13 Mar 2013 by Kuwait Times

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WEDNESDAY, MARCH 13, 2013

Young jobless Tunisian sets himself on fire

Cardinals enter Sistine Chapel for historic conclave

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JAMADA 1, 1434 AH

Migration dream over for young Pakistani

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Messi inspires Barcelona to thrilling win over Milan

Assembly, Shamali reach agreement on debt relief Court acquits tweeter accused of insulting Amir

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By B Izzak conspiracy theories

Easy harvest

By Badrya Darwish

badrya_d@kuwaittimes.net

inally the government surrendered to the long, never-ending story of the debt bailout. Of course, you heard this demand passing from parliament to parliament as if it was the main issue of every parliament we had since 2006. It was the main reason for the clashes between the opposition and the government who were adamant not to compromise with paying the debts. Of course, the opposition wanted to please their voters. So is the current parliament. I remember that in the very ﬁrst session, this was the unanimous demand from all MPs requesting the government to scrap the debts. The government rejected it strongly, but came up with a compromise yesterday. As far as the comprise is concerned, there are some vague points. Minister of Finance Mustafa Al-Shamali, speaking on behalf of the government, said he would waive the interest on the debts. Fair enough! But he speciﬁed this will be applied to debts taken between a certain period of time. Why the interest of the debts taken from 2002 till 2008 will only be waived? Why not debts taken in the heart of the global recession which started in 2008? Why the debts before 2002 are not considered here? I am really surprised and want to know what is the secret of this timing? Not after 2008 and not before 2002. Is this a quiz? Was it random? Was it related to the number of people who took loans? Is it about the amounts of money taken? Or are there are other reasons? As a compensation, those who were not in the game of the debt circle will be given a KD 1,000 grant. How nice! I will get a KD 1,000 grant simply because I did not take a loan. Aren’t we a pampered nation? By the way, what a score for the new parliament! They harvested what the opposition planted. Well done, guys! I wonder is it better to be a player in the game than being a spectator? Or is it better to count the scores? Only the future could tell.

KUWAIT: Finance Minister Mustafa Al-Shamali (left) walks hand-in-hand with MP Yousef Al-Zalzalah, chairman of the parliament’s financial and economic affairs committee, at the National Assembly yesterday after they reached a provisional agreement requiring the government to buy out billions of dollars of bank loans owed by citizens and reschedule them interest free. — Photo byYasser Al-Zayyat

Hunger strike at Gitmo after Quran searches

KUWAIT: The National Assembly’s financial and economic affairs committee and Finance Minister Mustafa Al-Shamali yesterday reached an agreement in principle requiring the government to purchase bank loans owed by citizens, waive interest on them and then reschedule their repayment. Shamali, who has for years opposed all debt bailout proposals, said after a meeting with the committee that an important understanding has been reached to resolve the debt problem. But he added that a technical and legal team will look into the details of the scheme and submit its report for another meeting on Sunday to finalize the issue before the next Assembly session on March 19. Shamali provided no further details on the scheme but committee chairman MP Yousef Al-Zalzalah said the deal calls for the government to purchase bank loans granted between Jan 1, 2002 and March 31, 2008. The government will then waive all interest on such loans before rescheduling their repayment in easy instalments which must not be higher than 40 percent of the debtors’ monthly income. The two officials provided no details on whether the relief scheme will include those who have already completed repayment of their loans with the high interest. Member of the committee MP Ahmad Lari said the cost of the settlement is around KD 900 million if it covers debtors of Islamic banks, while MP Safa Al-Hashem said at least 66,555 loans will benefit from the scheme. Several MPs also said that the government will look favourably to a proposal to grant KD 1,000 to each Kuwaiti citizen who did not benefit from the bailout. If approved, this will cost more than around KD 1.2 billion. But Zalzalah insisted that the KD 1,000 grant proposal was not a part of the debt relief deal. Incidentally, the government had rejected a similar law passed by the Assembly in Jan 2010 by an overwhelming majority. That time, the government had insisted that the law was harmful to the national economy and would encourage people to spend lavishly. Meanwhile, the interior and defense committee yesterday postponed a decision on a draft law calling to naturalize at least 4,000 stateless people in 2013 as a means to resolve the bedoon problem. The postponement came to allow the committee more time to study the proposal more comprehensively. Continued on Page 3

Fuzai appointed as Speaker’s advisor

Kuwaiti detainee has lost 12 kg WASHINGTON: Detainees at the Guantanamo Bay prison camp have launched a hunger strike to protest interference with their personal effects, including Holy Qurans, their lawyers and prison officials said Monday. “My client and other men have reported that most of the detainees in Camp 6 are on strike, except for a small few who are elderly or sick,” said Pardiss Kebriaei, a New York lawyer representing Ghaleb Al-Bihani, a Yemeni detainee. Camp 6 houses the majority of the 166 detainees still incarcerated at Guantanamo - estimated at about 130 men -who usually don’t pose any disciplinary problems or are regarded as a particular risk. High-profile detainees such as Khalid Sheikh Mohamed, the mastermind of the Sept 11, 2001 attacks on New York and Washington, are held in a different part of the camp. According to Kebriaei, her client - on hunger strike for 30 days - has “lost over 20 pounds and has been

told by medical personnel that his health is in serious danger as he is also a diabetic”. Another lawyer, Barry Wingard, said one of his three clients, Kuwaiti Fayez AlKandari, lost 12 kg in three and a half weeks. All three were on hunger strike, he added. Interviewed by AFP, Robert Durand, director of public aﬀairs for the Joint Task Force Guantanamo, said nine detainees were engaged in hunger strikes, ﬁve of whom were being fed through tubes inserted into their stomachs. However, he indicated that “refusing delivered food does not make a detainee a hunger striker, not eating does”. “Detainees or an entire cell block may refuse to take any of the fresh, hot meals delivered, but we observe them eating from the ample amounts of food they have in the cell block,” he added. Twelve lawyers - including Kebriaei of the Center for Constitutional Rights - have sent a letter to Continued on Page 3

Muna Al-Fuzai Muna Al-Fuzai, Kuwait Times columnist and former executive director of the American Business Council has been appointed as Senior Advisor for international aﬀairs to the parliament speaker in Kuwait’s National Assembly. Kuwait Times’ management and staﬀ congratulate Al-Fuzai on her new appointment and wish her success .

See Page 4

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 13, 2013

LOCAL

Convicted prisoners can opt for social work ‘Not very common in Kuwait’ By Nawara Fattahova KUWAIT: In Qatar, the government recently introduced the practice of involving the convicted prisoners in social work. A similar practice is already applicable in Kuwait for many years now but not many are aware about it, thanks to the media’s failure to highlight the issue. According to this decision, the prisoners will be working with different ministries and public institutions such as the Awqaf Ministry, and will recite the holy Quran or clean the mosque. Those working with the Ministry of Interior will work with the delinquents and help the Civil Defense staff in their work. Some will be working with the Ministry of Health or other institutions. These prisoners will also be involved in cleaning the beaches,

parks, natural reserves, streets, and planting trees apart from carrying out other chores. Lawyer Saleh Al-Huseini explained that although the practice has been applicable in Kuwait for several years, it was still not very common and often the wasta culture becomes a hindrance. A jail sentence can be exchanged with social work, but that was not being done due to wasta. He also explained the conditions for this procedure. “Exchanging the sentence with social service or work is only possible for sentences running up to six months or less. Also, it has to be the first such case of sentencing so that the prisoner has a clean criminal record. In case he committed a crime later, he would not be able to exchange the prison sentence with social work. In addition, the prisoner should have a clear financial record, and should have paid all his bills and fines

towards the public institutions,” added AlHuseini. The prisoner can be tasked with social work for the same duration as that of his prison sentence. “In order to do social work in lieu of prison time, a prisoner has to submit a letter to the director of the prison which will be later approved by the Minister of Interior if all conditions were met. In most cases, such a demand is approved. Prisoner can perform the same work as their profession, while some even clean the cells or the toilets of the prison or the mosques,” he noted. Ibtisam, a 35-year-old employee, welcomed this system saying it was definitely useful for the community. “I think such a system will be useful for the prisoners, especially the younger ones as doing social work for the community will help build their personality and correct their

behavior. Definitely, such a system should be applied in case of minor crimes only such as financial aberrations, traffic violations, and some other misdemeanors or small crimes and not for those convicted of serious crimes. Dangerous and brutalized criminals should not be let free on the streets,” she explained. On his part, 55-year-old Hasan also praised this procedure. “It is a good idea. In prison, prisoners only learn bad habits. Some of them are innocent when they enter a prison and then come out as hardened criminals. The society will benefit from this social work scheme and prisoners will become involved with the community. Also, I believe the social work will help treat the prisoner in a way as most of the prisoners remain isolated and this work will make them more sociable,” he stated.

News

in brief

TEC continues to present offers KUWAIT: A large number of visitors stopped by the Touristic Enterprises Company’s pavilion at the sixth annual ‘Proud 2 Be Kuwaiti’ exhibition currently on at the Kuwait International Fairground in Mishref. The pavilion features a team from the public relations and marketing department who welcome visitors every day to provide a preview about the company’s touristic services and special offers presented exclusively as part of the event, including 50% discounts on entrance tickets to TEC facilities such as the Swimming Pools Complex and the Ice Skating Rink, said Public Relations and Marketing Manager Saqr Al-Badr in a statement yesterday. KSSC to honor participants KUWAIT: The Kuwait Sea Sports Club will host a ceremony this evening to honor teams and committees which participated in KSSC activities held last year. The event will start at 6:30 pm at the Late Sheikh Abdullah AlMubarak Al-Sabah Hall in the KSSC building in Salmiya. It will be held under the patronage of KSSC President Major General Fahad AlFahad, and is set to be attended by Secretary General Khalid Al-Foudary and other KSSC officials.

KUWAIT: Two people arrested for liquor trade yesterday.

KUWAIT: The drug duo pictured after their arrest.

Arab drug duo in police custody By Hanan Al-Saadoun KUWAIT: Hawally detectives arrested two Arab expats from a Hawally governorate area for selling drugs and recovered instruments used in consuming drugs from them. Earlier, investigation revealed that one of the accused was noticed frequently visiting Kuwait on a visitor’s visa which raised doubts about her activities. Once detectives turned a keen gaze into her conduct, they found her involved in the

drugs trade. Detectives sent an under cover agent to her to buy 30 grams of “Shabow” drugs. Necessary legal permission was taken to arrest her and the other suspect if they actually ended up selling drugs to the agent. Both were later caught when a search yielded drugs and related tools which they possessed. The duo was sent to the concerned authorities. Alcohol haul Director of drugs fighting administra-

tion, Brig Saleh Al Ghannam, said his agents recovered 220 cartons of liquor concealed in a commercial complex at Shuwaikh industrial area. He said the drug enforcement personnel received information about a bedoon’s involvement in storing the liquor meant for distribution later, and set up a task force to monitor his activities and collect all necessary information. All the clues pointed towards his deep involvement in this criminal act. Drug enforcement agents

spotted an aide of his, an Asian man, loading liquor in a vehicle. He was promptly arrested and 20 cartons of liquor were recovered from the vehicle. A search of the store led to another 200 cartons. All these 220 cartons, which were confiscated, were stored under the name of an Asian expat. The man who had leased the store and the driver of the vehicle were arrested while agents were trying to track down the man who owned the liquor.

Environment awareness KUWAIT: Environment affairs administration at Kuwait municipality in cooperation with the Ministry of Education organised a lecture about environment pollution at the Students’ Environment Centre at Al-Zhara. Several students from Al-Shifa Bentouf School for Girls and Omama Bent Abi AlAss School for Girls in Hawally governorate attended the lecture. Eng. Raja Al-Saffar and Ibtisam Al-Jutaili from environment administration at Kuwait municipality and media researcher at Kuwait municipality Hadran Al-Jaber delivered the lectures. Al-Jutaili stressed the importance of protecting our environment by resorting to environment friendly practices. He underlined the role of recycling at school and home and explained how a lot of waste products like plastic, paper and glass can be used if these were sorted out in separate garbage cans.

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 13, 2013

LOCAL

KUWAIT: Bulgarian ambassador to Kuwait Alexander Olshevski (right) held a reception in the Bulgarian embassy in Jabriya on the occasion of his country’s National Day. Foreign Ministry Undersecretary Khaled Al-Jarallah (left) was on hand for the occasion. Diplomats, media representatives and dignitaries attended the function. —-Photos by Joseph Shagra

New term for KJA board of directors KUWAIT: Kuwait Journalists Association’s Board of Directors was elected for a new twoyear term amid cheers during a general house meeting which was attended by KJA President Ahmad Yousuf Behbehani, Secretary Faisal Al-Qinae, Treasurer Adnan AlRashid and representatives of Social Aﬀairs and Labor Ministry Hussein Mohammad Ali and Abdellatif Al-Maseeri. Several KJA members unanimously

approved the administrative and ﬁnancial reports at the meeting. SAL representative declared the seven incumbents as having been elected unopposed for the year 2013 - 2014. The new board of directors held a meeting where Faisal AlQinae was elected as secretary, Adnan AlRashid as treasurer, Fatima Hussein, Duhairan Aba Al-Khail, Abdelhameed Al-Daas and Jassim Mohammad Kamal as board members.

Behbehani, Qinae and Rashid during the meeting.

General Assembly members approve the administrative and financial reports.

Panel proposes naturalizing 3000 bedoons annually KUWAIT: While a parliamentary committee decided yesterday after a meeting with officials from Central Agency of Illegal Residents to delay a decision on a draft law regarding naturalization of thousands of stateless residents for further study, a local newspaper reported yesterday that the two sides were trying to find a middle ground on the maximum number of candidates to receive Kuwaiti nationality every year. The draft law proposes an amendment to the existing naturalization law in order to increase the maximum number allowed to receive citizenship. Currently, that number if pegged at 2000. The draft law which the parliament approved in its first hearing has an increased annual maximum number at 4000, but the government wanted to keep the current rate. However, rapporteur of the interior and defense committee in the National Assembly, Abdulah Al-Tamimi, said on Monday that a compromise could be reached to fix this number at 3000. “The

panel is willing to concede an addition of 1,000 as long as the 3000 new spots were all allocated exclusively to Bedouins (stateless) while other candidates can be freely naturalized by the government using the additional 1000 spots,” he told Al-Rai. MP Nasser Al-Merri said in the meantime that the committee was ‘sticking to’ the condition to accept only Bedouins as being entitled to naturalization as per the proposed draft law. “The government can naturalize other candidates as per a separate law available for that process because we do not want Bedouins to be deprived of their rights,” he argued. Kuwait has a large community of stateless residents who demand citizenship as well as civil and social rights that they are deprived of, given their illegal residence status. The government in the meantime argues that many of them are Arabs or descendents of Arab people who deliberately disposed of their original passports after coming to Kuwait and now seek citizenship in the oil-rich country.

Assembly, Shamali reach agreement... Continued from Page 1 Separately, the criminal court yesterday acquitted opposition tweeter Fares Al-Balhan from the charges of insulting HH the Amir and undermining his authorities. Balhan’s is the second acquittal after the criminal court last month acquitted ﬁve tweeters from similar charges. The ruling is not ﬁnal as it can be challenged

before the court of appeals and the supreme court. Kuwaiti courts have in the past three months sentenced a number of tweeters and former opposition MPs to various terms in jail for allegedly insulting the Amir. The appeals court is scheduled to rule today on the case of tweeter Rashed Al-Enezi who has been in jail for two months after he was sentenced to two years in jail for insulting the Amir.

Hunger strike at Gitmo after... Continued from Page 1 the commander of Guantanamo, Rear Admiral John Smith, to denounce “a matter that appears to be rapidly deteriorating and reaching a potentially critical level”. “We have received reports of men coughing blood, being hospitalized, losing consciousness, becoming weak and fatigued,” said the letter, a copy of which was obtained by AFP. “We understand that Arabic interpreters employed by the prison have been searching the men’s Qurans in ways that constitute desecration according to their religious beliefs, and that guards have been disrespectful during prayer times.” However, Durand pointedly rejected suggestions that copies of the Quran had been mistreated. “To be clear: there have been no incidents of desecration of the Quran by guards or translators, and noth-

ing unusual happened during a routine search for contraband,” Durand said. “No JTF-Guantanamo guard touches any detainee’s Quran at any time. The Quran is treated with the utmost respect. We take allegations of Quran abuse seriously, and we also watch for manufactured claim of Quran abuse by detainees or outsiders.” Durand also said the number of hunger strikers was not exceptional and had been higher in the past. The hunger strike comes after a disturbance in the camp in January, which led to a rubber bullet being ﬁred at Guantanamo for the ﬁrst time since 2006. The only person hit by the bullet escaped injury. The detention facility at Guantanamo was opened in 2002 to house prisoners rounded up in the “War on Terror” of President George W Bush’s administration following the 9/11 attacks. — AFP

Smart-phone scam lures hundreds of Filipinos iPhone 5 promotional offer By Ben Garcia KUWAIT: Hundreds of Filipinos were reportedly fooled by a Syrian national who posed as an employee in a telecommunications company and encouraged customers to avail a promotional offer, take two pieces of iPhone 5 in exchange of KD100 in cash. The fraudster, who was assisted by two Filipinas, told a group of Filipino customers that in order to avail the promotion, the applicant must visit the nearest telco office and use their civil identification number to buy the two smart-phones. They were then asked to bring the iPhone 5 device to the fraudster and the man hand-over KD100 as reward. Over a period of two weeks, the man held meetings with large groups of Filipinos promoting the special offer, in various locations in Kuwait. The modus operandi of the man was as follows. The Syrian provided Filipino customers with KD40 each, an amount that was to be used to make the down payment for the iPhones. He would then wait for the victims to bring back the

iPhone 5s for which they had actually signed a contract with the real telecommunications company. The arrangement had it that their Civil ID data and contract (with the company) will be removed from the telecommunications’ system. Many of the victims who were paid (salary) of KD105 are now bound with an 18-month contract for KD60 a month. One of the cheated persons explained that he fell into the trap because there were two Filipinas working closely with the fraudster. “They managed to convince us that the Syrian man was a genuine sales agent (of a telco company) and that the promotion was only valid for a short period of time. We were also told that the scheme was only open to employees but not to the general public,” one of the victims of the fraud lamented. Another victim said, “I was personally encouraged to make the transaction because he oﬀered KD100 in cash in exchange for nothing. All I had to do was to give my civil ID to the telecommunications company and sign a contract for 18 months with them. Besides, the man also promised that all our transactions with regards to the iPhone 5 will be deleted from the

system after a few days.” He went on to add, “I believed the man (fraud) because initially the two Filipinas told us that he was indeed a genuine sales agent.” The scam was unveiled when the victims started checking if their names were still in the telecommunication company’s system. After a month of activity and the fact that the system featured all the victims’ names and civil ID numbers as customers, the Filipinos decided to ask the man about the current state of their contracts. That was when the man cut oﬀ all communication. His phone remained unanswered and his whereabouts could not be traced to this date. “The problem now is that we are obliged to pay the monthly dues for the two iPhones, which we never had and will never get to keep if we do not get help,” a third victim said. “The fraudster gave us KD100 and we are now obliged to pay KD1080 for over a period of 18 months. It is about KD60 per month because besides the unit, we are also connected to the internet which too must be paid for,” the victim said. The fraudster, victims conﬁrmed, had no links to any of telecommunication companies’ promotions.

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 13, 2013

LOCAL kuwait digest

Letters to Badrya

Questioning the court

A new hope for everyone

By Dr Mohammad Al-Moqatei

badrya_d@kuwaittimes.net

he news that stood out while reading Sunday’s newspapers was the statement of the head of the Supreme Judicial Council, Faisal Al-Mirshed, about the criticisms that the judiciary faced in connection with certain court rulings. “Some people criticize the judiciary if they were affected by court ruling, while they praise it if the ruling was in their favor,” he told a local newspaper. It was a very significant statement given the fact that it came from the Chief Justice of Kuwait. I believe that the statement has many implications that Al-Mirshed perhaps could not disclose, given the sensitivity of his position such as political criticism of court orders, or ‘preemptive’ criticism of verdicts by people who believe that these would go against them at sometime in future. It is important here to point out that while it was necessary to criticise the court orders, it has to be done within a scientific and objective framework aimed at correcting certain errors that could be exposed by questionable rulings. But when criticism becomes a tool to attack and question the integrity of the judiciary members without any proof to substantiate any allegations, this could become a very dangerous approach. The fact remains that there are certain underlying agendas behind some political arguments which question the integrity of the law. However, no matter how much we disagree, we must always accept the undeniable truth that the judiciary is a primary reference in the state to go to in order to settle disputes. If everyone chose to ignore this fact and gave priority to other ways to find redress, we would be walking into chaos. Surely, there could have been certain incidents which paved the way for people to discredit the judiciary without any hesitation. Whether it was the government that involved the judiciary in politically-oriented issues or in prosecutions filed due to ulterior motives, these cases made citizens think that their country might be transforming into a state where judiciary can be used politically. On the other hand, there are politicians who refuse to approach the judiciary as their primary resort for redress as they already assume what the court rulings were going to be even before these are pronounced, not to mention rallying public pressure in an unacceptable way to put pressure on the court. In the end, it is important not to let instances of people questioning the court without any solid proof or constructive purpose, go unnoticed. This includes the ‘cleansing the judiciary’ slogan chosen for the opposition’s upcoming rally. — Al-Qabas

KUWAIT: A Kuwaiti woman weaves in the traditional way (Sadu). — Photo by Joseph Shagra

kuwait digest

I’m living in heaven By Dr Ebbtihal Al-Khateeb

“M

an is skeptic by nature,” my father told me. “Skepticism and doubt are virtues that make us use our minds to reach conclusions that spare us the laziness of depending on others’ minds,” he said. I have always been impressed by this man’s calmness and peace of mind. After years of watching him speak and converse, I asked him how come he was so self-assured? How come he was so tolerant and forgiving regardless of what others did? His answer was unexpected. “Man changes,” he said, noting that he might someday change and become closer to those with whom he differed or vice versa. “Why should I lose them or why should they lose me?” he wondered. Raised by this man, I learnt a religion that is different from other people’s, other than what is found in books and among people who have been inheriting a certain understanding over the generations. He taught me that religion is a charming story that is still engraved in my childhood memory along with images and colored books and maps that we used to spend hours with. According to my memory from teenage years, religion is poetry, political novels, revolutions that save the poor and men and women who liberate minds. However, in my adulthood, I left my father’s ever-shining shelter for the rather dimly shin-

ing sun of mankind. It is there that I found that the charming world of my childhood, the ideal world of love and ideal revolutions of my teenage years have nothing to do with the way religion is perceived. I felt estranged and angry once I made this discovery but could not determine its source. Was it my own father or was it the bad times that robbed my story of all its beauty? Well, my father always wins in this comparison and I always feel safe and ideal around him remembering that religion is a ‘Way of Life’, as he always told me. According to him, those who dedicate their lives for science, work, helping others and the progress of mankind in any form are being religious by instinct and demonstrating all religious virtues through good manners, morals, efforts and chastity. Religion is a revolution against injustice, poverty and agony; religion is a poem of love, humanity and peace; it’s an epic concert played by souls regardless of the religion be it Islam, Christianity, Judaism, Buddhism or any other. In short, if you have ethics, you are religious and if you don’t, you are not. My father has always advised me not to waste time trying to convince others. “Try to be an example for your message. If you are convincing, your message will also be,” he said. — Al-Jarida

kuwait digest

The ‘wondrous’ proposal By Dr Hassan Abbas

am yet to see a project surrounded by so much nonsense like the debt relief draft law. The longer this issue is dragged out, the more I realize how out of touch with reality our MPs are. Their key goal is to waive off the debts, but what about the cost of such a law? What is the exact number of defaulters that the law will cover? What is the suitable period for having availed off loans that this law will cover? What should be the cut off date? Who is going to take responsibility for the waived off loans - the state, the banks or the borrowers? Not only have all these and many other questions remained unanswered, but MPs never even addressed them in the first place. But to be fair, there is a figure that came out less than a week ago - 66555 borrowers are in question. The figure appeared in the media just like that, and if I recall correctly, it was as part of a statement by the finance minister. It was taken for granted as being an accurate count of the people struggling to repay their loans. And just for fun sake, let us talk about the proposal of the parliament’s financial committee to grant KD1000 to each citizen not covered by the debt relief. This was an idea mooted by MP Safa Al-Hashem, if I am not mistaken. Head of the committee Dr. Yousuf Al-Zalzalah says that “[the KD1000 proposal] is in the government’s hands... we met with a group of citizens suffering under the burden of heavy debts, and we want to resolve their problem. There are people who have already repaid their loans, and we came up with the new law to resolve the problem of those who are unable to do the same.” Clearly, he was referring to the 66555 people. If this is the result of talks carried out by the financial committee, do you really blame Dow Chemical for demanding billions in damage for the canceled K-Dow deal? Seriously, what do citizens or the issue of public funds has to do with people who voluntarily took loans and chose to carry the burden on their backs? Is the national wealth a plaything in the hands of the financial committee to ‘distribute’ it to debtors the way they like? I know some people are going to say that this is rather harsh, but with all due respect to debtors (me included), why should the state bear responsibility as long as it were the citizens who chose to take loans and voluntarily carry the burden on their backs? Of course, someone is going to say quickly that banks violated the law which caused many people’s loans to bloat. If that was the case, then banks should be forced to return the illegally acquired amount to all debtors -defaulters and non defaulters alike. The financial committee cannot come out with a selective law that singles out those who were able to repay their debts. A theft is a theft whether the victim was financially capable or not, Kuwaiti or not. But in case speculation about banks violating the law turned out to be false, then why are the government and the parliament so worked up on the issue? In this case, only a few families would be facing a financial crisis and the government can resolve it by resorting to the state-funded insolvency fund. This brings me back to the KD1000 grant. Why was it proposed actually? What does it have to do with defaulters? Is there a Kuwaiti man suffering from inability to repay a KD1000 loan? A handbag that a Kuwaiti man buys for his wife these days does not cost less than KD700. We are talking about people who owe tens of thousands to local banks and counting, and you want to silence the public with KD1000? You either demand that banks return the customers’ rightful money that they took away due to illegally hiked interest rates and thus violated their rights, or agree that there were no violations at all.— Al-Rai

Salam and good day, I just came across your article in Kuwait Times regarding expats in Kuwait. I am just amazed and pretty happy about the fact that at least someone has raised voice in our favour. Kudos to you, and thank you so much. I was born and raised in Kuwait where my father worked at an international firm. By the time we brothers and sisters grew up and were ready to go to university, our father was let go from Kuwait Real Estate Bank (KREB). That was because the government wanted to increase the percentage of Kuwaitis in the bank. He was let go in an instant without assigning any reason and we just started wondering how was life to go on since there were so many things to do, like studies, jobs, weddings, and running the household. At that point, we had become totally lost but here we are today, with all of us, brothers and sisters, well educated, well settled and with nice jobs. The purpose of sharing my story was that you had an expat who worked under stress and did all he could for the company and suddenly he was replaced with a Kuwaiti who was yet to experience life. This was so unjustifiable. We do not worry if a Kuwaiti joined and competed with us but at least he should do that, at least he should try. If he cannot even do this much, then how can he survive in any part of the world? Your article kindled a new hope for everyone and even for your own nationals as they should think critically about their future. If they would not do so, then they would not ever be able to succeed. The ideas expressed in this article apply here too in the UAE also as we face an incompetent local population but have to work for them as highly skilled and educated labourers. If our countries were in a better situation, then by God we would have never come to the Middle East and suffer being degraded every now and then. Sorry for being overly emotional but mine are the words of joy inspired by your true words. May God bless you, Insha Allah. Regards, Ahsan Rauf Sr. Business Architect

kuwait digest

Iraq torn by sectarianism By Dr Shmalan Al-Essa

he fast moving events in the region, particularly in Syria, will affect the Arab region as a whole and Iraq and the Gulf in particular, because Iraq is still unstable although ten years have elapsed since the demise of the tyrant regime of Saddam Hussein. Iraq today faces political, economic and social crises. While many had hoped that Iraq would become the first plural and democratic Arab state, it has become today a country torn by sectarianism where corruption is widespread and services have deteriorated to a point that an American inspector involved with reconstruction of Iraq said in his report, “We spent $60 billion in Iraq but without any results.” What is Iraq’s problem today, and how can it affect the region? Iraq today has become a sectarian country. Prime Minister Nouri Al-Maliki has arrogated to himself entire authority and he controls all political decision making without paying any heed to the government or the elected national council. Al-Maliki ignored the issue of reforms and the rebuilding of Iraq especially in the Sunni areas in the west. These areas did not see any development in education or health, prompting the people to protest. Arab tribes now bear arms and demand a better standard of living. What does Iraq’s instability mean to others? The danger is that the deteriorating situation in Syria will increase sectarianism that is evident in the mobilization of supporters of the regime in Iran, Iraq, Lebanon and the gulf countries. The parties and the sectarian groups in Iraq who are supported by Iran began amassing their supporters to defend Syria to prevent the fall of the regime and that is why we see the supporters of Al-Mahdi Army, AlMokhtar and Abu Al-Fadhl Al-Abbasi all taking orders from Iran. Iran has meanwhile shrouded itself with religion and sectarianism as Tehran considers the fall of AlAsad regime in Syria as the beginning of the shrinking of its influence and interests in the entire Arab region. The sectarian separation in Iraq was evident lately when ministers of the Iraqi list group and the Kurdistan alliance walked out of the Iraqi cabinet on Jan 8, 2013 in solidarity with Sunnis’ sit-ins while ministers from the Shiite groups remained in the meeting. The National Shiite Alliance rejected all Sunni demands on Jan 9, 2013. The question is will sectarianism succeed in Iraq? Will Arab Iraq be torn apart? Former Iraqi Vice President Adel Abdumahdi said in a statement, “One cannot rule with the backing of one sect, or one party or one person in control. Sunnis tried that, and Shiites can try but it will not succeed.” The Iraqi vice president’s statement is correct. What are the options in front of Arabs and the Arabian Gulf countries to prevent Iraq from sliding into an abyss of heinous sectarianism? All Arabs, and the Gulf region in particular, must help Iraq and not let it become an easy prey for Iranian influence. We must encourage the Iraqi government to unite Iraqis and confirm the unity of Iraqi soil, and this requires the contribution of all gulf countries in rebuilding Iraq, not just by granting money to the corrupt Iraqi politicians , but by coming up with productive projects and encouraging Arab investments in Iraq. Iraq is a rich country given its natural resources and manpower. The Iraqi population today is estimated at 30 million and they are capable of rebuilding their country, but only if the Arab countries were able to convince the Iraqi leadership that it was in the interest of Iraq and its regime to distance religion and sectarianism from politics. — Al-Anbaa

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 13, 2013

LOCAL

Kuwait’s housing sector to see breakthrough in seven years Recent achievements ‘great’ KUWAIT: Minister of Communications and Minister of State for Housing Affairs Salem Al-Utheina said yesterday the housing sector would witness a breakthrough and tangible improvement in the coming seven years. “The Public Authority for Housing Welfare (PAHW) is working as per a time schedule envisaging the completion of the construction of the two new cities of Al-Mutlaa and Khairan by 2020,” the minister said. He made the remarks in an address to a discussion on “The priority of housing” as part of the National Youth Conference, being held here under auspices of His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah AlAhmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah. “PAHW is outsourcing global consultants for the two major construction projects while working on the housing problems on collaboration with other state departments,” Al-Utheina pointed out. He hailed as great the achievements

made in the recent years notably the amendments to the Housing Welfare Act No. 27 for 2012 which allowed the private sector to play a larger role in this sector. Meanwhile, PAHW Director General Subhi Al-Mulla said the Authority employs a new operating mechanism that helps cut the red tape in the implementation of construction projects. “Under this mechanism the Authority’s higher committee for planning is in charge of deciding on the construction projects and solving the housing problems,” he said. The new housing welfare act gave PAHW greater powers in addressing the housing issues, Al-Mulla noted, adding that the new cities will have integrated utilities to the convenience of their residents. In another development, there is complete agreement between the government and the parliamentary committee for financial and economic affairs on putting a decisive end to the problem of

loans which a substantial sector of debtors find difficulty in paying back, said minister of Finance Mustafa Al-Shemali yesterday. He was speaking to the press following a meeting of the committee which he attended today.The problem of the loans and the accrued interests on them incurred by citizens before March 30, 2008 would be thoroughly probed into, said the minister, alluding to the possibility of having a draft law to address the loans issue altogether. The mechanism agreed to today by the committee and the government, he said, was to form a technical and legal committee, to be overseen by the committee and the government in unison, to delve into the subject of the loans and defaulters once and for all and to come up with a final rendition as to how to deal with it by the next meeting of the technical and legal committee which occurs next Sunday.

Following Sunday’s meeting, the committee and the government will submit a joint report which will be the final say in the subject of the loans, said the minister. Chairman of the finance and economic committee Yousef al-Zilzila applauded today’s meeting with al-Shemali, noting that both sides sought an honorable out for loan defaulters before March 30, 2008. He advised loan defaulters that they could have their problems addressed, if they wished, by the state-supervised Defaulters Fund, noting that those in particular who complain about the lack of existence of caveats set by the Central Bank of Kuwait before March 30, 2008, could easily allow the Fund to handle their loans. Moreover, the minister and members of the finance and economy committee reviewed today in their meeting draft law proposals regarding banks and investments firms restructuring and rescheduling consumer loans. —KUNA

KUWAIT: Emad Al-Ablani, NBK Deputy General Manager, Human Resources Group and Ahmed Al Khader, NBK Assistant General Manager, Consumer Banking Group in a group photo with the trainees.

NBK training for Kuwaiti graduates KUWAIT: The National Bank of Kuwait (NBK) recently welcomed the second batch of trainees in the new Shabab Training Program. This intensive program is specially designed to develop the skills of newly recruited diploma holding graduates. NBK Shabab Training Program extends over a period of two and a half months. The program is tailored to provide young Kuwaitis who recently joined the bank with theoretical and practical skills covering the different aspects of the banking industry.

“NBK maintains its leading position as one of the country’s largest employers in the private sector. NBK will continue its efforts to provide career and training opportunities for nationals and to support the country’s aim to encourage young Kuwaitis to assume roles in the private sector,” said Emad Al-Ablani, NBK Deputy General Manager, Human Resources Group. Al-Ablani added “NBK Shabab program falls within the framework of NBK’s strategy to attract and hire qualified nationals. NBK Shabab program aims at improving young Kuwaiti skills in

order to prepare them as highly qualified Kuwaiti banking leaders of the future.” Annually, NBK offers many training programs including NBK Academy, the Summer Internship Program and the first of its kind in the region NBK High Fliers Program in collaboration with the American University of Beirut. In collaboration with the renowned Harvard University, NBK also organizes an executive training program in line with the bank’s commitment to developing and investing in its key resource and human capital.

Praise for role of PAYS KUWAIT: A number of political and academic figures praised the role of the Public Authority for Youth and Sport (PAYS) for its exerted efforts in developing the skills of young people and their abilities to foster a spirit of loyalty and belonging to their country. These figures indicated that PAYS conveys its efforts through holding forums, seminars, sports and cultural activities throughout the year in order to achieve all that would serve youngsters and develop their skills. During the opening of the second citizenship forum, entitled (For a Firm National Unity), under the auspices of the Director-General of PAYS, Faisal Al-Jazzaf, MP Adel Al-Jarallah Al-

Kharafi praised the cohesion, which has been present among Kuwaitis since the ancient times. For her part, presenter of the seminar Dr Hanan Al-Khalaf hailed the forum’s efforts, considering it an evidence of PAYS heads’ keenness to promote cohesion and synergy and to consolidate the concept of citizenship in the hearts of young people. The lecturer Dr Sabah Al-Ghais presented a number of recommendations that would consolidate the spirit of active citizenship through a partnership between youngsters and officials of decision-making and investing citizenship values by maintaining the sophistication of the country. —KUNA

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 13, 2013

LOCAL

Three teenagers arrested for raping child in Jahra Egyptian Interpol receives murder suspect

EQUATE sponsors Firemen Day KUWAIT: EQUATE Petrochemical Company sponsored the 11th Firemen Day 2013 under the patronage of Minister of State for Council of Ministers Affairs and Minister of State for Municipality Affairs Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah Al-Mubarak AlSabah. EQUATE’s participation in the event included interaction with the public and other stakeholders to highlight EQUATE’s Environment, Health & Safety (EH&S) efforts. In recognition of its continuous support to Kuwait Fire Brigade, Al-Sabah presented EQUATE with a token of appreciation. As part of its efforts to preserve the environment through applying sustainability principles, EQUATE has launched

throughout the years a number of initiatives including the Middle East’s First Plant Water Recycling Project and Kuwait’s First CO2 Recovery project. Established in 1995, EQUATE is an international joint venture between Petrochemical Industries Company (PIC), The Dow Chemical Company (Dow), Boubyan Petrochemical Company (BPC) and Qurain Petrochemical Industries Company (QPIC). Commencing production in 1997, EQUATE is the single operator of a fully integrated world-scale manufacturing facility producing over 5 million tons annually of high-quality petrochemical products which are marketed throughout the Middle East, Asia, Africa and Europe.

KUWAIT: Jahra police nabbed three teenagers on Monday who admitted to have sexually assaulted a child ten days earlier. The suspects had reportedly kidnapped the 10-year-old from outside his house and took him to a remote location where they raped him. Investigations had been on ever since his father reported the case, and police were eventually able to identify three suspects who were arrested from Jahra. After the victim identified them in a police lineup, the three admitted of committing the crime before being sent to the proper authorities to face charges. Pedestrian killed A woman pedestrian died in an accident in Jahra recently when she was crossing a street near the Jahra Club and was hit by a passing vehicle. The Sri Lankan national in her twenties who was fatally injured in the head was pronounced dead on the spot. Her body was referred to the forensic department while police took the driver into custody. Murder suspect A security delegation arrived from Egypt on Monday to receive a murder suspect arrested recently in Kuwait. The Egyptian man was reportedly arrested in Khaitan following investigations carried out by Interpol department officers in the

Jaber Al-Ali in our hearts Today marks the 19th anniversary of the passing of a friend and a brother, the late Sheikh Jaber Al-Ali Al-Sabah, which finds me on an official mission in Senegal. I find myself compelled to write this obituary as homage to a man who was an example of loyalty, generosity and kindness towards others, combined with modesty, self-esteem and erudition. I knew him as a brother, and he left us as a brother as well. I pray to the Almighty God that he would now be in a better place. Given his keenness to seek knowledge, I know that he would probably have had an enlightening point of view regarding the events going on today in some

Arab countries as a result of the ‘Arab Spring’. May God bless your soul, Abu Ali. I will continue to try as much as I can to cherish your memory through these lines, which I hope would drive anyone who reads them to pray to the Almighty God that He bestows His mercy and blessings upon you and your family. God says in the Holy Quran: “Everyone upon the earth will perish, and there will remain the Face of your Lord, Owner of Majesty and Honor.” - Surat Al-Rahman (55:26, 55:27). Abdul Ahad Embake Ambassador of Senegal to Kuwait and Dean of the Diplomatic Corps

Arab health experts meet in Cairo CAIRO: The Executive Office of Arab health ministers convene today a meeting under the chairmanship of the Saudi Health Minister Dr. Abdullah Al-Rabiah in preparation for the 39th Ordinary Session of the Council of Arab Health Ministers scheduled on Thursday. Director of the Department of Health and Humanitarian Assistance at the League and official of the Technical Secretariat of the Council of Arab Ministers of Health Ambassador Leila Najm said that the agenda of the 39th session contains a number of important issues, chiefly probing the health conditions of

the displaced Syrians in neighboring countries. Other issues on the agenda she said would be health conditions in Palestine as well as ways to combat non-communicable diseases, improving maternal health and issues related environment and health in general. She explained that the session will also discuss the subject of unifying health legislation in the Arab world and strengthen nursing and midwifery services in the Arab world as well as an agreement on the speech of the Council of Arab Ministers of Health before the 66th session of the General Assembly of the World Health Organization in Geneva. — KUNA

Criminal Investigations General Department, through coordination with their Egyptian counterparts. The man had reportedly fled to Kuwait after killing a person in his home country following a family dispute. Suicide case A man was found dead in Kabad recently in a case that was classified as a suicide. Police headed to a jakhour (livestock farm) in the area where a Kuwaiti man found his property’s keeper dead inside his room. The Asian man’s body was found hanging from the ceiling. Criminal investigators referred the body to the forensic department after examining the scene. A case was filed for investigations. Runaway girl A woman reported missing by her family was found living with her husband in an apartment after she married him secretly. Her father, a Kuwaiti citizen, had filed a case at the Salhiya police station claiming he lost contact with her after she left their home and seeking police’s help to find her. Police eventually found the woman living with a Bedoon (stateless) man, and took both of them into custody. The couple showed police a marriage document issued in Syria where they said they had gone to get married before

returning to Kuwait recently. The woman further explained that she ran away to marry her ‘lover’ after her father rejected his marriage proposal. Investigations are ongoing. Work mishap A worker was electrocuted to death at a project site in Jaber Al-Ali, as per a case reported on Monday. According to his coworkers’ testimony, the Egyptian man accidentally came in contact with an electricity source while working, and died instantly. The body was taken to the coroner for an autopsy. Investigations are ongoing. Shooter identified Hawally police arrested a male suspect who admitted shooting a jogger in Mishref a few days ago but claimed that it was an accident that happened when he was hunting birds. The man was arrested from his home after police obtained a warrant based on investigation results which indicated that he was seen using a rifle at the site where the shooting was reported. The 21-yearold Kuwaiti said that he uses the weapon that was found from his house for hunting birds, saying that he must have hit the jogger by mistake. Investigations were on to determine whether the same man was behind similar shooting cases reported recently.

Burgan Bank announces winner of ‘BuBa’ painting competition KUWAIT: Burgan Bank announced yesterday the winner’s name of the painting competition ‘Express your love to Kuwait’. The lucky winner was George Joseph who received a mini I-pad for the creativity and originality of his painting. The nationwide competition united all the BuBa kids account holders as part of the bank’s long term mission to educate and empower its little customers with pride for their own country while incorporating elements of fun. The BuBa Kids Account is a savings account, with the minimum opening balance of KD 10. Children, up to 14 years old, will be entitled to a free branded ATM VISA Electron card that can be used at any ATM or point of sale (POS) in Kuwait and around the world. To find out more about Burgan Bank’s “BuBa” Kids Account, customers are urged to visit any of Burgan Bank’s conveniently located branches, or call the bank’s call center on 1804080. Established in 1977, Burgan Bank is the youngest commercial Bank and third largest by assets in Kuwait, with a significant focus on the corporate and financial institutions sectors, as well as having a growing retail and private bank customer base. Burgan Bank has five majority owned subsidiaries, which include Gulf Bank Algeria - AGB (Algeria), Bank of Baghdad - BOB (Iraq & Lebanon), Jordan Kuwait Bank - JKB (Jordan) Tunis International Bank - TIB (Tunisia), and fully owned Burgan Bank - Turkey, (collectively known as the “Burgan Bank Group”). The Bank has continuously improved its performance over the years through an expanded revenue structure, diversified funding sources, and a strong capital base. The adoption of state-ofthe-art services and technology has positioned it as a trendsetter in the domestic market and within the MENA region. Burgan Bank’s brand has been created on a foundation of real values - of trust, commitment, excellence and progression, to remind us of the high standards to which we aspire. ‘People come first’ is the foundation on which its products and services are developed. Earlier this year, ‘Brand Finance’ - the international brand valuation company- rated Burgan Bank brand as AA with positive outlook. The rating places Burgan Bank Brand at 2nd amongst the most valuable banking

brands in Kuwait. Excellence is one of the Bank’s four key values and Burgan Bank continually strives to maintain the highest standards in the industry. The Bank was re-certified in 2010 with the ISO 9001:2008 certification in all its banking businesses, making it the first bank in the GCC, and the only bank in Kuwait to receive such accreditation. The Bank also has to its credit the distinction of being the only Bank in Kuwait to have won the JP Morgan Chase Quality Recognition Award for twelve consecutive years. Burgan Bank won the prestigious “Banking Web Awards” prize in the commercial and corporate Category for Kuwait. In 2010 Burgan Bank was awarded with the “Best Internet Banking Service award” from Banker Middle East Awards. Burgan Bank was recognized in 2011 as Kuwait’s “Best Private Bank”, by World Finance. The bank also won, in

2011, the coveted “International Platinum Star for Quality” award from Business Initiative Directions, and “The Best Technical Award” from Banking Web Awards. In 2012, Global Banking and Finance Review online magazine recognized Burgan Bank as the “Best Banking Group in the MENA” as well as the “Best Corporate Bank in Kuwait”. The bank also won the coveted “Best Bank Branding” award by the Banker Middle East. For the second consecutive year in 2012, Burgan Bank also won World Finance’s “Best Private Bank” award, as well as the “Best Private Bank in Kuwait 2012” award from Capital Finance International. The bank recently won the “Best Bank in Kuwait” award from EMEA Finance. Burgan Bank, a subsidiary of KIPCO (Kuwait Projects Company), is a strongly positioned regional Bank in the MENA region.

