25th Mar 2013 by Kuwait Times

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MONDAY, MARCH 25, 2013

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JAMADA ALAWWAL 13, 1434 AH

Stewart, One Direction win twice at Kids Choice Awards

Vettel snatches controversial win from Webber

Opposition figures deny any dialogue with govt MP Duwaisan threatens to grill PM over bedoons By B Izzak conspiracy theories

A plot on the moon By Badrya Darwish

badrya_d@kuwaittimes.net

ousing in Kuwait. I think this is a worse enigma than Kuwait Airways. When they first stepped in, the new parliament promised that they would solve the issue of housing for Kuwaitis. Usually, if a Kuwaiti does not want to take a government house, he is offered a long-term KD 70,000 loan without interest. A few MPs recently spoke my mind. They questioned what this KD 70,000 could do in Kuwait. Maybe in another country for that amount you can buy a beautiful villa but in Kuwait this amount is not enough to buy even a single room. I do not mean a one-bedroom flat but just one room. The price of land in Kuwait is very high. It has exceeded Tokyo’s real estate market. As if buying a plot of land in Kuwait is similar to buying a piece on the moon. Who decides such high and unimaginative prices? If you want a 400-sq-m plot which is the minimum to build a house, then it is not a plot even in the city. It will be somewhere on the brinks of the city. A square meter there could even range to KD 2,000. Suppose you are from the highest-paid bracket of employee in the country - such as minister, army brigadier or a doctor - your monthly salary would be around KD 3,000 with all the allowances. Then how could you afford to pay for a plot which is at least KD 300,000, and then you have to build the house with KD 70,000. Forget the furniture which will come slowly in the future. Who is responsible for the prices of land in Kuwait? I know you would answer me by saying that it is an open market. The government should step in seriously and decide the price of land in all the areas in Kuwait and enforce it. Or if they cannot do that, they should offer Kuwaitis land and a decent loan which according to the market will be enough to build a decent comfortable house. I am not talking about marbles, granite and water fountains inside. So talking about increasing the loan from KD 70,000 to 100,000 actually is not about solving the problem at all. Either you do not know what the prices are or you are wasting your time and you do not want to solve the problem. In both cases, whether you are naive or doing it on purpose - it is a disaster. I pin my hopes on the ladies and gentlemen in parliament to rethink the housing problem in Kuwait thoroughly and try to reach a permanent solution. And keep your KD 100,000 for yourselves because it would not make a difference. The moment the new loan amount is announced, the landowners will increase the price of land. Thank you very much!

Khatib quits BEIRUT: Opposition chief Ahmed Moaz Al-Khatib yesterday announced his resignation from the Syrian National Coalition, throwing Syria’s divided opposition into disarray ahead of an Arab summit. “I announce my resignation from the National Coalition, so that I can work with a freedom that cannot possibly be had in an oﬃcial institution,” Khatib said in a statement posted on his Facebook page. The resignation threw Syria’s divided opposition into chaos just two days before Arab heads of state were due to decide whether to give it Damascus’ vacant seat in the Arab League. Set up in Doha in November, the Coalition is a dissident group recognised by dozens of states and organisaAl-Khatib tions as legitimate representative of the Syrian people. The Coalition refused the resignation of Khatib, the opposition bloc said in a statement released hours after Continued on Page 13

KUWAIT: Two prominent ﬁgures of the Opposition Coalition denied yesterday reports indicating the agreement of the coalition to enter into dialogue with the government to resolve the current political dilemma. Former speaker and opposition leader Ahmad Al-Saadoun insisted that the opposition did not support proposals for national dialogue, adding that the opposition did not even discuss the issue during its latest meeting Saturday night. Saadoun was commenting on a report published in one of the local dailies yesterday. He insisted that the “report is totally baseless”, adding that that no other side was invited to the opposition’s meeting on Saturday. Former Islamist opposition MP Khaled Al-Sultan also insisted that no step was made toward the so-called national dialogue because there is no need for such

dialogue. “What is needed is for the government to abide by the election law adopted by a true National Assembly and to scrap the current Assembly and the single-vote law”. The Opposition Coalition, an umbrella for most opposition groups and activists, insisted after its formation that it will not initiate any dialogue with authorities before the scrapping of the Assembly and the amendment of the electoral law. New reports and rumours about the national dialogue surfaced in the past few days after former liberal MP Saleh Al-Mulla invited “youth activists from both sides” to discuss the latest situation. Several analysts and lawyers said after the call that they expected the constitutional court to scrap the current pro-government Assembly but conﬁrm the amendment to the electoral law over which the opposition groups boycotted the Dec 1 election. Member of the scrapped 2012

Assembly Obaid Al-Wasmi, who in the past dropped some hints over the need for national dialogue, was scheduled to host late yesterday a discussion session over “developments in national dialogue”. Mulla and former Islamist MP Mohammad Hayef were expected to speak over the issue. Observers and analysts are building on an appeal made last week to HH the Amir by liberal youth activist Abdullah Buftain to initiate a national dialogue to resolve the ongoing political crisis in the country. The appeal was made at the conclusion of the ﬁrst national youth convention patronized by the Amir who yesterday presided over an extraordinary session of the Cabinet to discuss the outcome of the convention. Meanwhile, Shiite MP Faisal AlDuwaisan yesterday threatened to grill Prime Minister HH Sheikh Jaber AlMubarak Al-Sabah if he did not answer a question he sent to him yesterday over

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stateless people or bedoons. In his question, Duwaisan asked the premier about the truth in a statement made a few days ago by MP Meshari Al-Hussaini that about 37,000 bedoons infiltrated into Kuwait from Iraq after Kuwait’s liberation in Feb 1991 from seven months of Iraqi occupation. Hussaini was also quoted as saying that a majority of the infiltrators belong to the Shiite militia Al-Mahdi Army of cleric Muqtada Al-Sadr. Duwaisan asked the premier about the statement and if it was true, and asked why authorities did not take any measure against them. The lawmaker insisted that if the premier does not answer the question, he would file to grill him. Duwaisan had already filed to grill the interior minister over a variety of alleged violations but like three other grillings, the grilling was postponed by the Assembly for several months.

Musharraf returns amid death threats

KARACHI: Former Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf gestures to his supporters outside the airport after his arrival yesterday. — AP

Kerry warns Maliki on Iran-Syria overflights BAGHDAD: US Secretary of State John Kerry pressed Iraq to stop allowing Iranian ﬂights apparently carrying military equipment through its airspace headed to Syria, on a surprise visit to Baghdad yesterday. Kerry warned Prime Minister Nouri AlMaliki that Washington was “watching what Iraq is doing”, the highest-level criticism yet of Baghdad for not inspecting

ﬂights which Tehran insists are carrying humanitarian supplies. The one-day visit, the ﬁrst to Iraq by a US secretary of state since 2009, also focused on American concerns that months of protests in the country’s Sunni-majority provinces will give militant groups including Al-Qaeda room to manoeuvre. Continued on Page 13

BAGHDAD: US Secretary of State John Kerry (right) meets Iraq’s Prime Minister Nouri Al-Maliki yesterday. — AP

KARACHI: Pakistan’s former military ruler Pervez Musharraf returned home yesterday after more than four years in exile, defying a Taleban death threat and vowing to risk his life to “save” the country. “I have come back home today. Where are those who used to say I would never come back?” the former dictator, who plans to stand in a historic May 11 general election, told supporters at Karachi airport. The upcoming election will be the first democratic transition of power in the history of the nuclear-armed country dominated by periods of military rule and struggling with a weak economy, chronic instability and poverty. Shortly before Musharraf’s arrival, Pakistan selected a caretaker prime minister, retired judge Mir Hazar Khan Khoso, to guide the country through the elections. Musharraf’s power base has all but evaporated and he is not thought likely to win more than a couple of seats for his All Pakistan Muslim League party, which he founded in self-imposed exile with the help of Pakistani expatriates. “I am very nostalgic but very happy to be back after four years,” he told AFP on his Emirates flight from Dubai. Musharraf faces several court cases related to his time in office and he remains a highly controversial figure in a country struggling to shake off the legacy of extended periods of military rule. The outgoing government has rolled back much of the constitutional meddling of Musharraf and his predecessors. Only hundreds of people greeted him at the airport, beating drums, dancing, waving flags and scattering rose petals. When he left the airport in a giant convoy, flanked by security protection, no one lined the main highway. “I don’t get scared by anyone except Allah the Almighty... I have come back by putting my life in danger,” Musharraf told his supporters. Continued on Page 13

Morsi issues stark warning to foes CAIRO: Egypt’s president delivered a comments were the strongest hint to stern warning to his opponents yester- date that he believes the parties and day, saying he may be close to taking politicians grouped in the National unspecified measures to “protect this Salvation Front, the main opposition nation” two days after supporters of his coalition, were directly behind the vioMuslim Brotherhood and opposition lence. His comments were initially protesters fought street battles in the released in a series of tweets on his account but state television worst bout of political violater aired extensive lence in three months. excerpts from the address. Nearly 200 people were He also warned that injured in Friday’s violence, “appropriate measures” some seriously, outside the would be taken against headquarters of the politicians found to be Brotherhood, Egypt’s dombehind Friday’s violence, inant political group. regardless of their seniority. “If I have to do what is Anyone found to be using necessary to protect this the media to “incite vionation I will, and I am lence” will also be held afraid that I may be close accountable, he added. His to doing so,” a visibly angry Mohamed Morsi comments came just hours Morsi said in an animated speech to the opening session of a con- after dozens of Islamists staged a ference on women’s rights. “I will do so protest outside studios belonging to very, very soon. Sooner than those try- independent TV networks that are critiing to shake the image of this nation cal of the Egyptian leader. Morsi’s comments made no direct think,” said the Islamist leader who took office in June as the country’s first freely mention of the clashes but appeared to elected president. “Let us not be be a possible prelude to measures dragged into an area where I will take a against the mostly liberal and secular opposition. “I call on all political forces harsh decision,” he warned. While not naming any one opposi- not to provide a political cover for Continued on Page 13 tion group or critic in particular, his

MONDAY, MARCH 25, 2013

LOCAL

KUWAIT: His Highness the Amir chairing the Cabinet meeting yesterday.

Cabinet urged to focus on youth, development projects KUWAIT: The Kuwaiti Cabinet held an “extraordinary meeting” headed by His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah at the Amiri Diwan in Seif Palace yesterday. The meeting was held in the attendance of HH the Crown Prince Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, HH the Prime Minister Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak Al-Hamad Al-Sabah, Acting National Assembly Speaker Mubarak Al-Kherainej, Deputy Minister for Amiri Diwan Affairs Sheikh Ali Jarrah Al-Sabah and State Minister for Cabinet Affairs and State Minister for Municipality Affairs Sheikh Mohammad Abdallah Al-Mubarak AlSabah. On behalf of the concluded meeting the State Minister for Cabinet Affairs

Sheikh Mohammad said that HH the Amir expressed delight at the efforts being made to transform his vision on the youth into tangible steps, after the first conference on the youth was held recently under his own patronage. The event aimed at offering the youth an opportunity to express their opinions in a open and transparent manner, the results of which produced the National Declaration for Youth - a launch pad for a partnership with the youth on the decision-making process through the encouragement of patriotism and tackling speeches that incite hatred and fundamentalism. The deceleration also focused on fundamental reforms in the country’s sectors of health, housing, sports, administrative and

legal bodies and education in addition to support of human development, small business projects, entrepreneurs and innovators, culture and the arts and the environment. These priorities received in-depth discussion, most notably the definition of patriotism in the minds of the young generation, and finding solutions and the roots of problems they are faced with in order to combat the emergence of negative phenomena that could affect this relationship. The meeting discussed means to apply the strategy, which will enable youth to carry out their vital role in the society thus reaping the benefits of their positive par ticipation in the building of their nation. Separately, HH the Amir urged

attending ministers to focus on the role in responding to the needs and complaints of citizens and to provide them with the required facilitations and services needed to give them a relaxed and comfortable lifestyle. He also urged haste on completing government establishments and consultancy reports on development projects in the country. On this, he called particularly to provide adequate land plot for the construction of factories and projects required by the private sector. HH the Crown Prince, HH the Prime M inister and the ac ting National Assembly Speaker all expressed their appreciation of the directions off HH the Amir, that reflect his attention to details that have a major impact on the people of the country. —KUNA

Kuwaitis for Jerusalem holds cultural show Palestinian products on display

KUWAIT: Palestinian scarfs and other handicratfs displayed at the bazaar. By Ben Garcia KUWAIT: A cultural show and exhibition of Palestinian products was organized on Friday by nongovernmental organization Kuwaitis for Jerusalem. The event, held at Gulf University for Science and Technology (GUST ), was attended by hundreds of Kuwaitis and Palestinians. Kuwaitis for Jerusalem head Abdulaziz Al-Mulla said one of their main goals was to strengthen ties between Kuwait and Palestine and reintroduce Palestinian issues to the Kuwaiti people. “ We call this day a

‘Palestine Day’, and this is our third anniversary since we reorganized the non-governmental group, Kuwaitis for Jerusalem,” he stated. “This is an open day, so the venue is good for the family to enjoy even as information about several hundreds of Palestinian prisoners languishing in Israeli jails is spread. Through this event, we were able to educate not only Kuwaitis but also other nationalities on the issues of Palestinian people,” he added. In the presentation last Friday, Kuwaitis for Jerusalem spoke about the wall that divides Jerusalem and the people of

Abdulasiz Al-Mulla Palestine. “We had a lecture here (in GUST ) yesterday, as a preevent, in which we talked about issues in Jerusalem to a group of students. They knew what’s going on, and they are grateful that an NGO from Kuwait is actively promoting the Palestinian cause,” AlMulla said. Among the activities held last Friday were traditional music and dance performances, in which Kuwaitis and Palestinians jointly participated. Some of the groups showcased their prowess in drama, or stage play, poetry reading and the Palestinian-made products bazaar. In connection with

Adnan Saad, KT AGM at one of the stalls. the celebration, the Palestinian Football Team was also present at the venue to promote football and visit their countrymen here. “The Palestinian issue has been dragging for years now. People are dying every now and then. They want their own land and to live in peace without intimidation. So we hope that by spreading awareness about their cause throughout the world, these people will be able to achieve their genuine desire to have a country of their own,” he said. Kuwaiti for Jerusalem was established in 1987, but it disintegrated when the Gulf War began

in 1990. It was resurrected once again in 2011. “We are celebrating the third anniversary and many activities are in the oﬃng to support the Palestinian cause. We want to strengthen relations between Palestinians and Kuwaitis,” Al-Mulla explained. Kuwaiti for Jerusalem is also oﬀering support by sponsoring the education of Palestinian students inside Palestine or overseas. “We also deal with other NGOs in Palestine to achieve our goals. Proceeds for this event will go to the charity programs and projects dedicated to help Palestinian people,” he concluded.

Palestinian teams attended the gathering at GUST.

Palestinian national dress available at the bazaar.

Paintings of Palestinian artists displayed at the bazaar.

One of the participating teams in the open day at GUST.

News

in brief

Health investigation KUWAIT: Health sources revealed that the legal affairs committee of the ministry of health is investigating how a certificate of health was issued for an Arab expat woman who came to Kuwait last year to work in a private company. Later, it was found that she was suffering from TB and had been admitted to hospital for treatment - just a few months after the issuance of the health certificate by the ministry of health, which stated that she was fit. Sources said the woman ran away from her sponsor after leaving the hospital, who in turn informed the concerned authorities about the matter. Sources also claimed that the health authorities later fudge the woman’s medical report, changing the result from “fit” to “unfit”. Then she was placed on the departures list when her sponsor reported that she had run away after discovering that she had TB. This showed that the first certificate was incorrect, which opened the door for investigation into how genuine the procedure of issuing health papers for expats is. School punishment KUWAIT: In a bizarre form of corporal punishment, an assistant director at an elementary school in Riqa area punished students by cutting their hair. A father of two was surprised at the way his sons’ hair were cut but when he inquired about this rather peculiar hairdo, they told him it was the assistant director of the school who had cut the hair of a few students that morning. The father went to the school and sought to know the reason behind such an act, but the woman responsible told him, “If you do not like this, (you can) go to the police station.” He then went to the office of the educational area and filed a complaint. Arab summit important DOHA: GCC Secretary General Abdullatif AlZayani yesterday described the Arab Summit, due in Doha on Tuesday, as important. Al-Zayani said in a press statement the summit would have important outcome because of Qatar’s “positive” role in the Arab region. The summit, he added, would be held “amid sensitive and difficult Arab and regional circumstances which require the ARab leaders to reach a vision ... cementing Arab solidarity.” AlZayani said the political, economic and security conditions in some Arab countries needed quick and drastic solutions in order to preserve security and stability of the people.

Suicide bombing hurt Gitmo detainees’ release efforts KUWAIT: A suicide bombing in Iraq carried out by a Kuwaiti man who returned from the Guantanamo Bay prison in 2008 has marred the efforts to ensure release of the two remaining Kuwaiti nationals there, the Gulf state’s envoy to the United States said in a recent statement. However, Ambassador Sheikh Salem Al-Sabah insisted that his government will continue its efforts through the Foreign Ministry to secure the safe return of Fawzi Al-Oudah and Fayez Al-Kandari back home. “[Kuwait] had 12 nationals detained in Guantanamo since 2002, and we were able to secure the return of eight of them in 2008,” Ambassador Al-Sabah said in an interview with Al-Qabas published yesterday. Abdullah Al-Ajmi, who returned to Kuwait in 2008, was linked to a suicide bombing in Mosul, Iraq later that year. “The bombing which led to the death of innocent people was shocking for the American administration, and subsequently negated the progress made for the release of the four remaining Kuwaitis in the Gitmo prison,” Ambassador Al-Sabah explained. Two more Kuwaitis were released after 2008 when they won cases in US federal courts, but Al-Oudah and Al-Kandari lost similar cases they had filed. “This surely did not help the efforts to release them, but we will continue to do everything we can through diplomatic channels in order to remove all obstacles that stand in the way of a solution to this issue,” Ambassador Al-Sabah indicated. In the meantime, Ambassador Al-Sabah revealed that a delegation representing the US Department of State and the Pentagon was due to visit Kuwait next May to specifically discuss this issue. “The two sides look forward to resume negotiations during the visit which comes after a similar trip carried out by a Kuwaiti team to Washington last year for the same purpose,” he said. Ambassador Al-Sabah refuted allegations that the Kuwaiti government was reluctant to make the best efforts to secure the release of Al-Oudah and Al-Kandari, and said he was “optimistic” about the chances that the two could be released in the near future. “We continuously follow up, through the American authorities, the situation of the Kuwaiti prisoners and are working as hard as we can to secure their safety and release,” he said.

MONDAY, MARCH 25, 2013

LOCAL

Ban on cigarette sales to children ‘only on papers’ Kuwait no exemption By Nawara Fattahova KUWAIT: Many times we see young children in different places smoking cigarettes, and we wonder how did they get cigarettes and from where. In Kuwait as well as most other countries, it is banned to sell cigarettes to youngsters. However, not all vendors respect the laws, and therefore children have access to cigarettes. Some shops are strict about not selling cigarettes to children despite being unaware about a law existing on this issue or about the punishment for breaking the law. “I never sold cigarettes to kids, as I believe that this is harmful for their health. Also I’m afraid I may get into trouble with the parents of these kids if their family caught them smoking and knew that I sold it to them,” Rida, salesman of a grocery shop (baqala) in Salwa, told the Kuwait Times. According to attorney Abdulaziz Al-Asousi, law no. 15/1995 deals with this issue. “This law bans selling or offering cigarettes or tobacco

products to those who are under 21 years of age. The Kuwait Municipality is responsible for implementing this law and conducts random inspections at different points of sale to see if they commit any violation. Unfortunately this law is not enforced from my point of view,” he pointed out. “Therefore, I think that the minimum legal age for buying tobacco should be decreased, as an 18-year-old may get employed, and drive a car, and may find it weird not being able to buy cigarettes. Besides, when the store is crowded it is hard to check the ID to make sure a person is older than 21. But if it was a 10- or 12-year-old boy, it’s easy to figure out he is underage,” Rida added. He said he had not yet come across any client who wanted to file a case against a shop selling cigarettes to their kids. “I think this law should be strictly enforced and applied as selling cigarettes is a hazard for their lives. Smoking may cause different diseases for kids, the treatment of which will then cost the government a lot of money,”

Kuwait mulls tough rules for work visas KUWAIT: Kuwaiti work visas may soon have to be vetted by five separate government departments as part of a plan to reduce the number of foreign workers and fake visas, local media reported. A government minister last week announced Kuwait would reduce the number of expats in the country by at least 1m by culling 100,000 annually over the next ten years. Expats make up about two-thirds of the total population of about 3m. A report released yesterday by the Supreme Council for Planning and Development showed the percentage of Kuwaitis in the country had fallen from 32.1 percent to 31.7 percent, although it does not indicate over what timeframe this occurred. The report attributes the decline to more foreigners arriving in the country rather than a declining birth rate among Kuwaitis. The government had set a target of 35 percent. Announcing the cull of expats, Minister of Social Affairs and Labour Thekra Al-Rasheedi said no new work permits would be approved from April 1. It was not clear whether existing visas would be renewed. According to Arabic daily Al-Jarida, which quoted a government source, a new committee would be established to help crackdown on fake work visas and to fix loopholes in the present licensing system. With members from the Migration General Department, Public Authority for Civil Information, the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Kuwait Municipality and the Ministry of Social Affairs and Labour, the committee would ensure better cross-department assessment of an application, Al-Jarida said. In particular it would make it more difficult to use a fake company on a visa application or to sell on a work permit.

explained Al-Asousi. Forty-five-year-old Tahani was glad when she saw a cashier staff refusing to sell cigarettes to a young boy. “When the child came to the cashier in front of me and demanded a box of cigarettes, the cashier refused to give it to him. He was angry and tried to insult her, so she simply called the security guard who pulled him out. This happened in the Sultan Center market,” she stated. In a contradictory situation, 30-year-old Salem saw a cashier selling cigarettes to a young boy in one of the coops. “When I asked the cashier why did he allow the kid to buy cigarettes, and that he should know this is forbidden, he replied that he faced problems in the past because he didn’t sell cigarettes to a kid, and his father who was waiting in the car outside the coop, came to the cashier and fought with him - as he had sent his son to buy it for him. So the cashier decided to avoid further problems and just simply ignore the age of the customer and sell it,” noted Salem.

KAC transitional process on Cabinet table KUWAIT: The Kuwait Airways is set to figure prominently in the discussions during the Cabinet’s weekly session today (Monday) which comes a few days after Prime Minister HH Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak Al-Sabah ordered the government to accord the issue “top priority.” According to a government insider familiar with the issue, a ministerial committee tasked with seeing the KAC privatization issue through met on Saturday to discuss procedures that can help speed up the operation. “Part of the Kuwait Airways Company’s capital which is proposed at KD250 million is going to be used to pay the carrier’s dues, while the remaining amount will be used to

make the initial payments to buy or rent new aircrafts,” said the sources who spoke to Al-Qabas on the condition of anonymity. The government plans to improve the KAC’s fleet with 20 new planes by the end of next May, the sources added. In the meantime, other sources who also asked not to be named criticized the cabinet for focusing on the company’s capital during a meeting last Thursday “while ignoring the cumulative losses estimated at KD439 million.” “This indicates that the government is not convinced about the KAC’s right to be compensated as per law number 22 for the year 2012 that requires the state to bear the losses,” the sources said.

PAYS keen to support youth activities KUWAIT: Director General of the Public Authority for Youth and Sports (PAYS) Faisal Al-Jazzaf stressed the authority’s keenness on supporting all activities and sports competitions aimed at the youth. After meeting with President of the Kuwait Squash Accosiation Hussein Maqseed and members of its Board of Directors, Al-Jazzaf said in a press statement that the Kuwaiti sports authority seeks to maintain Kuwaiti achievements in the Arab and international arenas. He

added that squash has a great local and international following, noting that Kuwait has made remarkable achievements in the sport, both regionally and internationally. The meeting focused on ways to support the budget of the Kuwaiti squash body and financial support for the World Championship due to be hosted by Kuwait for the first time in 2015 and organizaing the Third Arab Over-30 Pioneers tournament also in Kuwait, under the supervision of Arab Squash Association. — KUNA

DOHA: Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Sabah Al-Khalid AlSabah arrived here yesterday to take part in the preparatory meeting of Arab foreign ministers, in the framework of the 24th session of the Arab Summit. The minister was received upon arrival by Kuwaiti Ambassador to Qatar Ali Sulaiman Al-Haifi, Qatari Foreign Ministry head of protocol Ibrahim Fakhro, and Qatari Ambassador to Kuwait Abdulaziz Al-Fehaid.

Kuwaiti-Egyptian human development event kicks off CAIRO: A Kuwait-Egyptian human development conference kicked off here yesterday, themed “Quality of Training and its Impact on Human Development In Light of Arab Labor Market Requirements”. The conference is co-organized by the Kuwaitbased International Center for Training and Human Development (NCTMEN) and the Egyptian General Syndicate for the Trainers of Human Development. The event attracts human resources development experts and trainers from several Arab countries including Yemen, Palestine, Libya, Sudan, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. The inauguration ceremony was attended by a galaxy of prominent Arab human intellectuals, public figures and diplomats. In statements to KUNA on the sidelines of the conference, the Chief Executive of the NCTMEN Dr. Mariam AlSind the conference aims to seriously help qualify and empower the human element in the Arab region to be able to keep pace with rapid developments on the international labor market. “To achieve this goal, major efforts have to be exerted firstly to raise the efficiency of human resources training centers and institutions in the Arab region” Al-Sind told KUNA. She added

that the conferees will exchange expertise and mull the latest studies and approaches in human resources development. She reiterated confidence that the conference will also end up with recommendations and practical steps to help upgrade the human resource development work in the Arab world. For her part, NCTMEN Managing Director Dr. Asya Khalifa Al-Jari said that the center plans to intensify its activities related to the tourism sector in Egypt to help revive one of the important sources of income to the biggest Arab country. She noted that the NCTMEN is an authorized by the Egyptian Ministry of Tourism. Al-Jari revealed that the center seeks also to bolster cooperation and exchange of experiences between Kuwait, Egypt and various Arab countries and to make use of prominent Egyptian trainers in this sector. Meanwhile, Deputy Head of Kuwait Mission at the Embassy of the State of Kuwait in Cairo Adviser Mohammad AlMohammad lauded the highly important theme of the conference. He also hailed the NCTMEN’s efforts to enhance cooperation with Egyptian counterparts and help strengthen relations between the two Arab nations. — KUNA

MONDAY, MARCH 25, 2013

LOCAL In my view

Letters to Badrya

Kudos for your brave stance

Welcome to the new Pope

badrya_d@kuwaittimes.net Ms Badrya, I want to congratulate you for the article you wrote and to applaud the courage you showed in writing this article in a country where women do not have too many civil rights. Unfortunately, Kuwait is not the only country where expats are blamed for taking away jobs from the local nationals. As you have written, expats take up jobs that the locals do not want to do. I am an expat and have lived in Kuwait for seven years now but I still do not understand why expats from India, Bangladesh and Philippines, just to name a few of the countries, keep arriving in Kuwait and other Arab countries where they are not wanted, not paid proper wages and abused not only by men but also by women. I would like to see what would happen to these countries if all the expats were to come together and decide to leave these countries. What would then happen to their local economy?

By Labeed Abdal

labeed@kuwaittimes.net

h e e l e c t i o n o f Ca rd i n a l J o rg e M a r i o Bergoglio, the archbishop of Buenos Aires, af ter the resignation of Pope Benedict XVI on grounds of health and failing physical strength, must be a new chance for hope, change and more stability. The new Pope will have a lot of work to do, star ting with the challenge posed by complaints about the sexual abuse of children by priests and accusations of money laundering. Pope Francis is from Latin America after around five centuries of Popes from Italy, but the change started with Pope John Paul II from Poland in the seventies, followed by Pope Benedict from Germany a few years ago. South America now records the highest increase in the Catholic population along with Africa and Asia when it is declining in Europe. Furthermore, the challenges facing the new Pope will include same sex marriages and abortion as a lot of governments around the world are moving to legalize these. The Catholic Church is clearly against these and the former Pope followed that line and was also against extreme forms of feminism. The new Pope is clearly a reformer and is known for genuinely professing the cause of the poor around the world with a great focus on protecting the foundations of the institution of family. Meanwhile, we in the Muslim world must rise to accord a big welcome to the new Pope and give full support to these humanitarian efforts which are aimed at protecting the normal family values, combating pover t y and hunger around the world, promoting religious tolerance and world peace, and sending a genuine message of love and compassion for all.

kuwait digest

Why are they keeping silent? By Thaar Al-Rashidi

he traffic jam that Kuwait saw clogging its main roads yesterday was something unbearable. In terms of congestion and the sheer length of time for which it lasted, it was enough to turn the entire population into a virtual opposition. The public will soon start demanding that the National Assembly Council should be entertaining tens of grilling motions against every minister concerned with the traffic jam. Even those who are not directly concerned should be held accountable. Why are they keeping silent about the incessant traffic jams? Why don’t talk they talk about this menace in the council of ministers? Can you imagine driving for 45 minutes to traverse a distance of just two kilometers, a distance you could have trudged in ten minutes if you had chosen to walk? What punishment could be worse than this? Why should people find themselves stuck in a traffic jam when not only have they done no wrong but they actually live in a country that is sitting on multi million surpluses in its budget? After all these surpluses, its government is unable to ensure a smooth flow of traffic even on one street. After tens of theoretical studies carried out by all parties concerned on the issue of traffic jams, recommendations of not even a single study were implemented by anyone. If the officials and MPs think that the traffic jam was being caused by the large number of cars on the roads, they are going against the reality. The reality is that traffic jams are occurring because Kuwait has had no planning for the last 23 years. The country with its population of more than three million today has the same road length that it had when its population was 1.2 million. The problem is the lack of roads and the absence of planning, at times bad planning. It is not the expats who are causing these traffic jams because they are being given driving licenses, neither are these bottlenecks occurring because the numbers of cars has gone up. Not one of the

reasons being offered by officials trying to justify the traffic jams is correct. The real reason is that you do not plan and when you do, you plan wrongly. Instead of gradually expanding road capacity, you decided to undertake entire expansion exercise in the same year. It only proves that you either do not plan, or plan in a poor way. Is it logical for Kuwait to shut down four of its key arterial roads in the same year? One fine day, a government official shows up and tells the public, “It is a matter of three years and we will surely finish, so please be patient with us.” The truth is that we cannot bear any longer with you or with your government for even one more day if the traffic jams are to continue like this. Believe me the next rally will be on the issue of traffic jams. Three-fourths of Kuwait’s population yesterday suffered high blood pressure and deserves an official apology from the council of ministers. In its upcoming session, the council of ministers should issue a press release tendering an unequivocal apology, and explaining how far the street expansion project has reached. It should also be accompanied by a time table specifying by what date each stage will be finalized. Do you remember that when just one citizen had ‘slipped and fell down’, you had denounced it? I remember yesterday, when I was stuck in the traffic jam on the Kaifan Bridge crossing, an official said, “Kuwaitis should travel by bus.” Very well, I am ready to travel by bus from tomorrow, sell my car and buy an annual subscription from a bus transport company, provided all the ministers pedal their way on bicycles to attend the upcoming council of ministers’ session. Of course, all my life, I have never seen a Kuwaiti wearing a head dress and “Iqal” traveling in a bus. Likewise, I cannot envisage a minister wearing his “Besht” and riding a bicycle? Please surprise me. —Al-Anbaa

kuwait digest

Hi Badrya, Hope you are well. I have been following your articles on Kuwait Times for quite some time. You are a very courageous woman. Kudos to you and more power to your pen. However, I would like to ask when will Kuwait start granting visas to Pakistani citizens? These include family visas and work visas. I have been trying for two years now but to no avail. Please give me any information you have regarding this issue. I know this does not fall under your domain but please help. I will be very thankful to you. Keep writing. Thanks and regards, Hamza Dear Madam Badrya Darwish, Good morning. I have read your appreciable comments regarding the decision about expats in Kuwait. There is clear discrimination and an indirect attack on the loyal expats. The debt relief regarding the interest accrued on loans availed of by the expats will not work out but it is only an illusion being peddled to make the expats happy. Instead, such talk will only hurt the interests of the expats and lead to more trouble and pain. Any way, thanks for your words of sympathy for expats. Our Kuwait should understand the importance of expats here. Thanks. Best regards, S.G. Mani

the column

Our Core competence and potential

Changing views of our people

By Fouad Al-Obaid

By Ahmad Al-Sarraf

he boiling frog story is a metaphor used to underline people’s failure to react to significant changes when they occur gradually. As per the anecdote, a frog can be boiled without it resisting if it was first put in tepid water that was then gradually heated. While a frog would jump out if put in a pot filled with hot water, it is said that if you put a frog in a pot filled with cold water and then turned up the heat very slowly, the poor thing would become accustomed to the situation and die without realizing what was happening. I am using the boiling frog story merely as a metaphor to show how people’s ideas can be changed gradually and to a point where they fail to realize the gravity of the deadly threat they face, till it actually exterminates them. Like all other living beings, human beings cannot react or take a decision regarding something they cannot feel. If a government, for example, trains its people in a slow and gradual manner - through curriculums for instance - into dangerous or wrong ideas, it can create a generation who believe they are superior. It can fill them with animosity towards the others. This is what Hitler did with the Germans. They did not realize that they had dangerous and illogical ideas because the change happened over a long period of time. When they tried to implement their ideas, the whole world united against them. That was how the allied forces came to be united against the Germans and the Japanese who believed they are of superior race. In many countries, there is a lack of public awareness but such a situation did not come out of thin air. Instead, it was the result of years of pedagogical methods and media policies which were oriented in a certain direction. Many, for example, make sure to watch silly soap operas without paying attention to the fact that their children would be watching the same shows with them. This gradually makes the children accept everything that is silly, and makes it hard to correct this situation. There is a certain level of shallowness that then creeps in, and to which these children are subjected to. They either become a sort of addicts or extremists who are capable of only seeing what they are told to see and nothing else. This can apply to an individual as also to a group or a country. An entire people can come to accept humiliation, poverty, suppression and corruption without protest. I write this after reading a piece of news about a Ministry of Education committee report which recommended reducing the amount of religious studies in school curriculums, but which was rejected by the minister who asked the panel’s members to forget the subject altogether. I had met the minister the same day I had read the report, and he insisted that the news was not true. I tend to believe him, given the honest and open approach that I know him for. At the same time, I call upon him to work on reducing the volume of religious content which has increased gradually over the past 30 years at the expense of scientific subjects, especially after Kuwait became the world’s largest importer of religious zealots in the past two decades despite having a small population, relative freedom and financial luxury. My generation which was born after World War II studied in public schools where we learnt about religion for one or two periods a week. Those one or two periods created men and women who were to later set examples in honesty and integrity. After that, the dose of religion has been gradually increased in curriculums, turning the state into a focal point for religious extremism as well as to turn Kuwait into becoming the most corrupt country among the Gulf States. —Al-Qabas

fouad@kuwaittimes.net Twitter:@fouadalobaid

would like to begin this articlel with a public laudation for the organizers and participants who took part in a truly magnificent event (Proud to be Kuwaiti). Their endeavor has been met with much success, and I wish them the best for the future. They espouse the entrepreneurial spirit this country used to be based upon and it is worth mentioning the one we need to help diversify the economy in the long haul. I for one believe that such a showcase serves two purposes; it highlights the current up and coming local small business and crafts; secondly, it acts as a motivator encouraging future entrepreneurs to start building their dreams and fulfilling their potential. It goes without saying that in numerous conversations I have had with peers tended to always lambast the poor state of affairs. We Kuwaitis it was argued, were made to believe that we are void of talent; that we are lazy, and do not want to be challenged, nor are we really interested in meaningful work, rather, we prefer a secure job in the public sector, as opposed to one in the open private sector. In many debates I carried a similar demoralizing feeling, whereby perhaps affected by the bitterness of a more mature generation who no longer saw the possibilities that abound for change, chose to believe in their very own self-manufactured predicament without considering, nor admitting to their implicit complicity in the sad state of affairs they are discontent about. Though the road towards economic diversification is long, many observers and I are starting to notice a new trend; the beginning of a societal change which is encouraging the economic emancipation of the country’s’ youth populace. It is a positive sign, one that we should both be proud, and supportive of. Let us be reminded that countries and nations are built by the vigor of the youth, who aspire to learn from the wisdom of their elder peers. As a country that has focused primarily on our natural hydrocarbon resources for the building and growth of our state, we need to be made aware of the resource curse that is looming. Most certainly, this upcoming generation will have to start dealing with the anticipated and hidden challenges from a dual reduction of hydrocarbon resources, and the physical growth of the population and its needs. We need to seriously consider our resilience on a single commodity, and be weary at a time when countries are scrambling to find viable alternatives as they realize that hydrocarbons have an expiration date that may be around the corner. Oil and Gas were the prime engines that not only fueled the growth of this country throughout the 20th century. They may certainly be part of the energy mix in the 21st, however at the current projection rate, it would be a surprise to still have such a dependency in the century to come. As countries are centuries in the making, we need to consider this reality and take action very soon to counter the threats that will arise from such a reality.

MONDAY, MARCH 25, 2013

LOCAL

Majority of computer teachers ‘not qualified’ KUWAIT: Educational sources revealed that about 80% of computer teachers did not hold certificates for any specialization in computers or computer engineering. Sources said that a majority of the teachers were either accounts graduates, or experts in science, biology or Islamic education. They said the anomaly was impacting the computer education being imparted to

the students as these teachers did not know even the basics of computers. Sources said that some of the teachers did not even know how to operate their own computers or handle equipment like scanners and printers. They said that it was the need of the hour to accept or recruit only those specializing in computer education to enhance the learning process at the schools.

NUKS-Paris marks ‘Earth Hour’ PARIS: The National Union of Kuwaiti Students (NUKS), Paris branch, and Kuwaiti Cultural Office organized an evening on Saturday to mark “Earth Hour”, an international event aimed to stress the need to protect the environment. NUKS Vice Chairman Saoud Roh Al-Din said, “we are proud to participate in these awareness activities which convey a message of peace.” The event was attended by officials including Charge d’Affaires at the Embassy

of Kuwait in Paris Talal Al-Ghanim , Cultural Office Chairman Dr. Abdull Rahman AlRadwan, and Cultural Attache Dr. Khalid AlTheferi. Earth Hour is a worldwide event organized by the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) and held towards the end of March annually, encouraging households and businesses to turn off their non-essential lights for one hour to raise awareness about the need to take action on climate change. — KUNA

Developed delinquents fund to replace Family Fund KUWAIT: At a time when Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Mustafa AlShamali was giving finishing touches to the final draft of the amendments suggested by the government to the Family Fund Law as a means to solve citizens’ debts problem, ministerial sources stressed that the government was trying to convince as many MPs as possible to second the suggested amendments and reject the bill in its existing form. Further, the sources said that despite its scheduled meeting today to discuss the suggested Family Fund Law amendments to avoid rejection of the bill by parliament, the government will continue to work to replace the entire bill with an improved and enhanced form of the delinquents’ fund. The fund is meant for helping those who are in danger of reneging on their repayments on loans because of difficult financial circumstances. “Minister Al-Shamali will brief the Cabinet on the details of the current bill, the danger it poses to the public budget, the risk of categorizing citizens (into those who availed a loan, did not avail a loan, repaid the loan or were still to repay part of it) as well as it being in violation of the Islamic Sharea,” explained the sources. Commenting on the issue, MP Khalil AlSaleh said that the government does not want to solve the problem and that the finance minister has emphasized more than once that there would be no solution except

through the delinquents’ fund. “The statements made by the Minister of State for Planning and Development Affairs, Dr. Rola Dashti, about the government’s intention to reject the law unless radical amendments were made was a message,” he said and stressed that the problem needed to be resolved since it has remained a subject of debate for almost ten years now without reaching any solutions so far. He also advocated including all the borrowers from various banks, be these traditional or Islamic, within the remit of the law. On his part, member of the parliamentary financial affairs committee, MP Nasser Al-Jebri said that the panel would meet with the representatives of the government tomorrow (Tuesday) to find a compromise that can be discussed and voted upon in parliament on April 2. “We still trust the government which has promised to solve this problem,” he stressed. MP Hani Shams, on the other hand, seemed optimistic that the law would be passed after the second review, especially since a majority of MPs approved it during the first hearing. However, while reviewing economic recommendations, the government asked various specialized bodies over the past few years to resolve the malfunctioning in local economy and check any budgetary waste as such practices were in contradiction with the whole idea of purchasing the interests on debts, suggested by some lawmakers.

KUWAIT: The Human Resource department of the Kuwait National Guards delivered a lecture to students of the College of Technological Studies at Public Authority for Applied Education and Training on the advantages of joining the National Guards. The lecture was part of the cooperation protocol between the National Guards and the PAAET.

Monthly deductions to collect electricity, water dues? Govt studying proposal KUWAIT: The government is studying a proposal to make monthly deductions from citizens’ bank accounts to collect its dues in lieu of services provided to them, a local newspaper reported yesterday quoting ‘reliable sources’. The step comes as par t of the state’s effor ts to improve the mechanism by which unpaid dues were to be collected for electricity, water and other services availed of by citizens. “ The government is looking for way to fight the leniency that continues to cost the state losses in its annual budget,” said the sources who spoke to Al-Qabas on the condition of anonymity. According to official estimates, citizens owe the government more than KD300 million in unpaid electricity bills only. “The government could also resort to set up a maximum cap for unpaid dues after which services such as landline phones would be cut until the bills are paid,” the sources added. This step comes as the government looks for ways to increase its revenues amid a decision to put taxation plans on hold for the time being as well as its effor ts to meet public’s demands, including the recent waiver on the interests accrued

by Kuwaitis on their loans. “The proposal is set to be reviewed by the Fatwa and Legislation Committee this week before it is sent to the cabinet for a decision,” the sources said. In another development, the ministerial sources revealed that the government will come up with the names of those bedoons who are to be conferred with Kuwaiti nationality after amending the decree. As per the amended decree, the nationality will be accorded to 4,000 people, up from the ear-

lier figure of 2,000. Regarding the priorities of the council of ministers for the upcoming period, sources said that government will be coming up with certain laws to boost the economy, topped by a law bringing in an amendment to enable the Build-Own-Transfer (BOT ) system to construct new projects. The Cabinet was determined to make amends within the current council’s term apart from coming up with a growth plan for the year 2013/2014. The government will ensure

that the plan turns out to be a practical translation of the government program and avoids any adverse observations made by MPs. Regarding the discussions about strategic alternative to salaries and withdrawal of the financial gains extended to employees in the form of cadre payments and allowances, sources explained that the Civil Service Commission has indicated that it was impossible to withdraw any rights once extended to the employees.

Progress in Kuwait human development KUWAIT: Minister of State for Planning and Development and Minister of State for National Assembly Affairs Dr Rola Dashti stated here yesterday that Kuwait has achieved an enormous progress in the 2013 Human Development Report (HDR) by advancing to rank 54 internationally, compared to 63 last year. In a press statement, Dashti added that Kuwait has advanced to fourth rank on Arab and Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) level, exceeding Saudi Arabia and Oman, indicating that Kuwait’s achievement for this regional and international progress affirms extent of efforts put for the sake

of human development despite all challenges that the country has faced during recent years as these efforts are poised to double in order to raise Kuwait’s ranking. Furthermore, she noted that the new progress was a result of intensified and continuous effort in all areas, which anchored the approach of the current government, pointing to the continuation and doubling of this development work during the next phase, especially in the human development axis since it is the tool that would lead Kuwait to rank among developed nations economically.—KUWAIT

MONDAY, MARCH 25, 2013

LOCAL

Man held at airport with weapon suppressor Energy drinks kill teen KUWAIT: State security oﬃcials, who had prior information about the expected arrival of a terror suspect, arrested him as soon as he landed at the Kuwait International Airport recently. Police were waiting for the man at the entrance gate after receiving information that he was connected with certain members of suspicious organizations and was set to arrive from Lahore. The Pakistani man was arrested after police found items from his possession that can be assembled into a suppressor. The man was currently being detained pending investigations to determine his motives behind coming to Kuwait with contrabands. Fatal crash A teenager was killed and another was injured in a car crash at the King Fahad Highway reported on Saturday. Police and paramedics rushed to the site near Sabah Al-Salem after a sports utility vehicle (SUV) and a water tanker truck collided. One of the victims, aged 17, was pronounced dead on the scene while the other, who was a year younger, was rushed to the Adan Hospital in a critical condi-

tion. The truck’s Yemeni driver was taken into custody for investigations. Teenager death Investigations were on into the death of a teenager who reportedly collapsed after gulping too many energy drinks. The youngster was rushed to the Amiri Hospital in an ambulance but was declared brought dead. His friends said during investigations that he had consumed energy drinks in excess before passing out, after which they made the emergency call. The case remains open pending the autopsy report. Body found Investigations were on to determine the circumstances leading to the death of a Kuwaiti young man whose body was found on Saturday from inside a rented car in AlMahboulah. Police and criminal detectives headed to the site from where the incident was reported, and found a decomposing body lying in the passenger’s seat. The body was taken to the forensic department after investigators examined the scene.

Suicide case An unidentified man was found dead in Al-Wafra in a case classified as suicide, according to preliminary investigations. Police and crime scene investigators responded to a report on Saturday and found the body hanging from a tree. The body was taken to the coroner after investigators examined the scene. A case was filed to determine the circumstances behind the death. Indian wanted for raping compatriot Search is on for a man accused of kidnapping and raping a teacher in Qurain last Thursday. The victim was reportedly found unconscious in Wafra desert by patrol officers who helped her receive medical attention. The Indian woman explained that she was kidnapped at knifepoint by an unknown person when she was walking out of her school. He drove to a remote location and then proceeded to assault her physically and sexually before escaping. Police were later able to identify the suspect, an Indian man, after finding a wallet from the crime scene which contained an ID. The victim confirmed that the person pictured in the ID was indeed her

attacker. Investigations were on to arrest the rapist. Assault attempt The Maidan Hawally police was trying to trace a young man accused of tr ying to sexually assault a woman who claimed she was his girlfriend. Local police launched investigations shortly after the Kuwaiti woman in her twenties approached them to ﬁle a case. She explained that she had managed to escape from an apartment her boyfriend had lured her to on the pretext of a birthday party which never was. Investigations were on. Stray bullet A Kuwaiti child was hospitalized after he was injured by a stray bullet in the parking lot of a Fahaheel mall on Saturday. The child was reportedly with his family when he suddenly fell down and started bleeding from his leg. His family rushed him to the hospital after realizing that he was wounded by a gunshot. Police examined the scene and found that several vehicles were also damaged by stray bullets. Investigations were on to

Kuwait participates in Lyon fair PARIS: Kuwait is taking part in Lyon International Fair 2013, represented by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, besides a number of companies, and the fair is held from March 22 to April 1. Head of the ministry ’s delegation Mashael Al-Jassas said that this Kuwaiti participation aims at introducing the Kuwaiti national product to consumers and buyers in new markets. The ministry is keen to participate in various international fairs, and to support Kuwaiti products, which would contribute in boosting the commercial exchange between Kuwait and other countries. Kuwaiti products on oﬀer at the fair varied between petrochemical items, cooling tools, paper and glass products, and sanitary-ware exhibited on an area of 120 square meters. The Kuwaiti pavilion also showed photos of old, modern, and contemporary

Kuwaiti landmarks, along with others of various national celebrations in the country. Mayor of Lyon Gerard Collomb, and the president of Lyon chamber of commerce and industry, praised the level of development of Kuwaiti products, in remarks after they paid a visit to the Kuwait pavilion at the fair. They welcomed the Kuwaiti participation, stressing that it would contribute in enhancing commercial cooperation between the two nations. A total of eight Kuwaiti companies are taking part in the events, namely Refrigeration Industries Company, Al-Bahar Industries Company, Gulf Shore Company (Aquasan), Sa’ad Murshed General Trade and Contracting establishment, National Textile Company (NTC), Al-Sanea Chemical Products, Gulf Glass Manufacturing Company, and Gulf Paper Manufacturing Company. — KUNA

KUWAIT: The Kuwait Oil Company conducted a successful mock fire drill that dealt with a scenario in which a blaze caused by oil leak ostensibly resulted in human casualties.

