18 Mar 2013

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MONDAY, MARCH 18, 2013

Cyprus delays EU bailout debate as MPs baulk at terms

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In China’s shadow, Gitmo Uighurs languish on Palau

America at the tipping point: The changing face of a nation

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24Govt 12 14 18 to set up ‘family fund’ Foreign relations panel discusses border with Iraq

By B Izzak conspiracy theories

Dead industries?

By Badrya Darwish

badrya_d@kuwaittimes.net

KUWAIT: The National Assembly’s financial and economic affairs committee and the government yesterday finalized a deal that requires the government to waive hundreds of millions of dinars in interest on the loans taken by Kuwaiti citizens, the head of the panel said. MP Youssef Al-Zalzalah that according to the final formula, which is expected to be passed as legislation by the Assembly tomorrow, a special fund called the family fund will be established by the government.

The fund will purchase all outstanding

loans taken by Kuwaitis in the period between Jan 1, 2002 and March 30, 2008, waive all existing interest on them and reschedule the repayment in easy instalments not exceeding 40 percent of the debtors’ income. Zalzalah said that based on the final agreement, the deal will cover those who took loans from conventional as well as Islamic banks and financial companies in that period. Debtors who are under the government’s defaulters fund, established in 2009, can also benefit from the new debt relief scheme.

There is no mention of expatriate debtors benefitting from the bailout.

The agreement was struck despite crit-

icism by various quarters including several MPs because they did not think that the settlement is fair or comprehensive.

The bankers union also slammed the deal, saying it will only marginally benefit Kuwaiti debtors and claimed it is designed to mainly benefit banks.

The Assembly’s foreign relations committee meanwhile discussed the latest developments on the Iraqi-Kuwaiti borders with foreign ministry undersecretary Khaled Al-Jarallah. Secretary of the committee MP Taher Al-Failakawi said the foreign ministry team informed the committee that markers extending 205 km on the borders with Iraq from Salmi and

Max 28º Min 15º High Tide 4:23 & 15:14 Low Tide 09:42 & 22:35

Umm Qasr have been repaired and border railings installed without any problem and with total cooperation from Iraqis. The team said that there was a problem only between markers 104 and 105, extending just around 400 m, where the railing could not be installed because of three Iraqi houses that need to be demolished, Failakawi said. He said Kuwait had already compensated the Iraqi farmers on the borders for their houses and farms and that an agreement has been reached to build 200 housing units for these farmers three kilometers away from the borders.

Continued on Page 2

W

hen was the last time you went to the post office? I do not mean paying a visit to the post office as paying a visit to the museum.

I mean when was the last time you went to send a letter or a parcel? When was the last time you needed a watch to check what time it was and not just wear it on your wrist as a piece of jewelry? When was the last time you printed pictures on paper in a photo studio?

I did all these many years ago. The other day when I was in London, I noticed many post offices have closed down. The Postman Pat business has been shrinking and we all know why. Since the birth of the Internet, communicating with friends and family has become instantaneous. It is so fast and easy to do it through email or Facebook. Now you don’t even need to be stuck behind your computer to send letters to your family. Today all the communication is done from your mobile phone.

The post office business is not the only industry that is being hit by the advancement of technology.

The watch industry has also been hit. People no longer rely on watches to check the time. They do not need them. Your mobile shows the correct time.

Your iPad and iPod all show the time. I am sure that many in the watch industry have vanished or went bankrupt but we do not hear much about it.

The photography business has also been shattered. The cameras are there but there is no need to develop a film at a studio. You no longer have to rush to print your pictures in the studio a day after your holiday. It is all done from the phone. You can send the picture to your friends immediately. You can share the image with the whole world by posting it on Facebook.

We never think about the poor guys who lost their jobs in the dark studios developing films with pictures. Or maybe they have disappeared. Where is the watchmaker with his magnifying glass? If you need one, you should look hard. You might find one in the country. Cassettes and DVDs are a thing of the past too. I remember renting movies from a rental place and making a deposit which used to serve as an insurance that the movies will be returned. These are stories from the good old days. Maybe the young generations do not even know that these places existed?

Maybe they are today a part of the curriculum called “science of the past”. All these were here 10 years ago. Do we now look at them with nostalgia? It is scary when I sit and think of it seriously. It is too fast. What will take place in 10 years and which industries will vanish? Nothing is impossible.

‘Pray for me’, new Pope urges at first Angelus

ABU DHABI: An Emirati man stands on a balcony overlooking the Shams 1 Concentrated Solar Power (CSP) plant in the Al-Gharibiyah district on the outskirts of the Emirati capital yesterday during the inauguration of the facility. — AFP

UAE opens largest solar power plant MADINAT ZAYED, United Arab Emirates: Oil-rich Abu Dhabi yesterday officially opened the world’s largest Concentrated Solar Power (CSP) plant, which cost $600 million to build and will provide electricity to 20,000 homes. The 100-megawatt Shams 1 is “the world’s largest concentrated solar power plant in operation”, said Sultan Al-Jaber, the head of Abu Dhabi’s Masdar, which oversees the emirate’s plan to generate seven percent of its energy needs from renewable sources by 2020. “Today, Shams 1 is the largest CSP plant in all terms,” said Santiago Seage, chief executive officer of PAGE

Abengoa Solar, one of the partners in the project.

CSP uses a system of mirrors or lenses, whereas many other solar plants around the world use photovoltaic technology to harness solar power. Masdar now produces 10 percent of the world’s concentrated solar power, Seage said during the official inauguration. The company’s energy portfolio represents 68 percent of renewable energy produced in the Gulf region, where clean energy remains at an infancy stage. The solar park features long lines of parabolic mirrors spread Continued on Page 13

Lampard goal lifts Chelsea to third

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Iran launches destroyer in Caspian

ANZALI, Iran: Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad waves during the inauguration ceremony of the Jamaran-2 guided missile destroyer in this Caspian Sea port city yesterday. — AP

TEHRAN: Iran launched a domestically built destroyer in the Caspian Sea yesterday, its first deployment of a major warship in the oil-rich region, state T V repor ted.

President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad inaugurated the guided missile destroyer Jamaran-2 in the port city of Anzali, about 250 km northwest of Tehran. He said the deployment aimed to bolster peace and friendship in the region. “ The destroyer is there to meet those who want to jeopardize the security of surrounding nations,” he said, without elaborating.

There are multiple disputes between the nations that surround the Caspian Iran, Russia, A zerbaijan, K azak hstan and Turkmenistan - on how the inland sea should be divided. After final tests, the report said, Jamaran-2

will join Iran’s naval fleet in the sea in coming months. The 1,400-ton destroyer, which has a helicopter landing pad, is 94 m long and can cruise at 30 knots. It is equipped with surface-to-surface and surface-to-air missiles as well as antiaircraft batteries and sophisticated radar and communications terminals, the report said.

Iran launched a previous version of the Jamaran destroyer in 2010 in the Arabian Gulf. Since 1992, Iran has been building a self-sufficient military, reportedly producing its own jet fighters, tanks, missiles and light sub marines as well as torpedoes.

Ahmadinejad said that the West has learned from Iran’s technical exper tise that the countr y ’s nuclear capabilities cannot be eliminated. — AP

Palestinian mother of martyrs dies in Gaza GAZA CITY: A Palestinian lawStrip. maker known as the “mother The video showed of martyrs” who praised and Mohammed holding hands supported three of her sons with his mother, who prayed who were killed while carryfor him to become a “martyr”. ing out deadly attacks against Armed with grenades and Israelis died yesterday, a Gaza automatic rifles, he broke into official said. Mariam Farhat, a study hall, killing five semiwho said she wished she had nary students before he was Mariam Farhat 100 sons to die while attackshot dead by a soldier. In a ing Israelis, died in a Gaza city hospital of video that mother and son made health complications including lung ail- together just before the attack, Farhat ments and kidney failure, health official said: “I wish I had 100 boys like Ashraf Al-Kidra said. She was 64. The Mohammad. I’d sacrifice them for the mother of 10 first came to attention in sake of God.” “When I see all the Jews in 2002 when she recorded a farewell Palestine killed, that will be enough for video with her 19-year-old son, me,” his mother said on camera. “I wish Mohammed, giving him her blessing the he will kill as many as he can, so they will night before he undertook a shooting be scared.” attack in a Jewish settlement in the Gaza Continued on Page 13

GAZA CITY: Masked Hamas militants kneel next to the flag-draped body of Hamas militant and lawmaker Mariam Farhat during her funeral at the AlOmari Mosque yesterday. — AP

MONDAY, MARCH 18, 2013

LOCAL

Teachers demand job classification Current high school system criticized

KUWAIT: His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah received at Dar Salwa yesterday, in presence of His Highness the Crown Prince Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, His Royal Highness Prince Andrew, the Duke of York.

The reception was attended by Deputy Minister of Amiri Diwan Affairs Sheikh Ali Jarrah Al-Sabah and head of the mission of honor, Governor of Al-Ahmadi Sheikh Dr. Ibrahim Al-Duaij Al-Ibrahim Al-Sabah. Later, HH the Amir held a luncheon at Dar Salwa, in presence of HH the Crown Prince, in honor of visiting British guest on the occasion of his visit to the country. — KUNA

KUWAIT: While investigations are still on to determine the circumstances behind the death of a middle school student last Wednesday, public schools teachers are calling state officials to come up with a legislative framework for their job description, and clearly codify their responsibilities.

The Education Ministry was scheduled yesterday to hear testimonies of Al-Wusta Middle School students regarding the death of their classmate, Nourah Al-Dessem, who collapsed in class and died amid conflicting reports including speculation about a teacher having hit her on the shoulder with a book shortly before she fell unconscious.

During the week when the incident occurred, several teachers working in public schools released a statement demanding cabinet and parliament members to reconsider their rights.

“Whenever a problem happens at any school,

the finger of blame is pointed at the teachers as if they are responsible for everything that happens in the campus,” read the letter as quoted by Al-Rai yesterday.

The teacher went on to explain the nature of tasks they are forced to look after, including “teaching, preparing for classes, correcting homework, preparing exams and correcting them, substituting absent teachers, scheduling parent meetings, preparing and executing follow up plans for weak students, organizing morning assemblies, watching after students and making sure that they attend classes.”

They further went on to stress that a teacher’s job does not include “stopping students’ fights, providing medical attention or counseling students.” They demanded that their job be classified like other professions which detail the tasks.

In other news, Al-Qabas yesterday quoted the Ministry of Education insiders as expressing con-

cern over the below par results of evaluation tests taken by elementary school graduates before they entered the intermediate stage.

The sources spoke on behalf of middle school officials, some of whom mentioned that certain sixth graders could not read or write properly despite the fact that they successfully graduated from the fifth grade.

“The problem lies in the system which for example gives students automatic promotion through the first three elementary stages,” said a source who spoke on the condition of anonymity. They further complained that the level of teaching in the fourth and fifth grade “does not prepare students properly for the intermediate stage.” The sources also criticized the current high school stage system and held it responsible for the poor results recorded by high school graduates in Kuwait University enrollment exams.

S Lanka Embassy praises Kuwait in handling cases of runaway maids

By Ben Garcia

KUWAIT: His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah received at Seif Palace yesterday Minister of Social Affairs and Labor Thikra Al-Rasheedi accompanied by Abdelmohsen Mishwet Al-Mutairi. Al-Mutairi was appointed Undersecretary of the Ministry of Social Affairs and Labor. The meeting was attended by Deputy Minister of Amiri Diwan Affairs Sheikh Ali Jarrah Al-Sabah. — KUNA

KUWAIT: The Sri Lankan Embassy in Kuwait expressed gratitude at the way Kuwait handled the cases regarding runaway housemaids from the island nation. Speaking with the Kuwait Times recently, Sri Lanka’s Ambassador to Kuwait C.A.H.M. Wijeratne said requests for assistance were always granted by authorities here.

“They are helping us every step of our way to expedite the cases of runaway housemaids,” the envoy mentioned.

“Just to share some information, we came across some difficult cases here in the embassy and the only way to resolve them was to go through proper procedures. And if we had done that, it could have taken months or even years to resolve

such cases,” he admitted.

“But in our case, we were always assisted by some government officials here. They are guiding us to the right people to approach. Thus, cases which could usually take months or even years only take a few days,” he added.

Wijeratne was referring to the cases which the housemaids filed at the Court of First Instance where employers were summoned to appear. “These are all legal ways, not extra legal, but it could be done only because we had proper connections and right people guiding us,” he said.

Citing examples, Ambassador Wijeratne mentioned at least more than a dozen cases filed at his embassy which were all acted upon properly. “Lawyers here in Kuwait demand a great amount of money

Ambassador Wijeratne as fee, and if you are a housemaid, how can you avail their services?

So, the assistance of Kuwaiti government in such cases is ver y

Radical Shiite cleric’s invitation sparks reaction

By A. Saleh KUWAIT: An Islamist lawmaker urged Minister of Interior Sheikh Ahmad AlHmoud Al-Sabah to prevent a radical Shiite cleric from entering Kuwait in order to avoid increasing political tensions. “You have two days in order to apply the law or we will have to take procedures in accordance with the law”, said MP Hammad Al-Dousary in statements directed to minister AlSabah.

Speculation arose, claiming that Shiite preacher Mur tadhah AlQazwini was invited to Kuwait, sparking reac tions due to his stance regarding the Sunni faith. “I am asking the minister, who allowed AlQazwini—who had offended the fellowship of the Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) why he would be allowed to enter Kuwait?” he asked, stressing at the same time that his entrance should be rejected, as called for in the national unity law enacted late last year. In other news, MP Yaqoub AlSane’a sent a series of questions to Minister of Planning Dr. Rula Dashty regarding the “catastrophic” demographic imbalance in Kuwait which, according to official statistics, indicates that the number of expatriates exceeds 65 percent of the total population.

The lawmaker particularly asked about any strategies the Ministry of Planning has with regards to the expatriate issue, and inquired about the percentage of expatriates in the labor forces that has been replaced by Kuwaitis in the past five years. l A team of artistes preparing a

Tabtabae suggests national project for family loans

national operetta titled ‘Dar Salwa’ to be directed by Adel Al-Musallam is almost through with the task. Earlier, the operetta was scheduled to be performed by mid-March but was delayed on the request of a French company executing the lighting and effects in the open at the Determination Yard.

Notably, a ship-shaped stage will be built especially for the performance and arrangements have been made with the Ministry of Interior to close the streets around the yard on the day of the performance.

Meanwhile, responding to the government’s denial about his allegations of corruption, violations and wastage of public funds, former MP and minister Shuaib Al-Muwaizri issued a statement in which he challenged the government refute his claims.

The allegations were made during a TV interview. Al-Muwaizir also urged the government to check various reports of the Audit bureau, specialized local and international economic bodies and local and international banking facilities about violations and corruption within the government.

Notably, Al-Muwaizri had given examples of such violations and claimed that according to some contracts signed with the Ministr y of Public Works, the cost of building one kilometer of road in a road project was KD 20 million.

“The government must do its job and review those reports to fight corruption...I did my best to fight it during my short tenure and never backed off despite all the pressure,” he stressed.

AWDS praises Kuwaiti women’s accomplishments MADRID: Member of the Arab Women Diplomats Society (AWDS) in Spain, wife of Algerian Ambassador to Madrid, Mona Hanash, praised yesterday Kuwaiti women’s accomplishments and outstanding levels of experience in various fields. Hanash who had headed a female diplomatic delegation to Kuwait this month told KUNA after concluding her visit that the delegation was received with great hospitality, and the visit program enabled them to observe closely the active role of Kuwaiti women in the fields of social, political, and business and trade action.

She added the visit to the Kuwaiti National Assembly and the meeting with Minister of State for Planning and Administrative Development and Minister of State for National Assembly Affairs Rola Dashti and MPs Maasouma Al-Mubarak, Safaa Al-Hashem allowed members of the delegation, which con-

sist of academics, diplomats, businesswomen and artists to assess the experience of Kuwaiti women. She noted that the visit to the Women Culture and Social Society and the Diplomatic Club among other institutions illustrated a clear and complete picture of the Muslim and Arab women of this day.

She explained that such visits also granted members of the delegation an oppor tunity to obser ve the work of Kuwaiti women on an international level through charitable projects in many countries.

Hanash thanked Ambassador of Kuwait to Spain, Adel Hamad Al-Ayyar and responsible parties in the State of Kuwait, for coordinating and setting up meetings between members of the delegation and Kuwaiti female figures, as they were astonished by the high level of accomplishment and development in this sector. — KUNA

important and vital, especially in settling housemaid’s issues,” he added. Ambassador Wijeratne admitted that one of the most pressing problems they face at the embassy was the cases of runaway household service workers.

“While we are very happy with the quick action taken by the government here, I am also sad because the instances of runaway housemaids just do not stop. If we send home ten household workers, they are replaced by another 20 runaway workers,” he added.

Sri Lanka maintains that there have been at least over a hundred runaway housemaid cases. “The good thing about Kuwait is that when we need help, they are always ready to extend it, and we do not have to ask for it twice. We are grateful for that,” he said.

KUWAIT: The Kuwait Sea Sports Club organized the 39th annual Kuwait Fishing Contest featuring 72 boats and at least 142 fishermen.

Govt to set up ‘family fund’...

Continued from Page 1 Last week, hundreds of Iraqi farmers demonstrated at the borders near Umm Qasr and pelted stones at UN workers repairing the border markers that resulted in halting work on the markers and the railing. Failakawi also said the committee discussed the issue with the Iraqi ambassador in Kuwait who insisted that Iraq is keen to end the border issue with Kuwait.

The legal and legislative committee meanwhile approved a proposal calling

on the government to grant Kuwaiti citizenship to children of Kuwaiti women divorced from foreign spouses. The Assembly’s public funds protection committee discussed the issue about the scrapped deal with US giant Dow Chemical with Oil Minister Hani Hussein and senior oil ministry officials. The discussions focused on the period between 2006, when negotiations for the project started, until 2008 when the government scrapped the venture for which Dow won a compensation worth $2.48 billion from Kuwait.

KUWAIT: Former prosecutor for Shareea and Islamic Studies College, Dr Mohammad Al Tabtabae, said that the governmentís move to waive off the loans or interests accrued thereon would not achieve the purpose of dispensing justice to everyone in the society.

He said he has suggested a national project for extending a family loan. He described it as a proposal based on justice which, he said, will help families reeling under the debt to borrow from the state without paying any interest and settle their burden by making early payment. These loans would be availed of from Islamic financial institutions or banks and no interest was to be charged.

He further said that families who have no financial liabilities will be able to avail a family loan at any time. The scheme will be in the interest of the citizens.

The idea of family loan was rooted in the fact that familyís needs are different today from what these were 50 years ago when lending and savings bank was established.

New requirements like education, buying a car, treatment in private sector hospitals or abroad apart from unforeseen circumstances could necessitate the need for a loan. He pointed out that the state gives housing loans and maintenance loans, and should help the citizens in meeting new commitments since the state has developed.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Commerce and Industry is currently looking for a solution to avoid a clash between the consumer protection law and the unified GCC consumer protection law, especially since there was little time span left for the two laws to be issued.

Sources at the ministry revealed that a meeting of the GCC statesí officials was held yesterday to discuss and finalize the unified law expected to be approved by June.

Sources said that the Ministry of Commerce might postpone bringing in the Kuwaiti consumer law till the unified GCC law was approved so that the two legislations could be carefully studied to avoid any clash among their provisions. Sources said in case of any contradiction between the articles of the two laws, the unified GCC law will be applicable.

Responding to a question about the importance of issuing a local law since a unified law in any case will be there, a leader in the ministry replied that Kuwait being a sovereign country should have its own law, but it should be compatible with the unified GCC law as the GCC is an umbrella forum. Sources pointed out that a unified GCC law will positively reflect on consumer protection culture and also on the Kuwaiti economy because it is more general and comprehensive than the Kuwaiti law. The unified law covers all commitments and rights of the consumer.

Indian hangs to death in Abbasiya

By Sunil Cherian KUWAIT: An Indian expat, a resident of Jleeb AlShuyoukh, ended his life yesterday afternoon by hanging himself in his flat. Geevarghese Samuel (Sunny), 63, was found hanging when his working wife returned yesterday after her duty about 2.30 pm yesterday. Sources said he hanged himself on the ceiling fan in their flat on the third floor of the building he was living in for many years.

Samuel, who hailed from Thiruvalla, Kerala, was living with his wife, son and daughter. Sources added that he suffered from depression after he retired from his job and was suffering from personal problems, though he ‘never disclosed his problems’.

MONDAY, MARCH 18, 2013

LOCAL

Iraq insecure, unstable after 10 years of liberation Role of private sector restricted

By Nawara Fattahova KUWAIT: Ten years have passed since the socalled ‘Liberation Iraq,’ the end of the dictatorship of Saddam Hussein’s regime. Hopes were high that this rich country with its oil and natural resources will boom back and become a developed and free country providing great opportunitiesy for investments and building projects. However, after ten years, the situation there can be described as insecure and unstable.

According to an economic expert, Dr Hajjaj Bukhodor, Iraq did not achieve the development commensurate with its resources, potential and expectations. “The most important element for economic development is security, which unfortunately is not available in Iraq as the general situation there is unstable. That country is almost facing a civil war.

There is rank vandalism prevalent. The cost of investing is very high. This bad security situation can make realizing any project very difficult,” he told the Kuwait Times.

The period after war is a very good chance for investing. “Although after any change in the political regime, good investment chances should come up, yet for many reasons this did not happen in Iraq. While the instability on the political front in Iraq ended these chances, the present political system is based on sharing which is not conducive to developing a

new environment or opportunity for investing in Iraq. Another reason is that the economic model is not clear and without economic benefit, the cost of investing is too high and that limits any investment chances in Iraq,” stressed Dr Bukhodor.

The political conflicts in Iraq are another

Dr Hajjaj Bukhodor

reason for the absence of investment opportunities. “The parties are fighting together to monopolize the investment opportunities. It has blocked the foreign capital from entering Iraq. In addition, some parties work towards spoiling the relationship with the neighboring countries, forcing them to avoid investing in Iraq, although they could have been very use-

ful in providing logistical support in establishing different projects in Iraq,” he explained.

Bukhodor mentioned more reasons. “The government did not cooperate with neighboring countries or allow them facilities in their territory to serve as logistical stations for all projects to collect and fix the parts that will be later transferred back to Iraq to be used in infrastructure or construction,” he noted.

He also said the role of the private sector was restricted and that too worked against development. “The Iraqi government was never interested in developing business or trade.

It was against allowing the private sector to participate in the development process. The private sector in Iraq always played a key role in the development process, but today it is neglected,” concluded Bukhodor.

On his part, Eyaad, an Iraqi citizen living in Kuwait, expected the situation in Iraq to become even worse. “The present government is bad and this will have a great impact on the region, especially after the withdrawal of the US forces from Iraq. I think that Iraq is still under a dictatorship as there is the Maliki regime and I am expecting a civil war to break out there. The situation will become even worse. Today, people do not have essential needs and are living in very bad conditions.

The government is only paying attention to its political benefits and has forgotten about the people,” he stated.

Parliament panel discusses Kuwait-Iraq border incident KUWAIT: The Kuwait’s National Assembly’s Foreign Affairs Committee discussed yesterday with Foreign Ministry Undersecretary Khalid Suleiman Al-Jarrallah and Iraqi Ambassador to Kuwait Mohammad Bahr Al-Uloom the recent incident on the Kuwaiti-Iraqi borders.

In statements to reporters following the discussions, the committee rapporteur MP Taher AlFailakawi unveiled that Al-Jarallah has presented to the committee detailed information about the situation on the borders and the joint efforts to complete border demarcation as per UN resolutions.

Last week, Kuwait expressed dismay to the United Nations over a protest by stone-throwing Iraqis against teams working on maintaining border signs on the Kuwaiti side of the borders.

In his presentation, Al-Jarallah told the committee that the incident was triggered by rumors about Kuwaiti bulldozers razing a number of Iraqi houses on the border line which prodded

angry protesters to hurl stones at both Iraqi and Kuwaiti border guards. In response, security forces on both sides fired gunshots in the air to disperse the crowds.

The Kuwaiti official stressed that Kuwaiti border teams and its accompanying forces did not destroy any Iraqi property. Al-Jarrallah, however, stated that there are a number of Iraqi houses and farms breaching the border line and Kuwait has agreed with Iraqi government on compensating their owners and building new homes for them, at a three-kilometers-distance away from the borders. Kuwait has also deposited the compensations of these Iraqi properties at the UN, Al-Failakawi said quoting Al-Jarrallah. He added that the maintenance teams have completed work on the 205 km-long border line except for only 405 meters on which the Iraqi properties stand, between the border signs 104-105.

Al-Jarrallah expressed gratitude for the Iraqi government’s cooperation in completing the

maintenance of border signs. For his part, Iraqi Ambassador Bahr Al-Uloom acquainted the committee with the Iraqi point of view about the work and the recent incident.

The Iraqi Ambassador’s view, according to AlFailakawi, did not differ much from that of Kuwait. Bahr Al-Uloom has stressed that the Iraqi government is keen on settling the borders demarcation file with Kuwait as soon as possible.

Meanwhile, sources at Ministry of Interior emphasized that ministry is in the process of the execution of one of its largest projects to protect border out lets and facilitate entry and exit movements and to stop entry of expats in an illegal way.

Sources said that ministry has allocated KD 21 millions for his project which includes the increase of security steps for protecting the Airport, and renew its walls, and to guard sea ports and airports and train employees for the use of this technology. — Agencies

KUWAIT: The Family Day activities under the theme, “Calcium supplements: a must or a risk”, were launched yesterday under the patronage and attendance of Shareefa Sulaiman Al-Jassem, spouse of His Highness the Crown Prince Sheikh Nawaf AlAhmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah. The activities include an awareness program related to issues of women’s health. — KUNA

Teenager arrested after holding family hostage KUWAIT: A teenager was arrested on Saturday after holding his family hostage in Al-Roudha at knifepoint. Police first rushed to a house in the area where a girl reported that her brother went berserk and has held her along with their disabled mother and the housemaid hostage.

The officers requested permission to break into the house after the suspect refused to open the door. They immediately arrested the 17-year-old who was armed with a knife, before calling ambulances for his helpless family members. According to the police report, the suspect’s 23-year-old sister was treated from a bleeding in her hand inflected when she defended her wheel chaired mother, who was treated onsite for contusions resulted from her own son’s assault. Paramedics also provided medical attended the housemaid who was subjected to the youngster’s physical assault. The girl explained to police that her brother went furious after his mother rejected his request to buy a car as she told him to wait until he reaches the legal age of 18. The siblings live with their mother and housemaid inside their uncle’s home since their father died, the girl added.

Search on for abusive husband Search is on for a man who disappeared after locking his wife inside their apartment while investigations are ongoing to deter-

mine the circumstances behind his assault.

Police rushed late Friday night to a Nugra apartment where a Kuwaiti woman reported being locked up by her husband who then left the house 24 hours before. The woman was freed and taken to the Mubarak Hospital for medical attention as she was reportedly left without food or water in addition to being subjected to physical assault. The woman explained that her husband suddenly beat her up and dragged her into a room and then locked the door and disappeared.

Bullet retrieved in parked car Investigations are ongoing to in search for a suspect who shot a car parked outside a house in Fahad Al-Ahmad recently. Local police headed to the location shortly after the car owner made an emergency call. They retrieved a bullet that was found on the seat after piercing through the rear window. A case was filed.

Probe in Khaitan man’s death Police launched investigations to determine the circumstances behind the death of a middle-aged man in a case reported in Khaitan on Friday night. Police and paramedics headed to the scene after roommates of the Pakistani man reported finding him dead in his bedroom.

MONDAY, MARCH 18, 2013

LOCAL In my view

Letters to Badrya

Endangering lives in fast lanes

No sponsorships, visa problems for expatriates

badrya_d@kuwaittimes.net

By Labeed Abdal

labeed@kuwaittimes.net

T

he Kuwaiti government joining the ranks of many GCC countries by cancelling the system of granting visas only if immigrants had sponsors is something long awaited and must be implemented without any further delay.

This move will sound a death knell for the black market where visas were being bought and sold.

Moreover, the word Wasta must vanish from the common language dictionary and only then we can be sure that we have found a serious remedy to the many ills affecting our country.

Furthermore, it is indeed a good step to give the expats an option to stay with their sponsors of their own free will as we would then be able to proudly proclaim that there are many examples of expats having good relations with sponsors who are good and decent kafeels.

The number of expat workers that are hired in Kuwait is likely to increase in the coming ten years and we surely would not want our guest expats to suffer. An expatriate workers’ recruitment authority is likely to be established soon under a new law and it must be followed by tangible action on the ground to resolve any pending issues to ensure its success.

Without doubt, the new parliament will last longer especially since the loud and shrill opposition voices are no more there.

We must also ensure that any unfair decisions are reviewed by a local court of law.

Displaying our political wisdom and considering our regional and global responsibility, we must reinvent ourselves as a comprehensive financial hub that will attract international investors, contractors and workers.

Already, we have a huge development plan that is worth billions of dollars and ensuring that coming to, staying in and departing from Kuwait should be a breeze. Fundamentally, we should provide all the elements needed to make ourselves a highly welcoming society once the residency issues are transferred to a ministry and all related matters are facilitated at the earliest.

kuwait digest

Comparison between Bush and Obama

By Abdullah Khalaf

T

here is not much difference between presidents George Bush and Barack Obama in terms of their approach towards the Arab-Israeli conflict.

With its riches and a grip on the media that dominates the whole world, Israel simply orders the USA around which fully complies without asking any questions. The US present does not dare to cross swords with the world dominating international Zionism, the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund’s red lines.

In an interview published in the Daily Star on June 24, 2009, Richard Hall asked Dr. Noam Chomsky about the difference between the two presidents. He answered that they both had differences that were hardly of any significance as Obama has been adopting attitudes that were identified with Bush and using the same phrases that were used by both, Bush senior and junior. They both used to call for having a Palestinian state without explaining how that could be done. The same strategy was adapted by Netanyahu when he became PM in 1996 for the first time.

Netanyahu expressed his approval about establishing a Palestinian state, which angered Simon Peres who resigned from office, strongly stressing there will never be a Palestinian state.

Nevertheless, Arab states are still panting in pursuit of normalization-related promises and the execution of the Oslo treaty article, which many doubt if Arabs had ever read it before signing because it was written in a maneuvering style. When Netanyahu’s minister of information was asked about it, he stressed that the Palestinians wished to call the territories still under their command a state, so let them do so. Oslo avoided mentioning building Jewish set-

tlements. It was more like a press conference where participants argued for a while and left.

Obama also avoided mentioning anything about the settlements in the West Bank. Dr. Chomsky says that US presidents have never given up their verbal and practical rejection of mentioning a clearly defined Palestinian state or putting an end to building settlements on territories occupied in 1967. “Obama introduced himself as a charming and loveable person and the Palestinians thought he would do them justice but they could not have been more wrong,” Chomsky said, wondering whether Israel would be ever punished or held accountable.

Potential danger has been there since the reign of Bush senior during which very short lived and minor sanctions were imposed on Israel but what will happen now? Israel has taken advantage of the focus on Iran to declare its defiance and build more settlements without any response from Washington. As a matter of fact, Obama increased military aid to Israel for an additional ten years and US investments in high tech sector in Israel, like in the gigantic Intel factory that will revolutionize chips and computer industries, actually increased.

All this goes on while Arabs stay as remote as possible from the world of technology. There are insignificant consumers who have to import all their needs from elsewhere.

They neither develop their industries nor their agriculture.

They take no steps towards building a better civilization. In his book The New Middle East, Peres says that there will be no place in the future for underdeveloped people...the future belongs to those who cope with civilization and industrialization.—Al-Watan

In my view

Outcome of visa trade

By Abdallah Bwair

local@kuwaittimes.net

T

he reason I am taking up this issue is because it has created a situation which is now an everyday reality. I am talking about the fact that expatriates’ overpopulation is now a reality we have to live with everyday. A majority of them are marginal laborers who came to Kuwait thanks to visa traffickers who peddled visas in exchange of money, while it the citizens who today are paying the real cost of this fraud.

Expatriates’ population is growing out of control and causing chronic traffic problems, including tragic accidents. Outdated vehicles are seen plying down the streets of our beloved Kuwait with toxic gases spewing out of their exhausts, or recklessly driven sports utility vehicles (SUV) threatening the safety of everyone on the road.

All that was allowed to happen when traffic policemen decided to stand as mute witnesses, letting such drivers feel safe while committing violations all the time.

Have you ever heard of the thieves’ market? It is a black-market-like place in Al-Hasawi, a suburb of Jleeb Al-Shuyoukh, which is controlled by its Bangladeshi community. In this market, you can find almost everything you can think of, being sold very cheap. The catch is that these are actually stolen items that are brought to this popular place where people look for quality items being sold below proper price. Sellers there are mostly intimidated by people dressed in the national attire (dishdasha), because they could be, all too often, Kuwaitis searching for their own items which were stolen and which they know were likely to come up here for sale.

The thieves’ market is only one story of the many crimes committed by expatriates in Kuwait, which include murder, kidnap, adultery and forgery. Speaking of forgery, a local newspaper reported recently a story about an Asian man who was arrested for forging the signature of his employer, which he used to forge a document to transfer his visa illegally.

Dear Badrya Darwish, Thank you for your recent article. I am an expat who drives 140 kilometers everyday to and fro for work. There are several things I find very frustrating about automobile drivers here in Kuwait.

There is a certain kind that can be called Tailgaters who drive so close behind other vehicles at high speed in the left lane, flashing their lights which virtually scream, “Get out of my way because I am important and you are not.” And if you do not pull over and let them pass, they will zoom around you and pass you from your right, endangering everyone’s life.

Then there are those who feel entitled to use the emergency lanes to overtake everyone when traffic is congested and moving slowly, or backed up because of a wreck.

If there is a wreck, they block the emergency lanes, delaying police and emergency services’ vehicles to reach the scene.

Then there are all the Rubberneckers who slow down to view a wreck on the other side of a highway, thereby causing traffic jams on the side of the road unaffected by the accident. Doing so usually causes an accident when one of the Tailgaters slams into the rear of another vehicle that had to suddenly brake to avoid colliding with a Rubbernecker in the lane ahead.

Add to their ranks the Lane Changers who insist on switching lanes while driving in front of you, sometimes in congested traffic and without giving a signal to indicate an intention to take a turn. They do so just because you left a little buffer distance between yourself and the car in front of you.

Then come the Horn Blowers who think honking is going to make the traffic jam clear up fast.

The Cellphone Talkers and Texters bring up the rear in this procession of the ultimate road threats. They are oblivious to the fast moving traffic all around them.

Such behavior traits indicate not only a lack a conscience and selfishness, but a complete ignorance of the dangers besides a lack of courtesy and respect for others on the road.

Unfortunately, only complaining about this problem will not make it go away.

G.R.J. Hello, I am an expat from India and an IT professional working and living here for more than seven years. I would like to thank you for this article in favor of us expats although I agree only halfway with what those writers had to say. I know that there might be controversies going on about this matter and in some cases, the expats could be wrong too. I think you should ask those writers why they wrote what they did.

I am sure they are referring to expats in top positions who know how to run businesses and some of whom are make a killing by fooling the owner of the company.

I have seen many knowledgeable and hardworking Kuwaitis and there would be some of them who could have a problem in earning a position because of the competing expats. My question is that if a Kuwaiti is able to handle a big job but cannot get it because of an expat, why does not he or she start his or her own company related to their area of expertise? After all, it is not hard for a Kuwaiti to start a new company. For example, if a Kuwaiti doctor fails to land a job, he or she can start his or her own clinic or hospital instead of depending on a vacancy to come up.

They do not have to worry about unemployment.

I am also struggling in my career and trying to find success, but I am not able to find my dream job because of some politics and partiality among expats from different countries. However, it is not the end of the world. I am working on my own ideas and have started my own project with the help of my friends. Whenever I will find a proper angel investor, I will ensure that this project starts generating an income. I learnt from somewhere that “inventing a job is better than finding a job.”

One of the biggest root causes of the failure of local citizens who own a company is not having enough knowledge about how such a company can be run. So they hire expats who come from a renowned university and who are working in a big company and thus have experience. But they do not try to look into the history of that person, how that person landed a job in the previous company? Is he that knowledgeable or not? The owner believes in what an expat claims and one day this expat cleans out the treasury of the company and leaves. He can then enjoy the rest of his life even as the owner and other poor expats are left to rue. The owner can still recover from such a sorry situation, but what about the other expats?

There has to be some kind of a remedy, a forum where such problems can be resolved. A company or a team of experts or business strategists who can help business owners learn about their business are required. They can ascertain whether the expats being hired for senior positions are worthy or not. This will stop the frauds committed by the expats. If businesses do good, then the country will do better and if the country does better, then there will be more employment.

There should be some program to enhance awareness among local citizens about how work has to be done and what is the meaning of struggle. Everyone here already has so much money and that is why they just do not know what is meant by making an effort and how people are surviving in poorer countries.

Regards, Ismail

MONDAY, MARCH 18, 2013

LOCAL

Mikati highlights Kuwait’s humanitarian aid to Lebanon BEIRUT: Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati highlighted yesterday Kuwait’s continuous support of several humanitarian and development projects in various Lebanese areas.

In remarks to Kuwait News Agency (KUNA) on the sidelines of his meeting with the Kuwaiti Red Crescent Society (KRCS) delegation, currently visiting the country to open a hospital in northern Lebanon, he said that “the State of Kuwait, under the wise leadership of His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad AlJaber Al-Sabah, had executed and financed important humanitarian and development projects.”

Chairman of KRCS Barjas Al-Barjas with Lebanese PM Najib Mikati.

Kuwait bids farewell to veteran female journalist KUWAIT: Kuwait’s late veteran journalist and philanthropist Ghanimah Fahad Al-Marzouq was laid to rest yesterday after decades-long stint in the Kuwaiti press awash with major success.

Al-Marzouqi, considered the pioneer of women-centered press in Kuwait, breathed her last on Friday at the age of 72. She was the first Kuwaiti woman to be a chief editor of a regular publication when she founded and headed the female-targetted “Sayidaty” magazine in 1964. She was awarded many press prizes for her role in developing Kuwaiti press.

Late Al-Marzouq began her education at Al-Qebliah School in Kuwait.

She then moved to Cairo to gain a Bachelor of Arts from Cairo University’s Faculty of Arts, with a major in journalism in 1964. After her graduation, Al-Marzouq returned to Kuwait and founded the Fahad AlMarzouq Center for Children’s Culture.

She is also a founding member of the Kuwait Journalists Association.

In 2001, the Faculty of Arts of Kuwait University chose Al-Marzouq as the culture and media personality of the year in recognition of her great contributions to the Kuwaiti press. AlMarzouq also had significant contributions to charitable work inside and outside Kuwait.

Meanwhile, the “unified media”

draft law, which “regulates the role of electronic media and social networking websites on the national scale” has been completed, said Kuwait’s minister of information yesterday.

“The draft law aims to be the main source of legislation for awareness to receivers of information. This will reflect positively on the use of these forms of media,” Minister of Information and State Minister for Youth Affairs Sheikh Salman Sabah AlSalem Al-Humoud Al-Sabah told reporters at the opening of the First Technology and Social Networking Forum.

“Placing any regulations or legislations aims primarily to support mediums and media platforms, thus achieving benefit for the society, serving the privacy of the Kuwaiti society and maintaining the sanctity of intellectual property rights,” he added.

Head of the forum Dr Adnan AlSultan said that the event “aims to create a platform for discussion and intellectual enrichment on the importance of social networking sites and their impacts on every aspect of day-to-day life, due to the local as well as international significance of the matter.” The event is set to include a dual-gender discussion forum for the youth community of the Gulf, attended by distinguished guests from the US, Australia, Egypt and Jordan, he added. — KUNA

The Lebanese PM thanked Kuwait and KRCS for its humanitarian role, referring in particular to the opening of the governmental hospital in Al-Minya area through Red Crescent contribution. Meanwhile, Chairman of KRCS Barjas AlBarjas stressed Kuwait’s keenness on supporting all development projects in Lebanon, highlighting that the opening of the hospital in Al-Minya is a step towards providing additional medical services. He also noted keenness on providing access to such care in the remote areas of the country.

The meeting was attended by the Deputy Chairman of KRCS Dr. Hilal Al-Sayer, Kuwait

Embassy Charge d’Affaires Jassem Al-Najim, and KRCS representatives including Saad Al-Nahidh, Dr Musaad Al-Anizi, Khalid Al-Zaid, and Adnan Al-Nawa.

KRCS opened the hospital in Al-Minya, North Lebanon, yesterday aimed at providing medical services for more than 200,000 citizens, through financing wor th $6.5 million. The State of Kuwait, represented by the Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development, built 13 hospitals in different regions across Lebanon so far, in addition to extending loans worth over $612 million, and several grants worth $420 million to the Arab country. —KUNA

Bedoons arrested in alcohol trading Asians held with 2.5 kgs of drugs

By Hanan Al-Saadoun KUWAIT: A bedoon and his nephew were arrested for trading in alcohol. Earlier information were received about a man who is “ bedoun” trades in liquor of different brands and sizes, after collecting necessary information, legal steps were taken to arrest him as soon as possible.

He was approached by an undercover agent and agreed with him to buy one carton of liquor, he was arrested at the time of delivery, after searching his car another amount of liquor was found. They confessed that liquor was supplied to him by his uncle, after raiding his uncle house and car another quantity of liquor was found and some cash, which were the proceeds of sale. Both uncles and nephew were sent to concerned authorities.

Fight star ted bet ween a number of youths on Fahaheel Road, in which three youths were injured after being stabbed by knives. One of them was rushed to Al-Adan Hospital and a criminal case was filed un der th e n umber 1 2 9 /2013 M i na Abdullah.

In another incident, two Indian expats were arrested for having 37 bottles of locally made liquor at one of the factories at Mina Abdullah. They also were having some seamy, proceeds of the sale. A case was registered under number 62/2013 Mina Abdullah.

Drugs fighting administration in cooperation with customs and a transport company, arrested an Asian expat for having 2.5 kilogram of marijuana, earlier information received about the activities of the Asian in drugs traffic, through one border point, and based on those information, the man was kept under supervision for sometime

and once information were enough, legal procedure was taken to arrest him.

He was arrested at the time of receiving the drugs. He confessed of his crime, and said that he received the drugs on behalf of his second par tner and stored it in his house for selling in later. Both Asians were taken to concerned authorities.

KUWAIT: (Left) Bedoons arrested for trading in alcohol. (Right) Asians held with 2.5 kgs of drugs.

MONDAY, MARCH 18, 2013

LOCAL

Kuwait residents believe business conditions will be better: MENA Little anticipation for more availability of jobs KUWAIT: The latest Middle East and North Africa (MENA) Consumer Confidence Index (CCI) Survey, conducted by Bayt.com, the Middle East ’s number one job site, and YouGov, a research and consulting organisation, shows that residents in the region are anticipating the cost of living to increase in the coming year, although their financial positions have not improved. In Kuwait, only 26% of respondents claim that they are in a better position now compared to six months ago.

However, MENA respondents have an optimistic outlook for the months to come, with 44% expecting their personal or family’s financial situation to improve in the next six months.

Only 18% of respondents across the MENA region claim that they are in a better financial position now than they were six months ago.

Only 15% across the region say that their savings have increased in the last year, with 25% saying they have remained the same.

However, hope for the future is high, with 44% expecting their financial situation to improve in the next six months.

Conversely, 78% believe that the cost of living in their country will increase. Only 32% will look to buy a vehicle in the next 12 months (of which the majority (48%) will opt for a used vehicle), and only 20% are looking to buy property within the same time frame.

Those intending to invest in property will primarily look for new (57%) apartments.

In terms of smaller purchases, desktop or laptop computers remain the most popular anticipated purchase (27%), followed by furniture (18%) and LCD or Plasma televisions (17%).

As far as their current financial situation is concerned, 45% of Kuwait respondents say that there has been no change in the past six months, while 26% claim things are now better; 48% say that their savings have depleted in comparison to last year. However, 56% believe that things will be better in the coming six months. Despite this optimism, 77% believe that the cost of living in the country will increase within the same timeframe.

The majority of Kuwait residents (49%) are not considering buying a personal vehicle in the next 12 months. Of the 39% who claim they are looking to make a purchase, 34% will choose to buy a new vehicle, while 60% will opt for a used one. In terms of property, only 30% are looking to invest; interests lie in buying new apartments.

Desktop or laptop computers (24%), furniture (21%) and LCD or plasma televisions

(16%) will be the top purchases made in the coming six months.

While the overall regional sentiment towards the present economic situation is negative with 44% of MENA respondents claiming it has grown worse in comparison to six months earlier, vast disparities are recorded between countries, with as much as 71% separating the two extremes. Unsurprisingly, the disparity very much has to do with the political landscape affecting different countries in the MENA. In Syria, for example, 85% claim the situation now is worse, while in politically-stable countries like Oman, Qatar and UAE, only 14% of respondents claim the same. Business conditions are, for the most part, considered to be average or good, especially in GCC countries, and 33% of MENA professionals believe there are few jobs available now across few industries.

Expectations for the future are high in the majority of countries, with most expecting the national economic situation to be better, and all anticipating better business conditions. Yet, there is little anticipation for more jobs to be available; only 29% state there will be an increase in employment opportunities, while 28% say things will stay the same.

“At Bayt.com, our mission is to empower people to lead their lifestyle of choice,” said Suhail Masri, Vice President of Sales, Bayt.com.

“This of course is very much related to finding the right job that satisfies professionals in terms of compensation, type of work, and work-life balance. Our team works in 12 different offices around the MENA to make sure that we have as many job opportunities as possible available free of charge for our members, in an easy-to-use format that makes the process of finding a job as simple as possible.

In order to further increase hiring opportunities for our members, we also have the JobsLite product, which offers free job postings to small-to-medium businesses in the region.”

Of the respondents in Kuwait, 25% state that the country’s economy has improved in the last six months, and 39% claim that business conditions now are either ‘good’ or ‘very good’. The outlook for Kuwait’s future is hopeful; 48% believe that the economic situation will continue to improve; 65% anticipate better business conditions, and 33% think there will be more jobs available.

Hiring and downsizing rates seem to be relatively balanced on the regional level. In comparison to six months ago, 29% of respondents say they now have fewer colleagues;

34% say that there has been no difference, and 30% say that their company has hired more employees. There is an even split between respondents when it comes to their predictions for the future: an equal 35% state that their company will have more or the same number of employees in the next six months.

The majority of respondents (41%) are currently satisfied with their career growth opportunities in their current job, though 46% are dissatisfied with their compensation and allowances, compared to just 33% who are happy. In terms of non-monetary benefits, 43% are happy, while 38% aren’t. In terms of job security, 41% claim to be satisfied.

According to respondents in Kuwait, only 34% of companies have seen an increase in employees in the past six months. Four in ten respondents (37%) believe their company will hire in the next six months.

Respondents in Kuwait are satisfied with their career growth opportunities (41%), nonmonetary benefits (33%) and job security (37%). However, while 32% claim to be satisfied with their current compensation, 46% are unhappy with it. “ There is a lot of conflicted sentiment across the region at present, with clear disparities between regions within the MENA - especially between the GCC, and the Levant and North Africa. The GCC seems to be faring especially well on the whole, with Oman, Qatar, KSA and the UAE coming out amongst the highest in terms of current status and future prospects,” said Masri. “Bayt.com’s CCI Survey allows us to examine the region as a whole, delving specifically into those areas that most affect job seekers.”

Sundip Chahal, CEO, YouGov, commented that: “The disparity between regions in the MENA is to be expected, given current events in those countries with the lowest positive responses. However, there is a brighter outlook for the region as a whole, with the majority of people looking forward to an improved business environment; this, in turn, should boost employment and economic situations.”

Data for the quarterly Bayt.com Consumer Confidence Index survey (March 2013) was collected online from February 12 to 28, 2013, with 16,379 respondents aged over 18 years, covering the GCC, Nor th Africa, Levant, Western Expatriate and Asian. Countries that participated are UAE, KSA, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Bahrain, Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, Egypt, Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia.

Gulf Bank team along with KOC management team.

Gulf Bank sponsors Fifth Town Hall Meeting and Exhibition KUWAIT: Gulf Bank has sponsored the ‘Fifth Town Hall Meeting and Exhibition between KOC and Contractors’, which was held at the Mishref International Fairgrounds, from 5th - 7th of March 2013.

KOC initiated this event to encourage closer working relationships and performance excellence between itself, its contractors and subcontractors.

Gulf Bank was present to showcase its wide range of ser vices including the

Bank’s dedicated KOC salary package, which is specially designed to meet KOC employees’ banking needs.

The Bank’s participation underlines its long-term business partnership with KOC and reflects its commitment to provide KOC employees with the best banking experience in Kuwait.

Gulf Bank is the only bank with a presence at KOC’s Head Office and it invites all KOC staff to visit the branch to find out more about the KOC salary package.

KPC launches recycling project KUWAIT: Kuwait Petroleum Corporation (KPC) announced yesterday that it plans to launch a wide-scale recycling project at the oil sector complex with a special ceremony this Thursday.

A KPC press release said Kuwait is in great need of serious recycling projects and stressed recycling requires the cooperation of all society components, both individuals and state and other bodies.

The ceremony on Thursday would include an exhibition with leading companies in the field of recycling in Kuwait taking part to introduce staff to means to actively contribute to preservation of the environment. KPC is eager to take bigger steps to introduce staff to the concept of recycling and to encourage them to imple-

ment it both at work and in their daily lives.

The team handling this project had last week distributed special containers to all KPC offices and facilities in the main building for collection of recyclable material. The team is also launching a special campaign to increase awareness and instill a sense of responsibility among staff.

The project aims at recycling paper, ink cartridges, expired medication, old electrical equipment, used batteries, and light bulbs which require special handling to avoid hazard.

The ceremony on Thursday is being sponsored and attended by Executive Chairman Farouq Al-Zanki in cooperation with Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research (KISR). — KUNA

Slovakia delegation to visit UAE, Kuwait, Qatar KUWAIT: Visiting high level Slovakia delegation consists of State Secretaries of Foreign and European Affairs, Economy and Finance with accompanying business delegation. The 12 member strong delegation is led by Peter Burian, State Secretary of Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs of the Slovak Republic.

The visit of three State Secretaries from the Slovak Republic is signaling strong interest in promoting ties with GCC countries, especially with the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, and Kuwait. Slovakia considers GCC partners as important members of the international community seeking for stability and supporting development in different parts of the world.

There have been long term economic cooperation and historically documented flow of trade between Slovakia and countries of the Gulf states. Slovak engineering industry, healthcare and medical equipment, decorative glass and crystal, special food, mineral water/soft drinks and services, especially Spain Piest any have been very popular in GCC countries.

Delegation is will identify projects of mutual interest in financial, investment and trade sectors. Slovakia companies in the delegation are presenting their expertise in top technologies related to medical equipment, power industry, renewable energy, water and waste management, environment protection, defence and machinery. Slovak companies are keen to participate in projects to build technological installations in UAE. Slovakia has excellent production of railway carriages and technologies for the development of railway network in UAE. As major European manufacturer, with supplies of thousands of top quality railway carriages to Germany and other countries, Slovakia can produce railway carriages directly in UAE and in this way can help to diversify GCC economy base.

Slovakia is very successful in economic development. The Slovak economy grew the fastest among the EU (27) countries throughout the past decade. The country’s rapid economic development was strengthened further since the adoption of the Euro currency in 2009, the implementation of a flat tax system (corp.tax 19%) and maintenance of the lowest debt ratio in the Eurozone. The productivity of the Slovak labour force, relative to labour cost, is the highest in Central and Eastern Europe.

Slovakia has best conditions for doing business in Central and Eastern Europe according to ranking of the World Bank.