Status of women key criterion for nation’s development UNITED NATIONS: Success in combating violence against women, which is a form of discrimination, is a key criterion when assessing a nation’s progress in terms of overall development, stressed a Kuwaiti speaker who was addressing the 57th session of the Commission on the Status of Women at the UN yesterday. Diplomatic attache Alyaa Abdullah Al-Muzaini was speaking at the 57th session of the specialized Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) commission, which is convened at UN Headquarters in New York, March 4-15. “My country believes it is vital to bring more focus into the international effort to prevent violence and to address its root causes,” she said. Al-Muzaini recalled recommendations of UN Secretary General Ban Kimoon in his recent report on the

subject of violence against girls and women and his stress on the need to focus on prevention of violence rather than on helping victims, postincident. The Kuwaiti speaker recalled passing of laws and media and social initiatives to combat this phenomenon in Kuwait and stressed the role of education institutions in particular in countering this problem by safeguarding values and spreading awareness. Recalling the statistics that indicate seven out of ten women report incidents of physical or sexual abuse, she also recalled the challenge to prevent association of violence with any particular culture or religion. “Violence in all its forms is a global phenomenon resulting from negative practices,” she reiterated. In particular, the State of Kuwait

supports all UN initiatives to help Palestinian women who are forced to endure extreme conditions and abuses, the official said, and Syrian women who are suffering dire state of affairs as a result of the Assad regime’s brutal assault on civilians. She urged the international community to exert more effort to curb the suffering of these and other women in other parts of the world who are sometimes denied even the most basic of rights like food, health services, and education. Al-Muzaini expressed hope the ongoing discussions yield positive outcomes and viable recommendations that address the issue of violence against women, “while at the same time heeding the cultural diversity of the world community and not imposing any controversial concepts.” — KUNA

Municipality reports 6,000 violations KUWAIT: Kuwait Municipality has issued some 6,000 violations pertinent to cleaning, food and advertisements. The report listed registered violations in the country’s six governances, including in the imported food administration in cooperation with the planning department of the municipality. A press statement by the municipality said that all violations were made by the municipality’s

supervisors against violated shops, food, and illegal advertisements. In Farwaniya Governorate, the number of registered violations reached 4,161 until last January, 2013. In Jahra Governorate, the number of violations stood at 329, Ahmadi had 284, while Mubarak Al-Kabir got 786 and Hawally registered 582 violations. The Capital Governorate had 402 violations. — KUNA

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 13, 2013

N Korea places S Korea Island in crosshairs

Saddam nostalgia lives on in Iraq

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PARIS: Cars drive in the morning traffic on the N118 road around Paris yesterday during a heavy snow storm in France. — AFP

Snowstorm batters northwest Europe More than 2,000 left stranded in their cars

vendor sets self on fire TUNIS: A poverty-stricken cigarette vendor set himself on fire in the centre of Tunis yesterday, suffering extensive burns but not endangering his life, witnesses and medics said. Officials named the man as 27-year-old Adel Khadri and said he hails from an extremely poor family in Jendouba in northwestern Tunisia. He arrived in the capital a few months ago to look for work. Witnesses said that Khadri eked out a living peddling cigarettes in the streets of Tunis. “This is a young man who sells cigarettes because of unemployment. Allahu Akbar! (God is greatest!),” he shouted before immolating himself on Habib Bourguiba avenue in front of the municipal building, according to a witness. He was still conscious when he was rushed to the Ben Arous hospital in a Tunis suburb by emergency services, the witness said. “His life is not in danger but he has third-degree burns to the head and the back,” said emergency services spokesman Mongi Khadhi said, adding that Khadri was under constant medical surveillance. “He was demoralized,” said Khadhi, “His father died four years ago. He has three brothers and the family is very poor.” Interior ministry spokesman Khaled Tarrouche too attributed Khadri’s desperate action to poverty. “He is unemployed and came to Tunis a few months ago. He was very fragile, psychologically broken, and that is why he set himself on fire.” Passers-by rushed to douse the flames but not before Khadri had suffered serious burn wounds. Initially a hospital source said that “only his feet were not burned.” He also quoted Khadri as telling a doctor: “I am sick and nobody wants to take care of me.” Habib Bourguiba avenue in central Tunis is the Makkah of the 2011 revolution that ousted former dictator Zine El Abidine Ben Ali and is lined with vendors trying to scrape together a living. The number of people committing suicide or attempting to take their own lives has multiplied in Tunisia since a young street vendor set himself on fire on December 17, 2010, in a drastic act of protest against police harassment. Mohamed Bouazizi’s death in the town of Sidi Bouzid ignited a mass uprising that toppled ex-dictator Zine El Abidine Ben Ali the following month and touched off the Arab Spring uprisings. Economic and social difficulties were the key factors that brought down Ben Ali’s regime and two years since his ouster unemployment and poverty continue to plague the north African country. The simmering discontent has in the past few months sparked strikes and protests which often degenerate into violence. In November around 300 people were wounded in a week of clashes with police in the northwest of the country. — AFP

PARIS: A heavy late-winter snowstorm hit northwestern Europe yesterday, paralyzing transpor t, knocking out power to thousands and leaving hundreds stranded in their cars. France was affected most badly by the unseas o n a b l e we a t h e r, b u t B r i t a i n , G e r m a ny, B e l gi u m and Th e Netherlands also reported major disruptions. Nearly a third of France’s regions were on alert and the government ac tivated a ministerial crisis group to deal with mounting disruptions. We a t h e r s e r v i ce M e te o Fr a n ce described the snowfall-coming only eight days before the official start of spring-as “remarkable for the season” and warned that alerts would probably remain in place until at least today. More than 2,000 people were stranded in their cars overnight as heavy snow paralyzed roads in Normandy and B r i t t a ny, w i t h m a ny s p e n d i n g t h e night in emergency shelters. “ There are cars in front, there are cars behind. We’re in a film, it’s like the end of the

world,” trapped driver M ichel told France Bleu radio from the Manche region. At least 66,000 homes in Normandy and Brittany were without power, following snowfalls of 20 to 60 centimeters. The snow caused major transport disruptions as it moved into Paris, with authorities urging the seven million commuters who use public transport every day to stay home. The city’s two main airports, Charles de Gaulle and Orly, said they had cancelled up to a quarter of flights. A traffic accident near Lille injured 14 people and a 58-year-old homeless man was found dead, presumably from the cold, outside a building in the Breton town of Saint-Brieuc. Hundreds were also stuck in their cars overnight in Britain and Eurostar train services to the continent were disrupted. Drivers including former Eurovision song contest winner Cheryl Baker were trapped for more than 10 hours as ice, snow and freezing winds descended on southeastern England.

Police, rescue services, snow ploughs and gritting lorries battled to help the motorists in temperatures as low as -3 d e gre e s Ce l s i u s, w i t h s o m e a re a s under 10 centimeters (four inches) of snow. Baker, formerly of the band Bucks Fizz which won the 1981 Eurovision with the song “Making Your Mind Up”, was among those caught up in the chaos as she tried to reach Brighton to pick up her children. “ We (took) 10 hours to do a one-hour journey,” she told ITV. “The traffic and the weather have just been atrocious and none of the ro a d s h a d b e e n gr i t te d. Th e re a re snowploughs coming out now-it is l i k e a f te r t h e h o r s e h a s b o l te d.” Eurostar also “strongly advised” passengers not to travel, saying that services of the train that runs under the English Channel were disrupted “due to extreme weather conditions.” H e av y s n ow i n s e ve r a l p a r t s o f Germany caused travel disruption, with 161 flights cancelled at Frankfurt

airport, Europe’s third busiest. Public transport in Berlin was affected with several regional trains cancelled or severely delayed. There were also a spate of crashes on icy German roads with several people seriously hurt and one death, according to police. I n Belgium, the snowstorms caused massive traffic disruptions, with vehicles backed up on 1,600 kilometers of freeways due to snowdrifts and ice. Buses and trains were cancelled or delayed in Brussels and other towns and the high-speed Thalys ser vice link ing Paris and Brussels was suspended. Long traffic jams because of s n ow a n d i ce a l s o s n a k e d a l o n g m o to r w ays in the southern Netherlands, hampering travel to and from Belgium after an unseasonal fall of more than 10 centimeters (four inches) of snow overnight. Forecasters predicted that cold weather records we re s e t to b e b ro k e n a g a i n a f te r Monday, the coldest March 11 in the s o u t h e r n N e t h e r l a n d s s i n ce 1 9 2 8 , Dutch media reported.—AFP

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 13, 2013

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

In Mali, abandoned weapons kill and maim children MOPTI: Intrigued, Amadou picked up a discarded grenade to play with outside an earth hut in central Mali. When he threw it, it exploded and he lost all the fingers on his left hand. He is yet another victim of the explosive weapons left over from the months-long conflict between Islamist militants who occupied the country ’s north and the Malian authorities and their allies trying to push them back. Since April last year 60 people have been killed or injured in this way. Children are often the first in line-five dead and 38 hurt in the space of a few months, according to the UN children’s fund UNICEF. “The situation is extremely worr ying,” says UNICEF spokesman Laurent Duvilliers from the capital Bamako. “200,000 children are at risk of injury or death in the north and centre of Mali because of these munitions that they want to play with.” Back in Mopti-a city that lies on the edge of the country’s north, where French-led troops have been battling jihadists since an offensive to reconquer the north began in

January-Amadou is being treated in hospital. A white bandage covers the stump on his left arm. Dejected, the 19-year-old explains he took the grenade to have a look at what it was. “I was curious, I unscrewed it to throw it and it exploded,” he says softly under the white neon light of the hospital room. “I’m angry at myself because I knew that it wasn’t a good thing. But I’m also mad at those who brought this device into the city.” The explosion on February 28 etched a permanent mark on Amadou’s family. His three-year-old brother has scars on his neck, chest and knee. The force of the blast also made a hole in a metal basin in front of their thatched-roof hut. WORRYING SITUATION Mopti itself was not the scene of fighting pitting jihadists against Frenchled troops. But injured people still flocked to its hospital when clashes erupted in Konna, just 70 kilometers further north. And according to Boubacar Diallo, director of the hospital, “jihadists have infiltrated the population.” “Over

just a few days, we had two explosions. These are the collateral effects of war,” he says, passing his hand over Amadou’s head. In Konna, Diallo adds, the situation is even worse. “There is ammunition scattered on the ground, grenades, and reports of shells that haven’t exploded,” he explains. At the entrance of the city, “vehicles full of munitions that belonged to jihadists have exploded. But not everything has exploded so it creates a kind of dangerous field.” The two parts of the country most affected by abandoned weapons and ammunition are the north (Timbuktu, Kidal, Gao) and the centre (Konna, Diabali) where direct combat took place. In a bid to limit this form of collateral damage, UNICEF and its partners have launched an awareness campaign. People hand out comic strips in cities to try and make children more aware of the dangers and schools put informative pamphlets on display. Already used in Afghanistan, the drawings have been adapted for Mali and have reached some 27,000 children so far. — AFP

MOPTI: Malian Amadou, 19, lies in bed at the Somine Dolo hospital in the central city of Mopti after he mistakenly set off a hand grenade brought home by kids scavenging for metal. — AFP

EU sanctions target Iran Judges and media bosses Brussels expands sanctions over human rights in Iran BRUSSELS: The European Union imposed sanctions yesterday on an Iranian police unit monitoring the Internet, as well on several judges and media bosses the bloc blames for human rights violations in the Islamic Republic. The sanctions reflect mounting concerns about human rights in Iran and are separate from measures against Tehran over its nuclear program, which governments in the European Union and elsewhere suspect has a covert military dimension. The move brings to nearly 90 the number of people targeted by EU asset freezes and visa bans over concerns about human rights in Iran. Among those newly listed is a judge, Morteza Kiasati, who imposed death sentences on four Iranian Arab political prisoners. “They were arrested, tortured and hanged without due process,” the European Union said in its official journal. “These cases and the lack of due process were referenced in a report ... by the UN special rapporteur on human rights in Iran.” Iran accused the UN special rapporteur of bias. A judge the European Union says was responsible for imposing death sentences on five other Iranian Arabs was also included. Both cases have attracted international attention, and EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton told Iran to

stop the executions of the five members of Iran’s Arab minority in January. It was not clear whether the sentences against the five have been carried out. Mohammad Sarafraz, the head of both IRIB, Iran’s state broadcaster, and Press TV, the state English-language television news channel, was listed over his alleged cooperation with security services and prosecutors to broadcast forced confessions of detainees. Press TV’s newsroom director was also similarly listed. The broadcasts included confessions by an Iranian-Canadian journalist, Maziar Bahari, the EU said. He was working for Newsweek magazine when he was arrested in Iran in 2009 and held in prison for four months. INTERNET CONTROLS The United Nations said in twin reports last month that Iran has stepped up executions of prisoners, including juveniles, as well as arrests of dissidents who are often tortured in jail, sometimes to death. One of the reports listed the case of blogger Sattar Beheshti, who was arrested last October after receiving death threats and died some days later in prison. Iranian authorities have arrested seven people suspected of involve-

ment in his death and a judiciary official said a forensic examination had found bruises on the blogger’s body. In response to the case, the European Union targeted the head of the Iranian government’s organization in charge of online censorship and fighting cyber crime, Abdolsamad Khoramabadi. “He and his commission actively contributed to the death in detention of blogger Sattar Beheshti,” the European Union said. “Thus the commission he is heading is directly responsible for systemic violations of human rights.” The European Union also said the cyber police unit had imposed new rules on Internet cafes, requiring users to give personal information that would be kept for six months. The European Union also blamed Khoramabadi and his commission for blocking numerous opposition Internet sites, including Google. “These new rules may create a logbook that authorities can use to track down activists or whomever is deemed a threat to national security,” the European Union said. Iranian authorities have stepped up controls over the Internet in recent months, blocking the use of most “virtual private networks”, a tool that many Iranians use to get around the extensive government Internet filter. — Reuters

Iraq far cry from pre-war vision BAGHDAD: The US-led invasion of Iraq that toppled Saddam Hussein aimed to enshrine a liberal democracy in the heart of the Middle East but instead unleashed sectarian violence and endless political disputes. Launched a decade ago with the stated goal of wiping out Saddam’s stores of weapons of mass destruction, which were never found, the focus of the divisive war quickly shifted to solidifying Iraq as a Western ally in an unstable region. But the removal of Saddam gave Iraq’s non-Arab neighbor Iran the opportunity to dramatically increase its sway in the country, with ambiguous motives, according to Western diplomats. And since the departure of American forces at the end of 2011, Washington has often struggled to exert influence over Baghdad. “There were the superficial arguments-the weapons of mass destruction, the links with Al-Qaeda, the present risks to the security of the United States,” said Crispin Hawes, London-based Middle East and North Africa director for the Eurasia Group consultancy. “These things look farcical now.” And there was “the underlying argument... that Iraq would be not only a US ally, but the rapid recovery of the Iraqi economy would provide an engine of growth not just for Iraq but for the rest of the region, and

provide a sort of exemplar for the region,” he added. “These things look horribly ironic now.” Though the war itself was relatively brief-it began on March 19, 2003, Baghdad fell on April 9, and then-US president George W Bush infamously declared the mission accomplished on May 1 - its aftermath was violent and bloody. Insurgents carried out increasingly frequent bombings and shootings, and Iraq erupted into sectarian bloodshed that left tens of thousands dead following a February 22, 2006 attack on a Shiite shrine in Samarra. A mostly American coalition, albeit with significant long-term contributions from Britain in particular, regularly battled Sunni and Shiite insurgents nationwide, from the Sunni bastions of Fallujah and Mosul to the Shiite cities of Najaf and Basra. Since the invasion, at least 110,000 Iraqi civilians, several thousand more policemen and soldiers, and 4,800 foreign troops-the vast majority of them American-have died in the carnage. Violence, which remains high by international standards, was only brought under some measure of control from 2008 onwards, as the American troop “surge” coincided with Sunni tribal militias deciding to side with US forces. But political reconciliation, the strategic goal of the surge, was never fully achieved. — AFP

TIKRIT: Iraqis hold the Saddam-era national flag during a sit in Tikrit, hometown of late Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein, North of Baghdad. — AFP

Saddam nostalgia lives on TIKRIT: A decade after the US-led invasion of Iraq, years of violence and disdain for the country’s current political class fuel nostalgia for Saddam Hussein-the man the foreign troops fought to oust. Though accusations of ties to Saddam and his regime are used to tar politicians in Baghdad, residents of his hometown, Tikrit, express fondness for a man who, though responsible for ordering the deaths of countless Iraqis, is remembered for having imposed stability, which has long been missing. “I will remain proud, and remember Saddam,” said Khaled Jamal, a watch-seller in Tikrit. “Our country has not changed or developed in the past 10 years.” Along with his frustration over the slow pace of rebuildingmany Iraqis, not just in Tikrit, suffer from poor provision of basic services and high unemployment-Jamal also voiced another commonly-cited frustration: the apparent rise in sectarianism since Saddam’s fall. “There was no sectarianism, no Sunni and Shiite,” Jamal said. “But now, that is the first question you hear when you meet someone,” he added, referring to queries over a person’s province of origin, often used to find out their religious background. Saddam was born on April 28, 1937 in the village of Al-Oja, just south of Tikrit, which lies north of Baghdad. An activist in the now-banned Arab socialist Baath Party, Saddam was sentenced to death in 1959 for

plotting to kill Iraqi leader Abdul Karim Qassem, and was a senior figure in the party when it took control of Iraq in a 1968 military coup, though he only rose to power 11 years later. Domestically, Saddam espoused a secular vision for the country and presented himself as an Arab leader who would stand up to neighboring nonArab Iran, but was brutal with his opponents. He is held responsible for the killings of tens of thousands of Kurds in the “Anfal” campaign, and of up to 100,000 people who took part in an uprising against his rule after the 1991 Gulf War, as well as other massacres. Internationally, he fought a costly and deadly 1980-1988 war with Iran and invaded Kuwait in 1990 before being evicted by a US-led international coalition, leading to crushing sanctions and a trade embargo against Iraq. Saddam was an international pariah by the time of the 2003 invasion, his subsequent capture in 2004 and execution in December 2006. But in Tikrit, he is remembered far more fondly as a leader who fought for Iraq and was at the helm at a time when Iraqis enjoyed relative domestic stability, especially compared to the brutal violence that followed his ouster. Saddam lavished attention on Tikrit, to the detriment of other, particularly southern, Iraqi cities, but as a result his legacy in the city remains strong. “It is natural that we remain proud of him,” said Umm Sara.

“Despite the circumstances Iraq was living with, he was leading the countr y without problems.” “Saddam helped us a lot, so it is natural that we cherish him just as others are proud of Charles de Gaulle,” said Abu Hussein, referring to the former French president. “Saddam had a strong personality-he imposed it on those inside and outside the country.” ‘THEY MAKE US LOVE SADDAM’ Residents who lived through the chaos of the post-2003 period, during which tens of thousands were killed in a bloody sectarian war, recall a preinvasion time when violence was concentrated in the hands of the security forces and Iraqis could-in theoryavoid their wrath. And though public services were poor-Baghdad residents received full electricity, but those elsewhere saw far less-the regime ran a substantial food-for-the-poor scheme during the UN embargo era in a bid to curb opposition to Saddam’s rule. Now, Iraqis are reliant on private generators to fill the substantial power gap, jobs remain scarce, corruption is rampant and some are dissatisfied with their current elected political leaders. “I am thankful to the current politicians,” said Ines, a 37-year-old teacher in Tikrit. Referring to the struggles many Iraqis still face, and the frustrations they feel, she said: “They make us love Saddam, they make us proud of him, they make us miss those days.” — AFP

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Police failings over BBC’s Savile exposed in report UK police failed to ‘join the dots’ following allegations LONDON: British police made numerous mistakes that let the late BBC TV presenter Jimmy Savile get away with unprecedented numbers of sex attacks over six decades, and such failings could be repeated, a report by inspectors said yesterday. Savile was one of Britain’s biggest TV stars in the 1970s and 1980s, but revelations after his death in November 2011 about his activities stunned Britons and destroyed his reputation as an eccentric charity fundraiser. Police say he took advantage of his fame to commit 214 offences, including 34 rapes or serious sexual assaults, beginning as long ago as 1955. Despite the extent of his crimes, the body which carries out independent inspections of police forces said errors by officers meant he was never prosecuted. Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary said just five official alle-

gations were recorded against Savile along with two pieces of intelligence about him. The earlier of those dated back to 1964, when an entry was made on an intelligence ledger held by London Metropolitan Police’s paedophile unit. In the second case, an anonymous letter sent to the Met in 1998 was classified as “sensitive” because of Savile’s celebrity status, meaning other detectives did not have access to it. Five complaints came forward during the 2000s but officers failed to “join the dots”, and eight other victims said they had tried unsuccessfully to report incidents to police. ‘FORGET ABOUT IT’ One male victim tried to tell police about an alleged rape in 1963 but a police officer told him to “forget about it”. Another man tried to report

an assault on his girlfriend at a recording of the “Top of the Pops” music show which made Savile famous. An officer told him he could be “arrested for making such allegations”. “The findings in this report are of deep concern, and clearly there were mistakes in how the police handled the allegations made against Savile during his lifetime,” said HM Inspector of Constabulary Drusilla Sharpling. “However, an equally profound problem is that victims felt unable to come forward and report crimes of sexual abuse,” she added. The report warned that unless the force rectified mistakes, such as the failure to share intelligence or take complaints seriously, “there is a distinct possibility that such failures could be repeated”. The Association of Police Chief Officers accepted improvements were

needed and said it had commissioned a report into the effectiveness of the Police National Database which was created in 2011 to ensure better sharing of intelligence. A one-time professional wrestler, the cigar-chomping Savile became famous as a pioneering DJ in the 1960s before becoming a regular fixture on TV, hosting primetime pop and children’s shows. He ran about 200 marathons for charity, raising tens of millions of pounds (dollars) for the health service, which led some to give him keys to hospital rooms where victims now allege they were abused. He was knighted by both Britain’s Queen Elizabeth and the late Pope John Paul II. Police said most of his victims were aged under 18. The last of Savile’s suspected offences took place just two years before his death, when he was 84. —Reuters

US spy chief warns of cyber danger, North Korea threat WASHINGTON: US spy chief James Clapper yesterday warned that America faced a growing threat of a crippling cyber attack and voiced alarm over North Korea’s recent “belligerent” rhetoric. In an annual assessment of global threats, the national intelligence director warned of an array of dangers around the world, from Pyongyang’s bellicose stance to food shortages driven by extreme weather, but placed a particular emphasis on the threat posed by potential cyber attacks. The United States faces a mounting danger from digital assaults on power grids and other infrastructure while cyber espionage threatens to undercut the American military’s technological edge, Clapper said in his report to Congress. Citing “increasing risk to US critical infrastructure,” Clapper told the Senate Intelligence Committee that “unsophisticated” attacks could penetrate poorly protected computer networks for power grids or similar systems. The threat of a large-scale digital assault that could cripple a regional power network was genuine but remained a “remote” possibility, his report said. “We judge that there is a remote chance of a major cyber attack against US critical infrastructure systems during the next two years that would result in long-term, wide-scale disruption of services, such as a regional power outage,” it said. The report placed more importance on cyber threats than previous years and devoted more words to the problem than to Islamist

militants in Afghanistan. With tensions spiking on the Korean peninsula, Clapper also told senators he was dismayed by “very belligerent” rhetoric coming from the North’s young leader Kim Jong-Un. Asked for his view of Pyongyang’s latest threats at the hearing, Clapper said he was “very concerned about what they might do.” Clapper’s report said North Korea would likely only use nuclear weapons if it perceived a threat to its survival, but the United States remains uncertain how Pyongyang would define such a threat. “Although we assess with low confidence that the North would only attempt to use nuclear weapons against US forces or allies to preserve the Kim (JongUn) regime, we do not know what would constitute, from the North’s perspective, crossing that threshold,” the assessment said. The United States, however, faces a challenge trying to discern North Korea’s strategic calculations when it comes to its nuclear weapons. “We do not know Pyongyang’s nuclear doctrine or employment concepts,” the report said. North Korea’s Kim has threatened to “wipe out” a South Korean island amid fresh international pressure and new sanctions over the North’s nuclear weapons and missile tests. While much of the North’s rhetoric has been dismissed as bluster, the latest threat to the border island of Baengnyeong, which has around 5,000 civilian residents, appears credible, analysts say. The intel-

ligence report also addressed the state of Iran’s nuclear program, saying Tehran could not produce enough highly-enriched uranium for an atomic bomb without being detected. While Iran has made strides in its nuclear program, “we assess Iran could not divert safeguarded material and produce a weapon-worth of WGU (weapons-grade uranium) before this activity is discovered,” the report said. Iran’s declared nuclear sites are subject to monitoring from the UN’s atomic watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency, as well as clandestine surveillance from US and other spy services. The intelligence assessment, however, found that Iran has moved forward with its uranium enrichment efforts over the past year. The assessment reiterated an analysis last year from intelligence agencies that Iran had not yet opted to build nuclear weapons and that the regime’s policy was based on a “cost-benefit” approach. “We do not know if Iran will eventually decide to build nuclear weapons,” he said. But because Iranian leaders put a high priority on preserving their power and would carefully weigh the risks of obtaining nuclear weapons, the United States and its allies had an opportunity to exert influence over Tehran’s ultimate decision, he said. The American intelligence community also believed Iranian leaders are not seeking a direct confrontation with the United States, as it could risk their political control, the report said. —AFP

Man sought in grandparents’ deaths in Washington State SEATTLE: Authorities are searching the Northwest for a man accused of killing his Seattle-area grandparents, who had just picked him up after his release from a Washington state prison, hosted a party in his honor and offered him a room in their home for the night. Michael “Chad” Boysen, 26, is considered extremely dangerous and

has tried to obtain guns, police said Monday. He was released from prison Friday after serving several years for robbery. His grandparents - an 82-year-old man and 80-year-old woman - picked him up from prison and hosted a family “welcome home party” for him that night, King County Sheriff John Urquhart said. The grandpar-

ents were killed later Friday or early Saturday at their Renton home. Authorities believe Boysen also stole their car. “I can’t stress how dangerous this guy is,” Urquhart said at a news conference. The sheriff said Boysen had made threats against family members and law enforcement officials, but he did not elaborate. “We have to

catch him as soon as we can,” Urquhart said. The sheriff said the grandparents were not shot, but he declined to provide other details about their killings, pending autopsies. Detectives believe Boysen is trying to find weapons, and Urquhart said authorities do not believe he had a gun when he left the crime scene. Boysen had been searching the Internet for “gun shows” across the Northwest and Nevada, the sheriff’s office said. Boysen had been in prison since 2006 on three robbery convictions in King County, said Judy Feliciano of the state Corrections Department. He was released Friday from the prison at Monroe, about 35 miles north of Renton, and was supposed to check in with a community supervision officer within 24 hours, she said. Boysen’s grandparents had fixed up a room in their home for him to sleep in his first night out of prison, said Sgt Cindi West, a sheriff’s spokeswoman. Boysen was planning to stay elsewhere after that. “We are at a loss as to why he killed them,” Urquhart said. “We don’t know what the motive is.” Boysen is 5-foot-10, weighs 170 pounds and has hazel eyes. He may be driving his grandparents’ red, 2001 Chrysler 300, with Washington license plate 046XXU. A warrant has been issued for Boysen’s arrest. If he’s stopped anywhere in the country, law enforcement officers will know he’s a wanted man, state Corrections Department spokesman Chad Lewis said. Autopsies on the victims were scheduled for Monday and their names will be released later, the King County medical examiner’s office said. Friends and family identified the elderly couple to TV stations as Robert R and Norma J Taylor. They were members of the local Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, neighbor Ronna Smith told KOMO. When a family member became concerned that the Taylors didn’t answer their door, the daughter was called and found their bodies at about 7 pm Saturday. It’s really scary that it happened two doors down,” Smith told KIRO-TV. “We were home Friday evening, and we left the house at about 2 in the afternoon on Saturday. And when we came home, at about 8 o’clock, it

Blacks urge diversity in Obama’s cabinet WASHINGTON: The Congressional Black Caucus complained to President Barack Obama on Monday about his lack of diversity, highlighting his failure to nominate any African-Americans to his second-term cabinet. “As you continue choosing your critical advisors, we want to stress the importance of ensuring every community has a seat at the table,” CBC chair Marcia Fudge, a Democratic congresswoman from Ohio, said in a letter to Obama, the first black US president. “The absence of diverse voices leads to policies and programs that adversely impact African-Americans.” The frustration about his homogeneous handful of top advisors and department heads is “compounded” due to the overwhelming support from blacks-about 93 percent-that Obama received at the ballot box last November, Fudge wrote. The only current black member of Obama’s cabinet, Attorney General Eric Holder, is a holdover

from the president’s first term. Two advisors with cabinet rank, US Trade Representative Ron Kirk and US ambassador to the United Nations Susan Rice, are black. Kirk has announced he is stepping down. Obama previously caught flak for nominating a string of white men to cabinet posts for his second term, including Chuck Hagel as defense secretary and Jacob Lew as head of Treasury. The president also gave the nod to John Kerry as secretary of state, after Rice withdrew from the nominating process amid a political row over Rice’s handling of the aftermath of a deadly attack on the US mission in Libya. In January, longtime Democrat and CBC member Charlie Rangel said it was “embarrassing as hell” that Obama had failed to nominate a person of color to his political inner circle. Obama has yet to name replacements for the secretaries of commerce, labor and transportation. —AFP

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Falkland Islanders vote to keep British rule Results show 99.8 percent want British rule to continue STANLEY: Residents of the Falkland Islands voted almost unanimously to stay under British rule in a referendum aimed at winning global sympathy as Argentina intensifies its sovereignty claim. The official count on Monday showed 99.8 percent of islanders voted in favor of remaining a British Overseas Territory in the two-day poll, which was rejected by Argentina as a meaningless publicity stunt. There only three “no” votes out of about 1,500 cast. “Surely this must be the strongest message we can get out to the world,” said Roger Edwards, one of the Falklands’ assembly’s eight elected members. “That we are content, that we wish to retain the status quo ... with the right to determine our own future and not become a colony of Argentina.” Pro-British feeling is running high in the barren and blustery islands that lie off the tip of Patagonia, at the southern end of South America. Turnout was 92 percent among the 1,649 Falklands-born and long-term residents registered to vote. Three decades after hundreds died when Argentina and Britain went to war over the far-flung South Atlantic archipelago, islanders have been perturbed by Argentina’s increasingly vocal claim over the Malvinas - as the islands are called in Spanish. Local politicians hope the resounding “yes” vote will help them

lobby support abroad, for example in the United States, which has a neutral position on the sovereignty issue. “ We’re never going to change Argentina’s claim and point of view, but I believe there are an awful lot of countries out there that are sitting on the fence ... this is going to show them quite clearly what the people think,” Edwards said. The mood was festive as islanders lined up in the cold to vote in the lowkey island capital of Stanley, some wearing novelty outfits made from the red, white and blue British Union Jack flag. “We are British and that’s the way we want to stay,” said Barry Nielsen, who wore a Union Jack hat to cast his ballot at the town hall polling station in Stanley, where most of the roughly 2,500 islanders live. PRESSURE ON BRITAIN Argentina’s fiery left-leaning president, Cristina Fernandez, has piled pressure on Britain to negotiate the sovereignty of the islands, something London refuses to do unless the islanders request talks. Most Latin American countries and many other developing nations have voiced support for Argentina, which has stepped up its demands since Londonlisted companies started drilling for oil and natural gas off the Falklands’ craggy

coastline. British Foreign Secretar y William Hague said the referendum clearly showed the islanders wanted to remain a British overseas territory. “All countries should accept the results of this referendum and support the Falkland Islanders as they continue to develop their home and their economy,” he said in a statement. “We have always been clear that we believe in the rights of the Falklands people to determine their own futures and to decide on the path they wish to take. It is only right that, in the 21st centur y, these rights are respected.” However, officials in Buenos Aires questioned the referendum’s legitimacy. They say the sovereignty dispute must be resolved between Britain and Argentina and cite UN resolutions calling on London to sit down for talks. “This (referendum) is a ploy that has no legal value,” said Alicia Castro, Argentina’s ambassador to London. “Negotiations are in the islanders’ best interest. We don’t want to deny them their identity. They’re British, we respect their identity and their way of life and that they want to continue to be British. But the territory they occupy is not British,” she told an Argentine radio station. Argentina has claimed the islands since 1833, saying it inherited them from the Spanish on independ-

PORT STANLEY: Islanders celebrate after the announcement of the referendum’s result in Port Stanley, Falkland (Malvinas for Argentina) Islands. — AFP ence and that Britain expelled an Argentine population. The 1982 war, which killed about 650 Argentines and 255 Britons and ended when Argentina surrendered, is widely remembered in Argentina as a humiliating mistake by the discredited and brutal dictatorship in power at the time. But most Argentines think the islands rightfully belong to the South American country and they remain a potent

Cardinals in conclave to elect 266th Pontiff Ballot rich in ritual, steeped in history VATICAN CITY: Roman Catholic cardinals gather under the gaze of Michelangelo’s “Last Judgment” yesterday to elect a new pope to tackle the daunting problems facing the 1.2-billion-member Church at one of the most difficult periods in its history. The 115 cardinal electors aged under 80 began moving yesterday into the Vatican’s Santa Martha hotel, where they will live during the conclave, which starts in the afternoon. Under an early morning drizzle and to the applause and waves of seminarians, eight of the 11 American cardinal electors left the North American College seminary in a minibus bound for the Vatican to join the other three who already live in Rome. All cardinals, including those over 80, were due to celebrate a morning Mass in St Peter’s Basilica to pray for guidance in their choice of the man to succeed Pope Benedict, who abdicated last month saying he was not strong enough to confront the Church’s woes. The cardinal electors have drawn lots for the rooms and suites in Santa Martha, a modern residence which is being used only for the second time to house conclave participants. The first time was in 2005. The secret conclave, steeped in ritual and prayer, could carry on for several days, with no clear favorite in sight. In a process dating back to medieval times, the “Princes of the Church” from 48 countries will shut themselves in the Vatican’s frescoed Sistine Chapel. They will emerge from their seclusion only when they have chosen the 266th pontiff in the 2,000-year-history of the Church, which is beset by sex abuse scandals, bureaucratic infighting, financial difficulties and the rise of secularism. “We are ready to enter the conclave and it will be longer than the last one,” South African Cardinal Wilfrid Fox Napier told reporters on Monday, referring to the 2005 election of Benedict, that was wrapped up in 24 hours after four ballots. “It will last a few days. Maybe four or five,” he predicted. The average length of the last nine conclaves was just over three days and none went on for more than five days. Vatican insiders say Italy’s Angelo Scola and Brazil’s Odilo Scherer have emerged as the men to beat. The former would bring the papacy back to Italy for the first time in 35 years, while the latter would be the first non-European pope in 1,300 years. However, a host of other candidates

VATICAN CITY: Cardinals attend a mass at the St Peter’s basilica before the start of the conclave yesterday at the Vatican. — AFP from numerous nations have also been mentioned, including US cardinals Timothy Dolan and Sean O’Malley, Canada’s Marc Ouellet and Argentina’s Leonardo Sandri. CONSERVATISM AHEAD All the red-hatted prelates who will be secluded in the Sistine Chapel were appointed by either Benedict or his predecessor John Paul, and the next pontiff will almost certainly pursue their fierce defense of traditional moral teachings. But Benedict and John Paul were criticized for failing to reform Vatican bureaucracy, battered by allegations of intrigue and incompetence, and some churchmen believe the next pope must be a good manager or put a good management team in place. Vatican insiders say Scola, who has managed two big Italian dioceses, might be best placed to understand the Byzantine politics of the Vatican administration - of which he is not a part - and therefore be able to introduce swift reform. The Curia faction, of cardinals working inside the Vatican bureaucracy, is said by the same insiders

to back Scherer who worked in the Vatican’s Congregation for Bishops for seven years before later leading Brazil’s Sao Paolo diocese - the largest diocese in the biggest Catholic country. With only 24 percent of Catholics living in Europe, pressure is growing within the Church to choose a pontiff from elsewhere in the world who would bring a different perspective. Latin American cardinals might worry more about poverty and the rise of evangelical churches than questions of materialism and sexual abuse that dominate in the West, while the growth of Islam is a major concern for the Church in Africa and Asia. The cardinals are expected to hold their first vote in the afternoon - which is almost certain to be inconclusive - before retiring to the Vatican hotel for the night. They hold four ballots a day from today until one man has won a two-thirds majority - or 77 votes. Black smoke from a makeshift chimney on the roof of the Sistine Chapel will signify no-one has been elected while white smoke and the pealing of St Peter’s bells will announce the arrival of a new pontiff. — Reuters

Top 10 favorites to become next pope VATICAN CITY: Only a few of the 115 cardinal electors taking part in the conclave starting yesterday are considered pontiff material, or “papabile”. Here are some of the top contenders to become the next head of the world’s 1.2 billion Catholics, as cardinals gather in the Sistine Chapel: ANGELO SCOLA The 71-year-old archbishop of Milan is a keen promoter of inter-religious dialogue, particularly between Muslims and Christians. He is also an expert on bioethics, an issue on which Roman Catholic Church teachings are currently lagging behind scientific advances. The son of a socialist truck driver, Scola is one of the closest heirs to Benedict XVI, combining conservative views with progressive social advocacy on issues like immigration and poverty. He is Italian but is not associated with the Vatican bureaucracy, whose image has been badly tarnished by infighting in recent years. ODILO SCHERER The 63-year-old Brazilian is archbishop of Sao Paolo, home to five million faithful in a country that has the world’s biggest Catholic population. Scherer, whose family descended from German immigrants, is seen as a moderate conservative with

charisma and openness, as well as a good administrator. He has fought against declining traditional values and is concerned about the growing strength of evangelical churches across the developing world. Scherer is well acquainted with social problems in Sao Paulo, a cosmopolitan city of 11 million people facing high poverty rates, crime, youth unemployment and lack of basic services. On his archdiocesan website and in newspapers, Scherer regularly offers commentary on key issues. He is also very active on Twitter, boasting 20,000 followers of his account @DomOdiloScherer.

pope “would be a nightmare” is an insider with strong connections to the Curia. Branded the “Iron Cardinal” by Canadian media for his buttoneddown views, Ouellet could widen a rift between conservatives and reformists, according to Gilles Routhier, head of Laval University’s theology faculty in Quebec City.

LUIS ANTONIO TAGLE The archbishop of Manila was last year appointed the Church’s second youngest cardinal. The 55-year-old is tipped as an outsider to watch for his dynamism, charisma and stellar rise. His relative youth stands against him, but he is very popular in Asia and has worked closely with Benedict.

PETER ERDO Archbishop of Budapest since 2002 and a canon law expert who has taught at the Pontifical Lateran University in Rome, the 60-year-old Hungarian is known for his efforts to combat secularization.

MARC OUELLET Canada’s former archbishop of Quebec, 68, Ouellet now heads the influential Congregation of Bishops and is seen as the leading North American candidate for the papacy. Known for his conservative theological views-very much in line with Benedict’s-Ouellet could be favored for the pull he may have in the increasingly secularized West. Supporters hope he would also crack down on the unruly Curia, the Vatican’s government. He is the head of the Pontifical Commission for Latin America, where he has a strong following. The mainstream conservative churchman who once said becoming

CHRISTOPH SCHOENBORN The archbishop of Vienna, 68, has called for a re-examination of the issue of priest celibacy in the wake of the child sex abuse scandal. The Austrian has also criticized powerful figures in the Vatican for covering up the sex crimes.

TIMOTHY DOLAN Archbishop of New York and a “modernist conservative”, 63-year-old Dolan is media savvy-a plus in today’s social media society. Vatican experts say his strong point lies in heading up a diocese on the frontline of sex abuse scandals, but activists have criticized him for allegedly covering up cases.

JOSE FRANCISCO ROBLES ORTEGA The 64-year-old archbishop of Guadalajara, Mexico’s second largest city, is described as reserved and lacking charisma. He has taken a stand against the rampant violence linked to drug traffickers in his country, as well as rising secularism.

SEAN O’MALLEY: The staunchly pro-life archbishop of Boston, 68, is a member of the Capuchin order who became the first cardinal with a blog in 2006. He has vowed a zero-tolerance policy against sexual abuse by priests and settled dozens of claims. WILFRID NAPIER South African Cardinal Wilfrid Fox Napier is the 71-year-old archbishop of Durban who has said the Church is in a “profound crisis” and needs a new pope to implement “spiritual renewal”. — AFP

national symbol that unites political foes. Falkland islanders, who are enjoying an economic boom thanks partly to the sale of oil and natural gas exploration licences, say they do not expect Monday ’s result to sway Argentina. “Argentina’s stance on the Falklands will stay the same,” said Stanley resident Craig Paice, wearing a T-shirt bearing the slogan “Our Islands, Our Decision” as he waited to vote on Monday. — Reuters

Venezuelan election fight to succeed Chavez begins CARACAS: The campaign to succeed the late Hugo Chavez in Venezuela has officially begun and so has the mudslinging, good and thick. Nicolas Maduro, the handpicked political heir of the bombastic populist and leftist firebrand who died last week of cancer, officially registered his candidacy for the April 14 election. So did his opponent, state governor Henrique Capriles, whom Chavez had defeated back in October to win another term, although Capriles gave him a better run for his money than Chavez was used to. Maduro, a former bus driver who worked his way up the political hierarchy, tried to cash in on a wave of emotion and sympathy in the wake of his mentor’s death. “I am not Chavez, but I am his son and all of us together, the people, are Chavez,” Maduro declared to thousands of the late president’s supporters, massed outside the National Election Council, as he officially registered to run in the election. Maduro also vowed to make progress against gun-related crime, one of the top public concerns in this violence-wracked nation, which has a homicide rate eight times worse than the world average. “There cannot be weapons to kill with, to use in hold-ups; that has got to stop,” he said, unveiling a plan to take weapons off streets of poorer neighborhoods. Capriles, an energetic 40-year-old, kept his followers off the street but warned Maduro on Sunday: “I won’t leave you an open path.” Later Monday, Capriles also registered his

candidacy. “This campaign is between you and me, Nicolas. Let’s leave the (late) president out of it,” Capriles said. He told his supporters, “I do believe we can win. “We are going to have to fight, but threats are not important. This fight is completely skewed,” he added. Analysts say Maduro is favored heavily. Chavez picked him as his successor in his last public appearance before going to Cuba for cancer surgery in December. The Venezuelan president died on March 5 and was eulogized on Friday in a lavish state funeral that drew leaders from around Latin America and anti-American allies, including Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. Under a three-story-tall banner blaring “You are all Chavez,” Jose Rafael Hernandez crouched low with a can of spray paint, outlining on a wall a black heart and the words “And long live Chavez...” He and his three-man crew had already sprayed some 20 murals over the past week all over the “23 de enero” slum where support for the late President Hugo Chavez, their “Comandante,” remains rock solid even after his death Tuesday. Dozens of other graffiti crews have also been at work, showing their allegiance in slogans and murals on countless doorways and walls. “This is how we keep Chavez alive,” said Jorge Luis Gonzales, a state bank accountant overseeing Hernandez’s graffiti crew. —Agencies

‘Secrets of pope elections’ VATICAN CITY: The conclaves of cardinals which elect a new pope are laden with rituals and shrouded in secrecy, but tantalizing details have emerged from previous votes of what really happens behind the sealed doors of the Sistine Chapel. The 115 cardinals who have made their way to Rome are members of one of the most exclusive clubs in the world-and once the doors close behind them with a cry of “Extra Omnes!” (“Everyone Out!”) their deliberations must stay exclusive too. Dressed in scarlet vestments and birettas (skullcaps), they must swear a solemn oath of secrecy or face excommunication. Even the cleaners and cooks who serve the cardinals must take a pledge to reveal nothing of what they overhear. The cardinals’ splendid isolation is all the more extraordinary in a world of camera phones, Twitter and Facebook-no electronic devices can be taken in and the Sistine Chapel is swept for bugs. “The isolation is really complete. Television, radio and newspapers are inaccessible. Phones and mobiles are blocked. But we can talk,” one cardinal said of the 2005 conclave which chose German-born Joseph Ratzinger as Benedict XVI. The level of detail about the conclave that the cardinal revealed is rare, which is why he remains anonymous in the account published in Italian international foreign affairs review Limes. He recalled that when he arrived at Casa Santa Marta, the spartan residence where the electors stay during their deliberations, he thought the blinds on the windows were broken because they failed to open. In fact, he soon discovered, they were sealed shut. British cardinal Cormac Murphy-O’Connor, now the Archbishop Emeritus of Westminster, said that at the conclave eight years ago he was struck by the fact that the future leader of the world’s 1.2 billion Catholics had to come from among the men locked in the room. “I remember looking around at all of the other 114 cardinals and thinking: ‘One of us will be going out with a white cassock on,” he told the BBC. Unlike this time, there was a strong favorite from the start and the cardinals took just two days to elect Ratzinger and send up the puff of white smoke that signals a new pope has been found. “When the majority was reached... there was a gasp all around, and then everyone clapped,” Murphy-O’Connor said.