KFSD delegation visits Taipei By Hanan Al-Saadoun TAIPEI: The Governor of New Taipei City, along with a delegation of the Kuwait Fire Service Department (KFSD) headed by Deputy Director Brig Khalid Al Mikrad, witnessed a mock fire drill showcasing fire fighting and rescue operations. It was the second trip for the delegation which included representatives from Hong Kong city apart from Taiwan. The Kuwaiti delegation’s visit included a meeting with YA Jee Tang, Director General of the Central Government of Taiwan. During the meeting, the delegation was briefed about the operations room and control and crisis administration. The delegation also visited the fire fighting college, early warning center and earthquake museum 921. The delegation’s visit was part of the administration’s efforts to keep itself abreast of the experience of and equipments used in other countries as well as new age training skills required to deal with disasters and large scale accidents.

Such visits also help enhance the cooperation with other countries when it comes to training.

Yemeni president extols Kuwait stance SANAA: Yemeni President Abdo Rabbo Mansour Hadi extolled here on Saturday Kuwait’s supportive stances of his country during various circumstances and stances, as well as its contributions to development in Yemen through the Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development (KFAED). While receiving KFAED’s Director-General Abdul Wahab Al-Bader, the Yemeni President expressed his appreciation to KFAED’s efforts in achieving developmental projects in Yemen. On his part, Al-Bader affirmed that KFAED provided Yemen today with a loan worth USD 54 million to finance a project linking rural towns and villages with urban cities and centers via constructing and developing combination of rural roads in most of the Republic’s governorates, as well as providing necessary exceptional services to supervise implementation and institutional support. — KUNA

CB, IBS organize good governance program KUWAIT: The Central Bank of Kuwait (CB) and the Institute of Banking Studies (IBS) co-organized a program on “Rules and systems of good governance” as part of macro hedging policies to help banks fully implement CB instructions. An IBS statement said that CB Governor Mohammad Al-Hashel sponsored and attended the program, which aims at improving the governance environment in the banking sector in particular, and in the local business environment in general. The program includes case studies

of international companies that failed to implement sound governance policies and their fate, and others of the challenges facing boards of directors of many companies when it comes to applying the criteria in this ﬁeld. This program is especially designed for members of company boards who are also members in risk management, auditing, nominations, bonuses, and good governance committees, it said. Former professor of American Harvard University, and Head of an executive education academy in the

US, Nabil Al-Hage will present this program. A number of other programs will be organized to whet the skills of members of the boards of directors and executive departments at Kuwaiti banks. They would cover the ﬁelds of risks management, Internal control and audit systems, strategic planning, and ﬁnancial analysis. The two-day program was attended CB Deputy Governor Yousif AlObaid, with the participation of 37 chairmen and members of boards of directors of Kuwaiti banks. — KUNA

KUWAIT: Ahmadi Governor Sheikh Ahmad Al-Hmoud Al-Sabah received a group of Boy Scouts representing the Ahmadi Educational Directorate on the occasion of the Arab Scout Brotherhood Day on March 22.

MONDAY, MARCH 25, 2013

New pope opens Holy Week at Vatican on Palm Sunday

Visas slow for Iraqis who helped US war efforts Page 8

Page 9

DAMARA: A picture taken on January 10, 2013 shows Seleka rebel coalition members take up positions in a village 12 kilometers from Damara, where troops of the regional African force FOMAC are stationed.— AFP

President Bozize flees rebel attack Central Africa rebels seize capital Bangui BANGUI: Rebels in the Central African Republic seized control of the capital Bangui yesterday after a rapid assault, with President Francois Bozize reportedly ﬂeeing the country. Fighters in the Seleka rebel coalition launched an oﬀensive on Bangui after the collapse of a two-month-old peace deal in the notoriously unstable former French colony-ignoring a call for talks to avoid a “bloodbath”. The whereabouts of Bozize, who himself came to power through a coup in 2003, remained a mystery. He has not been seen since his return from a brief visit to South Africa on Friday. A well-placed source told AFP he had “left the country in a helicopter”, but did not dis-

close his destination, while French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius confirmed only that he had fled Bangui. Officials from the neighbouring Democratic Republic of Congo and Congo-Brazzaville, meanwhile, said he was not on their soil, although it would be easy to cross the river Oubangui to reach the DRC. After a morning of gun battles centred around the presidential palace, witnesses reported widespread looting by armed men as anarchy reigned in the riverside capital in the wake of the seizure, with attacks on shops, houses and cars. “The rebels are in control of the city even though there is still some sporadic gunfire,” a source in multinational central African force

Iran denies link to spy group DUBAI: Iran’s foreign ministry said the country was not linked to a group of alleged spies arrested in Saudi Arabia, Iranian media reported yesterday. Saudi Arabia said on Tuesday that it had detained an Iranian, a Lebanese, and 16 Saudis for spying. Political analysts and media in Sunni Muslim Saudi Arabia have accused Shi’ite Iran of being behind the alleged espionage. The two countries are locked in a struggle for inﬂuence across the region, backing opposing sides in Bahrain, Yemen, Syria, Lebanon and Iraq. Gulf Arab foreign ministers, meeting in Riyadh last month, condemned what they said was Iranian “meddling” in their countries - an accusation Tehran rejects. Iran’s foreign ministry spokesman, Ramin Mehmanparast, denied that an Iranian national was involved in the alleged spy ring and called the allegations a “repetitive scenario”, according to Iran’s English-language Press TV yesterday. “Raising such baseless issues at the media level is merely for domestic consumption,” he said, according to Press TV. A spokesman for Saudi Arabia’s Interior Ministry said yesterday the alleged spies were “collecting information, vital information about a number of installations” but did not specify what these were or whether they were connected to oil output. Leaders of Saudi Arabia’s Shiite minority have also criticised the arrests of 16 members of their community, which they said sought to exploit sectarian tension. The Saudi government has previously blamed unrest among Shiites in the Qatif district of oil-producing Eastern Province on an unnamed foreign power, which oﬃcials privately acknowledge means Iran - a charge local Shiite activists have denied. Sixteen people have been killed in Qatif in clashes with police in the past two years. — Reuters

FOMAC told AFP. The fighting erupted after the rebels-who first launched an offensive against the government late last year-moved in to the city on Saturday, facing little resistance from the poorly equipped and ill-trained national army. There were no official statements from the government about the latest developments, although a high-ranking military source confirmed: “What is certain is that they (the rebels) have taken the city.” “We heard gunfire everywhere in the city centre. It was chaos,” said one witness. “Everyone started running in all directions.” The International Committee of the Red

Cross (ICRC) yesterday said there were “many injured people” ﬂooding hospitals and medical centres in Bangui, and asked for secure access to the capital. “The medical structures are not able to cope with this inﬂux. The frequent electricity cuts... can have dramatic consequences on people who need help,” said Georgios Georgantas, head of the ICRC delegation in Central Africa. Colonel Djouma Narkoyo, one of the rebel commanders on the ground, had told AFP on Saturday the rebels were ready to meet with regional African leaders on the crisis in the mineral-rich but deeply poor country, but refused to negotiate with Bozize. He had

warned that if Seleka-a loose alliance of three rebel movements captured Bangui, it would set up a new government. Seleka spokesman Eric Massi said from Paris that the rebels controlled the capital and military camps and were deploying throughout the capital, “in order to launch security operations and prevent looting”. A spokesman for Prime Minister Nicolas Tiangaye on Saturday had called on the rebels to accept talks to “avoid a bloodbath”. Tiangaye, an opposition ﬁgure, was appointed as part of a peace deal brokered between the government and the rebels in January, an agreement that broke down last week. —AFP

MONDAY, MARCH 25, 2013

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

Deal with Turks does not require Gaza blockade end Concern over Syria civil war eased reconciliation JERUSALEM: Israel did not commit to ending its Gaza blockade as part of reconciliation with Turkey and could clamp down even harder on the Palestinian enclave if security is threatened, a senior Israeli official said yesterday. After Friday’s USbrokered fence-mending announcement, Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan said Israel had met his demands it apologise for killing nine Turks aboard a Gaza-bound activist ship in 2010, pay compensation and ease the blockade. But during the almost three-year rift between the ex-allies, Erdogan had routinely insisted that Israel end the blockade. The rapprochement deal noted Israel’s relaxing of curbs on Gaza’s civilian imports in that period and pledged “to continue to work to improve” Palestinians’ humanitarian situation. “If there is quiet, the processes easing the lives of Gazan residents will continue. And if there is Katyusha (rocket) fire, then these moves will be slowed and even stopped and, if necessary, even reversed,” Israeli national security adviser Yaakov Amidror said. “We did not agree to promise (Turkey) that under any condition we would continue to transfer all the things into Gaza and ease up on the residents of Gaza if there is shooting from there,” he told Israel’s Army Radio. “We do not intend to give up on our right to respond to what happens in Gaza because of the agreement with the Turks.” But

Amidror noted the reconciliation held benefits for Israel, such as helping it deal with spillover from civil war in Syria and pursue other regional interests, including cooperation with NATO, which alliance partner Ankara had sought to block. On Thursday, Islamist militants in Gaza fired rockets into Israel during a visit by US President Barack Obama, causing no casualties. Israel responded by closing a commercial crossing with Gaza and slashing Palestinian access to fishing waters. Two Israeli officials told Reuters they knew of no plan to review the naval blockade, imposed during the Gaza war of 2008-2009 and which Israel says stems arms shipments to the territory’s Islamist Hamas government and smaller factions. Hamas hopeful Hamas, which has largely held fire since its eight-day war with Israel in November, said on Friday that Erdogan told its leader, Khaled Meshaal, that the Jewish state had promised to “lift the siege on the Palestinian people”. Ismail Haniyeh, prime minister in the Hamas government, said he expected Erdogan to make a solidarity visit to Gaza “soon”. Israeli marines boarded a Turkish ship, the Mavi Marmara, which tried to reach Gaza in 2010 and killed nine activists in deck brawls. A UN investigation faulted Israel for excessive force but deemed the blockade legal - a finding Ankara rejected.

Erdogan, whose government has roots in political Islam, previously referred to the Marmara dead as “martyrs” and accused Israel of murder and state terrorism. Israel had long offered statements of regret but balked at apologising, saying such contrition would cast a defensive maritime action as immoral and draw lawsuits against the navy. On Friday, right-wing Prime Minister Netanyahu said he had “expressed Israel’s apology to the Turkish people for any mistakes that might have led to the loss of life or injury”. Israel, which previously offered compensation to those bereaved or injured on the Marmara, would conclude a damages deal involving “nonliability,” Netanyahu’s office said - a reference to the Turks scrapping bids to prosecute Israelis. A senior Netanyahu aide said apologising had been “a difficult decision” for the prime minister. Erdogan’s office said that in his phone conversation with Netanyahu he had voiced appreciation for the “centuries-long friendship and cooperation between the Turkish and Jewish nations”. Asked if Erdogan had offered a reciprocal apology for rhetoric including an attack on Zionism last month that drew a US rebuke, Amidror said no. “This is the Middle East (where) matters of honour play this or that a role in the behaviour of people and nations,” he said, arguing Israel apologised for the sake of the national interest. — Reuters

Visas slow for Iraqis who helped US war efforts SEATTLE: Somehow the bullets that sprayed the car that Ubaida Mufrej was riding in with a group of Iraqi contractors didn’t hit any of them, even though the driver had pushed through three armed men blocking a desert road outside of Baghdad that day in 2006. The men subcontractors of an American company - were coming back from handing over a water treatment facility to a local community as part of the US-led rebuilding efforts in Iraq following the 2003 invasion. The men had left the handoff ceremony hurriedly after sensing animosity from some of the locals. But one of the subcontractors, Mufrej said, had to go back to finish part of the deal one day after the shooting. “He got killed, right?” asked Ali Altamimi as he heard Mufrej’s story. Ten years after the Iraq War, Mufrej and his friend and business partner Altamimi sit in a cluttered office in Seattle’s industrial district. The two men, engineers by training, left Iraq in 2009 and now own a business of buying cars at auctions and shipping parts back to Iraq. Altamimi and Mufrej are two of tens of thousands of Iraqis who immigrated to the United States in the decade after the war. Mufrej came here under a special visa for Iraqis who aided the US-led efforts in Iraq. But that program is set to end this year, despite the federal government only issuing less than a quarter of the special visas allocated. Vacant slots would be terminated, but applications in progress would continue to be processed. Around 5,500 out of a possible 25,000 visas have been issued to Iraqis seeking to move to the United States, according to the US State Department. As the nation marks the 10th anniversary of the Iraq War, Republican and Democratic lawmakers are urging the

Obama Administration to continue the visa program, which is set to expire at the end of September, and reform the application process to aid those who want to move to the US. Earlier this month, 19 members of Congress sent a letter to the Obama Administration with their concerns that also includes the special visa program for Afghanis who have worked with the USin that war. “Often, sterling (visa) applications are denied, and perhaps for good reason, but under the current program, the Chief of Missions (COM) at Embassies Baghdad and Kabul can approve or deny letters with little transparency into how that decision was made,” the letter stated. “Further, (visa) applicants have no means of challenging or appealing an adverse COM decision.” The U.S government created the Special Immigrant Visa for Iraqis in 2008 with the aim of helping them move to the United States faster than the often protracted refugee process. The visa was made for men and women who risked their lives while working for businesses or reconstruction operations that helped USforces in Iraq. The program allotted 5,000 visas annually until 2012. That limit only counts primary visa holders and not their families or dependents. Advocates say the requirements to apply for the visas can be unnecessarily onerous, with extensive paperwork, timelines and agencies involved. The application process requires recommendations from US military personnel, for example. The application also requires a “police certificate” from Iraqi authorities, which are not trusted by many Iraqis looking to apply, Mufrej said. “The responsibility of the United States to the Iraqi people did not end with the withdraw-

al of U.S. troops from Iraq,” said Bob Carey of the International Rescue Committee, one of the largest refugee settlement organizations in the country. Like Mufrej, Iraqis who were known to work for the US government were often the target of killings, violence, kidnapping, death threats and other harassment. “This story is the story of thousands,” said Mufrej, who lost two uncles and a cousin to militia violence that plagued the country after the invasion. One uncle was kidnapped in 2006 and never seen again. “Probably, he died.” The State Department said the number of qualified applications for the visa has not exceeded the 25,000 allotted. “We have established procedures to account for national security concerns and reduce chances of fraud in the process. We have an obligation to ensure that recipients of SIVs - like all others who enter the United States - do not pose a threat to our security. We have made demonstrable progress in bringing more Iraqis to the United States, while ensuring our security is upheld,” the State Department said. The State Department also pointed out that more than 80,000 Iraqis have been settled here through the refugee program. More than 10,000 people, both primary applicants and dependents, have come to the US through the Special Immigrant Visa. The List Project To Resettle Iraqi Allies, an advocacy group, said this week that the SIV program has a backlog of 1,500 applications. The group lobbied hard in 2007 to create the program. To founder Kirk Johnson, a former USAID reconstruction manager in Fallujah, the State Department’s focus on the lack of applications is curious. — AP

MOSCOW: In this undated file photo, Boris Berezovsky (right) and Mikhail Khodarkovsky, two of Russia’s most prominent tycoons, smile at a reception in Moscow. — AP

Police find ‘nothing’ in Berezovsky home LONDON: British police investigating the death of exiled Russian oligarch and Kremlin critic Boris Berezovsky said yesterday a search of his house by chemical, biological and nuclear experts had found “nothing of concern”. The 67-year-old who emigrated to Britain in 2000 after falling out with President Vladimir Putin was found dead in his mansion in the upmarket town of Ascot outside London on Saturday. Police officers trained in detecting chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear (CBRN) material inspected the house as a precautionary measure, but have given it the all clear. “I am pleased to say the CBRN officers found nothing of concern in the property and we are now progressing the investigation as normal,” police superintendent Simon Bowden said. He said Berezovsky’s death remained “unexplained”. He survived one assassination attempt in 1995 in which a bomb decapitated his chauffeur, and openly expressed his fear that his life was in danger. His friend and fellow Kremlin critic Alexander Litvinenko died an agonising death from radioactive poisoning in London in 2006, in what Litvinenko’s widow has said was an assassination by Russian agents. Berezovsky’s wealth has diminished in recent years and last year he lost a bitter multi-million pound legal battle with fellow British-based oligarch Roman Abramovich, the owner of Chelsea Football Club. Berezovsky had sought more than £3 billion ($4.75 billion, 3.8 billion euros) in damages and accused Abramovich of blackmail, breach of trust and breach of contract in an oil deal. Following his defeat in a London court, he was forced to agree to pay Abramovich £35 million ($56 million) in legal costs, although there is speculation that the final bill will be far greater. The judge in the case described Berezovsky as “an unimpressive, and inherently unreliable, witness”. Berezovsky was a close confidante of former Russian president Boris Yeltsin and one of a handful of businessmen who became billionaires following the privatisation of Russian state assets in the 1990s. But he fell out with Yeltsin’s successor, Putin, and fled Russia in 2000 just in time to escape arrest on fraud charges. In London, Berezovsky became one of the Kremlin’s most outspoken critics and is believed to have given

financial support to a circle of exiled Russian critics that included Litvinenko. Berezovsky’s body was found by a bodyguard at his property and paramedics were called to the house at 3:18 pm (1518 GMT) but he was pronounced dead at the scene, the ambulance service said. Unconfirmed reports say he was found in a bath. Forbes’ Russian-language website published an interview he gave to a journalist Ilya Zhegulev, in which Berezovsky said his “life no longer makes sense” and that all he wanted to do was return to Russia. Zhegulev said the interview had taken place on Friday, but had not been recorded. The tycoon’s friend Demyan Kudryavtsev dismissed speculation that Berezovsky had killed himself. “There are no external signs of a suicide,” he told the Prime news agency in Russia. “There are no signs that he injected himself or swallowed any pills. No one knows why his heart stopped.” Berezovsky’s private life has also been turbulent in recent years. His divorce with second wife Galina Besharova in 2011 was dubbed one of the costliest in Britain, and there has been a more recent legal wrangle with his partner Elena Gorbunova. Born on January 23, 1946, in Moscow, Berezovsky worked as an academic for nearly two decades before taking advantage of the perestroika reforms to make his fortune. However, the fast-talking Muscovite with a taste for the high life fell foul of Putin’s crackdown on the oligarchs’ political independence. In 2003, Britain granted him political asylum. After the news of Berezovsky’s death emerged, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the oligarch had written to Putin a couple of months ago saying he wanted to go home. “He asked Putin for forgiveness for his mistakes and asked him to obtain the opportunity to return to the motherland,” Peskov told Russian state television. Russian politicians and commentators shed few tears for Berezovsky yesterday. Communist Party leader Gennady Zyuganov said he had “no good words or high praise” for him. He told the RIA Novosti news agency that Berezovsky “himself admitted at the end of his life that he had lived for nothing, ending up without family, motherland, money, or friends. And the finale was fully consistent with that.” — AFP

Sewing machine sounds drown out gunfire in Aleppo factory ALEPPO: “We people from Aleppo are hard workers, we’re renowned for that,” said Mohammed, as he showed a team of AFP journalists around a clothes factory in strife-torn Aleppo city, Syria’s economic heart. In a building in the eastern district of Tariq alBab, the din of sewing machines has replaced the sound of gunfire and bombing, as bombardment of the neighbourhood by regime forces becomes less frequent. A dozen young men work tirelessly to make a living more than two years into a war that has left some 70,000 people dead, the UN says. Some were still at school when the battle for Aleppo broke out around nine months ago. Today, they are sewing onto children’s T-shirts and baby bibs the insignia of Barcelona F.C. Ibrahim, 27, has worked for around four years for the company, which sells its products in Iraq. He used computer technology to design the logo, which is then sewn onto children’s blue and orange shorts. “We chose Barcelona because that’s what the clients wanted. Personally, I don’t support anyone. I just back the winner,” he said with a smile, but without taking his eyes off his work. On the streets, young people freely discuss which football team they back, but when it comes to the civil war that is tearing Syria apart, no one wants to talk. Mohammed makes regular trips across the front lines into regime-held districts to buy goods he needs for his factory. “I don’t support anyone. I’m just a little citizen who doesn’t understand all these political games,” he told AFP. “All I know is that there are weapons everywhere. My house is a 10-minute drive away from the company, but I only go home at weekends. My wife and children are home alone because I’m afraid of what may happen on the road.” Aleppo takes pride in its commer-

cial tradition, key to the whole Middle East region. Mohammed’s firm only stopped work for a few days in the past nine months, when the fighting became unbearably fierce. But war has also caused many of his workers to flee. “There are those who fled the province altogether, and others who have stayed. But why should I leave? God will provide for me,” said Hisham, an 18-year-old, as he thought about colleagues who have joined the millions who had fled their homes. “People don’t want to flee, they need to work to be able to eat,” said Mohammed, thinking of a time when some 150 people worked for him in round-the-clock shifts. More than nine months on from a massive army assault launched to repel a rebel

advance on Aleppo, the company stays open eight hours a day, thanks to generators that keep the power going in a city deprived of electricity. Those who have stayed behind in Aleppo must face bombings and steeply higher prices for basic commodities. “It’s hard to work with everything that’s going on around us, but I need to take care of my family,” said 25-year-old Ahmed, father of two. “Everything has become more expensive. Thanks to our salaries, we can cope with the cost of living.” Mohammed says his employees are paid some 3,500 Syrian pounds ($35) a week. In Aleppo, a pack of cigarettes costs 70 pounds, while a kilo of meat costs 800 — making it a luxury few today can afford. — AFP

ALEPPO: A Syrian boy works at a clothes factory in the northern city of Aleppo. — AFP

MONDAY, MARCH 25, 2013

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Pope revives issue: What is a ‘Latino?’ He is being hailed with pride and wonder as the “first Latino pope,” a native Spanish speaker born and raised in the South American nation of Argentina. But for some Latinos in the United States, there’s a catch: Pope Francis’ parents were born in Italy. Such recent European heritage is reviving debate in the United States about what makes someone a Latino. Those questioning whether their idea of Latino identity applies to Pope Francis acknowledge that he is Latin American, and that he is a special inspiration to Spanish-speaking Catholics around the world. Yet that, in their eyes, does not mean the pope is “Latino.” These views seem to be in the minority. But they have become a distinct part of the conversation in the United States as the Latino world contemplates this unique man and moment. “Are Italians Latino? No,” says Eric Cortes, who has been debating the issue with his friends. “The most European alternative and the closest thing to an Italian,” is how Baylor University professor Philip Jenkins described Pope Francis in the Chronicle of Higher Education. “Does a Latino have to have indigenous blood?” asked the LA Weekly newspaper of Los Angeles beneath the headline, “Is The New Pope Latino?” “Latinos come in all colors and shades and features,” Ivette Baez said in an emotional debate on the “Being Latino” Facebook page. The swirling discussion indicates just how much the man formerly known as Jorge Mario Bergoglio, whatever his ethnicity, means to Catholic Latinos around the world. “The Latino community tends to pride itself on the accomplishments of our own,” says Baez, a Puerto Rican who lives in New Jersey. “And a lot of people are hoping that a Latino pope would bring more of a focus on the problems in Latin America.”“After the president of the United States, he’s probably the most influential person in the world,” she says. The conversation about Pope Francis’ ethnicity is rooted in history and geography. Latin America is a complex region of deep racial and class narratives. The elites tend to be whites of European ancestry; the poor are often dark-skinned descendants of indigenous or African people. Latinos also can be of any race; many identify themselves as both Latino and white, or Latino and black. So debates were bound to happen with the elevation of a fairskinned son of Italians born in South America’s most European city, a place that has always identified more with Rome and Madrid than Caracas or Mexico City. Cortes, a 29-year-old son of Colombian immigrants who lives in Philadelphia, says some friends his age are confused about why the pope is being identified as Latino. “Others are assuming it’s a ploy to get Latino Catholics more involved,” he says. According to Cortes’ definition of Latino, which includes Spanish, African and Indian descent, it’s “stretching” to include Pope Francis. “His parents are Italian ... Just because he is born in Argentina does not make him Latino at all,” Cortes says. The logic is exactly the opposite, however, for

millions of others. If you are born in Latin America, and share its language, history and culture, they say, you are Latino - period. They point to the fact that Pope Francis loves tango, drinks the traditional South American beverage mate and follows the San Lorenzo de Almagro futbol team. “Look: If the guy was raised there, lived there, did the culture there, who has the right to take that away?” says Andrew Ysiano, a Mexican-American and publisher of LatinoTimes.org in Stockton, Calif. “How do you take something away that he was raised by?” “I consider him Latino,” he says. “With a name like Jorge, he has to have the culture, right? I know there has to be some kind of roots there for him.” Benny Martinez, a Mexican-American civil rights activist who lives in Goliad, Texas, says he feels “somewhat proud” that an Argentinian is now pope. “Sure he’s Latino. Why not?” says Martinez, who can trace his family’s roots to Texas from the 1700s. “Anyone who speaks Spanish and is from Latin America is Latino, I guess.” “But do other Hispanos consider him Latino?” Martinez says. “That I don’t know.” Measuring someone’s “Latino-ness” - how much they identify with Latino rather than mainstream American culture - is not unusual in the United States. It’s the rough equivalent of Americans evaluating each other’s patriotism, a way to gauge their loyalty and perspective on life. And it can hurt. Vanessa Madrazo, who took part in the Facebook discussion on whether the pope is Latino, was raised in an affluent Michigan suburb by a father born in Argentina and a mother from Brazil. She spoke English in her home, and there were few other Latinos in her area. An old boyfriend once made fun of her for not knowing what “platanos” are; she had never seen the fried plantain chips in Michigan. When she moved to Miami, another Latina told her she “talked like a white girl.” So when Madrazo saw people on Facebook insisting the pope is not Latino, it struck a nerve. “I am Latina,” Madrazo says. “Where do you draw the line?” Some draw it between the definitions of “Latino” and “Latin American.” The term “Latin American” was created by the French in the 1860s when it was involved in the invasion of Mexico, said Stephen Pitti, a history professor at Yale University and director of the “Latino/a History Project.” “It’s an imperial term,” Pitti says. France was challenging the dominance of Spain and Portugal in the Americas, he says, so it wanted to redefine the region as connected to all Latinbased languages. The name stuck as new nations gained independence and sought more regional cooperation in the late 1800s and early 1900s. Pitti, and many other U.S. scholars, say there is a difference between “Latino” and “Latin American.” Latino is commonly, but not exclusively, used to describe people of Latin American descent in the United States, Pitti said. In Latin America itself, people tend to identify themselves by their native country, such as Argentinian, Panamanian or Mexican. —AP

VATICAN: This combo image shows Pope Francis blessing children as he leaves at the end of a mass at St Peter’s square as part of the Palm Sunday celebration yesterday. —AFP

New pope opens Holy Week at Vatican on Palm Sunday New pope cites grandma’s folk wisdom VATICAN CITY: Pope Francis celebrated his first Palm Sunday Mass in St Peter’s Square, encouraging people to be humble and young at heart and promising to go to a youth jamboree in Brazil in July, while the faithful enthusiastically waved olive branches and braided palm fronds. The square overflowed with a crowd estimated by the Vatican at 250,000 people. Pilgrims, tourists and Romans jostled each other in an eager effort glimpse Francis as they joined the new pope at the start of solemn Holy Week ceremonies, which lead up to Easter, Christianity’s most important day. Keeping with his spontaneous style, the first pope from Latin America broke away several times from the text of his prepared homily to encourage the faithful to lead simple lives and resist the temptation to be sad when life’s obstacles inevitably come their way. “Don’t let yourselves be robbed of hope! Don’t let yourselves be robbed of hope!” Francis told the crowd, in an apparent reference to the economic difficulties people are grappling with as they try to find adequate work amid a poor job market in much of the world. At the end of the two-hour Mass, Francis took off his red vestments, and wearing his plain white cassock and skull cap, climbed into an opentopped popemobile to circle through the excited crowd. He leaned out to shake hands, kissed and patted the heads of infants passed to him by bodyguards, and often gave children the thumbsup sign. His security detail seemed to be reluctantly dealing with this get-close-to-the-people pontiff, scrambling around the vehicle to pick up this child or that one. At one point, the chief bodyguard, Domenico Giani, was sent back to the mother of a child he had greeted to convey a

2 hurt, 11 escape in Greece jail shooting TRIKALA: At least 11 inmates escaped from a Greek prison Friday night after gunmen brazenly attacked the site with grenades and automatic weapons, kicking off a nightlong standoff between police and prisoners. Two guards were injured, one of them seriously. A police official, speaking on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to talk to the media, told the Associated Press that two of the escaped inmates had been found and arrested

patrol vehicle and two police cars. “During the exchange of heavy fire that lasted over half an hour and turned the area into a battlefield, two perimeter guards were injured in the abdomen, one of them seriously,” the ministry said. Justice Minister Antonis Roupakiotis, who visited the prison Saturday evening, called the escape a “commando operation, with hundreds of shots fired.” “Until now we were worried that inmates would escape from the inside, because this was the

TRIKALA: Kostas Tassios, a coffee shop owner, points at a bullet hole in the window his coffee shop near the city of Trikala, on Saturday, March 23, 2013. —AP Saturday afternoon. He said they were hiding in a church not far from the site of the prison. The official added that all the escapees were Albanian. A third escapee was arrested later Saturday in a nearby village, police announced. The incident occurred near the town of Trikala, in central Greece, some 320 kilometers (200 miles) northwest of Athens. As many as six gunmen attacked the prison after driving up to the site in a van and pickup truck, according to offic i a l s. T h e M i n i s t r y o f J u s t i c e announced that gunmen using “ t wo ve h i c l e s a n d ve r y h e a v y weapons” attacked the prison’s outs i d e g u a rd s, a s we l l a s a p r i s o n

danger. Now we have to redesign the security plan of the prisons, because as it seems with the new form that organized crime has taken, there is a risk of attacks coming from the outside to help inmates escape,” added Roupakiotis. Prison authorities were investigating reports that weapons had also been fired from inside the facility. The ministry’s announcement said that “no guns or casings confirming the use of an automatic weapon by inmates during the escape have been found. However, the search continues.” When asked about the possible presence of guns inside the prison, Roupakiotis replied that the search continues. Police spokesman Capt Christos

Parthenis told reporters Saturday that a number of sharp instruments were found inside the prison that the escapees used to prise open cell windows, as well as ladders that were used in their escape, but no weapons. He added that one of the vehicles used by the attackers was found, totally burned, in an attempt to erase incriminating evidence. At least five grenades exploded, while army experts were expected at the prison to dispose of two unexploded grenades. The attack started at around 8:30 pm (1830GMT ) Friday, when a police patrol jeep was fired upon. “It was like a war was going on. There was so much gunfire,” said Trikala city councilor Costas Tassios, who lives in the village of Krinitsa, near the prison. A bullet fired at the village damaged a coffee shop window in an incident also being investigated by police. The escaped prisoners used ropes and bed sheets tied together to climb down from a guard tower that had been attacked. They had to go through two more perimeter fences, topped by barbed wire, before they escaped. The same police officer told the Associated Press that wire-cutting tools had been recovered. Police set up roadblocks near the prison, searched vacant homes and farm buildings, and used two helicopters in the manhunt. Officers from evidence units were scouring the jail perimeter after dawn. The attack was the latest dramatic incident at Greek prisons, which are suffering from serious overcrowding and staff shortages as the country struggles through a financial crisis and a recession that started in late 2008. Last month, guards foiled a breakout attempt by four inmates who tried to escape by helicopter from Trikala prison, including notorious Greek inmate Panagiotis Vlastos, who is serving life for murder and racketeering. Gunmen in the helicopter had fired on guards in the Feb 24 incident and lowered a rope in to the courtyard, but the chopper was forced to land after being hit by returned gunfire. In a separate incident on March 17, a convicted contract killer, Albanian inmate Alket Rizaj, took several prison guards hostage in an attempt to escape from another prison in central Greece. The attempt was unsuccessful and the hostages were released unharmed following a 24-hour standoff. —AP

message from the pontiff, and the ever-tense Giani broke into a smile after his mission was accomplished. Francis even climbed down from the vehicle, kissed a woman in the crowd and chatted briefly with her, and another man in the crowd leaned over a barrier to squeeze the pontiff on a shoulder an unheard of familiarity in the previous pontificate of the reserved Benedict XVI. In keeping with his stress on giving examples of humility, Francis kissed the hand of an elderly woman who had outstretched an arm to him. “There is no doubt that there will be a new spring for the church, a renewal” with this pope, said Sister Emma, an Argentine nun in the crowd. Palm Sunday recalls Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem but its Gospel also recounts how he was betrayed by one of his apostles and ultimately sentenced to death on a cross. Francis presided over the Mass at an altar sheltered by a white canopy on the steps of St Peter’s Basilica. Recalling the triumphant welcome into Jerusalem, Francis said Jesus “awakened so many hopes in the heart, above all among humble, simple, poor, forgotten people, those who don’t matter in the eyes of the world.” Cardinals, many of them among the electors who chose him to be the Roman Catholic church’s first Latin American pope, sat on chairs during the ceremony held under hazy skies on a breezy day. He quoted from Benedict when he told the cardinals that while they are “princes” of the church, their leader is the crucified Christ, a further admonition against attachment to temporal power. The pope ticked off a litany of evils afflicting the world, including wars, “economic conflicts that hit the weakest” as well as corruption. In the final stretch of Benedict’s papacy, the Vatican was embarrassed by a leak of documents from the

papal apartment, indicating corruption, ambition and rivalries among upper ranks of the Holy See’s management. Francis told an off-the-cuff story from his childhood in Argentina. “My grandmother used to tell us children, ‘burial shrouds don’t have’ pockets,” the pope said, in a variation of “you can’t take it with you.” Since his election on March 13, Francis has put the downtrodden and poor at the center of his mission as pope, keeping with the priorities of his Jesuit tradition. In his homily, Francis said Christian joy “isn’t born from possessing a lot of things but from having met” Jesus. That same joy should keep people young, he said. “Even at 70, 80, the heart doesn’t age” if one is inspired by Christian joy, said the 76-year-old pontiff. The pontiff said he was joyfully looking forward to welcoming young people to Rio de Janiero for the Catholic Church’s World Youth Day. So far, that is the first foreign trip on the calendar of Francis’ new papacy. “I’m coming in July,” Francis said in remarks after Mass from the esplanade of the basilica. During Mass, at the point when the Gospel recounts the moment of Jesus’ death, many faithful knelt on hard cobblestones paving the square, and Francis knelt on a wooden kneeler. A few young olive trees were inserted in dirt placed around the central obelisk in the square. Holy Week will see at least one break from tradition with this new papacy. Instead of washing priests’ feet in a basilica in a symbolic gesture of humility on Holy Thursday, Francis will wash the feet of young inmates at a juvenile detention center in Rome. Other appointments in public will include the Way of the Cross procession at the Colosseum on Good Friday night. Next Sunday, Francis will celebrate Easter Mass in the square. —AP

MONDAY, MARCH 25, 2013

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British woman in India ‘shouted for help for hour’ LONDON: A British woman who jumped from a hotel balcony in India fearing a sexual assault said yesterday she shouted for help for more than an hour before she fled. Jessica Davies, 31, from London, said she had barricaded the door of her hotel room in Agra with furniture to stop two men from entering. “I held my key in the lock and I could feel them turning it from the other side,” she told the BBC. Davies, a dental hygienist, injured both legs in the jump but said her ordeal could have been a lot worse. The manager of the hotel and another member of staff appeared in court on

Wednesday accused of harassing Davies, with their lawyer saying they denied the charges. Davies said she wanted to talk about her experience “because the shame of sexual assault makes many people too scared to speak out”. She also said it was “disgusting” that her fellow hotel residents had failed to help. The incident came just days after a Swiss cyclist was allegedly gang-raped in the central state of Madhya Pradesh by a group of villagers, while on a cycling trip with her husband that was meant to include a stopover in Agra. Davies, who is now back in Britain, told the BBC her

ordeal began when she was “surprised” by a knock at her door at 3:45 am. She denied claims by the hotel manager’s lawyer that she had asked for a wake-up call, saying she had set her phone alarm for 4:30am to catch a taxi for a train to Jaipur. She said she was still wearing pyjamas when she opened the door to find the hotel manager asking if she wanted to take a shower and offering a massage. “He was showing me this oil he had,” she said. When he refused to go away, she barricaded herself inside her room. For the next hour and a quarter “I was kicking the door and screaming hoping someone would

help”, she said. “By hook or by crook this person-or persons-were going to get into my room. I’m 100 percent certain. And there was only one way out, to jump two floors.” Davies said that when she hit the ground she heard a shout but “I didn’t look back and just ran”, hardly noticing her injuries as adrenaline took over. She said a passing rickshaw driver took her to a police station where he stayed with her for hours and acted as translator. “He was amazing,” she said, but added: “I don’t know his name and I don’t know how to thank him.” She also praised the

police in Agra. Davies insisted she had been “exercising a lot of caution and wearing appropriate clothes” after hearing about recent cases. She said she had not been put off from returning to India, but was “never going to travel alone again”. Prakash Narayan Sharma, lawyer for the hotel manager Sachin Chauhan, told AFP his client was being framed and claimed Davies had invented the story. He also claimed it was a conspiracy concocted by tourism authorities in New Delhi to tarnish the image of Agra, which is home to the Taj Mahal, a major tourist attraction. —AFP

Afghan president set to visit Qatar Karzai to discuss Taleban peace negotiations

ALLAHABAD: Bowls of colored powder are displayed at a roadside shop ahead of Holi festival in Allahabad yesterday. —AFP

Car bomb kills 17 Pak soldiers PESHAWAR: A car packed with explosives exploded next to a pair of fuel tankers at an army check post in nor thwestern Pakistan, killing 17 soldiers and wounding dozens, officials said yesterday. The attack Saturday night occurred in the North Waziristan tribal area, the main sanctuary for Taleban and Al-Qaeda militants along Pakistan’s restive border with Afghanistan. The blast set the fuel tankers on fire and destroyed two residential army barracks, said intelligence officials, speaking on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to talk to the media. Janan Dawar, who lives about 14 kilometers (9 miles) away from the attack site in the town of Mir Ali, said he heard a huge explosion and saw flames leap into the air. The blast killed 17 soldiers and wounded 34, said the intelligence officials. Three civilians were also wounded. Most of the soldiers who were killed were working for a wing of the army that is building roads in North Waziristan. The US has funded much of the road construction in the area in an attempt to win hearts and minds of the locals. The

army confirmed the death toll in a text message sent to reporters. The Pakistani army has tens of thousands of soldiers based in North Waziristan but has resisted US pressure to launch an offensive against Islamist militants in the area. The US has been pushing for an operation because Afghan Taleban militants use North Waziristan as a base to launch crossborder attacks against American troops in Afghanistan. The Pakistani military says it can’t launch an offensive because its forces are spread too thin fighting domestic Taleban militants who are waging war against the government. But many analysts believe the Pakistani army is reluctant to cross Afghan militants with whom it has historical ties and could be useful allies in Afghanistan after most foreign forces withdraw at the end of 2014. However, the area has become a greater problem for the Pakistani military because domestic Taleban militants have increasingly used it as a base of operations and conduct periodic attack against soldiers based in the area. No group has yet claimed responsibility for the latest attack. —AP

K ABUL: Afghan President Hamid Karzai will travel to Qatar within days to discuss peace negotiations with the Taleban, the Afghan Foreign Ministry said yesterday, as efforts intensify to find a negotiated solution to the twelve year war. Karzai’s trip to Qatar would represent the first time the Afghan president has discussed the Taleban peace process in Qatar, and comes after years of stalled discussions with the United States, Pakistan and the Taleban. The announcement was made only hours after another thorny issue in the US-Afghan relationship -the transfer to Afghan control of the last group of prisoners at the Bagram military complex held by US forcesappeared to be resolved. The Pentagon announced on Saturday that a deal had been clinched. Karzai’s Qatar trip was announced by Foreign Ministry spokesman Janan Mosazai. “President Karzai will discuss the peace process and the opening of a (Taleban) office for the purposes of conducting negotiations with Afghanistan,” he said. Karzai was expected to travel to Qatar within a week, a senior Afghan official speaking on condition of anonymity told Reuters. The announcement comes several weeks after Karzai delivered a fiery speech during the first visit to Afghanistan by new U.S. Defense Secretar y Chuck Hagel, in which he accused Washington of holding peace talks with the Taleban in Qatar without him. K arzai also accused the Taleban of colluding with

America to keep foreign troops in the country, marking a fresh low point in the relationship between the Afghan president and his most powerful backer. Mosazai confirmed the agreement reached on the transfer of

Karzai rejected part of the deal. American forces control an area of the prison adjacent to the Bagram military complex, which holds several dozen Taleban fighters considered by the United States to pose the most

and said he would release those detainees that were “innocent”. Under the terms of agreement, all Afghans detained by forces of the U.S.-led coalition would now have to be handed over to Afghan control within 96 hours

HERAT: Soldiers of the Italian Alpine Brigade Taurinense line up as Italian Gen Ignazio Gamba, gets introduced as the new ISAF Regional Command West, RC-West, during a ceremony yesterday. —AP detainees held at the military detention facility at Bagram in Parwan province north of Kabul. The issue of detainees at Bagram had become another stress point in Karzai’s relations with Washington. A ceremony formally transferring the last prisoners to Afghan custody collapsed two weeks ago af ter

severe threat. Washington is concerned the Afghans may release some of these men when control of the prison is handed over. That concern was reinforced during K arzai’s outburst this month, in which he said the United States had been dragging its heels on prisoner transfers

of capture, Mosazai said. Any decision to release them after that would be made only by the Afghan government. The United States last year agreed to hand over responsibility for most of the more than 3,000 detainees at the prison to Afghanistan and held a transfer ceremony in September. —Reuters

MONDAY, MARCH 25, 2013

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

$97,750 paid for freed Australian hostage ZAMBOANGA: Islamic militants in the southern Philippines were paid U$97,750 to release Warren Rodwell, a negotiator said after the Australian waded to freedom following 15 months in captivity. Al Rashid Sakalahul, vice governor of the strife-torn island province of Basilan, said late Saturday he had negotiated Rodwell’s freedom with a feared leader of an extremist group known for beheading his victims. The weak and emaciated 54-year-old former soldier was released on Saturday off Pagadian, a port city on Mindanao island, some 100 kilometres (60 miles) east of where he was kidnapped on December 5, 2011. Police quoted him as saying he was left in a boat by his captors in waters between Basilan and Pagadian and told to row to safety. But the tide was out and Rodwell had to wade through the mud to reach safety on shore. Wharf supervisor Nathaniel Campos said he

spotted the soaked and mud-splattered Australian as he waded ashore in darkness, and asked him if he was a tourist. “No, I’m not a tourist. I am a kidnap victim. Please help me!” Rodwell reportedly replied. The ransom was substantially less than the $2 million the kidnappers, members of the Abu Sayyaf militant group, initially demanded after they broke into the house Rodwell shared with his Filipina wife in the town of Ipil. Sakalahul said he succeeded in getting them to reduce the ransom to four million pesos. “It was really a tough negotiation but in the end, with God’s help, we managed to secure the release of Rodwell,” he told reporters. Sakalahul said he came forward to deny speculation in Manila that “middlemen” had pocketed some of the ransom. “My only mission was to save the life of Rodwell by getting him out from the Abu Sayyaf. I am clean.