The rating factors are: political and institutional environment, macroeconomic stability, market potential, private entrepreneurship support, taxation system,

finance, enforcing contracts, the starting and closing of a business, labour market and infrastructure. Slovakia produces highest number of cars in the world per capita. Slovak automotive industry is well diversified, with three different types of car producers surrounded by well established automotive sub-supplier networks, all of which are effectively interconnected. The sector produces various categories of cars as Volkswagen’s Hybrid Touareg, Porsche Cayenne, Peugeot 207, Kia Sportage and Ceed. Since 2000, electrical engineering has been the fastest growing industrial sector in Slovakia.

Lonely Planet, the largest travel guide book and digital media publisher in the world, has chosen Slovakia as one of the 10 best tourist destinations for 2013.

Country is presented as cultural and off the beaten track European destination.

Apart from very beautiful green nature and bristling attractive cities, Slovakia has high quality hotels and restaurants combined with affordable prices.

new architecture, the close proximity to Hungary, Austria and Czech Republic, the mightiest river in Europe, these all lend to the unique feel of the Slovak capital.

There are numerous mineral and thermal springs in Slovakia, and around some of these world-famous spas, for instance spa town Piestany, are offering great curative therapies or just simple relaxation.

The country has got the biggest number of castles, chateaux and manor houses in Central Europe. The most famous one have been included in the UNESCO List of Cultural Heritage. Among them are the most unique historical town BanskaStiavnica with its mining glory, the largest medieval castle in Central Europe Spis Castle, and Levona with its large intact town fortification and with highest wooden altar in the world.

The Slovaks love to entertain.

Hundreds of festivals, festivities, fairs, are organized throughout the country; very popular are also street events. During the coronation days the historic city centre of

Slovakia territory is the size of Denmark, population is 5.5 million.

Slovakia is an outstanding travel destination. From Bratislava in the west to Kosice in the east you can find stunning castles, elegant hotels, breath taking mountains, warm locals...it¥s all Slovakia.

There are only a few places in the world where you can find so many natural attractions concentrated on such a small territory as in Slovakia. The traveler will be surprised by the exceptional beauty and variety of the landscape. Thanks to the excellent location in the heart of Europe and favourable climatic conditions Slovakia has great perspective for the development of tourism.

The capital of the Slovak Republic is situated on both banks of the largest European river Danube. The city makes a wonderful gateway to Slovakia. Once the coronation capital of the AustroHungarian Empire, now a cute town with restored historical Old Town bristles with energy. The Castle on the hill, numerous

Bratislava transforms into a stage for a very big folk festival with unique atmosphere of long passed times.

The productivity of the Slovak labour force, relative to labour cost, is the highest in the Central and Eastern Europe region. Moreover 93% of Slovak workforce has a secondary or higher education and 97% of Slovak population speaks other language than mother tongue.

Slovakia has gained its reputation of an ideal investment destination for production and assembly plants; nowadays it intensifies its focus on R&D projects and high added value investments. During the past couple of years, global corporations representing various industries have selected Slovakia as the top location for their expansion in the Central and Eastern Europe region. Currently the most important industries in Slovakia are the automotive industry (VW, KIA, PSA) and electronics (Sony, Samsung, AU Optronics).

Important sectors are also machinery, chemical industry and IT.

MONDAY, MARCH 18, 2013

Dublin a sea of green for St Patrick’s Day

Palestinians eye gains during Obama’s visit Page 8

Page 10

VATICAN: Pope Francis leads his first Angelus prayer from the window of the apartments at St Peter’s square yesterday. — AFP

Pray for me, says Pope Francis Huge crowd for pope’s first Sunday address VATICAN CITY: Pope Francis, speaking to an overflow crowd of more than 150,000 in St Peter’s Square, urged the world yesterday to be more forgiving and merciful and not so quick to condemn other people’s failures. “A little bit of mercy makes the world less cold and more just,” he told the cheering crowd from the window of the papal apartments overlooking the square.

Four days after his election, the former Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio of Argentina spoke both as pope and as parish priest -earlier he said Mass for a few hundred Vatican workers in a tiny church just inside the citystate’s walls. Chants of “Francesco, Francesco, Francesco,” the pope’s name in I talian, reverberated through the square and down a long boulevard leading to the Tiber River.

Since his election on Wednesday as the first non-European pope in nearly 1,300 years, Francis has signalled a sharp change of style from his more aloof predecessor, Benedict, and laid out a clear moral path for the 1.2-billion-member Church, which is beset by scandals, intrigue and strife.

“Brothers and sisters, good morning,” he said, using a familiar style that has already become his hallmark.

He wove his address from the window as well as his earlier homily around the Gospel stor y of the crowd that wanted to stone a woman who had committed adultery but was saved by Jesus. Jesus told them “let he among you who is without sin, cast the first stone” and then told the woman “go and sin no more”.

“I think even we are sometimes like these people, who on the one hand want to listen to Jesus, but on the other hand, sometimes we like to stone others and condemn others. The message of Jesus is this: mercy,” he said at the morning Mass.

“I came because I love this pope,” said Anna Barone, an elderly woman from southern Italy as she craned her neck to get a glimpse of him. “I hope this means a better future for the Church. He seems to have good intentions. I hope they let him make changes. The Church must be poor in spirit, not just in material goods. It has to get closer to the people. I am very hopeful,” she said. In a sign of appreciation that he had taken his name from St Francis of Assisi, who preached to animals and defended nature, a group held up a banner reading: “Animal lovers and animals thank the pope”.

In both his address and homily, the pope said people should be open to God’s mercy, even those who have committed grave sins.

“The Lord never tires of forgiving, never! It is we who tire of asking for forgiveness,” he said at the Mass. The crowd in the square laughed when he mentioned a book by German Cardinal Walter Kasper.

“I liked that book a lot but don’t think I am trying to advertise books by my cardinals,” he said. Before he entered the tiny church of Santa Anna for the morning Mass, Francis stopped to greet well-wishers who had lined up outside a nearby Vatican gate. He chatted and laughed with many of them before pointing to his black plastic wrist watch and saying: “It’s almost 10 o’clock. I have to go inside to say Mass. They are waiting for me.”

Inside, he wore the purple vestments of the liturgical season of Lent, which ends in two weeks on Easter Sunday. At the end of the Mass, he waited outside the church and greeted people as they left the building, like a parish priest, asking many of them: “Pray for me”. His last words before he left the window were: “Have a nice Sunday and have a nice lunch”. —Reuters

‘He’ll make a great pope, if they let him’ VATICAN CITY: Tens of thousands of pilgrims thronged St Peter ’s Square yesterday to see Pope Francis at his first Angelus appearance, but some were worried that this mould-breaking pontiff could come up against powerful vested interests in the Vatican. From the early morning, pilgrims and curious tourists had streamed into St Peter’s Square to see Francis, the former Argentine cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio, at the same venue where he was unveiled as the 266th pope following his surprise election on Wednesday.

Judging by the number of skyblue and white flags, many of the 150,000-strong crowd had travelled to Rome from Argentina, filled with pride that one of their own was elected as the first pope from Latin America. “He has said so many important things already that you feel as if he has already been pope for a long time,” said Liliana Vallina, 52, from the city of Rosario.

“He has spoken about the poor and he’s said that the Church should be humble-that should give them food for thought in the Holy Curia,” she said, referring to the Catholic Church’s governing body, which

was beset by infighting under Francis’s predecessor Benedict XVI. “You’ll see, he’ll be a great pope-if they let him,” she said, voicing concern that his insistence on taking the Church back to its roots might not please everyone in the Holy See. She said she feared for his life “because he speaks about the poverty of the Church, and that won’t please those in the Vatican machinery.” The crowd had soon filled the vast square to capacity, with people spilling down the main road towards one of the platforms set up for TV cameras from all over the world. When Francis appeared at the window high above the packed square, pilgrims uttered the words that have already come to characterise his short reign. One said: “Look how he is modest and humble -and look at his smiling face.”

“Brothers and sisters, hello,” said the pope, with the same words he had used when he greeted the crowd in a rain-soaked St Peter’s Square following his elevation.

There were smiles when he mentioned a book written by a cardinal who is a friend of his. “But I don’t want you to think I am plugging my

cardinals’ books!” he joked. Shortly before the pope appeared, Francesco Baldan, 52, from Venice, sat down and opened his newspaper-not without difficulty given that he was hemmed in on all sides by the crowd.

He glanced at an article about the pope headlined “Simplicity and Courage”. “With words and gestures he has already succeeded in winning the faithful’s hearts,” Baldan said. For now, the pope can do no wrong in the eyes of the pilgrims, even when they are reminded of the criticism of his role during Argentina’s “Dirty War”, when some 30,000 people were killed or disappeared. Leftist detractors say Bergoglio failed to do enough to protect two Jesuit priests who were tortured by the right-wing junta during five months in detention.

“He was young at that time, not even 40 years old,” said Liliana Vallina. “And what could he have done? What would we have done in his place?” She said she trusted the words of Nobel Peace Prize winner Adolfo Perez Esquivel, who has spoken out in the pope’s defence. “If he has defended him, then it’s good enough for me,” she said.— AFP

MONDAY, MARCH 18, 2013

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

Palestinians eye gains during Obama’s visit Obama signals no big ME peace initiative RAMALLAH: The Palestinians are hoping to see concrete gains from US President Barack Obama’s upcoming visit, while acknowledging it unlikely the trip will bring about a peace breakthrough.

Obama himself has played down expectations of pushing forward peace talks on his first visit to Israel and the Palestinian territories as president, but the Palestinian optimism stems from other issues. Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas’s top priority during the Obama visit is to secure the release of more than 1,000 prisoners held by Israel, his negotiator Saeb Erakat said on Thursday.

But they are also hoping to see key US funding issues resolved when Obama arrives for talks at the Palestinian leader’s political headquarters in Ramallah on March 21. US Secretary of State John Kerry, who will accompany Obama, in February voiced his intention to deliver $700 million (540 million euros) in aid to the Palestinian Authority, most of which has been blocked for months by Congress.

State department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland told reporters on Friday that “an economically viable Palestinian Authority is in the interest not only of the Palestinians themselves but of regional peace and security.” “I’m confident (the issue) will also come up on the president’s trip,” she added. Abbas’s political adviser Nimr

Hammad invoked hopes the US president would push forward with issues raised early in his first term.

Obama must “realise what he promised in his speech at Cairo University (in June 2009): cessation of settlement building in all its forms, which is an obstacle to a Palestinian state,” he told AFP. The US leader must also make good on “his hope for Palestine to become a full member of the UN,” he told AFP, referring to the president’s remarks in a speech from September 2010.

In the event, the United States voted against Palestinian observer state membership of the UN, in a resolution that passed with overwhelming international support. On the issue of peace, Obama has downplayed the likelihood his visit would achieve concrete gains. Speaking to American Jewish community leaders last week, he signalled there would be no big Middle East peace initiative on the table and told his guests that he was not aiming to resolve any specific policy issue during the visit.

In Moscow on Friday, Abbas said he hoped “this year, the situation will allow the start of talks with Israel,” but added “we aren’t too optimistic.”

The Gaza-based Palestinian NGO network urged Obama to bring “serious change” to his policy on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, expressing the hope he would make good on past promises.

Hundreds flee clashes in Sudan refugee camp NAIROBI: Hundreds of Sudanese refugees fled heavy fighting in South Sudan, United Nations officials said yesterday, warning of ‘serious concerns’ over the presence of armed groups in border camps. Several Sudanese rebel forces from the civil war regions of South Kordofan, Blue Nile and Darfur have been reported to have used South Sudan’s volatile border regions as rear guard bases.

They are accused of mingling amongst the more than 185,000 Sudanese refugees who have fled into South Sudan, proving to be a major stumbling block in calming tensions and resolving agreements between Khartoum and Juba. On Saturday, ‘sustained gunfire’ broke out in Yida refugee camp in South Sudan’s Unity state, close to the border with Sudan’s war-torn South Kordofan state, UN refugee agency (UNHCR) spokesman Tim Irwin said in a statement. It was not immediately clear who the fighting

was between. ‘Around 600 women and children who fled the area of the fighting were sheltered in two compounds,’ Irwin said, adding that local authorities said that at least one policeman was killed and several other were wounded.

The vast campóhome to some 70,000 Sudanese fleeing violence in the Nuba mountains—was reported to be calm yesterday, but UNHCR said the fighting highlighted its ‘serious concerns over the presence of armed elements’ in Yida.

‘In addition to severely compromising the civilian character of the settlement, the presence of armed elements greatly hinder UNHCR’s ability to provide protection to refugees,’ the statement added. Rebels from the Sudan People’s Liberation MovementNorth (SPLM-N) operate just across the border, while Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) fighters from Sudan’s Darfur region are also reportedly present nearby. — AFP

But in Ramallah, another activist group called Palestinians for Dignity expressed open hostility to Obama’s visit, calling for protests to reject “a return to futile negotiations.” It also denounced “attempts by the Palestinian leadership to lighten the atmosphere through statements about Obama’s pressure on the Israeli government on the question of prisoners or American charity.”

And Ismail Haniya, ruler of the rival Hamas movement which governs the Gaza Strip, warned Abbas “not to fall into the trap of Obama’s next visit to the region and close the door on (interPalestinian) reconciliation.” Arabic-language daily Al-Quds railed against “the apparent determination of Palestinians to put all their eggs in one basket,” as the “American bottomless basket has sapped the energy of the Palestinians and neutralised their resistance.” It said the Palestinian Authority had not stuck to its guns on pursuing Israeli “crimes” through the International Criminal Court, “almost four months after the (upgraded) status of Palestine at the UN.” In an exclusive interview with Israel’s Channel 2 television on Thursday, Obama cautioned the Palestinians against further moves to secure UN recognition as a state. “To Abu Mazen (Abbas), I will say that trying to unilaterally go to, for example, the United Nations, and do an end run around Israel, is not going to be successful,” he said. — AFP

Britain’s Charles meets pan-Muslim body chief JEDDAH: Britain’s Prince Charles met the head of the world’s largest Islamic grouping in the Red Sea city of Jeddah yesterday, the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation said in a statement. OIC Secretary General Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu briefed Prince Charles “on the various intra-OIC programmes and activities in support of agricultural development, food security and drought resilience,” it said. Prince Charles and his wife Camilla embarked on a regional tour last week, beginning in Jordan. On Friday, Charles met Saudi billionaire Prince Alwaleed bin Talal and discussed Alwaleed’s investments in Britain.He also hailed King Abdullah’s decision to appoint women to the Majlis Al-Shura (Consultative Council), the English-language Arab News quoting him as calling it “a vital step toward national participation in decision making.” Saudi Arabia, an absolute monarchy, imposes stringent restrictions on women, who are banned from driving and denied the right to travel without the consent of a male guardian. Britain’s royal couple will next travel to the Sultanate of Oman. — AFP

DEIR EZZOR: A woman reads the Quran, the Muslim holy book, next to the grave of a relative buried in a public park in Syria. — AFP

playground of the dead DEIR EZZOR: Mohammed Assad holds the Muslim holy book the Quran as he stands over the grave of his eldest son, buried beside a see-saw in a public park in Syria’s eastern city of Deir Ezzor. “God will punish Bashar (Al-Assad, the president) and his people for turning our public parks into cemeteries,” he says. Men, women and children, and sometimes fighters barely out of adolescence every day Al-Mashtal park in the city becomes the final resting place for new victims of the conflict that has torn Syria apart for over two years.

Umm Mohammed is also there, mourning for her 11-year-old son who was killed in a bombardment. “I come here every day and stay from sunrise until four o’clock to be with my baby boy. It’s a way to be by his side. I’m here for him, I read him verses from the Quran and talk to him,” she says.

Mohammed was killed when artillery shells struck outside his home as he played with one of his best friends. The other boy was also killed.

“He was my joy, my inspiration to smile every day in the middle of this war. And now he is dead,” the distraught mother cries, clawing at her own face. Gravedigger Abdelrazzak speaks up bluntly. “For the past nine months, the only thing the Syrian government has given us is bombs and more bombs,” he says. “My kids can’t go out because it’s too dangerous. They’ve been stuck in the house for nine months because I’ve had to bury so many children with my own hands, and I don’t want to have to do the same with my own.

“I never would have thought this park where my children played would become a graveyard,” he adds, gesturing at the mounds of earth, some topped with plastic

flowers. Abdelrazzak says that more than 3,000 people have been killed in Deir Ezzor since the country’s former oil hub was drawn into the conflict in June 2012.

A former oil worker himself, he says that the municipal cemetery quickly filled, so public parks were requisitioned as burial plots. Al-Mashtal alone is the burial site for 160 “martyrs,” some of whom still remain unidentified. And some graves contain only a limb, all that was left of a person blown apart by the explosions.

Abdelrazzak has a notebook in which he has recorded the location of every grave and what is known about its occupant.

“Because of this, I will know where each body goes, just in case a shell or rocket blast destroys the graves. We can’t allow families to pray over the burial places of people who are not their own.” On the other side of the park, a woman kneels on the ground and touches the freshly turned earth.

“Why, Saad, why did you have to go?”

Her brother Saad Haj Shehab was killed on February 16 while battling regime forces.

He was just 17. “My brother died fighting a dictator. We are proud of him,” says one of the dead teenager’s brothers, Ahmed Taj Haj Shehab who is himself a fighter with the rebel Free Syrian Army along with three more brothers.

A group of fighters arrives, the young men walking between the rows of graves until they find the one they are looking for.

One of their number breaks down in tears.

“It’s my dad. He was killed by regime shelling. I was at the front when he was buried, and wasn’t able to say goodbye,” he sobs.

“Father, please forgive me...”Abdelrazzak sighs. — AFP

MONDAY, MARCH 18, 2013

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

US soldier accused of Afghan killings faces ‘sanity’ review SEATTLE: A US soldier charged with killing 16 civilians, most of them women and children, near his Army post in Afghanistan is set to undergo a medical review on Sunday to determine his state of mind at the time of the killings and ability to stand trial. The review, known in the military as a “sanity board,” will be conducted by three doctors at the Joint Base Lewis-McChord in Washington state, and will be completed by May 1, according to a US Army spokesman.

Prosecutors are seeking the death penalty against Robert Bales, a decorated veteran of four combat tours in Iraq and Afghanistan who is accused of gunning down the villagers in cold blood during two rampages through their family compounds in Kandahar province last March. Army prosecutors say Bales, a 39year old father of two, acted alone and with “chilling premeditation” when, armed with a pistol, a rifle and a grenade launcher, he left his base twice in the night, returning in the middle of his rampage to tell a fellow soldier: “I just shot up some people.”

The shootings marked the worst case of civilian slaughter blamed on a rogue U.S. soldier since the Vietnam War and further eroded strained US-Afghan relations after more than a decade of conflict in that country.

Defense lawyers have not set out an alternative theory of what happened on the night of the shootings, but have focused on Bales’ fragile mental state.

Bales’ lead civilian attorney John Henry Browne said in January that government documents showed Bales had been diagnosed as suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and a brain injury before his deployment in Afghanistan in 2011.

After hearing preliminary evidence in November, military judge Colonel Jeffery Nance determined that Bales should face a court martial, which is due to begin in September. At Bales’ arraignment in January, Browne’s team entered

no plea and told Nance they were preparing a possible “mental health defense.” Nance said such a defense would require a formal psychiatric evaluation, and ordered a sanity board review.

Sanity boards common Sanity boards are common in military justice, said Army spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Gary Dangerfield. They may be ordered when a commander, investigating officer, government trial counsel, defense counsel, or militar y judge believes there is reason to question the mental responsibility of the accused at the time of the offenses or that the person lacks the mental capacity to stand trial, Dangerfield said. The Army has not said which doctors will conduct the review, or what their specialties are, but such panels are usually made up of Army physicians and psychologists. There was no word on whether the judge had granted a defense request that Bales be examined by a neuropsychologist with expertise in traumatic brain injuries.

At a November pre-trial hearing, prosecutors said Bales had been drinking earlier in the evening of the attacks, and had used steroids on the Special Forces outpost. Defense attorneys also quizzed Bales’ colleagues closely about his sudden explosions of temper in the days before the attacks. Bales faces 16 counts of premeditated murder and six counts of attempted murder, as well as charges of assault and wrongfully possessing and using steroids and alcohol while deployed. Military justice experts say a defense based on Bales’ PTSD or deeper mental health problems may not be enough to avoid trial, but could raise serious issues over premeditation, which would make a death sentence less likely.

“Just because someone has a (mental) disease does not mean they’re legally insane,” said Victor Hansen, a professor at the New England Law Boston law school with two decades of military law experience. — Reuters

Pak govt makes history but record chequered ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s government has become the first in history to complete a full term in office, but a raft of key achievements has been overshadowed by mismanagement, economic decline and worsening security. When the Pakistan People’s Party won elections in 2008 on a wave of national grief over the assassination of its leader Benazir Bhutto few imagined her widower would prove such an adept, agile and longstanding president.

Asif Ali Zardari, the man belittled for years as the ill-educated playboy who spent 11 years in prison over corruption allegations despite never being charged, has managed to achieve what eluded all previous civilian rulers in Pakistan. For the first time a civilian government has completed a full five-year term in office and will be handing over to another elected government in a country which has seen three bloodless military coups and four military rulers. Helped by the army chief of staff’s

determination to keep to the sidelines and the opposition’s unwillingness to force early elections, Zardari’s wheeler-dealer ability has been crucial to keeping his government together. Political analyst Jaffer Ahmed, director of the Pakistan Studies department at Karachi University, said Zardari’s record has been mixed at best, with his greatest asset the pragmatism needed to stay the course.

“Despite the fact that he has been maligned in corruption, nepotism and numerous other things, he showed patience and perseverance. He successfully withstood pressure from the judiciary and played his cards well and survived,” he told AFP. Parliament has passed more legislation than any of its predecessors. In 2010, Zardari relinquished much of his power to the prime minister, rolling back on decades of meddling by military rulers in an effort to institutionalise parliamentary democracy. — AFP

Arrests mar Zimbabwe referendum vote count More than 90% endorse new constitution HARARE: Early results from Zimbabwe’s constitutional referendum signalled widespread backing for laws to curb President Robert Mugabe’s powers, though the vote count was marred by fresh arrests yesterday. A preliminary count of around half a million votes showed more than 90 percent endorsed the new constitution, according to Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai’s party. The proposed text would introduce presidential term limits, beef up parliament’s powers and pave the way for a general election to decide whether 89-year-old Mugabe stays in power.

Mugabe has ruled uninterrupted since the country’s independence in 1980, despite a series of disputed and violent polls and a severe economic crash propelled by hyperinflation. The veteran leader has backed the proposed constitution which, while curtailing his powers, would also allow him to remain in office for another decade until he is 99 — elections permitting. His political rival Tsvangirai has also lent his support to the text, but has voiced concerns that a continued crackdown by Mugabe’s security apparatus could derail elections scheduled for July.

The latest sign of that intimidation came yesterday as plainclothes police detained three of Tsvangirai’s senior aides, and a prominent lawyer who was representing them.

“They raided the house of the principal director responsible for research and development in the PM’s office,” said Alex Magaisa, an advisor to Tsvangirai.

“He was arrested as well as his two subordinates. We don’t know the charges, but they picked up computers and a camera.” Beatrice Mtetwa, a leading human rights lawyer, was detained as well. Police also raided the premier’s communications offices, which is used as a research and archival centre.

Zimbabwean police have launched a series of raids to seize two-way radios, a policy that rights groups say is a fig-leaf for intelligence gathering and intimidation. “We foresee in coming weeks, before the consti-

Somalia frees journalist MOGADISHU: Somalia’s Supreme Court yesterday freed a reporter imprisoned for interviewing a woman who alleged she had been raped by soldiers, in a case that sparked widespread international criticism.

Supreme Court judge Aidid Abdulahi Ilkahanaf said the charges had been dropped and the court “has given journalist Abdiaziz Abdinuur his freedom back”. Both Abdinuur and the woman were initially sentenced to a year in prison for “offending state institutions”. But all charges were dropped against the woman earlier this month, while Abdinuur’s sentence was halved.

His release, following more than two months’ incarceration and after an appeals court ruled he must remain in jail, came as a surprise to many. The reporter walked out of the courtroom offering prayers of thanks for his release and thanking those who had supported him. “I’m very happy that I got my freedom back, I thank those who worked in this process that helped my release including my lawyers”, he said.

Abdinuur was detained on January 10 while researching sexual violence in Somalia, but did not air or print a story after interviewing the woman. He was also found guilty of “making a false interview, and entering the house of a woman whose husband was not present”.

The court had initially deemed the woman’s story to be false after a midwife conducted a “finger test” to see if she had been raped, which Human Rights Watch (HRW) said was an “unscientific and degrading practice that has long been discredited”. UN chief Ban Ki-moon said at the time he was “deeply disappointed” over the case. Abdinuur works for several Somali radio stations and international media outlets. Amnesty International, HRW and the Committee to Protect Journalists said in a joint statement during the trial that the case was “linked to increasing media attention given to the high levels of rape” including by security forces in the country. — AFP

tution is signed, a lot of abuse of MDC officials,” said MDC party spokesman Douglas Mwonzora.

The spokesman suggested the police chief was “mortified” by the apparent support for the proposed constitution, which also caps his term to a maximum 10 years. The four MDC allies were thought to be

the vote, said Saturday’s referendum was “generally peaceful and smooth”.”A ‘yes’ vote is not a surprise because the constitution creates shorter terms for leaders,” said 38year-old Reuben Sibanda, a supporter of Mugabe’s ZANU-PF. “We need to retire the old man and allow a woman president to

the run-up to the referendum, violence did not approach the levels seen in the disputed 2008 elections.

At least 180 people were killed then and 9,000 injured in a crisis that ultimately forced Mugabe and Tsvangirai into an uneasy powersharing government.

But fears of a return to blood-

MBARE: A Zimbabwean mother carries a melon on her head on her way home in Mbare township yesterday as life goes back to normal a day after voting for a new constitution. — AFP held at the city’s main police station.

Police were not immediately available for comment. A group of MDC supporters were also beaten up on Friday and a party leader was seized by plainclothes police on Saturday, the day of the referendum. The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission said yesterday that at least two million people had cast their ballots in the referendum.

The full results are to be announced within five days of the vote. The country has five million registered voters. The Zimbabwe Election Support Network, which deployed 600 observers to monitor

take over,” he said. The proposed constitution would also strip away presidential immunity after leaving office, bolster the power of the courts, and set up a peace and reconciliation commission tasked with post-conflict justice and healing.

Stepping out of a church service Thoko Ndebele, 50, a civil servant, said he voted in favour of the new constitution hoping “it will end poverty. It’s too much, we are suffering.”

“Look at our streets, we never used to have so many vendors, these people used to have formal jobs. No, this has to end,” she said. In

shed remain ahead of this year’s crucial polls. “The situation will get more politically tense, but it won’t be as violent as in 2008... because of the politics of inclusive government,” said commentator Takura Zhangazha. Tsvangirai has called on leaders from the regional Southern African Development Community (SADC) to meet for an urgent summit to help ensure the upcoming election is fair and free of violence and intimidation. Observers worry there may not be enough time to apply all the necessary reforms to ensure a healthier political environment before the vote. — AFP

MONDAY, MARCH 18, 2013

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

US conservatives pick Paul as next nominee OXON HILL: US conservative activists have picked Tea Party favorite Senator Rand Paul as their choice to become the 2016 Republican presidential nominee as they wrapped up a major strategy gathering outside Washington. Paul, popular among the younger conservatives who thronged to the Conservative Political Action Conference, on Saturday narrowly beat Senator Marco Rubio-also tipped to seek the White House — 25 to 23 percent in the CPAC Straw Poll.

The Kentucky lawmaker saw his profile raised after mounting a 13-hour, non-stop filibuster in the Senate earlier this month to block John Brennan’s nomination to head the CIA. He used the blocking tactic to press for answers from President Barack Obama’s Democratic administration on the scope of its drone policy.

Former senator Rick Santorum, a 2012 hopeful, received eight percent of the vote, closely followed by rising Republican star Governor Chris Christie of New Jersey with seven percent and Representative Paul Ryan, Mitt Romney’s running mate to try to oust Obama from the White House, with six percent. Some 2,930 CPAC participants participated in the straw poll. “We

convened thousands of energized conservatives today at this 40th annual national CPAC 2013 from across the entire country,” said Al Cardenas, chairman of The American Conservative Union.

“It’s been a longstanding and fun tradition at CPAC national as well as our regional CPACs to poll the attendees and get their opinion on a number of important issues.” At the meeting, Paul emerged as a leading critic of Republican establishment as he looked for ways to re-invent the party following last year’s election defeat.

“The GOP of old has grown stale and moss-covered,” he said. “Our party is encumbered by an inconsistent approach to freedom. The new GOP will need to embrace liberty in the economic and the personal sphere.” Former US vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin took center stage on Saturday, needling Obama and even fellow Republicans. “We don’t have leadership coming out of Washington, we have reality television, except it’s really bad reality TV, and the American people tuned out a long time ago,” Palin told the conference.

Palin, a former Alaska governor who was John McCain’s running mate in 2008, has since served as contributor for the Fox

News channel and even starred in her own reality show in 2010.

“Mr President, we admit it, you won, accept it. Now step away from the teleprompter and do your job!” she said in a swipe at Obama. “Barack Obama promised the most transparent administration ever. Barack Obama, you lie.”

Palin then caused the crowd to erupt in laughter and applause by taking large sips from a Big Gulp cup filled with soda in reference to New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s attempt to ban such oversized sweet drinks. His plan, opposed by conservatives in the name of individual liberties, was blocked by a New York judge this week. However, the sharpest attacks by the self-styled “Mama grizzly” were aimed at the head of her party, accused of trying to marginalize ultra-conservative “Tea Party” candidates in primaries for November 2016 elections.

“We’re not here to dedicate ourselves to new talking points coming from (Washington) DC,” Palin said. “We’re not here to put a fresh coat of rhetorical paint on our party. We’re not here to abandon our principles in a contest of government giveaways. “The last thing we need is

NATIONAL HARBOR: US Sen Rand Paul (R-KY) addresses the 40th annual Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in National Harbor, Maryland. — AFP Washington, DC vetting our candidates,” she fumed, before lashing out at political consultants who advise on Republican Party strategy.

“Now is time to furlough the consultants,” she added. “These experts keep los-

ing elections and keep getting rehired and raking in millions.” Palin has long nursed a grievance against party strategists following her team’s presidential election loss, when she had sharp disagreements with John McCain’s campaign staff. —AFP

Do voters have to prove citizenship to register?

Arizona’s law opponents slam ‘attack’ on minorities

DUBLIN: Parade-goers dressed as leprechauns jump up and shout as they prepare to attend St Patrick’s Day festivities in Dublin yesterday.— AFP

Dublin a sea of green for St Patrick’s Day DUBLIN: The luck of the Irish failed to change the miserable weather-but it didn’t dampen the spirits of hundreds of thousands of shamrock-wearing revellers who celebrated St Patrick’s Day on the wet streets of Dublin yesterday. Dublin was awash with green as locals and tourists turned out to the watch a parade and enjoy the “ceol agus craic” (music and fun) of Ireland’s national day.

“There’s been lots of colour and loads of performers and marching bands this year,” said Edelle Moss, chief executive of Ireland’s St Patrick’s Day Festival. “We have our largest ever number of international participants in the Saint Patrick’s Day parade with a very strong procession of over 46 different countries,” she added. As part of an initiative called “The Gathering”, the government is encouraging people with Irish ancestry-which by some estimates includes up to 60 million people worldwide-to visit the motherland in 2013 in a bid to boost tourism.

A total of 225,000 passengers are expected to pass through Dublin airport over the weekend, while the Dublin Chamber of Commerce expects city companies to bring in 50 million euros ($65 million) from the festivities, in a welcome boost to the struggling euro-zone economy. Across the world, some 70 landmarks from Egypt’s pyramids to the Sydney Opera House have been lit up green in honour of

St Patrick’s Day. In Dublin, the Guinness brewer rolled out the “green carpet” to everyone with the name Patrick, welcoming them for free into their factory tour on the banks of the River Liffey. People called Patricia, Paddy, Padraig, Trish, Tricia or Patsy were also given the VIP treatment.

The annual All-Ireland club finals of the Celtic nation’s national sports, hurling and gaelic football, attracted thousands of supporters to the city’s Croke Park stadium.

While many took refuge from the weather in Dublin’s pubs to have a few glasses of the “black stuff”, organisers worked hard to take the focus away from alcohol.

“A lot of that has to do with the fact there’s a great deal of effort being made into making lots of events appealing to all age groups.” Even Pope Francis took a moment out of the hectic schedule of his first few days in office to send his wishes to the Catholic nation, in a note to President Michael D Higgins on Friday. “It is one of the first messages Pope Francis has sent and he said, ‘I am pleased to send greetings to you and your fellow citizens on the happy occasion of Ireland’s national day’,” Higgins told national television. “At the beginning of my pontificate I commend the nation to the powerful intercession of Saint Patrick and assure you of my prayers for the beloved people of Ireland, that they may enjoy peace and prosperity,” the pope said. —AFP

Duchess: Hoping for baby boy, William wants girl LONDON: The Duchess of Cambridge said yesterday that she doesn’t know the sex of her first child - but she hopes it’s a boy. Her husband Prince William, however, would prefer a girl. The former Kate Middleton, who is five months pregnant, made the revelation to a soldier at a St Patrick’s Day ceremony honoring the Irish Guards. “I asked her ‘do you know if it’s a girl or boy?’ and she said ‘not yet,’” said Guardsman Lee Wheeler.

“She said ‘I’d like to have a boy and William would like a girl.’”

Wheeler said the duchess told him the couple had not settled on names for the baby, who will be third in line to the British throne. The duchess wore a green dress coat and a shamrock lapel pin as she presented sprigs of shamrock to soldiers in the annual ceremony at a barracks in Aldershot, southern England. She also pinned a spring on the collar of the regiment’s mascot, an Irish wolfhound named Domhnall.

Kate suffered a minor mishap when one of her high heels became briefly stuck in a drainage grille. The duchess leaned on her husband as she wrenched it loose. The royal St. Patrick’s Day tradition was started

by Queen Alexandra, the wife of King Edward VII, in 1901. — AP

ENGLAND: Britain’s Kate Duchess of Cambridge (center) walks with her husband Prince William (left) after presenting traditional sprigs of shamrock to members of the 1st Battalion Irish Guards at the St Patrick’s Day Parade at yesterday. — AP

WASHINGTON: The Supreme Court will struggle this week with the validity of an Arizona law that tries to keep illegal immigrants from voting by demanding all state residents show documents proving their US citizenship before registering to vote in national elections. The high court will hear arguments today over the legality of Arizona’s voter-approved requirement that prospective voters document their US citizenship in order to use a registration form produced under the federal “Motor Voter” voter registration law that doesn’t require such documentation.

This case focuses on voter registration in Arizona, which has tangled frequently with the federal government over immigration issues involving the Mexican border. But it has broader implications because four other states Alabama, Georgia, Kansas and Tennessee - have similar requirements, and 12 other states are contemplating similar legislation, officials say.

The Obama administration is supporting challengers to the law. If Arizona can add citizenship requirements, then “each state could impose all manner of its own supplemental requirements beyond the federal form,” Solicitor General Donald B Verrilli Jr said in court papers. “Those requirements could encompass voluminous documentary or informational demands, and could extend to any eligibility criteria beyond citizenship, such as age, residency, mental competence, or felony history.”

A federal appeals court threw out the part of Arizona’s Proposition 200 that added extra citizenship requirements for voter registration, but only after lower federal judges had approved it.

Arizona wants the justices to reinstate its requirement. Kathy McKee, who led the push to get the proposition on the ballot, said voter fraud, including by illegal immigrants, continues to be a problem in Arizona. “For people to conclude there is no problem is just shallow logic,” McKee said.

Opponents of Arizona’s law see it as an attack on vulnerable voter groups such as minorities, immigrants and the elderly. They say Arizona’s law makes registering more difficult, which is an opposite result from the intention of the 1993 National Voter Registration Act. Proposition 200 “was never intended to combat voter fraud,” said Democratic state Sen Steve Gallardo of Phoenix.

“It was intended to keep minorities from voting.”

With the additional state documentation requirements, Arizona will cripple the effectiveness of neighborhood and community voter registration drives, advocates say. More than 28 million Americans used the federal “Motor Voter” form to register to vote in the 2008 presidential elections, according to the US Election Assistance Commission. An Arizona victory at the high court would lead to more state voting restrictions, said Elisabeth MacNamara, the national president of the League of Women Voters.

Opponents of the Arizona provision say they’ve counted more than 31,000 potentially legal voters in Arizona who easily could have registered before Proposition 200 but who were blocked initially by the law in the 20 months after it passed in 2004. They say about 20 percent of those thwarted were Latino.

Arizona officials say they should be able to pass laws to stop illegal immigrants and other noncitizens from getting on their voting rolls.

The Arizona voting law was part of a package that also denied some government benefits to illegal immigrants and required Arizonans to show identification before voting. The 9th US Circuit Court of Appeals upheld the voter identification provision. The denial of benefits was not challenged. Opponents “argue that Arizona should not be permitted to request evidence of citizenship when someone registers to vote, but should instead rely on the person’s sworn statement that he or she is a citizen,” Arizona Attorney General Thomas C. Horne said in court papers.

“The fallacy in that is that someone who is willing to vote illegally will be willing to sign a false statement. What (opponents) are urging is that there should be nothing more than an honor system to assure that registered voters are citizens. That was not acceptable to the people of Arizona.” The Arizona proposition was enacted into law with 55 percent of the vote. This is the second voting issue the high court is tackling this session. Last month, several justices voiced deep skepticism about whether a section of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, a law that has helped millions of minorities exercise their right to vote, especially in areas of the Deep South, was still needed.

This case involves laws of more recent vin-

tage. The federal “Motor Voter” law, enacted in 1993 to expand voter registration, allows wouldbe voters to fill out a mail-in voter registration card and swear they are citizens under penalty of perjury, but it doesn’t require them to show proof. Under Proposition 200 approved in 2004, Arizona officials require an Arizona driver’s license issued after 1996, a US birth certificate, a passport or other similar document, or the state will reject the federal registration application form.

This requirement applies only to people who seek to register using the federal mail-in form.

Arizona has its own form and an online system to register when renewing a driver’s license. The court ruling did not affect proof of citizenship requirements using the state forms. State officials say more than 90 percent of those Arizonans applying to vote using the federal form will be able to simply write down their driver’s license number, and all naturalized citizens simply will be able to write down their naturalization number without needed additional documents.

Former Arizona Senate President Russell Pearce, a leading Republican proponent of Proposition 200, strongly disputed claims that Arizona doesn’t have voter fraud problems.

“They turn a blind eye,” Pearce said of the state’s election officials. But Karen Osborne, elections director for Maricopa County, where nearly 60 percent of Arizona’s voters live, said voter fraud is rare, and even rarer among illegal immigrants. “ That just does not seem to be an issue,” Osborne said of the claim that illegal immigrants are voting. “They did not want to come out of the shadows. They don’t want to be involved with the government.”

The main legal question facing the justices is whether the federal law trumps Arizona’s law. A 10-member panel of the 9th Circuit in San Francisco said it did. The appeals court issued multiple rulings in this case, with a three-judge panel initially siding with Arizona. A second panel that included retired Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor, who from time to time sits on appeals courts, reversed course and blocked the registration requirement. The full court then did the same, and that decision will be reviewed by the justices in Washington. The case is 12-71, Arizona v Inter Tribal Council of Arizona, Inc. — AP

Thousands make trek to Chavez’ tomb CARACAS: Thousands of emotional supporters waited and wept after making a pilgrimage to the new tomb of former president Hugo Chavez, the face and leader of Latin America’s left for over a decade. More than 10 days after his death from cancer, the remains of Chavez who was 58, are now entombed in a marble sarcophagus at the Mountain Barracks in Caracas.” This is a time of grieving. My heart just shriveled up when I saw him in that room. But then I remember him with happiness for all that he has given me,” said Lino Mejia, 72, who came Saturday from Lara state in the west to bid farewell to Chavez, whose oil-funded socialist programs included heavy spending on housing and health care.

At the center of an imposing hall with towering columns, yellow brickwork and tile floors, Mejia and masses of other Chavez supporters had no choice but to settle for glimpsing at the monument-flanked by soldiers-from afar. At the entrance to the area, visitors are asked not to approach the sarcophagus or take pictures. Chavez was laid to rest at a military museum on Friday after an emotional final journey through the streets of Caracas watched by hundreds of thousands. After more than a week lying in state, Chavez’s body was driven through the Venezuelan capital in a hearse, allowing his compatriots to say goodbye to the man who ruled the South American OPEC member atop the world’s largest proven oil reserves, for 14 years. Friends and family joined government and army officials in surrounding the coffin as it arrived at Chavez’s final resting place-the hilltop former army barracksturned-museum where he plotted his failed 1992 coup.

The inscription on Chavez’s tomb reads: “Hugo Chavez, Supreme Leader of the

Bolivarian Revolution.” Bolivar was the local independence-era hero whose ideas Chavez said inspired him. The room is replete with images of Chavez, several of his slogans already carved into marble, with a massive portrait of Simon Bolivar looking on. There were pictures of Chavez with his political mentor and key ally, Fidel Castro; another with soccer icon Diego Armando Maradona; and another with British supermodel Naomi Campbell.

Guards outside the barracks fire a single shot each afternoon at 16:25 local time (2055 GMT): the exact time Chavez died. Not surprisingly for a government that modeled much of its revolutionary “infrastructure” on Communist Cuba’s institituions, the barracks with Chavez’s tomb inside is now being called the “Museum of the Revolution.” Late on Friday officials ruled out embalming Chavez, whose death the government announced March 5, and leaving his body on permanent public display in a similar fashion as Vladimir Lenin, the leader of the 1917 Bolshevik revolution in Russia, whose embalmed body rests to this day in a glass case in a mausoleum on Moscow ’s Red Square.

Some have suggested that Chavez should be buried in the National Pantheon next to South American independence leader Simon Bolivar, Chavez’s personal hero and the inspiration of his leftist movement. On Tuesday, the ruling party postponed debate in parliament on a constitutional amendment that would make this possible without waiting 25 years, as currently required by the constitution. Venezuelans will vote for a new president on April 14. In the running are Nicolas Maduro, Chavez’s handpicked successor, and opposition leader Henrique Capriles, whom Chavez beat in October elections.—AFP

CARACAS: A supporter of Venezuela’s late President Hugo Chavez cries outside the military academy. —AP

MONDAY, MARCH 18, 2013

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

Japan PM wants to meet China, S Korea heads to ease ties TOKYO: Japan’s Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said yesterday he hoped to meet the Chinese and South Korean leaders soon to improve relations strained by separate territorial rows. But his ruling party also pledged the same day to push for changes to Japan’s pacifist constitution-a move likely to stir unease in both the countries, which were among victims of Tokyo’s 20th century militarism. “I am in the same generation as the two new leaders,” Abe told an annual convention of his Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), referring to Chinese President Xi Jinping, 59, and South Korean President Park Geun-Hye, 61.

The 58-year-old Abe became prime minister in December for a second time when his conservative party secured a

landslide election victory, while Tokyo was locked in disputes with Beijing and Seoul over island chains. “For prosperity and stability in the region, it is necessary for the three of us to build mutual understanding,” Abe told the convention. “I want to say that Japan’s door is always open toward China,” said Abe, who was previously premier from 20062007.

But earlier in the day, the premier urged graduates of the National Defence Academy to guard the country against “provocations”, an apparent reference to the row with Beijing over sovereignty of a Tokyo-controlled island chain. Chinese ships have routinely circled the Senkaku islands, which Beijing claims as the Diaoyus, since Tokyo nationalised some

of them in September.

Abe, in his speech to graduates, emphasised that the security situation had changed since they started their course four years ago. “Unlike four years ago... provocations are continuing against our country’s territorial land, sea and air,” he told the graduation ceremony. “What is happening in the field where you will be is a harsh reality and a crisis that is there,” he added.

“I wish you to dedicate yourselves to noble duty in the field, to defend the people and the country.” The LDP convention adopted a wide-ranging action plan, including efforts to create an “independent constitution” to replace the USimposed post-war charter which bans the use of force in settling international

disputes. The ban limits the so-called Self-Defence Forces to a strictly defensive role and bars them from taking aggressive action.

The hawkish Abe has said Japan must redefine its rules of engagement to provide an effective deterrent against North Korea and balance China’s growing military might. Abe said in January he intends to change the constitution, by modifying an article which stipulates that amendments need a two-thirds majority in parliament.

The LDP and its junior coalition partner New Komeito have a more-than twothirds majority in the lower house, but New Komeito and some LDP factions are cautious about amendments. The less powerful upper house is controlled by

no single party, but the opposition Democratic Party of Japan has the greatest number of seats.

Elections for half the upper house seats must be held around July. “We will definitely win through the (upper house) election and reestablish a proud Japan,” Abe told the convention.

The party action plan also reaffirmed Japan’s intention to join the US-led Trans-Pacific Partnership free trade talks, despite persistent objections from farmers and others. It said Japan will negotiate “in a manner which will protect national interests including the agriculture and fishery sector”.

“I will definitely protect Japan’s agriculture and food. I want you to trust me,” Abe said. — AFP

China’s new prez calls for ‘great renaissance’ Li Keqiang says economic reform top priority

BEIJING: Tourists wearing masks walk at Tiananmen Square after a flag-raising Ceremony held at dawn yesterday. — AP

China leaders pledge clean govt, less waste BEIJING: China’s new leaders struck a populist tone Sunday as they got down to the painstaking work of governing, promising cleaner government, less red tape and more fairness to enlarge a still small middle class and help struggling private businesses. In appearances that mark the completion of a months-long, orchestrated leadership transition, President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Keqiang stressed the urgency of reining in runaway official corruption to restore the Communist Party’s frayed public credibility.

Li made specific pledges to slash official perks and government extravagance to free up money for social welfare programs at a time of slower economic growth. He said a ban will be put on building new government offices, government payrolls will be reduced, as will spending on banquets, travel and cars - behavior that has fueled public anger and protests. “If the people are to live a good life, their government must be put on a tight budget,” Li said in his first news conference as premier after the end of the annual session of the national legislature.

Earlier, in addressing the nearly 3,000 legislative deputies in the Great Hall of the People, Xi promised to root out “corruption and other misconduct in all manifestations.”

He said people’s own aspirations must be part of “the Chinese dream” - a signature phrase he has used to invoke national greatness. “Each of us must have broad space to diligently realize our own dreams,” he said. Though Xi and Li were installed as Nos. 1 and 2 in the party leadership in November, Sunday’s closing of the legislature means their government is now fully in place. The legislature appointed Cabinet ministers, named Li premier, gave Xi the ceremonial title of president and thereby relieved their predecessors of office.

The legislature’s close - and their appearances - also brought a concerted push to burnish the leaders’ image before a public

that has grown more demanding as it has become more prosperous and better connected by the Internet and cellphones.

Expectations have run high in recent months that the new leadership would address social sore-spots: close a wide wealth gap, curb the often capricious use of official power and clean up an environment degraded by the headlong pursuit of growth.

Both Xi’s speech and Li’s news conference were nationally televised. In them, they showed personality differences with their predecessors. Xi appeared more commanding and comfortable with his authority than his predecessor, Hu Jintao. Li was more direct and plainly spoken if less sympathetic than the grandfatherly Wen Jiabao, who larded his news conferences with references to classical poetry.

Li also gave a hint of his fluency in English. At one point he corrected a translator for saying “thank you” at the end of a translation when Li had not said it. The 57year-old also recalled having been exiled to work in a poor rural village in his teens in the 1970s, like many in his generation under Mao Zedong’s radical rule, before market reforms and the reopening of universities brought change. The reforms, he said, “have lifted hundreds of millions of peasants out of poverty and it has changed the life course of many individuals, including me.” Both events were heavily scripted.

Questions by Chinese and foreign reporters at Li’s 115-minute news conference were largely prearranged and pre-screened. Still, in a system where interactions between the leadership and the media are rare, the premier’s sole news conference of the year provides a window into the leaders’ personalities and thinking. “It takes time to see if he can do a good job or not, but the language, logic and way of expression finally rid themselves of the shadow of old times. — AFP

5 admit gang-raping Swiss tourist in India NEW DELHI: Five villagers have confessed to gang-raping a Swiss tourist in central India, police said yesterday, in an incident that has renewed focus on the rampant violence against women in the country. The woman was on a cycling holiday with her husband in the impoverished Madhya Pradesh state when six men attacked the couple on Friday night, sexually assaulting the woman in front of her husband and robbing the pair, police said. “We have detained five men and they have confessed to gang-raping the woman and attacking her husband,” local police official MS Dhodee told AFP. The five men, who eke out a living as small-scale farmers, have been arrested on charges of rape and robbery, Dhodee said. Police are searching for a sixth man, who was also involved in the crime, he said. The alleged rapists live in a village near the forested area where the couple had stopped to camp for the night, while on a cycling trip to the popular tourist destination of Agra in northern India, Dhodee said.

“They were passing by, noticed the couple putting up their tent and saw an opportunity to attack and rape the woman,” he said. Her husband was tied up during the attack. They also stole a laptop, a mobile phone and 10,000 rupees ($185) from the couple, which the police are trying to recover, added Dhodee. After the attack, the rape victim, aged about 40, and her husband, reported to be around 30, stopped a motorcyclist who took them to the nearest police station, said SonntagsBlick, a Swiss German-language newspaper.

She underwent a medical examination at a local hospital before leaving for the Indian capital Delhi, police said. “The victim and her husband have left for Delhi, since there was no need for her to stay in hospital here,” another local police official UC Shadangi told AFP. Shadangi said that police were in touch with Swiss embassy officials, who declined to comment to AFP about the case.

The Swiss foreign ministry in Bern released a statement on Saturday expressing deep shock at the “tragic incident”. The couple arrived in Mumbai last month after visiting Iran and began a cycling holiday across India, making their way to Orchha, a popular foreign tourist haunt in Madhya Pradesh on Thursday, Shadangi said. The attack comes just three months after thousands took to the streets in nationwide protests following the fatal gang-rape of a 23-year-old student on a bus in New Delhi.

The victim, a physiotherapy student died from internal injuries after being savagely assaulted by six men. One of her alleged attackers was found dead in his prison cell in New Delhi on Monday.

Police suspect he hanged himself, but his family says he was murdered. The government has since opened an investigation into his death. India’s government is facing heavy pressure to step up efforts to protect women after the deadly gangrape in the capital last December. Under a new bill approved by India’s cabinet last week, rapists face a minimum 20year jail term and the death penalty if the victim dies from injuries or is left in a persistent vegetative state. — AFP

BEIJING: Chinese Premier Li Keqiang said yesterday ensuring economic growth was the top priority for his government, pledging to fight graft, tackle vested interests and calling for an end to a cyber-hacking row with the United States. Li’s first news conference as premier, at the close of the annual meeting of China’s rubber-stamp parliament that confirmed his appointment, covered topics that have been the principal focus of recent government rhetoric, with a strong emphasis on the necessity of reform to deliver long-term economic stability. “The highest priority will be to maintain sustainable economic growth,” Li said at the start of the conference that lasted almost two hours and in which he repeatedly stressed the need for economic, social and government reform.

“The key is to have economic transformation.

We need to combine the dividends of reform, the potential of domestic demand and the vitality of creativity so that these together will form new drivers of economic growth,” he added. “We said that in pursing reform we now have to navigate uncharted waters. We may also have to confront some protracted problems. This is because we will have to shake up vested interests,” said Li, looking relaxed and repeatedly gesturing with his hands.

“Sometimes stirring vested interests may be more difficult that stirring the soul, but however deep the water may be, we will wade into the water. This is because we have no alternative.

Reform concerns the destiny of our country and the future of our nation.” Ting Lu, chief China economist at Bank of America/Merrill Lynch in Hong Kong, said in a note to clients that the pro-reform tone of the speech would go down well with investors. “He understood very well that key barriers for reforms are vested interests rather than ideology,” Lu said. But beyond a specific pledge to cut administrative red tape on some 1,700 processes needing government approval by at least a third, Li’s answers to the 11 pre-arranged questions he took from journalists offered no new policy initiatives. However, he said that planned reform of the controversial system of forced labour camps would come by the end of the year.