Once Ratzinger had accepted his new role-and chosen the name Benedict XVI-he invited all of the cardinals to stay for a “convivial dinner”, followed by the closest thing to a party that the elderly cardinals can have. “In he comes, all dressed up. I often wondered what he felt, really. So anyway, we gave him a great clap, we had a very pleasant dinner with some champagne to drink a toast. Then we tried some songs,” said Murphy-O’Connor, although it proved hard to settle on one that the polyglot gathering all knew. While Benedict appeared happy to be elevated to pope, others have been extremely reluctant. In 1978, Cardinal Franz Koenig of Austria was part of the conclave which elected John Paul I. He recalled that after the new pope had gone onto the balcony to bless the crowd in St Peter’s Square, “he said hardly anything, except to complain that we’d elected him”. Perhaps John Paul I felt what was coming-he was found dead just 33 days later. The tension of that election in 1978 saw one nicotine-deprived cardinal-some stories say it was an American, others say he was Spanishask the new pope if he could have a cigarette. John Paul I thought hard and long before replying: “Eminence, you may smoke, just as long as the smoke is white.” — AFP

VATICAN CITY: A seagull flies from a roof ahead of a conclave yesterday at St Peter’s square at the Vatican. — AFP

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Migration dream over for young Pakistani LALA MUSA: Ahmed Sohail is bewildered and angry. After eight years studying at the French government’s expense, he was deported to Pakistan, one of tens of thousands of Pakistanis ordered to leave the EU last year. Three months ago he was strolling down Paris’s elegant boulevards in his designer trainers and trendy jeans like any young man about town with his friends. Now the 23-year-old spends his days killing time among the dusty concrete streets of Lala Musa, a small town planted in the vast farmlands of the Punjab. Like tens of thousands of Pakistanis who hoped to build a better life in Europe, Ahmed’s dream appears to be over. In all, more than 32,000 Pakistanis were ordered to leave the European Union in 2011, 1,545 from France and 6,430 from Britain. After so long in France, Ahmed says he feels like an alien in his native land and he has only one printable word for what has happened to him: “catastrophe”. He arrived in France in 2006, aged 15, after his father, a farm laborer in Punjab, put him on a plane with a people smuggler and a fake passport. “A land dispute with a neighbor was getting out of hand. I was the only son and he was afraid I would be killed,” Ahmed said in excellent French. On his arrival in France, he was taken into the care of the state and began a course to train as a plumber. Social services described him as “a student with a good chance of succeeding” and had “no problem with behavior”. Ahmed did not finish his course, because of health problems, he said, but his tutors said he had reached the required standard and had a good chance of finding a job. An employer offered Ahmed a job on condition that he obtained a work permit, but a year went by with no progress on the paperwork from the authorities and

LALA MUSA: Ahmed Sohail, 23, a Pakistani who was deported from France, poses near a friend’s residence in Lala Musa, some 145 kilometers from Islamabad. — AFP Karachi, he was thrown in prison, the usual treatthe vacancy went to someone else. On November 21 he was arrested on the Paris ment for deportees, and there he discovered metro and sent to an immigration detention centre. Pakistan’s dark side: violence, extortion and corrupAt Christmas another shock came as his name tion. “The police, the warders and the inmates said to appeared on the list of upcoming deportations. “Up to that point I still thought I would have papers, me, ‘You’re French, you’ve got money, give us monthat I would get married one day in France and start ey or else.’ They came in threes to beat me up. It was a family,” he said. The police came to get him in the the worst place I’d ever been,” he said. The French detention centre on New Year’s Eve. On his arrival in immigrants’ rights campaign group the Network for

Education Without Borders (RESF) managed to get Ahmed released after a month for 400 euros, with the help of a Pakistani friend who sent him to stay with his brother in Lala Musa. RESF criticized Ahmed’s deportation as “absurd” and urged the French government to give Ahmed a French visa as a matter of urgency. His case has been picked up by around 50 leftwing lawmakers, who have denounced the “dogged pursuit” of Ahmed in a letter. He is one of a record 36,822 illegal immigrants thrown out of France in 2012. Interior minister Manuel Valls’ office stressed the rules had been followed, pointing out that Ahmed was “neither an orphan nor a graduate”. “We’re punishing Ahmed for not being an orphan!” said Richard Moyon of RESF. “France took charge of Ahmed, he learned French very well and has a trade. Just when he has ever ything he needs to become part of society, we throw him out.” According to an expert on the sector, France spent at least 175,000 euros ($230,000) to look after and train Ahmed. Plumbing looked like a good option, as France is short of qualified plumbers. In France, Ahmed would have earned at least 70 euros ($90) a day as a plumber, but as he cannot read or write Urdu, the only work he can get in Pakistan is laboring for around 200 rupees a day ($2). He has not contacted his family in Pakistan and is frightened to do so, worrying that the conflict that drove him away may not yet be over. His one ambition is to get back to France and work. Now he is waiting for a new passport and has also applied for a French visa. “I began my life at 15 in France, I became French in my mind and I don’t feel Pakistani any more, my mind is too different,” he said. “Every night I dream I’m going back to France.”— AFP

India politicians fume over Italian marines Italy refuses to send marines back to India for trial

DHAKA: A Bangladeshi policeman detains an activist of opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) during a nationwide strike in Dhaka yesterday. — AP

Clashes, blasts mar Bangladesh protest DHAKA: Several bombs exploded in Bangladesh’s capital and police clashed with protesters yesterday as opposition leaders enforced a daylong, nationwide general strike over police intimidation. Witnesses and news reports said several homemade bombs exploded during the beginning of the shutdown. RT V and Bangla Vision stations reported explosions in parts of Dhaka. It was not clear if there were any injuries. Clashes were reported inside and outside Dhaka, and thousands of security officials were deployed in the capital to maintain order. Nearly 400 members of paramilitary Bangladesh Border Guard were also deployed to aid police in Dhaka, said Maj Gen Aziz Ahmed, the force’s director general. Schools and most businesses in Dhaka remained closed yesterday. Traffic was thin on the usually clogged streets. An 18-party opposition alliance led by the Bangladesh Nationalist Party, or BNP, was enforcing the strike to protest alleged police intimidation during a rally on Monday. The party and its allies are demanding restoration of a caretaker government system to oversee upcoming elections. Its ally Jamaat-e-Islami also wants a halt to trials of several opposition politicians accused of crimes stemming from the country’s 1971 independence war. After Monday’s rally, police arrested some senior leaders and more than 100 activists of the BNP, headed by former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, in Dhaka during a raid on its party headquarters. Police said they also recovered at least 10 home-

made bombs from the headquarters. But the party blamed police for keeping those bombs inside the headquarters to create a drama. BNP’s acting secretary general, Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, and a former mayor of Dhaka City Corporation were among those arrested. Zia, in a late-night meeting with senior party leaders, criticized the government for the arrests and later announced similar nationwide shutdown for March 18 and 19 if the detained senior leaders are not freed immediately. Zia’s party and Jamaat-e-Islami have denounced the trials of several opposition politicians accused of mass killings and atrocities during Bangladesh’s 1971 independence war against Pakistan. Bangladesh says the war left 3 million people dead, 200,000 women raped and forced millions to flee to neighboring India. Jamaat-e-Islami campaigned against the independence of Bangladesh, but denies committing any atrocities. The administration of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina initiated the trials in 2010 and three verdicts have already been declared. Ten of the defendants are from Jamaat-e-Islami, the country’s largest Islamic party, while the other two belong to the BNP. Two of the senior party members of Jamaat-e-Islami have been convicted, one sentenced to death and another to life in prison. Another former member of the Islamic party has been sentenced to death. The sentencing sparked violent clashes between opposition activists and police, leaving about 70 people dead in recent months. — AP

5 US troops die as helicopter crashes KABUL: A helicopter crash in southern Afghanistan has killed five American service members, officials said yesterday. Monday night’s crash brought the total number of US troops killed that day to seven, making it the deadliest day for US forces so far this year. Two US special operations forces were gunned down hours earlier in an insider attack by an Afghan policeman in eastern Afghanistan. The NATO military coalition said in a statement that “initial reports” showed no enemy activity in the area at the time. The cause of the crash is under investigation, the statement said. A US official said all five of the dead were American. The official said the helicopter went down outside Kandahar city, the capital of Kandahar province. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because the information had not been formally released. The five dead included everyone aboard the UH-60 Black Hawk, said Maj Adam Wojack, a spokesman for the international military coalition in Afghanistan. Their deaths make 12 US troops killed so far this year in

Afghanistan. There were 297 US service members killed in Afghanistan in 2012, according to an Associated Press tally. It was the deadliest crash since August, when a US military helicopter crashed during a firefight with insurgents in a remote area of Kandahar. Seven Americans and four Afghans died in that crash. In March 2012, a helicopter crashed near the Afghan capital, Kabul, killing 12 Turkish soldiers on board and four Afghan civilians on the ground, officials said. And in August 2011, insurgents shot down a Chinook helicopter, killing 30 American troops, mostly elite Navy SEALs, in Wardak province in central Afghanistan. Also yesterday, a statement from the Interior Ministry said insurgent attacks killed six Afghan civilians. Four died when the tractor they were on struck a roadside bomb in the southern province of Helmand on Monday. Then yesterday, two women were killed when a mortar fired by insurgents hit their house in the same province. — AP

NEW DELHI: Angry politicians attacked the Indian government yesterday for allowing two Italian marines accused of killing a pair of Indian fishermen last year to leave the country. The government allowed the marines to return to Italy in February to vote in national elections and to celebrate Easter with their families. Italy announced Monday it would not send the marines back to India to face trial as had been expected. Opposition lawmakers held up proceedings in both houses of India’s Parliament demanding the government explain what it plans to do to bring the marines back. India said it is considering what steps to take next in the international dispute. Minister for External Affairs Salman Khurshid said the government would respond appropriately to a letter from the Italian government saying the marines would not return to India. “We are studying the implications of the position taken by Italy. We will take an informed decision after examining the communication from Italy,” Khurshid said. But opposition political parties said the decision showed Italy did not take the Indian government seriously. “This is a betrayal by the Italian government,” said Rajiv Pratap Rudy, spokesman of the main opposition Bharatiya Janata Party. “It is a breach of trust between two sovereign nations and the act is completely unacceptable.” Rudy said the government should make all out efforts to bring the marines back to face “trial under Indian laws and in Indian courts.” The marines, Massimilian Latorre and Salvatore Girone, were part of a military security team aboard a cargo ship when they opened fire on a fishing boat in February last year that they said they mistook for a pirate craft, killing the two fishermen. The shooting took place off the coast of India’s southern state of Kerala. The wife of one of the slain fishermen said the decision to let the marines go home to vote appeared to be part of a plan to spare them from facing trial. “This is nothing but a conspira-

NEW DELHI: Italian Ambassador to India Daniele Mancini (left) exits the Ministry of External Affairs offices in New Delhi yesterday. Mancini was summoned to the ministry following Italy’s refusal to return two marines facing trial in India for the killing of two fishermen. —AFP cy at the highest level,” said the wife, Dora Valantine. “ The Indian government should ensure that they bring back the two and make them stand trial in this country.” Last year, Italy paid compensation of 10 million rupees ($192,308) each to the families of the fishermen. The marines said they had put their faith in the Italian government to help them out. “I knew that our government wasn’t abandoning us. It wouldn’t abandon us. They gave us four weeks from when we returned to Italy to vote, and I felt that something would happen, something positive, I mean,” Girone was quoted as saying by the Milan daily Corriere della Sera. But he said they were not celebrating their release. “‘There isn’t anything to celebrate. Our case is not over yet,” Girone said. The incident sparked a diplomatic dispute between the coun-

Odds stacked against Asian Catholic pontiff VATICAN CITY: Catholics in Asia and other parts of the world where the Roman Catholic Church is growing fast would dearly like to see the cardinals choose an Asian pope for the first time in history when they began meeting yesterday to select a successor to Benedict XVI. They argue that the choice of the new pope should reflect the changing face of the Catholic Church, which is expanding rapidly in Asia, Africa and Latin America yet ageing fast and shrinking in Europe, its one-time stronghold. Despite the decline in church attendance in the developed world, when the 115 cardinals solemnly walk into the Sistine Chapel yesterday to begin selecting a new pope, two thirds will be from Europe and North America. The odds are stacked against Asia. Not only does it only have just nine representatives among the cardinals eligible to vote, but few move in the inner circles of the Vatican, or have held positions within its apparatus. Filipino cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle is carrying the hopes of Asia and those of his country’s 80 million Catholics. The archbishop of Manila, who developed a taste for braised chicken feet while visiting the poor in the megacity’s teeming slums, would be a bold choice as he is just 55 - three years younger than Pope John Paul II when he was elected in 1978. Father Bernardo Cervellera, editor of AsiaNews, a Catholic news agency, said Asia wants to challenge the powerful vested interests in the Vatican. “The Asian churches want more powers. They say that Vatican diplomacy does not take into account local sensibilities,” he said. “The important thing about Tagle is that he is inside the Catholic tradition but can adapt it to modern times. That would make

him a good successor (to Benedict).”India supplies five of the nine Asian cardinals in the conclave even though Catholics in India amount to less than two percent of the population in the overwhelmingly Hindu nation. But with 17 million Catholics in India, only the Philippines has more among Asian nations. Oswald Gracias, the archbishop of Mumbai, has expressed serious doubts that an Asian will be elected pope but insists that a candidate’s birthplace should not be the determining factor in the cardinals’ thinking. “For me it’s not important what continent he comes from,” he told the Catholic News Service. “We want a person who is most suitable for this assignment and most suitable for the very great responsibility, the one to whom the Holy Spirit guides us.” Sri Lanka’s Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith is considered another long shot. The traditionalist was appointed by Benedict to oversee the Church’s liturgical practices in 2005, having previously served as papal nuncio, or ambassador, to Indonesia and East Timor. Should the cardinals decide that the time has come for an Asian pope, Ranjith, 65, could find his age and his ideological convictions work in his favor over Tagle, who is a decade younger. While Asia’s chances appear distant in this year’s conclave, Latin America home to 30 percent of the world’s Catholics-appears to have a genuine contender in Odilo Scherer, the archbishop of Sao Paulo. Scherer, born to ethnic German parents, has the important advantage among candidates from outside Europe and North America of being a Vatican insider. For seven years, he served as an official of the Congregation of Bishops, putting him at the centre of thinking in the Holy See.— AFP

tries. Italy maintains the shooting occurred in international waters and that Rome should have jurisdiction. India says the ship was in Indian territorial waters. The Indian Supreme Court ruled earlier this year that the men should be tried by a special court to be set up by the central government in consultation with the chief justice. The decision removed the case from the jurisdiction of the southern state of Kerala. The Indian government had earlier allowed the marines to go home over the Christmas holidays, after which they returned to India. In February, India’s Supreme Court allowed them to return home to vote. Italy said Monday that India’s decision to try the marines would violate their rights, in particular the principle of immunity for foreign state actors, and they would not go back. — AP

Myanmar’s probe finds phosphorus used in crackdown YANGON: Myanmar police used phosphorus in a crackdown on a rally against a copper mine last year, injuring dozens of protesters including monks, a parliamentary report led by Aung San Suu Kyi said yesterday. The probe on the November clampdown, the most violent since the reformist regime took power in early 2011, called for reform of authorities’ riot control methods after more than 100 people were hurt. Injuries sustained by monks and civilians caused a wave of outrage across Myanmar, sparking further protests and leading to an official apology to senior clerics. The report found “unexpected and unnecessary burns” were inflicted as “the police used smoke bombs without knowing what their effect would be”, adding that the devices contained phosphorus, which “can cause fire when they explode”. However, the report led by the opposition leader backed continued work at the controversial Chinese-backed mine in Monywa, northern Myanmar, despite conceding that it only brought “slight” benefits to the country. The recommendation is likely to anger local people who have mounted fierce opposition to the project-a joint venture between Chinese firm Wanbao and military-owned Myanmar Economic Holding-over environmental concerns and allegations of land-grabbing. Suu Kyi is due Wednesday to visit the mine and a number of nearby villages and “might spend a night in Monywa town to meet with local people there”, a member of her security staff said, requesting anonymity. Following the report’s release the government announced Tuesday that a committee had been formed to implement its recommendations, with the panel to include the home affairs, mining and environmental conservation ministers. Myanmar, ruled for decades by a brutal junta, has recently seen waves of protest against land grabbing across the country as disgruntled rural people test the new government’s proclaimed commitment to freedom of expression. Chinesebacked projects to tap the nation’s abundant natural resources have sparked particular resentment. The report, which was delivered to Myanmar’s reformist president on Monday, said the protests were a result of “poor transparency” from local officials, adding that the compensation offered for land “was not at market value”. It recommended several measures be undertaken at the mine, which has been suspended since the crackdown because of continuing local opposition. These include an increase in compensation for land in line with market value, the carrying out of environmental and social impact assessments and finding ways to create local employment.—AFP

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History shows N Korean pattern: Wait, then attack SEOUL: Recent Korean history reveals a sobering possibility: It may only be a matter of time before North Korea launches a sudden, deadly attack on the South. And perhaps more unsettling, Seoul has vowed that this time, it will respond with an even stronger blow. Humiliated by past attacks, South Korea has promised to hit back hard at the next assault from the North, opening up the prospect that a skirmish could turn into a wider war. Lost in the headline-making North Korean bluster about nuclear strikes on Washington in response to UN sanctions is a single sentence in a North Korean army Supreme Command statement of March 5. It said North Korea “will make a strike of justice at any target anytime as it pleases without limit.” Those words have a chilling link to the recent past, when Pyongyang, angry over perceived slights, took its time before exacting revenge on rival South Korea. Vows of retaliation after naval clashes with South Korea in 1999 and 2009, for example, were followed by more bloodshed, including attacks blamed on North Korea that killed 50 South Koreans in 2010. Those attacks three years ago “are vivid reminders of the regime’s capabilities and intentions,” Bruce Klingner, a former US intelligence official now at the Heritage Foundation in Washington, wrote in a recent think tank posting. Almost a mirror image of the current tensions happened in 2009, when the UN approved sanctions over North Korean missile and nuclear tests, and Pyongyang responded with fury. In November of that year, Seoul claimed victory in a sea battle with the North, and Pyongyang vowed revenge. In March 2010, the Cheonan, a 1,200-ton South Korean warship, exploded and sank in the Yellow Sea, killing 46 sailors. A South Korean-led international investigation found that North Korea torpedoed the

ship, a claim Pyongyang denies. The Cheonan sinking may have been retaliation for the naval defeat four months earlier, said Koh Yu-hwan, a North Korea specialist at Seoul’s Dongguk University. In November 2010, North Korea sent a warning to South Korea to cancel a routine live-fire artillery drill planned on Yeonpyeong Island, which is only seven miles from North Korea and lies in Yellow Sea waters that North Korea claims as its own. South Korea went ahead with the drills, firing,

government of newly inaugurated President Park Geunhye, also a conservative, has made similar comments, though she has also said she will try to build trust with North Korea and explore renewed dialogue and aid shipments. South Korea’s Defense Ministry yesterday repeated that it would respond harshly to any future attack from the North. Spokesman Kim Min-seok said there were no signs that North Korea would attack anytime soon, but warned that if it did, it would suffer “much more powerful damage”

PAJU: South Korean K-55 155mm self-propelled howitzers take up position at a drill field in the border city of Paju yesterday. —AFP Seoul says, into waters away from North Korean territory. North Korea sent artillery shells raining down on the island, killing two civilians and two marines. South Korea responded with artillery fire of its own, but the government of then-President Lee Myung-bak was severely criticized for what was seen as a slow, weak response. Lee, a conservative who infuriated North Korea by ending the previous liberal government’s “sunshine policy” of huge aid shipments with few strings attached, vowed massive retaliation if hit again by the North. The

than whatever it inflicted on South Korea. If war broke out, the United States would assume control of South Korea’s military because of the countries’ decades-old alliance that began with the US-led military response to North Korean invaders in 1950. But South Korea has made clear that it has a sovereign right, and a political necessity, to respond strongly to future North Korean attacks. A clue to when North Korea might attack may be in the timing of the current threats. North Korea is furious over ongoing annual US-South Korean mili-

tary drills that will continue until the end of April. Pyongyang is highly unlikely to stage an attack when so much US firepower is assembled, but analysts said it might hit South Korea after the drills end. “They are quiet when tension is high and state-of-theart (US) weapons are brought to South Korea for the drills,” said Chon Hyun-joon, an analyst at the government-funded Korea Institute for National Unification in Seoul. If history is any guide, the most likely flashpoint is the Yellow Sea, where North Korea has complained about sea boundaries since the 1950s. The US-led UN Command drew the socalled Northern Limit Line after failed attempts to negotiate a border after the Korean War, and Pyongyang says it clearly favors the South by boxing in North Korea close to its shores. Bloody sea battles in 1999, 2002 and 2009, and North Korea’s artillery bombardment of Yeonpyeong Island in 2010, took place weeks after annual drills by South Korea and the United States, Chon said. In those cases and in the current drills, North Korea’s state media reacted to the war games with harsh criticism, calling them preparations for a northward invasion. North Korea sometimes takes months to follow through on its occasionally cryptic threats or warnings, but it also has acted quickly. North Korea has attempted a military provocation within weeks of every South Korean presidential inauguration dating back to 1992, according to Victor Cha, a former Asia adviser to President George W Bush, and Ellen Kim at the Center for Strategic and International Studies think tank in Washington. South Korea’s new president was inaugurated Feb 25. “Expect a North Korean provocation in the coming weeks,” Cha and Kim wrote Thursday. — AP

North Korea places South Korea Island in crosshairs Kim Jong-Un threatens to ‘wipe out’ South Korean island

SYDNEY: Tourists rest while waiting to watch the sunset on a promenade in front of the iconic Sydney Opera House (back) at Sydney harbor. — AFP

Australia unveils media shake-up SYDNEY: Australia’s centre-left Labor government unveiled a shake-up of media laws yesterday, introducing a public interest test for mergers but stopping short of press regulation as feared by the industry. Communications Minister Stephen Conroy said the reforms, drafted after an inquiry into Australia’s media following the phonehacking scandal in Britain, were aimed at modernizing the industry and guarding fairness and diversity. If passed into law, the changes would bring a public interest test to “nationally significant” mergers and acquisitions, which Conroy said was not the same as the “fit and proper person” test seen in Britain. It would be monitored by a new statutory authority called the Public Interest Media Advocate, which would oversee a robust self-regulation model, the minister said, stressing that the government would have no role. “The government will not fund or oversee press standards bodies, they will be run, funded and operated by the print media themselves,” he said. Proprietors, most vocally Rupert Murdoch’s dominant local arm News Limited, had feared official regulation of the press, but Conroy said the present model of self-regulation would continue, although it would be tightened. Conroy added that the government would be seeking a “more transparent and open process” on appointments to regulatory bodies such as the current Press Council and better enforcement of existing press standards. The Press Council could apply to be authorized under the new framework, but Conroy said it would be expected to be “transparent, open and independent” of proprietors, not just the government, to address community con-

cerns. “In Australia there is a real risk that over time there will be fewer and fewer organizations owning and controlling sources of news and commentary,” Conroy told reporters. “There are two existing mechanisms that address this risk: competition law and foreign ownership restrictions. But these alone do not reflect the full question of public interest in media diversity.” Conroy said the government would not barter on the legislation, which he believed had enough backing in parliament. Labor would abandon the push if the laws did not pass by the end of next week, he added. News Limited condemned the moves, saying the advocate would be little more than a “Tsar beholden to the government” acting as its “gatekeeper”. “Its highly interventionist, vague and unnecessary public interest test on media ownership is nothing more than a political interest test which governments will use to punish outlets they don’t like,” said News Limited CEO Kim Williams. Williams said there was “more media diversity today than in all of human history” and the current broadcasting and competition watchdogs already had “extensive powers” to enforce it. There is little love lost between Murdoch’s Australian operators and the Labor government; Conroy has accused it of campaigning for “regime change” in favor of the conservative opposition. Prime Minister Julia Gillard also said it had “questions to answer” after the phone-hacking scandal in Britain that resulted in the closure of Murdoch tabloid News of the World and triggered a wave of arrests. News Limited controls 70 percent of Australia’s newspapers. — AFP

SEOUL: North Korea leader Kim Jong-Un threatened to “wipe out” a South Korean island as Pyongyang came under new economic and diplomatic fire yesterday from US sanctions and UN charges of gross rights abuses. Military tensions on the Korean peninsula have risen to their highest level for years, with the communist state under the youthful Kim threatening nuclear war in response to UN sanctions imposed after its third atomic test last month. It has also announced its unilateral shredding of the 60-year-old Korean War armistice and non-aggression pacts with Seoul in protest at a joint South Korean-US military exercise that began Monday. While most of these statements have been dismissed as rhetorical bluster, the latest threat to the border island of Baengnyeong, which has around 5,000 civilian residents, appears credible and carries the weight of precedent. In 2010, the South Korean naval vessel Cheonan was sunk in the area of Baengnyeong with the loss of 46 lives, and later that year North Korea shelled the nearby island of Yeonpyeong, killing four people. On a visit Monday to frontline artillery units, Kim JongUn briefed officers on their mission “to strike and wipe out the enemies” on Baengnyeong and turn the island into a “sea of fire”. “Once an order is issued, you should break the waists of the crazy enemies, totally cut their windpipes and thus clearly show them what a real war is like,” Kim was quoted as saying by the Korean Central News Agency. An administrative official on Baengnyeong, Kim Young-Gu, said civilian emergency shelters on the island had been fully stocked and all village councils put on high alert. “It’s not like there’s a mass exodus of panicked islanders to the mainland. But to be honest with you, we’re a bit scared,” he said by telephone. The disputed sea border off the west coast was the scene of deadly naval clashes in 1999, 2002 and 2009. Residents on a number of frontline islands have reportedly taken to sleeping in their clothes in preparation for a night-time alert. The crisis represents an early test for South Korea’s new President Park Geun-Hye, who was sworn in only two weeks ago, while analysts worry about just how far the inexperienced Kim Jong-Un is willing to go. A domestic political row has hindered key appointments to Park’s cabinet, and the nominee for the defense portfolio, Kim ByungKwan, warned that delaying his confirmation posed enormous risks. “I feel a tremendous sense of danger,” he told a televised press conference. “There should never be a slightest vacuum in national defense at any moment. And now is a perilous time.” Defense Ministry spokesman Kim Min-Seok said the North was trying to exert “psychological pressure” on South Korea, and was expected to launch full-scale military maneuvers in

WOLNAE ISLET: North Korean leader Kim Jong Un (C) leaves the Wolnae Islet Defense Detachment after inspection in North Korea’s western sector near the disputed maritime frontier with South Korea. — AFP the coming days. “If the North provokes us, we will respond in ways that will cause them more harm,” he said. In a move likely to provoke a fresh round of furious rhetoric from Pyongyang, the United States on Monday slapped sanctions on North Korea’s primary foreign exchange bank and four senior officials. Past sanctions have failed to persuade Pyongyang to abandon its nuclear program, but the international community hopes measures targeting financial lifelines can slow down the process and curb proliferation. The US measures come on top of financial sanctions imposed last week by the UN Security Council including China, North Korea’s economic and diplomatic patron. US national security advisor Tom Donilon labeled the recent threats emanating from Pyongyang as “hyperbolic”, and stressed the United States would use the “full range of our capabilities” to protect the US and its allies such as South Korea. Pyongyang came under attack on another front at the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva, where the UN special rapporteur on human rights in North Korea laid out a litany of abuses and crimes against humanity. Rights violations in North Korea “have reached a critical mass”, Marzuki Darusman told the council, citing public food deprivation, torture and arbitrary detention. He highlighted concerns about a network of political prison camps believed to hold at least 200,000 people, and called for an international commission of inquiry into North Korea’s human rights record. — AFP

Political risks to watch on Korean peninsula SEOUL: North Korea again defied the United States, Japan, Russia, the South and the United Nations when it tested a nuclear bomb in February. The test, which Pyongyang said was intended to counter hostility from Washington, also drew condemnation from Beijing, its only major ally. The test brought a new set of sanctions from Washington and the UN, effectively scuttled the remote prospect that young leader Kim Jong-un was contemplating reform, however tentative, and instead repeated a sequence of events straight from his father Kim Jong-il’s regime. South of the border, most people were indifferent to or at worst irritated by the nuclear detonation. Top of the list of concerns for South Korea’s President Park Geunhye, who took office on Feb. 25, is a deep slump in growth for its export-driven economy. The final quarter of 2012 was the seventh consecutive quarter to feature sub-1 percent growth, its longest run of such slow expansion for more than four decades. N KOREA: BACK TO OLD ROUTINE? Kim Jong-un’s public appearances last year at a pop concert, on a rollercoaster, and with a wife in Westernstyle clothes may have raised eyebrows and some hopes that he was ready to depart from the traditional template of provocation and isolation, but February’s nuclear test and what followed showed he is very much his father’s son. The UN and US imposed new sanctions as punish-

ment for the February test, moves to which the North responded by once again threatening a preemptive nuclear strike against the United States, an act far beyond its technical capability. Denunciation from the international community carries no persuasive weight in the country which exists far beyond the boundaries of normal diplomacy, while the one nation which does have levers to pull in the North, China, is less likely than ever to take meaningful action. The US military “pivot” towards Asia, combined with a longstanding fear that a collapsed North would lead to a pro-Washington unified Korea on its border, means Beijing feels it has little choice but to carry on backing the Kim regime with money and trade. Barring a decisive intervention from outside, which is extremely unlikely, the only threat to Kim’s grip on power will come from within. Serious challenges will only arise if the army and the handful of families who control practically all resources that enter the country feel threatened, and with political reform not even close to appearing on Kim’s “military-first” agenda, there is nothing to suggest this is on the horizon. CHALLENGES FOR PRESIDENT PARK President Park Geun-hye, the daughter of South Korea’s former military ruler Park Chung-hee, won December elections to become the country’s first female leader, but takes over an economy whose years of rapid

growth seem unlikely to be repeated soon, and a society increasingly haunted by inequality and fears of unemployment. The euro-zone’s fiscal crisis and slowing growth elsewhere hit South Korea’s export-reliant economy in 2012, prompting the central bank to twice cut interest rates, while the government took fiscal stimulus steps worth around $12 trillion. The finance ministry has set its first growth target for 2013 at 3 percent while the Bank of Korea in January forecast a 2.8 percent gain for 2013 gross domestic product. The median forecast from the latest Reuters survey in January was for a 3.0 percent rise for the year. A common complaint among South Koreans is the behavior of big business groups known as ‘chaebol’, which include the country’s best known firms like Samsung and Hyundai. Often accused of corrupt practices and exerting undue influence on lawmaking, these family-owned firms control assets worth more than half of country’s GDP. Park’s left-wing challenger had threatened to end the web of shareholdings that permit family control of such huge enterprises, but she is unlikely to limit their scope. The central bank held interest rates steady for a fourth straight month at 2.75 percent, but warned that Japan’s monetary policy could impact growth. A weakening yen means Japanese products are more competitive overseas, and is bad news for the South Korean car and consumer electronics firms which compete against Japanese exporters. — Reuters

in brief Singapore to probe US scientist’s death SINGAPORE: Singapore has assured the family of a US scientist found hanged in the city-state last year that his mysterious death will be thoroughly and openly investigated, the foreign ministry said yesterday. The parents of Shane Todd, an electronics researcher who was 31, have raised suspicions that he was murdered as a result of his role in a high-tech project that was said to have involved a Chinese firm seen as a threat to US security. Singapore’s ambassador to Washington Ashok Mirpuri met Rick and Mary Todd in the US capital on March 5 and assured them “a thorough investigation would be carried out” on the death of their son, the foreign ministry said. On the same day the envoy also met senators Max Baucus and Jon Tester of Montana, where the Todds reside, and told them the Singapore police were committed “to a fully transparent and open investigation process”. “The ambassador informed the senators that once the police investigations were completed, they will be submitted to a public Coroner’s Inquiry in Singapore,” the ministry added.

Armed police swoop on motorcycle gangs SYDNEY: Hundreds of heavily armed Australian police swooped yesterday on motorcycle gangs in Sydney and surrounding areas, arresting high-ranking members and seizing explosives, guns, drugs and cash. Some 350 police took part in dawn raids at 30 properties across Sydney and elsewhere in New South Wales state targeting the Hells Angels, Rebels and Comancheros, as well as Asian and Balkan crime organizations, police said. They confirmed “a senior member of the Hells Angels” was among 19 people arrested during the raids which also recovered ammunition, a stun gun and a bullet-proof vest. “A total of 19 people have been arrested during today’s operation, the result of ongoing investigations,” New South Wales police said, adding that four people had so far been charged. “Search warrants are ongoing and further charges are anticipated.” Police said the raids were part of a twoyear investigation into the supply of firearms, explosives and drugs to organized crime groups after intercepting more than 500,000 telephone calls. China may end labor re-education camps BEIJING: Tens of thousands of people are locked up in China without a trial or a judge’s review under a system known as labor re-education. But that may be about to change. Police have used the system to silence citizens complaining about local officials. That has galvanized critics, many of them within the government, and China’s newly installed leadership is seizing on expectations for reform. Commentators in the media and on the Internet are hoping that some deputies propose that the system be overhauled during the 13-day legislative session, which ends Sunday. As many as 40,000 people are detained in roughly 300 labor re-education camps across the country, according to Wang Gongyi, who recently retired as director of a research institute under the Ministry of Justice.

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 13, 2013

ANALYSIS

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 13, 2013

THE LEADING INDEPENDENT DAILY IN THE ARABIAN GULF ESTABLISHED 1961

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Issues

Attempt by UK to manipulate Malvinas status By the Embassy of Argentina in Kuwait he United Kingdom has called for a vote by the inhabitants that it implanted in the Malvinas Islands in order for them to decide on matters which aim to distort the true legal status of these islands. The Malvinas, South Georgias and South Sandwich Islands and the surrounding maritime areas are the subject of a sovereignty dispute between the United Kingdom and Argentina which has been recognized by both countries as well as by the international community as a whole. Therefore, the United Kingdom has no right to alter the legal status of these territories, not even under the guise of a hypothetical referendum . Instead of complying with its international obligations by resuming negotiations with Argentina to solve the dispute, the British government in an attitude that clearly demonstrates the absence of any grounds for its claim, and, above all, a lack of good faith seeks to introduce elements aimed at distorting the definition given by international law to this dispute, which is reflected in several pronouncements by the international community. Aware of its international isolation with regards to the question of the Malvinas Islands, the United Kingdom is clearly attempting to distort its dispute with Argentina, and not to solve it. However, the United Kingdom cannot modify the dispute at will. This vote - as well as the many more polls or votes that the United Kingdom could make up in the disputed territories involved in the question of the Malvinas Islands - cannot have its pretended outcome and does not exempt the United Kingdom from complying with the obligation imposed by international law, that is, to peacefully solve the sovereignty dispute with Argentina by resuming negotiations. The United Nations and several regional organizations such as the Organization of American States (OAS), CELAC, UNASUR, MERCOSUR and other international and bi-regional fora, such as the Group of 77 and China, the Ibero-American Summit, the Africa South America Summit (ASA), the Summit of South American Arab Countries (ASPA) and the South Atlantic Peace and Cooperation Zone (ZPCAS) have urged the United Kingdom and Argentina to resume these negotiations precisely to solve this dispute. The Argentine constitution specifically protects the way of life of the population of the Malvinas Islands. Meanwhile, UN General Assembly Resolution 2065 (XX) calls upon both parties in the dispute, Argentina and the United Kingdom, to bear in mind the interests of such population. On the basis of this mandate, the Argentine Republic regrets these initiatives by the United Kingdom, which are both irresponsible and lacking in good faith, and urges it to seriously reconsider its policy directed to misinforming about the legal and political facts of the disputed territory. This British initiative is not in line with any of the 40 United Nations resolutions on the question of the Malvinas Islands, which is considered to be a special and particular case of decolonisation, in which the existence of a sovereignty dispute between Argentina and the United Kingdom must be settled through bilateral negotiations, taking into account the interests (not the wishes) of the inhabitants of the Islands. The General Assembly expressly rejected, twice in 1985, British proposals to incorporate the principle of self-determination in the draft resolution on the question of the Malvinas Islands. Moreover, the behaviour of the United Kingdom has not been consistent with the principle of self-determination of peoples, which it alleges is applicable to the question of the Malvinas Islands. Its false invocation of the aforementioned principle in this question contrasts with its position in other cases of decolonisation, such as the matter of the Chagos Archipelago case in which it expelled native inhabitants and has deprived them, to date, of their right of return. Nor did the British government seek the opinion of the inhabitants of Hong Kong when it returned that territory to its legitimate owner, the Republic of China. This new British attempt to manipulate the question of the Malvinas Islands through a vote by the population implanted by the United Kingdom in the Malvinas Islands has been firmly rejected by the Argentine Republic, as well as by UNASUR and MERCOSUR member countries, among other fora, since this attempt will not alter the essence of the question of the Malvinas nor will it put an end to the sovereignty dispute, which must be solved in accordance with international law and the several UN resolutions on the issue.

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

Latin America’s ideological battle may ease By Terry Wade ugo Chavez’s exit from the world stage may take the sting out of an ideological battle that has enveloped Latin America since a new batch of leftists started taking power about 15 years ago to challenge US “imperialism”. Fans say Chavez’s hyperkinetic energy is irreplaceable, and even before his death last Tuesday the appeal of his boisterous, hard line approach to economic and foreign policy had faded. Instead, momentum has moved towards the more pragmatic leftist model led by Brazil that welcomes private investment or, in case of a handful of aggressive free traders in the region, a freemarket one associated with Washington but with additional social welfare spending to fight poverty. Both paths are converging around a broad center. Brazil, always having seen itself as the “natural leader” of South America, has the most to gain in the post-Chavez era. Though the socialist Chavez generally got along well with his Brazilian peers, his combative style sometimes upstaged them. “Chavez’s death changes things. He occupied an important space within the Latin American left and now there will be a political realignment,” one Brazilian diplomat told Reuters, insisting on anonymity. “The death of Chavez could eventually lead to the end of radicalism on the continent,” said another Brazilian diplomat. Since Chavez ’s death, Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff has said she “did not always agree” with the Venezuelan leader. Officials said that was part of an effort to draw a distinction between Brazil and Venezuela in the eyes of the international community and business leaders. “Changes will likely take place, starting with the diminishing role of Venezuela as a regional power, to the benefit of Brazil,” said Irene Mia of the Economist Intelligence Unit. There is also a secondary beneficiary from the demise of Chavez: the United States. Throughout his 14 years in power, Chavez was a constant thorn in Washington’s side. He lambasted “Yankee imperialism”, kicked out US diplomats, took over private companies, rattled oil markets and built alliances with other anti-American leaders such as Iranian Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and Syrian President

Bashar Al-Assad. Even if Venezuelans elect Chavez’s choice to succeed him, Nicolas Maduro, and he continues to challenge US influence in Latin America, Chavez was the clear leader of anti-US sentiment. “The departure of Chavez from the Latin American political scene could usher in a new period of enhanced diplomacy and improved relations with the US,” wrote Heather Berkman of the Eurasia Group. She said the voices of Brazil’s Rousseff and Mexico’s new centrist president, Enrique Pena Nieto, could strengthen on regional issues “as Chavez’s fiery rhetoric fades from memory”. To be sure, US influence in the region has declined over the last decade. Two forums set up to solve “local” problems without outside help - the Union of South American Nations, and the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States - deliberately excluded the United States. But, as US diplomats tell it, this is healthy: there is less need for Washington to get involved nowadays because the region is more stable than ever before. And despite strident rhetoric from Latin American leaders over the need for “regional integration,” there are bitter internal differences over trade policy. Before he left office in 2011, former Peruvian President Alan Garcia set up the “Pacific Alliance” of committed fast-growing free traders Chile, Peru, Colombia and Mexico. Other associates include Panama, Costa Rica and Uruguay. His idea was to counter Chavez’s left-wing ALBA group that includes Cuba, Venezuela, Ecuador and Bolivia and, at the same time, Argentina and Brazil, which the open economies regard as protectionist. The gambit flowed from Garcia’s view that “South America looks like it’s in a type of Cold War, like the big ideological blocs of the 20th century.” He said that in 2008 while wearing a tie clasp with the Great Seal of the United States on it. Although there is growing consensus around centrist policies that encourage private enterprise while boosting social spending, divisions over trade policies still run deep. Brazil is the most closed major economy to trade in the Western Hemisphere. It has raised targeted tariffs on several goods and is accused of slow-pedaling most trade talks it is a par t of, including one between South American trade bloc Mercosur and the European Union.

With Chavez’s death, close allies such as Cuba, Ecuador, Bolivia and Ecuador could face tougher times. They have all relied heavily on him for economic aid, and Argentina received some $5 billion in financing from Chavez when it was locked out of bond markets. Without Chavez and his resources as the glue that held them together, those nations may need to look for other alliances. Some were already tweaking their own economic policies, diverging from the path set out by Chavez. Bolivian President Evo Morales has nationalized private companies but he has also won plaudits from Wall Street rating agencies for sound fiscal management and record central bank reserves. Ecuadorean President Rafael Correa was another close ally of the Venezuelan leader and his policies of extending state control over the economy scared away investors. But when he won re-election in February, he told Reuters he would strike a $1.2 billion mining deal with Canadian firm Kinross this year to lure more foreign investment. Even Cuba is making adjustments, with President Raul Castro pushing through cautious reforms aimed at boosting private enterprise. The only current Latin American leader who could possibly take the place of Chavez is Ecuador’s Correa. But Ecuador, though a member of OPEC, lacks the vast oil reserves of Venezuela that Chavez used to spread influence. And Correa lacks his charisma and zeal. “Internationally, I really like Correa of Ecuador and I think he has a lot of charisma, but nobody has what Chavez had,” said Juan Carlos Villamizar, a ‘Chavista’ neighborhood activist who lives in a Caracas slum. In 2006, Peru’s Ollanta Humala, a former army officer, ran for president as a leftwing, nationalist acolyte of Chavez and narrowly lost. Five years later, Humala publicly criticized Chavez and won by reinventing himself as a moderate leftist like Lula who would twin private investment with more generous social spending. Humala has ramped up social spending but he has also ushered in a free-trade pact with the European Union and, with US help, he has intensified anti-drug operations in one of the world’s top coca growers. “There is no clearer measure of how Chavez’s stock dwindled after 2006 than the striking change of heart of Humala,” Michael Shifter of the InterAmerican Dialogue said in a Reuters column. — Reuters

Karzai hits US anew - but ties remain By Robert Burns he troubled US alliance with Afghan President Hamid Karzai hit a new low with his startling accusation that America is colluding with Taleban insurgents to keep Afghanistan weak. But with President Barack Obama committed to two more years of US combat, Karzai appears to believe he can have it both ways - gain favor at home with anti-American rhetoric and still enjoy foreign military protection. And he is probably right. The Obama administration believes that it must stay the course, gradually handing off security responsibility to Afghan forces and then ending the combat mission in Dec 2014. Departing sooner would risk a collapse of the government, a return to power for the Taleban and perhaps a boost for AlQaeda. Just last month, Obama announced that he would bring home 34,000 US troops in the coming year, leaving about 32,000 for a final withdrawal in 2014. He is expected to announce soon a post-2014 military mission for several thousand American troops, even though he has said that by then “our war in Afghanistan will be over”. “Beyond 2014, America’s commitment to a unified and sovereign Afghanistan will endure,” he said Feb12, though the nature of that commitment will shift to training Afghan forces and pursuing remnants of Al-Qaeda and its affiliates. But the latest string of Karzai moves - coupled with the resumption of deadly Afghan army and police attacks on their supposed American partners - could raise new questions about the wisdom of prolonging a war that has cost the US more than 2,000 lives and hundreds

of billions of dollars, with no decisive end in sight. Sen Joe Manchin called Karzai’s comments “despicable” and “beyond disgusting”. He said they show that “it is time to bring our troops home”. In his eight years as president, Karzai has often upset the Americans by questioning their motives. In June 2011, for example, he likened the Americans to occupiers, saying they were not in Afghanistan to help Afghans but were present “for their own purposes, for their own goals, and they’re using our soil for that”. Karl Eikenberry, the American ambassador in Kabul at the time, called the remarks hurtful and inappropriate. A year earlier, Karzai threatened to quit the political process and join the Taleban if he continued to come under outside pressure to reform. He also accused Americans of conspiring against him in the 2009 elections. Nick Mills, a Boston University professor who wrote a 2007 book on Karzai, said Monday the Afghan president’s latest broadside, alleging US collusion with the Taleban, might have been his way of testing the new US defense secretary, Chuck Hagel. “But when Karzai resorts to these wild, irrational outbursts it may be simply that he’s been driven to irrationality by the pressures of the job,” Mills said. “I have said for some time that he was never the strong leader Afghanistan needed, and these outbursts underscore his weakness. I think he operates in panic mode at times.” Karzai’s term ends next year, and he has said he won’t run in the election scheduled for spring 2014. Far fewer US troops are dying in Afghanistan this year, but the war remains costly and the Taleban have proven a resilient force. Hagel saw proof of this on his weekend visit. There were suicide bombings and, on Monday, a machine-gun attack by an Afghan

national police officer that killed two Americans and two Afghans and wounded nearly two dozen others. Last Friday an Afghan believed to be a soldier opened fire at a US base, killing an American civilian contractor. Hagel’s visit to the war zone - his first since becoming Pentagon chief last month - also brought to the fore a dispute with Karzai over the planned transfer of a US-run detention center to Afghan control. The transfer, scheduled for Saturday, was canceled at the last minute, apparently because of American fears that many of the prisoners would be released as soon as the Afghans were given control. Hagel also had to wrestle with Karzai’s demand that all US special operations forces leave Wardak province by Sunday. Karzai had expressed outrage at what he called the abuse of Afghan civilians in Wardak by special operations units under US control. The Monday machine gun attack was at a base in Wardak. On Sunday, prior to a scheduled news conference with Hagel in Kabul - canceled, officials said, because of security concerns - Karzai asserted that two suicide bombings that killed 19 people on Saturday were evidence that the Taleban and the Americans were working in concert. “The explosions in Kabul and Khost yesterday showed that they are at the service of America and at the service of this phrase: 2014. They are trying to frighten us into thinking that if the foreigners are not in Afghanistan, we would be facing these sorts of incidents,” he said during a nationally televised speech about the state of Afghan women. That brought a rebuke from the US ambassador in Kabul, James Cunningham, who called it “inconceivable” that the US would endanger Afghanistan. David Barno, a retired Army lieutenant general who commanded US forces in Afghanistan in 2003-05 and now is a senior fellow at the Center for a New American Security, said Karzai is genuinely frustrated by his reliance on foreign forces. But the Afghan leader also seems “clueless”, Barno said, as to how his words sound to Westerners. “After 12 years of (war) and hundreds of billions of dollars and over 2,000 Americans who have died in Afghanistan, to suggest things that are as offensive as he did over the weekend is extremely difficult for Americans to hear,” Barno said. — AP

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 13, 2013

S P ORTS

Wilshere to miss qualifiers

Basketball fixing scandal

LONDON: Midfielder Jack Wilshere will miss England’s World Cup qualifiers against San Marino and Montenegro as well as Arsenal’s Champions League match at Bayern Munich today, Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger said yesterday. “He has an inflamed ankle, the other ankle to the one he injured before,” Wenger told reporters before his squad left for Wednesday’s last 16 second leg in Germany. “He will be out for three weeks and will not be available against Munich, Swansea and not for England.” England play San Marino on March 22 and Montenegro four days later. Arsenal are optimistic that Wilshere, who is currently having treatment in Dubai, will be fit to return for their Premier League match against Reading on March 30. Wilshere damaged his left ankle during Arsenal’s 21 defeat at arch-rivals Tottenham Hotspur in the North London derby on March 3 and has been slow to recover. An injury to his right ankle sidelined him for the whole of last season. Wenger added: “He has some bone bruising. The last time it deteriorated into a stress fracture. That’s what we don’t want to happen. “We trust people who are specialists in this area. He was out for 17 months and we had to deal with it and so we will deal with it for two or three games.” —Reuters

SEOUL: South Korean basketball chief Han Sun-kyo apologised yesterday for the latest matchfixing scandal to hit professional sport in the country following the arrest of a top coach for allegedly rigging matches. Dongbu Promy head coach Kang Dong-hee was arrested on Monday amid allegations he helped fix matches during the 20102011 Korean Basketball League (KBL) season. KBL Commissioner Han described the scandal as the “biggest crisis” for the sport in Korea and said: “If Kang is found guilty, we’re prepared to ban him for life.” Kang has denied the allegations against him. Dongbu Promy could not be reached for comment yesterday. “We recognise this situation as the biggest crisis for professional basketball since the league was launched in 1997,” Han told reporters on Tuesday. “We’re fully cooperating with prosecutors in their investigation and we will give our utmost best to transform ourselves.” South Korean sport has been hit hard by matchfixing in recent years with incidents in soccer, volleyball and baseball forcing the government to take a hard-line stance on the issue. Seoul threatened to shut down the country’s top flight K-League after 41 players were banned in January following investigations that revealed widespread corruption.—Reuters

