I feel a lot more comfortable

BANGKOK: Kiradech Aphibarnrat of Thaiand hitting a shot during round two of The Open Championship International Final Qualifying Asia at the Amata Springs Country Club in Bangkok. — AFP

with my putter this week, which I’m happy about. “You can’t force things, and last week I definitely was trying to force some putts and hit them too hard and through breaks, so it’s really for me just staying patient tomorrow.”

Lewis led a pack of six players tied for second: Ariya Jutanugarn (66), Na Yeon Choi (66), Chella Choi (67), Paula Creamer (67), Sun Young Yoon (68) and overnight leader Azahara Munoz (70).

Top-ranked Yani Tseng stumbled with a double bogey on the par-5 4th hole and shot 73. She was in a tie for 21st at 3 under.

Lewis has started the new season with the same form that saw her win four titles last year and climb to fourth in the world rankings.

The American matched her career-best round of 63 last week in Thailand, and has kept sinking long birdie putts in Singapore, including a 25-foot putt up a slight incline on the first hole late yesterday.

“I think I kind of realized, especially on this course (but) I did it last week, too, I was just trying too hard and trying to make putts and trying to hit good shots,” she said. “You know you kind of grip the club a little tighter, you hold the putter a little tighter and things just don’t go your way.

“You just need to not try so hard and just have fun out there and relax.” Ariya is also hoping to rebound from a disappointing tournament last week.

The 17-year-old Thai has shown no lasting effects from her final-round collapse in Thailand where she blew a two-stroke lead

on the 18th hole and lost the title to Inbee Park. She was in tears after the defeat.

The former top-ranked amateur made six birdies in a bogey-free 66, matching Lewis and Na Yeon Choi for best round of the day. “Today my irons helped me a lot,” she said. “I still miss some short putts but my irons, I hit so close to the pin today.”

Choi, the US Women’s Open champion, briefly surged into the lead by making three birdies at the start of the back nine before bogeying the 15th. The South Korean, ranked second, has inched closer to Tseng’s No. 1 spot since last season, but she’s trying to keep this out of her mind.

“I don’t know (for) what reason, but I feel very happy to play golf right now and I feel like I don’t really have the pressure,” she said. “Just like beginning of the season, I can just go out there, play, have fun and I talk a lot with the players.”

Given her recent form, Lewis is also eyeing the No. 1 spot this year. “Middle of last year, that was one of my goals was to track down Yani,” she said. “I didn’t play well last weekend, but I still finished third and that helps me in that move to No. 1.”

Tseng, who hasn’t captured a trophy in nearly a year, managed just one birdie late yesterday. Michelle Wie made four bogeys on her first five holes and six overall to shoot 75, and lie at 2 over.

Defending champion Angela Stanford also struggled for the second straight day, matching her first-round 76 to sit at 8 over. She’s in a tie for 59th in the 61-player field. — AP

Sports SATURDAY, MARCH 2, 2013

Wrestling faces tough fight to pin down Olympic spot NEW York: As a former chief executive of the United States Olympic Committee, Jim Scherr knows better than most the daunting challenge facing wrestling as the sport tries to avoid being tossed from the Games.

Earlier this month the International Olympic Committee (IOC) made a surprise recommendation to drop the sport from the 2020 Summer Games, leaving wrestling to fight with seven other disciplines for one spot when the board meets in May. “It is a major challenge for the sport, by no means is there any easy victory here,” Scherr said during a conference call on Thursday to outline wrestling’s plans to save the sport. “But I think from what I’ve heard from people connected to the IOC that there is a path here for wrestling, that it can remain on the programme.

“Wrestling has to work hard to do so and we’re optimistic with the leadership that has been collected on a worldwide level that we’re up the task and we’ll get

that job done.”

The IOC’s decision has been greeted with outrage across the wrestling community, triggering protests and petitions.

Russia’s Sagid Murtazaliev, heavyweight freestyle champion at the 2000 Sydney Games, and Bulgarian wrestling federation president Valentin Yordanov, a winner at the 1996 Atlanta Games, returned their Olympic gold medals to the IOC in protest while the Japan Wrestling Federation launched an online petition.

The threat of having wrestling dropped from the Games has also created an unlikely alliance as Iran and the United States put aside nuclear issues and political differences to join forces to save the sport’s Olympic status.

“They (Iranians) do feel the exact same as we do, they could just not believe that would be the decision with wrestling being one of the original sports in the Olympics.” said American freestyle Olympian Coleman Scott. “They are as passionate about the sport as we are.

“We have to bond in the whole wrestling

community to get this back into the Games.”

With only seven months to convince IOC members to remove wrestling from the chopping block, wrestling officials are marshalling their forces. Contested in the first modern Olympics in 1896 and part of the ancient Games in Olympia, wrestling joins baseball and softball, making a joint bid, martial arts karate and wushu, rollersports, wakeboarding and squash as candidate sports battling for one vacant spot in a revamped programme.