Reform pledges The premier pledged to reform capital markets, the currency and fight China’s pervasive corruption crisis, saying that government officials, having chosen public life, should give up thoughts of riches. Li said China’s broad reform effort would also

lead to improvements in environmental controls, cutting pollution in the atmosphere and raising food and water safety standards. A growing environmental awareness and willingness of urban people to voice concern about industrial pollution have led the ruling Communist Party to worry about the risk of yet more protests that could undermine social order. Similar worries exist in the leadership about growing discontent over inequality in China, which has one of the world’s widest gaps between rich and poor and which has now reached levels which the government fears could spark unrest. Li reiterated commitments to reform income distribution, improve access to social security and health care and allow welfare benefits to be paid nationwide, regardless of the official residence of the claimant.

China’s rigid residence registration, or hukou, system broadly classifies citizens as urbanites or farmers and precludes people from access to basic welfare services outside their official residence area. Economists say it is a crucial obstacle to rebalancing China’s economy away from the investment-heavy, export-oriented model that has lifted hundreds of millions of people from poverty, turned China into the world’s biggest trading economy and has been a policy priority for much of the last decade.

Despite its ranking as the second-largest economy globally after three decades of stellar growth, China remains an aspiring middle-income country riven with inequality and dependent on state-

backed investment. About 13 percent of China’s population still live on less than $1.25 per day, the United Nations Development Programme says.

Average urban disposable income is just 21,810 yuan ($3,500) a year. On the other hand, according to the latest reckoning by Forbes, China has 122 dollar billionaires. A rival list in the Hurun Report says China has 317 billionaires - a fifth of the total number in the world.

Cyber-sniping Li shrugged off an assertion from one questioner that China was responsible for hacking into US computer systems, restated Beijing’s complaint that it too had been under cyber-attack. “I think we should not make groundless accusations against each other, and spend more time doing practical things that will contribute to cyber-security,” Li said. President Barack Obama also raised US concerns about computer hacking in a phone call with Chinese President Xi Jinping last week on the day Xi took office. US Treasury Secretary Jack Lew will likely press China to investigate and stop cyber-attacks on US companies and other entities when he visit China this week for discussions on a range of economic issues. Li, 57, officially took over as premier on March 15 from Wen Jiabao whose 10 years in charge is increasingly regarded by analysts as a lost decade in which economic reform slowed and state-backed businesses tightened their grip on the country’s new-found wealth. — Reuters

BEIJING: This combo of photos taken yesterday shows China’s Premier Li Keqiang at a press conference following the closing session of the National People’s Congress (NPC) at the Great Hall of the People. — AFP

In China’s shadow, Gitmo Uighurs languish on Palau KOROR: Ahmat Abdulahad can’t help but laugh at the irony of his predicament. He and five other Chinese Muslims released from America’s Guantanamo military prison in 2009 thought they would be living on this remote island for a few months, maybe a year. But more than three years later, they are still in Palau, and the patience - and funding of this poor nation - is running out. The government has cut Abdulahad’s monthly stipend, so he can’t pay his bills, not even those from the Palau Power Utility Corp, where he works as a night watchman. So he and his family, inadvertent inhabitants of one of the most beautiful islands in the Pacific, are learning to make do without electricity. Palau has become a prolonged stopover in what is now a 12-year odyssey for a half dozen men from China’s ethnic Uighur minority. They were swept up in Afghanistan as suspected terrorists, held without trial in Guantanamo for more than eight years, then became a cause celebre for Guantanamo opponents in the US, who saw them as hapless victims of the anti-terrorism effort and the circumvention of due process in the name of national security.

Now, all but one of them - who quietly managed to make his way to Turkey to join his wife a few months ago - remain stuck on Palau because no one else will take them. “We are like the pieces in a chess game,” Abdulahad, who is 42, said at a small, drab apartment building by the sea where three of the men live with their wives and children. He wears a prosthetic limb because he lost part of his left leg in the air raid when he was captured. “They have played us like that all these years.”

Both the men and Palau’s president say pressure from China, which says they are terrorists despite their release, is making it impossible for them to find refuge anywhere else.

And having met a US federal court order to release them from Guantanamo, US government interest in finding them a permanent home appears to have dried up though officials say they are doing all they can.

“It’s no secret China is very angry with Palau because of the resettlement,” President Tommy Remengesau said in a recent interview with The Associated Press, one of his first since taking office in January. “It doesn’t take a blind man not to notice that nobody wanted to take these men. The pressure was there from the beginning and the pressure continues to be there.

Nobody will be open enough to say that they welcome the Uighurs

because of that pressure.” China’s Foreign Ministry and national police ministry did not respond to faxed requests for comment about Beijing pressuring other governments not to accept the Uighurs.

The Uighurs come from Xinjiang, an isolated region of western China that borders Afghanistan, Pakistan and six Central Asian nations. They are Turkic-speaking Muslims who say they have long been repressed by the Chinese government. Many want Xinjiang to become independent, and in recent years, some have staged bombings and other attacks, mostly against police, government and military targets. China considers Uighurs held in Guantanamo to be terrorists and has demanded they be repatriated. But since they would almost certainly face imprisonment or even torture if sent back to China, other countries had to be found. The US refused to grant them asylum.

KOROR: In this photo, former Guantanamo prisoners (from left) Ahmat Abdulahad, Davut Abdurahim and Abdulghappar Abdulrahman sit outside Abdulrahman’s small apartment in Koror, Palau. — AP

Nearly a dozen now live in Albania, Bermuda, El Salvador and Switzerland. Three remain in custody at the US Navy facility in Cuba.

Palau, a country of 20,000 people that relies heavily on the United States for defense and aid, agreed to take six Uighurs on a temporary basis. The former U.S. trust territory, which became independent in 1994, didn’t have much to lose. It is one of the few countries that have diplomatic relations with Taiwan, instead of Beijing, and to sweeten the deal, Washington promised $600,000 to help pay for the men’s stay.

But Palau says it has done enough. “The funds have run out.

My government is not in a financial situation to deal with them here,” Remengesau said. “Culturally it just doesn’t fit. Their religion is different from 99 percent of the people of Palau. It hasn’t been an entirely stable situation for us. They’re not happy. If they had their choice, they would rather be somewhere else.”

Even Palau has felt Beijing’s wrath, he said, noting that construction of a beachfront resort being developed by Chinese investors abruptly stopped as soon as the Uighur deal was announced. It is a major eyesore, boarded up and vacant, along the main street of Koror, Palau’s biggest town, and just a short walk from a bustling hotel built by Taiwanese developers. Former President Johnson Toribiong, who was voted out of office in November in part because of allegations that he misused the funds intended for the Uighurs, said he never intended for Palau to be a final destination. “I assumed that I would be able to take care of them and by the end of my term find them a permanent place to go to,” he said. — AP

NEWS

Palestinian mother...

UAE opens largest solar power...

Continued from Page 1 over an area equivalent to 285 football pitches in the desert of the Western Region, some 120 km southwest of Abu Dhabi.

The 192 rows of loops collect heat that drives turbines to generate power that would save 175,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide every year, equivalent to taking 15,000 cars off the road. Automatic trucks are deployed to dust the mirrors in this desert location where sand poses a serious challenge to the efficiency of heat collectors.

Masdar owns 60 percent of the project, while France’s Total and Spain’s Abengoa Solar own 20 percent each.

Abu Dhabi is the wealthiest of the seven sheikhdoms that make up the federation of the United Arab Emirates. It sits on proven oil reserves totalling 98.2 billion barrels - 95 percent of the UAE’s reserves, which are the world’s seventh largest. It also has a large wealth of gas. The UAE’s leaders were on site for the ceremonial opening, led by President Sheikh Khalifa

bin Zayad Al-Nahayan and his vice president, Prime Minister and ruler of Dubai, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid AlMaktoum. “The UAE today is the first in the Middle East and OPEC (oil expor ting organisation) to begin producing renewable energy, in addition to having hydrocarbon exports,” said Jaber.

Total’s head of New Energies, Phillipe Boisseau, said the Shams venture is a natural outcome of the established relation with Abu Dhabi in the energy sector. “We share the vision of the need to diversify energy sources,” he said. Abu Dhabi has vied over the past years to establish a name as a centre for renewable energy, starting with forming Masdar and then becoming the host of the newly-formed IRENA renewable energy organisation.

“This is an extraordinary moment for us,” said IRENA’s chief Adnan Amin following the inauguration. He said Shams 1 is the “first massive step” towards having the oilrich Middle East becoming also a centre for renewable energy. — AFP

MONDAY, MARCH 18, 2013

Continued from Page 1

Two young Afghan girls play house, mimicking their mothers in burqas cut to their size on the outskirts of Jalalabad yesterday. — AP

After Israel withdrew from Gaza in 2005, the Farhat family returned to the Jewish settlement where Mohammed undertook the militant attack. They took what they said was the piece of wire fence Mohammed had cut to get in, and mounted it on an outer wall of their home. Farhat had two other sons were killed by Israeli forces while they were preparing attacks. Another son is in an Israeli prison.

The firebrand loyalist of the Islamic militant Hamas survived three Israeli airstrikes that targeted her house between 2006 and 2010. She also survived an Israeli military assault on her house, when one of Hamas’ top bomb makers, Emad Akel, was killed in a hail of fire in her front yard after hiding in her basement for a year.

Years later, in 2006, after she became one of the few women elected to the Palestinian parliament as a Hamas legislator. She told AP that she cried for her slain sons but that “jihad (holy war) comes ahead of everything, including my feelings as a mother”. About 4,000 Palestinians attended her funeral, including Hamas Prime Minister Ismail Haniya. — AP

14

MONDAY, MARCH 18, 2013

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Issues

In colorblind France, diversity testing unity

By Elaine Ganley he streets in one of the Paris region’s toughest housing projects, burgeoning with immigrants, bear names like Cezanne, Picasso and Utrillo, as if to stamp the French heritage onto the psyches of its residents. But neither the names of the great masters nor the idyllic images conjured up by the name of the project, Les Bosquets, or The Groves, capture the daily realities of the French-style ghetto, an enclosed world where many residents don’t speak French. Delinquency soars and the unemployment rate is estimated at some 40 percent, nearly four times the national rate. Montfermeil’s town hall could not provide an official figure.

Just 17 km from Paris, Les Bosquets is light years from the world of Parisians. Les Bosquets, like other projects that surround the big cities of France, belies this nation’s special brand of integration whereby newcomers from afar assimilate into the French culture, becoming one with it whatever their origins. Despite quiet debate, French authorities, whatever their political colors, have stood by a French model that’s colorblind to differences, in total contrast to the US notion of a vibrant melting pot.

The story of France is often viewed as the antithesis to the US, one in which race and ethnicity are not counted in the government census and minority rights need not exist, due to residents who share a common identity of “French.”

Many French shudder at the word “multiculturalism”. But housing projects such as Les Bosquets, often cut off by poor public transport from the cities, raise questions about how much assimilation is really happening in France and whether the French model of integration, long the nation’s pride, is wearing thin.

Even Muslim immigrants from France’s former North African colonies, many in their third generation, and making up a large portion of residents of Les Bosquets, are far from melding with the mainstream. For Patrick Simon, a leading demographer, the French model has a basic flaw that is becoming increasingly evident as time goes by. “It’s a model founded on the invisibility of differences,” Simon said. The problem is that minorities are increasingly visible, many of them with origins in France’s former colonies in Muslim North Africa, and because “we see them, we can’t ignore their existence”.

Even second- and third-generation citizens of foreign origin are perceived as different and treated thus.

Statisticians are not allowed to count people by their origins, complicating research. But the postcard vision of France with church steeples perched over a contented populace wearing berets and carrying baguettes has been upended in the Seine-Saint-Denis region northeast of Paris. French kings are buried in the great cathedral of Saint-Denis, the main town, but traditional minorities have become the majority in the region.

A study by Simon puts immigrants and their descendants through the second generation at 75 percent of the city’s population. It includes people from French overseas departments (8 percent), who are French but of color. The jobless rate was 16.5 percent in 2009, according to Insee, the national statistics agency. But the economic leaders are in the white minority, Simon said, putting new stress on the notion that immigrants and their children are being successfully assimilated.

In Les Bosquets, the most widespread complaint remains poor public transport and the isolation that keeps Les Bosquets at a distance from mainstream France. It takes nearly 90 minutes to get to Paris. —AP

T

Rise of Latinos blurs US racial lines

By Hope Yen elcome to the new off-white America.

A historic decline in the number of US whites and the fast growth of Latinos are blurring traditional black-white color lines, testing the limits of civil rights laws and reshaping political alliances as “whiteness” begins to lose its numerical dominance. Long in coming, the demographic shift was most vividly illustrated in last November’s re-election of President Barack Obama, the first black president, despite a historically low percentage of white supporters. It’s now a potent backdrop to the immigration issue being debated in Congress that could offer a path to citizenship for 11 million mostly Hispanic illegal immigrants. Also, the Supreme Court is deciding cases this term on affirmative action and voting rights that could redefine race and equality in the US. The latest census data and polling from AP highlight the historic change in a nation in which non-Hispanic whites will lose their majority in the next generation, somewhere around the year 2043. Despite being a nation of immigrants, America’s tip to a white minority has never occurred in its 237-year history and will be a first among the world’s major post-industrial societies. Brazil, a developing nation, has crossed the threshold to “majorityminority” status; a few cities in France and England are near, if not past that point.

The international experience and recent US events point to an uncertain future for American race relations. In Brazil, where multiracialism is celebrated, social mobility remains among the world’s lowest for blacks while wealth is concentrated among whites at the top. In France, race is not recorded on government census forms and people share a unified Gallic identity, yet high levels of racial discrimination persist.

“The American experience has always been a story of color. In the 20th century it was a story of the black-white line. In the 21st century we are moving into a new off-white moment,” says Marcelo Suarez-Orozco, a global expert on immigration and dean of UCLA’s Graduate School of Education & Information Studies.

“Numerically, the US is being transformed. The question now is whether our institutions are being transformed,” he said.

The shift is being driven by the modern wave of US newcomers from Latin America and Asia. Their annual inflow of 650,000 people since 1965, at a rate that’s grown in recent years, surpasses the pace of the last great immigration wave a century ago. That influx,

W

from 1820 to 1920, brought in Irish, Germans, Italians and Jews from Europe and made the gateway of Ellis Island, New York, an immigrant landmark, symbolizing freedom, liberty and the American dream.

An equal factor is today’s ageing white population, mostly baby boomers, whose coming wave of retirements will create a need for first- and second-generation immigrants to help take their place in the workforce. The numbers already demonstrate that being white is fading as a test of Americanness: More US babies are now born to minorities than whites, a milestone reached last year. More than 45 percent of students in kindergarten through 12th grade are minorities. The Census

than 1 in 4 people ages 18-64 will be Latino.

The white population, now at 197.8 million, is projected to peak at 200 million in 2024, before entering a steady decline in absolute numbers. Currently 63 percent of the US population, the white share is expected to drop below 50 percent by 2043, when racial and ethnic minorities will collectively become a US majority. Hispanics will drive most of the minority growth, due mostly to high birth rates, jumping in share from 17 percent to 26 percent. The pace of assimilation for today’s Latinos and Asian-Americans is often compared with that of the Poles, Irish, Italians and Jews who arrived around the turn of the 20th century and eventually merged into an

In this photo taken March 13, 2013, pedestrians wait to cross a New York street. — AP Bureau projects that in five years the number of nonwhite children will surpass 50 percent.

The District of Columbia, Hawaii, California, New Mexico and Texas have minority populations greater than 50 percent. By 2020, eight more states are projected to join the list: Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Maryland, Mississippi, Nevada, New Jersey and New York.

Latinos already outnumber whites in New Mexico; California will tip to a Latino plurality next year. By 2039, racial and ethnic minorities will make up a majority of the US working-age population, helping to support a disproportionately elderly white population through Social Security and other payroll taxes. More

American white mainstream. There was a backlash. By the 1930s, an immigrant-weary America had imposed strict quotas and closed its borders. Those newly arrived were pushed to conform and blend in with a white mainstream, benefiting from New Deal economic programs that generally excluded blacks. The immigration quotas also cut off the supply of new workers to ethnic enclaves and reduced social and economic contacts between immigrants and their countries of origin. “America of the Melting Pot comes to End,” read a 1924 opinion headline in The New York Times. The author, a US senator, pledged that strict new immigration quotas would “preserve racial

type as it exists here today”.

Today, data show that Latinos are embracing US life but also maintaining strong ties to their heritage, aided by a new stream of foreign-born immigrants who arrive each year.

Hispanics, officially an ethnic group, strive to learn English and 1 in 4 intermarry, taking a white spouse. Nowadays, immigrants face less pressure to conform than did their counterparts from a century ago. Latinos are protected as a minority, benefiting from the 1950s civil rights movement pioneered by blacks. Nearly 40 percent of Latinos now resist a white identity on census forms, checking a box indicating “some other race” to establish a Hispanic race identity.

While growing diversity is often a step toward a post-racial US, sociologists caution that the politics of racial diversity could just as easily become more magnified. A first-of-itskind AP poll conducted in 2011 found that a slight majority of whites expressed racial bias against Hispanics and that their attitudes were similar to or even greater than the bias they held toward blacks. Hispanics also remained somewhat residentially segregated from whites in lower-income neighborhoods, hurt in part by the disappearance of good-paying, midskill manufacturing jobs that helped white ethnics rise into the middle class during most of the 20th century.

Harvard economist George Borjas projects that by 2030, the children of today’s immigrants will earn on average 10 percent to 15 percent less than nonimmigrant Americans, based on past trends, and that Latinos will particularly struggle because of high rates of poverty, lack of citizenship and lower rates of education. In 1940, the children of early 20thcentury white ethnics fared much better on average, earning 21.4 percent more than nonimmigrants. About 35 percent of Hispanic babies are currently born into poverty, compared with 41 percent of blacks and 20 percent for whites.

“How America responds now to the new challenges of racial and ethnic diversity will determine whether it becomes a more open and inclusive society in the future - one that provides equal opportunities and justice for all,” said Daniel Lichter, a Cornell sociologist and past president of the Population Association of America. The demographic shift has spurred debate as to whether some civilrights era programs, such as affirmative action in college admissions, should begin to focus on income level rather than race or ethnicity.

The Supreme Court will rule on the issue by late June.— AP

In Brazil, mix of racial openness, exclusion

By Jenny Barchfield any Brazilians cast their country as racial democracy where people of different groups long have intermarried, resulting in a large mixed-race population. But you need only turn on the TV, open the newspaper or stroll down the street to see clear evidence of segregation. In Brazil, whites are at the top of the social pyramid, dominating professions of wealth, prestige and power. Dark-skinned people are at the bottom of the heap, left to clean up after others and take care of their children and the elderly.

The 2010 census marked the first time in which black and mixed-race people officially outnumbered whites, weighing in at just over 50 percent, compared with 47 percent for whites. Researchers suggest that Brazil actually may have been a majority-nonwhite country for some time, with the latest statistics reflecting a decreased social stigma that makes it easier for nonwhites to report their actual race.

It is a mix of anomalies in Brazil that offers lessons to a United States now in transition to a “majority-minority” nation: how racial integration in social life does not always translate to economic equality, and how centuries of racial mixing are no guaranteed route to a colorblind society. Nearly all TV news anchors in Brazil are white, as are the vast majority of doctors, dentists, fashion models and lawyers. Most maids and doormen, street cleaners

M In this photo taken Feb 7 2013, women walk on a street of Montfermeil outside Paris.— AP

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.

and garbage collectors are black. There is only one black senator and there never has been a black president, though a woman, Dilma Rousseff, leads the country now.

A decade of booming economic growth and wealthredistribution schemes has narrowed the income gap between blacks and whites, but it remains pronounced. In 2011, the average black or mixed-race worker earned just

This photo taken Feb 25, 2013 shows Nubia de Lima, 29, posing for a photo in her Rio de Janeiro apartment. — AP

60 percent what the average white worker made. That was up from 2001, when black workers earned 50.5 percent what white workers made, according to Brazil’s national statistics agency.

Brazil recently instituted affirmative action programs to help boost the numbers of black and mixed-race college students, though both groups continue to be proportionally underrepresented at the nation’s universities.

They made up just 10 percent of college students in 2001, and now account for 35 percent. Those numbers probably will continue to rise because of a new law that reserves half the spots in federal universities for high school graduates of public schools and distributes them according to states’ racial makeup.

Still, black faces remain the exception at elite colleges.

Nubia de Lima, a 29-year-old black producer for Globo television network, said she experiences racism on a daily basis, in the reactions and comments of strangers who are constantly taking her for a maid, a nanny or a cook, despite her flair for fashion and pricey wardrobe. “People aren’t used to seeing black people in positions of power,” she said. “It doesn’t exist. They see you are black and naturally assume that you live in a favela (hillside slum) and you work as a housekeeper.” She said upper middle-class black people like her are in a kind of limbo, too affluent and educated to live in favelas but still largely excluded from high-rent white neighborhoods. “Here it’s a racism of exclusion,” de Lima said. — AP

MONDAY, MARCH 18, 2013

S P ORTS Unbeaten Bradley keeps title

Life ban for Nazi salute

Miyazato leads Founders Cup

LOS ANGELES: Unbeaten champion Tim Bradley captured a unanimous but narrow decision Saturday over Russia’s Ruslan Provodnikov to keep his welterweight title despite being knocked down in the fight’s final seconds.

In his first defense of the World Boxing Organization crown that he took from Filipino superstar Manny Pacquiao in a shock split decision last June, Bradley won by judges’ scores of 115-112, 114-113 and 114-113.

“I think I’ve got a concussion,” Bradley said. “I know I do. No doubt. This guy is a power puncher. He’s a warrior. He’ll beat any 147-pounder out there. “One of them punches in one of those rounds (concussed me). I’m dizzy right now. At some point, that warrior instinct kicks in, the determination, the will to win, and that’s what I counted on.”

Bradley took punishment in the first and second rounds, going to the canvas in each. But in both cases, referee Pat Russell ruled that Bradley had slipped and so no knockdown points were awarded to the Russian challenger. Had even one of those been ruled a knockdown, Provodnikov would have earned a draw. Instead, American Bradley improved to 30-0 while Provodnikov fell to 22-2 but impressed by nearly taking the title with a late knockout.

Provodnikov connected with a left hook that sent the champion staggering backwards with 55 seconds remaining in the fight and landed a hard right to stun Bradley again 30 seconds before the finish. —AFP

ATHENS: Giorgos Katidis was on Sunday banned for life from playing for Greece for having given a Nazi salute during a game. The Greek football federation unanimously decided the sanction following an extraordinary general meeting yesterday. The 20-year-old midfielder scored the winning goal in AEK Athens’s 2-1 Super League victory over Veria on Saturday but celebrated it in controversial fashion in front of spectators at the Olympic Stadium. “The action by the player to salute spectators with a Nazi salute defies common sense, profoundly shows disrespect to all the victims of Nazi atrocities and injures the peaceful and deeply human character of football. The Greek football federation condemns unequivocally and categorically such actions,” an announcement by the federation said. The federation said that it will take all appropriate steps “to preserve the peaceful nature of football and to promote the values of solidarity, cooperation and respect that it professes.” Katidis is a former Greek Under-19 skipper and was being counted on to join the full national team. AEK have asked the player to appear before the club’s administration on Wednesday to explain his actions while on the same day Super League officials will meet to discuss the case. Greek media on Sunday reported that Katidis was given time off by AEK in order to visit his wife in Italy and that his future with the Athens club was in doubt. Last August Katidis signed a four-year contract with AEK. —AFP

PHOENIX: Ai Miyazato fired a five-under par 67 and was aided by a penalty on American Stacy Lewis on her way to seizing a four-stroke lead after the third round of the LPGA Founders Cup on Saturday.

Japan’s Miyazato, who seeks her 10th career LPGA title, finished 54 holes at the $1.5 million event on 19-under 197 with Lewis, who could claim the World No. 1 ranking with a victory, and South Korean Jee Young Lee third on 201.

Lewis thought she had fired a 66 but tournament officials conducted a video review of the actions of her caddie, Travis Wilson, in a bunker on the par-4 16th hole and assessed a two-stroke penalty for testing the sand.

That turned a par on the hole into a double bogey and boosted Lewis to a 68 for the round, doubling her deficit behind Miyazato entering the last 18 holes. The caddie walked into the bunker and appeared to flex his feet while standing in place as Lewis asked a question about her upcoming bunker shot.

For World No. 3 Lewis to become No. 1, she would need to win the tournament and have top-ranked Yani Tseng, the defending Founders Cup champion from Taiwan, finished worse than third. Tseng shared 63rd on 214 after 54 holes.

For the second day in a row, Miyazato birdied three of the course’s four par-5 holes, this time gaining ground on the second, fifth and 15th holes. She also had back-to-back birdies at the par-4 12th and 13th holes. —AFP

Penguins blank Rangers

PARIS: Scotland’s Duncan Weir (center) is tackled by Franceís Sebastien Vahaamahina (left) and Maxime Machenaud during their Six Nations rugby match at the Stade de France. —AP

Wales emerge victorious from stodgy Six Nations LONDON: This year’s Six Nations opened with a spectacular weekend of action, lurched into tepid mediocrity amid foul weather but finished back on a high as Wales hammered England to retain the title amid a spine-tingling atmosphere in Cardiff.

Wales were worthy champions after their record 30-3 demolition of grand-slam chasing England in the title decider, having bounced back from their opening defeat by Ireland with three successive away wins.

There was joy too for Italy after they beat France and Ireland to notch two wins for only the second time since they joined in 2000, leaving England, who they pushed all the way at Twickenham, as they only team they have yet to beat.

France won their final game at home to Scotland but it was not enough to prevent them finishing last for the first time since 1999 after a dismal campaign. Overall, the quality of rugby on show will not have caused any undue concern in the southern hemisphere, while the feeble total try count of 37 was nine down on the previous lowest since the competition expanded to six teams.

It did not look that way seven weeks ago when pre-tournament talk of an open competition proved well-founded on the first weekend when Italy stunned France, Ireland beat holders Wales in Cardiff in a classic

game of two halves and England turned on the style to thrash Scotland.

Italy coach Jacques Brunel’s bid to encourage more running rugby, seen in glimpses during an encouraging November series, was there for all the see in a welldeserved 23-18 victory and they finished the tournament on a high too with another worthy victory over Ireland.

In Cardiff, Wales, coming into the tournament on the back of a seven-game losing streak, found themselves 30-3 down to Ireland five minutes into the second half.

Their stirring fightback had the Millennium Stadium rocking and though it fell short as they lost 30-22, it set them on course for the four successive victories that took them to the retention of their title.

“Behind closed doors we talked about how we were going to build ourselves back and those three games away from home built our team spirit,” said captain Gethin Jenkins in the wake of the title-winning win.

“I think a lot of people would have perhaps written us off because of the form England have been in and we just stuck tight. To get that win against England, to stop them winning the grand slam as well, the boys are ecstatic in the changing rooms.” Wales, having looked awful for 42 minutes, did not concede another try for the rest of the tournament. —Reuters

Ramy Ashour visits a local Prince store to spread sportsmanship in the community.

World No. 1, Ramy Ashour wins Kuwait Squash Cup Visits Prince store to celebrate with fans KUWAIT: The world number one squash champion and Prince brand ambassador, Ramy Ashour landed another Professional Squash Association (PSA) title in Kuwait this month, after winning five straight games against international champions like Nick Mathew, James Willstrop and Nicolas Mueller.

The Egyptian athlete was able to snatch the 30th PSA World Tour of his career at the Kuwait PSA Cup, as expected by critics and by his local sponsors Ali Abdulwahab Al Mutawa Commercial Co. (AAW) and Prince.

Ashour signed a multi-year agreement with Prince earlier this year to endorse Prince squash racquets. The world champion who is known to favor the Prince Airstick 130 since the start of his career, is now back to competing with his original racquet.

Ashour said: “I chose Prince for a lot of reasons. Every time I step on the court I try my hardest, and I want the best racquet for my game, and the Prince Airstick gives me all the power and feel that I need on the court. “I

have a fast style of play and the Prince technology helps me play my best on every point.” Ashour made a special appearance at Kuwait’s local Prince store in Al Corniche Club last week to encourage the spirit of sportsmanship within Kuwait and to promote squash as the sport of choice within the community.

GM of Sports and Fashion at AAW, Khalid F. Al Mutawa said: “At just 25 years-old, Ramy has shown remarkable skill and passion to squash. We believe Ramy can become one of the greatest athletes in the world and region.

We are honored to have him representing Prince and the Airstick 130 racquet - one he truly enjoys playing with from the get-go of his athletic career. We thank him for visiting Prince in Kuwait and for spreading the sport of squash to the Kuwaiti community. “ The Kuwait PSA Cup is the third PSA World Series event of this year that took place at Qadsiya Sporting Club. Ashour managed to notch up all titles so far.

PITTSBURGH: Marc-Andre Fleury stopped 23 shots to break a tie for Pittsburgh’s career shutout record with 23, and the Penguins beat the New York Rangers 3-0 on Saturday for their eighth straight victory.

Beau Bennett, Pascal Dupuis and Tyler Kennedy scored, and Dustin Jeffrey added two assists as the Penguins continued to dominate the reeling Rangers.

Pittsburgh has won seven consecutive meetings with New York, which lost for the fourth time in its last five games.

Fleury broke a tie with Tom Barrasso for the club shutout record. Henrik Lundqvist made 24 saves for the Rangers, but New York failed to score for the third time this season. The Rangers, the best team in the Eastern Conference last spring, trail Pittsburgh by 14 points with six weeks left in the regular season.

Bruins 4, Capitals 1 In Boston, Nathan Horton had a goal and two assists, Milan Lucic set up Boston’s first two scores on hustle plays behind the net and the Bruins beat Washington.

David Krejci added a goal and two assists, Rich Peverley had a power-play goal and Andrew Ference scored his first of the season on the eve of his 34th birthday. Bruins backup goaltender Anton Khudobin made 32 saves, and Lucic had a career-high three assists.

Marcus Johansson was credited with Washington’s goal when the puck caromed into the net off Bruins defenseman Johnny Boychuk.

Blackhawks 8, Stars 1 In Dallas, Jonathan Toews and Marian Hossa each scored twice in leading Chicago to a rout of Dallas. Nick Leddy and Patrick Kane each had a goal and two assists, eight Blackhawks scored two or more points, and Chicago boosted its road record to 12-1-2 with a dominant win on the second stop of a four-game trip.

Corey Crawford made 18 saves for his 13th victory. Johnny Oduya and Duncan Keith had the Blackhawks’ other goals.

Defenseman Trevor Daley scored for the Stars, who have been outscored 16-3 in losing four straight.

Senators 4, Sabres 3 In Buffalo, Kyle Turris scored his second goal 3:54 into overtime to lift Ottawa past Buffalo. Patrick Wiercioch had a goal and assist, and Chris Phillips also scored for Ottawa, which won for only the second time in eight games.

Turris added an assist, and Ben Bishop made 31 saves.

The Senators also extended their string of games decided by one goal to 11, which is one short of matching the NHL record set by Chicago during the 1997-98 season. Drew Stafford scored twice, and Mike Weber also scored for Buffalo. Turris’ goal came on the power play, after Christian Ehrhoff was penalized for interference.

Wild 6, Avalanche 4 In Denver, Devin Setoguchi scored twice and added the 100th assist of his NHL career to help Minnesota hold off slumping Colorado. Ryan Suter started a four-goal scoring spree in the first period and the Wild went on to win for the fourth time in five games. Cal Clutterbuck, Kyle Brodziak and PierreMarc Bouchard added goals for Minnesota, coming off a 5-3 home victory over Colorado on Thursday night.

John Mitchell, P.A. Parenteau, Gabriel Landeskog and Chuck Kobasew scored for the Avalanche.

Islanders 4, Panthers 3 In Sunrise, Casey Cizikas broke a third-period tie, and the New York Islanders held on to beat Florida after blowing a three-goal lead in the final frame. Kyle Okposo, Radek Martinek and Brad Boyes also scored, and Evgeni Nabokov stopped 27 shots for the Islanders. New York also jumped ahead of the rival New York Rangers into ninth place in the Eastern Conference.

TJ Brennan, Marcel Goc and Mike Santorelli scored in a span of 1:43 of the third to tie the game. Scott Clemmensen made 21 saves, but Florida lost its sixth straight and for the ninth time in 10 games.

Canadiens 2, Devils 1 In Newark, big defenseman Jarred

NEWARK: Carey Price No. 31 of the Montreal Canadiens makes the second period save on Tom Kostopoulos No. 25 of the New Jersey Devils at the Prudential Center. —AFP

NHL results/standings Boston 4, Washington 1; Pittsburgh 3, NY Rangers 0; Ottawa 4, Buffalo 3 (OT); Minnesota 6, Colorado 4; Winnipeg 5, Toronto 4 (SO); Montreal 2, New Jersey 1; Tampa Bay 4, Carolina 1; Columbus 1, Phoenix 0 (SO); NY Islanders 4, Florida 3; St. Louis 2, Anaheim 1 (OT); Chicago 8, Dallas 1; Detroit 5, Vancouver 2; Los Angeles 5, San Jose 2.

Pittsburgh New Jersey NY Islanders NY Rangers Philadelphia

Eastern Conference Atlantic Division W L OTL 21 8 0 13 10 6 13 12 3 13 12 2 13 15 1

GF 106 72 83 65 79

GA 79 81 91 67 88

PTS 42 32 29 28 27

Montreal Boston Ottawa Toronto Buffalo

Northeast Division 19 5 4 19 4 3 14 8 6 15 12 2 10 14 4

90 80 68 86 73

70 55 61 83 88

42 41 34 32 24

Winnipeg Carolina Tampa Bay Washington Florida

Southeast Division 15 11 2 15 11 1 12 15 1 11 15 1 7 16 6

76 82 92 73 70

81 76 84 82 109

32 31 25 23 20

Tinordi, in his NHL debut, set up Tomas Plekanec’s tiebreaking goal at 6:49 of the third period, and Montreal extended its winning streak to five games with a victory over New Jersey.

Colby Armstrong also scored for Montreal, and Carey Price made 32 saves. The Canadiens moved into a tie with Pittsburgh for the most points in the Eastern Conference.

Armstrong snapped a 39-game goal drought, dating to February 2012, to give the Canadiens the lead at 8:08 of the first period. Defenseman Peter Harrold scored for New Jersey, which lost for the second time in two nights.

Lightning 4, Hurricanes 1 In Tampa, Tyler Johnson and Ondrej Palat both scored their first NHL goals, and Tampa Bay beat Carolina. Nate Thompson and Teddy Purcell also scored for the Lightning, who stopped a fivegame losing streak at home. Tampa Bay is 3-8 in its last 11 games.

Eric Staal scored the only goal for the Hurricanes, who dropped to 3-7 against fellow Southeast Division games. Tampa Bay, with Mathieu Garon starting in goal each time, has won all three games this season against the Hurricanes. The Lightning have beaten three Carolina goalies - Justin Peters, Cam Ward and Dan Ellis - in the process. Staal ended Garon’s shutout bid during a breakaway at 6:21.

Blue Jackets 1, Coyotes 0 In Columbus, Sergei Bobrovsky made 39 saves in regulation and overtime, then two more in the shootout to finish with his second NHL shutout - both coming in the last week - to lift surging Columbus over Phoenix.

Columbus, which played its fourth straight shootout game, extended its

Chicago St. Louis Detroit Nashville Columbus

Western Conference Central Division 23 2 3 16 10 2 14 10 5 11 11 6 11 12 6

95 85 78 65 64

60 80 75 74 76

49 34 33 28 28

Minnesota Vancouver Calgary Edmonton Colorado

Northwest Division 15 10 2 13 8 6 11 11 4 10 11 6 10 13 4

70 77 75 66 69

68 77 87 79 84

32 32 26 26 24

Pacific Division Anaheim 20 3 4 90 66 44 Los Angeles 15 10 2 81 71 32 San Jose 12 9 6 64 69 30 Phoenix 13 11 4 77 78 30 Dallas 12 12 3 69 81 27 Note: Overtime losses (OTL) are worth one point in the standings and are not included in the loss column (L)

franchise-record point streak to 10 games. Artem Anisimov and Mark Letestu scored in the shootout, making nice moves before firing shots past Mike Smith, who made 23 saves and was also credited with a shutout.

It was Smith’s fourth blanking of the season and his 23rd in the NHL. The Blue Jackets improved to 6-0-4 in their last 10 games. Bobrovsky has stopped 239 of 245 shots in his past eight games.

Blues 2, Ducks 1 In St. Louis, Chris Stewart scored 45 seconds into overtime and rookie Jake Allen made 27 saves, helping St. Louis end Anaheim’s five-game winning streak.

Stewart, who assisted on the Blues’ other goal by Kris Russell, has seven goals and seven assists in his last seven games, including two-goal outings the previous two games. He took the lone shot of the extra period, faking Jonas Hiller with a forehand in front and then finding plenty of space with a backhander for his 14th goal of the season.

Saku Koivu scored on a first-period deflection for the Pacific Division-leading Ducks, who are 13-2-2 in their last 17 games to tie for the best run in franchise history. Anaheim outshot St. Louis 28-20 in regulation.

Kings 5, Sharks 2 In Los Angeles, Kyle Clifford recorded his first two-goal game in the NHL, and Justin Williams, Jarret Stoll and Dwight King also scored in Los Angeles’ win over San Jose.

Jonathan Bernier stopped 21 shots for the defending Stanley Cup champions in the opener of a five-game homestand, including a penalty shot by Tommy Wingels at 7:58 of the second period.

Bernier has won six of his seven starts.

Antti Niemi stopped 14 of 18 shots and was pulled by coach Todd McLellan after Clifford scored his second of the game and fourth of the season at 13:45 of the second period. Patrick Marleau and Matt Irwin scored for the Sharks.

Red Wings 5, Canucks 2 In Vancouver, Henrik Zetterberg and Justin Abdelkader both scored two goals, and Detroit surged past Vancouver. Zetterberg broke out with his first goals in 11 games, dating to the Red Wings’ 8-3 rout of Vancouver in Detroit on Feb. 24.

Daniel Cleary also scored for the Red Wings, who earned their second road win in two nights. Alex Burrows scored both of Vancouver’s goals. His first, which came just 6 seconds in, was the fastest opening goal in Canucks history.

Vancouver lost for the first time in three games.

Jets 5, Maple Leafs 4 In Toronto, Zach Bogosian scored in the 10th round of the shootout to lift Winnipeg over Toronto, which lost its fifth straight. Bogosian beat James Reimer, who replaced starter Ben Scrivens to start the third period, for Winnipeg’s second goal of the shootout after Blake Wheeler scored to open it.

Tyler Bozak had the lone shootout goal for Toronto. Wheeler had two goals in regulation, and James Wright and Antti Miettinen also scored for Winnipeg, which earned its fifth win in six games and moved into first place in the Southeast Division.

The loss spoiled an impressive return

by Joffrey Lupul, who had two goals in his first game since breaking a forearm at Pittsburgh on Jan. 23. Nikolai Kulemin also scored in regulation for the Maple Leafs. —AP

MONDAY, MARCH 18, 2013

S P ORTS

Leonard grabs share of lead at Tampa Bay PALM HARBOR: Justin Leonard, the 1997 British Open winner who last won a US PGA event in 2008, fired a four-under par 67 on Saturday to share the 54-hole lead at the Tampa Bay Championship.

The 40-year-old American stood alongside countryman Kevin Streelman and South African George Coetzee on six-under 207 after three rounds, the highest 54-hole leader score on the US PGA Tour this season, at the $5.5 million event.

“I was pretty focused on controlling what I could, which wasn’t much. It was pretty tough out there,” Leonard said. “I hit a lot of great drives, made a few greens and hit a

few putts and suddenly I’m leading the golf tournament.”

Americans Jim Furyk, Ben Kohles and Tag Ridings share fourth with Australian Greg Chalmers on 208 with England’s Luke Donald and Americans Bryce Molder, Jordan Spieth, Brian Harman and Shawn Stefani on 209.

Leonard, who seeks his 13th tour title overall and his first since the 2008 St. Jude Classic, hit all 13 fairways off the tee and credited that accuracy with his jump to the top.

“That’s a big thing on this golf course,” Leonard said. “There’s not a whole lot of rough but if you are in the rough, you are near some trees and have to manufac-

ture something.

“Being in the fairways all day allowed me to be more aggressive with my shots.”

Leonard birdied the par-4 second, then closed the front nine with back-to-back birdies. He added short birdie putts at the par-5 11th and par-4 12th holes before taking his lone bogey of the day at the par-3 15th. “There’s not a whole lot I would change about it,” Leonard said. “Very pleased with the way I hit the ball. I put myself into nice position.”

Streelman is in his 153rd US PGA event with his career-best finishes being shares of third in 2011 at Puerto Rico and Mexico.

He began the round sharing 31st place, seven strokes off the pace, but fired a 65 to move up.

The 34-year-old opened with a birdie, added another at the sixth and then began the back nine with three birdies in four holes, including the par-4 10th, par-5 11th and par3 13th. He added a birdie at the par-3 17th. “I believe in the work I have done and I’m getting more comfortable out here,” Streelman said. “I’ll give it my best and see what happens.”

Coetzee, 26, is playing his first US PGA event that is not a major tournament or World Golf Championships event. He had

not seen the course before this week and played only nine holes of practice due to bad weather.

“It helped me play conservative, which really helps you around this course,” Coetzee said. “I felt like I was playing nice. I had a pretty good round.” The Pretoria native began with a birdie, added another at the seventh and birdied the par-5 11th as well.

He answered his lone bogey, at the par-4 16th, with a birdie at 17 to stay in a share of the lead. “I’m just here to pick up experience,” Coetzee said. “I’m not expecting to win. I just want to go out and have a good round.”—AFP

Aiken wins Avantha Masters

GREATER NOIDA: South Africa’s Thomas Aiken poses with the Avantha Masters golf tournament trophy. —AP

GREATER NOIDA: Thomas Aiken of South Africa led from start to finish on the final day to win the $2.3 million Avantha Masters by three shots in India yesterday. Aiken, who began the last round with a three-stroke lead, scored a flawless five-under 67 and sealed his second win on the European Tour with a birdie at the 18th hole.

The 29-year-old from Johannesburg finished with an overall score of 23-under 265, three shots ahead of local boy Gaganjeet Bhullar at the Greg Norman-designed par72 Jaypee Greens outside New Delhi.

Aiken, who won the Open de Espana in 2011, earned 300,000 euros (approximately $392,000) for his efforts that followed compatriot Jbe Kruger’s triumph in the Avantha Masters last year.

Bhullar, who was six shots behind the leader at the start, fired an eight-under 64 to come in at 268, ending his campaign with three birdies in the last five holes to keep the pressure on Aiken.

Bhullar finished two strokes ahead of third-placed Liang Wenchong of China, who had overcome a double-bogey on the sixth with a spectacular hole-in-one on the parthree seventh.

“It’s a big relief to win because the others played unbelievable golf,” said Aiken. “There was no breathing space the whole day with Gaganjeet having so many birdies towards the end. “It was no walk in the park, but I think I played the par-fives well. This has been a fantastic week in India and ended just the way I wanted it to.”

Aiken was the sixth South African to win a European tour events this year following the success of Charl Schwartzel at the Alfred Dunhill championships, Louis Oosthuizen ( Volvo Golf Champions), Richard Sterne (Johannesburg Open), Darren Fichardt (Africa Open) and Dawie Van der Walt (Tshwane Open).

Bhullar, cheered on by some 500 Indian fans, birdied the first three holes, had an eagle on the fifth before a spectacular finish saw him birdie three of the last five holes. “After a few weeks, no one will remember that I came second.

Everyone will only talk of Thomas,” said the 24-year-old.

“But the important thing is that my game has improved.

“This tournament was like a putting competition.

Everyone was hitting the ball long, it all depended on how you putted. I thought Thomas would make a mistake somewhere, but he played solidly the last two days.”

Kiradech Aphibarnrat of Thailand, who was in the last group with Aiken and Liang, finished fourth on 271. India’s richest golf event was co-sanctioned by the European and Asian Tours. —AFP

BANGKOK: This handout picture taken and released by OneAsia shows Prayad Marksaeng of Thailand posing with the winner’s trophy after the final round of the Thailand Open. —AFP

Prayad bags Thailand Open BANGKOK: Prayad Marksaeng became only the third Thai to win his country’s national championship with a two-stroke victory in the $1 million Thailand Open at the Thana City Golf and Sports Club yesterday.

Prayad’s rounds of 68, 67, 65 and 64 left him with a 24 under-par total of 264 to claim the winner’s purse of $180,000 and the King’s Trophy donated by the country’s monarch.

“This means so much to me,” Prayad said moments after signing his scorecard. “Yes I cried a bit... I am happy the King’s Trophy will stay in Thailand,” according to a statement by organisers.

Prayad took a celebratory jump into the lake adjoining the 18th green after the prize presentation. Australian Scott Strange (67), who had pushed Prayad all the way, bogeyed on the last to leave him two strokes adrift.

Countryman Nick Cullen (65) was a shot further behind while six players shared fourth

place-including defending champion Chris Wood (70). Overnight leader Lucas Lee of Brazil struggled to get his round together and had to settle for a share of 12th after carding a 73, while three-time major winner Padraig Harrington (66) could not recover from a disastrous third-round 75 and finished at 14 under.

Only two other Thais have won the national open-Suthep Meesawat (1991) and Boonchu Ruangkit (1992, 2004). Two shots off the pace overnight and starting in the second last group of the day, Prayad, 47, had a birdiebirdie-birdie start-although a bogey on the easy par-five fifth briefly halted his progression.

Four birdies in-a-row straddling the turn put him back in the driver’s seat, and an audacious chip-in birdie from the fringe on the 16th meant the chasing pack had it all to do. —AFP

Queen Yuna reigns supreme at worlds LONDON: South Korean Kim Yuna capped her comeback season with a magical victory at the world figure skating championships on Saturday, serving notice that the Queen is back.

Queen Yuna, as Kim is known to her legions of fans around the globe, delivered a regal performance that sent a clear warning to any skater with aspirations of replacing her as Olympic champion next year - be

ready for a fight.

Competing in her first major international competition in two years, Kim skated as if she had never been away, dominating the competition to pick up a second world title with a score of 218.31.

“This is the first time in a long time I have competed in such a big competition as the worlds,” Kim told reporters through an interpreter. “At the warm-up session I was really

nervous actually but because I was sixth in the group and performed last I had enough time to calm down.”

Skating to the music from “Les Miserables”, Kim delivered a dazzling mix of artistry and athleticism that brought the capacity crowd to its feet through the final seconds of her routine, clapping and screaming with delight. The last skater onto the ice, Kim took centre stage with the assurance of a headliner and all those

ONTARIO: Kim Yu-na, of South Korea, performs her free program in the women’s competition at the World Figure Skating Championships. —AP

before her were simply warm-up acts.

Italy’s Carolina Kostner, the world and European champion, looked ready to give Kim a battle with her sultry “Bolero” but crashed to the ice on her final jump, a triple Lutz, leaving her with a mark of 197.89 and silver.

Double world champion Mao Asada also attempted to mount a challenge but it was too little, too late for the Japanese skater after her disappointing sixth in Thursday’s short program and she had to settle for the bronze with 196.47.

“I have been in the worlds since 2007 and I have both good and bad memories,” said Kim. “I had feeling this could be my last world championships and because I delivered good results, I am very happy.”

Kim has been on the podium of every competition she has entered and even after a 20-month break there seems no reason that the trend will not continue on through next season and the Sochi Olympics.

Earlier on Saturday, Americans Meryl Davis and Charlie White completed a perfect season reclaiming the ice dance title from Canadians Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir.

It marked the fourth consecutive year the two couples have swapped gold and silver medals, Virtue and Moir winning the title in 2010 and 2012 and White and Davis taking home the big prize in 2011 and again on Saturday.

The latest reverse of positions on the podium adds to a friendly rivalry that will now continue onto the Sochi Winter Games, where the Americans will try to relieve the Canadians of their Olympic crown as well.

While the title will change hands, it will not go far with the good friends and training partners sharing a coach and practice rink in Detroit.

“These are performances to build off of, we are going to take and go home and work for next year,” Moir told reporters. “We are obviously looking forward to a big season and coming out on top.

“This rivalry between the two of us seems to have heated up a little bit now and should be fun going into the Olympics.” The North American rivals have utterly dominated the ice dance scene over the last four years providing a massive roadblock for anyone trying to scratch their way to the top of the podium. —Reuters

MIAMI: Yadier Molina No. 4 of Puerto Rico reacts to winning a World Baseball Classic second round game against the United States at Marlins Park. —AFP

US stars flop again at World Baseball Classic SAN FRANCISCO: The World Baseball Classic shifts to San Francisco for the climax of the sport’s top international tournament but missing from the party is the star-studded US team, which struck out again.

The US team flopped once again at the 16team Classic, failing to get out of the second round, yet from the players to the manager, they said they treasured the experience.

“Is it a disappointment? Yes it is,” said two-time All-Star second baseman Brandon Phillips of the Cincinnati Reds after Friday’s 4-3 loss to Puerto Rico eliminated the United States. “Everybody dreamed of being the winner. We want to be on top. And for us not to get there, it sucks a little bit.”

It was the second time the US was ousted in the double-elimination phase in three tries at the Classic. In 2009, they reached the final round but were beaten in the semi-finals.

“I feel like we did good, even though we lost,” Phillips said. “It’s still a disappointment, but it was one of the greatest things that ever happened to me.” This year’s semi-finals start with Japan, gunning for their third Classic title in a row, playing Puerto Rico on Sunday. The undefeated Dominican Republic (6-0) play the Netherlands in Monday’s semi-final with the title game on Tuesday.

Wins and losses aside, what stirred the Americans was the energy, excitement and passion exhibited on the diamond by proud players wearing their country’s name across their chests and the life in the stands full of horns, whistles and drums.

Manager Joe Torre, who steered the New York Yankees to four World Series crowns and took off his Major League Baseball executive’s suit to put on a uniform and get back in the dugout, said there were no regrets.

“The only thing I can say is this has been one of the most memorable experiences of my career,” Torre said. “I’m a little emotional, but this has been much more than I expected. “I mean, I knew it was going to be fun, but I never realized how the feeling of commitment from every one of these guys made this a great

experience for me.”

With All-Stars and award winners at virtually every position, from former most valuable players including Ryan Braun, Jimmy Rollins and Joe Mauer to Cy Young winning knuckleballer R.A. Dickey, the United States was seen as the deepest team in the field, although major leaguers were common on many of the teams.

But with the tournament held during spring training prior to the regular season, players were not all at peak form and by the nature of a sport in which the worst pro clubs still win about 40 percent of their games, the margin between teams is slim.

“It’s just what happens in short series,” said Torre. “It’s not easy to do. And that’s the one thing that I’ve always talked to my players about. “You want to make people happy and you want to have people respect you, but to me it’s more important to respect each other because you’re the only ones that know how tough it is to do what you do, and it’s not easy to accept defeat.

“On the other side of the coin, it’s basically you have to respect the guy that beats you across the way.” Braun said he and his team mates had expected to still be playing.

“I think certainly for all of us, the expectation was to get to San Francisco and ultimately to win in San Francisco,” he said. “But at the same time, we recognized the challenge that we were facing.

“For me this is the second time I had the opportunity to play in the WBC. Both of them were two of the top experiences I ever had as a baseball player. “I would think anybody that watched the games could see the passion, the energy. Just the atmosphere, environment for all these games is really special. I think it far surpasses anything we experience in the regular season at any point.”