Indian Olympic medallist quizzed over drug haul NEW DELHI: Indian Olympic bronze-medallist boxer Vijender Singh has been questioned over his alleged links to a $24-million heroin haul and has refused to give blood or hair samples, police said yesterday. Singh, who won a bronze at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, was interviewed near Chandigarh in northwest India on Monday evening after an alleged drug dealer arrested with the heroin named him and fellow boxer Ram Singh as “clients.” Vijender, 27, who became a household name in India after winning the Olympic medal, has strongly denied any link to the drug dealer and slammed as “ridiculous” the allegations against him. Police seized 26 kilograms (57 pounds) of heroin worth 1.3 billion rupees ($24 million) last week in the northern state of Punjab. The alleged dealer was arrested along with five others. Vijender, himself a police officer in the neighbouring state of Haryana, was questioned for close to four hours on Monday evening, according to a police statement reported by the Press Trust of India (PTI).—AFP

Back from injury, ‘Sid the Kid’ is all grown up TORONTO: “Room open,” shouted the attendant guarding the visitors’ dressing room at the Air Canada Centre, launching the media mob into a mad sprint as if he had fired the starter’s pistol for an Olympic 100 metres final. “Run, get him,” roared a member of the Pittsburgh Penguins as the stampede raced to their target, dodging sweaty hockey equipment being tossed into a hamper from all corners of the suddenly crowded room. There, seated at the end of a bench dripping in sweat is Sidney Crosby, the planet’s best hockey player, surrounded by cameras, microphones and recorders like some cornered prey. Despite the frenzied scene, the face of the National Hockey League (NHL) is a smiling and welcoming one. Crosby, of course, has witnessed this craziness many times before and while No. 87 may regard these post-practice meetings as an obligation, he makes those asking questions feel at ease and welcome. I ndeed, Crosby hints that media scrums are another part of the hockey business he has come to appreciate after dealing with career threatening head injuries that limited him to 48 games over the last 26 months and a labor dispute that nearly robbed another season from his extraordinary career. “When you go through something like that and you’re away from it for so long you definitely appreciate it,” said Crosby, when asked if his injury setbacks gave him a fresh perspective. “I don’t think I ever took it for granted but, if anything, you k ind of gain an appreciation for everything that comes with it. ... There are so many things that are fun about this so just enjoying and appreciating it is something I gained.” There is little doubt that the time away from the game that has been at the center of Crosby ’s life since he was a young boy growing up in Cole Harbour, Nova Scotia, has changed him. Not on the ice, where he remains the force he always was, but away from the rink where he seems to have developed a keener awareness of his place in the sport. Give n t he c ha nce to re f l e c t o n a career that already reads like an impossibly complete resume - a Stanley Cup, an Olympic gold medal and trophy case full of individual honors including a Hart Trophy as the NHL’s most valuable player - Crosby appears to have developed a greater sense of responsibilit y that extends beyond the Pittsburgh dressing room. There is now a sense that the 25-yearold Canadian’s impact on hockey will not only be measured in awards and championships but also by his thoughts and words. To many hockey fans Crosby will always be ‘Sid the Kid.’ But today he is very much ‘The Man,’ particularly in NHL circles where his opinion matters. Despite the crush of reporters at almost every arena he visits, Crosby refuses to have his media availabilities held in a special press conference room, not wanting to be accorded to be treated differently from his team mates. Instead, Crosby sits in his locker room stall patiently taking questions from waves of reporters as they inch their way from the back of the scrum to the front. And these days, when asked, Crosby h a s n o t b e e n s hy a b o u t s h a r i n g h i s

thoughts. Gone, for the most part, are the clichÈs hammered into young newcomers at media training sessions where they are schooled on how to answer questions without really saying anything, avoiding potential slips of the tongue the same way they are taught to avoid body checks. Playing in Toronto for the first time in over three years last Saturday, a relaxed Crosby still offers a hint of boyish shyness that is both charming and welcoming during a playful give-and-take conversation with the media. He has become a passionate advocate for player health and safety and provided a calming voice amid the rancor of a labor dispute that ended in January to salvage a shortened season. While many of his NHL brethren, including team mate Evgeni Malk in, played in Europe during the work stoppage, Crosby stood alongside union rank and file in a show of solidarity. But it is player safety issues where Crosby is feeling more at ease expressing his opinions, having very nearly seen his own career come to a premature end because of blows to the head. “ There were times that it felt really long but I don’t think I ever had that in my mind,” said Crosby, when asked if he ever doubted he would return to the game. “I was always worried about what I had to do to get back. “At certain points it definitely felt like it was taking a lot longer than I thought or that I wanted. “I’m glad it’s done, glad it’s over and I’m enjoying playing right n ow.” W h i le t he ho c key wo r ld has become more interested in what Crosby has to say it is still his genius on the ice that fans pay to see. Crosby entered the second half of the lockout shortened 48-game season on Saturday leading the NHL scoring table with 39 points, a scorching pace that would give him 78 points - eight more than Jaromir Jagr and Eric Lindros had when the 1994-95 season was cut short. The Pittsburgh captain roared into the s e co n d h alf wit h a go al against t he Maple Leafs on Saturday and then a day later matched a career-high with five assists in a 6-1 blowout of the New York Islanders. “Everyone has their own opinion but the way he controls the puck — exciting things happen every time he touches it,” said Tampa Bay Lightning sniper Steven Stamkos, who is eight points behind Crosby. “It’s always a challenge when you play against (Pittsburgh), and since he’s got back healthy this year he’s been a force out there.” It is stretch of consistent brilliance not seen since the 2010-11 season when Crosby was running away with scoring race before he was slammed into the boards during the outdoor Winter Classic on New Year ’s Day, star ting him on a downward spiral. “The consistency at which he is playing right now is at such a high level, you see the work, you see the battle in his game you see it consistently every night that is the thing that is amazing,” said Pittsburgh coach Dan Bylsma. “We saw it back in 2010-11 season where he was doing that over a 40-game stretch and we’re seeing that again now where he is at that consistently high level. “There are some dynamic, fantastic plays but you see that game in, game out is the amazing thing to watch.”—Reuters

Sidney Crosby in action in this file photo

OTTAWA: Dennis Seidenberg No. 44 of the Boston Bruins makes a pass as Kaspars Daugavins No. 23 of the Ottawa Senators reaches for the puck, during an NHL game. —AFP

Kings march on, Bruins win LOS ANGELES: Captain Dustin Brown scored two goals and Jonathan Quick made 23 saves as the surging Los Angeles Kings beat Calgary 3-1 on Monday night for their second win over the Flames in three days. Brown and Jarret Stoll scored first-period goals before Brown added an empty-netter for the defending Stanley Cup champions, who moved up to third place in the Western Conference with their 11th win in 14 games. Despite a rough third period dominated by Calgary, the champs finished their five-game homestand with four victories. With steadily improving play after a rough start to the season, Los Angeles trails only Chicago and Anaheim in the West race. Mikael Backlund ruined Quick’s shutout bid with 5:22 to play for last-place Calgary, which has lost six straight on the road. Bruins 3, Senators 2 In Ottawa, David Krejci scored the shootout winner and had an assist in regulation as the Boston Bruins defeated the Ottawa Senators 3-2 on Monday night. Tuuka Rask made 30 saves in regulation and stopped three of four Senators in the shootout, including a bizarre attempt from Kaspars Daugavins. The Ottawa forward carried the puck by pressing down with the tip of his stick before attempting a failed 360 move in front of Rask. Shawn Thornton and Daniel Paille scored for Boston, which rallied from a 2-0 deficit to win its 10th straight in Ottawa. Guillaume Latendresse - in his first game back from injury since Jan. 30 - and Kyle Turris scored in regulation for the Senators. Robin Lehner made 33 saves through three periods and overtime.—AP

NHL results/standings Boston 3, Ottawa 2 (SO); Los Angeles 3, Calgary 1. Eastern Conference Atlantic Division

Pittsburgh New Jersey NY Rangers NY Islanders Philadelphia

W 18 12 13 11 12

L OTL GF GA 8 0 97 76 9 5 65 75 9 2 63 58 12 3 77 88 14 1 75 82

PTS 36 29 28 25 25

Montreal Boston Toronto Ottawa Buffalo

17 17 15 13 9

Northeast Division 5 4 84 66 38 3 3 70 50 37 10 1 79 70 31 8 5 61 54 31 14 3 67 83 21

Carolina Winnipeg Washington Tampa Bay Florida

14 12 10 10 7

Southeast Division 9 1 75 69 29 11 2 63 74 26 13 1 69 72 21 14 1 85 79 21 13 6 64 98 20

Chicago Detroit St. Louis Nashville Columbus

21 12 13 10 10

Western Conference Central Division 2 3 85 58 45 9 5 68 66 29 10 2 76 77 28 9 6 54 61 26 12 4 61 72 24

Minnesota Vancouver Colorado Edmonton Calgary

13 11 10 9 9

Northwest Division 9 2 58 59 28 7 6 66 67 28 10 4 62 69 24 11 5 60 76 23 11 4 64 82 22

Pacific Division Anaheim 18 3 3 85 62 39 Los Angeles 14 8 2 71 60 30 San Jose 11 7 6 56 57 28 Phoenix 12 10 3 72 72 27 Dallas 12 10 2 67 67 26 Note: Overtime losses (OTL) are worth one point in the standings and are not included in the loss column (L)

Netherlands eliminate Cuba TOKYO: The Netherlands maintained their mastery over power-hitting Cuba by claiming a 7-6, walk-off win at the Tokyo Dome on Monday to advance to the semi-finals of the World Baseball Classic. The Dutch tied the game on a two-run homer in the eighth inning by Andrelton Simmons and won the elimination game on a sacrifice fly from Kalian Sams in the bottom of the ninth. Winning the showdown allowed the Netherlands to join Japan at San Francisco’s AT&T Park for the semi-finals starting on March 17. The Unites States, Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico and Italy begin battling for the other semi-final spots on Tuesday in Miami. A victory for 2006 finalists Cuba, who like the Netherlands had been 1-1 in the second round, would have put them into the championship round. The Dutch also beat Cuba in the opening game of second-round play and defeated the Cubans twice in winning the Baseball World Cup in 2011. “It’s true,” Cuban manager Victor Mesa said through a translator. “ We cannot beat the Netherlands.” Netherlands manager Hensley Meulens, batting coach for the World Series champion San Francisco Giants, called Monday’s victory the best game ever for the national team. “I can look back to two historic days before this one,” said Meulens, whose team was without star ting outfielders Roger Bernadina and Wladimir Balentien and third

baseman Yurendell DeCaster due to injury. “One of them I was a part of, beating the Cubans at the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games. The other one was becoming world champions for the first time in the history of Dutch baseball in 2011, against Cuba, in Panama.

“This is the number one best game that the Dutch have ever played. Coming from behind, tying the game up and taking the game in the bottom of the ninth. This game will go down as the biggest game in Dutch history ... so far.”—Reuters

TOKYO: Japan’s reliever Kazuhisa Makita delivers a pitch against the Netherlands in the ninth inning of their World Baseball Classic second round game.—AP

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 13, 2013

S P ORTS

Zags show they deserve the No. 1 ranking LAS VEGAS: Their reign as No. 1 is little more than a week old, yet it seems a comfortable fit for the little school that can. Gonzaga plays like a team without a big target on its uniform, something that should serve the Zags well as they head into the NCAA tournament in search of something a bit more tangible than their ranking as the best team in the country. Whether they really are the best in the land may be debatable, though the way Gonzaga finished off its last bit of pre-tournament work Monday night should win some converts. Behind the ever-efficient Kelly Olynyk and some tremendous defense, the Bulldogs - the school’s official nickname - easily took care of business in beating rival Saint Mary ’s 65-51 to win the West Coast Conference title. For the Zags it was simple. One game to retain the No. 1 ranking. One game to get a No. 1 seed. But now is when it really starts to get interesting. And now is when it really counts. The next time Gonzaga takes the court all of college

basketball will be watching. How the Zags respond will determine how long this magical ride lasts. “This team is very grounded,” coach Mark Few said. “It’s a team that enjoys playing together. It’s not one that spends a lot of time on the noise outside the program.” That showed Monday in this gambling city, where the Zags and Saint Mary’s seem to meet every year for their conference’s title. If Gonzaga is a small school from Washington state, Saint Mary’s is an even smaller from California. Get them together, though, and both usually play big. Few drew up a plan to stop Matthew Dellavedova, the leading scorer for the Gaels, often employing the 7-foot Olynyk on the double team to slow him down. It worked better than imagined, with Dellavedova held to just one basket in eight shots, and Saint Mary’s going scoreless for long periods. The game was pretty much over early in the second half, but Gonzaga kept the defensive

pressure on until the final buzzer sounded and all that was left to do was get the trophy and cut down the nets. Olynyk who was so confused about his game that he didn’t even play last year - finished with 21 points and 12 rebounds, but it was his teammate, Elias Harris from Germany, who was the tournament MVP. If the celebration afterward was a bit muted - some confetti from the rafters and a few hugs - it’s because the real work lies ahead. The knock on Gonzaga, which will be going to the tournament for the 15th year on a row, is that the Zags have had trouble advancing. But Few took pains to point out that his team has had the misfortune to run into some hot teams most years. That may happen again, even with a No. 1 seed that should help get the Zags out of the opening round. Winning 31 games is an accomplishment, but the NCAA tournament is a treacherous place. “You have to be short-minded in a sense that it’s not the end of the year for us,” Olynyk said. “We still want to come

out and play our game in the tournament.” In a year that no team seemed to be No. 1 for very long, that game could carry the Zags a long way. Yes, Gonzaga played its toughest opponents early and then had the fortune to finish the season in a conference they dominated. But if you haven’t seen this team play, they’re the real thing. They’re deep, they defend hard, and they’re big inside. The guards aren’t bad either, and even John Stockton’s son, David, had a few moments to shine as a reserve in the championship final. Olynyk is a guard who grew into a center, while Harris is a force offensively inside and the two seem to know where the other is at all times on the court. Kevin Pangos runs everything from his guard position and any number of guys seem to come off the bench and add something extra. Most importantly, though, they seem to enjoy playing together. And they don’t appear to be worried about any

expectations other than their own. “We’ve been playing great basketball all year,” Harris said. “We believe in ourselves, we believe in our coaches, we believe in our teammates. So we just try to go out there and play our game. We don’t think about that stuff because whatever you’re ranked - 1st, 2nd or last - you just go and play your game and it’ll all take care of itself.” It did on this night, when the spotlight of being No. 1 shined brightly on Gonzaga. The Zags could have stumbled against a 27-5 team that hadn’t lost to anyone but Gonzaga since December, but they were coldly efficient in wrapping up their last bit of unfinished business before the tournament. The Zags will formally get their No. 1 seeding Sunday and find out where they begin their quest for a national championship that suddenly doesn’t seem so farfetched. They’re good enough to be in Atlanta, good enough to win it all. The wise guys in Vegas sure aren’t betting against them.—AP

No certainties as Formula One gears up to start 2013 season

LONDON: Nathalie Pechalat and Fabian Bourzat competing for France practice at Budweiser Gardens in preparation for the 2013 World Figure Skating Championships. Skaters from around the globe are preparing for the competition which starts today. —AP

Skaters chase world gold with eye on Sochi LONDON: Precious medals, valuable momentum and coveted Olympic berths will all be on the line this week at the world figure skating championships with skaters looking to lay down their markers ahead next year’s Sochi Winter Games. London, a southern Ontario university town just north of Detroit, will provide an off Broadway setting as skaters chase positive reviews from the judges and fans before stepping onto the Olympic stage at the Russian Black Sea resort in 11 months. Competition begins on Wednesday and while no Olympic medals will be awarded this week the results will determine how many entries countries will get in Sochi for each of the four events; men’s and women’s singles, pairs and ice dance. For top skaters like American ice dancers Meryl Davis and Charlie White, the worlds represent a chance to enhance their reputation and perhaps gain a slight edge on chief rivals Olympic and world champions Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir of Canada. “It will be helpful to be able to say we are the reigning world champions heading into the Olympic year, especially since Scott and Tessa are the reigning Olympic champions,” Charlie White told Reuters. “It doesn’t hurt to have two world titles instead of one going into the Olympics.” Davis and White and Virtue and Moir have dominated the ice dance scene taking the top two spots at the last three worlds and Vancouver Olympics. While the Americans had to settle for silver behind the Canadians at the 2010 Winter Games and again at last year’s world championships, Davis and White have had the better of their good friends this season finishing in first ahead of their training partners at the Grand Prix finals and Four Continents. “Our goal will be to secure three Olympic spots for next year,” declared Moir. “As a country you always want to send as many athletes and make as many Olympians as possible. “Tess and I would obviously like to be on top and that would go along way to achieving that goal.” The women’s spotlight is certain to fall on South Korean Olympic champion Kim Yuna but not for her usual brilliance and artistry. Kim makes her return to the world stage for the first time since 2011 and figure skating fans will be eager to see if she can still produce the magic that helped trans-

form her into a global sporting celebrity. Judges will also be watching for lingering signs of rust on Carolina Kostner after the reigning world champion from Italy sat out the entire Grand Prix season. The layoff does not appear to have had any impact on the artistic Italian who signalled she is ready to take on all comers capturing a fifth European title in her return to competition in January. Japan’s Mao Asada, a twice world champion and 2010 Olympic silver medallist, arrives in London unbeaten in all competitions this season and appears back on top of her game after two years of mixed results. Competing on home ice, two-time reigning world champion Patrick Chan should be the heavy favourite to complete a hat-trick of men’s titles but the Canadian has lacked consistency this season leaving the gold medal up for grabs. Bidding to become first skater since Russia’s Alexei Yagudin (1998-2000) to claim three consecutive world titles, Chan’s only victory this season came in January when he captured a sixth straight national title. A second place finish at Skate Canada in October followed by an even more lacklustre third place at the Grand Prix final at the same Sochi arena that will host the Olympic competition next year set off alarm bells that all was not well in the Chan camp. But Chan will not be surrendering his crown without a fight. As part of his preparations the 22year-old skater put himself through a sort of figure skating boot camp working with fitness guru Andy O’Brien, whose client list also includes the National Hockey League’s top player Pittsburgh Penguins Sidney Crosby. “It would be nice to ride that wave of winning a world championship all the way to Sochi,” said Chan. “This is a real test for me.” Chan will have to be close to his best if he is to see off strong challenges from a trio of Japanese skaters, led by Daisuke Takahashi the 2010 world champion and Vancouver Olympic bronze medallist. Javier Fernandez, the athletic Spaniard who flashed his credentials with a dominating display at the European championships, will also be a skater worth watching.—Reuters

MELBOURNE: Formula One is sometimes derided by critics as predictable, yet even the biggest skeptics may concede that the 2013 season is cloaked in uncertainty. At the completion of the last preseason tests, reigning world champion Sebastian Vettel said: “We have never had a winter that was less conclusive than this one.” And that only describes what happened on the track, where nine different drivers topped the time sheets in the first nine sessions. It does not take into account the off-track intrigue, with every team facing the dilemma about what resources to put into developing the 2013 cars and what to put into getting a head-start on designing the radically different 2014 cars with their V6 turbo engines. As usual in F1, the answer to those questions will be determined by money; some teams will be able to wage war on those two fronts, others will be forced to sacrifice one for the other. The first impact can already be seen in the 2013 designs. Red Bull, for instance, has made only minor tweaks to the 2012 model car. And who can blame them, given Vettel and the team have won the past three world titles? “ There are no huge changes,” master designer Adrian Newey said. “It’s very much an evolutionary car. All the principles the same as last year. The devil has very much been in the detail with this car. We’ve tidied up some bits that we felt could be improved on. Development is now the key through the year.” McLaren, by contrast, has overhauled its design from last year and Jenson Button acknowledged that could cost the team in the early races. “If we started this year with last year’s car with a few changes to it, and we’d developed that car into 2013, we could have started with a very good car at the first race,” Button said. “But after three or four races you would realize that you’re at the end of the development curve with it. “It’s a long season at 19 races. It’s about being strong over the whole season, not just the first couple of races.” McLaren will go into the season-opening Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne without Lewis Hamilton for the first time since 2006. Hamilton decamped to Mercedes to par tner Nico Rosberg in the biggest driver change for the coming campaign. Mercedes topped the times in the final preseason tests in Barcelona, raising hopes that the team could be a genuine contender in 2013. However, Hamilton knows raw lap-time data from testing is a notoriously unreliable guide to how the teams will perform during the season. “People are talking us up at the moment, (Sebastian) Vettel and Fernando (Alonso) saying we’re going to be competing for the world championship. I really don’t see that happening at the moment,” Hamilton said. “You’ve got to remember the car was more than a second off, sometimes two seconds off, last year and we’ve not caught two seconds up. The new teams will have put another second on this year and we’ve not caught up three sec-

onds. That’s just a fact. “Hopefully by the end of the year we will have gained three seconds but definitely not at the beginning.” Bookmakers seem to share Hamilton’s caution, installing him at No. 4 in most markets for the drivers’ championship, behind Vettel, Alonso and Button, and just ahead of Lotus driver Kimi Raikkonen. Alonso’s prominent position is a testament not only to his superb racecraft but also the fact that Ferrari travels to Melbourne with a car that looked genuinely competitive in the preseason; a marked contrast to last year when the team was embarrassingly off the pace in the early races. “Last year it was a very difficult winter, we were completely lost and with that car we fought for the world championship all the way to Brazil,” Alonso said. “We now have a car that is responding well to what we change, a car that is doing what we expect the car to do. We know we are maybe not the quickest (yet) but the starting point or the potential of this car is there.” The man they all have to catch is Vettel, and astute observers of preseason testing gave high marks to the Red Bull’s performance. While Vettel and Mark Webber did not dominate times, the Red Bull was consistently running with heavy fuel loads and should be able to match the faster times when they get into qualifying trim in Melbourne. For Vettel, the biggest threat to his hopes of a fourth consecutive title will be how the car handles the new Pirelli tires. Pirelli has changed the composition of the rubber for the season ahead, making it less resilient in the hope of having at least two pit stops per car in each race. “It was extremely difficult to read some setup changes and find the direction with the car

because the tires were simply not good enough,” a frustrated Vettel declared at the testing in Barcelona. The difficulty coming to terms with the tires will make the season-opener all the more unpredictable, as will the presence of new drivers in new cars. Only Red Bull (Vettel and Mark Webber), Ferrari (Alonso and Felipe M assa), Lotus (R aik konen and Romain Grosjean) and Toro Rosso (Daniel Ricciardo and Jean-Eric Vergne) retain the same driver pairings as last season. Hamilton’s replacement at McLaren is Sergio Perez, who made a strong impression at Sauber last season with three podium finishes. Sauber has drafted in another Mexican driver in Esteban Gutierrez to replace Perez, and no doubt help retain the Telcel sponsorship. He will join Nico Hulkenberg, who has moved over from Force India. Taking his place at Force India is former driver Adrian Sutil, who is being given an increasingly rare second chance, to partner Paul di Resta. Pastor Maldonado returns at Williams with a new teammate in Valtteri Bottas, the latest in a long line of flying Finns to grace F1. Caterham has two new drivers in Charles Pic - who was at Marussia last season - and Dutchman Giedo van der Garde. Marussia’s lineup was the last to be finalized, with young British driver Max Chilton joined by Jules Bianchi, the Ferrari-linked Frenchman who lost out to Sutil for the Force India seat. It was a late call-up for Bianchi after Brazil’s Luiz Razia was dumped by the team before he even raced because promised sponsorship money did not materialize. The paddock is one team lighter this season, with the Spain-based HRT dropping out after three seasons.—AP

OXFORDSHIRE: This handout picture received from the Lotus Formula One Team on January 28, 2013 shows the team’s newly launched E21 car. Lotus have set their sights on a top-three finish in this year’s Formula One world championship after becoming the first team to unveil their car for the forthcoming campaign. —AP

Fernandez enjoys last laugh over bullies

LONDON: Meryl Davis and Charlie White, of the United States, perform during a practice session for the World Figure Skating Championships.—AP

LONDON: Growing up in a city awash with macho sporting icons, Javier Fernandez was mercilessly teased by schoolboy bullies who seemed to think he spent his time twirling around the ice on his toes in a tutu. Fernandez has no idea where his tormentors have disappeared to but chances are they would have noted how successful their fellow pupil who chose to pursue a “girl’s sport” has become. The 21-year-old was having the last laugh in January when he became the first Spaniard to strike gold at the European figure skating championships by winning the men’s title. “In Spain they don’t see skating as a boy’s sport. So sometimes it was hard to admit that I wanted to be a skater,” Madrid-born Fernandez told Reuters in a telephone interview as he prepared for this week’s world championships in London, Ontario. “When I was in school and said I’m a figure skater, in Spain they see figure skating like ballet, like something for girls. “So they are always going to judge you in a bad way and say bad things about you. It’s hard when people in your country think ice skating is a girl’s sport. I was teased about being a skater but I didn’t really care a lot.” It was just as well Fernandez developed a thick skin when he was still in school, because had he buckled under the pressure, he would not have been credited with putting Spain on the figure skating map. “In a country with so many sporting champions, it’s hard to fight for attention with sports such as soccer,

tennis, F1, cycling as they win many competitions. But I’m hoping to make figure skating one of the top sports in Spain too,” Fernandez, who tried a number of mainstream sports before losing his heart to figure skating, said with a distinctive Canadian twang. The nation is currently enjoying a golden age in sports, with the country’s soccer team being reigning world and European champions, tennis player Rafa Nadal owning 11 grand slam titles and Fernando Alonso steering his way to two Formula One championships. Despite so many world class athletes coming off the Spanish production line, Fernandez was taken aback with the recognition he received for larking about as Charlie Chaplin in Zagreb’s Dom Sportova arena. “After the Europeans, I got the kind of letters of congratulations I was not expecting to receive. I even got one from the King and Queen of Spain,” he said his voice trailing off in a whisper. “I got one from the President (of Spain). I got one from (soccer club) Real Madrid as they are my team and that was very impressive for me. It was a very nice letter that I have saved.” Getting to a level that would get him noticed in Spain, let alone around the world did not happen overnight for Fernandez. He initially showcased his ability to pull off soaring triple Axels, Salchows, loops and toeloops in annual summer camps run in Spain by 2006 Olympic champion Yevgeny Plushenko’s coach Alexei Mishin. However, with no year-round skating pedigree to

fall back on in his home city, Fernandez relocated to New Jersey aged 17, then travelled to Moscow before settling in Toronto where he is now coached by former world champion Brian Orser. Under Orser, who guided South Korea’s Kim Yuna to Olympic glory in Vancouver three years ago, Fernandez has reached new heights as he is one of the few skaters able to execute three quadruple jumps in one programme. That high-risk strategy not only paid off at the Europeans but he also became the first Spaniard to win gold at a Grand Prix event, beating twice world champion Patrick Chan on home ice in Skate Canada last October. Despite his run of success, Fernandez did not want to get carried away at the prospect of beating Chan again this week. “It’s true that I have already beaten the world champion this season but that was only one competition and Patrick Chan is a master on the ice. Of course I want to be first but my main goal is to be in the top five.” Should he clinch the gold medal on Friday, Fernandez will head into next February’s Sochi Winter Games as world champion but hopes it does not mean he will end up with an unwanted headache. “I like being recognised a little bit. It’s always nice to know that people love you a little bit and know what you are doing but I would not like to be famous like a soccer player who can’t get rid of the cameras,” he said. “I would definitely not like to be in that position. That may be why I chose figure skating.”—Reuters

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 13, 2013

S P ORTS

Australia cricket at the crossroads after bans BRISBANE: Australia’s cricket team is unraveling. The public has been polarized by the decision to ban vice-captain Shane Watson and three other players for a test for failing to submit a self-critique to the coaching staff on time. The once-mighty team is also struggling on the field, trailing India 2-0 halfway through a four-test tour which already had sparked plenty of criticism and debate about team selections. Now the suspensions for a seemingly trivial misdeed have become the butt of jokes at home and abroad, with former England captain Michael Vaughan among those taking delight at the punishment dished out to players for essentially not doing their homework. Watson left the tour hours after the ban was announced, saying he’d be considering his future in cricket. He returned to Australia late Tuesday to spend time with his heavily pregnant wife. Newspaper headlines expressed bewilderment, columnists were divided, and former players were outraged. Allan Border, the battling batsman who guided the national team out of its previous cricket doldrums

in the 1980s, could barely suppress a laugh as he discussed the sanctions in a television interview. “What are they on, a schoolboy tour?” Border asked. “I don’t see the logic in this. It is way over the top. It seems too strong a measure for coach and captain to take.” Australia coach Mickey Arthur and captain Michael Clarke have stood by the decision to suspend Watson, fast bowlers James Pattinson and Mitchell Johnson and backup batsman Usman Khawaja, saying it was the “last straw” after repeated warnings to the squad about discipline and professionalism. Pattinson accepted the suspension, saying he should have followed the instructions for the self-assessments which were ordered after a heavy defeat. Even after returning to Australia, Watson said the decision was too “harsh.” “I obviously accept that I did the wrong thing ... but I will always find it very hard to accept being suspended from a test match for my country,” Watson said. “I’ve missed a lot of test matches and games through injury throughout my career and I also feel like I’ve worked my absolute (best) to have an opportunity to be able to represent my

country. “I think it’s extremely harsh to be suspended from a test match for your country in any circumstance, whether we are twonil down or whether we are going very well.” Watson said returning home would give him the opportunity to reflect on what had happened over the last two days and focus on the arrival of his first child. His place in the team had come under scrutiny for a lack of runs and questions over where he should bat in the order now that he’s playing as a specialist batsman and not an allrounder. Making matters worse for him, Cricket Australia’s high performance manager Pat Howard - a former Australia rugby union international - indicated at a news conference that there were issues between captain and vice-captain and suggested Watson was only “sometimes” a team-oriented player. “Pat Howard doesn’t particularly know me very well. He’s obviously come from a rugby background and hasn’t been in and around cricket for very long, so I think the best people to ask are the people I’ve

played cricket with,” Watson told a large media contingent at Sydney International Airport. Watson said he had a good working relationship with Clarke, admitting the pair had their “ups and downs like there is in marriages and in friendships.” “I’ve been playing cricket against and with Michael Clarke since I was 12, so we’ve got a lot of history as people,” he said. “With Pat Howard, he’s obviously just come on board the last year and a half and myself and Michael go a little bit further back.” Howard was appointed after a thorough, independent review of the running of Australian cricket in the wake of a home Ashes series defeat to England in 2010-11, and has been involved in changes in the structure of the support staff and selection panels. Arthur, a former South Africa coach, is the first foreigner to take the helm of Australia. Some of his methods and the selection policies, including the forced rotation of fast bowlers, have been the subject of heated debate. Cricket is Australia’s national sport, and fans became accustomed to continual suc-

cess in the 1990s and early 2000s when the team won three consecutive World Cups and dominated the test format. Some of the biggest stars of the modern era played during that time, and the demise of the team started with their retirements, starting with bowling greats Glenn McGrath and Shane Warne. Howard maintains that discipline is needed to get Australia back on top of the world rankings. “We have obviously made a very tough decision,” Howard said. “The captain and coach have sent a very strong message about the expectations that are required to play for Australia. “It’s a high performance culture we are after and they have made a stance on what the minimum is required.” Howard said the four players suspended failed to complete a written task outlining what they could bring to the team in the future. “ This was the straw that broke the camel’s back,” he said. “To be No. 1 in the world takes a lot of sacrifice. “If this happened in the middle of the Ashes it would have been catastrophic but we are trying to address it - we are not sweeping it under the carpet.”—AP

Bangladesh earn first draw against Sri Lanka

Jacques Rogge

Wrestling ‘battling for its life’ — interim boss PARIS: Wrestling can regain its place as a core Olympic sport for the 2020 Games, the interim president of the sport’s world governing body, Nenad Lalovic, told AFP in an interview yesterday. But the 54-year-old Serbian said the future of the sport-one of the few to have breached the divide between the ancient and the modern Games-was at stake and it was effectively facing a battle for its survival. The 15 members of the International Olympic Committee’s executive board decided in early February that the sport should be dropped from the 2020 Games, sparking outrage among wrestlers and fans and prompting a campaign for it to be reinstated. Lalovic, who succeeded Raphael Martinetti as head of the International Federation of Associated Wrestling Styles (FILA) in the wake of the IOC decision, said he hoped reforms proposed since then would show they had taken criticism on board. “It is a battle for the survival of the sport,” Lalovic told AFP by telephone from FILA headquarters in Lausanne, Switzerland. “If it’s not in the Games then it will receive less money and make it hard to keep going. “However, wrestlers never know when they are beaten and if I wasn’t optimistic I wouldn’t have accepted the challenge. It is a huge challenge and it is a precarious situation that we find ourselves in. “We must do everything in our power to regain our place in the Olympics. However, I am confident that we will regain our place for 2020. There is a unified spirit among our members and a steely resolve from the national federations. “We are a serious and competitive sport.” Lalovic, preferred by FILA members over Martinetti to spearhead an overhaul of wrestling, has already initiated several sweeping reforms, including an increase in women’s participation at all levels of the sport. He is also conducting a review of the rules of wrestling with the intent of making the sport more understandable and attractive to spectators and less dependent upon subjective officiating. Additionally, FILA is reviewing the presen-

tation of the sport to modernise the competition format while initiatives are also underway to boost marketing and promotion. These will have to be approved at an extraordinary general meeting of its heads. “We are following the advice of the IOC members about how best to reform our sport so it is suited to the present Olympic Games,” said Lalovic, who held what he termed productive talks with IOC president Jacques Rogge last week. “We are aligning our sport with the development of other sports in the IOC. However, to say and to do is one thing. It is easy to talk but you have to implement the measures. “It is important that wrestling modernises and adapts. However, it is not just for wrestling to do those things, for all sports are in danger. Each sport must adapt because it is not easy these days to motivate a child to go out and do sports. “They prefer to sit in front of their TV or computer and play Nintendo or other games.” Wrestling’s ouster from the core Olympic programme for 2020 led to an outpouring of support, even uniting bitter political foes Iran-where the sport has a rich history dating back to the times of Persian kings-and the United States. Lalovic said he had not been surprised at the outcry but said wrestling was at a disadvantage in preparing their presentation to the IOC executive board in St Petersburg, Russia, at the end of May. Wrestling will have to make its case along with the seven sports hoping to replace it and it is likely that the board will recommend two or three sports to the overall IOC membership to vote on in their Congress in Buenos Aires in early September. “Our problem is that we have less time to prepare, just two-and-a-half months, than the others who have had years to put their dossier together,” said Lalovic. “We are in a race against time.” The official, though, does not blame the IOC for the predicament that wrestling finds itself in. “We were asleep,” he said. “We hadn’t gone down the modernising path of development other sports had followed.”—AFP

Hosts Malaysia hold Australia India defeat Pakistan 3-1 IPOH: Hockey World Champions Australia were held to a 1-1 draw by 13th-ranked Malaysia yesterday with both teams now eyeing a place in Sunday’s final in the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup. Australia tops the standings with Malaysia second, both on seven points after three matches. The other teams lag behind on three points after winning only one game. Both went into Tuesday’s match undefeated but it was the Australians who had the better of their exchanges. Australia took the lead from a field attempt taken by Trent Mitton after a quick counter attack. But they squandered chances from nine penalty corners and several other field attempts, while Faizal Saari scored for Malaysia with a drag flick from a penalty corner. Desperate defending and quality goalkeeping from Malaysia brought the match to the final 1-1 scoreline. Earlier, India overcame their arch-rivals Pakistan 3-1 to chalk up their first win of the tournament. A dominant Pakistan took the

lead when Muhammad Waqas scored from a penalty corner rebound. But India, setting up their attacks from the flanks, scored two goals through Rupinder Pal Singh and Akashdeep Singh in a four-minute spell. Pakistan slowly re-took command of the match, but in the second half India increased the lead through Mandeep Singh through a penalty corner rebound. Pakistan chief coach Akhtar Rasool, who changed the goalkeeper to Imran Shah from Imran Butt, said the team wouldn’t win matches if they missed sitters and penalty corners. “I am happy to see the players performing well. But this is all about scoring, and despite dominating the match we ended up losers,” he added. Meanwhile, New Zealand finally secured a win, defeating South Korea 3-0. The defending champions rank third in the table. They took the lead in the fourth minute with a goal from lurking Hugo Inglis. Cory Bennett then converted their first penalty corner, while Andy Hayward did the same later in the game.—AFP

GALLE: Bangladesh drew the high-scoring first test against Sri Lanka at the Galle International Stadium yesterday to snap their 12-test losing streak against the islanders. Chasing an improbable 268-run victory target with just one session and 37 overs left, Bangladesh were 70 for one wicket in 22 overs when the teams agreed to a draw after five days of batting dominance on a placid track. Only 19 wickets fell in the test while eight centuries were scored, equalling the record set in the 2005 South Africa v West Indies test at Antigua. The 1613 runs scored by both teams also made it the highest match-aggregate in a test in Sri Lanka. “The wicket was absolutely a road,” said Sri Lanka captain Angelo Mathews. “The batsmen would have loved to bat for the next couple of days as well. It didn’t spin at all. “The bowlers tried their best. It was just that the wicket didn’t give any sort of assistance.” Bangladesh captain Mushfiqur Rahim, who scored his country’s maiden test double century, was named man of the match. Mushfiqur said securing a draw was a ‘big achievement’ for Bangladesh. “We hadn’t got a chance to get a lead whenever we had played Sri Lanka before and it’s a great achievement for us. “That is our main target - to play test cricket consistently.” Colombo hosts the second and final Test from Saturday. Earlier, Kumar Sangakkara (105) helped himself to his second century of the match while Tillakaratne Dilshan (126) also joined the list of centurions before Sri Lanka declared their second innings on 335 for four at tea. Sangakkara completed his 32nd test hundred shortly before lunch to become the fifth Sri Lankan-after Duleep Mendis, Asanka Gurusinha, Aravinda de Silva (twice) and Dilshan-to have scored centuries in both innings of a test match. He was dismissed in the second ball after lunch when he pulled a short delivery from Mahmudullah to Jaharul Islam at mid-wicket to fall after a 172-ball knock that had 10 fours in it. Dilshan, who had scored his 16th test century off 190 balls with nine fours, was caught at deep square leg giving Mahmudullah his second wicket of the innings. Dilshan and Sangakkara put on 213 runs for the second wicket. Mahmudullah captured his third victim when he bowled debutant Kithuruwan Vithanage (59) after inducing an inside edge. Mathews was unbeaten on 38 and Lahiru Thirimanne on two when Sri Lanka declared at the tea break.—Reuters

GALLE: Bangladesh batsman Mohammad Ashraful (right) plays a shot during the fifth day of Test cricket match against Sri Lanka.—AP

SCOREBOARD GALLE: Scoreboard at the end of the first test between Sri Lanka and Bangladesh at the Galle International Stadium yesterday: Sri Lanka first innings 570-4 declared Bangladesh first innings 638 all out Sri Lanka second innings (116-1 overnight) D. Karunaratne c Abul b Shahadat 3 T. Dilshan c Abul b Mahmudullah 126 K. Sangakkara c Jahurul b Mahmudullah105 K. Vithanage b Mahmudullah 59 A. Mathews not out 38 L. Thirimanne not out 2 Extras (nb-2) 2 Total (For four wickets declared, in 83 overs) 335 Fall of wickets: 1-17, 2-230, 3-249, 4-320. Did not bat: D. Chandimal, N. Kulasekara, S. Eranga, R. Herath, A. Mendis. Bowling: Shahadat 9-1-33-1 (nb-2), Abul Hasan 10-0-45-0, Sohag Gazi 15-1-58-0, Elias

Sunny 20-0-76-0, Mominul Haque 5-0-25-0, Mohammad Ashraful 1-0-10-0, Mahmudullah 20-1-70-3, Nasir Hossain 3-0-18-0. Bangladesh second innings Jahurul Islam not out 41 Anamal Haque b Eranga 1 Mohammad Ashraful not out 22 Extras (b-4, lb-1, nb-1) 6 Total (For one wicket in 22 overs) 70 Fall of wickets: 1-2. Bowling: Kulasekara 4-1-6-0 (nb-1), Eranga 31-10-1, Herath 4-0-15-0, Mendis 7-1-23-0, Dilshan 4-0-11-0. Man of the Match: Mushfiqur Rahim. Second test: March 16-20 at R Premadasa Stadium, Colombo.

Wales captain Ryan Jones to miss Six Nations finale LONDON: Wales captain Ryan Jones will miss Saturday ’s Six Nations championship finale against England at the Millennium stadium after breaking a shoulder bone during last weekend’s win over Scotland. Loose forward Jones underwent a scan on Monday after leaving the field in obvious pain during the match at Murrayfield on Saturday and his arm was in a sling as the team boarded their flight from Edinburgh. “Ryan is not going to be available,” Wales assistant coach Robin McBryde told reporters on Tuesday. “He has broken a bone in his shoulder. It looks as though he will be out for six to eight weeks.” Jones confirmed the bad news on his twitter feed. “So, so disappointed not to be involved Saturday but thanks for all your messages,” he said. Wales, last year’s grand slam champions, will retain the title if they win by at least eight points, or seven so long as England do not outscore them by three tries. Sam Warburton, captain of the grand slam side, is the obvious candidate to take over from Jones after winning the man-of-the-match award against Scotland. British and Irish Lions lock Alun Wyn Jones, who has returned to the side after injury, is another possibility.

Warburton missed the second round win against France through injury and started on the bench in the subsequent victory over Italy. McBryde said a decision about the captaincy would be made on Thursday. Wales could select two specialist opensides with Justin Tipuric partnering Warburton. Tipuric started against Italy ahead of Warburton and took over from Jones at blindside flanker against Scotland. “I thought Sam and Justin

worked ver y well together in Scotland,” said Wales defence coach Shaun Edwards. “Sam got a couple of turnovers after Tips had done the chop tackle beforehand. “They worked in combination and that is what you need your back row to do, one will chop and the other get on the ball.” McBryde said Aaron Shingler or Andrew Coombes were other options on the blindside. Lions loosehead prop Gethin Jenkins, who missed the trip to Edinburgh with a calf strain, has

Ryan Jones

returned to training and will contest the starting position with Paul James. Scotland lock Richie Gray, a leading candidate for the Lions tour of Australia this year, will miss the trip to France for the final weekend of the championship after tearing a hamstring against Wales. Gray was stretchered off the field and Scotland doctor James Robson said he would be out of action for eight weeks. Ireland flyhalf Jonathan Sexton and wing Craig Gilroy have been passed fit to play in Saturday ’s other match against Italy but both centres Brian O’Driscoll and Luke Marshall are doubtful because of concussions sustained against France last weekend. Sexton missed the games against Scotland and France because of a hamstring injury and Gilroy was unable to play against France because of a groin strain. Scrumhalf Eoin Reddan has undergone surgery after breaking a leg in the France match and right wing Fergus McFadden will be out of action for at least three weeks after fracturing a rib. Ireland, who started the tournament by beating Wales in Cardiff before suffering two losses and a draw, have had 15 players either injured or suspended over the course of their campaign. —Reuters

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 13, 2013

S P ORT S

Indian Wells event to remain ‘cutting edge’ INDIAN WELLS: The BNP Paribas Open at Indian Wells is widely regarded as the biggest tournament in tennis outside the grand slams and its chief executive officer, Raymond Moore, intends to keep it that way. Applauded by players and fans for its superb facilities, its ideal weather in the California desert and its many innovations, the elite event has earned a reputation for being one of the sport’s leading standard bearers. It is the only event, grand slams included, to have the Hawk-Eye ball tracking system installed on every match court and in 2011 it became the first non-grand slam tournament to offer $1 million in prize money to its singles champions. “We are going to continue pushing the envelope as much as we can and raise the bar for everyone,” South African Moore, 66, told Reuters as he sat in his plush office at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden. “We have a five-year growth and expansion plan in which we aim to hit cer-

tain goals. As an independently owned business unit, we are just trying to strengthen our business, and we strengthen our business by making our players happy. “They are the product. You cannot do anything without the players and we want 100 percent player support. So we are hell-bent on really making conditions as good as we can.” Perhaps the most attractive feature for the players is the surprisingly large number of practice courts at Indian Wells. “From next year, we will have a total of 29 courts on site, with 20 practice and nine match courts,” Moore smiled. “And the players are often practising on the match courts in the morning and later in the evenings when there are no tournament matches. “The players love that as we don’t have to ship them off site where they might have to contend with different circumstances - the surface might be different

and the ball may be slightly faster or slower.” Moore, a former ATP Tour player who won eight doubles titles during the 1970s and early 1980s, is equally proud of having the Hawk-Eye replay technology on every match court at Indian Wells. “It’s a great feature for the players,” he said. “It means that if you are a low-ranked player, you are still getting exactly the same treatment as the number one ranked player in the world. So it’s a level playing field.” While the elite Indian Wells event attracts most of the game’s top players and has often been described as an unofficial “fifth grand slam”, Moore said he and his committee were not pursuing major status. “We think that four grand slams is enough,” he added. “ They have over a hundred years of history, each one of them and we are not in that category. “Are we a contender or a pretender? I don’t know. We are just humbled to be included in the conversation.”