The IOC executive board will meet in St. Petersburg in May to determine which of them will be put to the vote in September at the IOC session in Buenos Aires. International wrestling’s governing body FILA conceded that the organisation had been caught sleeping and now must quickly address several issues if the sport is to survive.

Scherr, a former Olympic wrestler and a newly appointed member of the FILA bureau, said the governing body has not

Bulls end losing streak CHICAGO: Joakim Noah had 23 points, 21 rebounds and a career-high 11 blocks for his third career triple-double and the Chicago Bulls ended a two-game losing streak with a 93-82 victory over the Philadelphia 76ers on Thursday.

Carlos Boozer added 21 points and 12 rebounds while Kirk Hinrich and Luol Deng had 15 and 12 points, respectively, as the Bulls completed a three-game regular season series sweep.

Noah tied the Bulls record for blocks in a regulation game, previously set by Artis Gilmore in 1977. Jrue Holiday paced the Sixers with 22 points, and Spencer Hawes added 20 points and 15 rebounds. The loss was Philadelphia’s seasonhigh seventh in a row.

Clippers 99, Pacers 91 In Indianapolis, Chris Paul scored 29 points, and Blake Griffin finished with 18 points and 14 rebounds to help Los Angeles hold off Indiana’s late charge. The Clippers have won three straight and seven of their past eight.

David West led the Pacers with 22 points, while All-Star Paul George had 20 points and five assists. Danny Granger finished with a seasonhigh 12 points. But without the suspended Roy Hibbert, the Pacers barely resembled the team that had won five straight by an average margin of 23.8 points.

Lakers 116, Timberwolves 94 In Los Angeles, Kobe Bryant scored 33 points and Antawn Jamison added 17 in Los Angeles’ 21st consecutive victory over Minnesota. Bryant and Jodie Meeks each hit four of Los Angeles’ 16 3-pointers, and Meeks finished with 16 points.

The Lakers (29-30) have won 12 of 17 and five of seven while moving within two games of Houston for the final playoff spot in the Western Conference with their longest stretch of solid play in this tumultuous season.

J.J. Barea scored 20 points and Luke Ridnour added 19 for the short-handed Timberwolves, who have lost four straight and 20 of 24. Los Angeles’ mastery of Minnesota is the NBA’s longest active winning streak in any matchup.

Ricky Rubio had 13 points, 13 assists and eight LOS ANGELES: Lakers guard Kobe Bryant (right) goes up for a rebounds, but Minnesota never threated to get its dunk as Minnesota Timberwolves forward Chris Johnson first win over the Lakers since March 6, 2007. —AP defends during the first half of their NBA basketball game. —AP

done a good enough job integrating itself into the worldwide Olympic movement.

If wrestling is to remain on the Olympic programme, Scherr believes the rules need to be simplified and the presentation of the sport must be improved, creating a better media model and sponsorship platform.

“Everyone connected with the international wrestling movement will agree that in hindsight they could have done much more,” said Scherr, who will also spearhead USA Wrestling efforts as a key member of the recently formed Committee for the Preservation of Olympic Wrestling. “President (Nenad) Milovic will be the first one to say FILA could have done a better job, we will now do a better job.

“There is a lot of work to do. FILA and leaders in the United States need to understand the IOC’s process and why they took this decision convince of the value of wrestling and why it should remain on the programme.” —Reuters

NBA results/standings LA Clippers 99, Indiana 91; Chicago 93, Philadelphia 82; LA Lakers 116 Minnesota 94.

Eastern Conference Atlantic Division W L PCT GB NY Knicks 34 20 .630 Brooklyn 34 24 .586 2 Boston 30 27 .526 5.5 Toronto 23 35 .397 13 Philadelphia 22 34 .393 13

Indiana Chicago Milwaukee Detroit Cleveland

Central Division 36 22 33 25 28 28 23 37 20 38

.621 .569 .500 .383 .345

3 7 14 16

Miami Atlanta Washington Orlando Charlotte

Southeast Division 41 14 33 23 18 38 16 42 13 44

.745 .589 .321 .276 .228

8.5 23.5 26.5 29

Western Conference Northwest Division 42 15 37 22 31 27 26 31 20 35

.737 .627 .534 .456 .364

6 11.5 16 21

LA Clippers Golden State LA Lakers Phoenix Sacramento

Pacific Division 42 18 33 25 29 30 20 39 20 39

.700 .569 .492 .339 .339

8 12.5 21.5 21.5

San Antonio Memphis Houston Dallas New Orleans

Southwest Division 45 14 38 18 31 28 25 32 20 39

.763 .679 .525 .439 .339

5.5 14 19 25

Oklahoma City Denver Utah Portland Minnesota

SPORTS SATURDAY, MARCH 2, 2013

Reds survive Hurricanes onslaught BRISBANE: The Queensland Reds scrambled to an 18-12 Super 15 win over the Wellington Hurricanes after repelling a second half onslaught in Brisbane yesterday.

The Reds led 18-9 early in the second half but survived several close shaves as the Hurricanes dominated possession and territory to have the home side under pressure in the final stages.