My conscience is clean,” he said. He said the negotiations were conducted with an emissary of Puruji Indama, an Abu Sayyaf commander in Basilan notorious for beheading and mutilating victims. Indama gained prominence after he and other Muslim militants attacked a Philippine military convoy, killing and mutilating 14 marines in 2007. In November 2009 Indama kidnapped three ethnic Chinese factory workers and beheaded one of them before releasing the other two. Police in Pagadian quoted Rodwell as telling them he had been repeatedly transferred from one small island to another to elude pursuit. He was not shackled but was always closely watched. “He said he had several opportunities to escape but was not successful. They would open fire and force him to stop,” said Inspector Eurem Macasil. The Abu Sayyaf, founded in

the early 1990s with seed money from Osama bin Laden, is blamed for the country’s worst terror attacks including a series of bombings and kidnappings mainly targeting foreigners and Christians. Both the Philippine and Australian governments have a no-ransom policy and Sakalahul said they did not know of the payment. “Neither our government or the government of Australia knew of this. It was the family of Mr Rodwell who gathered the money,” he said in a television interview. Australian Foreign Minister Bob Carr said Canberra did not pay any money to secure Rodwell’s release. “Just be clear that the Australian government never pays ransoms,” he told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. “I won’t comment on arrangements that may have been made by Mr Rodwell’s family and Abu Sayyaf, made through the

Philippines anti-kidnapping unit and their police force.” President Benigno Aquino’s spokeswoman Abigail Valte said the Philippine government was unaware of any ransom payment. “The policy of the government remains that we do not pay ransom. Having said that, we have no information nor confirmation on that alleged ransom that was paid,” she told reporters. After his release Rodwell was flown by helicopter to a military base in the city of Zamboanga for medical treatment. Senior Philippine military sources said he was being cared for in a tightly-secured, special US military enclave within the Philippine base. A rotating force of 600 US Special Forces has been stationed in the southern Philippines since 2002 to help train local troops to combat Islamic militants such as the Abu Sayyaf. —AFP

UN Myanmar envoy visits ruined city after violence Violence ‘work of outsiders’ MEIKHTILA: The top UN envoy to Myanmar yesterday toured a central city destroyed in the country’s worst explosion of BuddhistMuslim violence this year, calling on the government to punish those responsible for a tragedy that left dozens of corpses piled in the streets, some of them charred beyond recognition. Vijay Nambiar, the UN secretary-general’s special

and promising the United Nations would provide as much help as it can to get the city back on its feet. “They feel a sense of community and that it is a very good thing because they have worked together and lived together.” But he added: “It is important to catch the perpetrators. It is important that they be caught and punished.” Nambiar’s visit came one day

has raised questions about the government’s failure to rein in antiMuslim sentiment in a predominantly Buddhist country where even monks have armed themselves and taken advantage of newfound freedoms to stage anti Muslim rallies. In Meikthila, at least five mosques were set ablaze from Wednesday to Friday. The majority of homes and shops burned in the

MAE HONG SON: Myanmar refugees look at a Thai army helicopter landing in the early morning, two days after a fire at the Mae Surin camp in Mae Hong Son province yesterday. —AFP adviser on Myanmar, also visited some of the nearly 10,000 people driven from their homes after sectarian unrest shook the city of Meikhtila for several days this week. Most of the displaced are minority Muslims, who appeared to have suffered the brunt of the violence as armed Buddhist mobs roamed city. Nambiar said he was encouraged to learn that some individuals in both communities had bravely helped each other and that religious leaders were now advocating peace. He said the people he spoke to believe the violence “was the work of outsiders,” but he gave no details. “There is a certain degree of fear and anxiety among the people, but there is no hatred,” Nambiar said after visiting both groups yesterday

after the army took control of the city to enforce a tense calm after President Thein Sein ordered a state of emergency here. Late Saturday, the government put the death toll in the violence at 32, according to state television, which reported that bodies had been found as authorities began cleaning up the area. The bloodshed marked the first sectarian unrest to spread into Myanmar’s heartland since two similar episodes rocked western Rakhine state last year. It is the latest challenge to efforts to reform the Southeast Asian country after the long-ruling military ceded power two years ago to a civilian government led by retired army officers. There are concerns the violence could spread, and the bloodshed

city also belonged to Muslims, and most of the displaced are Muslim. During his trip, Nambiar visited some of the thousands of Muslim residents at a city stadium, where they have huddled since fleeing their homes. He later visited around 100 Buddhists at a local monastery who have also been displaced. No new violence was reported overnight, but residents remained anxious. “The city is calm and some shops have reopened, but many still live in fear. Some still dare not return to their homes,” said Win Htein, an opposition lawmaker from the city. Myanmar Ahlin, a state-run newspaper, carried a statement from Buddhist, Muslim, Christian and Hindu leaders expressing sorrow for the loss of life and property and calling on Buddhist monks to

help ease tensions. “We would like to call upon the government to provide sufficient security and to protect the displaced people and to investigate and take legal measures as urgently as possible,” the statement said. Muslims, who make up about 30 percent of Meikhtila’s 100,000 inhabitants, have stayed off the streets since their shops and homes were burned and Buddhist mobs armed with machetes and swords began roaming the city. Little appeared to be left of some palm tree-lined neighborhoods, where the legs of victims could be seen poking out from smoldering masses of twisted debris and ash. Broken glass, charred cars and motorcycles and overturned tables littered roads beside rows of burned-out homes and shops, evidence of the widespread chaos that swept the town. The struggle to contain the violence has proven another major challenge to Thein Sein’s reformist administration, which has faced an upsurge in fighting with ethnic Kachin rebels in the north and major protests at a northern copper mine where angry residents emboldened by promises of freedom of expression - have come out to denounce land grabbing. The devastation was reminiscent of last year’s clashes between ethnic Rakhine Buddhists and Muslim Rohingya that left hundreds of people dead and more than 100,000 displaced - almost all of them Muslim. The Rohingya are widely perceived as illegal migrants and foreigners from Bangladesh; the Muslim population of Meikhtila is believed to be mostly of Indian origin. Chaos began Wednesday after an argument broke out between a Muslim gold shop owner and his Buddhist customers. Once news spread that a Muslim man had killed a Buddhist monk, Buddhist mobs rampaged through a Muslim neighborhood and the situation quickly spiraled out of control. Residents and activists said the police did little to stop the rioters or reacted too slowly, allowing the violence to escalate. Occasional isolated violence involving Myanmar’s majority Buddhist and minority Muslim communities has occurred for decades, even under the authoritarian military governments that ruled the country from 1962 to 2011. —AP

Malaysia’s Mahathir steps out of shadows KUALA LUMPUR: Four years after leading a charge to oust Malaysia’s previous prime minister, authoritarian ex-leader Mahathir Mohamad is making his sizeable influence felt again as a close election looms. Mahathir, who towered over Malaysia for 22 years with his grand development projects and hard-nosed politics, is 87 but has peeled back the years to step from the shadows and whip up support for the long-ruling regime he moulded. Through his blog and visits to key constituencies, Mahathir has sounded off in typically blunt style, warning that a loss by the 56-year-old government would bring chaos. In shades of four years ago, he told AFP that Prime Minister Najib Razak could face a ruling-party leadership putsch like his predecessor if he doesn’t improve on a 2008 polls setback that shocked the Barisan Nasional ruling coalition. “Of course, if he does not perform, there will be some necessity to switch horses,” Mahathir said in an interview at one of his spacious offices. “There could be a lot of disappointment and maybe a move to challenge him. That is normal.” Such comments carry weight after Mahathir, who retired in 2003, helped dump his own chosen successor, Abdullah Badawi, with scathing criticism a year after the polls debacle. Mahathir, known as “Dr M” for his medical training, is revered by many Malays-the country’s majority ethnic group-for bringing economic success, stability, and entrenching Malay dominance under his firm grip. “Mahathir remains very influential within (the ruling party) UMNO and continues to command sizeable support among the grassroots,” said Ibrahim Suffian,

head of leading polling firm Merdeka Centre. But with a rising opposition promising to end authoritarianism, Mahathir is seen trying to protect his legacy. That puts Najib under pressure as he leads the United Malays Nasional Organisation (UMNO), the country’s dominant party, into polls due by late June and expected to see a thin government victory. Mahathir has publicly questioned liberalising

KUALA LUMPUR: This picture shows former Malaysian prime minister Mahathir Mohamad smiling during an interview at his office in Kuala Lumpur. —AFP

gestures by Najib, warning of possible chaos in a multi-racial country where some minority Chinese and Indians resent Malay dominance. Mahathir is considered close to Najib’s deputy, Muhyiddin Yassin, who is seen as a Malay nationalist, and could seek to influence UMNO leadership contests expected soon after the general election. “Najib is under probation and the principal who will decide Najib’s future is Mahathir,” said opposition figure Lim Kit Siang, who was jailed under Mahathir. Mahathir, who moves slowly these days but remains quick-witted, has been relatively quiet in recent years but said his fear of an opposition win had changed that. “I worry the people (will) change the government. There will be religious strife. If the opposition wins, this country will face a lot of difficulties,” he said. Critics accuse him of being out of step with the national mood and sowing fear. They point in particular to his patronage of right-wing Muslim group Perkasa, formed after the 2008 elections, which staunchly defends Malay dominance and is accused of stirring racial and religious tension. Opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim, however, sees Mahathir’s re-emergence as a blessing. Anwar was Mahathir’s heir apparent until a spat between them resulted in Anwar’s dismissal as deputy prime minister in 1998 and six-year jailing on corruption and sodomy charges widely seen as politically motivated. Anwar said his old boss was inadvertently helping galvanise support for the opposition’s pledge to chart a course away from hardline Mahathir-ism. “I think it probably helps us,” Anwar said with a laugh. —AFP

MOSCOW: Peng Liyuan, the wife of Chinese President Xi Jinping, attends an official welcome ceremony at Vnukovo airport outside Moscow. —AFP

A suave star is born in Chinese first lady BEIJING: Glamorous new first lady Peng Liyuan has emerged as Chinese diplomacy’s latest star, cutting a very different profile from her staid predecessors on her debut official visit abroad to Russia. A wellknown performer on state television, Peng featured prominently in yesterday’s state media coverage of husband and President Xi Jinping’s activities in Moscow, Xi’s first state visit since assuming the presidency earlier this month. Peng watched song and dance routines at a performing arts school on Saturday, but did not join in as some media reports had suggested she might. Xi’s trip continues this week with stops in Tanzania, South Africa and Congo, during which Peng is expected to hold other public events. Chinese newspapers on Saturday ran images of Xi and Peng descending arm-inarm from their aircraft after arriving in Moscow on Friday, and state broadcaster CCTV ran a report on its main news broadcast about her visit to the school. The popular Beijing News tabloid ran a full page of items on Peng’s appearances yesterday, alongside a photo of her arriving at a speech Xi gave Saturday dressed in an elegant Chinese-style silk tunic and skirt. “In her role as first lady on this visit abroad, Peng Liyuan is exhibiting China’s soft power,” the paper quoted Wang Fan, head the Institute of International Relations at China Foreign Affairs University, as saying. “As a singer and artist and a long-term advocate for poverty relief and other causes, Peng has an excellent public image,” Wang said. Much of the coverage focused on her personal style, with a report on the mass-market sina.com website noting with satisfaction that the black leather clutch she paired with the outfit was made to order by a Chinese firm in the southwestern city of Chengdu, a flattering contrast with prominent Chinese female politicians

scorned publicly for appearing decked head to toe in foreign designer brands. “In practical terms, this is an important show of support for China’s domestic industries, but in the larger sense, it should raise national self-respect and confidence,” read a posting on China’s popular Weibo microblogging service left by Lin Zhibo, Gansu provincial bureau chief of the Communist Party’s flagship newspaper, People’s Daily. The wives of China’s top officials have traditionally been mostly invisible at home and attracted little attention while accompanying their husbands on state visits abroad. And the contrast is even sharper in the case of Mao Zedong’s wife, Jiang Qing, who was widely hated and later imprisoned for her role as leader of the radical Gang of Four that mercilessly persecuted political opponents during the chaotic 1966-76 Cultural Revolution. More recently, former Premier Wen Jiabao’s wife, Zhang Peili, became known for her role in the country’s gem trade and was never seen in public with her husband. Peng, 50, is famed for her CCTV performances and serves as an ambassador for the World Health Organization, but largely retired from public life after Xi was made China’s leader-in-waiting in 2007. While sometimes described as a folk singer, she holds the rank of major general in the People’s Liberation Army and is best known for her stirring renditions of patriotic odes, often while wearing full dress uniform. Peng and Xi have one daughter, a student at Harvard who remains out of the limelight. Peng works on tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS outreach for the WHO. She made headlines last year by appearing alongside Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates as part of a campaign to discourage smoking, a highprofile cause in a country where about twothirds of men smoke. —AP

China prez to Tanzania on start of African tour DAR ES SALAAM: China’s new President Xi Jinping was due in Tanzania yesterday at the start of a three-nation Africa tour that underscores Beijing’s growing presence in the resource-rich continent. Xi will visit Tanzania’s economic capital Dar es Salaam, where he is set to give a keynote speech on relations with Africa, before heading to Durban, South Africa on Monday to join a emerging economies summit. He wraps up the African tour, part of his first overseas trip which started in Russia, with a visit to the Republic of Congo. “China-Africa cooperation is comprehensive,” Xi said ahead of his trip, adding that Beijing valued “friendly relationships with all African countries, no matter whether they are big or small, strong or weak, rich or poor”. “No matter whether it is rich or poor in resources, China treats it equally and actively carries out pragmatic cooperation that benefits both sides,” he said. China is the second-largest foreign investor in Tanzania, with interests in agriculture, coal, iron ore and infrastructure, and Xi will be keen “to showcase that China’s approach to Africa is different from the West,” said China expert Jonathan Holslag, head of research at the Brussels Institute of Contemporary China Studies. “Tanzania offers Xi an important opportunity to highlight the historical dimension of the Sino-African relations. Today,

China is reviving this partnership with Tanzania by investing heavily in its infrastructure” such as railways that could provide a vital link to Chinese-run mines in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Holslag said. China’s first contacts with Africa came with the sea voyages of Zheng He, a Chinese Muslim admiral who led expeditions to the East African coast in the 1400s, but little followed for centuries. “Xi’s decision to visit Tanzania first suggests that China is not merely interested in short-term economic gains, but that it is interested in developing long-lasting partnerships with African countries,” said Frans-Paul van der Putten, senior research fellow at the Netherlands Institute of International Relations. China, which has risen to become the world’s second-largest economy, sources many of its raw materials from Africa. A new Chinese diaspora has seen huge numbers of traders and small business operators establish themselves across the continent, which has higher growth rates than Europe or the United States. Chinese imports from Africa soared 20-fold in a decade to reach $113 billion last year, according to Chinese government statistics, and China became the continent’s largest trading partner in 2009. Highlighting the changing relationship, Beijing hosted a summit of 48 African leaders in 2006. —AFP

NEWS

MONDAY, MARCH 25, 2013

Musharraf returns... Morsi issues stark...

Kerry warns Maliki... Khatib quits

Continued from Page 1

A court has granted him temporary reprieve from arrest, but he is wanted over the 2007 assassination of former premier Benazir Bhutto; the 2006 death of Akbar Bugti, a Baluch rebel leader; and the 2007 sacking of judges. “I have been ordered by my people to come back and save our Pakistan, even at the risk of my life. I want to tell all those who are making such threats that I have been blessed by Allah the Almighty,” Musharraf said. Security concerns forced him to scrap plans to hold a public rally at the Karachi tomb of Pakistan’s founding father Mohammad Ali Jinnah after the Taleban threatened to send a squad of suicide bombers to assassinate him. In the southwestern city of Quetta, hundreds of tribesmen protested at Musharraf’s arrival, chanting “America’s friends are traitors!” and setting fire to a US flag with his picture over it, an AFP reporter saw. Syed Salahuddin, head of Kashmiri militant group Hizbul-Mujahedin, accused Musharraf of betrayal for signing a ceasefire deal with India in the divided Himalayan region during his rule. “The people of Pakistan should not allow him to contest the elections,” he told a press conference in Muzaffarabad, the capital of Pakistan-administered Kashmir yesterday. — AFP

violence, rioting and attacks on private and public property,” Morsi said. “I will not be happy if investigations find some politicians guilty.” The National Salvation Front said in a statement it did not condone violence and called for an independent probe into all incidents of violence. Noting that the presidency, the government and the Brotherhood were making “fierce attacks” on the media, blaming it for inciting the violence, which it said was rather the result of failed promises of inclusiveness by Morsi and his group. It contends that the Brotherhood aims to monopolize power and control the state. Only “drastic political solutions and genuine national participation” will save Egypt from the cycle of violence, it added. Morsi however yesterday dismissed the prospect of the “collapse” of Egypt as a false notion entertained by his foes. He also repeated earlier claims that the political violence was engineered by remnants of the Hosni Mubarak regime, toppled in a popular uprising two years ago, and fueled by outside powers he did not identify. He also claimed that paid thugs were behind the violence, not genuine protesters. “No one in our neighborhood wants this nation to stand on its feet. I will cut off any finger that meddles in Egypt,” he said alluding to alleged foreign interference. “I can see two or three fingers that are meddling inside,” he said without elaborating. — AP

It comes just days after the 10th anniversary of the USled invasion of Iraq that ousted Saddam Hussein amid concerns of flagging American influence barely a year after US forces withdrew. “I made very clear to the prime minister that the overflights from Iran are in fact helping to sustain President (Bashar) Al-Assad and his regime,” Kerry told reporters in Baghdad after meeting Maliki. He added that he told Maliki that American politicians were “watching what Iraq is doing” and noted that anything that helped Assad was “problematic”. “So my hope is we will be able to make some progress on this,” he said. For months, Washington has accused Baghdad of turning a blind eye as Tehran sends military equipment through Iraqi airspace, and has called on authorities to make random, unannounced inspections. Although American officials have often expressed frustration with Iraq’s lack of inspections, Kerry is the most senior official yet to criticise Baghdad. Iraq announced two inspections of aircraft, both in Oct 2012, but the New York Times reported in December that Iran appears to have been tipped off by Iraqi officials as to when inspections would be conducted, so helping Tehran avoid detection. — AFP

he announced he was quitting. Neither the Coalition’s presidential oﬃce nor its general assembly has accepted Khatib’s resignation. “They are asking Mr Moaz Al-Khatib to go back to his work as the president of the Coalition,” the English-language statement said. “Khatib has led the Syrian National Coalition at a very critical stage. He has pushed the Coalition forward skillfully, and has gained popularity and acceptance among the Syrian people,” it added. “Khatib will continue the management of the Coalition at this stage according to the agreement of the General Assembly’s members.” Khatib’s surprise resignation came just days after the ﬁrst election in Istanbul of a rebel prime minister, Ghassan Hitto, and just over two years on from the outbreak of a popular revolt against President Bashar Al-Assad. “For the past two years, we have been slaughtered by an unprecedentedly vicious regime, while the world has looked on,” Khatib said. “I had made a promise to our great people that I would resign if any red lines were crossed.” He reportedly objected to the election of an interim premiership. An opposition source in Doha, where the Arab League is to hold a summit tomorrow, told AFP that Khatib accused “certain countries, notably Qatar, of wanting to control the opposition” and of having imposed Hitto. — Agencies

ANALYSIS

MONDAY, MARCH 25, 2013

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Issues

Tinderbox Myanmar risks religious strife By Didier Lauras he recent explosion of religious violence in central Myanmar is part of a wider communal fracture that threatens further destabilising antiMuslim unrest in the fast-changing nation, experts warn. An altercation over a gold hairpin was apparently all it took to spark deadly rioting in the central town of Meiktila that tore apart Buddhist and Muslim communities who have lived side by side for generations. Mobs of local men, including Buddhist monks, roamed the streets armed with knives and sticks, while mosques and homes were reduced to ashes before relative calm was restored by army patrols. Analysts said the violence is the latest sign that the Buddhist-majority nation is struggling to contain festering religious tensions as it emerges from the iron grip of military rule, which ended in 2011. “The unrest is of concern,” independent analyst Richard Horsey told AFP. “There are deep faultlines in several parts of the country, and there is a risk of further violence as old prejudices and grievances begin to surface as the country opens up and people have greater freedom of expression than in the past.” The clashes, which left at least 32 dead and dozens injured, were the worst communal unrest since a wave of Buddhist-Muslim unrest left tens of thousands of mainly Muslim Rohingya displaced in western Rakhine state last year. Pockets of anti-Muslim sentiment have since flared across the country. “We are in a phase where nationalism is skyrocketing. All the stereotypes projected on the Rohingya have fallen on the Muslims in general,” said independent analyst Mael Raynaud. The international community has called for dialogue amid fears that the violence could spread - a grave prospect in a country where Muslims account for an estimated four percent of the roughly 60 million population. Muslims in the country are largely of Indian, Chinese and Bangladeshi descent. They entered Myanmar en masse for the first time as indentured labourers from the Indian subcontinent during British colonial rule, which ended in 1948. But despite their long history, they have never been fully integrated into the country also known as Burma. Renaud Egreteau, a Myanmar expert at the University of Hong Kong, said it was difficult for many people to see Christian or Muslim citizens as Burmese. “Membership of the Burmese nation is acquired by bloodline, and thus race. To be Burmese is primarily to fit into the cultural norms of the Burmese majority, its language and Buddhist religion,” he told AFP. Myanmar has been convulsed by several deadly episodes of religious violence in the past, with Rakhine acting as a flashpoint for tensions. Last year’s violence there left 180 dead and more than 110,000 people displaced, presenting a major humanitarian challenge to the government. Matthew Smith, of Human Rights Watch, said the animosity aimed at Rohingya and non-Rohingya Muslims in Rakhine state has “certainly raised tensions throughout the country”. “There is a serious risk the violence will reach more horrific levels elsewhere in the country,” he said. HRW has accused security forces of failing to protect Muslims in Rakhine - and even participating in abuses. “It is essential that political and moral leaders in the country do whatever they can to end the violence and ensure calm and accountability, but the ultimate responsibility is with the state, and its record in this area is concerning,” he said. Both the government and main opposition, led by democracy champion Aung San Suu Kyi, have come under pressure from the international community over perceived weakness in their response to the Rakhine violence. The Rakhine unrest sparked a firestorm of online vitriol on both sides and observers fear politicians are reluctant to assert leadership on the issue for fear of alienating voters ahead of key 2015 polls, seen as a test of the country’s democratic credentials. Emergency rule was imposed in Meiktila a significant step by a government keen to show that it has shrugged off the yoke of army rule. With tensions running high, Raynaud said security forces were needed to keep the communities from tearing themselves apart, with more considered solutions left to a later date. “The sparks are ready to fly at any moment,” he said. — AFP

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‘Lex Cyprus’ will set precedents for closer EU Paul Taylor awyers have a saying that hard cases make bad law. Whatever happens this weekend on a bailout for Cyprus will set precedents for the euro zone’s future banking union, investor confidence in the single currency area and political relations among European states. Europe’s political leaders, and their finance ministers, are having to decide in practice at breakneck speed on issues on which they have not yet agreed in theory. Among those issues is whether euro membership is really irreversible for all member states, or only for countries deemed systemic, and what the true meaning is of the European Union’s agreed guarantee of Ä100,000 euro in bank deposits. “Lex Cyprus” will likely be a template for future bailouts, bank resolution and the protection - or not of creditors and depositors, even if euro zone leaders swear on the bones of saints, as they did for Greece, that this is a unique case. Some precedents have already been set in a chaotic week of stumbling crisis management. For the first time, European leaders made clear they were willing to cut loose a member of the 17-nation currency area, leaving it to default and abandon the euro if it did not meet the conditions set for a financial rescue. The European Central Bank said it would pull the plug on Cypriot banks kept afloat by emergency lending assistance unless Cyprus had a bailout in place by next Monday night. Even though the ECB does not yet have supervisory authority over European banks, or powers to resolve failed institutions, it effectively acted as a resolution authority since withholding liquidity would have the same effect as withdrawing a banking licence. A senior European Union official warned that in that case, the biggest banks would have to be wound down, and Nicosia would have to fend for itself and revert to issuing national money. “If the financial sector collapses, then they simply have to face a very significant devaluation, and faced with that situation, they would have no other way but to start having their own currency,” the official told Reuters on Thursday. The combined ultimatums from Frankfurt and Brussels may have been intended primarily to jolt Cypriots into accepting a levy on large bank deposits

that lawmakers had rejected, but it sent a message that recalcitrant small countries can be expelled. That is the opposite of what EU leaders sought to signal when they went the extra mile last year to grant Greece more time and money to keep it in the euro zone. “Why did we say this for Cyprus when we didn’t say it for Greece?” a euro zone central banker said. “Cyprus is 0.2 percent of the euro zone economy and Greece is 2 percent. Size matters.” Like other European policymakers quoted in this report, he spoke on condition of anonymity because of the acute sensitivity of the negotiations. EU paymaster Germany, with a general election in September, was keen to show it could say “no” and stick with it after domestic critics complained that Berlin had been stampeded into previous bailouts by anxious euro zone partners. Last week’s EU-mandated attempt to impose a one-off levy on all bank deposits in Cyprus, rejected by the Cypriot parliament and subsequently disowned by euro zone finance ministers, set another precedent that caused an outcry among investors and many ordinary Europeans. Stunned by the backlash, the ministers changed their minds within three days, blaming the Cypriot government for the plan to hit smaller savers, and said deposits below the € 100,000 threshold should not after all be raided. “I understand that electorates in Germany and northern Europe demand some sacrifice. However, when you accept a solution that basically expropriates 10 percent of deposits, you set a dangerous precedent,” Vladimir Dlouhy, a former Czech economy minister and now international advisor at Goldman Sachs, told Reuters. “If we get into deeper trouble, God help us, they may try to take 50 percent.” The latest word from Cyprus suggests the levy on holdings of over Ä100,000 at Bank of Cyprus could go as high as 25 percent. Many of the accounts are held by Russians and other foreigners. The psychological damage may have been done. There has been no bank run in Spain, Italy or Ireland, but depositors now know, if they did not suspect it before, that in extreme circumstances their savings in euro zone banks may not be as safe as they had imagined. Tellingly, the International Monetary Fund urged the EU a week ago to press ahead with a common deposit guarantee, a red line for Germany which fears

it will end up footing the bill. The European Commission sought to distinguish between protecting deposits if a bank collapsed, in which case accounts of up to €100,000 were guaranteed by EU law, and “fiscal measures”, from which there was no such protection. Cypriots were not alone in seeing the levy as an attempted “bank robbery” rather than a tax, since it touched capital rather than income. In reality, even the EU guarantee in case of a bank failure is less certain than it sounds, since there is no procedure so far for other euro zone countries to help a country that does not have the money to compensate depositors. In the case of Cyprus, not only would accounts with more than € 100,000 be potentially wiped out in a bank failure, but European officials say there is little chance the Cypriot state would be able to reimburse all “guaranteed” deposits. Berlin, in particular, opposes the idea of mutualising national deposit insurance schemes and the European Commission has yet to put forward a proposal for a financial backstop for the planned European banking union. One idea that may get around the German objection would be to require national resolution funds to take out reinsurance contracts with the euro zone’s rescue fund, perhaps paying differentiated risk premiums. If, as now seems likely, only accounts larger than Ä100,000 are hit in Cyprus, euro zone policymakers may be obliged by the public outcry to give stronger force to the deposit guarantee than they had originally intended. In that case, the Cyprus outcome also risks upending the traditional hierarchy of claims in case of a bank failure, since big depositors will suffer a “haircut” but senior bondholders, of whom there are few in Cypriot banks, will not. The Cyprus case does confirm another EU precedent in the treatment of small member states, which could have serious consequences for public support for European integration. As with Ireland’s repeat referendums on the EU’s Nice and Lisbon treaties and Greece’s two general elections last year, the bloc has a habit of pushing small states to vote again until they produce the desired answer. When France voted against a European constitutional treaty in 2005, no one suggested the French be made to return to the polls. — Reuters

Superrich Norway risks going off course By Balazs Koranyi and Victoria Klesty iddle East-style oil wealth combined with a generous Nordic welfare model is slowly throttling big chunks of Norway’s economy, threatening western Europe’s biggest success story. On the surface, Norway is the envy of the world: growth is strong, per capita GDP has exceeded $100,000 and the nation sits on a $700 billion rainy day cash reserve, or $140,000 per man, woman and child. But it may just be too much money as Norwegians, more keen on leisure and family life are working less and less. Immigration is not filling the gap in the skilled part of the workforce, so productivity is stagnating, wages are surging and firms are pricing themselves out of their own market. “Oil is a metaphor for winning the lottery,” said Ivar Froeness, a sociology professor at the University of Oslo. “Affluence has slowly crept into society... people just don’t really notice it because it’s been so gradual.” “These days more people leave Oslo on Thursday afternoon than on Friday, taking long weekends,” he said. “We may take for granted that we have a house and a cabin in the mountain, and maybe another house on the beach.” Wage costs are up 63 percent since 2000, about six times more than in Germany or Sweden, while the employment rate, adjusted for part time work, is 61 percent, below rates anywhere in the Nordics and even below Greece, the central bank says. Still, unemployment is a barely visible 3 percent as more prefer parttime work. “Why should I work more when I don’t have to?” said Elise Bakke, 36, who recently cut her workday at a major telecom firm to 6 hours. “Maybe it’s luck, maybe we earned it, it doesn’t really matter. We have the money to live the Nordic life: go to the cabin, ski, bike, spend time with the children.” The government recently warned that unless working hours are increased by 10 percent over time, the

state will eventually start eating into its savings. The central bank also warned that the welfare model is simply encouraging people to leave the labour market. “The number of working hours for full time employees in Norway have fallen by 270 hours a year since 1974,” says Jostein Hansen, director of employment policies at Norwegian Hospitality Association. “Norwegians should follow Iceland’s example and work 100 hours more a year.” The oil sector, the source of the problem, is also becoming a victim of its own success. Aker Solutions, the nation’s top oil services firm, will hire 4,000 engineers this year but only a third will be Norwegians. It has to run huge engineering hubs in Kuala Lumpur, London and Mumbai to get enough skilled workers. A study commissioned by the government showed that by 2016, the country will have a shortage of 6,000 engineers as oil investment hits new records and oil firms tap reserves in areas once thought close to depleted. Costs have risen so much, some oil services firms cannot compete at home. Kvaerner, which builds heavy equipment like oil platforms, recently lost a key contract from state -controlled Statoil to Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering because it was too expensive. It was a just the latest of many setbacks for the firm. “The Norwegian cost level is our challenge,” Jan Arve Haugan, its chief executive said. “High (quality) cannot outweigh that price difference,” he said, adding its prices are 7-15 percent higher than its competitors’. Norwegian Air Shuttle has threatened to move aircraft to Thailand and operate to Europe with an Asian crew because it says it can’t afford the Nordic costs. Norway’s problems are not unique: Australia’s oncein-a-150-year mining boom has also skewed the economy, raising wages, fuelling immigration and lowering work hours to a 30-year low as wealth grows. Still, an average Australian works 19 percent more than a

Norwegian, the OECD estimates. And Norway’s oil sector accounts for a fifth of the economy, three times as much as mining in Australia, generating a quarter of state the revenues. Business groups say work hours have to be raised through government incentives, and benefits, particularly involving various leaves, need to be reduced. Though political parties generally agree, the topic is low on the agenda, especially with elections looming in September. Norway has embraced immigration as a stop-gap measure but it is only masking the problem, the central bank says. “Measured per capita, we do not generate more value today than we did five years ago,” Norges Bank Governor Oeystein Olsen said in a speech recently. Norway, with a population of five million, attracts around 50,000 immigrants each year, but productivity is not improving. “We attract the wrong kind of immigrants” said Dag Aarnes, an economist at the Confederation of Norwegian Enterprises, a trade body. “We’re not particularly competitive in attracting skilled labour, particularly engineers.” Norway’s egalitarian wage distribution pays lowskilled workers well above the European average but pays the higher-skilled at, or even a touch below, international norms. The central bank predicts that wages will rise about twice as fast as GDP for several years to come while productivity improvements will trail economic growth. With a budget surplus worth 12 percent of GDP, Norway can afford just about anything now but unless it scales down benefits like neighbour Sweden did in the 1990s, that surplus will melt away. But generous benefits, a good work-life balance and limited wage inequality are long-standing parts of a social model cherished by many Norwegians, so any change will be difficult. “I think there is political understanding about all this so I’m fairly optimistic,” Aarnes added. “But there is no immediate crisis so it will take time.” — Reuters

MONDAY, MARCH 25, 2013

S P ORTS

Stieglitz retains WBO belt

Kenya dominate championships

MAGDEBURG: Robert Stieglitz reclaimed his WBO super middleweight title from fellow German Arthur Abraham on a technical knockout after three rounds on Saturday. “It was a fairly short process,” Stieglitz said. “I thought he’d last longer. I worked hard on my right and it paid off.” Roared on by the crowd in his adopted hometown of Magdeburg, the Russian-born Stieglitz took the fight to the defending champion, opening a cut above Abraham’s left eye in the second round and leaving it swollen shut by the end of the third. Referee Mike Ortega stepped in to end the bout before the fourth after consulting with the ring doctor. Stieglitz improved to 44-3 with 25 knockouts after claiming back the belt he lost to Abraham by unanimous decision in Berlin in August. “My eye is closed. I can’t see anything with my eye. I wanted to let him punch a bit and then start punching myself from the fourth, fifth rounds,” said Abraham, who was born in Armenia but fights out of Berlin. “If he won, he won. Now the third fight is the decisive fight,” added Abraham, who dropped to 36-4 (28 KOs). — AP

BYDGOSZCZ: Kenya dominated the World Cross-Country Championships yesterday, Japhet Korir pulling off a shock victory in the men’s race and Emily Chebet claiming the women’s title. Korir, 19, struck early on the last lap to leave Ethiopia’s defending champion Imane Merga in his wake and immediately set his sights on the August 10-18 World Athletics Championships in Moscow. “Despite difficult conditions I managed to achieve this great success,” the IAAF quoted Korir as saying. “I came to Poland to fight for keeping the gold medal for Kenya and I managed to do that. “Not long ago I was promoted to Senior and this, being one of my first starts, makes this achievement ever more sweet. “The conditions were very difficult. It needs to be mentioned that all the mud and cold weather didn’t make this run easier. Now my plan is to prepare for World Championships in Moscow.” Korir, who was only sixth in the Kenyan trials, finished the gruelling, undulating 12km course around the snowy Myslecinek Park in 32min 45sec. But Korir’s five teammates’ results were not great and the Kenyan team dropped out of the top two in team standings for the first time since 1984. Merga claimed silver to lead Ethiopia to the top of the team standings, with the United States taking second place. Teklemariam Medhin of Eritrea took the race bronze. In the women’s race, Kenya’s Chebet ran a superb tactical race after allowing Ethiopian favourite Hiwot Ayalew to set the pace. — AFP

Keane faces anxious wait DUBLIN: Republic of Ireland captain Robbie Keane faces an anxious wait to discover if he will be fit for Tuesday’s crucial 2014 World Cup qualifier against Austria. Keane suffered a calf injury in Friday’s 0-0 draw against Sweden in Stockholm and was due to have a scan on the problem yesterday. The LA Galaxy forward was present at yesterday’s training session, but did not join in with the group. However, Ireland manager Giovanni Trapattoni is hopeful the former Tottenham and Liverpool star will be fit to lead his side out against the Austrians in Dublin. Meanwhile, midfielder Glenn Whelan, who missed the Sweden stalemate with an ankle problem, was able to train on Sunday and could be fit. The game in Dublin is vital to Ireland’s hopes of qualifying for the World Cup in Brazil. Trapattoni’s team are currently fourth in Group C with seven points from four matches. They are behind Austria on goal difference and one point behind second placed Sweden in the race for a play-off place. Group leaders Germany already have 13 points and look certain to qualify automatically. —AFP

Nuggets march past Kings

NBA results/standings Detroit 92, Charlotte 91; NY Knicks 110, Toronto 84; Chicago 87, Indiana 84; Memphis 110, Boston 106; Denver 101, Sacramento 95; LA Clippers 101, Brooklyn 95; Golden State 101, Washington 92. Eastern Conference Atlantic Division W L PCT NY Knicks 42 26 .618 Brooklyn 40 29 .580 Boston 36 33 .522 Philadelphia 26 42 .382 Toronto 26 44 .371 Central Division Indiana 43 27 .614 Chicago 37 31 .544 Milwaukee 34 34 .500 Detroit 24 47 .338 Cleveland 22 47 .319 Southeast Division Miami 54 14 .794 Atlanta 38 31 .551 Washington 25 44 .362 Orlando 18 52 .257 Charlotte 16 53 .232

GB 2.5 6.5 16 17

5 8 19.5 20.5

16.5 29.5 37 38.5

Western Conference Northwest Division Oklahoma City 51 19 .729 49 22 .690 Denver Utah 34 35 .493 Portland 33 36 .478 Minnesota 24 43 .358

2.5 16.5 17.5 25.5

Pacific Division LA Clippers 48 22 .686 40 31 .563 Golden State LA Lakers 36 34 .514 Sacramento 25 45 .357 Phoenix 23 47 .329

8.5 12 23 25

Southwest Division San Antonio 53 16 .768 47 22 .681 Memphis Houston 38 31 .551 Dallas 33 36 .478 New Orleans 24 46 .343

6 15 20 29.5

Time to induct Tarkanian in Basketball Hall of Fame LAS VEGAS: Lois Tarkanian answered the phone at the family home, offering a word of caution before handing it to her husband. “His voice is weak and he may not remember everything,” she said. Jerry Tarkanian’s voice was weak, and at age 82 he didn’t remember everything. Though he made it to most UNLV home games this season, a heart attack last year and other health problems have taken their toll. For those who don’t remember Tark, let me fill in some of the blanks. I was privileged enough to cover his Runnin’ Rebels in their glory years, and was courtside at both the national championship win in 1990 in Denver and the shocking loss to Duke in the Final Four a year later in Indianapolis. I’m a firm believer that, for all his faults, he was wronged by the NCAA, which hounded him his entire career. The NCAA finally agreed, paying Tarkanian $2.5 million in 1998 to settle a lawsuit claiming it singled out the UNLV program for investigation and penalized it unfairly three times. I’m also a firm believer he should be in the Basketball Hall of Fame. It’s a sentiment shared by most in this gambling town, and a lot of people in the game of basketball. “You can only hope justice prevails and Jerry Tarkanian is elected to the Hall of Fame,” Bill Walton said while in town broadcasting the Pac-12 tournament. Whether he will get in is up to Hall of Fame voters, whoever they are. Unlike other sport shrines, the basketball Hall of Fame does not publicly identify its voters, a lack of transparency that is troubling. But he’s finally a finalist, along with 11 others in a class that will be announced at the Final Four. Justice has been a long time coming to Tarkanian, but maybe this time it will prevail. “It would be real nice,” Tarkanian said, struggling to get the words out. His legacy will be his bitter battles with the NCAA, a grudge Tarkanian will carry with him to his dying day. At a screening party two years ago for an HBO special on his glory days, Tarkanian got up at the end of the documentary and lit into the NCAA for old time sake before an approving audience at a Vegas casino. “If I had my way I think they (the NCAA) all deserve to go to Devil’s Island,” Tarkanian said. But there was much more to a coach who helped redefine the way the college game is played. His teams in his final years at UNLV were so dominant there may never be any like them again, and if the NCAA hadn’t interfered he might have won a handful of national championships instead of just one. Yes, he recruited some kids other coaches wouldn’t touch - anyone

remember Lloyd Daniels? - and there were times he didn’t follow all the rules. Neither did a lot of other coaches, though NCAA investigators were so busy chasing Tarkanian that they paid them little attention. Tarkanian’s problem was he was unrepentant. He truly believed he had done nothing other coaches weren’t doing, and he refused to back down. Tarkanian liked to tell the story about the time one of his assistants saw an NCAA investigator renting a car at the airport and followed him to a local strip club. Tarkanian got some brochures for the club and mailed them to the investigator, telling him there was a special going on. On the court, there was no controversy. Tarkanian won 784 games in his career, with 509 of them coming at UNLV. His best team was probably the 1991 squad that was unbeaten in 34 games before being upset by Duke, but he won at least 20 games every year but one in his 19 years at UNLV. His teams were renowned for running and running up big scores. But it was UNLV’s amoeba defense and the stifling full court press Tarkanian liked to employ that sparked most of the offense. There’s really no dispute about his Hall of Fame credentials. He’s 10th in all time wins, seventh in winning percentage, and second behind the legendary Adolph Rupp in quickest to 700 wins. He took 18 teams to the NCAA tournament, made the Final Four four times, and won a national championship. Take away the lingering debate over his relationship with the NCAA and he would have been inducted a long time ago. My guess is that some Hall of Fame voters - whoever they are - believe they are holding some sort of moral high ground by not voting for Tarkanian. But college basketball is a messy business, indeed, and any shrine that elects a shoe salesman (Phil Knight) while keeping out a coach of Tarkanian’s pedigree has some serious credibility issues. Tarkanian is an old man now, something I was reminded of when I saw him sitting courtside by himself last week at the UNLV campus arena he helped build. He looked worn and weary, though with his sad eyes and scratchy voice he looked much the same way while chewing on a towel in his prime. He’s looking now for one last win, one final statement about his life and career. The Hall of Fame would be the ultimate stamp of legitimacy for a man who spent most of his life searching for just that. “It would mean a lot,” he said, his voice fading away. With that, our conversation was over. It was time to rest, then watch some NCAA tournament games on TV. Any more talk of the Hall of Fame would have to wait for another day. —AP

LOS ANGELES: Clippers guard Chris Paul (left) drives to the basket as Brooklyn Nets guard Deron Williams defends during the first half of their NBA basketball game. —AP DENVER: Danilo Gallinari scored 19 points to lead a balanced attack as the Denver Nuggets extended their winning streak to 15 games with a 101-95 victory over the Sacramento Kings on Saturday. Kenneth Faried had 17 points and nine rebounds for the Nuggets, who had all five starters in double figures in winning a franchisebest 17th straight game at home. And they did it while Ty Lawson (right heel) and Wilson Chandler (shoulder), two of their top players, were out with injuries. It took until the final minutes to hold off the Kings, who got 24 points and 15 rebounds from DeMarcus Cousins. John Salmons, who finished with 18 points, hit a 3-pointer with 16 seconds left to get the Kings within four points, but Andre Miller sank two foul shots to seal the win. Clippers 101, Nets 95 In Los Angeles, Chris Paul scored 17 of his 29 points in the fourth quarter after banging his left knee early in the game and Los Angeles held off Brooklyn in a matchup of playoff-bound teams. Paul made 12 of 13 free throws and had 11 assists, Willie Green added 15 points, DeAndre Jordan had 13 points and 12 rebounds, and Blake Griffin scored 11 points for the Clippers, who improved to 28-8 at home and won their second in a row. It was their franchise-record 10th consecutive victory against an Eastern Conference team. The Nets were led by Brook Lopez and Deron Williams with 18 points each. Gerald Wallace and Joe Johnson added 15 points each and exClipper Reggie Evans had 16 rebounds. Bulls 87, Pacers 84 In Chicago, Luol Deng scored 20 points, Carlos Boozer had 18 and Chicago overcame the absence of starting center Joakim Noah to beat Indiana. Deng had 13 points at halftime, but Chicago’s reserves sparked the Bulls’ second-half

rally, outscoring Indiana’s reserves 32-15. Taj Gibson scored 11, and Daequan Cook and Nate Robinson had nine apiece. The Bulls went on a 13-5 run starting the fourth quarter to take an 81-72 lead. A fourpoint play by George Hill brought Indiana within 87-84 in the final minute. After a missed driving shot by Chicago’s Kirk Hinrich with 16 seconds left, the Pacers had a chance to tie, but Paul George had two 3-point tries go off the rim in the final 10 seconds, including one at the final buzzer. George led the Pacers with 23 points. Grizzlies 110, Celtics 106 In Memphis, Jerryd Bayless scored a seasonhigh 30 points and Memphis weathered a fourth-quarter rally by Boston’s reserves to escape with the victory. Seven Memphis players finished in double figures and three recorded double-doubles. Darrell Arthur, starting for Zach Randolph, scored 18 points, while Randolph had 15 points and 11 rebounds off the bench. Paul Pierce led Boston with 26 points, while Jordan Crawford keyed a fourth-quarter rally, scoring 14 of his 21 points in the final frame. The Celtics lost their fourth straight game. Both teams played without key players. Kevin Garnett and Courtney Lee sat out for Boston with left ankle sprains. Memphis center Marc Gasol is out indefinitely because of an abdominal tear. Knicks 110, Raptors 84 In New York, Carmelo Anthony scored 28 points, Kenyon Martin had another big game against Toronto to help New York finish off a home-and-home sweep of the Raptors. J.R. Smith added 25 points for the Knicks, who beat the Raptors for the second straight night and won their fourth consecutive game. Martin had 18 points and seven rebounds, a night after he had 19 points and 11 rebounds in

the Knicks’ victory in Toronto that clinched a playoff berth. DeMar DeRozan scored 17 points for the Raptors, who played without leading scorer Rudy Gay because of a bad back and lost their fourth straight. Knicks guard Jason Kidd had three points, three rebounds and two assists on his 40th birthday. Warriors 101, Wizards 92 In Oakland, Stephen Curry scored 35 points before injuring his ankle late in Golden State’s victory over Washington. Curry and backcourt mate Klay Thompson hit 14 of their 22 combined shots in the first half and totaled 53 points in the first game of a five-game homestand. Curry left with 6:03 left in the game after turning his right ankle after being fouled hard by Cartier Martin while driving to the hoop. Curry’s right ankle has given him problems in the past. Martin led Washington with a career-high 23 points. Pistons 92, Bobcats 91 In Charlotte, Charlie Villanueva scored 14 of his 18 points in the fourth quarter, including a go-ahead driving layup with 15 seconds left, and Detroit beat Charlotte to snap a 10-game losing streak. Villanueva hit three 3-pointers in the final period to help the Pistons avoid their longest losing streak since 2010. Jason Maxiell added 14 points and Rodney Stuckey had 13 points and eight assists off the bench for the Pistons. Kemba Walker had 25 points and Bismack Biyombo had 12 points and 10 rebounds to lead the Bobcats, who had their two-game winning streak snapped. The NBA-worst Bobcats had the ball and a chance to win the game with 14 seconds left, but Walker missed an off-balanced leaner in the lane and Josh McRoberts’ reverse layup after an offensive rebound didn’t fall as time expired. —AP

Lorenzo fastest in the rain

Jorge Lorenzo in action in this file photo.

PARIS: World champion Jorge Lorenzo was fastest in Saturday’s rain-hit testing at Jerez in Spain, the final weekend session before the season-opening MotoGP in Qatar on April 7. Yamaha rider Lorenzo was more than a second quicker than Honda duo, Dani Pedrosa and Marc Marquez after completing 39 laps on the first day of the three-day session where riders struggled with the overcast conditions and water-logged track. “We stayed on the track the whole day in the wet conditions and it was good to see how the bike performed,” said Lorenzo, who clocked 1min 47.423sec. “We are quite good in the wet here in Jerez. It’s the first time we are in these conditions so it’s important to understand what our levels are. It’s important to be competitive in this situation.” Teammate Valentino Rossi was sixth fastest with a best lap of 1min 49.443sec. “The conditions today were very bad so we had to work on the wet,” said the former world champion Italian, who put in 36 laps. “The feeling with the bike was not so bad but we had some problems with the life of the tyre, after some laps we started to spin a lot. It will be hard in a wet race to do 27 laps in a row. “We also have an issue with the quantity of wet tyres as we have only two today, we have four in total so we keep two for tomorrow but we hope tomorrow will be dry.”—AFP

MONDAY, MARCH 25, 2013

S P ORTS

England bowlers rip top off NZ second innings

BENONI: South Africa’s cricketer David Miller celebrates winning the 5th and final One-Day Internationals (ODI) cricket match between South Africa and Pakistan at Willowmoore Park. —AFP

S Africa win Pakistan series BENONI: South African captain AB de Villiers hit an unbeaten 95 to guide his side to a series-clinching six-wicket win in the fifth and final one-day international against Pakistan at Willowmoore Park yesterday. De Villiers, who was dropped on one, overcame some hostile bowling on an unpredictable pitch as South Africa chased down Pakistan’s 204 all out with six overs to spare. On a day when most batsmen struggled to time the ball consistently, De Villiers made his runs off just 111 balls. He hit nine fours and a six. A fourth wicket partnership of 87 off 88 balls with Farhaan Behardien (35) made South Africa’s victory virtually certain after Pakistan’s new ball bowlers, Mohammad Irfan and Junaid Khan, caused early problems on a pitch where some deliveries bounced alarmingly, while others kept low. Pakistan seemed headed for a more competitive total when they reached 151 for four in the 35th over after winning the toss. Ryan McLaren took three wickets in 13 balls to swing the match in South Africa’s favour. McLaren had Shoaib Malik caught at midwicket and three balls later, with the last delivery before the batting power play, he had big-hitting Shahid Afridi caught at deep square leg without scoring. Pakistan’s hopes then rested with their captain, Misbah-ul-Haq, who had played a match-winning innings of 80 when Pakistan squared the series at 2-2 with a three-wicket win in Durban on Thursday. As he had in Durban, Misbah started cautiously and he had scored only 24 runs off 46 balls when he was caught behind to become McLaren?s third victim. McLaren

finished with three for 32, with all his wickets coming in a three-over third spell which cost only five runs. For the first time this season, South Africa fielded their two leading strike bowlers, Dale Steyn and Morne Morkel, in their one-day international team. The pair had been rotated during a series against New Zealand and Morkel missed the first four matches against Pakistan because of a hamstring injury. Although Steyn and Morkel only took one and two wickets respectively, they contributed to a much-improved South African bowling performance. Despite an innings of 48 off 51 balls by Kamran Akmal, and a third wicket stand of 66 between Akmal and Younis Khan (29) the Pakistanis were unable to dominate the bowling at any stage during their innings after Misbah won the toss and decided to bat. South Africa were without opening batsman and Test captain Graeme Smith because of what was described as a chronic left ankle injury which kept him off the field for most of Pakistan’s run chase in Durban. He was replaced by 20-year-old left-hander Quinton de Kock. De Kock looked out of his depth and was bowled by Junaid Khan for three, while Hashim Amla was unusually subdued in scoring 22 off 65 balls. With Colin Ingram bowled by off-spinner Mohammad Hafeez for 15, South Africa needed a partnership. De Villiers edged Junaid low to Younis Khan at slip when he had one and the chance went down. The South African captain was soon into his stride as he took his aggregate for the series to 367 runs at an average of 91.75. He was named man of the match and man of the series. —AFP

SCOREBOARD BENONI, South Africa: Final scores in the fourth one-day international between South Africa and Pakistan at Willowmoore Park yesterday: Pakistan Imran Farhat c De Villiers b Tsotsobe 13 Mohammad Hafeez c Ingram b Steyn 5 Kamran Akmal c McLaren b Peterson 48 Younis Khan c Amla b Behardien 29 Misbah-ul-Haq c De Villiers b McLaren 24 Shoaib Malik c Behardien b McLaren 28 Shahid Afridi c Ingram b McLaren 0 Wahab Riaz run out (McLaren) 12 Saeed Ajmal b Morkel 1 Junaid Khan b Morkel 25 Mohammad Irfan not out 4 Extras (lb4, nb1, w11) 16 Total (49.1 overs) 205 Fall of wickets: 1-11 (Hafeez), 2-31 (Farhat), 3-97 (Kamran), 4-104 (Younis), 5151 (Malik), 6-151 (Afridi), 7-161 (Misbah), 8-162 (Ajmal), 9-189 (Riaz) Bowling: Steyn 10-0-33-1 (4w), Tsotsobe 10-2-42-1 (1w), Morkel 9.1-0-33-2 (1nb, 5w), McLaren 10-0-32-3 (1w), Peterson 71-51-1, Behardien 3-0-10-1.

South Africa H. Amla c Shoaib Malik b Mohammad Irfan 22 Q. de Kock b Junaid Khan 3 C. Ingram b Mohammad Hafeez 15 A. de Villiers not out 95 F. Behardien c Saeed Ajmal b Mohammad Irfan 35 D. Miller not out 20 Extras (b6, lb5, w7) 18 Total (4 wkts, 44 overs) 208 Fall of wickets: 1-12 (De Kock), 2-34 (Ingram), 3-83 (Amla), 4-170 (Behardien) Bowling: Mohammad Irfan 10-1-38-2 (1w), Junaid Khan 7-1-30-1 (1w), Mohammad Hafeez 4-0-23-1, Wahab Riaz 7-0-44-0 (2w), Saeed Ajmal 10-1-34-0 (3w), Shahid Afridi 6-0-28-0. Did not bat: R. McLaren, R. Peterson, D. Steyn, M. Morkel, L. Tsotsobe Result: South Africa won by six wickets Series: South Africa won the five-match series 3-2

Foley fires Waratahs to victory over Blues SYDNEY: Flyhalf Bernard Foley converted a penalty with the last kick of the game to give New South Wales Waratahs a 30-27 comeback victory over the Auckland Blues at Sydney Football Stadium yesterday. The Waratahs trailed 24-10 at halftime and made heavy work of it but ultimately tries from winger Drew Mitchell, fullback Israel Folau and Foley helped secure a second victory this year. The Blues scored first half tries through James Parsons, Chris Noakes and Charles Piutau but Noakes’s second penalty was their only score of the second half as they fell to a second straight defeat. “The second half was excellent, they are a good side and that’s a good win for this group,” said Waratahs skipper Dave Dennis. “It’s all about working for each other and we showed that today so I’m really happy.” The Waratahs were already 3-0 down courtesy of Noakes’s opening penalty when Wallabies winger Mitchell scored the first try of the match, finishing off a slick move by touching down in the corner in the seventh minute. The home side’s lineout woes continued, however, and the Blues hit back four minutes later when hooker Parsons showed good pace to score after the Waratahs had allowed the ball to go loose from their own throw. Mitchell, dropped for last week’s defeat to the Cheetahs, immediately took the Waratahs deep into the Blues half but a sledgehammer of a tackle from centre Rene Ranger on Foley rocked the ball loose.