The United States, hurt by a lack of hitting, probably fell into the trap of trying too hard, the Milwaukee Brewers outfielder said. “There’s no excuses, there’s not necessarily rhyme or reason for it. I think when you’re not swinging the bats well collectively, everybody tries a little bit harder to pick each other up, it’s human nature.” —Reuters

MONDAY, MARCH 18, 2013

S P ORTS

Sixers stop Pacers

COLOMBO: Bangladeshi bowler Sohag Gazi (bottom left) along with his teammates unsuccessfully appeals for the wicket of Sri Lanka’s Dinesh Chandimal (top second right) during the second day of their second Test match. —AP

Sangakkara, Chandimal steady Sri Lanka innings COLOMBO: Kumar Sangakkara continued his purple patch against Bangladesh and hit an unbeaten 127 to guide Sri Lanka to 294 for six at close on the second day of the second and final Test yesterday.

Sangakkara hit his third consecutive century in the series and with Dinesh Chandimal (102) helped the hosts overcame a top-order collapse and take a 54-run lead at the close of play.

The left-handed batsman, who became the fifth Sri Lankan to hit centuries in both innings of a test match in the drawn Galle test last week, shared a 195-run stand with Chandimal to bail out the hosts after a wobbly morning session.

Rubel Hossain bowled Chandimal to put an end to the partnership, which helped Sri Lanka go past Bangladesh’s first innings total of 240. He also dismissed Kithuruwan Vithanage (12), caught by Mominul Haque at deep cover.

Bangladesh were on top in the first session of the day after taking three quick wickets and Sri Lanka were reeling at 69 for four at one stage before Sangakkara and Chandimal fought back.

Sangakkara, who also hit three centuries in as many innings against India in 2009-10, drove offspinner Sohag Gazi straight down the ground to complete his 33rd Test century. Resuming the second day’s play on 18 for one, Sri Lanka lost opener Dimuth Karunaratne (17) when Abul Hasan beat him with extra pace to induce an edge behind the stumps. Robiul Islam then dismissed Lahiru Thirimanne for a duck as the batsman went for a drive but ended up giving wicketkeeper Mushfiqur Rahim his third catch of the innings. Sri Lanka’s trouble compounded when skipper Angelo Mathews (16) was caught in the slip trying to play a defensive shot to a Gazi delivery. —Reuters

SCOREBOARD COLOMBO: Scoreboard at the close of the second day of the second and final Test between Sri Lanka and Bangladesh in Colombo yesterday: Extras (b-2 w-6 nb 10) 18 Bangladesh first innings 240 Total (for six wickets; 93 overs) 294 Sri Lanka first innings (overnight 18-1) Still to bat: S. Eranga, R. Herath, S. Lakmal D. Karunaratne c Rahim b Hasan 17 Fall of wickets: 1-7 2-39 3-43 4-69 5-264 6-280 T. Dilshan c Rahim b Robiul 0 Bowling (to date): Robiul 15-1-52-2(nb-7), K. Sangakkara not out 127 Sohag Gazi L. Thirimanne c Rahim b Robiul 0 30-4-84-1, Hasan 18-4-62-1 (w-1), Rubel 14A. Mathews c Mahmudullah b Gazi 16 3-41-2 (w-1 nb-3), Mahmudullah 10-1-36-0, D. Chandimal b Rubel 102 Mominul Haque 2-0-6-0, Ashraful 2-0-9-0, K. Vithanage c Mominul b Rubel 12 Nasir 2-0-2-0.

N. Kulasekara not out 2

PHILADELPHIA: Spencer Hawes had 18 points and career highs with 16 rebounds and seven blocked shots to lead the Philadelphia 76ers to a 98-91 victory over the Indiana Pacers on Saturday night.

Jrue Holiday added 27 points and 12 assists to help the Sixers win for only the third time in 15 games.

While the Sixers are one of the worst road teams in the league, they are 19-17 at home.

The Sixers led by one at the end of the third quarter, then opened the fourth on a 19-4 run to put away the Pacers. Evan Turner and Thaddeus Young each contributed some lead-stretching buckets in the fourth to put all five starters in double figures. Roy Hibbert had 25 points and 10 rebounds for the Pacers.

Celtics 105, Bobcats 88 In Boston, Paul Pierce had 14 points, eight assists and six rebounds before sitting out the fourth quarter, and Boston won its 11th straight at home. Avery Bradley scored 13 and Courtney Lee had 12 points and five assists as the Celtics beat the Bobcats for the first time in three meetings this season.

Two of the Bobcats’ NBA-low 14 wins came against the Celtics, including a 100-74 blowout in Charlotte on Tuesday.

Kevin Garnett sat out with a strained left thigh muscle, but the Celtics put all five starters were in double figures. Jannero Pargo led Charlotte with 18 points. Gerald Henderson had 16 points, Kemba Walker scored 14 and Josh McRoberts pulled down 10 rebounds for the Bobcats, who lost for the 12th time in 13 games.

Charlotte’s only win during that stretch was Tuesday against the Celtics, when Pierce rested.

Spurs 119, Cavaliers 113 In San Antonio, Tim Duncan had 30 points and 12 rebounds, Kawhi Leonard added 24 points and 13 boards, and San Antonio beat Cleveland. Manu Ginobili added 14 points and 10 assists, Nando De Colo had 11 points and Tiago Splitter had 10 for San Antonio (5116), which is 11/2 games ahead of Oklahoma City in the Western Conference.

Wayne Ellington had 21 points and fellow reserve Marreese Speights added 19 for Cleveland (22-44). Shaun Livingston had 16 points, and Alonzo Gee and Dion Waiters added 15 apiece.

Wizards 127, Suns 105 In Washington, Martell Webster scored a career-high 34 points and became Washington’s first 30-point scorer this season. John Wall added 17 points and 11 assists as Washington won its fourth straight at home and third straight overall

PHILADELPHIA: Indiana Pacers’ Roy Hibbert (bottom) blocks a shot by Philadelphia 76ers’ Damien Wilkins during the first half of an NBA basketball game. —AP Trail Blazers 112, Pistons 101 In Portland, LaMarcus Aldridge had 31 points and 12 rebounds, and Portland handed Detroit its eighth straight loss. Rodney Stuckey had a season-high 32 points for the Pistons, who have yet to win a game in March.

They’ve lost 11 of their last 12. JJ Hickson had 18 points and 15 rebounds and all of Por tland starters were in double figures.

Will Bynum had 23 points off the bench for Detroit. —AP

start since November, including a 3pointer with 17 seconds left, and Utah beat Memphis. The Grizzlies (44-21) had won 14 of 15 but have dropped two straight to close out a four-game road trip.

Utah (34-32) pulled within a halfgame of the idle Lakers for the eighth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference. Jerryd Bayless led all scorers with 24 points.

Memphis teammate Zach Randolph added 19 and Mike Conley 13 but on just 6-of-18 shooting.

while setting its season high in scoring. Emeka Okafor added 17 points and 10 rebounds as Washington snapped a 10-game losing streak to Phoenix, dating to 2006. Michael Beasley scored 21 points and Goran Dragic added 12 points and 11 assists as the Suns lost their fourth straight and fell into last place in the Western Conference.

Jazz 90, Grizzlies 84 In Salt Lake City, Gordon Hayward scored 17 points in his first

NBA results/standings Washington 127, Phoenix 105; Boston 105, Charlotte 88; Philadelphia 98, Indiana 91; San Antonio 119, Cleveland 113; Utah 90, Memphis 84; Portland 112, Detroit 101.

NY Knicks Brooklyn Boston Toronto Philadelphia

Eastern Conference Atlantic Division W L PCT 38 25 .603 38 27 .585 36 29 .554 26 40 .394 25 40 .385

Indiana Chicago Milwaukee Detroit Cleveland

Central Division 40 26 .606 36 29 .554 32 32 .500 23 45 .338 22 44 .333

Miami Atlanta Washington Orlando Charlotte

Southeast Division 50 14 .781 36 29 .554 23 42 .354 18 48 .273 14 52 .212

GB 1 3 13.5 14

Western Conference Northwest Division Oklahoma City 49 17 .742 Denver 45 22 .672 Utah 34 32 .515 Portland 31 34 .477 Minnesota 22 41 .349

4.5 15 17.5 25.5

3.5 7 18 18

LA Clippers Golden State LA Lakers Sacramento Phoenix

Pacific Division 45 21 .682 37 30 .552 35 32 .522 23 43 .348 22 45 .328

8.5 10.5 22 23.5

14.5 27.5 33 37

San Antonio Memphis Houston Dallas New Orleans

Southwest Division 51 16 .761 44 21 .677 36 30 .545 31 34 .477 22 44 .333

6 14.5 19 28.5

SA clinch win despite Afridi fireworks WELLINGTON: New Zealand’s Ross Taylor (right) and Kane Williamson walk from the field as the rain once again halts play and stops it for the day during day four of the international cricket Test match against England. —AFP

Williamson, Taylor and rain frustrate England in 2nd Test WELLINGTON: Kane Williamson, Ross Taylor and persistent light rain yesterday ensured that New Zealand’s second test against England at the Basin Reserve is most likely to end in a damp draw today. The hosts were on 162 for two after the rain had disrupted much of the fourth day’s play with 39 overs lost after lunch and 16 overs at the end of day due to more rain after play had resumed at 1710 local (0410 GMT).

Williamson (55) and Taylor (41) had combined for an unbroken 81-run partnership in New Zealand’s second innings after being forced to follow on, though they were still 49 runs from making England bat again, before they were forced off again at 1730 and despite attempts to restart, play was abandoned at 1755.

“There was still a lot of time left in the game when we arrived here this morning, but in terms of making sure we don’t lose the game it (the rain) has helped,” New Zealand batsmen Peter Fulton told reporters. “There was a slight chance we could have batted well today and piled on some runs and put some pressure on England later tomorrow.” New Zealand’s MetService has forecast a southerly change and persistent rain for the Wellington region throughout Monday and a draw is now the most likely result.

“We just have to turn up tomorrow and wait and see how the day turns out. If the weather is good we still have a lot of work to do.” England’s

only breakthrough came in the first session when Fulton prodded at a full-length James Anderson delivery and the ball flew to Alastair Cook at first slip. Fulton’s dismissal for 45 left New Zealand 81-2 and with Monty Panesar extracting turn from the pitch, the hosts were nervously facing the prospect of losing the match.

Taylor, who was on a king pair, negotiated his first delivery and got off the mark when Kevin Pietersen misfielded at mid-on, gradually growing in confidence as he fought off urges to attack Panesar, who was giving the ball more air.

Their partnership became well established as they inched closer to lunch and Williamson brought up his sixth test half century with his seventh boundary when he pulled a short Joe Root delivery to midwicket shortly before the break.

Light rain then began falling at lunch and groundstaff placed covers over the wicket block at the start of the break, but intermittent, persistent showers throughout the afternoon meant only a further six overs were able to be bowled.

New Zealand added nine runs before they were forced off again for the final time, with Fulton praising his young colleagues. “Ross and Kane put in a solid effort there in what play we did have to leave us reasonably confident we can negotiate tomorrow,” Fulton said. “But it’s a funny old game and we have to turn up with the right attitude.” —Reuters

SCOREBOARD WELLINGTON: Scoreboard at the close of play on the rain-effected fourth day of the second test between New Zealand and England at the Basin Reserve yesterday: Total: (for two wickets, 68 overs) 162 England first innings 465 Fall of wickets: 1-25 2-81 New Zealand first innings 254 Bowling: Anderson 12-4-27-1, Broad 14-6New Zealand second innings (following 32-0 (w-1), Finn 11-2-36-0, Panesar 26-12-44on; overnight 77-1) 1, Trott 3-0-10-0, Root 2-0-12-0.

P. Fulton c Cook b Anderson 45 Previous results: H. Rutherford c Bell b Panesar 15 First test - match drawn K. Williamson not out 55 Remaining fixtures: R. Taylor not out 41 March 22-26 - third test, Auckland Extras (w-5, lb-1) 6

JOHANNESBURG: Centuries by Hashim Amla and AB de Villiers set up a 34-run victory for South Africa despite a thrilling innings by Pakistan’s Shahid Afridi in the third one-day international at the Wanderers Stadium yesterday.

Amla (122) and De Villiers (128) shared a world record third wicket partnership of 238 as South Africa made 343 for five after being sent in. Pakistan, who were bowled out for 309 to slip 2-1 down in the series, had been in deep trouble when Afridi walked in at 132 for five but he gave his side hope as he thrashed 88 off 48 balls with seven sixes and five fours.

Afridi’s innings included some of the biggest sixes seen at the Wanderers.

One, after he had been bowled off a noball, was a mighty hit onto the roof of the four-tier Centenary stand which was last seen bouncing towards an adjacent golf course.

“He can hit it a long way,” said Pakistan captain Misbah-ul-Haq. “We just backed Afridi and he played tremendously. When he hit his first six I told him he could get a century here.”

Afridi was yorked by Ryan McLaren when he had 73 but a check requested by umpire Billy Bowden showed the bowler had over-stepped. McLaren then bowled a wide, which meant Afridi still had a free hit to which he committed all his power.

There was one more six before he hit a full toss from Lonwabo Tsotsobe to McLaren at long-off. There was still a possibility of a reprieve as the umpires checked whether the full toss was above waist height, which would have meant another no-ball, before confirming the dismissal.

Amla and De Villiers batted superbly after South Africa struggled early on, with left-arm fast bowler Mohammad Irfan taking two early wickets. They beat by one run the previous one-day international third wicket record set by Rahul Dravid and Sachin Tendulkar for India against Kenya in 1999, to ensure that Pakistan would have a challenging run chase on a ground renowned for high scoring.

De Villiers was quickly into his stride and the pair posted a fifty partnership off 38 balls. The rate slowed slightly when Pakistan brought their spin

bowlers into action. After 35 overs the total was 115 but the runs came in a torrent towards the end of the innings. The last 15 overs yielded 156 runs. Amla and De Villiers shared the man of the match award and both deflected praise to their partner. “Hashim makes it easy for me, he rotates the strike very well,” said De Villiers. Amla said De Villiers had played a “fantastic” knock. He said of a backfoot six over cover by the captain: “He’s got a new MCC manual to develop all by himself.”

Amla reached his 11th one-day international century off 99 balls, while De Villiers went to his 14th century in the format off 87 deliveries. Amla was caught at cover for 122 off 113 balls with nine fours and a six and De Villiers was held at deep midwicket for 128 off 108 deliveries, with 12 fours and three sixes.

Misbah said the one-day international fielding restrictions made it difficult to stop two batsmen when they were set in a big partnership. “It’s difficult to control them, there was no spin, no seam, nothing.” Pakistan were briefly reduced to 10 men after Irfan, who had been a doubtful starter because of a

JOHANNESBURG: Pakistan’s cricketer Shahid Afridi swings at the ball during the 3rd One-Day International (ODI) cricket match against South Africa at the Wanderers Stadium. —AFP hamstring strain, left the field for treatment.

He was replaced by Umar Akmal but after 20 minutes the umpires informed Pakistan captain Misbah-ul-Haq that the maximum 20 minutes allowed for treat-

ment had expired. Pakistan had a fielder short for two overs before Irfan returned. Wahab Riaz conceded 93 runs in his 10 overs-the most by a Pakistan bowler in one-day internationals. He took two wickets. —AFP

SCOREBOARD JOHANNESBURG: Scores in the third one-day international between South Africa and Pakistan at the Wanderers Stadium yesterday.

Mohammad Hafeez c Steyn b Peterson 57 South Africa G. Smith b Mohammad Irfan 3 Kamran Akmal c De Villiers b McLaren 30 H. Amla c Misbah-ul-Haq b Wahab Riaz 122 Younis Khan b Peterson 19 C. Ingram c Kamran Akmal b Mohammad Irfan 17 Misbah-ul-Haq c De Villiers b McLaren 28 A. de Villiers c Shoaib Malik b Saeed Ajmal 128 Shoaib Malik c Kleinveldt b Tsotsobe 4 F. du Plessis c Younis Khan b Wahab Riaz 45 Shahid Afridi c McLaren b Tsotsobe 88 F. Behardien not out 6 Wahab Riaz b Kleinveldt 45 R. McLaren not out 0 Saeed Ajmal c Kleinveldt b McLaren 8 Extras (lb8, nb1, w13) 22 Junaid Khan c and b Steyn 9 Total (5 wkts, 50 overs) 343 0 Did not bat: R. Peterson, R. Kleinveldt, D. Steyn, L. Mohammad Irfan not out Extras (lb3, nb1, w7) 11 Tsotsobe 309 Fall of wickets: 1-4 (Smith), 2-42 (Ingram), 3-280 (Amla), Total (48.1 overs) Fall of wickets: 1-15 (Jamshed), 2-97 (Kamran), 3-111 4-301 (De Villiers), 5-342 (Du Plessis) Bowling: Mohammad Irfan 7-1-34-2 (1w), Junaid Khan (Hafeez), 4-123 (Younis), 5-132 (Malik), 6-203 (Misbah), 710-2-42-0 (1nb), Wahab Riaz 10-0-93-2 (7w), Shahid 244 (Afridi), 8-282 (Ajmal), 9-304 Afridi 7-0-55-0, Mohammad Hafeez 6-0-49-0 (2w), Saeed (Junaid), 10-309 (Riaz) Ajmal 10-0-62-1 (2w) Bowling: Steyn 10-1-48-1, Tsotsobe 10-0-74-3, Kleinveldt 9.1-1-77-1 (4w), Peterson 10-0-51-2, McLaren 9-0-56-3 Pakistan (1nb, 3w) Nasir Jamshed c Amla b Tsotsobe 10 Result: South Africa won by 34 runs

MONDAY, MARCH 18, 2013

S P ORTS

MELBOURNE: Lotus driver Kimi Raikkonen of Finland races through a corner on the way to winning the Formula One Australian Grand Prix. —AFP

Raikkonen wins Melbourne thriller MELBOURNE: Kimi Raikkonen won the Australian Grand Prix for Lotus with a brilliantly executed race strategy as the new Formula One season opened with a thriller at Albert Park yesterday.

Finland’s 2007 world champion made the most of having to make just two pit stops and was pulling away from his rivals, having just set the fastest lap time of the race, when he crossed the line 12.4 seconds clear of Ferrari’s Fernando Alonso.

“It was probably one of my easiest wins,” said the ‘Iceman’, cool as ever after a 20th career win that equalled the tally of retired double champion and compatriot Mika Hakkinen.

Sebastian Vettel, seeking to win his fourth successive world title this year, rounded out the podium in third place for Red Bull after struggling with tyre wear throughout the race.

The 25-year-old German had got away cleanly from pole position but the variety of strategies forced on the teams by the tyres and the pace shown by Red Bull’s rivals ensured this was never going to be a procession.

A few light showers contributed to an intriguing race but never threatened to disfigure it as top drivers engaged in fierce battles around the circuit and the lead changed hands with surprising frequency.

Seven cars led the race at one stage or other but after Raikkonen hit the front for the second time on lap 43, it looked like only mechanical failure would stop him.

“I had a very good car all weekend,” said Raikkonen, the former McLaren and Ferrari driver who made his comeback last season after two years in rallying, on a podium of champions.

“You just have to get through the early laps in the first race of the season. Near the end, I was still

MELBOURNE: Lotus driver Kimi Raikkonen of Finland celebrates with the winner’s trophy after he won the Australian Formula One Grand Prix. —AFP

MELBOURNE: Ferrari driver Fernando Alonso of Spain holds his second-place trophy aloft after the Australian Formula One Grand Prix. —AFP

MELBOURNE: Red Bull driver Sebastian Vettel of Germany holds his third-place trophy aloft after the Australian Formula One Grand Prix.—AFP

pushing because I knew Fernando was catching up a bit and I thought at some point we would need a little extra if the rain came again.

“We are happy with the win but there’s an awful lot of work to do to win the championship.” It was the first season-opening win by a team called Lotus since American Mario Andretti won the 1978 Argentine Grand Prix. Alonso’s Brazilian team mate Felipe Massa finished fourth ahead of 2008 champion Lewis Hamilton who had an encouraging first race for Mercedes after leaving McLaren.

Red Bull’s Mark Webber made a terrible start from the front row, suffering telemetry problems on the grid and losing KERS for the first part of the race, and finished sixth in his 12th attempt to win his home grand prix.

The Australian said the team, constructors’ champions for the last three years, were not in as good a position as they had thought. Vettel was more sanguine about his results even if he had hoped for more after dominating qualifying, which had been completed yesterday morning after tor-

rential rain on Saturday.

“Of course we wanted more, when you start from pole you expect to win,” he said. “But we could see from the the first few laps that the tyres were falling apart. Sometimes we have to admit that other people are faster than us.

“I think the naked pace was there ... (but) we couldn’t keep it up and the times set at the front by Fernando and especially Kimi were very impressive and obviously we couldn’t do that.”

Adrian Sutil, returning to the sport after a year

out, enjoyed a long period as the unlikely leader of the race before finishing seventh, just ahead of his Force India team mate Paul Di Resta. Both also benefited from a two stop strategy.

Alonso grumbled afterwards about being held up by backmarkers as he attempted to chase Raikkonen down but was unable to disguise his delight at his car’s pace.

“We are very happy, we had a difficult start two years ago and again last year but this year it’s different,” said the twice champion, who missed out on the final qualifying session in Australia last year.

“We feel much more comfortable, the car is responding well and is competitive. We have a good season ahead of us. We only have five days to prepare for the next race but we will again be a tough opponent.” McLaren’s problems continued and Jenson Button, the winner of three of the last four races at Albert Park, was only able to manage ninth place while his new team mate Sergio Perez was 11th.

“We are not quick enough and there’s a lot of work we need to do to move forward and challenge the front guys,” said Button. “We are a long way off.”

Raikkonen’s French team mate Romain Grosjean claimed the final point for Lotus in 10th.

In a race that featured more ovetaking than retirements, Pastor Maldonado beached his Williams on the trackside gravel on lap 25 and Nico Rosberg followed him out of the race when his Mercedes developed an electronics problem a lap later.

Nico Hulkenberg will have to wait until next week’s Malaysian Grand Prix to get his season underway after a fuel system failure on his Sauber prevented him from starting. —Reuters

Sharapova ready for Wozniacki’s variety INDIAN WELLS: Plenty of lobs, subtle changes of pace, marathon baseline rallies — Maria Sharapova is preparing for all of that and more when she faces Caroline Wozniacki in late yesterday’s final at the BNP Paribas Open.

Denmark’s Wozniacki, like Sharapova a former world number one and an ex-champion at Indian Wells, is known for her baseline grit and the variety she draws upon, ingredients which make her a tough opponent.

“She’s a grinder,” second-seeded Russian Sharapova told reporters about the 22-year-old Dane. “She makes you work really hard on the court and gets a lot of balls back and has a lot of different variety.

“I certainly don’t want to give her that time or those opportunities, because she’s a really good player. She’s dangerous when she has the opportunities to open up court and she wants you running side to side.”

Asked how much it could help having played several ‘grinders’ so far at this year’s tournament, Sharapova replied: “I have had to work for all the points here, that’s for sure. “I also feel like, in a

way, in a couple of those matches I made my life a little more difficult than I should have been. I was forcing a few of my errors.”

Sharapova, champion here in 2006, booked her place in the final with a 6-4 6-3 victory over fellow Russian Maria Kirilenko while eighth seed Wozniacki advanced with a battling 2-6 6-4 7-5 win over fourth-seeded German Angelique Kerber.

Wozniacki effectively turned the tide against Kerber with a barrage of accurate lobs, or moonballs, on the slow-paced hardcourt surface at Indian Wells and Sharapova took note.

“I saw some of those points,” the 25-year-old Russian smiled. “That was quite interesting.

“They looked like they were really high and they all kept going in. I was like, ‘That’s a really good effort.’ I don’t think I can do that.”

Asked what adjustments were needed to cope with the “moonball strategy”, Sharapova replied: “Usually when your opponent has time to hit higher balls or a little bit of spin, that means you’re giving them a bit more time to do that.”

Wozniacki, who won the 2011 Indian Wells title with a 6-1 2-6 6-3 victor y over Frenchwoman Marion Bartoli in the final, trails Sharapova 2-4 in career meetings and knows she will have to contend with the Russian’s powerful ground strokes.

“She playing very aggressively, tries to take every ball on the rise and plays very flat,” said the Dane, who hopes her comfort level at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden, where she has reached her third final, will give her a boost on Sunday.

“I really enjoy this tournament. I think it shows. I have done great results here in the past, and this is another very good one. So, one more match to go. “I feel like I have been running and grinding and playing really well this week. I have reached a lot of balls and felt comfortable. It’s a great week so far.”

Whatever happens in Sunday’s final, world number three and four-times grand slam singles champion Sharapova will rise to two when the rankings are issued today. “Great.

Yeah, it’s nice. It’s better than three, right?” she beamed. —Reuters

Maze ends season with victory LENZERHEIDE: World Cup winner Tina Maze ended her record-breaking season by winning the final giant slalom of the winter in Lenzerheide yesterday.

The Slovenian, who began her remarkable season with a giant slalom victory, rounded off the campaign with her fifth win in that discipline to take her overall World Cup total to a remarkable 2,414 points.

With 11 World Cup wins, 24 podiums and a super-G world title, Maze’s achievements will be hard to follow. She crushed the previous record of 1,980 points, set last season by Lindsey Vonn, and left her closest rival Maria Hoefl-Riesch trailing 1,313 points adrift.

“This is the final win I expected. I won the first and last race of the season. It’s perfect,” said the 28-year-old, who had shed tears the previous day after missing

out on the slalom title in the last race.

“After the disappointment yesterday, to end like this is unbelievable. I’m lost for words. Now it’s time to celebrate and take some time off,” she added.Maze, who finished on the podium in every giant slalom she entered since the season opener in Soelden, clocked a combined time of two minutes and 16.67 seconds to beat world champion Tessa Worley of France by 0.35 seconds.

Worley was fastest in the morning run, but could not match the Slovenian’s scorching pace in the second leg. “I’m slightly disappointed especially after leading into the second leg. But it’s a good second place and a motivation for all the work to be done in the summer,” she said.

Swiss Lara Gut finished third on home LENZERHEIDE: Overall World Cup winner Tina Maze poses snow, 1.38 seconds adrift, despite losing a with her Crystal Globe trophy at the Alpine ski World Cup pole in the final section. —Reuters finals yesterday in Lenzerheide. —AFP

Neureuther wins final WCup slalom LENZERHEIDE: Felix Neureuther of Germany edged overall World Cup champion Marcel Hirscher to win the men’s season-ending slalom race yesterday. Neureuther hung on to his opening-leg lead to finish 0.36 seconds ahead of Austrian Hirscher in a two-run time of 1 minute, 52.20 seconds. Hirscher already won the season-long slalom standings and ensured he finished on the podium in all nine World Cup races in the discipline. “I’m happy with the

whole season,” said the 24-year-old Hirscher, who matched Alberto Tomba’s record of top-3 finishes in a nine-race slalom program. The Italian great achieved it in the 1991-92 World Cup season.

Hirscher’s dominating season in slalom included the world championships gold medal last month in Schladming, Austria. Ivica Kostelic, the 2011 overall World Cup champion from Croatia, was third Sunday, trailing

Neureuther by 0.51. Neureuther, who limped off the course after crashing out in Saturday’s giant slalom, got his second slalom victory of the season and finished second in the standings. The podium placings were the same when Neureuther won in January at Wengen, Switzerland.

Hirscher added 80 World Cup points to complete his season with 1,535 overall. He had 180 more when he won the giant crystal globe trophy for the first time last season. —AP

INDIAN WELLS: Rafael Nadal of Spain serves to Tomas Berdych of Czech Republic during the semifinals of the BNP Paribas Open at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden. —AFP

Djokovic exits, Nadal and Del Potro in final INDIAN WELLS: While Rafa Nadal continued his impressive comeback to reach the BNP Paribas Open final, Novak Djokovic made a shock exit in Saturday’s semi-finals as his winning streak of 22 matches came to an end. The top-seeded Serb squandered a 3-0 lead in the final set before losing concentration and the match, 4-6 6-4 6-4 to Argentina’s Juan Martin Del Potro, on a sweltering afternoon at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden.

Djokovic, a twice champion here, was broken twice in that third set as Del Potro booked his place in Sunday’s final against world number five Nadal, who overcame Czech Tomas Berdych 6-4 7-5 in a semi-final of high quality.

“It happens,” a gracious Djokovic told reporters after losing for the first time since his defeat last October to big-serving American Sam Querrey in the second round of the ATP Masters 1000 event in Paris. “All the credit to my opponent today. He deserved to win because he was more composed in the important moments and he played the right shots. “I didn’t deserve to win today. You know, whenever I had chances, in the second or third sets, I throw them away with some unforced errors. My movement was poor, and I congratulate to my opponent.” Seventh seed Del Potro, who won his first and only grand slam title at the 2009 U.S. Open before being sidelined for eight months the following year after having wrist surgery, beat Djokovic for only the third time in 11 meetings.

“I was so close to lose because he got the chance to beat me but I got lucky in very important moments, very important points when I made fantastic winners on my forehands,” said the 24-yearold from Tandil. “It was my best match in this tournament, for sure,” added Del Potro, who upset third-seeded Scotsman Andy Murray 6-7 6-3 6-1 in the quarter-finals. The towering Argentine with the

big serve and booming forehand lost a closely contested first set in just under an hour after being broken in the 10th game.

Though he lost serve twice more in the second set, he broke the Serb three times to level the match and then twice more in the third as he played steadier tennis from the baseline, his running forehand often making a telling difference.

Earlier, twice champion Nadal made light of his seven months out last year due to a knee injury as he outplayed the sixth-seeded Czech. The Spanish left-hander, who returned to the ATP circuit only last month, broke his opponent once to take the opening set, then won a tense second set to improve his record this year to a career-best 16-1.

“For me this is totally unexpected to be in the final,” smiled Nadal after winning the last four games to come from 3-5 down in that second set.

“But here we are today, and I’m very happy about all what happened the last month, especially the last three weeks.

“Not easy coming back after an important injury after seven months without playing a tournament and be back and winning against three top 10s like David Ferrer, like today against Berdych, the other day against Roger (Federer).”

Nadal swept aside Spanish world number four Ferrer 6-0 6-2 in the final of the Mexican Open two weeks ago and crushed long-time rival Federer 6-4 6-2 in the Indian Wells quarter-finals on Thursday.

“So coming back is certainly something amazing for me,” the Spaniard said. “I feel very comfortable in this tournament. I feel very happy when I am here.” Twice Indian Wells champion Nadal, who has beaten Del Potro seven times in their 10 career meetings, including the last three matches, played down any suggestion he would be a firm favourite in Sunday’s final. —Reuters

MONDAY, MARCH 18, 2013

S P ORT S

Napoli reel in Juventus

GERMANY: Stuttgart’s Bosnian striker Vedad Ibisevic (right) and Frankfurt’s midfielder Alexander Meier vie for the ball during the German First Division Bundesliga football match.—AFP

Frankfurt slump continues BERLIN: Bayern Munich continue to break Bundesliga records and are now just two more wins from the title while Eintracht Frankfurt’s slump continued yesterday with a 2-1 defeat to VfB Stuttgart.

Bayern remain 20 points clear after Saturday night’s 2-1 win at Bayer Leverkusen, while Frankfurt are fourth and without a win in their last six games after losing at home to Stuttgart.

Frankfurt took an early lead when midfielder Stefan Aigner netted on 17 minutes to break Eintracht’s goal drought having gone six games without scoring since their 2-0 win at Hamburg at the start of February. Stuttgart roared back to claim their first win after four defeats, including losing twice to Lazio in the Europa League, when striker Vedad Ibisevic converted a penalty before midfielder Georg Niedermeier headed a late winner.

The win leaves Stuttgart 12th before they host defending champions Borussia Dortmund on Saturday. Frankfurt coach Armin Veh, who has been linked to Schalke 04, said he will decide his future during the forthcoming international break, but has not signed a contract with the Royal Blues, despite reports. “If I had done so, I would have already said so,” he said while Eintracht’s director of sport Bruno Huebner has said he hopes to keep Veh in Frankfurt.

A first-half goal by Holland’s Luuk de Jong, was enough to give Borussia Moenchengladbach a 1-0 win at home to ten-man Hanover which left his side seventh, just outside the European places for next season.

Hanover, who are tenth, had midfielder Sergio Pinto sent off for a second yellow card late in the game, while Gladbach are undefeated in their last four games. Having opened the season with a record eight wins, while conceding just eight goals in

their first 24 league matches-another record-Bayern claimed another new Bundesliga mark with their 12th away league win this campaign at Leverkusen.

Having won 22 of their 26 league games, they now only need to beat Hamburg at home next Saturday, then win at Frankfurt on April 6 to have their 23rd German league title confirmed.

Bayern, who face Juventus in the Champions League quarter-finals, took the lead when Mario Gomez showed his strength with the opening goal on 37 minutes as his side bounced back from their midweek defeat to Arsenal.

Leverkusen, the only team to beat Bayern in the Bundesliga this year, pulled a goal back through Simon Rolfes on 75 minutes, but Bayern took the three points through a Philipp Wollscheid own goal on 87 minutes.

Second-placed Borussia Dortmund routed Freiburg 5-1 with Poland’s Robert Lewandowski and Turkey’s Nuri Sahin both scoring twice. Dortmund, who play Malaga in the last eight of the Champions League, ran riot at Signal Iduna Park as Lewandowski set a new club record of scoring in each of his last eight league games.

Schalke were hammered 3-0 at Nuremberg to drop down to fifth and out of the Champions League places, having been dumped out of Europe’s top competition with a home defeat to Galatasaray on Tuesday. Relegation-threatened Augsburg picked up their fourth win in their last 10 games to keep their survival hopes alive with a 1-0 win at eighth-placed Hamburg, but the Bavarian team remains five points from safety. Werder Bremen midfielder Aaron Hunt converted two second halfpenalties to give his mid-table team a point in their 2-2 draw at bottom side Greuther Fuerth.—AFP

MILAN: Edinson Cavani ended his recent goal drought with a brace in a hard-fought 3-2 win over Atalanta which moved title challengers Napoli to within nine points of Serie A leaders Juventus yesterday.

Elsewhere, Mario Balotelli scored twice, including a fourth-minute penalty, as AC Milan beat Palermo 2-0 at the San Siro to send the Sicilian strugglers back to the bottom of the table.

Fiorentina did their hopes of clinching a place in Europe next season no harm with a 3-2 win over plucky Genoa at the Stadio Artemio Franchi, while Chievo moved two places up to 14th with a 2-0 away win at Pescara.

With a nine -point lead and nine games remaining, most pundits believe Juve, who opened up a 12-point gap Saturday thanks to a 2-0 win away to on-form Bologna, already have one hand on the league trophy.

But despite a few jitters in mid-match Walter Mazzarri’s Napoli gave the defending champions a reminder that their title bid is far from over.

“I’m happy for Cavani and for (Goran) Pandev after their goals but also for securing the three points,” said Mazzarri.

“It remained close right up to the end and it was an edgy finish.” Mazzarri was then asked his opinion on speculation, reported Saturday by La Gazzetta dello Sport, that Cavani had not scored in over a month due to relationship problems.

“People’s private lives need to be left well alone,” added the coach. “If he’s doing something which is affecting his job then the club has to intervene, but the lad turns up on time every day to training, works hard and is attentive when we’re discussing tactics.

“These are just rumours made up on purpose to destabilise us.” Uruguayan international Cavani, who had not scored since a 2-1 away win over Parma at the end of January, calmed nerves early on at the San Paulo with a fourth-minute penalty after a foul on Juan Zuniga by Luigi Giorgi.

Further chances were spurned by Pandev, Cavani and Slovak Marek Hamsik before Atalanta levelled on the half-hour thanks to a Fabio Cannavaro own goal, the ball bouncing off the Napoli defender and into the net after a cross was aimed in towards German Denis.

Cavani, however, struck his second in the 65th minute, his 20th of the season, using classic poacher’s skills to pounce on a loose ball in the area and fire home.

Napoli were pegged back again when Denis latched on to a long through ball, held off defender Valon Brehami and rounded Morgan De Sanctis to send the ball past the head of Cannavaro on the goalline.

But less than 10 minutes later Pandev sealed the win when he scored Napoli’s third from close range. Balotelli gave Milan a ninth-minute lead

ITALY : Napoli’s forward Edinson Cavani (right) vies with Atalanta’s goalkeeper Andrea Consigli during the Serie A football match.—AFP from the spot after defender Salvatore Aronica had pulled the former Manchester City striker down in the box.

Milan should have extended their lead twice in the first half through Kevin-Prince Boateng and then Stephan El Shaarawy only for the pair to spurn their chances.

El Shaarawy made way for M’Baye Niang 13 minutes into the second half and the French teenager capitalised to set Balotelli up for his

second of the match and seventh goal in only six games.

Given space to run down the left wing 18year-old Niang fired the ball over for Balotelli, who pounced to smash the ball high into the net after the ball had deflected off a defender to land in front of Sorrentino. Yesterday’s late matchces are Rome v Parma and Torino v Lazio.

Sampdoria v Inter was postponed due to heavy snow and rain.—AFP

Italian League results/standings Siena 0 Cagliari 0; Fiorentina 3 (Aquilani 33, Cuadrado 62, Cassani 77-og) Genoa 2 (Portanova 58, Antonelli 69); AC Milan 2 (Balotelli 8, 66) Palermo 0; Napoli 3 (Cavani 4, 65, Pandev 81) Atalanta 2 (Cannavaro 31-og, Denis 73); Pescara 0 Chievo 2 (Stoian 88, Thereau 90+3).

Italian League table after yesterday’s afternoon matches (played, won, drawn, lost, goals for, goals against, points): Juventus 29 20 5 4 57 18 65 Cagliari 29 9 8 12 35 48 35 Napoli 29 16 8 5 50 26 56 Chievo 29 10 5 14 31 44 35 AC Milan 29 16 6 7 52 32 54 Atalanta 29 10 5 14 30 42 33 Fiorentina 29 15 6 8 53 35 51 Torino 28 7 12 9 33 36 32 Inter Milan 28 14 5 9 44 38 47 Genoa 29 6 8 15 29 45 26 Lazio 28 14 5 9 37 34 47 Siena 29 8 7 14 29 40 25 Catania 29 13 6 10 39 36 45 Pescara 29 6 3 19 21 58 21 Roma 28 13 5 10 58 49 44 Palermo 29 3 12 14 23 43 21 Udinese 29 10 11 8 38 38 41 Note: Sampdoria (one point), Torino (one point), Sampdoria 28 10 6 12 35 33 35 Atalanta (two points) and Siena (six points) all Parma 28 9 8 11 36 37 35 docked points for involvement in the Bologna 29 10 5 14 39 38 35 “Calcioscommesse” illegal betting scandal.

Horror tackle overshadows Wigan win Wigan 2

German League results/standings Newcastle 1 Eintracht Frankfurt 1 (Aigner 17) VfB Stuttgart 2 (Ibisevic 49-pen, Niedermeier 71); Borussia M’gladbach 1 (de Jong 36) Hanover 96 0.

German Bundesliga table after the weekend’s matches (played, won, drawn, lost, goals for, goals against, points): Bayern Munich Dortmund Bayer Eintracht Schalke Mainz Borussia Hamburg Freiburg

26 26 26 26 26 26 26 26 26

22 14 13 11 11 10 9 11 9

3 7 6 6 6 8 11 5 9

1 5 7 9 9 8 6 10 8

69 60 46 39 43 33 35 30 33

11 31 34 37 43 29 35 34 33

69 49 45 39 39 38 38 38 36

Hanover Nuremberg Stuttgart Wolfsburg Werder Duesseldorf Augsburg Hoffenheim Greuther

26 26 26 26 26 26 26 26 26

10 8 9 8 8 7 5 5 2

4 10 5 7 6 8 9 5 9

12 8 12 11 12 11 12 16 15

47 29 28 30 42 32 23 30 16

46 42 44 40 51 36 38 49 42

34 34 32 31 30 29 24 20 15

Sunderland fail to exploit Norwich gifts Sunderland 1

Norwich 1

SUNDERLAND: Norwich City lost goalkeeper Mark Bunn to a first-half red card but still emerged from their trip to Sunderland with a 1-1 draw in the Premier League yesterday. Bunn was sent off for handling the ball outside his penalty area moments after his side had taken the lead through Wes Hoolahan.

Further Norwich generosity enabled Craig Gardner to equalise from the penalty spot in the 40th minute after a handball by Sebastien Bassong, but the visitors held firm in the second half.

Sunderland have now gone seven games without victory in the Premier League and although they sit seven points above the relegation zone, thirdbottom Wigan Athletic have two games in hand on them.

Martin O’Neill’s men also face a daunting run of fixtures, with a home game against Manchester United followed by trips to Chelsea and Newcastle United.

Norwich’s recent form has been mixed but they have lost just once in seven games and the point they picked up at the Stadium of Light was enough to lift them three places to 11th.

Sunderland began the game with intent but it was the visitors who struck first in the 26th minute. Robert Snodgrass’s right-wing corner found Kei Kamara at the back post and the on-loan

Sporting Kansas City striker headed the ball on for Hoolahan to nod in from right on the line.

The goal felt like a sucker-punch but the pendulum immediately swung in the hosts’ favour when Bunn was sent off after the ball hit his upper arm as he raced outside his area.

Bunn furiously threw his gloves to the floor as he stormed off the pitch, with back-up goalkeeper Lee Camp replacing goal-scorer Hoolahan to make his Premier League debut.

From the ensuing free-kick, Gardner thrashed a shot a fraction wide of the left-hand post, but Sunderland did not have long to wait for an equaliser.

Norwich centre -back Bassong was penalised after the ball brushed his arm in the penalty area and from the resulting spot-kick, Gardner planted a crisp strike in the top-left corner.

Danny Graham should have put the home side in front three minutes before half-time but after Camp parried Sebastian Larsson’s pile-driver, the former Swansea City man could only bobble the rebound wide.

Camp had to tip a shot from Gardner over the bar shortly before the hour but Sunderland had a lucky escape in the 69th minute when referee Chris Foy awarded Norwich a free-kick for a handball by Danny Rose, despite the offence occurring inside the box.

Norwich substitute Grant Holt then spurned a superb chance when he overran the ball after a long pass sent him clean through. Sunderland’s best opportunity fell to Stephane Sessegnon in the 87th minute, but he could only hook the ball wide from 12 yards.—AFP

WIGAN: Wigan boosted their chances of escaping relegation from the Premier League yet again when they beat Newcastle 2-1 in controversial fashion yesterday.

Goals by Jean Beausejour and a last minute strike from Arouna Kone-his ninth of the seasongot them the three points but their victory was overshadowed by a dreadful foul on Massadio Haidara by Callum McManaman.

McManaman grabbed all the right headlines last weekend with a goal in the FA Cup quarterfinal defeat of Everton but he is guaranteed the wrong ones today after he went in studs up and connected with Haidara’s knee.

The 20-year-old Frenchman had to be stretchered off, just 14 minutes after he had replaced the injured Mathieu Debuchy, and according to the club was already on his way back to Newcastle with thigh and knee injuries.

McManaman went unpunished as referee Mark Halsey’s line of vision was blocked by a Newcastle player but it did not go unnoticed by John Carver, the Newcastle assistant manager.

He was so incensed by the challenge that as the teams trooped off at half-time he vented his feelings at McManaman and had to be hauled away and as a result both he and Wigan first team coach Graham Barrow were sent to the stands by Halsey.

Newcastle manager Alan Pardew, who has an already lengthy injury list with Yohan Cabaye ruled out before the game and Hatem Ben Arfa out for the rest of the season, said he hadn’t seen the half-time fracas.

“I was in the changing room. What I do know is what went on the pitch and in all honesty it’s difficult to take and difficult to talk about,” he said.

“I’m disappointed for our team and Wigan to see how the match was conducted, the tackle was awful, we lost to a handball (Maynor Figueroa in the lead-up to the second goal) and a boy going to hospital.

“Halsey apologised to say he missed the foul.”

His Wigan counterpart Roberto Martinez said he

WIGAN: Newcastle United’s French midfielder Moussa Sissoko (right) is challenged by Wigan Athletic’s Paraguayan defender Antolin Alcaraz during the English Premier League football match.—AFP hadn’t seen a replay of the incident but he defended his player. “I believe it is a bad challenge but it’s not malicious. I can guarantee that Callum McManaman is not a dirty player, he is young and full of enthusiasm.

“I think he wants to contact the player because when you get an injury of that manner you don’t want to leave any bad feeling. If he hasn’t apologised yet he will do because values like that are important in football.”

Victory for Wigan-only their second in nine league games-takes them to within three points

EPL results/standings Chelsea 2 (Lampard 19, Hazard 50) West Ham 0; Sunderland 1 (Gardner 40-pen) Norwich 1 (Hoolahan 26); Tottenham 0 Fulham 1 (Berbatov 52); Wigan 2 (Beausejour 18, Kone 90) Newcastle 1 (Santon 72).

English Premier League table after yesterday’s matches (played, won, drawn, lost, goals for, goals against, points): Man United Man City Chelsea Tottenham Arsenal Everton Liverpool West Bromwich Swansea City Fulham Stoke City

29 29 29 30 29 29 30 30 30 29 30

24 2 17 8 16 7 16 6 14 8 12 12 12 9 13 5 10 10 9 9 7 13

3 4 6 8 7 5 9 12 10 11 10

69 51 58 51 55 46 57 40 40 40 27

31 26 30 37 32 35 39 38 38 44 35

74 59 55 54 50 48 45 44 40 36 34

Norwich City 30 7 13 10 28 46 34 Newcastle 30 9 6 15 41 52 33 West Ham 29 9 6 14 32 43 33 Sunderland 30 7 10 13 33 42 31 Southampton 30 7 10 13 42 52 31 Aston Villa 30 7 9 14 31 56 30 Wigan Athletic 29 7 6 16 35 56 27 Reading 30 5 8 17 35 57 23 QPR 30 4 11 15 26 48 23 Note: Top four teams will qualify for Champions league at end of season and bottom three teams would be relegated.

of fourth from bottom Aston Villa and with a game in hand. Newcastle-with just one win in 15 away matches this season-too are still in trouble as they are just six points ahead of Wigan.

Wigan had taken the lead in the 18th minute as Beausejour scored his first ever goal for the club-his last Premier League goal coming over two years ago for Birmingham-when a mistake by former Inter Milan defender Davide Santon allowed him the time to shoot.

Newcastle were constantly being hit by Wigan on the counter-attack and it took a great piece of defending by Jonas Gutierrez to deny James McCarthy adding a second for Wigan in the 42nd minute.

McManaman, who had been a doubt before the game with an ankle injury, was eventually replaced in the 58th minute by manager Roberto Martinez as he sent on James McArthur.

The game looked to have swung Newcastle’s way when Cisse found Santon with a terrific pass in the 72nd minute. Santon still had work to do but he unleashed a fine effort from the right side of the penalty area which beat Joel Robles and went in the far corner.

Cisse then went close but his effort went the wrong side of the post and their luck was out again when Wigan got the winner. Halsey failed to spot a deliberate handball by Figueroa and from the resulting confusion as Newcastle failed to clear Kone snapped up the chance from close range.—AFP

Sixers stop Pacers

Aiken wins Avantha Masters

MONDAY, MARCH 18, 2013

17

16

South Africa clinch win despite Afridi fireworks

Page 17

St Mirren break Hearts Win maiden League Cup

LONDON: Chelsea’s Spanish midfielder Juan Mata (left) vies with West Ham United’s Welsh defender James Collins (right) during the English Premier League football match. — AFP

GLASGOW: St Mirren came from behind to create history as they clinched the Scottish League Cup for the first time following a 3-2 win over Hearts at Hampden. Hearts took the lead through a deflected Ryan Stevenson shot in the 10th minute and John Sutton hit the post with a header as the Edinburgh side dominated.

But they failed to take their chances and St Mirren equalised against the run of play in the 37th minute through on-loan Esmael Goncalves. Steven Thompson fired St Mirren into the lead 50 seconds after the restart before Conor Newton made it 3-1 with a fierce 66th minute strike.

Stevenson hit the bar before grabbing his second of the game in the 85th minute to give Hearts hope. But the Tynecastle club, who had hoped to give their fans something to cheer following a turbulent season involving financial difficulties off the pitch and poor displays on it, were unable to force extra time.

The result makes up for the heartache suffered by St Mirren in the 2010 final when they were defeated by nineman Rangers and sees them collect their first trophy since their 1987 Scottish Cup win.

“I’m very proud and emotional. It’s only just sinking in and I’m absolutely thrilled,” St Mirren boss Danny Lennon said. “From a personal point of view I’m absolutely delighted that we are bringing the trophy back to Paisley for the first time in this club’s wonderful 135-year history.”

Gary Locke, who was only confirmed as the new permanent Hearts manager on Saturday, was despondent. “It’s a sore one. Myself, the staff and all of the players are really hurting at the moment,” the former Hearts player said.

“I felt if we could have got the second goal we probably would have went on to win it. We had a few chances and I think we’ve hit the woodwork two or three times but it just wasn’t meant to be.”

Hearts had all the pressure in the opening stages and Stevenson handed Hearts the lead with a fine finish. The ball broke to the midfielder at the edge of the box and he took his time before firing an angled shot beyond Craig Samson with the help of a deflection off Paul Dummett. Hearts were winning the individual battles all over the pitch and came close to adding another in the 21st minute when Jamie Walker jinxed down the left wing and swung a cross over to the far post where Sutton fired a header off the outside of the post. However, Hearts were left to rue their missed chances when St Mirren equalised in the 37th minute.

Thompson fed Gary Teale down the right wing and he raced into the box and squared for Goncalves to side foot home the equaliser. It took just St Mirren just 50 seconds after the restart to take the lead for the first time in the final through Thompson. — AFP

Lampard’s landmark goal lifts Chelsea Chelsea 2

Wes Ham 0

LONDON: Frank Lampard scored his 200th Chelsea goal as the Blues climbed to third in the Premier League with a 2-0 victory over West Ham in yesterday’s London derby at Stamford Bridge.

Lampard had been stuck on 199 goals for the last month but the England midfielder fittingly reached the landmark against his former club as he powered home a first half header to end a run of four scoreless matches.

The 34-year-old, who joined Chelsea from West Ham for £11 million in 2001, is just two goals away from equalling Bobby Tambling’s all-time record for the west Londoners, yet remarkably he could still leave the club on a free transfer at the end of the season.

More significantly for Chelsea interim manager Rafael Benitez, Lampard’s 14th club goal of the season helped secure a priceless win in the battle for a top four finish.

Eden Hazard added Chelsea’s second goal early in the second half and that was enough to ensure Benitez’s team move one point above Tottenham, beaten by

Fulham earlier yesterday, and remain five points clear of fifth-placed Arsenal.

“In the first half we could have scored more but you have to be pleased because in the end we got two goals and kept a clean sheet,” Benitez said. “It’s a long race (for the top-four). We have to carry on and win our next game and see what others do.”

Benitez opted to restore Demba Ba to the starting line-up in place of Fernando Torres, even though the Spaniard had contributed a rare goal to the midweek Europa League win over Steaua Bucharest, and the Senegal striker was immediately at the centre of the action.

Lampard split the West Ham defence with a superb pass that sent Ba through on goal, only for the forward to scuff his shot well wide. West Ham under Allardyce are unapologetic disciples of the long-ball game and they tried to over-power Chelsea with an early aerial barrage that ended with James Collins lashing a volley just over.

But West Ham’s defence was exposed too often and Chelsea took full advantage to open the scoring in the 19th minute. Hazard drove in a long-range shot that goalkeeper Jussi Jaaskelainen pushed out to Victor Moses and the Nigerian’s cross was only half-cleared by Collins back to Hazard. Given too much time and space by the hesitant Hammers rearguard, the Belgian playmaker lofted a fine cross towards Lampard and he rose unmarked to guide his header past

Jaaskelainen.

Lampard celebrated in front of the West Ham supporters and was joined by team-mates including substitute John Terry, who had already angered the visiting fans by warming up close to them moments earlier, with both players targeted by missiles thrown from the away end.

Allardyce’s team thought they had hit back immediately when Andy Carroll fired home after Matt Jarvis stretched to hook over a cross from the touchline, but the goal was ruled out for a foul on David Luiz.