Moore cited the Shanghai, Madrid and Miami events as the main rivals for Indian Wells outside the grand slams. “Obviously China is a huge market and who knows? Down the road maybe the Shanghai tournament will become a fifth grand slam. It’s a big event already and maybe it becomes more important,” he said. “All we are trying to do is make our tournament the very best it can be, given the conditions. We want to be the very best tournament in the world outside of the four grand slams.” Indian Wells already attracts the biggest crowds for either an ATP World Tour event or a WTA tournament and Moore has set his sights on upping the overall attendance during the fortnight to 500,000 within five years. “I wish I actually hadn’t gone public with it, it puts my feet to the fire,” he grinned. “However we are hoping to touch 400,000 this year and I think we might get

there. “That depends a lot on the weather and the player match-ups because it’s always the walk-up crowd that makes those numbers. That’s kind of the wildcard.” Moore said he had taken a leaf out of Wimbledon’s book by making long-term plans at Indian Wells where a new stadium court, with 8,000 seats and two restaurants, and four additional practice courts will be built before next year’s tournament. “Wimbledon plan years ahead,” he added. “They never do anything after the tournament that hasn’t been planned two years ahead. It’s taken us a couple of years to get there ... but we’ve now got full approval, a green light to begin building. “We start the day after the tournament, March 18, on a 10-and-a-half month building schedule. Next year people are not going to believe the changes. They are going to be blown away.”—Reuters

Nadal and Federer on track for showdown

OAKLAND: New York Knicks’ Chris Copeland (left) lays up a shot against Golden State Warriors’ Malcolm Thomas (22) during the second half of an NBA basketball game.—AP

Spurs halt Thunder’s winning streak OAKLAND: Tiago Splitter had 21 points and 10 rebounds as the San Antonio Spurs ended the Oklahoma City Thunder’s five-game winning streak with a 105-93 victory on Monday night. Kawhi Leonard scored 17 points, Danny Green had 16 and Tim Duncan finished with 13 as San Antonio (49-15) rebounded from its second-worst home loss ever to maintain the Western Conference’s top record. Manu Ginobili had 12 points and Boris Diaw added 11 as the Spurs’ reserves outscored their counterparts 34-16. Kevin Durant had 26 points and Russell Westbrook added 25 for Oklahoma City (4717), which lost its sixth straight in San Antonio. Serge Ibaka was the only other player in double figures, adding 13 points and 16 rebounds. San Antonio’s defense was the difference, turning an evenly matched battle into its third victory in four games without Tony Parker. The All-Star point guard is going to miss another three weeks with a sprained left ankle. Warriors 92, Knicks 63 In Oakland, Stephen Curry scored 26 points, David Lee had 21 and Golden State routed New York for its most lopsided win of the season. Almost two weeks after his 54point masterpiece at Madison Square Garden, Curry shared the spotlight with his co-captain in front of a sellout crowd announced at 19,596. He was 4 for 7 from 3-point range, and Lee finished with 10 rebounds and eight assists after helping the Warriors go ahead by 27 points in the third quarter. Carmelo Anthony had 14 points and 10 rebounds after missing New York’s previous three games because of nagging right knee. Nuggets 108, Suns 93 In Phoenix, Kosta Koufos scored a career high 22 points on 10-of-11 shooting, mostly from point-blank range, and Denver ran its winning streak to nine games. Corey Brewer added 20 points and Ty Lawson 19 as the

Nuggets matched their longest winning streak of the season. Denver dominated points in the paint 7432, including an assortment of soaring dunks. Wesley Johnson scored 18 and Marcus Morris 16 for the Suns. Hamed Haddadi scored a career-high 13 for Phoenix. 76ers 106, Nets 97 In Philadelphia, Spencer Hawes had 24 points and 10 rebounds, Jrue Holiday added 15 points and 11 assists and Philadelphia snapped a five-game losing streak Hawes also had seven assists. Thaddeus Young had 16 points and 10 rebounds in coach Doug Collins’ 100th victory with the team. Deron Williams had 27 points and 13 assists for the Nets, who had won three in a row. Philadelphia grabbed control in the second quarter and never trailed in the second half. It was a rare feel-good win for a team that had high expectations before center Andrew Bynum was lost indefinitely with knee injuries. Evan Turner also scored 16 points for the Sixers, and Dorell Wright had 10. Jazz 103, Pistons 90 In Salt Lake City, Mo Williams scored 20 points and Al Jefferson had 16, helping Utah stop a four-game slide. Reserves Marvin Williams and Enes Kanter added 14 points apiece for the Jazz (33-31), who moved into a tie with the idle Los Angeles Lakers for the final playoff spot in the Western Conference. Utah had dropped seven of eight overall. Rodney Stuckey, Greg Monroe and Jonas Jerebko each had 15 points for the Pistons (23-43), who lost their sixth straight game. Detroit point guard Brandon Knight sprained his left ankle in the first quarter and did not return. His leg buckled after he was fouled by Jazz guard Randy Foye on a drive to the basket. It’s been a rough couple of days for Knight, who was on receiving end of a monster dunk by DeAndre Jordan in Detroit’s 12997 loss at the Los Angeles Clippers on Sunday night.—AP

NBA results/standings Philadelphia 106, Brooklyn 97; San Antonio 105, Oklahoma City 93; Utah 103, Detroit 90; Denver 108, Phoenix 93; Golden State 92, NY Knicks 63.

NY Knicks Brooklyn Boston Toronto Philadelphia Indiana Chicago Milwaukee Detroit Cleveland Miami Atlanta Washington Orlando Charlotte

Eastern Conference Atlantic Division W L PCT GB 38 23 .623 37 27 .578 2.5 34 28 .548 4.5 25 39 .391 14.5 24 39 .381 15 Central Division 39 24 .619 35 28 .556 4 32 29 .525 6 23 43 .348 17.5 21 42 .333 18 Southeast Division 47 14 .770 34 28 .548 13.5 20 41 .328 27 18 46 .281 30.5 13 50 .206 35

Oklahoma City Denver Utah Portland Minnesota LA Clippers Golden State LA Lakers Phoenix Sacramento San Antonio Memphis Houston Dallas New Orleans

Western Conference Northwest Division 47 17 .734 43 22 .662 4.5 33 31 .516 14 29 33 .468 17 21 39 .350 24 Pacific Division 45 20 .692 36 29 .554 9 33 31 .516 11.5 22 42 .344 22.5 22 43 .338 23 Southwest Division 49 15 .766 42 19 .689 5.5 34 30 .531 15 29 33 .468 19 22 42 .344 27

INDIAN WELLS: Rafa Nadal and Roger Federer stayed on track for a mouth-watering quarter-final showdown at the BNP Paribas Open after they both advanced to the last 16 on Monday. Spaniard Nadal, twice champion at Indian Wells, was gifted his spot when Argentina’s Leonardo Mayer withdrew with a back injury before the start of their third-round match. Federer, a four-times winner of the ATP Masters 1000 event, had minor back problems of his own but progressed with a commanding 6-3 6-1 victory over Croatia’s Ivan Dodig in a contest lasting just 61 minutes. Federer and Nadal last met a year ago, also at Indian Wells, when the Swiss won a semi-final battle 63 6-4. Federer tweaked his back during the latter stages of his match against Dodig, but with a rest day on Tuesday he was not worried that it could affect his last 16 match today. “It’s not the first time it’s happened in my career, so, I know how to deal with it,” said the world number two. Federer will next meet compatriot Stanislas Wawrinka, who beat Australian veteran Lleyton Hewitt 6-4 7-5 in an evening match at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden. “I’m walking fine, I have a day off tomorrow. Everything is all right,” added Federer. “It’s happened during grand slams, during tournaments, in practice. “It’s just something you learn to deal with. And as long as I keep on playing, it’s all right. I also know I have a longer break to recover so, from that standpoint, I’m not worried at all.” World number five Nadal, who is competing in his first tournament on a hardcourt surface in almost a year, was saddened when he learned that Mayer had withdrawn. “That’s bad news, for sure, for the fans and for Mayer, especially,” said the Spaniard, who will next face Latvian Ernests Gulbis. “I talked with him. It seemed like it’s nothing very, very bad. “Just a typical back problem, beginning when he was warming up his serve. The physio says maybe in four days, five days he will be ready. “That’s the most important thing, that nothing is serious,” said the

INDIAN WELLS: Roger Federer of Switzerland returns against Ivan Dodig of Croatia during their ATP Master’s third round match at Indian Wells.—AFP Spaniard, who was sidelined for seven months last year by a left knee injury. Though Nadal has beaten Gulbis in their four previous meetings, the Latvian looked forward to challenging the Spaniard after winning his 13th consecutive match on Monday. “When was the last time I won 13 matches in a row?” 67th-ranked Gulbis said after fighting back to beat Italy’s Andreas Seppi 5-7 6-3 6-4. “Of course he’s a great player, but I honestly believe that if I play my best game I can beat him. “I like to play against him because his ball and his heavy spin, it’s good for my timing. I don’t like it when the opponents hit flat, deep balls.” Second-seeded Federer, the defending champion at Indian Wells, improved his win-loss record this year to 12-3 after overcoming Dodig in their first meeting.

Dodig gave the Swiss a tough challenge early on and the opening set went with serve until the eighth game when the Croatian made two consecutive double faults to be broken. Federer then needed four set points to serve out, finally clinching the set in 34 minutes with a service winner that left his opponent floundering. The Swiss maestro then took firm control, breaking Dodig in the first game, when the Croatian netted a backhand, and also in the third, when his opponent again double faulted. Federer sealed victory by breaking Dodig for a third time, the match ending on yet another double by the 60th-ranked Croatian. In other matches, sixth-seeded Czech Tomas Berdych eased past Germany’s Florian Mayer 6-4 6-1 while 10th-seeded Frenchman Richard Gasquet swept aside Poland’s Jerzy Janowicz 6-1 6-4.—Reuters

Azarenka, Kerber advance

BRAZIL: British track athlete Jessica Ennis poses with the “Laureus World Sportswoman of the Year” during the 2013 Laureus World Sports Awards.—AFP

Bolt, Ennis win top Laureus awards RIO DE JANEIRO: Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt and British heptathlete Jessica Ennis won the Laureus World Sportsman and Sportswoman of the Year Awards on Monday following their success at the 2012 London Olympic Games. The team of the year award went to Europe’s Ryder Cup team after their stunning victory over the United States at Medinah last September. Bolt, who also won the award in 2009 and 2010, won gold in the 100, 200 and 4x100 metres relay in London to repeat his medal haul from Beijing. He was not there in person to receive the award at Rio’s Theatro Municpal but appeared via a hologram. Wearing a suit and tie and holding the trophy in his hands, Bolt promised to defend his Olympic titles at the 2016 Rio Games. “Definitely I will be here in 2016,” he said. Also nominated for the award was American swimmer Michael Phelps, who won four gold and two silver medals in London to become the most decorated Olympian of all time. Phelps was given a new award for Exceptional Achievement, which he collected at the gala ceremony in the 2016 Olympics host city just hours after participating in a swimming class for children at a Rio slum. “Being able to be given an award from athletes who are icons in their sports, it’s just a tremendous honour,” Phelps said at a news conference. “My life just keeps getting better and better.” Also nominated for the top sportsman award were British Olympic champions Mo Farah and Bradley Wiggins, Formula 1 triple world champion Sebastian Vettel and Barcelona’s Lionel Messi. Great Britain won three prizes with Ennis, Andy Murray and Sebastian Coe. Ennis dominated the Olympic heptathlon and won the gold medal despite carrying the enormous pressure of home hopes at the Olympic stadium, while Murray won the breakthrough award after winning his first grand slam at the US Open as well as Olympic gold and silver medals in London. Coe, the chairman of the Organising Committee of the London Olympic and Paralympic Games and also a Laureus World Sports Academy Member, received the lifetime achievement award. Dominican Republic’s Felix Sanchez received the comeback of the year award after winning the Olympic 400 metres hurdles gold medal in London, eight years after winning it for the first time in Athens.—Reuters

INDIAN WELLS: Australian Open champion Victoria Azarenka struggled to find her rhythm against Kirsten Flipkens in the third round of the BNP Paribas Open on Monday but finished strong to beat the Belgian 3-6 6-3 6-0. After the wayward start, the top seed and defending champion stormed through the final set, breaking her opponent’s serve in the first, third and fifth games before serving out for victory when a Flipkens backhand flew long. “Kirsten showed some incredible tennis and I did not play very well in the beginning,” Azarenka said courtside after improving her record this season to 16-0. “I just couldn’t get into a rhythm. “I wasn’t feeling very well today ... I just wanted to go to sleep instead of playing tennis,” the 23-year-old later told reporters. “I couldn’t breathe, and I was too stupid ... to use a tissue. “But she really played well. I have to give her credit. She came out firing, playing so freely and going for every possible shot there was. I just didn’t adjust well.” Asked how she had managed to rebound from her poor start, Azarenka replied: “I just blew out my nose, started breathing better, calmed down and started to see what I had to do, because before that I was kind of blinded.” The Belarusian is bidding to become the first woman to successfully defend the WTA title at Indian Wells since Martina Navratilova in 1991. Azarenka, who demolished Russian Maria Sharapova 6-2 6-3 in last year’s final, will next face Poland’s Urszula Radwanska, who earlier overcame American Jamie Hampton 6-0 7-6 at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden. Fourth seed Angelique Kerber also advanced, heeding the advice of her coach to come from 1-4 down in the final set to beat Belgian Yanina Wickmayer 6-1 7-6. Told to rely on self-belief while concentrating on the strategy they had mapped out before the match, the German left-hander won five of the next seven games before clinching the tiebreak 7-4 on a hot morning. Kerber, a semi-finalist here last year when she lost to eventual champion Azarenka, will next meet Spaniard Garbine Muguruza Blanco, who swept past Slovakia’s Magdalena Rybarikova 6-4 6-0. “Last time it was very tough so I knew it wasn’t going to be easy today,” said Kerber, who needed three sets to beat Wickmayer in their previous meeting. “At 1-4, my coach came on court and told me to remember the game plan. He said, ‘Just focus on your game, believe in yourself,’ and I did it. I’m just happy to be in the next round.” The German world number six broke Wickmayer three times to breeze

through the opening set in 31 minutes but then lost her way and failed to hold in her next three service games. In all, there were eight breaks of serve in an erratic second set as the Belgian delivered a mix of crunching forehand winners with a series of unforced errors. After Kerber leveled at 6-6, she dominated the tiebreak and sealed victory after one hour 22 minutes with a forehand winner down the line that left Wickmayer stranded at the net. “After my coach spoke to me, I was just playing point by point, and believing in my game,” said Kerber, who was forced to withdraw from a Fed Cup match against France last month due to a back injury. “His advice certainly helped. Before the tournament I was not sure how my back will feel after matches. Now my confidence is of course back and I feel good. I’m looking forward to play tomorrow again.” In other matches, seventh seed Samantha Stosur of Australia overcame China’s Peng Shuai 6-3 3-6 6-2, eighth-seeded Dane Caroline Wozniacki crushed Russian Elena Vesnina 6-2 6-1 and 10th-seeded Russian Nadia Petrova pummeled Germany’s Julia Goerges 6-1 6-2.—Reuters

INDIAN WELLS: Victoria Azarenka of Belarus hits a return to Kirsten Flipkens of Belgium during Day Six of the BNP Paribas Open at Indian Wells Tennis Garden. —AFP

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 13, 2013

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Arsenal seek unlikely escape route in Munich

MALAGA: Porto’s players take part in a training session at Rosaleda stadium on the eve of the UEFA Champions League football match against Malaga. —AFP

Medieval video fires up Malaga for Porto clash MADRID: Malaga have used medieval imagery in a promotional video for their Champions League last-16 second leg at home to Porto, seeking inspiration for an historic performance from the Spanish debutantes yesterday. Goalkeeper Willy Caballero carries a shield, defender Jesus Gamez the club colours, and forward Julio Baptista hammers out a Malaga crest in a fiery forge, while the strapline challenges fans: “We are ready. Are you?” The club from the Costa del Sol must overturn a 1-0 scoreline from the first leg in Portugal last month if they are to oust the two-times European champions, and continue their continental adventure into the quarter-finals. “We are at home, in front of our own fans and we have to make the most of it,” Malaga’s Porto-born midfielder Duda told reporters on Monday. “The players, the staff and everyone else knows this is the most important game in Malaga’s history.” It was only five years ago that Malaga were playing in the second division, but promotion in 2008, a takeover by Qatari Sheikh Abdullah Al Thani, and a top-four finish last season have catapulted the club into the big time. However, it has not been a smooth ride. Doubts over the commitment of the new owners have persisted with the sale of top players, while delayed payments to staff and other clubs has earned them a UEFA ban from future European competition for at least a season. Malaga are contesting the ruling and

still lie fourth in La Liga after a 1-1 draw at Valladolid on Saturday. Experienced Argentina defender Martin Demichelis views further Champions League success as vital for the club’s future. “There is a little uncertainty,” he said last week. “A top-four finish and progress in the Champions League should help motivate the owners, who still seem a little isolated from it all. It would be a shame if this did not continue. “In two years we have gone from fighting to avoid relegation, to pursuing important objectives. The people of Malaga don’t want this to be a flash in the pan, and neither do we. For Malaga it is a dream come true.” Coach Manuel Pellegrini has a near full squad available with Baptista, Eliseu and Francisco Portillo all back after injury. Porto responded to a disappointing draw at Sporting with a comfortable 2-0 win over Estoril on Friday, when they scored early goals and then entered into energy-saving mode. “We all have the ambition to win the Champions League,” Porto playmaker Joao Moutinho told the UEFA website. “Anyone who is at this stage has a desire to go as far as possible, but we’re not thinking further than the game against Malaga.” The influential Moutinho, who scored Porto’s first-leg winner, missed Porto’s last two matches with a thigh strain but is set to return for the trip to Malaga. Porto should be at full strength as bulky French centre back Mangala is also expected to recover from a shoulder injury.—Reuters

BERLIN: Arsenal must stage one of the most unlikely Champions League comebacks if they are to advance at the expense of hosts Bayern Munich in their round of 16 second leg clash today. Bayern silenced the Gunners 3-1 in London last month to put themselves in the driving seat for a spot in the quarterfinals for the third time in the last four seasons. Only twice in the Champions League has a team lost the home leg of a knockout round match and survived by winning the away leg. Ajax Amsterdam did it in 1995-96 against Panathinaikos and Inter Milan did it in the last 16 in 2010-11 — coincidentally against Bayern. The Germans won 1-0 in Milan in the first leg, before losing 3-2 at home and going out on the away goals rule. Arsenal though have two goals to make up and must overcome the psychological disadvantage of having been completely outplayed by Bayern in north London-something coach Arsene Wenger was at pains to point out before the squad left for Germany. “We’re chasing the game in a very difficult environment against a team that has no doubts at all,” he said. “Our mentality is to go there, not resigned, but ambitious and provoke things, not go there and think ‘we will not qualify anyway’. “No, not at all. We will go to Munich and have to go there and give ourselves a chance to qualify with everybody believing we can do it.” Arsenal are likely to be without defender Bacary Sagna who is nursing a longterm leg injur y though Germans Per Mertesacker and former Bayern player Lukas Podolski would love nothing more than a victory back in their homeland. “We have to behave on the football pitch like a team who wants to do it. That will be the task in the preparation. How will we go into the game tactically? I haven’t decided yet. It will be with an ambitious plan, that is for sure.” “There have been a few wins by Arsenal in the Champions League that we are all very proud of. We just have to convince ourselves that we can do it in Munich as well,” he said. “ Yes, the chance is small, but the chance makes the impossible possible.

Solskjaer sees Giggs as future United manager OSLO: Ryan Giggs has the potential to manage Manchester United when Alex Ferguson eventually calls it a day, according to his former team mate Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. Solskjaer, who helped United win a treble of the Champions League, Premier League and FA Cup in 1999, has already made his mark in management with Norwegian side Molde and believes the Welshman will do the same when he hangs up his boots. “Giggsy is going to play another year (but) I’d say he’s got his eyes and ears open more to what the manager is doing,” Solskjaer told Reuters at an event to launch Norway’s Tippeliagen season this week. “He’s looking at that (United) job for himself, Giggsy. He’s got top potential.” Midfielder Giggs, who is still producing top performances in some of United’s biggest games at the age of 39 and has just made his 1,000th professional appearance, has signed a deal to play until the end of next season. He has taken his coaching qualifications to prepare him for his next career move whenever that might be. With 71-year-old Ferguson giving

no clue as to when he might be tempted into retirement, it could be quite some time before anyone else sits in the Old Trafford hot seat that Solskjaer himself would love to occupy. “I’ve said it before that my dream is to manage Man United - that’s tongue in cheek really, because it’s a massive job, it’s the biggest job in the world,” the Norwegian said. “But you have to dream big - if you don’t dream big you won’t make it, so let’s just wait and see what happens.” Solskjaer, arguably Norway’s most successful player, spent 11 years at United and earned an everlasting place in fans’ hearts when he scored the last-minute winner against Bayern Munich to secure their memorable 2-1 victory in the 1999 Champions League final. He continued playing for United until 2007 when he retired after failing to recover from a serious knee injury, then honed his skills as coach of United’s reserve team. It is the winning mentality he brought from Old Trafford that Solskjaer believes has helped him change Molde from also-

Ryan Giggs

rans into champions. “ The mentality has changed. I brought coaches from Man United over with me and we coach them in the same philosophy as I was coached when I played there,” said Solskjaer, who has led Molde to two league titles in two years since returning home. “I’ve come back to a club I knew well from before. It’s a club that’s always had loads of talented players, but it’s always been regarded as a ‘nearly’ club. Seven second positions, loads of bronze finishes, a couple of cup winners’ medals. “I think it’s the belief in themselvesthe belief we show them, that we trust them, that helped a lot here,” added the one -time “baby-faced assassin” as Ferguson dubbed the youthful-looking goalscorer who is now 40. As a manager, Solskjaer has yet to taste the same success in the Champions League that he enjoyed as a player but he hopes that might change. “The Champions League is the best place to play football, for any footballer, any coach. For me to manage there would be a great test,” he said. Molde went out 2-1 on aggregate in the third qualifying round for this season’s competition against FC Basel of Switzerland. Only two Norwegian clubs have reached the Group Stage of Europe’s elite club competition - Rosenborg Trondheim 12 times and Molde once in 1999-2000 when they were grouped with Real Madrid, Porto and Olympiakos and lost five of their six matches. Although he was linked to a move to English Premier League club Aston Villa last year, Solskjaer said he was aiming to stay in Norway for now. “You have to win the league every year to be regarded as the best team in Norway, and we want to be regarded as the best team in Norway,” said the man who made his name as a player at Molde before moving to Old Trafford in 1996. “ To qualify for the Champions League would be so massive financially for the club. We don’t have a budget near the top clubs in Norway, but we’ll do our best in July to qualify.” Solskjaer’s side start their domestic title defence away to Viking Stavanger on March 15 but whether their manager is still at the helm when the season ends on Nov. 11 remains to be seen. “The kids love it, growing up in Norway,” Solskjaer said. “But then again if an opportunity comes along, you never know.”—Reuters

MUNICH: Arsenal’s head coach French Arsene Wenger leaves after a press conference ahead of the UEFA Champions League round of 16 second leg football match against Bayern Munich. —AFP

That would be a great credit for our team if we do it. We have to try to achieve it.” The Bavarians, on the other hand, are enjoying a sparkling season and despite three key absences, should advance to the quar ter-finals and a step closer to a Wembley final. “At the moment everything seems to work per fec tly,” said Bayern keeper Manuel Neuer after his team twice came from a goal down to beat For tuna Dusseldor f 3-2 on Saturday and go 20 points clear at the top of the Bundesliga. “ We showed courage to come back twice and that speaks volumes of our team spirit and our desire to win every game,” he said.Wary of last season’s implosion when they ended up with no title at all, club CEO Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, however, warned of becoming complacent. “The Champions League does not forgive any mistakes,” Rummenigge told reporters. “We are enjoying great respect in Europe but we are still only in the round of 16. It is still a long road ahead of us.” Bayern, who have reached the final twice in the last three seasons, will be without injured winger Franck Ribery, enjoying his best season yet at Bayern. He

will join suspended defender Jerome Boateng and holding midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger on the sidelines. Arjen Robben is set to replace Ribery, something the Dutchman has done once already with success this season, scoring the only goal as they eliminated Borussia Dortmund from the German Cup late last month. Brazilian Luiz Gustavo will come in for S chweinsteiger while Daniel van Buyten is expected to start instead of Boateng in the central defence.—Reuters

Matches on TV (Local Timings) UEFA Champions League

Malaga v Porto Aljazeera Sport +5 Aljazeera Sport 2 HD

22:45

Bayern v Arsenal Aljazeera Sport 1 HD Aljazeera Sport +4

22:45

Bolt, Ennis win top Laureus awards

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 13, 2013

Arsenal seek unlikely escape route in Munich

Bangladesh earn first draw against Sri Lanka

Page 17

SPAIN: Barcelona’s Argentinian forward Lionel Messi (left) scores past AC Milan’s French defender Philippe Mexes (second right) during the UEFA Champions League round of 16 second leg football match. — AFP

Messi dazzles in CL thriller BARCELONA: Lionel Messi produced an inspired performance as Barcelona progressed to the quarter-finals of the Champions League yesterday, beating AC Milan 4-0 to overturn a 2-0 firstleg defeat. Messi’s form had been questioned by some after Barcelona were knocked out of the Copa del Rey by Real Madrid and looked demoralised in going down to Milan at the San Siro, but the criticism seemed to spur him on as he tore the Italians apart from the start. He scored at the beginning and end of the first half, while David Villa hit a special goal for himself 10 minutes in the second period after a long run of bad luck with injury and form. That put the Catalans ahead in the tie for the first time, before Jordi Alba netted in injury-time

to seal a 4-2 aggregate win and a place in Friday’s quarter-ﬁnal draw. On a personal level, Messi’s brace saw him reach yet another landmark in an incredible career. He now has 58 Champions League goals, two more than Ruud van Nistelrooy, and his target now is Raul’s all-time best of 71. Before the game, it was a question of which out-of-form strikers would play with Messi in attack, and in the end Pedro Rodriguez was chosen along with Villa. At the back, captain Carles Puyol, who was carrying a slight knock, was not risked and so Javier Mascherano started alongside Gerard Pique. Even with a two-goal advantage from the ﬁrst leg, Milan knew they would be in for a tough night but they would have hoped to withstand

the Barca pressure for longer than they did. The home side surged forward from the start and Milan could do nothing when Messi exchanged passes with Xavi Hernandez before stroking a beautiful finish into the top corner from the edge of the area after six minutes. The tempo was considerably quicker from Barca than in recent matches but they had to be wary of Milan on the counter attack. The visitors were without an important player in Giampaolo Pazzini, who suffered an injury in Milan’s 2-0 win over Genoa at the weekend, as well as the cuptied Mario Balotelli, but they still had quality in attack. Stephan El Shaarawy gave the hosts a warning with a scuffed shot in front of goal which was dealt with by goalkeeper Victor Valdes as Barca’s assistant coach Jordi Roura, on

the touchline, urged his team to calm down. Milan were not comfortable at the back and Christian Abbiati could only palm an Andres Iniesta shot onto the crossbar. Messi was quickest to the rebound but, from a tight angle, headed into the side netting. Abbiati then denied Xavi but, as the half progressed, Milan succeeded in taking the steam out of the game. The near-95,000 crowd could see Barca’s Champions League hopes fading in the 38th minute when last-man Mascherano, stretching, could only head the ball to M’Baye Niang. The youngster bore down on goal, only to see his shot rebound oﬀ the far post to safety. Seconds later, Iniesta fed Messi, who ﬁred in Barcelona’s second through the legs of Philippe

Galatasaray knock out Schalke 3-2 GERMANY: Galatasaray reached the quarterfinals of the Champions League for the first time since 2001 yesterday as a last-minute goal from Turkey forward Umut Bulut sealed a 3-2 win at Schalke 04. With the German defence at full stretch and time almost up, Bulut provided the killer blow with the 95th-minute second-leg winner which put the Turkish league leaders through 4-3 on aggregate over the two legs of the last 16 tie. Galatasaray go into Friday’s draw for the last eight, while Schalke failed in their bid to join Bundesliga rivals Borussia Dortmund in the quarter-finals. After midfielder Roman Neustaedter gave Schalke an early lead, goals by Galatasaray’s Hamit Altintop and Burak Yilmaz put the visitors ahead, then Brazil’s Michel Bastos levelled for the hosts, before Bulut settled matters. The first leg in Istanbul had ended 1-1 after Yilmaz’s first-half goal had been cancelled out by Schalke midfielder Jermaine Jones, who was suspended for the return leg. With some 10,000 Galatasaray fans among the 54,142 strong crowd, in part due to Gelsenkirchen’s strong Turkish community, the first-half was a breath taking affair as control slipped from the hosts grip and into that of the Turkish side. Schalke went ahead on 17 minutes when Jefferson Farfan’s corner caused mayhem in the Turkish defence. Schalke captain Benedikt Hoewedes had his header blocked, but the ball fell to Neustaedter, who fired past goalkeeper Fernando Muslera. The advantage lasted just 20 minutes as Galatasaray started exerting their authority with

Mexes from 20 yards. The Argentine maintained the same drive after the break, ﬁring a volley over the crossbar and tormenting the Italian defence. But it was the turn of Villa, who had had a quiet night, to get the third as he controlled a Xavi pass and slotted home clinically. Barca sat back on their lead and, perhaps because of their patchy recent results, got more and more anxious knowing a goal for Milan would still send the Italians through. Alba made a crucial block to deny substitute Robinho, before the left-back ﬁnally eased the tension when he got the fourth goal two minutes into stoppage time. Alexis Sanchez played in the Spanish international, who kept his cool to knock the ball in. — AFP

Six teens and a dad in court over Dutch linesman killing

GERMANY: Galatasaray’s Ivorian forward Didier Drogba and Schalke’s Japanese defender Atsuto Uchida vie for the ball during the UEFA Champions League football match. — AFP striker Didier Drogba threatening before a chal- for Neustaedter, who appeared to be struggling lenge from Marco Hoeger left him limping heav- before the break. ily. Galatasaray got back on level terms when a The Royal Blues took the game by the scruff short free-kick caught the hosts cold. of the neck with Finland striker Teemu Pukki, in Former Schalke midfielder Altintop took the for injured Dutch star Klaas-Jan Huntelaar, going ball well outside the area, but planted an close, while midfielder Julian Draxler, 19, also unstoppable shot which clipped the post as it tested Muslera. Schalke equalised when flew in, just out of reach of Royal Blues goal- Muslera’s save fell to Japan right-back Atsuto keeper Timo Hildebrand. Uchida who slid a pass out to Bastos, who fired The Turkish league leaders went 3-2 ahead home from close range to give his team a lifeon aggregate from an innocuous situation when line. left-back Albert Riera slid in to dispossess Both sides had their chances to settle the Hoeger in the Schalke half. matter as Pukki, with the ball as his feet, forced The ball flew over the home defence and into Muslera into a great save, as did Bastos, while at the path of Yilmaz, who bolted into the loose the other end Hildebrand was called into action ball, held off Hoewedes and lobbed Hildebrand to deny Nordin Amrabat. But when Schalke were to put Galatasaray ahead on 42 minutes. caught out by a late counter-attack, it was Bulut Schalke coach Jens Keller was forced into a who rounded Hildebrand to knock the hosts change at the break as Christian Fuchs came on out. — AFP

LELYSTAD: Six teenagers and one of their fathers appeared before a Dutch court on Monday to face charges over the killing of a football linesman last year, in a case that shocked the football-mad country. At a pre-trial hearing, with limited access for the media at the Lelystad courthouse, northeast of Amsterdam, the teenagers and a 51-year-old man whose 16-year-old son was with him in the dock, were all charged with the death of Richard Nieuwenhuizen on December 3. Nieuwenhuizen, 41, died a day after allegedly being kicked several times in the head during an attack by enraged young opposition footballers shortly after the final whistle of an amateur game. Judges rejected a defence request for the suspects to be freed pending the start of the trial at the end of May, saying the allegations were serious enough to warrant their continued detention, Dutch news agency ANP reported. The court agreed however to allow a defence expert witness on the cause of Nieuwenhuizen’s death following the December 2 assault. Seven youths and a man, identified only as El-Hasan D., were subsequently arrested and charged. The youths and El-Hasan are all charged with homicide, public violence and brutality. Six youths, aged between 16 and 17, as well as El-Hasan remained in custody while a seventh teenager, aged 15, is free but faces similar charges. All eight are connected to, or are members of, the Nieuw Sloten football club, which played against Nieuwenhuizen’s Buitenboys Club in Almere, just west of Amsterdam, when the attack occurred. Nieuwenhuizen officiated as a linesman

in the under-17 match in which his own son also played and was set upon shortly after the final whistle by members of the Nieuw Sloten club. He was allegedly kicked several times in the head but got up and went home. He became ill a few hours later and died the following day in hospital with his family at his side. The linesman’s death horrified the Netherlands where 1.2 million people out of a population of 16.5 million are members of the national football federation KNVB. It prompted deep soul-searching in a country with an often fanatical football culture. “ The incident caused huge social upheaval because it happened on a football field where sports are normally played and lots of children are present,” Jetty Bult of the public prosecutor’s office told AFP. “People do come to harm in fights, but this specifically happened on the football field,” she said. A few days after the attack, thousands of people turned out for a silent march in Almere to pay final tributes to Nieuwenhuizen, with the KNVB calling off all amateur matches that weekend. Around the country signs were put up including at the Buitenboys Club which read in Dutch: “Zonder respect geen voetbal” “Without respect, no football”. Teams at the Club World Cup in Japan held a moment of silence in Nieuwenhuizen’s memory before the tournament kicked off. The accused are to go on trial at the end of May, but it is not yet known whether the trial will be open to the public as the accused are minors. Should the teens be found guilty, they could face between one and two years behind bars in a special facility for children. — AFP

Business

WB sees ‘lasting damage’ to Palestinian economy Page 22 US lawmakers plan rival budgets Page 24

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 13, 2013

Consumer confidence levels in Kuwait 2nd highest in ME

Gulf must avoid pre-crisis economic models: Banks Page 25 Page 23

JALALABAD: Afghan laborers work at a marble stone factory on the outskirts of Jalalabad yesterday. Afghanistan is having trouble keeping hard-earned development gains due to looming security challenges when NATO military forces withdraw in 2014, an internal World Bank audit said.—AFP

Euro-zone crisis not over: Weidmann Bundesbank sharply increases risk provisions FRANKFURT: The euro-zone crisis is not over, France is slipping on reforms and the Bundesbank has set aside billions in new provisions for what it sees as risky European Central Bank moves, Germany’s central bank said yesterday. Presenting Bundesbank 2012 results that showed a sharp increase in its risk provisions, the German central bank’s chief, Jens Weidmann, urged governments to tackle the roots of their troubles with reforms. Weidmann, a member of the ECB’s Governing Council, opposed the bank ’s yet-to-be -used bond-buy plan agreed last September and believes euro zone governments must shape up their economies to exit the crisis rather than looking to the ECB for help. “The crisis is not over despite the recent calm on financial markets,” Weidmann told a news conference. There was uncertainty about the reform course in Italy and Cyprus, he said, adding: “The reform course in France seems to have floundered”. The ECB’s other German policymaker, Joerg Asmussen, late last month urged

France to take “concrete and measurable” steps to bring down its budget deficit, telling Reuters Paris faced a test of its credibility. The Bundesbank is concerned about risks the ECB has taken on to help banks through the crisis, for example by accepting lower-rated assets in return for cash, exposing it to larger losses if a bank fails to repay. The Bundesbank said it increased its risk buffers by 6.7 billion euros to 14.4 billion euros. Germany, Europe’s economic powerhouse expanded robustly during the first two years of the euro-zone crisis but growth slowed last year and the economy shrank 0.6 percent in the fourth quarter. Most economists still see the country escaping a recession, defined as two consecutive quarters of contraction, by growing weakly in the first quar ter before regaining momentum. German growth is crucial to underpinning the euro -zone economy. “ The German economy is structurally in good shape,” he said, though confidence had been hit by the euro zone debt crisis, which

Emirates sells $1bn amortizing sukuk DUBAI: Emirates airline, Dubai’s flagship carrier, launched a $1 billion amortising Islamic bond yesterday at the tighter end of pricing guidance, suggesting healthy demand for the deal. The 10-year sukuk, maturing 2023, carries a weighted average life of five years and launched at a spread of 300 basis points over five year midswaps, arranging banks said. The deal launched at the tighter end of profit rate guidance released earlier and lead managers had said in an update that order books were oversubscribed, including strong anchor orders from regional investors. Demand could have been spurred by the guidance which investors considered to be generous. The issue was already trading up in grey, or unofficial, trading, market sources said. Emirates tapped global debt markets in January for a $750 million amortising bond, which received a muted response due to weak market sentiment at the time. The 4.5 percent 2025 paper was bid just below par at 99.8 cents on the dollar yesterday to yield about 4.5 percent, according to Thomson Reuters data. Given that the new amortiser has a two-year shorter duration, bankers had expected it to price tighter than the conventional paper. Citigroup, Standard Char tered, Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank, Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank, Dubai Islamic Bank and ENBD Capital are mandated lead managers for the sukuk.— Reuters

posed the biggest risk to a recovery. “Only some of the confidence lost as a result of crisis has been recovered so far,” Weidmann said in a statement accompanying his news conference. He nonetheless expected growth to strengthen as the year progresses, assuming there are no further shocks to confidence. The German economy was still in good shape, Weidmann added. Germans’ concerns about inflation should be taken seriously, he said, but there was no reason to stir up fears of inflation. “In the short term, we in the euro area have, if anything, declining inflation risks,” Weidmann said, adding that in the medium-term it was important to leave no doubt about the ‘stability orientation’ of ECB monetary policy. The ECB discussed cutting interest rates last week, but decided to keep them on hold, citing positive economic survey indicators, which in turn suggest it is ready to keep rates at 0.75 percent barring the economy taking another turn for the worse. —Reuters

Saudi market dips, KSE extends gain MIDEAST STOCK MARKETS

FRANKFURT: President of the German Central Bank Jens Weidmann arrives for the annual press conference at the headquarters of the German Central Bank in Frankfurt yesterday.—AP

Wall Street slips after 7-day rally NEW YORK: US stocks sagged yesterday as investors paused after a seven-session string of gains and the Bundesbank’s chief warned the euro zone’s crisis has not ended. On Wall Street, investors’ confidence has grown in recent months, leading to a gain of more than 10 percent for the year by the Dow and nearly 9 percent by the S&P 500. Signs of improvement in the economy and the Federal Reserve’s quantitative easing have helped to drive the advance. Heading into yesterday, both the Dow and benchmark S&P 500 index had rallied for seven consecutive sessions, with the Dow closing at another record high on Monday. The S&P is within reach of its all-time closing high of 1,565.15, set on Oct 9, 2007.“It’s natural to have pauses,” said John Fox, comanager of the FAM Value Fund in Cobleskill, New York. Adding to the weakness, Jens Weidmann, head of Germany’s cen-

tral bank and a member of the European Central Bank’s governing council, said the euro zone crisis was not over. Pullbacks during the rally so far this year have not been too deep as investors look for a good place to buy. Market moves have also been more muted in recent days, even as stocks have ground higher. “ The individual days are not huge ... but certainly if you string a few of them together, it’s a nice increase in stock prices,” said Fox. Tech shares, which have lagged the rally, pulled indexes lower as heavyweights such as Apple and Google tumbled. Apple dropped 1.7 percent to $430.57 and Google fell 1.2 percent to $824.87, while the S&P tech sector lost 0.8 percent. Offsetting the decline, the healthcare sector rose 0.3 percent. Traditionally considered a defensive bet, the sector has been one of the leaders of the rally so far this year, accelerating by nearly 12 per-

cent. In the short-term, however, healthcare appears to be overbought, suggesting investors may start to put their money elsewhere. Based on the relative strength index, healthcare has been overbought since the beginning of the month. The Dow Jones industrial average slipped 14.16 points, or 0.10 percent, to 14,433.13. The Standard & Poor’s 500 Index fell 5.53 points, or 0.36 percent, to 1,550.69. The Nasdaq Composite Index lost 18.66 points, or 0.57 percent, to 3,234.22. Merck shares gained 2.8 percent to $44.89 to help curb declines on both the Dow and S&P after the pharmaceutical company said an outside board had allowed it to continue a trial assessing its Vytorin cholesterol treatment. Yum Brands Inc rose 2.1 percent to $69.25 after the parent company of the KFC restaurant chain reported an unexpected rise in February sales in China. — Reuters

DUBAI: Saudi Arabia’s bourse made its largest one-day decline in two weeks yesterday as some investors reduced their market exposure ahead of the first quarter earnings in early April, while most other regional markets gained. “People are trying to speculate on results - this is creating uncertainty,” said Abdullah Alawi, assistant general manager and head of research at Aljazira Capital. Alawi added that analysts are biased towards companies that will benefit from local consumer spending, with retail, cement, telecom and real estate sectors all seen performing better than industrial stocks. The kingdom’s bourse lost 0.6 percent in its largest daily decline since Feb. 26, but it continues to trade in a tight range seen since mid-January. Banks led declines with Riyad Bank and Saudi Investment Bank losing 3 and 3.9 percent respectively. The petrochemical sector also declined, with Saudi Kayan Petrochemical losing 1.3 percent. In Qatar, Barwa Real Estate tumbled 7.7 percent to a near fouryear low after the developer’s annual profit slumped. The developer’s 2012 profit fell 17 percent. “A drop in profit is causing a lot of pressure - earnings per share (EPS) are down to 3.01 riyals now, which is also a big decline,” said Yassir Mckee, wealth manager at Al Rayan Financial Brokerage Co. The company’s EPS was 3.64 in the previous year, he says. Selling pressure on Barwa has been exacerbated by government plans to list $12 billion worth of assets under Doha Global Investment Company, which will pay a guaranteed a 5 percent dividend for the first year. That is prompting investors to cut their holdings in companies currently offering a lower yield, Mckee added. Mazaya Qatar Real Estate Development fell 5.9 percent after reaching its ex-dividend date. Doha’s benchmark slipped 0.4 percent, trimming 2013 gains to 1.8 percent. The market has given back most of its early-year gains as investors cut positions after companies paid out dividends. Elsewhere, UAE markets extended gains with Dubai’s index rising 0.5 percent, up for a fourth session, and Abu Dhabi’s benchmark up 0.4 percent, its third straight gain. In Oman, the bourse climbed 0.8 percent to a 21month high, as gains on global markets further buoyed a positive sentiment in the economy. Banks led gains, with National Bank of Oman and Bank Sohar rising 1.4 and 1.7 percent respectively. The Dow Jones index is trading at a record high and the Standard & Poor’s 500 benchmark is back at pre-crisis levels and near the record high hit in October 2007. “The current rally will continue as long as global sentiment is strong - the growth in the local economy will support,” said Adel Nasr, United Securities’ brokerage manager. “If Q1 results are good, we can see the rally continue till year-end.” Oman’s economy is forecast to grow 4.4 percent in 2013, according to a Reuters poll conducted in January.Kuwait’s bourse extends gains, with the index advancing 0.7 percent to its highest close since February 2011.— Reuters

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 13, 2013

BUSINESS

WB sees ‘lasting damage’ to Palestinian economy Israeli curbs, fiscal crisis threaten growth JERUSALEM: Israeli restrictions and closures coupled with the worsening fiscal situation of the Palestinian Authority is causing “lasting damage” to the competitiveness of the Palestinian economy, the World Bank warned yesterday. In a report issued ahead of a meeting of global donors in Brussels on March 19, the World Bank explored the long-term damage to the economy as a result of the worsening financial crisis facing the Ramallah-based government and the absence of peace talks, which have been stalled since late September 2010. And it warned that the fiscal stress “could worsen in 2013.” “While urgent attention to the short-term financing shortfalls is essential, it is important to recognize that the continued existence of a system of closures and restrictions is creating lasting damage to economic competitiveness in the Palestinian Territories,” the report concluded. “The longer the current, restrictive situation persists, the more costly and timeconsuming it will be to restore the productive capacity of the Palestinian economy.” The Palestinian Authority welcomed the report, saying the only way to avert the threat to the economy would be to secure “an end to Israel’s occupation.” “Israel’s continued military occupation, its system of restrictions and con-

trols, the settlement regime and full control over Area C is an assault on Palestinian national rights to statehood and economic potential,” spokeswoman Nur Odeh said in a statement. She said the current crisis sparked by Israel’s withholding of tax monies it collects on behalf of the PA had already had “devastating short and long term effects” and that the crisis meant Palestinian state-building achievements were under threat. “At the core, the only durable and real solution is an end to Israel’s occupation.” Following robust GDP growth in recent years, economic activity significantly slowed in 2012, the World Bank found. “This slowdown reflects in part the absence of further easing of Israeli restrictions, the withdrawal of fiscal stimulus due to a persistent shortfall in donor aid, and uncertainty created by the PA’s fiscal challenges,” it said. The study showed the economy was in danger of losing its capacity to compete in a global market, with its ability to export goods and services having “substantially deteriorated” since the late 1990s. A key aspect has been the decline of both the agriculture and manufacturing sectors with the share of exports in the Palestinian economy dropping from around 10 percent in 1996 to around seven percent in 2011 — one of the lowest figures in the

world. Since the mid 1990s, the manufacturing sector has largely stagnated and over the same period, the productivity of the agricultural sector has roughly halved meaning the economy relies largely on food imports to meet its own needs. A high level of unemployment is also having a negative impact on the long-term competitiveness of the economy, the report’s authors say. “With low labor force participation and high rates and duration of unemployment, many Palestinians of working age do not have the opportunity to develop on-the-job skills,” the report’s authors wrote. The quality of infrastructure in key sectors like water and transport is deteriorating and causing damage to the future viability of the economy, with the impact most severe in Gaza where “significant resources are required” to bring it up to a desirable level. It suggested $870 million was needed for Gaza’s water and wastewater sector, $430 million for municipal services, $200 million for the electricity sector and $1 billion for the road sector. “Continued financial support by the donor community and reform efforts by the PA are therefore essential to manage the financing shortfalls of today,” the authors wrote, while stressing the need of real private sector-led growth. —AFP

Gulf Bank’s Chairman resigns Selection of new chairman on March 16 KUWAIT: Gulf Bank yesterday announced that its Chairman, Mahmoud Al-Nouri, will leave office during the next meeting of the Board, following his doctors’ advice. Al-Nouri stated that he is proud of serving Gulf Bank over the past period, which witnessed rapid changes in the banking sector. “I have decided - after much thought, to resign from my office as Member and Chairman of the Board of Directors.” he said. “The past four years have been very fruitful, however, it took great effort and time, and I now look forward to focusing on my health, and want to dedicate more time to my family, in addition to continuing my responsibilities as a Board Member of other institutions,” Al-Nouri added. “My experience with Gulf Bank’s team has been wonderful. I am proud of the achievements we realized together, especially the strong operating performance, and powerful balance sheet. I wish the Bank further suc-

cess in the future in coping with the notable growth it will attain as one of the most appreciated and reputable Kuwaiti institutions.” he concluded. Gulf Bank’s CEO, Michel Accad, said: “On behalf of the Bank’s Executive Management, I would like to express our profound thanks and appreciation to Mahmoud AlNouri for his support to us, and for his leadership of the Bank over the past years. Gulf Bank has been privileged with the opportunity of benefiting from his broad knowledge of the banking sector. We wish him a healthy and successful future.” It should be noted that Gulf Bank’s Board of Directors will officially ratify the application of resignation tendered by Mahmoud Al-Nouri and will elect a new Chairman during the next Board of Directors’ meeting, which will be held on Saturday, 16 March, after the Bank’s Annual General Meeting. Gulf Bank’s Articles of Association stipulate that the Chairman should be elected among its present Members.