Queensland held on for a two tries to nail victory for their second win in this year’s Super 15 series after losing to the ACT Brumbies in the opening round. Wallabies Digby Ioane and lock Rob Simmons scored the Reds’ tries, with Quade Cooper landing a conversion and two penalties, while fly-half Beauden Barrett kicked all of the Hurricanes’ points with four penalties.

The big moment in the match came four minutes from time when the Hurricanes thought they had scored the winning try through skipper Conrad Smith after Cooper’s pass went astray over his try-line.

But the video referee found a knock on from replacement Chris Smylie in the leadup and the try was disallowed to the Hurricanes’ astonishment.

“Man, in some ways that is one of the strangest games I’ve played,” All Black centre Smith said. “I

Digby Ioane

don’t really know what to make of it at the moment, but there were some things going on that I didn’t understand. The boys tried hard and it’s just frustrating.”

Smith said the greasy conditions were difficult to play but it was all about gaining field position.

“It was just a matter of staying down there and the points would come. I thought they would, but somehow and some way they didn’t manage to come.”

Skipper James Slipper said the Reds had been “lucky” to win and praised his side’s defence. “We were playing in our own half and against a quality side like the Hurricanes you can’t do that,” Slipper said.

“It’s a credit to the squad as to how hard we worked for each other and the defence we put up was phenomenal. “Through good defence we were lucky to come away with a good win.”

Queensland scored the only tries of the contest with Ioane diving over in the corner in the 23rd minute and Simmons scoring his first Super Rugby try in his 51st game nine minutes after the resumption. The Reds are away to the Rebels in Melbourne next week, while the Hurricanes are at home to the Canterbury Crusaders. — AFP

Blues demolish Crusaders

Waratahs see off Rebels SYDNEY: The New South Wales Waratahs mounted a stirring secondhalf comeback to end their nine-game Super Rugby losing streak with a 31-26 win over the Melbourne Rebels yesterday.

The Rebels had looked on course for a first win over their fellow Australians when Ged Robinson’s try helped them to take a halftime lead in Sydney. However, Bernard Foley, Michael Hooper and Paddy Ryan scored second-half tries to give the Waratahs their first Super Rugby win since a 30-21 victory over the same opponents in April last year.

Kurtley Beale touched down in the final minute to earn the Rebels a losing bonus point and his fellow Wallabies back James O’Connor converted to complete a personal haul of 16 points.

Brendan McKibbin kicked the home side’s other 16 points before limping off with some seven minutes left. The Rebels have lost two of three matches this season but the Waratahs look to be heading the right way after two games.

Although the Waratahs’ second-

half performance suggests they should at least challenge for a place in the end-of-season playoffs, they were unable to gain a foothold in the first half on a rain-lashed pitch.

The Rebels’ breakthrough came after Tatafu Polota-Nau was yellowcarded for repeatedly offending at the breakdown. The ball was popped back to Robinson from a smart short lineout move and the hooker went over unopposed in the corner.

“We probably made it hard for ourselves but we kept playing,” Waratahs captain Dave Dennis said. “It was poor discipline really. We had to keep backing ourselves and not look at the scoreboard.”

O’Connor’s conversion made it 13-3 and an exchange of penalties between O’Connor and McKibbin meant it was 16-6 at the interval. Foley crossed following a break created by Kane Douglas, Hooper rounded off a slick passing move to put the home side ahead and Ryan pumped his way through a tackle to go over from close range and score his first try in Super Rugby. — Reuters

AUCKLAND: The Auckland Blues demolished arch-rivals the Canterbury Crusaders 34-15 yesterday to maintain their early season momentum and show they will be a force to be reckoned with in this year’s Super 15.

The Blues ran in five tries to nil for a bonuspoint win against the seven-time champions, with all the Crusaders’ points coming from Dan Carter, who kicked five penalties from five in his side’s first match of the season.

An off night with the boot from Piri Weepu prevented the scoreline from being even more lop-sided, with the Blues half-back missing three conversions and two penalties.

Blues skipper Ali Williams said the performance, which builds on an upset win over the Wellington Hurricanes last week, was all about regaining respect after a dismal 2012 season when the Auckland outfit finished 12th.

“We lost a lot last year and we’re slowly going to try and get it back one game at a time,” he said. The Crusaders, missing talismanic captain Richie McCaw, who is taking an extended break from the game that will see him sit out most of the season, were plagued by handling errors and poor discipline.

McCaw’s absence at the breakdown was apparent in the first try, when the Crusaders turned over the ball and the Blues laid seige to the tryline until Steven Luatua crossed out wide after latching onto a cut-out pass.

Rene Ranger then split the Crusaders’ defence and after sustained pressure Frank Halai forced his way over the line on 27 minutes. He scored his second five minutes later, leaping to gather a Chris Noakes chip kick in the corner to make it 20-12 at half-time.