Chelsea were causing constant problems for West Ham’s leaden-footed defence and Moses and Luiz had shots saved from long-range. Ba was guilty of more poor finishing when he shot too close to Jaaskelainen and then dragged a second chance wide. But Chelsea delivered the knockout blow in the 50th minute with a sublime move started and finished by Hazard.

When he flicked a pass towards Juan Mata, Hazard didn’t stop to admire his handiwork. Instead he sprinted onto the return pass from Mata and surged into the penalty area before deceiving two West Ham defenders with a clever feint, opening space to drive a powerful shot past Jaaskelainen. Lampard should have moved even closer to Tambling’s record in the closing moments when Oscar found him 10 yards from goal, but his strike sailed high over the bar. — AFP

Berbatov, Jol come back to haunt Spurs Tottenham 0

Fulham 1

LONDON: A goal from former player Dimitar Berbatov saw Tottenham Hotspur sink to a third straight defeat yesterday, as they lost 1-0 to a Fulham side who earned a rare away win in the Premier League.

Victory would have moved Andre Villas-Boas’ side to within two points of second-place Manchester City, but they were unable to find a way past Fulham’s excellent goalkeeper, Mark Schwarzer.

Tottenham now find themselves just four points ahead of north London rivals

Arsenal, who have a game in hand, in the scramble for Champions League qualification places.

Berbatov’s goal turned out to be just enough for Fulham - managed by former Tottenham coach Martin Jol - to taste victory away from Craven Cottage for only the third time in league action this season. It was no surprise that Gareth Bale was restored to the Tottenham starting line-up after suspension prevented him from playing at Inter Milan in mid-week, when Spurs reached the Europa League quarter-finals despite a 4-1 loss.

Emmanuel Adebayor, whose extratime goal in Milan squeezed Tottenham into the last eight on away goals, kept his place in the side, with Jermain Defoe dropping to the bench.

Bale made a lively start, with Fulham captain Brede Hangeland stopping his first foray into the box at the expense of a corner before the Tottenham man curled a long-range effort over. Fulham then

needed Sascha Riether to head off the line after Bale rose to meet Gylfi Sigurdsson’s corner with a header of his own.

But Jol’s side worked hard to limit Tottenham opportunities, with Sigurdsson then scuffing a half-chance wide, and a lack of atmosphere in the home sections of the ground reflected that. Bale blasted a hopeful effort well over the target as the game sleepwalked towards half-time. Tottenham made a change at the break, with centre-back Michael Dawson, who had suffered a hamstring injury, replaced by ex-Fulham man Clint Dempsey.

The American moved to the right of midfield, Benoit Assou-Ekotto switched to left-back, and Jan Vertonghen joined Steven Caulker in the middle of defence.

It livened up the game immediately and Bale forced Schwarzer into his first taxing save of the game with a long-range attempt. — AFP

Business

Euromoney Conferences to hold Kuwait forum Page 22 Republicans still hopeful of big fiscal deal with Obama

MONDAY, MARCH 18, 2013

Lexus sets Mideast sales record

Page 23 Qatar Airways wows public with business class seating Page 26 Page 25

NICOSIA: People walk on Ledra Street in the inner walled city of the Cypriot capital Nicosia yesterday. The Cyprus government postponed a planned emergency session of parliament to debate a controversial EU bailout, state media said, as the scale of opposition to its terms became clear.—AFP (See Page 24)

ABK net profits reach KD30 million for 2012 Bank holds annual general assembly meeting • 6% cash dividend and bonus shares 7% KUWAIT: ABK held its ordinary and extraordinary general assembly meetings at its head office on Saturday 16, March 2013.

The general assembly approved a cash dividend of 6 percent (6fils per share) and bonus shares of 7 percent (7 shares per hundred shares) for the financial year ended 31/12/2012, subject to the approval of the regulatory authority.

Commenting on this occasion, Ahmed Yousuf Behbehani, Chairman of the Board, stated the following: “ABK was able to report a net profit of KD30 million and earnings per share of 20fils with total assets of KD2.97 billion, customer deposits of KD1.84 billion, and shareholders’ equity of KD516.7 million. The Capital Adequacy Ratio reached 27.65 percent.

These figures reflect our exceptionally strong financial position in a difficult economic and financial period. Our capital adequacy ratio is the highest among local banks and may be the best on international banking level.”

Financial highlights

• ABK achieved further growth in its operational profits which exceeded KD80 million. The bank maintained its market share in spite of the difficult economic conditions during 2012.

• ABK Capital Adequacy Ratio exceeded 27 percent by the end of 2012, which is the strongest amongst local banks and one of the strongest globally.

• Effective risk management and tight control over the loans portfolio reduced the risks and well maintained the strong financial position of ABK. • ABK was ranked the first in the retail banking category of Kuwait’s “Service Hero”.

• The Bank succeeded in applying a conservative credit policy with more precautionary provisions to support the financial position of the Bank and to face any exceptional or unexpected circumstances.

• ABK’s ability to consistently distribute cash dividends and bonus shares to the shareholders despite the international financial crisis and the difficult economic conditions thereafter.

Outstanding performance despite difficult market conditions: About the most important factors that help ABK to achieve this good performance during 2012, Behbehani pointed out the following: • The successful strategic plan set by the bank and its ability to achieve good performance despite the difficult economic conditions prevailed during the year and the lingering after-effects of the financial crisis, and stagnant economic conditions.

• ABK applied a prudent and precautious method in risk management, and has taken further provisions on the basis of our assessment of the current operation conditions and conservatively on various business sectors to guard against potential outcomes.

• The focus concentrated on taking the opportunity to optimize the balance sheet, liquidity, and interest rate management. At the same time, ABK reviewed its internal operations in pursuit of superior efficiency in all areas, particularly customer service.

• Enhancing employee skills and capabilities is a constant priority, and upgrading of technology and systems is moving us to an industry-leading level.

All these factors contribute to underpinning ABK’s core strengths, while positioning the Bank for growth through sustained

efficiency.

The Bank is now very strongly placed to capitalize on an economic upturn, and to perform as well as possible while current conditions continue.

ABK rewards during 2012: As for the awards achieved by the bank during the year, Behbehani pointed out the ABK was ranked first in the Retail Banking Category of Kuwait’s “Service Hero” Awards.

ABK also was singled out as Kuwait’s most socially responsible bank by receipt of the Excellence Award from the Arab Organization for Social Responsibility. The award was made after a comprehensive review of ABK’s social responsibility efforts and achievements in recent years Ahli Academy and ABK Staff Training: As for the training of staff and upgrading of their skills, Behbehani stated that ABK Academy has been a vital element in the preparation and training of fresh graduates embarking on a banking career, and instilling ABK’s culture and values in all new recruits. The benefits become apparent in superior levels of customer service, as recognized by ABK’s receipt of the Euro service Award in the banking category.

Corporate Social Responsibility: ABK’s outstanding achievements in contributing to the welfare of society were recognized in 2012 by receipt of the Excellence Award from the Arab Organization for Social Responsibility, singling out ABK as Kuwait’s most socially responsible bank. The award was made after a comprehensive review of ABK’s social responsibility efforts and achievements in recent years. ABK has supported a

wide spectrum of causes, ranging from education to youth, healthcare, and the environment. Activities included various sports, health awareness, and entertainment programs for staff, and supporting CSR events run by private institutions and nonprofit organizations.

The Bank is acutely conscious of its role in Kuwaiti society, not just as a provider of essential business services but as a catalyst in the well-being and development of the community at large.

Cautious optimism As for his expectations about the world and local economy, Behbehani stated the following: “We have cautious optimism about any major improvement in the world economic conditions during 2013 and early 2014, but we expect some improvement in the local economy. We are ready to seize the investment opportunities when they become available with this expected improvement.

We have high caliber cadres and extended banking experience supported by our financial strength to achieve the targeted growth and fulfill the requirements and demands of our customers and shareholders.”

Behbehani concluded by saying: “I am confident that ABK is well placed to play effective role in any growth expected during the coming period with ability to compete well in the market. The financial strength of ABK confirmed by all the financial indicators and high Capital Adequacy Ratio are stronger than before. We have excellent liquidity and we have taken further precautionary provisions that provide us with efficient balance sheet which is stronger than ever.”

Osborne to unveil budget amid crisis Britain risks new recession LONDON: Britain’s finance minister George Osborne unveils his latest tax and spending plans this week in an annual budget likely to stick firmly to the coalition government’s austerity drive despite the country’s economy coming close to another recession.

Chancellor of the Exchequer Osborne, whose Conservative party heads a coalition government with the Liberal Democrats, will present his 2013/14 budget to parliament at 1230 GMT on Wednesday.

Analysts expect Osborne to stick to his so-called Plan A of driving down a record budget deficit inherited from the previous Labour administration, despite calls from within and outside the government to curb massive spending cuts. “Overall the chancellor faces the same precarious balancing act of proceeding with Plan A to consolidate the budget deficit, while at the same

time devising measures to encourage the recovery,” said Philip Shaw, an economist at Investec financial group. “To all intents and purposes the overall fiscal stance looks set to remain unchanged, although Mr Osborne might find some room to launch some new infrastructure projects,” he added. Prime Minister David Cameron insisted earlier this month that his government, which passed the midterm mark in January, would stick to the path of austerity despite a turbulent few weeks that saw Britain stripped of its toplevel AAA credit rating. The Conservative leader said that changing course on the economy would plunge Britain “back into the abyss.” The warning followed suggestions by Business Secretary Vince Cable that the government should consider borrowing more to stimulate economic

growth. Cable, a leading Liberal Democrat, wrote in an article that the danger of slow growth may now be more damaging than the loss of confidence through increased borrowing and that the “balance of risk” had changed since the coalition made deficit reduction the key plank of its policies. Markets are meanwhile also waiting to see whether Osborne uses the budget to announce changes to the Bank of England’s inflation target to boost an economy at risk of its third recession since the start of the global financial crisis five years ago.

“With the economy still stagnating, Mr Osborne is under more pressure than ever to pull something out of the bag at the budget on 20th March,” said Vicky Redwood, an economist at Capital Economics research group. “But we doubt that he will do anything very bold on the

fiscal front. So the key question is whether he will make it any easier for monetary policy to support the recovery by altering the Bank of England’s remit.”

The chancellor traditionally uses the budget to state the central bank’s policy mandate, which for many years has been to meet an inflation target of 2.0 percent.

“In previous years this has been a mere legislative formality. This year could well bring revisions to the monetary policy mandate, to make more explicit the ‘flexible’ nature of the inflation-targeting regime,” said Royal Bank of Scotland economist Ross Walker. Incoming Bank of England governor Mark Carney, the Canadian central bank chief who takes up his role in July, has suggested that economic output might be a better target measure than inflation.—AFP

Banks lift UAE, bourses gain MIDEAST STOCK MARKETS DUBAI: Banks helped lift the Abu Dhabi and Dubai bourses yesterday as investors bet on a fundamental improvement in the sector, while most other regional markets also gained. The UAE capital’s index climbed 0.6 percent, up for a sixth straight session.

“There is a positive outlook on the United Arab Emirates because they will benefit from Abu Dhabi’s infrastructure spending and Dubai’s recovery in macro economics,” said Ali Adou, portfolio manager at The National Investor. “At current valuations, I would expect a rotation into banks from real estate stocks.” National Bank of Abu Dhabi and First Gulf Bank rose 0.4 and 2.2 percent respectively. Adou said foreign investors usually select top-tier banks such as FGB and then move to other sectors. Dubai’s benchmark advanced 0.1 percent, having dropped in the last two sessions. Shares in Emirates NBD rose 2.3 percent, resuming gains as bargain hunters returned. The stock fell on Thursday in post-dividend selling.

Shuaa Capital ended 1.2 percent higher in volatile trading. The stock jumped 7.2 percent initially on reports it planned to pay a cash dividend of 6 fils per share, before giving back most of those gains after Shuaa denied the reports. In Saudi Arabia, the market climbed 0.4 percent to a four-week high but the index remains trapped in the tight trading range it has inhabited since mid-January. “We were expecting a sideways trend in most of the first half of 2013,” said Asim Bukhtiar, head of research at Riyad Capital. “After firstquarter earnings, we may see some movement but there is no clear direction at the moment.” The heavyweight sectors of banks and petrochemicals were the main support. Saudi Arabian Fertilizers added 1.8 percent and Al Rajhi Bank gained 0.4 percent.

Small-caps dominated trading, signalling investors were looking for quick gains in the absence of other drivers. Property developer Dar Al Arkan and telecom firm Zain Saudi were the two most heavily traded stocks on the exchange, advancing 2.5 and 1.8 percent respectively. Shares in Saudi Telecom Co (STC) fell 2 percent, extending 2013 losses to 7.6 percent, after the former monopoly’s chief executive, Khaled al-Ghoneim, resigned after less than a year in the job. “This comes as a surprise and it’s too early to say how it will affect the company,” Bukhtiar said, adding that outlook on STC will be dependent on the new CEO and the future direction.

Elsewhere, Qatar’s measure slipped 0.1 percent, down from Thursday’s two-week high. Qatar National Bank and Qatar International Islamic Bank declined 0.9 and 2.5 percent respectively.In Egypt, the main benchmark ended near-flat. Heavyweight Orascom Construction Industries slipped 0.4 percent to a fresh three-month low as the company battles with the government on tax charges.

Non-Arab foreigners continued to be net sellers on the bourse amid a worsening economic outlook.

Meanwhile, Oman’s benchmark rose 0.8 percent, its sixth consecutive gain, as banks supported. Bank Muscat and Bank Dhofar advanced 1.6 and 1.5 percent respectively.— Reuters

MONDAY, MARCH 18, 2013

BUSINESS Apple Inc is so cheap, it should not be ignored anymore

Euromoney Conferences to hold strategy forum in Kuwait on April 8

By Hayder Tawfik

A

pple has been the victim of its own success. At its peak the share price was trading around the $750 and it was the darling for investors and consumers alike.

The shares were widely held by big institutional investors, equity funds and individuals.

They all had their reasons for owning the shares. They were absolutely right to own the stock in their portfolios. The share price took a turn when the company reported a weaker growth than estimated. Investors panicked and dumped the stock.

The share price fell by nearly 30% in a very short period of time. On pure valuation the share price was never expensive when it was at its peak. The only reason investors sold the shares because they think that Apple is no longer a growth stock. This is where the debate started.

Apple is one of those cheapest Value and Growth stocks investors should own.

Apple has $137billion in cash and will generate another $40billion this year and the following years.

This is something unheard of. This is where the value lies. Just imagine if Apple decides to return some of that cash to its loyal shareholders. Donít forget that it already pays 2.5% in dividends. I think the decline in the share price has already discounted any further weakening in its growth.

Two players Apple Inc. and Samsung dominate the world smartphone market. Of course there are other players too but they are much smaller and I donít think they have the strong balance sheet to keep them going. The smartphone industry is a very high tech industry and it requires huge budget for the Research & Development. This is where Appleís cash piles give it big advantages over its competitors. You never know what its scientists and engineers working on till itís too late.

For its loyal shareholders and its fans Apple is still growing. The companyís two star products, the IPhone and IPad (74% of revenue) are still growing in the high 20ís. Indeed this is very impressive. This kind of growth if found in any S&P 500 companies, they will be trading in very high P/E multiples and not around 9X as Apple trading at. I know that investors are aware of the cheap valuation but are concerned about the decline in the companyís Gross Profit Margin. However, to be fair to Apple some of the latest weakness in its profit margins were beyond the companyís control but letís not forget that its gross profit margin is still around 38% for the coming quarters. This kind of gross margin is much higher than Samsung, Dell and HP. If we take into account the huge cash pile Apple has on its balance sheet, Investors who buys the shares at around $445 will get $160 per a share in cash sitting in the bank so in reality any new investor will be paying just $285 for owning the shares. At some point Apple has to return some of this cash to its shareholders.

Justice will not be done to the company by the continues arguments and debates among investors and the media. . What is important is the future outlook. For Apple, that means new products going forward. The company spends about $13billion on Research & Development and capital expenditures. .

Todayís valuation is purely based on the existing products produced by Apple and does not take into account any new star products in the future. I am sure that Apple already working on some new products that will propel its future growth and will accelerate share price appreciation. Loyal shareholders should focus on the future rather than the past.

— Hayder Tawfik is Executive Vice President of†Asset Management, at Dimah Capital.

Financial sustainability, regulatory capacity - the challenge of change KUWAIT: On 8 April 2013, Euromoney Conferences will be in Kuwait for a day-long strategy forum under the theme of ‘Financial Sustainability, Regulatory Capacity-the Challenge of Change’. This unique event, led and moderated by the Euromoney editorial team will take an in depth look at Kuwait’s public finances and its macroeconomic position. The panel discussions will analyze areas such as balance sheet management, sources of funding, sukuk issuance, the role of international business and Kuwait’s position in the region.

Euromoney will be joined by senior Kuwaiti financiers and international investors - along with co-hosts, the Ministry of Finance of the State of Kuwait. The event will be opened by Mustafa Al-Shamali, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, State of Kuwait, and Dr Mohammad Y Al-Hashel, Governor, Central Bank of Kuwait. It will also feature contributions from leading financiers, investors, and

international businesses working in Kuwait.

“We’re pleased to be back in Kuwait,” said Richard Banks, Director of Emerging Markets for Euromoney Conferences, “we believe our proposition this year is more relevant than ever - the conference will discuss in depth the challenges faced by Kuwait, how it might and can change and conduct our annual review on the Kuwait economy”.

He added: ‘’we will consider the state of the financial markets, macro-economic strategy and pivotal risk points. We’ll bring together local players with global thinkers for a focused one-day event which will define the agenda for the coming year. It’s the only event of its type in Kuwait this year’’.

This year’s Kuwait Conference combines Euromoney’s unique perspective on global events with an in-depth financial analysis of the State of Kuwait. We will look at how and where Kuwait and its international partners can make meaningful decisions to create financial sustainability for the future.

Afghan anti-graft body raps Kabul Bank court ruling KABUL: An Afghan anti-corruption watchdog yesterday criticized court verdicts handed down for a $900 million fraud that caused Kabul Bank, the country’s largest bank, to collapse in 2010.

The foreign-funded Monitoring and Evaluation Committee (MEC) said the court’s action was inadequate in light of the scale of the scandal. Judges this month jailed two bank executives for five years and delivered 18 other guilty verdicts, but the MEC said in a statement they had failed to consider much of the complex financial evidence at the heart of the case.

It added that millions of dollars of missing cash would likely never be found as MEC recommendations calling for reform of government bodies and legal authorities had been ignored.

The collapse of Kabul Bank exposed massive high-level corruption in Afghanistan, with international donors demanding better standards if they were to continue to provide the aid money on which the country relies.

“Almost a billion dollars disappeared from Kabul Bank,” Drago Kos, chairman of the MEC, told reporters. “This was an organised criminal group who intentionally stole money.

“Kabul Bank represents much of what is wrong in Afghanistan and its fight against corruption.” The fraud saw fake companies given loans, and lenders’ cash spirited abroad sometimes in airline food traysto buy homes in Britain, Dubai, Switzerland and the United States. The scandal touched a brother of President Hamid Karzai and a brother of Vice President Marshal Mohammad Qasim Fahim, both shareholders in the bank, but the MEC said police had never investigated allegations against them.

Kabul Bank was seized by the government in 2010 after exposure of the fraud, which led the International Monetary Fund temporarily to halt its loans to Afghanistan.

Renamed New Kabul Bank, it was later bailed out by the government. The finance ministry has lauded the court case as a sign that corruption was being tackled, but the MEC said the legal outcome was “inappropriate”. Billions of dollars in aid have been pledged to help Afghanistan after NATO combat troops withdraw in 2014, but only on condition that corruption is brought under control. — AFP

KUWAIT: Richard Banks addresses the Euromoney Conference in Kuwait. (file photo)

Saudi Aramco, Dow petchem venture launches sukuk sale DUBAI: Sadara Chemical Company, a joint venture between Saudi Aramco and Dow Chemical , launched an Islamic bond sale that could raise at least $1.4 billion to finance a large petrochemical complex in the east of the kingdom.

The $19.3 billion facility, located at Jubail Industrial City in Saudi Arabia’s Eastern Province, will be the world’s largest chemical complex ever built in a single phase. Sadara may increase the size of the planned sukuk to $2.5 billion depending on market demand, it said in a prospectus for the sale, adding if the company raises more than $1.4 billion other

sources of financing will be adjusted accordingly.

Pricing of the sukuk, which is only available to Saudi investors, will be determined once roadshows have taken place.

The sukuk has a 16-year lifespan, the company said in a statement.

The sukuk forms part of a $12.5 billion debt package currently being raised to fund the construction of the project, which will produce more than 3 million tons of petrochemicals each year when completed in 2016. Of the total, $4.975 billion has been provided by the US Export-Import Bank - the largest direct

loan ever given by the agency to a single project. Deutsche Bank, Riyad Bank, Alinma Bank and Bank Al Bilad have been mandated to arrange the sukuk, the statement said. Sources told Reuters in June the banks had been chosen, with the offering earmarked to raise around $1.4 billion-equivalent. Once sold, it will be only the second project finance sukuk ever sold in Saudi Arabia - the first was the 3.75 billion riyals ($1 billion) issue in October 2011 from Saudi Aramco Total Refining and Petrochemical Co (SATORP), a joint venture between Aramco and France’s Total. — Reuters

IMF sees good progress in Egypt CAIRO: Egypt and the International Monetary Fund made very good progress in talks yesterday, an IMF official said, after meeting with government officials seeking a $4.8 billion IMF loan to help relieve a currency and budget crisis. The IMF has said Egypt needs to take bold, immediate action. Egypt agreed an IMF loan in principle last November but requested a delay during violent unrest the following month.

“We’ve had very good progress, and we had very constructive discussions,” Masood Ahmed, director of the IMF’s Middle East and Central Asia Department, told reporters after meeting Prime Minister Hisham Kandil in Cairo.

Both sides agreed on the need to support a national program that addresses Egypt’s economic challenges, he said.

“The IMF is fully committed to working with the Egyptian authorities in the coming weeks to try to reach an agreement on such a program,” he said, adding that the next step would be technical work over the coming days. The fund has raised the possibility of interim funding for Egypt, which would give it access to emergency aid of around $750 million while it negotiates a full-fledged program. But Egypt’s cabinet made clear last week it does not want to sign any emergency loan and that any IMF agreement

would be within the framework of the country’s economic program.

Egypt’s government faces daunting economic and political problems two years after the overthrow of Hosni Mubarak. Street unrest and feuds with the opposition have sapped confidence and foreign reserves slid to critical levels.

The fiscal deficit is reaching unaffordable levels and Egypt’s pound has fallen more

than 8 percent against the dollar this year. A senior US diplomat said last week it was “absolutely essential” Egypt sealed an IMF deal as fast as possible because of shortages of foreign exchange, diesel and raw materials. The IMF found Egypt’s latest economic proposal unsatisfactory, the diplomat said, describing the process up to that point as “exceedingly rocky.” — Reuters

MANILA: Electrical linesman install new power lines in Manila yesterday.

Despite a resurgent economy, economic analysts say that improving infrastructure is a key requirement if this growth is to be sustained. — AFP

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

.2760000 .4260000 .3680000 .3000000 .2760000 .2930000 .0040000 .0020000 .0769480 .7496810 .3920000 .0720000 .7349300 .0420000 CUSTOMER TRANSFER RATES .2834500 .4282790 .3706530 .3018800 .2779880 .0497070 .0443260 .2950010 .0365220 .2272330 .0029750 .0000000 .0000000 .0000000 .0000000 .0772030 .7521560 .0000000 .0756070 .7365210 .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 2.964 5.266 2.905 2.253 3.300 229.160 36.717 3.597 7.015

.2870000 .4420000 .3810000 .3170000 .2890000 .3010000 .0068000 .0035000 .0777210 .7572160 .4100000 .0770000 .7423160 .0480000 .2855500 .4314520 .3733990 .3041160 .2800470 .0500750 .0446550 .2971860 .0367920 .2289160 .0029970 .0053160 .0022700 .0029190 .0036470 .0777750 .7577290 .4038900 .0761670 .7419770 .0071000

Thai Baht Irani Riyal - transfer Irani Riyal - cash

Omani Riyal Qatari Riyal Saudi Riyal

9.650 0.271 0.273

ARAB COUNTRIES Egyptian Pound - Cash 41.550 Egyptian Pound - Transfer 41.349 Yemen Riyal/for 1000 1.329 Tunisian Dinar 182.010 Jordanian Dinar 402.420 Lebanese Lira/for 1000 1.912 Syrian Lier 3.096 Morocco Dirham 33.870 EUROPEAN & AMERICAN COUNTRIES US Dollar Transfer 284.850 Euro 376.000 Sterling Pound 434.400 Canadian dollar 280.640 Swiss Franc 304.650 US Dollar Buying 283.650 GOLD 298.000 150.000 77.500

20 Gram 10 Gram 5 Gram

SELL DRAFT 300.77 283.68 308.25 375.48 284.25 433.35 3.06 3.628 5.265 2.257 3.299 2.909 77.46 756.85 41.30 404.95

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 284.000 280.310 432.705 371.680 304.925 751.890 77.300 77.955 75.695 400.345 41.537 2.224 5.266 2.889 3.594 6.967 696.660 4.090 9.605 3.995 3.370 91.570

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 75.990 78.299 740.160 755.880 77.959

Saudi Riyal Qatari Riyal Omani Riyal Bahraini Dinar UAE Dirham

739.78 78.49 76.00

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 0.4229190 0.0061368 0.0458509 0.3668955 0.0454174 0.4198043 0.0406777 0.2984170 Australasia 0.2838111 0.2306860 0.0001095 America 0.2726752 0.0001482 0.2825000 Asia 0.0035706 0.0031575 0.0447200 0.0164433

SELLDRAFT 0.4319190 0.0181368 0.0508509 0.3743955 0.0506174 0.4273043 0.0456777 0.3054170 0.2958111 0.2406860 0.0001095 0.2816752 0.0001662 0.2846500 0.0036256 0.0033875 0.0497200 0.0195433

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 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

0.0000442 0.0341527 0.0052020 0.0000244 0.0028429 0.0029048 0.0032801 0.0875269 0.0031376 0.0028751 0.0065574 0.0000727 0.2258948 0.0019570 0.0092387 Arab 0.7486136 0.0393279 0.0129746 0.1481701 0.0000792 0.0001731 0.3959095 1.0000000 0.0001746 0.0217266 0.0012088 0.7283396 0.0775310 0.0753733 0.0499920 0.0031761 0.1803226 0.0760724 0.0012840

0.0000502 0.0372527 0.0052720 0.0000295 0.0038429 0.0030848 0.0035101 0.0945269 0.0033376 0.0029151 0.0070274 0.0000757 0.2318948 0.0022620 0.0098387 0.7571136 0.0413579 0.0194746 0.1499601 0.0000797 0.0002331 0.4034095 1.0000000 0.0001946 0.0457266 0.0018438 0.7393396 0.0783140 O.0760133 0.0505420 0.0033961 0.1863226 0.0775224 0.0013840

Al Mulla Exchange Currency 1000) 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 284.300 374.200 431.750 281.500 2.995 5.265 41.345 2.253 3.605 7.015 2.905 757.000 77.450 75.950

MONDAY, MARCH 18, 2013

BUSINESS

Chinese economy showing good momentum KCIC ASIA ECONOMIC REPORT

By Camille Accad KUWAIT: While the global economy continues to muddle through, China’s economic outlook is still flamboyant. The latest release of official data suggests that China’s economic recovery is ongoing. Exports, which make up a large share of the country’s economy, grew 21.8% year-on-year (YoY) in February. Due to Chinese New Year distortions, as well as the volatile nature of the indicator, it is more relevant to look at the 3 month average, which confirms that exports are in a clear recovery since the end of last year. On one hand, this has been driven by a more upbeat global environment, led by a firm domestic demand from the US and other Asian countries, especially the developing South East nations. On the other hand, since the end of last year, Chinese authorities have taken a looser policy stance, which increased the corporate sector’s access to liquidity, by offloading more credit to businesses and state-owned enterprises (SOE), as shown by the increase in total social financing ( TSF). This has helped to lift investments, which make up just under half of the country’s gross domestic output (GDP). Fixed asset investments (FAI), the best gauge for investment, bottomed out in the middle of 2012,

and is still growing robustly. The combined number for January and February has accelerated to its highest pace in 12 months, to 21.2% YoY. The two largest components of the Chinese economy show a recovering economy, supported by a better external environment and a government willing to do whatever it takes to meet its 7.5% growth target for the year. The latest data points are a clear sign that China’s recent economic performance is part of a new trend, rather than a victim of volatility.

Real GDP is a measure of the economic output or of the size of the economy - adjusted for inflation or deflation. GDP can be measured in several ways, and National Bureau of Statistics, the government body responsible for national accounts data, publishes GDP by sector output (agriculture, industry and services) and expenditure (private consumption, government expenditure, fixed capital investments and trade). Investments make up about half of China’s GDP, and an economic indicator that is used as a good gauge for observing the trend of the sector is FAI. The real estate and manufacturing sectors are the biggest chunks, and have contributed the most to growth in FAI recently, a signal that the government has been targeting that area of the economy.

Pressure on Bulgaria to revoke CEZ license SOFIA: Hundreds demonstrated against corruption in cities across Bulgaria yesterday amid growing pressure on the state energy regulator to revoke the license of one of the country’s biggest power distributors accused of widespread irregularities.

Protesters waving national flags blocked main roads and railway tracks in the Black Sea city of Varna, while demonstrators shouting “Mafia” gathered in front of the economy ministry in Sofia and paralyzed the city centre. Public anger at high bills charged by energy monopolies led to the broader protests against low living standards that forced the resignation last month of the centreright cabinet headed by Boiko Borisov.

An early election is scheduled for May 12. “ This is our last chance to save Bulgaria from the monopolies,” Gancho Lazarov said in the capital Sofia, as protests continued for a fifth consecutive Sunday.

“They robbed people in recent years with the high electricity bills and it just cannot continue anymore.” Electricity prices are politically sensitive in the European Union’s poorest member since power bills make up a big chunk of household expenditure, especially during the harsh winter. Bulgarian prosecutors have requested the state regulator revoke Czech company CEZ’s licence for power distribution in the Balkan country over what they say were massive regulatory breaches. “The ongoing check on CEZ activities has revealed massive irregularities in the ways CEZ accounts for power used by customers,” chief prosecutor Sotir Tsatsarov told local media late on Saturday. “We found an excessively

liberal calculation of expenses made by the company into the price of electricity delivered to consumers.”

A few days before resigning, Borisov also asked the state energy regulator to remove CEZ licence. The Czech company, central Europe’s largest listed firm which supplies 1.9 million clients in Sofia and western Bulgaria, said it had fulfilled its regulatory duties. “We observe, respect and will continue to comply with the laws of Bulgaria,” CEZ said in a statement on Sunday. “We believe that the results (of the ongoing check) will prove exactly that.” Last month, Czech diplomats and politicians called on European Union partners to stop Bulgaria from stripping CEZ of its license. The company is one of three power distributors in the country alongside Czech company Energo-Pro and Austria’s EVN. The numbers of people at the Sunday protests had tailed off for a second week, indicating demonstrations may be losing steam as protest leaders fail to unite into a single political party ahead of May’s election.

President Rosen Plevneliev appointed an interim administration on Wednesday to run the country until the poll, with the ousted GERB party and the Socialists still running neck-and-neck, comfortably ahead of their opponents.

The Socialists have presented a “100day rescue plan” to wrestle the country from the economic and political crisis, should the win the elections in May. “At the present moment, there is no bread for labour in Bulgaria, there is no free air for businesses, there is no justice for people,” Socialists leader Sergei Stanishev told repor ters on Saturday. — Reuters

Gabon oil workers suspend strike after demands met LIBREVILLE: Gabon’s oil workers union said yesterday it had suspended a week-long strike after the government agreed to improve working conditions for Gabonese staff and expel about 3,000 undocumented foreign employees. Oil workers in Gabon have long complained about higher wages paid to expatriate workers and say many of them do not have the right work permits and papers.

“The government has given us what we want,” ONEP union spokesman Aime Ipandi told Reuters by telephone. A senior official at Gabon’s energy ministry said the government had reached a deal with the striking oil workers, but declined to comment on the expulsion of 3,000 undocumented foreign workers in the sector.

Oil majors Total and Royal Dutch Shell

have said the strike did not affect their operations, despite union reports to the contrary. The two companies dominate Gabon’s roughly 240,000 barrels-per-day oil sector, and previous strikes by ONEP have forced them to shut their fields.

Smaller players in the sector, including Maurel & Prom, Perenco and Addax, did not comment on the effect of the strike, which began on March 9. However, production at Gabon’s sole oil refinery, which has a capacity of 21,000 barrels-per-day, has been halted for three-weeks of planned maintenance. The latest industrial action came after the union accused the government of failing to apply a 2010 agreement to use more Gabonese workers. Oil revenues contribute around 60 percent of the African state’s budget. — Reuters

SILIGURI: An Indian book seller, locally known as ‘ Khata Dukan’ (Ledger Book stall), arranges ledger books for sale in Siliguri yesterday. — AFP

Increasing investments in the manufacturing sector is directed at supporting demand from both the domestic and external sectors.

Exports make up about a third of the economy’s total output.

Given that export growth is driven by a recovering global economy, the Chinese exter-

nal sector remains vulnerable to any global relapse. However, the large government spending and the rising level of investment in the domestic economy protects, at least in part, the Chinese economy against any global shortfall. Overall, although strong exports provide obvious investment opportunities in the

manufacturing sector, the most interesting prospects lie in the domestic sector. By enjoying a healthy trade surplus, China buys itself time to transition into a more domestic-oriented economy, driven by a growing middle class and strong domestic investments. But there are risks ahead.

Inflation is one of the major threats this year. In February, inflation jumped to 3% YoY, from 2%in January, but this is mainly due to the Chinese New Year distortions. The Jan-Feb inflation average of 2.6% was only slightly higher than December ’s 2.5%. However, robust domestic activity is expected to translate into higher core inflation in 2013, partly driven by rising housing prices.

Energy prices will probably be dragged higher by the recent diesel and gasoline price hikes, which were raised by 3.5% and 2.8% respectively in end of February. Towards the end of the year, inflation is expected to be the main driver behind Chinese authorities’ requirement to mildly tighten growth, such as in the property sector. However, expect a loose fiscal and monetary policy, and, unlike most of the world, high and stable growth for the rest of the year.-Camille Accad is an economist at KCIC specializing in Emerging Asia investments.

Republicans still hopeful of big fiscal deal with Obama Reining in spending remains a challenge WASHINGTON: Senior congressional Republicans said yesterday they see a chance for a broad deal with President Barack Obama on deficit reduction and reining in spending on vast government programs like Medicare and one senator signaled potential flexibility on taxes.

Obama, who met with lawmakers of both parties last week, has been calling for more tax increases on the wealthiest taxpayers, coupled with new spending cuts, to help curb budget deficits that have exceeded $1 trillion in each of the past four years.

House of Representatives Speaker John Boehner, the top Republican in Congress, and Obama failed to come to terms at the end of last year on an agreement to get America’s fiscal house in order.

Such a deal could include spending cuts, tax reform and curbing spending on costly entitlement programs like the Social Security retirement program and the Medicare health insurance program for the elderly and disabled.

Speaking on the “Fox News Sunday” program, Senator Bob Corker, a Tennessee Republican, said: “There, by the way, is a chance on a deal. I know the president is saying the right things. And we have an opportunity over the next four to five months.”

Asked on the ABC program “This Week” if prospects for a “grand bargain” were dead, Boehner said, “I don’t know whether we can come to a big agreement. If we do, it’ll be between the two parties on Capitol Hill. Hopefully, we can go to confer-

WASHINGTON: House Speaker Republican John Boehner of Ohio talks to reporters on Capitol Hill in Washington after a closed-door meeting with President Barack Obama to discuss the budget. — AP ence on these budgets - and hope springs eternal in my mind.”

Boehner said that while the United States does not have “an immediate debt crisis” one is looming because entitlement programs are not sustainable in their current form. “They’re going to go bankrupt,” he said.

Asked how long the country had to solve these problems, Boehner said, “Nobody knows where this is.

It could be a year or two years, three years, four years.”

Obama has engaged in a couple of weeks of outreach to lawmakers - some have called it a “charm offensive” - but the prospects of a large deficit reduction deal by midyear remained unclear. Corker underscored the importance of

Sri Lanka offers tax-free zone at new airport MATTALA, Sri Lanka: Sri Lanka is turning its newest international airport opening yesterday into a tax-free zone to attract aviation-related industries, a top official said. Talks were under way to set up aircraft maintenance, repair and overhaul operations at the $209 million airport located near wildlife sanctuaries in the island’s southeast, airport chairman Prasanna Wickremasuriya told AFP. The airport can accommodate Airbus A-380, the biggest passenger liner in service, and is part of ambitious plans to turn the district of Hambantota, the home constituency of President Mahinda Rajapakse, into the new commercial capital of Sri Lanka.

“We can be a regional hub for aircraft maintenance.

Negotiations are on with a big European operator to set up a facility at Mattala,” Wickremasuriya said. “We have huge potential for cargo and tourist traffic as well.” The airport and its immediate surroundings, about 1,000 hectares (2,471 acres), are being designated a free zone for foreign and local investors to set up warehouses, maintenance hangars and other industries, Wickremasuriya said. Work began in 2011 for the Mattala International airport (MIA), located within Hambantota district, but it is being re-named after the president as Mahinda Rajapakse International Airport (MRIA).

The first flight is to be operated by the national carrier, Sri Lankan Airlines. China’s Export-Import Bank funded the airport which can handle a million passengers a year. China also funded the $1.5-billion sea port opened for commercial shipping in Hambantota last year. The first foreign carrier to fly to MRIA will be Air Arabia which has announced twice weekly flights to Sharjah from Mattala, about 270 kilometres (168 miles) south of Colombo by road. Fly Dubai, the low-cost carrier of Emirates, is also due to start operations in a few months.

The airport is initially aiming at migrant workers employed in the Middle East as nearly 30 percent of those who travel abroad for employment from Sri Lanka are from districts neighboring the airport. “We see a huge potential for tourism because the airport is close to wildlife parks,” Wickremasuriya said. — AFP

reform in the huge entitlement programs like Medicare. “I think Republicans, if they saw true entitlement reform, would be glad to look at tax reform that generates additional revenue. And that doesn’t mean increasing rates. That means closing loopholes. It also means arranging our tax system so that we have economic growth.”

Boehner said he has “a ver y good relationship” with Obama, they are “trying to bridge some big differences” and that he “absolutely” trusts the president.

But Boehner said that if Obama “believes that we have to have more taxes from the American people, we’re not going to get very far.”

“If the president doesn’t believe that the goal ought to be to bal-

ance the budget over the next 10 years ... (I’m) not sure we’re going to get very far,” he said.

Obama met last Wednesday with House Republicans and made little headway in persuading them to accept his demand for tax hikes as part of any deficit-reduction deal.

Republicans and Democrats in Congress last Tuesday offered up vastly different plans to slash longterm deficits. On Thursday, a Senate bill to avert a federal government shutdown stalled under the weight of more than 100 proposed amendments as senators sought to attach pet provisions.

Senate Democratic leaders postponed further votes on the government spending legislation until Monday and said they would work over the weekend to try to whittle down the number of amendments.

They had hoped to pass the measure on Thursday.

Democrat Dick Durbin of Illinois, the No. 2 Senate Democrat, said senators must pass the budget resolution “and then we’re going to move to the next stage - and that is the grand bargain stage. That’s what the president has tried to set up.”

The added provisions in the Senate budget measure threatened to make the bill unacceptable to the Republican-controlled House, which last week passed a much less complicated version of the extension to government funding t h ro u g h Sept.

30.

Government agencies and programs face a broad shutdown if Congress fails to pass an extension by March 27. — Reuters

German anti-euro party takes aim at Merkel FRANKFURT: With only six months to go until German elections, a new anti-euro party is hoping to tap into growing euro-skepticism in Europe’s top economy and may take votes away from Chancellor Angela Merkel.

With more than one in four Germans in a recent poll saying they would consider voting for an anti-euro party, the new group, “Alternative for Germany”, is gearing up for a major push ahead of elections on September 22. “We are constantly getting calls, letters or emails from people who want to join or want to support us,” said businesswoman Frauke Petry, head of communications at the party, which campaigns for Germany to leave the euro.

The party counts “more than 2,000 members and donors”, a drop in the ocean compared to the nearly half a million Germans who are members of the two biggest parties, Merkel’s conservatives and the opposition Social Democrats.

Its main aim now is to form regional groups in Germany’s 16 states before holding a founding congress on April 14 in Berlin to elect its candidates for the vote in September. Their first public meeting, in a well-to-do suburb of Frankfurt, the eurozone’s financial capital and home to the European Central Bank, attracted some 1,200 people to listen to speeches about the disadvantages of the euro.

In the crowd were a large number of pensioners in their Sunday best, graying professors and liberal professionals, united in their belief that Germany has paid too much to keep the 17-nation euro-zone afloat. The party’s creation has roused a great deal of interest in the media both within Germany and abroad and is supported by Hans-Olaf Henkel, a former head of the BDI, the country’s leading industry federation. They are encouraged by a recent survey in Focus magazine showing that 26 percent of

Germans would consider voting for an antieuro party. This figure rises to 40 percent among those aged between 40 and 49.

The majority of the supporters would currently vote for Merkel’s Christian Democratic Union (CDU) or junior coalition partners, the pro-business Free Democrats (FDP), explained Petry.

And the “Alternative for Germany” has not gone unnoticed at the senior echelons of the CDU. “I take all political competitors seriously,” said the head of the CDU parliamentary group Volker Kauder. “We need to explain to people that Germany’s prosperity depends in large part on that of Europe ... any alternative to having the euro would be considerably worse for Germany,” said Kauder. He judged the new party to be “institutionalised fear of the future.” Filling the eurosceptic void- Andreas Busch, a political science professor at Goettingen University said there was a “void” when it came to eurosceptic politicians in the German system with all major parties being strongly pro-euro. However, he said that “all those who have attempted to fill this void have failed”, recalling the rise and fall of a “pro Deutschmark” party at the end of the 1990s. Another expert, political scientist Simon Franzmann from the University of Duesseldorf, said that Germany’s relative prosperity at the moment would not help the new party’s cause.

The party “is campaigning on a purely economic topic but for the moment Germans are satisfied with the situation in the country and that compensates for their dissatisfaction vis-a-vis the euro,” said Franzmann. Moreover, the way the polls are looking in Germany, a vote for this party might risk opening the door to a more leftist coalition, noted Franzmann, something supporters would want to avoid “at all costs.” — AFP

MONDAY, MARCH 18, 2013

BUSINESS

Rediscovering the art of exploration Practical steps to establishing a high-performance exploration organization DUBAI: In recent years, independent oil and gas companies have made major new exploration discoveries, particularly in frontier areas. Meanwhile, at the largest oil companies, a focus on shortterm financial results has taken precedence over exploration for new reserves, endangering long-term performance.

Whilst, sustained exploration success requires many capabilities, management consulting firm Booz & Company, identifies organizational culture as the key factor separating oil companies that consistently outperform their rivals from others. National Oil Companies (NOCs)in the

The importance of culture Sustained exploration success requires many capabilities and characteristics, including world-class geoscience skills, the ability to operate in difficult environments, strong business development networks, and the financial discipline to manage risks effectively.

However “organizational culture is the factor that we hear cited most often in our work with companies that consistently outperform in exploration” remarked David Branson, an Executive Advisor with Booz & Company. “They say that the self-reinforcing patterns of belief,

Booz & Company identifies the key actions that MENA National oil companies today need to take to further enhance their exploration capabilities MENA region focus primarily on optimizing production; in line with this, the exploration of new resources -conducted by the NOC or by International Oil Company (IOC)partners - retains an important role in maximizing the value of the overall resource base. While NOCs cannot simply replicate the more informal culture of smaller, successful IOC explorers, there are a number of practical steps that they can take to instill or improve exploration-minded cultural attributes. After all, doing so will lead to more discoveries in their own operated ventures, and help guide the management of IOC-led exploration ventures.

thought and behaviour that define an organizational culture contribute more significantly to their success rather than any particular technology or technique”.

Every company’s unique culture is reflected in three key dimensions - people, processes and organizational structure. Successful exploration companies generally place a high-value on geoscience talent and often link rewards to reflect overall company performance rather than individual achievements.

“Processes in successful exploration companies - such as the evaluation of risk - can be surprisingly simple, yet widely understood and consistently applied,”

David Branson

Georges Chehade

Sean Wheeler

added Sean Wheeler, a Partner with Booz & Company, “This, however, can only occur if there are open discussions on successes or failures and, by ensuring that useful lessons from the past are learned across the board.”

Exploration companies today often adopt flat organization structures that give geoscience teams full access to senior leadership; decisions are, thus, often made on the basis of direct communication among small groups of empowered individuals.

formal culture of successful yet smaller IOC explorers,” explained Branson.” There are, however, a number of practical steps - related to people, processes and organizational structures- that can help any NOC improve its exploration performance.” With respect to the people dimension, NOCs should assess the talent in the company to ensure that the company complements highly-skilled technical specialists with explorers with a record of significant discoveries. Furthermore, NOCs should ensure that IOC partners deploy their best explorers for related projects, and make this high standard a key criterion for partner selection.

“In effect, successful explorers tend to ask the “what-if” questions that lead to discoveries. NOCs’ own peer reviews and their technical discussions with IOCs should equally be refocused on the “what-ifs” as well as challenge conventional wisdom and support innovation and creativity,” said George Chehade, a Partner with Booz & Company.”NOCs may need to review their reward systems and performance contracts so as to align individual and corporate exploration goals to deliver the best exploration results for the NOC as a whole.”

Improving MENA exploration performance will also require reviewing and amending the processes by which the NOC and its IOC partners reach investment decisions. “Many recent discoveries were known by other companies prior to drilling but were rejected as they did not meet their investment criteria for financial risk and reward or materiality thresholds” said Wheeler.

NOCs should ensure that their own internal investment criteria strike the right balance between risk and potential rewards, and that IOC partners are adequately incentivized to invest, taking into consideration of the risk/reward profile of the exploration opportunities on offer.

Within their own portfolios, NOCs should implement or strengthen transparent and consistent portfolio analysis and

budget allocation processes to ensure that budget and resources are allocated to those exploration opportunities having the greatest potential for value creation.

With NOC primary focus on production optimization, senior NOC leaders should not overlook the role that exploration may play in transforming the NOC portfolio. NOCs should ensure that the organization places sufficient focus on exploration and that the exploration function is given due weight in the organization, and is resourced accordingly. Elevating the profile of exploration within the NOC will support attracting the best talent to exploration. NOCs should also ensure that the role of the central exploration organization is balanced with the role of exploration in asset organizations to ensure an optimal mix between stimulating innovation and creativity in the asset, and adherence to centrally-driven standards and portfolio optimization.

Finally, the informal, interactive elements of organizational culture should not be overlooked. “Senior leaders in NOCs should signal the importance of behaviours that support exploration such as cross-disciplinary teaming, entrepreneurship, and open communication, and highlight people who exhibit these qualities” advised Chehade.

Despite the primary focus of most NOCs on production optimization, strong exploration performance remains a key component to replenishing reserves and bolstering long-term resource value maximization. NOCs that want to find more oil and gas can learn from successful IOC explorers and build a culture that values exploration as highly as other corporate activities. Following the practical steps to establishing a high-performance exploration organization will help NOCs rediscover the art of exploration to win their fair share of exploration discoveries, and manage their IOC partners to improve exploration performance.

PRACTICAL STEPS There is no single method or formulaic approach that assures exploration success for every company. In actuality, each organization must choose an approach that is aligned with its unique culture, risk tolerance policy and broader operating principles.

“For this reason, we do not recommend that NOCs try to emulate the less

Cyprus balks at painful EU bailout conditions May Cypriots feel betrayed by bailout

MADRID: Demonstrators take part in a protest against government’s austerity measures and health care spending cuts in Madrid yesterday. — AFP

Bank of Spain sees no sign of deposit flight MADRID: The Bank of Spain said on Saturday there were no signs of capital flight from Spain as a result of developments in Cyprus, where euro zone ministers are demanding that depositors forfeit some of their savings to avert bankruptcy. “As far as I am concerned, the Spanish banking system is running under absolutely normal conditions,” a spokesman for the bank said.

Cyprus is the fifth country after Greece, Ireland, Portugal and Spain to turn to the euro zone for financial help during the region’s debt crisis. In a radical departure from previous aid packages, euro zone ministers are insisting that Cyprus’s savers pay up to 10 percent of their deposits to raise almost 6 billion euros. Official Spanish sources were quick to argue that the approach taken with Cyprus would be unique. “Cyprus’s situation and this agreement cannot be extrapolated to any other country in the euro-zone,” a Spanish economy ministry source said on Saturday.

“It’s a positive deal because it resolves

the problem of Cyprus and at the same time gives a clear message about the stability and sustainability of the euro.”

The euro-zone struck a deal on Saturday to hand Cyprus a bailout worth 10 billion euros ($13 billion), but demanded depositors in its banks forfeit some money despite the risks of a wider run on savings. The Cyprus parliament was due to meet yesterday to vote on the package, and approval was far from assured.

Europe bailed out Spain’s weakest banks last year to the tune of 40 billion euros to prop up a financial system badly damaged by a 2008 housing and construction crash.

Spain’s banking sector has undergone a massive clean-up since then, transferring over 50 billion euros of toxic real estate assets to a so-called ‘bad bank’ set up as a condition of the rescue.

But Spain’s gross domestic product sank for the sixth straight quarter at the end of last year and at its fastest rate since 2009. — Reuters

NICOSIA: Cyprus postponed an emergency debate in parliament on a controversial EU bailout yesterday, threatening a prolonged closure of the island’s banks as MPs baulk at an unprecedented tax on savings.

Fellow euro-zone countries and international creditors imposed the deeply unpopular levy of up to 9.9 percent on all deposits in the island’s banks as a condition for a desperately needed 10-billion-euro ($13 billion) bailout.

Conservative President Nicos Anastasiades needs to get the legislation ratifying the deal through parliament before banks reopen or face a run on accounts.

But Cyprus media reported that the scale of revolt against the agreement among MPs has thrown into disarray his efforts to do so over a three-day holiday weekend, and he may have to declare an additional bank holiday on Tuesday. Negotiations are under way with the central bank to keep branches closed for an extra day, despite the potential economic cost, the privately run Sigma TV reported. Anastasiades is struggling to secure even a simple majority for the terms of the bailout in the 56-member parliament in which his conservative DISY parliament holds just 20 seats, the channel said. State television said the government had decided to postpone the debate to “ensure MPs were fully aware of the situation and were better informed.”

The president also postponed until today a planned address to the nation to defend the “painful” sacrifices which he insisted were the only way to save the island’s banking sector from total collapse. MPs will now convene at 4:00 pm today to debate ratification after a briefing by the conservative president at 11:00 am (0900 GMT), the state broadcaster said. The debt rescue package, agreed with the euro-zone and International Monetary Fund early on Saturday after around 10 hours of talks in Brussels, is significantly less than the 17 billion euros Cyprus had initially sought.

Most of the balance is to be made up through the bank deposit levy-the first euro-zone bailout in which private depositors are having to help foot the bill.

Savers in Cyprus banks reacted with shock and anger after Anastasiades agreed to the levy in an 11th-hour U-turn on months of promises that such a measure was a red line it would never cross. “This is like stealing, I feel rage,” a Nicosia artist who gave his name only as Kyriakos told AFP. Opposition politician George Lillikas called on his supporters to protest on Tuesday, charging that the president, who was elected only last month, had “betrayed the people’s vote.”

Ministers will now meet at 8:30 am today to thrash out the draft legislation to put before parliament, state media said. Europhile former president George Vassiliou pleaded with MPs to accept an agreement that he said was the only one acceptable to the parlia-

People withdraw money from a cash-point machine in the Cypriot capital Nicosia yeterday. The Cyprus government postponed a planned emergency session of parliament to debate a controversial EU bailout, state media said, as the scale of opposition to its terms became clear. — AFP ments of EU creditor nations like Germany.

“The Germans told us they couldn’t pass a Cyprus bailout through the Bundestag without a haircut on bank deposits,” Vassiliou told state television from Berlin. “Reducing bank savings is an unjust measure but the economy is saved and we stay in the euro. “If this bill isn’t approved, there will be a run on the banks and they will collapse. I don’t think the banks will open if the bill isn’t passed.” But Vassilou’s centreleft United Democrats has no seats in the current parliament, in which most parties have serious misgivings about the deal.

The communist AKEL party, which has 19 seats, had refused to sign an agreement on the terms on offer while it was in power before Anastasiades’s election last month. Even the president’s coalition partners had strong words against the deal. DIKO leader Marios Garoyian said he had spoken to Anastasiades about seeking “alternative choices” amid opposition from some of his centrist party’s nine MPs. But German political analyst Hubert Faustmann said that ultimately MPs had little choice but to accept the deal.

“Parliament will have to vote it through because the alternative is bankruptcy. They cannot amend it, as far as I know, it is a ‘yes’ or ‘no’ vote and a ‘no’ means bankruptcy.”

“How do I feel about the bailout? I will tell you

from the heart. We are facing an economic war,” said Mano, a souvenir shop owner in Cyprus which is facing crippling EU bailout terms.

Like many Cypriots, Mano feels betrayed by the European Union and his government for agreeing the 10-billion-euro ($13 billion) bailout that will impose an unprecedented levy on all bank deposits in return.

“My son is in the army. Next year he will be going to university. He has saved five thousand euros. But against his will, they will take 300 euros from him. The EU will be stealing legally from his pocket,” said Mano.

“I always taught my son to be straight. I hope he will not follow the morality of the EU.” A few streets away from Mano’s Nicosia shop, public sector employee Elpida is sitting in a cafe with her husband and daughter, enjoying the Sunday sunshine and an iced coffee. She too is still digesting the announcement made early on Saturday after marathon talks in Brussels between Cyprus and fellow euro-zone members.

“I feel betrayed. This decision might bring good results in terms of arithmetics but it will break our trust in the economy,” she said. Many Cypriots have rushed to withdraw cash from ATM machines across the Mediterranean island since the announcement was made on Saturday at the start of a three-day holiday weekend, but not Elpida. —AFP

MONDAY, MARCH 18, 2013

BUSINESS

Ireland eyes St Patrick’s Day boost to gloomy economy DUBLIN: As millions of green-clad revellers raise their glasses across the globe to mark St Patrick’s Day yesterday, Ireland has high hopes that the festivities will bring a much-needed boost to the economy at home.

“It is probably one of the biggest global days around the world, when the Irish tribe showcases all things Irish,” Tourism Ireland chief Niall Gibbons told AFP. “If you’re the president of any corporation and you were offered a chance where cities and world leaders stop and hold civic receptions and celebrate your product-you just wouldn’t be able to put a value on it. It’s priceless.”

Political and tourism chiefs see the weekend-long cultural festival as a chance to repair some of the damage the euro-zone crisis has done to Ireland’s international reputation. From Egypt’s pyramids to the Sydney Opera House, some 70 global landmarks will be bathed in green light in honor of Ireland’s national day-while in Dublin itself, more than half a million people were expected to line the streets for Sunday’s colorful annual parade.

With marching bands, dancing troupes and, of course, copious quantities of Guinness flowing, officials hope the crowds will spend heavily in Dublin’s pubs, shops, hotels and restaurants as they “paint the city green”. Dublin’s Chamber of Commerce hopes the weekend will give city businesses a 50-million-euro ($65 million) boost.

Guinness is one company set to do well out of St Patrick’s Day-the Dublin-based brewer expects 13 million glasses of its stout, affectionately known as “the black stuff”, to be drunk across the world yesterday alone.

Selling ‘brand Ireland’ Famed for its double-digit growth in the 1990s, Ireland’s once-proud “Celtic Tiger” economy crashed in the late 2000s when a property bubble burst. The government was forced to seek an 85-billion-euro bailout from the European Union and International Monetary Fund in 2010.

While Dublin appears to be pulling itself away from the brink of financial collapse, growth remains feeblewith the economy expanding just 0.2 percent in the last quarter. “We’ve had a pretty terrible external reputation over the course of the last five years since the economic crash,” Gary Murphy, professor of government at Dublin City University, told AFP. “If Ireland prides itself as a good country to do business and visit, it’s important we sell ourselves as such to the world.” Irish Prime Minister Enda Kenny and 19 members of his cabinet have travelled to 21 countries across the globe this weekend, selling “brand Ireland” in a series of trade, investment and tourism-focused meetings.

In New York, where an estimated two million people turned the city into the Big Green Apple with a massive parade on Saturday, Kenny urged the estimated 40 million Americans with Irish ancestry to return home for a visit. “You’ll be spoiled for choice,” he told a breakfast with New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg. His invitation is part of a government-supported initiative called “ The Gathering” aimed at encouraging the huge Irish Diaspora, which is 60-million strong by some estimates, to come and connect with their roots-and spend some cash.

For the first time ever, visitors from abroad were invited to march in yesterday’s parade through Dublin, and almost 6,000 people from Mexico to Malaysia registered to take part.

Ireland has introduced a range of other measures to boost tourism, including cutting taxes on the hospitality sector and visa waivers for some countries outside the EU. “St Patrick’s Day is an icon of Irishness the world over and from a business point of view, it’s hugely important to the tourism sector in Dublin and essentially kicks off the Irish tourism season,” said Gina Quin, president of Dublin Chamber of Commerce. “We expect 800,000 people to be involved in the festivities in the city with 120,000 of those fresh visitors coming from overseas,” she added. —AFP

SILIGURI: An Indian labourer works at the Mahananda river bed area in Siliguri yesterday.

Indian business leaders and the government have for months been calling for lower lending rates to help the once-booming economy, forecast to see a five percent growth rate in the year to this month, the weakest in a decade.— AFP

India bank fires staff in money laundering probe NEW DELHI: Leading Indian private bank HDFC has suspended 20 employees in a probe into possible money laundering, a source at the bank said yesterday.

The bank acted after online news outlet CobraPost ran a sting last week, with one of its reporters posing as a customer and seeking advice on investing up to $2.8 million with three top private banks, HDFC, ICICI and Axis. The news outlet said the reporter used a hidden camera to record dozens of conversations with bank employees, which it then posted on its website.

“We suspended 20 employees who were shown in the CobraPost video, it was one of the first steps we took when the video came to light,” said the source at HDFC (Housing Development Finance Corporation). The employees worked at various bank branches across north, west and east India, the source added.

In a statement Saturday, HDFC said it has appointed accounting and audit firm Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu India to conduct an inquiry into allegations that some bank officials were ready to assist money laundering. ICICI, India’s secondlargest bank by assets, said it has suspended 18 employees over the issue. Axis has launched an internal inquiry into the accusations, local media reported.

The footage shot in so-called “Operation Red Spider” was said to show executives of the three banks agreeing to take cash from the undercover reporter, but no money actually changed hands. The finance ministry and central bank are already looking into allegations of money laundering by private-sector banks. “Black money”-funds not reported to the government for tax purposes or parked abroad to avoid tax-is one of the issues that has roiled Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s scandal-tainted administration.— AFP

Qatar Airways wows public with business class seating 777 Business Class seat experienced by Shoppers at Avenues Mall KUWAIT: At a special event for the public held at Avenues Mall in Kuwait between March 15 to 17 March, Qatar Airways gave Kuwaiti shoppers the exclusive opportunity to sample the unrivalled five-star luxury and comfort of the new Boeing 777 Business Class seat and service.

Thousands of customers at one of Kuwait’s leading malls enjoyed the live demonstration of the seat’s innovative design on the Qatar Airways stand throughout the three-day event, as the global airline offered world beating Business Class travel experience to visitors.

With an exceptionally wide seat pitch, fully flat bed and state of the art Oryx entertainment system (with over 1,000 entertainment options-movies, television, video games, and music), the Qatar Airways 777 Business Class seat has one of the highest specifications for business class travel of any airline. Stand visitors were able to

experience for themselves the rest and relaxation available to passengers on long haul routes serviced by the aircraft, and recuperate in style from a busy day of shopping. Qatar Airways Country Manager - Kuwait, Mohammed Yusuf Al-Jumairi, said the airline’s public presence in Kuwait, with such an exciting and interactive stand offered people a unique glimpse of the world-class experience passengers can expect onboard Qatar Airways: “Qatar Airways has built a world-class reputation and award winning service based on the levels of luxury and comfort we offer. It is a completely unrivalled flying experience and one that must be sampled to be believed. The feedback on the stand from those members of the public that enjoyed the live demonstration and tried out our new seating was hugely positive.”

Sales staff from Qatar Airways were also on hand to introduce other benefits of fly-

ing Business Class, including the five star service both on board the 777 and in the Premium Terminal at Doha International Airport. Services at the Premium Terminal, specially designed to accommodate the demands of seasoned and frequent business travellers, include comfortable and tranquil seating areas, superbly equipped business services, ultimate high-class duty free shops, congenial bars, and fabulous fine dining from haute cuisine to delicious snacks.

Qatar Airways’ service to Kuwait started in 1994 , and has grown to eight flights daily between Kuwait and Doha, offering Kuwaiti travelers access to the worldwide network of destinations offered by the airline including key destinations such as New York, Washington, Houston, Bangkok, Singapore, London, Manila, Melbourne and Tokyo. Qatar Airways flights to Najaf, Iraq, also an important destination for Kuwaiti

travelers, commenced January 23Id, with four flights weekly.

One of the world’s fastest growing airlines, Qatar Airways has seen rapid growth in just 15 years of operations, currently flying a modern fleet of 121 aircraft - including 25 Boeing 777s to 125 key business and leisure destinations worldwide.

Since the beginning of 2012, Qatar Airways has launched flights to 14 new destinations - Baku (Azerbaijan); Tbilisi (Georgia); Kigali (Rwanda); Zagreb (Croatia), Erbil (Iraq), Baghdad (Iraq), Perth (Australia), Kilimanjaro (Tanzania); Yangon (Myanmar), Maputo (Mozambique), Belgrade (Serbia), Warsaw (Poland), Gassim (Saudi Arabia), Najaf (Iraq) and Phnom Penh (Cambodia).

Over the next few months, Qatar Airways will launch services to a diverse portfolio of new routes, including Chengdu, China (launching soon); Chicago, USA (April 10); and Salalah, Oman (May 22).

Investors ignore tax hikes, spending cuts, sequester NBK MONEY MARKETS REPORT KUWAIT: The US dollar lost some momentum by the end of the week after recording the highest level in few months against the Euro, Pound and the Yen. Indeed, the looming FOMC meeting on March 20, the record level of the equity markets in the US and the better data coming from Asia, have turned global markets into a risk on mode, putting some weight on the US dollar.

Globally, Australia posted much better than expected jobs number, Kuroda won a majority of votes in the upper house in the Japanese parliament and Norges bank decided to leave interest rates unchanged for longer than anticipated.

The positive US data continued to dominate markets this week with much stronger than expected retail sales figures, weaker jobless claims and continued strong business optimism.

It is worth noting that equity markets in the US continue marching higher with record low volatility. The Dow is leading the others gaining almost 11% year to date so far, while the S&P trails close behind gaining almost 10%. Bond yields in the US have been moving higher with the 10 years yield at 2.03% while German 10 year yields are at 1.71% On the foreign exchange side, Markets closed the week with a stronger sterling pound. Profit taking pushed the dollar lower while a short squeeze pushed GBPUSD through multiple levels. After reaching a low of 1.4832 on Tuesday, the pound ended the week at 1.5113. Euro on the other hand, behaved in a more subdued manner. After dropping to a low of 1.2911 after the stronger retail sales in the US, the currency closed the week at 1.3076. In the commodity complex, Gold continued to impress climbing to a high of $1,599.10 as the unwinding process that was in place for couple of weeks may have ended. The looming FOMC meeting on Wednesday has provided new reason for investors to re-enter the market.

Strong retail sales Retails sales in the US climbed twice as much as economists had forecasted in February, showing that the recovery remains on track and job prospects are helping consumers’ sentiment. Indeed, February retail sales significantly topped expectations, rising 1.1% in the headline following an upward revision to January (+0.2% vs. +0.1% as previously reported). Although the data showed large declines occurred in the furniture/furnishings, sporting goods and department stores, the declines were offset by large gains in autos, building materials and gas stations sales. While the retail sales gains are impressive, it is even more so in light of the rise in gas prices, increase in taxes, delayed tax refunds and widespread inclement weather in February. These numbers are likely to significantly lift analysts’ GDP growth expectations for the quarter.

Small business Small business confidence rose slightly to 90.8 and employment improved. The National Federation of Independent business report showed a better tone for job openings and the fewest workers on record were fired in January. The survey showed 73% plan no hiring changes in Q2 this year. Another 18% look to add staff, up from 17% last time while 5%

expect to cut hiring, down from 8%. The hiring outlooks were positive in nearly all 13 industries in the US. In another report, Business Roundtable’s CEO Economic Outlook Index rose to 81.0 in March, up from 65.6 in Dec. The increase in confidence reflected improved expectations for sales and plans to boost US capital spending over the next six months despite just 29% were planning to boost US employment over the next six months, the same percentage as in December. The US CFO survey climbed to 55.3, the best level seen last June. CFOs however only expect a 1.8% real GDP growth this year.

In summary, these reports project a better economic situation in the US than we see in many global regions, explaining the upgrades in GDP growth expectations that we have seen lately from many analysts.

Europe & UK While the French, Spanish and the Italian economies continue to struggle, and popular discontent spreads across Europe, Angela

Merkel is likely to be confronted this week end to end the Austerity approach that seems to be hurting Europe instead of generating growth. The French president Hollande is battling to appease voters, while the German economy continues to outperform its counterparts.

Facing a re-election in October, Angela Merkel is also under domestic pressure to maintain Germany’s insistence that long-term growth can only be “bought” by austerities and financial reforms. She is expected, however, to agree to a form of words to satisfy France and Spain and help to ease the political deadlock in Italy.

In a bid to help the housing market, Europe highest court ruled that Spain’s mortgage laws were too harsh for borrowers struggling to pay their loans. According to Reuters, the European Court of Justice decreed that Spanish judges should be allowed to halt evictions when homeowners

contest abusive clauses in their contracts, such as excessively high interest rates when a loan falls into default. The government said it would incorporate the ruling of the European court into a new law that is currently being debated in parliament.

According to analysts, the law would do little to alleviate Spain’s chronic mortgage problem as it only applied to a small percentage of cases and could potentially harm the banking system.

Swiss Central Bank Reiterates a 1.20 Minimum Exchange Rate for the Euro against CHF The Swiss National Bank reiterated it would intervene in currency markets to prevent the Swiss franc from strengthening above 1.20 against the euro, and warned the downside risks to the Swiss economy remain considerable, and that tension in the Euro zone will increase again.

The central bank also maintained its target range rate at 0% to 0.25% for a seventh consecutive quarter. The decision was widely

expected by economists.

On the growth and inflation subjects, the central bank said it expects the Swiss economy to expand 1% to 1.5% this year. In 2012 GDP rose 1%. It also expects a negative inflation rate this year of -0.2%. In 2014, inflation should come in at 0.2% and stand at 0.7% in 2015.

For the first time in couple of weeks, Bank of England governor Mervin King claimed “there is momentum behind the recovery that’s coming” and that “good progress” has been made towards a new, sustainable economy in the last few years. “I think that during the course of 2013 we will see the recovery come into sight,” he said. “If you take away what happened in the North Sea oil production and in construction, the UK economy last year grew by 1.5%.” Overall, the economy grew by 0.2% in 2012, according to the latest official data, and is expected to grow 1.2% this year.

The talk comes as the same time as the State of Qatar was reported in talks considering plans to invest up to £10bn in UK infrastructure projects.

Prior to this news, the sterling Pound had suffered couple of weeks of continuous losses as economic data kept disappointing markets. The latest stream was the below expectation January industrial data that raised the possibility of a triple dip recession in the UK. Japan Parliament approved Haruhiko Kuroda over the position of the governor of the Bank of Japan. The BOJ’s first regular Policy Board meeting under the new leadership team is scheduled from April 3 to 4, however there has been market speculation that an emergency policy meeting will also be held soon to consider additional easing measures, such as boosting purchases of government bonds with longer-term maturities.

After publically criticizing the BOJ for its lack of action, Kuroda had pledged to “do anything” he can to put an end to chronic deflation. He also stated they will work closely with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s government to implement its economic policies aimed at tackling a more than decade-long deflationary spiral.

Markets participants remain skeptical whether the 2% inflation goal the bank adopted in January is achievable, and are reluctant to take steps that could forcibly drive up prices.

Australian labor market data was better than expected in February, with employment rising 71.5k versus 10k consensus. According to analysts, although there could be statistical errors in the report, nevertheless, the data showed a ‘solid outturn in the Australian economy. Most of the increase however came in part-time positions, which rose 53.7K. The unemployment rate held steady at 5.4% but the labor participation rate jumped to 65.3% from its cycle low of 65.0%. The data also gave stronger arguments for the Reserve Bank of Australia to remain on hold for the coming months ahead Gold stumble The latest strong US economic data played a big role in lifting the USD against the major funding currencies and weighted heavily on gold prices. Indeed, at a six-month high, the Dollar index exerted pressure on the whole commodity complex.

For the moment, it seems that the selling spree we have witnessed in the past couple of month have come to an end. Although the technical picture has not changed much, markets have started re-entering a long Gold position over potential political accident whether in Europe or in the US. Moreover, the FOMC is not likely to change their policy about the timing of a potential end of QE. In addition, the Italian elections outcome highlights the return of potential Euro zone political risks and is deemed to have marked the end of the rally in European peripheral bonds. A continuation of the uncertainty ahead would be a catalyst for gold to reclaim it safe-haven status, and potentially ignite a re-emergence of physical buying in Europe.

Kuwait Kuwaiti dinar at 0.28400 The USDKWD opened at 0.28400 yesterday morning.

MONDAY, MARCH 18, 2013

BUSINESS

Lexus sets Mideast sales record Middle East sales register a 50% rise over 2011 DUBAI: Lexus announced a record increase in 2012 sales with 31,288 units sold during the year across the Middle East. This increase has seen Lexus sales across the region jump by more than 50 percent over 2011 making the Middle East a strong growth market for the premium luxury brand.

Maintaining its leadership status in the luxury vehicles category, Lexus continued its dominance with a 36% market share in the GCC. The LX range of SUV’s emerged as the highest selling model with 47 percent market share showcasing the outstanding road prowess, impeccable quality and sheer style unmatched among luxury SUVs. According to Nobuyuki Negishi, Chief Representative of Middle East & North Africa Representative Office, Toyota Motor Corporation, “The Lexus brand has always set the trend for progressive luxury among premium vehicles and this heritage has been taken to greater heights with the new Lexus philosophy which has offered Middle East customers world-class luxury, evocative design, outstanding driving dynamics and innovative technology. Our customers have embraced this new direction and our

different models across the Lexus brand to drive us to a record performance in 2012.”

During 2012, Lexus launched a range of new models underpinned by its new design philosophy with the dramatically

sculpted spindle grille as the design centerpiece, to bring an unparalleled driving experience to Middle East customers. With this development, Lexus has embarked on a carefully phased development of frontal

design to reflect Lexus’ movement towards a more dynamic, yet sophisticated position in the market.

The new and re-designed models in the Middle East, include the flagship LX570, RX

350 and RX 450h in the SUV segment; and the all-new ES lineup which included the ES 350 and ES 250. The new ES unmistakably bears the new face of Lexus with its distinctive, spindle grille.

The GS 350 was another winner from Lexus in 2012 having received the accolade of being voted “Best Executive Sedan” by an elite panel of motoring experts at the 2012 Middle East Motor Awards (MEMA) to win the top spot in the Best Executive Sedan category.

The year also saw the introduction of the 2013 Lexus LS line-up which includes the LS 460, LS 460L, LS 600hL hybrid, and the firstever LS 460 F SPORT,. The new LS carries forward the legacy of Lexus in terms of fusing the most advanced technology with refined Japanese aesthetics with advanced features and innovations like the world’s first Climate Concierge technology featuring a 4-Zone Independent Temperature Control and up to 13 infra-red sensors managed by a central ECU, offering maximum comfort for every LS occupant. 2012 also saw the introduction of the 2013 Lexus IS range which included the IS, the IS F high performance sedan and the IS Convertible.

HTC honored with top design award

Gulf Express Co, Total Lubricants meet retailers during annual meet KUWAIT: Total Lubricants retailer’s meet in Kuwait was organized by Gulf Express Co at Hotel Regency Jan 28, 2013.The meeting was attended by retail customers from all over Kuwait. Hasan Ali -Division Manager-Total Lubricants welcomed the guests and introduced delegates.

Ghazi Saleh Al-Babtain highlighted the strong relationship between Al-Babtain Group and Total Lubricants France, indicating that the company was 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 AlBabtain 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.

Shakilur Rahman-Vice president GCC sales - Total Marketing Middle

East, shed light on the significant successful cooperation with AlBabtain 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 the presence of such a good audience in Kuwait was 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.

Ahmad Shihadeh, Operations 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.

Abdullah Siddiqi - Export Manager and Sachin Singh Marketing Manager, Total Marketing Middle east, made a techno-commercial presentation regarding the added value of using Total lubricants and revealed the 2013 marketing plan which was very well received by the customers.

The floor was later open for the winners who were awarded the prizes. Customers were awarded trophy for their best performance in the year 2012.The meeting concluded with a raffle draw for all attendees wining many valuable prizes.

Sales employees who proved their outstanding performance throughout the past year were presented with valuable gifts.

A dinner reception was presented to honor the attendees, which provided a great opportunity for networking and communication.

KIA Motors campaign winners of ‘$750,000 gifts, cash prizes’ KUWAIT: National Agencies Group, the authorized dealer for KIA Motors in Kuwait, has announced the conclusion of its mega giveaway campaign totaling $750,000 in gifts and cash prizes.

The campaign, which started in the last week of December 2012 and lasted through the end of February 2013, automatically gave away KD100 Al ShayaGift card, 1-year comprehensive insurance, 3rd party insurance and free registration to all new KIA customers during this period. In addition, each KD500 spent entitled the customer entry into cash draws yielding 7 winners who took home a total of $31,500 in cash.

The prize values were as follows: First: $7,500 Second: $6,500 Third: $5,500 Fourth: $4,500 Fifth: $3,500 Sixth: $2,500 Seventh: $1,500 “This campaign is a symbol of the commitment by National Agencies Group to provide the highest level of customer satisfaction for KIA customers in Kuwait.

We would like to thank all those who participated in making the ‘$750,000 Gifts & Cash Prizes’ Campaign one of the most successful KIA campaigns yet,” commented Nadia Gobran, KIA Kuwait

Marketing & Business Development Manager.

In addition to the campaign, National Agencies Group led several initiatives aiming to bring increased peace-of-mind to its customers.

2012 saw the complete renovation of the KIA showroom in Al Rai based on the brand’s dynamic “Red Cube” concept. Furthermore, KIA introduced new peace-of-mind facilities such as hosting bank and financing firms, in-house car registration, a renovated used-car section and high trade-in rates for those seeking to trade-in their cars for a new KIA. Some of the most popular KIA models during the period of this

campaign include the new 2013 “Sorento” midsize SUV (Top Safety Pick 2012 - IIHS) which sports an attractive new look.

KIA’s largest and most powerful SUV, the “Mohave” (Consumers’ Top Rated SUV $25K to $35K Edmunds.com) is also available and comes in V6 and V8 engine options.

KIA’s “Sportage” CUV (Crossover Utility Vehicle) (iF Product Design Award) is currently turning heads with an ultra-modern look and impressive features such as a panoramic sunroof.

For those seeking a near-luxury mid-size family sedan, the KIA “Cadenza” offers an elegant feel and

a powerful engine. Secondary to the Cadenza, the multiple awardwinning KIA “Optima” (2012 Car of the Year Award - Motoring) shows off its highly distinctive design and modern features.

The all-new “Rio” compact (2012 red dot Design Award) comes in three dynamic options: 3-door, 4door and 5-door to provide versatile fun to the economical-minded driver.

Customers seeking a truly different driving experience are directed towards the youthful “Soul” crossover (red dot Design Award), which has been hailed for its customizability.

For families who appreciate the minivan variety, KIA offers its “Carnival” minivan and Carens multipurpose utility vehicle, each offering unmatched versatility for children and multiple passengers.

After introducing its first rearwheeldrive luxury sedan in November 2012, KIA promises its customers more surprises through the introduction of more models in 2013. The all-new Ceratocompact sedan and the face-lifted Cadenza 2014 are already in the showroom.

The all-new Carens will follow soon. National Agencies Group is a subsidiary of Abdulaziz Al-Ali AlMutawa Group of Companies, and has been growing the KIA brand in Kuwait since 1997.

BELLEVUE, Washington: HTC Corporation (HTC), a global leader in mobile innovation and design, has received the prestigious “red dot award: product design 2013” for the Windows Phone 8X by HTC and theWindows Phone 8S by HTC, recognizing its high-quality design. One of the world’s largest and most respected design competitions, the red dot design award recognizes HTC’s outstanding and innovative design amongst its peers.

Prof Dr Peter Zec, initiator and CEO of the red dot design award, said: “HTC’s Windows Phone 8X and 8S not only demonstrated an extraordinary design quality, but also showed that design is an integral part of innovative product solutions. We are pleased to award the ‘red dot’ to HTC.” The Windows Phone 8X by HTC and Windows Phone 8S by HTC are the latest additions to HTC’s family of Windows Phone devices, crafted by HTC’s global design teams to blend the virtual and the physical utilizing a three dimensional, pure uni-body design based on the Windows Phone Live Tiles. The Windows Phone 8X by HTC and Windows Phone 8S by HTC are perfectly sculpted with a dramatic taper making them feel thin in the hand. The devices fea-

ture the Windows Phone 8 operating system and boast studio-quality sound with Beats Audio(tm) and incredible camera capability. Read reviews of the Windows Phone 8X by HTC on the HTC Blog.

“We are honored to again receive the prestigious red dot design awards, this time for the Windows Phone 8X by HTC and the Windows Phone 8S by HTC,” said Scott Croyle, vice president of design at HTC. “This recognition is testament to the hard work and commitment from countless HTC employees. Our design teams are constantly looking for design breakthroughs to create products that not only look great but also bring our customers the most unique experience.” The red dot design award dates back to 1955 and is now one of the world’s largest and most celebrated design competitions. This year, 1,865 designers and companies from 54 countries submitted over 4,600 products and projects to compete for the coveted design awards. Together with other award-winning products, the Windows Phone 8X by HTC and the Windows Phone 8S by HTC will be on display at the red dot design museum in Germany and the online exhibition, as well as in the red dot design yearbook.

Al-Tijari announces winners of Najma Account draw KUWAIT: Commercial Bank of Kuwait held the Al Najma Account Daily draw yesterday. The draw was held under the supervision of the Ministry of Commerce & Industry represented by Mr. Saquer AlManaie.

The winners of the Najma daily draw are: Ali Rashoud Abdulaziz Al-Rashoud — KD 7000, Mona Abdullah Mohammad AlSarraf — KD 7000, Salem Faleh Ali AlAzmi — KD 7000, Fatma Haider Abdullah Ashkanani — KD 7000, Essam Fareed Abduh Yousif — KD 7000.

The Commercial Bank of Kuwait announces the biggest daily draw in Kuwait with the launch of the new Najma account. Customers of the bank can now enjoy a KD 7,000 daily prize which is the highest in the country and another 4

mega prizes during the year worth KD 100,000 each on different occasions: The National Day, Eid Al Fitr, Eid Al Adha and on the 19th of June which is the date of the bank’s establishment.

With a minimum balance of KD 500, customers will be eligible for the daily draw provided that the money is in the account one week prior to the daily draw or 2 months prior to the mega draw. In addition, for each KD 25 a customer can get one chance for winning instead of KD 50. Commercial Bank of Kuwait takes this opportunity to congratulate all lucky winners and also extends appreciation to the Ministry of Commerce and Industry for their effective supervision of the draws which were conducted in an orderly and organized manner.

Burgan Bank announces Yawmi account winners KUWAIT: Burgan Bank announced yesterday the names of the five lucky winners of its Yawmi account draw, each taking home a prize of KD 5,000.

The lucky winners for the daily draws took home a cash-prize of KD 5000 each, and they are: 1. Faisal Saher Mihana Alkhaldi, 2. Heirs of Humoud Sulaiman Almudhaiyan, 3.

Shirley Threza Sebastian John Menezes, 4.

Jassim Rashim Mansour Al Aboudi, 5. Adnan Mohammed Jaweed Abdulqader Mukadam With its new and enhanced features, the Yawmi Account has become more convenient, easier, and faster for customers to benefit from. Now, customers will be eligible to enter the draw after 48 hours only from opening the account. Customers are also required to deposit KD 100 or equivalent only to enter the daily draw, and the coupon value to enter the draw stands at KD 10. The newly designed Yawmi account

has been launched to provide a highly innovative offering along with a higher frequency and incentive of winning for everyone. Today, the Yawmi account is a well understood product, where its popularity can be seen from the number of increasing account holders.

Burgan Bank encourages everyone to open a Yawmi account and/or increase their deposit to maximize their chances to becoming a daily winner. The more customers deposit, the higher the chances they receive of winning the draw.

Opening a Yawmi account is simple, customers are urged to visit their nearest Burgan Bank branch and receive all the details, or simply call the bank’s Call Center at 1804080 where customer service representatives will be delighted to assist with any questions on the Yawmi account or any of the bank’s products and services.

Saudi Telecom CEO quits in latest top departure DUBAI/RIYADH: Saudi Telecom Co’s Chief Executive Khaled Al-Ghoneim has resigned after less than a year in the job, the latest senior management executive to quit as the former monopoly tries to arrest a sustained profit slump.

Ghoneim was appointed in June 2012 following the resignation of his predecessor Saud AlDaweesh two months earlier, while the heads of the state-controlled firm’s domestic and international operations have also quit over the past 12 months.

STC has spent billions of dollars on foreign

acquisitions in the past decade, according to Reuters calculations, buying into many markets including Turkey, Indonesia, Kuwait and Bahrain.

Yet it remains reliant on home, with the kingdom providing 68 percent of revenue in 2012.

The company’s shares have fallen 5.8 percent this year, underperforming the main Saudi index, which is up 3.7 percent. STC said it had accepted Ghoneim’s resignation, according to a statement on Saudi Arabia’s stock exchange website, but did not name a replacement or say when Ghoneim would leave his position. —Reuters

MONDAY, MARCH 18, 2013

technology

As US drone monopoly frays, Obama seeks global rules WASHINGTON: US President Barack Obama, who vastly expanded US drone strikes against terrorism suspects overseas under the cloak of secrecy, is now openly seeking to influence global guidelines for their use as China and other countries pursue their own drone programs. The United States was the first to use unmanned aircraft fitted with missiles to kill militant suspects in the years after the Sept 11, 2001, attacks on New York and Washington. But other countries are catching up. China’s interest in unmanned aerial vehicles was displayed in November at an air show. According to state-run newspaper Global Times, China had considered conducting its first drone strike to kill a suspect in the 2011 murder of 13 Chinese sailors, but authorities decided they wanted the man alive so they could put him on trial.

“People say what’s going to happen when the Chinese and the Russians get this technology? The president is well aware of those concerns and wants to set the standard for the international community on these tools,” said Tommy Vietor, until earlier this month a White House spokesman. As US ground wars end - over in Iraq, drawing to a close in Afghanistan - surgical counterterrorism targeting has become “the new normal”, Vietor said.

Amid a debate within the US government, it is not yet clear what new standards governing targeted killings and drone strikes the White House will develop for US operations or propose for global rules of the road. Obama’s new position is not without irony.

The White House kept details of drone operations which remain largely classified - out of public view for years when the US monopoly was airtight. That stance is just now beginning to change, in part under pressure from growing public and Congressional discomfort with the drone program. US lawmakers have demanded to see White House legal justifications for targeting US citizens abroad, and to know whether Obama thinks he has the authority to use drones to kill Americans on US soil.

On Friday, a three-judge federal appeals court panel unanimously ruled that the CIA gave an inadequate response to a lawsuit brought by the American Civil Liberties Union seeking records about drone strikes. The CIA had said it could neither confirm nor deny whether it had drone records because of security concerns. The judge who wrote the ruling noted that the president had publicly acknowledged that the United States uses drone strikes against AlQaeda.

Strikes by missile-armed Predator and Reaper drones against terrorism suspects overseas began under former President George W Bush and were expanded by Obama. The ramp-up started in 2008, the last year of Bush’s term, when there were 35 air strikes in Pakistan, and escalated under Obama to a peak of 117 in 2010, according to The Long War Journal. That jump in use of armed drones resulted from the authorization to use “signature” strikes, which allowed targeting terrorism suspects based on behavior and other characteristics without knowing

their actual identity, a US official said on condition of anonymity.

Caitlin Hayden, a spokeswoman for the White House National Security Council, said the administration is committed to explaining to Congress and the public as much as possible about its drone policies, including how decisions to strike are made. “We are constantly working to refine, clarify, and strengthen the process for considering terrorist targets for lethal action,” Hayden said. The administration recognizes “we are establishing standards other nations may follow,” she said.

James Lewis, a senior fellow at the Center for Strategic and International Studies think tank, said other countries, including Russia, have unarmed reconnaissance drones. China says it has an armed drone, but “we don’t know if it works,” he said.

“Getting agreement on the applicability of existing humanitarian law to the new technologies is crucial,” he said, because China and Russia do not endorse applying laws of armed conflict to new military technologies. One of the Obama administration’s goals is to “regularize” the drone program, making it more a part of accepted US practice in the future, Lewis said.

“This is going to be part of warfare.”

While the Obama administration moves toward refinement and transparency of standards, drone strikes continue to spark outrage in countries where they are conducted. Washington has sought to portray civilian casualties from drone strikes as minimal, but groups collecting data on these attacks say they

have killed hundreds of civilians. A UN human rights investigator who is looking into drone strikes worldwide said on Friday the US campaign had violated Pakistan’s sovereignty.

One focus of US officials’ internal debate is whether to shift drone operations to the Pentagon from the CIA. That would allow the CIA to return to more traditional operations of espionage and intelligence analysis, and put the killing of terrorism targets in the hands of the military. It would probably be a “phased approach” that would account for differences in the threat and political sensitivities, said a second US official. “There would have to be some tailoring.”

In Pakistan, where the US military is not in ground combat, the Obama administration would probably not want drone strikes to appear as being conducted by the military. In Yemen, there may not be the same sensitivities. US military personnel are on the ground working with Yemenis in counterterrorism operations. The United States has also carried out drone strikes in Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya and Somalia. “I think if they moved it, not as a covert action program, but one of the tools of the warfighter, then the result of it is probably going to be more public exposure about what they are doing,” Stephen Hadley, national security adviser under Bush, said. The “center of gravity” in internal administration debates is the goal of greater consistency on how drone strikes are managed, decided upon, and executed, the second official said. — Reuters

Researchers harness power of videogames

In Twitter era, new pope not a social media maven BUENOS AIRES: Pope Francis has 1.2 billion followers in the Roman Catholic Church, but he’s not following a single one of them on Facebook or Twitter. In a fast-paced, globalized world in which billions send emails, share photos on smartphones and get their instant news online, the newly elected pope still uses a typewriter for work. On his time

Pope Francis off, he follows the games of his favorite soccer club on the radio. Yet, even though he’s not busy chatting, poking and commenting online, the pope recognizes the importance of technology in today’s world.

As a cardinal, Francis had a Facebook account, although he didn’t manage it himself, and he blessed the creation of a virtual parish where many could join in prayer online. “The cardinal didn’t understand any of that but I explained it to him. I showed him the computer screen ... he looked at the site and authorized us to pray to the Holy One, online,” said Guillermo Marco, the pope’s former spokesman. “He’s a man who

likes to listen,” Marco said. “As cardinal, many would ask to get an audience with him.

They’d talk for 45 minutes straight and he’d stay quiet. Then, he’d say three phrases. In modern terms you could say that he’s very Twitter-like.”

Francis seems likely to follow the Vatican’s social media strategy to help with missionary outreach. In a 2012 interview with veteran Italian Vatican journalist Andrea Tornielli, then Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio said the church in Argentina knew well that digital outreach was necessary to reach the faithful. “We try to make contact with families that don’t come to church. Rather than being a church that welcomes and receives, we try to be a church that goes outside to men and women who don’t come to us, who don’t know us or are indifferent to us,” he said.

Organizing Masses in public squares is part of that, but there’s more. “We also try to reach those farther away by digital means, using the Web and brief (text) messages,” he said.

Pope Benedict XVI joined the Twittersphere late last year tweeting from a personal account along with the world’s celebrities, leaders and ordinary folk. Many were expecting Francis to take over his Twitter handle, but few knew that he wasn’t tech savvy.

Even if he takes the account, it is unlikely that Francis himself will type his punchy one-liners about reaching out to the poor and ending corruption into 140-character bites. The 85-year-old Benedict, who didn’t carry a cellphone and wrote longhand, left that job to one of his aides. — AP

WASHINGTON: Even as videogames come under scrutiny for potential harmful impacts, researchers and developers are touting digital games for positive effects on health, learning and other social goals. The immersive power of games is being used to encourage kids to develop healthy eating, help seniors maintain brain functions and even to tackle problems like pover ty and climate change. Most Americans in a recent Harris online survey said they see a link between videogames and violent behavior.

And Vice President Joe Biden, who convened a White House meeting after the Sandy Hook school massacre that saw a man gun down 20 children and six adults before taking his own life, has said more research is needed on how games affect users. But many researchers say there is little evidence that playing games can cause users to become violent, and point to numerous positive impacts.

“Games can have a positive impact, particularly with psychological functions,” said Jason Allaire of North Carolina State University’s Gains Through Gaming Lab. “We focus on cognition and learning, trying to understand the exact mechanisms, such as the impact on reaction time and memory.”

Allaire led a recent study that found seniors who played digital games showed higher levels of emotional well-being than non-players.

Although the research did not offer a clear cause and effect, Allaire expressed confidence that the research would eventually find such a relationship. Digital games “get a bad rap because often they are played to excess” but blaming games for societal ills is “simplistic,” Allaire said. Still, he said researchers are reviewing their thinking following a spate of shootings. “If I say as a scientist I think games can have a positive effect, it would be hypocritical to say that they cannot have a negative impact,” Allaire said. But he argued that “there is no evidence to show that playing a violent videogame can cause you to engage in violent behaviors.”

Big game companies and independent developers have created many games aimed at positive skills and habits. Jive Health, a startup founded by Northwestern University student Dennis Ai, produced a mobile game that encourages children to eat more fruits and vegetables, with the goal of curbing childhood obesity. In the game, kids must find apples or other fruits for their animal characters and take a picture of real-life foods to advance to the next level. “Kids, they really do enjoy playing

LOS ANGELES: Gamers sample games at the Nintendo section on the opening day of the E3 videogame conference in Los Angeles in this June 5, 2012 file photo. — AFP

the game, it’s looking very promising,” said Ai, whose team won the Innovation Challenge prize sponsored by the nonprofit Partnership for a Healthier America. “You can’t teach kids healthy eating habits by just preaching to them.”

Even the oft-criticized “shooter games” can have an upside: a University of Toronto study showed that playing shooting or driving videogames, even for a short time, improves the ability to search for a hidden target.

Researcher Ian Spence said these visual skills can be useful. “It’s necessary for baggage screening, reading X-rays or MRIs, interpreting satellite images, defeating camouflage or even just locating a friend’s face in a crowd,” he said.

Boston Children’s Hospital researchers reported that a game can help children with anger problems regulate their emotions. The game involves shooting at enemy spaceships while avoiding shooting at friendly ones. When their heart rate goes above a certain level, players lose their ability to shoot, teaching them skills to keep calm, according to a study published in the journal Adolescent Psychiatry.

Another game, “Darfur is Dying,” was created by University of Southern California students to raise awareness about the region’s humanitarian crisis.

And a 2004 study showed that surgeons who played videogames made fewer errors,

possibly helped by learning focus and coordination. So-called serious games experts are stepping up their efforts to harness the power of games. The topic is likely to be part of the discussion at the Game Developers Conference this month in San Francisco. Academic experts gathered last year to discuss the topic in a session organized by the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy. “There are so many ways games can be used to have this kind of an impact, and clearly one of the big ways is awareness learning,” said Carrie Heeter, of the University of Michigan’s Games for Entertainment and Learning Lab. Heeter, one of the participants at the White House meeting, said games in her lab help teach the importance of sanitation, or help learn about medical disorders or pollution. But there are often unintended results. “We have a student from China who was motivated to learn English by playing ‘Tomb Raider,’” she said. Northeastern University professor Magy Seif el-Nasr has been working on research about the impact of games. While some people play for a sense of reward, others play to connect with friends. “Some games can promote a lot of thinking,” which can be especially important for older adults, said Seif el-Nasr.

“This kind of problem-solving activity promotes better cognition and better memory over time.” — AFP

RSA to host first security summit in Qatar DOHA: RSA, The Security Division of EMC announced that it will host its first RSA Summit in the Qatar at the Grand Hyatt, Doha today. The Summit will bring together over 100 senior decision makers and IT security professionals from prominent organizations across the nation to share best practices and highlight the latest developments in the cyber security landscape in the region.

Themed the ‘Foundation of IT Trust’, the event will highlight the need for intelligent security practices in the face of advanced, targeted cyber-attacks. The pervasive use of the Internet for everything from online banking to social networking together with the emergence of mobility practices across Saudi

Arabia has resulted in enterprise networks and sensitive data becoming vulnerable to a new breed of cyber criminals and ‘hacktivists’. A spate of prominent security breaches in recent years has alerted enterprises in the country to the very real threat of security breaches and establishing comprehensive security across the length and breadth of the organization’s network is fast climbing the CIO agenda.

To counter these challenges, RSA experts will introduce the audience to recently released RSA Security Analytics - a transformational security monitoring and investigative solution designed to help organizations defend their digital assets against today’s most sophisticated internal and external threats. In

addition, the summit will see experts from RSA address other comprehensive security technologies and highlight the need for intelligent, proactive security practices.

As part of the RSA Summit, a series of nine break-out sessions within three class tracks covered various topics, including online financial fraud mitigation, incident response and breach readiness in addition to data protection, risk and security management. The event will also discuss how organizations can effectively meet governance, risk and compliance requires through technologies that offer comprehensive visibility into the enterprise infrastructure and business context of strategically critical systems

Samsung pulls out all stops with Galaxy S4 smartphone NEW YORK: Having grabbed the smartphone lead from Apple, Samsung now seems determined to overwhelm its archrival by announcing a new version of its Galaxy S4 smartphone that’s bigger and better and includes a large laundry list of new features. With the new Galaxy S4 smartphone that it announced on Thursday, Samsung appears to be trying to prove it can beat the iPhone not only in sales and specs, but in Apple’s bread and butter: software and innovation. But it’s anybody’s guess whether the company is taking things too far.

Samsung’s event unveiling the Galaxy S4 is emblematic of the company’s ambitions, its desire to distinguish itself from Apple - and its lack of restraint. Held at New York’s Radio City Music Hall, the event featured Broadway star Will Chase and numerous other actors playing out skits designed to illustrate new features of the Galaxy S4. It included a tap-dancing kid; supposed backpackers making their way through Brazil, Paris

and China; and scads of lame jokes. The event was bizarre and over-the-top and in sharp contrast to what we’ve seen from Apple, whose events are typically understated - if overhyped.

That’s true of Apple’s products as well. Each new iPhone has typically had one main feature that distinguishes it from its predecessors and its competition. The list of new features for the Galaxy S4, by contrast, is both impressive and overwhelming and maybe more than consumers can get their heads around.

It has a 5-inch screen, which is even bigger than its predecessor’s and dwarfs that of the iPhone 5. The display also offers a greater pixel density than Apple’s vaunted Retina Display. The new phone’s 13-megapixel rear and 2-megapixel front cameras are higher-resolution than those on the iPhone. And unlike Apple’s phone, it includes a humidity and temperature sensor, though it’s not yet clear how that will be used. It’s true that many of these specs feel more like feature creep than real

innovations. For example, if the average person can’t spot the pixels on an iPhone 5, then there really is no need to have a screen with even greater pixel density (and smaller pixels), because no one will be able to tell the difference.

But to a consumer who wants to have a device with the latest and greatest hardware, those specifications may seem impressive. Samsung, however, isn’t content with just upgrading the hardware. Most of its presentation focused on the new software features it built into the S4. And it’s there that Samsung really may make iPhone fans jealous. The S4’s camera has several new features. One allows users to incorporate a picture of themselves - taken with the front camera - into a picture or video they take of others. Another will take a burst of pictures and incorporate images from the best of them into one collage. Still another feature allows users to erase unwanted people from photographs. —AMCT

NEW YORK: Samsung’s new Galaxy S4 is seen during its unveiling on March 14, 2013 at Radio City Music Hall. — AFP

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

MONDAY, MARCH 18, 2013

Dar Al Shifa launches new extension of Pediatric Dept KUWAIT: Dar Al Shifa Hospital is proud to announce the launch of the new extension to its pediatric department. The opening of the new extension took place on March 16 and was inaugurated by Taleb Jeraq, Head of higher committee and General Manager of Dar Al Shifa Hospital. This expansion is an approach to integrate all pediatric health care services under one roof, where children will be able to get triaged, treated, observed and taken care of. The new facilities available with this expansion include an isolated triage room (used to assess the seriousness of a child’s illness or injury), observation room, treatment room and playing area for children to enjoy their time while waiting.

On this occasion, Jeraq said: “ The Pediatric Department at Dar Al Shifa Hospital is one of the most specialized departments which provide superior healthcare services to children. It includes a wide range of medical units and facilities that aim at accommodating children’s general healthcare. The hospital’s pediatric department includes rare specialties which are pediatric gastrology, cardiology, rheumatology and orthopedic. With the opening of the new extension to the department, we look forward to add more benefits to our patients and their well-being.”

Hamid Al Enezi, Consultant and head of Pediatric department also added: “The new expansion of the pediatric department provided a solid system and flow to the department and its patients. Now, with the new state-of-the-art design, children could enjoy their visit to the department while being taken care of by the most competent pediatricians in Kuwait.” In additional to the subspecialties we have in pediatric, we are willing to add more sub specialties in the future.

Dr Yousif Al Zafiri, Medical Advisor at Dar Al Shifa Hospital concluded: “Understanding children’s health and its requirements is crucial in order to nurture a healthy future generation. We continue to provide leading medical services as well as groundbreaking equipment with an overall objective of delivering sound healthcare solutions to children of all ages.”

Life at a Congo ape sanctuary KINSHASA: Claudine Andre, a 67-year-old Belgian living in the Democratic Republic of Congo, has spent the last twenty years dedicated to the protection of the bonobo, an extraordinary species of ape threatened by trafficking and poachers.

Walking out of the environment ministry in Kinshasa after lodging a request to rescue an infant ape on display at a local bar, she is visibly worried. “We must go tomorrow,” she frets.

“I’ve seen photos - he’s not three years old yet, he’s just a few dozen centimetres in height, his nose is running. He’s going to die.” To make sure the operation goes off without a hitch - and for her own personal safety - she will not be going herself. The tyres on her car have already been slashed twice. But that’s not enough to bother “Madame Claudine” as she is known here. She has lived in the Congo for almost all of her life, having arrived when she was just four. A married mother of five, she set up her sanctuary, “Lolo ya bonobo” or “bonobo heaven”, in 1993.

At her 35 hectare conservation area outside the capital she saves these remarkable animals from the clutches of the illegal animal trade.

Trafficking in bonobos is a lucrative business. According to Andre an infant bought for 50.000 Congolese francs ($55) can be resold for as much as $15,000 on the Internet. The young apes she rescues occasionally arrive sick, and they always arrive traumatised. First, they are handed over to a “surrogate mother”, one of the many Congolese women working at the sanctuary who fuss over their charges, cuddling the infant bonobos for hours on end.

This crucial step in their rehabilitation can go on for weeks or even months until they’ve recovered sufficiently from their ordeal to be able to rejoin the rest of the tribe. Eventually, they will be released back to their natural habitat: 275,000 km at the heart of the DRC where they are encircled by the Congo river and the rivers Kasai and Samburu. At the moment there are 70 residents at “bonobo heaven” waiting to graduate and rejoin their 15 former playmates who have already been sent into the outside world.

Estimated to number 100,000 in 1980, today there are just 10,000 to 20,000 bonobos left. Andre attributes their dwindling numbers to poaching, which has gone hand in hand with human population growth. The DRC is a country of 68 million people almost the size of western Europe and ranked last on the United Nations’ development index. Hunger and civil war has driven some to poaching and the sale of bush meat.

According to Andre, for every animal she rescues, 10 will have been killed by the poachers who leave only the babies alive - there’s not enough meat on a baby bonobo to sell and it’s far more lucrative to try and sell them on to traffickers. A remarkable species, who share 98.7 percent of our DNA, bonobos have long fascinated anthropologists.They live in matriarchal societies and are highly sexual, frequently using sex to express affection and in conflict resolution as well as for reproduction.

Bonobos are protected under the CITES treaty which forbids all trade in animals and plants threatened with extinction, but, despite this, the outlook is bleak. According to the World Wildlife Fund, the traffic in live animals is worth Ä15 billion a year. “It brings in more money than drugs,” reflects Claudine sadly. —AFP

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

Dar Al Shifa inks collaboration agreement with French govt KUWAIT: Dar Al Shifa Hospital announced the signing of the official agreement and collaboration between the French government and the hospital.

The signing ceremony, which took place at the hospital, was signed by Taleb Jeraq, Head of higher committee and General Manager of Dar Al Shifa Hospital as well as a representative from the French government. For the first time in Kuwait and the Middle East, Kuwait and Dar Al Shifa Hospital’s patients will be able to experience professional treatment through qualified doctors from France that will implement their skills and experiences in order to provide further knowledge and expertise to Dar Al Shifa’s medical team. This is a mutual professional exchange agreement where Dar Al Shifa Hospital is providing a French Diploma in medicine, nursing,

and many others through training their doctors through the French medical experts.

Commenting on the agreement, Jeraq said in his speech: “From the beginning, we put before us a clear and specific objective and we strived to achieve it through every step taken. This goal is to make Dar Al Shifa Hospital become the destination where citizens would receive optimum levels of health care expected, a step that is now materialized through our collaboration with professional health institutions in developed countries across the medical field.

Today, Dar Al Shifa Hospital is taking a new step forward by signing the medical collaboration agreement between the hospital and the Ministry of Health in France and the French Embassy in Kuwait and a large number of health organizations in

France. We are proud to be the only hospital in the Middle East to take this initiative and provide the French Diploma in several medical departments to our doctors in the near future, in order to add to their skills and provide our patients with the best possible treatment in Kuwait, without making them travel abroad for treatment.” Jeraq concluded by saying, “It is our pleasure to have this special collaboration with the French government.” Moreover, Nada Yafi - the French Ambassador commented on the agreement claiming: “Dar Al Shifa Hospital is one of the most renowned hospitals in Kuwait and the Middle East, and one that provides an integrated scope of medical services to its patients. We do hope that this collaboration would be the beginning of many more successful ones to come.”

MONDAY, MARCH 18, 2013

MONDAY, MARCH 18, 2013

W H AT ’ S O N

SEND US YOUR INSTAGRAM PICS

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

Announcements KPFA National Days’ celebrations uwait-Pakistan Friendship Association (KPFA) will be celebrating jointly the National Days of Kuwait and Pakistan on Wednesday, March 20, 2013, at 7:30 pm at “The Andalus Hall” Crowne Plaza Hotel Farwaniya. This year the event will be unprecedented as the Undersecretary of Amiri Diwan Khalid Al-Ghanium will grace the occasion and will present special memento to KPFA for its efforts in bringing the people of two nations together. The event will also be attended by the Ambassador of Islamic Republic of Pakistan, Iftikhar Aziz.

The event is restricted to all those KPFA members who have valid membership for year 2013.

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ACK hosts high school engineering design competition

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nder auspices of KPC’s managing director for government, parliamentary, public and media relations, sheikh Talal Khaled Al-Ahmed AlSabah, the Australian College of Kuwait (ACK ) held its annual engineering design competition for high school students. The competition, held Saturday, March 16, was organized by Energy

Engineering Consultancy Center with support from Shell, KPC, EQUATE and the Environment Protection Industrial Co (EPIC) and in collaboration with the ministry of education.

Speaking on the occasion, head of the organizing committee engineer, Waleed Al-Khamees said that participation was open for all secondary school

students with creative scientific talents.

He added that 70 teams registered to take part and that only 45 of the 55 teams who qualified for the competition actually took part. “The first four winning teams will receive financial awards of KD 500, 400, 300 and 200 respectively during a special ceremony to be held on march 20”, he explained.

On his part, head of the organizing committee and MOE’s assistant undersecretary for student activities, Mutlaq Al-Owayyed said that supporting such competitions creates competitiveness amongst students and help them develop their scientific creativity and skills in applying the theories they study.

CRYcket 2013 tournament riends of CRY Club (FOCC) announces 16th CRY (Child Rights & You) cricket tournament for children and will 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

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Basketball Academy he new Premier Basketball Academy offers coaching and games every Friday and Saturday from 10 am onwards for 6 to 18 year olds, boys and girls.

Located in Bayan Block 7, Masjed Al-Aqsa Street by Abdullah Al-Rujaib High School. Free Basketball and Tee Shirts for all participants, with certificates and special awards on completion of each 6 week course. Qualified and experienced British and American Coaches, Everyone Welcome.

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Ties Center Ties Center cordially invites to the following March activities: 1- Diwaniya presentation about, “The Meaning of the name Allah (SWT).”

All of the names of and attributes of Allah (SWT) are established in the revelation. It is not permissible to name Allah with a name that He did not give Himself and that was not affirmed by the Prophet Muhammad (SAW). These are the authentic sources for Allah’s names and attributes: the Qur’an and the Sunnah. Allah says what can be translated as: “And do not pursue that of which you have no knowledge; for every act of hearing, or of seeing, or of (feeling in) the heart will be enquired into (on the Day of Reckoning.” (17: 36). If you want to learn more about the meaning of Allah, you are welcome to the TIES Center Tomorrow March 19, 2013 at 7:00pm.

2- Movie Night: Women in Islam The right status and responsibility of Muslim women are some of the least understood topics when talking about Islam. Prophet Muhammad (SAW) recognized women as individuals with specific rights and responsibilities more than 1,400 years ago. He encouraged educating women and returned their Allah-given rights back to them. Many Muslim women today are asserting these rights and reclaiming their status as equal partners in society. Come a long with your friends to enjoy this educating movie in a serene environment at the TIES Center on March 25, 2013 at 7:00pm.

Dasman Diabetes Institute holds awareness drive

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asman Diabetes Institute held an awareness campaign at Al-Kout Mall on Friday March 15, 2013. Public Relations and Information Director at DD1 Tariq Al-Aryan said the campaign attracted a large crowd who benefited from free sugar tests, information, booklets and advices. The campaign was sponsored by

Kuwait Sugar Information Center in cooperation with the fitness and rehab center at DD1. The main goal of the campaign is to increase awareness among people on the increase of physical activity and exercise to improve general health and prevent some illnesses including Type 2 diabetes.

3 - Lecture entitled, “The Impact of Islamic Civilization on the West.” On March 26, 2013, Bryn Barnard will be discussing the impact of Islamic civilization on the West, the subject of his book The Genius of Islam: How Muslims Made the Modern World. This one hour illustrated PowerPoint talk will include aspects of Islamic philosophy, art, book arts, music, astronomy, medicine, engineering ; a discussion of how Islamic civilization is presented in North American schools; and suggestions about why the deep historical connections between Islam and the West are not better known today. Copies of the book will be available for purchase and signing after the presentation.

Bryn Barnard is an author and illustrator with twenty five years’ experience creating images for clients that include NASA, National Geographic and Scientific American. He has illustrated twenty-five books for children and is the author and illustrator of three books, all published by Random House, New York: Dangerous Planet: Natural Disasters That Changed History, Outbreak: Plagues That Changed History, and The Genius of Islam: How Muslims Made the Modern World, published last April. The Genius of Islam was on the November cover of Booklist magazine and selected as one of its top ten books on religion published in 2011. The Genius of Islamalso received the top award for non-fiction from the Middle East Outreach Council, a North American university educational consortium. The Genius of Islam will be published in Arabic in 2012 by Dar Al-Ilm Lilmalayin, Beirut.

Bryn Barnard teaches art at the American International School of Kuwait. If you are interested in the topic, TIES Center is the best place to visit on March 26, 2013 at 7:00pm.

Ties is the leading non-political NGO promoting relations between Westerners and Muslims through dialogue, friendship and cultural knowledge exchange. For more information, please log into: www.tiescenter.net

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

KNES celebrates color ‘Blue’

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lue is one of the most popular colors in the world and is said to have a calming and peaceful effect on people. The Early Years children of Kuwait National English School recently spent a day exploring the color along with how it inter-

acts with their environment. A good place for children to develop creativity in their thinking is to focus on the everyday things in our world which we often don’t pay attention to. Hooray for blue and all it does for us!

MONDAY, MARCH 18, 2013

W H AT ’ S O N

Gulf Studies Symposium at AUK

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he Center for Gulf Studies (CGS) at the American University of Kuwait is launching its first Gulf Studies Symposium on March 22-24, 2013 at the American University of Kuwait. The Symposium, which will be held on a regular basis in the future, aims to provide a forum for worldwide Gulf scholars and researchers to discourse on timely research contributions that are particular to both the region and the field of Gulf studies.

This year, the theme of the inaugural GSS is “Gulf Cities: Space, Society, Culture”.

The event will bring together local, regional, and international scholars to engage in an inter-disciplinary dialogue on diverse issues related to urbanism and urbanization in the Gulf and Arabian Peninsula (including the GCC states, Iran, Iraq, and Yemen).

“AUK is delighted to launch its Gulf Studies Symposium with this exploration of “Gulf Cities: Space, Society, Culture,”“said Dr Winfred Thompson, President of the American University of Kuwait. He added that “the dramatic population increase being experienced in the Middle East-and particularly in the Gulf-has enormous implications for the cities in which most residents of the Gulf live, and AUK is fortunate to bring together this distinguished group of scholars to examine a wide range of opportunities and challenges. The Symposium is an important milestone for AUK in expanding its contributions to the intellectual life of Kuwait.”

During the three-day public symposium , leading historians, ethnographers, political scientists, architects, and theorists on the Gulf will be presenting current and innovative research on the space, society, and culture of Gulf cities.

Dr Nizar Hamzeh, AUKProvost, and Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, expressed his hope that “the Gulf Studies

Symposium will be a solid contribution not only to the Center’s scholarly activities but also to the field of Gulf Studies. This is not the first time AUK holds an academic conference but it is the first time that the scale of the conference is of an international standard.” Dr Hamzeh assured AUK’s commitment “to creating a research environment in which our students and faculty interact and collaborate with scholars from around the world. It is for this reason that we aim to hold this Symposium on an annual basis, each year focusing on a different theme. We hope this Symposium will not only expand the research parameters but will also reach the levels of theory that will enrich the field of Gulf studies.”

Dr Farah Al-Nakib, Director of the Center for Gulf Studies and Assistant Professor of History at AUK: “Worldwide academic interest in the Gulf region is currently expanding. We therefore believe it is a perfect time to create a venue for the rising number of Gulf specialists to meet on a regular basis to present their research and discuss the various issues that are most important to this region. While regular meetings of scholars who research and write about the Gulf now take place in the United States and the United Kingdom, we aim for AUK’s Gulf Studies Symposium to be the first regular meeting of Gulf scholars to be held within the region itself.

The caliber of scholars who will be presenting papers during the three-day symposium is outstanding, and we are excited to host this important event at AUK. The Symposium will be in English and is open to the public. Al-Nakib would like to thank the following companies for their generous contributions to the 2013 Gulf Studies Symposium: Kuwait Projects Company KIPCO (Holding),United Real Estate Company (lead contributor), Burgan Bank, and Gulf Insurance Group.

McDonald’s to serve thousands of free Egg McMuffins across Kuwait

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cDonald’s Kuwait is one of more than 30countries across Asia, the Middle East and Africa to offer up to Fifty thousand free Egg McMuffins in its breakfast serving restaurants to customers throughout Kuwait The campaign called National Breakfast Day - marks the first time McDonald’s has initiated an international celebration of this scale, and it is being called the world’s biggest ever breakfast .This morning, thousands of customers from across Kuwait are expected to visit McDonald’s restaurants to enjoy their free breakfasts. George Khawam, Marketing Director commented: “Kuwait operates 68 of the nearly 5,000 McDonald’s APMEA restaurants that today come together to celebrate the morning meal, and we are delighted to be a part of an initiative of this magnitude. McDonald’s Kuwait is an active member of the community, and we’re honored to invite the country to enjoy breakfast on McDonald’s during National Breakfast Day today.”

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before it becomes a conference held in a certain country to hold the miniature United Nations conference to discuss various topics. During the 200 conference in Berth in 2004, and New York 2005, and among 2,000 students from around the world, Kuwait English School was the only one present from the Middle East. In January 2013 in Genoa, Italy Kuwait English School students were outstanding as described by the Director of the UN gathering. Student Rea Bainz from Kuwait English School was selected to speak in the opening ceremony. Kuwait

Information EMBASSY OF AUSTRALIA The Australian Embassy Kuwait does not have a visa or immigration department.

All processing of visas and immigration matters in conducted by The Australian Consulate-General in Dubai. Email: info.ausdxb@vfshelpline.com (VFS) immigration.dubai@dfat.gov.au (Visa Office); Tel: +971 4 355 1958 (VFS) - +971 4 508 7200 (Visa Office); Fax: +971 4 355 0708 (Visa Office). In Kuwait applications can be lodged at the Australian Visa Application Centre 4B 1st Floor, Al-Banwan Building Al-Qibla Area, Ali Al-Salem Street, opposite the Central Bank of Kuwait, Kuwait City, Kuwait. Working hours and days: 09:30 - 17:30; Sunday - Thursday. Or visit their website www.vfs-au-gcc-com for more information. Kuwait citizens can apply for tourist visas on-line at www.immi.gov.au/e visa/e676.htm.

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

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KES students sweep prizes tudents carry out debates, by taking the role of ambassadors of their countries to the United Nations and speak on its behalf. Students do not need to be experts in international relations, but they need to be able to speak and attempt to convince the other side with their ideas. This will create the ability with the students to lead and take over political responsibility in politics, law, business, education and medicine.

The miniature UN gathering starts in classrooms, then grows to reach various schools of the same country,

Embassy

English School won the following prizes: Best Judge in the international court of justice: Muhannad Al-Shihabi; Best Prosecutor: Ahnaf Al-Rafi; Best Speaker: Rayan Bisot; Best Solutions (disarming): Arnap Joji; Best Solutions (environment): Farshini Srinvas; Best New Speaker: Athby Al-Fadhly; Best Discussion: Adel Abdelhakeem - Asala Safwat. Kuwait English School owner Mohammad Al-Saddah thanked the trip organizers for their efforts and support of the school team.

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. ■■■■■■■

Kuwait Thamizhar Marumalarchi Peravai celebrates 3rd anniversary

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uwait Thamizhar Marumalarchi Peravai convened a special meeting to mark the celebration of its third anniversary, commemoration day of “Perarignar” Annadurai and sworn-in ceremony of newly elected office bearers on 8/3/2013, Friday evening at Kanyakumari Restaurant, Mirqab, Kuwait. The gathering organized in the auditorium named as “late Engineer Sheikh Mohammed Memorial Hall”. The event began at 5:30 pm with the recitation of Tamil anthem followed by the chanting of an eminent verse from the classical Tamil literature “Thirukkural” by Sivamani. The associa-

tion’s secretary Selvakumar delivered the welcome address in the meeting. Ganesan presented a mind-provoking poem and Pattukkottai Sathya explained the cause for the foundation of the organization and its future agenda to serve the public herein Kuwait.

Senior Marine Scientist, Dr Kumar, the president of “Kuwait Tamilosai Poets Association” along with Rahamatullah, the secretary of Tamil Islamic students wing in Kuwait, graced the occasion as special guests.

They appreciated the Association’s social welfare activities and greeted for its success in future during the

course of their discourses. Meanwhile, the association’s newly elected office bearers undertook their responsibilities in the sworn-in ceremony. The organizing secretary, Pinnalur M Manikandan and Advisor V Muthuraman, wished the office bearers after offering their guidelines. The tire-less efforts and services being rendered by the party in the motherland was well praised in the meet. Reigning Treasurer Jayakumar narrated the vote of thanks to all. Finally, the program ended with a delicious dinner served to all of the attendees.

EMBASSY OF KENYA The Embassy of the Republic of Kenya wishes to inform the Kenyan community residents throughout Kuwait and the general public that the Embassy has acquired new office telephone numbers as follows: 25353982, 25353985 - Consular’s enquiries 25353987 - Fax Our Email address: info@kenyaembkuwait.com.

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Embassy of 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.

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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

MONDAY, MARCH 18, 2013

TV PROGRAMS

00:45 Into The Pride 01:35 Untamed & Uncut 02:25 Wildest Africa 03:15 Mutant Planet 04:05 Wild Things With Dominic Monaghan 04:55 Animal Cops Houston 05:45 Wildest Africa 06:35 The Really Wild Show 07:00 Cats 101 07:50 Pandamonium 08:40 Bad Dog 09:35 Monkey Life 10:05 Bondi Vet 10:30 Shamwari: A Wild Life 11:00 Escape To Chimp Eden 11:25 Wildest Arctic 12:20 Ultimate Air Jaws 13:15 Great Animal Escapes 14:10 Animal Cops Houston 15:05 Animal Precinct 16:00 The Really Wild Show 16:30 Cats 101 17:25 Crocodile Hunter 18:20 Too Cute!

19:15 Monkey Life 19:40 Bondi Vet 20:10 Shamwari: A Wild Life 20:35 Escape To Chimp Eden 21:05 Wildest Arctic 22:00 Baboons With Bill Bailey 22:55 My Cat From Hell 23:50 Animal Cops Houston

00:00 Extreme Makeover: Home Edition 01:25 Gok’s Fashion Fix 02:15 Design Rules 03:05 MasterChef 06:15 Design Rules 07:05 Antiques Roadshow 08:00 Indian Food Made Easy 08:25 Celebrity Fantasy Homes 09:10 Homes Under The Hammer 10:00 Bargain Hunt 10:45 Antiques Roadshow 11:35 Extreme Makeover: Home Edition 12:20 Come Dine With Me: Supersize 13:55 Come Dine With Me: South Africa 14:50 Gok’s Fashion Fix 15:40 Bargain Hunt 16:25 Antiques Roadshow 17:15 Extreme Makeover: Home Edition 18:00 Homes Under The Hammer 18:50 Nigel Slater’s Simple Cooking 19:15 A Taste Of Greenland 20:10 New Scandinavian Cooking 20:35 Come Dine With Me 21:30 Celebrity Fantasy Homes 22:20 Antiques Roadshow 23:15 Bargain Hunt

00:20 00:45 01:10 01:35 02:00 02:25 02:50 03:15 03:40 04:00 04:20 04:45 05:10 05:35 06:00 06:25 07:00 07:25 07:50 08:15 08:40 09:05 09:30 09:55 10:20 10:45

Yogi’s Treasure Hunt Duck Dodgers Sylvester & Tweety Mysteries Dastardly And Muttley Popeye Wacky Races Scooby Doo Where Are You! The Flintstones The Jetsons What’s New Scooby-Doo? Taz-Mania The Looney Tunes Show Tom & Jerry Tales Dexter’s Laboratory Bananas In Pyjamas 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

11:10 11:35 12:00 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

Krypto: The Super Dog Baby Looney Tunes Jelly Jamm 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 CNN Newsroom Live From Hong Kong 00:30 Living Golf 01:00 CNN Newsroom Live From Hong Kong 02:00 World Report 02:30 World Sport 03:00 Backstory 03:30 Talk Asia 04:00 Fareed Zakaria GPS 05:00 CNN Newsroom 06:00 Eco Solutions 06:30 News Special 07:00 World Sport 07:30 Inside Africa 08:00 World Report 09:00 World Report 10:00 World Sport 10:30 News Special 11:00 World Business Today 12:00 World One 12:30 African Voices 13:00 Backstory 13:30 CNN Newscenter 14:00 Fareed Zakaria GPS 15:00 News Stream 16:00 World Business Today 17:00 International Desk 18:00 Global Exchange 19:00 World Sport 19:30 African Voices 20:00 International Desk 21:00 Quest Means Business 22:00 Amanpour 22:30 CNN Newscenter 23:00 Connect The World With Becky Anderson

00:40 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 17:20 17:50 18:45 19:40 20:05 20:35

Gold Divers Mythbusters Mythbusters Wheeler Dealers Border Security Auction Kings Auction Hunters How Do They Do It? How It’s Made Fast N’ Loud World’s Top 5 American Chopper Border Security Auction Kings Auction Hunters Moonshiners Magic Of Science Magic Of Science Mythbusters Sons Of Guns How Do They Do It? How It’s Made Auction Kings

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

Auction Hunters Gold Rush World’s Deepest Goldmine Around The World In 80 Ways

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

Weird Or What?

Oddities Oddities Dark Matters: Twisted But True Bang Goes The Theory Things That Move Things That Move Da Vinci’s Machines Tech Toys 360 Tech Toys 360 Food Factory Food Factory Moon Machines Meteorite Men 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 Tech Toys 360 Tech Toys 360 Weird Or What?

Gadget Show - World Tour How Tech Works Sci-Trek Man-Made Marvels Asia NASA’s Greatest Missions Things That Move Things That Move Oddities Oddities Gadget Show - World Tour How Tech Works Things That Move Things That Move Oddities

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

Stitch A Kind Of Magic A Kind Of Magic Replacements Replacements Emperor’s New School Emperor’s New School A Kind Of Magic A Kind Of Magic Replacements Replacements Emperor’s New School Emperor’s New School A Kind Of Magic 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 Austin And Ally Jessie A.N.T. Farm Good Luck Charlie Gravity Falls Suite Life On Deck Good Luck Charlie Good Luck Charlie Suite Life On Deck Suite Life On Deck Jessie That’s So Raven

20:50 21:15 21:40 22:05 22:30 22:55 23:20 23:45

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 Zou 09:35 Zou 09:50 Jake & The Neverland Pirates 10:05 Jake & The Neverland Pirates 10:20 Doc McStuffins 10:35 Doc McStuffins 10:50 Handy Manny 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 Imagination Movers 17:20 Mouk 17:35 Mouk 17:45 Lilo And Stitch 18:10 The Hive 18:20 Cars Toons 18:25 Zou 18:40 Zou 18:55 Jake & The Neverland Pirates 19:10 Jake & The Neverland Pirates 19:25 Doc McStuffins 19:40 Doc McStuffins 19:55 Handy Manny 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 KSA 07:00 07:25 08:15 08:40 09:05 09:30 09:55 10:20 10:45 11:10 11:35 12:00 12:25 12:50 13:20 13:45 14:10 14:35 15:00 15:25 15:50 16:15 16:40 17:05 17:30 18:00 18:25 18:50 19:15 19:40 20:05 20:30 20:55 21:20 21:45 22:10 22:35 23:00 23:25

BLOODWORTH ON OSN MOVIES FESTIVAL

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

Programmes Start At 7:00am Kickin It Phineas And Ferb Almost Naked Animals Slugterra Scaredy Squirrel Ultimate Spider-Man Zeke & Luther Kick Buttowski I’m In The Band Pokemon: BW Rival Destinies Rated A For Awesome Mr. Young American Dragon Kick Buttowski Pair Of Kings Zeke & Luther Rekkit Rabbit I’m In The Band Phineas And Ferb Almost Naked Animals Rekkit Rabbit Pair Of Kings Crash & Bernstein Crash & Bernstein Max Steel Kickin It Kickin It Phineas And Ferb Phineas And Ferb Mr. Young Crash & Bernstein Zeke & Luther I’m In The Band Rated A For Awesome Rekkit Rabbit Phineas And Ferb Ultimate Spider-Man Kick Buttowski Scaredy Squirrel

00:30 Dirty Soap 01:25 15 Most Infamous Child Star Mugshots 03:15 E! Investigates

04:10 05:05 06:00 07:50 08:20 09:15 10:15 12:05 13:05 14:05 York 15:00 15:30 16:30 17:00 18:00 19:00 20:00

E!es Extreme Close-Up 30 Best & Worst Beach Bodies Style Star E! News Married To Jonas THS Ice Loves Coco Giuliana & Bill Kourtney & Kim Take New Style Star E!es Extreme Close-Up Fashion Police E! News THS Ice Loves Coco

00:40 Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives 01:30 Heat Seekers 01:55 Outrageous Food 02:20 Unwrapped 02:45 Iron Chef America 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 Andy Bates American Street Feasts 23:25 Andy Bates American Street Feasts 23:50 Andy Bates Street Feasts

00:40 01:30 02:20 03:05 03:30 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 23:50

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

Scorned: Crimes Of Passion A Haunting Dr G: Medical Examiner Who On Earth Did I Marry?

Who On Earth Did I Marry?

Couples Who Kill Scorned: Crimes Of Passion A Haunting Dr G: Medical Examiner Disappeared 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 Deadly Sins Who On Earth Did I Marry?

Exploring The Vine Extreme Tourist Afghanistan Walking The World Roam Travel Madness The Green Way Up Geo Sessions A World Apart Around The World For Free Kimchi Chronicles David Rocco’s Dolce Vita 1 David Rocco’s Amalfi Getaway Exploring The Vine Extreme Tourist Afghanistan Walking The World Roam Travel Madness The Green Way Up Geo Sessions A World Apart Around The World For Free Kimchi Chronicles David Rocco’s Dolce Vita 1 Exploring The Vine Exploring The Vine Extreme Tourist Afghanistan Gone to save the planet Roam Travel Madness The Green Way Up Geo Sessions

00:00 Swamp Troop 01:00 Dinofish 01:55 Monster Fish 02:50 Ultimate Animal Countdown 03:45 Dangerous Encounters With Brady Barr 04:40 Shark Men 05:35 The Living Edens 06:30 Monster Fish 07:25 Ultimate Animal Countdown 08:20 Dangerous Encounters With Brady Barr 09:15 Monster Jellyfish 10:10 Dinofish 11:05 Wild Case Files 12:00 Dangerous Encounters With Brady Barr 13:00 Monster Fish

CEDAR RAPIDS ON OSN CINEMA 14:00 Ultimate Animal Countdown 15:00 Amazonia’s Giant Jaws 16:00 Superfish 17:00 World’s Weirdest 18:00 Wild Case Files 19:00 Monster Fish 20:00 Ultimate Animal Countdown 21:00 Dangerous Encounters With Brady Barr 22:00 Monster Jellyfish

00:00 Open Graves-18 02:00 Circle Of Eight-18 04:00 Vengeance-PG15 06:00 Secret Window-PG15 07:45 True Justice: Dead Drop-PG15 09:30 Interview With A Hitman 11:15 The Presence-PG15 13:00 True Justice: Dead Drop-PG15 14:45 Tomorrow, When The War Began-PG15 16:30 The Presence-PG15 18:15 The Godfather II-18

01:00 03:00 05:00 07:00 09:00 11:00 13:00 15:00 17:00 19:00 21:00 23:00

Soldier Love Story-PG15 Garfield’s Pet Force-FAM Soapdish-PG Ties That Bind-PG15 Soldier Love Story-PG15 Second Chances-PG15 An Invisible Sign Of My OwnThe National Tree-PG15 The Decoy Bride-PG15 The People vs George Lucas Cedar Rapids-18 J. Edgar-PG15

00:00 Breaking In 01:30 Saturday Night Live 02:30 Family Guy 03:00 Louie 04:00 Til Death 05:30 Hope & Faith 06:00 10 Items Or Less 06:30 Less Than Perfect 08:00 Til Death 08:30 Modern Family 09:30 Two And A Half Men 10:00 The Office 10:30 Last Man Standing 12:00 10 Items Or Less 12:30 Til Death 13:00 Hope & Faith 13:30 Less Than Perfect 14:30 The Office 15:00 Two And A Half Men 16:30 10 Items Or Less 18:00 Hot In Cleveland 18:30 Malibu Country 19:00 How I Met Your Mother 19:30 Napoleon Dynamite 20:00 The Cleveland Show 21:00 The Daily Show Global Edition 21:30 The Colbert Report Global Edition 22:00 Girls 22:30 Unsupervised 23:00 It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia 23:30 The Cleveland Show

00:00 01:00 02:00 03:00 06:00 07:00 10:00 11:00 12:00 13:00 14:00 16:00 17:00 19:00 21:00 22:00

Eureka Grimm Scandal Top Gear (UK) Good Morning America The Practice Castle The Practice Eureka Top Gear (UK) Live Good Morning America Castle The Ellen DeGeneres Show Private Practice Once Upon A Time Banshee

00:00 01:00 02:00 06:00 07:00 07:30 08:00 12:00

Bones Scandal Grimm Bones Emmerdale Coronation Street Covert Affairs Emmerdale

23:00 ICC Cricket 360 23:30 Futbol Mundial 00:00 Open Graves 02:00 Circle Of Eight 04:00 Vengeance 06:00 Secret Window 07:45 True Justice: Dead Drop 09:30 Interview With A Hitman 11:15 The Presence 13:00 True Justice: Dead Drop 14:45 Tomorrow, When The War Began 16:30 The Presence 18:15 The Godfather II

00:00 Pieces Of April-PG15 02:00 The Banger Sisters-PG15 04:00 Mrs. Miracle-PG15 06:00 Naked Gun 33 1/3: The Final Insult-PG15 08:00 A Cinderella Story: Once Upon A Song-PG 10:00 Zathura: A Space Adventure 12:00 Mrs. Miracle-PG15 14:00 The Smurfs-PG 16:00 Zathura: A Space Adventure 18:00 Today’s Special-PG15 20:00 Jackass: Number Two-18

01:00 The Butcher Boy-PG15 03:00 Bloodworth-18 04:45 The Terminal-PG15 07:00 Jane Eyre-PG15 09:00 Super 8-PG15 11:00 Love And Other Impossible Pursuits-PG15 13:00 B-Girl-PG15 15:00 Super 8-PG15 17:00 I’ve Loved You So Long-PG15 19:00 Dying Young-PG15 21:00 Caesar Must Die-PG15 23:00 L.A I Hate You-PG15

01:15 When Love Is Not EnoughPG15 03:00 Judy Moody And The Not Bummer Summer-PG 05:00 The Art Of Getting By-PG15 07:00 Blackthorn-PG15 09:00 Page Eight-PG15 11:00 Source Code-PG15 13:00 Ring Of Deceit-PG15 15:00 Battle For Terra-PG 17:00 Page Eight-PG15 19:00 The Lincoln Lawyer-PG15 21:00 Albert Nobbs-18 23:00 Bucky Larson: Born To Be A Star-18

01:15 Arthur’s Missing Pal 02:45 Treasure Buddies 04:30 Princess Sydney: The Three Gold Coins 06:00 The Lucky Dragon 08:00 Olentzero And The Magic Log 10:00 The Muppets 11:45 Blue Elephant 2 13:30 Supertramps 14:45 Treasure Buddies 16:30 Little Einsteins: Rocket’s Firebird Rescue 18:00 The Muppets 20:00 Robots 22:00 Supertramps 23:30 Olentzero And The Magic Log

01:00 Inside The PGA Tour 01:30 Trans World Sport 02:00 Live Champions Tour 04:30 Anglo Welsh Cup 06:30 Futbol Mundial 07:00 NRL Premiership 09:00 ICC Cricket 360 09:30 Anglo Welsh Cup 11:00 Live NRL Premiership 13:00 ICC Cricket 360 13:30 PGA European Tour 18:00 PGA Tour Highlights 19:00 PGA European Tour Highlights 20:00 Super Rugby Highlights 21:00 Super League

01:00 05:30 07:00 12:00 14:00 17:30 19:30 21:00 23:00

PGA European Tour NRL Premiership PGA European Tour Champions Tour Premier League Darts NHL NRL Premiership Anglo Welsh Cup NHL

00:30 02:30 06:00 06:30 07:00 08:00 08:30 09:00 10:00 11:00 13:00 14:00 15:00 16:30 17:30 18:30 20:30 21:00 22:00 23:00

NRL Premiership Premier League Darts Total Rugby ICC Cricket 360 Golfing World Top 14 Highlights ICC Cricket 360 World Pool Masters World Cup Of Pool Super Rugby Golfing World Trans World Sport NRL Premiership World Pool Masters World Cup Of Pool Anglo Welsh Cup Top 14 Highlights Golfing World World Pool Masters World Cup Of Pool

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

Soviet Storm: WWII In The East Soviet Storm: WWII In The East Ancient Aliens Mountain Men Grave Trade High Hitler The Sinking Of The Royal Oak Ancient Aliens Pawn Stars Storage Wars Seeking Salvage Pawn Stars American Restoration Pawn Stars Storage Wars Ancient Aliens Grave Trade Mountain Men Pawn Stars American Restoration Seeking Salvage Grave Trade Mountain Men Pawn Stars American Restoration Seeking Salvage Pawn Stars Storage Wars Ancient Aliens Pawn Stars Pawn Stars

00:05 01:00 02:00 02:55 03:50 04:20 05:15 07:05 08:00 09:00 10:00 10:30 11:00 11:55

Chicagolicious Jerseylicious Videofashion Specials Videofashion Daily Big Boutique In The City Jerseylicious Whose Wedding Is It Anyway?

Open House Videofashion News Videofashion Daily Open House Big Boutique In The City Top 10 Giuliana & Bill

00:55 02:50 04:35 06:30 08:00 09:55 11:45 14:00 15:25 17:20 21:00 23:00

Silk Stockings-FAM Light In The Piazza-PG Rhapsody-FAM The Secret Partner-PG White Heat-PG Without Love-PG Friendly Persuasion-FAM Reunion In France-FAM Today We Live-U Ben-Hur-PG The Bad And The Beautiful-PG Julius Caesar-FAM

Classifieds MONDAY, MARCH 18, 2013

Kuwait

SHARQIA-1 THE BAY (DIG) SIDE EFFECTS (DIG) PARKER (DIG) THE BAY (DIG) SIDE EFFECTS (DIG) PARKER (DIG) THE BAY (DIG)

12:30 PM 2:15 PM 4:15 PM 6:45 PM 8:30 PM 10:30 PM 12:45 AM

SHARQIA-2 OZ THE GREAT AND POWERFUL (DIG-3D) OZ THE GREAT AND POWERFUL (DIG-3D) COTTAGE COUNTRY (DIG) JACK THE GIANT SLAYER (DIG-3D) JACK THE GIANT SLAYER (DIG-3D)

2:15 PM 4:45 PM 7:30 PM 9:45 PM 12:05 AM

SHARQIA-3 SNITCH (DIG) AL HAFLA (DIG) HABIBATI (DIG)(Turkish) AL HAFLA (DIG) HABIBATI (DIG)(Turkish) AL HAFLA (DIG)

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

MUHALAB-1 THE BAY (DIG) COTTAGE COUNTRY (DIG) PARKER (DIG) THE BAY (DIG) COTTAGE COUNTRY (DIG) PARKER (DIG) THE BAY (DIG)

12:30 PM 2:15 PM 4:00 PM 6:15 PM 8:00 PM 9:45 PM 12:05 AM

MUHALAB-2 AL HAFLA (DIG) HABIBATI (DIG)(Turkish) AL HAFLA (DIG) HABIBATI (DIG)(Turkish) AL HAFLA (DIG) HABIBATI (DIG)(Turkish)

12:30 PM 2:30 PM 5:15 PM 7:30 PM 10:15 PM 12:30 AM

MUHALAB-3 OZ THE GREAT AND POWERFUL (DIG-3D) JACK THE GIANT SLAYER (DIG-3D) OZ THE GREAT AND POWERFUL (DIG-3D) JACK THE GIANT SLAYER (DIG-3D) JACK THE GIANT SLAYER (DIG-3D) JACK THE GIANT SLAYER (DIG-3D)

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

FANAR-1 COTTAGE COUNTRY (DIG) COTTAGE COUNTRY (DIG) PARKER (DIG) COTTAGE COUNTRY (DIG) PARKER (DIG) COTTAGE COUNTRY (DIG) PARKER (DIG)

12:30 PM 2:30 PM 4:15 PM 6:30 PM 8:15 PM 10:45 PM 12:30 AM

FANAR-2 SIDE EFFECTS (DIG) SIDE EFFECTS (DIG) SIDE EFFECTS (DIG) HABIBATI (DIG)(Turkish) HABIBATI (DIG)(Turkish) SIDE EFFECTS (DIG) NO SUN+ TUE+WED FANAR-3 SNITCH (DIG) SNITCH (DIG) AL HAFLA (DIG) SNITCH (DIG) AL HAFLA (DIG)

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

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

KNCC PROGRAMME FROM THURSDAY TO WEDNESDAY (14/03/2013 TO 20/03/2013)

AL HAFLA (DIG)

12:05 AM

FANAR-4 OZ THE GREAT AND POWERFUL (DIG-3D) THE BAY (DIG) OZ THE GREAT AND POWERFUL (DIG-3D) OZ THE GREAT AND POWERFUL (DIG-3D) THE BAY (DIG) THE BAY (DIG)

2:00 PM 4:30 PM 6:15 PM 8:45 PM 11:15 PM 1:00 AM

FANAR-5 JACK THE GIANT SLAYER JACK THE GIANT SLAYER JACK THE GIANT SLAYER JACK THE GIANT SLAYER JACK THE GIANT SLAYER JACK THE GIANT SLAYER

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

MARINA-1 COTTAGE COUNTRY (DIG) PLAYBACK (DIG) PARKER (DIG) THE BAY (DIG) COTTAGE COUNTRY (DIG) PARKER (DIG) THE BAY (DIG)

1:00 PM 3:00 PM 5:00 PM 7:15 PM 9:00 PM 10:45 PM 1:00 AM

OZ THE GREAT AND POWERFUL (DIG-3D) 6:15 PM OZ THE GREAT AND POWERFUL (DIG-3D) 9:00 PM OZ THE GREAT AND POWERFUL (DIG-3D) 11:45 PM 360ยบ- 2 SNITCH (DIG) SNITCH (DIG) SNITCH (DIG) SNITCH (DIG) NO SAT SNITCH (DIG) SNITCH (DIG)

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

360ยบ- 3 HABIBATI (DIG)(Turkish) HABIBATI (DIG)(Turkish) HABIBATI (DIG)(Turkish) HABIBATI (DIG)(Turkish) HABIBATI (DIG)(Turkish)

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

AL-KOUT.1 OZ THE GREAT AND POWERFUL (DIG-3D) JACK THE GIANT SLAYER (DIG-3D) OZ THE GREAT AND POWERFUL (DIG-3D) JACK THE GIANT SLAYER (DIG-3D) JACK THE GIANT SLAYER (DIG-3D) JACK THE GIANT SLAYER (DIG-3D)

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

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

12:30 PM 2:45 PM 5:30 PM 7:30 PM 10:15 PM 12:15 AM

MARINA-3 JACK THE GIANT SLAYER (DIG-3D) OZ THE GREAT AND POWERFUL (DIG-3D) OZ THE GREAT AND POWERFUL (DIG-3D) JACK THE GIANT SLAYER (DIG-3D) JACK THE GIANT SLAYER (DIG-3D) JACK THE GIANT SLAYER (DIG-3D)

AL-KOUT.2 SIDE EFFECTS (DIG) PARKER (DIG) SIDE EFFECTS (DIG) PARKER (DIG) SIDE EFFECTS (DIG) PARKER (DIG)

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

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

AL-KOUT.3 HABIBATI (DIG)(Turkish) AL HAFLA (DIG) HABIBATI (DIG)(Turkish) AL HAFLA (DIG) HABIBATI (DIG)(Turkish)

2:15 PM 5:00 PM 7:15 PM 10:00 PM 12:15 AM

BAIRAQ-1 JACK THE GIANT SLAYER (DIG-3D) OZ THE GREAT AND POWERFUL (DIG-3D) OZ THE GREAT AND POWERFUL (DIG-3D) JACK THE GIANT SLAYER (DIG-3D) JACK THE GIANT SLAYER (DIG-3D) JACK THE GIANT SLAYER (DIG-3D)

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

BAIRAQ-2 SIDE EFFECTS (DIG) AL HAFLA (DIG) HABIBATI (DIG)(Turkish) SIDE EFFECTS (DIG) AL HAFLA (DIG) HABIBATI (DIG)(Turkish)

12:30 PM 2:45 PM 4:45 PM 7:30 PM 9:45 PM 12:05 AM

BAIRAQ-3 COTTAGE COUNTRY (DIG) THE BAY (DIG) PARKER (DIG) THE BAY (DIG) COTTAGE COUNTRY (DIG) PARKER (DIG) THE BAY (DIG)

12:45 PM 2:30 PM 4:30 PM 7:00 PM 8:45 PM 10:30 PM 12:45 AM

PLAZA AL HAFLA (DIG) HABIBATI (DIG)(Turkish) AL HAFLA (DIG)

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

AVENUES-1 THE BAY (DIG) THE BAY (DIG) THE BAY (DIG) THE BAY (DIG) THE BAY (DIG) THE BAY (DIG) THE BAY (DIG) NO SUN+ TUE+WED

12:30 PM 2:15 PM 4:30 PM 6:15 PM 8:00 PM 10:00 PM 12:15 AM

AVENUES-2 SNITCH (DIG) COTTAGE COUNTRY (DIG) SNITCH (DIG) SNITCH (DIG) SNITCH (DIG) COTTAGE COUNTRY (DIG) NO SUN+ TUE+WED

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

AVENUES-3 COTTAGE COUNTRY (DIG) PARKER (DIG) PARKER (DIG) COTTAGE COUNTRY (DIG) PARKER (DIG) PARKER (DIG)

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

360ยบ- 1 OZ THE GREAT AND POWERFUL (DIG-3D) 12:45 PM OZ THE GREAT AND POWERFUL (DIG-3D) 3:30 PM

SITUATION WANTED Female, MBA with over 11 years experience in all functions of HR/Admin.

Transferable visa 18. Can join immediately.

Knowledge of English, Hindi & Arabic. Please contact: 94062123.

(C 4345) 16-3-2013

CHANGE OF NAME Bhupinder Singh, S/o Darshan Singh, Dhaiiwai R/o Ramnagar Sibia (Sanrur) changed my name to Bhupinder Singh Dhaiiwai.

(C 4346) 14-3-2013 Ramesh Kumar Ravichandran, son of Ravichandran and Victoria bearing an Indian Passport No. H3125212 and having an address No.21 Clive Street Port, Cuddalore, Tamilnadu 607003 - has embraced Islam and changed the name to Abdul Rahman.

(C 4344) 12-3-2013

ACCOMMODATION Sharing accommodation available in Salmiya near Ghndar Clinic, Bahrain Street. Contact: 69664598 / 66792392. (C 4342) 11-3-2012 FOR SALE Mitsubishi Lancer - 2010 car for sale, beige color, 4 cylinder, engine, gear, chases ver y good condition, interior & exterior neat and clean, original paint, 1,05000 km run, price KD 2,100/-. Contact: 99072651.

Brokers excuse. (C 4343) 12-3-2013

Prayer timings Fajr:

04:36

Shorook

05:55

Duhr:

11:56

Asr:

15:23

Maghrib:

17:58

Isha:

19:15

No: 15751

Prayer timings Fajr: Shorook Duhr: Asr: Maghrib: Isha:

04:41 06:00 11:57 15:22 17:55 19:12

Automated enquiry about the Civil ID card is 1889988

DIAL 161 FOR AIRPORT INFORMATION

Airlines JAI PIA THY JZR JZR QTR QTR GFA UAE ETD AFG FDB MSR ETH QTR DHX THY JZR BAW KAC KAC FDB KAC UAE ABY QTR FDB ETD KAC GFA KAC JZR MSC IRC MPH MEA KNE MSR UAE KAC FDB KNE SVA KAC QTR JZR

Arrival Flights on Monday 18/3/2013 Flt Route 574 MUMBAI 205 LAHORE 772 ISTANBUL 267 BEIRUT 539 CAIRO 148 DOHA 6130 DOHA 211 BAHRAIN 853 DUBAI 305 ABU DHABI 416 JEDDAH 67 DUBAI 612 CAIRO 620 ADDIS ABABA 138 DOHA 170 BAHRAIN 770 ISTANBUL 503 LUXOR 157 LONDON 412 MANILA 206 ISLAMABAD 53 DUBAI 302 MUMBAI 855 DUBAI 121 SHARJAH 132 DOHA 55 DUBAI 301 ABU DHABI 352 COCHIN 213 BAHRAIN 344 CHENNAI 165 DUBAI 403 ASSIUT 6521 LAMERD 97 AMSTERDAM 404 BEIRUT 482 TAIF 610 CAIRO 871 DUBAI 284 DHAKA 57 DUBAI 472 JEDDAH 500 JEDDAH 546 ALEXANDRIA 140 DOHA 561 SOHAG

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

KAC QTR OMA JZR KAC UAE ETD RJA UAL GFA SVA JZR QTR ABY KAC JZR KAC FDB MSC KAC KAC KAC KAC KAC OMA FDB JAI AXB MSR ABY QTR MSC ALK MEA QTR GFA ETD UAE DHX FDB UAL AIC TAR JZR GFA PIA JZR BBC DLH

788 134 645 535 118 857 303 640 982 215 510 777 144 127 542 177 786 63 405 618 742 104 674 774 647 61 572 389 618 129 146 401 229 402 136 221 307 859 372 59 981 975 327 239 217 205 185 43 636

JEDDAH DOHA MUSCAT CAIRO NEW YORK DUBAI ABU DHABI AMMAN WASHINGTON DC DULLES BAHRAIN RIYADH JEDDAH DOHA SHARJAH CAIRO DUBAI JEDDAH DUBAI SOHAG DOHA DAMMAM LONDON DUBAI RIYADH MUSCAT DUBAI MUMBAI MANGALORE ALEXANDRIA SHARJAH DOHA ALEXANDRIA COLOMBO BEIRUT DOHA BAHRAIN ABU DHABI DUBAI BAHRAIN DUBAI BAHRAIN CHENNAI TUNIS AMMAN BAHRAIN LAHORE DUBAI DHAKA FRANKFURT

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

Airlines AIC UAL KAC JAI DLH PIA THY QTR FDB UAE ETD AFG MSR ETH QTR QTR JZR GFA THY KAC JZR FDB BAW JZR KAC ABY UAE FDB ETD QTR GFA KAC KAC JZR KAC MSC IRC MEA KAC MPH KNE MSR JZR UAE FDB

Departure Flights on Monday 18/3/2013 Flt Route 982 AHMEDABAD 981 WASHINGTON DC DULLES 283 DHAKA 573 MUMBAI 637 FRANKFURT 206 PESHAWAR 773 ISTANBUL 6131 DOHA 68 DUBAI 854 DUBAI 306 ABU DHABI 416 KABUL 613 CAIRO 621 ADDIS ABABA 139 DOHA 149 DOHA 164 DUBAI 212 BAHRAIN 771 ISTANBUL 545 ALEXANDRIA 560 SOHAG 54 DUBAI 156 LONDON 534 CAIRO 787 JEDDAH 122 SHARJAH 856 DUBAI 56 DUBAI 302 ABU DHABI 133 DOHA 214 BAHRAIN 541 CAIRO 165 ROME 776 JEDDAH 103 LONDON 406 SOHAG 6522 LAMERD 405 BEIRUT 785 JEDDAH 97 AL MAKTOUM 483 TAIF 611 CAIRO 176 DUBAI 872 DUBAI 58 DUBAI

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

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

KAC KNE SVA KAC QTR KAC KAC OMA JZR ETD QTR UAE RJA GFA UAL JZR SVA ABY JZR QTR FDB MSC FDB OMA KAC KAC KAC JAI ABY MSR MSC DHX ALK MEA ETD QTR GFA KAC FDB UAE DHX KAC QTR JZR TAR GFA KAC

673 473 501 617 141 773 741 646 238 304 135 858 641 216 982 184 511 128 266 145 64 404 62 648 331 361 351 571 120 619 402 171 230 403 308 137 222 301 60 860 373 205 147 502 328 218 411

DUBAI JEDDAH JEDDAH DOHA DOHA RIYADH DAMMAM MUSCAT AMMAN ABU DHABI DOHA DUBAI AMMAN BAHRAIN BAHRAIN DUBAI RIYADH SHARJAH BEIRUT DOHA DUBAI ASSIUT DUBAI MUSCAT TRIVANDRUM COLOMBO KOCHI MUMBAI SHARJAH ALEXANDRIA ALEXANDRIA BAHRAIN COLOMBO BEIRUT ABU DHABI DOHA BAHRAIN MUMBAI DUBAI DUBAI BAHRAIN ISLAMABAD DOHA LUXOR DUBAI BAHRAIN BANGKOK

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

34

stars CROSSWORD 132

STAR TRACK Aries (March 21-April 19) Communications are excellent now. You come across clearly and present yourself articulately. Public speaking, interviews, and other transactions with the public are favored. Conversations you have at this time go smoothly, and an agreement can be reached. This is a very emotional time for you. There’s a need to be nurtured and cared for and to share this experience with another person. Women in particular are a focus for this; your home and family environment, as well. Food may seem more important to you than ever before as you try to compensate for the lack of some emotional bond.

Taurus (April 20-May 20) It’s a great time for putting the finishing touches on restoration projects, picking up that antique you’ve been chasing down, and clearing out the cobwebs that may have been settling on lesser-used items. You’ll have the courage to toss out those useless things you’ve been hoarding, and the burst of freedom will do you good.

Matters of the heart are on your mind and you may want to play match maker now, maybe even for yourself. This is a very good time to go to a social gathering or somewhere you can interact with others that you might have something in common with, don’t stay home and let this energy pass you by!

Gemini (May 21-June 20)

ACROSS 1. An indistinct shapeless form.

5. Be a signal for or a symptom of.

12. Of southern Europe.

15. The basic monetary unit of most members of the European Union (introduced in 1999).

16. Any of the short curved hairs that grow from the edges of the eyelids.

17. Type genus of the family Myacidae.

18. A unit of current equal to 10 amperes.

20. The compass point midway between northeast and east.

21. Yielding a fair profit.

23. Large tropical butterfly with degenerate forelegs and an unpleasant taste.

25. Resoluteness by virtue of being unyielding and inflexible.

27. The seventh month of the Moslem calendar.

30. A state in the Rocky Mountains.

31. A French abbot.

34. A coffee cake flavored with orange rind and raisins and almonds.

37. East Indian cereal grass whose seed yield a somewhat bitter flour, a staple in the Orient.

39. An associate degree in nursing.

40. Morally bad or wrong.

42. A strong emotion.

43. A highly unstable radioactive element (the heaviest of the halogen series).

45. Common house and field crickets.

47. Joint capital (with Riyadh) of Saudi Arabia.

50. A small island.

52. A broad flat muscle on either side of the back.

53. Island country in the Atlantic east of Florida and Cuba.

55. Colorless gas found in natural gas and petroleum.

57. The time at which something begins.

58. A state in New England.

59. American professional baseball player who hit more home runs than Babe Ruth (born in 1934).

60. At or near or toward the stern of a ship or tail of an airplane.

63. The elementary stages of any subject (usually plural).

65. A landlocked republic in central Europe.

68. Imperial moths.

72. God of love and erotic desire.

73. A blue dye obtained from plants or made synthetically.

75. Exhibiting or restored to vigorous good health.

76. The 7th letter of the Greek alphabet.

80. Compete for something.

81. (British) Informal term for information.

82. Elder brother of Krishna.

83. A river in north central Switzerland that runs northeast into the Rhine.

DOWN 1. A small ball with a hole through the middle.

2. A Bantu language spoken in southern Zaire.

3. A port city in northwestern Algeria and the country's 2nd largest city.

4. Large genus of tropical American vines having showy often spotted umbellate flowers.

5. A light strong brittle gray toxic bivalent metallic element.

6. The organ of sight (`peeper' is an informal term for `eye').

7. A fractional monetary unit of Japan and Indonesia and Cambodia.

8. Humble request for help.

9. (Akkadian) God of wisdom.

10. City in central Iran.

11. Botswanan statesman who was the first president of Botswana (1921-1980).

12. Pertaining to or containing any of a group of organic compounds of nitrogen derived from ammonia.

13. Make synchronous and adjust in time or manner.

14. Especially one side of a leaf.

19. Perennial herb of East India to Polynesia and Australia cultivated for its large edible root yielding Otaheite arrowroot starch.

22. A name for the Old Testament God as transliterated from the Hebrew YHVH. 24. A person who announces and plays popular recorded music.

26. African tree with edible yellow fruit resembling mangos.

28. Line of defense consisting of a barrier of felled or live trees with branches (sharpened or with barbed wire entwined) toward the enemy.

29. A decree that prohibits something.

32. An administrative unit of government.

33. German dramatist and poet who developed a style of epic theater (1898-1956).

35. A Spanish male Gypsy.

36. Work table of a machine tool.

38. Unknown god.

41. Of or relating to the velum.

44. Being ten more than one hundred forty.

46. A waste pipe that carries away sewage or surface water.

48. Any of several plants of the genus Manihot having fleshy roots yielding a nutritious starch.

49. Naked freshwater or marine or parasitic protozoa that form temporary pseudopods for feeding and locomotion.

51. An ancient Hebrew unit of dry measure equal to about a bushel.

54. A member of an Indian people formerly living along the Gulf coast of Louisiana and Texas.

56. An archaic name for Easter or Passover.

61. Occurring at or forming an end or termination.

62. Long-tailed arboreal mustelid of Central and South America.

64. Make difficult to perceive by sight.

66. Being or occurring at an advanced period of time or after a usual or expected time.

67. A strategically located monarchy on the southern and eastern coasts of the Arabian Peninsula.

69. Rock that in its molten form (as magma) issues from volcanos.

70. English essayist (1775-1834).

71. A person with unusual powers of foresight.

74. (Irish) The sea personified.

77. A metallic element having four allotropic forms.

78. An intensely radioactive metallic element that occurs in minute amounts in uranium ores.

79. A soft silvery metallic element of the alkali earth group.

MONDAY, MARCH 18, 2013

You may work with technical or electrical equipment, or they may be connected with your duties. Expect the unexpected in advancements, opportunities, and improvements. New co-workers will enter your life unexpectedly. One may develop into a fond friendship. A little extra romance and a healthy dose of intimate talk is exactly what you need at this time. A candle light dinner and a bottle of good wine is the ideal way toe set the stage for some serious romance. Keep everyday problems out of the conversation. Flirting and visual teasing should really get things moving in the right direction.

Cancer (June 21-July 22) Your vitality and courage are strong now and you are eager to meet challenges. You can accomplish a great deal of work, especially if it involves physical effort. If you are active in sports, you will be especially competitive and energetic now.

Your self-confidence is high as it should be! Inadequacies and discontent in your friends or lovers are rather annoying to you now, and you may feel that you have nearly exhausted your patience for dealing with these problems and maybe even the people. It is a time to be quiet and to look objectively at how your relationships are going, is it working for you? If not then perhaps a little heart to heart won’t hurt today.

Leo (July 23-August 22) Moods swing erratically and otherwise stable situations may suddenly fall apart when you least expect it, so whatever you are doing make sure you have a couple of backup plans just in case. Don’t return harshness in kind, as it is only passing and now is not the time to make or take offense. You feel quite amorous and affectionate now, and will very much want to share this time with someone you love or at least with congenial company. Take the time to meet new people if you aren’t already involved with someone, have an adventure and create a memory worth repeating.

Virgo (August 23-September 22) A family member of friend is likely to need your help. Don’t allow their calls for help to imply that you are somehow responsible for resolving their issues. A firm guiding piece of advice will help them out of the mess they’re in and that should be sufficient. At this time your interactions with others and with the outside world in general can be confusing, devitalizing, and discouraging. It seems that whatever you try to do goes nowhere, or gets lost in a haze of misunderstanding. Take some time out today, keep your personal interactions with loved ones and partners to a minimum if possible.

Remember that they may be feeling the same way as well so cut everyone including yourself some slack.

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Libra (September 23-October 22) This is the time to learn the lesson of not throwing good money after bad and don’t go that extra mile trying to fix a situation that either doesn’t respond or doesn’t really require it. Agree to disagree and move on to someplace where all can work together. Watch out for conflicting goals and energy wasting attitudes today. What may seem like deceit could be just mixed emotions, or vice versa. Rather than jump into anyone’s drama, watch a bit and see if it calms down. When all get more certain of what they want, it will be easier to work together.

Scorpio (October 23-November 21) If you follow well-marked roads your trip will be shorter and you won’t get lost. Stick to the tried and true and don’t experiment for the moment. You’ll find support from elements that might otherwise pull away. Don’t rock the boat and the boat will get you where you want to go. Traditional wisdom supports you, believe in it. Let your mind expand as creative thoughts and new concepts broaden your outlook and introduce you to new games to play with that special someone. An element of mischievous fun is the very thing to turn the ordinary into the extraordinary, and your ability to put your finger what makes their heart go pitter pat is what it’s all about today.

Sagittarius (November 22-December 21) Your efforts to get ahead and advance your own interests are likely to be met with resistance or animosity. Try to do as much as you can on your own, without trying to force others to agree with you or join you. This time period is harmonious and pleasant. Relationships are particularly pleasant and productive now, and you may find partnerships formed now work out very well. This could be a good day to run into someone new that excites you and sends your heart into a bit of a palpitation.

Capricorn (December 22-January 19) Today is an ideal day to confront any unresolved personal problems you may have. If you can’t see a viable solution to your troubles, solicit the advice of a trusted friend. Remedies may prove to be hard to come by, but if you stick with it you’ll come up with one in the end. You could be powerfully attracted, emotionally and sexually, to someone you encounter at this time, and any romantic involvements you currently have are intensified. Expect fireworks! Also, your relationships can become tempestuous, especially if your partner is not as responsive or amorous as you would like.

Time to express yourself, but don’t be harsh about it.

Aquarius (January 20- February 18)

A recent purchase that you may have suddenly regretted, could turn out to be a blessing in disguise. After a meaningful discussion with your nearest and dearest, you come to the conclusion that there needs to be firmer boundaries put in place. Prepare for a turnaround in an investment situation. Feelings of tenderness and love especially for family or children are very strong at this time. You want to show your loved ones just how much affection and appreciation you have for them. Your relationships are mellow and interactive at this time, enjoy them.

Pisces (February 19-March 20) This is a good time for relaxing recreation, a time to refresh and rejuvenate yourself and do the things you most enjoy doing. Good humor and optimism prevail now, and you are able to get a larger perspective on your life. This is also a good time to approach someone who is in a position to benefit you emotionally, intellectually, or materially. Tensions may erupt in close relationships because one of you feels that you have been giving more, and not receiving enough in return, or one of you is more loving or passionate than the other. Frustrated love desire can easily turn to anger or irritability at this time.

Yesterday’s Solution

Yesterday’s Solution

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Yesterday’s Solution

MONDAY, MARCH 18, 2013

i n f o r m at i o n For labor-related inquiries and complaints: Call MSAL hotline 128 GOVERNORATE Sabah Hospital

24812000

Amiri Hospital

22450005

Maternity Hospital

24843100

Mubarak Al-Kabir Hospital

25312700

Chest Hospital

24849400

Farwaniya Hospital

24892010

Adan Hospital

23940620

Ibn Sina Hospital

24840300

Al-Razi Hospital

24846000

Physiotherapy Hospital

24874330/9

Kaizen center

25716707

Rawda

22517733

Adaliya

22517144

Khaldiya

24848075

Kaifan

24849807

Shamiya

24848913

Shuwaikh

24814507

Abdullah Salem

22549134

Nuzha

22526804

Industrial Shuwaikh

24814764

Qadsiya

22515088

Dasmah

22532265

Bneid Al-Gar

22531908

Shaab

22518752

Qibla

22459381

Ayoun Al-Qibla

22451082

Mirqab

22456536

Sharq

22465401

Salmiya Jabriya

PHARMACY

ADDRESS

PHONE

Sabhan

24742838

24575518 24566622

Al-Helaly

22434853

Capital

Ahlam Khaldiya Coop

Fahad Al-Salem St Khaldiya Coop

22436184 24833967

Al-Faiha

22545051

Farwaniya

New Shifa Ferdous Coop Modern Safwan

Farwaniya Block 40 Ferdous Coop Old Kheitan Block 11

24734000 24881201 24726638

Al-Farwaniya

24711433

Al-Sulaibikhat

24316983

Tariq Hana Ikhlas Hawally & Rawdha Ghadeer Kindy Ibn Al-Nafis Mishrif Coop Salwa Coop

Salmiya-Hamad Mubarak St Salmiya-Amman St Hawally-Beirut St Hawally & Rawdha Coop Jabriya-Block 1A Jabriya-Block 3B Salmiya-Hamad Mubarak St Mishrif Coop Salwa Coop

25726265 25647075 22625999 22564549 25340559 25326554 25721264 25380581 25628241

Al-Fahaheel

23927002

Jleeb Al-Shuyoukh

24316983

Ahmadi

23980088

Al-Mangaf

23711183

Al-Shuaiba

23262845

Al-Jahra

25610011

Al-Salmiya

25616368

Hawally

ST TATE T OF KUW K WAIT A

Te el.: 161

DIRECTORA AT TE GENERAL GENE OF CIVIL AV VIA ATION T PA ARTMENT METEOROLOGICAL DEP DA AY Y: Sunday

Ext.: 262 2627 - 2630

Fax: 24348714 WWW.MET.GOV V.KW .

17/03/2013

INTERNATIONAL CALLS

07:00

Issue Time

Expected Weather e for the Next 24 Hours BY Y DA AY:

Partly cloudy to cloudy with moderate to fresh south easterly wind, with speed of 20 - 45 km/h causing raisrais ing dust with a chance for rain that might be thundery at times later on

BY Y NIGHT:

Partly cloudy to cloudy with moderate to fresh south easterly changing to north westerly later on wind, with speed of 20 - 40 km/h with a chance for rain that might be thundery at times No Current Warnings arnin a

WA ARNING

19 °C

NUW WAISEEB A

32 °C

17 °C

WA AFRA

35 °C

16 °C

SALMI

34 °C

19 °C

25746401

ABDAL LY

36 °C

19 °C

25316254

JAL ALIY YAH A

35 °C

18 °C

Maidan Hawally

25623444

FAILAKA A

31 °C

19 °C

Bayan

25388462

AHMADI POR RT

28 °C

19 °C

Mishref

25381200

QARUH ISLAND

26 °C

20 °C

W Hawally

22630786

UMM AL-MARADEM

25 °C

20 °C

Sabah

24810221

Jahra

24770319

ST TAT TION

SFC. CHART

17/03/2013 0000 UTC

4 DA AYS Y FORECAST Temperatures DA AY

DA ATE T

WEA AT THER

Wind Direction

Wind Speed

19 °C

NW-N

20 - 45 km/h

15 °C

N-NW

20 - 45 km/h

25 °C

14 °C

NW-N

10 - 30 km/h

25 °C

16 °C

NW-VRB

06 - 26 km/h

MAX.

MIN.

New Jahra

24575755

Monday

18/03

partly cloudy+rain+dusty

28 °C

West Jahra

24772608

Tuesday

19/03

partly cloudy + raising dust

25 °C

South Jahra

24775066

Wednesday e

20/03

partly cloudy

Thursday

21/03

partly cloudy + scattered rain

North Jahra

24775992

North Jleeb

24311795

PRA RA AY YER TIMES

RECORDED YESTERDA AY AT KUW WAIT A AIRPORT

Fajr

04:36

MAX. Temp.

36 °C

05:55

MIN. Temp.

16 °C 37 %

Ardhiya

24884079

Sunrise

Firdous

24892674

Zuhr

11:57

MAX. RH

Asr

15:22

MIN. RH

Sunset

17:57

MAX. Wind

Isha

19:14

TOT TAL AL RAIINF FA ALL L IN 24 HR.

06 % SE 43 km/h 00 mm

17/03/13 02:33 UTC

All times are local time unless otherwise stated.

V1.00

T1.06

23900322

PRIVATE CLINICS Paediatricians

Plastic Surgeons Dr. Mohammad Al-Khalaf

22547272

Dr. Khaled Hamadi

Dr. Abdal-Redha Lari

22617700

Dr. Abd Al-Aziz Al-Rashed

Dr. Abdel Quttainah

25625030/60

Family Doctor Dr Divya Damodar

23729596/23729581

Psychiatrists Dr. Esam Al-Ansari

22635047

Dr Eisa M. Al-Balhan

22613623/0

Gynaecologists & Obstetricians DrAdrian arbe

23729596/23729581

Dr. Verginia s.Marin

2572-6666 ext 8321

Endocrinologist

25665898 25340300

Dr. Zahra Qabazard

25710444

Dr. Sohail Qamar

22621099

Dr. Snaa Maaroof

25713514

Dr. Pradip Gujare

23713100

Dr. Zacharias Mathew

24334282

(1) Ear, Nose and Throat (2) Plastic Surgeon Dr. Abdul Mohsin Jafar, FRCS (Canada)

25655535

Dentists

Dr. Fozeya Ali Al-Qatan

22655539

Dr. Majeda Khalefa Aliytami

25343406

Dr. Shamah Al-Matar

22641071/2

Dr. Ahmad Al-Khooly

25739272

Dr. Anesah Al-Rasheed

22562226

22618787

Dr. Abidallah Al-Amer

22561444

Dr. Faysal Al-Fozan

22619557

Dr. Abdallateef Al-Katrash

22525888

Dr. Abidallah Al-Duweisan

25653755

Dr. Bader Al-Ansari

25620111

Dr. Salem soso General Surgeons Dr. Amer Zawaz Al-Amer

22610044

Dr. Mohammad Yousef Basher

25327148

Internists, Chest & Heart Dr. Adnan Ebil Dr. Mousa Khadada Dr. Latefa Al-Duweisan

22666300 25728004

Dr. Nadem Al-Ghabra

25355515

Dr. Mobarak Aldoub

24726446

Dr Nasser Behbehani

25654300/3

info@soorcenter.com www.soorcenter.com

3729596/3729581

Neurologists

22639939

Dr. Abd Al-Naser Al-Othman

Dr. Sohal Najem Al-Shemeri

25633324

Dr. Jasem Mola Hassan

25345875

Gastrologists Dr. Sami Aman

22636464

Dr. Mohammad Al-Shamaly

25322030

Dr. Foad Abidallah Al-Ali

22633135

Kaizen center 25716707

25339330

Dr. Ahmad Al-Ansari 25658888 Dr. Kamal Al-Shomr 25329924 Physiotherapists & VD Dr. Deyaa Shehab

25722291

Dr. Musaed Faraj Khamees

22666288

Rheumatologists: Dr. Adel Al-Awadi

Dr Anil Thomas

Soor Center Tel: 2290-1677 Fax: 2290 1688

22545171

Jahra-Block 3 Lot 1 Jahra-Block 92

33 °C

Psychologists /Psychotherapists

Al-Nuzha

Modern Jahra Madina Munawara

KUW WAIT A AIRPOR RT

Ophthalmologists Dr. Abidallah Al-Mansoor 25622444 Dr. Samy Al-Rabeea 25752222 Dr. Masoma Habeeb 25321171 Dr. Mubarak Al-Ajmy 25739999 Dr. Mohsen Abel 25757700 Dr Adnan Hasan Alwayl 25732223 Dr. Abdallah Al-Baghly 25732223 Ear, Nose & Throat (ENT) Dr. Ahmed Fouad Mouner 24555050 Ext 510 Dr. Abdallah Al-Ali 25644660 Dr. Abd Al-Hameed Al-Taweel 25646478 Dr. Sanad Al-Fathalah 25311996 Dr. Mohammad Al-Daaory 25731988 Dr. Ismail Al-Fodary 22620166 Dr. Mahmoud Al-Booz 25651426 General Practitioners Dr. Mohamme Y Majidi 24555050 Ext 123 Dr. Yousef Al-Omar 24719312 Dr. Tarek Al-Mikhazeem 23926920 Dr. Kathem Maarafi 25730465 Dr. Abdallah Ahmad Eyadah 25655528 Dr. Nabeel Al-Ayoobi 24577781 Dr. Dina Abidallah Al-Refae 25333501 Urologists Dr. Ali Naser Al-Serfy 22641534 Dr. Fawzi Taher Abul 22639955 Dr. Khaleel Abidallah Al-Awadi 22616660 Dr. Adel Al-Hunayan FRCS (C) 25313120 Dr. Leons Joseph 66703427

24810598

Jahra

21 °C

Fintas

Al-Shuwaikh

23915883 23715414 23726558

33 °C

24710044

22545171

Fahaeel Makka St Abu Halaifa-Coastal Rd Mahboula Block 1, Coastal Rd

KUW WAIT A CITY

N Khaitan

Al-Shuhada Sama Safwan Abu Halaifa Danat Al-Sultan

MIN. REC.

24719048

22418714

Ahmadi

MAX. EXP P.

Omariya

Al-Madeena

25330060

Dr. Khaled Al-Jarallah

25722290

Internist, Chest & Heart DR.Mohammes Akkad

24555050 Ext 210

Dr. Mohammad Zubaid MB, ChB, FRCPC, PACC Assistant Professor Of Medicine Head, Division of Cardiology Mubarak Al-Kabeer Hospital Consultant Cardiologist Dr. Farida Al-Habib MD, PH.D, FACC Inaya German Medical Center Te: 2575077 Fax: 25723123

2611555-2622555

William Schuilenberg, RPC 2290-1677 Zaina Al Zabin, M.Sc. 2290-1677

Afghanistan 0093 Albania 00355 Algeria 00213 Andorra 00376 Angola 00244 Anguilla 001264 Antiga 001268 Argentina 0054 Armenia 00374 Australia 0061 Austria 0043 Bahamas 001242 Bahrain 00973 Bangladesh 00880 Barbados 001246 Belarus 00375 Belgium 0032 Belize 00501 Benin 00229 Bermuda 001441 Bhutan 00975 Bolivia 00591 Bosnia 00387 Botswana 00267 Brazil 0055 Brunei 00673 Bulgaria 00359 Burkina 00226 Burundi 00257 Cambodia 00855 Cameroon 00237 Canada 001 Cape Verde 00238 Cayman Islands 001345 Central African 00236 Chad 00235 Chile 0056 China 0086 Colombia 0057 Comoros 00269 Congo 00242 Cook Islands 00682 Costa Rica 00506 Croatia 00385 Cuba 0053 Cyprus 00357 Cyprus (Northern) 0090392 Czech Republic 00420 Denmark 0045 Diego Garcia 00246 Djibouti 00253 Dominica 001767 Dominican Republic 001809 Ecuador 00593 Egypt 0020 El Salvador 00503 England (UK) 0044 Equatorial Guinea 00240 Eritrea 00291 Estonia 00372 Ethiopia 00251 Falkland Islands 00500 Faroe Islands 00298 Fiji 00679 Finland 00358 France 0033 French Guiana 00594 French Polynesia 00689 Gabon 00241 Gambia 00220 Georgia 00995 Germany 0049 Ghana 00233 Gibraltar 00350 Greece 0030 Greenland 00299 Grenada 001473 Guadeloupe 00590 Guam 001671 Guatemala 00502 Guinea 00224 Guyana 00592 Haiti 00509 Holland (Netherlands) 0031 Honduras 00504 Hong Kong 00852 Hungary 0036 Ibiza (Spain) 0034 Iceland 00354 India 0091 Indian Ocean 00873 Indonesia 0062

Iran 0098 Iraq 00964 Ireland 00353 Italy 0039 Ivory Coast 00225 Jamaica 001876 Japan 0081 Jordan 00962 Kazakhstan 007 Kenya 00254 Kiribati 00686 Kuwait 00965 Kyrgyzstan 00996 Laos 00856 Latvia 00371 Lebanon 00961 Liberia 00231 Libya 00218 Lithuania 00370 Luxembourg 00352 Macau 00853 Macedonia 00389 Madagascar 00261 Majorca 0034 Malawi 00265 Malaysia 0060 Maldives 00960 Mali 00223 Malta 00356 Marshall Islands 00692 Martinique 00596 Mauritania 00222 Mauritius 00230 Mayotte 00269 Mexico 0052 Micronesia 00691 Moldova 00373 Monaco 00377 Mongolia 00976 Montserrat 001664 Morocco 00212 Mozambique 00258 Myanmar (Burma) 0095 Namibia 00264 Nepal 00977 Netherlands (Holland) 0031 Netherlands Antilles 00599 New Caledonia 00687 New Zealand 0064 Nicaragua 00505 Nigar 00227 Nigeria 00234 Niue 00683 Norfolk Island 00672 Northern Ireland (UK) 0044 North Korea 00850 Norway 0047 Oman 00968 Pakistan 0092 Palau 00680 Panama 00507 Papua New Guinea 00675 Paraguay 00595 Peru 0051 Philippines 0063 Poland 0048 Portugal 00351 Puerto Rico 001787 Qatar 00974 Romania 0040 Russian Federation 007 Rwanda 00250 Saint Helena 00290 Saint Kitts 001869 Saint Lucia 001758 Saint Pierre 00508 Saint Vincent 001784 Samoa US 00684 Samoa West 00685 San Marino 00378 Sao Tone 00239 Saudi Arabia 00966 Scotland (UK) 0044 Senegal 00221 Seychelles 00284 Sierra Leone 00232 Singapore 0065 Slovakia 00421 Slovenia 00386 Solomon Islands 00677

36

MONDAY, MARCH 18, 2013

LIFESTYLE G o s s i p

Gomez isn’t looking for a boyfriend

S

elena Gomez is a “big romantic” but isn’t looking for a boyfriend. The 20-year-old star admitted fame makes it hard to be open with potential suitors and revealed she is happy to be single. Speaking to The Sun Sunday newspaper, she said: “I am a big romantic and I want to be very open and trusting but you need to protect yourself. “I’d love to have a great boyfriend but I’m not really looking for one.” The actress told the publication being a celebrity makes her more nervous about potential romancers because she’s never sure about their intentions. She explained: “It makes you more wary sometimes about meeting people because you don’t know whether they want to get close to you because of what you do or because they really like your company and just want to

hang out with you.” Selena has seen two high-profile relationships break up in the public eye, first with ‘Twilight’ actor Taylor Lautner and more recently splitting with her on/off boyfriend Justin Bieber in January. While the former Disney star is remaining cautious about her love life, she is looking to take risks with her acting career with raunchy new film ‘Spring Breakers’, a big shock to her usual fan-base.

She said: “It obviously isn’t a film geared towards young teenagers and I’ve kind of tried to tell parents they should be ware this is not like a Disney TV series. “But I’m trying to do the best I can to challenge myself and take me out of my own comfort zone. “That’s something all young people go through in life and there’s no point in shying away from that fact.”

Tulisa: I will return to ‘The X Factor’

T

ulisa Contostavlos has dismissed rumors she’s been fired from ‘The X Factor’. The singer, who has been a judge on the TV talent show for its last two series, has said she is keen to return for a third run and denied reports there was a rift between her and the program’s creator Simon Cowell. She told the Sunday People newspaper: “I haven’t been axed from ‘The X Factor’. I love the show; I’d always want to do it. Last year was much harder than my first series but I did enjoy it. “I’ve contacted Simon and had dinner with show producer Richard Holloway and his wife a couple of weeks ago. “We’re all friends and I’ve not been told that I won’t be going back.” Tulisa, 24, also rejected claims she’d been told off by Simon and insisted she is on friendly terms with fellow judge Gary Barlow, despite rumours of bust-ups with the Take That star. She added: “I’m realistic. If Simon had called to say I was sacked, I’d say. If there were issues, I’d say. “I love speaking the truth as I feel like nobody else does it. I’m not one to hold back. Simon and I are cool with each other, it doesn’t ll go as deep as people think. “Gary and I had our on-screen spats but we’d come off the stage and it would be cool. There weren’t really any spats backstage.” Meanwhile, Tulisa has confirmed her legal action against will.i.am over using what she claims are her lyrics in ‘Scream and Shout. She said: “Yes, I am in the process of suing him.

When I saw the song get massive, I thought, ‘story of my life’. That’s how it is for me.” Interestingly, will.i.am has spoken to the Daily Star newspaper to deny any action. He claimed: “There is no suing. That’s just silly.

That needs to be cleared up because that’s just silly.”

Urban and Kidman plan vow renewal

K

eith Urban and Nicole Kidman are planning to renew their wedding vows. The ‘America Idol’ judge and the ‘Paperboy’ star - who have children Sunday Rose, four, and Faith Margaret, two, together - have been married for almost seven years and the singer is determined to mark their anniversary in June with a small ceremony. A source told In Touch magazine: “It will take place in Australia at the site of their first wedding. He wants to make Nicole feel like she’s still at the centre of his universe.” Nicole recently admitted she loves Keith’s “crazy” love for his family which sees him jet to the UK - where the actress is currently filming ‘Before I Go To Sleep’ - for brief visits when his ‘American Idol’ schedule allows it. Nicole said: “Keith comes and goes. He’ll fly in for 24 hours just to say hello and give us all a hug, or he might stay a couple of days. He’s busy over in Nashville and LA. But once I’ve finished filming, I’m going to be the wife by his side because it’s family time. “I love it that he’s crazy enough to get on a plane and come over here for 24 hours. But that craziness is rooted in a love and a friendship for each other. The friendship is just as important as the love, and it builds over time. I know how lucky I am.”

Bonas is ‘the one’ for Prince Harry

C

ressida Bonas is reportedly “the one” for Britain’s Prince Harry. The couple - who have been dating for almost a year were seen smiling leaving a London nightclub together on Friday night and insiders believe the 24-year-old dance student is his true love. A source told the Daily Star Sunday newspaper: “It’s looking like Cressida could be the one. Those smiles are big clues. “Handling the attention is part of the training course to marry her Prince Charming.” The Buckingham Palace aide also revealed the couple have been asking Harry’s sister-in-law the Duchess of Cambridge for advice on coping with a relationship in the public eye. The insider added: “Harry is getting advice from Kate [Middleton], who says whatever happens just keep smiling. “This is part of the royal recruitment to see if Cressida can cope. Harry has his choice of girls and he’s stuck with this one. “Being out with Harry in front of all the photographers on Friday was her biggest test so far.” The British prince, who is third in line to the throne, spoke earlier in the year of his hopes of finding his perfect woman. He said: “If you find the right person and everything feels right then it takes time, especially for myself at my brother.”

Chris Hemsworth was a ‘daughter’ to his mother

T

he Australian hunk - whose brothers are fellow Hollywood actors Liam and Luke - was always the most sensitive of his family and was never afraid to open up to his mum. He said: “My mum would probably say, ‘Chris was always the daughter out of my three boys’. I was just far better at talking to my mum about things, while my brothers kept stuff to themselves.” Chris married Elsa Pataky - with who he has 10-month old daughter India Rose - in 2010 and says his spouse is in control in their household. He said: “I’m lucky to have met someone who’s there to keep me in check. And she certainly does...” The 29-year-old star has landed lead roles in superhero films including ‘The Avengers’ and ‘Thor’ and admits he loves getting into character for the action-packed parts because he can feel like a kid again. Chris explained to more! magazine: “Don’t get swept up in the size and scale of it all. As a kid, I ran around the house pretending to be a superhero, and now I feel very lucky to be doing it as a job.”

Bullock invited to ex’s wedding

Carrie Underwood: Cows have feelings

C

arrie Underwood went vegetarian after discovering cows had feelings. The country singer grew up on a farm in Oklahoma and seeing the cows mooing forlornly when they were separated from their herd upset her so much she gave up meat. She told The Guardian newspaper: “The worst part of the year for me was when we took some off to sell, because they would cry for each other for a couple of days. That’s why I don’t eat meat. “Growing up where I grew up it was hard to cut out meat altogether. It was really when I move away and I was doing my own shopping that I could be vegetarian.”

The ‘Before He Cheats’ singer enjoyed her rural upbringing, but confesses it wasn’t quite as physical as it sounds. Asked whether she ever did any manual labour, she told the Guardian newspaper: “When I was needed, but I wasn’t waking up at 4am. We only had cows. “There were many times when the fence would be down and the cows always got out when dad was gone. Mum and I would have to go and get them back in.” —Bang Showbiz

J

esse James has invited Sandra Bullock to his wedding. Although the pair split in 2010 after it was revealed the ‘Monster Garage’ host had cheated on the 48-year-old actress, he wants her to be among the guests at his forthcoming nuptials to race car driver Alexis DeJoria - but his invitation is unlikely to be accepted. A source told In Touch magazine: “It seems Jesse has colossal gall to match his colossal ego. After all of the hurt and humiliation he’s caused her, Sandra is the last person on earth who would attend his wedding. “Since their split he’s always trying to reach out but Sandra wants nothing to do with him.” Jesse and Alexis are reportedly planning to marry at the end of this month in Malibu, it was claimed recently. The wedding will be Jesse’s fourth marriage and insiders are surprised his fiancee’s father, billionaire John Paul DeJoria - who is co-founder of the Paul Mitchell line of hair-care products, the Patron Spirits Company and the House of Blues nightclub chain, as well as being involved in dealerships for speedboats and Harley Davidson motorcycles - has given the union his blessing. A source said: “Jesse’s always had a man crush on John Paul. And what better way to get close to him than to get hitched to his daughter? “But this marriage will be his fourth. If I were John Paul - after what Jesse put Sandra through - I’d be warning him up front that when it comes to Alexis, he’d better watch his butt!”

37

MONDAY, MARCH 18, 2013

LIFESTYLE M o v i e s

&

M u s i c

Singer Morrissey cancels rest of US tour due to health problems

B

This Fall 2012 publicity photo provided by Rogers and Cowan shows musician Prince performing in concert in Chicago. —AP photos

File photo, musician Prince holds a news conference at The Apollo Theater announcing his ‘Welcome 2 America’ tour in New York.

ritish singer Morrissey has canceled the remainder of his US tour for medical reasons, after suffering a number of ailments in recent months including a bleeding ulcer and double pneumonia, his spokeswoman said. The former front man for the alternative rock band The Smiths has pulled out of the last 22 concerts on his itinerary, starting with one scheduled for today in Lawrence, Kansas, his publicist, Lauren Papapietro, said late on Friday.

“Despite his best efforts to try to continue touring, Morrissey has to take a hiatus and will not be able to continue on the rest of the tour,” she said in a statement. “Morrissey thanks all of his fans for their well wishes and thoughts.”

ber of concerts postponed, when he was hospitalized in late January in the Denver area with a bleeding ulcer. In recent months, he also has suffered damage to the lining of his esophagus from stomach acid and double pneumonia, Papapietro said. He had resumed the tour with a Feb 27 performance in San Diego followed by several more appearances before falling ill again.

Morrissey, who co-wrote The Smiths’ 1985 song “Meat Is Murder,” made vegetarianism a prominent part of his tour by asking that his March 1 concert at Staples Center in Los Angeles be held with no sales of meat at the venue’s outlets. But Staples Center arena operator Anschutz Entertainment Group declined the

Prince delivers funk-filled finale at SXSW

H

ow did Prince close out South by Southwest Music Festival’s weeklong showcase of rock n’ roll? By naturally throwing a totally different kind of party: a grooving, brass bandbacked funk fest that stretched to 3 a.m. and outlasted many fans lucky enough to get inside the exclusive show that also featured A Tribe Called Quest. As Justin Timberlake and the Smashing Pumpkins headlined other SXSW wrap-ups nearby, Prince prevailed as the toughest ticket Saturday night by performing for only 300 people in his first appearance at the annual music festival that drew 2,200 bands and artists this year.

Prince towered over them all but his concert at the tiny La Zona Rosa club that sits on the fringe of the SXSW mayhem was no grandiose spectacle. He performed for 21/2 hours on a spartan stage behind a giant video board. He contentedly played bandleader instead of superstar, often disappearing backstage for stretches as the band jammed. “They called our people and said they wanted some funk in Austin,” said Prince, before belting out the last bars of a gentle rendition of “Purple Rain.”

A 12-piece brass band joined the latest incarnation of Prince’s New Power Generation for a run of hits like “1999” and “Cool” that

jammed with a soulful backbone.

The show began with the band making a Mardi Gras-style march onto the stage, only to have their horn blasts drowned out by shrieks upon fans sighting Prince in a magenta, high-collared shirt and snug black blazer. Organizers warned the crowd three times before the show that taking pictures was forbidden. Fans who flaunted the rule were scolded by security or told to scram. Even simply using a cell phone was banned at the concert thrown by phonemaker Samsung, though promoters worked the crowd beforehand, offering customers fresh phone batteries or device test-drives.

Prince never played guitar during the set. Nor did he perform his new single “Screwdriver” that debuted earlier this year, opting instead for funk covers: Curtis Mayfield’s “We’re a Winner” and Michael Jackson’s “Don’t Stop Until You Get Enough” among them as the night dragged on and weary fans made their way to the exits early. “Don’t make me hurt you. You know how many hits I got?” Prince said during the first of several pseudo-set closers, before launching into another encore. Green Day, Dave Grohl, Vampire Weekend, the Yeah Yeah Yeahs and Natalie Maines of the Dixie Chicks also starred at SXSW this week. —AP

Singer Morrissey The canceled shows include stops in Minneapolis, Chicago, Atlanta, Philadelphia, Indianapolis, Phoenix and Denver. The tour had been set to wrap up in San Francisco on April 30.

Morrissey, 53, already had canceled 21 shows over the past year, according to Rolling Stone magazine. The tour previously had been put on hold, with a num-

request and kept meat on the menu.

Morrissey, whose hits include “First of the Gang to Die” and “Irish Blood, English Heart,” toured North America last fall and performed in Australia and New Zealand in December. Ticket holders whose shows were canceled in his latest US tour can get refunds at the point of purchase, the singer’s spokeswoman said. —Reuters

To mother with love from OSN’s presenters To help launch the Doritos ‘For the Bold’ campaign, Novena Carmel, left, and Ricky Reed, of musical group Wallpaper, perform on the Doritos #BoldStage at the South by Southwest Music Festival.

English singer-songwriter Paloma Faith, center, poses with her backing singers Naomi Miller, left, and Miss Baby Sol, during the South By South West music festival.

Rock ‘n’ rail: British transport minister makes album

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ritain’s junior transport minister Norman Baker is releasing his debut rock album at the age of 55, The Sunday Times newspaper reported. The Liberal Democrat lawmaker is the lead singer and main lyricist with the Reform Club, a group he originally formed decades earlier. He

had thought about cutting an album for 30 years but finally got round to it after writing a list of things he wanted to achieve before he dies.

“I’ve done it now because I thought I should get round to it before I’m too clapped out. That’ll be about 10 years hence,” he said. He

said the album, entitled “Always Tomorrow”, was not political. “I wouldn’t write a song slagging the prime minister. But I was never going to write about politics. That would be naff,” he said. One track was written in 1983 after Baker and the band’s guitarist lost their jobs in a music chain

store. Another, entitled “Strange Days”, has the lyrics: “You were there with your long hair and I was there, or mostly there. That’s how it was then, man.” Baker’s day-to-day duties in the coalition government include responsibility for the railways, buses, taxis and traffic management. —AFP

Life in the fast lane: Solo pop stars more likely to die young

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Mexican band El Tri performs during the second day of the Vive Latino 2013 Music Fest at the Foro Sol in Mexico City, on March 16, 2013. —AFP

olo rock stars are twice as likely to die prematurely as counterparts who perform in groups, a study published in the journal BMJ Open. British researchers examined the fate of 1,489 rock and pop performers who had risen to fame in a study period that spanned half a century, from Elvis Presley in 1956 to the Arctic Monkeys in 2006. A total of 137, or 9.2 percent, died prematurely, at 45.2 years of age on average for North American stars and 39.6 for those in Europe.

Substance abuse and car crashes accounted for nearly 40 percent of deaths, according to the probe. The difference in life expectancy was huge when it came to solo performers, it found.

Among the 114 US soloists documented in the study, 23 percent died at a younger age than the general population. This was double the 10.2 percent death rate among members of equally famous American bands. In Europe, too, 9.8 percent of soloists died young, compared to 5.4 percent of group performers. Stars who became famous before 1980 were much likelier to have died young, they added. Nearly half of the stars who died from substance abuse had suffered childhood traumas. “This study raises some important issues relating to protecting both stars’ and would-be stars’ acute and long-term well-being in an industry that has turned recruitment of the next generation of celebrities into a global business,” said the report. —AFP

Paul Rudd needs dose of comedy after Broadway role

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aul Rudd has been killing himself every night. The actor best known for comedies such as “Knocked Up” and “Forgetting Sarah Marshall” has been performing a decidedly darker role on Broadway recently, as a devout man whose loss of faith makes him suicidal in “Grace.” “The guy just plunges off the deep end in a really kind of emotionally raw and draining way,” Rudd says during a turnaround trip to Los Angeles to promote his latest film, Judd Apatow’s “This Is 40.” The actor was back onstage in New York the night after the interview.

He plays against his loveable-

good-guy type in both projects. In “Grace,” he starts out confident, then unravels. In “This Is 40,” he’s having a full-on mid-life crisis, dreaming of living a different life while his business struggles and his marriage falters. Rudd stars with Apatow’s real-life wife, Leslie Mann, and the couple’s two daughters, Maude and Iris, in the comedy in theaters Friday. Next up is “Anchorman 2,” and Rudd says, “I could not be more excited about it.”

He’s ready for a dose of goofy comedy after taking on such a dark stage role, because every character he plays gets under his skin a little.

“It just affects my mood, it

affects my outlook in ways that I might not even be aware of,” he said. He recalled his role as an unflappable optimist in 2011’s “Our Idiot Brother.” “The character was this guy who just saw the good in everybody and in everything, and I was just in a great mood making that movie,” Rudd said. “I just loved playing that part because I kept thinking, I wish I was kind of like this in real life. And it’s not like when I finished shooting that day and I go back home I was acting like the character or thinking like the character, but there was something that just kind of seeped in.”

Rudd finds he even dresses like

his characters when he’s not playing them. “I got kind of hippy-dippy after that movie for a little while,” he said. “Or I wore a lot of gingham shirts and V-neck sweaters after ‘I Love You Man’ ... and I wasn’t ready to shave my moustache after ‘Anchorman’ right away.” The 43year-old is eager to get into the “Anchorman” sequel, with writerstar Will Ferrell’s conceited newsman Ron Burgundy, after the Broadway run of “Grace” ends next month. “I’d be excited about it anyway” Rudd said. “But it’s going to be a nice change of pace from blowing my brains out in this play every night.” —AP

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SN, the leading pay-TV network in Middle East and North Africa, is marking Mother’s Day, celebrated in the Arab world on March 21, with an exclusive promotional spot featuring the presenters of popular and OSN-exclusive shows and five talented singers from Egypt and the Gulf region.

To be aired across OSN’s Arabic channels as a tribute to mothers, the promotional campaign will feature Khaled Hamzaoui, the presenter of Mish Asli; Dr Heba Qotb of Eshaha Shabab fame; Mona Abdelwahab who presents Al Ghish Mamnoue and Amr McGyver, the presenter of Adrenaline. All four shows are exclusive to OSN, and enjoy rising popularity among Arab viewers.

The four popular presenters, who have established a strong bonding with the television audience, will be joined by five talented singers who sing exclusively for the OSN Mother’s day tribute.

Mohammed Nour of the WAMA musical duo’s exclusive song will be brought to audiences for the first time on OSN as part of the tribute as well as singer and comedian May Kassab’s rendition of ‘My Mother.’ A third Egyptian talent who joins the Mother’s Day tribute is Ranim, the popular composer who appears regularly with Khaled Hamzaoui on Mish Asli.

Ranim sings several songs for the tribute as well as an exclusive rendition dedicated to mothers in the Arab world.

Balkis, the charming singer from the Gulf region, joins this impressive line up with an emotional solo performance in her melodious voice. From Saudi Arabia, Adel Khamais, the voice of Hindustani’s many songs completes the Pan Arab quintet with new rendition of iconic songs from the classical Arab repertoire.

Khulud Abu. Homos, SVP Programming & Creative Services, OSN said: “We are delighted to mark Mother’s Day with a first of its kind campaign that

celebrates the unconditional love, sacrifices and enduring care only mothers can provide. Our popular presenters and talented singers have joined hands for a compelling production that will captivate viewers, touching their heartstrings with their personal and emotional tribute to mothers. Even while some of them are personal reminiscences, overall the campaign is a true salutation to Arab mothers, for their resilience in the face of strife, and the values they pass on to the future generations.”

The special tribute will be aired from March 14, across all Arabic channels of OSN. The network has made strong inroads across the Middle East and North Africa region, and has a sizeable subscriber base in Egypt.

MONDAY, MARCH 18, 2013

lifestyle T R A V E L

A key deer walks out of the woods on Big Pine Key, Fla.

Signs for art galleries are shown in Lower Matecumbe.

A pelican patrols the sidewalk at the Florida Keys Wild Bird Center.

5 free things in

Florida Keys with focus on nature

Photo provided by the Florida Keys News Bureau, Florida Keys residents and visitors enjoy Sombrero Beach Park in Marathon, Fla. — AP photos

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he Florida Keys offers every water activity imaginable from sailing to sport fishing. But a fishing charter or snorkeling excursion will cost you. Fortunately, the Keys, a series of islands spanning over 100 miles (160 kilometers) connected by bridges and causeways, offer plenty to do at no cost, from sunset views to nature spots. Driving the toll-free Florida Keys Overseas Highway south from Florida City to Key West takes about three hours, though you’ll want to stop to sightsee. But the drive alone is worth the trip: You feel as though you are floating over water as you hop from island to island, with pristine views on either side. It’s also one of the rare places where both sunset and sunrise can be seen over the water, depending on which way you turn your head.

A couple of tips: Bring snorkel and flippers so you don’t have to rent. If you plan a hotel stay, find one that lets guests use kayaks for free. You can fish off the bridges, but you’ll need a license unless you’re here on the state’s two Free Fishing Days, April 6 and June 8. For more visitor information, download a free Florida Keys iPhone app, or visit http://www.fla-keys.com . Here are five places in the Keys with free highlights for each.

Key Largo If you’re heading south into the Keys from the Miami or Fort Lauderdale areas, Key Largo is the first island you hit. State parks offer great opportunities for bird watching and nature photography, but many, like John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park, charge entrance fees. So head to the Florida Keys Wild Bird Center (near Mile Marker 93) to see rescued and rehabilitated wild birds. The bird sanc-

Big Pine Key The Lower Keys have a more laid-back feel than the northerly islands, with fewer restaurants and tourist attractions. Signs warn you to slow down and watch out for Key Deer, an endangered species. In Big Pine Key, you can see the small deer with white tails at the National Key Deer Refuge http://www.fws.gov/nationalkeydeer/. You can’t feed them but you can watch them feed; you can also bike or jog here. To see the elusive lower Keys marsh rabbit, go in early morning and stay quiet by the tall grass.

You can also tour the Bat Tower in Sugarloaf Key - http://www.keyshistory.org/SL-Sugarloaf-Key.html - at Mile Marker 17. Just don’t expect to see bats.

The 1929 structure was built to lure bats as a way to combat mosquitoes. Bats stayed away, but the tower stands.

tuary - http://fkwbc.org - accepts donations but has free admission. Free brochures guide you through boardwalks surrounded by falcons and other wild birds in cages. Watch out for wild pelicans walking the boardwalk - they won’t bite but they also won’t get out of your way. Cross over the Mangrove Wetland to a beach where birds roam freely.

A bicycle and pedestrian corridor known as the Florida Keys Overseas Heritage Trail starts in Key Largo (Mile Marker 106) and stretches 70 miles

Traffic on the Florida Keys Overseas Highway at Bahia Honda Key, Fla. A visitor and her daughter wade in the waters of Anne’s Beach near Islamorada, Fla. (about 113 kilometers). It will eventually run the length of the Keys parallel to US Highway 1.

Islamorada Known for world-class sport fishing, Islamorada, which calls itself a village of islands, has a vibrant art scene with a free art walk event (between Mile Markers 81 and 82) the third Thursday of each

Visitors walk in the Key West Historic Memorial Sculpture Garden behind a bust of Henry Flagler in Key West, Fla.

month sponsored by the Morada Way Arts & Cultural District - http://www.moradawayarts.org.

Five galleries stay open late as artists and musicians line the streets.

Anne’s Beach Mile Marker 73 - is a quiet beach with a rocky shore and shallow clear blue waters. There’s limited parking but it’s rarely crowded.

Stop for a picture with a giant lobster known as Betsy at The Rain Barrel Artisan Village, near Mile Marker 87. The popular figure of a crustacean is just

one of many drive-by attractions on US 1. http://floridakeystreasures.com/Beaches/annes beach.shtml Marathon Sombrero Beach Park is a lovely community spot with a crescent-shaped beach, white sand and palm trees. Facilities include volleyball courts, picnic pavilions, playground equipment, restrooms, and showers. No fee to enter or park. It’s open from 7 am until dusk. To get there from the Overseas Highway, turn south on Sombrero Beach Road.

Kate and Matt Hover, and their three children examine a bronze bust of former President Harry S. Truman in the Key West Historic Memorial Sculpture Garden in Key West, Fla.

Key west Key West is known for beautiful sunsets, and the place to watch them is Mallory Square http://www.sunsetcelebration.org/ .

At the Key West Historic Memorial Sculpture Garden - http://www.keywestsculpturegarden.org/ - you’ll find 38 bronze busts of prominent men and women who had homes here, from Henry Flagler to Ernest Hemingway and President Harry S Truman.

Finally, stop at the southernmost point in the continental US for a picture at the replica of a large concrete buoy so you can say you were 90 miles (145 kilometers) from Cuba. — AP

File photo shows visitors to Key Largo, Fla, stand on a pier and watch the sunset.

MONDAY, MARCH 18, 2013

lifestyle T R A V E L

On Gardening: Treasured tropical Siam tulip can be enjoyed by all

The shocking iridescent pink blooms of the Siam tulip make it one of the most exotic gingers for the landscape or in containers around the porch, patio or deck. —MCT

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1. Package-deal hotels are (often) dives.We at Oyster are usually pretty skeptical of package deals. Though budgettravel-focused booking engines often offer low prices on spring break packages, they broker deals with a limited number of hotels, and you might end up at a real dump. Remember: Sometimes hotels are on sale for a reason.

2. Extra costs can add up. When calculating the cost of a trip, you need to take more than the hotel rate into account. Airfare is a huge factor. For example, although resorts in the D.R. can cost less than those in Jamaica, airfare to the D.R. tends to cost more.

Don’t discount cab fare, either: If your hotel is two hours from the airport, you might end up paying the taxi driver over a hundred dollars each way.

3. Not all “party” resorts will be a party — and vice versa. College spring breakers may peruse a hotel website with tons of photos of partiers, and then book immediately, only to find tots around every corner at the hotel once they arrive.

Similarly, families should be wary of seemingly serene hotels; especially depending on the spring break destination, many hotels, particularly all-inclusives, want to keep hard-partying visitors happy. Be sure to check out our reviews of the hotels, as well as our famous Photo Fakeouts to be sure that what you see on the hotel website is what you get.

4. “All-Inclusives” aren’t the only places to get endless food and drinks.

Big all-inclusive resorts can definitely save you money — if you’re going to take advantage of everything on offer. But if

you’re likely to grab lunch at a jerk chicken stand and hit up local bars at night, you’re locked in to paying for more than you really want. Luckily, many Caribbean properties not billed as all-inclusives, including small, affordable ones, still offer all-inclusive plans — but they’re optional, you don’t have to pay for them until you get there, and you can choose from multiple packages at different price points. So you don’t have to pay for meals you don’t eat or drinks you don’t drink — you can choose the plan that’s right for you.

f you’re ready to stop thinking about winter, let your mind go to exotic flowers like the Siam tulip. Now imagine it growing in your backyard or in containers around the porch, patio or deck.It can happen, and now is the time to do a little planning.

Botanically speaking, the Siam tulip is known as Curcuma alismatifolia. It is native to Thailand and is one of the gingers treasured as a cut flower. It is also closely related to the ginger used to make the powder we know as curry. The plants reach about 2 feet tall with a little less spread and produce flowers that are indeed reminiscent of a tulip, in a shocking almost iridescent hot pink. The pink is really several petal-like bracts, but there are small lavender blue flowers on the stalk below them.

Most references suggest they are fit for zone 9 and higher but I have seen that they will perform well in zone 8. I have even seen them growing in zone 7, but I did not have a chance to visit with the owner to inquire about the cultural practices. But growing this ginger gets interesting, and can open the door for just about anyone to enjoy the extraordinary beauty these flowers offer. The Siam tulip is deciduous and actually goes dormant from November through May. What could be better for those of us in colder zones who want to create that look of paradise during the long growing season?

This ginger, comprised of rhizomes, prefers deep, fertile well-drained soil in a location with morning sun and afternoon shade or filtered light and should be planted 2 to 3 inches deep, spacing plants 2 feet apart. If you are buying them via mail order, this is most likely what you will receive, and now is the time to shop. Last year large garden centers everywhere offered them in mumsized pots in June. This serves as a testimony that they work well in containers.

If you move the containerized plants to the landscape, plant at the same depth that they are growing in the container, and add a good layer of mulch.

The Siam tulip in the landscape will need plenty of moisture, about an inch per week, during the long growing season. Those in containers will need watering every other day or even daily during the hottest part of the summer. Consider partnering with bananas or Lime Zinger elephant ears letting these enormous plants provide the needed afternoon shade protection. Lime green plants like Electric Lime coleus would make a stunning companion.

The Siam tulip will thrive all summer into early fall but will eventually go into dormancy with the shorter days and cooler temperatures. If you live in a colder climate, dig the rhizomes after the first frost. Remove all of the foliage and store rhizomes in a box of peat in a cool dry location. It helps to mist the rhizomes from time to time, maintaining a little moisture and humidity. If you are growing Siam tulip in a container, move it into a cool protected area giving a very minimal watering once a week, returning the container to its location after spring temperatures have warmed.

Gingers are treasured tropicals that can be enjoyed by everyone. Give the Siam tulip a try and see if you don’t agree. —AP

Prince delivers funk-filled finale at SXSW

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MONDAY, MARCH 18, 2013

An Indian Sikh devotee holds a snake in a procession during the Maha Shivaratri festival in Amritsar yesterday, on the occasion of the festival dedicated to the Hindu God, Lord Shiva, Maha Shivaratri.

The festival of Maha Shivaratri is marked by Hindus through fasting and offering prayers in a night long vigil. —AFP

A study in contrast Soorya India Festival, a riveting show

By Sajeev K Peter

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his year’s first Soorya India Festival in Kuwait, held at the American International School (AIS), Maidan Hawally, on Thursday offered a rare study in contrasts of two famed Indian dance forms Bharatanatyam and Kathak. The artists Rama Vaidyanathan and Rani Khanam, while underlining the diversities and richness of Indian dance traditions through a fusion dance, also sought to depict some of the stark contrasts and striking similarities between the dance forms.

Watching Rama Vaidyanathan perform on stage must have been a rewarding experience for dance connoisseurs, especially those ardent Bharatanatyam lovers. For, Rama has her own style and idiom she has evolved over the years of painstaking training and dedication. Rama has trained intensively under the illustrious dancer Yamini Krishnamurthy and renowned guru Saroja Vaidyanathan. She is one of the most astounding dancers of her generation with a repute in the Bharatanatyam world.

Rama has her own distinct style of dancing with a remarkable quality of devotion and commitment to the art. At the same time, she is rooted in tradition adhering to the core principles of Bharatanatyam.

Rama presented two solo Bharatanatyam items and a ‘jugalbandhi’ number with renowned Kathak exponent Rani Khanam. In her first item, Rama demonstrated some dazzling nuances of the Bharatanatyam genre with her vivid and graceful movements and subtle acting.

Rama returned to her recurring theme of love in her second presentation, an episode from Canto 10 of the Mahabharata where Krishna comes to fight and kill Kamsa. The danseuse executed different layers of expressions, one after another, delineating different ‘bhavas’ in exquisite dramatic sequences.

But, probably, during the jugalbandhi

(fusion), Rama’s genius as a Bharatanatyam exponent came to full play.

Sufi Kathak One of the foremost exponents of Kathak, Rani Khanam enthralled the audience with her spectacular composition and sequences. Rani has imbibed the best of the contemporary and traditional Kathak which she has perfected with the seal of her charisma. Rani was groomed under great guru Pandit Birju Maharaj and Reba Vidyarthi for over 15 years, passing out with top honors from the prestigious Indian institute Kathak Kendra, New Delhi.

Soorya Krishnamoorthy

Bharatanatyam recital by Rama Vaidyanathan.

Kathak is a dance in praise of God and Rani is the first Muslim dancer, who dared to dance and choreograph for Islamic verses and gave a new dimension to Sufi dance.

She has carved a niche for herself as an exceptional Kathak dancer with considerable Jugalbandhi by Rama Vaidyanathan and Rani Khanam.

AIS. In the fusion (jugalbadhi) dance that followed, Rani and Rama presented the innate subtleties and intricacies of both Kathak and Bharatanatyam demonstrating some of the inherent contrasts as well as the striking similarities between the dance forms.

Kathak performance by Rani Khanam.

Vidhu P Nair makes inaugural address during the Soorya India Festival. Vijayan Karayil (left), Pancily Varkey and B S Pillai look on. — Photos by Sajeev K Peter

skill by reflecting transcendental and abstract thoughts.

Demonstrating the technical nuances of the dance form Kathak, Rani, in her first item, deftly portrayed the dexterity of movements and sensitivity of the emotions.

As the penultimate item, Rani presented a Tumri, a Sufi Kathak number in Lucknow Kharana and enticed the entire crowd at the

Speaking shadow Presented as an interlude between the two dance forms - Bharatanatyam and Kathak’Speaking Shadow,’ a 7-minute shadow art, by Prahlad Acharya, evoked a roaring applause from the audience.

Known as Indian Houdini for his great escape acts, Prahlad Acharya projected the shadow of his hand gestures on a white screen and created a sequence of movements to dramatize a popular Indian patriotic song.

Acharya, a well-known magician, illusionist, escapologist and stunt performer from India, virtually stole the thunder at the show. Earlier, Vidhu P Nair, Deputy Chief of Mission, Indian

Embassy, inaugurated the Soor ya India Festival in the presence of UAE Exchange Country Head Pancily Varkey, who also is the Patron and President of Soor ya Kuwait Chapter, B S Pillai, General Secretary, Soorya Kuwait Chapter and Vijayan Karayil, Vice-president, Soorya Kuwait chapter.

The Soorya Indian Festival was organized

by Soorya Stage and Film Society in collaboration with UAE Exchange Centre and Soorya Kuwait Chapter.

Founded by Soorya Krishnamoorthy, the society organizes cultural shows across the world including dance and music festivals, film festivals, theatre, painting, photography, lectures and talks, sound and light shows etc.

Soor ya Stage and Film Society is the largest cultural society in the world. It has chapters in 36 countries including Kuwait.

According to Krishnamoorthy, Soorya aims at dissemination of Indian culture and seeks to achieve ‘integration through culture.’