Syria back on oil trading map as deliveries boom LONDON: Syria is back on the oil trading map this year with more than a dozen shipments of gasoil reaching a government-controlled port in February, ending months of isolation as foreign sellers and officials say it is not their job to monitor private deals. The sales are worth over $100 million at current prices and are the clearest sign yet that oil dealers’ reluctance to supply the war-ravaged country is waning. While it is legal to supply Syria with refined products such as gasoil, which can be used to run vehicles and heavy machinery, selling the fuel to the state’s oil trading and distribution firms is prohibited by sanctions. This is because the fuel, while it could be for peaceful purposes such as farming vehicles, can also be used by the army. As a result, sanctions cut off the Syrian government from its usual suppliers in early 2012 and for much of the year, Syria’s only supplier of gasoil by sea was its main political ally, Iran. That said, foreign firms are free to sell to non-state dealers, and in January senior Syrian officials said Syria had started to allow private firms to import fuel. But even before this announcement was made, late last year the first vessels had already started to arrive from Georgia on the Black Sea and Lebanon in the Mediterranean. Firms that deliver to Syria say the buyers are not on the sanctions list, but won’t say who in Syria is buying their fuel. As the war has raged on, costing more than 70,000 lives, imports have risen sharply, and Syria received at least 17 shipments of gasoil and heating fuel (LPG) last month. The pace of imports appears set to continue, with eight vessels already docking at Syrian terminal Banias in March. The deliveries are now roughly split between Turkey and Lebanon, with only one appearing to arrive last month from Kulevi in Georgia, which had exported several cargoes to Syria in January. The firms transporting the fuel to Syria from its neighbours say deliveries are legal and see no problem with it. “Our lawyers have conducted a careful due diligence that has confirmed the legitimacy of the transport service and nei-

ther cargoes nor entities are under US, UK or EU sanctions,” said Paolo Cagnoni, who heads Mediterranea di Navigazione SpA, a family-run Italian tanker firm that delivers to Syria. An EU spokesman said enforcing sanctions was the responsibility of member states and risks of circumvention were regularly assessed. “The EU is vigilant on effective implementation of measures,” said Michael Mann, a spokesman for the EU foreign policy chief. Concern that shipments may be used to fuel military vehicles engaged against the Syrian rebels is dismissed by agents because they say their cargoes’ final use is unknown and in any case not the responsibility of intermediaries. “Who told you the gasoil goes to one side of the war or another, and not a school for heating for example?” said an employee of Evalend Shipping, a Greek firm, who did not give his name. “Do you think shipping companies that transport cargoes all over the world know what the ultimate use is?” he said, adding that a lot of assumptions would have to be made before the deliveries could be linked to the Syrian military. He said the firm was only acting as an agent and following the instructions of the vessel owners. Reuters could not find contact details for the owners of the vessels in question, which appeared to be entities registered in the Marshall Islands, according to shiptracking information. At a national level, governments that either support the rebels or have opted to maintain a neutral position say policing private firms is not their responsibility. Lebanon, for instance, is staying out of the war but will not interfere with the actions of private firms that may be providing support to Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad. The director general of Lebanese oil installations, Sarkis Halis, told Reuters: “We as a state do not send fuel oil to Syria. There are companies from the private sector who send diesel oil to Syria.” Turkey openly supports the rebels, but also says it is not responsible for the actions of private firms in Turkey, adding that volumes delivered were small and used to relieve human suffering. —Reuters

KARACHI: A Pakistani stockbroker monitors share prices during a trading session at the Karachi Stock Exchange (KSE) in Karachi yesterday. The benchmark KSE-100 Index finished the day at 17872.85, with increase a 350.29 points at the end of the day. —AFP

Gulf states buy stake in Virgin Mobile’s ME unit DUBAI: Gulf Investment Corp (GIC) will invest $50 million in Virgin Mobile’s Middle East operation, a sign that the region may be ready to open up to more competition as the company looks to expand into new markets. Richard Branson’s Virgin Group and GIC will be the joint largest shareholders in Virgin Mobile Middle East & Africa ( VMMEA), which holds mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) licences in Oman, Jordan and South Africa. GIC is wholly and equally owned by the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries - Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, Oman, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates. So far, however, only Saudi and Oman are open to MVNOs, which lease excess capacity from conventional telecoms operators, usually in return for a percentage of their revenue. “We expect at least one new launch in 2013 and we have pretty interesting pipeline for 2014 as well,” VMMEA Chief Executive Mikkel Vinter said. VMMEA is among the bidders for three MVNO licences up for grabs in Saudi Arabia. The kingdom has set a bid

deadline of May 4 and will announce the winners 12 weeks later. “We are putting a lot of resources behind it,” Vinter said. “Part of this new funding will be allocated to Saudi.” Such virtual networks are widespread in Europe, but regulators in the Gulf have been reluctant to open their markets to increased competition because most of the 15 mobile operators are ultimately government-controlled and are often a key source of state revenue. “Timing can be debated and there are country-specific considerations, but a few years down the road we expect all GCC markets to have MVNOs and for it to spread further out into the Middle East and Africa,” Vinter said. VMMEA was created in June 2012 when Virgin Group and Friendi Group combined their regional businesses. It has a little more than a million customers, but Vinter says that it aims to raise this to 10 million within five years. The company operates under the Friendi brand in Oman and Jordan, while Virgin Mobile is used in South Africa. Though GIC and Virgin will hold an equal share in the company, Vinter declined to reveal the size of their stakes. —Reuters

Omani Riyal Qatari Riyal Saudi Riyal

Guinea Franc Hong Kong Dollar Indian Rupee Indonesian Rupiah Jamaican Dollars Japanese Yen Kenyan Shilling Malaysian Ringgit Nepalese Rupee Pakistan Rupee Philippine Peso Sierra Leone Singapore Dollar Sri Lankan Rupee Thai Baht

EXCHANGE RATES Commercial Bank of Kuwait US Dollar/KD GB Pound/KD Euro Swiss francs Canadian Dollar Australian DLR Indian rupees Sri Lanka Rupee UAE dirhams Bahraini dinars Jordanian dinar Saudi riyals Omani riyals Egyptian pounds US Dollar/KD GB Pound/KD Euro Swiss francs Canadian dollars Danish Kroner Swedish Kroner Australian dlr Hong Kong dlr Singapore dlr Japanese yen Indian Rs/KD Sri Lanka rupee Pakistan rupee Bangladesh taka UAE dirhams Bahraini dinars Jordanian dinar Saudi Riyal/KD Omani riyals Philippine Peso

.2770000 .4200000 .3670000 .2970000 .2740000 .2890000 .0040000 .0020000 .0770830 .7510010 .3920000 .0720000 .7362240 .0420000 CUSTOMER TRANSFER RATES .2839500 .4228730 .3698590 .2991310 .2765660 .0495930 .0443760 .2919570 .0366080 .2276700 .0029420 .0000000 .0000000 .0000000 .0000000 .0773390 .7534830 .0000000 .0757400 .7378200 .0000000

Al-Muzaini Exchange Co. Japanese Yen Indian Rupees Pakistani Rupees Srilankan Rupees Nepali Rupees Singapore Dollar Hongkong Dollar Bangladesh Taka Philippine Peso

ASIAN COUNTRIES 2.955 5.252 2.911 2.257 3.278 229.200 36.791 3.603 7.024

.2880000 .4380000 .3800000 .3130000 .2880000 .2990000 .0068000 .0035000 .0778580 .7585480 .4100000 .0770000 .7436230 .0480000 .2860500 .426000 .3725940 .3013430 .2786110 .0499600 .0447040 .2941170 .0368790 .2293540 .0029640 .0053020 .0022750 .0029330 .0036470 .0779110 .7590550 .4045970 .0763000 .7432770 .0070990

Thai Baht Irani Riyal - transfer Irani Riyal - cash

9.644 0.271 0.273

ARAB COUNTRIES Egyptian Pound - Cash 41.700 Egyptian Pound - Transfer 41.589 Yemen Riyal/for 1000 1.332 Tunisian Dinar 181.060 Jordanian Dinar 403.120 Lebanese Lira/for 1000 1.915 Syrian Lier 3.101 Morocco Dirham 33.970 EUROPEAN & AMERICAN COUNTRIES US Dollar Transfer 285.350 Euro 372.670 Sterling Pound 426.460 Canadian dollar 278.800 Swiss Franc 301.640 US Dollar Buying 284.150 GOLD 298.000 150.000 77.500

20 Gram 10 Gram 5 Gram

SELL DRAFT 297.42 281.88 305.13 374.30 284.75 427.62 3.03 3.635 5.247 2.261 3.289 2.914 77.59 758.18 41.48 405.66

Rate for Transfer US Dollar Canadian Dollar Sterling Pound Euro Swiss Frank Bahrain Dinar UAE Dirhams Qatari Riyals Saudi Riyals Jordanian Dinar Egyptian Pound Sri Lankan Rupees Indian Rupees Pakistani Rupees Bangladesh Taka Philippines Pesso Cyprus pound Japanese Yen Thai Bhat Syrian Pound Nepalese Rupees Malaysian Ringgit

Selling Rate 285.100 281.120 427.550 371.835 300.835 754.810 77.600 78.255 75.990 401.895 41.605 2.256 5.256 2.910 3.617 7.014 699.365 3.950 9.670 4.030 3.380 91.658

Bahrain Exchange Company COUNTRY

UAE Exchange Centre WLL COUNTRY Australian Dollar Canadian Dollar Swiss Franc Euro US Dollar Sterling Pound Japanese Yen Bangladesh Taka Indian Rupee Sri Lankan Rupee Nepali Rupee Pakistani Rupee UAE Dirhams Bahraini Dinar Egyptian Pound Jordanian Dinar

738.000 78.500 76.500

Dollarco Exchange Co. Ltd

GCC COUNTRIES 76.124 78.436 741.600 758.200 77.731

Saudi Riyal Qatari Riyal Omani Riyal Bahraini Dinar UAE Dirham

741.08 78.63 76.13

SELL CASH 295.000 280.000 305.000 372.600 285.500 429.000 3.300 3.740 5.350 2.480 3.420 2.880 78.000 756.000 41.600 410.000

British Pound Czech Korune Danish Krone Euro Norwegian Krone Scottish Pound Swedish Krona Swiss Franc Australian Dollar New Zealand Dollar Uganda Shilling Canadian Dollar Colombian Peso US Dollars Bangladesh Taka Cape Vrde Escudo Chinese Yuan Eritrea-Nakfa

SELL CASH Europe 0.4181248 0.0061617 0.0457640 0.3658990 0.0457640 0.4191285 0.0405462 0.2955808 Australasia 0.2831895 0.224056 0.0001095 America 0.2709785 0.0001485 0.2830000 Asia 0.0035723 0.0031633 0.0448005 0.0164767

SELLDRAFT 0.4271248 0.0181617 0.0507640 0.3667529 0.0509640 0.4266285 0.0455462 0.3025808 0.2951895 0.2374056 0.0001095 0.2799785 0.0001665 0.2851500 0.0036273 0.0033933 0.0498005 0.0195767

Bahraini Dinar Egyptian Pound Ethiopeanbirr Ghanaian Cedi Iranian Riyal Iraqi Dinar Jordanian Dinar Kuwaiti Dinar Lebanese Pound Moroccan Dirhams Nigerian Naira Omani Riyal Qatar Riyal Saudi Riyal Sudanese Pounds Syrian Pound Tunisian Dinar UAE Dirhams Yemeni Riyal

0.0000443 0.0342172 0.0051899 0.0000244 0.0028488 0.0028728 0.0032521 0.0880229 0.0031339 0.0028835 0.0065697 0.0000728 0.2244510 0.0019564 0.0092338 Arab 0.7499397 0.0395699 0.0130154 0.1484326 0.0000793 0.0001806 0.3966167 1.0000000 0.0001749 0.0218728 0.0012120 0.7296388 0.0776683 0.0755067 0.0500805 0.0031818 0.1794680 0.0762085 0.0012864

0.0000503 0.0373172 0.0052599 0.0000296 0.0038488 0.0030528 0.0034821 0.0950229 0.0033339 0.0029235 0.0070397 0.0000758 0.2304510 0.0022614 0.0098328 0.7584397 0.0415999 0.0195154 0.1502226 0.0000798 0.0002406 0.4041167 1.0000000 0.0001949 0.0458728 0.0018470 0.7406388 0.0784513 O.0761467 0.0506305 0.0034018 0.1854680 0.0776585 0.0013864

Al Mulla Exchange Currency US Dollar Euro Pound Sterling Canadian Dollar Japanese Yen Indian Rupee Egyptian Pound Sri Lankan Rupee Bangladesh Taka Philippines Peso Pakistan Rupee Bahraini Dinar UAE Dirham Saudi Riyal *Rates are subject to change

Transfer Rate (Per 1000) 284.700 374.050 426.950 279.850 2.980 5.250 41.585 2.257 3.615 7.015 2.910 758.250 77.525 76.050

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 13, 2013

BUSINESS

Hungarian PM pushes for state bank BUDAPEST: Hungary’s go-it-alone prime minister said yesterday there were too many foreign-owned lenders in the country and promised to free companies from billions in euro and Swiss-franc loans. Viktor Orban, a conservative who has angered investors and ignored European Union warnings that he is backsliding on democracy, said his government would set up a system of state-owned banking and called on policymakers to cut interest rates further. In a week when the ruling Fidesz party overhauled the constitution and, via his former economy minister, Orban took control of the central bank, the combative prime minister stepped up rhetoric characterizing Hungary as a country embattled by foreign influences that are keeping it down. He said one step would be to help small firms convert euro-and Swiss franc-denominated debt into forint loans, a move that may force losses on banks but one that Orban said was crucial for Hungary to go its own way. “There is one way to break free: if we break free of foreign currency lending,” he told a business forum. “In my mind it is fundamentally a matter of sovereignty.” Giving no details, Orban also said the government would boost lending by establishing a state-owned banking system based on the network of savings cooperatives that it acquired when it bought a stake in Takarekbank last year. The push for more state influence in the economy is a departure from neo-liberal policies, such as selling banks and other firms into private hands, that most of the EU’s new ex-communist members pursued before joining the bloc last decade. And as the euro zone crisis has exposed the EU’s inability to enforce economic rules among its members, Orban’s actions have underscored the paucity of tools the bloc has to uphold its democratic values. Diplomats and rights groups say the charismatic 49-year-old leader has taken an autocratic tack, eliminating checks and balances and replacing opponents in courts, the central bank, and other institutions and replaced them with loyalists who will carry out his orders without question. Germany used a visit to Berlin by Hungarian President Janos Ader, an ally of Orban, to voice concerns about this week’s vote by parliament in Budapest to change the constitution. “The concerns of Hungary’s European partners and friends, for example over the restricting of the constitutional court’s competencies, must be taken seriously,” a spokesman for German Chancellor Angela Merkel said. Orban’s supporters say the accusations are part of a campaign led by foreign-owned businesses against Fidesz-backed initiatives like taxes on banks and retailers and energy price cuts that have hit utilities’ profits. Orban, a father of five who made his name as a student activist under communism, defended his policies yesterday and said a decision to break ties with the International Monetary Fund last year was to prove that Hungary could act without outside help. “No matter how many enemies we have, we will find our friends and can stand on our own feet,” he said. “The struggle for freedom to act is the most important struggle.” The forint dropped more than a percent following his comments, to 305.7 per euro, before recovering to 304.2. At home, Orban’s tactics have driven away many of the voters who elected his Fidesz party with an overwhelming two thirds parliamentary majority in the 2010 election. Although Fidesz leads opinion polls ahead of an election next year, its popularity is hovering far below its peak at about 25 percent and about half of voters are undecided. Aranka Sagi, a 56-year-old former kindergarten worker, illustrated the frustration among many Hungarians who admire Fidesz but question some of its policies. “Fidesz does its job very well, but they will be under attack. There are many poor people and many unemployed. It has never been this bad in the past 20 years,” she said. “I don’t think that the multinational companies should be blamed. The decisions are up to the Hungarians.” Orban has launched a new campaign attacking his leftist rivals and is now expected to embark on a series of pro-growth measures, including urging the central bank to cut interest rates. He has said last week’s naming of Gyorgy Matolcsy - a close ally and the architect of economic policies that have spurned outside help and led to criticism from investors - to head the central bank would not infringe on its independence. But he called on the bank to cut interest rates so companies can borrow at a lower rate than the typical 8-10 percent yesterday. Analysts said that and the push to reduce foreign currency loans were a clear signal that rates would come down and the government was trying to push the forint currency weaker, which could make exports more competitive and boost growth. “The message is clear: they want a weaker forint,” said Daniel Bebesy from Budapest Fund Management. “The risk is that the gains we have from boosting exports will be less than the higher cost of financing our foreign currency debt.” — Reuters

LOS ANGELES: The US Bank Tower building, second from right is seen in this photo as the sun rises over downtown Los Angeles. The US Bank Tower, the tallest building in California, is being sold to investors in Singapore for $367 million. — AP

Richard Banks addresses the Euromoney Conference in Kuwait.

Finance Minister Mustafa Al-Shamali and Richard Banks

Gulf must avoid pre-crisis economic models: Banks ‘Kuwait must pursue a sustainable, non-oil based growth path’ By Sajeev K Peter

remain and must be addressed.

KUWAIT: Kuwait must not only change its financial model, but also build legislative, administrative and social capacity to manage this change, said Richard Banks, Director, Emerging Markets, Euromoney Conferences, taking a critical look at the sustainability of the public finance model in the country. Talking to Kuwait Times in an interview, Banks spoke at length about the current economic situation in Kuwait in the context of fast-changing geopolitical developments in the region and across the globe. Ruling out the danger of a bubble economy taking shape anywhere in the region soon, Banks, however, cautioned against returning to pre-crisis economic models, particularly in Dubai. “There are still issues which have yet to be resolved - in Kuwait as well. Some of the investment companies have yet to sort out their balance-sheets,” Banks pointed out. Excerpts: KT: How do you look at the current economic situation in Kuwait in the context of the still unfolding Arab Spring turbulence? What are the possible implications on the domestic economy? Banks: I believe that the risk premium stemming from the Arab Spring has decreased recently. Nations in the GCC have seen the negative social and economic impacts that disorderly transition brings. It is less likely that they will follow such a route. However, the pressures for reform

Business climate KT: Kuwait has taken some crucial steps in recent years to improve its business environment, most important being the approval of the new Companies Law. Do you think the new law will help encourage more FDI inflow into the country and bolster the private sector growth? Banks: In theory, yes. But it is not a sufficient condition to return Kuwait to a healthy non-oil-based growth path. The slow pace of development over the past decade has eroded the capacity of publicsector administrators. This capacity must be rebuilt and the regulators empowered. That will not happen quickly. There is still more to do. KT: Do you see a more stable business environment in Kuwait after the elections in Kuwait? What are the impediments that hold up economic growth in the country? Banks: The business environment is certainly more attractive than before the election. It is not however attractive enough. Private sector businesses must feel that there is a will to get things done - rather than review decisions that have already been made. Change necessitates decisions. Decisions often result in losers and winners. Politicians don’t like that. But this can be managed. KT: Do you see the danger of a bubble economy anywhere in the region? Banks: No. We do see, with some incredulity, a return to pre-crisis economic

models. Particularly in Dubai. There are still issues which have yet to be resolved-in Kuwait as well. Some of the investment companies have yet to sort out their balance-sheets. They will continue as zombies until they do so. This will provide a cap to asset bubbles for some time yet. Euromoney conference KT: The fifth Euromoney Kuwait Conference titled, “Financial Sustainability, Regulatory Capacity - the Challenge of Change” will take place in Kuwait City on April 8, 2013. What will be the thrust areas of the Conference this year? Banks: We’re looking at the sustainability of the public finance model in Kuwait. We’ll argue that it isn’t but should be sustainable. Even if oil prices remain high (which they will) this is the time to put the economy on a sounder footing for future generations. Fix the roof while the sun is shining. In order to do this, Kuwait must not only change its financial model but also build legislative, administrative and social capacity to manage this change. How this can be done and over what time-frame are our key questions. KT: What are prospects of the oil market both in the near and long-term? Banks: We do not see major shifts in the oil markets. Non-conventional sources of hydrocarbons (fracking, oil sands and the like) are expensive. So whilst supply constraints may ease globally, the cost of the resources will be set at a higher level and underpin global prices. Demand should

continue on trend. KT: The ongoing global economic crisis, especially, euro-zone crisis, continues to affect the regional economy. What will be the possible fallout of the crisis on Kuwait and regional economy? Banks: The crisis seems to be moving towards some form of conclusion. The crisis, but not the underlying problems. Structural issues will continue to dominate European policy-making for many years to come. But we believe that the downside risk of a severe market dislocation have diminished. That’s good for markets generally and by association good for the region. It won’t be enough, however, to push Kuwait into rapid growth. That requires domestic reforms. KT: Talk of a potential currency war continues to unnerve the global markets? What is your considered view? Banks: It’s happening. But it will be a cold, not a hot, war. We don’t see radical shifts in the relative value of currencies in 2013. Richard Banks is Director, Emerging Markets, Euromoney Conferences. Banks manages the Euromoney Conferences’ business in the MENA region. He is also the editorial director for Euromoney Conferences in the region and in other emerging markets. He is responsible for setting conference agendas and working directly with Euromoney’s group of high-level government and private sector speakers, moderating many of the conference sessions personally.

Oil rises towards $111, dollar lures investors LONDON: Oil climbed towards $111 a barrel yesterday, reversing losses earlier in the day as a slightly weaker dollar lured investors. Crude was pressured in earlier trade by the prospect of slower demand growth in China and the United States, the world’s biggest oil consumers. Brent crude was up 55 cents at $110.77 by 1330 GMT, after slipping to $109.55 earlier. US oil was up 95 cents at $93.01. “Cold weather and a slightly weaker dollar sparked off some technical buying by the funds who had been liquidating their positions,” Christopher Bellew of Jefferies Bache in London said. A weaker greenback can boost dollardenominated commodities such as oil. Oil also has enjoyed some support from a strong US equity market this week. Despite the gains, market watchers expected oil to trade in a tight range. “We still see rangebound macro-driven trading for Brent this

week, with the market holding near early March lows,” said Andrey Kryuchenkov, an analyst at VTB Capital. A gloomier outlook on demand helped weigh on prices. The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries said world oil demand growth could fall short of 2013 forecasts due to economic weakness and that US supply would hit its highest in three decades. Stockpiles of crude in top oil burner, the United States, are forecast to have risen for an eighth straight week. A preliminary Reuters poll of six analysts showed US crude inventories rising 2.4 million barrels in the week to March 8. All six analysts forecast a build in crude stocks. The survey was taken ahead of weekly inventory reports from industry group the American Petroleum Institute (API) and the Energy Information Administration (EIA). — Reuters

South Sudan says can resume oil output within three weeks ADDIS ABABA/JUBA: South Sudan will be able to resume oil production within three weeks and export no more than a week after that, the oil minister said yesterday, after the country reached deals on border security with Sudan on Friday. Landlocked South Sudan, which seceded from Sudan in July 2011, closed off its 350,000 barrel-per-day output in January last year in a dispute with Khartoum over how much it should pay to send the oil through Sudanese pipelines to the Red Sea.Both countries depend heavily on oil for the foreign currency they need to import food and fuel, but disputes over the border and other issues left over from partition have prevented them resuming exports. Sudan’s chief negotiator, Idris Mohammed Abdel Gadir, signed a deal with his South Sudanese counterpart Pagan Amum in the early hours of yesterday setting out a timeline for the resumption of oil exports after four days of African Union-brokered talks in Addis Ababa. Former South African president Thabo Mbeki, who has been mediating between the two sides, told reporters they had agreed to order oil companies to restart production within two weeks of “D-Day”, given as Sunday, March 10. A copy of the implementation timeline obtained by Reuters confirmed the date. “Resumption of production shall take place as soon as technically feasible,” it said. Speaking to reporters after returning

from Addis Ababa, South Sudan’s Petroleum and Mining Minister Stephen Dhieu Dau said there were few technical barriers to resuming oil output. “We assume that we will resume as soon as possible,” he said, adding it would not take more than three weeks to be able to resume output and no more than 28 days for it to reach the export terminal in Port Sudan. The two former civil war enemies agreed at the talks in the Ethiopian capital on Friday to order the withdrawal of their troops from a demilitarised border zone within a week to ease tensions and open the way to resuming oil exports. South Sudan’s president has already given that order, an army spokesman said on Monday. The timetable said the redeployment of forces from the border zone should be complete by April 5, and that the two countries should set up a joint committee by March 17 for demarcating the boundary. However, it did not set a date for determining the final status of Abyei, a disputed territory that has been a perennial source of tension between the two sides. An administration and council for the area would be set up by March 17, it said. Interior ministers from both countries also planned to meet on March 17 to discuss ways of opening up border crossings and easing the movement of citizens between the two countries, Sudan’s state news agency SUNA reported. — Reuters

A British soldier watching burning oil wells in southern Iraq on March 20. —AFP

OPEC sees oil demand downside risk in 2013 LONDON: World oil demand growth could fall short of forecasts in 2013 due to economic weakness and US supply will hit its highest in three decades, OPEC said yesterday, curbing the need for oil from the 12member producer group. The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries in a monthly report left its forecast for growth in global oil consumption unchanged for now, still expecting an expansion of 840,000 barrels per day (bpd) this year. “However, there are a number of downward risks to this growth,” the report from OPEC’s Vienna headquarters said. “The euro’s instability could lead to even deeper recession in some Mediterranean countries. “And the potential impact of a full budget cut in the United States could drag down the world economy, consequently reducing oil demand.” OPEC, the source of more than a third of the world’s oil, expects the US economy to expand by 1.7 percent in 2013, down from the 1.8 percent previously thought. Growth in the euro-zone is now seen contracting by 0.2 percent, having earlier been expected to expand slightly. “ While the US economy continues

recovering, it is mainly the sustained uncertainty about the budgetary negotiations in Congress that are holding back the momentum to continue at its full potential,” OPEC said. “The euro-zone seems to continue to be significantly entangled in its sovereign debt crisis.” OPEC in the report also trimmed forecast demand for its own crude in 2013 by 70,000 bpd due to rising supply from outside the 12-member group. The non-OPEC supply growth will again be driven by the United States, which is enjoying a shale energy boom. OPEC expects US oil supply to rise by 580,000 bpd to 10.59 million bpd in 2013, which it said would be the highest since 1985. OPEC’s own production rose by 74,000 bpd in February to 30.31 million bpd, according to secondary sources cited by the report, led by higher output in Iraq and Saudi Arabia. The report from OPEC is the first of this month’s trio of major oil outlooks to emerge. The US government’s Energy Information Administration is scheduled to publish its estimates later yesterday. The International Energy Agency, adviser to 28 industrialised countries, issues its report today. —Reuters

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 13, 2013

BUSINESS

US lawmakers plan rival budgets Obama charm offensive to reach consensus WASHINGTON: President Barack Obama’s Democrats will unveil their first budget in four years this week in the US Senate as House Republicans put forward their own blueprint, but the two are unlikely to be reconciled. Congress, aiming to ultimately craft a broad plan that can help reduce the swollen $16 trillion national debt, appears to be embracing its traditional role of setting forth federal spending

requirements. And Obama, in his apparent eagerness to cut a long-term deal this year, heads to Capitol Hill three days in a row this week to draw lawmakers closer to agreement. But when the budget chiefs in the House and Senate roll out their plans for fiscal year 2014, the partisan documents will serve to highlight political differences between the two parties over tax and spending policy.

House Budget Committee chairman Paul Ryan yesterday will unveil a blueprint that contains no new tax revenue and demands massive spending cuts, as well as major changes to cherished entitlements like Medicare and Medicaid, in a bid to balance the budget within a decade. White House spokesman Jay Carney appeared to acknowledge that balancing the budget is out of reach for the foreseeable future.

Asked Monday how long it would take for such an achievement, he said the goal of the Democratic plan would be to “put our economy on a fiscally sustainable path.” Ryan’s ambitious goal of eliminating annual deficits has been made easier by the 10-year, $1.2 trillion in automatic spending cuts, known as the sequester, that kicked in this month, as well as the Obama-backed tax increase on wealthy Americans passed at the beginning of the year. And Ryan, last year’s Republican vice presidential nominee, has revived his party’s assault on Obama’s landmark health care law despite it being upheld last year by the US Supreme Court. “Our budget does promote repealing ‘Obamacare’ and replacing it with a better system,” Ryan told Fox News on Sunday. He also appeared to set up a potential clash within his own party, when he said he wants to halt Obama’s planned expansion of Medicaid, the health safety net for the poor and disabled, even as some Republican governors have come on board with the program. In an opinion piece published late Monday in the Wall Street Journal, Ryan wrote that under the proposal to be unveiled Tuesday the government would “spend no more than it collects in revenueor 19.1 percent of gross domestic product each year.” This, he added, would mean $4.6 trillion less spending over the next decade. Among the steps to be taken to get there include approving the Keystone XL pipeline and repealing Obama’s healthcare law, as well as “giving states flexibility so they can tailor programs like Medicaid and

food stamps to their people’s needs.” Democratic Senate Budget Committee chair Patty Murray, meanwhile, lays out her blueprint on Wednesday, proposing less severe domestic cuts and closing tax loopholes that favor the wealthy. Chris Van Hollen, the House Budget Committee’s top Democrat, slammed Ryan’s budget as catering to the rich at the expense of seniors who could be hit with higher costs if entitlement changes take effect. “The big difference is, Republicans continue to take the position that they won’t close one special interest tax break, not one, for the purpose of reducing the deficit,” Van Hollen told MSNBC. Lawmakers have been embroiled in a fiscal battle since December, when Congress relented to Obama’s wishes and raised taxes on the wealthy. But they failed to negotiate a solution on the sequester, including some $85 billion in spending cuts due in 2013. The House and Senate are negotiating a stop-gap government funding measure, and pressure to avoid a shutdown and find alternatives to the arbitrary spending cuts may overshadow debate over the 10-year budget resolutions. Obama, who said at the weekend he believes “compromise is possible,” will take his case directly to Capitol when he sits down with Senate Democrats yesterday and Senate Republicans a day later. On Thursday he meets separately with Democra ts and Repu blica ns in the House. —AFP

MUMBAI: The State Bank of India’s Mumbai head office is seen yesterday. India’s largest state-run bank has received 1.7 million applications for just 1,500 entry-level clerk jobs and has promised to examine all of them, a report said yesterday. —AFP

New Congo Republic bank seeks to develop market BRAZZAVILLE, Congo: The Republic of Congo has established a Postal Bank with the aim of reaching a wider part of the population of 3.6 million in a country where only about five percent of inhabitants have bank accounts. According to Postal Bank (BPC) director general Calixte Tobangoli, the new bank has a capital of 10 billion CFA francs (15.2 million euros/$19.8 million). The state holds 80 percent of the shares and the post and savings company Sopeco holds the rest. “The BPC targets workers, craftsmen, retail traders, farmers and cooperatives,” Tobangoli told AFP, adding that at present, the 14,000 staff inherited from a defunct state bank “are mainly civil servants”. With the staff come the premises of the former Centre for Postal Cheques (CCP). The new bank has branches in big urban centres such as the capital Brazzaville, the Atlantic oil port of PointeNoire, Dolisie, Nkayi and the main towns in the country’s administrative regions. “We envisage expanding across the national territory in the near future by using the postal network. That will enable us efficiently to meet the demands of people with small incomes, in backward parts of the country,” Tobangoli said. “The Congolese prefer to hang on to their money rather than put it in a bank,” Olivier Kikouama, a 56-year-old private bank accountant, told AFP. “In the past, banks have made them lose their meagre savings by going bankrupt,” he noted. At present there are scarcely 10 banks operating in Congo, and according to the Banking Commission of Central Africa (COBAC), which regulates the sector, “only

seven of these banks respected all the security norms laid down in 2012”. “There are banks that sometimes don’t respect regulations in this matter and take enormous risks,” sector expert Philippe Missie commented. “Moreover, this explains the bankruptcies that led to the closure of several state-run establishments at the end of the 1990s. But in addition to that, you need to add the failure to repay loans sometimes in the millions - that were granted to clients,” he added. For his part, Tobangoli said that “the environment and the framework for the banking profession did not make it possible to work in peace. Much interference in the daily management of financial institutions considerably affected their results”. Furthermore, major inadequacies had been noted “in the implementation of legal decisions”, he added, while welcoming reforms made in the banking sector during the past 10 years that were evident in the privatization of the banks that “survived”. A pan-African bank, Ecobank, has steadily been increasing its network, while French and Moroccan companies are also active in the Congo. France has shares in the International Commercial Bank (BCI), which is part of the Banque Populaire group, and which has brought its expertise to the Congolese Mutuals of Savings and Loans (MUCODEC), where at least 250,000 civil servants have placed their savings. Morocco has shares in the Credit of Congo (Credit du Congo) via Atijariwafa and La Congolaise de banques (LCB) by way of the Moroccan Bank for Foreign Trade. — AFP

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 13, 2013

BUSINESS

Consumer confidence levels in Kuwait 2nd highest in ME Male respondents more optimistic: MasterCard Index

Spain deficit jumps to 1.2% MADRID: Spain’s central government deficit hit 1.20 percent of economic output in January, almost a third as big as the fiscal gap for all of 2012 and highlighting Madrid’s struggle to show nervous markets it can get a grip on its finances. The figures, posted on the Treasury Ministry web site late on Monday, show the central government had a budget shortfall of 12.7 billion euros ($16.5 billion) in January compared with 40.3 billion euros for the whole of 2012. The higher January figure was partly due to a 112 percent jump in corporate tax rebates, according to figures from the Spanish tax office. That item had fallen sharply in December, helping to lower the 2012 deficit but adding to pressure on what looks like being a difficult 2013. Tax rebates to individuals also jumped in January, up 176.3 percent year on year compared to a fall of 53.9 percent in December. The central government deficit, which does not include the accounts for Spain’s 17 autonomous regions or the social security system, was 0.89 percent in January 2012. It was 3.84 percent of GDP in the whole of 2012, beating a target of 4.5 percent. Spain is under intense market pressure to show investors it can deflate one of the highest public deficits in the euro zone, and has introduced a range of unpopular tax hikes and spending cuts. It would not be correct to come to conclusions regarding the full-year 2013 deficit figure based on the January data because tax income and costs are unevenly distributed through the year, a treasury spokesman said. The central government’s lower-thanexpected shortfall last year helped the Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy announce an overall public deficit of 6.7 percent of GDP for 2012, only marginally higher than a target agreed with the European Commission. Since the deficit reduction was on the right path, Rajoy has said the government will not need to pass austerity measures this year and can instead concentrate on structural reforms to stimulate growth in an economy deep in recession. “What worries me is that it gives the feeling that we don’t need to make any more adjustments, and we do, especially in social security,” said Jose Carlos Diez, economist at Madrid-based brokerage Intermoney. The social security system registered a deficit of almost 1 percent of GDP last year due to higher pension and unemployment benefit payments compared to an original target of a balanced budget. “It’s absurd, because (the government) is trying to negotiate the stability program and are going to have to go to Brussels with these first quarter figures, which are going to be very bad,” Diez said. — Reuters

KUWAIT: MasterCard has revealed the results of the latest MasterCard Index of Consumer Confidence, which indicates that Consumer Confidence in Kuwait is at its highest since 2010, with an “extremely optimistic” score of 95.8. Consumers in Kuwait are optimistic in their overall consumer confidence score, and are more positive about all five indicators measured in the Index when compared to the previous edition of the Index released 6 months ago. Consumers are most optimistic about Regular Income (98.8 vs. 96.2 in the previous Index), followed by Quality of Life (96.6 vs. 91.3), Economy (95.7 vs. 88.3), Employment (93.9 vs. 88.8) and Stock Market (93.8 vs. 59.0). The latest findings indicate that male respondents in Kuwait are slightly more optimistic about the coming six months than female respondents (95.9 vs. 95.7), and that consumers under the age of 30 years (97.9) are more optimistic than older respondents (95.1). “Consumer confidence in Kuwait has remained consistently high for the past few years, and the latest results show that consumers are even more optimistic in their outlook for the coming months, with their

score increasing from 84.7 in the previous survey to 95.8 in the latest one. Consumer optimism is highest for Regular Income and Quality of Life, highlighting Kuwait’s economic stability and high standard of living,” said Safdar Khan, market manager, Qatar, Oman and Kuwait, MasterCard. Across the Middle East, the consumer confidence level remains very optimistic at

NASHUA: Shoppers push their carts at the Costco store in Nashua, NH. Costco’s fiscal second-quarter net income climbed 39 percent as it pulled in more money from membership fees, sales improved and it recorded a large tax benefit. The wholesale club operator earned $547 million, or $1.24 per share, for the period ended Feb 17. — AP

In the Middle East, consumer confidence remains the highest in Qatar, with a score of 96.5. Qatar is followed by Kuwait (95.8), Oman (95.6), Saudi Arabia (95.2) the UAE (91.4), Egypt (66.6) and Lebanon (26.8). The Middle East’s aggregate score of 81.1 remains higher than that of Asia/Pacific (59.7) and Africa (69.6), as was the case in the previous survey.

India factory output picks up, mild recovery hinted NEW DELHI: India’s industrial output grew by a surprise 2.4 percent in January, data showed yesterday, suggesting that Asia’s third-largest economy may be on track for a modest recovery. The increase in January output at India’s factories, mines and utilities was more than double analyst expectations of a one-percent increase, after production shrank for two straight months. “We are on a recovery path, but that recovery will be very slow. There will be no sharp uptick,” Siddhartha Sanyal, Barclays Capital’s chief India economist, told AFP, a view echoed by other economists. Any upturn would be welcomed by the Congress-led government which faces voters in polls next year and on whose watch India’s once-booming economy has slowed to five percent in the year to March 2013, the weakest in a decade. But the stronger output data was clouded by other figures showing a spike in consumer price inflation that raised doubts about chances of an interest rate cut at a central bank meeting next week to spur the flagging economy. Annual consumer price inflation-one of a clutch of price indicators watched by the bank-jumped to 10.91 percent in February, up a fifth of a percentage point from a month earlier. “That inflation number is very worrying for bank policymakers who are still concerned about inflation risks,” Yes Bank chief economist Shubhada Rao told AFP. She stuck by her forecast of a quarterpoint rate cut but added the decision would be a “very close call”-though analysts said they expected general economic weakness to override the bank’s price concerns. “Economic activity has remained

weak much longer than official expectations, which will trigger additional rate cuts,” said Jyoti Narasimhan, economist at IHS Global Insight. Yesterday’s industrial output figures included a 2.7-percent jump in manufacturing, which accounts for three-quarters of the Index of Industrial Production. Production of consumer goods rose 2.8 percent. The big question, economists said, was whether the rise in industrial production would be sustainable and the answer was a cautious yes. While data showed Monday that car sales in India’s oncebooming passenger market plunged nearly 26 percent in February-the biggest dive in 12 years-analysts said overall domestic demand should start to improve. They expected interest rate cuts and improved consumer confidence from a blitz of government financial reforms to starting feeding through to the economy. Analysts also pointed to a rise in exports for a second straight month in February, helped by stronger global demand, and government assertions that the decline in overseas sales has been arrested. India’s weakening rupee should allow the country to grab greater export market share and boost industrial production further, they added. Credit Suisse economist Robert Prior-Wandesforde said he expected industrial output to average 5.8 percent growth in the next financial year, up from around 1.5 percent this year. “Manufacturing may have begun to turn around early in 2013, in line with the rest of the economy,” said Glenn Levine, senior economist at Moody’s Analytics. “We still think the December quarter was the bottom of the economic cycle.” — AFP

DIB sets official guidance on perpetual bond LONDON: Dubai Islamic Bank has set official price guidance of 6.5% plus or minus 12.5bp on its upcoming perpetual bond issue, one of the lead managers said. Official terms for the non-call six sukuk Tier 1 hybrid came tight to initial price talk of 7% area, with order books in excess of $10bn. European books will go subject at 1500 GMT, followed by US offshore books at 1700 EDT. Asia and Middle East books will go subject on Wednesday at 10am respective times. The bond is expected to launch and price today during London hours. DIB, the largest Sharia-compliant bank in the UAE by assets, has mandated itself, along with Emirates NBD, HSBC, National Bank of Abu Dhabi and Standard Chartered on the transaction. — Reuters

an average score of 81.1, with encouraging scores for all five indicators. When compared to the previous edition of the Index released 6 months ago, consumers are most optimistic about Regular Income (85.1 vs. 89.8), Employment (80.8 vs. 85.5), Economy (80.0 vs. 84.4), Stock Market (79.9 vs. 74.9) and Quality of Life (79.9 vs. 82.9).

MUMBAI: Indian pedestrians walk past the State Bank of India’s Mumbai head office yesterday. India’s largest state-run bank has received 1.7 million applications for just 1,500 entry-level clerk jobs and has promised to examine all of them, a report said yesterday. —AFP

Indian bank receives 1.7m applications for 1,500 jobs MUMBAI: India’s largest state-run bank has received 1.7 million applications for just 1,500 entry-level clerk jobs-and has promised to examine all of them, a report said yesterday. State Bank of India chairman Pratip Chaudhuri attributed the huge interest to good marketing and attractive employment terms, with the number of applications underlining the appeal of “jobs for life” in the Indian public sector. “This time, we had given the advertisement a good profile, highlighting the position of SBI and describing the compensation package in detail, which attracted a lot of attention,” Chaudhuri told The Times of India. For positions in Mumbai, the bank offered a starting package of 69,000 rupees (1,270 dollars) a month for the “probationary officers” including a housing allowance-an attractive perk in the expensive local real estate market. Job opportunities in the Indian private sector have fallen in the last 18 months as economic growth has dropped to its lowest level in a decade due to declining business

confidence and high interest rates. The government forecasts that India’s once-booming economy will grow by just 5.0 percent in the current financial year to March 31. Last year, it grew by 6.2 percent but even that rate -while enviable by anaemic Western standards-is insufficient to create the jobs India needs for its fastgrowing young population. India’s Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, a former economist, believes that India requires at least eight-percent growth to create enough jobs for its expanding population, with the government keen to promote the industrial sector. Chaudhuri said all 1.7 million applicants-more than 1,100 per position available-would be assessed. “We have conducted such examinations in the past by hiring schools across the country. This time, we may have to do two shifts,” he told the newspaper. Nine out of ten Indians are currently employed in the “informal” sector in jobs that offer no security, few perks and often illegal working conditions, government data shows.— AFP

Drilling for more oil in your fuel tank: Kemp CAIRO: Egyptian motorists line up to buy fuel at a gas station in Cairo. The political and economic crisis in Egypt has affected the imports of fuel making life miserable for motorists who queue sometimes for hours to buy fuel and crippling business that rely on diesel such as bakers and farmers. — AFP

French deficit probably at 3.7% of GDP: Hollande DIJON: French President Francois Hollande publicly renounced yesterday his government’s goal of cutting the public deficit to the EU limit of three percent of output this year, saying that it would probably amount to 3.7 percent. “The public deficit in 2011 reached more than five percent of national wealth, it was 4.5 percent at the end of 2012 and will probably be 3.7 percent in 2013, even if we are trying to make it less,” Hollande acknowledged during a visit to Dijon, central France. Hollande said his government had made an “unprecedented” effort to battle the deficit, adding: “The best economic strategy is to stay on this course and do nothing that could weaken growth.” “Rebalancing accounts is a financial and moral obligation, but it is also an obligation for our sovereignty because France must never be in trouble on the markets,” Hollande said. He noted that France currently has “the lowest interest rates in its history.” The government had already

abandoned its target of reducing the public deficit to 3.0 percent of gross domestic product (GDP) this year, in large part because the economy is now expected to grow by just 0.1 percent in 2013, rather than by 0.8 percent as initially estimated. The European Commission has indicated that it may give France some slack in achieving the deficit target, and the International Monetary Fund has recently warned EU countries that cutting deficits too fast was harming growth. Hollande is targeting a balanced budget in 2017 and he has repeatedly argued for a greater emphasis on growth measures as a means to raise revenues rather than pursuing fiscal discipline as called for by Germany and some other northern euro-zone nations. Hollande is walking a fine line however to avoid giving financial markets the impression that France will abandon efforts to get its finances in order, which would result in higher borrowing rates that would make it still harder to reduce the public deficit. — AFP

LONDON: North America’s shale fields are the most visible symbol of the energy revolution, but they tell less than half the story. An even bigger transformation is taking place in the engines and fuel tanks of cars and trucks across the United States. High oil prices, recession and tougher fuel economy standards have combined to cut 5.5 million barrels per day from projected US oil consumption in 2020, according to an analysis of forecasts published in recent years by the US Energy Information Administration (EIA). In the 2004 edition of its “Annual Energy Outlook” (AEO), EIA projected liquid fuels consumption in the transport sector would hit 37 quadrillion British thermal units (Btu) by 2020, equivalent to about 19.7 million barrels of gasoline per day, up from 27.3 quadrillion Btu in 2004. But that prediction was made when oil prices were averaging just $40 per barrel, before they doubled to an average of almost $100 in 2008, and before the federal government enacted aggressive petroleum reduction measures with the ethanol mandate in 2005 and 2007, and stricter fuel economy standards for road vehicles in 2011 and 2012. In the 2013 AEO, EIA now projects liquid fuels consumption in the transportation will be just 26.4 quadrillion Btu in 2020, equivalent to 14 million barrels of gasoline per day, about 30 percent less than it was predicting in 2004. The recession has played a big part in putting fuel consumption onto a different long-term path, cutting perhaps 2 quadrillion Btu from the baseline, around 1 million barrels per day. But aggressive conservation and substi-

tution measures have pushed consumption onto a new trajectory, and account for more than four-fifths of the prospective reduction in demand by the end of the decade. Between 1950 and 2007, liquid fuels consumption increased at a compound annual rate of about 2.6 percent. EIA’s forecasts include ethanol blended into the fuel supply, so the reduction in demand for conventional liquid fuels derived from oil is even greater than the raw energy consumption numbers imply. Projected fuel savings are bigger than the liquids output of any country, with the exception of Saudi Arabia, Russia, the United States and China. Previous price spikes (1973-4, 1979-81) and recessions (1980-2, 1990-1) all reduced liquid fuels consumption, but none on quite this scale. Previous falls in consumption were also transitory. Demand picked up once prices fell and the economy started growing again. But EIA expects the current reductions to be permanent because many of them are the result of changes enacted into law and regulation, which will prove hard to undo even if oil prices decline. Reduced gasoline and diesel consumption in the US fleet of cars and light trucks is only the largest and most visible aspect of a broader shift away from expensive products refined from crude oil gradually gathering pace worldwide. The United States has more scope to cut its consumption of liquid transport fuels than most of the other advanced economies because it made fewer efficiency gains following the previous oil crises, and allowed them to reverse during the long period of low prices in the 1990s and early 2000s. — Reuters

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 13, 2013

BUSINESS

Canon recognized among top 3 US patent holders

Gulf Express Co (Al-Babtain Group of Co) & Total Lubricants meet cooperatives managers KUWAIT: Total Lubricants Cooperative’s meet in Kuwait was organized by Gulf Express Co. at Hotel Regency on Tuesday 29th Jan 2013.The meeting involved Cooperative Managers from all over the Kuwait. Hasan Ali -Division Manager Total Lubricants welcomed the guests & introduced the delegates. Ghazi Saleh AlBabtain, highlighted the strong relationship between Al-Babtain Group and Total Lubricants France, indicating that the company is keen on providing the support and development required for strengthening its relationship with the local clients; hence achieving more success in Kuwait’s markets. “The strength of this relationship is clearly reflected on the performance level of both companies, where we were able to increase Total Lubricant’s local market sales significantly over the last year. And we promise our clients that we will push our way to become the Middle East’s number one market leader in sales,” he added. In addition, Ghazi Saleh Al-Babtain assured that the coming years will witness more development in the company ’s strategic relationship with their loyal customers, with more success and prosperity waiting ahead. Meanwhile, Shakilur Rahman - Vice President GCC Sales. -Total Marketing Middle East, shed light on the significant successful cooperation with Al-Babtain Group, which excelled their expectations, in addition to receiving the best distributor awards in 2012 for the third consecutive time. He also added that the main element to our continuous success is our client’s

trust in us. TOTAL Lubricants have emerged as a strong retail brand over the last few years and today the presence of such a good audience in Kuwait is a testimony of the good work done in Kuwait and how we won the trust of our valued customers by working closely as a team. Meanwhile, Ahmad ShihadehOperations Manager, Gulf Express Co., stressed that the coming stage will mark an important point in the company’s history with its partners. He stated that Total Lubricants is at no.1 position in Kuwait’s local markets. He expressed his gratitude to the loyal clients, adding that the company will continue to provide support and exceptional & quality services to all its customers. He also informed the customers about the various other products we are dealing with such as Dunlop, Maxxis& Federal tires, GS batteries, NGK spark plug, spare parts & equipment’s. Abdullah Siddiqi - Export Manager & Sachin Singh - Marketing Manager, Total Marketing Middle east, has made a technical presentation regarding the added value of using Total lubricants which was very well received by the customers & Gulf Express Co got a ver y over whelmed response by all. The meeting concluded with a raffle draw for all attendees who won many valuable prizes. Sales employees who proved their outstanding performance throughout the past year were presented Gifts. A dinner reception was presented to honour the attendees, which provided a great opportunity for networking and communication.