Carter narrowed the gap with a penalty after the break but Luke Braid replied with another try for the Blues and Weepu kicked the conversion make it 27-15 After the attacking flair of the first half, it was all hands on deck in defence for the Blues in the

final 15 minutes as the Crusaders desperately tried to find a way to the tryline.

The Crusaders were held up in the in-goal area twice then Israel Dagg burrowed his way through a crush of Blues players, only for his effort to be disallowed after being ruled a double movement. George Moala put the result beyond doubt when he dashed down the sideline after the restart, brushing off a Tom Marshall tackle for the Blues fifth. — AFP

Dan Carter

SPORTS SATURDAY, MARCH 2, 2013

Al-Otaibi seen in this file photo during the Arab Shooting Federation Board meeting

Sheikh Salman Al-Sabah

Kuwait ready to host International shooting GP 45 countries to participate

By Abdellatif Sharaa KUWAIT: HH the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah second international shooting grand prix will start today, in the presence of HH the Amir, Information Minister and State Minister for Youth Affairs Sheikh Salman Sabah Al-Salem Al-Humoud Al-Sabah.

The tournament which will continue until March 9, 2103 and will be held at Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Olympic Shooting complex. Chairman of the higher organizing committee Eng. Duaij Khalaf Al-Otaibi said preparations are complete as 45 countries including Kuwait will participate, while this is the first time such a number of countries will be present.

Al-Otaibi said winners of the three first places in each categories will receive significant prizes.

He said Kuwait Shooting Sport Federation with the Higher Organizing Committee, worked hard on plans to hold this event in a prestigious manner, under the instructions of president of Asian and Kuwait Shooting Federations, and Vicepresident of the International Shooting Federation, so that all facilities are available to participants and guests.

Al-Otaibi said, the committee continues its hard work to ensure the readiness of ranges, equipment, machines and ammunition. He added that we in Kuwait are proud that Kuwaiti officials are highly experienced and are well known at the international level.

Engineer Al-Otaibi, on behalf of the shooting community thanked HH the Amir for his support and care of the shooting sport which was able to develop and make several achievements during a relatively short time including two Olympic

medals through shooter Fuhaid Al-Daihani. AlOtaibi, welcomed the heads of the Arab Shooting Federations and heads of delegations who are participating in this sporting event.

Al-Otaibi said Kuwait’s shooters are ready for the event as several training camps were held both in Kuwait and abroad, so that they can compete at the highest level with the rest of world champions.

Al-Otaibi welcomed fans to attend activities of the championship at Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Olympic Shooting Complex, to support Kuwaiti shooters and enjoy the presence of the Olympic medals winners of the London 2012 Olympics.

Meanwhile, Technical director of Kuwait teams Jasni Shaari said the club and shooters

are ready for the competition, as a large number of players will participate including: In the double trap: Fuhaid Al-Daihani, Mishfi Al-Mutairi, Hamad Al-Afasi, Saad Al-Mutairi and Jarrah AlShuwaier. In the skeet: Abdallah Al-Rashidi, Zaid Al-Mutairi, Salah Al-Mutairi, Nasser Al-Daihani, Saud Habib, Abdelaziz Al-Saad, Mohammad AlAzmi, Iman Al-Shamaa, Sheikha Al-Rashidi and Futooh Adel. In the trap event: Fuhaid AlDaihani, Khalid Al-Mudhaf, Abdelrahman AlFaihan, Talal Al-Rashidi, Abdallah Al-Hamly, Irshaid Al-Rashidi, Sayer Al-Daihani, Tami AlRashidi, Hamad Al-Rashidi, Sarah Al-Hawal, Shahad Al-Hawal, Fatima Fawzi, Rasha Al-Fares and Sumaya Al-Juhail.

In the rifle event: Khalid Al-Subaie, Abdallah

Shooter Abdallah Al-Harby during training Al-Harby, Mishaal Al-Tahous, Hussein Al-Ajmi, Ali Farhan, Bader Al-Dousary, Mohammad Adel, Bandar Al-Mutairi, Sultan Al-Osaimi, Majid AlOsaimi, Mariam Erzouqi, Heba Erzouqi, Zahra AlSaffar and Duaa Al-Duwaikhi.

In the pistol event: Mishal Al-Mutairi, Suhail Jassim, Zaid Al-Thafiri, Hassan, Abdelaziz AlMulla, Mideth Al-Sahly, Abdelhadi Al-Badry, Huthama Al-Baghly, Awatif Al-Qallaf, Israa Bahman, Israa Dashti and Ghizlan Ali.

Oman’s Al-Hamidhi during training

Maze hunts record, Tina bags Super-G GERMANY: Liechtenstein’s Tina Weirather earned the first World Cup win of her career in yesterday’s Super-G as overall leader Tina Maze edged closer to Hermann Maier’s points record.

Weirather, from the tiny European principality, was the fastest down the Khandahar course in 1min 19.82sec with Julia Mancuso of the United States and overall World Cup winner Maze joint second as both finished at 0.12sec behind.

Austria’s Anna Fenninger was fourth at 0.28sec back, just outside the podium places. “I have had injury problems in my career, so I am so happy to win here,” said the 23-year-old Weirather, who missed the 2010 Winter Olympics with a cruciate

knee ligament injury.

“My parents have supported me a lot, so I am so pleased they could be here today,” she added. Her mother Hanni Wenzel won giant slalom and slalom gold medals for Liechtenstein at the 1980 Winter Olympics in Lake Placid, while her Austrian father Harti Weirather was the 1982 world downhill champion.

Overall World Cup winner Maze claimed her 19th World Cup podium place this season to set a new record, breaking the old mark set by Wenzel, Weirather’s mother, in 1979-80 and Pernilla Wiberg of Sweden from the 199697 season. Slovenia’s Maze, the reigning Super-G world champion, is now on 1924

points in the overall World Cup standings and, with Saturday’s downhill and Sunday’s second Super-G to come, has a strong chance of breaking Maier’s record tally. The Austrian legend set the phenomenal haul of 2000 World Cup points in the 1999-2000 season and, with 100 points for a win, Maze, 29, could break the record this weekend having confirmed her overall World Cup win last weekend in Meribel.

With Lindsey Vonn out for the rest of the season due to injury, Maze has the chance to catch the downhill World Cup leader in today’s race. She is 101 points behind with two races left to go this season. “I will take every chance that comes

my way, I have no problem with energy or strength,” said Maze, who has already secured the giant slalom World Cup crown. “My big aim is to win the downhill title, that would be a dream.”

Local favorite Maria Hoefl-Riesch finished 11th having struggled for the last 24 hours with a stomach bug.

“I’ve never been as sick as that before, but it didn’t play a role in today’s performance. I made a mistake and paid for it,” said Hoefl-Riesch, who is chasing her 25th World Cup win in her home town. “I hope I have a say in the downhill tomorrow and at least get on the podium. “To celebrate my 25th World Cup win here would be a dream.” — AFP

SPORTS SATURDAY, MARCH 2, 2013

United juggle priorities, Benitez hopes for change

Matches on TV (Local Timings)

English Premier League Chelsea v West Bromwich Abu Dhabi Sports HD

18:00

Everton v Reading Abu Dhabi Sports HD

18:00

Man United v Norwich City Abu Dhabi Sports HD

18:00

Southampton v QPR Abu Dhabi Sports HD

18:00

Stoke City v West Ham Abu Dhabi Sports HD

18:00

Sunderland v Fulham Abu Dhabi Sports HD

18:00

Swansea City v Newcastle Abu Dhabi Sports HD

18:00

Wigan Athletic v Liverpool Abu Dhabi Sports HD

20:30

Spanish League Real Madrid v Barcelona Aljazeera Sport +2 Aljazeera Sport 2 HD

18:00

Deportivo v Rayo Vallecano Aljazeera Sport +7

20:00

Osasuna v de Bilbao Aljazeera Sport +2

22:00

LONDON: Manchester United must weigh the prospect of a 15point Premier League lead against the importance of next week’s Champions League clash with Real Madrid when they entertain Norwich City today. United go into the weekend with a 12-point advantage in the league and with second-place Manchester City not in action until a trip to Aston Villa on Monday, they can strike another blow in the title race by defeating Norwich.

However, with such a commanding points cushion beneath them, the priority is likely to be Tuesday’s encounter with Madrid, which United will approach in a strong position following a 1-1 draw in the first leg.

Alex Ferguson’s team selection for the Norwich game is likely to reflect the importance of the European tie and the United manager is expected to make several changes to his starting XI. But with Robin van Persie sidelined by the hip injury he sustained in last weekend’s 2-0 win at Queens Park Rangers, Wayne Rooney looks likely to be handed a starting berth in attack.

Whether he starts on the pitch or on the bench, Ryan Giggs stands to make his 1,000th appearance in senior football after taking his career tally to 999 games at Loftus Road last weekend.

“Ryan is very professional and is such an example for the young players,” said United captain Nemanja Vidic. “They see how you have to treat yourself and educate yourself in football to be a great player. Of course he has the quality and ability as well.

“He is a great example of how to be professional and to play at the top for so long. We have quite a few players like that. Rio (Ferdinand) is the same. He is a committed professional, the same as Paul Scholes.”

With the title race seemingly a foregone conclusion, the keenly contested battle to secure Champions League qualification can expect to garner an increasing share of the headlines. City’s 2-0 defeat of Chelsea on Sunday gave them five points’ breathing

Giggs, the player who never grows old

Italian League AC Milan v SS Lazio Aljazeera Sport +1 Aljazeera Sport 1 HD

22:45

German League Werder Bremen v Augsburg Dubai Sports

17:30

Wolfsburg v Schalke Dubai Sports

17:30

Dortmund v Hannover Dubai Sports

17:30

Hamburger v Furth Dubai Sports

17:30

French League Stade Reims v Saint-Germain Aljazeera Sport +4

19:00

Saint Etienne v Nice Aljazeera Sport +4

22:00

Lorient v Valenciennes Aljazeera Sport +9

22:00

Toulouse v Thonon Gaillard Aljazeera Sport +10

22:00

space in second place, while the Blues now find themselves in fourth place after being leapfrogged by in-form Tottenham Hotspur. Fifth-place Arsenal, who visit derby rivals Tottenham on Sunday, now trail Chelsea by only two points, while Everton are five points further back in sixth. Chelsea welcome West Bromwich Albion to Stamford Bridge on Saturday, when attention is sure to focus on home manager Rafael Benitez after he criticised the club’s fans on Wednesday for their continued protests against him.

With Chelsea having picked up just 11 points from a possible 24 in the league, winger Victor Moses says his side cannot afford to take their eye off the ball against a West Brom team chasing a third consecutive win. “We’ve got an important game coming up on Saturday,” said the Nigerian. “We’re looking forward to it but it’s not going to be an easy game, so we need to make sure we get three points.”

Everton will also hope to make ground on the teams above them when they host struggling Reading, who slipped to second from bottom in the table after a chastening 3-0 defeat at home to Wigan Athletic last weekend. Wigan’s win took them out of the relegation zone at Villa’s expense and ahead of Saturday’s game with Liverpool, captain Gary Caldwell has urged the club’s supporters to re-create the atmosphere that helped them escape the drop in 2012. “The atmosphere the fans created last season was incredible,” he said. “I’ve got no doubt that if the fans can help to create a similar atmosphere in these final games, then we’ll be able to get the results we need.”

QPR’s hopes of avoiding relegation are fading fast, with just 11 games remaining for them to bridge the seven-point gap that separates them from safety. Harry Redknapp’s side visit Southampton, who were left three points above the bottom three following a 4-2 loss at Newcastle United last weekend.

Ryan Giggs

MANCHESTER: Running as tirelessly as ever and still creating goals out of nothing, Ryan Giggs is preparing to make his 1,000th professional appearance with only the flecks of grey in his hair hinting at his age. The 39-year-old will reach the landmark in his next game and is likely to be lining up with players who were still in nappies when he made his debut as a substitute in a 2-0 defeat by Everton on March 2, 1991.

United had not won a league title for nearly a quarter of a century when the slim and graceful Welsh teenager started his nifty runs up the left wing but now he is the most decorated player in English soccer with 12 Premier League winners’ medals.

Manager Alex Ferguson has used every superlative in the book to describe a player who has spent his whole career at the northwest club and on Friday, when announcing Giggs had signed a contract to carry on playing next season, he enthused some more.

“He still retains that wonderful youthfulness in the way he plays, he still has great balance and a change of pace,” he told a news conference. “He still has his fitness and he still gets you a goal. He really deserves his new contract.”

He has lost some of his pace if not his lean physique and has adapted to a more central role to compensate, still pulling the strings in key games and scoring goals such as last weekend’s low finish in a 2-0 win at Queens Park Rangers. That Giggs, at an age when only goalkeepers can usually entertain the idea of still playing at the top, is still contributing so much to a club who are 12 points clear at the top of the Premier League is the stuff of dreams.

Understated at the best of times, he is more pragmatic in his explanation of his longevity, putting it down to hard work, a strict diet and yoga. “The yoga has definitely helped me,” he said last year. “It helps me train every day because it gives me the flexibility and the strength not only to play the game but to train as well. “I rarely miss a training session, even (if I do) a little less than the younger players I still go out and train.” The curly mop of hair that made him a pin-up in the 1990s has been replaced by a sensible crop and his public image has been damaged after revelations about his private life but Giggs commands huge respect from his fellow professionals. Part of a golden generation of United players, including David Beckham and Paul Scholes, who helped them to win an unprecedented treble of Premier League, FA Cup and Champions League in 1999, Giggs rarely picks up bookings. He has completed coaching qualifications that will ensure his involvement in the sport for many years to come and Ferguson hopes he will remain at the club.—Reuters

Sports SATURDAY, MARCH 2, 2013

FIFA to allow fans to see goal-line tech decisions EDINBURGH: FIFA is willing to allow goalline technology decisions to be shown to fans on big screens in stadiums and television viewers. In a document to be assessed by football’s rule-makers today, FIFA has reversed its previous stance that referees could be undermined if the results from the high-tech aids were revealed.

Competition organizers will be able to prevent the outcome being publicly known as it is in tennis, however, while referees have the power to ignore the goal-line decisions.

“The question of whether and how replays are shown on TV or on an LED screen in a stadium should be one of the first discussion points when starting the implementation of goal-line technology in a competition,” says a FIFA document on the implementation of goal-line technology. “FIFA recommends involving referees in this discussion as well.”

English FA General Secretary Alex Horne said he would welcome television viewers being able to see how a device ruled on a disputed goal.

“Certainly the broadcasters need to have that accessibility ... to show the goal-line incident because that’s at the heart of the integrity of the decision that has to be made,” Horne said in Edinburgh ahead of the International Football Association Board annual meeting.

But Horne is reticent to allow fans inside Wembley Stadium for FA-sanctioned matches to see the information pinged to the referee by the computer. “That falls for me in the ‘controversial decision’ element,” Horne said.

Goal-line technology had divided meetings of football’s rule-making panel for years until FIFA President Sepp Blatter reversed his opposition and it was officially sanctioned last July.

IFAB is returning to Scotland for its first meeting since it decided five years ago that the sport should be free of non-human intervention in decision-making. The big decisions will now center on which goal-line technology systems to use.

As FIFA’s leadership was arriving in Edinburgh, the organization announced on Friday that a fourth system had been licensed. GoalControl-4D, which uses seven high-speed cameras aimed at each goalmouth, joins another camera-based system, Hawk-Eye, and two other projects - GoalRef and Cairos - which use magnetic field technology to judge if the ball crossed the line.

All four systems meet FIFA’s requirement that a signal is transmitted to the referee’s watch within one second if a goal should be awarded. Hawk-Eye and GoalRef were approved last year and used at the Club World Cup in Japan in December. FIFA has invited tenders for selection to be used at the Confederations Cup in Brazil in June and the 2014 World Cup. Domestic competitions are also racing to introduce technology, with the English Premier League on course for systems to be installed by the new season in August. Horne said the Community Shield, the season curtainraiser at Wembley in August between the FA Cup winners and Premier League champions, is set to be the first time technology is used officially in a match in England.

But FIFA also disclosed in its latest document that referees harboring doubts about the accuracy of technology in a particular stadium can decide up to 45 minutes before kickoff to switch it off.

“If the referee check does not satisfy the referee (i.e. the technology fails one or more

BLOEMFONTEIN: 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 soccer match between Germany and England. FIFA President Sepp Blatter insisted on giving World Cup referees high-tech aids to make goal-line decisions after seeing England midfielder Frank Lampard have a clear goal denied against Germany at the 2010 tournament in South Africa. —AP tests), the referee must reject the use of the GLT system for the relevant match,” FIFA says. IFAB, which comprises officials from FIFA and the four British football associations, will also consider clarifying the contentious offside rule.

FIFA is proposing that an attacker should be considered offside when “gaining an advantage by being in that position,” including receiving the ball from a rebound or deflection from the goal frame or a player in the defending team attempting a tackle, block or save.

However, an attacker should be allowed to play on when receiving a deliberate pass, such as a back pass, from the defending team. The IFAB panel will also consider closing a loophole on uncontested dropped balls after a contentious goal in a Champions League match in November.

Ignoring the unwritten code of sportsmanship, Shakhtar Donetsk forward Luiz Adriano chased a long kick following an uncontested drop ball and scored against Nordsjaelland, whose injured player had forced play to be stopped. IFAB will consider amending the rules to ensure that a goal cannot be allowed if one team expecting to receive the ball after an uncontested drop has not touched it.

The panel will also be asked to approve trials of an electronic chip in players’ shirts which could potentially warn of medical problems. Electronic communication between players and staff was currently banned, but the importance of safeguarding players’ health was highlighted last March when Bolton player Fabrice Muamba had a cardiac arrest during a match in England. Muamba recovered but was forced to retire. —AP

Preview

Casillas wary of Barca backlash MADRID: Real Madrid captain Iker Casillas is expecting a backlash from Barcelona when the two meet again in the league today after Madrid’s 3-1 victory over the Catalans on Tuesday.

The Spanish champions booked their place in the Spanish Cup final with a complete performance that restricted Barca to very little going forward and contained their usual lightning speed on the counter-attack. But Casillas believes he knows many of his international colleagues in the Barca side too well to think they will take defeat lying down. “I know many of the Barcelona players and I know that they are competitive,” he told the club’s website. Despite their joy in the cup, in the league it is Barca who have been the dominant force this season as they arrive in the capital with a 16-point advantage over Real. And with another huge Champions League game to come against Manchester United on Tuesday, many expect Jose Mourinho to make a number of changes.

However, Casillas believes it is important to try and maintain their positive momentum heading into their trip to Old Trafford with the teams locked 1-1 after the first leg of their last-16 duel. “We need to be aware that when we don’t win in the league the fans suffer.

We have the duty to fight for every game and the next one is Barcelona. “What we want to do is win and continue to cut the gap at the top. It is a deficit that perhaps doesn’t reflect the real difference between the teams, but it is a competition where consistency is rewarded and Barcelona have been better than us. “It is a considerable lead, but with the crowd behind us we want to end a week that could be the turning point.” Casillas will

definitely miss the match as he continues his recovery from a broken bone in his hand and Angel Di Maria is suspended after being sent-off in the 2-1 win at Deportivo La Coruna last weekend.