From then on, the half was all Blues. After 28 minutes, Noakes shrugged off lock Sitaleki Timani to score under the posts and farcical defending led to another try for fullback Piutau three minutes later. Scrumhalf Piri Weepu sent a testing kick down the pitch after a turnover and replacement Waratahs scrumhalf Matt Lucas misjudged it, allowing George Moala to pounce before releasing Piutau for the score. The Waratahs turned around 24-10 down but Lucas was able to make some amends for his error seven minutes after the break when his pass set fullback Folau free to score after a smart break from Foley. The flyhalf brought the scores level at 24-24 after 66 minutes when he converted his own tr y, having cut through the defence at the end of a five-minute assault on the Blues line. A storming run from replacement back Tom Kingston forced the penalty that put the home side ahead in the 70th minute but Noakes tied the match up again two minutes later. Folau blew an excellent chance of scoring the deciding try on 75 minutes and Foley screwed a drop goal attempt wide two minutes later but the former Australian sevens skipper soon made amends with his second penalty to win the match. “Individually, we probably made too many mistake and weren’t able to apply any pressure,” said Blues skipper Ali Williams. “It is what it is and we’ll just go back to the drawing board.” —Reuters

AUCKLAND: England’s bowlers dragged their side back into the third and deciding Test against New Zealand as they reduced the hosts to 35 for three in their second innings at the close of play on the third day at Eden Park yesterday. New Zealand had dismissed England for 204 after tea on the back of Trent Boult’s first five-wicket haul but chose not to enforce the follow on after they held a lead of 239 runs after making 443 in their first innings. Stuart Broad and James Anderson then ripped the top off New Zealand’s batting, at one stage reducing them to 8-3, before Peter Fulton (14) and Dean Brownlie (13) blunted the attack, settled the innings and increased the lead to 274 runs. The first two tests resulted in rain-effected draws and the hosts had been looking to score at least close to 200 in their second innings to give themselves a strong chance of their first series win over England since 1999. B ro a d, h owe ve r, re m ove d H a m i s h Rutherford for a third ball duck, Anderson forced Kane Williamson to chop on for one before Broad had Ross Taylor trapped in front for three to swing the match back on a more even keel. Seven wickets actually fell in yesterday’s final session after the visitors had resumed after tea on 176 for six b e fo re B o u l t h a d B ro a d c a u g h t fo r 1 6 , Steven Finn for a duck and Anderson for four to give him career-best figures of six for 68. Tim Southee bowled Joe Root for 45 to end the innings. Matt Prior and Root had earlier combined for a 101-run partnership to rebuild England’s innings but the wicketkeeper fell just before tea to hand the advantage back to New Zealand. Prior was dismissed for 73 some 15 minutes before the break when he hammered the ball straight to Rutherford off Neil Wagner. Until that point, New Zealand had been ruing dropping the aggressive wicketkeeper when he was on 24 earlier in the session. The 31-year-old Prior got a thick edge to a Southee delivery only for Dean Brownlie to drop the low chance to his right. Brownlie got both hands to the ball but it spilled clear as his elbows hit the ground and Southee stood mid pitch with his hands on his hips glaring at his team mate. Root and Prior had come together with England on 72 for five before lunch after Southee and Boult had put New Zealand into a strong position after dismissing Nick Compton (13), Ian Bell (17) and Jonny Bairstow (three), all lbw, in the first session. —Reuters

AUCKLAND: England’s Matt Prior bats during day three of the international cricket Test match between New Zealand and England played at Eden Park. —AFP

SCOREBOARD AUCKLAND: Scoreboard at the close of play on the third day of the third test between New Zealand and England at Eden Park yesterday: New Zealand first innings (443) England first innings (overnight 50-2) A. Cook c Watling b Boult 4 N. Compton lbw b Southee 13 J. Trott lbw b Boult 27 I. Bell lbw b Southee 17 J. Root b Southee 45 J. Bairstow lbw b Boult 3 M. Prior c Rutherford b Wagner 73 S. Broad c Rutherford b Boult 16 S. Finn c Taylor b Boult 0 J. Anderson c Watling b Boult 4 M. Panesar not out 0 Extras (w-2) 2 Total (all out, 89.2 overs) 204 Fall of wickets: 1-8 2-44 3-61 4-65 5-72 6-173 7200 8-200 9-204

Bowling: Boult 25-9-68-6, Southee 23.2-9-44-3 (w-1), Wagner 15-3-36-1 (w-1), Martin 26-10-56-0. New Zealand second innings P. Fulton not out 14 H. Rutherford c Bell b Broad 0 K. Williamson b Anderson 1 R. Taylor lbw b Broad 3 D. Brownlie not out 13 Extras (lb-4) 4 Total: (for three wickets, 23 overs) 35 Fall of wickets: 1-4 2-5 3-8 Bowling: Anderson 9-6-11-1, Broad 7-4-7-2, Finn 4-1-9-0, Panesar 2-2-0-0, Trott 1-0-4-0. Previous results: First Test - match drawn Second Test - match drawn

Fiji wins Hong Kong Sevens HONG KONG: Defending champions Fiji fought back to beat a valiant Wales 26-19 in the Hong Kong Sevens final yesterday, the 14th time they have taken home the trophy. The sixth and most high-profile tournament of the nine-leg HSBC World Series saw the Welsh go into half-time 19-0 up, but the powerful Fijians gave a rugby masterclass as soon as they were back on the pitch. They scored three tries in as many minutes to be back on level terms before Osea Kolinisau, who had been on the subs bench in the first half, sealed victory just before full-time with his hattrick try of the game. As fireworks lit up the packed Hong Kong stadium, crowd favourites Fiji lifted the trophy. “We just had the faith that we could win-I’m proud of the boys because without them I could never do what I did today,” said Kolinisau. “We were not doing what we should have done in the first half, letting Wales come at us,” Fiji coach Alifereti Dere said. “But we settled down in the second half and found our rhythm.” Wales are current World Cup Sevens champions but have never won a Sevens World Series title and this was their first final in Hong Kong. “We lived with Fiji, we were 19-0 up, but we couldn’t get the ball in the second half-we tried our best, the guys were excellent and that was a good final,” said Wales coach Paul John. Fiji reached the final after crushing fellow sevens titans New Zealand, who remain series leaders. Fiji came back after being 14-0 down to take that game 33-14. “I’m proud of my guys-at times during that game when we had the ball we played very well, but we were beaten by a very good Fijian team,” New Zealand coach Gordon Tietjens told AFP. New Zealand went on to beat Kenya in the third-place play-off and are on 113 points in the overall standings, followed by Fiji on 88 and Samoa on 84. With the skies grey and the usually noisy South Stand subdued after Saturday’s partying, the final day in Hong Kong got off to a muted start. But all that changed when the inexperienced home team claimed a 7-5 victory over Argentina in their Bowl quarter final and overcame the USA 20-12 in the semis to become surprise finalists against England. The Bowl is contested by the eight teams not to have reached the Cup quarter final stages. Hong Kong were roared on by the crowd but were overwhelmed 42-7. For England, who put in lacklustre performances in the pool stages and failed to make the quarters of the Cup, the Bowl title was a bitter pill, despite beating France and South Africa yesterday. Samoa took home the Plate, contested by losing Cup quarter-finalists, winning 12-7 against Canada, while France beat Argentina 19-14 in the Shield, the least prestigious of the prizes, storming to victory with a try in the dying seconds. Russia, Zimbabwe, Tonga and Georgia all earned a place at the London Sevens in May after finishing in the top four in the pre-qualifier competition, which took place alongside this weekend’s main World Series tournament. They will vie at Twickenham for a spot in the Sevens World Series next season. Zimbabwe won the pre-qualifier final 22-19 against Tonga. —AFP

HONG KONG: Osea Kolinisau of Fiji (right) fends off Cory Allen of Wales during the final match of the Hong Kong Sevens rugby tournament. Fiji beat Wales 26-19. —AP

Jamaicans overcome hardships to make Rugby Sevens progress HONG KONG: In the neighborhoods where the Jamaican rugby sevens team trains, bullets fly and local gangs rule. Their fields are as thin as asphalt and there is no weight training room. Poor facilities is just one bump the organization has faced in the past few years, a larger one being the murder of Jamaica rugby stalwart Jacob Thompson in 2009. But the sport has pressed on in a country better known for its track and field prowess, not to mention its brief foray into bobsledding. The Jamaican rugby team gained a spot in the sixth leg of the international sevens tour this year, arriving in Hong Kong last week for its debut in the 38th annual tournament. Rugby sevens, where seven players compete in a fast paced version of the normally 15 per side game, has grown from an amateur sport to fully professional for some of the top teams. The more than 20 nations who now compete have their eye on gaining a berth for the 2016 Olympics in Brazil, where the sport will be incorporated for the first time. The international circuit, the corporate sponsorship from the likes of HSBC, and the Olympic goal has transformed rugby sevens from amateur to professional. For the Jamaican team, however, the resources available to them have changed little over the course of time. “We just play for the love of the game,” said team captain Tyronie Rowe, 25. His team mates juggle small children and factory jobs with a rigorous training schedule leading up

to the sevens season. Some major teams have fully paid players and more than a million dollars at their disposal, while others have a fraction of that. For Jamaica sevens, there is no money, having failed to gain a single corporate sponsor. But the team has persevered. Rowe, a father of three, dwells on the progress, pointing out that a previous game years ago against Georgia ended in a loss by nearly 90 points. Their meeting over the weekend was a 27-17 defeat. “We are starting to get rugby back,” said Jamaica’s coach Conroy O’Malley. He acknowledges that disorganization within Jamaica’s own rugby administration, coupled with competition from other local sports leagues has hampered the expansion of international rugby in his country. A major blow to the sport, however, was the murder of Thompson, an internationally respected rugby figure who was credited with building the sport in Jamaica over the span of 40 years. “He was really the backbone of Jamaican rugby,” said Jamaican sevens player Ronaldo Wade, 24. Rowe said he was fortunate the sport came into his life, having grown up in a Kingston ghetto. He now travels the world as a rugby player, doing 1,000 push ups a day to make up for the lack of a proper weight room. Kids in his neighborhood who do not commit themselves full time to sport inevitably turn to guns, he said. “In our area, rugby is the one of the only ways to stay out of trouble,” Rowe said. — Reuters

MONDAY, MARCH 25, 2013

S P ORTS

Kiradech wins maiden European Tour title

NASHVILLE: Brandon Yip No. 18 of the Nashville Predators skates against Derek MacKenzie No. 24 of the Columbus Blue Jackets at the Bridgestone Arena. —AFP

Canucks and Wild roll TORONTO: Cory Schneider made 20 saves en route to his sixth NHL shutout, Mason Raymond scored in the first period, and the Vancouver Canucks beat the Los Angeles Kings 1-0 on Saturday for their third straight victory. The defending Stanley Cup champion Kings, coming off a 2-0 home loss to Dallas on Thursday in which they had 40 shots, were shut out for the third time this season. It is the first time they have been blanked in consecutive games since Feb. 16-18, 2012. Schneider has played the last three games for the Canucks, facing 88 shots and allowing only three goals. His other shutout this season was on Jan. 26 at Anaheim. The Canucks, who maintained their share of the Northwest Division lead with Minnesota, scored the only goal at 11:06 of the first period. Wild 2, Sharks 0 In St. Paul, Niklas Backstrom made 33 saves for his first shutout of the season, and Ryan Suter had two more assists, leading Minnesota past San Jose for the Wild’s season-high fifth straight victory. Zach Parise and Jared Spurgeon scored for Minnesota. The Wild are 14-5-1 in their last 20 games, and have won by at least two goals in each victory in the streak. Backstrom swatted aside Andrew Desjardins’ penalty shot barely 3 minutes into the game. The goalie is 13-3-1 in his last 17 games, giving up two goals or fewer in 13 of those turns. Antti Niemi made several tough stops among his 22 saves for the Sharks, The Sharks won their first seven games, but since then they have been unable to stay in a groove. They fell to 2-5-2 in their last nine. Senators 5, Lightning 3 In Ottawa, Jakob Silfverberg, Eric Gryba, Guillaume Latendresse and Daniel Alfredsson scored in a 7:01 span in the first period, and Ottawa held off Tampa Bay. Alfredsson also had an empty-net goal in the final minute. Robin Lehner made 29 saves, and Marc Methot, who missed the last game because of a knee injury, and Kyle Turris each had two assists. Tyler Johnson scored twice in the third period for Tampa Bay, and Teddy Purcell made it 43 with 1:59 left. Mathieu Garon was yanked from the Tampa Bay net in the first period after allowing three goals on the first 11 shots. Cedrick Desjardins was strong in relief, making 19 saves. Devils 2, Panthers 1 In Newark, Travis Zajac set up two goals, and New Jersey rode another solid performance by Martin Brodeur to a victory over Florida. Patrik Elias and David Clarkson scored for New Jersey, and Brodeur finished with 17 saves as the Devils won their second straight since the 40-year-old goalie returned to the lineup after being sidelined a month with a pinched nerve in his neck. The victory might have been costly for New Jersey as star forward Ilya Kovalchuk missed the final 10 minutes after crashing into the boards. He appeared to have a shoulder injury. Peter Mueller scored for Florida, which had a two-game winning streak snapped. Scott Clemmensen made 23 saves for the Panthers, who are on a season-high, fivegame road trip. Maple Leafs 3, Bruins 2 In Toronto, Nazem Kadri scored in the first period, and Frazer McLaren added a

timely goal in the third as Toronto ended an eight-game losing streak to Boston. The Bruins tried to rally from a 3-0 hole in the third period, throwing everything they had at Toronto in the final minutes. Dennis Seidenberg and Andrew Ference, who scored after the goalie was pulled, had goals for the Bruins. Boston held a 33-13 edge in shots. Mikhail Grabovski also scored for Toronto (17-12-3), which did a lot with a little offense. The Maple Leafs had four shots in the first period, five in the second, and four in the third but managed to score a goal in each frame. Kadri has three goals and six assists in four games. Boston outshot Toronto 33-13. The Bruins (20-7-3) hadn’t lost in the regular season to Toronto since March 31, 2011. Sabres 2, Canadiens 1 In Montreal, Thomas Vanek scored two goals to lead Buffalo over Montreal. It was the Sabres’ (13-15-4) third straight win in a run that began with an overtime victory in Montreal on Tuesday. Ryan Miller stopped 39 shots in this one for Buffalo. Michael Ryder scored the lone goal for Montreal (20-6-5), and Carey Price made 16 saves. Ryder, reacquired from Dallas in a trade last month, scored his first goal back in Montreal while playing for the Canadiens since March 11, 2008. Predators 5, Blue Jackets 2 In Nashville, Taylor Beck had a goal and an assist during Nashville’s four-goal first period and the Predators beat Columbus to earn consecutive games for the first time in over a month. Shea Weber, David Legwand and Matt Halischuk also scored in the opening period for Nashville. Roman Josi added an empty-net goal in the closing seconds, and Martin Erat, Gabriel Bourque and Bobby Butler each had a pair of assists. Pekka Rinne made 21 saves. R.J. Umberger and Artem Anisimov had goals for the Blue Jackets, whose franchiserecord streak of earning at least one point ended at 12 games (8-0-4). Sergei Bobrovsky stopped only seven of the 11 shots he faced before being replaced midway through the first by Steve Mason, who made 12 saves the rest of the way. Stars 5, Avalanche 2 In Dallas, Derek Roy, Eric Nystrom and Jaromir Jagr each had a goal and an assist to lead Dallas over Colorado. Rookie Jordie Benn scored his first NHL goal, and Cody Eakin added a goal for Dallas, which won its second straight game following a 1-4-1 stretch in which they were outscored 2310. Jamie Benn, Jordie Benn’s younger brother, added three assists. The Stars moved up from 10th place to eighth in the Western Conference, jumping ahead of San Jose and Columbus. Kari Lehtonen, in his 11th straight start, stopped 33 shots two nights after making 40 saves in a 2-0 win at Los Angeles. Paul Stastny had a goal and an assist, and P.A. Parenteau also scored for Colorado. Blues 3, Oilers 0 In Edmonton, Jaroslav Halak made 19 saves for his third shutout of the season to lead St. Louis. Chris Stewart, Alexander Steen and T.J. Oshie scored to help the Blues improve to 17-11-2 with their sixth victory in the last eight games. The Oilers dropped to 11-12-7. They have lost three of their last four, though two of those were in extra time. —AP

MALAYSIA: Thailand’s Kiradech Aphibarnrat overcame a two-hour storm delay, a thyroid problem and some jittery nerves to win the weather-truncated Malaysian Open by a stroke for his first European Tour title yesterday. The big-hitting Thai carded a third-round two-under-par 70 for a 54-hole total of 13-under 203, a shot ahead of Italy’s Edoardo Molinari at the $2.75 million co-sanctioned Asian Tour event. The 23-year-old topped the leaderboard on all four days at the Kuala Lumpur Golf and Country Club and could afford to bogey the par five 18th and still win the tournament despite his anxiety after another delay in play yesterday. “During the suspension, I couldn’t eat anything. I was so excited. When I walked out, everything was shaking, even my voice,” said the burly Kiradech, whose thyroid problem affected his stamina and prevented him from giving it his all on some drives. “My caddie told me to just concentrate, ‘just two more holes’. I’m lucky that I played only 54 holes. Otherwise, I am so tired due to the weather and the golf course. “This means a lot to me. I have to thank my family... my mum and my dad for all their support.” Denmark’s Anders Hansen finished third after a stellar six-under-par 66, the joint best round of the day, with South African Charl Schwartzel and France’s Victor Dubuisson, a shot further back in fourth. Ireland’s triple major winner Padraig Harrington and Pablo Larrazabal of Spain were among five players tied for sixth, four shots

KUALA LUMPUR: This handout photo taken by the Asian Tour shows Kiradech Aphibarnrat of Thailand posing with the winner’s trophy after the final round of the Maybank Malaysian Open. —AFP behind the winner. Molinari, who has been both- pay off which is surprising because I thought it ered by a troublesome wrist issue which would take a lot longer. “I’m disappointed because I had a lot of required surgery early last year, was pleased to card a bogey-free round of five-under 67 but chances on the back nine. The 18th is only the second fairway I missed all day which is very diswas left thinking of missed opportunities. “It’s mixed emotions because I’m very happy appointing. “I felt if I birdied the last I might have to have a good week for the first time in a long won outright because it puts a lot of pressure on time,” he said. “The swing changes are starting to the guy coming up behind.” —Reuters

Rose wilts under Tiger’s surge ORLANDO: Looking like his old imposing self, Tiger Woods surged into the third round lead at the Arnold Palmer Invitational on Saturday, setting his sights on winning an eighth Bay Hill title and retaking the number one ranking. Four back of overnight leaders Justin Rose and Bill Haas when the day began, Woods walked off the course to thundering cheers and in full command after returning a brilliant six-under 66 for a two-shot lead over compatriots John Huh (71) and Rickie Fowler (67) as well as Briton Rose (72). Woods, who had a disastrous end to his second round on Friday with three consecutive bogeys, stumbled out of the gate on Saturday when he found the fairway bunker with his opening drive but his putter was working early and he dropped an 11-foot putt to save par. To no one’s great surprise, he soon discovered his comfort zone on one of his all-time favourite layouts, mixing an eagle and five birdies with a single bogey. Seven-times, including last year, Woods has triumphed at “Arnie’s Place” and one more victory on Sunday would match Sam Snead’s PGA Tour record for most wins in a single event. It would also see him reclaim top spot in the world rankings from Rory McIlroy. “Generally our schedules are such that once we figure out what golf courses we like, we tend to play them,” Woods told reporters. “ That ’s been the case with my scheduling and look at few events over the course of my career I’ve played well on and this is one of them.” “Just because I’ve won here doesn’t ensure that I’m going to win the tournament. “The conditions are different; the game might be different, but the objective is

still to put myself in position to win the golf tournament and somehow get it done on Sunday.” Certainly few will be betting against the 14-times major winner, who by all accounts is back in top form. A birdie at 15 brought out a familiar fist pump from Woods which was followed by an eagle at 16 and an even bigger celebration. When a long birdie putt on 17 just kissed the cup, an excited Woods danced across the green, twirling his putter like a baton. Yes indeed, life is good again for Woods, who announced earlier this week that he was dating World Cup ski sensation Lindsey Vonn. With all parts of his game coming together and his personal life back on track, Woods looks unstoppable heading into next month’s Masters. Following a tumultuous fall from grace, the stars have aligned for the 37-yearold as he rebuilds his life and image after the scandalous and very public breakup of his marriage. “I enjoy it, that’s why we play is to be in this position,” said Woods. “It’s why I’ve spent all that time practising and training is to be in this position.” While Woods surged world number five Rose and Haas wilted. Rose got off to a blistering start with two birdies and an eagle on his opening four holes to build a four shot cushion but suddenly lost his way and carded five bogeys against one more birdie for an even par 72. “Definitely a good start today, great front nine and first four holes got me flying,” said Rose. “The energy disappeared big time. “I don’t know if it was fatigue or didn’t eat right or something but I was struggling.” Haas was also quick out of the gate with two birdies but was

undone by a pair of double bogeys on his way to a one-over 73 which left himthree off the pace alongside Spaniard Gonzalo

ORLANDO: Tiger Woods of the United States plays his tee shot during the 2013 Arnold Palmer Invitational Presented by Mastercard at Bay Hill Golf and Country Club. —AFP

Murray and Serena advance MIAMI: British world number three Andy Murray cruised to a straightforward victory over Bernard Tomic at the Sony Open but the Williams sisters had contrasting fortunes in Miami on Saturday. Top ranked Serena overcame a slow start to turn away Japan’s Ayumi Morita 6-3 6-3 in third round play, but Venus was forced to withdraw from the tournament with a back injury. Murray,

meanwhile, needed only 56 minutes to defeat sluggish Australian Tomic 6-3 6-1 in his second round match. “I don’t know if he was tired or struggling with the humidity, but he was playing pretty low percentage tennis,” Murray told reporters. “With the conditions like they were today, that played into my hands.”

NHL results/standings Ottawa 5, Tampa Bay 3; Minnesota 2, San Jose 0; Vancouver 1, Los Angeles 0; Toronto 3, Boston 2; Buffalo 2, Montreal 1; New Jersey 2, Florida 1; Nashville 5, Columbus 2; Dallas 5, Colorado 2; St. Louis 3, Edmonton 0. Western Conference Eastern Conference Central Division Atlantic Division Chicago 24 3 3 102 66 51 W L OTL GF GA PTS St. Louis 17 11 2 90 83 36 Pittsburgh 24 8 0 114 83 48 Detroit 15 11 5 85 80 35 New Jersey 15 11 6 80 86 36 Nashville 13 13 6 80 86 32 NY Rangers 15 13 2 71 73 32 Columbus 13 13 6 75 85 32 NY Islanders 13 15 3 90 105 29 Northwest Division Philadelphia 13 16 1 81 92 27 Minnesota 18 10 2 79 71 38 Northeast Division Vancouver 16 9 6 84 83 38 Montreal 20 6 5 98 77 45 Edmonton 11 12 7 72 88 29 Boston Calgary 11 14 4 82 101 26 20 7 3 86 64 43 Colorado 11 15 4 77 97 26 Ottawa 17 9 6 83 70 40 Pacific Division Toronto 17 12 3 97 92 37 Anaheim 22 4 4 100 76 48 Buffalo 13 15 4 86 100 30 Los Angeles 17 12 2 88 76 36 Southeast Division Dallas 15 13 3 83 90 33 Winnipeg 16 14 2 81 96 34 San Jose 13 11 6 71 79 32 Carolina 15 13 2 85 86 32 Phoenix 13 14 4 80 87 30 Washington 14 16 1 89 88 29 Note: Overtime losses (OTL) are worth Tampa Bay 13 17 1 101 95 27 one point in the standings and are not Florida 9 17 6 78 113 24

Fernandez-Castano (68), Dane Thorbjorn Olesen (66) and Americans Jimmy Walker (70) and Ken Duke (70). —Reuters

KEY BISCAYNE: Andy Murray of Great Britain runs to play a backhand against Bernard Tomic of Australia during their second round match at the Sony Open at Crandon Park Tennis Center. —AFP

The 2009 Miami champion won 80 percent of his first service points and broke Tomic twice in each set to improve to 2-0 all-time against the Australian. Murray, runner-up to world number one Novak Djokovic last year, will face Bulgaria’s Grigor Dimitrov in the third round. Dimitrov was leading 6-4 1-1 when Italy’s Simone Bolelli was forced to retire. Serena Williams, seeking a record sixth Miami title, fell 3-0 behind in the first set against her Japanese opponent but capitalised on four of her six break points to win. The loss left Morita 0-19 against top 10 players, while Serena remained on course to break a tie with Steffi Graf for the most singles titles in the tournament. Venus Williams, however, pulled out of the tournament with a lower back injury before her match with fellow American Sloane Stephens. “This is just the kind of tournament you want to play well at,” Venus said. “But I have faced disappointments in my life and my career. It’s not the first and probably not the last.” Spanish wildcard Garbine Muguruza Blanco delivered the day’s biggest stunner, eliminating ninth seed Caroline Wozniacki of Denmark 6-2 64 in 81 minutes. Fifth seed Li Na of China, playing her first tournament since injuring her ankle in the Australian Open final, dismissed American Varvara Lepchenko 6-2 6-4. Polish defending champion Agnieszka Radwanska collected a 7-6 2-6 6-3 win over Slovakia’s Magdalena Rybarikova to advance to the fourth round. In other men’s second round play, Frenchmen JoWilfried Tsonga and Richard Gasquet both won. Tsonga defeated Serb Viktor Troicki 7-6 6-3, Gasquet turned back Belgium’s Olivier Rochus 75 6-2 and American Sam Querrey beat Poland’s Lukasz Kubot 4-6 6-3 6-3. —Reuters

MONDAY, MARCH 25, 2013

S P ORTS

Croatia on a high but wary of Wales, Bale ZAGREB: Elated after their emotional 2-0 home win over Serbia, Croatia visit Wales for a World Cup qualifier tomorrow knowing they can ill-afford to rest on their laurels with Group A rivals Belgium also flying high. The pair are locked on 13 points at the top after much-fancied Belgium strolled to a 2-0 win in Macedonia on

Friday when Croatia were celebrating victory over their neighbors. Inspirational playmaker Luka Modric said the Croatians would have more than just his former Tottenham Hotspur team mate Gareth Bale to worry about against Wales, who beat Scotland 2-1 away on Friday to lie third.

Luka Modric in action in this file photo.

“One player can’t win games by himself and we know that we will be up against a good team who will be roared on by a passionate home crowd,” Modric told Croatian media. “Only a win against the Welsh will do for us, otherwise the win against Serbia will lose a lot of its gloss and we risk falling behind in the battle to win the group.” Wales midfielder Aaron Ramsey was sent off against Scotland so misses out while Bale was substituted at halftime but expects to start in Swansea. “Nothing wrong with my ankle. I came off due to the stomach virus. Should be OK for Tuesday,” he said on Twitter. Croatia coach Igor Stimac has said he will make at least three changes to the starting lineup that brushed Serbia aside in the first half and then held out comfortably in the second. Veteran striker Ivica Olic, who was at the heart of Croatia’s win after scoring one goal and setting up the other, is likely to be one of the players rested after rolling back the years against the Serbians. Everton forward Nikica Jelavic should replace the 33-year-old while teenage midfielder Mateo Kovacic, whose mature performance in Zagreb impressed both Stimac and Serbian counterpart Sinisa Mihajlovic, could make way for Ognjen Vukojevic. Midfielder Josip Radosevic or Eduardo da Silva could break into the starting lineup instead of Niko Kranjcar, who picked up a knee injury against the Serbians and is likely to be out of action for up to four weeks. Defender Josip Simunic is also nursing a knock but the Croatia doctors have cleared him to play against Wales, although Stimac may be tempted to rest him and give Domagoj Vida a chance. —Reuters

France keep same mindset as Spain fear possible playoff MADRID: France will not change their approach to tomorrow’s clash against Spain even if a draw at home could eventually send the world and European champions into a tricky playoff tie for World Cup qualification. Les Bleus, who left Euro 2012 with their tails between their legs following a comprehensive 2-0 defeat against Spain in the quarter-finals last June, have dramatically improved under new coach Didier Deschamps. They followed a 1-1 draw in Spain in October with a 3-1 win against Georgia on Friday to take the lead in qualifying Group I with 10 points from four games after Vicente del Bosque’s side, now two points behind, were held to a 1-1 home draw by Finland. Even if a draw would be enough to stay in front of Spain ahead of three

potentially easy outings left in Georgia, Belarus and at home to Finland, France refuse to change their mindset. “The reality is that Spain will still come to enjoy possession and to win the game,” Deschamps told reporters. “I can’t prepare for the match telling the guys ‘let’s defend, let’s defend’ even if Spain put you in such a position.” Captain Hugo Lloris also believes his side should set their sights on nothing less than victory at the Stade de France. “It does not change the way we’ll be going into Tuesday’s game. We know how good they are and they are able to come here to win,” the goalkeeper said. Olivier Giroud netted the opener against Georgia but Deschamps may

FRANCE: French national football team defender Raphael Varane smiles during a training session in Clairefontaine-en-Yvelines. —AFP

leave out the Arsenal man and revert to using a lone striker, keeping faith with Karim Benzema despite the forward not scoring in his last 11 France games. Paul Pogba, who made his debut on Friday, may also drop to the bench but centre back Raphael Varane, a Real Madrid player with good knowledge of the Spanish forwards, could earn his second cap. With left back Jordi Alba ruled out because of a hamstring injury and David Silva suspended, Spain need to make changes for tomorrow. Del Bosque prefers continuity to revolution but needs to find some spark and a sharper cutting edge in Paris after a below-par showing against Finland. Nacho Monreal is expected to step in at the back while the engine room of the side which won the World Cup in 2010 and Euro 2102 is likely to be restored with the return of Xavi and Xabi Alonso. Barcelona’s influential playmaker Xavi missed Friday’s game with a niggling hamstring strain but trained with the rest of the squad on Saturday and will surely be back at the helm alongside his Real Madrid counterpart. Xabi Alonso was an unused substitute in Gijon as he nursed a groin problem. Turning possession into goals is Spain’s priority and the country’s all-time leading scorer David Villa, who netted on their last visit to Paris in a 2-0 friendly victory in 2010, was confident of success. “We were going there for a win anyway and now we do so with a stronger motive,” the Barcelona striker said after the Finland game. “Our way of playing is always the same. Even if we had beaten Finland we would have played the same in Saint-Denis. We aren’t thinking of the playoffs, or anything else beyond getting a win against France tomorrow.” —Reuters

Photo of the week

Derek Wedge leads the way during the Red Bull Crashed Ice, the Ice Cross Downhill World Championship, in Quebec City, Canada www.redbullcontentpool.com

Van der Vaart ready to make the most of Sneijder absence ROTTERDAM: Rafael van der Vaart gave Netherlands coach Louis van Gaal a timely reminder of his qualities with a goal against Estonia on Friday and the playmaker is determined to become first choice for the Dutch again. Van der Vaart replaced the injured Wesley Sneijder late in the first half and then broke the deadlock early in the second half with his 22nd international goal on his 104th appearance. A 3-0 victory gave the Dutch a maximum 15 points from 15 in World Cup Group D qualifying ahead of tomorrow ’s home game in Amsterdam against Romania, who trail the pacesetters by five points. With Sneijder out with a groin injury, Van Gaal has added Adam Maher to his squad but Van der Vaart

is hoping to again seize his chance. “I felt good to be important for the team and to show that I am still around,” said the 30-year-old. “I know that Sneijder is Van Gaal’s first choice and I can live with that, but my goal is to turn that around and become first in line.” Sneijder and Van der Vaart are both products of the Ajax Amsterdam youth academy who also played together for Real Madrid but Van Gaal cannot find a place for both in the same team. He fielded both in his first match of his second spell as national coach in August last year but a 4-2 defeat by Belgium convinced him he must play one or the other. “Both are not capable of delivering the required defensive work so only one of them can play,” he said.

Romania will be without midfielder Costin Lazar, who sustained a thigh injury a day before the 2-2 draw with Hungary on Friday, and key defender Dorin Goian who is suspended. Florin Gardos is set to deputise for Goian, forming a partnership with his Steaua Bucharest team mate Vlad Chiriches in the heart of the defence. Piturca is expected to make several other changes to his starting line-up with Razvan Rat, Alexandru Chipciu, Raul Rusescu and Alexandru Maxim set to come into the team. Veteran striker Adrian Mutu could become Romania’s all-time leading scorer if he hits the target on Tuesday. The 34-year-old netted his 35th goal against Hungary, equalling Gheorghe Hagi’s record, set in the 1990s. —Reuters

AMSTERDAM: Netherlands’ striker Robin van Persie scores a goal against Estonia in this file photo. —AFP

Gerrard expects intimidating match in Montenegro PODGORICA: After what amounted to a gentle warm-up in San Marino, England move into the far more hostile territory of Montenegro for a vital World Cup qualifier on Tuesday with captain Steven Gerrard warning of intimidation from the Group H leaders. The first time England played in Podgorica’s City Stadium in 2011, Wayne Rooney was sent off in a 2-2 draw, a red card that meant he missed the start of the Euro 2012 finals. While that result meant England qualified for last year’s championship, their place at the Brazil World Cup is still far from assured as they trail Montenegro by two points. England will be favorites to emerge with a victory that would put them in charge of their own destiny, but Gerrard knows calm heads will be needed to avoid a damaging setback. “It is going to be a pressure situation and we don’t need to give the referee any excuse to send any of us off or give any unnecessary yellow cards,” Gerrard

told the English FA’s website (www.thefa.com). “It is important everyone takes responsibility and stays on the pitch. They will be trying to claim every decision, every foul and will try to intimidate the ref to make rash decisions. “I’m sure we will have a good ref in charge who will make sensible decisions but it’s important we keep our cool and keep everyone on the pitch.” England warmed up for the match with an 8-0 stroll in San Marino on Friday when Montenegro sneaked a 1-0 win in Moldova despite having Milorad Pekovic sent off, meaning he will be suspended for Tuesday’s match. The atmosphere in San Marino was about as harmless as it was possible to be for an away side but Gerrard believes England will be able to cope when things hot up. “I think their supporters will make it as hostile as they can,” said the Liverpool midfielder, who was rested for the match in San Marino along with several other

key players such as Ashley Cole and Glen Johnson. “They are desperate to beat us and everything is against us, but I think we’ve got the players in the squad to go and handle the situation and get the three points.” It will be a stern test, especially for England’s patched-up central defence against Montenegro’s Italybased strikers Mirko Vucinic and Stevan Jovetic. Juventus striker Vucinic, who scored the only goal in Moldova, said the victory had given his side the perfect boost ahead of England’s arrival. However, far from flying out of the traps on Tuesday, he said the hosts would play a waiting game. “We have to park the bus in front of our goal and keep possession as long as we can when we have the ball,” he told Podgorica daily Vijesti. “We took a huge amount of weight off our shoulders by beating the Moldovans. The match against England is one of those you crave but we must quickly come down

to earth and be ready to leave it all out there and stand our ground.” England are set to recall Gerrard, Cole and Johnson with James Milner also a likely starter, but manager Roy Hodgson’s chief concern will be in the centre of his defence. Hodgson had hoped Rio Ferdinand would be playing in Podgorica but after the Manchester United player’s decision to pull out of the squad, together with injuries to several other centre backs, England will be lacking experience. Chris Smalling and Joleon Lescott, bit-part players at Manchester United and Manchester City, are expected to start. Hodgson believes they are more than capable. “Let’s also show some respect for the young (Chris) Smalling and the not so young but well tried and tested Joleon Lescott because Joleon Lescott’s at Manchester City, the champions of England; Chris Smalling plays for Manchester United,” Hodgson said in the

Sunday Telegraph. “I’m not exactly putting a couple of guys from non-league football out on the pitch on Tuesday night and I think we should show them a bit more respect - and not constantly compare them.” Hodgson is hopeful that right back Johnson will be able to play despite a painful toe that may need an injection. Montenegro will miss four regular starters against England - midfielders Nikola Drincic and Branko Boskovic are out with injuries while Savo Pavicevic joins Pekovic in being suspended. Coach Branko Brnovic echoed Vucinic, saying: “We will miss them badly but we can still put together a team good enough to stand their ground against the English. “We will park the bus in front of our goal and look for any opportunity to catch them on the break. If a Ferrari comes blazing out of that bus and we score first, it will be a totally different game.” —Reuters

MONDAY, MARCH 25, 2013

S P ORT S

Germany should not become complacent, warns Loew

Italian forward Mario Balotelli

Balotelli blast has Italy dreaming in Malta VALLETTA: Italy head into tomorrow’s World Cup qualifier in Malta buoyed by a stirring comeback in a 2-2 draw with Brazil and the growing belief that Mario Balotelli is finally maturing into a world class international striker. The 22-year-old, who has courted controversy on and off the field, netted a majestic strike in Thursday’s friendly in Geneva when his all-round play helped Italy battle back from 2-0 down. He showed flashes of his brilliance at Euro 2012 with a brace in the semi-final win over Germany, but otherwise flattered to deceive and was nowhere when Spain steamrollered Cesare Prandelli’s men in the final. Such erratic performances had been common for the Azzurri during unpredictable spells at Inter Milan and Manchester City but now he looks settled and is first choice at boyhood heroes AC Milan. Prandelli hopes such stability will pay dividends. “He has the potential to be among the best five (players) in the world but to do that he needs a lot of continuity, as he is having at the moment,” Prandelli told reporters. Italy top World Cup qualifying Group B with 10 points from four matches, a point above Bulgaria who battered Malta 6-0 at home on Friday to leave the island nation bottom on no points. Malta’s woes means Italy should have no trouble sealing victory, especially given the bond developing between Balotelli and Italy and Milan team mate Stephan El Shaarawy. “I’m happy he’s growing up, as a player and as a man. We are together practically all the time, I see him a lot more

mature,” said the 20-year-old with Egyptian heritage and a mohican. El Shaarawy is likely to operate on the left of main striker Balotelli, just like he does for Milan. Prandelli’s continued snub of Antonio Cassano despite the mercurial forward being a linchpin at Euro 2012 means the third component of his preferred three-man attack is a myster y with Emanuele Giaccherini starting in the hole against Brazil. Alessio Cerci then came on for his debut and impressed on the right hand side of the attack and may now start. Whoever plays, Prandelli is being ultracautious. “We’ll meet a more united, compact and organised team than Brazil even if they are not as technically strong. They have trained for months together like a club side,” he said. Malta hope the prospect of facing the Azzurri in front of a sell-out crowd at the National Stadium will spur the players on. “This will be a very difficult game for us but if we are fully focused and keep our tactical discipline, I believe we can gain a creditable result,” captain Michael Mifsud, 31, said. Forward Mifsud, the most capped player in the squad with 96 appearances, should retain his place but coach Pietro Ghedin, who held various posts with the Italian Football Federation before returning as Malta coach last year, could make changes. Midfielders Gareth Sciberras, who missed the Bulgaria game with a minor groin injury, and Andrew Cohen are set to come in. Malta gave a good account of themselves when they lost only 2-0 to Italy in Modena last September.—Reuters

Japan eye Brazil berth, Cahill seeks high tempo Kuwait, Iran meet in Asian Cup fixture JAPAN: Asian champions Japan can become the first side to qualify for the 2014 World Cup with victory in Jordan tomorrow, while South Korea, Australia and Uzbekistan are odds on to score home wins and clarify the crowded pool picture. The Blue Samurai thrashed Jordan 6-0 at home in June, a result that has helped them establish an eight point lead over Australia, Iraq and Oman in Group B. But tomorrow’s clash in Amman will be a tougher prospect without the key duo of playmaker Keisuke Honda and attack-minded fullback Yuto Nagatomo at a venue where Jordan were able to humble Australia in September. A 2-1 friendly win over Canada in Qatar on Friday involved some sloppy errors by Asia’s best side and the players know improvements are required to see off Jordan, who have bounced back well from their Saitama rout. “If we play like we did in the first half against Canada then things could become very difficult for us,” playmaker Shinji Kagawa said after the win over the North Americans. Shinji Okazaki should start after scoring the opener against Canada with the VfB Stuttgart forward demanding big improvements ahead of the decisive qualifier. “It is good that we have got this game out of the way because we can’t play like we did (against Canada). We allowed our opponents to create a good shape and we have to take a good look at ourselves about that,” he said. Japan might only need a draw to qualify should Australia and Oman draw in the earlier Group B clash in Sydney. That result is a strong possibility as the duo, along with Jordan and Iraq, have all taken points off each other in a number of defensive-minded, slow tempo clashes. The quartet have each scored only four goals in the group. The Socceroos remain favourites, though, to grab the runners-up spot and the other Brazil berth from the pool as they have a game in hand on their rivals and host three of their remaining four matches.

New York Red Bull striker Tim Cahill is expected to lead the line and the former Everton player has called for a high-tempo display, something that was lacking in a drab 0-0 draw when the teams met in muggy Muscat in June. “I know the international game can be a bit more relaxed, slow tempo (compared with club soccer), but this game has to be high tempo from us and we have to make sure we pressure them and make them feel unwelcome in our stadium,” Cahill told reporters. “They’ll be under pressure to get a result, so they’ll play very deep. “We have got pace on the wings with Krusey (Robbie Kruse), Brosquey (Alex Brosque), Brett Holman and other options so we will look to them to get a lot of crosses into the box.” In Group A, South Korea and Uzbekistan can put daylight between themselves and the chasing pack if they claim expected victories at home to Qatar and Lebanon. The Uzbeks, who lost 2-1 to the United Arab Emirates in Asian Cup qualifying on Friday, top the group with eight points from five games, with the Koreans a point back but having played a game less. Qatar have seven from five games, as do three-times Asian champions Iran who are the most likely to prevent the top two from going to Brazil but are not in World Cup action tomorrow and instead face Kuwait in an Asian Cup fixture. The Qataris will be led by Fahad Thani for the Seoul clash, the 2022 World Cup hosts fourth head coach of the campaign as they bid to qualify for a first finals. Qatar lost 1-0 away to Bahrain in Asian Cup qualifying on Friday but Thani remained confident his side could get something against the perennial World Cup qualifying Koreans, who thrashed the West Asians 4-1 in Doha in June. “This result will not affect us going into our next match. We know the importance of the next match,” Thani said after the defeat in Bahrain. “We have appropriate plans for our next clash. Hopefully, we will get a satisfactory result.”—Reuters

BERLIN: Victory in Kazakhstan and a slip-up by Group C rivals Sweden in Friday’s World Cup qualifiers have sent Germany five points clear but coach Joachim Loew has warned against complacency ahead of tomorrow’s home game against the Kazakhs. The Germans, 3-0 winners in Astana, are cruising towards 2014 World Cup qualification and even a suspension to Bastian Schweinsteiger looks unlikely to stop them from notching their fifth win in six group games. While a meltdown similar to the one late last year that saw them spectacularly squander a 4-0 lead against Sweden to draw 4-4 is not expected in Nuremberg, Loew wants his players to firmly focus on what is at stake. Germany are top of Group C with 13 points from five games, five ahead of Sweden, who drew 0-0 with Ireland and have a match in hand. “If you score a victory away then there is the danger that you keep this in your head for some time,” Loew told reporters. “We have to keep reminding the players that we are playing at home and we will only win if we have the right attitude and seriousness.” Loew is aware of the gap in quality between the world’s second best team and a side ranked 139 but he also saw the Kazakhs trying to battle back at 2-0 down in the first game and having two clear chances as Germany took their foot off the gas. He will not have suspended Schweinsteiger to orchestrate their play but the Germans should be faster with the return of Marco Reus, who sat out his own one-game ban on Friday. Julian Draxler has also been ruled out after picking up a concussion on Friday, prompting late callups for midfielders Patrick Herrmann and Marcell Jansen. Loew has the option of Sven Bender to replace Schweinsteiger with the Borussia Dortmund midfielder eager to notch his first win if he makes his fourth international appearance having missed the first

Joachim Loew

match with flu. Ilkay Guendogan is his rival for a starting spot and it is also not yet clear whether striker Mario Gomez, who picked up a muscle injury a day before Friday’s encounter, will be fit. Loew opted not to play with an out-andout striker in the first game but could revert back to his tested 4-2-3-1 system that would

offer more pace and entertainment for the fans. For Kazakhstan, still looking for their maiden victory in this qualification, it will be an even harder task with the Germans back home on natural grass and with an early evening kick off time as opposed to Friday ’s midnight game on an ar tificial pitch.—Reuters

Ethiopia snatch win to keep WCup dream alive JOHANNESBURG: Ethiopia snatched a dramatic 1-0 home victory over Botswana yesterday to keep alive hopes of a first appearance at the World Cup in Brazil next year. Substitute Getaneh Kebede, who replaced fellow-striker Adane Girma for the second half in Addis Ababa, snatched the lone goal two minutes from time in the high-altitude east African city. Ethiopia returned to the top of Group A with seven points, two more than overnight leaders South Africa, who overcame Central African Republic 2-0 in Cape Town thanks to goals from Thabo Matlaba and Bernard Parker. Tanzania scored three second-half goals to thrash four-time World Cup qualifiers Morocco 31 in Dar es Salaam and climb to within a point of Group C pacesetters Ivory Coast. Thomas Ulimwengu broke the deadlock a minute after half-time and there was a brace for Mbwana Samata before Youssef El Arabi reduced the arrears four minutes into stoppage time. This humiliating loss, coupled with draws against Gambia and Ivory Coast, means Morocco are all but out of the running for Brazil, and the future of recently appointed coach R achid Taoussi must be in doubt. Litsebe Marabe levelled a minute from time to give minnows Lesotho a 1-1 draw with 10-man Zambia in Maseru after Collins Mbesuma opened the scoring following the red carding of goalkeeper Kennedy Mweene for a professional foul. The failure to collect maximum points was a bitter blow for Zambia, who stay top of Group D, but Ghana closed the gap to just one point by hammering Sudan 4-0 in Kumasi. Asamoah Gyan, joint 2013 Cup of Nations leading scorer Mubarak Wakaso, Abdul Majeed Waris and Emmanuel Agyemang Badu were on target for the Black Stars, who are chasing a third consecutive World Cup appearance. Mali, third behind Nigeria and Burkina Faso at the recent Cup of Nations in South Africa, fought back to overcome Rwanda 2-1 in Kigali and rise two places to the Group H summit. Meddy Kagere scored after 37 minutes to raise hopes of a first qualifying win for the Rwandan Wasps after a heavy away loss to Algeria and a last-gasp home draw with Benin. But Mali scored twice within six minutes early in the second half through Mahamadou Samassa and Abdou Traore to take a two-point lead over Benin with twice World Cup qualifiers Algeria a point further back. Liberia moved from the bottom of Group J to second place, one point behind Senegal, after Patrick Wleh and captain Anthony Laffor scored to secure a 2-0 vic tor y over Uganda in Paynesville. Former giants Cameroon gained most from a 0-0 stalemate between Democratic Republic of Congo and Libya in K inshasa as it kept the Indomitable Lions top of Group I, one point ahead of the Mediterranean Knights. Cape Verde, who reached the 2013 Cup of Nations quarter-finals as debutants, equalised three times before losing a Group B thriller 4-3 to Equatorial Guinea in Malabo with Emilio Nsue scoring a hat-trick for the victors. Mozambique and Guinea drew 0-0 in a dour Group G clash in Maputo, leaving leaders Egypt with a chance to open a five-point gap should they beat generally poor travellers Zimbabwe in Alexandria tomorrow.—AFP

NIGERIA: Kenya’s midfielder David Wainaiwa (center) vies for the ball with Nigeria’s defenders Godfrey Oboabona (left) and Elderson Echiejile (right) during their FIFA 2014 World Cup qualifying match. —AFP

Late drama in Nigeria, Cameroon stay on track CAPE TOWN: African kings Nigeria were rescued by a last-gasp equaliser on Saturday while other heavyweight contenders Cameroon, Ivory Coast and Tunisia won their games to remain on course for World Cup qualification. Samuel Eto’o scored twice to lead Cameroon to a 2-1 victory in Yaounde against Togo who were without Tottenham Hotspur striker Emmanuel Adebayor. Captain Adebayor, involved in an on-off spat with coach Didier Six, did not play after failing to show up at Togo’s training camp during the week. Substitute Nnamdi Oduamadi scored three minutes into stoppage time as Nigeria scraped a 1-1 home draw with bottom team Kenya. The African Nations Cup champions have five points from three games, level at the top of Group F with Malawi who beat Namibia 1-0 in Windhoek. A curling free kick by Francis Kahata put Kenya ahead before halftime in Calabar. The equaliser came from a long throw as a desperate Nigeria threw everything forward. Cameroon, aiming to qualify for Brazil 2014 after missing out on the last two Nations Cup tournaments, are top of Group I with six points from three games following victory over Togo. The role of Eto’o was the subject of media speculation before the game but his two goals restored his status as leader of the team. Wilfried Bony (penalty), Yaya Toure and Salomon Kalou struck as Ivory Coast defeated Gambia 3-0 without Galatasaray forward Didier Drogba who was left out of the squad for the Group C encounter in Abidjan. The Ivorians are top with seven points,

four ahead of second-placed Tanzania who have a game in hand. Tunisia maintained their 100 percent record in Group B by beating Sierra Leone 2-1. The Tunisians have nine points from three games, five ahead of second-placed Sierra Leone. Queens Park Rangers defender Christopher Samba, playing his first competitive game for Congo after a lengthy break from international football, notched the only goal in a 1-0 win over Gabon that put his team in a strong position in Group E. Congo have nine points after winning all three of their qualifiers. Secondplaced Burkina Faso continued the form that took them to the Nations Cup final in February by hammering Group E rivals Niger 4-0 in Ouagadougou. It was their first win of the campaign and they have much to do to stand any chance of progressing to the final round playoffs at the end of the year. South Africa, World Cup hosts in 2010, are first in Group A after overcoming Central African Republic 2-0 in Cape Town. Senegal, top of Group J, suffered a surprise setback as they were held 1-1 by Angola who are second. Moussa Sow gave the Senegalese a first-half lead in neutral Guinea before Amaro equalised with 15 minutes to go for the injury-hit Angolans. The game was played in neutral Guinea after Senegal were banned for a year from playing at home following violent scenes in Dakar in October during a Nations Cup qualifier with Ivory Coast. Nine more matches will be played across Africa on Sunday and a further two qualifiers are due to be staged tomorrow. —Reuters

England bowlers rip top off NZ second innings

MONDAY, MARCH 25, 2013

Kiradech wins maiden European Tour title

Balotelli blast has Italy dreaming in Malta

Page 19

Vettel seals controversial win

SEPANG: Red Bull driver Sebastian Vettel of Germany drives during the Formula One Malaysian Grand Prix. (Inset) Red Bull driver Sebastian Vettel of Germany (center) poses on the podium along with second-placed Red Bull driver Mark Webber of Australia (left) and third-placed Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton of Britain (right) after winning the Formula One Malaysian Grand Prix.— AFP SEPANG: Formula One world champion Sebastian Vettel won a controversial Malaysian Grand Prix yesterday after defying orders to back off and let Red Bull team mate Mark Webber take the chequered flag ahead of him. The German’s 27th victory, from pole and equalling the tally of triple champion Jackie Stewart in the all-time lists, was full of bad blood on an action-packed afternoon that started with a rainstorm and ended in recrimination and dark scowls on the podium. “This is not a victory that I’m very proud of because it should have been Mark’s,” the chastened German, who took the lead after the team had asked both drivers to turn down the engine and look after the tyres, conceded after spraying champagne in muted podium celebrations. The Mercedes duo of Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg finished third and fourth, crossing the line in close formation 12 seconds behind Vettel after obeying orders from their pitwall to hold station. Unlike compatriot Vettel, Rosberg did as he was told despite telling the team repeatedly that he was quicker and should be allowed past Hamilton. “If I’m honest I really feel Nico should be standing here,” said Hamilton after his first

podium with Mercedes since he moved from McLaren. “I can’t say it’s the best feeling being up here (on the podium) but racing is racing.” Last year’s winner Fernando Alonso crashed out on the second lap after he hit the rear of Vettel’s Red Bull and damaged his front wing, which broke off and became wedged under the Ferrari’s chassis. Vettel’s first win of the season sent him top of the standings with 40 points to Kimi Raikkonen’s 31. Webber is third overall on 26. Red Bull took the lead in the constructors’ championship from Ferrari after two races. “The overriding emotion is that we scored 43 points, a maximum score, and a fantastic performance by the team and the car today and against a backdrop of tyres that we didn’t think would go more than five or six laps,” said Red Bull principal Christian Horner. “We told the drivers to maintain position to the end of the race, look after the tyres. The biggest fear was running out of tyres. Sebastian took it into his own hands to (overtake)...he wanted to win that race. “We know there is a bit of history between them...so it’s one of those things and the type of thing we will sit down and

talk about internally.” The cars started on intermediate tyres following a heavy downpour in the mid-afternoon with Webber taking the lead at the second round of pitstops after starting fifth. The two Red Bulls fought a thrilling battle with Vettel’s frustration becoming increasingly apparent while Webber kept him covered defensively. “Mark is too slow, get him out of the way,” the German told the team over the radio at one point. “I did a mistake, I’m not proud I did it,” Vettel, given the cold shoulder by Webber before they went on the podium, told reporters later. Webber made his anger evident. “In the end we got the right strategy and after the last stop, the team told me to turn the engine down,” said the Australian. “Seb made his own decisions and will have protection as usual. I turned my engine down and as we know he’s a quick pedaller.” Behind them, Hamilton and Rosberg showed Mercedes were a force to reckon with after a solid and consistent performance - even if the Briton found it hard to shrug off old habits by stopping in the McLaren pits. The gaffe was the comedy moment of a race otherwise short on smiles, with Hamilton waved through by mechanics

before locating his own team two garages down. “Feel free to pop in and say “hi” any time, @LewisHamilton!” McLaren joked on their Twitter feed shortly after. Ferrari’s Felipe Massa came home a distant fifth, after qualifying on the front row. The Lotus pair of Romain Grosjean and Raikkonen, winner in Melbourne a week ago, took the sixth and seventh spots. Alonso’s 200th grand prix was short-lived with Ferrari appearing to make a major error in keeping the Spaniard on track with a broken wing rather than bringing him in to the pits. The wing broke off on the start-finish straight as Webber passed him for second place and the Ferrari ran off into the gravel with Alonso a helpless passenger. McLaren’s Jenson Button was enjoying a good race and briefly led before a botched stop left him stranded in the pitlane as mechanics raced to tighten a loose wheel. He dropped down to 12th place before retiring on the penultimate lap. Mexican team mate Sergio Perez took his first points for McLaren, and the first since he was announced last year as Hamilton’s replacement, by finishing ninth behind Sauber’s Nico Hulkenberg. French driver Jean-Eric Vergne grabbed the final point for Toro Rosso. — AFP

Tactics and skill amid the chaos of Afghan buzkashi MAZAR-I-SHARIF: A scrum of 150 horse riders fighting over a headless carcass might look chaotic, but Afghan “buzkashi” players insist their sport demands skill and guile as well as brute force. At the biggest tournament of the season, held in Mazar-i-Sharif to celebrate the Afghan New Year, riders explained that the best horses understand the rules of the game and enjoy the excitement despite all the dangers. The action is fast and furious as riders wrestle over the dead calf, trying to grab it and then charge across the dusty pitch, swerve around a pole and drop the animal into a chalk circle. Players often hold their whips between their teeth, or use them to hit other competitors as much as their horses. The area of play is flexible and spectators flee as they try to avoid getting caught up in the fray. The game in Mazar-i-Sharif on Friday, the climax of the buzkashi calendar, was set against a backdrop of the snow-peaked Hindu Kush mountains on one side and a huge bakery built during the Soviet occupation of the 1980s. “There are a lot of techniques to buzkashi,” Mirwais Hootkhil, a veteran competitor who hails from a famous family of players, told AFP. “For example, this big horse does things that other horses can’t do,” he said as he stood where the horses are prepared before the game. “When we grab the carcass, he knows what to do. “But he’s so big that he can’t be used to pick up the carcass from the ground. So we pick up the carcass with a smaller horse, and we give it to the person who’s riding this one.” Buzkhasi players certainly have to be talent-

AFGHANISTAN: This photo taken on March 21, 2013 shows Afghan horsemen competing for a veal carcass during a game of ‘buzkashi’ in celebration of Nowruz in northern Mazar-i-Sharif, the centre of Afghanistan’s New Year or Nowruz celebrations.— AFP ed horsemen, as they stay balanced at high daughter of a chapendaz (buzkashi rider). I Hootkhil, who is coy about his age, retains the speeds and must remain onboard despite have 15 children and my five boys want to film star looks of his youth, but buzkashi takes rivals trying to push them to the ground. become chapendaz too. its toll. The little finger of his right hand is badly “When I was born, my father took me home “It’s a great sport for us. I’m from a family of twisted after many breaks, and he admits that on a horse,” said Hootkhil. “I married the chapendaz. It’s a great honour for me.” these days he does not ride in the thick of the

action, instead shouting advice from the fringes. “Now I’m a farmer and a trainer for other people,” he said. “During buzkashi, I’ve seen men breaking their legs, their arms, their head. I’m seen people and horses dying on the field, but I have never been afraid.” For Haji Saleh Mohammad, 65, who owns some of the best horses competing in Friday’s game, buzkashi-which was banned under the 1996-2001 hardline Taleban regime-is the ultimate test of the Afghan male. “When I look at my horse for just five minutes, it is worth one million dollars.” he said. “It’s a very tough out there and you need skills. “This sport is a religion. As a man, you need to have a rifle, a horse and a woman. The last of those three things I would get rid of is my horse.” The New Year game in Mazar-i-Sharif attracted thousands of spectators despite fears of insurgent attack after a suicide bomber killed several people at a game in Kunduz province earlier this month. Players compete for individual as well as team glory, and the overall winner, after scoring five times, was Najibullah, a huge 24-yearold man in a fur hat who is paid to play by a wealthy general during the November-to-April season. Najibullah’s hard-fought victory had required raw aggression, horsemanship and a fierce competitive instinct, but he said the game itself was a symbol of peace and harmony in a nation decimated by decades of war. “I’m happy. I’m proud but not overwhelmed. I don’t show off,” he said. “If we can play buzkashi, it shows that there’s some peace in the country”. — AFP

Business

LNG aids UK gas supply as cold weather hits stocks Page 22 Peanuts become the new ‘gold’ in Senegal

MONDAY, MARCH 25, 2013

Infiniti FX: Enhanced power and performance

Page 24 Arab Spring, fiscal crisis in focus at Tunis world forum Page 25 Page 23

BRUSSELS: Official cars of the delegation of Cypriot President Nicos Anastasiades arrive for a meeting with EU Council president Herman Van Rompuy yesterday.—AFP

Cyprus faces last-ditch chance to save economy Island close to a Monday deadline to seal EU bailout NICOSIA: Cypriot President Nicos Anastasiades, seeking a last-minute reprieve from financial meltdown at talks in Brussels yesterday, has a “very difficult task” ahead of him if he is to save the island’s economy, a government spokesman said. With Cyprus facing a deadline today to avert a collapse of its banking system and potential exit from the euro, late night talks in Nicosia to seal a bailout from the EU and International Monetary Fund broke up without result. Anastasiades then headed to Brussels in a private jet sent by the European Commission to hold talks with EU, European Central Bank and IMF leaders ahead of a crunch meeting of euro-zone finance ministers at 6 pm (1700 GMT). The president and his team have a “very difficult task to accomplish to save the Cypriot economy and avert a disorderly default if there is no final agreement on a loan accord,” the spokesman said. Underlining the gravity of Cyprus’ position, the EU’s economic affairs chief Olli Rehn said there were now “only hard choices left” for the latest casualty of the euro-zone crisis. French Finance Minister Pierre Moscovici put it more bluntly: “To all those who say that we are strangling an entire people ... Cyprus is a casino economy that was on the brink of bankruptcy,” he told Canal Plus television. After negotiations ended in the early hours of Sunday morning in Nicosia, the government issuing a statement saying talks were at “a

very delicate phase” and deadlines were very tight. The government’s tone jarred with earlier expressions of cautious optimism during days of intense negotiations between Cypriot leaders and officials from the island’s “troika” of international lenders, the EU, IMF and European Central Bank. Cyprus’ overgrown banking sector has been crippled by exposure to crisis-hit Greece, and the EU says the east Mediterranean island must raise 5.8 billion euros on its own before it can receive a 10 billion euro bailout. Without a deal by the end of Monday, the ECB says it will cut off emergency funds to Cypriot banks, spelling certain collapse and potentially pushing the country out of the euro-zone. Conservative leader Anastasiades, barely a month in the job and wrestling with Cyprus’ worst crisis since a 1974 invasion by Turkish forces split the island in two, is expected to meet the heads of the EU, the European Central Bank and IMF in Brussels. Scrambling to find the funds, officials said Cyprus had conceded to a one-time levy on bank deposits over 100,000 euros, a dramatic U-turn from five days ago when lawmakers angrily threw out a similar proposal as “bank robbery”. A senior Cypriot official said Nicosia had agreed with its lenders on a 20 percent levy over and above 100,000 euros at the island’s largest lender, Bank of Cyprus, and four percent on deposits above the same lev-

el at other troubled banks. Finance Minister Michael Sarris spoke of “significant progress” in talks on Saturday, as angry demonstrators outside the finance ministry chanted “resign, resign!”. In a stunning vote on Tuesday, Cyprus’s 56-seat parliament rejected a levy on depositors, big and small, and Sarris spent three fruitless days in Moscow trying to win help from Russia, whose citizens have billions of euros at stake in Cypriot banks. Rebuffed by the Kremlin, Sarris said the levy was back “on the table”. On Friday, lawmakers voted in late-night session to nationalize pension funds and split failing lenders into good and bad banks - a measure likely to be applied to the second-biggest lender, the largely state-owned Cyprus Popular Bank, also known as Laiki. Cypriot media reports suggested talks were stuck on a demand by the IMF that Bank of Cyprus absorb the good assets of Popular Bank and take on its nine billion euros debt to the central bank as well. The reports said the Cypriot government was resisting. A Cypriot plan to tap pension funds had already been shelved, a senior Cypriot official told Reuters, under opposition from Germany, which had warned the measure might be even more painful for ordinary Cypriots than a deposit levy. It was also far from certain that a majority of lawmakers would back a revised levy, or whether the government might even try to bypass the assembly.

Ordinary Cypriots have been outraged by the levy and stunned at the pace of the unfolding drama. They elected Anastasiades in February on a mandate to secure a bailout and save banks whose capital was wiped out by investments in Greece, the epicentre of the euro-zone debt crisis. For the past week they have been besieging cash machines ever since bank doors were closed on the orders of the government to avert a massive capital flight. Anticipating a run on banks when they reopen on Tuesday, parliament has given the government powers to impose capital controls. On Saturday, 1,500 protesters, many of them bank workers, marched on the presidency, holding banners that read, “No to the bankruptcy of Cyprus” and “Hands off workers’ welfare funds”. The levy on bank deposits represents an unprecedented step in Europe’s handling of a debt crisis that has spread from Greece, to Ireland, Portugal, Spain and Italy. Cypriot leaders had initially tried to spread the pain between big holdings and smaller depositors, fearing the damage it would inflict on the country as an offshore financial haven for wealthy foreigners, many of them Russians and Britons. The tottering banks hold 68 billion euros in deposits, including 38 billion in accounts of more than 100,000 euros - enormous sums for an island of 1.1 million people which could never sustain such a big financial system on its own. —Reuters

Karex mixes business and pleasure PONTIAN, Malaysia: The array of cheeky condoms on Goh Miah Kiat’s desk - multicoloured, textured and flavoured - would make most business executives blush. They hardly seem the stock and trade of a rural-based family business in Muslimmajority Malaysia, but Goh’s Karex Industries has big plans. Karex already claims to be the world’s biggest condom maker by volume, producing three billion annually, more than any other single manufacturer. But it plans an IPO this year to fund a doubling of output, part of a push to further its growing presence in a market that is expanding due to the world AIDS battle and increasing condom use in huge Asian economies like China. “We are enjoying an acceleration in demand for condoms,” said Goh, 35, Karex’s executive director, in an interview at the company’s factory in the drowsy southern Malaysian town of Pontian. Industry estimates project a global condom market worth $6 billion in 2015, or some 27 billion condoms, compared to 20 billion in 2012. Carex - the brand name of Karex condoms - holds about 15 percent of the global condom market, according to sector analysts. Other leading brands Durex, marketed by Britain’s Reckitt Benckiser group, and Trojan, owned by the US firm Church & Dwight, make up roughly a combined 25 percent. “It is a recessionproof industry. With growth rates of about eight percent annually, it is here to stay,” said Goh, who has a quick smile and gives

off a boyish enthusiasm. About half of Karex’s output goes to bulk purchases by governments or international agencies’ safe-sex drives, mainly the UN Population

saying 1.1 billion condoms were provided free to users by the government every year. But religious and social taboos are also slowly being set aside elsewhere in

PONTIAN, Malaysia: This picture taken on Jan 22, 2013 shows workers collecting condoms to further pack in boxes at Karex industries in this southern seaside town. — AFP Fund and the US Agency for International Development (USAID). China is a key growth market, as antiHIV efforts there have accelerated in line with loosening attitudes towards sex. A Chinese business website in 2011 quoted a former top family planning official as

Asia, said Goh. The largely Catholic Philippines, for example, passed a law in January requiring government health centres to supply free condoms and birth control pills, and mandating sex education in schools. At Karex’s factory - which operates 24 hours - workers pull each and

every condom down onto an electriccharged tube that can detect micro-flaws. Samples also are plucked from among thousands of packaged condoms drifting by on conveyor belts and filled with water for leak tests. Goh’s ancestors immigrated from southern China in the 1920s and his great-grandfather opened a grocers amid rubber farms in southern Malaysia. Expanding into rubber trading, the family later acquired its own plantations, and moved into manufacturing in 1988, when Karex was formed. It began making condoms a year later and now exports to more than 100 countries. It also has helped make Malaysia the world’s largest source of rubber gloves, as the economy moves from an agricultural base towards industries such as medical technology, light manufacturing and palm oil. A Kuala Lumpur stock listing is planned this year, but Goh said the date and size have not been set. Bill Howe, president of US-based latex company PolyTech Synergies and a condom industry consultant, said Karex’s plans could be overly ambitious. “I must admit I am surprised by Karex’s expansion plans, which seem too excessive compared to global market growth curves,” he said in an email to AFP. Howe warned that growth was flat in the more mature US and European markets and that large contracts like USAID’s are not long-term. But he added that developing markets like China held great long-term growth potential. —AFP

Saudi real estate rises; Egypt up MIDEAST STOCK MARKETS DUBAI: Saudi Arabia’s real estate share index rose to a 10month high on bets the sector will benefit from a new mortgage law being introduced, and Egypt’s heavyweight Orascom Construction Industries helped lift Cairo’s bourse. In late February, the kingdom issued final regulations on real estate financing, leasing and supervision of financial companies as part of a planned mortgage law, which the government hopes would help rectify a significant housing shortage in Saudi. Developers Taiba Holding surged 9.1 percent, Jabal Omar climbed 1.6 percent and Makkah Construction and Development added 2.2 percent.“Taiba is an excellent company in terms of valuations and growth but there is no fundamental reason behind this move,” said Mohammad Omran, a Riyadh-based independent financial analyst. “People are speculating on the mortgage law, which presents a short-term opportunity.” Omran said that while the application of the law will be gradual, other sectors such as banks and cements should also benefit. Bottom-line impact from the longawaited mortgage law could take months, analysts said. The real estate sector index rose 1.4 percent to its highest level since May 2012. It outperformed the main benchmark, which gained 0.6 percent. In Egypt, heavyweight Orascom Construction Industries gained 2.6 percent after a choppy session on unconfirmed news reports it would soon resolve a tax dispute with the government. Various news reports have said OCI offered to pay an amount of around 7 billion pounds to settle the case. The Egyptian authorities have been investigating charges the company failed to pay some 14 billion Egyptian pounds of taxes on the sale of Orascom Building, an OCI subsidiary, to French firm Lafarge. OCI said in a statement to the exchange that talks with the tax authority were ongoing and it hoped to reveal details at the earliest opportunity. “OCI will meet with the head of the authority this week to seek solutions,” an official at the Egyptian Tax Authority told Reuters on Sunday, adding negotiations are ongoing with OCI. Orascom Telecom (OT) rises after a newspaper report said Algeria’s government would lift sanctions on the operator’s unit Djezzy, while Cairo’s bourse holds steady near technical support levels in muted trade. Sanctions on Djezzy that prohibit the company from making payments in foreign currency and importing equipment will be lifted, according to a report in Algerian newspaper Al-Fadjr. OT said in a bourse statement “it has not been informed of any fundamental developments regarding this matter,” referring to the news report. Shares in the telecom operator rose 2.9 percent. Cairo’s benchmark advanced 0.6 percent, extending gains from a 14week low. Elsewhere, UAE markets slipped in muted trade as investors turn cautious following an early-year surge and await first-quarter earnings. Dubai’s measure slipped 0.6 percent and Abu Dhabi’s index eased 0.06 percent. “There isn’t any news in the market to grab investors’ attention it’s all about dividends,” said Mohab Maher, senior manager - institutional desk at MENA Corp. “The market will go sideways or may correct this week then rebound again in April for first-quarter results.” Corporate earnings season in Dubai will begin in late April. Investors usually adjust holdings ahead of results. Qatar’s bourse declined 0.3 percent. The index has traded within a 65-point range for the last week, signalling a lack of momentum. — Reuters

MONDAY, MARCH 25, 2013

BUSINESS

LNG aids UK gas supply as cold weather hits stocks

Does the German economic miracle coming to an end? By Hayder Tawfik KUWAIT: Throughout history, every powerful economy came to an end. At the beginning of the last century it was the British economy benefiting from its empire, then after the second war world was the US economy ” explosive growth that pulled the world economy out of depression and into great boom. Those two economies borrowed heavily to finance their economic boom. Their political and economic positions helped them to carry on financing till it came to an end. Japanese economy followed them in the seventies and into the eighties till it burst and as a result its economy entered 20 years of lost opportunities. We can make the case for other economies that boomed too. Good and lasting economies are the ones that firstly manage its finances properly and then keep reinventing itself for the ever-changing global economic environment. Some commodity producing economies could face the same fate as the US and UK in the future. But the biggest worry is Germany. We have to admit that there has been an economic miracle in the Germany over the last decade coinciding with the introduction of the Euro. The German economy has grown consistently through the last decade, sometimes even faster than some major economy. Unfortunately, this economic miracle was purely based on exports. Selling as much around the world as China or the US, admittedly without having the cheap labor. This is where the future problems lie. Last year, its total exports overtook the much larger US economy and was double that of Japan. It keeps accumulating huge trade surplus year after year and has become the source of bailout for the troubled euro-zone economies. We all remember that Japan used to be the world biggest exporter and had huge trade surplus with the rest of the world. It is no longer! Japan did not have the euro-zone to bailout and it still lost its position of the world number one exporter and with it lost its trade surplus. Latest economic data coming out of Germany indicate that it has started to weaken. Industrial production as the lead indicator has shrunk and this is disturbing as Germany still remains an industrial economy. The reliable Bundesbank already forecasts a much weaker economic growth for this year. Economic cycles apply to everyone. No economy is immune from a downturn and occasionally it suffers from a bigger global downturn. At present it is worse for Germany as it is in the heart of an economic block that is suffering badly. However, the euro-zone is a financial problem for Germany and it is not an economic one. Much of Germany’s economic boom of the last decade was on the back of high growth in the emerging markets and China in particular. Germany literally exports to economies that need industrialization and automation plus to those who have plenty of money to spend on infrastructure and consumption. This means its exports are highly concentrated and very much vulnerable. The concentration is by products and countries. Most of the German exports are automobiles, chemicals, mechanical engineers and pharmaceuticals. Some of the big Germany’s trade partners are developing fast and in the process they becoming consumer economies and catching up with the trend around the world. At one point they will not need more German machines or capital goods and they will look for consumers goods including the luxury ones. Around the world consumers’ behavior have been changing fast and this is where the German miracle could be at risk. Weaker economic growth in the euro-zone is another risk for Germany, as over 50% of its exports go to them. Unfortunately, I cannot see its domestic demand compensating for the loss of exports. The Germans are known to be big savers and not big spenders at all. Just like the Japanese. The room for maneuver for the government is limited too as its has very high debt. Finally, the biggest risk is the bills for rescuing the troubled Eurozone economies. Most of these bills will have to be paid sooner or later at a time when the economic growth weakening and exports falling off the cliff. — Hayder Tawfik is Executive Vice President of Asset Management, at Dimah Capital.

Trinidad sends LNG cargo after gas price spike DUBAI: Three big Qatari liquefied natural gas (LNG) tankers are set to deliver gas to snow-covered Britain this week, with another shipment from Trinidad due to arrive at the start of April, according to ship tracking data on Reuters received yesterday. A late blast of winter weather has drained Britain’s already modest gas stocks to around a tenth of their capacity, sparking fears of supply restrictions with the cold weather forecast to continue into early April. Three Qatari tankers delivering LNG over the next few days could supply a total of around 430 million cubic metres (mcm) of gas, compared with current daily gas demand of around 370 mcm. The first docked at the Isle of Grain terminal near London yesterday, with a second due to deliver fuel from the world’s largest LNG exporter today and another expected by Friday, AIS live tracking data showed. A fourth LNG cargo set sail for Britain from Trinidad the day after UK wholesale gas prices surged towards record highs on Friday, and could arrive around Apr. 3, according to voyage calculations using the (www.searates.com) website. The Trinidad delivery could add another 80 mcm of

gas to UK supply in the first week of April, but there are mounting concerns that more will be needed to supplement supply from the North Sea if gas stocks dry up completely as winter drags on. According to Reuters analysis of AIS data transmitted by the world’s fleet of LNG tankers on Sunday, there were no other ships indicating that they are heading to Britain. It is possible that tankers currently sailing to the Americas from African or Middle Eastern producers could be diverted to Britain to cash in on the surge in UK gas prices at the end of last week. There is no sign of any more Qatari LNG ships heading to Britain in the Mediterranean. Two vessels sailing from Qatar towards the Suez canal are not indicating their final destination, but even if they do head to Britain, the Al-Hamla is at least 12 days sail away while the Al Areesh is 15 days from boosting Britain’s gas supplies. Britain’s gas stocks stood at around 10 percent of their capacity, or around 446 mcm on Saturday, according to the latest data available from National Grid. But Britain also has an additional 358 mcm of gas almost a day of its total gas needs - still held as LNG in storage tanks at UK import terminals. The UK was a net

gas exporter until 2004 but has become increasingly dependent on imports as its own production from the North Sea has declined rapidly over the last decade. In a bid to diversify supply sources, it built some of Europe’s largest LNG terminals in the middle of the last decade. Until last year the two terminals in Wales and an older facility near London were big contributors to Britain’s gas supplies and helped boost north-west European supplies through a link to Belgium. A temporary flood of LNG in 2009-10 led to some new UK gas storage projects being put on hold as apparently plentiful supplies of LNG, especially from Qatar, challenged the economics of stashing gas in summer for use in winter. But LNG’s share of UK gas supplies has shrunk significantly over the last year, as competition for finite Qatari LNG has intensified from high paying buyers in Asia while new LNG consuming markets have absorbed supply from producers in the Atlantic basin. Much of continental Europe still gets its gas on long-term contracts from Russia and Norway, but Britain’s supplies depend on UK market prices being more attractive to foreign suppliers than other markets. — Reuters

StanChart seeks Egypt acquisition DUBAI: Standard Chartered is looking to acquire a bank in Egypt to ride an expected boom in one of the Middle East’s largest economies, the firm’s regional head said. The bank also plans to expand operations in Iraq this year. Many European banks are under pressure to cut costs and bolster their capital in the wake of the global financial crisis, but Christos Papadopoulos said such pressures would not deter Standard Chartered from growing in the Middle East. “The Middle East is not only a regional hub for us but a global hub given its position as a trade corridor between Asia and Africa,” Papadopoulos, chief executive for the Middle East, North Africa and Pakistan, told Reuters in an interview last week. He said of Egypt, “ The foreign reserves are at critical levels. Currency is depreciating and I won’t be surprised if it depreciates further.” But he added that the bank believed Egypt was in a transition towards a more stable economic and political system, making investment attractive from a long-term perspective. In late 2011, Standard Chartered ended talks to acquire the Egyptian unit of Greece’s Piraeus Bank, which was believed to be valued at over $200 million, citing deterioration of the global macroeconomic environment. Papadopoulos did not elaborate in the interview on what had changed since then, but made clear that Standard Chartered was again looking at Egypt. “The only entrance point to Egypt is through acquisitions. We expect that there could be other banks coming to the market for sale, and we will be ready to grab the opportunity,” he said, declining to name potential

acquisition targets. French banks Societe Generale and larger rival BNP Paribas agreed last year to sell their banking arms in Egypt to Qatar National Bank and Dubai’s Emirates NBD. France’s Credit Agricole and Italy’s Intesa Sanpaolo may also eventually sell Egyptian operations, banking sources in the region have said. A Credit Agricole spokeswoman in Paris declined to comment, while Intesa Sanpaolo chief executive Enrico Cucchiani said in January: “Egypt is a country to be monitored. However at the moment Bank of Alexandria is having positive results. We look at it carefully.” Piraeus received several expressions of interest in its Egyptian unit but last July halted the sale, saying it would not seek buyers in the near future at least. It did not give its reasons. In the Gulf region, Standard Chartered will focus on lending opportunities in Saudi Arabia and Qatar because of the huge infrastructure building plans of oil-rich governments there, Papadopoulos said. The bank, which currently has a representative office in Iraq, plans to open branches this year in the cities of Baghdad, Basra and Erbil as demand for project financing booms. Papadopoulos said, “The amount of economic activity in Iraq now is substantial. We always wanted to be onshore in Iraq. It was never a question of if but a question of when.” Companies including oil giants BP, Royal Dutch Shell and Italy’s Eni have announced plans to invest in multibillion dollar projects in the country. “Iraq needs everything from pipelines, power generation, infrastructure and housing. All this needs financing.” — Reuters

HONG KONG: Commercial buildings catch the morning light in Hong Kong yesterday. Hong Kong unveiled fresh measures on February 22 to cool its ever red-hot property market, as the finance minister warned that an asset bubble is forming in the southern Chinese city. — AFP

Gulf Bank appoints Salma Al-Hajjaj as GM HR KUWAIT: Gulf Bank has announced the appointment of Salma Al-Hajjaj as General Manager of Human Resources (HR) at Gulf Bank. Al-Hajjaj started her new role at Gulf Bank last month. Before joining the Bank, Salma spent 12 years in Kuwait Oil Sector in various HR positions until she took the key role at KPC for the establishment of the Center for Leadership Development as its director. Prior to that Salma worked in HR at Gulf Investment Corporation for 15 years. She brings with her many years of diversified HR experience and has been responsible for disci-

plines including designing programs for development, assessment, identification and succession planning in addition to being involved in numerous change management initiatives. Michel Accad, Gulf Bank’s Chief Executive Officer said: “Salma has a wealth of experience and knowledge from her previous roles and we are very pleased to have attracted someone of her caliber and reputation to head up the Bank’s Human Resources Department. We welcome her to Gulf Bank and look forward to benefiting from her insight and expertise.”

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

.2770000 .4300000 .3680000 .2990000 .2750000 .2940000 .0040000 .0020000 .0770020 .7502090 .3920000 .0720000 .7354470 .0370000

.2880000 .4410000 .3810000 .3170000 .2900000 .3010000 .0068000 .0035000 .0777760 .7577490 .4110000 .0770000 .7428390 .0440000

CUSTOMER TRANSFER RATES .2836500 .4320700 .3684330 .3015150 .2772860 .0494440 .0436690 .2962720 .0365340 .2270110 .0030010 .0000000 .0000000 .0000000 .0000000 .0772570 .7526870 .0000000 .0756600

.2857500 .4352690 .3711610 .3037470 .2793390 .0498100 .0439930 .2984660 .0368050 .2286910 .0030230 .0052880 .0022590 .0029200 .0036640 .0778290 .7582590 .4041730 .0762200

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

2.987 5.283 2.906 2.251 3.313 229.280 36.787 3.614 7.009

Thai Baht Irani Riyal - transfer Irani Riyal - cash

9.730 0.271 0.273

Omani Riyal Qatari Riyal Saudi Riyal

740.30 78.55 76.05

738.000 78.500 76.400

Dollarco Exchange Co. Ltd

GCC COUNTRIES Saudi Riyal Qatari Riyal Omani Riyal Bahraini Dinar UAE Dirham

76.150 78.463 741.720 758.470 77.758

ARAB COUNTRIES Egyptian Pound - Cash Egyptian Pound - Transfer Yemen Riyal/for 1000 Tunisian Dinar Jordanian Dinar Lebanese Lira/for 1000 Syrian Lier Morocco Dirham

41.450 41.410 1.332 182.160 403.260 1.916 3.102 33.821

EUROPEAN & AMERICAN COUNTRIES US Dollar Transfer 285.450 Euro 371.090 Sterling Pound 432.740 Canadian dollar 280.400 Swiss Franc 303.030 US Dollar Buying 284.250

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 284.800 281.375 433.640 369.595 301.275 754.015 77.520 78.175 75.910 401.470 41.345 2.238 5.239 2.893 3.622 6.983 698.630 4.010 9.800 4.025 3.375 91.240

GOLD 20 Gram 10 Gram 5 Gram

298.000 150.000 77.500

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

SELL DRAFT 302.00 282.85 307.75 373.39 284.45 437.01 3.08 3.640 5.238 2.245 3.284 2.903 77.51 757.38 41.23 405.24

SELL CASH 300.000 282.000 308.000 372.500 285.500 436.500 3.300 3.720 5.390 2.450 3.420 2.925 78.000 756.000 41.700 412.000

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

SELL CASH Europe 0.4266338 0.0061468 0.0456248 0.3653090 0.0451105 0.4201033 0.0398812 0.29781450 Australasia 0.2877145 0.2302853 0.0001102 America 0.2715015 0.0001483 0.2827000 Asia 0.0035777 0.0031598 0.0447522 0.0164567

SELLDRAFT 0.4356338 0.0181468 0.0506248 0.3728090 0.0503105 0.4276033 0.0448812 0.3051450 0.2997145 0.2402853 0.0001102 0.2805015 0.0001663 0.2848500 0.0036327 0.0033898 0.0497522 0.0195567

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 0.0341785 0.0051767 0.0000243 0.0028453 0.0029290 0.0032669 0.0873814 0.0031305 0.0028715 0.0065194 0.0000728 0.2240273 0.0019416 0.0093447 Arab 0.7491440 0.0392251 0.0129657 0.1482751 0.0000792 0.0001732 0.3961924 1.0000000 0.0001747 0.0215881 0.0012101 0.7288593 0.0775860 0.0754267 0.0500274 0.0031784 0.1786933 0.0761268 0.0012850

0.0000502 0.0372785 0.0052467 0.0000294 0.0038453 0.0031090 0.0034969 0.0943814 0.0033305 0.0029115 0.0069894 0.0000758 0.2300273 0.0022466 0.0099447 0.7576440 0.0412551 0.0194657 0.1500651 0.0000797 0.0002332 0.4036924 1.0000000 0.0001947 0.0455881 0.0018451 0.7398593 0.0783690 O.0760667 0.0505774 0.0033984 0.1846933 0.0775768 0.0013850

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

Transfer Rate (Per 1000) 284.800 371.750 432.650 280.300 3.010 5.265 41.405 2.257 3.614 7.000 2.905 758.550 77.600 76.080

MONDAY, MARCH 25, 2013

BUSINESS

Africa’s trade ties with China in spotlight as Xi visits AR ES SALAAM: Chinese President Xi Jinping faces growing calls from policymakers and economists in Africa for a more balanced trade relationship between the continent and China as he arrives in Tanzania at the beginning of an African tour yesterday. China’s ties with the continent dates back to the 1950s, when Beijing backed African liberation movements fighting to throw off Western colonial rule. It has built roads, railways, stadiums and pipelines to win access to Africa’s oil and minerals like copper and uranium to feed its booming economy. Many across Africa see China as a valuable counterbalance to the West’s influence. But as the relationship matures there is mounting discomfort in Africa that the continent is exporting raw materials while spending heavily to import finished consumer goods from the Asian economic powerhouse. “He will be looking to tone down the feeling that China is just here to exploit resources. I think that is going to be his main job,” James Shikwati, director of the Nairobi-based Inter Regional Economic Network think tank, told Reuters.

China’s new leader was due to land in Tanzania’s commercial capital, Dar es Salaam, yesterday for a state banquet before delivering his first policy speech on Africa in a Chinese-funded conference hall today. Xi will go on from Tanzania to South Africa where leaders of the world’s major emerging economies, known as the BRICS, will meet tomorrow and Wednesday and could endorse plans to create a joint foreign exchange reserves pool and an infrastructure bank at a summit. The proposal underscores frustrations among emerging markets at having to rely on the World Bank and International Monetary Fund, which are seen as reflecting the interests of the United States and other industrialized nations. Xi’s visit to Africa - which ends in the Republic of Congo - on his first trip abroad is seen as a demonstration of Africa’s strategic importance to China, driven by Beijing’s hunger for resources and African demand for cheap Chinese imports. The east African seaboard is hot

property after huge gas discoveries boosted Tanzania and Mozambique’s combined gas reserves to more than 180 trillion cubic feet. Mozambique accounts for the bulk of this, with enough to supply world number one importer Japan for 35 years. There have also been oil strikes in neighboring Kenya and Uganda. Xi will criss-cross a region where China’s economic growth and injections of aid offer both hope and cause for anxiety. Nigeria’s central bank chief, Lamido Sanusi, said Africans should wake up to the realities of their “romance with China.” “So China takes our primary goods and sells us manufactured ones. This was also the essence of colonialism,” Sanusi wrote in the Financial Times this month. “Africa is now willingly opening itself up to a new form of imperialism.” “We must see China for what it is: a competitor.” In Dar es Salaam, where Tanzanian and Chinese flags fluttered in the coastal breeze, businessman Hamisi Mwalimu said China was flooding local markets with counterfeit goods while

stripping the continent of its natural resources. “We need a smart partnership where both Tanzania and China benefit. Right now, they’re getting a much better deal than us,” Mwalimu said. Beijing has kept under wraps details of new investments or aid Xi will announce, a typical feature of overseas trips by Chinese leaders. Last year, Xi’s predecessor Hu Jintao offered $20 billion in loans to African countries over the coming three years. At that summit, China pledged to help Africa export manufactured products, not just raw materials, and to import from the continent. But rights groups and some Western governments say China supports African governments with dubious human rights records to get access to resources. Often cited is Beijing’s relationship with Sudanese President Omar Hassan AlBashir who faces international war crimes charges. The European Union rejects what it labels China’s “cheque book” approach to doing business with Africa and demands reforms and the transparent use of aid. Such criticism draws

rebukes from China that the West treats Africa as though it were a colony. “Africa wants to be treated as an equal, and this is what many Western countries do not understand, or are at least are not willing to do,” Zhong Jianhua, China’s special envoy to Africa, told Reuters in an interview this month. “China at least knows that we have to treat people in Africa as equals.” China is criticized for using Chinese workers on infrastructure and mining projects in Africa. Beijing estimates almost 1 million Chinese are working in Africa. Zhong acknowledged Chinese companies faced criticism for flooding Africa with Chinese workers. “We have told Chinese companies that they cannot just use Chinese workers,” Zhong said. “I think most Chinese firms now realize this.” Yet not all African governments appear that worried with the use of Chinese workers, especially for infrastructure projects. “China isn’t coming to Congo to create jobs,” Republic of Congo Ambassador to China, Daniel Owassa, said. —Reuters

BRICS leaders to launch new development bank New lender to challenge World Bank dominance

TUNIS: A staff member prepares programs on a table ahead of the opening of the World Social Forum (WSF) on Saturday in Tunis. —AFP

Arab Spring, fiscal crisis in focus at Tunis world forum TUNIS: Activists gather on Tuesday in the Arab Spring’s birthplace for a global anti-capitalist event that will bring together Tunisian revolutionaries and Western protest movements united in demanding a more just world order. More than two years after the Jasmine revolution, tens of thousands of people are expected for the World Social Forum (WSF) in Tunis, dubbed the forum of “dignity”, a watchword of the Tunisian uprising that inspired revolts across the Arab world. Hundreds of workshops, concerts, and shows are planned in Tunis, with a “women’s assembly” and a demonstration in the city centre for the opening of the five-day event, and a pro-Palestinian march when it closed on Saturday. Some 4,500 organizations are also expected at the “alter-globalisation” forum, which casts itself as a rival to the World Economic Forum, the annual meeting of the economic and political elite at the posh Swiss resort of Davos. It is the first time that an Arab country has hosted the alternative event, which has its roots in 1999 street protests in the US city of Seattle but began in earnest two years later in Brazil’s Porto Alegre. “The revolutionary processes, rebellions, uprisings, civil wars and protests” will be at the heart of the discussions, say the organisers, as will the socio-economic problems behind these events, problems that continue to plague the Arab region. Social unrest and a political impasse continue to hamper economic recovery in Tunisia itself, where unemployment, a driving factor behind the uprising that toppled Zine El Abidine Ben Ali’s regime in January 2011, stands at 17 percent. “Democracy, social justice, employment, the fight against corruption and embezzlement, and for greater access to education and healthcare, for freedom, dignity and citizenship: it’s a moment to reflect on the future of the revolutionary process,” noted the forum’s organizing com-

mittee. The opposition in the West to harsh austerity measures and bailout deals for ailing banks will also be key issues during the debates. The forum certainly hopes to draw support from the shared goals of the Arab uprisings, protests in Greece, Spain’s “Indignant” movement and Occupy Wall Street in the United States, for social justice to a fairer distribution of resources. French anti-capitalist group Attac (Association for the taxation of financial transactions and aid to citizens) has hailed the role of the WSF in linking like-minded movements in the northern and southern hemisphere seeking alternatives to “neoliberal globalization.” But while thousands are expected, the event is likely to be smaller and with fewer high-profile attendees than in its early years, when it attracted a host of foreign leaders, though participants remain doggedly determined. “The political class is helpless in the face of protest movements like Occupy and Indignation, whose mobilization took place outside institutional forums,” said Genevieve Azam, an Attac spokesperson. Classic WSF themes such as the environment, sustainable development, immigration and the debts of developing countries will also be in focus during the forum. But before enlightened ideas of social justice and sustainability can be debated, the organizers face more immediate logistical problems caused by a lack of funds. “We are having real financial difficulties, because the money allocated to us by the donors did not arrive in time,” Abderrahmen Hedhili, one of the coordinators, said on Friday, without giving details of the sums involved. Accommodation notably for participants from southern countries who cannot afford hotels is another potential problem, even with the 12,000 beds provided by the Tunisian state at schools and universities in the city. —AFP

Burgan Bank announces winners of Yawmi account draw KUWAIT: Burgan Bank announced yesterday the names of the five lucky winners of its Yawmi account draw, each taking home a prize of KD5,000. The lucky winners for the daily draws took home a cash-prize of KD 5000 each, and they are: 1. Manal Ahmed Mohamed Al Towaim, 2. Nizam Michel Abou Haidar, 3. Mohammad Duwairi Jyal Alenezi, 4. Abdullah Hussien Ali Alqabandi, 5. Hazem Azmi Sulaiman Alashy 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.

DURBAN: Leaders from the BRICS emerging nations are expected to launch a joint development bank to rival western-dominated institutions at a summit beginning Tuesday. The grouping of Brazil, Russia, India, China and hosts South Africa will meet in Durban to set up an infrastructure-focused lender that would challenge seven decades of dominance by the World Bank. Xi Jinping, who has underscored the growing importance of the group by making Durban his first summit as China’s president, expressed hopes for “positive headway” in establishing the bank. If the leaders succeed it would be the first time since the inaugural BRICS summit four years ago that the group matches rhetorical demands for a more equitable global order with concrete steps. Together the BRICS account for 25 percent of global GDP and 40 percent of the world’s population. But members say institutions like the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund and the United Nations Security Council are not changing fast enough reflect their new-found clout. The World Bank has traditionally been led by an American and the IMF has been led by a European thanks to an unwritten transatlantic carve-up made possible by skewed voting weights. There is no Latin American or African permanent member of the UN Security Council, and India-despite it’s vast population and nuclear capabilities-remains a non-vetowielding member. Details of how the BRICS bank would work have yet to be finalized, but diplomats say it could start with $10 billion seed money from each country. That would be dramatically scaled

back from initial, more ambitious proposals for a $50 billion buy in from each country. The exact role of the bank is also up for debate. Indian officials have pressed for a BRICSled South-South development bank, recycling budget surpluses into investment in developing countries. Many developing nations inside and outside BRICS will hope that is a way of tapping China’s vast financial resources. Meanwhile China would no doubt like the bank to invest in trade-multiplying projects. “The bank will help BRICS sustain financial risks and provide support for the development of African countries”, state media quoted Ma Zhaoxu, a Chinese foreign ministry official, as saying. However BRICS expert Oliver Stuenkel at Getulio Vargas Foundation in Sao Paulo sees the development bank as partially a reaction to their dimmed economic outlooks. “Now Brazil is growing at an anaemic rate, South africa is not doing so well and india growth is stalling so the BRICS need to prove they can survive and prosper in challenging economic times,” he said. Stuenkel called the creation development bank “a litmus test of their capacity to survive”. Moreover, given the scepticism of the BRICS nations about the commitment of the West to reform international economic institutions, “anything less than the establishment of the bank would be seen as a colossal failure.” Western officials had been wary for the idea of a BRICS bank, but have since tempered their view. The World Bank chief economist and former Indian civil servant Kaushik Basu said there is plenty the bank could do, but warned setting it

up would be a “humongous task”. Aside from the development bank, the group will also try to establish a foreign exchange reserve pool worth as much as $240 billion to be drawn on in financial crises. China has the world’s largest foreign exchange reserves, worth $3.31 trillion at the end of 2012, establishing currency swap lines could help other BRICS tap that massive resource. Brazil also hopes to sign a bilateral accord with China to promote trade in their national currencies. BRICS leaders will also establish business and think tank councils and discuss a ranking system for non-western universities. In total 5,000 delegates are expected to attend. With Syria’s two-year long civil war escalating through the suspected use of chemical weapons, BRICS leaders will also have to weigh a call from President Bashar al-Assad to intervene. In a message to the summit leaders Assad asked “for intervention by the BRICS to stop the violence in his country and encourage the opening of a dialogue, which he wishes to start,” said his senior adviser Bouthaina Shaaban after he delivered the message to South African President Jacob Zuma. BRICS nations are now under increasing pressure to come up with more constructive policies on Syria, but are divided on the issue, believes Stuenkel. “Certainly India, Brazil and South Africa are likely to push for a declaration that will call on Syria to allow humanitarian groups access to the rebels, but China and Russia are likely to reiterate their opposition to any foreign intervention,” said the international relations professor. —AFP

Cyprus deal could spur S&P 500 to new peak NEW YORK: US stocks could break through to all-time closing highs this week - provided a resolution to the fiscal woes of Cyprus satisfies investors. The island nation accounts for a fraction of euro zone economic output, and yet the wrangling over a 10 billion euro($13 billion) bailout package kept markets on edge throughout last week. The S&P 500 fell for the first time in four weeks, with weakness linked to uncertainty overseas. The Cypriot ruling party said Friday that it was close to a deal to raise billions of euros to secure a bailout from the European Union to avoid a financial meltdown and a potential exit from the euro. Euro zone leaders have offered the country 10 billion euros on the condition it raises 5.8 billion euros on its own. The rescue plan is smaller in scope than previous bailouts to euro zone members, making investors worry less about a banking collapse and more about the possibility Cyprus would exit the bloc and drop the euro currency. The worry “is the psychological knock-on effect of the credible possibility of some (country) saying ‘Cyprus got out, now they are on their own, they devalued their currency, they don’t have to go through austerity’,” said Art Hogan, managing director at Lazard Capital Markets in New York. “What is going to stop Greece from doing the same thing? And you start a daisy chain.” Similarly, investors had reacted harshly to proposals by European officials to tax depositors - including those protected by depositor insurance - to fund the bailout. That sparked some selling on the idea that such a plan could set a precedent for dealing with other troubled euro-zone economies, and set off bank runs across the continent. Assuming Cyprus’ troubles are solved, investors will turn their attention to economic data due during the holidayshortened week, with equity markets closed on Friday for the Good Friday holiday. The data will include orders for durable goods and pending home sales for February as well as the final reading of fourth-quarter gross domestic product. But with the trend of economic data showing a slow improvement in the US economy, few negative surprises are expected this week. That could enable the S&P 500 to once again make a run at its all-time closing high of 1,565.15. After all, for all of the worry about Cyprus, the S&P only dipped 0.2 percent last week and the benchmark index remains up more than 9 percent for the year. “The story doesn’t seem to be weakening and domestically it seems to be growing in terms of strength,” said Sandy Lincoln, chief market strategist at BMO Asset Management US in Chicago. “People are looking at a better backdrop, whether it is the jobs data, the GDP data or the consumer stepping up on the retail sales side in spite of fiscal drag.” Stocks could see another boost in the form of quarterend “window dressing” in which money managers add outperforming stocks to their portfolios. “You are coming into the end of the quarter, everybody has some great results. You are going to get some window dressing on some of the stocks that are doing well,” said Paul Mendelsohn, chief investment strategist at Windham Financial Services in Charlotte, Vermont. —Reuters

NICOSIA: People enjoy the sun at a coffee shop at Faneromeni square in the old city of capital Nicosia, Cyprus yesterday. —AP

Al-Tijari announces winners of Najma Account daily 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 Saquer Al-Manaie. The winners of the Najma daily draw are: Mohammad Moshtaq Khan Mohammad Sadeq Khan — KD7000, Fatmah Yousef Naser Akbar — KD7000, Bader Nasir Oraibi Jabr— KD7000, Ali AbdulJalil Zuhairi — KD7000, Kubra Hussain Mohammed Akbar — KD7000. 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 KD7,000 daily prize which is the highest in the country and another 4 mega prizes during the

year worth KD100,000 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 KD500, 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 KD25 a customer can get one chance for winning instead of KD50. 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.