DUBAI: Canon Europe, world-leader in imaging solutions, announced that its parent company, Canon Inc, ranked first among Japanese companies and third overall for the number of US patents awarded by IFI CLAIMS Patent Services in 2012. The preliminary results issued showed that Canon Inc. registered 3,174 new patents, surpassing last year’s record of 2,813. Canon Inc. actively promotes the globalization of its business and places great value on obtaining patents overseas. Canon pursues patents in countries and regions while taking into consideration the business strategies, technology and product trends unique to each location. Among these, the United States, with its many high-tech companies and large market scale, represents a particularly important region in terms of business expansion and technology

SHARJAH: The Sharjah Investment and Development Authority (Shurooq) has announced that work on the luxurious 5 star Al Bait hotel in Sharjah, is set to commence. The announcement was made during a press conference on Monday at Bait Al Naboudah in the Heart of Sharjah, the largest tourism and heritage project in the region. The traditional hotel project ties in with the initiative to revive heritage in Sharjah, which was launched by Dr Sheikh Sultan Bin Mohammad AlQasimi, Member of the Supreme Council and Ruler of Sharjah, that aims to protect and restore where possible the remaining historic fabric within the city and the Emirate at large. Of all the redevelopment programs initiated to date, The Heart of Sharjah is the most important. Set for completion in December 2014/ January 2015, the AED 100 million Al Bait hotel project in Sharjah will spread over almost 10,000m≤ and will comprise 54 guest rooms - including standard, deluxe, junior suites and suites - as well as a spa/health club, dining areas (a traditional Arabic tea and coffee house, a traditional Arabic restaurant, and all day diner, and a deli), staff facilities and utility blocks, in addition to Souq Al Arsa, one of the oldest and most important Souqs in the region, among many others. It was revealed that an agreement was signed between the Sharjah Investment and Development Authority (Shurooq) and General Hotel Management Ltd. (GHM) - a firm renowned for conceptualizing, developing and operating an exclusive group of hotels and resorts around the globe - for the management of the hotel. The agreement was signed by Sheikha Bodour bint Sultan Al-Qasimi, Chairperson of the Sharjah Investment and Development Authority (Shurooq) and Hans R Jenni, Director and

Customers will enjoy the best trade in assistance and up to KD 700 when buying a new Chevrolet

featured 2013 Chevrolet vehicle is the all-new TrailBlazer that comes in LT and LTZ trim levels. Available in two and four-wheel-drive configurations, the TrailBlazer is powered by a 3.6-liter V6 engine that generates 239 hp with variable valve timing matched with a 6-speed automatic transmission that delivers an optimal balance of power, performance and fuel efficiency. All these features allow for a smooth and controlled drive in rough terrain without requiring drivers to press the brake pedal. Luxury lovers can benefit from this limited time promotion by choosing the 2013 Chevrolet Cruze, a car that continues to evolve into one of Chevrolet’s most impressive vehicles in its segment, offering competitive amenities, quietness, safety features and space expected of a larger sedan, but still providing the efficiency and value of a compact car. Now available with the new infotainment system ‘MyLink’, the 2013 Cruze offers more value for customers than ever. Chevrolet MyLink is the brandnew and sophisticated infotainment system, which brings smartphone capabilities into the vehicle. Chevrolet MyLink aggregates content from a smartphone onto the seven-inch, high resolution, full color

become a ‘Lifetime Imaging Partner’ and lead the revolution in the imaging industry. We will continue to innovate and add to our diverse technology portfolio, explore new growth opportunities and create leading solution portfolio that help meet addressable gaps in the industry.” Canon is a world-leading innovator and provider of imaging and information technology solutions for individuals and businesses. Canon provides both individual products and complete networked technology solutions for information input, management and output. Its product range is divided between Business Solutions (developing IT products, solutions and services for both the office and professional print environments) and Consumer Imaging (photography, video and digital camera, Laser and Inkjet printers).

Shurooq starts work on 5-star hotel in Sharjah

Chevrolet from Yusuf Ahmed Alghanim & Sons Automotive launches ground shaking offer

hevrolet has set the bar in Kuwait with its ground shaking trade-in promotion that has always been well received. In order to meet customers’ expectations, Yusuf Ahmed Alghanim & Sons Automotive, the exclusive distributor of Chevrolet vehicles in Kuwait, has launched the much-anticipated trade-in promotion during the month of March, 2013. This limited time, special promotion will provide many individuals the opportunity to trade in their used vehicles for the best trade in value as well as up to KD 700 above the initial price of their traded in vehicle once they select one of Chevrolet’s new vehicle. A beloved choice amongst the youth in Kuwait, the high-powered 2013 Silverado proves to be the ultimate answer for any terrain, be it for rough rides in the desert or leisurely outings. Available in two and four-wheeldrive configurations, the 2013 Silverado is powered by a 4.8, 5.3 or 6.0-liter engine that generate 360 hp on all three Silverado models which are the 1500, 2500 and the 3500. The 2013 Silverado comes in regular, extended or crew cab versions, all of which merge smart technology that features an independent air conditioning unit and Stabilitrak. Another

alliances. Canon prizes its corporate DNA of placing a high priority on technology and actively promotes the acquisition of patent rights in relation to its research and development results. Through close cooperation between Canon’s technology and intellectual property divisions, the company aims to improve its technological capabilities while further enhancing its intellectual property rights. Canon has ranked in the top five patent holders for 27 consecutive years. Commenting on the achievement, Anurag Agarwal, Managing Director, Canon Middle East said, “Canon is a brand synonymous with quality, reliability, and innovation. Through our research and development investment we aim to create unique value propositions for our customers across the globe. This recognition is testament to our vision to

touch-screen display. Available at a large range of colors, the Cruze also proves to be the economical luxury 4-wheel drive as it is powered with a 1.8-liter engine that generates an impressive 140 hp. Apart from the ground shaking offer, you will also enjoy excellent customer service, quality maintenance options and competitive prices on spare parts, all of which is provided by a team of professional and skilled team members and technicians. An element that further enhances customers’ peace of mind is Yusuf Ahmed Alghanim & Sons Auto motive’s service center that is distinguished by its continuous and successful efforts in providing the highest quality of services that have set an international standard. The largest in the world, the service center is equipped with a large variety of the most advanced equipment operated by a team of skilled professionals and effective consultants who ensure timely service. If you want to start the year fresh, drive to any Yusuf Ahmed Alghanim & Sons Automotive showroom and choose from one of this year’s brand new Chevrolet models. Hurry as this limited offer is only available during the month of March of 2013.

President of GHM, in the presence of Sheikha Hour bint Sultan Al-Qasimi, President of the Sharjah Art Foundation, HE Sheikha Nawar Al-Qasimi, Marwan bin Jassim Al-Sarkal, Shurooq CEO; and representatives from GHM bearing witness to the ceremony. Shurooq already has an established relationship with the exclusive management group, which dates back to 2011 when an agreement was reached for GHM to manage another Shurooq

development in Khorfakkan, Sharjah, under the group’s prestigious Chedi brand. Commenting on this exciting development, Sheikha Bodour bint Sultan AlQasimi said: “Investing in our heritage by refining what has been bestowed upon us, is one of the main reasons that Shurooq was established. We are pleased and excited to shine the spotlight on our history through this luxurious hotel. As the first of its kind in the

Emirate and the region, Al Bait hotel in Sharjah is expected to be a unique tourism icon, and will undoubtedly draw the attention of tourists and residents alike.” Sheikha Bodour added: “Sharjah offers residents and visitors to the UAE a very different experience to that of the other emirates. Our emphasis has always been about finding that delicate balance between our safeguarding our identity and embracing progress and development. Tourists who come to Sharjah have a multitude of cultural, heritage, art, and leisure options to choose from and, as the Emirate continues to evolve, the depth of possibilities are continuously multiplying. Within this scope, the Heart of Sharjah is being developed to act as the beating heart of the Emirate, a place that will bring visitors from every walk of life together and with its design that seamlessly blends the past and the present, Al Bait hotel will be a showpiece representing what Sharjah is truly about - an emirate that offers its visitors a unique opportunity to experience true Arabian hospitality and traditional heritage in luxury and comfort.” Revealing the project’s details, HE Marwan bin Jassim Al Sarkal, CEO of Sharjah Investment and Development Authority (Shurooq), said, “ The project is implemented in line with the vision and directives of His Highness Dr Sheikh Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Member of the Supreme Council and Ruler of Sharjah, and with the close follow up of HE Sheikha Bodour bint Sultan Al Qasimi, Chairperson of Sharjah Investment and Development Authority (Shurooq), to preserve and restore the heritage and historical sites in the emirate, as well as to revive Sharjah’s traditional character and national identity, and transform it into a premier tourist attraction in the emirate, UAE and the entire region.”

UAE Exchange continues ‘Transact & Win Contest 2013’ in Kuwait KUWAIT: The leading global remittance and foreign exchange brand, UAE Exchange, continue Kuwait Transact & Win contest for its customers in Kuwait. Customers can now send money online through www.uaeexchangekuwait.com and stand the opportunity of winning variety of prizes and receive surprise gifts. The promotion which was launched on 5th February will continue up to 5th May, 2013. Every month customers will get a chance to win prizes including Samsung Galaxy S III and Gulf Air tickets. The mega prize winner gets a chance to fly to Thailand. The monthly draws will be on 3rd April and 5th May, 2013. The mega draw will also be held along with the final draw. “We believe in adding value to our customers. Most of the promotions we conduct have been the reasons for customers’ dreams to turn real. Customers are the sole reason for the existence and success of our business, and their happiness will be our pursuit. We thank them for their support and look forward to the draw,” said Pancily Varkey, Country Head - UAE Exchange Kuwait, on the occasion of the launch of

the promotion. “Gulf Air and UAE Exchange share the same views in adding value for the customers. This is the single driving force which inspires us to come up with innovative promotions which will enable the customers to have an experience of different levels. We look forward to running more such offers which will facilitate frequent flying,” said Ahmed AlMatrook, Gulf Air’s Country Manager, Kuwait. UAE Exchange is well-known for its excellent customer service and widest network among remittance brands with close to 700 branches in 30 countries across five continents serving over 4 million customers. Strong correspondent relationship with over 150 global banks further adds to the might. With 24 branches in Kuwait, customers can walk in to the nearest one to address their multiple financial requirements viz. money transfers, currency exchange, bill payments, salary collection and more, under one roof. More than 8,000 professionals from over 40 nationalities, form a part of team UAE Exchange, and strive to achieve excellence and bring delight to cus-

tomers, worldwide. Its penchant for quality has won UAE Exchange many awards and earned the trust of customers, partners and regulators alike, thus helping it to get the acclaim of the World’s Trusted Money Transferrer. Gulf Air is the proud national carrier of the Kingdom of Bahrain since 1950. As a pioneering airline in the Middle East region with over sixty years of experience and expertise in flying people across continents, Gulf Air is today one of the most powerful brands and a name to reckon with within the global aviation industry. The airline’s current network stretches from Europe to Asia, connecting 46 cities in 28 countries, with a fleet of 38 aircraft. In tune with the Kingdom’s economic blueprint, ‘Vision 2030’, Gulf Air’s strategy is to build an efficient, commercially sustainable and dynamic airline that effectively serves the people and the economy of Bahrain and represents the Kingdom on the world stage. The event for the launch of the new promotion was conducted in the presence of Senior Officials of UAE Exchange, Gulf Air, special invitees and the Media.

CFC begins Saturday shifts at 3 branches KUWAIT: The Commercial Facilities Company (CFC) announces its new Saturday shifts for three of its branches in the main branch in Sharq, Bahr Center in Hawalli and Ajial Mall in Fahaheel to provide the finest services to its customers. The operational timings for the branches are from 9.30 am - 12:30 pm for the morning shift, and 4.30 pm - 7:00 pm for the evening shift. Commenting on this, Zeyad Al Fulaij, Manager of Branches Department, CFC, said, “We at CFC are constantly seeking ways to provide the best service to our customers, throughout the week. Hence the new Saturday shifts for the three branches which coincide with the company’s strategy of speed and flexibility.” He also stated “Customers can complete their transactions as well as avail of the quick financing services to purchase consumer goods including cars, furniture, electrical and marine equipments through installment credit facilities, or benefit from

personal loans to finance other products. Since inception, we are always keen to provide the best technology and most efficient and experienced staff to ensure the simplification of procedures.” CFC, the first leading finance company with strong presence in the market for the past 35

years, has gained a stronger position thanks to its uniqueness in best serving its clients, quick processing of transactions and remarkable convenience.CFC can be reached in Sharq (head office), Hawalli, Al Riggae, Fahaheel and Al Jahra, in addition to all 21 car dealerships.

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 13, 2013

technology

Authors oppose Amazon control of book websites SAN FRANCISCO: Groups representing US authors and publishers called Monday on the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers to deny online retailer Amazon exclusive rights to websites ending with .book, .author, or .read. ICANN is considering nearly two thousand requests for new web address endings, ranging from the general (.shop) to the highly specialized (.motorcycles). Many of the requests are from large companies such as Apple, Mitsubishi and IBM-with Internet giant Google alone applying for more than 100, including .google, .YouTube, and .lol-Internet slang for “laugh out loud.” Seattle-based Amazon.com, maker of Kindle

tablets, has applied for generic top level domains (gTLDs) including .book, .author, and .read. “We strongly object to ICANN’s plans to sell the exclusive top-level domain rights for generic bookindustry terms,” Authors Guild president Scott Turow said in a filed objection. “Placing such generic domains in private hands is plainly anticompetitive, allowing already dominant, well-capitalized companies to expand and entrench their market power,” Turow said. “The potential for abuse seems limitless.” The guild represents more than 8,000 published authors in the United States. In its stated opposition to Amazon getting control of .book, the Association of American Publishers noted the Internet retailer

has expressed its intent to tightly control the domain in pursuit of its business goals. “Granting exclusive control of a closed registry to any one entity, especially a private company interested in exploiting the domain solely for business purposes, does a disservice to ICANN’s broader intents,” AAP general counsel Allan Adler said on the group’s website. The objections came as Google sent word to ICANN that it is revising its applications for .app, .blog, .cloud and .search to domains to indicate Google would make those addresses available for others to use. “We understand that there is particular sensitivity within the Internet community about certain broad terms that serve as industry descriptors,”

Google chief information officer Ben Fried said in comments emailed to ICANN and posted in a forum on the ICANN.org website. “The best user experience for these broad industry terms likely include the opportunity for users to access a variety of service providers.” Google said it still endorsed the plan for “close generic” domain names and called for the ICANN approval process to proceed “unfettered.” California-based ICANN says the huge expansion of the Internet, with some two billion users around the world, half of them in Asia, means new names are essential. There are currently just 22 generic TopLevel Domains, or gTLDs, in use, including .com and .org. — AFP

Z10 set for release in the US on March 22 Redesigned BlackBerry is RIM’s attempt at a comeback

AUSTIN: Megaupload founder Kim Dotcom appears Monday via Skype video link from New Zealand, with journalist Charles Graeber on the stage below him, during the South by Southwest festival.— AFP

Dotcom promises ‘interesting facts’ in legal struggle AUSTIN: Megaupload founder Kim Dotcom said Monday that “interesting facts” will emerge in his ongoing pitched battle against extradition to the United States over copyright infringement. Speaking via Skype video link from New Zealand to the South by Southwest (SXSW ) festival, Dotcom promised “a really cool (cour t) hearing” in April focusing on evidence surrounding the Januar y 2012 raid on his Auck land home. “ There will be interesting facts revealed,” said the flamboyant Germanborn entrepreneur and former teenage hacker whom the US Justice Department accuses of criminal copyright infringement on top of several conspiracy charges. Dotcom reiterated his belief that his case-which shut down the Megaupload file storage site, causing 66.6 million users worldwide to suddenly lose the data they’d uploadedwas politically driven. “Get the popcorn ready,” said Dotcom, 39, appearing like a cheerful ghostly face against a pitchblack background on a giant projection screen, “because you won’t believe what these guys did.” And he predicted ultimate victory in a case that has captivated the online world. “I will never be in a prison in the United States,” he said to applause from his SXSW audience. “I can guarantee you that.” US authorities allege Dotcom’s Megaupload and related file-sharing sites netted more than $175 million and cost copyright owners more than $500 million by offering pirated copies of movies, TV shows and other content. “ This action is among the largest criminal copyright cases ever brought by the United States,” the US Justice Depar tment has said. Dotcom, a German national who changed his name from Kim Schmitz, faces an extradition hearing in August. Until then, his

passport has been seized and he cannot travel out of the country. Last week an appeal court in New Zealand upheld Dotcom’s right to sue New Zealand’s foreign intelligence agency for illegally spying on him as part of a US probe into alleged online piracy. Dotcom said Monday that before it was shut down, Megaupload had 50 million users a day who uploaded files to its servers in return for a unique Internet link that they could share any way they like. He repeated his opinion that the case against him is political, rather than legal, emanating from the financial support President Barack Obama got from the multinational Hollywood film industry during his winning election campaigns. “This is very important,” he said, arguing that a crackdown on Megaupload was Washington’s “plan B” after the Obama administration, in the face of public protests, abandoned the controversial Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA). He also suggested New Zealand’s willingness to help Washington target Megaupload was greased by the decision to make the popular “The Lord of the Rings” films on its soil, resulting in a lucrative influx of film production revenue. Pending his extradition hearing, Dotcom-who last month launched a new cloud storage and file-sharing service, simply called Mega, and now is working on an online music service-said he is leading a “pretty relaxed” life. “My biggest luxury, you’d be surprised, is sleep,” he said, adding: “I miss Germany. I miss my mom and I hope I can visit her soon.” File -sharing is a major theme at the ongoing SXSW interactive, film and music festival, with several panels tackling the topic and two documentaries-one on Napster, the other about The Pirate Bay-being shown on the big screen. — AFP

Apple’s iPads to fall behind Android tablets this year: IDC SAN FRANCISCO: Shipments of Apple Inc’s iPads will fall behind the growing variety of tablets running Google Inc’s Android platform for the first time this year as smaller-sized devices catch on with more consumers, research firm International Data Corp (IDC) said yesterday. iPad shipments are expected to account for 46 percent of the market in 2013, down from 51 percent last year, IDC said. Devices running Android are expected to grow their market share to 49 percent this year from 42 percent last year. IDC also raised its 2013 tablet shipment forecast to 190.9 million units, up from its previous forecast of 172.4 million units. Last year, global tablet shipments grew to 128.3 million units, up from 72 million in 2011, according to IDC. Google’s Nexus 7 tablet and Amazon.com Inc’s Kindle, which uses its own customization of Android, made major inroads with consumers last year. In November, Apple launched its own foray into smaller-sized tablets with the iPad mini.

“One in every two tablets shipped this quarter was below 8 inches in screen size. And in terms of shipments, we expect smaller tablets to continue growing in 2013 and beyond,” IDC said in a press release. Last month, Hewlett-Packard Co announced the launch of the Slate 7 tablet powered by Android, a centerpiece of that company’s effort to expand in mobile devices and reduce its dependence on the shrinking personal computer market. IDC said tablets running Microsoft’s Windows 8 platform would grow their market share from 1 percent last year to 7.4 percent in 2017. Tablets running the Windows RT operating system, which is not compatible with older software that runs on Windows, will see their market share stay below 3 percent through 2017, IDC said. “Consumers aren’t buying Windows RT’s value proposition, and long term we think Microsoft and its partners would be better served by focusing their attention on improving Windows 8,” IDC said. — Reuters

TORONTO: BlackBerry-maker Research In Motion will begin selling its new touchscreen smartphone to US consumers with AT&T on March 22. The release will come several weeks after RIM launched the much-delayed devices elsewhere. AT&T said Monday that the Z10 will be available for $199.99 with a two-year contract. Sales of the device began in the UK and Canada shortly after RIM unveiled the phone in late January. Rival US carrier T-Mobile said it expects to deliver the new BlackBerry for some corporate customers as soon as the end of this week, though it did not provide details on the availability for non-business customers. The redesigned BlackBerry is RIM’s attempt at a comeback. The pioneering brand lost its cachet not long after Apple’s 2007 release of the iPhone, which reset consumers’ expectations for what a smartphone should do. RIM Chief Executive Thorsten Heins said previously he was disappointed the new BlackBerry would not be released in the US until midMarch, but he said the US and its phone carriers have a rigid testing system. Heins told The Associated Press last month that the company would have to regain market share in the US for BlackBerry to be successful. The US has been one market in which RIM has been particularly hurt. The iPhone and phones running Google’s Android software now dominate. According to research firm IDC, shipments of BlackBerry phones plummeted from 46 percent of the US market in 2008 to 2 percent in 2012. Heins also suggested to the AP that a modern BlackBerry with a physical keyboard might not arrive in the US until May or June, a

month or two behind other parts of the world. Heins said the physical keyboard version, the BlackBerry Q10, will likely come out eight to 10 weeks after a carrier releases a model with only a touch screen, the BlackBerry Z10. With the Z10 set for release in the US on March 22, eight to 10 weeks brings the US date for the Q10 to midMay to early June. Shares jumped $1.84, or 14.1 percent, to close at $14.90 Monday on the Nasdaq. BGC Financial analyst Colin Gillis said the stock move is based on a report quoting Lenovo’s chief executive as

saying he might be interested in an acquisition of RIM. Gillis and Jefferies analyst Peter Misek said a Chinese acquisition is unlikely due to security concerns. Misek said checks by Jefferies indicate that the Z10 is selling well in developing markets including India, but Gillis noted RIM’s US release will go up against Samsung’s next Galaxy smartphone which is expected to be unveiled on Thursday. “If that makes the splash that people think it may, you don’t want to be the guy that’s coming out a week later,” Gillis said. — AP

EMC to showcase EMC Isilon Scale-out NAS storage platform at CABSAT 2013 DUBAI: EMC yesterday announced its participation at CABSAT 2013, to be held at Dubai World Trade Centre from 12th - 14th March. Described by organizers as ‘the Middle East and Africa’s largest broadcast digital media and satellite expo’, the event is expected to attract over 11,500 visitors representing 80 countries. CABSAT 2013 will bring together delegates from the broadcast, digital media and satellite sectors across the Middle East, Africa and Southern Asian regions to discuss the latest challenges associated with managing growing media production and content for distribution.

The event will provide the perfect background for EMC to showcase the EMC Isilon Scale-out NAS (network-attached storage) platform, built from the ground up to help address the need for a highly-scalable, high performance, easy-tomanage scale-out storage solution for media applications and workflows. At the EMC Isilon booth, visitors can leverage live demonstrations and expert tips from EMC’s media workflow specialists in addition to experiencing the new seventh generation of the EMC Isilon OneFS operating system. OneFS enables customers to scale a single file system/single

volume up to 20 petabytes as well as driving the type of industry leading throughput and IOPS performance required by today’s most demanding media and entertainment applications and workflows. David Sallak, Chief Strategist for M&E, Office of the CTO, and Tarek Heiba, Regional Isilon Sales Director for Turkey, Emerging Africa & the Middle East, will be among key EMC representatives at CABSAT 2013 discussing EMC Isilon’s value in providing a simple yet effective solution for the broadcast, content creation and content delivery markets.

Syria, China worst for online spying PARIS: Syria, China, Iran, Bahrain and Vietnam are flagrantly spying online, media watchdog RSF said yesterday, urging controls on the export of Internet surveillance tools to regimes clamping down on dissent. A new report entitled “Enemies of the Internet” also singled out five companiesGamma, Trovicor, Hacking Team, Amesys and Blue Coat-that it branded “digital era mercenaries,” who were helping oppressive governments. Syria’s estimated five million Internet users are subject to rampant state spying, Reporters Sans Frontieres (RSF, Journalists without Borders) said in the report, which coincides with the World Day Against Cyber-Censorship. Noting that 22 journalists and 18 Internet users had been jailed, it said the network was controlled by two entities including the Syrian Computer Society (SCG) founded by President Bashar al-Assad. The SCG, it said, controlled Syria’s 3G infrastructure, while the Syrian Telecommunications Establishment (STE) controlled the majority of the fixed connections. “When the government orders the blocking of a word, of an URL, or of a site, STE transmits the order to service providers,” it said, publishing a leaked 1999 bid invitation from STE to install a national Internet system in Syria. The requirements include recording of online and offline activities, copying of all email exchanges from within Syria, and the ability to detect, intercept and block any encrypted data. Damascus beefed up its monitoring in 2011 “adding new technologies to its cyber-arsenal” including proxy Blue Coat servers, RSF said. Iran meanwhile is in the process of creating a home-grown Internet system, citing a series of cyber attacks on its nuclear installations, RSF said. “Applications and services such as email, search engines and social networks are proposed to be developed under government control,” to allow for “large-scale surveillance and the systematic elimination of dissent.” Twenty Internet users were jailed and one had been killed in the past year, it said, warning against the use of Iranian virtual private networks as it “will be like throwing yourself into the lion’s jaws.”

But in terms of sheer numbers, the “Chinese Communist Party runs one of the world’s biggest digital empires, if not the biggest,” RSF said, adding that individuals and companies have to rent their broadband access from the Chinese state or a government-controlled company. “The tools put in place to filter and monitor the Internet are collectively known as the Great Firewall of China. Begun in 2003, it allows for access to foreign sites to be filtered,” it said, and to block feeds and content deemed undesirable. “The Chinese cyber-dissident Hu Jia and his wife Zeng Jinyang have had policemen stationed at the foot of their apartment building for months,” it said. “China jails more people involved in news and information than any other country. Today 30 journalists and 69 netizens are in prison.”

Bahrain, which with an Internet penetration of 77 percent is one of the most connected states in the Middle East, has seen a dramatic increase in surveillance and news blackouts in the past three years, RSF said. Vietnam’s network is shoddy in quality but under tight state control. Thirty-one Internet users are in prison and Internet cafes are tightly monitored with users obliged to show identity documents before using them. RSF called for a ban on the sale of surveillance hardware and software to countries that flout basic fundamental rights and crack down on any opposition. “The private sector cannot be expected to police itself. Legislators must intervene,” it said. “The European Union and the United States have already banned the export of surveillance technology to Iran and Syria. This praiseworthy initiative should not be an isolated one.” — AFP

ZAGREB: Vjekoslav Majetic, businessman of a small capital Zagreb-based firm producing remotely controlled vehicles - a luxury electric urban car - poses next to his new Loox car on February 1, 2013. Loox reaches the 100kms per hour speed in 7.7 or 4.2 seconds with two or four motors respectively. — AFP

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 13, 2013

H E A LT H & S C I E N C E

Let them eat cake later: Americans hosting ‘Fitness parties’ NEW YORK: From spinning birthday celebrations to pole dancing bachelorette bashes, US gyms are offering fitness parties as new way to mark life’s milestones with a few friends and a good sweat. Gyms and fitness studios are often eager to host the festivities, which light up darkened rooms after hours and expose potential new members to their services. “We’ve created bachelorette parties, birthday parties, college reunions and divorce parties,” said Donna Cyrus, senior vice president of programming at Crunch, a national chain. Pole dancing parties are among the most-requested fitness parties, and the merrymakers are overwhelmingly young women in their

20s and 30s. “The class is a reason for friends to get together and shed inhibitions for an hour,” Cyrus explained, “as well as a great marketing tool and clever use of idle space for the gym.” Fitness and yoga instructor Magen Banwart has led workout get-togethers from South Carolina to the Hamptons in New York. She said it’s a way to distinguish herself from other teachers in a very competitive market. “For the right price you can get anyone to go anywhere and teach anything,” said New York-based Banwart, who has led classes in yoga, core, barre and walk workouts during gatherings and retreats.

Having a fitness class instead of drinks is a growing trend for women in workrelated situations, Banwart said. And at business conferences, historically driven by parties, dinners and cocktail hours, more time and money is being spent on healthy events. “They’re not only offering a class or two. Organizers are taking the time to create a whole mind/body commitment,” she said. “You’re seeing a strong trend for conferences to include stress management and people are identifying yoga and movement with stress management.” Community is the key for Jason Capili, who recently celebrated his 36th birth-

day at a Soul Cycle indoor cycling studio in New York City. “I had people block out a bunch of bikes,” said Capili, who works in human resources risk management. “We brought in cupcakes and sparkling wine and at the end, during the stretches, I made a wish.” Capili enjoys attending fitness celebrations for friends and friends of friends. “I think it’s a really supportive environment,” he said. “When you have people really supportive and committed there’s a sense of cooperative energy that you can’t replicate with a one-on-one trainer.” Crunch fitness instructor Courtney Alexander said her private pole dancing parties are much like her group fitness

pole dancing classes, except with more giggling. While the pole dancing class is very athletic, private parties offer a bit more leeway. “I teach for the full hour, much as I would in class,” said Alexander. “But if it’s a private party I’m open to requests. Rather than going upside down we might do more forward dips or spins or a sexier flow.” Alexander said the classes are as intense as need, and mood, dictate. After the class it’s not unusual for revelers to continue the party elsewhere. “Usually right after the class they’ll change in the locker room, get dressed up and go out for drinks,” she said. “This is the party before the party gets started.” —Reuters

Assessing patients for inflammatory causes of Axial Spondyloarthritis Addressing various types of chronic back pain KUWAIT: Dr Ahmad Al Enizi, MD, Rheumatologist of Jahra Hospital said that back pain is one of the most common types of pain where at least 50% of those under the age of 20 will develop any type of it at least once in their life, and this percentage increases with age to reach nearly 80% for those over the age of 50. In a recent study, it was found that 15% of primary health care complaints in America are due to back pain. Most causes of back pain are minor and insignificant, and for that it does not last more than a few days. There are two main types of back pain: Mechanical and Non-Mechanical Mechanical back pain is a result of physical activity and the pain diminishes as one rests, since the causes of this type of pain is due to damage or imbalance in the composition of parts of the spine, which aggravates the pain when moving and working. The most common causes of this type are the cartilaginous glides and its complications which include compressed nerves along with muscle cramps, as well as osteoarthritis and tear and wear of the vertebrae and its surrounding structures in the spine. Mechanical diseases make up more than 95% of back pain causes and mostly are incidental and unimportant. Nonmechanical back pain on the other hand, is not directly related to the physical activities and may continue even when at rest. For typical cases this pain increases with rest and lessens and improves with physical activities. “There are several major causes of nonmechanical back pain, including inflammations and internal diseases that mimic back pain-like symptoms such as inflammation

of the pancreas and tumors and bacterial infections and primary neurology illnesses and spinal cord membrane irritations and others. “said Dr Ahmad Al Enizi, MD, Rheumatologist of Jahra Hospital. Even though non-mechanical causes are less common, they are more serious and

Dr Ahmad Al Enizi more difficult to diagnose. Among the most important nonmechanical diseases is a group of inflammatory diseases (Spondyloarthritis or SPA) that cause adhesions between vertebrae and pelvic joints and the neck and thus lead to chronic pain in addition to difficulty

Whooping cough vaccine protection wanes as kids age NEW YORK: Protection against whooping cough starts to weaken a few years after preschool children get their final shot, according to a US study, meaning that some children may be at risk of developing the disease before they can get a booster shot. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends a booster shot at age 11 or 12. The usual practice is to give five doses of diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis (DTaP) shots, the last at age four to six. “This evaluation reports steady increase in risk of pertussis in the years after completion of the 5dose DTaP vaccines,” wrote lead author Sara Tartof in the study, which appeared in Pediatrics. Tar tof, who is from Southern California Permanente Medical Group in Pasadena, and her team used immunization records and state-wide whooping cough data to track more than 400,000 children in the states of Minnesota and Oregon. All were born between 1998 and 2003 and received the recommended series of five shots. Over the following years, 458 children from Minnesota came down with whooping cough. The rate of new cases rose from 16 per 100,000 tin the first year after their most recent shot, to 138 per 100,000 in year six. In Oregon, there were 89 cases - six per 100,000 in the first year and 24 per 100,000 in the sixth. “What has become apparent is there’s a fairly dramatic and startling increase in pertussis in children in the seven- to 10-year-old age group,” said H Cody Meissner, a pediatrician from Tufts University School of Medicine who did not take part in the study. Meissner and other researchers think that trend results from a change in the 1990s to a new type of pertussis vaccine, called an acellular vaccine, which comes with fewer side effects than the original whole-cell version. But researchers also said that switching back to the whole-cell version, at least for the first couple of shots, could improve protection as children get older. But even though the side effects for that shot were mild, that is unlikely to happen. The CDC could also move up the booster shot to ages eight to 10, but it’s harder to get children into the office at that point. The current booster is given at the same time as a number of other recommended adolescent vaccines. “An important thing to remember is the kids who do receive all five doses on time generally have milder (whooping cough) than those who are under-vaccinated or unvaccinated,” Tartof told Reuters Health. “Even though there is waning immunity ... getting the five doses on time is still the best protection you can give your kid.” —Reuters

in movement with curvature and distortion in the back structure, which makes a young person look like an aged one. Unfortunately, this type of disease affects relatively young people, especially those under the age of 45, and is also noticeable at an early age, starting from 15 and more rarely in younger people. Since back pain is very common and is mostly insignificant, the diagnosis of inflammatory spine diseases may not be missed or may be delayed until reaching complicated stages, most of which include adhesions and spinal curvature. Therefore it is very important to be familiar with the features characterizing such inflammatory diseases so that the doctor will be able to make an early diagnosis or at least seek a consultation from a specialized doctor for such diseases; the Rheumatologists The importance of early diagnosis comes from the fact that treatment in the early stages of the disease prevents the complications mentioned above. “Since the most common characterizing features for making the diagnosis of such diseases have been adopted by the Assessment of Spondyloarthritis International Society (ASAS), such cases could be easily diagnosed or at least suspected, in order to be sent to the rheumatologists, if awareness of these features is familiarized among other doctors.” added Dr Al Enizi. ASAS has stated two main pre-existing states where if are present, one must check if the below features are also present. These two pre-existing states are: 1 - Chronic back pain that persists for more than 3 months

2 - The patient is less than 45 years of age In the case where these two states are met, the presence of any of the following features calls to consult a rheumatologist: ● Inflammatory back pain: The back pain and stiffness worsens with rest, especially after sleeping and in the mornings. This back pain tends to ease with physical activity and exercise during the rest of the day. ● Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are very effective in relieving pain during the initial 48 hours which means at least 80% reduction in the severity of pain. ● Arthritis in the peripheral joints either at the time of consultation or as a past history ● Dactylitis which is a swelling of the whole finger or toe. ● Uveitis; current or in the past. ● The presence of psoriasis skin disease in the patient himself ● The presence of ulcerative colitis or Crohn’s disease ● Tendenitis such as Plantar fasciitis and Achilles tendenitis ● The presence of a first or second degree family member who is diagnosed with inflammatory spine arthritis or any of the diseases mentioned above. ● A rise in the level of C-reactive protein (CRP) in the blood ● The presence of the gene in the patient: HLA-B27 It is also important to note that MRI helps in confirming the diagnosis because of its accuracy in detecting inflammatory spine arthritis, especially in the early stages of the disease. ASAS also have provided specific features in the MRI that help in making the diagnosis.

This Dec. 4, 2009 file photo provided by the Center for Disease Control shows an African dwarf tree frog. A government report released Monday, by Pediatrics says that African dwarf frogs can carry salmonella. —AP

Frogs with salmonella could still be in homes CHICAGO: They live underwater, eat bloodworms, and are promoted on pet websites. But African dwarf frogs can carry salmonella. An outbreak tied to the frogs sickened nearly 400 people, mostly children, from 2008 to 2011. Since these miniature amphibians can live up to 18 years, some linked to the outbreak may remain in US home aquariums. That’s according to government researchers in a Monday report from the journal Pediatrics. Five outbreak-linked cases also occurred last year. No one died. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advises washing hands after touching the frogs’ aquarium water and says young children should not clean aquariums. The California breeder linked to the outbreak briefly suspended distribution and cooperated with authorities. —AP

FDA head says menu labeling ‘thorny’ issue WASHINGTON: Diners will have to wait a little longer to find calorie counts on most restaurant chain menus, in supermarkets and on vending machines. Writing a new menu labeling law “has gotten extremely thorny,” says the head of the Food and Drug Administration, as the agency tries to figure out who should be covered by it. The 2010 health care law charged the FDA with requiring restaurants and other establishments that serve food to put calorie counts on menus and in vending machines. The agency issued a proposed rule in 2011, but the final rules have since been delayed as some of those non-restaurant establishments have lobbied hard to be exempt. While the restaurant industry has signed on to the idea and helped to write the new regulations, supermarkets, convenience stores and other retailers that sell prepared food say they want to no part of it. “There are very, very strong opinions and powerful voices both on the consumer and public health side and on the industry side, and we have worked very hard to sort of figure out what really makes sense and also what is implementable,” FDA Commissioner Margaret Hamburg said in a recent interview with The Associated Press. Hamburg said menu labeling has turned out to be one of the FDA’s most challenging issues, and while requiring calorie counts in some establishments might make sense on paper, “in practice it really would be very hard.” She did not say what specific types of establishments she was referring to. The challenges of putting such a law in place - and deciding whom it should apply towere made clear Monday when a judge struck down New York City’s ban on large sugary drinks. State Supreme Court Justice Milton Tingling said in his ruling that the 16-ounce limit on sodas and other high -calorie drinks arbitrarily applied to only some sweet beverages and some places that sell them. The new limits, championed by Mayor Michael Bloomberg, were supposed to take effect from yesterday. Hamburg said the FDA is in the final stages of writing the menu labeling regulations and the final rules should come out in the “relative near term.” The FDA has tentatively said the rules are due this spring, but that deadline may be optimistic as the food industry and regulators continue to haggle over how they will be written. The 2011 proposed rules would require chain restaurants with 20 or more locations, along with bakeries, grocery stores, convenience stores and coffee chains, to clearly post the calorie count for each item on their menus. Additional nutritional information would have to be available upon request. The rules would also apply to vending machines if calorie information isn’t already visible on the package.

The proposed rules exempted movie theaters, airplanes, bowling alleys and other businesses whose primary business is not to sell food. Alcohol would also be exempted. Supermarkets and convenience stores are looking for similar exemptions in the final rules. Representatives for the supermarket industry say it could cost them up to a billion dollars to put the rules in place - costs that would be passed on to consumers. “It’s a huge problem for us,” says Erik Lieberman of the Food Marketing Institute, which represents retail grocery chains. He says fighting the menu labeling rules is one of his group’s top priorities. Lieberman says the rules could cover thousands of items in each store, going beyond just the prepared foods case and extending to cut fruit, bakery items like pies and loaves of bread and other store items that aren’t already packaged and labeled. Lieberman says that means each store has to send all of those items out to labs to be tested, do paperwork to justify the ingredient and nutritional information for each item to the FDA and then create signage and train employees to use it. Convenience stores say they will have similar problems. In a small store like a convenience store that is really putting a lot of signage all over the place,” says Jeff Lenard of the National Association of Convenience Stores, referring to the calorie labels. “You just hit a

point where words become noise and that’s not good.” Nutrition lobbyist Margo Wootan of the Center for Science in the Public Interest says consumer advocates heard the same kind of complaining from the packaged foods industry before they were required to put nutrition information on the backs of food items. Supermarkets and convenience stores should be included because they are breaking more and more into the prepared foods business, she says. “The supermarket industry is positioning itself as a place to buy prepared items so you don’t have to go out to eat or cook,” she says, arguing that a rotisserie chicken that is labeled with a calorie count at a takeout restaurant should also be labeled at a grocery store. The idea of menu labeling is to make sure that customers process the calorie information as they are figuring out what to eat. Many restaurants currently post nutritional information in a hallway, on a hamburger wrapper or on their website. The new law will make calories immediately available for most items. Menus and menu boards will also tell diners that a 2,000-calorie diet is used as the basis for general nutrition advice, noting that individual calorie needs may vary. The labeling requirements were added to the health bill with the support of the restau-

rant industry, which has faced a patchwork of laws from cities and states. New York City was the first in the country to put a calorie posting law in place. Since then, other cities and states have followed. Scott DeFife of the National Restaurant Association says the supermarkets are exaggerating how much it would cost them to implement the rules. The restaurant industry has lobbied for the prepared foods in supermarkets and convenience stores to be included, saying they are selling essentially the same things. DeFife says some convenience stores have even joined the National Restaurant Association as many gas stations now include full restaurants in their stores. “It’s about the food, not the format,” he says. Not all restaurants have been fully supportive, though. A coalition of pizza chains including Domino’s, Papa John’s and Pizza Hut franchise holders - have pushed for changes to the proposed rules that would allow more flexibility in how calories are posted because of endless combinations of pizza toppings. The coalition claims there are 34 million ways to order a pizza. “When you’re a small pizza operator trying to get by on tight margins, regulations like this really affect your bottom line, hurting your ability to grow and hire,” Domino’s Pizza franchisee Jonathan Sharp of Abilene, Texas, said last summer. —Reuters

DRESDEN: Snow covers a flower bed with crocuses and buttercups in Dresden, eastern Germany, yesterday. Winter came back to parts of the country, bringing snow and cold temperatures. —AFP

H E A LT H & S C I E N C E

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 13, 2013

US judge blocks New York ban on giant fizzy drinks NEW YORK: A New York judge blocked mayor Michael Bloomberg’s planned ban on giant sodas Monday, dealing a setback to his public health agenda just hours before curbs on selling such drinks were due to begin. Judge Milton Tingling ruled that measures to restrict soda servings to a maximum of 16 ounces (470 milliliters) in restaurants and other venues, were “arbitrary and capricious,” and he was barring the plan “permanently.” Bloomberg has made health issues a key plank of his administration, banning smoking in restaurants, bars and other public places. He quickly denounced the judge’s decision on sodas as “clearly wrong,” and said the city would appeal.

“I am trying to do what is right to save lives. Obesity kills,” a visibly angry Bloomberg told reporters, noting that 5,000 New Yorkers and 70,000 US citizens would fall victim to the disease this year. “Sugary drinks are a leading cause of obesity. We have a responsibility as human beings to do something, to save each other,” he added. But Bloomberg’s super-sized soda ban, which would have been a first for a US city, sparked frenzied debate, with petitions and media campaigns from both sides. Some supported Bloomberg’s arguments, emphasizing that 30 years ago the average soda serving was just six ounces, but that these days, it’s not rare to see young

Americans with giant fizzy drinks of more than a liter (33 ounces). Opinion polls over the summer indicated that a majority of New Yorkers opposed the limited ban, with some suggesting the mayor was impinging on civil liberties and others arguing the rules would not be effective. Industry lobby groups led by the American Beverage Association (ABA) and the National Restaurant Association took the court action that led to Monday’s judgment, and they praised the decision. “The court ruling provides a sigh of relief to New Yorkers and thousands of small businesses in New York City that would have been harmed by this arbitrary and unpopular ban,”

the ABA said in a statement. As well as the thousands who die each year from obesity-linked problems, one in eight adult New Yorkers has diabetes, which can be aggravated by sugar consumption, and studies have shown that sodas, which often cost less than bottled water, are a contributing factor. “Remember, for many years, the standard soda size was six ounces-not 16, it was six, then it was 12 ounces-and people thought that was huge. Then it became 16, then 20 ounces,” Bloomberg said. “We believe it’s reasonable to draw a lineand it’s responsible to draw a line right now,” he added.