Mourinho is also expected to give playing time to Pepe, Luka Modric, Kaka and Karim Benzema after they were all left on the bench on Tuesday. Barca meanwhile are recovering not only from the blow inflicted by Madrid in midweek but from their 2-0 defeat to AC Milan in the Champions League six days previously and midfielder Andres Iniesta accepts they have some issue to address. “The team is coming from some very good years and we deserve to be treated calmly when we lose to a great team like Real Madrid in the semi-finals of the cup,” he told reporters. “We need to think a lot about these two games, in what we have done well and what can improve. We need to recover the sensation of being a compact and infallible team. “Moreover, don’t forget that we are the league leaders and on Saturday we have another difficult battle at the Bernabeu. We need to try and maintain our lead.” However, the bad news didn’t end on the field for Barca on Tuesday as Lionel Messi missed training on Wednesday morning and has been treated for fever like symptoms.

With Barca’s Champions League return with Milan not until March 12 there is not the same pressure on assistant manager Jordi Roura to rotate his side, but even if Messi is fit there have been widespread calls for David Villa to be handed a start with Cesc Fabregas the most likely candidate to drop out. Xavi and Alex Song also missed training on Wednesday but both are expected to be fit. —AFP

SATURDAY, MARCH 2, 2013

Sports

FIFA to allow fans to see goal-line tech decisions

47

Berdych stuns Federer in Dubai

DUBAI: Czech Republic’s Tomas Berdych returns the ball to Switzerland’s Roger Federer during their ATP Dubai Open tennis semifinal match.—AFP DUBAI: Defending champion Roger Federer squandered three match points as he slumped to a 3-6, 7-6 (10/8), 6-4 defeat to Tomas Berdych in their Dubai Open semi-final yesterday.

Berdych, who knocked Federer out of the US Open in the quarterfinals last year, will tackle world number one Novak Djokovic in today’s final. Meanwhile, world number one Novak Djokovic extended his unbeaten run to 17 matches and put himself within one victory of regaining the Dubai Open title after an absorbing two-set tussle with former US Open champion Juan Martin Del Potro.

The Serbian was again in remarkably fine fettle for a man who has not played a tournament since making a successful defence of the Australian title nearly five weeks ago and, after three solid wins already, raised his level once more in a 6-3, 7-6 (7-4) success over the Argentine. Djokovic was made to do so.

Del Potro hit some fierce first serves and some heavy ground strokes mixed in with thunderbolt accelerations with his forehand, advancing to a 3-0 lead in the second set. He then broke back stridently for 5-5 when it looked as though the match was lost.

Djokovic responded superbly when he was behind, containing brilliantly, moving superbly, and counter-attacking with excellent timing and accuracy. He faltered for the second time in three matches when trying to close the contest out, but repaired the damage with a typically tenacious effort in the tie-break. It earned him his 55th final.

“I am proud of that record and of what I have done in my career,” he said. “It’s been more than successful and I am trying to cherish every moment I spend on a tennis court.

“Juan Martin was very powerful, and when I was behind I needed to hang in there. I knew it was only one break and that I could pull it back.” The first set offered few hints of the struggle to follow. Djokovic broke through in the sixth game at the first attempt, and closed out the set without fuss. But in the second set Del Potro began to rally more sternly and found moments of inspiration to launch stunning drives, sometimes for clean winners.

His early lead brought a great response from Djokovic, elevating some of the rallies to an outstanding level. Djokovic’s break back to 23 came amidst a gale of boos and jeers, though none of it was directed at the Serbian. Instead it was created by the umpire’s decision to impose a time violation on Del Potro when he took a little longer to prepare at break point down.

The Argentine walked up to the umpire to protest, gesticulating as he did so, and accompanied by a spate of noises from spectators. By the time the situation had calmed, the delay was at least twice the permitted 25 seconds. There followed a forehand-to-forehand exchange ending with a mishit under pressure by Del Potro costing him his advantage. When they sat down there was another exchange between the umpire and Del Potro, with another jeering accompani-

ment from spectators. It appeared to have been a turning point. Extra pressure was now on the Argentine and although he diligently saved two more break points amid a sequence of excellent rallies in his next service game, Djokovic was too good.

Playing somewhere near his best, he contained brilliantly and struck some trenchant forehand counter-drives, one of which earned a third break point and another which converted it, to reach 5-3. But as against Bautista Agut he surprisingly did not close out the match.

Del Potro saved a match point with a fine first serve to reach 4-5 and then attacked well when Djokovic failed to get first deliveries in.

The tie-break was tense and tight until Djokovic found a backhand down the line which opened up the court for a piercing forehand down-the-line winner. That made a mini-break of serve, which eventually proved the decisive moment.

Djokovic was due to play the winner of Roger Federer, the defending champion, and Tomas Berdych, the conqueror of Federer in their last meeting at the US Open in New York in September.

Later Del Potro criticised umpire Magdi Somat for his handling of the time violation incident. “It’s very important point for the game, for the match. Maybe he doesn’t know about that, you know, “ he said. “I mean, in that moment, if you call warning or if you do something different, you can lose the focus and that’s what happened with me.” Del Potro had Djokovic’s support.—AFP