MONDAY, MARCH 25, 2013

BUSINESS

Battered brand S Africa leaves investors wary JOHANNESBURG: In the decade bookmarking Nelson Mandela’s release from prison South Africa transmogrified from racist pariah to beacon of hope, but a series of tragedies threaten to reverse that gain and spook investors. The bad news just doesn’t stop coming for Africa’s largest economy. In the last year police shot 34 striking miners at Marikana, Oscar Pistorius was arrested for murder, a 17-year-old girl was gang raped and disemboweled and the police were filmed dragging a Mozambican taxidriver to his death. Stories of rape, gun crime, police brutality and obscene levels of violence flashed across the globe, overshadowing the country’s breathtaking landscapes, stunning wildlife and the joy of the 2010 football world cup. “South Africa’s seemingly untouchable reputation started to wane,” said Dion Chang, founder of Flux Trends analysts. “The death of a Mozambican taxi driver at the hands of the police invoked apartheid style brutality, and Oscar Pistorius brought South Africa the harshest form of unwanted publicity.”

Even the authorities concede the lustre of the rainbow nation has dimmed. “In the immediate term, undoubtedly yes,” said Nomsa Mazibuko, communication director for state marketing agency Brand South Africa. “The sheer volume of coverage paints a disturbing picture. Yet this can also seem overblown and at times a little out of context,” she warns. Still, Brand South Africa points to gains since the end of white minority rule 19 years ago, when over 27,000 people were killed. Gun-related crimes have also dropped 21.2 percent since 2005. Progress is happening, Mazibuko insists, though “results will not be delivered overnight.” Unfortunately for South Africa the string of tragic events has coincided with deep investor unease. Concern about corruption, government mismanagement, labor unrest, a shocking education system and unsustainable levels of inequality is widespread. All three major ratings agencies have downgraded the country in the last year. “Most investors

are happy to stay at the party, but dancing close to the door,” said Mohammed Nalla, head of strategic research at Nedbank Capital. So far the malaise has not been reflected in South African bond or equity prices, but the rand has been pummeled, sending shock waves through the import-dependent economy. The currency has lost around 20 percent of its value against the dollar, inflating the price of everything from food to cars. “The rand is the litmus test used by investors to reflect views on South Africa,” said Nalla. On Wednesday the head of South Africa’s central bank said the rand’s weakness was “overdone” but warned the weakness was fuelling high inflation. With price increases expected to exceed the bank’s six percent limit, policy makers have little room to stimulate the economy even as inflation taxes the poor. That has raised the spectre of a dangerous mix of slow growth and rising prices. “Growth remains poor with upside inflation risks, pointing ever more to a stagflationary scenario,” said Nalla. There are more ominous signs investors may be

mingling near the exit. The price of insurance against South African bonds-so-called credit default swaps (CDS) — have surged. In the US, European and other financial crises rising CDS prices were often harbingers of doom. Many hopes are being pinned on one still contested document which has yet to be implemented, but which would remake South Africa’s economy. “The government’s adoption of the National Development Plan as central economic policy, did much to encourage positive brand sentiment,” said Chang. The vast plan aims to improve housing, water, electricity and sanitation, reform the education and public transport system and boost job creation. But as well as implementing that plan, the country needs to be seen to improve, Chang cautions. “At this stage we need much more visible counteractions-trust in the police, swift and effective justice for violent crimes... and an aggressive campaign to highlight the positive aspects of South Africa.” “In this day and age ‘soft power’ is what builds brands and their reputations.” — AFP

A farmer boy sits at Kaffrine in Senegal’s peanut basin.

Peanuts become the new ‘gold’ in Senegal Chinese demand pushes prices to new high DINGUIRAYE, Senegal: High walls protect a Chinese peanut warehouse in central Senegal, where the product is becoming the new “gold” for farmers bypassing local traders to sell to Asia at inflated prices. Beneath an asphalt road leading into the village of Dinguiraye in the west African nation’s “peanut basin”, the shelling factory is an imposing site on the savannah of dry grass and stunted trees. “We prefer to sell our peanuts to the Chinese for between 250 and 260 francs (about 0.30 euros, 0.40 dollars) a kilo. Prices sometimes even reach 300 francs in the weekly markets,” said farmer Oumar Thiam. This is significantly better than the 190-franc maximum fixed by the state, he pointed out. “This is the first time that peanut prices have reached this level and it is thanks to the Chinese,” he told AFP. In the nearby village of Sanguel women sort peanuts in the presence of supervisors, some of them Chinese. “Filming, photography and talking to the workers is strictly prohibited,” a Senegalese foreman advised firmly. “I buy the farmers’ peanuts and I shell them before selling them to China, Russia, the Philippines and Malaysia,” said Dong Yang, a local Chinese boss who was one of the few foreign exporters willing to talk about his business. Peanuts, introduced by French colonists, continue to play an important role in the economy as the main cash crop in Senegal, providing employment for 60 percent of the population. They are transformed into oil, powder or paste for use in many recipes, including “thieboudienne” (rice with fish), a national

dish, while by-products include animal feed from seed residue and fuel from the shells. Peanut production has declined in recent years however, mainly owing to a lack of rainfall and a drop in prices. Peanuts have been available for export since sector regulations were eased nearly three years ago but producers are concerned that exports could now soar given increased interest from buyers in China. “Farmers now lay down the law because there are many foreign buyers,” trader Habib Thiam said. “The peanut is becoming the gold of the peasant farmer, having once been the gold of the millers” who paid growers poorly and made substantial profits when they sold their transformed peanut products. “The rush into the Senegalese market is (now) discriminating against millers who are finding it increasingly hard to get hold of peanuts from farmers,” Diallo said. “This is a catastrophic year for our factories, which will only work for one month out of 12 because of this unhealthy and unfair foreign competition,” said Bouba Aw, head of a peanut millers’ trade union. He called for laws “to supply as a priority local mills which employ about 5,000 people including 2,000 in permanent jobs”. In addition, he said that the opening up of the industry would lead to “problems with the availability of peanut seeds” owing to increased shipments abroad. But local producer El Hadji Ndiaye said: “Senegalese farmers have grown peanuts since the 19th Century. They have always managed to get seeds and will always keep seeds in reserve.” — AFP

Banks to sign $2bn Saudi Rabigh 2 loan DUBAI: The $2 billion loan being raised to help fund the construction of the Rabigh 2 independent power project in Saudi Arabia should be signed by the end of the month, four banking sources said yesterday. A coalition of seven banks will back the dualtranche, long-term loan, with much of the funding coming from Saudi banks in the form of a local currency-denominated facility, three of the sources said, speaking on condition of anonymity as the information isn’t public. Electricity generation is a key issue in the kingdom, given the high and increasing demand for power in Saudi Arabia, whose 27 million people face sporadic power cuts when air conditioning usage surges in the hot summer. The country ’s Water and Electricity Minister, Abdullah al-Hussayen, said in December that 500 billion riyals ($133.3 billion) of investment was required in the next 10 years to meet rapidly rising power demand. The 1,800 megawatt Rabigh 2 power plant, which is expected to cost around $2.5 billion in total, will be built for Saudi

Electricity Company (SEC) by a consortium led by local developer Acwa Power. Acwa was confirmed as preferred bidder for the scheme in January by SEC. The decision came despite a grouping fronted by Abu Dhabi National Energy Co making the lowest bid for the project in October. SEC wasn’t immediately available for comment. Local banks financing the deal are Alinma Bank, Al Rajhi Bank, Banque Saudi Fransi, National Commercial Bank and Samba Financial Group, while Standard Chartered and Mizuho Financial Group are providing funding for a dollar-denominated tranche, three of the sources said. Pricing on the riyal-denominated debt starts in the area of 135 basis points and increases over the life of the loan, two of the sources said, while the international lenders will be paid around 160 basis points initially, also rising later, one of them added. Both tranches run for over 20 years. The plant is the fourth project in SEC’s IPP program and is located 175 km north of Jeddah on the west coast of the kingdom. It will be powered by heavy fuel oil. — Reuters

MONDAY, MARCH 25, 2013

BUSINESS

Airbus-Boeing battle shifts to Indonesia JAKARTA: A new rivalry between the world’s biggest planemakers is heating up in Indonesia after a record deal for Airbus in a market with huge potential that until now has been a “fortress” for Boeing. The European company in the past consistently lost contracts to its US rival in Southeast Asia’s top economy, but budget carrier Lion Air’s 18.4-billion-euro ($23.8 billion) order last week for 234 medium-haul Airbus jets may be a game-changer in the feud for market share. “This is a major deal for Airbus because, generally, Indonesia has been a fortress for Boeing,” Ravi Madavaram, an aerospace analyst for Frost & Sullivan in Kuala Lumpur, told AFP. “I think the moment Airbus comes into the picture, more and more low-cost carriers will want an Airbus A320. Then it becomes challenging for Boeing to catch up.” Lion Air’s A320 deal with Airbus announced in Paris on Monday was the most valuable commercial order booked in history. The secondbiggest was also made by Lion Air in 2011, in a $22.4 billion order for 230 Boeing jets. The two planemakers have a duopoly over the large-airliner market and competition between them is fierce, with each regularly accusing the other of anti-competitive behavior. Boeing last year overtook Airbus as the world’s biggest planemaker in terms of aircraft delivered for the first time in 10 years. “Lion Air was in fact one of the few airlines in the region that had never ordered an aircraft from Airbus. But we never gave up,” Jean-Francois Laval, executive vice president of sales for Airbus Asia, told AFP. “We have not exactly been absent from Indonesia. The new order from Lion Air will significantly increase our presence in the important Indonesian market.” But Boeing says the Airbus deal has not ruffled its feathers as it works to deliver more than 300 jets ordered from Lion Air and its offshoot carriers. “Lion Air has ambitious growth plans and no one airplane manufacturer can meet its needs,” Boeing spokesman Ken Morton told AFP. While slow growth in Western economies is hitting the aviation industry, Asian countries are booming with an emerging middle class keen to take to the air. “There are three billion people in Asia, there are 300 million people in America. America has about three times more planes right now than Asia,” Tony Fernandes, founder and CEO of Malaysia-based AirAsia, Asia’s biggest budget carrier, said recently in an interview with Bloomberg Television. Indonesians are increasingly relying on air travel to link the archipelago of 17,000-odd islands, with up to 900 new planes set to be delivered to Indonesia in the next decade, according to the government. The potential is massiveonly six percent of Indonesians have travelled by air, according to officials, in a nation of 240 million people that has consistently clocked annual economic growth above six percent. By 2021, some 180 million passengers are expected to fly domestically in Indonesia, triple the 2011 number, according to the CAPA Centre for Aviation. But in their rush to meet that latent demand, airlines risk buying too many new planes, CAPA chief analyst Brendan Sobie said. “In some markets you’ll see overcapacity,” he said, warning that carriers will find it hard to turn a profit. Lion Air, Indonesia’s biggest private carrier, has ordered more than 460 planes in just 16 months, a dramatic expansion that has raised doubts about how it will find the financing, pilots and landing slots. The airline is banned from the European Union and United States over safety concerns. But it says it plans to broaden its regional horizons, and observers think it wants to take on AirAsia. It now operates 92 planes-all Boeings except for one older McDonnell Douglas-to 72 destinations, mostly in Indonesia. The furthest it flies is to Saudi Arabia, a route packed with domestic workers and construction laborers. In a rare interview with The Star in Malaysia in late 2012, Lion Air’s rags-to-riches founder Rusdi Kirana said that Indonesians in the middle-income bracket were already flying to neighboring Singapore and Malaysia. “This group will later think of Hong Kong or even Canton (Guangzhou, in southern China). And when they have more money they will want to travel to Japan, Korea, north China or Australia,” he said. — AFP

The tail section of two Lion Air Boeing planes at Sukarno-Hatta airport. — AFP

Iraq to auction gas exploration blocks BAGHDAD: Iraq plans to hold an auction of gas exploration blocks open to international energy companies later this year, the fifth of its kind since 2009, a spokesman said yesterday. Baghdad will offer 10 exploration blocks in the auction, the date of which has yet to be finalized, oil ministry spokesman Assem Jihad told AFP. “The date will be announced after all the documents are finalized,” he said. “It will be a good auction, and it will attract international companies to bid.” Iraq has held four previous bid rounds, including one in May 2012 for oil and gas exploration blocks that was widely viewed as a flop as foreign firms largely did not bid because of what were seen as unfavorable contract terms. Oil Minister Abdelkarim Al-Luaybi said this month that Iraq plans to invest $173 billion in its energy infrastructure, including its gas production and storage facilities, over the next five years. Iraq has proven reserves of 143.1 billion barrels of oil and 3.2 trillion cubic metres (111.9 trillion cubic feet) of gas, both of which are among the largest reserves in the world. Baghdad is almost entirely dependent on energy sales for much-needed revenues to rebuild Iraq’s decrepit infrastructure and state-dominated economy, both of which have been shattered by decades of conflict and sanctions. It has sought in recent years to sign contracts with international energy firms in order to boost output sharply and cement its role as a key global oil supplier. — AFP

Infiniti FX: Enhanced power and performance DUBAI: Following a number of exterior and interior refinements just last year, the Infiniti FX performance crossover receives additional enhancements for the 2013 model year. For 2013, the biggest change is under the hood - with the addition of a 329-horsepower 3.7-liter VVEL V6 replacing the 3.5-liter V6. Now named the FX37, it joins the FX50 AWD, which once again features a standard 390-horsepower 5.0liter VVEL V8 and Infiniti Intelligent AllWheel Drive. Both engines are paired with a standard 7-speed automatic transmission. The 2013 Infiniti FX37 utilizes Infiniti’s VVEL valve control technology, which continuously adjusts valve timing and lift amounts, enabling higher fuel efficiency with higher torque and improved emissions over conventional variable valve designs. The V6 engine features an aluminum block and heads and electronically controlled throttle system and has been

tuned specifically for use in the FX37.The engine is rated at 329-horsepower and 360 Nm of torque (increases of 26 horsepower and 5 Nm respectively over the previous 3.5-liter V6). “The Infiniti FX is Infiniti’s iconic performance crossover world over. By enhancing its engine size and capacity, Infiniti has taken performance to a whole new level offering more power and higher fuel efficiency,” said Juergen Schmitz, General Manager of Infiniti in the Middle East. “We’re certain that the enhancements to the FX line will be hugely popular among motoring enthusiasts and brand aficionados in the Middle East region.” The other major enhancement for the new model year is the addition of the advanced Moving Objection Detection (MOD) to the Around View Monitor system (standard on FX50, optional on FX37). Also offered on the all-new Infiniti JX luxury crossover and the Infiniti QX, Moving

Object Detection builds on the capabilities of the AVM system, which shows the driver a virtual 360-degree image of the area around the vehicle. The MOD function helps enhance the driver’s situational awareness by providing visual and audible warnings (front or back range object detection) if the system detects moving objects (such as another vehicle) within the displayed image in situations such as when pulling out of a parking space. Using sophisticated image processing technology, the system detects moving objects within the “top view” (when the vehicle is in Park). When starting off or backing up, it detects moving objects crossing within the front or rear views. Infiniti FX also features Infiniti’s Park Guide Technology to the region, to assist with safe and easy parking. Using voice assistance, the system guides you step by step how you can park best once you find the ideal parking spot sufficiently large for

the vehicle. During the parking maneuver, the guidance system continuously monitors the steering angle and vehicle position. A bird’s eye-view representation of the parking surroundings is shown on your display. All you need to do is to follow the suggested route shown via colored guide lines. Standard safety features include a seat belt reminder system; standard Infiniti Advanced Air Bag System (AABS); dualstage front supplemental air bags with occupant classification and seat belt sensors; seat-mounted side-impact supplemental air bags; and roof-mounted curtain side-impact sand rollover supplemental air bags for enhanced outboard seat occupant head protection. The 2013 Infiniti FX is offered in seven exterior colors: Malbec Black, Liquid Platinum, Graphite Shadow, Black Obsidian, Midnight Mocha, Moonlight White and Iridium Blue.

Energy prices propel GCC capital markets KAMCO GCC Equity Markets Review KUWAIT: GCC equity markets’ performance in 2012 was powered by a number of engines, prominent among them robust economic growth boosted by high energy prices, governments’ continuous commitment to developing key economic sectors and issuing new legislations, expansionary fiscal plans in infrastructure and human capital, and recovery in the real estate market. Large-scale government budgets for 2013 ($219 billion in Saudi Arabia and $33.5 billion in Oman) will fuel economic growth at a rapid pace and underscore that the GCC markets are poised for another growth period. This is poised to translate into a growth in corporate earnings. Markets’ trend since the beginning of the year indicate that the GCC bourses have responded positively and recorded strong return: ADX and DFM leading on the upside with corresponding returns of 18.8 percent and 15.7 percent followed by MSM and Tadawul with YTD gains of 3.7 percent and 3.6 percent , respectively. The majority of GCC Bourses continued 2013 to the upside with five markets recording healthy gains during February 2013 while two failed to maintain the bullish momentum. Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange was the best performer for the month adding 5.66 percent following a solid year in 2012 which witnessed the ADX General Index post an annual return of 9.52 percent. Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange continues to benefit from the government’s massive capital spending plan to develop the emirate by investing in infrastructure and real estate projects along with robust oil prices and healthy corporate profits. The Kuwait Stock Exchange, as measured by the Price Index, ended the month gaining 3.5 percent on hopes of restarting stalled development projects that in turn drove optimism in the market. Qatar Exchange and TADAWUL ended on a negative note recording a drop of 2.25 percent and 0.64 percent, respectively. In Qatar, slower economic growth along with stagnant FY 2012 corporate earnings which marginally dropped by 2 percent for 93 percent of listed companies to record USD 10 billion adversely impacted investors’ confidence; while in Saudi Arabia, the lack of local market catalysts coupled with lower than expected FY-12 earnings and a drop in oil prices negatively pressured the TASI. Saudi Arabia In Saudi Arabia, the lack of local market catalysts coupled with lower than expected FY-12 earnings and a drop in oil prices negatively pressured the TASI. The TASI failed to maintain enough bullish momentum to hold above the 7,000 mark and reversed to the downside to end the month as the second worst performing market in the GCC region following Qatar Exchange. As a result, the TASI was down 0.64 percent in February to close just below the psychological 7,000 mark and end at 6,998.33 points. By the end of the month, market breadth skewed heavily towards the losers with an advancer-todecliner ratio of 49-to-104 and 4 stocks unchanged. Accordingly, TADAWUL market capitalization fell 0.6 percent shedding SAR8.6 billion ($2.3 billion) to reach SAR 1.43 trillion ($281.6 billion) as compared to SAR 1.44 trillion ($383.9 billion) recorded at the end of January-13, as the majority of the sectors in the market decreased. Market heavyweight Petrochemical Industries was down by 2.36 percent to reach SAR446 billion ($118.9 billion) while the Banks and Financial sector was up 0.6 percent to SAR322.7 billion ($86.1 billion) and the

Telecommunications & IT sector lost 1.64 percent to SAR151 billion ($40.3 billion). Kuwait In Kuwait, hopes of progress on development spending drove optimism in the market amid a benign political backdrop which outweighed lower than expected FY-12 earnings announced so far, pushing the Kuwaiti Bourse higher for the second consecutive month. Trading was focused on small cap stocks as investors were targeting quick gains supporting the KSE Price Index which ended as the second best performing market following Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange to end the month gaining 3.5 percent. On the other hand, the KSE Weighted Index was down by 0.1 percent while the KAMCO TRW Index fell a marginal 0.06 percent. During the month of February, the market capitalization of Kuwait Stock Exchange shed 0.12 percent or around KD36 million ($128.5 million) to record KD29.9 billion ($106 billion) at the end of the month, weighed down by heavyweight Banking and Telecom sectors losing KD22 million ($77.7 million) and KD110 million ($389 million), respectively. Compared to January-13, trading indicators ended the month mixed with vol-

ume increasing 5 percent to 8.66 billion shares from 8.24 billion shares in January-13; while value traded decreased 8.5 percent to KD596 million down from KD651 million in January13. Abu Dhabi The Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange, as measured by ADX General Index, rose 5.66 percent in February to end as the best performing market in the GCC region, on speculation of higher dividends in the banking sector. The buying spree witnessed by investors helped push the ADX General Index to a three year high, crossing the 3,000 mark, as confi-

dence was replenished that a recovery is underway. Accordingly, market breadth was heavily skewed towards the gainers with advancers-to-decliners ratio of 40-to-12 while 11 companies remained unchanged from last month. Liquidity improved during the month as volume increased by 38 percent to 4.5 billion shares while value traded rose 12 percent to AED 5 billion from AED4.5 billion in January-13. Market capitalization added 5.39 percent to AED329 billion ($89.6 billion) in February supported by the 5.46 percent increase in heavyweight banking sector to reach AED155.1 billion and 5.18 percent in the telecommunication sector to record AED118 billion in February-13. Dubai In Dubai, Further speculations of a strong economic recovery in Dubai, specifically in the banking and property sectors, coupled with strong FY-12 earnings and hopes for strong dividends have helped shore investor confidence benefiting the local stock market. The DFM General Index soared to a three year high, nearing the psychological level of 2,000; driven by Emaar properties after announcing its plan to build two luxury hotels and serv-

iced apartment towers in central Dubai. Emaar said it would accept offers in Dubai and Riyadh for The Address Residence Sky View project. As a result, the DFM General Index ended the month of February in the green, following its GCC peers, and remains the best performing market in the GCC region in 2013. In line with the positive performance during the month, the bourse’s market cap added 2.7 percent to its value to reach AED200.9 billion ($54.7 billion) supported by the banking and real estate and construction sectors gaining 2.7 percent and 4.2 percent to AED55.7 billion ($15.2 billion) and AED42.2 billion ($11.5 billion), respectively.

Qatar In Qatar, slower Economic growth along with stagnant FY 2012 corporate earnings which marginally dropped by 2 percent for 93 percent of listed companies to record $10 billion adversely impacted investors’ confidence and dragged the Qatari Bourse lower to close in the red as the worst performing market in the GCC region. The negative sentiment resulted in profit-booking by investors as the QE 20 Index failed to maintain last month’s positive gains and reverse back to the downside. As a result, the QE 20 Index shed 2.25 percent to end the month of February at 8,528.58 points taking its YTD-13 gains lower to 2.03 percent. Market capitalization for the month was down by 1.94 percent to QAR 466.1 billion as compared to QAR 475.4 billion in January-13, weighed by the drop in the heavyweight Banking sector which lost 3.7 percent of its market cap to QAR 176.9 billion followed by the Industrial sector shedding 0.23 percent of its market cap to reach QAR 133.7 billion in February. On the other hand, liquidity measures showed improvement as trading inched higher during the month with volume increasing 37 percent to 124.7 million shares, while value traded was up by 12.5 percent to QAR 5.2 billion spread over 65,533 transactions. Bahrain In Bahrain, the Bahrain All Share Index continued its upward trend for the third consecutive month increasing 0.44 percent, to close February at 1,089.94 points. Market capitalisation increased by 0.55 percent to reach BHD 5.99 billion as compared to BHD 5.95 billion at the end of Jan-13. Of the 40 listed companies, 12 companies ended the month higher, 10 fell and 18 remained unchanged. Nass Corporation was the best performing stock with a gain of 12.08 percent and is now up 19.29 percent YTD, while market heavyweight Ahli United Bank gained 7.50 percent to close at $0.645. On the other hand, Batelco fell by 11.43 percent to close at BHD 0.372, United Gulf Industries Corporation was the top decliner, down by 30 percent. Trading volume decreased by 50 percent to reach 74.87 million shares, versus 149.91 million shares in the prior month. The banking sector led trading accounting for 76 percent of market total volume. Oman Positive FY-12 earnings coupled with strong economic and a prosperous outlook helped the Omani Bourse extend the uptrend for the third consecutive month. The MSM 30 index ended the month advancing 3.03 percent to 5,975.58 ranking third among its GCC peers. Accordingly, market breadth skewed towards the gainers with an advancer-to-decliner ratio of 45-to10 while 1 stock remained unchanged. Trading indicators increased with volume jumping 52 percent during the month to 633.4 million shares compared to 416.6 million in Jan-13, while value traded surged 71.8 percent to OMR179.2 million versus OMR104.3 million in the previous month. Market heavyweight banking & investment sector gained 3.86 percent to reach OMR 3.4 billion, supported by the 1.3 percent and 2.43 percent rise in sector heavyweights Bank Muscat and Bank Dhofar, respectively; while the ser vices & insurance sector increased 3.14 percent to OMR2.56 billion from OMR2.48 billion and the industrial sector rose 5.44 percent to OMR1.36 billion from OMR1.29 billion.

MONDAY, MARCH 25, 2013

BUSINESS

Atsuo Kosaka, Managing Director of Nissan Middle East and Dr Mohammed Ben Sulayem, President of the ATCUAE and founder of the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge.

Nissan Patrol drives desert challenge for 10th year ATCUAE extends partnership for UAE’s desert rally

DUBAI: The Automobile and Touring Club of the UAE and Nissan yesterday announced that the Nissan Patrol will once again be the official car of the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge, marking a tenyear partnership between the rally’s organizers and Nissan Middle East. One of the toughest and most spectacular cross country rallies on the international motorsport calendar, the 23rd Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge takes place from 4-11 April, sending a world-class line-up of drivers and riders into action over the stunning desert terrain of the Western Region of Al Garbia. Once again this year, the flagship Nissan Patrol is playing a vital role in the

Patrol is also one of the all time favorites for many competitors, as well as being the perfect on-event support vehicle.” Atsuo Kosaka, Managing Director of Nissan Middle East, added: “The Nissan Patrol is a vehicle steeped in the heritage of the Middle East and has undertaken more than 13,000 hours of desert testing to become the ultimate all-terrain SUV.” “We are delighted to continue our longstanding partnership with the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge, one of the most prominent desert rallies in the world, and look forward to another hugely successful event in the coming weeks.” For the tenth year in succession, Nissan Patrols have been used by the route plan-

planning and staging of the event, part of the FIA World Cup for Cross Country Rallies for cars and trucks, and the FIM CrossCountry Rallies World Championship for bikes. Dr Mohammed Ben Sulayem, President of the ATCUAE and founder of the event, said: “The partnership between Nissan and the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge has never been stronger, and this ten-year milestone highlights the close working relationship we have built to create a long-running success story in international cross country rallying.” “The Nissan Patrol has proved to be the perfect vehicle for our route planning team over the years because of its reliability and versatility in the Liwa desert. The

ning team which has journeyed deep into the Liwa desert, crossing a sea of giant dunes, to carve out the competitive stages which will test competitors and their rally machinery to the limit next month. Throughout the event, a fleet of Nissan Patrols will be at the disposal of the organizers to ensure the rally, staged across the dramatic and challenging desert landscape of the Empty Quarter, runs smoothly to its conclusion. Taking place under the patronage of Sheikh Hamdan bin Zayed Al-Nahyan, the Ruler’s Representative in the Western Region, the 2013 Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge starts and finishes at Abu Dhabi’s Yas Marina Circuit. As in previous

years, the fourth leg on 10 April - arguably the rally’s toughest - is named after Nissan and stretches some 317 kilometres of the most testing rallying terrain available. In addition to Nissan, the high-profile line-up of strategic partners and supporters of the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge include the Diwan of the Ruler’s Representative for the Western Region and Abu Dhabi Motorsport Management. The event’s official itinerary begins with competitor documentation and an official press conference on Thursday 4 April, with scrutineering following the next day before a super special stage on 6 April leading to five days of competitive desert stages.

Warba Bank builds portfolio of successful investments Bank entered in deals with local, global firms in 2012 KUWAIT: Warba Bank yesterday announced that it has made significant progress over the past year in building its portfolio of investments in the region and the world, based on its strong business model and extensive networks of business contacts. This reflects the potential of the bank’s team and their ability to complete deals with major companies in the local, regional and global markets. During 2012, Warba Bank completed a series of successful investments in various investment sectors, covering international markets reflecting the bank’s commitment to generating lucrative returns at low risk. Among the successful investments Warba Bank purchased property by Criterion Group in New York and developed it into a multi - family residential complex. The Bank financed the purchase of the land and building development of The Court Square development consisting of approximately 155 apartment units with high-end finishes, spacious interiors and large private balconies with Manhattan skyline views. Warba bank also acquired the new headquar ters of British Telecom (BT ) located in the town of West Bromwich in the UK. Through these investments, Warba Bank seeks to achieve high returns on investments and guarantee the rights of the Kuwaiti people who are the bank’s shareholder. Hosam Nasser Al-Muzaiel, Investment

Manager, Warba Bank, said: “Despite the difficult conditions experienced in regional and global markets during recent years, the bank succeeded in securing a number of distinctive invest-

Hosam Nasser Al-Muzaiel ment opportunities through the accumulated experience of the investment group. Emerging markets are a particular area of focus and will remain so over the coming year because of its importance towards the overall growth of the world economy and its role in distributing investments geographically. Warba Bank is

Al-Tijaria Real Estate wins Best Corporate Governance - Kuwait 2013 Prize from World Finance KUWAIT: AbdulFattah Marafie, Chairman and Managing Director at Al-Tijaria Real Estate Company, announced that the company won the prize for The Best Corporate Governance - Kuwait 2013 issued by World Finance in the UK. The latter has great experience with more than 230 years in the field of independent and objective financial journalism. It

aims at introducing prominent establishments and organizations in different sectors and industries on the level of the world. He explained that Al-Tijaria Real Estate Company is considered one of the first companies working in the State of Kuwait to adopt the concept of corporate governance with a comprehensive and professional methodology. The company formulated and applied the corporate guidance and policies in accordance with the best standards and

international procedures in this regard. He also stated that the prize reflects the transparency, integrity, accountability, and commitment of the company which is considered one of its main principals, in addition to the sufficiency and competence of supervision and organizational policies and procedures followed by the company, which determine and organize the roles, functions, commitments, responsibilities and authorities on different levels. He added that corporate governance is an integrated system and a work culture of the employees of the company since it is the unseen factor that develops the sense of responsibility and belonging and it sets the ethical foundations and enhances social responsibility. It determines the strength and weakness points for facing challenges and works on self development, which guarantees the protection of shareholders’ rights and stakeholders. In conclusion, AbdulFattah Marafie referred to the importance of the role of corporate governance as it has become a necessity which should be focused on by establishments working in the State of Kuwait and which plays a major role in facing the challenges and developments and enhances the role of companies in the continuity and effective competitiveness: for it is one of the main standards in evaluating the performance of companies on the public and private levels. This leads to enhancing the role of the State of Kuwait between prominent companies in the field of governance.

interested in the investment opportunities in these markets without overlooking the opportunities in developed markets.” “During the past year the bank succeeded in achieving a balance in the investment periods between short, medium and long-term investment hence securing lucrative returns and high growth during the period of record.” Al-Muzaiel concluded: “Warba Bank will continue to provide the depositors and investors with the opportunity to receive strong returns through a diversified investment approach that appropriately manages risk through the banks international standards, modern vision, Sharia compliance, internal resources and accumulated experience of the investment team.” Warba Bank, an Islamic bank established by virtue of Amiri Decree, was officially registered in the Central Bank of Kuwait’s list of Islamic banks on the 5th of April, 2010. The state of Kuwait, represented by Kuwait Investment Authority (KIA), owns 24% shares of the bank while the remaining 76% of shares, fully subscribed by the government, have been equally allocated among all Kuwaiti nationals. Warba Bank offers a range of customized Sharia-compliant services and solutions which are available through the banks three divisions of Retail, Investment and Corporate Banking. Branching out in five strategic locations, Warba Bank has over 150 employees.

First Quantum takes over Inmet MONTREAL: Canadian copper giant First Quantum Minerals has announced victory in its bid to secure a Can$5.1 billion (3.9 billion euro) takeover of compatriot Inmet Mining Corp. The takeover will create a “new global leader in copper” with a portfolio including operations in eight countries on four continents, First Quantum said in a statement Friday. First Quantum has forecast revenues of US$3.5 billion in 2013, while a strategic plan for the company has set a target of producing 1.3 million tonnes of copper a year by 2018. If those targets are met, First Quantum will become one of the five largest producers of copper in the world. First Quantum chief executive Philip Pascall thanked Inmet shareholders for making the deal possible. “(We) are grateful for the overwhelming support that Inmet shareholders have shown for our vision of a new global leader in copper,” Pascall said in the statement. “This transaction is a substantial advancement in our long-stated objective of geographical diversification.” —AFP

Doha Bank Kuwait sponsors American Business Council of Kuwait celebration KUWAIT: Doha Bank Kuwait Branch sponsored the 28th Anniversary Reception of the American Business Council of Kuwait. The event enjoyed the patronage of American Ambassador to Kuwait Matthew H Tueller who delivered the keynote address on the night. The Reception also saw significant senior representation and speakers from both American and Kuwaiti business communities. The anniversary reception held at the Radisson Blu, Kuwait, also hosted a special exhibition for companies to showcase their products and services. Doha Bank, one of the leading private sector commercial banks in the GCC region, operates full branches in Kuwait, in addition to Qatar and the UAE. Doha Bank Group Chief Executive Officer Dr R. Seetharaman said the Bank is committed to making a positive impact in Kuwait: “Doha Bank has always been an active corporate citizen in the markets where we operate and part of the Bank’s commitment is to support ambitious businesses in Kuwait. Doha Bank’s Kuwait Branch encourages the development of small and medium businesses and is keen to also increase its participation is key projects that will help support the future sustainability of Kuwait’s non-carbon economy. “ Doha Bank Group offers a full range of corporate and personal banking products and services, treasury and investment solu-

tions, in addition to international brokerage services. The Bank handles global loan syndication and club loan activities, cross border bilateral lending to financial institutions, trade finance solutions such as forfeiting, and has the capability to selectively handle loan origination and distribution activities. The Bank also offers one of the most advanced corporate cash management solutions available. Ahmed Al-Mehza, Chief Kuwait Country Manager says: “Doha Bank’s Tatweer banking solution, for example, is dedicated to providing a wide range of banking and financial services to help businesses grow beyond their perceived potential. These include financing of capital expenditure, working capital requirement and overseas trade financing needs such as import and export. There are numerous possibilities for existing and potential business in Kuwait to seek growth opportunities in partnership with Doha Bank and by using the expertise of the Bank’s globally experienced advisory staff.” The Bank also helps infuse cash into the business to meet day-to-day or ad-hoc cash requirements through the SME Credit Card, Cash Management Services and other short term financing facilities. Doha Bank, through its strategically located branches in the GCC region, can also support businesses with cross-border financial solutions and account services to meet growth and business needs.

AUBK launches 3D secure system for cardholders Experience safe internet shopping KUWAIT: Ahli United Bank-Kuwait (AUBK) has introduced the highest level of credit card protection against potential online fraud when shopping online. This latest and enhanced credit card security feature termed as the 3D secure service adds an extra level of authentication by confirming customer identity with a dedicated 3D password (IPIN) that makes internet shopping more secure. The 3D secure service launched in association with MasterCard SecureCodeTM and Verified by VisaTM allows registered cardholders to securely shop online using their AUBK credit cards; providing safety from e-commerce fraud, protection against unauthorized use of card and ensuring that purchases are made by the cardholder. Kiran Jaffery, Head of Cards Business Center, stated that “AUBK has been aggressively expanding our product suite to meet customer needs and thus

ensuring AUBK is among the first leading banks in the country to launch this innovative service that is currently the highest level of security standards within the card payment industry. Customers would be required to register for this service prior to using their AUBK credit cards at participating 3D secure merchants. Registration is highly recommended and preferred to ensure cardholder convenience, security and safeguarding against fraudulent activities.” “AUBK is renowned for its innovative role in developing banking services in Kuwait. ECommerce is now a reality around the world and AUBK is always in the forefront in matching the growing trends of the e-commerce business requirements. Hence AUBK has been continuously upgrading its online technology to ensure consumer convenience and customer protection. With this launch, AUBK Credit Cards provides yet anoth-

er unique state-of-the art card security feature to compliment the prevailing bouquet of AUBK credit card offerings. AUBK cardholders will have absolute freedom, comfort and protection in using their credit cards over the Internet”, further added Jaffery. 3D secure service is free of charge for AUBK credit cardholders who simply have to visit www.ahliunited.com.kw to register online for the 3D secure service. Similar to using a PIN for an ATM /POS transaction, cardholders would be enforced to use their IPIN which adds as an intermediate authentication step before the payment is authorized. The IPIN is chosen by the cardholder directly at the time of registration for validating transactions during online shopping at 3D enabled merchants that incorporate the ‘Verified by Visa’ or ‘MasterCard Secure Code’ sign.

MONDAY, MARCH 25, 2013

technology

Top China college in focus over cyber-spying charges SHANGHAI: Faculty members at a top Chinese university have collaborated for years on technical research papers with a People’s Liberation Army (PLA) unit accused of being at the heart of China’s alleged cyberwar against Western commercial targets. Several papers on computer network security and intrusion detection, easily accessed on the Internet, were co-authored by researchers at PLA Unit 61398, allegedly an operational unit actively engaged in cyber-espionage, and faculty at Shanghai Jiaotong University, a centre of academic excellence with ties to some of the world’s top universities and attended by the country’s political and business elite. The apparent working relationship between the PLA unit and Shanghai Jiaotong is in contrast to common practice in most developed nations, where university professors in recent decades have been reluctant to cooperate with operational intelligence gathering units. The issue of cyber-security is testing ties between the world’s two biggest economies, prompting US President Barack Obama to raise concerns over computer hacking in a phone call with new Chinese President Xi Jinping. China denies it engages in statesponsored hacking, saying it is a victim of cyberattacks from the United States. There is no evidence to suggest any Shanghai Jiaotong academics who co-authored papers with Unit 61398 worked with anyone directly engaged in cyber-espionage operations, as opposed to research. “The issue is operational activity - whether these research institutions have been involved in actual intelligence operations,” said James Lewis, director of the Technology and Public Policy Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. “That’s something the US does not do.” “(In the US) there’s a clear line between an academic researcher and people engaged in operational (intelligence gathering) activities.” Shanghai Jiaotong declined to comment. In reviewing the links between the PLA and Shanghai Jiaotong whose alumni include former President Jiang Zemin, the head of China’s top

automaker and the former CEO of its most popular Internal portal - Reuters found at least three papers on cyber-warfare on a document-sharing web site that were co-authored by university faculty members and PLA researchers. The papers, on network security and attack detection, state on their title pages they were written by Unit 61398 researchers and professors at Shanghai Jiaotong’s School of Information Security Engineering (SISE). In one 2007 paper on how to improve security by designing a collaborative network monitoring system, PLA researcher Chen Yi-qun worked with Xue Zhi, the vice-president of SISE and the school’s Communist Party branch secretary. According to his biography on the school’s website, Xue is credited with developing China’s leading infiltrative cyber-attack platform. Calls and emails to Xue were not answered. Reuters was unable to find contact details for Chen.

Fan Lei, an associate professor at Shanghai Jiaotong whose main research areas are network security management and cryptography, also co-authored a paper with Chen. Fan told Reuters he has no links with Unit 61398 and his work with Chen in 2010 was because Chen was a SISE graduate student. Fan said he was unaware Chen was with the PLA when they collaborated. Both of the papers Chen co-wrote with SISE professors stated he was with the PLA unit. Cybersecurity experts say the publicly available papers and China’s National Information Security Engineering Centre are ostensibly about securing computer networks. “The research seems to be defensive, but cybersecurity research in general can be dual purpose,” said Adam Meyers, director of intelligence at CrowdStrike, a security technology company based in Irvine, California. Figuring out how best to defend networks, by definition, means thinking about the most effective

Shanghai Jiaotong University

means of attack, he noted. Efforts to reach the PLA for comment on its collaboration with Shanghai Jiaotong were unsuccessful. Set amid manicured lawns, Shanghai Jiaotong University is one of China’s top four colleges, turning out brilliant technical engineers much in demand by both domestic companies and foreign multinationals. Its reputation has led to tie-ups with elite universities abroad. Last month, Mandiant Corp, a private USbased security firm, accused China’s military of cyberespionage on US and other English-speaking companies, identifying Unit 61398 and its location at a building on the outskirts of Shanghai. China said the report was baseless and lacked “technical proof”. “SISE at Shanghai Jiaotong has provided support” to PLA Unit 61398 - known more formally as General Staff Department (GSD), Third Department, Second Bureau - said Russell Hsiao, author of papers on China’s cyber-warfare capabilities for Project 2049 Institute, a Virginia-based think-tank, who drew his research from the technical papers and government reports. He said another Shanghai Jiaotong department, the Department of Computer Science and Engineering, also did research work with another PLA unit. A Project 2049 report last year found the GSD’s Third Department had oversight of “information security engineering bases” in Shanghai, Beijing and Tianjin. The GSD Third Department’s Shanghai base is in an industrial park housing mainly government research institutes and high-tech firms. The SISE building is in the same development, 40 kms from the university’s main Minhang campus. Across the street from SISE is the National Information Security Engineering Center, a building commissioned in 2003 by PLA Unit 61398. Also part of the base is the Ministry of Public Security’s Third Research Institute, which researches digital forensics and network security. Shanghai Jiaotong is not officially linked to China’s military. SISE says on its website its goal is to speed up the development of China’s information security sector and address the national shortage of information security professionals. —Reuters

New smartphone platforms eye inroads in hot market Google’s Android and Apple’s iOS face challenges

SEOUL: South Korean computer researchers (left) check the computer servers of Korean Broadcasting System (KBS) as a South Korean police officer from Digital Forensic Investigation watches at the Cyber Terror Response Center at the National Police Agency in Seoul. — AP

Experts: N Korea training teams of ‘cyber warriors’ SEOUL: Investigators have yet to pinpoint the culprit behind a synchronized cyberattack in South Korea last week. But in Seoul, the focus remains fixed on North Korea, where South Korean security experts say Pyongyang has been training a team of computer-savvy “cyber warriors” as cyberspace becomes a fertile battleground in the standoff between the two Koreas. Malware shut down 32,000 computers and servers at three major South Korean TV networks and three banks last Wednesday, disrupting communications and banking businesses, officials said. The investigation into who planted the malware could take weeks or even months. South Korean investigators have produced no proof yet that North Korea was behind the cyberattack, and on Friday said the malware was traced to a Seoul computer. But South Korea has pointed the finger at Pyongyang in six cyberattacks since 2009, even creating a cyber security command center in Seoul to protect the Internet-dependent country from hackers from the North. It may seem unlikely that impoverished North Korea, with one of the most restrictive Internet policies in the world, would have the ability to threaten affluent South Korea, a country considered a global leader in telecommunications. The average yearly income in North Korea was just $1,190 per person in 2011 - just a fraction of the average yearly income of $22,200 for South Koreans that same year, according to the Bank of Korea in Seoul. But over the past several years, North Korea has poured money and resources into science and technology. In December, scientists succeeded in launching a satellite into space aboard a long-range rocket from its own soil. And in February, North Korea conducted an underground nuclear test, its third. “IT” has become a buzzword in North Korea, which has developed its own operating system called Red Star. The regime also encouraged a passion for gadgets among its elite, introducing a Chinese-made tablet computer for the North Korean market. Teams of developers came up with software for everything from composing music to learning how to cook. But South Korea and the US believe North Korea also has thousands of hackers trained by the state to carry its warfare into cyberspace, and that their cyber offensive skills are as good as or better than their counterparts in China and South Korea. “ The newest addition to the North Korean asymmetric arsenal is a growing cyber warfare capability,” James Thurman, commander of the US forces in South Korea, told US legislators in March 2012. “North Korea employs sophisticated computer hackers trained to launch cyber-infiltration and cyber-attacks” against South Korea and

the US. In 2010, Won Sei-hoon, then chief of South Korea’s National Intelligence Service, put the number of professional hackers in North Korea’s cyber warfare unit at 1,000. North Korean students are recruited to the nation’s top science schools to become “cyber warriors,” said Kim Heung-kwang, who said he trained future hackers at a university in the industrial North Korean city of Hamhung for two decades before defecting in 2003. He said future hackers also are sent to study abroad in China and Russia. In 2009, then-leader Kim Jong Il ordered Pyongyang’s “cyber command” expanded to 3,000 hackers, he said, citing a North Korean government document that he said he obtained that year. The veracity of the document could not be independently confirmed. Kim Heung-kwang, who has lived in Seoul since 2004, speculated that more have been recruited since then, and said some are based in China to infiltrate networks abroad. What is clear is that “North Korea has a capacity to send malware to personal computers, servers or networks and to launch DDOS-type attacks,” he said. “Their targets are the United States and South Korea.” Expanding its warfare into cyberspace by developing malicious computer codes is cheaper and faster for North Korean than building nuclear devices or other weapons of mass destructions. The online world allows for anonymity because it is easy to fabricate IP addresses and destroy the evidence leading back to the hackers, according to C. Matthew Curtin, founder of Interhack Corp. Thurman said cyberattacks are “ideal” for North Korea because they can take place relatively anonymously. He said cyberattacks have been waged against military, governmental, educational and commercial institutions. North Korean officials have not acknowledged allegations that computer experts are trained as hackers, and have refuted many of the cyberattack accusations. Pyongyang has not commented on the most recent widespread attack in South Korea. In June 2012, a seven-month investigation into a hacking incident that disabled news production system at the South Korean newspaper JoongAng Ilbo led to North Korea’s government telecommunications center, South Korean officials said. In South Korea, the economy, commerce and every aspect of daily life is deeply dependent on the Internet, making it ripe grounds for a disruptive cyberattack. In North Korea, in contrast, is just now getting online. Businesses are starting to use online banking services and debit cards have grown in popularity. But only a sliver of the population has access to the global Internet, meaning an Internet outage last week which Pyongyang blamed on hackers from Seoul and Washington - had little bearing on most North Koreans. —AP

WASHINGTON: A handful of new smartphone platforms are expected to become available this year, challenging the stranglehold of the two market leaders, Google’s Android and Apple’s iOS. Android and Apple account for more than 90 percent of the surging smartphone market, and third place is being contested by BlackBerry and Microsoft’s Windows Phone. But phones using operating systems based on the open-source platforms Linux and Mozilla’s Firefox will be hitting the market this year, most likely in emerging markets. Among smartphone makers, “there is a consensus that there is room for a couple more operating systems,” said Ramon Llamas, analyst with the research firm IDC. “Maybe not globally, but in some markets which could be used as proving grounds.” An IDC survey showed Apple and Android accounted for 91.1 percent of all smartphones sold in 2012, but that new platforms are worth watching in a market with 46 percent growth last year. The Mozilla Foundation, developer of the Firefox browser and a new mobile operating system, claims to have 17 operators on board and plans Firefox OS phones in Brazil, Colombia, Hungary, Mexico, Montenegro, Poland, Serbia, Spain and Venezuela. The key player being watched, however, is Samsung, which is the biggest smartphone maker with some 40 percent of all Android phones but is planning new devices using Tizen, an operating system based on Linux.

The Tizen Association, which also includes France’s Orange, Japan’s NTT DoCoMo, China’s Huawei and US-based Intel, say the firms “view openness as a key to raising the bar for user experience.” Some analysts were surprised by Samsung’s move, saying it’s not clear if the South Korean giant is trying to distance itself from Google and Android, which is a free operating system but offers advertising possibilities to the Silicon Valley firm. “I wonder about Samsung’s motivation,” said Roger Kay of Endpoint Technologies. “To get out from Google’s control might be part of it, but I’m not sure how rational that is. The partnership has been very fruitful for both companies, and it’s hard to see where the negatives are.” But Aapo Markkanen, an analyst with ABI Research, said Samsung is trying to break free from Google and that Tizen could be the key for that. “All signs are pointing to Samsung trying to pull off a Great OS Escape within the next year or two,” Markkanen said in a blog post, adding that the platform “will be given a kick start with the software and service portfolio that Samsung has accumulated” along with “Samsung’s gargantuan marketing budget.” Other Linux phone systems are also readying their entry. Ubuntu, a Linux-based operating system promoted by British software firm Canonical, expects to have phones ready later this year. And Sailfish, another Linux variant from Finnish-based Jolla Mobile, has released its

program for developers. Analysts say smartphone makers are seeking to mimic the success of Apple by controlling both the hardware and software “ecosystem.” “We are seeing more desire to control the whole user experience,” said Gerry Purdy, analyst and consultant with the firm Mobile Trax. A major challenge for any new platform, however, will be developing the applications that make up the ecosystem. These are key attractions for users of the iPhone and Android devices. Although some apps can be developed across platforms using HTML5, a programming language that can be adapted for different devices, analysts say these are inferior to “native” apps developed for a specific platform, “You can provide a reasonable experience with HTML5 and the browser, but the native app is smoother, cleaner and more natural,” Purdy said. “It’s pretty obvious when you watch them side by side.” Even a powerful firm like Samsung will have a hard time putting together an app ecosystem that can compete with Apple’s App Store and Google Play. “There is some open space, but putting together an entire ecosystem and doing that where there are established incumbents is a pretty iffy proposition,” Kay said. Because of these obstacles, Llamas said progress for any new system will be “long and slow.” “None of these things will happen overnight. There has to be time for gestation, reception and evangelization. And picking the markets will be important,” he added. — AFP

TAIPEI: A woman uses her mobile phone as she walks past an HTC store in New Taipei City yesterday. (Right) Staff members stand in an HTC store. Taiwan’s HTC announced its much-anticipated new flagship smartphone will go on sale in three countries this week, although the rollout elsewhere will only take place by the end of April. — AFP

HTC flagship smartphone to begin rollout this week TAIPEI: Taiwan’s HTC yesterday announced its much-anticipated new flagship smartphone will go on sale in three countries this week, although the rollout elsewhere will only take place by the end of April. The announcement comes after the company reportedly delayed shipments of the HTC One due to parts shortages, dealing a blow as it looks to lift sales and compete with the iPhone and Samsung’s Galaxy. “The new HTC One will roll out in the UK, Germany and Taiwan next week and across Europe, North America and most of Asia-

Pacific before the end of April,” the company said in a statement. “We appreciate our customers’ patience, and believe that once they have the phone in their hands they will agree that it has been worth the wait.” The announcement comes after an unnamed executive told the Wall Street Journal last week that HTC had been grappling with supply chain problems as the company “has changed its order forecasts drastically and frequently following last year’s unexpected slump in shipments”. The firm has 185 distributors globally. The

Android-based HTC One was unveiled in London and New York last month sporting a 4.7-inch touchscreen and front-facing speakers. Company president Peter Chou hailed it as a “technological breakthrough” as he seeks to put up a fight against the hugely popular Apple iPhone and Samsung’s newly released Galaxy S4. However it has a tough fight, with research firm firm IDC saying, HTC held a 4.6 percent share of the global smartphone market in 2012, a sharp decline from 8.8 percent a year earlier. Samsung held a 30.3 percent, while Apple had 19.1 percent. — AFP

MONDAY, MARCH 25, 2013

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

Instasculpt helps trim away inches for the perfect body

r Manjiri Patankar’s Instasculpt is the miracle that several unhappy people have been waiting for - a safe, reliable, non-surgical procedure that trims away inches in approximately an hour. With inherent fear of injections and incisions, it is but natural that the quick permanent fix that reduces fat and rejuvenates the face is welcome across the country by people looking to look better and feel better about themselves.

Dr Manjiri Patankar An obesity consultant and cosmetic physician, Dr Majeri is one of India’s renowned doctors who have been able to cover the entire gamut of body, skin and hair management. She has successfully combined breakthroughs in science and technology with advanced treatment procedures in the field of beauty, wellness and weight management. Under the supervision of Dr Manjiri Patankar, Instasculpt provides treatment from trained doctors and medical professionals to give people the body they have always dreamed of. The clinic engages in body sculpting which is done with a combination of ultrasonic Lipolysis with High Intensity Focalized Ultrasound (HIFU), Lipolift, Endermology and Mesotherapy which rids clients of up to 1-3 inches from the

abdomen, waist, hips, and thighs within an hour. Instasculpt also offer face sculpting, using bipolar radio Frequency (RF) with Diode Laser which is a US FDA approved non-surgical technique that repairs skin damage caused by ageing and restores the skins elasticity, tonicity and complexion. The procedure works wonders on acne, double chin, puffy face, wrinkles, fine lines, dark spots, dark circles and hyper pigmentation. An expert in abdominal obesity, Dr Patankar explained that obesity is the excess of fat storage rather than weight which accounts for more than 25 percent of total body fat in men and 30 percent in women. Unlike dieting and exercising which only reduces the size of the fat cell, Ultrasonic Lipolysis actually reduces the number of fat cells in your body. Fat cells do not increase in number after maturity, so the loss by this procedure is permanent. Instasculpt also uses Mesotherapy, which is a safe and effective non surgical treatment wherein customized mixture of vitamins, amino acids and naturals extracts are delivered into the Mesoderm by electrophoresis. It is used to eliminate cellulite, promote weight loss, treat hair loss, aging skin, and rejuvante face and neck. It treats cosmetic conditions like, acne, cellulite, stretch marks, scars and wrinkles. Results of a multi-racial study support that different ethnicities experience different percentages of mass lost as a result of the treatment, with persons of Arab origin losing an average of one percent in total body fat and Indians losing 0.80 percent. Instasculpt has received a great response in Kuwait and a second clinic is scheduled to open in Kuwait to cater to the major influx of clients. Ideal clients include people who have tried all other means of weight loss, have lost weight but are now not losing anymore, people who have stubborn areas of fat or cellulite but are not obese and people who are unable to diet or exercise and their extra weight is posing a danger to their health.

105 US kids died of flu; most didn’t get vaccine NEW YORK: The flu season is winding down, and it has killed 105 children so far about the average toll. The season started about a month earlier than usual, sparking concerns it might turn into the worst in a decade. It ended up being very hard on the elderly, but was moderately severe overall, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Six of the pediatric deaths were reported in the last week, and it’s possible there will be more, said the CDC’s Dr Michael Jhung said Friday. Roughly 100 children die in an average

PHILADELPHIA: This Thursday, Jan. 10, 2013 photo shows vials of flu vaccine.—AP

flu season. One exception was the swine flu pandemic of 2009-2010, when 348 children died. The CDC recommends that all children ages 6 months and older be vaccinated against flu each season, though only about half get a flu shot or nasal spray. All but four of the children who died were old enough to be vaccinated, but 90 percent of them did not get vaccinated, CDC officials said. This year’s vaccine was considered effective in children, though it didn’t work very well in older people. And the dominant flu strain early in the season was one that tends to cause more severe illness. The government only does a national flu death count for children. But it does track hospitalization rates for people 65 and older, and those statistics have been grim. In that group, 177 out of every 100,000 were hospitalized with flu-related illness in the past several months. That’s more than 2 1/2 times higher than any other recent season. This flu season started in early December, a month earlier than usual, and peaked by the end of year. Since then, flu reports have been dropping off throughout the country. “We appear to be getting close to the end of flu season,” Jhung said.—AP

WASHINGTON: Jennifer Lortie maneuvers herself into a bus during her twohour commute home after work.

Jennifer Lortie works in her Willimantic, Conn office. —AP photos

Little progress on jobs for disabled Americans WASHINGTON: Whether it means opening school track meets to a deaf child or developing a new lunch menu with safe alternatives for students with food allergies, recent Obama administration decisions could significantly affect Americans with disabilities. But there’s been little progress in one of the most stubborn challenges: employing the disabled. According to government labor data, of the 29 million work ing-age Americans with a disability those who are 16 years and older - 5.2 million are employed. That’s 18 percent of the disabled population and is down from 20 percent four years ago. The employment rate for people without a disability was 63 percent in February. The job numbers for the disabled haven’t budged much since the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, which gave millions of disabled people civil rights protections and guaranteed equal opportunity in employment, public accommodations, transportation, government services and more. The National Council on Disability’s Jeff Rosen said long-standing prejudicial attitudes need to be addressed to boost jobs. “Employers are still catching on to the fact that the needs of most workers with disabilities aren’t special, but employees with disabilities often bring specialized skills to the workplace,” Rosen said. “Perhaps no one knows how to adapt, think critically or find solutions better than someone who has to do so daily in order to navigate a world that wasn’t built with them in mind.” Rosen, who is deaf, was named in January as chairman of the council, an independent federal agency that advises the president, Congress and other federal agencies on disability policy. The Obama administration recently has acted to expand the rights of Americans with disabilities in other areas. The Education Department’s civil rights division released new guidelines that direct schools to provide students with disabilities equal access to extracurricular sports teams. If schools can’t, they should create similar athletic programs for disabled children, the department said. Also, the Justice Department said in a settlement with a Massachusetts college, Lesley University, that severe food allergies can be considered a disability under the law. That potentially could lead to new menus and

accommodations at schools, restaurants and other places to address the needs of people with food allergies. One silver lining in the lagging employment for the disabled has been federal hiring. The latest data from the US Office of Personnel Management shows nearly 15 percent of new federal hires between 2010 and 2011 were people with disabilities - almost 19,000 people. That’s up from the previous year when about 10 percent of new hires were people with disabilities. President Barack Obama signed an executive order in 2010 aimed at improving the federal ranks of people with disabilities. The goal was to add 100,000 disabled people to federal payrolls in five years; that would be within reach if the 2010-2011 hiring numbers were to stick or improve. Federal agencies are tr ying to achieve the numbers through better recruitment, especially at colleges and universities. And last month, OPM issued rules to limit the paperwork that potential hires with disabilities would need to provide. They essentially “self identify” as disabled by qualifying for a special hiring category known as “Schedule A” that allows disabled people to apply for a job through a noncompetitive hiring process, meaning they could be hired without competing with the general public. The administration also is considering new rules that would leverage the power of federal spending to encourage companies to hire more disabled workers. The Labor Department is weighing a rule that would require companies with federal contracts to set a goal of having at least 7 percent of their workforce be disabled. Federal contractors employ nearly one - quar ter of the nation’s workforce. Since the rule was proposed more than a year ago, business groups have complained that it would be too burdensome and lead to conflicts with federal laws that discourage companies from asking job applicants to identify themselves as disabled. “We have had a long history of supporting the disabled community,” said Randel Johnson, vice president at the US Chamber of Commerce for labor issues. “But this proposal goes too far, woefully underestimates cost of compliance, and is completely unworkable as structured in the proposal.” Jennifer Lortie, 29, of Griswold, Conn., con-

siders herself one of the lucky employed Americans with a disability. Lortie was born with cerebral palsy and has limited use of her arms and legs. She graduated college during the recession and it was no easy task finding a job. She spent more than a year scouring newspapers, job search websites and sending out dozens of resumes. She worried her wheelchair might be a strike against her until she landed a position in 2009 as an assistive technology specialist with the Connecticut Tech Act Project. The federally-funded program aims to increase independence for people with disabilities by educating them on new and best-fit technologies for work, school and community living. “I think helping people kind of makes me think maybe there’s a reason that I am in a wheelchair,” Lortie said in an inter view. “There has to be some reason to all this, so it gives me a sense of purpose as far as ‘OK, I’m in a wheelchair but I can help other people’ instead of just sitting home feeling sorry for myself.” Lortie spends four hours each day commuting to work and then back to the home she shares with her parents. They drive her to the bus stop and then she takes two buses to get to work - two hours each morning and two hours at the end of the day to get home. And she doesn’t mind a bit. “I like to help people,” she said. Jill Houghton works with companies to expand employment for people with disabilities. Among the big barriers, she said, are concerns about cost. Companies worr y about whether they’ll have to make special accommodations or additional training and they want to know how much it’s going to cost. “The reality is that businesses have found that when they create inclusive workplaces, where people with disabilities are working side by side with people without disabilities ... the bottom line is that it doesn’t increase costs,” said Houghton, who heads the US Business Leadership Network, a trade association that represents about 5,000 businesses. She said she has noticed a significant increase in calls and requests recently to the group from the business community about hiring people with disabilities. Companies want to be inclusive of people with disabilities, Houghton said. “Businesses are learning that it just makes good business sense.”—AP

Poachers kill rare rhinos in India’s remote northeast GUWAHATI: A gang of poachers killed a rare one-horned rhino at a wildlife park in northeast India, taking to 15 the number of such beasts slaughtered this year, an official said yesterday. Heavily-armed poachers fired at the rhino late Saturday inside Assam state’s Kaziranga National Park and its horn was gouged out, just a day after another giant pachyderm was killed, a wildlife official said.”Two rhinos have been killed in two days and it is a matter of concern for all of us,” a park ranger told AFP by telephone, requesting not to be named since the state government has gagged officials from speaking to the media. “Poachers used AK-47 and 303 rifles to shoot dead the rhino. We have recovered empty cartridges from the site of the incident,” the official said. Kaziranga has fought a sustained battle against rhino poachers who kill the animals for their horns, which fetch huge prices in some Asian countries. The main market for the horn is China where it is used for making medicine and jewellery while in Vietnam many believe the horn has cancer curing and aphrodisiac qualities. At least 21 rhinos were killed last year by poachers in Kaziranga, about 200 kilometers (120 miles) from Assam’s main city Guwahati. A 2012 census in the park put the number of the rhinos at 2,290 out of a global one-horned rhinoceros population of 3,300. —AFP

INDIA: An Indian forest official walks past a dead rhino that was killed by poachers in Nagon. —AFP

Talib Garaq and Dr Yousef Al-Zafiri presenting appreciation award to Dr Mohammad Ismail.

Dar Al-Shifa Hospital successfully holds 3-day conference ‘Meeting of the Minds’ KUWAIT: Hospital recently hosted its first multi-disciplinary scientific symposium and the third medical conference for Interventional Radiology, under the title “Meeting of Minds”. The 3-day conference, which took place from 17th - 19th March, was held at Marina Hotel, and was sponsored by Bader Sultan Co, Tarek Co, Golden Triangle, Advanced Technology Company (ATC), and Ashraf Co. Attendees at the conference included professional doctors specializing in the fields of interventional radiology, technology, neurology, ophthalmology, as well as other unique medical specialties. Along with them, a number of keynote international and local speakers shared their experience and knowledge on neuroscience, neuroradiology, interventional and diagnostic radiology and the latest developments across the fields of neuroscience and

Furthermore, Dr Yousef Al-Zafiri radiology. Dr Tariq Sinan - Chairman of Diagnostic Imaging Center at Dar Al-Shifa Medical advisor at Dar Al-Shifa Hospital Hospital and Consultant Interventional also commented on this occasion saying: “I thank the hospital’s manageradiologist, welcomed the ment for providing us with guests and said: “This year’s the opportunity to host this conference coincides with valuable conference which is our 50th year anniversary considered the first of its kind celebration. Through this in Kuwait that combines two crucial platform, we are important specialties. We are highlighting together the confident that together we importance of the integrawill receive valuable information between neuroscience tion and derive conclusions and neurosurger y using that can be beneficial to betinterventional radiology ter serving our patients.” when diagnosing and treatMoreover, Ahmed ing neurological diseases. Nasrallah - Chief Operating We are proud to welcome Officer at Dar Al-Shifa Hospital experienced international said, “Dar Al-Shifa Hospital speakers specialized in neubegan in 1963 in Kuwait City rosurgeries from the United Ahmed Nasrallah as a small clinic for maternity, States, France and Canada.”

developing its operations later to become a hospital. Today, Dar Al-Shifa Hospital is one of the most renowned and leading hospitals in Kuwait that combines general and rare specialties.” In this same context, Nasrallah noted: “Dar Al-Shifa Hospital was the first in Kuwait to receive an international accreditation in 2007 and was the first private hospital to perform open-heart surgeries for patients in 2011. With that, Dar Al-Shifa Hospital will continue achieving its objectives by providing its optimum medical care services to its patients and raising the efficiency of its doctors and staff through the latest fundamentals, acknowledged internationally.” At the end of the 3-day symposium, Dar AlShifa celebrated with its attendees at a gala dinner where trophies and certificates were distributed to all participants of the conference.

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

MONDAY, MARCH 25, 2013

Many UK doctors give useless drugs, treatments LONDON: More than three-quarters of British doctors prescribe a treatment they know probably won’t work at least once a week, like low-dose drugs, vitamins, nutritional supplements or an unnecessary exam, according to a new survey. This use of placebo treatments directly contradicts advice from the British Medical Association, which deems them unethical. The researchers say the findings reveal a common practice among doctors and should be used to change official guidance about using placebos. The surveyed doctors said they prescribed them to induce a “placebo effect,” to reassure patients or because patients pushed for a treatment. “For authorities to put their heads in

the sand and pretend (placebo treatments) are not being given out is not helpful,” said Jeremy Howick of Oxford University, one of the authors of the study, which was published online Wednesday in the journal PLoS One. “We need to think of ways to maximize the benefits of using placebos,” he said. Howick and colleagues used a Webbased survey and got 783 responses. The sample was drawn from a list that included 71 percent of all doctors registered with the General Medical Council, the governing body for doctors in the UK. The survey asked doctors if they had ever used a true placebo, like a sugar pill or another kind of dummy treatment such as

a drug not meant for the patient’s condition or a non-essential examination including blood tests and X-rays. Nearly all of the doctors - 97 percent - reported having used some kind of placebo treatment at least once, while 12 percent reported having used a fake pill. About 77 percent of doctors said they used some kind of placebo treatment every week; more than 80 percent of them said their use in some circumstances was ethical. The “placebo effect” treatments included unnecessary physical exams, joint injections, physical therapy, peppermint pills for a sore throat and antibiotics for infections where they would not be effective. Dr Tony Calland, chairman of the British

Medical Association’s Ethics Committee, said he was disappointed by the findings. “Prescribing something that you know is of no value is not ethical,” he said. A previous study found about half of US doctors regularly give their patients treatments that probably won’t work without telling them, and the practice has been reported elsewhere, including Canada, Denmark and Switzerland. The American Medical Association says physicians may only use placebos if the patient is aware. In 2011, the German Medical Association recommended doctors use fake pills and other placebo treatments more often and said patients didn’t necessarily need to be told. Some small studies have found dummy

pills work even when patients are explicitly told what they’re getting and others have documented the fake treatments can spark a biological effect in the body. “For illnesses where there is no truly effective treatment, a placebo or alternative therapy is a fine thing to do,” said Dr Walter Brown, a clinical professor of psychiatry at Brown University and author of a recent book on placebos. He was not connected to the new study. Brown said doctors weren’t obligated to use the word “placebo” when prescribing the treatment. He said doctors should just be honest with patients and suggested they tell them the pill has no medication in it but might still somehow help.—AP

MONDAY, MARCH 25, 2013

W H AT ’ S O N

Al-Munai, Al-Alyan families celebrate wedding

ami Yousuf AlMunai celebrated the wedding of his son, Fawaz, to daughter of Yousuf Abdulbari Al-Alyan on Friday at the Mishref Wedding Hall. A number of dignitaries were present at the ceremony which was attended by a large number of family members and friends.

Bride’s father Yousuf A Al-Alyan, groom Fawaz Al-Munai, groom’s father Sami Y Al-Munai are pictured with a guest.

Kuwait Times Editor-in-Chief Abd Al-Rahman Alyan (third left) and Saleh Alyan (first right) are seen with the groom.

Groom Fawaz Al-Munai

KJA’s Secretary General Faisal Al-Qinae (third left) congratulates the groom.

Guests and friends are seen congratulating the groom during the reception.

MONDAY, MARCH 25, 2013

W H AT ’ S O N Marina Hotel Kuwait successfully participates in HORECA

Embassy Information

or the second year in a row Marina Hotel Kuwait participated in Horeca Kuwait 2013 exhibition for Hospitality and Food Industries. Held under the patronage of Abdulaziz M Al-Khaldi, Under Secretary-Ministry of Commerce and Industry, the exhibition saw the participation of all the leading hotels, food industries and food companies in Kuwait. A culinary competition was organized for chefs attracting a large number of participants for the three day event. Executive Sous Chef Wail Al-Khlif and Demi Chef de Partie Joseph Kashoo from Marina Hotel Kuwait participated in the Oriental mezza, category

with great interest and enthusiasm winning two gold medals. Talking about their participation in the exhibition, Nabil Hammoud, General Manager of the hotel said: “We consider HORECA to be an important event and hence participated again this year; it provides us with a platform for future business opportunities. We pride ourselves on the talents of our professional chefs.” This year on the last day of the exhibition, Marina Hotel Kuwait hosted Dr Ghassan Aidi, President of International Hotel and Restaurant Association and judges: Chef Samaan Hilal, Chef Alexis Coquelet, Chef

Charles Azzar, Chef George ElMurr, Chef Ziad Hilal, Chef Tareq Ibrahim and Chef Joe Barza to a scrumptious dining experience at the Barbeque Nights which takes place every Wednesday. A multi disciplinary three day event, the HORECA exhibition attracted a large number of visitors. HORECA Kuwait is a comprehensive event covering the hospitality, catering and food industry sectors in Kuwait and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). It is organized by the Leaders Group for Consulting & Development in cooperation with Hospitality Services of Lebanon.

SIMS hosts grand graduation ceremony

EMBASSY OF AUSTRALIA The Australian Embassy Kuwait does not have a visa or immigration department. All processing of visas and immigration matters in conducted by The Australian Consulate-General in Dubai. Email: info.ausdxb@vfshelpline.com (VFS) immigration.dubai@dfat.gov.au (Visa Office); Tel: +971 4 355 1958 (VFS) - +971 4 508 7200 (Visa Office); Fax: +971 4 355 0708 (Visa Office). In Kuwait applications can be lodged at the Australian Visa Application Centre 4B 1st Floor, Al-Banwan Building Al-Qibla Area, Ali Al-Salem Street, opposite the Central Bank of Kuwait, Kuwait City, Kuwait. Working hours and days: 09:30 - 17:30; Sunday - Thursday. Or visit their website www.vfs-au-gcc-com for more information. Kuwait citizens can apply for tourist visas on-line at www.immi.gov.au/e visa/e676.htm. nnnnnnn

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

IMS graduation ceremony was indeed a very special day, a milestone worth celebrating, a time to share memories, celebrate the hard work and academic achievement of Kindergarten kids. The beauty of the day lay in the fact that all 450 tiny tots of KG were given the platform to express themselves and display their talents. The programme commenced with the recitation of the Holy Quran, rendered by Muhammad Ali of UKG, followed by paying homage to the motherland India and Kuwait respectively. On March 15, 2013, the occasion was graced by distinguished luminaries chief guest Preeti Mehta, spouse of the Indian ambassador to Kuwait and guests of honour, Azlinda Rosli, spouse of the Malaysian ambassador. On March 16, 2013, Chief Guest Toshihero, the Japanese ambassador and his wife Erico Toshihero, Ruchira spouse of the ambassador of Thailand and Mary Ann Jaya Laxmi Wajiratne, spouse of the Sri Lankan ambassador. Dr Anis Ahmed, Director known for his dedication and service to the community, was given the honour of introducing the eminent guests to the august audience. Queenie Yadav, the Head Mistress presented the mementos to the distinguished guests. An epitome of hard work and success, Sanjay Yadav, Principal, walked the guests down the road, through all the past glory and achievements of the school. The Hon. Chairman Dr Mohammad Tariq, a constant source of inspiration and a guiding light for the entire SIMS family, took the audience down memory lane, recalling the days when kids in the past could hardly face the crowd with so much aplomb and bravado. In keeping with the motto of the school, today they have all ‘Dared to Dream’ and have come out in flying colours. Through his speech, he not only cautioned the parents not to always over expect but also gently reminded them to stand by their kids in all their endeavours, as they embark on this totally new journey, loaded with

new challenges. The curtain opened to a visible gasp of awe by the people, marvelling at the beauty of the backdrop, keeping in tune with the tone of the day of a world tour. Taking the guests on a trip around the world in their hot air balloon were Surujna and Vardhan of UKG. In no time the tiny tots hit the stage, clad in costumes symbolizing various countries and rocking to the beat of the music, lending more glamour and flamboyance to the occasion. Each piece of music was carefully selected to synchronize with the countries it represented. The tour around the globe, as the kids threw light on the features of each country, hailing right from Hawaii to China, covering all the places from the North to South and East to West, was an eye opener. Be it speaking or dancing, the little kids held the audience enraptured. The children who introduced each item without stumbling over the pronunciation of the big words, not only surprised the parents but also made them glow with pride and admiration. The confidence with which their wards performed bespoke in no uncertain terms, that they were now more than ready to cross the threshold to class I. The programme was interspersed with the photo session of the UKG students attired in their beautiful red and cream gown with a matching hat to boot. Parents beamed with pride as they watched their wards pose with so much poise and dignity. Aggy Cyril, the KG Supervisor, known for her passion and pursuit for excellence, concluded the function, by acknowledging the unstinted support and role played by the Management and her colleagues, especially the KG Dept in the successful culmination of the Graduation Ceremony. The overwhelming applause and response of the parents throughout the function and the effort of those who worked behind the curtain is certainly praiseworthy. The auditorium was packed

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

beyond its capacity, which in itself speaks volumes for the success of the grand event. Parents went overboard in showering praises on the entire team, in transforming their little fledglings, now ready to fly the cuckoo’s nest. They reminded the teachers of

the days when their kids first walked through the gates of SIMS, stumbling, stuttering and bawling in contrast to the bright and overzealous kids, who now love learning and treasure their every moment at school.

EMBASSY OF KENYA The Embassy of the Republic of Kenya wishes to inform the Kenyan community residents throughout Kuwait and the general public that the Embassy has acquired new office telephone numbers as follows: 25353982, 25353985 - Consular’s enquiries 25353987 - Fax Our Email address: info@kenyaembkuwait.com. nnnnnnn

Marina Hotel Kuwait joins world in participating in ‘Earth Hour’

arina Hotel Kuwait recently participated in Earth Hour, by turning off the lights of the hotel on March 23 between 07:00 pm to 08:00 pm to contribute in the world’s largest public environmental act. The employees of each department including Front Office, Food & Beverage, Housekeeping, Engineering, Finance, IT, Admin, Human Resources along with the General Manager, Nabil Hammoud were all present, assisting with candles set-up all over the hotel and creating awareness for the guests to contribute to global environmental change. Nabil Hammoud - General Manager of Marina Hotel said: “This is our third year of joining Earth Hour and we are pleased that most of our staff and hotel guests look forward to the event year after year. It only shows their concern and support in spreading awareness about preserving our planet. Earth Hour

is important because we are contributing towards a cause by turning off our electronics and non-essential appliances around the property.” Participating in the Earth Hour is an annual initiative where Marina Hotel Kuwait joins the growing list of supporting businesses that are committed to take a stand on climate change and create a cleaner, safer and more secure future. As a symbolic gesture to warn against global warming for 60 minutes starting from 07:00 pm, non-essential lighting and electrical appliances around the property were switched off in an effort to reduce their environmental impact and draw attention to environmental issues. “Earth Hour is not just about one day in the year and Marina Hotel has committed to partnering in long term actions and initiatives to promote environmental awareness on a continuing

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

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EMBASSY OF NIGERIA The Nigerian embassy has its new office in Mishref. Block 3, Street 7, House 4. For enquires please call 25379541. Fax25387719. Email- nigeriakuwait@yahoo.com or nigeriankuwait@yahoo.co.uk. nnnnnnn

permanent basis” further concluded Hammoud. The Earth Hour is an annual international event created by the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), to raise awareness towards the need and take action on climate change. And even with the chal-

lenges of the global economy, leaders and people worldwide remain focused on the growing threat of climate change and place a high priority on environmentally-friendly solutions as one of the ways to overcome those challenges.

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 25, 2013

TV PROGRAMS

00:45 Amba The Russian Tiger 01:35 Untamed & Uncut 02:25 Wildest Arctic 03:15 Wildest Islands 04:05 Wild Things With Dominic Monaghan 04:55 Animal Cops Houston 05:45 Wildest Arctic 06:35 The Really Wild Show 07:00 Dogs/Cats/Pets 101 07:50 Pandamonium 08:40 Bad Dog 09:35 Monkey Life 10:05 Bondi Vet 10:30 Shamwari: A Wild Life 11:00 Dark Days In Monkey City 11:25 Wildest Latin America 12:20 Air Jaws Apocalypse 13:15 Great Animal Escapes 13:45 Great Animal Escapes 14:10 Animal Cops Philadelphia 15:05 Animal Precinct 16:00 The Really Wild Show 16:30 Dogs/Cats/Pets 101 17:25 Crocodile Hunter 18:20 America’s Cutest... 19:15 Monkey Life 19:40 Bondi Vet 20:10 Shamwari: A Wild Life 20:35 Dark Days In Monkey City 21:05 Wildest Latin America 22:00 Baboons With Bill Bailey 22:55 My Cat From Hell

00:05 Extreme Makeover: Home Edition 02:15 Gok’s Fashion Fix 03:00 Design Rules 03:30 Design Rules 03:55 Masterchef: The Professionals 07:30 Raymond Blanc’s Kitchen Secrets 08:00 Nigel Slater’s Simple Cooking 08:30 Fantasy Homes By The Sea 09:15 Homes Under The Hammer 10:05 Bargain Hunt 10:50 Antiques Roadshow 11:40 Extreme Makeover: Home Edition 12:25 Come Dine With Me: Supersize 14:00 Come Dine With Me 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 19:20 A Taste Of Greenland 20:10 New Scandinavian Cooking 20:35 Come Dine With Me 21:30 Fantasy Homes By The Sea 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 11:10

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 Krypto: The Super Dog

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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 Winning Post 00:45 The Gateway 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 Sanjay Gupta MD 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 09:10 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

Fast N’ Loud Mythbusters Mythbusters Crash Course Crash Course Border Security Auction Kings Auction Hunters How Do They Do It? How It’s Made Fast N’ Loud World’s Top 5 Dirty Great Machines Border Security Auction Kings Auction Hunters Moonshiners Crash Course Crash Course Mythbusters Sons Of Guns How Do They Do It? How It’s Made

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Auction Kings Auction Hunters Gold Rush World’s Toughest Tribes Around The World In 80 Ways

00:40 Weird Or What? 01:35 Oddities 02:00 Oddities 02:25 Dark Matters: Twisted But True 03:15 Bang Goes The Theory 03:45 Things That Move 04:10 Things That Move 04:35 Da Vinci’s Machines 05:25 Tech Toys 360 05:50 Tech Toys 360 06:15 Food Factory 06:40 Food Factory 07:05 Last Flight Of The Space Shuttle 08:00 Meteorite Men 08:50 Man-Made Marvels Asia 09:40 Scrapheap Challenge 10:30 Science Of The Movies 11:25 Gadget Show - World Tour 11:50 How Tech Works 12:15 NASA’s Greatest Missions 13:10 Man-Made Marvels Asia 14:00 Scrapheap Challenge 14:50 Bang Goes The Theory 15:20 Tech Toys 360 15:45 Tech Toys 360 16:10 Weird Or What? 17:00 Gadget Show - World Tour 17:25 How Tech Works 17:55 Science Of The Movies 18:45 Building The Future 19:35 Through The Wormhole With Morgan Freeman 20:30 Things That Move 20:55 Things That Move 21:20 Oddities 21:45 Oddities 22:10 Gadget Show - World Tour 22:35 How Tech Works 23:00 Things That Move 23:25 Things That Move 23:50 Oddities

00:10 Stitch 00:35 A Kind Of Magic 01:25 Replacements 02:15 Emperor’s New School 03:05 A Kind Of Magic 03:55 Replacements 04:45 Emperor’s New School 05:35 A Kind Of Magic 06:00 Mickey Mouse Clubhouse 06:25 Doc McStuffins 06:40 Suite Life On Deck 07:05 A.N.T. Farm 07:55 Jessie 08:20 Jessie 08:45 Good Luck Charlie 09:10 Good Luck Charlie 09:35 Austin And Ally 10:00 Austin And Ally 10:25 Shake It Up 10:50 Shake It Up 11:15 The Adventures Of Disney Fairies 11:40 The Adventures Of Disney Fairies 12:05 My Babysitter’s A Vampire 12:30 My Babysitter’s A Vampire 12:55 Jessie 13:20 Jessie 13:45 A.N.T. Farm 14:10 A.N.T. Farm 14:35 Wizards Of Waverly Place 15:00 Wizards Of Waverly Place 15:25 Shake It Up 15:50 Austin And Ally 16:15 Jessie 16:40 A.N.T. Farm 17:00 Wizards Of Waverly Place The Movie 18:30 Prank Stars 18:45 Good Luck Charlie 19:10 Suite Life On Deck 19:35 Suite Life On Deck 20:00 Jessie 20:30 That’s So Raven 20:50 Cory In The House 21:15 Phil Of The Future 21:40 Hannah Montana

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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 The Hive 09:20 Doc McStuffins 09:35 Doc McStuffins 09:50 Zou 10:05 Zou 10:20 Jake & The Neverland Pirates 10:35 Jake & The Neverland Pirates 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 New Adventures Of Winnie The Pooh 18:10 The Hive 18:20 Cars Toons 18:25 Doc McStuffins 18:40 Doc McStuffins 18:55 Zou 19:10 Zou 19:25 Jake & The Neverland Pirates 19:40 Jake & The Neverland Pirates 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

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

WE BOUGHT A ZOO ON OSN CINEMA

Good Luck Charlie Good Luck Charlie Wizards Of Waverly Place Wizards Of Waverly Place Hannah Montana

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Programmes Start At 7:00am Pokemon: BW Rival Destinies Phineas And Ferb Almost Naked Animals Slugterra Scaredy Squirrel Zeke & Luther Pair Of Kings Lab Rats Lab Rats Lab Rats Mr. Young Slugterra Lab Rats Crash & Bernstein Pair Of Kings Zeke & Luther Rekkit Rabbit I’m In The Band Phineas And Ferb Almost Naked Animals Rekkit Rabbit Pair Of Kings Phineas And Ferb Phineas And Ferb Crash & Bernstein Max Steel Kickin It Kickin It Phineas And Ferb Phineas And Ferb Mr. Young Phineas And Ferb Phineas And Ferb Zeke & Luther I’m In The Band Rated A For Awesome Rekkit Rabbit Phineas And Ferb Ultimate Spider-Man Kick Buttowski Scaredy Squirrel

Opening Act E!es E! Investigates E!es Extreme Close-Up Extreme Close-Up THS Style Star E! News Married To Jonas

09:45 10:15 12:05 13:05 14:05 York 15:00 15:30 16:30 17:00 18:00 19:00 20:00 20:30 21:00 21:30 22:00 23:00

Married To Jonas THS Ice Loves Coco Giuliana & Bill Kourtney & Kim Take New Style Star THS Extreme Close-Up Fashion Police E! News THS Ice Loves Coco Ice Loves Coco Chasing The Saturdays Chasing The Saturdays Kourtney And Kim Take Miami E!es

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 - Back To Basics 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 Reza’s African Kitchen 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 16:45 Chopped 17:35 Barefoot Contessa - Back To Basics 18:25 Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives 19:15 Reza’s African Kitchen 19:40 Charly’s Cake Angels 20:05 Guy’s Big Bite 20:30 Chopped 22:10 Iron Chef America

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

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?

NAT GEO ADVENTURE HD 00:15 Exploring The Vine 00:45 Extreme Tourist Afghanistan 01:40 Gone to save the planet 02:35 Roam 03:00 Travel Madness 03:30 The Green Way Up 03:55 Geo Sessions 04:25 A World Apart 05:20 Around The World For Free 06:15 Kimchi Chronicles 06:40 David Rocco’s Dolce Vita 1 07:10 Exploring The Vine 08:05 Extreme Tourist Afghanistan 09:00 Gone to save the planet 09:55 Roam 10:20 Travel Madness 10:50 The Green Way Up 11:15 Geo Sessions 11:45 A World Apart 12:40 Endurance Traveller 13:35 Kimchi Chronicles 14:00 David Rocco’s Dolce Vita 2 14:30 Exploring The Vine 15:25 Extreme Tourist Afghanistan 16:20 Gone to save the planet 17:15 Roam 17:40 Travel Madness 18:10 The Green Way Up 18:35 Geo Sessions 19:05 A World Apart 20:00 Exploring The Vine 21:00 Kimchi Chronicles 21:30 David Rocco’s Dolce Vita 2 22:00 Around The World For Free 22:55 Kimchi Chronicles 23:20 David Rocco’s Dolce Vita 1 23:50 Food Lover’s Guide To The Planet

00:00 How Big Can It Get 01:00 World’s Weirdest 01:55 Monster Fish 02:50 Ultimate Animal Countdown 03:45 Amazonia’s Giant Jaws 04:40 Shark Men 05:35 The Living Edens 06:30 Monster Fish 07:25 Ultimate Animal Countdown 08:20 Amazonia’s Giant Jaws 09:15 Superfish 10:10 World’s Weirdest 11:05 Wild Case Files 12:00 Dangerous Encounters With Brady Barr 13:00 Monster Fish 14:00 Ultimate Animal Countdown

MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE III ON OSN ACTION HD 15:00 16:00 17:00 18:00 19:00 20:00 21:00 22:00 23:00

Croc Ganglands Orca Killing School World’s Weirdest Wild Case Files Monster Fish Ultimate Animal Countdown Amazonia’s Giant Jaws Superfish World’s Weirdest

00:00 The Echo-18 02:00 The Thaw-PG15 04:00 Arctic Blast-PG15 06:00 Carjacked-PG15 07:45 Mission: Impossible III-PG15 12:00 True Justice: One Shot, One Life-PG15 13:45 Mission: Impossible III-PG15 16:00 Burden Of Evil-PG15 18:00 True Justice: One Shot, One Life-PG15 20:00 The Godfather III-18 23:00 The Silence Of The Lambs-18

01:00 When Love Is Not Enough 03:00 No Surrender-PG15 05:00 Black Forest-PG15 07:00 Win Win-PG15 09:00 When Love Is Not Enough 11:00 Happiness Is A Warm Blanket, Charlie Brown-PG 12:30 We Bought A Zoo-PG 15:00 Joyful Noise-PG15 17:00 The Tourist-PG15 19:00 Ceremony-PG15 21:00 The Inbetweeners-18 23:00 Joyful Noise-PG15

00:00 Breaking In 01:30 Saturday Night Live 02:30 It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia 03:00 Louie 04:00 Til Death 05:30 Hope & Faith 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 Less Than Perfect 12:30 Til Death 13:00 Hope & Faith 13:30 Less Than Perfect 14:30 The Office 15:00 Two And A Half Men 18:00 Hot In Cleveland 18:30 Malibu Country 19:00 How I Met Your Mother 20:00 The Cleveland Show 20:30 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

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Eureka Grimm Scandal Good Morning America The Practice Castle The Practice Eureka Live Good Morning America Castle The Ellen DeGeneres Show Once Upon A Time Banshee

C.S.I. New York Scandal Grimm C.S.I. New York Covert Affairs Covert Affairs C.S.I. New York The Ellen DeGeneres Show Covert Affairs Alphas Revenge

00:00 The Echo 02:00 The Thaw 04:00 Arctic Blast 06:00 Carjacked 07:45 Mission: Impossible III 12:00True Justice: One Shot, One Life 13:45 Mission: Impossible III 16:00 Burden Of Evil 18:00True Justice: One Shot, One Life 20:00 The Godfather III 23:00 The Silence Of The Lambs

00:00 The Switch-18 02:00 A Little Help-18 04:00 The Decoy Bride-PG15 06:00 Scrooged-PG 08:00 Police Academy 7: Mission To Moscow-PG15 10:00 House Arrest-FAM 12:00 The Decoy Bride-PG15 14:00 Best In Show-PG15 16:00 House Arrest-FAM 18:00 The Winning Season-PG15 20:00 Grabbers-PG15 22:00 The Switch-18

01:15 03:15 18 05:15 07:30 09:00 11:00 13:00 15:15 17:00 19:00 21:00 23:15

True Grit-PG15 An Officer And A GentlemanCatch Me If You Can-PG15 Roger And Me-PG15 Boy-PG15 Honey 2-PG15 The Alamo-PG15 Boy-PG15 13-PG15 The Fighter-PG15 Neds-PG15 Burning Man-18

01:00 Seeking Justice-PG15 03:00 John Carter-PG15 05:15 Call Of The Wild-PG15 07:00 Stolen Lives-PG15 09:00 Moneyball-PG15 11:15 Johnny English Reborn-PG15 13:00 Stealing Paradise-PG15 15:00 Dolphin Tale-PG 17:00 Moneyball-PG15 19:15 How I Spent My Summer Vacation-PG15 21:00 Bel Ami-18 23:00 The Devil Inside-18

01:00 The Happy Cricket 02:45 The Smurfs 04:30 Tom Tom & Nana 06:00 Spooky Buddies 08:00 Ploddy Police Car 10:00 Spy Kids: All The Time In The World 11:30 Quest For A Heart 13:00 The Ugly Duckling In The Enchanted Forest 14:30 The Smurfs 16:15 The Adventures Of Tintin 18:00 Spy Kids: All The Time In The World 20:00 Sinbad: Legend Of The Seven Seas

01:00 Trans World Sport 02:00 Super League 03:30 NRL Premiership 05:00 NRL Premiership 06:30 Futbol Mundial 07:00 Trans World Sport 08:00 HSBC Sevens World Series 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 HSBC Sevens World Series

00:00 Live Champions Tour 02:00 WWE Bottom Line 03:00 NHL 05:00 Top 14 07:00 PGA Tour 13:00 Trans World Sport 14:00 Premier League Darts 17:30 NHL 19:30 NRL Premiership 21:00 PGA Tour Highlights 22:00 PGA European Highlights 23:00 Super Rugby

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Tour

Futbol Mundial Super Rugby AFL Premiership Champions Tour 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 Total Rugby AFL Highlights Top 14 Top 14 Highlights World Pool Masters World Cup Of Pool

00:00 UFC Prelims 02:00 UFC 05:00 NHL 07:00 WWE Bottom Line 08:00 WWE Experience 09:00 Ping Pong World Championship 10:00 US Bass Fishing 11:00 NHL 13:00 UAE National Race Day 14:00 WWE NXT 15:00 WWE SmackDown 17:00 Ping Pong World Championship 18:00 US Bass Fishing 19:00 UFC The Ultimate Fighter 20:00 UFC Prelims 22:00 UFC

00:00 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

Soviet Storm: WWII In The East Ancient Aliens Mountain Men Grave Trade Storage Wars Unlocked The Korean War In Colour Ancient Aliens Pawn Stars Storage Wars Mud Men Pawn Stars American Restoration Pawn Stars Storage Wars Ancient Aliens Grave Trade Mountain Men Pawn Stars American Restoration Mud Men Grave Trade Mountain Men Pawn Stars American Restoration Mud Men Pawn Stars

00:45 Speedway-FAM 02:20 Operation Crossbow-PG 04:15 Seven Days In May-FAM 06:15 The Roaring Twenties-PG 08:00 ...Tick...Tick...Tick-PG 09:35 The Brothers Karamazov-PG 12:00 3 Godfathers-FAM 13:45 Logan’s Run-PG 15:40 The Year Of Living Dangerously-PG 17:30 The Sandpiper-PG 19:25 Party Girl-PG

Classifieds MONDAY, MARCH 25, 2013

Kuwait SHARQIA-1 LOVE AND HONOR (DIG) SIDE EFFECTS (DIG) LOVE AND HONOR (DIG) TRUTH OR DARE (DIG) LOVE AND HONOR (DIG) TRUTH OR DARE (DIG) SIDE EFFECTS (DIG) SHARQIA-2 THE CROODS (DIG-3D) THE CROODS (DIG-3D) THE CROODS (DIG-3D) THE CROODS (DIG-3D) JACK THE GIANT SLAYER (DIG-3D) JACK THE GIANT SLAYER (DIG-3D) SHARQIA-3 OLYMPUS HAS FALLEN (DIG) OLYMPUS HAS FALLEN (DIG) AL HAFLA (DIG) OLYMPUS HAS FALLEN (DIG) AL HAFLA (DIG) OLYMPUS HAS FALLEN (DIG) MUHALAB-1 LOVE AND HONOR (DIG) LOVE AND HONOR (DIG) TRUTH OR DARE (DIG) LOVE AND HONOR (DIG) TRUTH OR DARE (DIG) LOVE AND HONOR (DIG) TRUTH OR DARE (DIG) MUHALAB-2 OLYMPUS HAS FALLEN (DIG) OLYMPUS HAS FALLEN (DIG) OLYMPUS HAS FALLEN (DIG) AL HAFLA (DIG) OLYMPUS HAS FALLEN (DIG) OLYMPUS HAS FALLEN (DIG)

12:30 PM 2:30 PM 4:45 PM 6:45 PM 8:45 PM 10:45 PM 12:45 AM 1:30 PM 3:30 PM 5:30 PM 8:00 PM 10:00 PM 12:15 AM 12:45 PM 3:00 PM 5:15 PM 7:30 PM 9:45 PM 12:05 AM 12:45 PM 4:30 PM 5:00 PM 7:00 PM 9:00 PM 11:00 PM 1:00 AM 1:00 PM 3:30 PM 6:00 PM 8:15 PM 10:30 PM 12:45 AM

MUHALAB-3 THE CROODS (DIG-3D) THE CROODS (DIG-3D) THE CROODS (DIG-3D) OZ THE GREAT AND POWERFUL (DIG-3D) JACK THE GIANT SLAYER (DIG-3D) JACK THE GIANT SLAYER (DIG-3D)

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

FANAR-1 OLYMPUS HAS FALLEN (DIG) TRUTH OR DARE (DIG) OLYMPUS HAS FALLEN (DIG) OLYMPUS HAS FALLEN (DIG) OLYMPUS HAS FALLEN (DIG) TRUTH OR DARE (DIG)

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

FANAR-2 LOVE AND HONOR (DIG) LOVE AND HONOR (DIG) SIDE EFFECTS (DIG) LOVE AND HONOR (DIG) SIDE EFFECTS (DIG) LOVE AND HONOR (DIG) FANAR-3 SNITCH (DIG) AL HAFLA (DIG) SNITCH (DIG) AL HAFLA (DIG) AL HAFLA (DIG) SNITCH (DIG) MARINA-1 LOVE AND HONOR (DIG)

2:15 PM 4:15 PM 6:15 PM 8:30 PM 10:30 PM 12:45 AM 1:00 PM 3:30 PM 5:30 PM 7:45 PM 10:00 PM 12:15 AM 1:00 PM

KNCC PROGRAMME FROM THURSDAY TO WEDNESDAY (21/03/2013 TO 27/03/2013) LOVE AND HONOR (DIG) TRUTH OR DARE (DIG) LOVE AND HONOR (DIG) TRUTH OR DARE (DIG) LOVE AND HONOR (DIG) TRUTH OR DARE (DIG)

3:00 PM 5:00 PM 7:00 PM 9:00 PM 11:00 PM 1:00 AM

MARINA-2 OLYMPUS HAS FALLEN (DIG) OLYMPUS HAS FALLEN (DIG) AL HAFLA (DIG) OLYMPUS HAS FALLEN (DIG) AL HAFLA (DIG) OLYMPUS HAS FALLEN (DIG)

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

MARINA-3 THE CROODS (DIG-3D) JACK THE GIANT SLAYER (DIG-3D) THE CROODS (DIG-3D) THE CROODS (DIG-3D) JACK THE GIANT SLAYER (DIG-3D) JACK THE GIANT SLAYER (DIG-3D) AVENUES-1 TRUTH OR DARE (DIG) TRUTH OR DARE (DIG) TRUTH OR DARE (DIG) TRUTH OR DARE (DIG) TRUTH OR DARE (DIG) TRUTH OR DARE (DIG) TRUTH OR DARE (DIG)

1:30 PM 3:30 PM 6:00 PM 8:00 PM 10:00 PM 12:15 AM 12:45 PM 2:45 PM 4:45 PM 6:45 PM 8:45 PM 11:00 PM 1:15 AM

AVENUES-2 LOVE AND HONOR (DIG) LOVE AND HONOR (DIG) LOVE AND HONOR (DIG) LOVE AND HONOR (DIG) LOVE AND HONOR (DIG) LOVE AND HONOR (DIG)

1:45 PM 3:45 PM 5:45 PM 7:45 PM 9:45 PM 11:45 PM

AVENUES-3 JACK THE GIANT SLAYER (DIG-3D) JACK THE GIANT SLAYER (DIG-3D) JACK THE GIANT SLAYER (DIG-3D) JACK THE GIANT SLAYER (DIG-3D) JACK THE GIANT SLAYER (DIG-3D)

2:00 PM 4:30 PM 7:00 PM 9:30 PM 12:05 AM

360ยบ- 1 THE CROODS (DIG-3D) THE CROODS (DIG-3D) THE CROODS (DIG-3D) THE CROODS (DIG-3D) THE CROODS (DIG-3D) THE CROODS (DIG-3D)

1:00 PM 3:00 PM 5:00 PM 7:00 PM 9:00 PM 11:00 PM

360ยบ- 2 AL HAFLA (DIG) AL HAFLA (DIG) AL HAFLA (DIG) AL HAFLA (DIG) AL HAFLA (DIG) AL HAFLA (DIG)

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

360ยบ- 3 LOVE AND HONOR (DIG) LOVE AND HONOR (DIG) LOVE AND HONOR (DIG) LOVE AND HONOR (DIG) LOVE AND HONOR (DIG) LOVE AND HONOR (DIG) LOVE AND HONOR (DIG) NO SUN+ TUE+WED

12:45 PM 2:45 PM 4:45 PM 6:45 PM 8:45 PM 10:45 PM 12:45 AM

AL-KOUT.1 THE CROODS (DIG-3D) 1:45 PM OZ THE GREAT AND POWERFUL (DIG-3D) 3:45 PM

THE CROODS (DIG-3D) THE CROODS (DIG-3D) JACK THE GIANT SLAYER (DIG-3D) JACK THE GIANT SLAYER (DIG-3D)

6:15 PM 8:15 PM 10:15 PM 12:30 AM

AL-KOUT.2 OLYMPUS HAS FALLEN (DIG) OLYMPUS HAS FALLEN (DIG) SNITCH (DIG) OLYMPUS HAS FALLEN (DIG) OLYMPUS HAS FALLEN (DIG) OLYMPUS HAS FALLEN (DIG)

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

AL-KOUT.3 LOVE AND HONOR (DIG) LOVE AND HONOR (DIG) LOVE AND HONOR (DIG) AL HAFLA (DIG) AL HAFLA (DIG) LOVE AND HONOR (DIG) LOVE AND HONOR (DIG)

12:30 PM 2:30 PM 4:30 PM 6:30 PM 8:30 PM 10:45 PM 12:45 AM

BAIRAQ-1 THE CROODS (DIG-3D) THE CROODS (DIG-3D) THE CROODS (DIG-3D) THE CROODS (DIG-3D) JACK THE GIANT SLAYER (DIG-3D) JACK THE GIANT SLAYER (DIG-3D)

1:30 PM 3:30 PM 5:30 PM 7:30 PM 9:30 PM 11:45 PM

BAIRAQ-2 OLYMPUS HAS FALLEN (DIG) OLYMPUS HAS FALLEN (DIG) OLYMPUS HAS FALLEN (DIG) AL HAFLA (DIG) OLYMPUS HAS FALLEN (DIG) OLYMPUS HAS FALLEN (DIG)

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

BAIRAQ-3 LOVE AND HONOR (DIG) LOVE AND HONOR (DIG) TRUTH OR DARE (DIG) LOVE AND HONOR (DIG) TRUTH OR DARE (DIG) LOVE AND HONOR (DIG) TRUTH OR DARE (DIG)

12:30 PM 2:30 PM 4:30 PM 6:30 PM 8:30 PM 10:30 PM 12:30 AM

PLAZA AL HAFLA (DIG) AL HAFLA (DIG) TRUTH OR DARE (DIG)

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

LAILA OLYMPUS HAS FALLEN (DIG) JACK THE GIANT SLAYER (DIG) OLYMPUS HAS FALLEN (DIG)

6:00 PM 8:15 PM 10:45 PM

AJIAL.1 LUCKY STAR (DIG) (MALAYALAM) LUCKY STAR (DIG) (MALAYALAM)

6:00 PM 9:00 PM

AJIAL.2 RANGREZZ (DIG) (HINDI) RANGREZZ (DIG) (HINDI)

6:30 PM 9:30 PM

FOR SALE Bedroom set (double bed) almost new, KD 120, cupboard KD 30, table KD 20, window A/C KD 30, please contact Mob: 66047733. (C 4352) 25-3-2013 SITUATION WANTED Systems Engineer with 11 years experience in Kuwait in maintaining High End / Secure networks, presently drawing 4 figure salary, seeks new opportunities in reputed organization. Contact: 66019422. (C 4353)

6:45 PM 9:45 PM

METRO-2 ITHU PATHIRAMANAL (DIG) (MALAYALAM)5:30 PM ITHU PATHIRAMANAL (DIG) (MALAYALAM)8:00 PM

SITUATION VACANT Kuwaiti family wishes to hire a housemaid for 3 months. Contact:

99304076. (C 4351) 24-3-2013 A lady maid is needed to work in a part-time capacity for a single Arab/American male in an apartment located in Salmiya. Salary is 60 KD/month. Working hours 12 PM to 6 PM, twice a week. Contact: 66417504. (C 4349) 23-3-2013

No: 15758

M.Com qualified, 14 years experience in accounts in Kuwait, capable independently handing accounts up to finalization, seeks suitable position. Contact: 66019422. (C 4354) 25-3-2013

AJIAL.3 ITHU PATHIRAMANAL (DIG) (MALAYALAM)6:45 PM ITHU PATHIRAMANAL (DIG) (MALAYALAM)9:45 PM METRO-1 LUCKY STAR (DIG) (MALAYALAM) LUCKY STAR (DIG) (MALAYALAM)

proposals from God fearing well educated employed boys. Email: proposals0327@gmail.com (C 4348) 20-3-2013

MATRIMONIAL

Proposals invited for a Marthomite girl, 25/160cms, B/B in Kuwait, Masters in Psychology from U.S.A. working in an international school as counselor. Invites

DIAL 161 FOR AIRPORT INFORMATION

Airlines JAI PIA THY JZR QTR ETH QTR GFA UAE ETD AFG FDB MSR QTR DHX THY JZR BAW KAC KAC FDB KAC UAE ABY QTR FDB ETD KAC GFA KAC JZR MSC IRC MEA KNE MSR UAE KAC FDB KAC KNE KAC SVA QTR JZR KAC

Arrival Flights on Monday 25/3/2013 Flt Route 574 MUMBAI 205 LAHORE 772 ISTANBUL 267 BEIRUT 148 DOHA 620 ADDIS ABABA 6130 DOHA 211 BAHRAIN 853 DUBAI 305 ABU DHABI 416 JEDDAH 67 DUBAI 612 CAIRO 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 404 BEIRUT 482 TAIF 610 CAIRO 871 DUBAI 284 DHAKA 57 DUBAI 672 DUBAI 472 JEDDAH 546 ALEXANDRIA 500 JEDDAH 140 DOHA 561 SOHAG 788 JEDDAH

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

QTR OMA MPH JZR KAC UAE ETD RJA UAL GFA SVA JZR QTR ABY KAC JZR KAC FDB POT MSC KAC KAC KAC KAC KAC OMA FDB JAI AXB MSR ABY QTR MSC ALK MEA QTR GFA ETD UAE DHX FDB UAL AIC JZR TAR PIA JZR BBC DLH

134 645 93 535 118 857 303 640 982 215 510 777 144 127 542 177 786 63 4762 405 618 742 104 674 774 647 61 572 389 618 129 146 401 229 402 136 221 307 859 372 59 981 975 239 327 205 185 43 636

DOHA MUSCAT AMSTERDAM CAIRO NEW YORK DUBAI ABU DHABI AMMAN WASHINGTON DC DULLES BAHRAIN RIYADH JEDDAH DOHA SHARJAH CAIRO DUBAI JEDDAH DUBAI VIENNA 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 AMMAN TUNIS LAHORE DUBAI DHAKA FRANKFURT

15:30 15:40 16:20 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 19:00 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 23:00 23:05 23:45 23:55

Airlines AIC KAC UAL JAI DLH PIA ETH THY QTR FDB UAE ETD AFG MSR QTR QTR JZR GFA THY KAC JZR FDB BAW JZR KAC KAC ABY UAE FDB ETD QTR GFA KAC KAC JZR KAC MSC IRC MEA KAC KNE MSR JZR UAE FDB

Departure Flights on Monday 25/3/2013 Flt Route 982 AHMEDABAD 283 DHAKA 981 WASHINGTON DC DULLES 573 MUMBAI 637 FRANKFURT 206 PESHAWAR 621 ADDIS ABABA 773 ISTANBUL 6131 DOHA 68 DUBAI 854 DUBAI 306 ABU DHABI 416 KABUL 613 CAIRO 139 DOHA 149 DOHA 164 DUBAI 212 BAHRAIN 771 ISTANBUL 545 ALEXANDRIA 560 SOHAG 54 DUBAI 156 LONDON 534 CAIRO 787 JEDDAH 671 DUBAI 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 483 TAIF 611 CAIRO 176 DUBAI 872 DUBAI 58 DUBAI

Time 0:05 0:10 0:10 1:05 1:20 1:35 2:45 2:55 3:20 3:45 3:50 4:00 4:00 4:10 4:50 6:05 6:55 7:00 7:35 7:45 8:15 8:25 8:45 9:15 9:25 9:35 9:45 9:55 10:00 10:05 10:10 10:40 11:30 11:50 12:15 12:20 12:30 12:35 12:55 13:00 13:40 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 MPH 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 KAC

673 473 501 617 141 773 741 646 238 304 135 858 641 216 982 97 184 511 128 266 145 64 404 62 648 331 361 351 571 120 619 402 171 230 403 308 137 222 301 60 860 373 205 147 502 328 411

DUBAI JEDDAH JEDDAH DOHA DOHA RIYADH DAMMAM MUSCAT AMMAN ABU DHABI DOHA DUBAI AMMAN BAHRAIN BAHRAIN SHARJAH 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 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 18:30 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 23:55

stars CROSSWORD 139

STAR TRACK Aries (March 21-April 19) You can’t manage health issues if you can’t acknowledge there’s a problem. Turning a blind eye to your body’s inner messages is part of the difficulty. If you sense something isn’t quite right, go and check it out. In most cases, you’ll find this is simply a matter of dietary indiscretion rather than anything else. So you might start correcting what you’re eating before imagining the worst. This is a very positive time in your marriage or closest love relationships. Your need to be together and to share loving feelings is very strong. You want to give to your friends and loved ones, and may spend generously in order to make them happy. You may also meet someone now that is very good for you in the long run.

Taurus (April 20-May 20)

Information about finances that could be important is incoming, so keep an eye out for it. Smart solutions to personal resource challenges are available if you are willing to take another look, this time from outside of the box. Love relationships and friendships are the mood as you are openly affectionate, warm, and also quite responsive to loving and passionate overtures from others. An opportunity for a new romance or friendship is likely to surface now and work out quite nicely for you.

Gemini (May 21-June 20)

ACROSS

1. A master's degree in fine arts. 4. The father of your father or mother. 11. The part of the eye that contains the iris and ciliary body and choroid. 15. A white linen liturgical vestment with sleeves. 16. Try to forget. 17. Something that resembles a pill in shape or size. 18. A person of Iranian descent. 20. United States educator who founded the first private school for Black students in Augusta, Georgia (1854-1933). 21. (of persons) Neat and smart in appearance. 22. Similar or related in quality or character. 25. Mar or spoil the appearance of. 27. A person who has been evacuated from a dangerous place. 29. Large greenish June beetle of southern United States. 31. The capital and largest city of Bangladesh. 32. South American cavy. 34. (Irish) The sea personified. 37. A brittle silver-white metalloid element that is related to selenium and sulfur. 41. An official prosecutor for a judicial district. 42. A steep part of a glacier resembling a frozen waterfall. 46. A gradual decline (in size or strength or power or number). 47. English actor noted for his portrayals of Shakespeare's great tragic characters (17891833). 48. French sculptor of monumental female nudes (1861-1944). 49. The 7th letter of the Greek alphabet. 51. Informal terms for a mother. 52. A unit of area (4840 square yards) used in English-speaking countries. 53. Acute ulceration of the mucous membranes of the mouth or genitals. 55. A Chadic language spoken south of Lake Chad. 57. A very poisonous metallic element that has three allotropic forms. 58. A period marked by distinctive character or reckoned from a fixed point or event. 60. The Mongol people living the the central and eastern parts of Outer Mongolia. 63. The blood group whose red cells carry both the A and B antigens. 65. Leafless East Indian vine. 68. A state of southwestern India. 70. (in Scotland or Ireland) A mountain or tall hill. 71. An accidental happening. 73. A tight-fitting garment that covers the body from the shoulders to the thighs (and may have long sleeves or legs reaching down to the ankles). 76. Goddess of criminal rashness and its punishment. 77. Appointed for life and not subject to dismissal except for a grave crime. 78. By bad luck. 79. The cry made by sheep.

80. (Greek mythology) The son of Agamemnon and Clytemnestra. 81. A small cake leavened with yeast. DOWN 1. A Chadic language spoken south of Lake Chad. 2. A slick spokesperson who can turn any criticism to the advantage of their employer. 3. Reduce in scope while retaining essential elements. 4. A user interface based on graphics (icons and pictures and menus) instead of text. 5. A radioactive gaseous element formed by the disintegration of radium. 6. European shad. 7. (comparative of `near') Being the one of two that is less distant in space. 8. (Irish) Mother of the Tuatha De Danann. 9. Be earlier in time. 10. One or some or every or all without specification. 11. A transaction in the stock market at a price above the price of the preceding transaction. 12. Being actually such in almost every respect. 13. Selected as the best. 14. Primitive chlorophyll-containing mainly aquatic eukaryotic organisms lacking true stems and roots and leaves. 19. A facial expression of contempt or scorn. 23. A collection of facts from which conclusions may be drawn. 24. Formerly a term of respect for important white Europeans in colonial India. 26. Foul with waste matter. 28. A state in the eastern United States. 30. A medicinal drug used to evoke vomiting (especially in cases of drug overdose or poisoning). 33. Conqueror of Gaul and master of Italy (100-44 BC). 35. Mild yellow Dutch cheese made in balls. 36. Type genus of the Ranidae. 38. (prefix) Indicating difference or variation. 39. In bed. 40. Jordan's port. 43. A genus of Mustelidae. 44. The soft tissue of the body of a vertebrate. 45. A resident of London. 50. The basic unit of money in Bangladesh. 54. A natural body passageway. 56. Type and sole genus of the family Albulidae. 59. Be in accord. 61. Cubes of meat marinated and cooked on a skewer usually with vegetables. 62. Squash bugs. 64. A Chadic language spoken south of Lake Chad. 66. 4-wheeled motor vehicle. 67. Excavation in the earth from which ores and minerals are extracted. 69. The probability of a specified outcome. 72. Seed of a pea plant. 74. The products of human creativity. 75. A compartment in front of a motor vehicle where driver sits.

MONDAY, MARCH 25, 2013

Today gives a momentary boost to ego and confidence, a brief reminder of how good you can be when you’re on. Observation of any new routine now will let you do it with greater regularity, but remember how you did it so it becomes a habit. This is a really good time of the month to get noticed, so get out there and take charge. This influence can last for a few week, during this time period relationships deepen and grow, and penetrate to a very personal level. This can be initiated by you and sometimes initiated by the other person, but in either case it leads to a much deeper understanding and bond between you.

Cancer (June 21-July 22) It is a great day for completing your work objectives. You can show a lot of determination and persistence in the way you carry out your duties but also how you share your ideas with others. Do not move too quickly however because that could bring some opposition from others as well as making you accident prone. You may see value in or feel love for an older person in your family or social circle. Support from close friends, family, and the women in your life gives you confidence now and a greater appreciation of who you are. This is also a good time to mend fences and repair problems and issues in your home life.

Leo (July 23-August 22) This is a good time to take stock of your life, to see how you are limiting and holding yourself back, and to determine your next steps. But do not attempt to press forward now, and don’t take whatever setbacks you experience too much too heart. You could be feeling especially attractive or friendly or even a bit more frisky! The warmth you radiate is noticed and appreciated. Love, relationships, beauty, and pleasure are emphasized now. A new romance or friendship may ensue or an old or current one may take a new turn for the better.

Virgo (August 23-September 22) To get the best out of a work project and yourself, use some time at home to enhance your concentration. This could be a delicate juggling act as you try to balance your family and professional needs, but you can do it. Whatever the future event, it will turn out successful by giving yourself sufficient time. Your spirits are high at this time, and you feel optimistic, self-confident, generous, and just outright happy. You greet life with a fresh attitude, and it is easy for your to forget the mistakes of the past and envision bright new adventures for growth and fulfillment.

Word Search

Libra (September 23-October 22) You may feel out of step with the people in your immediate environment now, not in harmony with the intentions and desires of those you work or live with. Relationships, especially professional ones, can be tense, especially if you attempt to work your own will. This is not a time to force issues. Every time you get near you know who, your heart pounds and your imagination takes over. Is this the real thing that you’ve been waiting for or just a fantasy. Your feelings and observations need to be evaluated to see if you are wasting your time or if it could be worth waiting for.

Scorpio (October 23-November 21) Your mind is serious and you are able to concentrate on work that requires patience, attention to detail, and precision. Practical concerns dominate today. It is a good time to learn practical skills, pay bills, organize your files, and take care of business. You’ll want to avoid light social conversation or trivialities that distract you from your work. Right now you are more magnetic and sexually attractive, and your love life is likely to be both harmonious and satisfying. You experience a positive flow of warmth and friendliness between yourself and others, and you are stimulated and energized by your casual interactions with the opposite sex.

Sagittarius (November 22-December 21) Beware of surreptitious efforts to usurp your progress by someone who is very jealous of you. While their efforts may sap some of your energies, as long as you stay true to your current path things will work out in your favor. You meet people now who are considerate, understanding and nonjudgmental. You are also likely to form relationships with people based on a deep level of mutual appreciation and understanding for each other. You are in touch with your more sensitive, spiritual qualities, and you are able to express a greater level of sensitivity and greater empathy than usual.

Capricorn (December 22-January 19) A good time for starting off on a fresh footing. Make sure you’re not demanding too much of yourself in the long run, you will not always have this much drive, and you don’t want to burn out because you can’t keep up with yourself. A good plan is determined by whether you can keep it going on an off day. If you are involved in a love relationship then a deepening of the relationship is likely at this time. You gain an even greater appreciation of each other, and you respect each other more than ever. Mutual understandings and cooperation on issues of importance make you feel very close and even more loving.

Aquarius (January 20- February 18) You do not feel very sharp, competitive, or aggressive at this time. Feelings of relaxation, receptivity, passivity, or aimlessness are likely and you tend to avoid stressful confrontations or situations that demand too much of you. Goals and desires that normally seem so important - especially ones in which you are pushing your own interests - do not matter quite as much now. Suppressed feelings can be transformed into compulsive actions all around, so it may be a good time to question motives, both your own and everyone else’s. If you just have to do or say anything, perhaps you shouldn’t. Take a deep breath first, count to ten and say it to yourself first. Think hard before you get too pushy.

Pisces (February 19-March 20) Your ambition to better yourself is coming to the forefront. You want to not only improve your lifestyle, but would like to achieve more independence as well. Your desire for success and recognition is growing, and will drive you to make changes that ensure you will enjoy both in the near future. Small, persistent messages through normal lines of communication can mount up to a bigger picture in a relationship, so listen well. Don’t try to understand it all at once, just let the pieces of the puzzle put themselves together until everything is clear. There is nothing to hide and nothing to expose, all will be revealed in the end with a little patience.

Yesterday’s Solution

Daily SuDoku

Yesterday’s Solution

MONDAY, MARCH 25, 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

PHARMACY

ADDRESS

PHONE

Ahmadi

Sama Safwan Abu Halaifa Danat Al-Sultan

Fahaeel Makka St Abu Halaifa-Coastal Rd Mahboula Block 1, Coastal Rd

23915883 23715414 23726558

Jahra

Modern Jahra Madina Munawara

Jahra-Block 3 Lot 1 Jahra-Block 92

24575518 24566622

Capital

Ahlam Khaldiya Coop

Fahad Al-Salem St Khaldiya Coop

22436184 24833967

Farwaniya

New Shifa Ferdous Coop Modern Safwan

Farwaniya Block 40 Ferdous Coop Old Kheitan Block 11

24734000 24881201 24726638

Tariq Hana Ikhlas Hawally & Rawdha Ghadeer Kindy Ibn Al-Nafis Mishrif Coop Salwa Coop

Salmiya-Hamad Mubarak St Salmiya-Amman St Hawally-Beirut St Hawally & Rawdha Coop Jabriya-Block 1A Jabriya-Block 3B Salmiya-Hamad Mubarak St Mishrif Coop Salwa Coop

25726265 25647075 22625999 22564549 25340559 25326554 25721264 25380581 25628241

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22418714

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22545171

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24810598

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22545171

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24742838

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22434853

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22545051

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24711433

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24316983

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23927002

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24316983

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23980088

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23711183

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23262845

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25716707

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22517733

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22517144

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25610011

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24848075

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25616368

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24849807

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24848913

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24814507

Abdullah Salem

22549134

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22526804

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24814764

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22515088

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22532265

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22531908

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22518752

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22459381

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22451082

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22456536

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22465401

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25746401

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25316254

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25623444

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25388462

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25381200

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22630786

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24810221

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24770319

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24575755

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24772608

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24775066

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24775992

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24311795

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24884079

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24892674

Omariya

24719048

N Khaitan

24710044

Fintas

23900322

INTERNATIONAL CALLS

PRIVATE CLINICS Ophthalmologists Dr. Abidallah Al-Mansoor 25622444 Dr. Samy Al-Rabeea 25752222 Dr. Masoma Habeeb 25321171 Dr. Mubarak Al-Ajmy 25739999 Dr. Mohsen Abel 25757700 Dr Adnan Hasan Alwayl 25732223 Dr. Abdallah Al-Baghly 25732223 Ear, Nose & Throat (ENT) Dr. Ahmed Fouad Mouner 24555050 Ext 510 Dr. Abdallah Al-Ali 25644660 Dr. Abd Al-Hameed Al-Taweel 25646478 Dr. Sanad Al-Fathalah 25311996 Dr. Mohammad Al-Daaory 25731988 Dr. Ismail Al-Fodary 22620166 Dr. Mahmoud Al-Booz 25651426 General Practitioners Dr. Mohamme Y Majidi 24555050 Ext 123 Dr. Yousef Al-Omar 24719312 Dr. Tarek Al-Mikhazeem 23926920 Dr. Kathem Maarafi 25730465 Dr. Abdallah Ahmad Eyadah 25655528 Dr. Nabeel Al-Ayoobi 24577781 Dr. Dina Abidallah Al-Refae 25333501 Urologists Dr. Ali Naser Al-Serfy 22641534 Dr. Fawzi Taher Abul 22639955 Dr. Khaleel Abidallah Al-Awadi 22616660 Dr. Adel Al-Hunayan FRCS (C) 25313120 Dr. Leons Joseph 66703427 Psychologists /Psychotherapists

Paediatricians

Plastic Surgeons Dr. Mohammad Al-Khalaf

22547272

Dr. Khaled Hamadi

Dr. Abdal-Redha Lari

22617700

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

General Surgeons Dr. Amer Zawaz Al-Amer

22610044

Dr. Mohammad Yousef Basher

25327148

Internists, Chest & Heart Dr. Adnan Ebil Dr. Latefa Al-Duweisan

22666300 25728004

Dr. Nadem Al-Ghabra

25355515

Dr. Mobarak Aldoub

24726446

Dr Nasser Behbehani

25654300/3

Soor Center Tel: 2290-1677 Fax: 2290 1688

Neurologists

22639939

Dr. Mousa Khadada

info@soorcenter.com www.soorcenter.com

3729596/3729581

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

Dr. Salem soso

Dr. Abd Al-Naser Al-Othman

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

MONDAY, MARCH 25, 2013

LIFESTYLE G o s s i p

Tomlinson’s estranged father wants to reconnect

T Swinton performs art of sleeping in NYC

ctress Tilda Swinton is performing the art of sleeping at New York City’s Museum of Modern Art. A musem spokeswoman says the “Moonrise Kingdom” star presented her one-person piece called “The Maybe” on Saturday. In “The Maybe,” Swinton lies sleeping in a glass box for the day. The exhibit will move locations within the museum every time

Swinton performs. There is no published schedule for the piece, which will occur about a half dozen more times through the end of the year. Swinton first performed the piece at the Serpentine Gallery in London in 1995. In 1996, she performed it in the Museo Barracco in Rome. She won an Oscar in 2008 for best supporting actress for her role in “Michael Clayton.”

Timberlake loves baking

ustin Timberlake has become obsessed with baking. The ‘Suit & Tie’ hitmaker has impressed his wife Jessica Biel who he married in October - after his grandmother Sadie Bomar taught him her cooking secrets. She told The Sun Sunday newspaper: “Justin comes in the kitchen with me when I’m in there because he wants to know how it’s done. “He comes in, puts an apron on and he wants to learn. Jessica is a lucky girl because he makes her good, home cooked pies. I’ve taught him well.” The 32-year-old “loves” recreating his

grandmother’s trademark pastries for his new bride and is willing to improvise with changes to the recipes. Sadie added: “I’ve taught Justin to cook. He loves my pies and now he makes my three-layer pie. “It’s got a chocolate layer, but Justin makes it with butterscotch. I have also taught him to make a apple pie and a pecan pie, a sweet potato pie and also a coconut one. He loves them.” Justin recently made his return to music in January after a long hiatus and his new album ‘The 20/20 Experience’ hit the top spot in the UK Album Chart.

Gahan believes he saw his body

epeche Mode singer Dave Gahan believes he saw his own dead body after a drugs overdose. The singer thinks his soul left his body behind when he ‘died’ for over two minutes following a heart attack caused by taking cocaine and heroin in 1996. He explained: “The first thing I realized in the hospital was that I exited my body. I was floating underneath the ceiling and could observe exactly what was happening underneath me: Paramedics were running around my body and tried to save me. I screamed that I wasn’t actually lying down there but above them. “I believe it was my soul screaming which had already left my body and became a witness of what happened to my body. At that point I was clinically dead, my heart wasn’t beating. These seconds seemed like hours to me. And suddenly, there was a complete, frightening darkness around me. As if someone had turned off the light.” Dave - who is joined in the band by Martin Gore and Andy Fletcher - was woken by paramedics, but immediately arrested by police for having been in possession of narcotics, but thankfully he managed to avoid jail and get clean. He told BILD on Sunday newspaper: “When I woke up, I was tied to the bed with handcuffs. Policemen were standing in front of me and read my rights to me. I was arrested because of possession of cocaine and heroin. “The court let me do a therapy. For about a year, I lived in a detoxification clinic with other drug addicts and alcoholics. I regularly had to do a urine test. If they had found a prohibited substance only once, I would have had to go to jail in Los Angeles for two years. I was really afraid of this. For the first time in my life, it became clear to me that I am not immortal.”

Williams’ daughter has ‘broad interests’

roy Austin lost touch with the One Direction star when he broke up with his mother Johanna when Louis was two. Now, he wants to get back into his life and has denied it is anything to do with his son’s new-found fame. He told the Sunday Mirror newspaper: “Seeing what he’s done with his life makes me so happy. I know people will think I’m only interested in being part of his life again because he’s rich and famous. “But it’s not about that. I’m his dad. We’re flesh and blood and nothing can change that. I’m so proud of him I could burst.” The 44-year-old construction worker also claimed Louis’ half-sister Georgia is “his biggest fan” and would love the chance to meet her idol. He added: “It’s up to him. I want him to know I think he’s fantastic - and that Georgia is his biggest fan ... She’s a teenage girl and her brother is in her favourite band. “Of course she wants to tell the world and wants to be a part of his life ... She idolises him. All she wants is to be a proper sister to him.” He took 14year-old Georgia to see Louis, 21, and his ‘Little Things’ band mates at a recent Nottingham show, but weren’t able to reconnect. Troy revealed: “It was a shame we couldn’t see Louis and tell him how brilliant he was. But I know he and the lads are really busy. “I haven’t been there for most of his life so I understand I’m not one of his main priorities. “He knows we were in the crowd and now I want to tell him what it meant to me to see him up there. I cried buckets.”

he actress loves introducing seven-year-old Matilda to new things and says the youngster - whose father is the late actor Heath Ledger - is open to trying out new experiences. She told People magazine: “We both have a deep and abiding love for ‘The Last Unicorn’ by Peter S. Beagle. Matilda’s interests are kind of broad; I can’t think of anything I’ve tried to show her that she hasn’t been open to. Like she’ll watch a black and white movie.” Michelle - who recently ended her relationship with Jason Segel - previously admitted her work as Glinda the Good Witch in ‘Oz the Great and Powerful’ made Matilda think she could “do magic”. She said: “I fly around in the bubble. My daughter thinks I can really fly ... Matilda went through a phase where she would go up to people in the park and say, ‘My mummy is Glinda the Good Witch, she’s a fairy princess’. “My daughter thinks that I could do magic ... I wanted to bring some magic into our lives.”

Hudgens obsessed with SoulCycle

Stone

doesn’t watch her weight

he ‘Gangster Squad’ actress - who is in a relationship with Andrew Garfield isn’t a fan of exercising or watching what she eats, and though she is careful when she is preparing for a film role, she is happier to take a more relaxed approach to her figure when she isn’t working. She said: “I can easily spend a few months without working out until I have a film coming up and I might want to drop a few pounds. “Once I did a film, ‘The Help’, and the southern cooking was so delicious that I couldn’t help myself - I gained a few pounds and the costume fitter had to adjust my outfits. “I’m not worried about looking like a model or always trying to look perfect. I try to eat healthy foods and get enough sleep and go swimming when I can. That’s my fitness regime.” Emma enjoys experimenting with fashion, but knows she can always rely on her stylist to ensure she doesn’t go wrong in her sartorial choices. She said: “I don’t think I have any one style or look that I go for. I’m still learning a lot about clothes and experimenting, but I also have a great stylist who

he 24-year-old actress loves the Spinning classes, which are hugely popular in Los Angeles, but admitted she gets so into the exercise, she sometimes leaves herself injured. She told People magazine: “When I first started going, I was there twice a day. I close my eyes and bang my head to the music and wake up the next morning with a sore neck, feeling like I’ve been to a rock concert. It’s really good therapy.” The ‘Spring Breakers’ actress recently spoke of her belief she would have fitted in well at the heart of the 1960s flower power movement because she is a “total gypsy bohemian”. She said: “I’m a total gypsy bohemian. If I could go back in time, I’d be front row for Janis Joplin at Woodstock.” Although the hippie music festival was before Vanessa’s time, she loves attending similarly-themed music event Coachella. She said: “The first time I went, I thought, ‘This is heaven.’ You just feel completely free. I’m going to go every single year

Frankie Sandford hates the way Una Healy eats

he Saturdays singer can’t bear noisy eaters and admits her bandmate often infuriates her with the habit. She said: “One of my pet hates is people who make a noise when they eat. And sometimes Una does. I just look at her and go, ‘Oh no, I’m sorry.’ “Perhaps the quintet should decide against having meals together, as Una gets annoyed by Rochelle Humes’ eating and Vanessa White thinks Frankie also has a horrible habit that she isn’t always aware of. Una said: “Rochelle, when she’s eating, is very ladylike. She will pick up a grape, move it really slowly towards her lips, then munch it down. “But then she’ll start to talk, so she speaks with her mouth full. I’m like, ‘Rochelle, swallow it, and then talk.’ “Vanessa explained to Britain’s OK! magazine: “Frankie chews the side of her mouth and doesn’t even realize she’s doing it.” —Bangshowbiz

LIFESTYLE

MONDAY, MARCH 25, 2013

F e a t u r e s

Tokyo

Fashion Week

Models present creations for ‘GANRYU’ during their Fall/Winter 2013-2014 presentation at Tokyo Fashion Week in Tokyo. —AFP photos

Persil with Oud Fragrance voted as ‘Product of Year’ in the GCC W

ithin a year of its launch, Persil Liquid Detergent for white clothes with Oud Fragrance, the first-ever liquid detergent for White Thobes across the Middle East, has been voted as the Product of the Year in the GCC for 2013 in the Laundry Care category as part of a customer survey by leading market research company TNS. The top honor for Persil Liquid Detergent for white clothes - Oud Fragrance, which ushered in a new generation of laundry experience in the region, reflects its tremendous success and acceptance across the region. The TNS national consumer survey involved 3,600 respondents across GCC. The respondents included housewives between the age-group of 18 to 40 years in the A and B socio-economic class. The survey primarily targeted women who were using powder detergents to wash their white thobes, besides engaging women who used bleach to make their clothes brighter. In his comments, Memosh Khawaja, General Manager of Henkel Arabia, said: “Persil Liquid Detergent for white clothes

with Oud Fragrance is honored to be named the Product of the Year by GCC consumers. This is a powerful endorsement for our brand within a year of its launch, which is evidence of our product superiority in catering to consumers’ needs. It is a privilege to be selected from among so many leading brands both local-based and multinational.” Persil Liquid Detergent for white clothes has been designed exclusively to give White clothes unmatched cleanliness and brightest whiteness wash after wash compared to any powder detergent even if mixed with bleach. This is achieved as a result of its world-class German ‘Opti-Bright’ technology. “The survey also brought to the fore the emotional pride and benefit for housewives as it offered bright, white clothes for their husbands - thanks to the Persil liquid detergents,” added Khawaja. Oud is part of the regional custom and GCC nationals apply Oud when wearing thobes. In line with this, Persil has launched its liquid detergent with Oud fragrance variant that has been developed by global perfume experts.

MONDAY, MARCH 25, 2013

lifestyle F A S H I O N

Stewart, One Direction win twice at

Kids’ Choice Awards

Josh Duhamel and Nick Cannon perform as they are slimed at the 26th annual Nickelodeon’s Kids’ Choice Awards on Saturday. — AP photos

reen slime spewed furiously at the Kids Choice Awards on Saturday, where “Twilight Saga” star Kristen Stewart and British boy band One Direction won two awards apiece. Stewart, 22, escaped the slime but plunged her hands into the green goo, saying she “felt like I have finally found my kindergartner self,” as she accepted trophies for movie actress and favorite female butt kicker. Organizers said more than 350 million votes were cast online in more than 20 categories, spanning film, television, books, music and sport for the stunt-filled annual award show on youth channel Nickelodeon. Hosted by “ Transformers” actor Josh Duhamel, who is married to singer Fergie, the show in Los Angeles featured performances by Pitbull and Christina Aguilera, as well as Ke$ha. Johnny Depp and Katy Perry accepted orange blimp-shaped trophies for favorite female singer and movie actor respectively and both stars had words of wisdom for the audience of kids and young teens. “This is such a cool award ... stay safe, stay in school, don’t do drugs,” Perry told them. Depp said he was “truly honored and humbled. Thank you for what you are, which is the future.” Selena Gomez, 20, the ex-girlfriend of

pop star Justin Bieber, took the female TV actress award for her Disney Channel series “Wizards of Waverly Place,” even though the show came to an end more than a year ago. Bieber, who is on tour in Europe, was voted favorite male singer and was among several stars who did not make it to accept their award in person. No-shows included One Direction, who are also on tour and who won for favorite music group and song for “What Makes You Beautiful,” “X Factor” judge Simon Cowell (favorite villain), and Ross Lynch, 17, who was named favorite TV actor for Disney Channel’s pop star series “Austin & Ally.” Sandra Bullock, Neil Patrick Harris, Duhamel, Pitbull, Nick Cannon, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson and dozens of audience members got covered in slime gushing out from water cannons, presenter’s podiums, ceilings, and even the tail of a fake gymnastic horse. Other awards went to Nickelodeon’s “Victorious” for top TV show, “The Hunger Games” for favorite movie, “Wreck-It Ralph” for top animated movie, and race car driver Danica Patrick and basketball player LeBron James for top athletes. The Kids Choice Awards will be broadcast around the world in more than 25 languages, Nickelodeon said. —Bang showbiz

Host Josh Duhamel, right, speaks onstage.

Kristen Wiig, left, and Steve Carell present the award for favorite movie.

Kristen Stewart accepts the award for favorite movie actress for ‘The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 2’.

Dwayne Johnson accepts the award for favorite male buttkicker.

Selena Gomez accepts the award for favorite TV actress.

From left, Amandla Stenberg, Willow Shields and Alexander Ludwig accept the award for favorite movie for ‘The Hunger Games’.

Danica Patrick accepts the award for favorite female athlete.

From left, Carlos Pena, Logan Hendewrson, James Maslow, and Kendall Schmidt of the band Big Time Rush speak onstage.

Johnny Depp accepts the award for favorite movie actor for ‘Dark Shadows’.

Cory Monteith, left, and Gabby Douglas present the award for favorite male athlete.

Adam Sandler accepts the award for favorite voice in an animated movie for ‘Hotel Transylvania’.

Jaden Smith, left, and Miranda Cosgrove present the award for favorite voice.

Kristen Stewart, left, is congratulated by Sandra Bullock and Neil Patrick Harris as she accepts the award for favorite movie.

MONDAY, MARCH 25, 2013

lifestyle F E A T U R E S

Kids’ Choice Awards Winners 2013 Favorite TV Show: ‘Victorious’ Favorite Reality Show: ‘Wipeout’ Favorite Cartoon: ‘SpongeBob SquarePants’ Favorite TV Actor: Ross Lynch (‘Austin & Ally’) Favorite TV Actress: Selena Gomez (‘Wizards of Waverly Place’) Favorite Movie: ‘The Hunger Games’ Favorite Movie Actor: Johnny Depp (‘Dark Shadows’) Favorite Movie Actress: Kristen Stewart (‘The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 2’) Favorite Animated Movie: ‘Wreck-It Ralph’ Favorite Voice from an Animated Movie: Adam Sandler (‘Hotel Transylvania’) Favorite Male Buttkicker: Dwayne Johnson (‘Journey 2: The Mysterious Island’) Favorite Female Buttkicker: Kristen Stewart (‘Snow White and the Huntsman’ Favorite Music Group: One Direction Favorite Male Singer: Justin Bieber Favorite Female Singer: Katy Perry Favorite Song: ‘What Makes You Beautiful’ (One Direction) Favorite Male Athlete: LeBron James Favorite Female Athlete: Danica Patrick Favorite Villain: Simon Cowell (‘The X Factor’) Favorite Book: ‘The Hunger Games’ series Favorite Videogame: ‘Just Dance 4’ Favorite App: Temple Run

Singer Ke$ha performs.

Josh Duhamel performs onstage.

Victoria Justice, center, and the cast of ‘Victorious’ accept the award for favorite TV show.

Lucy Hale and Logan Lerman present the award for favorite movie actor.

Ashley Tisdale, left, and Fergie

Pitbull performs.

Los Angeles Lakers NBA basketball player Dwight Howard gets slimed.

Pitbull gets slimed.

NASCAR race car driver Danica Patrick

Actress Jessica Alba, left and Khloe Kardashian

Kristen Stewart and Selena Gomez

Stewart, One Direction win twice at Kids’ Choice Awards

MONDAY, MARCH 25, 2013

A picture taken on March 22, 2013 shows a sculpture by Portuguese artist Joana Vasconcelos entitled “Full Steam Ahead” (2012) during her exhibition at the Ajuda Palace in Lisbon. Running from March 23 to August 25, 2013, the exhibition brings together almost 40 works by Joana Vasconcelos from the last, including iconic pieces as “The Bride”, “Independent Heart” or “Marilyn” alongside more recent works never before exhibited in Portugal, as “Lilicoptere”, “Perruque” or “War Games.” — AFP

Art world shivers at sale of Henry Moore statue T

Minnie wears a dress by Lanvin fashion house and designed by Alber Elbaz, at the Eurodisney Parc, in Marne la Vallee, east of Paris, Saturday. — AP photos

Grown-up Minnie Mouse gets mature Lanvin make-over

orever-young Minnie Mouse is growing up and moving on from her old red and white polka dots. Lanvin has designed the loveable Disney rodent a new dress - a more mature frock in royal blue and long sleeves that she can wear at special Paris events. It was unveiled at a catwalk show in Disneyland Paris on Saturday evening. Gone was the oversized hair bow that has been the signature of the character since she was created in 1928. In its place, the catwalk presentation showcased a smaller-sized red tiara alongside a thick, bejeweled hourglass gown with padded shoulders. “Walt Disney was the one that actually designed Minnie. It’s the first time an actual designer has come into the picture and designed a dress for her,” Lanvin’s designer Alber Elbaz told The Associated Press following the show. “It was a great challenge and responsibility to do. I just wanted her to shine... I wanted to give her a crown in red and the dress in blue, (a signature) for Lanvin.” The dress got applause from the celebrity-filled front row including actress Virginie Ledoyen and model Natalia Vodianova. But the more mature look - which also did away with her famed white bloomers - didn’t impress everyone. “It’s definitely more mature. It looks a bit mother of the bride,” said spectator Matthew Gallagher. “I preferred the polka dots.” Traditionalists will be pleased to know that Disney says Minnie will be allowed to keep her red and white look for normal events.

Minnie has also kept her full hourglass figure. Last October, images destined for Barneys New York shop window were criticized after Minnie became a long, lean high-fashion model. Dubbed “skinny Minnie” the short film featured the mouse-fatale in a hot-pink, ruffle covered Lanvin dress - with longer legs, leaner arms and daintier gloved hands. “We’re not here to transform people,” said Elbaz. “We love her the way she is.” — AP

Designer Alber Elbaz poses with Minnie wearing a dress by Lanvin fashion house and designed by Alber Elbaz.

he massive bronze sculpture is formally known as “Draped Seated Woman,” a Henry Moore creation that evoked Londoners huddled in air raid shelters during the Blitz. To the East Enders who lived nearby, the artwork was known as “Old Flo,” a stalwart symbol of people facing oppression with dignity and grace. But now, Old Flo may have to go. The cashstrapped London borough of Tower Hamlets, one of the poorest communities in Britain, plans to sell the statue - estimated to be worth as much as 20 million pounds ($30 million). Art lovers fear the sale of such a famous sculpture would set a worrisome precedent, triggering the sell-off of hundreds of lesser works housed in parks, public buildings and little local museums as communities throughout Britain struggle to balance their budgets amid the longest and deepest economic slowdown since the Great Depression. “If the sale of Old Flo goes through, it can open the flood gates,” said Sally Wrampling, head of policy at the Art Fund, the national fundraising charity for art and one of the groups campaigning to block the sale. The proposal embodies a dilemma faced by many struggling households: Do you sell the family silver to get through tough times? Tower Hamlets, where a recent study found that 42 percent of children live in poverty, is 100 million pounds in the red. The sculpture hasn’t even been in the borough for 15 years. It was moved to a sculpture park in the north of England when authorities tore down the housing project where it had been placed. The council says just the insurance alone for the massive bronze would be a burden to taxpayers. “We make this decision with a heavy heart,” said Rania Khan, a local councilor who focuses on culture issues. “We have to make tough decisions.” Local authorities throughout the country are being hit by funding cuts as the central government seeks to balance the budget and reduce borrowing. Funding for local government will fall 33 percent in real terms between April 2011 and March 2015, according to the Local Government Association. The Institute for Fiscal Studies says the cuts tend to hit poor, urban areas like Tower Hamlets hardest, because their spending was higher to begin with. Some 2,000 museums in Britain are local affairs. Bury Council sold a painting by L.S. Lowry in 2006, and Southampton City Council backed down from plans to sell an Auguste Rodin bronze in the face of public protest. The Museums Association has advised the Northampton council to hold off on the sale of an Egyptian funerary monument estimated to be worth 2 million pounds until more consultation can be done. The depth of the recession and the lack of hope that things will improve soon are fueling the debate. The latest figures from the Office for Budget Responsibility, an independent agency created in 2010 to advise the government, show the economy is growing more slowly than previously forecast, reducing tax revenue and prolonging the government’s austerity program. One thing is certain: Tower Hamlets, a community of 254,000 people, desperately needs the money. Khan says she believes Moore, the son of a coal miner and lifelong socialist who died in 1986, would be moved by the plight of her con-

stituents. She knows women who will be hard hit by proposed limits on benefit payments people for whom as little as five pounds can make a huge difference - and families living in housing with mold growing on the walls. “If he thought the sale of the sculpture would benefit the lives of thousands in Tower Hamlets .. I think he would be in favor,” Khan said. Moore attended art school on a scholarship for ex-servicemen. He became fascinated with the human form, creating works with undulating curves that reflect rolling hills and other features of nature. His most beloved motif was the reclining female figure, like that of Old Flo. The statue features the graceful draping that Moore traced to his obser vation of people huddled in the Underground during the Blitz. In a 1966 interview with the BBC, Moore talked about the fear and exhilaration of Londoners sheltering against the Nazi barrage. He had concern for those he

U.K., according to the latest census figures. Old Flo’s story hasn’t been told to the current generation, said Patrick Brill, an artist who uses the pseudonym Bob and Roberta Smith. “If we don’t cherish these things, we lose a bit of our history,” he said. “If you lose your history, you lose a bit of yourself, really.” Still, Old Flo has a fan club. Danny Boyle, director of films such as “Slumdog Millionaire” and “Trainspotting,” signed an open letter asking the council to reverse its decision. A flash mob of people dressed as Old Flo appeared at the Tower Hamlets offices in November to protest the sale. Another London borough has laid claim to the statue. Critics believe money raised by the sale would quickly vanish- and Old Flo would disappear into the private collection of a foreign hedge fund owner or Russian oligarch, taking Moore’s message into hiding Rushanara Ali, a member of

This undated photo made available on Friday March 22, 2013 by the Yorkshire Sculpture Park shows the Henry Moore “Draped Seated Woman” statue, on loan to the Yorkshire Sculpture Park by the London borough of Tower Hamlets, in Wakefield, England. — AP was drawing: He never sat sketching but waited until the following day and drew from memory rather than capturing people in their makeshift bedrooms. Alan Wilkinson, one of the foremost Moore scholars, said the artist would have been sympathetic about the hard times in Tower Hamlets, but would want his sculptures seen the way they were intended to be seen - in public spaces. “Public sculpture was incredibly important for him,” Wilkinson said. “He was very fussy about where it was placed.” Moore sold Old Flo at discount to the London County Council, a forerunner of the city’s current administration, in 1962 on condition the statue would be displayed publicly. It was placed at a public housing project. The East End was one of the areas hardest hit by Nazi bombs, and its residents were directly connected to the work. Now war memories have faded. The median age of people in Tower Hamlets is 29, the lowest in London, and 43 percent of the population was born outside the

Parliament who represents part of Tower Hamlets, raised the issue during a December debate, suggesting the proposal was more the result of “profligacy and extraordinary waste,” than tough economic times. “This bonfire of public art is not the answer,” Ali said. “One has to ask, where does this end? What precedents will be set for other areas that may wish to make such sales to deal with financial challenges?” Noting Moore’s interest in the work of Pablo Picasso, Brill said Old Flo was influenced by “Guernica,” the 1937 painting that shows the suffering inflicted by war. As such, she still has resonance for the people of Tower Hamlets, an area that has been home to generations of immigrants, including the Bangladeshis who today account for 32 percent of the population. “Old Flo ... is a very British ‘keep calm carry on’ image of the same thing as ‘Guernica,’” he said. “Old Flo is East London’s monument to people seeking sanctuary. She is our ‘Guernica.’” — AP