The New York Board of Health approved the measures last September and they were due to come into force yesterday in restaurants and places of public entertainment, such as stadiums. In a boost for the soda limits, the newlybuilt basketball stadium for the Brooklyn Nets had said it would immediately adopt the rules. But under the measures put forward by the city there was nothing to stop people from buying as much soda as they like by refilling smaller containers. Also, the ban did not extend to drinks sold in supermarkets or any dairy or fruit drinks, many of which also contain huge quantities of sugar. —AFP

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 13, 2013

W H AT ’ S O N

ACK hosts TESOL Kuwait second open meeting SEND US YOUR INSTAGRAM PICS

hat’s more fun than clicking a beautiful picture? Sharing it with others! Let other people see the way you see Kuwait - through your lens. Friday Times will feature snapshots of Kuwait through Instagram feeds. If you want to share your Instagram photos, email us at instagram@kuwaittimes.net

Announcements Soorya India Festival he prestigious ‘Soorya India Festival’ will be held tomorrow, March 14, 2013, at the American International School, Maidan Hawally. A Bharatanatyam recital by Rama Vaidyanathan and a Khatak performance by Rani Khanam will be main attractions of the show. Another highlight of the show will be ‘Speaking Shadow’, a shadow art by Prahlad Acharya. be Indian Ambassador Satish C Mehta will be chief guest of the show. The doors will open at 6.30 pm and the program will start at 7 pm. Entry strictly by invitation.

ollowing the success of their first open meeting in December, TESOL Kuwait organized its second open meeting on Saturday, March 9 at the Australian College of Kuwait (ACK). Educators had the chance to participate in a variety of free professional development workshops: “Teaching Reading to ESL Children”, “Games in Classroom Management”, “Multisensory Learning in an ESL Classroom”, “Fun Classroom Activities for Developing Language” and “Integrating Math and English”. Following the open meeting, there are more than 300 TESOL Kuwait members. Growmore Books sponsored the event along with ACK. The event had participation from educators of all academic levels ranging from primary school teachers to university instructors. The event had many participants and members attend this open meeting led by the TESOL Kuwait President Yvonne Johnson. All participants showed great support for this unique opportunity while sharing experiences, ideas, and educational techniques with one another. Be sure not to miss the next TESOL Kuwait open meeting which will be held at Boxhill College on Saturday, May 4, 2013. For further information on becoming a TESOL Kuwait member, contact Ms. Camille Bondi at Membership@tesolkuwait.com. For any other inquiries please contact the TESOL Kuwait President Ms Yvonne Johnson at President@tesolkuwait.com.

Some of the board members of TESOL Kuwait.

CRYcket 2013 tournament riends of CRY Club (FOCC) announces 16th CRY (Child Rights & You) cricket tournament for children and it be held at the GC grounds at Jaleeb AlShuyoukh on Friday, 12th Apr 2013 from 6:30 a.m to 4:30 pm. The one day “CRYcket” tournament is a very popular annual family event, participated by children under 14. 12 teams each are set to participate in the Under-12 and Under-14 divisions initially in four groups in round robin fashion leading to 4 winners who will clash in the semifinals. The last date for registration of Teams is 5th Apr 2013. For more details & game rules, visit the FOCC website http://www.focckwt.org

KIFF to host Blood Donation Camp and launch Blood Donors Network

he Kuwait India Fraternity Forum, a socio cultural organization of Indians residing in Kuwait continues its effort to increase awareness on the importance of blood donation aiming to foster lifelong blood donors with a kick-off blood donation camp and inauguration of KIFF Blood donors Network. Aims to promote “Donate Blood, Save Life”, the Mass Voluntary Blood Donation Camp will be held on Friday, 15th March 2013 at Ministry of Education for private schools Hall, Salmiya, Kuwait. The organizers hope to welcome more than 200 on that day. The event is open for Blood donations from 2.00PM to 7.00PM

The Touristic Enterprises Company hosted a religious lecture at the Touristic Park for the Indian Malayalam community, in cooperation with the Revivial of Islamic Heritage Society and the Reform Center for Kerala Muslims.

New Indian business forum to be launched

ntroducing a new world of business networking and commercial synergy, a world all set to open fresh contours in the emerging global economic scenario. A forum comprising of Indian businessmen and professionals will soon be launched in Kuwait to promote business and trade. The forum will primarily aim to provide an interactive platform of networking for Indian businessmen and professionals with their Kuwaiti counterparts through regular interface, meetings and even workshops. The new forum, which plans to engage with all trade and commerce bodies across India and also in Kuwait, intends to act as a unified forum for exchange of information related to current or expected business or professional opportunities in India and Kuwait. Not merely confined to business exchanges, this forum will also enable Indian businessmen and professionals to make suggestions to the government on matters of policy matters, procedures pertaining to the business activities. The forum plans to promote Indian businesses in Kuwait by providing several opportunities between businesses, dissemination of information through seminars and interaction with local and government counterparts. In brief, the Forum intends to revolutionise and develop new business and professional relationships while consolidating existing ties. 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.

Musical extravaganza with Dr Yesudas

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.

Tarla Dalal spices up Women’s Day in Kuwait

ucky and overwhelmed were the Indian gourmets in Kuwait on the Women’s Day, March 8. It was the first time they had a chance to meet, learn and taste the delicacies made by Tarla Dalal, who has become synonymous with Indian delicacies. The hall was filled with men and women, thrilled to have an opportunity to see the celebrity cooking live. The Live cookery show was organized by the Indian women in Kuwait, under the aegis of Indiansinkuwait.com at Live theatre, Discovery mall. “Tarla Dalal’s book of cookery was the first book I bought when I entered the kitchen to cook”, said Preeti Mehta, wife of Satish Mehta, Indian ambassador to Kuwait. She was the chief guest of the day. Ali Al-Sayegh, the Managing Partner of the Lemonade International and IIK officials were also present on the occasion. At the first sight, the seventy seven year old (born in 1936), Padmashree

award-winner looks deceptively mild, her small build hiding a fiery personality and great sense of humor. Making to cook and keeping the order in her kitchen as easily as she shared personal stories and jokes with the audience, she kept the cooking moving at a brisk pace, whipping out five dishes over three hours. The orange and strawberry smoothie, the sprouts tikki, spinach malfati, the paneer and corn quesadillas and the kaju kopra sheera were all made in a stretch, with a healthy approach to eat right. “If it is her teaching to cook, it is possible for anyone to make any delicacies”, says a member of IWIK, who made a healthy and lip smacking item on the dais. The members of IWIK, the guests both women and even men cooked, with the recipes and timely tips with incomparable enthusiasm. With ingredients usually seen at the kitchen cupboards, and vegetables in the refrigerator, she made her signature

delicacies that ticked the palate of each individual present there. The cookery legend, with over 100 books to her name, replied the queries of the spectators with utmost care and perfection. The master who has been a great help to men and women gathered there at their own kitchens over a period of time, ended the session with autographing and posing for photographs with her fans. Her books displayed on sale were all sold within a few minutes. Apart from authoring books, Tarla Dalal, is a renowned columnist. She has done enormous cookery programmes on Television and the ‘cook it up with Tarla Dalal programming’ running for the last five years in Sony TV is a much awaited show. The show was sponsored by Crowne Plaza Jamawar Restaurant as Gold Sponsor, Silver Sponsor is IFFCO Noor Oil, Shama and Al Baker and Gulfmart Chain of supermarket as Associate Sponsor.

BSK students visit Al Qurain museum

Goan Culinary Club

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.

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

ear 5 students from The British School of Kuwait visited the Martyrs’ Museum in Al-Qurain as part of their social studies curriculum.

The students were fascinated to see history preserved. During their visit, students were able to tour the house itself as well as visit the museum to see a vari-

ety of interesting exhibits. BSK has always valued a more hands on approach to enriching its British based curricula, which is been greatly received

by both students and parents alike. Year 5 were a credit to the school in their behaviour and manner around the house and greatly enjoyed the visit.

W H AT ’ S O N

Chris McDougall leaps from Al Hamra Tower in celebration of Kuwait’s National, Liberation days

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 13, 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. nnnnnnn

romOzone was the main sponsor of a once in a lifetime event that drew in thousands of attendees and YouTube viewers alike. The muchawaited event featured the globally renowned Chris McDougall, the legendary Australian who holds the worldwide record for base jumping, as he leapt off twice from the top of the Al Hamra Tower. During the first jump, McDougall’s parachute was of Kuwait’s current flag and in his second jump, his parachute featured Kuwait’s older, red flag. KromOzone, one of Yusuf Ahmed Alghanim & Sons Automotive’s compa-

nies, participated in the event with the inclusion of the all-new, highly customized 2013 Chevy Silverado 2500HD that stood out with its uniquely accessorized features, factor that exemplifies KromOzone’s ability to transform one’s dream vehicle into a real-life experience. In this case, the displayed 2013 Silverado was the epitome of powerful and enticing ferocity with its customized interior, large wheels as well as a revamped exterior faÁade that showcased special paint and other additions all of which attracted passersby’s curious eyes and cameras during the Al

Hamra Tower’s afternoon event that took place on Friday, March 8, 2013. Nearly 4,000 people attended the event ‘Sky Fall Al-Hamra 414’ to witness the spine-tingling free fall stunt by Chris McDougall. This is the first time such an event was held in Kuwait and the landmark chosen was Al-Hamra Tower as it is considered the tallest building in Kuwait with a height of 414 meters above sea level. KromOzone is one of the largest and most famous centers in Kuwait that is specialized in accessorizing all car makes. The center offers customers a

wide range of accessorizing options including rims, door accessories, headlights, sound systems, bumpers and grills, body paint and much more high quality, innovative accessorizing options for cars’ interior and exterior. Due to its excellent service and products, KromOzone is considered as the ideal location for all car lovers who seek to add a personal touch to their drive. In addition to its variety of accessorizing options, KromOzone also has a special department that provides customers with a warranty on all its services and products.

EMBASSY OF CANADA The Embassy of Canada in Kuwait does not have a visa or immigration department. All processing of visa and immigration matters including enquiries is conducted by the Canadian Embassy in Abu Dhabi, UAE. Individuals who are interested in working, studying, visiting or immigrating to Canada should contact the Canadian Embassy in Abu Dhabi, website: www.UAE.gc.ca or www.goingtocanada.gc.ca, E-mail: abdbi-imenquiry@international.gc.ca. The Embassy of Canada is located at Villa 24, Al-Mutawakei St, Block 4 in Da’aiyah. Please visit our website at www.Kuwait.gc.ca. The Embassy of Canada is open from 07:30 to 15:30 Sunday through Thursday. The reception is open from 07:30 to 12:30. Consular services for Canadian citizens are provided from 09:00 until 12:00, Sunday through Wednesday. nnnnnnn

9th Annual Book, Information Fair and Web Application Launch at GUST

he Gulf University for Science and Technology (GUST)opened its 9th annual Book and Information Fair in the foyer outside the GUST grand auditorium. The attendees included GUST team members, students and members of the general public. Dr. ShuaibShuaib, President of GUSTofficially opened the fair and welcomed the participants and thanked the sponsors and Library team for their exceptional work in making the event a continuous success. He particularly congratulated Shobhita Kohli, the Library Director for her continual efforts in organizing the grand event and for the Library services in general. Also present at the opening were Dr. Jasem AlAbdulsalam, GUST Board Member, Dr. Donald Bates, Dr. Robert Cook, VP of Academic Affairs, Dr. Fahad Al-Zumai, VP of Administrative and Financial Affairs, Dr. Sabah Quadoomi, VP of Academic Affairs, Dr. Salah Al-Sharhan, VP of Planning and Development, Dr. KameleddineBenameur, Dean of the College of Business Administration, Dr. Ali Ansari, Dean of the College of Arts & Sciences, and Dr. Issam El-Moughrabi,

Director of the MBA Program. The opening ceremony was followed by a special tribute speech made by Dr. Khalid Kisswani, GUST Assistant Professor, Economics& Financein honour of Dr. Robert Cook’s achievements at GUST. Dr. Kisswani highlighted Dr. Cook’s contributions to GUST and particularly to the Library, which wouldn’t be where it is today without his support. A special feature in this year’s fair was the launch of academic writing webbased application: AW Wizard by Dr. Hussain Al-Sharoufi, Assistant Professor of English. Dr. Al-Sharoufihas developed this application to make writing academic essays a smoother, more exciting experience for his students and to help other professors do the same for their students. The event continues to highlight the importance of keeping up with the latest developments in both online resources and publications, where the attendees can meet participating Publishers and Online Service Providers and review textbooks, online catalogs, etc. The participants were available to answer queries and assist attendees with necessary information.

The Fairincluded several leading publishing companies including: Cambridge, Cengage Learning HE, Cengage Learning ELT, Pearson Education, Pearson ELT, McGraw-Hill Education, Palgrave and Wiley; as well as online resource providers Arabian Advanced Systems (EBSCO, ProQuest,

Musical evening at Carmel

Kuwait’s future leaders to present seven ideas to reform Kuwait

ebruary 14, 2013, was an auspicious day for the Junior Wing of Carmel School, Kuwait. The 3rd graders had their Annual Day in colour and style. It was an evening to be remembered. Our Chief Guest was F M Basheer, Principal India International School, Mangaf and convenor of Kuwait chapter 2013 as well. A melodious song, sung by our choir welcomed the guests. To mark Kuwait’s National and Liberation Day, a March Drill was presented which evoked sentiments of patriotism to our host country. Being Valentine’s Day, the children with love in their hearts sang

to their parents ‘I LOVE YOU’. The highlight of the evening was a musical ‘The Selfish Giant’ with a 250 strong cast. Colourful costumes, vibrant dances, harmonious songs and well delivered dialogues made the musical a grand success. The Chief Guest’s address and the parents’ reaction all proved that the message ‘Love Conquers all’ rang loud and clear. The success of the evening, was the co-ordinated work of the entire section. This was expressed in the song “As a Team”. The musical evening came to a close with the school anthem.

ebrary, Safari, Literature Online), EduTech, Sage, TechKnowledge, Virtus National. The local participants included the U.S. Embassy, GUST Bookstore, Centerfor Research and Studies in Kuwait, Kuwait Association for Learning Differences, and Center for Child Evaluation and Teaching.

even Campaigns for Change for the benefit of Kuwaiti Society will be presented by members of the Kuwait Leadership Mastery (KLM) today 13 March at 5:30 p.m. at Gulf University for Science & Technology. KLM is a year-long program thatís designed to ìinspire Kuwaitís future leaders.î The program teaches leadership skills to Kuwaiti youth between the ages of 17 and 24. More than 60 people participate in the program. Last November, the participants were divided into seven teams, and each team was requested to develop a plan to resolve a problem currently existing in Kuwait. The teams were organized around these themes: Sports & Health, Environment, National Unity, Social Responsibility, Leadership Development, Business/Entrepreneurial Development, and Education Reform. A group of judges will evaluate the campaigns when they are presented at the Kuwait Leadership Mastery. The judges will select three winning campaigns. Audience members will also vote on the winning campaigns and the audience will select the ìmost creativeî campaign. The event is open to the public. The winning teams will be recognized at the KLM graduation ceremony on 3 April at GUST. KLM was developed by Dr. John P. Hayes, head of Business Administration at GUST. The program is funded by the Middle East Partnership Initiative (MEPI) of the U.S. State Department.

EMBASSY OF CYPRUS In its capacity as EU Local Presidency in the State of Kuwait, the Embassy of the Republic of Cyprus, on behalf of the Member States of the EU and associated States participating in the Schengen cooperation, would like to announce that as from 2nd October 2012 all Schengen States’ Consulates in Kuwait will use the Visa Information System (VIS). The VIS is a central database for the exchange of data on shortstay (up to three months) visas between Schengen States. The main objectives of the VIS are to facilitate visa application procedures and checks at external border as well as to enhance security. The VIS will contain all the Schengen visa applications lodged by an applicant over five years and the decisions taken by any Schengen State’s consulate. This will allow applicants to establish more easily the lawful use of previous visas and their bona fide status. For the purpose of the VIS, applicants will be required to provide their biometric data (fingerprints and digital photos) when applying for a Schengen visa. It is a simple and discreet procedure that only takes a few minutes. Biometric data, along with the data provided in the Schengen visa application form, will be recorded in the VIS central database. Therefore, as from 2nd October 2012, firsttime applicants will have to appear in person when lodging the application, in order to provide their fingerprints. For subsequent applications within 5 years the fingerprints can be copied from the previous application file in the VIS. The Cypriot Presidency would like to assure the people of Kuwait and all its permanent citizens that the Member States and associated States participating in the Schengen cooperation, have taken all necessary technical measures to facilitate the rapid examination and the efficient processing of visa applications and to ensure a quick and discreet procedure for the implementation of the new VIS. nnnnnnn

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. nnnnnnn

Embassy of Mexico The Embassy of Mexico to Kuwait has the pleasure to announce the opening of its Consular Section where visa applications are already being handled. The Consular Section is open to the public from Sundays-Thursdays 09.00-12.00 hrs. at Cliffs Complex in Salmiya, Villa No. 6 (3rd floor).

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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. nnnnnnn

EMBASSY OF TURKEY The Embassy of the Republic of Turkey announces that a new classes of Turkish language for beginners will start at the Embassy’s Tourism, Culture and Information Office on 17 February 2013. The lessons will be two times in a week for six weeks, for further details and registration please contact. Or fill the application form on http://kuveyt.bemfa.gov.tr and send it to the email: embassy.Kuwait@mfa.gov.tr

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 13, 2013

TV PROGRAMS

00:45 Killer Sharks: The Attacks Of Black... 01:35 Untamed & Uncut 02:25 Wildest Africa 03:15 Glory Hounds 04:55 Shamwari: A Wild Life 05:20 Escape To Chimp Eden 05:45 Animal Precinct 06:35 The Really Wild Show 07:00 Dogs 101 07:50 Jeﬀ Corwin Unleashed 08:40 My Cat From Hell 09:35 Monkey Life 10:05 Bondi Vet 10:30 Shamwari: A Wild Life 11:00 Escape To Chimp Eden 11:25 Wildest Africa 12:20 Glory Hounds 14:10 Animal Cops Houston 15:05 Animal Precinct 16:00 The Really Wild Show 16:30 Dogs 101 17:25 Weird Creatures With Nick Baker 18:20 Breed All About It 19:15 Monkey Life 19:40 Bondi Vet 20:10 Shamwari: A Wild Life 20:35 Escape To Chimp Eden 21:05 Wildest Africa 22:00 Mutant Planet 22:55 Wild France 23:50 Animal Cops Houston

00:00 Homes Under The Hammer 00:50 Extreme Makeover: Home Edition 01:35 Come Dine With Me 02:25 Holmes On Homes 03:15 MasterChef 03:45 Celebrity Fantasy Homes 04:35 Bargain Hunt 06:55 Gino D’acampo: An Italian In Mexico 07:50 The Hairy Bikers USA 08:20 Celebrity Fantasy Homes 09:05 Homes Under The Hammer 09:55 Bargain Hunt 10:40 Antiques Roadshow 11:30 Extreme Makeover: Home Edition 12:15 MasterChef 13:10 Come Dine With Me 14:00 Perfect Day 14:50 Holmes On Homes 15:40 Bargain Hunt 16:25 Antiques Roadshow 17:15 Extreme Makeover: Home Edition 18:00 Homes Under The Hammer 18:50 Raymond Blanc’s Kitchen Secrets

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

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 Ha Ha Hairies Bananas In Pyjamas Lazytown Krypto: The Super Dog Jelly Jamm Gerald McBoing Boing Cartoonito Tales Bananas In Pyjamas Ha Ha Hairies Lazytown Krypto: The Super Dog Baby Looney Tunes Jelly Jamm

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

Gerald McBoing Boing Cartoonito Tales Krypto: The Super Dog Lazytown A Pup Named Scooby-Doo Tom And Jerry Tales Sylvester & Tweety Mysteries Johnny Bravo Tiny Toons 13 Ghosts Of Scooby-Doo The Garfield Show What’s New Scooby-Doo? Sylvester & Tweety Mysteries Tom And Jerry Tales The Looney Tunes Show Tiny Toons 13 Ghosts Of Scooby-Doo Moomins The Garfield Show Sylvester & Tweety Mysteries Tom And Jerry Tales Moomins Dexters Laboratory Johnny Bravo Puppy In My Pocket The Garfield Show What’s New Scooby-Doo? Sylvester & Tweety Mysteries Tom & Jerry Tales The Looney Tunes Show

00:00 Amanpour 00:30 World Sport 01:00 Piers Morgan Tonight 02:00 World Report 02:30 World Sport 03:00 Anderson Cooper 360 04:00 Piers Morgan Tonight 05:00 Quest Means Business 06:00 The Situation Room 07:00 World Sport 07:30 News Special 08:00 World Report 09:00 World Report 10:00 World Sport 10:30 Inside Africa 11:00 World Business Today 12:00 World One 12:30 Cnngo 13:00 Amanpour 13:30 CNN Newscenter 14:00 Piers Morgan Tonight 15:00 News Stream 16:00 World Business Today 17:00 International Desk 18:00 Global Exchange 19:00 World Sport 19:30 Cnngo 20:00 International Desk 21:00 Quest Means Business 22:00 Amanpour 22:30 CNN Newscenter 23:00 Connect The World With Becky Anderson

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

Outback Truckers Driven To Extremes Finding Bigfoot Mythbusters How Stuﬀ’s Made Auction Kings Auction Hunters Factory Line How Stuﬀ’s Made Sons Of Guns Mythbusters Ultimate Survival Wheeler Dealers Border Security Auction Kings Auction Hunters Factory Line How It’s Made Outback Truckers Driven To Extremes Finding Bigfoot Border Security Auction Kings Auction Hunters Unchained Reaction Wheeler Dealers Mythbusters Sons Of Guns How Do They Do It? How It’s Made

20:35 21:00 21:30 22:25 23:20

Auction Kings Auction Hunters James May’s Man Lab Superhuman Showdown Mythbusters

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

The X-Testers Gadget Show - World Tour How Tech Works Scrapheap Challenge The X-Testers The X-Testers Bang Goes The Theory Da Vinci’s Machines Oddities Oddities Man-Made Marvels Asia Sci-Trek How The Universe Works Da Vinci’s Machines Kings Of Construction Scrapheap Challenge Sci-Trek Gadget Show - World Tour How Tech Works How The Universe Works Kings Of Construction Scrapheap Challenge Bang Goes The Theory Da Vinci’s Machines The X-Testers The X-Testers Gadget Show - World Tour How Tech Works Sci-Trek Man-Made Marvels Asia How The Universe Works Moon Machines Squid Invasion Gadget Show - World Tour How Tech Works Moon Machines Squid Invasion

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

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 Fish Hooks Suite Life On Deck My Babysitter’s A Vampire A.N.T. Farm Austin And Ally Jessie Good Luck Charlie Doc McStuﬃns Mickey Mouse Clubhouse A.N.T Farm Jonas Los Angeles So Random Hannah Montana Sonny With A Chance Kim Possible Shake It Up Wizards Of Waverly Place That’s So Raven Austin And Ally Art Attack A.N.T Farm Suite Life On Deck My Babysitter’s A Vampire Shake It Up Jessie Jessie Jessie Good Luck Charlie Gravity Falls Suite Life On Deck Austin And Ally My Babysitter’s A Vampire A.N.T Farm Good Luck Charlie Jessie That’s So Raven Cory In The House

21:15 21:40 22:05 22:30 22:55 23:20 23:45

Phil Of The Future Hannah Montana Good Luck Charlie Good Luck Charlie Wizards Of Waverly Place Wizards Of Waverly Place Hannah Montana

00:20 Little Einsteins 00:50 Special Agent Oso 01:05 Special Agent Oso 01:15 Lazytown 01:40 Jungle Junction 01:55 Jungle Junction 02:10 Handy Manny 02:20 Handy Manny 02:30 Mickey Mouse Clubhouse 03:00 Lazytown 03:25 Special Agent Oso 03:40 Special Agent Oso 03:50 Imagination Movers 04:20 Handy Manny 04:30 Handy Manny 04:40 Special Agent Oso 04:50 Special Agent Oso 05:00 Timmy Time 05:10 Lazytown 05:35 Little Einsteins 06:00 Jungle Junction 06:15 Jungle Junction 06:30 Little Einsteins 06:50 Special Agent Oso 07:00 Special Agent Oso 07:15 Jungle Junction 07:30 Jungle Junction 07:45 Handy Manny 08:00 Special Agent Oso 08:15 Lazytown 08:45 New Adventures Of Winnie The Pooh 09:10 Timmy Time 09:20 Jake & The Neverland Pirates 09:35 Jake & The Neverland Pirates 09:50 Handy Manny 10:05 Doc McStuffins 10:20 Doc McStuffins 10:35 Zou 10:50 Zou 11:00 Lilo And Stitch 11:30 Cars Toons 11:35 Mouk 11:45 Art Attack 12:10 Imagination Movers 12:35 Mickey Mouse Clubhouse 13:00 Winnie The Pooh: Tales Of Friendship 13:10 Doc McStuffins 13:25 Handy Manny 13:40 Jungle Junction 13:55 Timmy Time 14:05 The Hive 14:15 Mouk 14:30 Little Einsteins 14:55 Mickey Mouse Clubhouse 15:20 New Adventures Of Winnie The Pooh 15:45 Jake & The Neverland Pirates 16:00 The Little Mermaid 16:25 Lilo And Stitch 16:55 Zou 17:10 Zou 17:20 Mouk 17:35 Mouk 17:45 Lilo And Stitch 18:10 The Hive 18:20 Cars Toons 18:25 Jake & The Neverland Pirates 18:40 Jake & The Neverland Pirates 18:55 Handy Manny 19:10 Doc McStuffins 19:25 Doc McStuffins 19:40 Zou 19:55 Zou 20:05 Timmy Time 20:15 Pajanimals 20:25 Doc McStuffins 20:40 Jake & The Neverland Pirates 20:55 Jake & The Neverland Pirates 21:10 Winnie The Pooh: Tales Of Friendship 21:20 The Hive 21:30 Pajanimals 21:45 Handy Manny 22:00 Mickey Mouse Clubhouse 22:25 Pajanimals 22:35 New Adventures Of Winnie The Pooh 23:00 Timmy Time 23:10 Animated Stories 23:15 A Poem Is... 23:20 Winnie The Pooh: Tales Of Friendship 23:30 Jungle Junction 23:45 Handy Manny 23:55 Mickey Mouse Clubhouse

00:00 Programmes Start At 7:00am KSA 07:00 Kickin It 07:25 Phineas And Ferb 07:50 Max Steel 08:15 Crash & Bernstein 08:40 Randy Cunningham: 9th Grade Ninja 09:05 Scaredy Squirrel 09:30 Ultimate Spider-Man 09:55 Zeke & Luther 10:20 Kick Buttowski 10:45 I’m In The Band 11:10 Pokemon: BW Rival Destinies 11:35 Rated A For Awesome 12:00 Mr. Young 12:25 American Dragon 12:50 Kick Buttowski 13:20 Pair Of Kings 13:45 Zeke & Luther 14:10 Kick Buttowski 14:35 I’m In The Band 15:00 Phineas And Ferb 15:25 Almost Naked Animals 15:50 Rekkit Rabbit 16:15 Randy Cunningham: 9th Grade Ninja 16:40 Slugterra 17:05 Lab Rats 17:30 Zeke & Luther 18:00 Kickin It 18:25 Kickin It 18:50 Phineas And Ferb 19:15 Phineas And Ferb 19:40 Mr. Young 20:05 Slugterra 20:30 Crash & Bernstein 20:55 I’m In The Band 21:20 Rated A For Awesome 21:45 Rekkit Rabbit 22:10 Phineas And Ferb 22:35 Ultimate Spider-Man 23:00 Kick Buttowski

ROAD TO PERDITION ON OSN CINEMA

00:00 Dirty Soap 00:55 Style Star

01:25 03:15 03:40 04:10 06:00 07:50 08:20 10:15 12:05 13:05 14:05 York 15:00 15:30 16:30 17:00 18:00 19:00

THS Style Star Extreme Close-Up E!es THS Style Star Opening Act THS Khloe And Lamar Married To Jonas Kourtney & Kim Take New Style Star THS Extreme Close-Up Giuliana & Bill E! News Fashion Police

00:15 Guy’s Big Bite 00:40 Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives 01:30 Heat Seekers 01:55 Outrageous Food 02:20 Unwrapped 02:45 Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives 03:35 Guy’s Big Bite 04:25 Unique Eats 04:50 Food Crafters 05:15 Charly’s Cake Angels 05:40 Chopped 06:30 Iron Chef America 07:10 Unwrapped 08:50 Healthy Appetite With Ellie Krieger 09:40 Symon’s Suppers 10:05 Barefoot Contessa 10:55 Cooking For Real 11:45 Unique Eats 12:10 Food Crafters 12:35 Charly’s Cake Angels 13:00 Iron Chef America 13:50 Symon’s Suppers 14:15 Barefoot Contessa - Back To Basics 14:40 Barefoot Contessa - Back To Basics 15:05 United Tastes Of America 15:30 Food Crafters 15:55 Guy’s Big Bite 16:20 Guy’s Big Bite 16:45 Chopped 17:35 Barefoot Contessa 18:00 Barefoot Contessa 18:25 Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives 18:50 Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives 19:15 Unique Sweets 19:40 Charly’s Cake Angels 20:05 Guy’s Big Bite 20:30 Chopped 21:20 Chopped 22:10 Iron Chef America 23:00 Charly’s Cake Angels 23:25 Charly’s Cake Angels 23:50 Unique Sweets

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

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

I Almost Got Away With It Dr G: Medical Examiner The Haunted Couples Who Kill Deadly Women I Almost Got Away With It Dr G: Medical Examiner The Haunted Murder Shift Mystery Diagnosis Street Patrol Street Patrol Real Emergency Calls Who On Earth Did I Marry? On The Case With Paula Zahn Murder Shift Disappeared Mystery Diagnosis Street Patrol Street Patrol Forensic Detectives On The Case With Paula Zahn Real Emergency Calls Who On Earth Did I Marry? Disappeared Murder Shift Forensic Detectives On The Case With Paula Zahn Disappeared Nightmare Next Door Couples Who Kill Evil, I Evil, I I Almost Got Away With It

Kimchi Chronicles Around The World For Free The Ride: Alaska To Patagonia Adventure Wanted Banged Up Abroad City Chase Rome Ultimate Traveller One Man & His Campervan David Rocco’s Dolce Vita 1 Exploring The Vine Kimchi Chronicles Around The World For Free The Ride: Alaska To Patagonia Adventure Wanted Banged Up Abroad City Chase Rome Around The World For Free Kimchi Chronicles David Rocco’s Dolce Vita 1 Exploring The Vine Kimchi Chronicles Around The World For Free The Ride: Alaska To Patagonia Adventure Wanted Banged Up Abroad City Chase Marrakech Exploring The Vine Kimchi Chronicles Kimchi Chronicles David Rocco’s Dolce Vita 1 Around The World For Free

00:00 Predator CSI 01:00 Bite Me With Dr. Mike Leahy 01:55 Monster Fish 02:50 Dangerous Encounters With Brady Barr 03:45 World’s Deadliest Animals 04:40 Shark Men 05:35 The Living Edens 06:30 Monster Fish 07:25 Dangerous Encounters With Brady Barr 08:20 World’s Deadliest Animals 09:15 Fish Warrior 10:10 World’s Weirdest 11:05 Hunter Hunted 12:00 Dangerous Encounters With Brady Barr 13:00 Monster Fish

SOMETHING BORROWED ON OSN CINEMA 14:00 Dangerous Encounters With Brady Barr 15:00 World’s Deadliest Animals 16:00 Monster Fish 17:00 Like A Sea Serpent 18:00 Hunter Hunted 19:00 Monster Fish 20:00 Dangerous Encounters With Brady Barr 21:00 World’s Deadliest Animals

00:00 The Ward-18 02:00 Road To Perdition-18 04:00 Legendary Assassin-PG15 06:00 True Justice: Urban Warfare 08:00 Carjacked-PG15 10:00 True Justice: One Shot, One Life-PG15 12:00 The Eagle-PG15 14:00 Carjacked-PG15 16:00 Burden Of Evil-PG15 18:00 The Eagle-PG15 20:00 Ronin-18

01:00 Something Borrowed-PG15 03:00 Space Chimps 2: Zartog Strikes Back-PG 05:00 No Surrender-PG15 07:00 Riddles Of The Sphinx-PG15 09:00 Something Borrowed-PG15 11:00 Water For Elephants-PG15 13:00 Hidden Crimes-PG15 15:00 Black Forest-PG15 17:00 Stolen Lives-PG15 19:00 How I Spent My Summer Vacation-PG15 20:45 Bridesmaids-18

00:30 The Daily Show With Jon Stewart 01:00 The Colbert Report 01:30 The New Normal 02:00 American Dad 02:30 Family Guy 03:00 Hot In Cleveland 03:30 Raising Hope 04:00 Gary Unmarried 04:30 The Tonight Show With Jay Leno 05:30 Hope & Faith 06:00 10 Items Or Less 06:30 Less Than Perfect 07:00 Late Night With Jimmy Fallon 08:00 Gary Unmarried 08:30 Modern Family 09:30 How I Met Your Mother 10:30 Last Man Standing 11:00 The Tonight Show With Jay Leno 12:00 10 Items Or Less 12:30 Gary Unmarried 13:00 Hope & Faith 13:30 Less Than Perfect 14:00 Raising Hope 15:00 How I Met Your Mother 15:30 The Daily Show With Jon Stewart 16:00 The Colbert Report 16:30 10 Items Or Less 17:00 Late Night With Jimmy Fallon 18:00 Hot In Cleveland 18:30 Raising Hope 19:30 The Mindy Project 20:00 The Tonight Show With Jay Leno 21:00 The Daily Show With Jon Stewart 21:30 The Colbert Report 22:00 The Ricky Gervais Show 22:30 Louie 23:00 Family Guy 23:30 Late Night With Jimmy Fallon

01:00 03:00 05:00 07:00 08:00 08:30 09:00 10:00 11:00 13:00 14:00 16:00 17:00 18:00 18:30

Homeland In Plain Sight Good Morning America The Practice Emmerdale Coronation Street The Ellen DeGeneres Show Body Of Proof The Practice In Plain Sight Live Good Morning America Body Of Proof The Ellen DeGeneres Show Emmerdale Coronation Street

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

The Ward Road To Perdition Legendary Assassin True Justice: Urban Warfare Carjacked True Justice: One Shot, One The Eagle Carjacked Burden Of Evil The Eagle Ronin

00:00 Mardi Gras: Spring Break-18 02:00 The Waterboy-PG15 04:00 Good Boy!-PG 06:00 The Winning Season-PG15 08:00 The Family Stone-PG15 10:00 The Naked Gun: From The Files Of Police Squad-PG 12:00 Good Boy!-PG 14:00 Elf-PG 16:00 The Naked Gun: From The Files Of Police Squad-PG 18:00 Snow Day-PG 20:00 Take Me Home Tonight-18 22:00 Mardi Gras: Spring Break-18

01:30 03:15 05:45 08:45 10:45 12:15 13:45 15:45 18:00 21:00 23:00

Trust-PG15 Tora! Tora! Tora!-PG15 Thorne: Sleepy Head-PG15 Swing Kids-PG15 Separate Lies-PG15 Restless-PG15 Swing Kids-PG15 World Trade Center-PG15 Thorne: Scaredy Cat-PG15 Burning Man-18 The Conspirator-PG15

01:00 Toast-PG15 03:00 Captain America: The First Avenger-PG15 05:15 Alvin And The Chipmunks: Chipwrecked-PG 07:00 A Cinderella Story: Once Upon A Song-PG 09:00 Hugo-PG 11:15 Glee: The Concert MoviePG15 12:45 Win Win-PG15 14:30 According To Greta-PG15 16:15 Hugo-PG 18:30 The Avengers-PG15 21:00 Hesher-PG15 23:00 Final Destination 5-18

01:00 Quest For A Heart 02:45 Princess Sydney: The Legend Of The Blue Rabbit 04:30 Mia And The Migoo 06:00 Quest For A Heart 08:00 Free Birds 10:00 Zathura: A Space Adventure 11:45 Pacific Pirates 13:15 Moomins And The Comet Chase 14:45 Cheaper By The Dozen 16:30 Beverly Hills Chihuahua 2 18:15 Zathura: A Space Adventure 20:00 Dr. Seuss’ The Lorax 22:00 Moomins And The Comet Chase 23:30 Beverly Hills Chihuahua 2

00:00 ICC Cricket 360 00:30 Live Cricket Test Match 08:30 ICC Cricket 360 09:00 Super Rugby Highlights 10:00 Top 14 12:00 PGA European Tour Highlights 14:00 Dubai World Cup Carnival 18:00 Super League 19:30 Ladies European Tour Highlights 20:30 PGA European Tour Weekly 21:00 Inside The PGA Tour 21:30 Trans World Sport 22:30 Super Rugby Highlights

00:00 01:00 02:00 04:00 04:30 05:00 06:00 07:00 08:00 09:30 11:03 13:30 17:00 17:30 18:00 20:00 23:00

UFC The Ultimate Fighter UFC Countdown Top 14 Futbol Mundial ICC Cricket 360 WWE Bottom Line Super Rugby Trans World Sport Super League NHL Anglo Welsh Cup Premier League Darts ICC Cricket 360 Futbol Mundial Anglo Welsh Cup HSBC Sevens World Series European Tour Weekly

00:00 World Cup Of Pool 01:00 Dubai World Cup Carnival 04:30 Ladies European Tour Highlights 05:30 NRL Full Time 06:00 Golfing World 08:00 Asian Tour Highlights 09:00 Ladies European Tour Highlights 10:00 World Pool Masters 11:00 World Cup Of Pool 12:00 City Centre Races 13:30 Top 14 Highlights 14:00 Golfing World 15:00 NRL Full Time 15:30 World Pool Masters 16:30 World Cup Of Pool 17:30 Top 14 19:30 NRL Premiership 21:00 Futbol Mundial 21:30 Asian Tour Highlights

00:00 WWE Bottom Line 01:00 NHL 03:00 Ping Pong World Championship 04:00 US Bass Fishing 05:00 NHL 07:00 WWE Vintage Collection 08:00 WWE NXT 09:00 Ping Pong World Championship 10:00 US Bass Fishing 11:00 NHL 13:00 WWE SmackDown 15:00 WWE Vintage 16:00 UAE National Race Day 17:00 UFC The Ultimate Fighter 18:00 UFC Countdown 19:00 UFC Ultimate 100 Knockouts 22:00 UFC Countdown 23:00 WWE Experience

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

American Pickers Pawn Stars Storage Wars Ancient Aliens Storage Wars Storage Wars Texas American Pickers Mud Men Pawn Stars American Restoration Ancient Aliens Pawn Stars Storage Wars Seeking Salvage Pawn Stars American Restoration Pawn Stars Storage Wars Ancient Aliens Storage Wars Storage Wars Texas American Pickers Pawn Stars American Restoration Seeking Salvage Storage Wars Storage Wars Texas American Pickers Pawn Stars American Restoration Seeking Salvage Pawn Stars Storage Wars Ancient Aliens Ancient Aliens

Classifieds WEDNESDAY, MARCH 13, 2013

Kuwait

KNCC PROGRAMME FROM THURSDAY TO WEDNESDAY (07/03/2013 TO 13/03/2013)

SHARQIA-1 PARKER (DIG) PARKER (DIG) PLAYBACK (DIG) PARKER (DIG) PLAYBACK (DIG) PARKER (DIG)

1:45 PM 4:00 PM 6:15 PM 8:15 PM 10:30 PM 12:30 AM

PLAYBACK (DIG) PARKER (DIG) PLAYBACK (DIG) PARKER (DIG) PARKER (DIG) PLAYBACK (DIG) NO SUN+ TUE+WED

SHARQIA-2 APARTMENT 1303 (DIG-3D) OZ THE GREAT AND POWERFUL (DIG-3D) OZ THE GREAT AND POWERFUL (DIG-3D) SNITCH (DIG) OZ THE GREAT AND POWERFUL (DIG-3D) SNITCH (DIG)

12:30 PM 3:00 PM 5:30 PM 8:00 PM 10:15 PM 12:45 AM

MARINA-2 AL HAFLA (DIG) AL HAFLA (DIG) AL HAFLA (DIG) AL HAFLA (DIG) AL HAFLA (DIG) AL HAFLA (DIG)

1:00 PM 3:15 PM 5:15 PM 7:30 PM 9:45 PM 12:05 AM

SHARQIA-3 SNITCH (DIG) AL HAFLA (DIG) VEHICLE 19 (DIG) AL HAFLA (DIG) AL HAFLA (DIG) AL HAFLA (DIG)

1:30 PM 3:45 PM 6:00 PM 7:45 PM 9:45 PM 12:05 AM

MARINA-3 OZ THE GREAT AND POWERFUL (DIG-3D) OZ THE GREAT AND POWERFUL (DIG-3D) OZ THE GREAT AND POWERFUL (DIG-3D) SNITCH (DIG) OZ THE GREAT AND POWERFUL (DIG-3D) SNITCH (DIG)

12:30 PM 3:00 PM 5:30 PM 8:00 PM 10:15 PM 12:45 AM

1:30 PM 3:30 PM 5:45 PM 8:00 PM 10:00 PM 12:15 AM

AVENUES-1 3ALA GOSETY (DIG) 3ALA GOSETY (DIG) 3:15 PM 3ALA GOSETY (DIG) 3ALA GOSETY (DIG) 3ALA GOSETY (DIG) 3ALA GOSETY (DIG)

MUHALAB-1 PLAYBACK (DIG) PARKER (DIG) PARKER (DIG) PLAYBACK (DIG) PARKER (DIG) PLAYBACK (DIG) NO SUN+ TUE+WED MUHALAB-2 VEHICLE 19 (DIG) AL HAFLA (DIG) AL HAFLA (DIG) AL HAFLA (DIG) AL HAFLA (DIG) VEHICLE 19 (DIG) NO SUN+ TUE+WED

1:45 PM 3:45 PM 6:00 PM 8:15 PM 10:30 PM 12:45 AM

FANAR-1 MAMA (DIG) PARKER (DIG) MAMA (DIG) PARKER (DIG) PARKER (DIG) PARKER (DIG) NO SUN+ TUE+WED

1:30 PM 3:30 PM 5:45 PM 7:45 PM 10:00 PM 12:30 AM

FANAR-2 PLAYBACK (DIG) A GOOD DAY TO DIE HARD (DIG) PLAYBACK (DIG) VEHICLE 19 (DIG) PLAYBACK (DIG) VEHICLE 19 (DIG) PLAYBACK (DIG) NO SUN+ TUE+WED =FANAR-3 SNITCH (DIG) SNITCH (DIG) SNITCH (DIG) AL HAFLA (DIG) SNITCH (DIG) SNITCH (DIG)

12:30 PM 2:45 PM 5:00 PM 7:00 PM 9:00 PM 11:00 PM 12:45 AM

12:45 PM 3:00 PM 5:15 PM 7:30 PM 9:30 PM 11:45 PM

MARINA-1

1:30 PM 3:30 PM 5:45 PM 7:45 PM 10:00 PM 12:15 AM

1:00 PM 5:30 PM 7:45 PM 10:00 PM 12:15 AM

AVENUES-2 SNITCH (DIG) SNITCH (DIG) SNITCH (DIG) SNITCH (DIG) SNITCH (DIG) SNITCH (DIG)

12:45 PM 3:00 PM 5:15 PM 7:30 PM 9:45 PM 12:05 AM

360ยบ- 1 OZ THE GREAT AND POWERFUL (DIG-3D) OZ THE GREAT AND POWERFUL (DIG-3D) OZ THE GREAT AND POWERFUL (DIG-3D) OZ THE GREAT AND POWERFUL (DIG-3D) OZ THE GREAT AND POWERFUL (DIG-3D) NO SUN+ TUE+WED

12:45 PM 3:30 PM 6:15 PM 9:00 PM 11:45 PM

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

12:45 PM 3:00 PM 5:15 PM 7:30 PM 9:45 PM 12:05 AM

360ยบ- 3 AL HAFLA (DIG) AL HAFLA (DIG) AL HAFLA (DIG) AL HAFLA (DIG) AL HAFLA (DIG)

2:00 PM 4:15 PM 6:30 PM 8:45 PM 11:00 PM

AL-KOUT.1 APARTMENT 1303 (DIG-3D) OZ THE GREAT AND POWERFUL (DIG-3D) OZ THE GREAT AND POWERFUL (DIG-3D) OZ THE GREAT AND POWERFUL (DIG-3D)

12:45 PM 2:45 PM 5:15 PM 7:45 PM

OZ THE GREAT AND POWERFUL (DIG-3D) 10:15 PM APARTMENT 1303 (DIG-3D) 12:45 AM AL-KOUT.2 PARKER (DIG) PARKER (DIG) PARKER (DIG) PARKER (DIG) VEHICLE 19 (DIG) PARKER (DIG) NO SUN+ TUE+WED

1:45 PM 4:00 PM 6:15 PM 8:30 PM 10:45 PM 12:30 AM

BAIRAQ-1 OZ THE GREAT AND POWERFUL (DIG-3D) PLAYBACK (DIG) OZ THE GREAT AND POWERFUL (DIG-3D) OZ THE GREAT AND POWERFUL (DIG-3D) OZ THE GREAT AND POWERFUL (DIG-3D) PLAYBACK (DIG) NO SUN+ TUE+WED

12:30 PM 3:00 PM 5:00 PM 7:30 PM 10:00 PM 12:30 AM

BAIRAQ-2 SNITCH (DIG) AL HAFLA (DIG) AL HAFLA (DIG) AL HAFLA (DIG) SNITCH (DIG) AL HAFLA (DIG) NO SUN+ TUE+WED

12:30 PM 2:45 PM 5:00 PM 7:15 PM 9:30 PM 11:45 PM

PLAZA AL HAFLA (DIG) AL HAFLA (DIG) AL HAFLA (DIG)

5:45 PM 8:00 PM 10:30 PM

AJIAL.1 SAHEB BIWI AUR GANGSTER RETURNS (DIG) (HINDI) 6:30 PM 9:00 PM SAHEB BIWI AUR GANGSTER RETURNS (DIG) (HINDI) 9:30 PM 12:00 AM AJIAL.2 PLAYBACK (DIG) AADHIBHAGAVAN (DIG) (TAMIL) PLAYBACK (DIG)

5:30 PM 7:30 PM 10:30 PM

AJIAL.3 MAMA (DIG) MAMA (DIG) MAMA (DIG)

5:45 PM 7:45 PM 9:45 PM

AJIAL.4 AL HAFLA (DIG) AL HAFLA (DIG) AL HAFLA (DIG)

5:30 PM 7:45 PM 10:00 PM

METRO-1 PLAYBACK (DIG) PLAYBACK (DIG) MR. PELLIKODUKKU (DIG) (TELUGU)

6:00 PM 8:00 PM 10:00 PM

METRO-2 AL HAFLA (DIG) AL HAFLA (DIG) AL HAFLA (DIG)

6:15 PM 8:15 PM 10:30 PM

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Prayer timings Fajr: