3 Apr 2013

CR IP TI ON BS SU

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 3, 2013

Amir attends operetta ‘Kuwait Amana’

Apple apologises after China outrage

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150 FILS

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www.kuwaittimes.net

JAMADA ALAWWAL 22, 1434 AH

Desert nomads marvel at water purifying device

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Late drama as Matuidi earns PSG draw with Barca

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Assembly rejects move to raise fuel price for expats MPs pass anti-money laundering, terror funding law

Amnesty slams resumption of executions

KUWAIT: Amnesty International yesterday criticised Kuwait for resuming executions after a six-year pause, describing the decision as a “real setback”. “These are the first executions carried out in Kuwait since 2007 and mark a deplorable setback for human rights in the country,” said Ann Harrison, the rights watchdog’s program director for the Middle East and North Africa.

Kuwait on Monday executed a Saudi, a Pakistani and a bedoon after being convicted of murders. The last hanging carried in Kuwait before those was in May Continued on Page 13

Shamali: Debt relief deal to cost KD 744m DUBAI: A government bailout of Kuwaiti debtors is expected to cost KD 744 million ($2.61 billion), finance minister Mustafa Al-Shamali said yesterday. The government, under pressure from members of parliament, is discussing with lawmakers a plan to write off the interest on Kuwaiti citizens’ personal bank loans taken out before the end of March 2008. “This is an issue that will be raised tomorrow in parliament,” Shamali told reporters on the sidelines of a meeting of Arab finance ministers and central bankers in Dubai.

Asked what the total size of the bailout would be, he

replied: “744 million dinars. The payment mechanism is that they will pay their debts all the way directly to the government.” The parliament gave initial approval to a bill last month, under which the government would buy the loans from banks, pay off the interest and reschedule the loans. The bill still needs a second approval and the cabinet has said changes were needed to the initial plan.

Many lawmakers elected in December made debt relief in the state a priority of their campaigns. Economists have voiced concerns about the long-term sustainability of such measures. — Reuters

Palestinians protest after inmate dies in Israeli jail Meshaal reelected Hamas chief RAMALLAH: The Palestinian leadership yesterday blamed Israel for the death of a long-term prisoner with cancer, further hiking tensions over what is already a tinderbox issue. The death yesterday morning of Maisara Abu Hamdiyeh, a 63-year-old prisoner from Hebron suffering from throat cancer, sparked outrage over Israel’s failure to release him early on compassionate grounds. “ The death of Maisara Abu Hamdiyeh shows the Israeli government’s arrogance and intransigence over the prisoners,” Palestinian president o Abbas told reporters at the start of a meeting of his Fatah movement in Ramallah.

“We tried to get him released for treatment but the Israeli government refused to let him out, which led to his death,” Abbas said, with his spokesman laying the blame squarely on the administration of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. “The Palestinian presidency holds the Netanyahu government responsible for the martyrdom of prisoner Maisara Abu Hamdiyeh,” Nabil Abu Rudeina said. An Israeli official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said that such remarks would not help the Palestinian cause. “Instead of speaking the language of confrontation, the Palestinian Authority would be doing its own people a favour if it started to speak the language of peace and reconciliation, because that’s the only real path to Palestinian statehood,” he said.

Abu Hamdiyeh, who had served more than a decade of a life sentence for his involvement in an attempted attack on Israelis in 2002, died at Soroka hospital in the southern Israeli city of Beersheva, sources on both sides said.

Continued on Page 13

HEBRON: A Palestinian aims a slingshot at Israeli soldiers after the death of Maisara Abu Hamdiyeh in an Israeli jail in this West Bank city yesterday. (Inset) Newly-elected Hamas chief Khaled Meshaal is seen in this recent file photo. — AP/AFP

Max 33º Min 19º High Tide 05:37 & 15:57 Low Tide 10:37 & 23:55

By B Izzak KUWAIT: In a landmark decision, the National Assembly rejected yesterday with a landslide majority proposals to raise fuel prices for expatriates only as part of measures to resolve the traffic problem in the country. As many as 30 members, including government ministers, rejected a set of non-binding recommendations aimed at helping resolve grinding traffic jams on Kuwaiti roads. Only eight lawmakers approved the recommendations.

The recommendations were submitted two weeks ago following a heated debate on the causes and solutions of the traffic problem but the Assembly could not vote on them for a lack of quorum. The recommendations called for raising vehicle registration fees for expatriates only, lifting subisidies on fuel and then providing it on ration cards for Kuwaitis and making expats pay full cost in addition to deporting expatriate drivers who commit grave violations.

Ahead of the vote, leading Shiite MP Adnan Abdulsamad said the recommendations and the debate give the impression as if expatriates are the only cause for the traffic jams in the country. “This is incorrect.

Expatriates are a part of the problem and not the whole problem. We blame expatriates for many problems.

Kuwaitis also have too many cars and we are also a part of the problem,” the lawmaker said. “We have overburdened expatriates with school fees, residence fees and health insurance fees. This way, expatriates will be forced to send their families back to their countries and Kuwait will become a land of bachelors,” Abdulsamad said.

Accusations against expatriates have increased during the past few months and several MPs have made proposals against them. At the weekend, MP Abdullah Al-Mayouf proposed to increase the health insurance fee expatriates are obliged to pay from the existing KD 50 per person to KD 100 and introduce a KD 50 health insurance fee on domestic helpers. The health ministry is also contemplating proposals by MPs to allocate the morning session at public clinics for Kuwaiti citizens and ban expatriate patients in order to shorten the period Kuwaiti patients have to wait for treatment. Expatriate patients will be compelled to seek treatment in the evening, barring emergency cases. This system is already implemented at the interior ministry’s traffic departments in certain governorates like Hawalli.

Instead, the Assembly approved another set of recommendations that call for building new roads, bridges and speeding up the metro project. The recommendations also call for stiffening measures for obtaining a driver’s license and for deporting expatriates and jailing nationals who commit grave traffic violations.

In another development, the Assembly comfortably passed in the second and final reading a law to combat money laundering and terror funding which stipulates heavy penalties for violators. Forty-five members, including Cabinet ministers, voted for the law while five MPs abstained without any rejection. The law becomes effective after it is signed by the Amir and published in the official gazette.

It stipulates a 10-year imprisonment for money laundering offenders, which is increased to a maximum of 20 years in jail if the perpetrators are an organized criminal or a terrorist group or a civil society. The law also stipulates a 15-year prison term for funding a terrorist organization. In all cases, the law stipulates confiscating all the money involved in the violation and imposing hefty fines.

13 boys dead in blaze at Myanmar Muslim school

ABU DHABI: Canadian Foreign Minister John Baird (left) meets UAE Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al-Nahyan yesterday. — AFP

UAE, Canada end visa row

OTTAWA: The United Arab Emirates is nixing costly visa requirements imposed on Canadian travelers, officials said yesterday, ending a row between the two countries that started in 2010 over aviation rights. Canadian Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird and his UAE counterpart, Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed AlNahyan, agreed to “facilitate travel requirements to increase business, tourism and joint prosperity for our citi-

zens by restoring the visa regime,” said a statement. “We will be working to formalize this in the next few months and the details will follow from (Zayed AlNahyan)’s formal announcement that we return to the previous visa regime that pre-existed the challenging time in our relationship,” Baird told a teleconference from Abu Dhabi. Baird is on a tour of the Middle East.

Continued on Page 13

YANGON: A fire blamed on an electrical fault killed 13 teenage boys at a Muslim school in Myanmar’s main city yesterday, police and witnesses said, raising fears of a further eruption of tensions after a wave of religious unrest. Police and soldiers flanked the scorched blue mosque and religious school in central Yangon, where dozens of children had been sleeping when the blaze broke out early yesterday. Authorities launched an inquiry into the fire, stressing that early indications suggested a tragic accident. Police said two guards at the building had been charged with negligence. An imam, or religious teacher, was also taken in for police questioning yesterday, said an official at a mosque where the surviving children were being housed.

The assurances came amid Muslim suspicions that they had been targeted following a spate of BuddhistMuslim killings and arson that has spread across central Myanmar in recent days. “The whole country is worried now for Yangon, and is wondering whether this was a crime,” Ye Naung Thein, of Muslim organisation Myanmar Mawlwy federation, told AFP at the scene, urging people to wait for the result of the inquiry.

Hundreds of mourners, many praying and weeping, packed into a Muslim cemetery in a suburb north of Continued on Page 13

YANGON: Men carry bodies of victims of a mosque fire for burials on the outskirts of Yangon yesterday. — AP

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 3, 2013

LOCAL

Amir attends national operetta ‘Kuwait Amana’ KUWAIT: Under the patronage and attendance of His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber AlSabah, the National operetta “Kuwait Amana” was held at Bayan Palace theater yesterday.

The event was also attended by visiting Maldives

President Dr. Mohammed Waheed Hassan, His Highness the Crown Prince Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber AlSabah, National Assembly Speaker Ali Al-Rashed, former House Speaker Jassim Al-Kharafi, Deputy Chief of the National Guards Sheikh Mishaal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-

Sabah, Sheikh Nasser Al-Mohammad Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, His Highness the Prime Minister Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak Al-Hamad Al-Sabah. It was also attended by First Deputy Prime Minister and Interior Minister Sheikh Ahmad AlHumoud Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, Deputy Minister of Amiri

Diwan Affairs Sheikh Ali Jarrah Al-Sabah and senior state officials. Male and female students carried out dance routines that depicted the history of Kuwait throughout the years. The operetta aimed at enhancing national unity and solidarity. —KUNA

Overseas job no longer a need but a choice for many Filipinos Reintegration loan program introduced

By Ben Garcia KUWAIT: Overseas employment will no longer be a need but a choice for many Filipinos, said the Philippine labor attaché to Kuwait as he explained in detail about the newest reintegration loan program recently introduced for Filipinos abroad.

Philippine Labor Attaché to Kuwait David Des Dicang stated that whether it be Filipinos returning to their home country for good or those still employed abroad but willing to start up a business are eligible under the reintegration loan program recently introduced by the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA), a sub-agency of the Philippines Labor Ministry (Department of Labor and Employment-DOLE).

He said Philippine President Benigno Aquino III encourages Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) to return to the Philippines and start their own business.

OFWs can avail themselves of 300,000 to 2 million pesos worth of loan packages carrying an interest of 7.5 percent per annum, with a maximum tenure of seven years.

“The sole purpose of the program is to give a chance to Filipinos to start their own business so they would no longer need to work abroad but be owners of their own businesses,” Dicang explained.

He noted that funds worth 2 billion pesos have been allotted for the program - 1 billion pesos from the OWWA fund, with another 1 billion pesos to be shared by Land Bank and the Development Bank of the Philippines. “The funds can be replenished if consumed, but OWWA, some allied banks and other government agencies are joining hands to monitor the project and implement this program for OFWs’ success,” he said.

The new program is open to all Filipinos who have proof of employment abroad, regardless of whether they had finished their contracts, or for how long they had worked overseas. “The requirements have already been simplified so as to encourage more Filipinos to come back

and join the business community and create local jobs,” Dicang said.

According to Dicang, OWWA reintegration program is just one of many projects spearheaded by the agency to help OFWs. He also mentioned of other services. For example, by paying a membership fee of US$25, an OFW can be entitled to a host of several benefits: disability and dismemberment benefits, death and burial benefits, scholarship and other incentive programs.

Kuwait-based Filipino Overseas Workers Welfare Officer Norlita Lugto said the services and programs available for

the visa of the country you worked for,” Lugto added.

Since the program involves a business loan, there is another very important requirement: OWWA requires OFWs to present a feasibility study on the business they are planning to start. “Don’t worry about this one, because the OWWA regional office runs an entrepreneurship development training course. It’s a oneday seminar to help aspiring business persons understand basic accounting, conduct feasibility studies, and get trained on basic budgeting and bookkeeping. The Department of Trade and Industry will

KUWAIT: Philippine Labor Attache to Kuwait David Des Dicang, center, and Welfare Officer Norlita Lugto, left, talking with the Kuwait Times reporter yesterday.

OFWs are intended to benefit the entire Filipino diaspora abroad. Therefore, just be the housemaids, but also engineers and other skilled workers will enjoy the benefits. She also pointed out that there were certain requirements that must be met in order to qualify for the OWWA reintegration loan program. “First and foremost, if you want to apply for the program, you must be an OFW, show proof that you have worked abroad, or are working abroad. It does not matter whether you worked 10 years ago or are still working, as long as you have proof that you paid the US$25 membership fee. Then show your passport, because the passport bears

help us conduct the training program.

Now, there are also other agencies helping us, like the Department of Agriculture, for people interested in farming. We even have with us the Department of Science and Technology and the Department of Finance,” Lugto mentioned. However, she noted that Filipinos could benefit from the reintegration program only in the Philippines, at their respective regional offices. “We have OWWA branches in 17 regions across the Philippines. Therefore, we have advised every Filipino interested in the reintegration loan program to apply to their respective OWWA provincial offices,” she concluded.

MPs refer traffic issue to parliamentary committee KUWAIT: The National Assembly, at its regular session yesterday, referred deliberations held during the session on traffic issues, to the parliamentary committee of public facilities for examination in coordination with relevant authorities, pending submission of a report in this respect within two months.

The parliament, during deliberations of the traffic issue during a session held on March 20, prepared several recommendations in this respect, however, there was no

sufficient time for MPs to read and approve them. One of the these recommendations proposes that the report of the committee include an analytical study of the traffic crisis, in terms of annual rise of the number of driving licenses, timetables for ventures of renovating roads and effects of execution of the overall development strategy on transportation.

Moreover, this recommendation called for inclusion in the report information about

role of the government authorities regarding the traffic problem, reports of consultancy authorities in this regard and role of the public transport authorities for tackling it. The parliament, during today’s session, approved another recommendation that affirmed necessity of development and construction re-planning, with emphasis on establishment of integrated networks, roads, tunnels and bridges, to cope with the mounting traffic congestions. —KUNA

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 3, 2013

LOCAL

Sharp increase in number of speed cameras on streets Ministry plans to add more

By Nawara Fattahova KUWAIT: The heavily increased number of speed cameras dotting

the Kuwaiti roads has been proving to be a terrifying prospect for many drivers, especially those driving fast.

The drivers are already aware that

KUWAIT: The Kuwaiti streets seem to be full of cameras, yet new ones are being added. — Photos by Joseph Shagra

many new cameras have been installed in the last two months, but they also know that these are not working yet.

Earlier, the Ministry had announced that these new cameras will be functional from this month.

Adel Al-Hashash PR, Moral Guidance and Director of the Security Information branch of the Ministry of Interior informed the Kuwait Times that the speed cameras were already functional and drivers who were violating speed limits will be penalized.

“The newly installed cameras are still being tested to examine their efficiency. This does not mean that the drivers found jumping speed limits would not be slapped with fines. They will certainly be penalized,” he pointed out.

Although the streets seem to be full of cameras, yet new ones are being added. “The Ministry is currently working on adding new speed cameras along the ‘Safety Lanes’ on both sides of the roads.

Currently, there are only a few cameras along these lines that are functional. Some installed earlier were only temporary. We noticed that many drivers are committing this violation and were using these lanes meant for emergency purposes. So we decided to have more cameras to bring down the number of these violations,” added AlHashash.

The increasing number of speed cameras does not bother 41-yearold Ibtisam. “I respect the traffic rules and I drive carefully, so I am

rarely fined. And if I do commit a violation, it is usually for wrong parking or other lesser mistakes, not for over speeding or jumping a red light. I agree that the there should be more cameras as I think it will help curb the instance of violations on the roads as drivers will be more careful and will decrease their speed to avoid paying fines,” she stated.

But 27-year-old Hamad is annoyed by the new cameras. “I hate seeing cameras on the roads. I think these cameras are the reason for more accidents. Many of them were added recently and people are not used to these as yet, so they slow down suddenly which causes more accidents. In my view, the speed is not always responsible for the accidents. It is the lack of attention that is ranked as the number one factor causing accidents, according to the statistics of the Ministry of Interior,” he noted.

In a separate issue, Adel AlHashash commented on the news published in local media recently regarding new additional strict conditions for issuing driving licenses to expat drivers.

“What was published in the press was a proposal which has not been approved so far as a law or a regulation. This proposal is under study and will be filtered and passed on to the legal and legislative committee at the Ministry. It will be then approved and submitted to the institutions in charge. The public will be informed about any new regulations,” he concluded.

Approval for food, national electoral committee KUWAIT: The National Assembly approved unanimously at its regular session yesterday of a draft law decree on establishing a public authority for food and nutrition after being discussed and voted for in its first deliberation.

Number of MPs affirmed the country’s need for such a type of draft laws, especially in light of what has been stirred lately of suspension about availability of rotten meat in local market, and other related violations due to nonexistence of an actual control body over food.

They stressed necessity of adopting and implementing the law, as well as stiffen penal-

ties for law violators, demanding at the same time finding of specialized plants that teach examination of imported food as soon as possible in order to disallow quarantining it, destroying it, costing their owners, and intervention of “wasta” in entering rotten food to the country.

On the other hand, the interior and defense parliamentary committee approved today of a draft law decree 21/2012 on the higher national electoral committee.

The committee has approved of a draft law decree on the higher national electoral committee during its meeting on the sideline of

parliament’s regular session, the committee’s rapporteur MP Abdullah Al-Tamimi stated to reporters.

He added that the decree was unanimously approved in presence of Counselor Ahmad AlAjeel, head of Supreme National Elections Commission, Counselor Faisal Khuraibet, Counselor Salem Al-Khudair, Counselor Abdulaziz Al-Majed, and Counselor Mohammad AbuSlaib.

Moreover, MP Al-Tamimi noted that the committee is to submit its report to the agenda of tomorrow’s session as urgent to vote for. —- KUNA

Cabinet to implement ‘Youth Convention’ document KUWAIT: Prime Minister HH Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak Al-Sabah has received a recommendation from HH the Amir to implement the articles of the ‘National Document for Youth’ - a set of regulations aimed at meeting the demands of young citizens, which were raised during the National Youth Convention held last month. According to sources with knowledge of the case, the cabinet is expecting to “assign Minister of Information and Minister of Youth Affairs Sheikh Salman Al-Hmoud Al-Sabah to study the document in order to put together the necessary plans to implement its articles” during a meeting scheduled to be held shortly.

Meanwhile, the same sources that spoke to Al-Rai on the condition of anonymity revealed that the ‘permanent ministerial committee for youths affairs’, recently formed by the cabinet, has started “developing a comprehensive program to support young people’s projects”, which was adopted by the Amiri Dewan.

The program reportedly focuses on helping young people implement their ideas and further develop their small projects.

“This part of the Amiri Dewan’s efforts to

turn Kuwait into an international fiscal and commercial hub”, the sources said.

Meanwhile, former MP Musallam AlBarrak again called on the government to ‘keep some painkillers at hand’ in preparation for the opposition’s planned activities over the coming few weeks.

Speaking on Sunday as the general coordinator of the Opposition Coalition, Al-Barrak announced that four events would be held over this month, which would culminate in a “large field activity, the time and place of which will be determined in early May”. The leading opposition politician explained that the activities would coincide with a highly anticipated Constitutional Court ruling with regard to challenges to the electoral law amendment, which is set to be made on June 16. “The activities are set to begin on April 10, with a gathering at the municipality yard in which the main topic of discussion will be ‘the elected cabinet and facing freedom suppression’”, Al-Barrak told reporters after a meeting at the coalition’s political office. He added that a second sitting was scheduled to be held seven days later, titled ‘the elected cabinet and the future of generations’, which would

News

in brief

Iraqi military attaché KUWAIT: Iraq asked Kuwait to open a post of military attaché in the country in a request that the Iraqi embassy handed to the Foreign Ministry in Kuwait, a local newspaper reported yesterday quoting an independent news agency.

The original report released by the Enferaad News Agency and published by Al-Watan yesterday quoted diplomatic sources who indicated that Kuwait remained “reserved” on the issue of Iraqi request which they say “has been submitted more than two months ago.” The sources, who were not named in the report, meanwhile indicated that this issue was likely to be clinched during the planned visit of Kuwait’s Prime Minister HH Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak Al-Sabah to Baghdad in the near future. The visit is expected to address the issue of border demarcation, investments in Iraq and other pending issues between the two countries.

KIA retirement incentives KUWAIT: The Kuwait Investment Authority is planning a retirement program through which it will be able to encourage employees serving for long to retire and create opportunities for younger staff members to assume leading positions, a local newspaper reported yesterday quoting sources privy to the development. The proposed ‘package’ calls for paying an ‘end of service’ reward equivalent to 30-month salary to an employee who has spent a minimum of 28 years in office. The proposal also stipulates promoting employees before retirement so that they can enjoy pensions based on the basic salary in their promoted rank.

be followed by a similar event on April 24 - entitled ‘the elected cabinet and achieving justice’. The final gathering is set to take place on May 1 outside the Jaber Stadium, before a date is later announced for a major rally “which will be held on a date very close to the ruling’s day”, according to Al-Barrak.

The opposition demands that the government withdraw an amendment that changed the number of votes per voter from a maximum of four to one, and scrap the parliament that was elected last December on the basis of the amended electoral law. The opposition had boycotted the elections on the pretext that the amendment was aimed at hurting their chances of securing a majority in the house. The opposition is also pushing for wide-scale amendments that will move Kuwait towards having full parliamentary system, in which the cabinet is formed from the parliament’s majority.

Senior opposition figures have indicated on many earlier occasions that they will continue to press their demands for an elected cabinet even if the Constitutional Court upholds the amendment to the electoral law.

Traffic officer beaten up

By Hanan Al-Saadoun KUWAIT: A traffic police officer approached authorities at Adan police station complaining that eight youth beat him up while he was doing his duty. The policeman said he received a report about some people driving recklessly in the Adan Area. Upon reaching the area, he closed the road to prevent them from escaping. The enraged youth beat him up. He was able to note down the number of one of the cars driven by those youth.

Poles smashed An official working at the MEW reported to the Taima police that 11 lighting poles were smashed on purpose to steal electric cables inside. He said the theft happened at the Convoy Road.

Citizen assaulted A Kuwaiti man reported to the police that a person assaulted him and tried to run him over in his car at Wafra Road near kilo 12. He supplied the police with his car number. Investigation is on.

Infant’s body Detectives at the Mubarak Al-Kaber governorate were trying to identify a person who left a newly born baby near a citizen’s house. The infant died of lack of care. Security sources said that the infant’s body was taken to the medical examiner as there were doubts that stray dogs could have mauled the infant.

—Photos by Joseph Shagra

Bangladesh Embassy holds National Day reception KUWAIT: Bangladesh Embassy in Kuwait hosted a reception on April 1, 2013 at the Crowne Plaza Hotel on the occasion of 42nd anniversary of the Independence and National Day of Bangladesh. On this occasion, Dr. Mohammed Barrak Alhaifi, Kuwait’s Minister for Health was the Guest of Honour.

A large number of high level Kuwaiti dignitaries, diplomats, media personnel, Embassy officials and their spouses, members of Bangladesh Military Contingent (BMC) in Kuwait and Bangladesh community representatives attended the event.

The program began with the national

anthems of Kuwait and Bangladesh played by the Band of Bangladesh Militar y Contingent in Kuwait. Syed Shahed Reza, Ambassador of Bangladesh to Kuwait and the Guest of Honour Dr Mohammed Barrak Alhaifi cut a decorated cake prepared specially for the occasion.

Throughout the program, the BMC band entertained the audience by playing enthralling tunes. A number of documentaries and vivid slide shows displayed the culture, traditions, religions, and beautiful landscape of Bangladesh. The distinguished guests were also served delicious traditional food.

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 3, 2013

LOCAL kuwait digest

kuwait digest

South Korea and Kuwait

The real faces behind masks

By Dr Wael Al-Hasawi

By Thaar Al-Rashidi

I

T

he South Korean ambassador gave us a piece of ‘advice’ recently when he warned during a public event that Kuwait will end up exhausting all its savings by 2017 unless it diversified its sources of income instead of depending exclusively on oil exports as was the case now.

The ambassador also explained that Kuwait was in a better condition than his country in 1961 as a result of oil, but since then, South Korea focused on free economy and depended on small and medium businesses until this sector became employer of nearly 88 percent of the country’s labor force.

The ambassador’s remarks encouraged me to look up statistics about what South Korea has achieved since 1961, and compare it to what we have accomplished during the same period. I would like to share some of what I found in order to give a better idea about how delusional we continue to remain while enjoying our current wealth and disregarding our future.

Unfortunately, we are suffering the repercussions of consecutive parliaments setting an example in ignorance, incompetency, greed and indifference, in addition to a government that lacks resolve and appeases the MPs or lives in their fear. In the meantime, South Korea achieved the following: • Became the 11th largest economy in the world, and one of the fourth largest in Asia.

• Gross domestic product valued at $680 billion due to global demand on its industrial products.

• Huge industrial productivity that is vibrant and developing, and includes fields such as automotives, steel, fabrics and food products.

• One of the world’s best industrial countries in the main fields of automotives (Kia - Hyundai), electronics (LG and Samsung), steel and others.

• Improvement in the value of main industrial products which include: heavy industries, electronics, automotives, ships (in which it ranks second after Japan), light industries such as clothes, shoes, etc.

• With a market share of 92.3 percent, South Korea is the world’s largest exporter of industrial products, ahead of Japan, the United States and other major industrial countries.

• Services improvement including: transportation by 54 percent, insurance and financial services by 29 percent, and tourism by 17 percent.

• Scientific research is considered one of the main focal points in the development of South Korea’s industry, which is why the state allocates nearly 7.1 percent of its GDP to it, the highest in the world. — Al-Rai

kuwait digest

Golden key to expats’ case

By Iqbal Al-Ahmad

T

he good thing about criticism is that it brings attention to a certain error, while the best reaction would be one that is professional and based on clear and deliberate application of mind. On the other hand, a bad response would come in the form of a swift reaction that leads to rushed answers in fear of further criticism.

The Ministry of Social Affairs and Labor probably has one of the highest rates of corruption and bureaucratic red tape among all the state departments. Minister Thekra Al-Rashidi came to office late last year only to find it burdened with problems so huge that I pray to God that He helps her in handling these. But as long as she finds no cooperation from the people around her, she would be like a doctor writing out a prescription without proper diagnosis.

It appears that pressure resulting from incessant media criticism has led minister Al-Rashidi to make hasty decisions without first studying the issue to make sure that the proposed solutions are feasible. I do not know how else I can describe the proposal of putting a maximum cap on the time for which foreigners can stay in Kuwait. The proposal is being studied as a possible solution to the country’s expatriate population bloating to create demographic imbalance.

I still remember very well when Kuwait had lost immediately after the Iraqi Invasion a very experienced physician in Dr. George Abouna, the world famous kidney transplant surgeon. The experience he gained through years of working in Kuwaiti hospitals contributed to him reaching international status. Kuwait became a pioneer in kidney transplant during his time in the country.

He left for another country after Kuwait missed the chance to grant him citizenship, a decision which was part of the state’s policy to ‘address the demographic imbalance.’ The result was Kuwait losing out on the experience of a man who achieved success equal to what has been achieved by thousands of people who were naturalized. The golden key to addressing the increase in the number of expatriate labor forces is to tackle the menace of visa traffickers. They are the people who will not be affected by the proposed solution which will rather harm the interests of all the employers in Kuwait.

Does it make sense that after a worker is trained on a certain job and gains good experience, becoming excellent at what he does, we simply ask him to leave? The problem we have is not about quantity, but quality.

Therefore, any deportation policies should focus on keeping skilled labor forces while getting rid of marginal labor forces who work so hard to earn the money that is eventually paid to the employers who blackmail them to renew their visas.

The many years for which a foreigner stays in the country is a testimony to their good demeanor and experience in their field of work. This also applies to domestic workers. When they spend years with the same employer, this means they have been very devoted. Should they, then, be rewarded with deportation?

I know the minister is under a lot of pressure, but an error is never fixed by another more serious error. When an issue is studied comprehensively and swift reactions are avoided, the results would be clear and successful.

Take for example the Kuwaiti constitution - a great document that came after thorough research. Not only does it address current issues, but it also takes into account future prospects.

Issuing decisions and changing them every other day only leads to making the problem more complicated.

Meanwhile, we are still waiting for a decision that puts an end to the visa traffickers’ trade. —Al-Qabas

KUWAIT: An aerial view shows Souq Sharq. — Photo by Fouad Al-Shaikh kuwait digest

A lesson from our crises

By Dr Shamlan Al-Essa

T

he political crises in Kuwait can be analyzed with the help of many examples, and there are many lessons to be learnt from such an analysis. The opposition’s demands included rejection of the Amiri decree that reduced the number of votes from four to one, setting up of a parliamentary and elected government, dissolution of the current National Assembly and new elections based on a system of five constituencies and four votes per voter.

These demands did not receive popular support because a majority of the Kuwaiti people do not believe that the society is ready for a Parliamentary government or formation of political parties in a society divided along tribal and sectarian lines where these loyalties still supersede national loyalty.

The opposing majority attempted to provoke the street and carried out licensed and unlicensed mass demonstrations. When these attempts failed, it resorted to night demonstrations in residential areas where demonstrations are not allowed. There were attempts to instigate clashes with the security personnel, but such wishes did not come true. They also tried to set up the human rights organizations against the government but failed.

Finally, columnist and lawyer Mohammad Abdelqader Al-Jassim announced that the opposition has failed.

Despite the disintegration and the collapse of the opposing majority, its statements and threats became shriller while its politics became increasingly self-contradictory. This indicated that the opposition has lost its path. Some people, writing on the internet and in the media, called for reconciliation with the government, but others did not want to admit defeat and their mistakes.

Among the latter was former MP Musallam AlBarrak, who said, “We do not have what we can concede to the government. (There cannot be any) dialogue with the authority and political powers must coordinate among themselves...Confronting the government does not worry us.” The question remains as to why is the opposition so fissiparous, and who is the big winner from the political movement?

Of the many reasons that led to the fragmentation and collapse of the opposition, the key reasons are the inherent contradictions and differences.

The opposition includes political Islam groups such as Muslim Brotherhood, Salaf Movement, and

Umma Party. It also has tribal MPs and MPs from the nationalist faction and the only thing that brings them together is the animosity towards the government.

There is no clear intellect or ideology and all that they agree upon are the popular demands through which they try to garner public opinion of Kuwaitis.

The opposition does not have a common vision or a working program through which it can try to win public opinion, except the daily criticism of the government’s performance.

What defeated all these tactics of the opposition is the new government’s functioning style as it refused to bow before the opposition’s demands to cancel the cour t trials of some MPs who stormed the National Assembly, burned Al-Juwaihel’s election headquarters and stormed the premises of Al-Watan channel. The government did not back off from putting into the dock those youth and MPs who insulted the office of the Amir. Trials are on, and everyone must respect and abide by the law.

The government proved that it is stronger than all the MPs raising their demands in the media and counseling it to turn the page and forgive what happened in the past. The government proved that it is stronger than the rabble rousers in the street and the screaming politicians.

What is the lesson of from all these crises? The most important lesson is that the opposition is weaker than many think. The only organization that can exhort the street to rise is the Muslim Brotherhood but it is more interested in aligning itself with the government for financial and moral interests. So, it cannot take a stand against the government since it is actually hand in glove with it.

The government must realize that the public opinion in Kuwait wants a strong government that implements the law, does not play with the constitution, and does not allow anyone to violate the law even if such a person was to be a member of parliament.

People want a strong government that works to strengthen democracy and freedoms, fights corruption and does not hesitate to take action. Kuwait today needs its people to focus their energies on work and production as there is no room for screamers and naysayers like many in the opposition.

Development requires that the much needed reforms are expedited.—Al-Watan

kuwait digest

Discriminatory proposals

By Waleed Al-Rujaib

T

he media has recently published several reports about the government’s plans to resolve some of the entrenched problems in Kuwait that have snowballed into a crisis, including the intractable traffic jams, massive overcrowding at public medical facilities, and the demographic imbalance.

However, most of these proposals are not prudent and it seems no proper studies were carried out before pitching these ideas. In the most part, the proposals discriminate against the expatriates, and thus violate article 22 of the Kuwaiti Constitution.

That article says: “Relations between employers and employees and between landlords and tenants shall be regulated by law on economic principles, due regard being given to the rules of social justice.”

Among these proposals is a decision approved by the Ministry of Health to give Kuwaiti patients the sole right to check into outpatient clinics during the morning shift. Not only is such a proposal discriminatory, unjust and inhuman, but it also violates the principles of medicine which is based on diagnosing and treating patients regardless of nationality, gender or race. It is unconstitutional, violates the principles of social justice, and does not take into account the fact that the expatriate community outnumbers the Kuwaiti national population. The new proposal follows the same path of discriminatory practices that the Ministry of Health already practices, including having a list of certain medications that are only given to Kuwaitis.

Another proposal attributed to the Interior Ministry is about increasing the fees that expatriates

have to pay for obtaining or renewing a driver’s license and car registrations. The ministry considers this discriminatory proposal a ‘solution’ to the problem of traffic jams.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Social Affairs and Labor is reportedly studying a proposal to set a maximum cap for the number of years an expatriate worker can stay for in Kuwait. That cap could be set somewhere between five to ten years. The proposal has been strongly rejected by those in the commercial, educational and health fields where people believe it will ‘empty’ the country of all skilled labor force.

In a recent seminar about dilution of freedoms in Kuwait, Dr. Fawaz Faran diagnosed Kuwait’s problems in general in these words: “Kuwait addresses the symptoms but ignores the disease itself.”

I think this is a very accurate diagnosis if we take into account the aforementioned proposals that fail to address the root causes of any problem.

It is mismanagement and a culture of corruption seeping through our state departments that is responsible for these problems. Lack of hospital construction projects and shortage in bed capacity is what actually needs to be addressed in the health sector. Meanwhile, traffic jams require radical solutions that address the absence of any reliable and improved public transportation system, poor road infrastructure as well as corruption in obtaining driving licenses without fulfilling the norms. The demographic imbalance was also chiefly caused by rapid increase in marginal labor forces as a result of leniency in prosecuting visa traffickers.—Al-Rai

t seems that it is time for some people to end the sham political masked ball dance going on for some time as their masks have been coming apart, largely because these are no more needed.

First they sported the mask slogan of “raising the ceiling of demands.” Then came the “aggressive opposition” mask, followed by the “sharp political speech” mask and the “freedom” mask. One after the other, the masks fell. All those masks were nothing except tools which were used in one or the other scene enacted on the political theater’s stage.

The play is now almost over. Everyone knows the real faces behind the masks.

Some observers were shocked by the shifted positions. Personally, I was not surprised by many opposition figures shifting stances. As I mentioned in my articles in the past, some among the opposition were allied directly or indirectly with those on the other side.

The change of positions lately is nothing but the practice of changing partners during a political conflict. In plain Arabic language, the internal opposition today is partly a reflection of the conflict among the big wings. The story, which is clear to some, is only a tale of one follower, and one who is being followed. No longer can the opposition hide its internal conflict and that is why it has spelled it out. This is the reality today - the opposition is kicking the opposition, while the authority is merely looking on, amused. Whether those in authority are involved or not, they do have a free ring side seat and are watching what is going on.

What does the intra-opposition conflict tell us?

Why are they kicking each other? There is no doubt that the opposition was, to some extent, being held hostage to open and secret coalitions with the big four influential figures calling the shots for many years now. It was now natural that the conflict among the big four expands and affects some of their allies.

The natural and logical question is when was the opposition penetrated? The answer is very simple, as simple as the one that the old man shepherding a herd of camels spouted for the benefit of a beautiful educated TV program host. When she asked for how long have you been growing camels, the old man hesitated a little, and then said, “Since...since...long ago.” Yes, your opposition was penetrated “since ...long ago.” — Al-Anbaa

kuwait digest

Worst cabinet in Kuwait history

By Abdullatif Al-Duaij

I

t is a shame to see the opposition group debating the issue of having an elected cabinet, something supposed to be a resolved matter for democrats in the first place. It is a democratic issue that needs no argument to begin with.

Fur thermore, our constitution confirms that appointing ministers as parliament members is an idea that was coined by the Kuwaiti legislators, and is something no other democratic system practices. It is a shame that after 50 years of practicing democracy, there is still skepticism about the idea of an ‘elected’ cabinet.

I am using the term ‘elected’ loosely because there is no such a thing as an elected cabinet.

There is a parliamentary cabinet formed by the majority in parliament. Kuwait had one parliamentary cabinet, which - perhaps coincidently - is regarded as the worst cabinet in the history of Kuwait. It was the fourth cabinet that was founded on January 3, 1965 and headed by the late Sheikh Sabah Al-Salem Al-Sabah. It was formed, or more precisely was forced by the parliament’s majority following the resignation of a ‘national’ cabinet that the government had appointed only a few days before.

Not only was this cabinet the worst in Kuwait’s history, but it also laid the foundations for the tradition of turning ministers into ‘senior employees’, as the majority of ministers at that time were not members of the ruling family. They were not merchants similar to those who were appointed by the government and were eventually overthrown. It was a one hundred percent ‘elected’ cabinet, as it was chosen by a majority of MPs in the 1963 parliament that was legitimately elected by the people, the source of all power.

Democratic system cannot be improved by making empty promises, nor does it happen by skipping significant historic steps - just as what the opposition is doing today. The majority in the annulled 2012 parliament is strikingly similar to the majority in the 1963 parliament. The only difference is in their position towards the government. The 2012 majority’s position could shift completely if the government was to get rid of their civil and reformist attitude which started with the beginning of the reign of HH the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah.

Aside from all the calls about opposition and democracy, the majority in the scrapped 2012 parliament is just like the one which opposed the nationalist cabinet nearly 50 years ago. They share the same goals and position against the concept of civil state as well as real development and reform.

It is sad that the opposition has distorted the democratic struggle, and made obvious things like moving towards a full parliamentary system a debatable issue or even a taboo subject.

Kuwait’s destiny is to move towards a full parliamentary system. It is the natural course of things for any democratic society, and all the Kuwaitis, people and rulers, accepted this 50 years ago.

Therefore, it is a disgrace to allow the issue of parliamentary cabinet to become a rejected or questionable issue these days. — Al-Qabas

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 3, 2013

LOCAL

ITQAN Academy moves to new headquarters KUWAIT: As par t of the continuous development plans witnessed in ITQAN Academy since its launch last July, Boubyan Bank announced the moving of the Academy to the new headquarters inside the campus of Gulf University for Science & Technology (GUST).

Commenting on this step, Adel AlHammad, GM - Human Resources Group of Boubyan Bank, said: “The moving of ITQAN Academy to the new headquarters is considered as a qualitative leap in its history, as it is now part of GUST’s campus, thus providing the privacy of the professional academic study, whether for MBA or Bachelor’s students or even training courses participants.”

“This leap represents a new, remarkable addition in the Academy’s short

history, which reflects the extent of care paid by the Bank to its human resources and its ability and continuous endeavors to create more positive work atmosphere in a way that is ultimately reflected on their expertise and customer service,” added Al-Hammad.

From now on, all the training courses for the Bank’s staff including MBA and Bachelor’s programs will be held in the permanent headquarters assigned for serving trainees inside the University.

Al-Hammad also highlighted that the partnership with GUST will open new vistas for the Academy, whether through the type of programs provided or the distinguished lecturers, which will contribute to the continuous development of the Bank’s staff.

On his par t, Dr. Osama Al-Hares, Director - Centre of Alumni & Corporate Relations (CACR) at GUST emphasized that ITQAN Academy reflects a strategic partnership between the University and Boubyan Bank. Al-Hares noted that the Academy ’s programs are among the best training programs provided in the region stressing that they are closely related to staff ’s career path as the Bank’s staff need to develop their capabilities in an academic and practical manner whose results are reflected on their performance.

Al-Hares added that: through its strategic par tnership with Boubyan Bank, GUST seeks to support the Bank Management’s efforts to make the best investment in national human resources

Kuwait govt to enforce law, improve health care More hospitals in the offing

KUWAIT: Kuwait government is determined to enforce law to crack down on crime and address status of expatriates living here illegally, while building more hospitals and further improve health care for citizens.

Deputy prime minister and interior minister Sheikh Ahmad Humoud AlSabah and his ministr y ’s officers briefed a cabinet meeting on Monday about implementation of recommendations by MPs during a recent parliamentary session over the security situation in Kuwait.

Sheikh Ahmad and the officers said the interior ministry would develop role of police stations and addressing status of expatriates whose residencies have expired, Minister of state for cabinet affairs and minister of state for municipal affairs, Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah Al-Sabah, said in a state-

ment after the cabinet meeting, chaired by His Highness the Prime Minister Sheikh Jaber Mubarak AlHamad Al-Sabah.

The ministry officials said they planned to seek assistance of international expertise to boost security measures against crime, and enforce security and stability nationwide, he said.

Meanwhile, minister of health Dr Mohammad Al-Haifi and health undersecretary Khaled Al-Sahlawi briefed the cabinet members about plans to establish hospitals, and expand capacity of current hospitals and medical centers.

They said the health ministr y sought to further facilitate health care for citizens, shortening time of appointments, improving quality of nursing, and recruiting specialists and

sending critical patient cases for treatment abroad.

The cabinet welcomed visiting President of the Maldives Mohammad Waheed Hassan.

They cabinet members approved economic and technical cooperation agreement with Malta, a health care memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Mexico, a health service cooperation MoU with Cuba, and air transport agreement with Saudi Arabia.

They took note of a letter from Turkish President Abdullah Gul, chairman of OIC’s standing Commercial and Economic Committee, to His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah AlAhmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah regarding the document of the COMSEC’s vision that Gul presented to the OIC summit in Makkah, Saudi Arabia.— KUNA

Kuwaiti diving coach warns against degradation of marine environment KUWAIT: A Kuwaiti female diving coach warned against the increasing risks facing the Kuwaiti marine environment and diving sites in the country.

Salwa Abdulrahim said that the degradation in diving sites in Kuwait are greatly contributed to fishermen’s abuse who use non-edible fish species as baits and place their traps in non-fishing zones, she pointed out.

She further explained that damaged nets are also thrown into the waters which become a graveyard to marine creatures. Her warnings extended to waste and ship oil seeping into the sea that become detrimental to plankton, crucial food source to fish.

This careless human interference has majorly affected marine life and

has prevented it from going through its own cycle of cleaning and healing.

Overfishing, that is when people fish during fish breeding seasons, in another factor that harms marine environment. She called on those people who take fishing as a hobby to put small fish back into the sea in order to breed.

“Despite the destruction of our marine life, it is still beautiful,” Abdulrahim said, pointing out that she has organized undersea photo shooting courses to provide people with an opportunity to take in marine beauty.

“The best time for enjoying undersea marine life beauty is during the winter seasons as well as the end of May, when sea waters are clear from any pollutants,” she said.

The Area surrounding Garooh Island, she said, is considered one of the best diving areas in Kuwait due to abundance in corals and marine organisms. However, the islands of Kubbar and Um El Maradem have less marine beauty since they are negatively affected by their closeness to the shore.

Abdulrahim expressed disappointment in the lack of comprehensive environmental awareness campaigns in the country, calling on education and media institutions as well as diving training centers to organize such campaigns.

Salwa Abdulrahim is a Scuba School International (SSI) executive director. She went under advanced and professional diving courses in Egypt and Germany. — KUNA

Information minister heads cultural planning committee KUWAIT: Culture, Arts and intellectual planning committee in the National Council for Culture, Arts and Letters held its first meeting yesterday, headed by the Minister of Information, Minister of State for Youth Affairs and

Chairman of the National Council, Sheikh Salman Sabah Al-Salem Al-Humoud Al-Sabah.

Sheikh Salman said that the committee should followup cultural plans and projects of the National Council in Kuwait and abroad. He added, the committee would also assure compatibility of those programs with state institutes and set priorities for youth affairs, stressing on the importance of adopting additional ideas and active projects aimed at developing youth capabilities.

He also stressed on keeping in mind that such projects or publications issued by the National Council do not contradict with publications, television and radio laws.

Sheikh Salman encouraged joining youth within the National Council’s activities, and enabling them to succeed in all fields of arts and culture.

The Minister also assured activating media and marketing policies of the council’s programs in the aim of reinforcing and supporting the uprising of the “Kuwaiti citizen” in all fields.

Meanwhile, Sheikh Salman praised all initiatives and recent theatre presentations, highlighting the importance of adopting children and youth theatre.

“We look forward to the National Council’s active role in spreading awareness and adopting projects and cultural activities in the country,: he said.

“We are at a stage in need of investing in national manpower in various fields of the country”, adding “we look forward to finding strategies for tourism and entertainment through various programs within the National Council”. The Committee consists of its head Dr Hamad Al-Habad, Deputy Dr Haila Al-Mukaimi, Dr Wafa Al-Saif, Engineer Mahmoud Al-Musawi, Khalifa Al-Failkawi and Rawan Al-Jesmi. —KUNA

in order to improve performance and upgrade work in the Bank. In addition, the Bank’s Training Division strives to adopt the best training programs and plans and e-learning technologies and techniques that keep pace with international training levels.

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

In cooperation with GUST, the Academic Partner, the Academy provides the Bank’s staff with a number of training programs by giving them the opportunity to get 55% of the of MBA credits, and 50% of Bachelor’s credits. A group of the teaching staff of the University possessing academic and practical experience in addition to internationally certified trainers in training and development in Boubyan Bank have executed these specialized training programs in many fields comprising accounting, finance, banking sciences, management and leadership for the Bank’s managers and staff joining ITQAN Academy as well as the MBA program and Bachelor’s degree in specialized administrative sciences.

KRCS launches second stage of ‘Loaf of Bread’ for refugees BEIRUT: Kuwait Red Crescent Society (KRCS) announced here yesterday launching the second stage of “loaf of bread” project in Lebanon to aid Syrian refugees in cooperation with the Lebanese Red Cross Society (LRCS).

The KRCS head envoy, Musaad AlEnizi said that the project will be implemented in three stages starting next Thursday. The first stage includes distributing bread loaves to a total of 3,000 families of Syrian refugees in the northern port city of Tripoli for a whole month, while the second stage would start next Friday in Akkar, the northernmost province of the country, by

offering bread loaves to 3,500 families, whereas the third stage will kick off in coastal town of Sidon by next Monday, offering bread loaves to 2,500 families of Syrian refugees, Al-Enizi affirmed.

KRCS will supply the Syrian refugees with 3,800,000 bread loaves to be distributed to 9,000 families of Syrian refugees on a daily basis for a whole month besides one liter of olive oil for each family.

KRCS contracted with several bakeries in Tripoli, Akkar and Sidon to implement the project perfectly, and deliver the bread at the required speed, especially that the needs of

Syrian refugees are increasing on daily basis. Al-Enizi hailed the effort exerted

by KRCS Chairman Barjas Al-Barjas in following up with the humanitarian efforts of the society in countries hosting the Syrian refugees.

United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) spokeswoman Dana Suleiman, in remarks to KUNA, praised the humanitarian aid offered

by Kuwait to Syrian refugees, and hailed the distinguished role of KRCS in this field. The needs of the Syrian refugees are greatly increasing after they reached a total of 397,000, she affirmed.— KUNA

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 3, 2013

LOCAL

KUWAIT: Public Relations Director at the Fire Department, Lt Col Khalil Al-Amir, delivered an informative lecture in both Arabic and English language to the workers at the JW Marriott Hotel yesterday. During the lecture and live demonstration that focused on ways to use fire fighting equipment and how to carry out an evacuation till firefightersí arrival, Al-Amir advised that the best strategy was to stay calm and not let confusion prevail.

KOC projects progressing in full swing KUWAIT: Deputy Managing Director of Services at Kuwait Oil Company (KOC) Ismail Abdullah said yesterday that the company has a number of projects aimed to develop Ahmadi City.

Abdullah told reporters that KOC has started off with the rehabilitation of markets and buildings as initial projects. He added during the opening of the 8th travel and tourism exhibition today organized by

KOC that the company aims to develop Ahmadi City to become more distinctive and beautiful, noting that an adequate budget has been earmarked for these projects. As for the new Ahmadi Hospital building, Abdullah explained that the work is progressing well and in full swing, saying the hospital would serve all the workers in the oil sector. He said the new hospital would be opened in 2015. — KUNA

MPs to examine oil installations KUWAIT: The National Assembly will form a delegation to inspect Mina Mubarak, border marks and oil installations located along the northern borders of the country.

The parliament, during a regular session yesterday, approved a request by a member of the assembly to form the delegation for this inspection mission. The bureau of the assembly will be tasked with establishing it. MPs, during yesterday’s session, in response to a written request by the chairman of the parliamentary committee of health and social affairs, approved adjourning the period for presenting its report regarding condition of public hospitals, health insurance for Kuwaitis and privatization of health services to the next session. The issue of medical treatment abroad was exempted for further investigation.

They okayed another letter, presented by the head of the parliamentary health committee, requesting that the Audit

Bureau be tasked with preparing a study about the treatment abroad in the fiscal years 2012-2011 and 2012-2013. The study should be submitted to the assembly within three months.

They also responded positively to request by Minister of State for Planning and Development and Minister of State for National Assembly Affairs Dr. Rola Dashti for specializing the Thursday session for following on recommendations of the security issues’ session, discussing health topics and delaying debates on demographic issue and unemployment to later sessions.

Discussing two other proposals was delayed for two weeks, upon a government request, one related to the formation of a temporary committee for examining recent personnel promotion in the oil sector and the other concerning the formation of a fact-finding commission to ponder problems involving Kuwaiti students in Jordan. — KUNA

Foul play suspected in death of Egyptian Officer hurt in car chase KUWAIT: Police on Monday recovered the body of a man, half-buried in the ground in Shaddadiya near a major university project, after a security guard noticed it and called to alert them. Examination carried out by criminal investigators revealed that the victim sustained a fatal blow to the head, leading detectives to suspect that foul play was involved.

The victim was identified as a 30-year-old Egyptian man after detectives found his wallet in his pocket. Preliminary investigations indicated that the man was likely to have been killed 24 hours before the body was discovered. The body was taken to the forensic department after crime scene investigators examined the scene.

Search for rapists Police are looking to identify and arrest three male suspec ts accused of sexually assaulting two teenagers they kidnapped in Salmiya recently. According to the police report, the suspects first kidnapped one boy and then forced another into their vehicle before driving to a remote location where they assaulted them physically and sexually. The two Jordanian teenagers headed to the area’s police station after the suspects left them and escaped.

Student killed A student died in Sulaibikhat after he was hit by a car on his way home. Paramedics rushed to the scene shortly after the accident was reported, and pronounced the Egyptian boy dead on the spot. The body was taken to

the coroner while a Kuwaiti driver who reportedly accidentally ended up hitting the child was taken into custody for further action.

Officer hurt A policeman was seriously wounded while being in pursuit of three suspects who were caught in Hawally for possessing drugs. Two patrol officers gave a chase to a vehicle after the driver ignored orders to pull over for reckless driving. They were able to intercept and stop the car and then arrested two Kuwaiti men while their third accomplice managed to escape on foot. The suspects were referred to the Drug Control General Department after 13 drug pills were found from their car. The officer reportedly fractured his knee while trying to overpower the suspects who put up strong resistance.

Farwaniya crackdown More than 40 women were arrested on Sunday on charges of prostitution during an operation carried out in Al-Farwaniya.

Security officers reportedly raided nine homes during the crackdown after obtaining warrants based on investigations which confirmed that the places were being used for illegal activities. A total of 46 women, described as “prostitutes” in the police repor t, were arrested. Three of the detainees are African nationals while the rest belong to different Asian nationalities. The women were taken to the proper authorities for further action, along with a number of men who were also caught during the campaign.

Theft cases Two thieves impersonated as police officers to commit a theft in Jahra recently. Officers at the area’s police station were approached by two Iranian men who complained of having been robbed of KD5000 and a cell phone. They explained that two people in national dress (dishdasha) approached them at their work place and then stole their belongings after claiming that they were investigation officers.

Probe is on.

Meanwhile, Hawally police nabbed an Egyptian man who duped many pedestrians of their cell phones by claiming to be in an emergency situation and borrowing their phones.

Investigations began to trace the suspect after a number of Asian men reported losing their phones in the same fashion. The suspect would reportedly approach his victim and ask to make an important phone call, then escape as soon as he was handed the cell phone. The man was caught red-handed in an ambush near a building in the area while he was trying to rob a pedestrian.

Ingrate son Search is on for a young man who reportedly tried to assault his father when his request to buy a new car was rejected. Police were called on Sunday night to an Andalus house where the incident was reported. The youngster reportedly went berserk after his father asked him to wait till he learnt to drive better before he buys him a brand new car. He reportedly tried to attack his father but his older brother intervened. He disappeared before police arrived at the scene.

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 3, 2013

Jerusalem deal boosts Jordan in Holy City

Indian court ends travel ban on Italy ambassador Page 11

Page 8

KERBET AL-KHALDIYE: A Syrian woman carries her children near their makeshift refugee camp in the mountains in the area of Kherbet Al-Khaldiye, on the Syria-Turkey border. — AFP

Displaced Syrians eat herbs to survive Air raids force thousands to flee News

in brief

Saudi deports Yemenis SANAA: Thousands of Yemeni workers have been expelled from Saudi Arabia after it imposed new labor constraints affecting millions of expatriates in the oil-rich kingdom, an official said yesterday. The new regulations introduced by the Saudi labor ministry aim to reduce the number of foreign workers to create jobs for millions of unemployed Saudis.

“Thousands of Yemenis had to leave Saudi Arabia. They were victims of an arbitrary application of the new regulations,” a Yemeni government official said. He said workers saw their residency permits torn into pieces by Saudi government representatives. Under the new rules, foreigners are allowed to work only for their legal sponsors in the kingdom while their spouses cannot take up jobs. Many foreigners enter Saudi Arabia on the sponsorship of a Saudi national but end up working for others, or set up their own businesses. Around one million Yemenis live in neighboring Saudi Arabia, transferring around $4 billion annually to their impoverished nation, according to non-official estimates.

‘Restoring BBC’s reputation’ LONDON: New BBC director-general Tony Hall took up his post yesterday, starting the task of restoring the reputation of the world’s biggest broadcaster that has been rocked by a child sex abuse scandal. Hall walked into the BBC’s Broadcasting House headquarters in central London to tackle an in-tray topped with the fallout from police investigations which concluded that the corporation’s late presenter Jimmy Savile was one of Britain’s most prolific sex offenders.

The British Broadcasting Corporation was subsequently damaged by a botched television report wrongly indicating that a lawmaker was a paedophile.

KHERBET AL-KHALDIYEH: For millions of Syrians displaced by fighting, every day is a struggle to survive, and for those in Kherbet Al-Khaldiye, that means eating and drinking whatever they can forage. “We eat herbs and collect stagnant rainwater to drink and wash in,” says 24-year-old Hisham, his head covered in a red and white chequered keffiyeh scarf. Hisham, who sports a budding blonde beard, was about to enter university when the fighting that has engulfed Syria erupted in 2011. Now he has joined the wave of his compatriots displaced by the conflict. In Kherbet Al-Khaldiyeh, a makeshift camp near the Turkish border, Hisham shows off a nearly-dry rivulet of water, infested with fungi and insects, surrounded by a swarm of children, many of whom have contracted skin infections because of the dirty water. Naida, 35, has seven young children. She bathes them in the infested water because the nearest clean water supply is several kilometers away.

“We pick herbs like mint and mallow in the countryside and we cook them. We don’t have anything else to eat,” she says. “My husband used to work in a quarry, breaking stone, but now we have no more resources and no one to help us. Once we brought a kilo of potatoes per family-how can we all live on a potato a week?” Every so often, along with a group of other women, Naida goes to the nearest village in search of potable water. “We carry the cans on our heads for several miles,” she says, her blue eyes faded with exhaustion. Ibrahim, 25, was living in a village near the Minnigh airport-a key flashpoint between Syrian rebel forces and the regime. The non-stop air raids and shelling eventually forced him to flee, along with his two sons, and around 20 other families. His village was able to save a few of their animals and bring them along. “Each day we slaughter a chicken like that one,” he says, glancing at a paltry specimen as it passes. “That chicken would be for all of us, can you imagine how much each person gets?” he says with a bitter smile.

More than a million Syrians have left the country since peaceful protests against the regime of President Bashar AlAssad erupted in March 2011, spiraling into a civil war after his forces unleashed a brutal crackdown on dissent. But not everyone is able to cross the border and escape the violence, with many lacking passports or sufficient money to make the journey. Those residents have been forced to seek the safest places they can within Syria.

For the roughly 100 people here, the safest place available was this strip of countryside in Aleppo province, where they live among the scattered remains of Roman ruins, a few kilometers from the Turkish border. At first, they were living in holes in the

Saleh hospitalized RIYADH: Former Yemeni president Ali Abdullah Saleh, who has been accused of meddling in his country’s fragile political transition, was in Saudi Arabia yesterday for treatment, a Yemeni diplomat said. Saleh arrived for medical tests and treatment in the Saudi capital on Monday, his party, General People’s Congress (GPC), said. He spent time recovering in a Riyadh hospital in June 2011 after an attack on his compound left him seriously wounded. A Yemeni diplomat confirmed to AFP that Saleh was in Riyadh and sources in the GPC said that Saudi Arabia chartered a plane to take him to the kingdom. Saleh was admitted to hospital, the head of the GPC parliamentary bloc, Sultan Al-Barakani, said. He did not elaborate on the nature of the treatment. After 33 years as Yemen’s head of state, Saleh left power in February 2012 as part of an agreement for the transition of power in the country, which also gave him and his family immunity from prosecution. He last visited Saudi Arabia in November 2011, when he travelled to Riyadh to sign the transitional agreement in the presence of Saudi King Abdullah, one of the plan’s main sponsors. —Agencies

ground, lined with straw to provide some protection against the cold and the snow, Naida says. Now they have managed to get tents marked with the logo of the United Nations refugee agency UNHCR. In cold and unhealthy living conditions, the little makeshift village also struggles on with almost no access to

medicine, particularly for sick children.

“By the time they get to the nearest pharmacy, in Azaz (in northern Syria) or in Turkey, the child is dead,” 25-year-old Issa says, dressed in a warm coat in camouflage colours that came from Syrian rebel fighters.

Seated on a stone, set back from the

other residents, 80-year-old Rajab observes the life of the makeshift village in the middle of nowhere. “Under the tent, you feel the wind, the cold,” says Rajab, the patriarch of a family of 40 people. “Who can live in these conditions? Look around you, who can live like this?” —AFP

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 3, 2013

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

Jerusalem deal boosts Jordan in Holy City AMMAN: A Jordan-Palestinian deal entrusting King Abdullah II with the defense of Muslim holy sites in Jerusalem appears to be aimed at engaging Amman in future peace talks with Israel, experts say. The deal signed

between the Jordanian monarch and Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas on Sunday confirmed a verbal agreement dating back to 1924 that gave the kingdom custodianship over the city’s holy sites.

But its timing, hot on the heels of a March 20-24 regional tour by US President Barack Obama, has intrigued analysts with some linking it to the deadlocked peace process and others seeing it as a possible shield against future

JERUSALEM: A general view shows Al-Aqsa Mosque (center) and the Dome of the Rock in the old city of Jerusalem. A deal signed between the Jordanian King Abdullah II and Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas has confirmed a verbal agreement dating back to 1924 that gave the kingdom custodianship over the city’s holy sites. —AFP

action by Israel. “It might be a sign for the start of efforts led by Obama to resume peace talks as it shows that the Palestinian Authority and Jordan have creative solutions for Jerusalem,” said Oraib Rintawi, head of the Al-Quds Centre for Political Studies.

“It boosts Jordan’s role in the Jerusalem question, giving legal and political means to tackle the issue internationally with the recognition of the Palestinians and Israel.” On Sunday the king and Abbas stressed their “common goal to defending” Jerusalem and its sacred sites against attempts to Judaise the Holy City, particularly the flashpoint Al-Aqsa mosque compound. “In this historic agreement, Abbas reiterated that the king is the custodian of holy sites in Jerusalem and that he has the right to exert all legal efforts to preserve them, especially Al-Aqsa mosque,” the palace said in a statement.

The status of Jerusalem is one of the most contentious issues in the long-running Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and the Al-Aqsa compound is the scene of frequent clashes between Palestinians and Israelis. Israel, which occupied Arab east Jerusalem during the 1967 Six-Day War and later annexed it, claims both halves of the city to be its “eternal and undivided capital”, a move that has not been recognised by the international community.

But the Palestinians want the

eastern sector as the capital of their promised state and fiercely oppose any Israeli attempt to extend sovereignty there. The AlAqsa mosque compound is referred to as the Temple Mount by Jews and Al-Haram Al-Sharif by Muslims. It houses both the Dome of the Rock and Al-Aqsa mosqueIslam’s third holiest shrines-and is venerated by Jews as the site where King Herod’s temple stood before it was destroyed by the Romans in 70 AD. ‘SOMETHING’S COOKING’ “The agreement indicates that something is cooking and that steps are expected very soon to find a Palestinian-Israeli settlement,” said political analyst Labib Kamhawi.

“The deal helps Jordan become publicly more active in Palestinian territories.” But Kamhawi said he was “pessimistic” and the timing was “suspicious”. “I think Israel is planning to do something in Jerusalem and the agreement was necessary to help clear the way. We might see developments that are not in the interest of Jerusalem or the Palestinians.”

Rintawi said the deal also backs the 1994 Jordanian-Israeli peace treaty. “It completes articles related to the custodianship of holy sites.

At the same time it clears any misunderstanding about custodianship matters and competition between Jordan and the

Palestinians.” Article 9 of the peace treaty says Israel recognizes Jordan’s “special role in protecting” Muslim shrines in Jerusalem.

Jordanian and Palestinian officials insist Sunday’s agreement has nothing to do with the peace process. “Although it could be true that the agreement came following increased Israeli Judaisation campaigns, it is not related to peace negotiations,” a senior palace officials said on condition of anonymity.

“The main reason is to pave the way for Jordanian legal defense of Muslim holy sites in the region, particularly that Al-Aqsa is under direct danger by Israel.” The Palestinian ambassador to Jordan, Atallah Khairy, agreed. “The Jordanian custodianship in Jerusalem is very essential because any legal vacuum in the Holy City will be exploited by Israel,” he said, adding that “the king had been feeling that Israeli schemes in the city were growing.”

Jordan administers the Muslim holy sites in Jerusalem through its ministry of Awqaf and religious affairs. Abbas on Monday told reporters in Ramallah that the deal consolidates past agreements with Jordan, has nothing to do with Obama’s visit and is not related “at all with the negotiations”. Direct talks between Israel and the Palestinians collapsed in autumn 2010 in an intractable spat over settlement building.—AFP

Kurdish-Turkey peace process faces impasse PKK demands legal guarantees for withdrawal ISTANBUL: Turkey’s peace process with Kurdish militants faces a hurdle as the rebels demand legal protection to prevent any military attack on them during their planned withdrawal after decades of fighting, a call rejected by the government. The Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) declared a ceasefire with Turkey last month in response to an order from its jailed leader Abdullah Ocalan after months of talks with Ankara to halt a conflict which has killed more than 40,000.

The next planned step is a withdrawal of PKK fighters from Turkish territory to their bases in the mountains of northern Iraq, but the militants say they could be vulnerable to attack from Turkish troops unless parliament gives them legal protection. “The guerrillas cannot withdraw unless a legal foundation is prepared and measures are taken, because guerrillas suffered major attacks when they left in the past,” PKK commander Cemil Bayik told Kurdish Nuce TV in an interview aired late on Monday.

Hundreds of PKK fighters are estimated to have been killed in clashes with security forces during a previous withdrawal in 1999 after Ocalan’s capture and conviction for treason.

Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan has said he guarantees there would be no repeat of such clashes

but is against legislation, instead saying the rebels should disarm before withdrawing to remove the risk of firefights with Turkish forces.

“We don’t care where those withdrawing leave their weapons or even whether they bury them. They must put them down and go.

Because otherwise this situation is very open to provocation,” Erdogan said in a television interview late on Friday. Milliyet newspaper reported security sources as saying about 700 of 1,500 PKK militants believed to be in Turkey may be allowed to reintegrate into society rather than withdrawing as they have not taken part in armed attacks.

POLITICAL RISK The PKK has rejected a withdrawal without legal protection. “A withdrawal as called for by Erdogan is not on our movement’s agenda,” PKK leaders in northern Iraq said at the weekend, calling for government action to advance the peace process. “It is essential for the lasting and healthy development of the process that some concrete, practical steps are taken in order to convince our forces,” the group said in a statement.

Erdogan has taken a considerable political risk in allowing negotiations with Ocalan, reviled by most Turks, to unfold publicly. The government has said little about what reforms it would

make to persuade the PKK to disarm. The PKK, designated a terrorist group by Turkey, the United States and European Union, launched its insurgency in 1984 with the aim of carving out an independent state in mainly Kurdish southeast Turkey, but later moderated its goal to autonomy.

Pro-Kurdish politicians are focused on boosting minority rights and stronger local government for the Kurds, who make up about 20 percent of Turkey’s population of 75 million people.

Erdogan said he would meet on Thursday members of a “wise people” commission who will prepare a report on the peace process for the government within one month. The pro-Kurdish Peace and Democracy Party (BDP) is separately calling for a parliamentary commission to monitor the process.

Efforts to resolve the legal protection dispute are likely to top the agenda in planned talks between a BDP delegation and Ocalan in his jail on Imrali island, south of Istanbul. The visit is expected this weekend, a Justice Ministry official said. The visit, which may bring an order from Ocalan for the withdrawal to begin, will follow celebrations by Ocalan’s supporters to mark his birthday on April 4 at his birthplace in southeast Turkey. —Reuters

Sudan frees 7 political prisoners KHARTOUM: Sudan freed seven political prisoners yesterday, a day after President Omar Hassan Al-Bashir ordered the release of all such detainees. The amnesty came after Sudan and South Sudan agreed in March to end hostilities and resume cross-border oil flows after coming close to war a year ago. Khartoum had accused its southern neighbor of supporting rebels trying to topple Bashir.

Seven members of an opposition group were released from Kober prison in Khartoum at dawn on Tuesday, witnesses said. They had been held since January after being accused of meeting a group of Sudanese rebels in Uganda who planned to overthrow Bashir. Farouk Abu Issa, head of the National Consensus Forces grouping of the main opposition parties, confirmed the release of the seven.

“We demand all other political prisoners be released,” he said.

Rights groups have accused the government of holding an unspecified number of dissidents since the security services cracked down on small protests against austerity measures unveiled by Bashir last year. In February, a UN human rights expert visiting Sudan said authorities were holding opposition figures and other detainees without trial and denying them urgent medical care. Bashir did not say when, and how many, prisoners would be released in his speech to parliament on Monday.

“I announce today my decision to release all political prisoners,” said the president, in power since 1989. “I also renew a commitment to create a climate to hold a national dialogue with the other political forces.” Issa called for Bashir to take further measures, including lifting a ban on newspapers which had been critical of the government.

Sudan’s weak and fractured opposition have tried to bring “Arab Spring” protests to Khartoum, but failed to mobilize mass support.

Vice President Ali Osman Taha last week invited rebel groups to help prepare a new constitution following the secession of South Sudan in July 2011. Khartoum has accused Juba of backing rebels of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-North (SPLM-North) which took up arms in two border states around the time of South Sudan’s declaration of independence. Rebels of the SPLMNorth sided with the south during the civil war with Khartoum that led up to South Sudan’s secession but were left inside Sudan after the partition. —Reuters

KHARTOUM: A political prisoner from Kober prison greets a relative following his release in the early hours of yesterday, after Sudanese President Omar Al-Bashir said that he will release all political detainees. —AFP

CAIRO: Egyptian satirist and television host Bassem Youssef is surrounded by his supporters upon his arrival at the public prosecutor’s office in the high court in Cairo. —AFP

Egypt launches fresh probe against satirist CAIRO: Egypt’s prosecution is probing complaints of “threatening public security” against popular satirist Bassem Youssef, who is already on bail facing charges of insulting the president and offending Islam. Judicial sources and Youssef said the public prosecutor ordered the probe on Monday following a complaint by a lawyer.

The state security prosecution, which handles national security cases, will conduct the investigation. “A new complaint against me has been referred to state security prosecution, for spreading rumors and false news, and disturbing public tranquility after the last episode,” Youssef wrote on Twitter. “It seems they want to drain us physically, emotionally and financially,” he added.

The prosecutor also ordered an investigation into complaints against two journalists over a television program that discussed Youssef’s case, a source from the prosecutor’s office said. One of the journalists, Shaimaa Aboul El Kir, who works as a Middle East consultant for the New Yorkbased Committee to Protect Journalists, said she was being investigated for an interview in which she defended Youssef. “I attended Youssef’s questioning and then did an intervention on television. They (the complainants) consider what I did as a ‘disturbing to public security’,” she said.

Prosecutors are also investigating Jaber Al-Qarmuti, the anchor El Kir spoke to on the show aired by the private television channel ONTV. Judicial sources said Youssef is being investigated along with the head of the CBC television channel which airs his weekly program Albernameg (The Show), which is modeled on Jon Stewart’s satirical The Daily Show. The complaint against them appears to accuse Youssef of stoking criticism of Islamists and obliquely calling

for a “civil war”.

Youssef, who regularly skewers the country’s ruling Islamists on his wildly popular show, was released on $2,200 bail on Sunday after an interrogation that lasted nearly five hours. He was questioned on accusations of offending Islam through “making fun of the prayer ritual” and of insulting President Mohamed Morsi by “making fun of his international standing.”

He now joins the ranks of several colleagues in the media who face charges of insulting the president.

The soaring number of legal complaints against journalists has cast doubt on Morsi’s commitment to freedom of expression-a key demand of the popular uprising that toppled Hosni Mubarak in 2011. The United States on Monday expressed concern at the proceedings against Youssef, saying it was evidence of a “disturbing trend” of mounting restrictions on freedom of expression. “We are concerned that the public prosecutor appears to have questioned and then released on bail Bassem Youssef on charges of insulting Islam and President Morsi,” US State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said in Washington.

“This, coupled with recent arrest warrants issued for other political activists, is evidence of a disturbing trend of growing restrictions on the freedom of expression.”

Under Egypt’s legal system, complaints are filed to the public prosecutor, who decides whether there is enough evidence to refer the case to trial. Suspects can be detained during this stage of investigation. Rights lawyers say there have been four times as many lawsuits for insulting the president under Morsi than during the entire 30 years that Mubarak ruled.—AFP

Gunmen attack Iraq’s gasfield, kill 3 workers BAGHDAD: Gunmen attacked a contracting company in Iraq’s Akkas gasfield on Monday, killing at least three local workers and kidnapping two more before burning their camp in the remote western desert. Akkas, operated by Korea Gas Company (KOGAS) in Anbar province near the Syrian border, is still not producing gas.

But the attack is another indication of increased insurgent presence along the frontier where Syria’s war is spilling into Iraq. “Gunmen in vehicles attacked the headquarters of a local company hired by KOGAS to do work in the field,” said the mayor of nearby Al Qaim town, Farhan Ftaikhan. “They killed an engineer and two workers and kidnapped two more. Before they left they set fire to vehicles and offices.”

No group claimed responsibility for the late-night assault, but security officials say the local wing of AlQaeda, the Islamic State of Iraq, is regaining ground in the remote hills, caves and villages along the Syrian border.

Ten years after the US-led invasion, Iraq still struggles with political instability and Sunni Islamist fighters who often attack Shiite Muslims to try to provoke the kind of sectarian confrontation that killed thousands at the height of the war.

But Al-Qaeda in Iraq is also now linked to Sunni Islamists fighting in neighboring Syria. Officials say it has been invigorated by arms, insurgents and support flowing to rebels battling against President Bashar Al-Assad across the border. The Akkas strike was the second large attack

on Monday. Earlier, a suicide bomber driving a fuel tanker packed with explosives hit a local government compound and killed at least nine people in the northern city of Tikrit.

Attacks on Iraq’s energy sector are less common, and usually hit pipelines, as country builds up its oil production to more than 3 million barrels per day after signing massive deals with foreign companies to develop its reserves.

Iraq, which holds the world’s 10th largest gas reserves, has said the priority for the Akkas field would be domestic consumption once it starts production. Baghdad signed a final deal for the field, which has reserves of 5.6 trillion cubic feet, in October 2011 after months of delays because of disagreements between the central government and Anbar provincial officials over terms. —Reuters

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 3, 2013

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

EU troops begin Mali training mission BAMAKO: The EU began a top-to-toe overhaul of Mali’s ragtag army yesterday to help its soldiers take the place of foreign troops defending the west African nation against an Islamist insurgency. The first of four battalions arrived in Koulikoro, 60 kilometers from the capital Bamako, to train under battle -hardened European instructors as part of a wider effort to bring the army up to scratch as quickly as possible.

“The 570 men of the Malian army have just arrived at the training site in Koulikoro,” Lieutenant-Colonel Philippe de Cussac, spokesman for the European Union Training Mission in Mali (EUTM) said. “Initially, the training will be very general. Afterwards, there will be a specialized training in telecommunications, ar tiller y and engineering. We will also train special forces elite snipers.” Around 200 trainers will come from France, the United Kingdom, Sweden, Finland, Lithuania, Luxembourg and Ireland, de Cussac said.

France, which sent 4,000 troops to its former colony in January to block an advance on the capital from the north by Al-Qaeda-linked fighters, is the lead country in the 10-week mission. Paris is preparing to hand over to

a UN-mandated African force of 6,300 in the coming weeks, placing a spotlight on M ali ’s poorly-paid, illequipped and badly-organized armed forces.

The Malian military fell apart last year when well-armed Islamist extremists seized the country’s vast northern desert, terrorizing locals with amputations and executions performed under a brutal interpretation of sharia Islamic law. The French-led intervention quickly drove out the insurgents but significant pockets of resistance remain in the Ifoghas mountains as well as in the northern cities of Gao and Timbuktu.

I n the latest spate of violence, Islamist gunmen used the confusion created by a suicide bomber on Saturday to infiltrate Timbuktu and engage French and Malian troops in fighting that left at least eight rebels, a soldier and a civilian dead. A spokesman for the M ovement for Oneness and Jihad in West Africa, one of three armed Islamist groups operating in northern Mali, was quoted by the Mauritanian online news portal ANI, as threatening France and its allies with “more jihadist actions”.

Around half of the estimated 6,000 remaining Malian troops will train over the next year with the EUTM, which

will run on a budget of 12.3 million euros ($15.8 million), with a first batch expected to be ready for combat in the north by early July. Once trained, each of the four Mali battalions will have a unified command with an infantrymobile core, backed by artillery and engineering, and a logistics component. French General Francois Lecointre, who heads the EUTM, said the Malian army’s poor and “heterogeneous” equipment, made up of material donated by richer nations over two decades, was a big problem for the mission.

The bigger issue however is the army’s lack of a clear hierarchy and chain of command, with little team spirit, he said. The United States had initially begun an ambitious program to train a new generation of Malian officers as part of a counter-terrorism program in North and West Africa but the effort ended in embarrassment for Washington. One of the officers who attended several courses with the US military, Captain Amadou Sanago, led a coup against the Malian government last March, prompting Washington to suspend its security assistance.

And when militants pushed out of the north last year, some of the Malian army units ended up defecting, with

Napolitano hosts talks as deadlock drags on ROME: Italian President Giorgio Napolitano yesterday hosted experts from two working groups aimed at finding common ground for bickering political leaders who have failed to form a new government as Prime Minister Mario Monti’s cabinet limps on. Elections in the euro-zone’s third largest economy more than a month ago resulted in a threeway split between Pier Luigi Bersani’s centre-left, Silvio Berlusconi’s centreright and a new protest party led by former comedian Beppe Grillo.

Talks have proved inconclusive and Napolitano on Saturday said he was setting up two working groups-one for political reforms, the other for economic ones-as a way of trying to forge an agreement at least on a few fundamental reforms. The groups include constitutional expert Valerio Onida and will look into cutting bureaucratic costs and reducing the number of lawmakers in the Italian parliament - 945 including deputies in the lower house and senators in the upper house.

Emergency economic measures are also on the agenda as the country

endures its sixth consecutive quarter of recession and the unemployment rate remains close to record highs at 11.6 percent. Some experts say Napolitano’s initiative could be aimed at forging a crossparty government deal similar to the one struck in the Netherlands in October 2012 two months after inconclusive polls. But Berlusconi’s People of Freedom party has already criticized the move as a delaying tactic, insisting there should be new elections if no solution can be found to the deadlock. A recent poll indicated that the 76-year-old Berlusconi-a scandal-tainted billionaire tycoon who has called for the abolition of an unpopular property tax imposed by Monti and criticized Germany’s role in Europe would win elections. “The house is burning. No one would understand more delays,” said Angelino Alfano, secretary general of Berlusconi’s People of Freedom party.

The SWG poll published last week gave Berlusconi 32.5 percent compared to 29.6 percent for Bersani.

“Napolitano wanted to send a reassuring signal... and show that 10 intelligent and well-intentioned people can

agree on some useful objectives for the future of the country,” said Sergio Romano, a columnist for the Corriere della Sera daily. The 87-year-old Napolitano’s tactic appeared to be working, with borrowing costs down and the Milan stock market trading in positive territory after falling slightly at the start of the session.

Napolitano considered resigning over the crisis but was persuaded not to by European Central Bank chief Mario Draghi, Italian media reported.

A resignation “would have exposed the country to a very grave risk in terms of its international credibility,” Ugo De Siervo, former head of Italy’s top court, said in La Repubblica daily. De Siervo said Napolitano’s plan was to “encourage the parties to show greater responsibility” and prepare for the end of his mandate on May 15, by which time parliament has to elect a new president. Napolitano cannot call new elections because he is in the last months of his seven-year mandate but his successor would be able to do so. Monti’s government will stay in place with interim powers until a new government is formed.— AFP

UK ‘plotted’ to kill Congo’s Lumumba LONDON: A former British intelligence officer claimed that Britain played a role in the assassination of Congolese independence hero Patrice Lumumba, one of her friends has told the British media. Before she died three years ago, Daphne Park-who was sent as an MI6 officer to the Belgian Congo in 1959 - told a fellow member of Britain’s House of Lords that she had helped coordinate Britain’s role in Lumumba’s elimination two years later.

The claim will spark surprise because the former colonial power Belgium concluded in 2001 that it had a “moral responsibility” in the assassination of Lumumba, Congo’s first democraticallyelected prime minister. David Lea said in a letter to the London Review of Books that he had a conversation with Park in 2009 — a year before she died-in which they discussed the likelihood of Britain’s MI6 foreign intelligence agency being involved in Lumumba’s death. “It so happens that I was having a cup of tea with Daphne Park a few months before she died,” Lea said.

“I mentioned the uproar surrounding Lumumba’s abduction and murder, and recalled the theory that MI6 might have had something to do with it. ‘We did,’ she replied. ‘I organized it’.” “It was a conversation-stopper. I was stunned,” Lea said, adding that he concluded from the exchange that whoever was directly culpable for Lumumba’s death, the British government was “at the centre of the spider’s web”. His letter was in response to a new book on the British secret services called “Empire of Secrets: British Intelligence, the Cold War and the Twilight of Empire”.

Park is said to have had a high degree of influence in the region after she was appointed consul and first secretary in Leopoldville-now known as Kinshasa-in 1959, one year before Congo won its independence from Belgium. The CIA is also believed to have played a role in organizing the plot to eliminate Lumumba, because of his growing alliance with the Soviet Union.

Lumumba was killed by firing squad after a coup led by JosephDesire Mobutu. Mobutu renamed the country Zaire. It is now known as the Democratic Republic of Congo. Lumumba’s death is to be the subject of a judicial probe in Belgium after a court gave the go-ahead last year.— AFP

LEOPOLDVILLE: File picture taken in December 1960, shows soldiers guarding Patrice Lumumba (right), Prime Minister of then Congo-Kinshasa, and Joseph Okito (left), vice-president of the Senate, upon their arrest in Leopoldville (now Kinshasa). — AFP

Tanzania quarry collapse kills 13 ARUSHA: At least 13 people were killed in the northern Tanzanian city of Arusha when the sides of a quarry caved in, a local official said yesterday. “There are 13 dead but rescuers managed to save two people,” said Mulongo Magessa, governor of Arusha province, of the accident that took place late Monday morning, days after a building collapse killed 36 people in the east African nation’s commercial capital.

“One person remains in hospital, the other has been released,” Magessa added. Those who died were believed to have been digging in the small quarry for rocks and sand for use at construction projects in Arusha. Security forces and local volunteers pulled out the bodies of the victims on Monday, local media said. Tanzania has been hit by heavy seasonal rains causing flash floods that weakened the sides of the quarry, which is understood to have been illegal. Digging at the site was declared illegal in 2006 after a similar incident in which several people died.

Meanwhile, rescuers said they had ended the search in the port city of Dar es Salaam four days after the building collapse, saying the final number killed in that accident was 36.

“We have now called off the rescue operation,” the city’s commissioner Saidi Mecky Sadicky told reporters. Two children were among the dead. Local residents had turned out to supply rescuers with food, water and medication.

“I want to thank all those who participated in this exercise, the people of Dar es Salaam and Tanzania will forever be grateful,” Sadicky added. Between 60 and 70 were initially thought to have been around the partially-built 16-storey building when it came crashing down on Friday morning in the Kisutu area of the coastal city. Sadicky said investigations were continuing into the cause of the building collapse, and that police were holding eight people for questioning.

Dar es Salaam, a major port for east Africa and home to some four million people, is rapidly expanding, and is one of the world’s fastest growing cities, according to United Nations figures. Construction projects crowd the city, including several high-rise developments, although the majority of people live in simple, informal housing.—AFP

weapons and hardware falling into the hands of Islamist militants. It was a sobering outcome for the US, which has touted the idea of training foreign armies to fight terror threats instead of launching more ground wars with

American troops. The experience helped shape the Obama administration’s cautious response to the French military intervention in Mali, with the US providing only limited support to French forces.— AFP

TIMBUKTU: Malian soldiers enter the historic city of Timbuktu occupied for 10 months by Islamists who imposed a harsh form of sharia.— AFP

19 killed in Nigeria

Communities battle in volatile central Nigeria KANO: Weekend attacks on three communities in volatile and ethnically divided central Nigeria have left 19 people dead and displaced some 4,500 others, a local official said yesterday.

The attacks were believed to be reprisals in a dispute involving mainly Muslim Fulanis and the mostly Christian Atakar ethnic group.

“From the death toll we’ve compiled, 19 people including women and children were killed by gunmen we suspect to be Fulani herdsmen in attacks on three communities on Saturday night through Sunday,” local government official Kumai Badu said of the violence in the Kaura district, a remote region of Kaduna state.

Fulanis in the area tend to be nomadic herdsmen, while Atakar are mainly farmers. Land disputes often flare up between the two groups. Badu added that some 4,500 people were displaced and two camps had been set up to house them. “Apart from the gun

attacks, the assailants also set fire to homes,” he said. Kaduna state police commissioner Olufemi Adenaike confirmed that “some villages were attacked by gunmen suspected to be Fulani”, but said he could not yet provide a death toll.

“There has been some misunderstanding between the Fulani and the Atakar communities for some time,” he said. “We have dispatched our men for a thorough assessment of the situation.”

Southern Kaduna state, where the attack occurred, is located in the Middle Belt region dividing Nigeria’s mainly Christian south and its mostly Muslim north. Hundreds were killed in riots in southern Kaduna after 2011 elections, with most of the victims Muslim, according to Human Rights Watch.

Speaking of the weekend violence, Badu said “the attack we believe was in response to the poisoning of some herds by some local farmers over encroachment into their farmlands”.

Dozens have been killed over the last couple of weeks in similar ethnic violence in neighboring Plateau state.

Last week, violence involving rival ethnic groups killed at least 36 people and left dozens of houses burnt in Plateau. Those casualties were in addition to at least 23 people killed in attacks the previous week in Plateau on March 20 and 21.

Security was boosted in those areas for Sunday’s Easter holiday, as was the case in much of the country, since churches have previously been targeted for attacks on Christian holidays. Nigeria is Africa’s largest oil producer and most populous nation with some 160 million people and 250 ethnic groups. Ethnic violence regularly breaks out over local politics, land or other factors. Islamist extremist group Boko Haram has also extended a deadly insurgency into parts of the country’s centre in addition to its attacks in the north, further complicating the situation.— AFP

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 3, 2013

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

Suspicion in Texas DA death shifts to white supremacists KAUFMAN: Two days after a Texas district attorney (DA) and his wife were found shot to death in their home, authorities have said little about their investigation or any potential suspects. But suspicion in the slayings shifted to a white supremacist gang with a long history of violence and retribution that was also the focus of a December law enforcement bulletin warning that its members might try to attack police or prosecutors.

Four top leaders of the Aryan Brotherhood of Texas were indicted in October for crimes ranging from murder to drug trafficking. Two months later, authorities issued the bulletin warning that the gang might try to retaliate against law enforcement for the investigation that led to the arrests of 34 of its members on federal charges.

Kaufman County District Attorney Mike McLelland and his wife were found dead Saturday in their East Texas home.

The killings were especially jarring because they happened just a couple of months after one of the county’s assistant district attorneys, Mark Hasse, was killed in a parking lot near his courthouse office. McLelland was part of a multiagency task force that took part in the investigation of the Aryan Brotherhood. The task force also included the FBI, the Drug Enforcement Administration as well as police departments in Houston and Fort Worth.

Investigators have declined to say if the group is the focus of their efforts, but the state Department of Public Safety bulletin warned that the Aryan Brotherhood of Texas is “involved in issuing orders to inflict ‘mass casualties or death’ to law enforcement officials involved in the recent case.” Terry Pelz, a former Texas prison warden and expert on the Aryan Brotherhood said killing law enforcement representatives would be uncharacteristic of the group. “They don’t go around killing officials,” he said. “They don’t draw heat upon themselves.”

But Pelz, who worked in the Texas prison system for 21 years, added that the gang has a history of threatening officials and of killing its own

member or rivals. He suggested if the Aryan Brotherhood was behind the slayings in Kaufman County, some sort of disruption in the gang’s operations might have prompted their retaliation.

That disruption might have come last year, when federal prosecutors in Houston in November announced indictments against 34 alleged members of the gang, including four of its top leaders in Texas. At the time, prosecutors called the indictment “a devastating blow to the leadership”

called to the McLelland home by relatives and friends who had been unable to reach the pair, according to a search warrant affidavit.

When they arrived, investigators found the two had been shot multiple times. Cartridge casings were scattered near their bodies, the affidavit said. Authorities have not discussed a motive. “I don’t want to walk around in fear every day ... but on the other hand, two months ago, we wouldn’t be having this conversation,” County

TEXAS: Law enforcement officials walk out of the home of Kaufman District Attorney Mike McLelland near Forney, Texas. McLelland and his wife were both murdered at their home Saturday. — AP

of the gang.

Meanwhile, deputies escorted some Kaufman County employees into the courthouse Monday after the slayings stirred fears that other public employees could be targeted. Law enforcement officers were seen patrolling outside the courthouse, one holding a semi-automatic weapon, while others walked around inside. Deputies were

Judge Bruce Wood, the county’s top administrator, said Monday at a news conference.

The killings also came less than two weeks after Colorado’s prison chief was shot to death at his front door, apparently by an ex-convict. Law enforcement agencies throughout Texas were on high alert, and steps were being taken to better protect other DAs and their staffs. In Harris

County, which includes Houston, District Attorney Mike Anderson said he accepted the sheriff’s offer of 24-hour security for him and his family.

Anderson said he also would take precautions at his office, the largest of its kind in Texas, with more than 270 prosecutors.

“I think district attorneys across Texas are still in a state of shock,” Anderson said Sunday.

McLelland, 63, was the 13th prosecutor killed in the US since the National Association of District Attorneys began keeping count in the 1960s.

Kaufman County Sheriff David Byrnes would not give details Sunday of how the killings unfolded and said there was nothing to indicate for certain whether the DA’s slaying was connected to Hasse’s. El Paso County, Colo., sheriff’s spokesman Sgt Joe Roybal said investigators had so far found no evidence connecting the Texas killings to the Colorado case, but added: “We’re examining all possibilities.”

Colorado’s corrections director, Tom Clements, was killed March 19 when he answered the doorbell at his home outside Colorado Springs. Evan Spencer Ebel, a white supremacist and former Colorado inmate suspected of shooting Clements, died in a shootout with Texas deputies two days later about 100 miles from Kaufman. In an Associated Press interview shortly after the Colorado slaying, McLelland himself raised the possibility that Hasse was gunned down by a white supremacist gang.

McLelland, elected in 2010, said his office had prosecuted several cases against such gangs, particularly one known as the Aryan Brotherhood.

The groups have a strong presence around Kaufman County, a mostly rural area dotted with subdivisions, with a population of about 104,000.

No arrests have been made in Hasse’s Jan 31 slaying. After that attack, McLelland said, he carried a gun everywhere around town, even when walking his dog. He figured assassins were more likely to try to attack him outside. He said he had warned all his employees to be constantly on the alert. — AP

Nine bodies found in US vehicle in Mexico US man among 5 dead in bar shootings

CONNECTICUT: Police are positioned outside the home of Nancy Lanza in this December 18, 2012 file photo in Newtown, Connecticut. Detectives searching the Newtown school shooter’s house found that he and his mother kept a startlingly large arsenal of rifles, pistols and other weapons including swords, newly released details showed. — AFP

Connecticut lawmakers unveil gun control plan HARTFORD: With an announcement of sweeping proposals to curb gun violence, Connecticut lawmakers said they are hoping to send a message to Congress and other state legislators across the country: A bipartisan agreement on gun control is possible. Legislative leaders on Monday revealed proposals spurred by the Dec 14 Newtown school shooting following weeks of bipartisan, closed-door negotiations.

A vote is expected Wednesday in the General Assembly, where Democrats control both chambers, making passage all but assured. “Democrats and Republicans were able to come to an agreement on a strong, comprehensive bill,” said Senate President Donald E Williams Jr, a Democrat from Brooklyn, who called the proposed legislation the strongest, most comprehensive bill in the country. “That is a message that should resound in 49 other states and in Washington, DC. And the message is: We can get it done here and they should get it done in their respective states and nationally in Congress.”

The massacre reignited the gun debate in the country and led to calls for increased gun control legislation on the federal and state levels. While some other states, including neighboring New York, have strengthened their gun laws, momentum has stalled in Congress, whose members were urged by President Barack Obama last week not to forget the shooting and to capitalize on the best chance in years to stem gun violence.

The Connecticut deal includes a ban on new high-capacity ammunition magazines like the ones used in the massacre at Sandy Hook Elementary School that left 20 children and six educators dead. There are also new registration requirements for existing magazines that carry 10 or more bullets, something of a disappointment for some family members of Newtown victims who wanted an outright ban on the possession of all high-capacity magazines and traveled to the state Capitol on Monday to ask lawmakers for it.

The package also creates what lawmakers said is the nation’s first statewide dangerous weapon offender registry, creates a new “ammunition eligibility certificate,” imposes immediate universal background checks for all firearms sales, and extends the state’s assault weapons ban to 100 new types of firearms and requires that a weapon have only one of several features in order to be banned.

The newly banned weapons could no longer be bought or sold in Connecticut, and those legally owned already would have to be registered with the state, just like the high-capacity magazines. Senate Minority Leader John McKinney, a Fairfield Republican whose district includes Newtown, said Republicans and Democrats have understood they needed to “rise above politics” when they decided to come up with a legislative response to the massacre. “At the end of the day, I think it’s a package that the majority of the people of Connecticut I know will be proud of,” he said.

The bill also addresses mental health and school security measures, including gun restrictions for people who’ve been committed to mental health facilities and restoration of a state grant for school safety improvements. After clearing the state legislature, the bill would be sent to Gov Dannel P Malloy, who has helped lead efforts to strengthen the state’s gun laws but has not yet signed off on the proposed legislation. Earlier Monday, Malloy voiced support for the Newtown families and their desire to ban the possession of largecapacity magazines.

Ron Pinciaro, executive director of Connecticut Against Gun Violence, said his group will live with the lawmakers’ decision not to ban them as other states have done.

He said the leaders made their decision based on what was politically feasible. “We have to be satisfied. There are still other things that we want, we’ll be back for in later sessions,” he said. “But for now, it’s a good thing.” Robert Crook, executive director of the Connecticut Coalition of Sportsmen, contended the bill would not have changed what happened at Sandy Hook Elementary School, where gunman Adam Lanza fired off 154 shots with a Bushmaster .223-caliber rifle within five minutes.

He went through six 30-round magazines, though half were not completely empty, and police said he had three other 30-round magazines in addition to one in the rifle. “They can register magazines and do all the rest of this stuff. It isn’t going to do anything,” he said. Gun owners, who’ve packed public hearings at the state Capitol in recent months, voicing their opposition to various gun control measures, are concerned they’ve been showing up “for virtually nothing” after learning about the bill, Crook said. —AP

NUEVO LAREDO: The bodies of nine men, most of them dismembered, were found inside a sport utility vehicle with Texas license plates in northeastern Mexico, prosecutors said Monday.

Authorities made the discovery after receiving a report late Sunday of an abandoned vehicle near Ciudad Victoria, the capital of the state of Tamaulipas, which borders Texas, the state prosecutor’s office said in a brief statement.

Northern Mexican states are the scene of turf wars between powerful drug cartels vying for control of lucrative trafficking routes to the United States, with decapitations among the brutal fear tactics. More than 70,000 people have died in drug-related violence since 2006, with the cartels fighting each other, as well as troops deployed by the government to combat the gangs. Elsewhere in Mexico, officials said five people, including a 45-year-old US man, were killed in two bar shootings in the western city of Guadalajara late Sunday. Prosecutors suspect organized crime was behind those two attacks.

MEXICO BAR SHOOTINGS A 45-year-old US man was among five people killed in two bar shootings in Mexico’s second biggest city, with a grenade used in one of the attacks, authorities said Monday. Officials said a total of 45 rounds were fired off with 9mm handguns in the attacks in the western city of Guadalajara late Sunday, wounding another 17 people. Witnesses said a single gunman opened fire outside the bar in each attack.

The shootings took place 15 minutes apart and appeared to be aimed at the owners of the bars, who are related, said senior prosecutor Jorge Villasenor. He added that investigators suspect organized crime was involved “due to the type of weapon that was used.” “The attack was

GUADALAJARA: Forensic personnel work at the scene of a crime where four people were shot dead, in a bar of Guadalajara, Mexico. — AFP directed at these places, not at a specific person.

This is the line of investigation that we are looking into,” he said. The two bar owners are being questioned in order to determine a possible motive. Two people, including the American, were killed when a gunman opened fire on the “Gol” bar where people had watched the ChivasAmerica football derby, prosecutors said. The American was identified by a female companion as Jeff Lydell Comer. The other victim was a 20year-old Mexican man. Both were customers at the bar. Fifteen minutes earlier, a gunman attacked the “Ruta 66” bar in a different neigh-

borhood, firing shots and throwing a grenade.

A 28-year-old customer and a 30-year-old employee were found shot dead outside the bar while a 23-year-old waitress later died of her gunshot wounds.

The explosion injured an unspecified number of people. The prosecutor’s office said 17 people were wounded but did not specify how many in each attack. Four other men were killed in other attacks on Sunday across Guadalajara, which has endured some of the drug-related violence that has left 70,000 people dead in Mexico since December 2006. — Agencies

Capriles cries foul ahead of Venezuelan election CARACAS: Venezuelan opposition candidate Henrique Capriles on Monday accused acting president Nicolas Maduro of unfairly using state media and money in his campaign to succeed the late Hugo Chavez. The accusations come two weeks before voters choose a new president following the death of Chavez, the flamboyant leader who governed oil-rich Venezuela for 14 years and launched a self-styled leftist “revolution.”

“The state media have become a propaganda wing of a political party,” Capriles alleged, referring to the socialist party of Maduro, Chavez’s handpicked successor. In free and fair balloting, candidates are supposed to have the same access and the same rights, Capriles told a press conference.

But Maduro, a former bus driver and union leader, is relying on “all of the state’s resources ... and all of the state’s power structure” to run his campaign, Capriles charged. The campaign does not officially began until yesterday, but Capriles said Maduro had spent 46 hours on state TV since Chavez’s death on March 5. Capriles went on to urge the National Electoral Council to be impartial and enforce campaign rules ahead of the April 14 vote.

Communications Minister Ernesto Villegas fired back on Twitter, saying state television had broadcast Capriles’s press conference live “despite his orders to prevent access for journalists” from state media. Villegas also again invited Capriles to be interviewed on state television, after the opposition candidate denied an earlier request, saying state media is biased against him.

Later Monday night, Capriles joined a march against insecurity in the country, railing against the government for failing to address the pressing issue.

CARACAS: Venezuelan opposition candidate for the upcoming April 14 presidential election, Henrique Capriles Radonski gestures during a night march in Caracas. — AFP

“There is not a single proposal for the government to defeat violence and give peace to Venezuelans,” Capriles said before a crowd of hundreds of thousands. In the first three months of the year, Venezuela recorded 3,400 murders, interior and justice minister Nestor Reverol said Monday on state television. In 2012, the country saw 16,000 homicides, a 14 percent increase over the year before, he added, vowing to strengthen security measures. Unofficial tallies put the figure even higher, with the Venezuelan Observatory of Violence citing 21,000 murders in 2012.

Maduro, 50, formerly served as Chavez’s foreign minister and vice president. Miranda state governor Capriles, 40, lost to Chavez in an October election. Chavez, who came to embody a resurgent Latin American left while channeling Venezuela’s vast oil wealth into social programs for the poor, died last month after a long battle with cancer. During his 14 years in power Chavez developed a vast media apparatus consisting of at least five television broadcast channels, two newspapers and dozens of local radio stations carrying the government’s message.

Maduro leads Capriles by a 20-point margin, according to a poll out Monday by Hinterlaces, which indicated Maduro would win 55 percent of the vote compared to Capriles’s 35 percent. A previous survey on March 19 gave Maduro a similar margin of 18 points. In an exclusive interview with AFP over the weekend, Maduro insisted the “revolution” was united behind him. “I trust that people will go to the polls to vote for Maduro because we are like a family that lost its father,” he said. —AFP

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 3, 2013

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

Karzai’s old rival edges towards 2014 election run KABUL: As the one-year countdown to Afghan elections begins, the man who lost out last time in a corrupt and chaotic poll is weighing up whether to risk another shot at the presidency. Abdullah Abdullah pulled out of the second round of the 2009 election after massive voterigging by President Hamid Karzai’s supporters that badly shook the US-led international effort to rebuild Afghanistan.

The next election is due on April 5, 2014, but many doubt it will be held on schedule. There are no front-runners and foreign donors fear another flawed poll could bury gains secured since the fall of the Taleban in 2001. Abdullah, an urbane former eye surgeon, remains embittered towards Karzai and doubts the president will step down without a fight-despite the fact he is barred from standing for a third term.

He accuses Karzai, 55, of plotting to deceive the electorate in spite of repeated pledges to step down next year.

“President Karzai will make an effort to extend his tenure,” the 52-year-old predicted in an interview at his heavilyguarded private residence in Kabul. “The president’s best option is to create an emergency security situation so every-

one says ‘under these circumstances how can we have elections?’, then he calls a jirga (tribal meeting) to support him staying on,” Abdullah said. “He doesn’t show any signs of being someone who is now leaving in one year’s time.”

Abdullah served as Karzai’s foreign minister from 2001 to 2005, but is now leader of the National Coalition of Afghanistan, the closest thing to an opposition group in a country where central government is traditionally weak.

A former aide to the late anti-Soviet fighter Ahmad Shah Massoud, Abdullah commands support among minority Tajiks but not the Pashtuns, the dominant ethnic group from which Karzai and most members of the Taleban hail.

Recalling the turbulent 2009 election, Abdullah said he was wary of campaigning again for the presidency. The Electoral Complaints Commission (ECC) threw out around one third of votesabout half a million-cast for Karzai, sparking the run-off from which Abdullah ultimately withdrew “in the best interests of the nation”. “I don’t want any candidate to go through what I did during the elections,” said Abdullah, who collected just over 30 percent of the first round vote.

Afghan opposition leader, Abdullah Abdullah “In one district 5,000 people voted working hard behind the scenes and-if one by one, while in the next district offi- he were to stand-would not this time cials under the supervision of the police back down in the event of a run-off.

“It would not be like the last time just provided 5,000 votes. If the elections are rigged this time, it is a recipe for a when I said I would swallow this bitter major crisis.” Many observers suggest pill for the sake of the country,” he said. “I Abdullah offers few solutions to haven’t said I am a candidate. I am doing Afghanistan’s many problems and has what candidates do-talking to people, not cultivated enough support to have a networking, expanding supporters, but a chance of winning. But, with a year to go decision has not happened yet.” While it until the scheduled poll he said he was is not yet clear who will run in 2014, the

lengthy list of possible candidates includes Karzai’s brother Qayyum, warlord turned provincial governor Atta Mohammad Noor, and former interior minister Ali Ahmad Jalali.

At least 26 people were killed in sporadic attacks on polling day in 2009, and Karzai was only declared the winner 10 weeks later, after fraud investigations, delayed results and Abdullah’s eventual withdrawal. Recent visitors to Kabul including US Secretary of State John Kerry have stressed that Afghanistan must hold a legitimate vote or risk being abandoned by Western governments after foreign combat troops withdraw next year.

One growing concern has been Karzai’s plan to scrap the UN-backed ECC, which includes foreign representatives, in favor of a new all-Afghan tribunal. Last week the UN called for an impartial electoral dispute body to be set up at once and for a respected figure to be appointed head of the Independent Electoral Commission, which is currently leaderless. “Either we have rule of law or we are a failed state. This election is an opportunity and a real test ahead of us,” Abdullah said. — AFP

Militants attack Pakistan power station; Seven die Pakistan party scraps rally amid security concerns

KATHMANDU: A Nepalese Hindu woman worships and offers fruit to a cow, regarded as an incarnation of the Hindu Goddess of prosperity Laxmi, during the Tihar (Diwali) festival in Kathmandu. Police in Nepal’s capital Kathmandu have launched a campaign to round up cows roaming the streets, blaming the sacred animals for car accidents and traffic jams. — AFP

Nepal traffic police herd Kathmandu’s holy cows KATHMANDU: Police in Nepal’s capital Kathmandu have launched a campaign to round up cows roaming the streets, blaming the sacred animals for car accidents and traffic jams. “The stray cows and oxen have been a big nuisance in Kathmandu streets. They not only cause accidents, but also make the streets untidy,” Pawan Giri, spokesman for the Kathmandu Metropolitan Traffic Police said.

“We see traffic jams because the drivers who try to avoid the cows often crash into other vehicles.” He said the captured animals would be detained until their owners paid a fine of approximately $60 for their release.

Cows are a regular sight in the smog-choked capital and are often found eating from piles of garbage on the roadside. Regarded as an

incarnation of the Hindu Goddess of prosperity Laxmi, the beasts are treated as sacred in Nepal, where the majority of the population is Hindu.

During the annual Tihar festival in the autumn, Hindus spend a day worshipping them by offering food and gifts. The traffic police say they have rounded up 18 animals since launching the operation Monday and they plan to continue this drive for several weeks. While the abolishment of a Hindu monarchy in 2008 launched a secular era, Nepalese authorities still routinely arrest people for killing cows, mainly in rural areas.

Cow slaughter remains illegal in Nepal and can carry a prison sentence of up to 12 years. — AFP

Indian court ends travel ban on Italy ambassador NEW DELHI: India’s Supreme Court lifted yesterday a three-week order banning Italy’s ambassador from leaving the country after Italy sent two marines back to India to face trial over the deaths of two Indian fishermen.

The court had earlier banned the ambassador, Daniele Mancini, from leaving after Italy announced it would not send the accused marines back after a home visit. But the Italian government changed its mind and sent the two back on March 22.

“It’s good news,” Diljeet Titus, a lawyer representing the Italian marines, said of the court’s decision. “The travel restriction on the ambassador has been vacated as the undertaking was complied with, Italy kept its word.” The accused, Massimiliano Latorre and Salvatore Girone, are charged with murder for shooting the two fishermen off the coast of the southern state of Kerala last year while serving as security guards on a cargo ship.

They say they fired warning shots at a fishing boat believing it to be a pirate vessel.

The case has caused outrage in Italy, which says the incident happened in international waters and the men should not be tried in India. Foreign Minister Giulio Terzi resigned over the decision to return the pair to India.

The marines are due to be tried in a special federal court in New Delhi, but the court has yet to be established. “The government has sought time, saying they are taking steps to form this special court. But they have nothing to show for it,” said Titus.

Rome’s right wing mayor plans to turn off the lights of ancient landmarks the Colosseum and the Imperial Forum for the first time on Wednesday to “draw attention to the shameful case of the two marines”. Also today, Italian neo-fascist group Casapound is due to protest in front of the seat of government in Rome, calling for Italy to close its embassy to India and to expel the Indian ambassador. The group also wants outgoing Prime Minister Mario Monti to resign his position as Senator for life. — Reuters

Court frees three monks after anti-Muslim attack COLOMBO: A Sri Lankan court yesterday freed three Buddhist monks and 14 others suspected of torching a Muslimowned clothing store in an attack that scaled up the country’s religious tensions. In the latest in a wave of attacks targeting minority Muslims, an angry mob of hardline Buddhists vandalized and set fire to the store in a suburb of Colombo, leading police to boost security for Muslim businesses nationwide.

“The case was dropped because the parties (police and the victim) did not want to proceed,” a court official said, declining to be named, after the 17 suspects were discharged.

“The magistrate warned the monks to follow Buddha’s teachings or face serious consequences,” the official said. The owner of the smashed Fashion Bug store was not immediately available for comment, but the management had previously said

that they suffered extensive damage and their staff were living in fear after Thursday’s attack.

Local television footage, some of it posted on YouTube, showed a Buddhist monk bringing down a store CCTV camera in front of a cheering mob outside the store, watched by at least four police constables.

Another monk is seen threatening a news cameraman who was later hospitalised after being assaulted by the mob.

Sri Lanka’s main Muslim political party in the ruling coalition said the attack was a “sequel” to an ongoing hate campaign against minority Muslims.

Muslims constitute about 10 percent of the country’s 20 million population, the second largest minority after the mainly Hindu ethnic Tamils. Seventy percent of the population are Sinhalese and mostly Buddhists. — AFP

PESHAWAR: Dozens of suspected militants attacked a major power station in northwest Pakistan with mortars and rocket-propelled grenades and killed seven people, police said yesterday. The assault, in the run-up to May 11 general elections, destroyed the biggest power station in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, suspending electricity supply to half of the major city of Peshawar.

It served as a reminder that Pakistan’s leaders have failed to tackle a Taleban insurgency that remains potent despite a series of security crackdowns. Pakistan’s Taleban, which is close to Al-Qaeda, has threatened to escalate violence ahead of the polls, including attacks on political rallies. Police official Mohammad Ishaq said two people, a policeman and a security guard, were killed on the spot and five others died after being kidnapped in Monday’s incident.

The bullet-riddled bodies of the captives have been recovered, the official added. There was no immediate claim of responsibility.

“They entered the grid station and started setting ablaze each and every thing. They kidnapped nine people and killed five of them later and threw their bodies in the fields,” Ishaq said.

Four Water and Power Department employees who were kidnapped were still missing, he said. The militants had destroyed the entire grid station, said Shaukat Afzal, a spokesman of the Peshawar Electric Supply Company.

“People may face some extra power load shedding in the coming days,” he added. Pakistan’s military has failed to break the back of the Taleban, despite numerous offensives against their strongholds in the semiautonomous tribal areas near the Afghan border.

SECURITY CONCERNS Meanwhile, Pakistan’s outgoing ruling party yesterday called off a major public rally designed to kickstart its re-election campaign in favor of smaller events, officials said. The Taleban have directly threatened the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and its secular coalition partners, and a string of recent attacks is raising fears that violence could mar the run-up to May 11 elections.

The PPP said last week it would start its

PESHAWAR: A Pakistani man looks at the destroyed electricity power plant following an attack by gunmen in Badh Bher, a suburb of Peshawar yesterday. Dozens of gunmen attacked an electricity plant in northwest Pakistan, killing seven people and disrupting power to 100,000 people overnight. — AFP

campaign with a public rally in Garhi Khuda Bakhsh, the village housing the Bhutto family mausoleum, on the anniversary of the hanging of its founder Zulfikar Ali Bhutto on April 4, 1979. The party holds public rallies on the anniversary every year. But yesterday, a party spokesman in the nearby town of Naudero said the gathering would take place in a hall and would be closed to all but state media. PPP politicians would also hold separate events in other districts, he said.

“We are not organizing a big national-level rally this time. Meetings are being held at district level separately,” Ghulam Mustafa Leghari said. Zulfiqar’s daughter and former PPP Prime Minister, Benazir Bhutto, was killed in a gun and suicide attack after an election rally in Rawalpindi in 2007. The PPP was elected in 2008 on a wave of public sympathy. President Asif Ali Zardari, Bhutto’s widower, will address Thursday’s meeting in Naudero, Leghari said, but he did not confirm whether Bilawal, chairman of the party and Bhutto’s son, would also attend.

“Only official media will be allowed to cover

this meeting. Other media can stand outside and take the feed from Pakistan Television,” Leghari added. Local party officials denied the rescheduling had anything to do with security concerns and senior spokesmen were not immediate reachable. “It (the change) is only a technical reason. Our candidates are busy with paperwork, scrutiny and the election campaign,” said Lateef Mughal, PPP information secretary in Zardari’s home town Karachi.

Last week, main PPP spokesman Qamar Zaman Kaira said that 24-year-old Bilawal, who is too young to contest a seat, would make few public appearances “due to security concerns”.

The revised arrangements for tomorrow stand in stark contrast to the major campaign rallies that the PPP’s main rivals have already held. On March 25 opposition leader Nawaz Sharif, widely tipped to win the election, attracted tens of thousands in the northwestern town of Mansehra. Cricket legend Imran Khan, contesting elections for the first time and considered a possible kingmaker after the polls, has also pulled in crowds of tens of thousands at major public events across the country. — Agencies

Bangladesh arrests 3 atheist bloggers DHAKA: Bangladesh police have arrested three atheist bloggers for defaming Islam and the Prophet Mohammed (PBUH), police said yesterday, amid demands from religious fundamentalists for an Internet crackdown. The arrests of the three, who were paraded in hand-cuffs at a press conference yesterday, came after pressure from Islamists who have organized a march to the capital to demand the death penalty for atheist bloggers.

“They have hurt religious feelings of the people by writing against different religions and their prophets and founders including the Prophet Mohammed (PBUH),” deputy commissioner of Dhaka police Molla Nazrul Islam said. The three could face 10 years in jail if convicted under the country’s cyber laws, which outlaw “defaming” a religion, Islam said.

He denied the arrests were linked to the threats from Islamists whose march to the capital is set to take place on Saturday.

The debate between militant atheists and fundamentalists has been a popular subject in Bangladesh’s blogosphere and on social media for years, but it took a deadly turn in February when an atheist blogger was murdered. The arrests came as the nation has been hit by protests over a war crimes tribunal trying leading figures during the 1971 war of independence. Protests encouraged by secular bloggers have seen hundreds of thousands of people take to the streets demanding the execution of leaders of the Jamaat-eIslami party, the country’s largest Islamic party

and key opposition.

Islamists have in turn held demonstrations demanding the trials be halted and have also begun targeting bloggers. The government has blocked about a dozen websites and blogs to stem the violence. It also set up a

panel, which included intelligence chiefs, to snoop for blasphemy in the social media. Last week the country ’s telecoms regulator ordered two sites to remove hundreds of posts of seven bloggers whose writings it said offended Muslims. — AFP

RAJSHAHI: Students of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islam beat a police officer in the northwestern city of Rajshahi, about 260 kms from the capital Dhaka yesterday. — AFP

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 3, 2013

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

Japan welcomes JFK daughter as mooted US envoy TOKYO: The mooted appointment of the daughter of assassinated US president John F Kennedy to the high-profile post of ambassador to Japan, was greeted enthusiastically in Japan yesterday. Caroline Kennedy, 55, who was an early supporter of Obama’s 2008 primary campaign before he took on and beat Hillary Clinton’s Democratic machine, has long been a rumored candidate for the plum Tokyo post.

Kennedy is in the advanced stages of the selection process, an administration official told AFP. Earlier Monday, both The Washington Post and New York Times reported that she was actively being vetted for the appointment. Japan’s top government spokesman said it would be a “big news” for the country if she gets the nomination. “Late President Kennedy was a figure familiar to many Japanese,” Yoshihide Suga said at a regular press conference on Tuesday.

“It would be big news, and would deepen people’s feeling of friendliness (to the United States),” he said, adding that he would refrain from commenting further until a final decision was made. Kennedy

would fit the long tradition of presidents naming high profile envoys to key US ally Japan, who have included former vice president Walter Mondale and former senators Mike Mansfield and Howard Baker.

But she would also take up the post at a time of great diplomatic peril, given North Korea’s fierce military threats against the United States and its key regional partners.

The crises had prompted some diplomatic observers in Washington in recent weeks to suggest that Kennedy could be passed over for a more experienced diplomatic hand. But Kennedy’s chances may have been enhanced by the arrival as secretary of state of John Kerry, who was close to Caroline Kennedy’s beloved uncle, late senator Edward Kennedy. The White House and State Department both declined to comment on the reports that Kennedy was close to being named, but did not deny them outright.

While politics and public service runs in Kennedy’s blood, she has long resisted the public role of her father, his brothers, Robert F. Kennedy and Edward

Kennedy, and many of their progeny. For a time in late 2008 and early 2009, she toyed with the idea of running for the New York Democratic Senate seat vacated by Hillary Clinton when Clinton became Obama’s first-term secretary of state. But the wealthy Kennedy pulled out after a rough political ride amid claims she was being foisted upon the New York electorate with nothing but her family name as a qualification.

Kennedy, whom many Americans remember as a tragic little girl at her father’s 1963 funeral at Arlington National Cemetery, caused a sensation in 2008, and fury in Clinton circles, when she broke from her intensely private world to back Obama. In a New York Times column titled “A President Like My Father” Kennedy wrote of never having seen a president who matched up to the way people still talked about JFK. Now, she said, “I believe I have found a man who could be that president.” If nominated, and confirmed by the Senate, Kennedy would succeed current US Ambassador to Japan John Roos, a former Obama campaign donor. — AFP

Caroline Kennedy

Indonesia anti-terror cops accused of ‘fuelling jihad’

PYEONGTAEK: A US Air Force F-16 fighter jet (center) lands on the runway during their military exercise at the Osan US Air Base in Pyeongtaek, south of Seoul, South Korea yesterday. — AP

US deploys warship off South Korea amid soaring tensions North Korea says region on brink of nuclear war SEOUL: The United States has positioned a warship off the Korean coast as a shield against ballistic missile attack as South Korea’s new president vowed swift retaliation against a North Korean strike amid soaring tensions on the peninsula. But Washington also said it had seen no worrisome mobilization of armed forces by the North Koreans despite bellicose rhetoric over a ramping up of international sanctions against Pyongyang over nuclear weapons tests.

“If there is any provocation against South Korea and its people, there should be a strong response in initial combat without any political considerations,” South Korean President Park Geun-hye told the defense minister and senior officials. North Korea says the region is on the brink of a nuclear war in the wake of UN sanctions in response to its February nuclear test and a series of joint US and South Korean military drills that have included a rare US show of aerial power. In Washington, the White House has said the United States takes seriously North Korea’s war threats. But White House spokesman Jay Carney said on Monday: “I would note that despite the harsh rhetoric we are hearing from Pyongyang, we are not seeing changes to the North Korean military posture, such as largescale mobilizations and positioning of forces.”

North Korea further escalated its rhetoric on Saturday by saying it was entering a “state of war” with South Korea in response to what it termed the “hostile” military drills.

A US defense official said the USS McCain, an Aegis-class guided-missile destroyer used for ballistic missile defense, was being positioned off the peninsula’s southwestern coast. “This is a prudent move that provides greater missile defense options should (they) become neces-

sary,” said the official, speaking on condition of anonymity. The ship was not expected to participate in any exercises, the official added.

South Korea has changed its rules of engagement to allow local units to respond immediately to attacks, rather than waiting for permission from Seoul. Stung by criticism that its response to the shelling of a South Korean island in 2010 was tardy and weak, Seoul has also threatened to target young North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and to destroy statues of the ruling Kim dynasty in the event of any new attack, a plan that has outraged Pyongyang.

CHINA CALLED TO HELP North Korea stepped up its rhetoric in early March, when US and South Korean forces began annual military drills that involved the flights of US B-2 stealth bombers in a practice run, prompting the North to put its missile units on standby to fire at US military bases in South Korea and in the Pacific. The United States also deployed F-22 stealth fighter jets on Sunday to take part in the drills. The Pentagon said it was the fourth time F22s had been deployed to South Korea.

Australia, a close US ally and rotating UN Security Council member, said it would urge China to help enforce sanctions banning the flow of technology and equipment to North Korea.

Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard, who leaves on Friday for Beijing, plans to call on Chinese leaders to help bolster stop-and-search provisions for shipping to and from North Korea, Foreign Minister Bob Carr said. Canberra also plans its own banking and financial sanctions.

“The immediate priority is to see the sanctions agreed on by the Security Council are properly enforced,” Carr said yesterday.

KIM JONG-UN TIGHTENS GRIP North Korea has cancelled an armistice agreement with the United States that ended the Korean War and has cut all hotlines with US forces, the United Nations and South Korea. At a recent meeting of North Korea’s ruling Workers Party Central Committee, leader Kim Jong-un rejected the notion that Pyongyang was going to use its nuclear arms development as a bargaining chip for foreign aid for the impoverished nation.

“The nuclear weapons of Songun Korea are not goods for getting US dollars and they are ... (not) to be put on the table of negotiations aimed at forcing the (North) to disarm itself,” KCNA news agency quoted him as saying.

Songun is the Korean word for the “Military First” policy preached by Kim’s father who used it to justify the use of the impoverished state’s scarce resources to build a 1.2-million strong army and pursue development of weapons of mass destruction. At the meeting, Kim appointed a handful of personal confidants to the party’s politburo, further consolidating his grip on power in the second full year of his reign.

Former premier Pak Pong-ju, a key confidant of the leadership dynasty, was re-appointed to the post from which he was fired in 2007 for failing to implement economic reforms. Pak, believed to be in his 70s, is viewed as a key ally of Jang Song-thaek, the young Kim’s uncle and also a protege of Kim’s aunt. Pak is viewed as a pawn in a power game that has seen Jang and his wife re-assert power over military leaders.

Analysts said the move would not likely change North Korea’s approach to a confrontation that appears to have dragged the two Koreas closer to war. — Reuters

JAKARTA: The elite police unit on the front line of Indonesia’s lauded terrorism clampdown faces fresh allegations of torture and unlawful killings, raising concerns it is fuelling the jihadist cause. Detachment 88 was established after the 2002 bombings on Bali that killed 202 people, mostly Western tourists, and has gained strong public support after claiming the scalps of some of the region’s most-wanted extremists. But last month a video emerged in which officers from the anti-terror unit interrogated a suspect writhing in pain after he had been shot in the chest and forced to strip to his underwear.

“Why did you shoot me? I surrendered,” he screams, as police repeatedly yell back that he ask Allah for forgiveness. “You’re going to die,” they say, trampling on three other suspects, shooting into the ground to intimidate them. The suspect who was shot in the video, Rahman Kalahe, survived the incident and was sentenced to 19 years’ jail over his role in the beheading of three Christian schoolgirls and the murder of a priest in Poso.

However, the footage has prompted the National Human Rights Commission to reopen its investigation into the 2007 raid, while Islamic groups and members of parliament have made calls to disband Detachment 88. “Detachment 88 has used torture, killings and intimidation, but they are never held accountable. The unit must be dissolved,” said Din Syammsuddin, chairman of the nation’s second-largest Muslim organization, Muhammadiyah, who took the video to police.

The government insists that its security forces have “great respect for human rights”.

“There are standard operating procedures in the handling of terrorism. It is not true that Detachment 88 employs a shoot-to-kill approach,” presidential spokesman Julian Aldrin Pasha said. “Any actions contrary to the law, including human rights law, will be processed. Without exception for anyone.

This country upholds and enforces the rule of law,” he said. The Detachment 88 unit, which gets funding and training from the United States and Australia, has been successful in quelling the kind of militant attacks on civilian targets that rocked Indonesia in the past decade.

Indonesia’s battle with terror is now being fought almost entirely between militants and police, much of it in Poso district-a known hotbed for militant activity on Sulawesi island, where the videotaped raid took place.

This shift in the nature of terrorism in Indonesia has raised concerns that the unit’s treatment of suspects is fuelling revenge attacks. Since the establishment of Detachment 88, Indonesian police have killed at least 90 suspects in counterterrorism operations, the International Crisis Group reported.

But fully 50 of them have been killed since 2010, a year after the last major deadly attack in the nation. “You can see why people get angry when the police start shooting people just because they have a copy of a book on jihad in their rooms,” Todd Elliot, Jakartabased terrorism analyst with Concorde Consulting said. “When we haven’t seen a major attack in years and police are killing terror suspects every two months, you can understand why people are asking questions.” National Anti-Terror Agency chief Ansyaad Mbai denies the unit is trigger-happy, saying the deaths happen because terror suspects rarely surrender and are often armed. The numbers seem to support his argument-in the same period that 50 suspects were killed, 21 police were slain trying to make arrests or investigate extremist activity. In October, two officers investigating an alleged terrorist camp in Poso were found dead and buried in a hole with their throats slit. “Terrorism is an extraordinary crime that requires extraordinary operations,” Mbai said.

“They don’t respect Indonesians’ rights, so why are we suddenly so concerned with theirs?” he said. “Since Detachment 88 was established, we have captured 850 terrorists.

Yes, dozens have been killed, but most were taken alive.” Mbai sees the video as the latest tactic in a long-standing campaign against the unit, likely from political factions or hardline Islamic groups that regularly paint Detachment 88 as anti-Muslim. The rights commission has recommended Detachment 88 employ a more transparent evaluation process and the unit be held accountable for any extra-judicial killings.

But Mbai said: “I don’t agree with these calls to hold officers to account through legal procedures. This will just demoralize the unit.”

Problems within Detachment 88 are not unique to the unit. The UN’s Special Rapporteur on Torture in 2008 found that torture and abuse of suspects during arrest and police detention were widespread in Indonesia. “The video indicates a definite need for better human rights training. The whole police institution in Indonesia is still in need of reform,” Elliot said. — AFP

Murdoch slams ‘racist, disgraceful’ Australia SYDNEY: Global media baron Rupert Murdoch yesterday accused the government of his native Australia of “disgraceful and racist” language over a crackdown on visas for skilled migrants.

The Australian-born News Corporation chief condemned the centre-left Labor government’s rhetoric about the tightening of the 457-class skilled visa program amid claims of abuse by employers and disadvantage to local workers. “I think the way that they’re talking about the 457 is pretty disgraceful and racist, but I’m a big one for encouraging immigration, I think that’s the future,” Murdoch told Sky News on a business visit to northern Australia.

“A mixture of people-just look at America-is just fantastic,” he added. Murdoch said there were “difficulties for generations of migrants

sometimes if there are too many from one area, but they meld in a couple of generations and it leads to tremendous creativity in the community”. He said skilled migration was vital to economic growth in Australia’s north, which is in the grip of a mining and resources boom with billions of dollars of investment slated for the coming years.

Assistant Treasurer David Bradbury rejected the remarks, saying there was “nothing racist about standing up for jobs and job opportunities for Australians”. There is little love lost between Murdoch’s Australian operations News Limited and Prime Minister Julia Gillard’s Labor government-ministers have accused his newspapers of campaigning for regime change. News Limited has, in turn, been highly critical of the

government’s proposed media reforms which came in the wake of Britain’s phone-hacking scandal.

Gillard’s Labor has been criticized by the leftleaning Greens party, commentators and some business leaders for plans to crack down on 457s in an election year, accused of angling for the anti-immigration vote. According to the immigration department, growth in 457 visas has significantly outstripped national employment growth, suggesting “the program is being increasingly driven by temporary visa holders seeking to remain in Australia instead of the demands of the Australian labor force”. The number of 457 visa holders expanded 21.5 percent between February 2012 and February 2013 to 107,510. — AFP

BEKASI: Indonesian Christian Pastor Torang Simanjuntak (bottom) delivers mass next to the ruins of the Taman Sari Batak Christian Protestant Church in Bekasi, on the outskirts of Jakarta as minority Christians mark Easter amid rising cases of religious intolerance. On March 21 the local government demolished the half constructed church in front of its weeping congregation. Indonesia’s 240 million people identify themselves as Muslim but the constitution guarantees freedom of religion. — AFP

UN adopts treaty to regulate global arms trade UNITED NATIONS: The UN General Assembly overwhelmingly approved the first UN treaty regulating the multibillion-dollar international arms trade yesterday, a goal sought for over a decade to try to keep illicit weapons out of the hands of terrorists, insurgent fighters and organized crime. The resolution adopting the landmark treaty was approved by a vote of 154 to 3 with 23 abstentions.

As the numbers appeared on the electronic board, loud cheers filled the assembly chamber. A group of treaty supporters sought a vote in the 193-member world body after Iran, North Korea and Syria blocked its adoption by consensus at the end of a two-week

final negotiating conference last Thursday.

The three countries voted “no” yesterday’s resolution while Russia and China, both major arms exporters, abstained.

Many countries, including the United States, control arms exports. But there has never been an international treaty regulating the estimated $60 billion global arms trade.

Australian Ambassador Peter Woolcott, who chaired the negotiations, said the treaty will “make an important difference by reducing human suffering and saving lives.”

“We owe it to those millions - often the most vulnerable in society - whose lives have been overshadowed by the irresponsible and

illicit international trade in arms,” he told the assembly just before the vote.

The treaty will not control the domestic use of weapons in any country, but it will require countries that ratify it to establish national regulations to control the transfer of conventional arms, parts and components and to regulate arms brokers. It covers battle tanks, armored combat vehicles, large-caliber artillery systems, combat aircraft, attack helicopters, warships, missiles and missile launchers, and small arms and light weapons.

A phrase stating that this list was “at a minimum” was dropped, according to diplomats, at the insistence of the United States.

Supporters complained that this limited the treaty’s scope. The treaty prohibits states that ratify it from transferring conventional weapons if they violate arms embargoes or if they promote acts of genocide, crimes against humanity or war crimes. It also prohibits the export of conventional arms if they could be used in attacks on civilians or civilian buildings such as schools and hospitals.

In considering whether to authorize the export of arms, the treaty says a country must evaluate whether the weapon would be used to violate international human rights or humanitarian laws or be used by terrorists or organized crime. They must also determine

whether the weapons transfer would contribute to or undermine peace and security.

The treaty also requires parties to the treaty to take measures to prevent the diversion of conventional weapons to the illicit market.

Ammunition was been a key issue in negotiations, with some countries pressing for the same controls on ammunition sales as arms, but the US and others opposed such tough restrictions. The final text calls for each country that ratifies the treaty to establish regulations for the export of ammunition “fired, launched or delivered” by the weapons covered by the convention. — AP

NEWS

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 3, 2013

Palestinians protest after inmate dies...

Continued from Page 1 The issue of Palestinians in Israeli prisons is a deeply sensitive one and it frequently sparks mass demonstrations across the occupied territories which tend to develop into violent clashes with the military. One of the main points of concern is prisoners on long-term hunger strike who are held without charge, or the conditions of their arrest.

Abu Hamdiyeh’s death sparked protests in prisons across Israel as well as clashes with the Israeli army in Hebron. The Israel Prisons Service confirmed he had died of cancer yesterday morning, saying disturbances had broken out in four prisons as the news spread in Ketziot, Eshel, Ramon and Nafha. In Hebron, around 300 demonstrators threw stones at troops near the entrance to the Old City, with soldiers firing tear gas and rubber bullets, an AFP correspondent said. And in Jerusalem’s Old City, police arrested three people after dozens of Palestinian demonstrators began throwing stones at Damascus Gate, spokeswoman Luba Samri said.

Qadura Fares, head of the Ramallah-based Prisoners Club, was the first to break news of Abu Hamdiyeh’s death, blaming Israel for its “refusal to release him for treatment”.

Prisoner affairs minister Issa Qaraaqa said it was a “vicious crime” which had come about due to Israel’s “stalling over giving him the right to be treated following a late cancer diagnosis.”

Gaza’s ruling Hamas said it was following with the “greatest concern” the developments and warned that Israel would “regret its continuing crimes,” spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri told AFP. Abu Hamdiyeh, a senior Fatah official from the preventative security services, began complaining of throat problems about nine months ago.

Two months ago he was diagnosed with cancer of the oesophagus. According to the Prisoners Club, 25 inmates serving time in Israeli jails are currently suffering from can-

cer. The Palestine Liberation Organisation has warned that more terminally ill prisoners could die.

The Israel Prisons Service said Abu Hamdiyeh was diagnosed in February and was being treated by experts.

“About a week ago, after being diagnosed as terminal, the ISP appealed to the release committee to secure his early release, a process which had been started but not yet concluded,” a statement said. It said he was serving life for his involvement as “a recruiter and dispatcher in an attempted terror attack at Cafe Cafit in Jerusalem in 2002.

Separately, Khaled Meshaal’s reelection as head of the Islamist Hamas movement was officially confirmed yesterday, drawing a cautious welcome from the rival Fatah movement which rules the West Bank. The reelection of the charismatic 56-year-old as the overall head of the Palestinian Islamist movement which rules Gaza, was widely seen as a shoo-in, with his new mandate secured by a vote in Cairo late on Monday. “The Shura Council held a meeting in Cairo to elect a leader and members of the political bureau,” a Hamas statement said. The movement’s leadership “renewed confidence in the political bureau, headed by Khaled Meshaal,” during after a late-night Monday vote of the Shura Council which groups Hamas leaders from Gaza, the West Bank and overseas, it said.

His reelection was welcomed as a positive step by a senior member of Palestinian president Abbas’ Fatah movement. “Meshaal is a pragmatic person and may be more malleable than others in Hamas,” Fatah Central Committee member Mahmud Alul told Voice of Palestine radio. “This may help... to achieve reconciliation,” he said, referring to efforts to bridge years of bitter rivalr y between the two Palestinian national movements. “All we want is a capable movement that can lead Hamas. There needs to be a leadership that can impose a political will one approach and not contradictory ones - especially in terms of reconciliation and the overall Palestinian cause,” he said. — Agencies

13 boys dead in blaze at Myanmar Muslim...

Iranian women jump for a picture as they celebrate the ancient festival of Sizdeh Bedar in a park in western Tehran yesterday. Sizdah is the Persian word for thirteen and leaving the house on the thirteenth day of Farvardin, the first month of Iranian calendar, and spending the day outdoors with the family has been a national tradition since ancient times in Iran. — AP

Amnesty slams resumption of executions Continued from Page 1

2007. “In a region where executions are sadly all too commonplace, Kuwait marked a beacon of hope by declining to execute people for almost six years,” Harrison said in a statement. “That hope has been extinguished...

We deplore this resumption of executions, regardless of the crime.”

Public attorney Mohammad Al-Duaij, who supervised

the executions, said another 48 people are on death row awaiting a final decision on their sentences by HH the Amir. The state has executed a total of 69 men and three foreign women since it introduced the death penalty in mid-1960. Most of those condemned have been convicted murderers or drug traffickers. “Kuwait should halt any further executions and should commute all death sentences and revise the law to exclude this most final of penalties,” Amnesty said. — AFP

UAE, Canada end visa row Continued from Page 1 The UAE in Jan 2011 started charging Canadians $1,000 for a six-month multiple entrance visa, while three-month and one-month visas cost $500 and $250 respectively. The steep hikes in obtaining a visa for the UAE came as the two countries had been at odds over landing rights in Canada for UAE-based carriers and the closure of a UAE military base to Canadian use. Canada

was forced a few months earlier to close a military base in Dubai that was part of a key supply route to Afghanistan after refusing to grant the UAE’s two national carriers more landing rights. Baird was transport minister at the time, when more than 25,000 Canadians were living in the UAE and bilateral trade was valued at $1.5 billion annually, according to the UAE. Since then, Iraq has become Canada’s largest trading partner in the Middle East, Baird noted. — AFP

Continued from Page 1 Yangon to bury the victims, with many among the crowd voicing suspicions the fire was started deliberately. A teacher, who was awoken as flames tore through the building and who helped evacuate survivors, told AFP he had smelt petrol during the blaze echoing the testimony of several witnesses. “I think someone started the fire intentionally,” said Khin Maung Hla, 35, adding the victims were aged between 12 and 15. Waiting to bury her 13-yearold boy, Nyunt Zaw wept uncontrollably. “I lost my youngest son. I am devastated,” she told AFP. “The school just reopened yesterday and now my son is dead,” wept Ohnmar Lwin as she also buried her child.

Emergency services had to break down locked doors to free the children sleeping in a dormitory, according to government spokesman Ye Htut.

“Please don’t believe some news on the Internet portraying this case as a religious conflict,” he posted on his Facebook page. But, against the background of the recent sectarian violence, many Muslims were “very suspicious” about the latest fire, said Mya Aye, a Muslim member of the 88 Generation

Students’ pro-democracy group. “We are worried and sad because innocent children died,” he said. Communal tensions are high in the former army-ruled country after at least 43 people died last month in a wave of intra-religious violence that saw mosques and homes burned down in several towns. The government has imposed emergency rule and curfews in some areas.

Yangon’s chief minister Myint Swe told reporters authorities had launched a probe into the fire, adding that initial findings suggested a fault with wiring under the staircase was to blame. He said about 70 children were trapped upstairs when the blaze broke out. “The children could not get out of the building because there were iron bars (on the windows) and the only way out was the stairs,” he said, adding that the victims died of suffocation. Electrical fires are common because of poor safety standards in poverty-stricken Myanmar, which is emerging from decades of military rule.

Two Muslim guards at the building failed to react to an alarm, said Yangon police chief Win Naing, adding one was in custody and the other had run away.

Myint Swe said witness reports of a smell of fuel could be explained by the

generator used to power the building.

Muslim leader Shine Win told AFP earlier that he had spoken to students and teachers who reported slipping on an oily liquid on the ground floor while escaping, and urged the government to “reveal the truth”.

US ambassador Derek Mitchell in a statement expressed “heartfelt condolences” to the loved ones of all those affected. “Given the severity of this event, we encourage the government to work closely with members of the community to conduct a thorough and transparent investigation into the cause of the fire,” he said. Yangon has been tense but mostly peaceful following the religious clashes which broke out in the town of Meiktila and later spread. The conflict poses a major challenge for President Thein Sein, who has won international praise for his reform efforts since taking office two years ago. The situation has calmed in recent days after the former general on Thursday vowed a tough response to the violence, which he blamed on “political opportunists and religious extremists”. Violence involving Buddhists and Muslims in the western state of Rakhine last year left at least 180 people dead. -— Agencies

14

ANALYSIS

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 3, 2013

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Issues

Big Pharma down, not out, after India patent blow

By Ben Hirschler and Kaustubh Kulkarni tung by a landmark patent defeat, Western drugmakers will be wary about launching new products in India, but they cannot afford to quit a country tipped to be the world’s eighth largest market for medicines by 2016. Makers of patented drugs will in future have to get more creative about doing business in India, including striking deals with local firms to sell cheaper versions of their drugs, industry experts believe. The decision by India’s Supreme Court on Monday not to allow a patent on Novartis AG’s cancer drug Glivec angered but did not surprise US and European drug companies, given past intellectual property (IP) setbacks. And it is unlikely to send them rushing for the exit. “India is too big to ignore,” said Amit Backliwal, who heads South Asian operations for leading healthcare information provider IMS Health.

“Companies will definitely get cautious, and it definitely means a change in their business model, but I don’t think they will pull out.”

On paper, there is huge potential in India’s rapidly growing $13 billion-a-year drugs market, which is driven these days by chronic diseases such as diabetes as well as infections. So far, though, it has failed to become a moneyspinner for the world’s top pharmaceutical companies, despite a new law in 2005 allowing drug patents for the first time. Innovative patented drugs make up no more than 5 percent of sales, according to IMS, and they have been under siege after a series of rulings allowing generics firms to over-ride patents for cancer drugs like Bayer AG’s Nexavar.

New Delhi has pulled no punches in its fight with Big Pharma, both by raising the bar for patents and being ready to issue so-called compulsory licences that open the door for cheap generics when patented drugs are deemed unaffordable. In the face of such hurdles, some companies are already building new business models. Roche Holding, for example, plans to offer cut-price versions of two blockbuster cancer drugs Herceptin and MabThera under an alliance with Indian generics firm Emcure Pharmaceuticals.

It is a scheme that Ajay Kumar Sharma, associate director of the pharmaceutical and biotech practice at business consultancy Frost & Sullivan, believes other drugmakers could now emulate.

India’s stance on IP has long been a thorn in the side of Western business, prompting calls by Pfizer Inc and other US firms last month for more pressure on the country to reform policies that can block US exports. The argument cuts little ice in India, where officials see differential pricing - steep discounts for less well-off markets - as an obvious option for Western companies. “It is up to them to decide on India. Don’t forget, India is a large market, a country of 1.2 billion,” said Raghunath Mashelkar, former director general of the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research and an architect of India’s IP policies.

With differential pricing common in industries from autos to mobile phones, he argues pharmaceutical firms must find new ways to make products affordable for lower-income groups. “Drugmakers will have to work out strategies for the lower sections, to give affordable access to medicines and make money by large volumes and smaller margins,” he told Reuters. “And then they will look at the middle and the upper sections and make money through smaller volumes but higher margins.”

It is a calculated risk, yet a number of drugmakers are already coming around to the view that trading volume for price is the way forward. One of those is GlaxoSmithKline Plc, which has a large footprint in India and has just invested $900 million to raise its stake in its consumer healthcare subsidiary. GSK’s diversified approach to healthcare is shared by a number of rivals, including Novartis, that also have big interests in over-thecounter (OTC) remedies and branded generics, in addition to innovative medicines.

It is this non-prescription sector that is set to dominate in India, driving double-digit percentage growth in a market that IMS has forecast will reach $24-34 billion by 2016, vaulting the country to eighth from 14th in the global league table. PricewaterhouseCoopers puts sales by 2020 at $49 billion. Much of the new business will still come from cheap generics made by local companies, but Western firms are also seeking to put their brands on unpatented medicines, prompting the likes of Abbott Laboratories and Daiichi Sankyo Co Ltd to buy up Indian companies. With sales of patented drugs in Western countries slowing, emerging markets are a vital growth driver for drugmakers. India cannot be ignored, but there are clearly better bets elsewhere. — Reuters

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

The editor reserves the right to edit any submission as necessary.

Reelection may better Hamas ties with West

By Adel Zaanoun haled Meshaal’s reelection as leader of Hamas, which controls the Gaza Strip, provides a chance for the Islamist group to improve ties with the international community, analysts say. The veteran leader was chosen Monday to serve another four-year term despite indications he might be forced aside by the movement’s powerful and more radical leadership in Gaza. Based in exile, the pragmatic politician’s more moderate line on Israel and inter-Palestinian reconciliation has given him wide-ranging support in the Arab world and some sympathy in the West.

“Meshaal’s differences with Hamas’s more radical leadership, and flexibility on issues like reconciliation and peace, presents him to the world as a rational leader whom it is possible to deal with,” said Walid AlMudallal, a politics professor at Gaza’s Islamic University. “He excels in... relations with the Arab world,” and his reelection “will give a big enough chance to improve Hamas’s ties with the West and to market it as a movement that isn’t hostile,” he said.

Meshaal’s comments last year that he was willing to “give a chance” to talks with Israel may make him more palatable to the international community, but it sat uncomfortably within a movement whose charter

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calls for the destruction of the Jewish state. Late last year, Meshaal said he would not seek another term as Hamas chief, but the ongoing upheaval in the Middle East changes in the region forced a rethink.

“Arab and regional changes were the fundamental reason for Meshaal changing his mind about candidacy, and for his victory,” said Mukhaimer Abu Saada, a politics professor at Al-Azhar University in Gaza. “No one has his political experience,” he added, saying his candidacy was supported by Hamas leaders across the territories as well as externally. “Hamas faces the challenges of Palestinian reconciliation, confronting Israel, and relations with Egypt. Meshaal is able with his experience to bring Hamas through its difficult challenges.”

Hamas has a long and bitter history of rivalry with the Fatah movement of president Mahmoud Abbas which governs the West Bank, is viewed as a terrorist organisation by Israel, and has strained ties with Cairo which suspects Gazan involvement in a deadly attack on troops in Sinai last year. But with Meshaal at the helm, things could well change, Abu Saada said. “Two years ago, the international community saw political Islam as a danger and wouldn’t deal with Meshaal. But the Arab revolutions and victory of political Islam mean the US and Europe want to re-examine their thoughts on this. Through Egypt and Qatar, Hamas has a plat-

form to improve relations with Europe and the United States, he said.

Salah Jumaa, a specialist on Palestinians for Egypt’s MENA news agency, said that “support from Cairo is a gateway to the world” for Hamas. “ The Muslim Brotherhood played a role in Meshaal’s importance to the movement,” he said, referring to Egypt’s ruling Islamist party, from which Hamas stemmed. “Cairo hosting the Hamas meeting to elect Meshaal is proof that Egypt will support the movement in opening it up to the West.”

Egypt played a central role in brokering reconciliation efforts between Hamas and Fatah which led to the signing of a deal in April 2011, although it has yet to be implemented. And Qatar has also proposed a mini Arab summit aimed at reconciliation which has been welcomed by both rival movements. Even for Israel, said Saada, “they will prefer someone they know” in charge of Hamas - even if it is a sworn enemy. In Sept 1997, agents of Israel’s Mossad secret service disguised as Canadian tourists bungled an attempt to assassinate him on a street in Amman by injecting him with poison. But the avowed radical has gradually come around to an implicit acceptance of the notion of a Palestinian state alongside Israel, although the Jewish state has so far reserved judgement. — AFP

Turkish Cypriots: Solidarity tinged with relief

By Elena Becatoros arbed wire-topped walls stretch across the narrow, twisted streets of Nicosia’s walled medieval city, where abandoned buildings extend across a no-man’s land. On the other side, Turkish Cypriots have been watching with fascination - and consternation - as the economy of their long prosperous southern neighbors implodes. Separated by a militarized border, Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots had no contact for the best part of 30 years from the mid-1970s onwards; they have only been able to cross from one side to the other for the last decade. Torn apart by inter-ethnic strife that climaxed in a 1974 Turkish invasion, the two sides have much to be bitter about.

But bitterness is not the dominant sentiment in northern Nicosia, as the southern side that once proudly trumpeted its membership in the euro currency goes into meltdown. “I am very sorry about it,” said Selcuk Ekendal, a soft-spoken Turkish Cypriot pensioner watching friends play cards in a coffee shop, not far from the barricades dividing north from south. This is not just a southern affair, he insists: “The crisis is everywhere.” But the truth is, the crisis doesn’t directly affect Turkish Cypriots. Without any financial ties to the south, and outside of the eurozone, the north has not been touched by the Greek Cypriot economic disintegration.

Unrecognized by any country apart from Turkey, the breakaway Turkish Cypriot state has no direct trade partners apart from Turkey - making it almost entirely dependent on the large emerging power. That was once a curse but these days it’s looking increasingly like, if not a blessing, at least a safety net.

To be sure, the north has long languished as an economic backwater, while the Greek Cypriots in the south enjoyed a post-invasion financial boom that many dubbed an ‘economic miracle’ and led to decades of sustained growth, eventually allowing them to clinch coveted EU membership.

For Greek Cypriots, being part of the euro club now seems in many ways a shackle - because of the harsh conditions imposed on staying inside, and the even more frightening consequences of leaving. The Turkish Cypriot economy is so dependent on Turkey that it even uses the Turkish lira as its de facto currency. But these days, there’s an element of relief, although remarkably little gloating, in being able to watch the euro turmoil as a spectator.

It’s a remarkable reversal of fortune. Although the 1974 invasion left northern Cyprus with most of the country’s fertile agricultural land and rapidly growing tourist sites, the breakaway state’s political isolation came with a huge economic cost. Hundreds of thousands of Turkish settlers flowed into the island. Ankara spent billions sustaining them, and the newly formed government. It quickly became clear that the statelet

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depended for its survival on Ankara, both economically and politically. To the south of the dividing line, the Greek Cypriot economy recovered fast from the invasion, eventually turning its part of the island into an off-shore banking hub that grew to dwarf the island’s gross domestic product by eight times - something economists had long warned was unsustainable. And unsustainable it was: Greek Cypriot banks tottered as they became overexposed to Greek debt that became toxic when that country’s economy crumbled over the last few years. Their collapse would have dragged down the entire economy and raised fears that Cyprus could end up becoming the first country to leave the

people of the south were feeling in their crisis. “We have experienced what Greek Cypriots have experienced a long time ago, about 12 years ago, when a lot of banks went bankrupt and people lost a lot of money,” said Hassan Chirakli, an affable Turkish Cypriot who runs a shop selling traditional Turkish sweets. Turkey suffered a deep financial crisis in 2001 that forced the country to overhaul its banking system by restructuring and recapitalizing failed banks. Turkish authorities took over more than a dozen struggling banks - and with the Turkish Cypriot economy so closely linked to that of its protector nation, the effects in impoverished northern Cyprus were brutal.

In this photo taken March 24, 2013, Selcuk Ekendal, 72, speaks to AP inside a coffee shop in the Turkish Cypriot part of the divided capital Nicosia. — AP 17-nation eurozone. European officials rushed to patch together some kind of rescue, but insisted that ordinary Greek Cypriot savers had to contribute, too.

While politicians tried to work out what would work, banks in the south were shut down for nearly two weeks to prevent people draining their accounts. A new last-minute bailout agreement sparing ordinary savers averted disaster - but for Greek Cypriots, the economic pain is probably just beginning. Turkish Cypriots, on the other hand, have slowly seen their tourism industry blossom.

But Turkish Cypriots said they knew exactly how the

The closest the two sides have come to resolving the island’s division came a few years later, in 2004, with a peace plan brokered by then-UN Secretary General Kofi Annan. With hopes high, the deal was put to separate votes in the north and the south. The Turkish Cypriots accepted the plan, but the Greek Cypriots rejected it.

Chirakli says the answer to the financial woes on either side lies with reunifying the island. “If the Greek Cypriots had said yes to the Annan plan, it would have been completely different,” he said. “This is what I wanted all the way, and I still want it. Some sort of a solution to this country.” — AP

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 3, 2013

S P ORTS

Athletes get two-year ban MOSCOW: Former world and Olympic champions Svetlana Krivelyova and Olga Kuzenkova have been banned for two years each for failing drugs tests after their samples were re-examined, the Russian athletics federation (VFLA) said yesterday. The 42-year-old Kuzenkova, 2004 Olympic champion in the women’s hammer, tested positive at the 2005 world championships in Helsinki, where she also finished first. “Kuzenkova has been banned for two years starting from March 27, 2013,” the VFLA said on its website (www.rusathletics.com).

The VFLA annulled all her results from Aug. 12, 2005 to Aug. 11, 2007, meaning she will lose her 2005 world title. Cuba’s Yipsi Moreno, who finished second in Helsinki, will now get the gold medal. Krivelyova, 43, who won the women’s shot put gold at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics and the 2003 world championships in Paris, failed a test at the 2004 Athens Games.

Krivelyova had already been stripped of the 2004 bronze medal by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) after her sample was re-tested. She finished fourth in Athens but was promoted to third after her Russian team mate Irina Korzhanenko was stripped of gold after failing a drugs test for the anabolic steroid stanozolol.—Reuters

UCI blames team errors for Rasmussen decision PARIS: Alex Rasmussen’s removal from the Circuit de la Sarthe was due to administrative errors from the Danish rider’s Garmin-Sharp team, the International Cycling Union (UCI) said yesterday.

The UCI said Rasmussen was not eligible to race after “documents he was required to provide to Ernst & Young to allow registration were not provided in time”.

The governing body did not elaborate. Rasmussen wrote on his Twitter feed on Tuesday from western France: “Just got taken out of La Sarthe by the evil and powerful UCI. Lifetime ban in effect by the UCI apparently.”

Rasmussen’s tweet led to some confusion with the UCI and pundits alike mentioning a possible mix-up with fellow Dane Michael Rasmussen, who this year confessed to doping over a 12-year period.

Alex Rasmussen was initially cleared by the Danish Olympic Committee after he missed two tests and failed to provide his whereabouts once in an 18-month period, but the UCI appealed against the decision to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) which imposed the ban on him. There is no lifetime ban on Alex Rasmussen whose suspension ended on Monday.—Reuters

Sun back on track BEIJING: China’s double Olympic gold medallist Sun Yang has mended fences with his coach and laid down a marker ahead of this year’s World Championships by winning the 400m freestyle at the National Swimming Championships, local media reported.

Sun’s relationship with coach Zhu Zhigen had reportedly soured amid concerns the 21-year-old swimmer’s private life was affecting his training.

He was also suspended from all commercial activities in February for breaching a “series of team rules” and had one month’s training allowance withheld.

Sun finished nearly four seconds ahead of his nearest rival at the meet on Monday and will look to improve steadily ahead of the July 19-Aug. 4 World Championship in Barcelona.

“I am just 70 to 80 percent of my best level,” Sun was quoted as saying by Xinhua news agency. “My coach knows me better and I hope I can do better in the World Championships,” said the Olympic 400m and 1,500m freestyle champion, who returned to normal training last month.—Reuters

Tigers get past Twins MINNEAPOLIS: Justin Verlander won on opening day for the first time in six attempts, pitching five shutout innings at frosty Target Field to send the defending American League champion Detroit Tigers past the Minnesota Twins 4-2 on Monday.

Verlander (1-0) had been 0-1 in his previous five openers. Phil Coke got the last two outs for the first save by the Tigers’ closer committee.

Prince Fielder, wearing a black ski covering on his head, had two hits and an RBI to help spoil the first Twins start by Vance Worley (0-1).

RED SOX 8, YANKEES 2 In New York, Jon Lester and the Boston Red Sox got off to a quick start after a dreadful 2012 season, giving new manager John Farrell an opening day win over the depleted New York Yankees.

Newcomer Shane Vic torino led a revamped Red Sox lineup with three RBIs and rookie Jackie Bradley Jr. walked three times and scored twice in his big league debut. Boston’s big day against CC Sabathia (0-1) came a year after it lost its first three games under Bobby Valentine and went on to a 69-93 finish.

Facing a Yankees lineup minus injured Derek Jeter for the first time since 2001 and just three starters from opening day a year ago, Lester (1-0) gave up five hits and two runs in five sharp innings against the defending AL East champions.

WHITE SOX 1, ROYALS 0 I n Chicago, Chris Sale outpitched

James Shields, Tyler Flowers homered and the Chicago White Sox beat Kansas City in their season opener.

Sale (1-0) showed the form that made him a 17-game winner and an All-Star in his first season as a starter. On a chilly day when the gametime temperature was 44, he allowed seven hits and struck out seven in 7 2-3 innings. Addison Reed worked the ninth for the save.

Shields (0-1) was a tough-luck loser in his first star t since the Royals acquired him from Tampa Bay in the offseason. Flowers homered leading off the fifth.

MARINERS 2, ATHLETICS 0 In Oakland, Felix Hernandez struck out eight on opening day in his first start since signing a $175 million, seven-year contract in February, and the M a r i n e r s b e a t t h e re i gn i n g A L We s t champion Oakland Athletics.

K i n g Fe l i x s u r r e n d e r e d o n e w a l k while pitching 7 2-3 scoreless innings.

He didn’t allow a hit until John Jaso doubled to left-center with one out in the fourth, only a couple of hours after the pitcher gifted his former backstop with a Rolex watch for catching his perfect game in August against the Rays.

H e r n a n d e z ( 1 - 0 ) o u t d u e l e d B re t t Anderson while making his sixth career opening day star t and fifth in a row, retiring the first 10 batters of the game in order. Franklin Gutierrez hit a two-run single in the fifth to break a scoreless tie, and it held up for Hernandez.—AP

MINNEAPOLIS: Justin Morneau No. 33 of the Minnesota Twins slides into second base with a double as Jhonny Peralta No. 27 of the Detroit Tigers and umpire Jim Wolf No. 28 look on during the fourth inning. —AFP

World Freestyle Football Champion ‘Tokura’ to judge Red Bull Wanna Panna in Kuwait KUWAIT: The second Red Bull Wanna Panna football event in Kuwait will take place at the Marina Crescent on Thursday April 4 at 7:00pm. The best 16 participants will play head to head and the winner will be the person who scores 3 goals or 1 panna. The competition will be held in a 6x6 meters cage with no time limit.

Kotaro Tokuda aka “Tokura”, winner of the 2012 Red Bull Street Style World Championship will be in Kuwait to judge the final matches and will be performing a freestyle show. “I’m happy to be in Kuwait especially to meet the Panna and Freestyle players. I will try to help all the 16 finalists by giving them some tips that might help them in this competition or in their practice in the future.” said Tokura.

Panna, Gate in Surinamese, is a type of street football in which fine dribbling counts However, Panna is more than just a

Tokura World Champion in 2012

football game; it is a lifestyle, completed with urban clothing and street slang. The trick is to impose yourself on your opponents through the nutmeg skill. Scoring a Panna is considered as the ultimate embarrassment to your rival, earning you respect and mak ing you hero of the street.

Competitors train for days, weeks and months to master the ultimate trick to knock their opponents.

Panna is an exciting new variation of football, it teaches the importance of control and individual skills. Modern football relies on speed and skills and mastering Panna will help you achieve that goal. In recent years Panna football has taken on a new meaning; it is part today of a growing street football scene that includes freestylers. For any more info, please visit www.redbullmea.com or follow @redbullkuwait.

WASHINGTON: Pitcher Stephen Strasburg No. 37 of the Washington Nationals throws to a Miami Marlins batter during the first inning of their opening day game at Nationals Park.—AFP

Nationals blank Marlins WASHINGTON: Br yce Harper homered in his first two at-bats and Stephen Strasburg retired 19 batters in a row at one stretch as the defending NL East champion Washington Nationals opened the season with a 2-0 victory over the Miami Marlins on Monday.

For Strasburg, this marked the start of what should be his first full season in the majors, with zero pitch or inning limits. The All-Star ace was dominant against a trade-depleted Marlins lineup that features Giancarlo Stanton and little else. The righthander went seven innings, matching his career high, and allowed three hits.

Reigning NL Rookie of the Year Harper, a 20-year-old outfielder, hit solo shots over the out-of-town scoreboard in rightcenter field off Ricky Nolasco in the first and fourth innings. New closer Rafael Soriano got the save.

DODGERS 4, GIANTS 0 In Los Angeles, Clayton Kershaw launched his first career home run to break a scoreless tie in the eighth inning, then finished off a four-hitter that led the Los Angeles Dodgers past the San Francisco Giants.

Kershaw became the first pitcher to throw a shutout and hit a home run in an opener since Bob Lemon for Cleveland in 1953, STATS said.

Kershaw struck out seven, walked none and retired World Series MVP Pablo Sandoval on a grounder to end it. Matt Cain made his first career opening day start for the Giants in the loss. He allowed four hits in six scoreless innings, struck out eight and walked one.

METS 11, PADRES 2 In New York, Jonathon Niese stepped nicely into his new role as No. 1 starter for the Mets, and Collin Cowgill capped a successful New York debut with a grand slam in a rout of the San Diego Padres.

Handed the opening day assignment in place of injured Johan Santana, Niese enjoyed a big afternoon with both his arm and bat. He breezed into the seventh inning against a Padres lineup missing slugger Chase Headley (broken thumb) and catcher Yasmani Grandal, suspended for the first 50 games after testing positive for testosterone.

Marlon Byrd had a pair of RBI singles and fellow Mets newcomer John Buck was in the middle of three rallies as New York improved baseball’s best opening day record to 34-18 despite dropping its first eight openers.

first opening day start. He gave up five runs on seven hits, including the three homers, with five strikeouts and one walk in five innings. The three homers allowed matched his high from last season.

CUBS 3, PIRATES 1 In Pittsburgh, Jeff Samardzija struck out nine in eight nearly flawless innings and the Chicago Cubs held on for a victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates.

The right-hander allowed just two hits and walked one as the Chicago won on opening day for the first time since 2009.

Anthony Rizzo hit a two-run homer and Wellington Castillo added an RBI double for the Cubs. Kyuji Fujikawa got a save in his major league debut after closer Carlos Marmol struggled.

AJ Burnett, making the first opening day start of his lengthy career, gave up three runs on six hits in 5 2-3 innings, striking out 10.

DIAMONDBACKS 6, CARDINALS 2

BREWERS 5, ROCKIES 4 In Milwaukee, Jonathan Lucroy hit a sacrifice fly in the 10th inning to give the Milwaukee Brewers a victor y over Colorado, ruining the first game for new Rockies manager Walt Weiss.

Rickie Weeks sparked the winning rally when he stole second after he was hit by a pitch with one out. Adam Ottavino then issued an intentional walk to Ryan Braun and lost Aramis Ramirez to another walk before Lucroy ended the game with a fly ball to center field.

A big “Luuuuuuc” thundered down from the Miller Park crowd of 45,781 as Weeks came home with the winning run and Lucroy was mobbed by his jubilant teammates.

Ramirez also had a two-run double in Milwaukee’s three-run eighth inning as the Brewers won on opening day for the first time since 2008.

BRAVES 7, PHILLIES 5 In Atlanta, Freddie Freeman drove in three runs with three hits, including the first of three Atlanta home runs, and the Braves beat Cole Hamels and the Philadelphia Phillies.

Dan Uggla and Justin Upton, making his Braves debut, also homered for Atlanta, which led National League teams with 49 in spring training.

Hamels (0-1) struggled in his

In Phoenix, Ian Kennedy struck out eight in seven strong innings and the Arizona Diamondbacks used 15 hits to beat the St. Louis Cardinals.

Kennedy (1-0) allowed two runs on five hits with one walk.

St. Louis’ Adam Wainwright (0-1) went six innings, giving up four runs, three earned, on 11 hits. He struck out six with no walks.

Arizona’s Gerardo Parra matched his career best with four hits, three of them doubles.

Rookie A.J. Pollock was 3 for 4, including a two-run double, and

Martin Prado doubled twice with an RBI and two runs scored for the Diamondbacks.

Interleague ANGELS 3, REDS 1, 13 innings In Cincinnati, Chris Iannetta hit a solo homer early in the game and a bases-loaded single in the 13th inning, powering the Los Angeles Angels past the Cincinnati Reds in the majors’ first interleague season opener.

The Angels loaded the bases with two outs in the 13th off J.J. Hoover, who walked two and hit Hank Conger, the Angels’ final position player. Iannetta worked the count full, fouled off a pair of pitches, then singled to left.

Ernesto Frieri, the Angels’ seventh pitcher, finished off the Reds’ longest opening game since 1975, when they beat the Dodgers 2-1 in 14 innings.—AP

MLB results/standings Boston 8, NY Yankees 2; Washington 2, Miami 0; NY Mets 11, San Diego 2; Chicago Cubs 3, Pittsburgh 1; Milwaukee 5, Colorado 4 (10 Innings); Chicago White Sox 1, Kansas City 0; Detroit 4, Minnesota 2; LA Angels 3, Cincinnati 1 (13 Innings); LA Dodgers 4, San Francisco 0; Atlanta 7, Philadelphia 5; Seattle 2, Oakland 0; Arizona 6, St. Louis 2.

Boston Baltimore Tampa Bay Toronto NY Yankees Chicago White Sox Detroit Cleveland Kansas City Minnesota Houston LA Angels Seattle Oakland Texas

Atlanta NY Mets Washington Miami Philadelphia Chicago Cubs Milwaukee Cincinnati Pittsburgh St. Louis Arizona LA Dodgers Colorado San Diego San Francisco

American League Eastern Division W L 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 Central Division 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 Western Division 1 0 1 0 1 0 0 1 0 1 National League Eastern Division 1 0 1 0 1 0 0 1 0 1 Central Division 1 0 1 0 0 1 0 1 0 1 Western Division 1 0 1 0 0 1 0 1 0 1

PCT 1.000 0 0 0 0

GB 0.5 0.5 0.5 1

1.000 1.000 0 0 0

0.5 1 1

1.000 1.000 1.000 0 0

1 1

1.000 1.000 1.000 0 0

1 1

1.000 1.000 0 0 0

1 1 1

1.000 1.000 0 0 0

1 1 1

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 3, 2013

S P ORTS

Being dumb is kind to describe Guerrero’s arrest Just what Robert Guerrero was thinking remains a mystery, at least for now. He’s not saying and, after the idiotic move that got him arrested with a gun at a New York airport, that’s probably a good thing.

Dumb doesn’t even begin to describe packing heat for a trip to the Big Apple to promote his May 4 fight with Floyd Mayweather Jr. As tough as the New York media can be at times, it wasn’t necessary to bring a .40-caliber Smith & Wesson pistol in case things got real nasty.

The good news is that the Mayweather fight is still on, and Guerrero remains in training. The bad news is that the threat of possible jail time hanging over his head may be one distraction too many in a fight where Guerrero must be at his very best.

Forgive Mayweather if he’s spent the last few nights at his Big Boy Mansion in Las Vegas laughing with his yes men about the whole thing. He may beat up or berate women if they give him a rough time, but so far he seems to be pretty careful - with good reason when it comes to guns.

The Guerrero camp is doing its best

to tone things down, and you have to believe the fighter really wasn’t aware of New York’s tough gun laws when he packed his pistol - legally registered in his home state of California - in a locked box and put it in his suitcase for his trip.

That’s not surprising because fighters in general tend not to be up on local laws unless they find themselves breaking one. I mean, the guy told the ticket agent at the JFK Airport counter that he had the gun in his suitcase when he checked in. That by itself may keep him out of jail in a state so stringent about gun control that former New York Giants receiver Plaxico Burress was sentenced to three years in prison for shooting himself with his own unregistered weapon.

At the very least, though, Guerrero ruined a great story line for the bout.

He was supposed to be the good guy in this fight, a humble and hard-working boxer who praises God in every other sentence, up against a thug who spent more than two months in jail last summer for assaulting his ex-girlfriend while two of their children watched.

Until last Thursday, he played the role well. I talked to him a few weeks

fought for years to get his big break and now plans to capitalize on it.

Writers will want to know what kind of guy packs a gun for business trips as much as they will want to know his plan for Mayweather. That’s too bad, because up until last week there wasn’t a lot not to like about Guerrero. This is a guy who a few years back gave up a title because his wife was sick with leukemia and he wanted to be at her bedside trying to nurse her back to health rather than train for a fight.

It cost Guerrero more than a year of his career, but his wife, Casey, beat her disease and is now healthy. He would become a national spokesman for the bone-marrow match organization “Be the Match.” “People ask how are you going to deal with the media this and media that under the microscope,” Guerrero told me a few weeks ago.

“Nothing compares to the pressure of what my wife went through and standing by her side. Nothing compares to stressing and not knowing what’s going on and watching her go through chemo, radiation and bone marrow transplant surgeries.”

Maybe not, but facing a possible

earlier and he was full of confidence that he could handle a big fight and everything that surrounds it.

“I’ve been preparing for this throughout my career,” the WBC welterweight champ said. “I know the media is going to be crazy - everything is going to be crazy. But I’m ready for this.”

Turns out he wasn’t quite as ready as he thought. He didn’t have enough sense to leave his gun - unloaded, along with the three magazines he had in his bag - home, and he didn’t have enough sense not to bring a gun registered in California to a state where gun control laws are among the toughest in the U.S. “I hope that Mr. Guerrero fights better than he thinks,” Queens District Attorney Richard Brown said in a statement. “For anyone who hasn’t gotten the message, let me be crystal clear.

You cannot bring an unlicensed weapon - loaded or unloaded - into this county or this city. And if you do, you will be arrested and face felony charges.”

Unfortunately for Guerrero, the questions he gets over the next five weeks will not just be about how he

four years in prison on a felony gun charge with the biggest fight of his career coming up has to come close.

The pressure of a big fight is immense to begin with - especially if it is your first - and now Guerrero must enter the ring knowing he has a court date in New York just 10 days later.

He was already a big underdog against Mayweather, but at least Guerrero was someone you could cheer for. Promoters counted on that to help sell the part of the pay-per-view that Mayweather and his bad boy persona can’t deliver.

Guerrero’s story is still pretty good, but now you have to wonder: Is he the compassionate and religious man who spent all those nights at the hospital, or is he some kind of loose cannon who can’t rest comfortably at night without his pistol by his side?

My guess is he’s the first, a good man who made a bad mistake. I still believe in Guerrero’s upside, but how he handles this in the next few weeks will likely tell the story. No, dumb doesn’t come close to describing what Guerrero did. But it’s a pretty good place to start.—AP

Blackhawks soar over Predators CHICAGO: Defenseman Michal Rozsival scored in the fifth round of shootout after Jonathan Toews also connected in the tiebreaker, and the Chicago Blackhawks pulled out a 3-2 win over the Nashville Predators on Monday night.

Rozsival, who hasn’t scored a regulation goal this season, beat Pekka Rinne with a high shot in his first attempt in a shootout this season.

Patrick Kane scored his team-leading 19th goal and rookie Brandon Saad scored in regulation to help the Blackhawks win their second straight. The Predators were outshot 27-11 through the first two periods, but stormed back in the third to erase a 2-0 deficit on goals by Dave Legwand and rookie Taylor Beck and force overtime. Craig Smith scored in the second round of the shootout for Nashville, but the Predators dropped their third straight (0-1-2).

Corey Crawford made 25 saves for Chicago, while Rinne stopped 38 shots for Nashville.

Michael Clarke

Two years on, Clarke still has the stomach for the fight SYDNEY: Australian cricketing prospects have rarely looked bleaker than when Michael Clarke took over the Test captaincy after the last Ashes series but only an out-and-out optimist would declare the outlook that much brighter two years on.

While his personal stock has risen inexorably on the back of a torrent of runs, Clarke’s Australia could hardly be said to be looking ready, willing and able to contest back-to -back test series against England this year.

At the weekend, Clarke celebrated the second anniversary of his appointment as Australia’s 43rd test captain with a night in hospital suffering from gastroenteritis.

If the illness was a lingering reminder of the recent tour of India, it was not the only unpleasantness to accompany him back from the sub-continent.

The 4-0 test drubbing not only once again exposed the frailties of the Australian batting but also featured offfield problems, most notably when four players were dropped for not performing a post-match assignment.

Clarke pugnaciously defended the “homework-gate” exclusions as necessary to foster the team ethic required to fulfil the ambition he starkly laid out two years ago - to become number one ranked team in all forms of the game.

The Australians flirted with taking the top test ranking off South Africa in their home series at the end of last year but ultimately went down 1-0 to the Proteas.

They are currently ranked fourth.

Clarke will have plenty of time to reflect on how much progress has been made over the last two years in the next seven to 10 weeks as he recovers from hamstring and lower back injuries that ruled him out of the final test in India.

What he probably did not anticipate when he succeeded Ricky Ponting was defending his team against the accusation that they were the worst Australian side to ever take the field.

“All of us understand our performances over the last four tests were not acceptable,” he wrote in a column for an Australian website this week.

“But, that said, we are only a couple of months removed from advancing to within one test match of taking the number one ranking from South Africa.

“That suggests all is not lost and talk of us being the worst Australian team in history is a bit harsh. One bad tour doesn’t define a squad and I’m confident we can

take the fight to England.”

Clarke singled out the performances of batsmen Phil Hughes, Ed Cowan and Steve Smith as positives to come out of the tour, along with the workrate of seamers such as James Pattinson, Peter Siddle and Mitchell Starc.

Whereas Ponting during his reign as captain was not on the selection panel and therefore able to shrug off, or even share, media incredulity at mismanagement of players, Clarke has no such luxury.

Along with South African coach Mickey Arthur, Clarke is part of the four-man panel and must take his share of responsibility.

Leaving aside “homework-gate”, the most baffling decision in India was to drop spinner Nathan Lyon from the Hyderabad test, which Australia lost by an innings and 135 runs.

Although Lyon is not, and would never claim to be, another Shane Warne, he has been a solid test bowler and returned to take nine wickets in the final match in Delhi - a “good reward for effort” according to Clarke.

Still, if the India tour was the nadir for the Clarke-led Australia team, there have been plenty of highlights too. Clarke, who turned 32 on Tuesday, has led the team to 12 wins, six defeats and five draws in 23 tests.

There have been series sweeps of India (4-0) and Sri Lanka (3-0) at home, series wins in West Indies and Sri Lanka as well as a 1-1 draw in an extraordinary series in South Africa.

There has also been his own remarkable form since he took the job, 2,533 test runs at an average of 68.45 with one triple century, three double centuries and five other hundreds. Clarke repeatedly, and apparently genuinely, trots out the line that he would trade all his runs for victories for his team.

And, as Ponting discovered to his cost after three Ashes defeats, Australian captains will only ultimately be defined by how they fare against England.

“Everyone in Australian cricket knows how much the Ashes means to the country and we will do everything within our power to turn the ship around after our disappointing tour of India,” he wrote in his column. “The players know how big the next 12 months are and it is still our aim to win back the urn and make Australia proud.”—Reuters

DUCKS 4, STARS 0 In Dallas, Viktor Fasth made 26 saves for his third shutout of the season, and Bobby Ryan had a goal and an assist to lead Anaheim over reeling Dallas. Corey Perry and Matt Beleskey also scored and Ryan Getzlaf added two assists for the Ducks, who completed a four-game road trip (2-1-1). Teemu Selanne had an empty-netter in the last minute.

Despite having to travel, it was the Pacific Division-leading Ducks that displayed more energy and passion. Kari Lehtonen, making his 15th straight start, came up with 26 saves for Dallas, which is 1-3-0 in its last four outings allowing 16 goals in the process.

CANADIENS 4, HURRICANES 1 In Montreal, Carey Price made 18 saves in his 300th NHL game to lead Montreal over Carolina.

Max Pacioretty scored twice, while Andrei Markov and Jeff Halpern also scored for Montreal, which swept the season series and remains unbeaten in 10 games against the Southeast Division this season.

Jordan Staal scored and Justin Peters stopped 25 shots for the Hurricanes, who have only one victory in their past nine games. The win gives Montreal a three-point lead over the idle Boston Bruins in the race for the Northeast Division title.

Montreal’s Colby Armstrong had to be helped off the ice after a hard collision in the third.

SHARKS 3, CANUCKS 2 In San Jose, Joe Thornton had a goal and an assist during a second-period scoring flurry and San Jose beat Vancouver for its fifth straight victory. Andrew Desjardins and Logan Couture also scored for San Jose, which broke a scoreless tie with three goals in a span of 2:13 against Canucks goaltender Cory Schneider.

Chris Higgins and Alexandre Burrows scored to pull Vancouver within one, but the Sharks prevailed and extended their longest win streak since taking seven straight to open the season.

San Jose remains in the No. 6 playoff position in the Western Conference but trails Los Angeles by just one point for the fifth spot. The Canucks sit at No. 4 in the West.

EDMONTON: Mike Cammalleri No. 13 of the Calgary Flames and Lennart Petrell No. 37 of the Edmonton Oilers battle for position in front of Devan Dubnyk No. 40 of the Edmonton Oilers. —AFP two assists and Edmonton continued its drive for BLUES 4, WILD 1 In St. Paul, Jaden Schwartz and Andy a playoff spot, beating Calgary for its fourth win McDonald each had a goal and an assist, Brian in a row.

Taylor Hall, Ryan Jones and Nail Yakupov also Elliott stepped in and made 19 saves, and St. Louis snapped a three-game losing streak with a scored for the Oilers, who have gone 7-2-2 in win over Minnesota. Kevin Shattenkirk and their past 11 games. With the win, the Oilers kept pace in the tight Western Conference playBarret Jackman also had goals for St. Louis.

Dany Heatley scored for the Wild, whose off race, sitting in a tie with Columbus, one point home winning streak ended at four games. back of eighth-place St. Louis. Brian McGratton Minnesota lost for just the sixth time in its last 21 scored for the Flames, who said goodbye to Jay games overall. St. Louis began the day out of the Bouwmeester after the defenseman was traded playoffs and staring at a stretch with six of its to the Blues shortly before the game. The Flames have lost two in a row and six of their past eight. next seven games coming on the road.

RED WINGS 3, AVALANCHE 2 In Detroit, Damien Brunner ended his 15game scoring drought and Jimmy Howard made a late save to help Detroit hold off Colorado.

Justin Abdelkader scored late in the first period, Danny Cleary put Detroit ahead by two at 6:28 of the second and Brunner had a one-timer a few minutes later. Colorado avoided a shutout with a power-play goal at 14:08 of the third period when Jamie McGinn’s backhander from between the circles sailed over a sprawling Howard. Matt Duchene made it 3-2 with 1:18 left, but Howard’s glove save on PA Parenteau with 7 seconds left prevented overtime. Howard finished with 22 saves for Detroit, which had lost two straight.

RANGERS 4, JETS 2 In New York, Derek Stepan scored twice, including the go-ahead goal in the third period, to lead New York over Winnipeg.

Ryan Callahan had a goal and three assists as the Rangers snapped a two-game losing streak, picking up two vital points in their fight to hold onto a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.

New York started the night clinging to eighth place. Rick Nash also scored for New York and Henrik Lundqvist made 26 saves. The Southeast Division-leading Jets got goals from Nik Antropov and Zach Bogosian in their third straight loss. Ondrej Pavelec stopped 31 shots for Winnipeg.

OILERS 4, FLAMES 1 In Edmonton, Justin Schultz had a goal and

ISLANDERS 3, DEVILS 1 In Newark, Frans Nielsen set up two early goals, Evgeni Nabokov made 24 saves and New York continued its playoff push with a victory over New Jersey.

Josh Bailey and Travis Hamonic were the beneficiaries of Nielsen’s passes, and John Tavares added his 22nd goal of the season as the Islanders won for the fourth time in five games.

New York’s only loss was a 2-0 setback to the Pittsburgh Penguins, the winners of 15 straight games.

Alexei Ponikarovsky scored for the Devils, who are 0-1-3 since forward Ilya Kovalchuk was sidelined with a shoulder injury more than a week ago. Martin Brodeur finished with 18 saves. Matt Martin had a knockout of Devils forward Tom Kostopoulos midway through the first period.—AP

NHL results/standings NY Islanders 3, New Jersey 1; NY Rangers 4, Winnipeg 2; Montreal 4, Carolina 1; Detroit 3, Colorado 2; St. Louis 4, Minnesota 1; Chicago 3, Nashville 2 (SO); Anaheim 4, Dallas 0; Edmonton 4, Calgary 1; San Jose 3, Vancouver 2.

Eastern Conference Western Conference Central Division Atlantic Division Chicago 27 5 3 119 76 57 W L OTL GF GA PTS Detroit 18 13 5 94 94 41 Pittsburgh 28 8 0 123 84 56 St. Louis 18 14 2 98 94 38 New Jersey 15 12 9 89 100 39 Columbus 15 14 7 87 97 37 NY Rangers 17 15 3 82 86 37 Nashville 14 14 8 89 99 36 NY Islanders 17 16 3 103 113 37 Northwest Division Philadelphia 15 17 3 95 108 33 Minnesota 21 12 2 98 90 44 Northeast Division Vancouver 19 11 6 94 93 44 Montreal 23 7 5 111 84 51 Edmonton 15 13 7 91 96 37 Boston 22 8 4 97 75 48 Calgary 13 17 4 94 118 30 Ottawa 19 10 6 89 76 44 Colorado 12 19 4 86 111 28 Toronto 20 12 4 112 100 44 Pacific Division Buffalo 13 17 6 94 113 32 Anaheim 24 7 5 111 90 53 Southeast Division Los Angeles 20 12 3 103 88 43 San Jose 18 11 6 88 86 42 Winnipeg 18 17 2 91 110 38 Dallas 16 16 3 94 107 35 Carolina 16 16 2 93 101 34 Phoenix 14 15 6 94 101 34 Washington 16 17 2 102 101 34 Note: Overtime losses (OTL) are worth one point in the Tampa Bay 15 18 1 110 103 31 standings and are not included in the loss column (L) Florida 11 19 6 88 125 28

Mirage Cricket Club beat Lions to clinch Kuwait Swedish Cup KUWAIT: Kuwait Swedish Cricket Club sponsored by Kuwait Swedish Cleaning Services Company and patronized by Assad Khan concluded another successful tournament for the 5th year running.

Mirage CC captained by Rameshbabu won the prestigious Kuwait Swedish Trophy, beating Lions Cricket Club lead by the diehard cricketer Sayed Quadri (Lion King) by 11 runs. The tournament played under the aegis of Kuwait Veterans Cricket Committee (KVCC) which is headed by Mahmoud Abdullah (Abu Nader) Chairman MG Cricket

Club included ten of the top veteran teams in Kuwait.

Winning the toss and electing to bat Mirage CC got off to a flying start openers Fahim and Chauhan hitting a quick fire 50 in 5 overs with Fahim plundering 18 runs in the 4th over hitting a massive six and 2 fours. Khalid gave Lions their first breakthrough removing Chauhan caught trying to hook him. Lion’s spinner Vijay struck twice in the seventh over removing Fahim with a full toss and the experienced Chinmaya off successive deliveries slowing

down Mirages run rate and making them lose their momentum. Chandrakant (23), Ravi (20), Hamid (16) and Ganesh (21) played sensibly to ensure that Mirage CC reached a fighting total of 154 in their allotted 20 overs. For Lions, Faisal 3 for 20 in 4 overs was the most successful bowler.

In response, Lion’s openers Wahid and Nadeem started briskly giving them a steady start reaching 47 without loss in 6 overs. Mirage bowlers Sasi and Fahim bowling tightly did not give them a chance to score freely and take advantage of the field

restrictions in the first six overs. A brilliant piece of fielding by Jai with a direct hit from boundary caught Wahid short of the crease and gave Mirage their first break through.

Mirage’s bowlers Chinmaya, and Hamid contained the Lions batsmen and drying up the boundaries. Mirage’s captain Ramesh took a gamble by holding back their slow bowlers and finishing the quota of their fast bowlers before the slog overs which paid off as the asking rate kept creeping up steadily.

With the introduction of Azeez in the 16th over, Lion’s batsmen trying to keep up with

the required run rate started to slog out and kept losing their wickets.

Azeez returned with match figures of 4 for 18 in his 3 overs. Needing 16 runs in the final over Lions only managed to get 5 thus losing the match by 11 runs.

The tournament concluded with a presentation ceremony where Chief Guest Asad Khan and the Guest of Honor Mahmoud Abdulla gave away the trophies and honored each player with individual gifts, Fahim of Mirage CC was adjudged the Man of the match for his all round performance.

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 3, 2013

S P ORTS

Trophy meant more than any get-well card NEW YORK: The photograph of Kevin Ware in a hospital bed with the NCAA regional championship trophy propped up alongside like a giant get-well card makes it all easier to take.

But hours earlier, in those first few heartbeats after his leg snapped grotesquely in a corner of the frame as CBS televised Sunday’s Midwest regional final between his Louisville team and Duke, no one dared look. Even CBS couldn’t.

Its cameras lingered first on Duke’s Tyler Thornton, who had just made the 3point shot on the same play - freezing momentarily, covering his eyes with his hand, and then looking back to be sure what he had seen only from the edge of his peripheral vision actually happened.

Then Thornton grimaced, covered his heart with both hands, and as the camera shot widened to take in the expressions of shock and anguish among Ware’s teammates on the Louisville bench and in the stands, there was no longer any doubt. “I got sick to my stomach, and I’m kind of the resident authority on broken legs,” said former NFL quarterback Joe Theismann, who suffered a similar compound fracture on a Monday Night Football game in 1985. “A lot came rushing back. I still remember what every-

thing looked like when it happened, still feel the moisture on my back lying on the grass, the large second hand on the scoreboard sweeping. Everything.”

Theismann sent Ware a text almost immediately and followed up in a brief phone conversation Monday. “I just offered any help I could, maybe with the psychological and emotional aspects of the rehab down the road. It’s not something you’d put on a resume, but I believe being able to talk to somebody who’s been through that might help.

“And Kevin sounded good. He’s in a good place. He’s going to get the best medical attention, and I’m sure, he’s already got way more attention than he needs. ... Remember, the Internet barely existed in 1985. Back then, you got hurt, you went to the hospital, started to rehab and tried to come back. Not many people paid much attention. This went worldwide in a matter of seconds,” Theismann said. The injury to Ware’s right leg caused the tibia to poke out from his shin - and like Theismann’s. As curiosity and dread competed for attention in the minds of viewers, CBS gave its producers roughly 40 seconds to watch the replays, decide whether to show the play again, and if so, in how much detail.

They settled on one replay from the

other end of the court, a second from the original angle, and no more. Sean McManus, the head of CBS Sports, said, “We did not try to highlight it. I think we did the right thing.”

Agreed. But that didn’t stop the photos, videos and exchanges on social media from exploding instantaneously.

A day later, after Louisville coach Rick Pitino visited the recuperating Ware and reported that he left the trophy behind with this instruction - “‘Just make sure you don’t lose it’” - the story still simmers.

The initial reaction, explained Syracuse professor of popular culture Robert Thompson, is simply a sign of the times. On the other hand, the continuing interest in the story shows how little human nature has changed. “Neither of those mean we’re terrible people. I think it speaks more to this need we feel now to bear witness. Look at the technology that’s in place. Couple it with the image of a human body doing something that seems so alien in that instant - something that’s both disturbing AND striking - and there’s this almost creepy desire to watch it over and over again,” he said.

“And you know, we’ve seen car crashes in NASCAR races and terrible collisions in the NFL, and in a sense, that’s become part of the narrative. That’s not the case

with basketball, which is a big part of what made it so jarring,” Thompson added. “Just look at his teammates’ reaction in the moment after. But then you know they rallied and won the game for him. That’s what’s shoring this whole thing up - this continuing fascination especially since, so far, it looks like a happy ending is within reach.”

And with luck, Ware’s story will play out that way. Pitino reported the surgery was successful and that, barring an infection, Ware will be back in Louisville in time for the charter flight to the Final Four in Atlanta, which happens to be Ware’s hometown.

“Kevin had a good night. He’s not in a whole lot of pain,” Pitino said during a conference all Monday. “I know right before the surgery, when he was able to watch the players at the press conference, the nurses and doctors told me that was the first time he broke down and cried, when the players were talking about him.”

Those of us old enough to witness Theismann’s injury remember that it wasn’t until Giants linebacker Lawrence Taylor panicked that anyone - ABC’s production and broadcast crews included had any idea how bad the Redskins’ quarterback had been hurt. ABC quickly put

up replays, seemingly more impressed by its ability to show a reverse-angle of the hit than by the damage it caused.

It wasn’t until it came back from a commercial break and was about to show the replay a third time, that the network warned viewers of the graphic nature of the video. The way the various depictions of Ware’s injur y quickly bounced around the globe may have left some wishing that even that simple warning was attached beforehand.

“We’ve become an ‘I-want-to-know-itnow’ culture,” Theismann said. “But for all the attention at the moment, it’s his emotions that Kevin will have to deal with at some point, and mostly on his own.

That’s where his teammates will come in.

There will be plenty people offering help, but if you’ve ever competed at any level, you know you wind up playing and trying to win for somebody.

“His teammates showed that by the way they finished the Duke game. It’s the guys you laugh and sweat and bleed and cry alongside that will give him the encouragement to fight back. Just before I got off the phone, I told him, ‘A year from now, you’ll be the comeback player of the year,’ and he said, ‘ I’m going to work for it. ‘ I told him I’d be watching.”

He won’t be the only one.—AP

Grizzlies and Pacers advance MEMPHIS: Mike Conley drove for a layup with 0.6 seconds left as the Memphis Grizzlies rallied to beat the San Antonio Spurs 92-90 Monday for their third straight victory. The Grizzlies matched their franchise record with their 50th win this season, and they won their 12th straight at home. They pulled out a win in a game where Conley’s bucket gave them their first lead since 18-16 late in the first quarter.

Conley scored the final five points and finished with 23. Jerryd Bayless had 17 points, Marc Gasol 16, Zach Randolph 11 points and 10 rebounds, and Tayshaun Prince had 11 points. Tony Parker had 25 points for the Spurs. Parker tried to beat the buzzer with a jumper that was too late.

Daryl Impey

Impey sprints to stage win VITORIA: South Africa’s Daryl Impey yesterday won the second stage of the Tour of the Basque Countr y but I taly ’s Francesco Gavazzi, whom he beat in the sprint for the line, took the leader’s green jersey. Spain’s Angel Vicioso, who finished third on Monday, filled the same position again on the 170.2km stage from Elgoibar to Vitoria.

The 28-year-old Impey was following

up his second stage win in the race last year. Helped by his teammates he held on strongly to prevail in the dash for the finish. Gavazzi replaced Australian Simon Gerrans at the top of the overall standings.

The stage was marked by a solo breakaway by Amets Txurraka with the peloton swooping six kilometres from the line.

Today ’s third stage takes the riders 164.7km from Vitoria to Trapagaran.—AFP

Tennis trend: Players 30 and older enjoy success KEY BISCAYNE: Andy Murray watches all of the recent success by players in their 30s and likes what he sees. Men 30 and older made a big splash at the Sony Open last week, including semifinalist Tommy Haas, at 34 the oldest player in the ATP Tour’s top 50, and runner-up David Ferrer, who lost a thrilling final to Murray. Serena Williams, 31, became the oldest women’s champion.

It’s a trend that might continue into the clay-court season that began on Monday, and beyond. “It has been quite interesting,” said Murray, 25. “Guys are reaching their peak later in their careers.

The average age at the top 100 has increased by a few years since I first came on the tour.”

The Sony Open had 22 thirtysomething men in the draw, compared with 12 a decade ago. Twenty years ago, there were only four men 30 or older.

Ferrer, who turns 31 on Tuesday, and 31-year-old Jurgen Melzer staged the first all-thirtysomething men’s quarterfinal at Key Biscayne since 2003. Add Haas, and for only the third time since 1990, three men 30 or older reached the quarterfinals of a Masters event.

“I think about it - Haas at 34,” Sam Querrey said. “Hey, I’m 25. I really hope that I can go for nine good more years. It gives me more motivation and more hope that I can have a nice, long career like those guys.” Bjorn Borg retired at 25.

Boris Becker was done playing full-time at 28. Patrick Rafter quit at 28, and Marat Safin and Gustavo Kuerten walked away at 29. Andy Roddick retired last year shortly after turning 30.

But the style of play has changed, with trips to the net much more infrequent than in the past. Top players can win by hugging the baseline.

“A lot of the guys that used to play serve and volley had a lot of problems with their backs and their knees and hips, and finished when they were 28 or 29 years old,” Murray said. “And now guys are probably training better. There are better training methods, and people probably understand how to recover from matches better and are learning new things all the time about how the body works.”

Many former No. 1 women retired before 30 as well, including Monica Seles, Justine Henin, Martina Hingis, Kim

Clijsters and Jennifer Capriati.

The No. 1-ranked Williams joked last week about buying a Rolls-Royce in response to a mid-life crisis when she turned 30. But she might be more dominant than ever, and her conditioning seems at a peak for the challenges of clay. Two other thirtysomethings are ranked in the women’s top 15 - Li Na and Roberta Vinci, a late-bloomer ranked a career-high No. 13 at age 30.

As tennis takes on a more mature look, teen sensations are becoming less common. On the men’s side, Becker was a two-time Wimbledon champion before he turned 20. Mats Wilander won his first major title at 17, Borg at 18, Pete Sampras at 19.

But the most recent teenage men’s Grand Slam champion was a 19-year-old Rafael Nadal at the 2005 French Open.

Again, Querrey sees changes in the style of play as a factor.

“Compared to 20 years ago, I think guys can hit the ball bigger now,” he said.

“A man can just overpower and blow away an 18-year-old boy. I think 20 years ago with the rackets and the way people played, guys couldn’t just blow through an 18- or 19-year-old. Guys weren’t big power guys. You couldn’t hit the ball through players as much, so it allowed some of the younger players to feel their way into the game.

“Nowadays I feel that’s tougher to do.

There is a bigger difference between the way a bigger, stronger man plays compared to an 18- or 19-year-old.”

Haas, who turns 35 today, is a muscular 6-foot-2 and 190 pounds (1.88 meters and 86 kilograms). And he’s No. 14 this week, the highest he has been ranked in five years.

The German said he and other thirty somethings on the tour know how to take care of their bodies and are properly conditioned.

“I think what it comes down to is the older you get, you would assume you get wiser,” he said. “Now with nutrition and everything you can do, the right training, the trainers that you have, it just helps you mentally. “You just know what works for you best. You might do a lot of lifting; you might do a lot of cardiovascular workout. You try to figure out what helps you the best if you want to keep on riding it for as long as you can.”—AP

PACERS 109, CLIPPERS 106 In Los Angeles, Roy Hibbert had 26 points and 10 rebounds before fouling out, Paul George added 23 points and 10 assists, and Indiana barely completed a sweep of its four-game road trip by beating Los Angeles in a battle of division leaders. Hibbert made all eight of his shots in the first half and finished 11 for 14 from the field to help his team extend its winning streak to five and increase its Central Division lead to 6 1/2 games over idle Chicago.

All five Pacers starters scored in double figures, with David West getting 16 and backcourt mates Lance Stephenson and George Hill chipping in with 13 apiece.

Jamal Crawford scored 25 points off the bench for the Pacific Division-leading Clippers, whose magic number to clinch the first division title in the franchise’s 43year history remained at two. They failed on their third attempt at their 50th victory, which would break the franchise record set by the 1974-75 Buffalo Braves. Blake Griffin had 17 points.

JAZZ 112, TRAIL BLAZERS 102 In Salt Lake City, Al Jefferson scored 24 points, Mo Williams hit six 3-pointers and Utah beat Portland to extend its winning streak to a season-best five games.

The win was Utah’s second in four days over the Blazers (33-41), losers of five straight. Wesley Matthews scored 23 for Portland, still without leading scorer LaMarcus Aldridge because of a sprained ankle. Rookie standout Damian Lillard added 17 points, including three 3-pointers to break the NBA’s single -season rookie record (166) for 3s.

Utah moved a half-game ahead of the idle Los Angeles Lakers for the eighth Western Conference playoff spot, and two games ahead of Dallas.

ROCKETS 111, MAGIC 103 In Houston, Omer Asik matched

LOS ANGELES: (Left to right) Matt Barnes No. 22 of the Los Angeles Clippers, Lamar Odom No. 7 of the Clippers, Tyler Hansbrough No. 50 of the Indiana Pacers and Ryan Hollins No. 15 of the Clippers battle for a loose ball in the second half at Staples Center. —AFP

NBA results/standings Detroit 108, Toronto 98; Atlanta 102, Cleveland 94; Milwaukee 131, Charlotte 102; Memphis 92, San Antonio 90; Houston 111, Orlando 103; Minnesota 110, Boston 100; Utah 112, Portland 102; Indiana 109, LA Clippers 106.

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

Eastern Conference Atlantic Division W L 46 26 42 31 38 36 30 43 27 47 Central Division 48 27 40 32 36 37 25 50 22 51 Southeast Division 58 15 42 33 27 46 19 56 17 57

his career high with 22 points and grabbed 18 rebounds, and Houston beat Orlando without James Harden and Chandler Parsons.

Jeremy Lin had 19 points and 11 assists, and Francisco Garcia had 14 points, five assists and three blocks for the Rockets, who hardly missed their top two scorers until Orlando made a late run. Harden sat out for the second straight game with a sore right foot and Parsons missed the game with an illness. Rookie Maurice Harkless scored a careerhigh 28 points and Beno Udrih had 17 points and 10 assists for the Magic.

The Rockets won for the eighth time in 10 home games and inched closer to their first playoff berth since the 2008-09 season. Houston

SALT LAKE CITY: Utah Jazz’s Derrick Favors (15) goes to the basket as Portland Trail Blazers’ Meyers Leonard (11) defends in the fourth quarter during an NBA basketball game.—AP

PCT .639 .575 .514 .411 .365

GB 4.5 9 16.5 20

.640 .556 .493 .333 .301

6.5 11 23 25

LA Clippers Golden State LA Lakers Sacramento Phoenix

.795 .560 .370 .253 .230

17 31 40 41.5

San Antonio Memphis Houston Dallas New Orleans

Oklahoma City Denver Utah Portland Minnesota

Western Conference Northwest Division 54 20 50 24 39 36 33 41 27 46 Pacific Division 49 26 42 32 38 36 27 47 23 51 Southwest Division 55 19 50 24 41 33 36 37 26 48

.730 .676 .520 .446 .370

4 15.5 21 26.5

.653 .568 .514 .365 .311

6.5 10.5 21.5 25.5

.743 .676 .554 .493 .351

5 14 18.5 29

holds the No. 7 seed in the Western Conference.

27 points to lead the Bobcats, and Gerald Henderson had 17.

TIMBERWOLVES 110, CELTICS 100

HAWKS 102, CAVALIERS 94 In Atlanta, Devin Harris scored a season-high 25 points and Josh Smith nearly added a triple-double as Atlanta improved its chances of securing home-court advantage in the first round of the playoffs.

Smith had 18 points, 14 rebounds and eight assists before a sparse crowd in Philips Arena to help the Hawks (42-33) pull within one game of Brooklyn (42-31) for four th place in the Eastern Conference.

Reser ve Marreese Speights scored 14 of his 22 in the final quarter, but the Cavs (22-51) did not seriously threaten after pulling within 58-56 early in the third period.Shaun Livingston, starting with Kyrie Irving not playing in the second night of a back-to-back, had 14 points and six assists in Cleveland’s ninth straight loss.

In Minneapolis, Nikola Pekovic bruised and battered the overmatched Boston front line for 29 points to lead Minnesota.

Andrei Kirilenko had 17 points, nine rebounds and five assists, and Dante Cunningham scored 19 points off the bench for the Wolves, who delivered coach Rick Adelman his 998th career victory.

Avery Bradley scored 19 points for Boston, which was playing without Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett. The Celtics, who started the day 21/2 games ahead of eight-seeded Milwaukee in the Eastern Conference playoff race, have lost seven of their last nine games. This one snapped an 11game winning streak against the Wolves, who beat Boston for the first time since Garnett was traded there in 2007.

BUCKS 131, BOBCATS 102 In Milwaukee, Larry Sanders had a career-high 24 points and 13 rebounds in Milwaukee’s highestscoring total in more than four years.

Monta Ellis had 19 points, a career-high 14 assists and six steals to help Milwaukee pull 1 1/2 games behind seventh-place Boston in the Eastern Conference playoff race. Ersan Ilyasova added 22 points for the Bucks, J.J. Redick scored 20, and Brandon Jennings 19. Milwaukee, which had lost five of six, remained solidly in the eighth position in the East, with a six-game lead over idle Philadelphia. Kemba Walker scored

PISTONS 108, RAPTORS 98 In Toronto, Greg Monroe scored 24 points, Jose Calderon had 19 points and nine assists against his former team, and Detroit snapped a three-game losing streak.

Rodney Stuckey scored 18 points, Jonas Jerebko had 10 of his 15 in the fourth quarter and rookie Khris Middleton added 11 as the Pistons won for just the third time in 19 games.

Rudy Gay scored 34 points, Jonas Valanciunas had 17 and DeMar DeRozan 15 as the Raptors lost for the seventh time in eight games. Toronto was outscored 3319 in the final quarter.—AP

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 3, 2013

S P ORTS

Di Canio ducks fascism questions LONDON: New Sunderland manager Paolo Di Canio described the controversy over his appointment as “ridiculous and pathetic” and refused to answer questions about whether he held fascist beliefs in his first news conference yesterday.

Di Canio, 44, replaced Martin O’Neill at the relegation-threatened Premier League team on Sunday, a move that sparked the resignation of a British former government minister from the club’s board.

David Miliband, a departing Member of Parliament and a former Foreign Secretary, stepped down because of remarks the exSwindon Town boss made to Italian news agency ANSA in 2005 when he said: “I am a fascist, not a racist”.

“I don’t have to answer any more this question, there was a very good statement from the club, (with) very, very clear words that came out from me,” the Italian said on Tuesday in an effort to steer talk away from politics and back to football.

“I don’t want to talk any more about politics for one reason because I’m not in the House of Parliament, I’m not a political person, I will talk about only football.”

Di Canio had sought to dampen the fires on Monday by releasing a statement that suggested he had been quoted out of context. “I expressed an opinion in an interview many years ago. Some pieces were taken for media convenience,” he said.

Di Canio’s appointment led the Durham Miners Association (DMA), a powerful workers’ organisation in the north-east of England, to ask for the return of a banner that is on permanent display at the club’s Stadium of Light.

“The appointment of Di Canio is a disgrace and a betrayal of all who fought and died in the fight against fascism,” the DMA’s general secretary Dave Hopper said.

“Everyone must speak out and oppose this outrage and call on (club chairman) Ellis Short and the Sunderland board to reverse their decision.”

Asked if he had a message for the DMA,

Di Canio said: “I have said many, many words in the past and people have picked the words they wanted. I can’t keep going on about my life and my family. The people who are talking in this way, they don’t understand Paolo Di Canio.”

The Italian was given the job after a 1-0 defeat to Manchester United on Saturday prompted the surprise sacking of O’Neill.Sunderland are 16th in the 20-team table and without a win in eight games.

Asked whether he thought he could steer Sunderland away from relegation danger, Di Canio said he would bet everything he had on them not finishing in the bottom three.

“When I got the call from Ellis Short, I felt fire in my belly. I would have swum to Sunderland to take the job,” he added.

“The press like to call me the mad Italian but I would confidently bet everything I have on Sunderland remaining in the top flight.”

Di Canio had a colourful playing career with clubs including Juventus, AC Milan, Lazio, West Ham United and Celtic, but has never managed in the top flight and joins Sunderland six weeks after quitting thirdtier Swindon Town.

Never far from the headlines, he is remembered for pushing over a referee while playing for Sheffield Wednesday in England and drew outrage in 2005 when he celebrated his Lazio side’s derby win over AS Roma with a fascist-style salute.

“With my energy I’m sure we can get something from the next seven games. I hope my ways give the team more confidence on the pitch,” he added.

“Players need to fight for the shirt - go out on that pitch ready to sweat and shed blood for the club. “It’s important that the fans are happy with how the team perform and I hope to achieve that. We’re all working towards the same goal.

“I want to take things step by step.

Firstly, it’s Chelsea (on Sunday) and we will be fully focused for that game.”—Reuters

BLOEMFONTEIN: In this June 27, 2010 file photo made from a combination of six photos, Germany’s goalkeeper Manuel Neuer looks at a ball that hit the bar to bounce over the line during the World Cup round of 16 soccer match between Germany and England. —AP

FIFA picks GoalControl goal-line tech system GENEVA: FIFA opted for GoalControl yesterday as its goal-line technology system for the Confederations Cup and 2014 World Cup in Brazil.

The German camera-based, ball-tracking system was the last of four contenders to win a FIFA contract that starts with the Confederations Cup in June.

FIFA chose GoalControl-4D over three rival projects: GoalRef and Cairos, which both use magnetic fields; and Hawk-Eye, another camera system. It’s already used in tennis and cricket, and its English parent company was bought by World Cup sponsor Sony Corp. before it began FIFAendorsed testing in 2011.

GoalControl was licensed by FIFA only one month ago, and owner Dirk Broichhausen told The Associated Press then that its simplicity was key.

“Our innovation, and also a difference looking to other competitors, is that we can use standard goals, balls and nets. There is no modification necessary,” Broichhausen said.

GoalControl uses 14 high-speed cameras - seven trained on each goalmouth and passed FIFA-approved tests in February in German stadiums in Duesseldorf and Gelsenkirchen. All four systems met FIFA’s demand that a signal is transmitted to the referee’s watch within one second if a goal should be awarded. “We want to offer tournament organizers and leagues and clubs not to have to change anything on the pitch. The investment in the technology is enough,” Broichhausen said He estimated that GoalControl will cost $260,000 per stadium to install, and $3,900 per match to operate. FIFA said the cost of installation - at six scheduled Confederations Cup stadiums and 12 for the World Cup - was considered.

“The respective bids were also judged on cost and project management factors such as staffing and time schedules for installation,” soccer’s governing body said in a statement.

FIFA’s contract with GoalControl for the World Cup can be reviewed if there are problems at the 16-match Confederations Cup - or before.

“The use of GoalControl-4D in Brazil is

subject to a final installation test at each stadium where the system will be installed,” FIFA said.

FIFA, through its rule-making panel known as IFAB, approved goal-line technology last July, when Hawk-Eye and GoalRef passed the rigorous testing process. Those systems were tested at the Club World Cup in Japan last December, before Cairos and GoalControl had even been licensed.

FIFA President Sepp Blatter wanted goal-line technology in Brazil after England midfielder Frank Lampard had a goal disallowed against Germany at the 2010 World Cup. FIFA withdrew previous opposition to publicizing goal-line rulings. Now, competition organizers can choose whether decisions are shown to fans on big screens in stadiums and television viewers. In tennis and cricket, anticipation of a decision provided by Hawk-Eye has become part of the experience.

“It’s not secret,” Blatter said after the IFAB meeting in Edinburgh, Scotland. “Once we have the technology and it shows it’s a goal or not a goal, we have to be transparent, otherwise there’s no need to do it.”

Referees still have the final say on awarding a goal, or even using goal-line technology when it is installed. Mandatory pre-game tests give match officials the option to switch off the technology if they doubt its accuracy that day.

Hawk-Eye, GoalRef and Cairos will try to persuade other soccer clients, such as the English Premier League or German’s Bundesliga, to choose their systems before next season begins in August.—AP

Matches on TV (Local Timings) UEFA Champions League Real Madrid v Galatasaray 21:45 Aljazeera Sport +4 Malaga V Dortmund Aljazeera Sport +5

21:45

Photo of the day

Petr Kraus (Czech Republic) performs during the Red Bull Shred the Island in Manama, Bahrain. www.redbullcontentpool.com

Drogba back to where he began for Real clash MADRID: The wheel will have come full circle for Galatasaray forward Didier Drogba when he takes to the pitch for today’s Champions League quarter-final first leg match at Real Madrid.

The Ivory Coast international, who turned 35 this month, made his debut in Europe’s elite club competition at Real’s Bernabeu stadium in September 2003 playing for Ligue 1 side Olympique Marseille. Although he scored to put Marseille ahead in the 26th minute, goals from Roberto Carlos and Luis Figo and a double from Brazilian Ronaldo fired Real’s “Galacticos” to an easy 4-2 group stage victory. “It will be very special for me, I will never forget that day,” Drogba was quoted as saying in Galatasaray’s club magazine this week.

“It was very important for my career,” added the former Chelsea player. Drogba was Chelsea’s key performer on their run to a first Champions League triumph last season before quitting the London club for a stint in China and then moving to Turkey.

He struck the winning penalty in the final shootout against Bayern Munich having earlier kept Chelsea in the match with a crashing header two minutes from the end of regular time that levelled the score at 1-1.

“I just grabbed this chance to be able to play at the highest level in Europe again without thinking,” he said. “That’s why I am here. To have the opportunity to win again.”

Today ’s clash, the fourth between the clubs in UEFA competition, also pits Drogba against his former manager at Chelsea Jose Mourinho, who is bidding to lead Real to the 10th European crown that has eluded the club since 2002.

The pair were together at Stamford Bridge from 2004 to 2007

MADRID: Galatasaray’s Didier Drogba from Ivory Coast controls the ball during a training session in Madrid. Galatasaray will play Real Madrid today in a quarterfinal first leg Champions League soccer match. —AP and won Premier League titles in 2005 and 2006. Drogba said Mourinho and his Galatasaray counterpart Fatih Terim were excellent motivators. “Fatih Terim is a lot like Mourinho in that he is very close to the players and always talking with them,” he said.

“The psychological factor is very important in soccer and Terim is very meticulous in that respect.”

While Real have fallen in the semifinals the past two seasons, it is almost a quarter of a century since Galatasaray last reached the last four.

Alongside Drogba, the other

heavyweight in their ranks is Dutchman Wesley Sneijder, who won the Champions League with Mourinho at Inter Milan in 2010.

Their attacking trident is completed by Burak Yilmaz, who is joint top scorer in the competition with Real’s Cristiano Ronaldo on eight goals.

“Our only weapon against Real Madrid is that we are not afraid,” Terim, a former Turkey, AC Milan and Fiorentina boss, told reporters on Saturday.

“That’s the way we have always played,” he added. “Our strongest side is that we are not afraid to lose,

or to be eliminated.”

Probable teams: Real Madrid: 41-Diego Lopez; 17-Alvaro Arbeloa, 3-Pepe, 4-Sergio Ramos, 5-Fabio Coentrao; 6-Sami Khedira, 14-Xabi Alonso; 22-Angel Di Maria, 10-Mesut Ozil, 7-Cristiano Ronaldo; 9-Karim Benzema Galatasaray: 1-Fernando Muslera; 27-Emmanuel Eboue, 26Semih Kaya, 13-Dany Nounkeu, 11Albert Riera; 14-Wesley Sneijder, 10-Felipe Melo, 8-Selcuk Inan, 4Hamit Altintop; 17-Burak Yilmaz, 12-Didier Drogba Referee: Svein Oddvar Moen (Norway). —Reuters

Malaga eyeing Dortmund scalp MADRID: Debutants Malaga have toppled European giants AC Milan and Porto on their way to the Champions League quarter-finals and have another former winner in their sights when they host Borussia Dortmund today.

Coach Manuel Pellegrini and his players have propelled the Costa del Sol club to unprecedented success despite uncertainty over the commitment of their Qatari owner and cash-flow problems that prompted a ban from UEFA competition from next season.

Chilean Pellegrini has moulded a squad of experienced campaigners including Joaquin, Martin Demichelis, Jeremy Toulalan and Roque Santa Cruz into a highly efficient outfit, with promising youngsters like Isco providing a creative spark.

After beating seven-times European champions Milan 1-0 at the Rosaleda stadium on the way to topping Group C, Malaga dispatched 2004 winners Porto 2-0 in the last round on a festive night for local fans including Hollywood actor Antonio Banderas.

They are brimming with confidence ahead of the first leg with Dortmund-who won the Champions League in 1997 — according to former Spain winger Joaquin.

“If we are here it is because we have proved we are a great team,” the 31-year-old told a news conference on Monday. “This is the time when the great teams express themselves and we have not said the last word here at the Rosaleda,” he added.

“We need to be an aggressive team, playing the way we know and taking the initiative.”

Malaga’s success is in large measure down to

their well-drilled defence, one of the meanest in La Liga this season, and preventing Dortmund from scoring an away goal could be key to their chances of progressing after next week’s return leg. Malaga have kept nine clean sheets in their 12 European home games, including against Milan in October and the success against Porto last month.

If they reach the semi-finals, they will match the debut-season achievement of La Liga rivals Villarreal under Pellegrini in the 2005-06 season.

Known as “the engineer ”, the cerebral Pellegrini led an unfancied Villarreal team to the last four before they were narrowly beaten by Premier League side Arsenal.

“This is a tie lasting 180 minutes in which we have to be intelligent, dominate the match but without forgetting the return leg,” Pellegrini told a news conference after Malaga’s 3-1 La Liga victory at Rayo Vallecano on Saturday.

“Hopefully we will go to Dortmund with a solid advantage,” added the former Real Madrid coach, who was sacked in 2010 to make way for Jose Mourinho.

Dortmund have several players battling for fitness after a hard-fought 2-1 victory at VfB Stuttgart that kept them in a distant second place in the Bundesliga on Saturday.

With only one trophy to chase for after losing the domestic battle to Bayern Munich this season, they are eager to leave their mark on Europe’s elite club competition.

“That was a good preparation for Malaga because it will be equally intense in the one-onones,” coach Juergen Klopp said of their Stuttgart win.

Defender Marcel Schmelzer, who broke his nose in the game, is doubtful but he said he was determined to play using a face mask after undergoing surgery. “It was fixed and stitched so as not to waste time because next up is Wednesday but with a face mask,” the Germany international said.—Reuters

MALAGA: Malaga’s Brazilian forward Julio Baptista attends a training session at Rosaleda stadium on the eve of the UEFA Champions league football match against Borussia Dortmund.—AFP

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 3, 2013

S P ORT S Pizarro dethrones Messi in AP global football rankings PARIS: It takes something extra special to dethrone Lionel Messi. So that’s exactly what Bayern Munich striker Claudio Pizarro did, scoring four goals in a 9-2 demolition of Hamburg to knock the Barcelona superstar into second place in the latest Associated Press global football rankings.

The fact that the Peruvian striker hadn’t even scored a league goal since the final day of last season made his achievement even more spectacular.

“He’s the symbol of team which totally dominated its subject, where pretty much every player deserved a place in the Top 10,” said Cedric Rouquette of Eurosport in France.

Pizarro collected 133 points to Messi’s 99, with Dutch winger Arjen Robben pulling in 71 points to move into third spot by contributing two goals - one a sublime chip from the edge of the penalty area - as Bayern taught Hamburg a lesson.

In the team rankings, Bayern earned 148 points from a possible 150 after its scintillating display of attacking football. “They were in completely different stratosphere,” said James Thorogood of Bundlesliga.com in Germany. “ The Bundesliga’s runaway leaders carved the Red Shorts apart like they were a Sunday league team, and arguably should have broken the double-digits mark.”

Filip Bondy of the New York Daily News noted that Bayern is now only really tested by other teams in Europe.

“They’re leading the table by 20 points and now they score nine goals in a single match. Is it too late to apply for admission to La Liga?” Bondy joked.

“Because it sure looks as if Bayern has outgrown the Bundesliga.”

Juventus’ consistency contrasts with the glitzy football played in Munich, but Antonio Conte’s team took another decisive step toward the Serie A title by winning 2-1 at Inter Milan with a performance as determined as Bayern’s was swaggering.

Juventus totaled 119 points to rise from third to second, with Manchester United, Napoli and Paris Saint-Germain tied for third place. PSG and United enjoy commanding leads in their domestic leagues and moved closer to wrapping up the titles with 1-0 wins,

away to Sunderland and at home to Montpellier, respectively.

Juve’s march to the title is perhaps the ultimate example of teamwork, considering that top scorer Fabio Quagliarella has managed only eight league goals this season.

That puts him light years behind Messi’s astonishing mark of 43. Yet the veteran forward - who has never managed more than 13 league goals in a Serie A season - is pivotal in his team’s setup for his tireless running and battling qualities.

Meanwhile, Gareth Bale added another excellent strike in an outstanding season to take his league tally to 17 goals. The Welshman climbed to fourth spot with 57 points, while Napoli striker Edinson Cavani jumped two places to fifth after scoring twice in the 5-3 win at Torino.

Although Napoli is nine points behind Juventus, it remains two points clear of AC Milan in the race for second place.

Cavani only played the last 25 minutes but still did enough, Rouquette said, to “help the Neapolitans turn a crazy match in their favor” and take his season’s haul to 22 league goals and 71 in 97 career matches for the club.

Just behind PSG, Napoli and United in the team rankings is Manchester City.

While unlikely to cut United’s 15-point lead at the top with eight matches left, City bounced back to form with a 4-0 thumping of Newcastle - just in time for next Monday’s trip to United.

Having received full marks in the previous rankings, Barca dropped to seventh spot with 38 points after a 2-2 draw at Celta Vigo in which Messi scored for an unprecedented 19th straight league game.

“Scoring in 19 consecutive matches and against every team in the league is a Lionel Messi record that will probably never be beaten, unless he breaks it himself,” panelist Mike McGrath of England’s Sun newspaper and Wardles news agency said.

In a reflection of their respective seasons, Barca’s draw was still enough to keep it ahead of Real Madrid, which dropped from second place to 10th following a lackluster 1-1 deadlock at Real Zaragoza.—AP

QPR closer to the drop after defeat at Fulham Fulham 3

QPR 2

LONDON: Fulham withstood a fierce fightback from Queens Park Rangers to beat their west London rivals 3-2 on Monday and push Harry Redknapp’s side closer to Premier League relegation.

Dimitar Berbatov’s double and an own goal put the hosts 3-0 up in the first half but Rangers, adrift in the bottom three, stormed back and the home team were forced to cling on after midfielder Steve Sidwell was sent off 11 minutes from time.

Two errors from Rangers centre back Christopher Samba, signed for an undisclosed club record fee from Anzhi Makhachkala in January, helped Berbatov fire 10th-placed Fulham into a two-goal lead midway through the first half.

Samba tripped Ashkan Dejagah just inside the box and Berbatov scored from the penalty spot after eight minutes. The Bulgarian doubled Fulham’s advantage with his 13th league goal of the season after Samba dwelt in possession on the edge of his own area and the former Manchester United striker seized on the loose ball to shoot past keeper Julio Cesar.

Samba was not the only Rangers defender to suffer, Clint Hill putting

LONDON: Queens Park Rangers Cameroonian defender Stephane Mbia (left) vies for the ball with Fulham’s Costa Rican forward Bryan Ruiz (right) during the English Premier League football match.—AFP through his own net on 41 minutes when John Arne Riise’s cross hit him and flew in.

Adel Taarabt gave the visitors a lifeline with a well-taken goal just before halftime and soon after the restart Loic Remy’s penalty, awarded after Taarabt was tripped by Giorgios Karagounis, was saved by Mark Schwarzer.

Remy quickly made amends when

he smashed the ball home just minutes later from Stephane Mbia’s through ball and Rangers had other chances to take at least a point after Sidwell was shown a straight red card for a rash challenge on Armand Traore. Rangers, who have seven matches to play, are seven points adrift of safety. They remain 19th on 23 points, the same as bottom club Reading. Aston Villa are 18th on 30

points with Wigan Athletic just above the relegation places, also on 30 having played one game fewer.

“We’re not giving up,” QPR manager Redknapp told Sky Sports television. “We’ve got to beat Wigan on Sunday now.

“We’ve got to keep going. We need another 14 points and we must make sure we win four games and draw two.”—Reuters

National must stay unique — Aintree chief LONDON: Safety and welfare should always be a priority in jumps racing but the Grand National must remain a test of horse and jockey and not lose its unique character, according to Aintree racecourse chief John Baker. The deaths of two horses during last year’s race and two in 2011 brought equine safety into focus and prompted an official inquiry amid calls by animal welfare groups for the National, first run in 1839 and now

Kuwait International Bank team

with an estimated global television audience of 600 million, to be banned.

A number of modifications were subsequently recommended, with the organisers making alterations to iconic fences such as the notorious Becher’s Brook.

“They (the National fences) still need jumping, they still need respect and it remains a challenge for horse and jockey which is what it should

be,” Baker, overseeing his first National on Saturday, told Reuters.

According to British Horseracing Authority figures, 10 horses have been fatally injured in the Grand National since 2000.

“We have made some hugely significant changes in terms of safety and welfare of the Grand National and we need to be saying: ‘We are proud of what we have done’,” Baker said. “This is the greatest race in the

world, those fences still need to be respected...we’ve maintained that, we’re very strong in that the distance of the race is unique, the number of runners is unique and we need to retain the character of the Grand National. “We have to get the balance right from protecting that uniqueness and character and moving with the times and trying to make sure that safety and welfare is on top of our agenda.”—Reuters

Burgan Bank team

Ahli United Bank, Burgan Bank & KFH win Kuwait Banks Club Cricket League — 2013

Ahli Bank Kuwait team KUWAIT: An enterprising knock of 63 runs by opener Jagath Roshantha paved way for Ahli United Bank recording their first victory over Gulf Bank in the ongoing Kuwait Banks club league trophy organized by Kuwait Cricket. Winning the toss and electing to bat first, Jagath, the stocky right handed batsman gave a positive impetus by launching into the attack right from the word go and consolidated his team’s position with a 88 runs second wicket partnership with Saud Qamar.

Getting into his rhythm and coming down the track, Jagath clubbed some handsome looking strokes to score 63 runs which had 5 boundaries. Saud Qamar struck a quick 32 runs and Sajid who followed next was more enterprising as he hit 3 fours & 3 huge sixes to score 38 runs in just 12 balls to bring the AUB total to a mammoth 175 runs in 20 overs.

Ahli United Bank team Jawad, Rafat & Bilal bowled well for Gulf Bank taking a wicket each.

Gulf Bank, chasing almost 9 runs an over had an early set back as they lost both the openers with 24 runs on board but skipper Rafat Khan & Tanveer stood firm to counter attack the AUB bowlers with a determined stand of 45 runs for the fourth wicket.

Sensing the need to have a further breakthrough, AUB skipper Mahmoud Bastaki introduced himself from the garden end and immediately struck by having Rafat Khan caught at sweeper cover by Fahad Bastaki for 15 runs.

Mahmoud Bastaki exhibiting his years of experience maintained a steady off & middle stump line to run through the Gulf Bank middle order batting line up to have an impressive bowling figure of 4-14 in 4 overs.

Tanveer who fought a lone battle was run out after making a valuable 31

runs with 2 huge sixes. Gulf Bank scored 91 runs in 15 over, thus leaving AUB victorious by 84 runs.

Mahmoud Bastaki was rightly presented with the Player of the match award for his skillful bowling performance.

In the second match of the day, Burgan Bank notched a 43 runs victory, over Kuwait International Bank.

Batting first on a beautiful batting strip, Burgan kept a steady run flow as Dilip (17 runs) & one drop Arthur played sensible cricket to add 40 runs for the second wicket. Striking the cherry with awesome power, Arthur hit a breezy 58 runs in just 39 ball with 6 fours and 3 sixes.

The introduction of wily off spinner and veteran of many battles, Robin Lasarado from the garden end put brakes on Burgan scoring. The masterly bowler Robin (2-16) spun a web around the talented Burgan

Kuwait Finance House team batsmen and skipper Manoj Mishra (2-31) operating from the co-operative end restricted the scoring flow to a great extend. Efficient and athletic in the field, Ali Asghar of KIB took three stunning catches to support the effort of the KIB bowlers.

Waheed’s late onslaught of 26 runs enabled Burgan to post a decent total of 162 in 20 overs.

Kuwait International Bank openers Khurshid Ali & Ali Asghar launched a promising start to add 42 runs for the opening partnership and the duo batting with perfect timing gave a fitting reply to the run chase. Reading the pitch condition, Syed Ejaz Ali, the Burgan skipper who led commandingly, introduced left arm spinner Asharaf who removed the potentially dangerous opener Ali Asghar for a well struck 21 runs and squared up Nadeem to have the middle stump uprooted.

On a slow & bouncy pitch, the Burgan spinners were literally unplayable as Manohar, Waheed & skipper Ejaz Ali bowled superbly to skittle the KIB team to 119 runs. KIB opener Khurshid Ali remained unbeaten with a patient 31 runs & skipper Manoj Mishra scoring 14 runs were the main contributors for KIB. Asharaf (2-19), Manohar (3-24), Waheed (2-9) & Syed Eijaz Ali (3-22) bowled well for Burgan Bank. Mr. David Thorpe, General Manager, Finance & Planning, Kuwait International Bank presented the Player of the match award to Arthur for his excellent batting display.

In the third match of the day, Kuwait Finance House (KFH) chalked out an easy 8 wicket victory over Ahli Bank of Kuwait (ABK). ABK won the toss and elected to bat first and soon were in deep trouble as they lost their star batsman Pervaiz in the very

first over. Soon after Balwant & Sunder fell to some brilliant catches held by Zahed & Fazal and the hostile pace bowling of KFH never let the ABK batsmen to go on top.

It was left for Abishek to stand amongst the ruins to steady the ship and along with John who scored a painstaking 19 runs, which helped ABH to score 98 runs. Faraz 2-10, Abdulla 2-12 & Zahid 2-28 were the main wicket takers for KFH. KFH team started the chase in a belligerent mood, plundering 63 runs in just 4 overs, Zahid was at his very best scoring 38 runs of 18 balls and Abdulla the other opener hammered a stroke filled knock of 43 runs in just 20 balls. KFH reached their target in the 8th over loosing two wickets and ABK’s Sunder claiming both of them. Abdulla of KFH was declared Player of the match for his all-round performance.

Drogba back to where he began for Real clash

Nationals blank Marlins

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 3, 2013

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FIFA picks GoalControl goal-line tech system

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PARIS: Barcelona’s Alexis Sanchez (right) vies with Paris Saint Germain’s Christophe Jallet during their UEFA Champions League quarter-final first leg match between PSG and Barcelona at Parc des Princes stadium. — AP

PSG earn well deserved draw

PARIS: Baise Matuidi’s goal deep in stoppage time earned Paris Saint Germain a deserved 2-2 draw in in their Champions League quarter-final first leg against Barcelona at Parc des Princes here yesterday.

Barca appeared to have snatched the win when Xavi Hernandez converted from the spot in the last minute of normal time after Zlatan Ibrahimovic had cancelled out Lionel Messi’s first half opener.

The penalty was awarded when PSG goalkeeper Salvatore Sirigu charged out and brought down Alexis Sanchez. Messi put the Spanish giants into a 38th minute lead when set up superbly by Daniel Alves. This was the Argentine four-time world footballer of the year’s 57th goal

in all competitions this season. But Messi’s night came to a premature end when he suffered a right hamstring injury and failed to emerge for the second half. He is due to undergo tests to determine the extent of the damage today.

Ibrahimovic, who had an unhappy one season spell with Barca, put PSG back in the game when pouncing on a rebound after a Thiago Silva header in the 79th minute ricocheted off the far post. Then Matuidi popped up in the fourth minute of injury time to give PSG hope for the return leg at the Camp Nou next week.

The big-spending French club’s coach Carlo Ancelotti sprang a surprise when electing to start 37-year-old English star David Beckham.

It was the veteran midfielder’s first champions

League appearance since coming on as a substitute for AC Milan in a 4-0 drubbing by former club Manchester United at Old Trafford in 2010.

Beckham, speaking to ITV television, reflected: “In the first half, especially the first ten minutes we had a few very good chances, then they got their goal, it was an uphill battle but I think we deserved a draw tonight.”

On being named in the starting line-up he said: “The manager has shown a lot of confidence in me in games and in big moments, tonight was a big moment for the club.

“I’m pretty much at the same level as I was at AC Milan, it was only three years ago, I’m enjoying being part of these nights again, they don’t get better than this.”

Bayern see off Juventus to inch towards semis MUNICH: Bayern Munich have one foot in the Champions League semi-finals after their 2-0 win at home to Juventus yesterday in the quarter-final, first leg clash.

Munich needed less than a minute to take the lead over the Italians through a thunderous strike by Austria defender David Alaba before Germany’s Thomas Mueller grabbed Bayern’s second at the Allianz Arena with an hour gone.

With both sides top of their respective leagues, Bundesliga giants Bayern are bidding to reach their third Champions League final in four years while Juventus have won all five of their previous European quarter-finals against German teams.

But Juventus will have to produce a top performance next week if they are to maintain that record as Bayern dominated this match.

Munich coach Jupp Heynckes demonstrated Bayern’s strength in depth by leaving Peru striker Claudio Pizarro on the bench-despite scoring four goals in Saturday’s 9-2 rout of Hamburg-with Mario Mandzukic starting as the lone striker.

Brazil star Luiz Gustavo came in for the suspended Javi Martinez alongside Bastian Schweinsteiger in Munich’s defensive midfield.

For Juventus, strikers Alessandro Matri and Fabio Quagliarella paired up again in attack, while the trio of Giorgio Chiellini, Stephan Lichtsteiner and Claudio Marchisio were all brought into Antonio Conte’s 3-5-2 formation.

Bayern needed just 26 seconds to take the lead when Alaba launched a left-footed rocket from 35 metres out which gave Juventus goalkeeper Gianlugi Buffon no chance.

The ball took a slight deflection off Juventus’ Arturo Vidal on the way to the bottom right-hand corner in what was one of the fastest goals in Champions League history.

Toni Kroos’ early groin injury meant Bayern had to shuffle their midfield with Arjen Robben coming onto the rightwing, Mueller moving into the middle with Franck Ribery on the left.

Both Ribery and Robben kept Buffon busy with crisp shots, while Schweinsteiger curled a free-kick just over the top right-hand corner of the goal.

On PSG’s prospects to qualify for the semifinals he added: “Our chances are better than they were at 2-1 - it’s going to be difficult but no reason not to go there and get a result.”

And ever the gentleman he offered good wishes to the injured Messi, saying: “We all hope Messi is fit and ready to go - we wish him the best.” Meanwhile, Paris Saint-Germain striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic heaped praise on his former team-mate Lionel Messi, but insisted it was too soon to describe the Argentine as the greatest player of all time.

Messi, who turns 26 this year, scored his 43rd goal of the season in La Liga at the weekend, becoming the first player ever to score against every other team in the league in consecutive

games.

The Argentine has broken endless goalscoring records in recent times. “I think today for sure Messi is the best player in the world,” said Ibrahimovic, who played alongside the reigning world player of the year at the Camp Nou in the 2009-10 season.

“He has been winning this golden ball for so long now (he has won it four times in a row), maybe they should change it’s name to Messi from the Ballon d’Or. “He breaks every record there is and is still young, but is he the best ever? “I think he has to quit football and then you can say if he is the best there has been. We can talk about it now, but when he quits playing I will answer.” — AFP

Preview

English clubs eye redemption LONDON: After a collective blow-out in the Champions League, England has a three-pronged attack on Europe’s second tier competition with Chelsea, Tottenham Hotspur and Newcastle United all vying for Europa League success.

The three Premier League sides were all kept apart in the draw for the last eight and head into Thursday’s quarter-final first legs looking to earn back some of the country’s European lustre.

European champions Chelsea host Russian outfit Rubin Kazan, London rivals Tottenham welcome Swiss side Basel and Newcastle travel to Benfica.

Fenerbahce’s clash with Lazio is the only quarter-final not to feature a Premier League club. For Chelsea, tomorrow’s match against Rubin is the start of a gruelling fixture pile-up that involves playing five matches in 13 days as they look to do battle in three competitions.

Defeat to Southampton in the Premier League on Saturday left them looking vulnerable in a three-way fight with Tottenham and Arsenal for the final two Champions League qualification spots.

But victory over Manchester United in an FA Cup quarter-final replay 48 hours later set them up nicely for an end-of-season push for silverware.

“My priority is the top four and trying to win the next game, in the Europa League,” Chelsea’s persistently under-fire interim manager Rafa Benitez said after Monday’s hard-fought 1-0 win.

“We’re in the semi-finals of the FA Cup, quarter-finals of the Europa League. It’s a great season at the moment.

It could be even better.”

Chelsea start as overwhelming favourites but Rubin are no pushovers having knocked out holders Atletico Madrid and their La Liga rivals Levante in two previous rounds to reach a European quarter-final for the first time.

The club from the Volga region, the last remaining Russian side in the competition, warmed up for the Chelsea clash with a 2-0 home win over Lokomotiv Moscow on Saturday, moving them into fourth place in the league table.

Tottenham, who like Chelsea are almost certainly pri-

oritising their fight for a top-four finish in the Premier League, host Basel, the Swiss champions for the last three seasons.

The Swiss have lost only two league matches since Murat Yakin, a former Switzerland defender, took over as coach at the end of October and are unbeaten domestically this year. They are the only reigning domestic champions still in the Europa League.

They last reached the quarter-finals of a European competition in 2005/06 when Middlesbrough knocked them out of the then UEFA Cup. “We are extremely excited about this draw,” said Yakin.

“Tottenham Hotspur are a great team from a wonderful city. We have nothing to lose against them. We have earned the opportunity to play against teams like these.

It’s already a huge accomplishment to be in the last eight of the Europa League.”

For Newcastle, the Europa League is a distraction from their domestic battle to avoid relegation with the club three points above the drop zone following a crushing 4-0 defeat to Manchester City on Saturday. Manager Alan Pardew, who was handed a remarkable eight-year contract at the start of the season, has promised fans that his side will put in an improved display in Lisbon.

“It’s one of the great European adventures, trust me,” Pardew said. “Their stadium is going to be rocking on Thursday night - and after our result they will be looking forward to us coming.

“But we will certainly be better than we were on Saturday.” Fenerbahce host Lazio with the Turkish side looking to improve on a dismal record against Italian teams, having lost 10 of 13 clashes to date.

Lazio are fifth in Serie A after their 2-1 win over Catania on Saturday but still have an outside chance of finishing third and a place in the Champions League next season.

Coach Vladimir Petkovic, who speaks eight languages, said of Fenerbahce: “They are very good, especially at home. Turkish sides don’t usually shine when they play away, however. “We have great respect for them but they are not unbeatable.” — Reuters

Europa League

MUNICH: Juventus’ defender Giorgio Chiellini (top) vies for the ball with Bayern Munich’s Croatian striker Mario Mandzukic during the UEFA Champions League quarter final football match. — AFP Munich kept up the pressure and the second goal came on 63 minutes when Gustavo fired in a long-range shot, which Buffon parried, but Mandzukic was on hand to square the ball for Mueller to tap in.

There was more bad news for the Italians as midfielders Vidal and Lichtsteiner will both miss the return leg after picking up second-half bookings.

With Munich aiming to become the first German club to claim the treble of domestic league, cup and Champions League titles, Bayern can wrap up the Bundesliga on Saturday if they win at Eintracht Frankfurt. With seven games left and a 20-point lead, it would be the earliest confirmed title win in the German league’s history. — AFP

Business

Chinese tanker loads Iran oil, first since July Page 22 Record unemployment clouds euro-zone hopes Page 25

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 3, 2013

UAE strategic hub for foreign investments

Ambani brothers bury hatchet with telecom deal Page 23 Page 26

Cyprus finance minister quits Probe to unravel causes of crisis, bailout NICOSIA: Finance Minister Michalis Sarris resigned yesterday, hours after a judicial probe was launched into how Cyprus was pushed to the verge of bankruptcy before having to agree a crippling euro-zone bailout. He said he was stepping down as he would need to cooperate with judges probing the failure of Laiki Bank, of which he was chairman for much of last year. The bank’s collapse was a major contributor to the island’s near financial meltdown.

President Nicos Anastasiades accepted his resignation with “sadness” and lauded his “high political ethos” for stepping down to facilitate the probe. The president named current labor minister, 40-year-old economist Haris Georgiades, to replace Sarris, spokesman Christos Stylianides said.

Zeta Emilianidou, permanent secretary at the commerce ministry, becomes the first woman in the cabinet, taking over Georgiades’s post, Stylianides added.

Meanwhile, the government wrapped up talks with international lenders that will open the way for Cyprus to receive a 10-million euro bailout, Stylianides said.

“Today we have completed the forming of the memorandum, which is a precondition for the loan agreement,” he said, adding that the period to implement the deal was extended by two years to 2018 to “ease pressure on the economy.” And the central bank announced an easing of capital controls imposed last week, raising the limit on business transactions from 5,000 euros to 25,000 and allowing people to issue cheques of up to 9,000 euros.

With public anger mounting, the government set up a judicial inquiry on Tuesday into the banking collapse.

Anastasiades called on the three-judge commissionGeorge Pikkis, Panayiotis Kallis and Yiannakis Constantinides-to investigate himself and his family members as a “matter of priority” and with “extra vigour”.

This is seen as a move to counter unsubstantiated allegations that his relatives used privileged information to get money out of the country before deposits were locked down. Accusations have also been made against other leading politicians and business figures that they

MOSCOW: Cyprus’ Finance Minister Michalis Sarris (center) leaves after his meeting with Russian Finance Minister Anton Siluanov at the building of Russian Finance Ministry in Moscow. —AP

took advantage of their position to protect their assets from a hit on bank deposits imposed by EU-led creditors last month. Anastasiades said nobody was immune from the inquiry, not even his extended family or the law firm in which he was a partner until recently. “A series of acts or omissions from those authorized to manage the economy or the banking system led the country to the brink of bankruptcy, the dissolution of one its largest banks and the loss of billions from an impairment of deposits,” Anastasiades said at the swearing-in ceremo-

ny. The massive losses suffered by savers in the island’s two largest banks in the first euro-zone rescue package to punish larger depositors has sparked huge resentment against anybody seen as having taken unfair advantage to shirk their share of the burden.

The president lauded what he said was the “high political ethos and political sensitivity” reflected by Sarris’ resignation, which he said “constitutes a phenomenon of a new approach with regard to what is happening in the Cypriot political life.” Central bank official

Yiangos Demetriou told state radio meanwhile that savers in the island’s largest lender, Bank of Cyprus, would also be able to access 10 percent of their deposits over 100,000 euros.

But he added that the representatives of the troikathe European Central Bank, the European Union and the International Monetary Fund-had asked for more information before agreeing to release the full 40 percent of deposits over that threshold that savers can be sure of retaining. — AFP

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 3, 2013

BUSINESS

Chinese tanker loads Iran oil, first since July Insurance arrangements for tanker unclear

LJUBLJANA: Slovenia’s central bank governor Marko Kranjec speaks during a press conference in Ljubljana yesterday. — AFP

Slovenian CB slashes 2013 growth forecast LJUBLJANA: Slovenia’s economy will contract more than previously expected this year, the central bank said yesterday, forecasting gross domestic product to shrink by 1.9 percent. In its previous prediction, the central bank said the economy would contract by 0.7 percent.

Slovenia will start a modest recovery in 2014, with 0.5-percent growth speeding up to 1.4 percent of GDP in 2015, the bank also said. Central bank governor Marko Kranjec, also a member of the European Central Bank’s governing body, warned however that: “Much will depend this and next year on what will the state do.”

“Risks are high and a clear message that we want to stabilize the economic situation cannot be avoided,” he told journalists. In 2014, “much will still depend on the international environment but mainly on the domestic situation,” he added. The new centre-left government, appointed last month, has promised to continue implementing measures adopted by the previ-

ous government-including pension and labor reforms and a plan to create a socalled bad bank. At the same time, it says it plans to “soften” austerity measures aimed at cutting public sector spending. “We are still waiting for the government’s program to be presented shortly and hope it will help stabilize the situation,” Kranjec said.

“The government... has to do whatever is necessary to stabilize the economic and financial conditions,” he added, urging Prime Minister Alenka Bratusek to “make it clear she is serious about such measures.”

In its economic forecast last week, the government’s Macroeconomic Analysis and Research Institute (UMAR) also predicted a 1.9-percent contraction this year, followed by modest 0.2-percent growth in 2014.

Last year, the economy contracted by 2.3 percent of GDP. On inflation, the central bank kept its forecast unchanged yesterday, predicting a 2.3-percent hike in consumer prices this year and by 1.4 percent in 2014. — AFP

CBQ plans bond sale to boost capital DUBAI: Commercial Bank Of Qatar (CBQ), which is buying a majority stake in Turkish lender Alternatifbank, has picked two banks for a potential bond sale to boost its core capital, sources said.

The sale of a capital-boosting bond, a rare move in the Gulf, would help assuage analysts’ concerns over CBQ’s capital position which have been exacerbated by its recent agreement to buy the controlling stake in Alternatifbank. CBQ, the Gulf state’s third-largest bank by market value, has hired Morgan Stanley Inc and Bank Of America Merrill Lynch for the issue of a Tier 1 bond, two sources familiar with the matter said, speaking on condition of anonymity as the matter is not public.

CBQ declined to comment. Tier 1 capital is the main measure of a bank’s financial strength and Gulf banks will eventually be expected to comply with tighter Basel III global standards for Tier 1 ratios, which will be gradually introduced over the coming years. The sale of capitalboosting bonds is still rare in the Gulf but the trend has been growing in recent months with two UAE-based lenders, Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank and Dubai Islamic Bank selling sharia-compliant Tier 1 debt

to shore up their capital ratios.

CBQ has never sold a Tier 1 bond before but completed a $600 million tenyear Tier 2 bond in 2009 as part of a $1.6 billion two-part offering which, at the time, was the largest ever issue from an emerging market financial institution.One of the sources said CBQ was aiming to sell a benchmark-sized bond, which is typically at least $500 million in size.

Dubai-based brokerage Arqaam Capital said in a March 26 note that the bank would need to raise fresh equity of about 4.8 billion Qatari riyals ($1.32 billion) in order to address its weak capital base. The broker expects CBQ to raise the capital through a combination of a Tier 1 bond sale and a rights issue.

In March, CBQ agreed to buy a 70.8 percent stake in Alternatifbank, valued at $460 million based on Alternatif’s book value of $328 million at the end of December. The final price will be based on two times the Turkish lender’s book value as at June 30, 2013, the bank has said. In the Gulf region, CBQ owns a near35 percent stake in National Bank of Oman and 40 percent in United Arab Bank. — Reuters

BEIJING: A Chinese tanker loaded crude in Iran in March, according to shipping data and an industry official, the first time a China-flagged ship has transported Iranian crude since EU sanctions imposed last July stopped insurers covering the shipments.

The United States and Europe imposed tough sanctions in 2012 that aim to choke Iran’s oil revenue and force the Islamic Republic to halt its disputed nuclear program. Unable to find insurance for its own vessels because of the sanctions, China has relied mainly on the National Iranian Tanker Company (NITC) to ship Iran’s crude to Chinese refineries over the past nine months. If China has put in place a system of insurance for its own vessels allowing them to participate in the trade again, the country’s refineries could boost imports. China is Iran’s largest trade partner and biggest oil client, buying around 440,000 barrels per day (bpd) in 2012. The Chineseowned supertanker Yuan Yang Hu, with capacity to carry 2 million barrels of crude, called at Iran’s Kharg Island on March 20-21 and is en route to China, shipping tracking data showed.

The vessel is owned by Dalian Ocean, a subsidiary of state shipping giant China Ocean Shipping (Group) Company (COSCO). An official at COSCO’s general manager’s office said she was unaware of the matter and the company’s press official was not available for comment.

Norwegian marine and energy insurance group Skuld said it provided protection and indemnity (P&I) cover - insurance for ocean going ships against pollution and injury claims - for the

Yuan Yang Hu. “We insure ships on a yearly basis and do not usually know what particular activity a ship is engaged in at any one time,” Skuld said in a statement. “An owner is not obliged to inform Skuld about the trade he is conducting with the vessel.” Skuld said compliance with EU’s regulations was of the “utmost importance”. “Any member who falls within the scope of this exclusion or engages in activity which is contrary to any other provision in the insurance terms and conditions runs the risk of prejudicing their P&I cover,” it said. “The operation of the exclusion is automatic - the exclusion will apply without us being required to give notice to owners.” An industry official with knowledge of the shipment told Reuters separately that the tanker’s insurance and reinsurance had been arranged in China. He was unable to provide more details.

“This is the first Chinese vessel (since the ban)... as one of the lifters got special approval from the authorities to lift Iranian oil on a trial basis,” said the official, who requested anonymity due to the sensitivity of the matter. “Insurance is also handled by the Chinese side.”

Iran’s fleet has struggled to deliver oil to its biggest buyers China, India and South Korea, all of whom had to switch to Iranian vessels for delivery after the EU sanctions came into place.

China’s Iranian imports fell 21 percent in 2012 from 2011 to 440,000 bpd partly due to shipping problems. The fall meant China qualified for an exemption to US sanctions, which require buyers of Iranian crude to continually reduce imports.

Beijing has repeatedly stated its opposition to

unilateral sanctions outside of the United Nations, such as those imposed by the United States. But it qualified for an exemption anyway, after the shipping delays and a contract dispute led to the sharp fall in imports.

COSCO’s chairman Wei Jiafu told Reuters last July, just weeks after the European insurance ban took effect, that the Chinese government could follow Japan’s example and provide insurance for Chinese tankers.

Japan found a way around the EU ban last year when the government stepped in to provide $7.6 billion in coverage to tankers carrying Iranian crude bound for Japanese ports.

Insurance companies use reinsurers to hedge their risk, and the reinsurance market is mostly based in Europe. The EU sanctions prevent those reinsurers from participating in transactions that facilitate Iranian crude exports. The same problem has also arisen in India for refiners seeking insurance for plants that process Iranian crude.

China largest refiner Sinopec processes nearly all the Iranian crude imported into the country, which is shipped in by Sinopec’s trading arm Unipec and state trader Zhuhai Zhenrong Corp.

Even without any new arrangement on insurance, oil traders have said deliveries have, since late 2012, “improved significantly” after NITC deployed old tankers and also took delivery of several new vessels from Chinese shipyards.

In the first two months of 2013, China imported about 410,000 bpd of Iranian crude, 3 percent more than a year earlier, according to Chinese customs data. — Reuters

Altimo’s $3.7bn bid undervalues Orascom DUBAI: Altimo is taking a cheap shot at Egypt’s Orascom Telecom Holding. The firm controlled

by Russian billionaire Mikhail Fridman has offered to buy out minorities in the Cairo-listed operator, which has interests sprawling from Bangladesh to Canada. The bid values the firm at $3.7 billion, a 10 percent premium to the current market value. If a dispute with Algeria over Orascom’s most profitable asset, Djezzy, is resolved soon, that will look measly.

The Russian firm is offering 70 cents for each Orascom share. Regional broker Prime Holding calculates that amount is equivalent to around half the multiple of EBITDA of recent transactions by Orascom, and a 20 percent discount to the operator’s sum of the parts. A higher valuation looks increasingly realistic amid signs that Algeria is ready to end the two-year-old dispute over Djezzy, which is independently valued at $6.5 billion and provides 60 percent of Orascom’s operating EBITDA. The move on Orascom, already half-controlled by Altimo subsidiary Vimpelcom, looks like a pre-emptive attempt by the Russian firm to capture more of the potential upside from Djezzy for itself. Investors were expecting Vimpelcom to lead a buyout - but only after the Djezzy dispute was settled.

The reason for Vimpelcom’s parent making the move is unclear. Vimpelcom is busy reducing its net debt, but the $20 billion firm could afford to buy the shares it doesn’t already own and still hit its leverage targets for 2015, say analysts at Citi.

Altimo may be planning a broader restructur-

ing of its own telecoms interests or Vimpelcom could gain from the buyout in the future. Egypt’s regulator, which has delayed a number of M&A deals post-uprising for political reasons, should scrutinize the relationship between Altimo and Vimpelcom.

Minority shareholders should be nervous.

Orascom could be left with low liquidity without a delisting. France Telecom’s local unit Mobinil is already listed in Cairo with almost no free float.

But the low-ball offer might not get far, especially as the government has recently introduced a new capital gains tax. Only those desperate to exit troubled Egypt will be tempted.

Russia’s Altimo has submitted an application to tender an offer for Cairo-listed Orascom Telecom Holding, Egypt’s Financial Supervisory Authority said on March 31. The offer values the firm at 70 cents per share or $3.7 billion. Altimo owns more than half of Vimpelcom, which in turn owns 52 percent of Orascom. Vimpelcom has said it will not sell its stake under the offer.

If the offer is approved by Egyptian regulators, the price will be converted into Egyptian pounds for locally-held shares based on the official exchange rate two days before the settlement. The Egyptian pound has lost 10 percent of its value since the start of 2013. —Reuters

Qatar spending could fall after 2017: FM DUBAI: Qatar’s government budget spending is expected to stay at about this year’s level until 2017, after which it could drop, Qatari Finance and Economy Minister Youssef Kamal said yesterday.

Qatar plans to boost government spending by 18 percent to 210.6 billion riyals ($57.8 billion) in the 2013/14 fiscal year that began on Monday, as it steps up a big infrastructure building program. “The budget of course until the year 2015 or 2017 will be the same level, but later on it could go down again because most of the infrastructure would be completed at that time,” said Kamal, speaking to reporters at a meeting of Arab finance ministers and central bankers in

Dubai. Earlier, Qatar’s central bank said it planned to issue 3 billion riyals of conventional bonds and 1 billion riyals of sukuk in the local currency every quarter. Asked if this meant Qatar would become less active issuing international bonds, Kamal replied: “We are still open to the international market - it depends on opportunities and also on the level of debt to the GDP (gross domestic product). Today the foreign debt to GDP of the state of Qatar is around 12 percent. It’s nothing.”

Asked about the possibility of a Qatari dollar sovereign bond issue this year, he said: “We study the international market and if there is a good opportunity we will be active within that opportunity.” —Reuters

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

.2770000 .4300000 .3620000 .2970000 .2770000 .2940000 .0040000 .0020000 .0772190 .7523200 .3930000 .0720000 .7375180 .0370000 CUSTOMER TRANSFER RATES .2843000 .4323210 .3644300 .2993260 .2793690 .0488760 .0435620 .2962260 .0366200 .2291820 .0030170 .0000000 .0000000 .0000000 .0000000 .0774340 .7544120 .0000000 .0758340 .7387290 .0000000

.2880000 .4450000 .3780000 .3160000 .2920000 .3010000 .0068000 .0035000 .0779950 .7598810 .4110000 .0770000 .7449300 .0440000 .2864000 .4355140 .3671220 .3015370 .2814330 .0492370 .0438840 .2984140 .0368910 .2308750 .0030400 .0053060 .0022660 .0029210 .0036790 .0780060 .7599840 .4050920 .0763940 .7441860 .0070670

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

742.38 78.77 76.27

740.000 78.500 76.500

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 285.100 284.185 435.515 367.425 300.234 754.810 77.600 78.255 75.990 401.895 41.253 2.254 5.250 2.895 3.626 6.994 699.365 4.030 9.810 4.030 3.370 91.985

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 301.98 285.17 305.72 369.44 285.25 437.63 3.10 3.657 5.259 2.249 3.293 2.963 77.73 759.51 41.29 406.37

SELL CASH 300.000 283.000 305.000 368.000 286.250 437.000 3.300 3.740 5.400 2.450 3.450 2.980 78.500 758.500 41.300 413.000

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 0.4267132 0.0061866 0.0449108 0.3607049 0.0446604 0.4241508 0.0396009 0.2951579 Australasia 0.2869837 0.2306706 0.0001118 America 0.2736595 0.0001488 0.2833500 Asia 0.0035948 0.0031691 0.0449179 0.0165100

SELLDRAFT 0.4357132 0.0181866 0.0499108 0.3682049 0.0498604 0.4316508 0.0446009 0.3021579 0.2989837 0.2406706 0.0001118 0.2826595 0.0001668 0.2856500 0.0036498 0.0033991 0.0499179 0.0196100

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

0.0000443 0.0342580 0.0052050 0.0000244 0.0028547 0.0029535 0.0032711 0.0882472 0.0031376 0.0028723 0.0065441 0.0000730 0.2258670 0.0019515 0.0093454 Arab 0.7512658 0.0399153 0.0129967 0.1486950 0.0000794 0.0001738 0.3973239 1.0000000 0.0001752 0.0215277 0.0012152 0.7309380 0.0778056 0.0756400 0.0480305 0.0031875 0.1792045 0.0763447 0.0012887

0.0000503 0.0373580 0.0052699 0.0000295 0.0038547 0.0031336 0.0035011 0.0952472 0.0033378 0.0029123 0.0070141 0.0000760 0.2318670 0.0022535 0.0099454 0.7597658 0.0419453 0.0194967 0.1504850 0.0000799 0.0002338 0.4048239 1.0000000 0.0001952 0.0455277 0.0018502 0.7419380 0.0785886 O.0762800 0.0485805 0.0034076 0.1852045 0.0777947 0.0013887

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) 284.800 369.200 436.250 282.800 3.065 5.250 41.250 2.253 3.619 6.978 2.896 758.250 77.600 76.100

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 3, 2013

BUSINESS

Ambani brothers bury hatchet with telecom deal MUMBAI: India’s billionaire Ambani brothers, who fought a very public feud for spoils of their father ’s business empire, signed yesterday a $220-million deal in the first tangible sign of a corporate reconciliation. Reliance Jio Infocomm, the telecom unit of Mukesh Ambani-led Reliance Industries, signed the agreement with Reliance Communications, the flagship firm of the Anil Ambani group, to share their fibre-optic communications networks.

The long rumored pact is the “first in an intended comprehensive framework of business co-operation” between Reliance Jio and RCom, to use each other’s infrastructure across Indian cities, the companies said.

This will provide “optimal utilization of existing and future infrastructure of both companies on a reciprocal basis”, they added in separate but identical statements.

There have been increasing signs of a warming of ties between the brothers since their fight for control of Reliance

erupted after their rags-to-riches father, Dhirubhai, died in 2002 without leaving a will.

“It is a positive sign that the brothers are keen to work together,” said a fund manager with a state-run brokerage firm, who asked to remain unnamed.

The pair ended up splitting the Reliance group left by their father that was India’s most valuable listed company.

After a protracted court case that saw their mother, Kokilaben, act as peacemaker, the brothers agreed to bury the hatchet and tear up a noncompetition agreement that prevented them from entering the same sectors.

In 2011, Mukesh and Anil came together to dedicate a memorial to their father, and their mother declared the enmity over, telling reporters: “There is love between the brothers.”

Tuesday’s agreement, while small in value, was the first tangible evidence of an end to the business rift between Mukesh, India’s wealthiest man, and his younger sibling Anil. News of the agree-

This combo of file pictures shows chairman and managing director of Reliance Industries Mukesh Ambani (left) and chairman of India’s Reliance Power Anil Ambani. — AFP ment heightened speculation among analysts about further collaboration between the brothers as well as about a

possible merger of the two Reliance telecom companies. RCom’s shares leapt as much as 17.2 percent to a high of

66.9 rupees after the news before retracing some of their gains to close up nearly 11 percent at 63.3 rupees. Mukesh Ambani’s Reliance Jio is unlisted.

The deal will help Reliance Jio Infocomm roll out its high-speed fourthgeneration (4G) ser vices. Mukesh Ambani is planning to establish an ultrafast 4G telecommunications carrier later in 2013. Analysts say sharing fibre-optic networks and other infrastructure such as telecom towers could prove mutually beneficial by helping Mukesh reduce costs at the same time as boosting the fortunes of Anil’s debt-laden group.

RCom will have reciprocal access to the optic fibre infrastructure which Reliance Jio will build in the future, the companies said.

“Both brothers have a presence in telecom. Their working together makes sense at a time when the cost of doing business is high and the economic environment is tough,” said Sonam Udasi, head of research with IDBI Capital. — AFP

Pressure on Oman to raise spending eases State completes infrastructure projects

OMAHA: Matthew Miller of Omaha shops for a car in Omaha, Nebraska. March turned out to be the best month for auto sales in at least six years in the US. — AP

US factory orders up 3% in February WASHINGTON: US factories rose sharply in February from January on a surge in demand for volatile aircraft. The gain offset a drop in key orders that signal business investment.

The Commerce Department said yesterday that factory orders increased 3 percent in February. That’s up 1 percent decline in January and the biggest gain in five months. The increase was due mostly to a jump in orders for commercial aircraft.

Those orders rose 95.1 percent. Orders for motor vehicles and parts also increased 1.4 percent. Orders for all durable goods, which are products expected to last at least three years, jumped 5.6 percent. Orders for nondurable goods, such as processed food and clothing, rose 0.8 percent.

Despite the gains, the report showed that a key measure of business investment plans fell. That could mean that some companies were worried in February about steep federal spending cuts that started on March 1. Core capital goods, which include machinery and equipment orders, fell 3.2 percent. Demand for construction machinery, turbines and generators all fell sharply.

Orders for computers and electronic products rose slightly.

Economists closely watch these orders because they signal business investment plans. Still, the decline followed a 6.7 percent surge in January, the largest in nearly three years. Analysts said that when aver-

aging the two months, business investment orders showed a solid increase for the January-March quarter. Many expect the gains to resume this spring, helped by a stronger job market that has kept consumers spending. Consumers stepped up spending in February after their income jumped. The gain occurred even after Social Security taxes increased in January, reducing take -home pay for most Americans.

Many economists raised their growth forecasts after the report was released.

Some are predicting growth could increase to around 3 percent in the January-March quarter, up from 0.4 percent in the previous three months. Other data show that some companies may start to pull back because of the government spending cuts. The Institute for Supply Management reported Monday that US manufacturing activity expanded more slowly in March than February, held back by weaker growth in production and new orders.

But factories did hire at the fastest pace in nine months, which was seen as an encouraging sign ahead of Friday’s report on employment in March. The economy has added an average of 200,000 jobs a month from November through February, which helped lower the unemployment rate in February to a four-year low of 7.7 percent. Economists predict a similar level of hiring in March. — AP

Blue-chips help Dubai halt slump; Oman up MIDEAST STOCK MARKETS DUBAI: Dubai’s index rebounded from a twomonth low yesterday, although thin trading left investors unsure whether these gains marked the end of a recent downward trend.

Most Middle East markets edged higher in lackluster trade. Dubai’s measure index climbed 1 percent. About 79 million shares traded, which was 58 percent higher than a day earlier, but still less than half the 2013 average of 177 million shares. “The market was very quiet so it’s very difficult to say this marks a change in trend,” said Sebastien Henin, portfolio manager at The National Investor. “Maybe some investors think the market has fallen enough.” The index has declined in four out of six sessions, reducing year-to-date gains to 13.6 percent.

It is down 5.3 percent since Feb. 24’s 39month peak and has broadly followed a similar pattern to 2012 when an early-year surge gave way to a sustained slump from early March.

But those bald numbers fail to show a crucial difference this year compared to last, said Henin. “Last year, it was speculative money coming into small- and mid-cap stocks that pushed the market higher, but this time it’s only about three or four large stocks - the quality names - that are responsible for most of the rally,” said Henin. Therefore the market can better hold onto its early-year gains as these are backed up by company fundamentals, with Emaar Properties, bank Emirates NBD and telecom operator du the main drivers of the rally. Emaar climbed 3 percent and Emirates NBD added 1 percent, but du fell 0.4 percent. All are up more than 30 percent this year.Oman’s index rose 0.7 percent to rebound from a five-week low. It is down 2.7 percent from March 26’s 22-month high.

The recent slump was due to investors booking some early-year gains as well as many

stocks going ex-dividend, said Adel Nasr, United Securities brokerage manager.

Investors used these cash dividends to buy back stocks at lower prices, driving Tuesday’s rebound. “It’s speculation on first-quarter results,” said Nasr. “If earnings beat expectations I would expect the market to rally to the end of the year.” Many investors have targeted the likes of OM Invest and Oman National Investment Corp Holding (ONIC), because these companies invest in Gulf equities and so should benefit from a broadly positive regional trend this year. OM Invest and ONIC climbed 5.5 and 3.1 percent respectively. Saudi Arabia’s index rose for a sixth session in eight, but will remain in a sideways range as investors are unsure how best to profit from the country’s growing economy, which is forecast to expand 4 percent in 2013. “Saudi has one of the best stories from a macroeconomic perspective, but taking a position on that is trickier because the largest sector - petrochemicals - is not really related to the domestic economy,” said Henin. “People are hunting for domestic plays.” That would normally make consumer stocks a target, but these have already rallied, said Henin.

Investors are also wary of banking stocks, Saudi’s other heavyweight sector, due to worries that provisions and tight net interest margins will constrain profit growth.

Telecoms is attracting little interest - No.2 operator Mobily is near a six-year high and former monopoly Saudi Telecom Co has been making negative headlines after a second chief executive quit in less than a year last month and its fourth-quarter profit fell 79 percent. Egypt’s main share index fell 0.4 percent, its third straight decline, to slump to a 16week low. “Bearish momentum is slowing down,” wrote Pharos brokerage. — Reuters

DUBAI: Pressure for Oman to keep increasing its state spending every year is decreasing because the country has finished building most of the infrastructure it needs, finance minister Darwish Al-Balushi said yesterday.

Speaking to reporters at a meeting of Arab finance ministers and central bank governors in Dubai, he said that in contrast to last year, Oman did not expect this year to spend more than it had originally budgeted. “As far as the budget is concerned, we have in this year’s budget taken all the anticipated expenditure to sustain the expected growth. We do see any unexpected expenditure to occur during the year,” he said.

Asked whether it was sustainable for Oman to continue raising its spending over the medium term, he replied: “Not necessarily. It depends how oil prices will behave and also our level of production.

“However, we think that most of our infrastructure has been completed, therefore we do not have pressure on increasing expenditure.”

Balushi also said his government did not now plan to issue conventional bonds or sukuk this year. Oman’s central bank chief Hamood Sangour Al-Zadjali had said last month that the government was likely to issue its first sukuk, denominated in rials, towards the end of 2013 or at the start of next year.

Meanwhile, Oman’s central bank has granted Islamic banks a one-year relaxation of rules on the amount of foreign assets which they can hold, to give time for Islamic financial instruments to be developed domestically.

Oman’s first full-fledged Islamic banks, Bank Nizwa and Al Izz International Bank, were established late last year and are now starting to operate as the country introduces Islamic finance.

Under rules announced by the central bank in December, the two banks can hold no more than 40 percent of their net worth in the form of foreign currency-denominated assets.

This threatens to hurt their profitability, how-

DUBAI: A general view shows the opening session of the Arab Finance Ministers meeting in Dubai yesterday. — AFP ever, because Oman has not yet developed a market in sukuk (Islamic bonds) or other shariacompliant instruments which the banks could use to manage their liquidity.

Al-Zadjali said that for the first six months, the limit would be raised to 75 percent, and it would be 50 percent for the following six months. Then the 40 percent limit would apply.

“After that they can have local sukuk and they can be building local credits,” Zadjali said at a meeting of Arab central bankers and finance ministers in Dubai. “It’s a definite period, it’s one year...until they set the client base.” Last year, the two lenders raised a combined 100 million rials ($260 million) through their initial public offers of shares, with Bank Nizwa having 150 million

rials in paid-up capital and Al Izz having 100 million rials. Oman’s first sovereign sukuk issue is expected in about a year; the finance minister said earlier yesterday that the issue would not occur within 2013.

The rules also state that Islamic banks are allowed to hold a maximum of 30 percent of their net worth in sovereign sukuk, so pressure will remain on the industry to develop other rialdenominated Islamic products to manage liquidity. Islamic banks in Oman have limited investment options partly because the country’s Islamic banking rules essentially ban the use of commodity murabaha, a common tool used by Islamic banks around the world to invest surplus funds. — Reuters

Dubai developer Damac plans share listing DUBAI: DAMAC Properties, a privately-held Dubai developer, is considering listing its shares on the stock market and has approached banks with proposals for advisory roles as it bets on a recovery in the emirate’s real estate market.

The developer has submitted requests to a handful of leading international banks, three sources aware of the plan said, speaking on condition of anonymity as the matter is not public. It would be the first major property firm in the United Arab Emirates to launch an initial public offering (IPO) since the property market collapsed in 2009, after similar plans by familyowned Al Habtoor Group were shelved last year.

An IPO by a big Dubai name would also jolt moribund equity markets in the region. The last listing on the Dubai Financial Market index was in March 2009, while the Abu Dhabi bourse has seen only a couple of minor sales since 2008. The IPO plan is at an initial stage and it was not clear whether the listing was planned in Dubai or in another international market. No details on the

potential valuation for the business was available.

DAMAC said a potential IPO is one of the options considered for the company’s future growth but gave no additional details. “As a company of our size and scope, we are continually looking at all growth possibilities and an IPO is one of these routes,” said Niall McLoughlin, senior vice president at DAMAC Properties.

Dubai’s property market has recovered gradually in the last one year after a 60 percent plunge in prices as investors fled the emirate following the global financial crisis.

“The Dubai real estate sector is pretty hot right now so they would want to capitalize on that sentiment,” said one equity banker, declining to be named as he was not allowed to speak to the media. “They are one of the biggest developers in Dubai - when you’re driving around, you see their billboards everywhere and the obvious comparison, Emaar Properties, has been doing pretty well recently.”

Emaar Properties’ shares have risen 36 percent year-to-date on the back of increased revenue from hospitality and retail businesses. The developer has approached banks, including HSBC, Deutsche Bank, Morgan Stanley and Goldman Sachs, the sources said. The company is yet to pick an advisor for the proposed float, the sources said.

Led by Hussain Sajwani, DAMAC symbolized the flamboyance in Dubai’s property market during the boom years, handing out sports cars and luxury yachts to customers of penthouses and duplex homes.

The developer slowed down during the downturn but returned with new projects as Dubai’s real estate market stages a gradual recovery. DAMAC, formed in 2002, has completed 37 buildings and has another 66 buildings under construction across the Middle East and North Africa region. It recently announced a plan to build a $1 billion development in partnership with Viacom Inc’s Paramount Group. — Reuters

Egypt taxi drivers storm finance ministry gates

BEIJING: Swedish furniture giant IKEA’s President and CEO Mikael Ohlsson delivers a speech to university students in Shanghai yesterday on the development of IKEA’s global business. — AFP

CAIRO: Egyptian taxi drivers stormed the gates of the finance ministry in Cairo yesterday during a protest against the terms of loan payments on their cars, security officials said. Other taxi drivers in the protest were upset that the government had not yet replaced their old black and white taxis with the more recent white cars that are equipped with meters.

Ministry employees armed with clubs and chairs prevented the drivers from entering the building. Egypt had replaced most antiquated black and white taxis in Cairo with more modern white ones over the past four years, but some older models were not eligible for the program.

The new taxis were bought through financing, and many drivers now say they cannot afford to keep up with payments amid increasing inflation.

Taxis, relatively cheap compared with Western fares, are one of the main forms of transportation in Cairo. — AFP

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 3, 2013

BUSINESS

Oil above $111, Saudi sees stronger demand LONDON: Oil edged further above $111 a barrel yesterday as the prospect of stronger demand in Asia outweighed concern over the pace of economic recovery in top consumer the United States. Demand for crude from Saudi Arabia is likely to rise over the coming months, Saudi Oil Minister Ali Al-Naimi said on Monday - a sign the OPEC heavyweight sees a recovery in its biggest export market, Asia. China, the world’s secondlargest oil consumer, imported just over 1 million barrels a day from the Kingdom last year, up more than 7 percent from 2011.

Brent gained 44 cents to $111.52 a barrel by 1053 GMT. US crude rose 4 cents to $97.11 a barrel. “The fact that oil prices have been able to gain despite negative framework conditions of late -

weaker data from China and the US just now, and a firmer US dollar, weaker equity markets and rising US inventories last week - can be interpreted as a sign of an incipient trend reversal,” Commerzbank said in a research note. But some investors anticipate downward pressure on oil prices as cooling US factory activity in March suggests the world’s largest economy lost some momentum at the end of the first quarter.

“You see the US economy settling into a long hard grind of moderate growth of around 1 to 1.5 percent. Growth in previous recoveries was closer to 3.5 percent,” said Ric Spooner, chief market analyst at CMC Markets, in Sydney.

“With this kind of growth, the United States is going to struggle to bring down unemployment,

which is a real drag on the economy.”

US crude could also be pushed lower by a pipeline leak in Arkansas that threatens to increase the supply of oil coming from Canada to the US Midwest. Exxon Mobil continued efforts to clean up thousands of barrels of heavy Canadian crude oil spilled from a near 65-year-old pipeline in the US state. Exxon’s Pegasus pipeline, which can carry more than 90,000 barrels per day (bpd) of crude to Texas from Illinois, is used to supply US Gulf Coast refineries. “Any kind of bottleneck will cause weakness in the mid-continent, so you could see some temporary weakness in WTI,” said Tony Nunan, a risk manager at Mitsubishi Corp in Tokyo, referring to West Texas Intermediate-grade crude oil. —Reuters

SYDNEY: A passenger boat makes a turn in front of the National Maritime museum at darling harbor in Sydney yesterday. It has been widely tipped there will be no change to the current cash rate when the RBA hands down its monthly interest rate yesterday. — AFP

Australia keeps rates on hold SYDNEY: Australia’s central bank kept interest rates on hold at 3.0 percent yesterday, saying global downside risks appeared to have eased but domestic pressures were lingering. Reserve Bank of Australia governor Glenn Stevens said there were a “number of indications that the substantial easing of monetary policy during late 2011 and 2012 is having an expansionary effect” but more time was needed.

The stubbornly high Australian dollar is squeezing local industries despite a drop in export prices, while households and businesses remained cautious. Globally, however, the picture is improving, with the United States expanding at a “moderate” pace while growth in key market China had “stabilized at a fairly robust pace”, shoring up similar improvements across Asia.

“Global growth is forecast to be a little below average for a time, but the downside risks appear to be reduced,” said Stevens following the bank’s monthly meeting on monetary policy. “At today’s meeting, the board judged that it was prudent to leave the cash rate unchanged.”

Stevens noted that growth had been close to long-term averages in 2012, underpinned by “very large increases” in mining spending, which offset weakness in other industries. “Looking ahead, the peak in resource investment is drawing close. There will, therefore, be more scope for some other areas of demand to strengthen,” he said.

Inflation and wages were both contained, he added, supporting the bank’s view that an “accommodative stance” remained appropriate. “The board will continue to assess the outlook and adjust policy as needed to foster sustainable growth in demand and inflation outcomes consistent with the target over time,” he said.

The Australian dollar was little moved by the widely expected decision, dipping from $1.0460 to $1.0450. Analysts said the commentary suggested there would have to be a significant deterioration in economic indicators before the RBA took action, with further cuts looking unlikely in the near term.

“The signs of improvement that we’re currently seeing would have to peter out or there would have to be some sort of global shock, and they certainly don’t seem in any rush to move,” said AMP Capital Investors economist Shane Oliver.

Rates have since December been at 3.0 percent, a historic low not seen since the global financial crisis and well below their most recent peak of 4.75 percent in October 2011. Ratings giant Fitch affirmed Australia’s AAA credit rating last week, meaning it is among only a handful of nations with the coveted top-flight rating from all three major agencies including Moody’s and Standard & Poor’s. The economy grew 0.6 percent in the three months to December as exports lifted, but analysts have warned of a subdued picture overall. — AFP

Lonmin picks Amplats exec to lead rebound JOHANNESBURG: South African platinum producer Lonmin PLC appointed Anglo American Platinum (Amplats) executive Ben Magara as its new chief executive yesterday as it strives to rebound from a wave of deadly strikes which hammered it last year. Magara, who will start in July, will be tasked with guiding Lonmin’s turnaround and improving industrial relations at the company after illegal strikes last year triggered violence which killed 46 people, including 34 strikers shot dead by police in a single day at its Marikana mine.

A Zimbabwean national who ran Anglo America’s South African coal operations before taking over engineering and capital projects at Amplats, Magara faces a militant labor force which closed Marikana for a day last month, embarrassing Lonmin as it hosted a media tour.

Industry sources say he has invaluable experience of South Africa’s highly-charged labor and political environment, in which mining executives do not have just investors to please. “He seems to get - more than almost anyone else - that the mining game has changed and that your stakeholders are as important as your shareholders,” said a senior lawyer who has worked with Magara.

“For a company like Lonmin, that doesn’t seem to have that institutional nous, this is a great hire,” the lawyer said.

South Africa’s mining landscape has been radically transformed by the emergence of the militant Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union, which has poached members from the once dominant National Union of Mineworkers in a bloody turf war that was at the root of last year’s violence.

The government and the ruling African National Congress also have the mining industry under a microscope and have lashed out at plans by Lonmin rival Amplats, the world’s biggest platinum producer, to cut up to 14,000 jobs to restore profits. Lonmin had been searching for a new chief executive since the end of last year, when Ian Farmer officially stepped aside due to illness.

The company has been recovering and in January said production in the last three months of 2012 bounced back more strongly than expected from crippling strikes. Platinum, used in catalytic converters in cars, has come under pressure since the global economic downturn. The strikes, weak platinum prices and high costs forced Lonmin to turn to investors in November to raise $817 million to avoid breaching lending terms. Lonmin said Simon Scott, who has been acting chief executive since August 2012, will resume his role as chief financial officer when Magara joins.

Lonmin’s shares in London were down 0.5 percent at midday. — Reuters

Trade body eyes integrity tests for bankers LONDON: Thousands of financial sector workers risk being frozen out of the industry unless they pass mandatory tests measuring their personal ethics and integrity.

The Chartered Institute for Securities & Investment (CISI), a professional body for individuals working, or seeking careers in wealth management and capital markets, wants all of its members to undergo integrity screening or face losing their membership, as it battles to restore public faith in finance.

Until now, only individuals offering financial advice had to take such a test as a condition of their CISI status and to comply with UK rules on how investment funds are sold to savers. Bankers working in areas like corporate finance and mergers and acquisitions, and traders in bonds, shares and derivatives have no such regulatory requirements imposed upon them.

But the CISI said yesterday that systematic checks on the ethics and integrity of workers across the entire financial services industry were long overdue. “There has been much talk about a number of initiatives which are aimed at restoring trust in financial services. This is one that has come to fruition and today we are introducing a real change,” CISI Chief Executive Simon Culhane said.

Based in London, the CISI is an international organization with offices in financial centres such as Dublin, Singapore, Dubai and Mumbai. Around 7,300 of CISI’s 40,000 members have sat the Integrity Matters test since it was introduced in late 2008.

The CISI hopes the additional roll out will reassure savers that the industry is serious about ending so-called ‘casino-banking’.

The test offers users six dilemmas, all based on real life examples from the financial sector. Each dilemma evolves over a series of time periods, with each response determining how the scenario develops. As well as demanding compliance across its entire global membership, the CISI said it would no longer accept entry-level candidates for its capital markets qualifications unless they had passed the exam first.

Some institutions including Bank of America require staff working in retail investment advisory roles to take examinations set by, or belong to, approved bodies like the CISI so they can more easily demonstrate competence of their employees to regulators.—Reuters

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 3, 2013

BUSINESS

Russia CB keeps main interest rate unchanged MOSCOW: The Russian central bank kept its main refinancing rate unchanged at 8.25 percent yesterday but appeared hint at future rate cuts amid pressure from policymakers for a action to boost economic activity. The Bank Rossii appeared to leave the door open for a cut in the future by saying inflation, currently high at 7.2 percent, should return to within its target range in the second half of the year.

While keeping the benchmark rate unchanged, it also snipped several more

minor rates by 25 basis points including longer-term rates for liquidity operations in a bid to push forward faltering activity.

The bank gave a downbeat assessment of Russia’s economic growth prospects, saying that recent data pointed towards a continued slowing of growth and risks of a further slowdown.

“The decision (to hold the headline rate) has been taken against the background of an estimation of the inflation risks and the prospects for economic

growth,” the bank said.

“The Bank Rossii will continue to monitor the inflation risks and the risks of economic slowdown,” the bank said, adding that its next monetary policy meeting was scheduled for the first half of May. The bank cut its three-month refinancing rate to 6.75 percent from 7.00 percent and for 12 months to 7.75 from 8.00 percent. But crucially the rates for its most widely-used one day and one week operations were unchanged at 5.50 percent.

Capital Economics said in a note to clients that the language of the statement reflected the extent to which Russia’s economic policymakers were “in a bind” as they sought to balance inflation worries with concerns about sluggish growth.

But with inflation forecast to fall “interest rates are likely to be lowered over the coming months, and we are sticking to our forecast for a total of 75 basis points of cuts to key rates by the end of this year,” Capital Economics said.

The decision comes as the central bank goes through a shake-up ahead of the arrival of Kremlin economic advisor Elvira Nabiullina in the summer as its new chief to replace the long-serving incumbent Sergei Ignatyev. While respected as an economist who served as a capable economy minister to 2012, Nabiullina is a close ally of President Vladimir Putin and some analysts have expressed concern that the Kremlin will have a greater influence over the central bank. —AFP

Record unemployment clouds euro-zone hopes Over 19 million people on the dole

LONDON: Mervyn King, the Governor of the Bank of England, talks to an employee of the Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA), during the opening in central London yesterday. —AP

UK manufacturing shrinks again, mortgages fall LONDON: Britain’s manufacturing activity shrank for a second consecutive month in March, a survey showed yesterday, leaving the country’s more resilient services sector as the best hope of avoiding a new recession.

The Markit/CIPS manufacturing purchasing managers’ index came in at 48.3, only slightly above February’s surprisingly poor reading of 47.9, and a touch weaker than the consensus forecast.

The output component of the survey fell in March at its fastest pace since October.

There were signs of weakness in the key housing market too. While lending to Britain’s consumers ticked up in February, the number of mortgage approvals for house purchases fell for a second month, Bank of England data showed. Nonetheless, the value of home-backed lending rose.

But there was better news from the country’s largest business survey which showed that export orders with British firms rose strongly in the first three months of 2013 and confidence about the next 12 months picked up.The Markit PMI survey suggests that manufacturing exerted an even bigger drag on growth between January and March than it did in the fourth quarter of 2012, when it accounted for a third of the economy’s 0.3 percent contraction.

“The onus is now on the far larger service sector to prevent the UK from slipping into a triple-dip recession,” said Rob Dobson, senior economist at Markit.

Official GDP data for the first quarter won’t be released until April 25 but the evidence so far suggests a strong risk that Britain will record a second consecutive quarter of contraction - the technical definition of recession. A third recession in less than five years would be an embarrassment for the government which is sticking to tough austerity measures.

“All this still points to a very subdued

economy, which will keep the pressure on the BoE to do more to offset the UK’s tight fiscal stance,” said James Knightley, an economist with ING, referring to Tuesday’s data.

“However, our central case remains for a nochange decision this week.”

The Bank of England’s policymakers meet today and tomorrow. More action, possibly in the form of renewed government bond-buying or quantitative easing (QE), is only expected later this year.“We don’t think that that is going to be sufficient to push the (bank) into the sanctioning QE as soon as this week,” said Philip Shaw, an economist with Investec. “But nonetheless, the committee can’t be altogether happy with some of these indicators which have shown the economy remaining in uncertain mode.”

The Markit report blamed the poor performance of manufacturing in March on tough market conditions, subdued client confidence and ongoing bad weather. New orders from abroad contracted for the 15th month running in March. The survey blamed the fall on weak demand from Europe and strong competition in US and South Asian markets.

In further bad news for UK policymakers, there were also signs that inflation pressures were picking up. Output prices rose at the fastest pace in three months while input prices picked up sharply, driven by the weakness of sterling and higher energy and food costs.

Manufacturing accounts for around a fifth of British economic output. Surveys of the construction and service sectors for March are due to be released today and tomorrow respectively.

There have been signs that the services sector is faring better than manufacturing.

It grew at its fastest pace in five months in February, according to Markit and official data showed it notched up its best performance in January for five months. —Reuters

BRUSSELS: “Unacceptably” high euro-zone unemployment ran at a record 12 percent in February, official data showed yesterday, with more than 19 million people on the dole a “tragedy” for Europe.

The figures and a weak manufacturing sector report added to the gloom after data earlier this year had encouraged some hope the European economy might finally have touched bottom.

Analysts said the reports pointed instead to worse to come, with the jobless queues likely to grow as the debt crisis continues to sap the economy. “Such unacceptably high levels of unemployment are a tragedy for Europe,” said a spokeswoman for EU Employment Commissioner Laszlo Andor. “The EU has to mobilize all available resources to create jobs ... young people in particular need help,” she said.

The Eurostat data agency said unemployment in the 17-nation eurozone at 12 percent was unchanged from January when the figure was initially given as 11.9 percent. In the full 27-member EU, unemployment in February rose to 10.9 percent from 10.8 percent, with 26.34 million out of work. Some 33,000 joined the jobless queues in the euro-zone and 76,000 in the EU over the month of February, Eurostat said. Compared with a year earlier, the increase was 1.78 million in the euro-zone and 1.81 million in the EU. The highest unemployment rates in February were in Spain with 26.3 percent and neighbor Portugal, on 17.5 percent. Greece was put at it 26.4 percent but this figure is for December, the latest available. The lowest rates were 4.8 percent in Austria and 5.4 percent in Germany, Europe’s biggest economy.

With youth unemployment a huge cause of concern, Eurostat said the jobless rate for under-25s ran at 23.9 percent in the euro-zone and 23.5 percent in the EU. Among the countries with the highest youth jobless levels,

Spain was on 55.7 percent, followed

by Portugal on 38.2 percent and Italy with 37.8 percent. Greece was the highest with 58.4 percent but this was also for December.

Howard Archer of IHS Global Insight said the figures marked a “dis-

Economics was equally downbeat.

The February data “is further confirmation of the underlying weakness of the economy,” Mckeown said.

Manufacturing data meanwhile showed the slump deepening sharply as even Germany was dragged down.

NOCOSIA: People queue up outside a Bank of Cyprus (BOC) branch in the centre of the capital Nicosia yesterday. —AFP mal landmark” at 12 percent-already very close to the official EU 2013 forecast of 12.2 percent. Archer said unemployment was now up for a consecutive 22nd month and even if the report did show the jobless numbers were not rising as fast as before, “an overall turnaround in euro-zone labor markets still looks some way off.”

The second quarter outlook is “far from bright,” he said, and unemployment could “very well near 12.5 percent late in 2013 or early in 2014.”

Jennifer McKeown at Capital

The Markit Eurozone Manufacturing Purchasing Managers Index fell to 46.8 points in March, up from an initial estimate of 46.6 but well short of the already weak 47.9 posted in February.

The outcome left the closely followed indicator at a three-month low and below the 50-points boom-bust line since August 2011. Germany at 49 points slipped to a two-month low while “rates of decline gathered pace in all the other nations ... with the exception of France,” Markit said in a statement.

Arab state. Asked whether he expected to cut interest rates again in coming months, Governor Mohammed Awad bin Hamam said: “Will see, wait and see.” February’s rate cut was the first since October, when the central bank began an easing cycle. Yemen’s economy improved last year but recovery remains fragile in the second-poorest Arab state after Mauritania; a third of Yemen’s 25 million people live on less than $2 a day.

Hamam said he expected the Yemeni economy to pick up speed this year after it grew 4.5 percent in 2012; the non-oil sector expanded about 6 percent last year. “I expect this year will be better, maybe it will be 7 percent,” he said of economic growth. That is more optimistic than the IMF’s latest public forecast of 4 percent growth for Yemen.

The IMF said in January that Yemen’s central bank had room to reduce interest rates gradually to support growth, but warned that the political transition after the overthrow of president Ali Abdullah Saleh in February 2012, and security concerns particularly attacks on key oil and electricity facilities - were risks to the economic outlook.

Inflation in Yemen dived to 5.8 percent in the final quarter of 2012 from a peak of 25 percent in October 2011. Hamam said the central bank’s foreign currency reserves currently stood at $6 billion, adding that he expected $2 billion worth of aid to arrive this year from international donors. Last year wealthy Gulf Arab states, Western governments and other donors pledged $7.9 billion in aid over several years to Yemen, but only a small fraction has so far arrived. “Now, we are at the start and we have not received that much. We are waiting for the amount to be collected by the ministry of planning,” Hamam said. —Reuters

the rate of decline in March raising the risk that the downturn may also intensify in the second quarter,” Markit chief economist Chris Williamson said in a statement.

“The surveys paint a very disappointing picture across the region,” Williamson said.

The Cyprus debt bailout appeared not to have had any impact so far, he said, but “the concern is that the latest chapter in the (euro-zone debt) crisis will have hit demand further in April.” —AFP

Greek CB sees delay in recapitalization

Yemen discusses aid with IMF, eyes faster growth DUBAI: The International Monetary Fund is discussing fresh financial aid to Yemen with the government of the impoverished country, a senior IMF official said yesterday.

Masood Ahmed, director of the IMF’s Middle East and Central Asia department, told reporters that the talks focused on a new financial program for Yemen. “We have a team that has been working with authorities over the last couple of weeks and they made good progress in those discussions,” he said ahead of a meeting of Arab finance ministers and central bank governors in Dubai. “We are working with the authorities to see how we can support Yemen over the coming years,” he added, without saying when agreement on the aid might be reached, or how much money might be involved. The IMF resumed lending to Yemen in April last year, approving the payment of a $93.7 million loan to help the country with its balance of payments deficit, which had been worsened by a year of political turmoil. Ibrahim Al-Nahari, Yemen’s central bank sub-governor for foreign operations and research, told Reuters that the new IMF facility might be as large as $500 million. “We are at the beginning stage (of the IMF talks). The program will be an extended facility to the magnitude of $450-500 million over three years.”

In an interview with Reuters late on Monday, Yemen’s central bank governor said he was comfortable with the current level of interest rates and that he expected economic growth to accelerate to about 7 percent this year. The central bank slashed its main interest rate by 3 percentage points to a three-year low of 15 percent in February, helped by a sharp fall of inflation, in an effort to support economic recovery in the volatile

France stood at 44 points, a threemonth high, while Italy was on 44.5, its lowest for seven months and Spain on 44.2, a five-month low.

Manufacturing “looks likely to have acted as a drag on the economy in the first quarter, with an acceleration in

LONDON: A man leaves a branch of Laiki Bank UK, a subsidiary of Cyprus Popular Bank (Laiki Bank), in north London. —AFP

Laiki Bank UK branch avoids Cypriot fallout LONDON: Customers of the British unit of failed bank Laiki will be protected from the levy that was part of the euro-zone nation’s bailout deal, the Bank of England announced yesterday.

The announcement, made by the BoE’s new finance watchdog the Prudential Regulation Authority, means that Laiki Bank UK customers will avoid any Cypriot levy on their accounts and will be able to access their accounts as normal. The BoE said in a statement that about £270 million ($410 million, 320 million euros) in deposits from Laiki Bank UK would be transferred to Bank of Cyprus UK, and placed in the British government’s compensation scheme that guarantees up to £85,000 per saver.

Crisis-hit Cyprus was rescued with a 10billion-euro ($13-billion) EU-IMF bailout last week. As part of the rescue deal, Laiki or ‘Popular Bank’ will shut and merge with Bank of Cyprus. Depositors in Cyprus with more than 100,000 euros in the two banks-the

island’s biggest — face losing a large chunk of their money.

“Cyprus Popular Bank Public Co Ltd operating in the UK under the trading name ‘Laiki Bank UK’ has today reached an agreement with Bank of Cyprus UK Ltd to transfer all deposits to Bank of Cyprus UK, a UK subsidiary fully regulated by the Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA) and Financial Conduct Authority,” the BoE said in a statement. “The agreement does not affect access to bank accounts and therefore all customers who had an account with Laiki Bank UK will be able to access funds as normal and do not need to do anything.” The Cyprus crisis saw capital controls imposed for the first time by a euro-zone economy to prevent financial meltdown. Under the bailout deal agreed in Brussels last week, Cyprus must raise 5.8 billion euros to qualify for the full 10-billion-euro loan from the “troika” of the European Union, European Central Bank and International Monetary Fund. —AFP

ATHENS: Greece’s central banker has forecast that an eagerly-awaited recapitalization of the country’s crisis-hit leading banks could be delayed by a few weeks to May. “The recapitalization will be over in a few weeks,” Bank of Greece governor George Provopoulos told state television NET in a late Monday interview.

“According to the program, it will have to be completed in April. I would say this date is slightly unrealistic, there could be a delay of a few weeks... it could go to the end of May,” Provopoulos said.

The recapitalization of Greek banks, who took a major blow last year in helping the country reduce its sovereign debt, is a condition for the continued release of EU-IMF rescue loans for Greece’s crisis-hit economy.

A sum of 50 billion euros out of the total EU-IMF bailout fund of 240 billion euros has been earmarked for this purpose. At least 10 percent of new capital must come from private investors to keep the banks from being effectively nationalized.

A key stumbling block to the process has been an ongoing merger between Greece’s leading lender, National Bank, and third-ranked Eurobank.

Provopoulos on Monday acknowledged the concern of Greece’s so-called troika of creditors-the EU, IMF and European Central Bank-that the new entity will both dominate the market and will be tough to recapitalize. “(The creditors) do not like the creation of such a major player with a market share of around 40 percent,” Provopoulos said. “The troika says, and I can also say, that there will be a greater difficulty in a combined National Bank-Eurobank entity, with capital needs in the order of 1.5 billion euros or slightly higher, a very large sum under the current circumstances. So there is a concern that if private investors cannot be found, it will come under state control,” he added.

Senior troika representatives are returning to Athens this week to resume an audit of reforms that was suspended last month.

Their report will determine whether Athens will receive a loan disbursement of 2.8 billion euros pending since March. Provopoulos noted that even if a bank had to turn to the Hellenic financial stability fund for help, “it’s not exactly state control.”

“In the Stability Fund there is ECB representation, and the EU Commission, and the troika has oversight.

In no way would the troika want a major bank to operate as a traditional (state) bank. I am also concerned and would not want it to happen. I do not think it will,” he said. —AFP

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 3, 2013

BUSINESS

Ford marks countdown to 50 years of Mustang DUBAI: The Ford Mustang will soon become the newest member of a very exclusive club - vehicles in continuous production for 50 years. To help mark this milestone, 50 companies will sell products including watches, T-shirts, model cars and more that celebrate the Mustang’s first 50 years.

“During its first 49 years of production, Mustang has come to evoke a variety of emotions in our customers - freedom, independence and being true to one’s self - just to name a few,” said John Nens, Ford’s team lead for Global Brand Licensing. “We’re marking this Mustang milestone with a distinctive collection of licensed products from select manufacturers that will carry the unique Mustang 50 Years logo.” All of the new merchandise will be easily identified with a custom logo that celebrates 50 years of Mustang.

The logo was crafted by Ford designer Michael Thomson. It features the Mustang’s trademark gal-

loping pony in silhouette over the characters “50 YEARS.” This new icon has a clean and sophisticated appearance in either white on black or black on white. Only 50 companies will be licensed to create products bearing this special logo including highquality die cast models, videogames, watches and apparel.

“We’re working closely with our licensees to ensure every item reflects the unique qualities of Mustang,” said Nens. “Like the car itself, we want our licensed products to convey an attitude of strength, passion and the highest quality.”

Over upcoming weeks and months, other Ford licensees will reveal a variety of Mustang products featuring the Mustang 50 Years logo to mark this special moment in automotive history and kick off the next 50 years of Mustang. From the Tuskegee Airmen to 50 Years of Mustang Celebrating its centennial this year, Union, NJ-

based Schott NYC was one of the first manufacturers to sign on for the 50 Years licensing program.

Irving and Jack Schott established their company the same year Ford began producing the Model T on the first moving assembly line. Great-grandson and COO Jason Schott runs the family business today, along with his mother Roz Schott, president, and his uncle, Steven L. Colin, CEO, producing premium jackets, shirts and accessories.

During World War II, Schott NYC dedicated its entire capacity to making sheepskin bomber jackets, leather flight jackets and peacoats for American soldiers, sailors and pilots fighting overseas. Among those who went into battle in Schott jackets were the pilots of the 332nd Fighter Group, better known as the Tuskegee Airmen.

“I can’t think of a better partner with whom to celebrate our 100th anniversary,” said Jason Schott.

“We are honored to collaborate with an iconic fami-

ly business that shares our commitment to domestic production.”

While the Ford Mustang is classically identified with the wild horse of the American West, it was actually named for the famed North American P-51 fighter plane, the preferred mount of the Tuskegee Airmen in the final year of the war.

Over the next half-century, the Schott Perfecto leather jacket figured prominently in iconic images of Marlon Brando, James Dean, Peter Fonda, the Ramones and Bruce Springsteen. Today Jay-Z, Lady Gaga and Adam Levine can all be spotted in Schott jackets. Later this year, Schott NYC will reveal a limited-edition leather jacket celebrating 50 years of Mustang. “The Mustang attitude of freedom and mobility is universal and enduring, and fans around the world will be honoring that heritage with numerous celebrations as we move forward,” said Steve Ling, Ford Car Marketing manager.

UAE strategic hub for foreign investments Mansouri outlines ‘investment map project’

Gulf Bank names ‘Best Retail Bank in Kuwait’ Award by Asian Banker for 3rd year running KUWAIT: Gulf Bank has been named the ‘Best Retail Bank in Kuwait’ for the third consecutive year by The Asian Banker, one of Asia’s leading consultancies in financial services research, benchmarking and intelligence. The awards ceremony was held on 21 March in Seoul - South Korea during The Asian Banker’s annual international awards dinner.

In selecting Gulf Bank for the 2013 award, The Asian Banker and an international panel of judges carefully assessed the Bank’s overall performance and services it provides its customers against a stringent set of criteria and compared these results against those of its local banking competitors.

Accepting the award on behalf of Gulf Bank was Khaled Al-Mutawa, General Manager, International Bank ing and Investments at Gulf Bank, who said: “The

Asian Banker is a renowned and much respected title, and we are very honored to have been selected by it to receive this award once again. For Gulf Bank, this is a great achievement, as it underlines our long term commitment and success in delivering to our customers the range and standards of product and services they are looking for. This award helps to endorse the Bank’s position as a leader in the Kuwaiti market and reinforces its reputation as a provider of high quality and innovative financial services.

We will continue to maintain our commitment towards our customers with energy and enthusiasm, and on behalf of everyone at Gulf Bank, I would like to thank The Asian Banker and its panel of distinguished international judges for this prestigious endorsement of our efforts.”

ABK offers free safe deposit boxes for World MasterCard, Prestige card holders KUWAIT: Al-Ahli Bank of Kuwait’s World MasterCard and Prestige cardholders can now avail a free safe deposit box available at numerous ABK branches.

In the words of Stewart Lockie, GM, Retail Banking at ABK, “At ABK we strive to provide premium services to our customers, some related to banking and others related to lifestyle, in order to cater to a diverse segment. Our initiative like a free safe deposit box for a year comes as an added value to the wide range of services and benefits already in the reach of World

MasterCard and Prestige cardholders.”

Lockie added “Free safe deposit boxes allow customers to keep their valuables in a secure place, especially while travelling. Since boxes are offered in various branches around Kuwait, it gives customers the much required flexibility.

Branches with safe deposit boxes are Ahmadi, Fahaheel, Farwaniya, Hadiyah, Jahra ,Jabriya, Jleeb, Salmiya, Sharq, Shuwaikh, Al-Qurain, Zahra, Al-Andalus and Sabah Hospital and of course the main branch at head-office.”

DUBAI: Sultan bin Saeed Al-Mansouri, Minister of Economy stressed that the UAE has become a strategic hub for foreign investments and leading international establishments, thanks to its solid economic fundamentals and wise economic policies that are based on openness, diversity and flexibility. Nowadays, the UAE enjoys a leading status as pivotal destination for investments.

Al-Mansouri said the “Investment Map Project” is the latest initiative launched by the Ministry aimed at attracting foreign investment capital and promoting UAE among investors.

Furthermore, it enlightens potential businessmen from around the globe about investment opportunities and better understand the realities here.

He said the ministry of economy is keen to develop the economic legislative system in the country as it continues to work on putting the final touches on a number of draft laws to enhance UAE business performance, most notably the foreign investment law, corporate, industry and small and medium enterprises, competition and intellectual property rights protection. All these draft laws are in their final stages.

The new investment law will give extra protection for foreign investors, and includes incentives to encourage foreign investment, and aims to enhance the investment climate in the UAE and to ensure economic diversification in line with UAE Vision 2021.

Sultan bin Saeed Al-Mansouri said that the AIM which is held under the patronage of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al-Maktoum, UAE Vice President has gained an ever increasing regional and international attention since its inception two years ago, especially in light of political, economic, financial and climate crises which still threaten the future of the world.

The meeting has become a comprehensive platform in bringing the attention of government, decision makers, private sector and other related entities including the civil society as it offers exclusive discussions to exchange views between participants from around the world.

This event is also important as it allows the concluding of trade deals and ratification of the agreements between the countries of the world.

Al Mansouri hailed the efforts of Ministry of Foreign Trade headed by Sheikha Lubna bint Khalid Al-Qasimi, the Minister of International Cooperation and Development and her role in making this meeting a success in its past editions. The Ministry of Foreign Trade was the host of this event, however Ministry of Economy will now host this event as MOFT tasks were shifted to MoE as per the new cabinet formation announced by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al-Maktoum. The Ministry of Economy will build on efforts to make this event a destination for

UAE Minister of Economy Sultan bin Saeed Al-Mansouri

investors from around the world.

Minister of Economy also stressed on the importance of the third edition of this meeting which be held on April 30. He said that the AIM draws a true picture of the global economic landscape in light of the crises and challenges. It also monitors the repercussions of these crises on foreign direct investment, referring to the accelerated change in the international econo-

Aramco, Dow JV raises $2 billion from sukuk KHOBAR: Sadara Chemical Co, a joint venture between Saudi Aramco and Dow Chemical , raised 7.5 billion riyals ($2 billion) from the sale of an Islamic bond to fund a large petrochemical complex in the east of the kingdom.

The Islamic bond, or sukuk, which has a lifespan of 16 years, was priced at 95 basis points over the sixmonth Saudi interbank offered rate (Saibor), a statement from Sadara said yesterday.

The sale is part of a $12.5 billion debt to fund the construction of the project, which will produce more than 3 million tonnes of petrochemicals each year when completed in 2016. The $19.3 billion facility, located at Jubail Industrial City in Saudi Arabia’s Eastern Province, will be the world’s largest chemical complex ever built in a single phase. Strong demand from investors in Saudi Arabia meant the sukuk’s size

Bentley boosts profits and turnover Operating profit rose to 100.5m euros in 2012

KUWAIT: Bentley Motors announces its financial results for the year ending 31 December 2012, reporting a significantly increased operating profit of euros 100.5 million compared to euros 8 million in 2011. Bentley boosted its total turnover by 29.9 percent to euros 1.453 billion and its profit margin increased to 7 percent.

Demonstrating the global reach of Bentley’s business, exports accounted for 87.3 percent of Bentley’s total turnover, equating to a total export value of Euros 1.269 billion. The company’s market share in the luxury segment rose by 4.9 percentage points to 20.1 percent.

Bentley also made a strong start to the New Year. Deliveries to customers grew by 39.5 per-

cent in the first two months of 2013. “With the new Flying Spur due to arrive with customers in the middle of the year, we expect to see a double digit growth rate for the rest of 2013,” Dr Wolfgang Schreiber, Bentley’s Chairman and CEO, said.

The global growth and expansion of the Bentley brand was driven by 16 new global dealers in 2012, taking the total number to 173 dealerships in 50 countries. This year, 40 more new Bentley showrooms will open around the world.

Commenting on the results, Dr Schreiber said: “Our performance in 2012 and in the beginning of 2013 underlines Bentley’s position as the leading manufacturer of luxury vehicles and a

my in light of the multiplicity of attractive investment destinations. The new realities require concerted efforts and professional implementation of creativity and innovation in planning for future projects.

He described the UAE as a motivating environment for investors, as it allows full ownership in free zones, and has state of the art infrastructure, availability of efficient and highly qualified manpower, the protection of intellectual property rights and laws against piracy, strategic geographical location which is a gateway to the MENA and South Asia for international companies that look for premium investments.

Al-Mansouri emphasized on promising investment opportunities in the aviation, tourism and hospitality, retail, health care, industry, oil and gas, renewable energy, financial services, logistics and education.

The minister underlined that UAE economy has countless features and characteristics including premium investment environment supported by security, political stability and modern infrastructure. This is in addition to the strategic location as international trade hub providing access to all regional and international markets as well as advanced laws that protect capital, investment and flexible economic legislations and low custom tariffs with rates ranging from zero to 5 % and the absence of income tax.

He stressed on the importance of the foreign direct investment to the United Arab Emirates and its impact on sustainable development, and role in strengthening the national economy, and success of UAE’s strategy to build a sustainable economy based on knowledge and innovation, and in line with UAE Vision 2021.

truly global brand. Through sound investment and product planning, we now have our strongest model line-up ever and are increasing our market share.”

The results follow another successful year in 2012 in which the company achieved global growth of 22 percent with 8,510 cars delivered to customers, with the top three regions comprising the US (2,457), China (2,253) and the UK (1,031)1. These sales were driven by the introduction of a host of new models such as the Continental GT and GTC V8. The Continental family accounted for 62 percent of total sales, the Flying Spur contributed 25 percent and the Mulsanne 13 percent.

was increased from the original target of 5.25 billion riyals, which was covered 2.6-times, the statement said. Given the huge amount of liquidity local investors have to deploy and the limited number of sukuk instruments to invest in, a sukuk offering from an Aramco-linked entity was always going to attract high demand. Sadara’s prospectus, released at the launch of the transaction last month, said the firm could increase the amount raised to as much as $2.5 billion-equivalent.

Deutsche Bank, Riyad Bank, Alinma Bank and Bank Al Bilad arranged the sukuk. The sukuk is the second project finance sukuk sold in Saudi Arabia.

The first was the 3.75 billion riyal ($1 billion) issue in October 2011 from Saudi Aramco Total Refining and Petrochemical Co (SATORP), a joint venture between Aramco and France’s Total. — Reuters

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 3, 2013

technology

End of the line for Roadrunner supercomputer ALBUQUERQUE: It’s the end of the line for Roadrunner, a first-of-its-kind collection of processors that once reigned as the world’s fastest supercomputer. The $121 million supercomputer, housed at one of the nation’s premier nuclear weapons research laboratories in northern New Mexico, will be decommissioned Sunday.

The reason? The world of supercomputing is evolving and Roadrunner has been replaced with something smaller, faster, more energy efficient and cheaper.

Still, officials at Los Alamos National Laboratory say it’s among the 25 fastest supercomputers in the world.

“Roadrunner got everyone thinking in

new ways about how to build and use a supercomputer,” said Gary Grider, who works in the lab’s high performance computing division. “Specialized processors are being included in new ways on new systems and being used in novel ways.

Our demonstration with Roadrunner caused everyone to pay attention.” In 2008, Roadrunner was first to break the elusive petaflop barrier by processing just over a quadrillion mathematical calculations per second.

Los Alamos teamed up with IBM to build Roadrunner from commercially available parts. They ended up with 278 refrigerator-size racks filled with two dif-

Crisis hotlines turning to text to reach teens NEW YORK: They stream in from teens around the United States, cries for help often sent in by text message. “I feel like committing suicide,” one text read. “What’s the suicide hotline number?”

Another asked: “How do you tell a friend they need to go to rehab?”

DoSomething.org, an organization that encourages activism among young adults, gets plenty of text messages asking for help, but it isn’t a hotline. So the nonprofit’s CEO, Nancy Lublin, is leading an effort to establish an around-the-clock text number across trigger issues for teens in the hope that it will become their emergency line, perhaps reaching those who wouldn’t otherwise seek help using more established methods of telephone talking or computer-based chat.

“Most of the texts we get like this are about things like being bullied,” Lublin said. “A lot of things are about relationships, so we’ll get texts from kids about breakups, or ‘I like a boy, what should I do?’ But the worst one we ever got said, ‘He won’t stop raping me. It’s my dad. He told me not to tell anyone. Are you there?’”

Lublin hopes the Crisis Text Line, due to launch in August, will serve as a New York-based network, shuttling texts for help to partner organizations around the country, such as The Trevor Project for gay, lesbian, bisexual and questioning youth or other groups already providing hotlines on dating and sexual abuse to bullying, depression and eating disorders.

As more teens have gone mobile, using their phones as an extension of themselves, hotline providers have tried to keep up. Fewer seem to operate today than in decades past. A smattering reach out through mobile text, including Teen Line in Los Angeles, though that service and others offer limited schedules or specialize in narrow areas of concern when multiple problems might be driving a teen to the brink.

Some text providers operate in specific places or rely on trained teen volunteers to handle the load across modes of communication. Several agreed that text messaging enhances call-in and chat options for a generation of young people who prefer to communicate by typing on their phones, especially when they don’t want parents, teachers, friends or boyfriends to listen in.

Katie Locke, 26, in Philadelphia was one of those teens in 2006, when she found herself in a suicidal panic after a fight with an old friend. At 18, she said she grabbed her phone, left her college dorm room and headed out in the cold to sit on a bench to talk with a worker on a crisis phone line she knew from one of her favorite blogs. The number was the only one she had handy and it didn’t offer text, which she would have preferred.

“People don’t always have the (mobile phone) minutes or aren’t in a position where they can

speak aloud if they’re in danger from somebody around them,” Locke said. “I know for me there were other times when I probably should have called a crisis hotline and didn’t because of the anxiety about calling. That was such an enormous barrier, to have to dial a phone number.”

Brian Pinero, director of the National Dating Abuse Helpline run by a nonprofit called Love is Respect, knows that lesson well. The organization launched phone and computer-based chat in 2007, and chat quickly grew to the more heavily used method of contact. The Austin, Texas-based group launched text in 2011 and it’s now about 20 percent of the operation, Pinero said.

According to research from the Pew Internet & American Life Project, one in four teens is a “cellmostly” Internet user. Texting among teens increased from about 50 texts a day in 2009 to about 60, with the number running into hundreds for some.

“Phone calls are not the way young people express themselves,” said Danah Boyd, a senior researcher at Microsoft Research and an assistant professor of media, culture and communication at New York University.

Comparisons of text hotline volume and efficiency are hard to come by. Researcher Deb Levine, executive director and founder of the nonprofit ISIS, for Internet Sexuality Information Services, said it’s clear the number of hotlines of all kinds has declined significantly since a heyday in the 1980s. But chat and text help have been on the rise for more than two years, she said. Most are small-scale operations serving specific communities, said Levine.

The Planned Parenthood Federation of America is in its second year of running one of the largest text and chat outreach operations for people ages 15 to 24, targeting African-American and Latino youth through promotional campaigns on MTV, websites and mobile providers, social media, wallet cards, video and Seventeen magazine.

Through February, nearly 185,000 conversations - 22,447 via text - were recorded, according to Planned Parenthood. About a third of conversations on health-related topics - including birth control, abortion and pregnancy tests - were with users both under 25 and African-American or Latino.

Debbie Gant-Reed sees the need every day.

She’s the crisis lines coordinator at a 24-hour help line in Reno, Nevada, called the Crisis Call Center.

The center has been providing 24-hour text help for two and a half years, fielding about 500 text conversations a month.

“We’re now taking texts from all over the country,” she said. “You can chat all you want but you’re going to get older people. Young people don’t chat. They text.” —AP

ferent types of processors, all linked together by 55 miles of fiber optic cable. It took nearly two dozen tractor trailer trucks to deliver the supercomputer from New York to northern New Mexico.

The supercomputer has been used over the last five years to model viruses and unseen parts of the universe, to better understand lasers and for nuclear weapons work. That includes simulations aimed at ensuring the safety and reliability of the nation’s aging arsenal. As part of the U.S. nuclear stockpile stewardship program, researchers used Roadrunner’s high-speed calculation capabilities to unravel some of the mysteries of energy

flow in weapons.

Los Alamos has been helping pioneer novel computer systems for decades. In 1976, the lab helped with the development of the Cray-1. In 1993, the lab held the fastest supercomputer title with the Thinking Machine CM-5.

“And to think of where we’re going to be in the next 10 to 15 years, it’s just mindboggling,” said lab spokesman Kevin Roark.

Right now, Los Alamos - along with scientists at Sandia National Laboratories in Albuquerque and Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in California - is using a supercomputer dubbed Cielo. Installed

Apple apologizes in China after service criticism Apple accused of arrogance, greed

BEIJING: Apple apologized to Chinese consumers after government media attacked its repair policies for two weeks in a campaign that reeked of economic nationalism.

A statement Apple posted in Chinese on its website Monday said the complaints had prompted “deep reflection” and persuaded the company of the need to revamp its repair policies, boost communication with Chinese consumers and strengthen oversight of authorized resellers.

State broadcaster CCTV and the ruling Communist Party’s flagship newspaper, People’s Daily, had led the charge against the American company. They accused Apple Inc. of arrogance, greed and “throwing its weight around” and portrayed it as just the latest Western company to exploit the Chinese consumer.

The attacks quickly backfired, though, and were mocked by the increasingly sophisticated Chinese consumers who revere Apple and its products. State-run media also inadvertently revived complaints over shoddy service by Chinese companies.

Nonetheless, Apple responded with an apology from CEO Tim Cook.

“We’ve come to understand through this process that because of our poor communication, some have come to feel that Apple’s attitude is arrogant and that we don’t care about or value feedback from the consumer,” Cook’s Chinese statement said, as translated

by The Associated Press. “For the concerns and misunderstandings passed on to the consumer, we express our sincere apologies.”

Although Apple enjoys strong support from Chinese consumers, the vehemence of the attacks and the importance of the Chinese market appeared to have persuaded the company to appear contrite.

The People’s Daily newspaper ran an editorial last Wednesday headlined “Strike down Apple’s incomparable arrogance.” “Here we have the Western person’s sense of superiority making mischief,” the newspaper wrote. “If there’s no risk in offending the Chinese consumer, and it also makes for lower overheads, then why not?”

Chinese observers accused

People’s Daily of gross hypocrisy and pointed out that the newspaper had maintained a stony silence when Chinese companies were implicated over food safety, pollution and other scandals. Meanwhile, CCTV was

shamed when it emerged that celebrities had been recruited to blast Apple on Weibo, China’s version of Twitter, in what had been billed as a grassroots campaign.

“The public responded in two ways to this incident,” popular commentator Shi Shusi wrote on his Weibo account. “One group supports this criticism but quite a number of people felt that there are state monopolies which have severely violated customer’s rights, but which are

deadline expired in February several European data protection agencies set up a task force to pursue coordinated action against Google.

Cnil said it had seen no changes to Google’s privacy policy after the company’s representatives met on March 19 with the task force that includes the data protection agencies of France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, and the United Kingdom. Cnil added it had notified Google that it had launched an inspection procedure. Google rolled out the new privacy policy in March 2012, allowing it to track users across various services to develop targeted advertising, despite sharp criticism from US and European consumer advocacy groups. —AFP

Apps help parents monitor children’s Internet use TORONTO: With smartphone and tablet users getting younger, new apps can help parents of 2-to-13-year-olds monitor and control their children’s use of the Internet.

A Pew Research Center study shows that more than one-third of American teenagers own a smartphone, up from more than a fifth in 2011. For nearly half of these users, the phone is their main way of getting online, making it difficult for parents to supervise their behavior.

“When you have a smartphone, you basically have the Internet in your pocket wherever you are - away from your parents’ eyes,” said Anooj Shah, a partner in Toronto-based company Kytephone, which develops apps.

Kytephone’s namesake app allows parents to control the apps and sites their children use and the people they receive texts and calls from. The company on Monday released Kytetime for 13-to-17-year-olds. The new app has many of the same features as Kytephone but does not include the ability to block calls.

Earlier this month, Net Nanny, a monitor-

ing software company, released a browser app for Apple Inc’s iOS devices to filter Web content and block profanity.

“Smartphones and tablets have added new technology, with new challenges (for parents) - full Web browsing capability, unlimited texting, access to hundreds of thousands of good, bad and malicious apps,” said Russ Warner, chief executive officer of the Salt Lake City-based company.

The Android version of Net Nanny, which sells for $12.99, can control which apps a child uses. The app is also available for iOS devices, with fewer applications, for $4.99.

The company is also introducing Net Nanny Social, a subscription, Web-based tool to help parents monitor problems such as cyberbullying, sexual predators and identity theft on social networks including Facebook and Twitter. The service costs $19.99 per year.

For parents of 2-to-8-year-olds, Bostonbased Playrific has a free app with a locked browser that allows only content suitable for children, including educational videos, interactive games and books. —Reuters

not being exposed.”

Popular business magazine Caijing said its readers identified a long list of abusers, including state banks that lend to those with political connections while stiffing ordi-

than providing new iPhones, as it does in other markets. Critics say that allows Apple to avoid having to extend its service warranty by another year.

Until Monday, the Cupertino,

BEIJING: People walk past an Apple store in Beijing yesterday. Apple chief executive Tim Cook has apologised to Chinese consumers after the US technology giant was subjected to a barrage of criticism in state-run media over alleged “arrogance” and double standards. —AFP

Six European countries move against Google over privacy PARIS: Authorities in six European countries have taken steps to force US Internet giant Google to comply with EU privacy rules, France’s Cnil data protection agency said yesterday.

France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, and the United Kingdom “have launched actions on 2 April 2013 on the basis of the provisions laid down in their respective national legislation” to force Google to bring its privacy policy in line with European regulations, Cnil said in a statement. In October last year the data protection agencies of the 27 EU states warned Google that its new confidentiality policy did not comply with European law and gave it four months to make changes or face legal action. When that

in 2010, it’s slightly faster than Roadrunner, takes up less space and came in at just under $54 million.

Roark said in the next 10 to 20 years, it’s expected that the world’s supercomputers will be capable of breaking the exascale barrier, or one quintillion calculations per second. There will be no ceremony when Roadrunner is switched off Sunday, but lab officials said researchers will spend the next month experimenting with its operating system and techniques for compressing memory before dismantling begins. They say the work could help guide the design of future supercomputers. —AP

BARCELONA: A hostess holds a new smartphone “Galaxy Grand” by Samsung at the 2013 Mobile World Congress in Barcelona in this February 26, 2013 file photo. Smartphones using the Android platform boosted their US market share in recent months, extending their lead over Apple’s iPhone, a new survey shows. Android, the free mobile operating system from Google, accounted for 51.2 percent of US smartphone sales in the three-month period ending in February, said the survey from Kantar Worldpanel ComTech. —AFP

nary savers with low rates on deposits; a government oil company that sets gas prices and other rates as it sees fit; and state telecom providers notorious for their lack of customer service.

“If media is going to go after Apple, let’s hope they spare some thought for those big Chinese communications companies and other monopolies, the ones that enrich special interests in the name of being publicly owned,” Cai Tongqi, a lawyer from the eastern province of Jiangsu, wrote on Weibo.

Consumers seem unfazed by the state media’s attacks on Apple.

Perusing the wares at an Apple reseller in Beijing’s tony China World mall, recent college graduate Zeng Lu said she considered the controversy a sign of the Chinese consumer’s growing maturity.

“It’s great to see Chinese consumers standing up for their rights, but it’s ridiculous for the People’s Daily to get involved,” Zeng said.

“They should be criticizing state companies instead.”

Apple’s popularity flies in the face of China’s ardent attempts to push its own brands and develop internationally competitive companies. The company also has resisted trends to enter joint ventures and move research and development to China.

It also ignores big state media such as CCTV and People’s Daily. Apple relies on Chinese factories, though, to make iPads, iPhones and other popular products.

Sales of Apple products in the region, which includes Taiwan and Hong Kong, grew 67 percent to $6.8 billion in the first three months of 2013, compared with the same period a year earlier, according to the company. Apple sold 2 million iPhone 5s during the first weekend it was available in China, in December.

The region is Apple’s third largest market, accounting for 13 percent of all sales last year. More than 17,000 outlets sell its products in mainland China, a figure that includes 11 Apple stores and 400 premium resellers. In January, Cook said he expects China to replace North America as its largest source of revenue in the foreseeable future.

The attacks on Apple center on complaints over Apple’s repair policies in China - specifically its practice of only replacing faulty parts rather

California-based company had kept silent apart from issuing a statement March 23 explaining its repair policy and pledging its deep respect for the Chinese consumer.

Yet consumers and analysts say the complaints hardly justify Beijing’s campaign of vilification. Such nationalist outbursts are not uncommon, although previous campaigns against foreign companies have often been tied to perceived national slights, as often befalls Japanese firms in China. Beijing accused Google of being an arm of American “information imperialism” after the company announced in March 2010 that it would cease censoring its search responses inside mainland China and instead send visitors to its uncensored search engine in Hong Kong.

Beijing is also angry over Washington’s efforts to exclude Chinese high-tech firms Huawei Technologies Ltd. and ZTE Corp. from the US market, amid worries over security. A spending bill signed by President Barack Obama two weeks ago includes a clause barring NASA, the National Science Foundation and the Justice and Commerce Departments from contracting with firms tied to the Chinese government.

Washington and Beijing have also sparred over more recent hacking attacks, including a forensically detailed report by cybersecurity firm Mandiant that tied Chinese hacking to a unit of the People’s Liberation Army based in Shanghai.

Apple, however, may have been singled out simply because it is “the biggest open target,” said Jim McGregor, senior counselor at consultancy APCO Worldwide. “We’re still seeing a lot of things wrapped up in economic nationalism,” McGregor said.

Even before Monday’s apology, he had predicted Apple would make a show of contrition to get its relations with the Chinese authorities back on track. Duncan Clark, managing director of BDA China Ltd., a Beijing research firm, said the assault probably stems from a combination of factors, including the failure of Chinese companies to make breakthroughs in high-end consumer electronics. “There’s a general sense of frustration that China can’t move further up the value chain,” Clark said. —AP

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 3, 2013

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

Dar Al Shifa Hospital honors Professor Ahmed Noureddine KUWAIT: Dar Al Shifa Hospital recently held an honorary ceremony for Dr. Ahmed Adel Noureddine - Consultant Plastic Surgery, on his 50th visit to Dar Al Shifa hospital, as part of the hospital’s keenness on showing appreciation to the skills and expertise of its visiting doctors and strengthening relationships between the doctors and the hospital. This comes in line with Dar Al Shifa Hospital’s main objective of developing talents and expertise from around the world while also providing the latest medical technology and modern equipment to deliver best practice services to its patients.

On this occasion, Dr Yousef Al Zafairy - Medical Advisor at Dar Al Shifa Hospital said: “We are proud of the collaboration we have with Professor Ahmed Adel Noureddine,

given the depth of his medical expertise, commitment to the hospital through his 50 visits, and dedicating his services to our patients.”

“Dr. Ahmed Adel Noureddine is well-known in his respective field and we extend our sincere appreciation to his remarkable medical achievements through the successful cosmetic and reconstructive surgeries he has performed at Dar Al Shifa Hospital,” added Dr Al Zafairy.

The partnership between Dr Adel and the hospital reflects the hospital’s keenness to deliver the best optimum healthcare solutions through Dr. Adel’s skills and expertise in order to allow patients achieve their desired results.

Dr. Ahmed Adel is the first Arab doctor to become the Diplomat of the American Board of Hair Restoration

Surgery (ABHRS), and a pioneer in Hair transplantation surgeries across Kuwait as well as the region. Dr. Adel was also Deputy General Secretary of IPRAS (International Confederation for Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery) and was elected President of the Egyptian Society of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeons (ESPRS).

Dr Adel is also known for conducting a wide range of comprehensive medical based cosmetic procedures in Kuwait that include body contouring and facial rejuvenation. Body contouring refers to any surgical procedure that alters different areas of the body, whether it is in a massive weight loss patient or not. Dr. Adel has performed body contouring through over 100 cases of abdominoplasty (tummy tucks) in Kuwait, breast reductions and

augmentations, lifts, and male breast reduction (gynecosmastia). He has also performed several successful facial rejuvenations - a cosmetic or medical procedure used to increase or restore the appearance of a younger age to human face - including ble-

Dr Ahmed Adel

pharoplasty, rhinoplasty, neck rejuvenation, face lifting, injection lipo, peels, botox, fillers and modern cosmeceuticals (cosmetic products with biologically active ingredients implying to have medical or drug-like benefits). He has also performed several hair transplantation surgeries in Kuwait at Dar Al Shifa Hospital.

On this occasion, Dr. Ahmed Adel said: “It gives me great pleasure to be able to contribute with my skills to help patients in Kuwait achieve their desired results in the field of plastic surgery. With the outstanding administration and the hospital’s overall ambition to provide the latest technologies and plastic surgery services available, it is always a promising success to partner with Dar Al Shifa Hospital by all means.”

Desert nomads marvel at water purifying device Uses a process as old as the sky

PRAGUE: Picture taken on May 5, 2012 shows Czech youth shouting slogans as they take part in a march calling for the legalization of marijuana, in Prague. Cannabis for therapeutic use has been legalised in Czech Republic from April 1, 2013. —AFP

Marijuana goes on sale in Czech PRAGUE: Medical marijuana legally went on sale yesterday in pharmacies across the Czech Republic for patients suffering from cancer, Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis or psoriasis. The new law does not foresee health insurance coverage for marijuana, touted by some as a medical miracle drug.

The prescription-only drug formally became legal on Monday, but was virtually unavailable as most pharmacies across the ex-communist European Union state of 10.5 million were closed over to the Easter long weekend.

Prague will first import the drug for about a year, reportedly from Israel or the Netherlands, until the State Institute for Drug Control starts issuing licences to local grow-

ers for a maximum of five years.

The institute will also determine the crop area and organise tenders for marijuana purchases from farmers. An EU member since in 2004, the Czech Republic provides some of the most liberal access to soft drugs in Europe.

People holding up to 15 grammes (0.53 ounces) of marijuana or growing up to five plants of cannabis risk just a small fine-an approach that often attracts smokers from other countries such as neighbouring Poland, where tougher laws apply.

A 2011 national report on narcotics said 16.1 percent of Czechs aged 15-34 admitted to having used marijuana in that year, down from 20.3 percent a year earlier. — AFP

Australia-led study in epilepsy breakthrough SYDNEY: An Australia-led study has identified a gene associated with a common form of epilepsy which could lead to earlier diagnosis, a researcher said yesterday.

Melbourne University academic Ingrid Scheffer said a number of genes linked to epilepsy were known to scientists, but these related to rare families in which a large number of members had the condition.

“The reason that this discovery is very important is that it’s not just for rare families, we think it will be a gene that will be important for people without a family history,” Scheffer told AFP. “So it’s changing the game in terms of being important for a much broader number of people with focal epilepsy.”

Focal, or partial, seizures start in one part of the brain and affect the part of the body controlled by that part of the brain. Scheffer said a clinical diagnosis could not be made for epilepsy without seizures of some kind but the finding could aid genetic counselling and diagnosis-particularly in cases where everything else in the brain is normal.

“When you have epilepsy people always say, ‘Why have I got this?’ And this is the next level, which is the gene test,” she said. “So they will be

able to be tested for this gene, and that’s important in terms of understanding the cause, in terms of treatment, and hopefully this will one day help outcomes.

“And it’s also important in terms of genetic counselling for their own children,” she said, meaning people would be able to assess the risk for their own offspring if they were found to have the gene.

The research comes after new gene detection techniques allowed scientists to pinpoint the abnormality, finding it in 12 percent of the 80 families studied, in which one or more members had epilepsy. “That’s huge to find a gene that picks up 12 percent, 12 percent of the common cause of epilepsy,” Scheffer said.

“I think that it means that if you look at anybody with focal epilepsy-without an abnormality on their MRIs, what we call a structural abnormality-my guess is that it will be 2-4 percent of them will have this cause.”

The research, published in the April issue of the journal Nature Genetics, also involved scientists in Europe and Canada.

Most of the families studied were Australian, but the group included some from Spain, Israel, Italy and elsewhere, Scheffer said. — AFP

M’HAMID: Omar Razzouki gazes intently at the wooden box, marvelling at what might be the solution to the perennial water woes that he and other nomads like him across the Sahara desert face daily. More than 330 million people in sub-Saharan Africa, or around 40 percent of the population, do not have access to clean drinking water, according to a report published to mark world water day by British NGO WaterAid. The World Health Organisation estimates that this lack of drinking water is the reason for nearly nine out of every 10 deaths linked to diarrhoea.

In the Sahara, nomads are among those suffering most from limited access to water, particularly during the hotter periods when rising salt levels in water drawn from wells make it undrinkable.

The “nomadic festival” held earlier this month in M’Hamid, in Morocco’s southern desert region, was an opportunity for the pioneers of a portable water purification device to showcase their invention.

It uses a process as old as the sky. “It’s simple.

It emulates the natural cycle of cloud condensation,” explained Alain Thibault, an ex-sailor who had to confront the issue of fresh water shortages at sea.

The experience gave him the idea several years ago of reproducing the process using just a “small machine that is easy to make and easy to use.”

The “waterpod” allows desert-dwellers to turn water extracted from wells into clean drinking water through evaporation and condensation, using the heat of the sun, a technology that the Arabs were among the first to develop as far back as the 16th century.

The device, which resembles a large letter box, currently costs around 500 euros ($650).

But the inventors have already given courses at a college in Tiznit, on Morocco’s Atlantic coast, to teach students how to produce them more cheaply.

“The waterpod is made of wood, cork, stainless steel and glass,” said Thierry Mauboussin, who is helping to promote the water project in

Morocco. “It works with solar energy, so no fossil fuel.” Noureddine Bourgab, the president of the nomad festival at M’Hamid, also praised the environmental value of the new device, which he hoped could “put an end to the problem of salty water for the desert nomads.”

“It’s a technique that embodies the real meaning of sustainable development and protection of the environment,” he said.

Razzouki, a nomad from the M’Hamid region, was concentrating hard on figuring out how the waterpod works. “This could resolve many of our water problems,” he said, noting that the box was light, and “we won’t have the problem of salty water everywhere we go.”

M’Hamid El Ghizlane, Morocco’s gateway to

the Sahara, is an oasis on the edge of the Draa valley surrounded by rolling sand dunes, 40 kilometres (25 miles) from the Algerian border.

The construction 40 years ago of a hydroelectric dam further up the valley to provide for the growing population and tourist trade at Ouarzazate, along with the relentless desertification of the region, has taken a heavy toll on water supplies.

So there are high hopes for the waterpod, one of which can produce six litres of pure water daily from 12 litres of brackish water, according to its creators.

They give it an estimated lifespan of 20 to 40 years, with just a daily clean needed to keep it in good condition. — AFP

M’HAMID: Scientists show a nomad how to assemble a “waterpod” near the village of M’hamid El Ghizlane, southeast of Zagora, on March 16, 2013. The “waterpod” allows desert-dwellers to turn water extracted from wells into clean drinking water through evaporation and condensation, using the heat of the sun, a technology that the Arabs were among the first to develop as far back as the 16th century. — AFP

China: 4 new rare bird flu cases, new steps taken BEIJING: China reported yesterday that four more people in one province were seriously sickened by a bird flu virus new to humans while cities along the eastern seaboard stepped up public health measures to guard against a disease that has already caused two deaths.

The health bureau of eastern Jiangsu province said in a notice on its website that three women, aged 45, 48 and 32, and an 83-year-old retired man, from different cities in the province, were all critically ill with the H7N9 virus, a diagnosis confirmed by the provincial disease prevention center.

Based on the bureau’s statement, only one of the patients appeared to come into daily contact with birds the 45-year-old woman, who was described as a poultry butcher. The four cases did not appear to be connected, and people who have had close contact with the patients have not reported having fevers or respiratory problems, it said.

The provincial health bureau said it was strengthening measures to monitor suspicious cases and urged the public to stay calm, joining Beijing and China’s financial capital, Shanghai, in rolling out new steps to respond to the relatively unknown virus.

The four latest cases follow three earlier ones reported Sunday, including two men who died in Shanghai, resulting in the city activating an emergency plan that calls for heightened monitoring of suspicious flu cases. Under the contingency plan, schools, hospitals and retirement facilities are to be on the alert for fevers, and administrators are to report to health authorities if there are more than five cases of flu in a week.

Cases of severe pneumonia with unclear causes are to be reported daily by hospitals to health bureaus, up from the weekly norm. The plan also called for stronger monitoring of peo-

NJ bans children from tanning beds NEWARK: New Jersey Governor Chris Christie signed a bill into law on Monday banning children under 17 from using commercial tanning beds, a move stemming from the case of a local woman accused of taking her 5-year-old daughter into a tanning booth.

Christie said that while he does not favor government regulation of small business, the new law was important for protecting the safety of minors. “Governmental regulation of the private sector should always be carefully scrutinized, and sparingly adopted,” he said in a statement. “The new restrictions imposed by this bill followed a single but breathlessly reported incident of a parent bringing a minor child into a tanning facility.”

Patricia Krentcil of Nutley, New Jersey, was arrested in April 2012 after her daughter showed up at school with a sunburn and officials accused her of taking the child into a tanning booth.

Krentcil, who became known in tabloid stories as the “Tan Mom,” testified that her

own chocolate-brown hue came from many hours spent under the intense ultraviolet light of a tanning bed or out in the sun soaking up rays.

She denied exposing her daughter to a tanning session, and a grand jury opted not to indict her on charges of endangering the welfare of a child.

New Jersey was already one of several states that have regulations prohibiting anyone age 14 or younger from tanning with commercial ultraviolet devices because of the risk of skin cancer. The new law extends that ban to older teenagers.

Signing the bill into law, Christie noted the skin cancer risk and also that tanning before age 35 has been shown to increase the risk for melanoma by 75 percent.

Under the new law, youth age 17 and older must have a parent or guardian present for an initial consultation with a tanning salon. It also bans children under 14 from getting spray tans in tanning salons. — Reuters

AHMEDABAD: Improving autism patients, 27 year old Payal Kapoor (C-R) and 8 year old Prasam (C-L) celebrate World Autism Day in Ahmedabad yesterday. Autism patients with their parents celebrated World Autism Day with a team of doctors and Autism Awareness Campaign volunteers under guidence of renowned Psychotherapist and Neuro-Psychiatrist Vinod Kumar Goyal at his Parth Hospital in Ahmedabad. Autism is a disorder of neural development characterized by impaired social interaction and communication, and by restricted and repetitive behavior. — AFP

ple who work at poultry farms or are exposed to birds.

The level-3 response plan, the second-lowest in a four-stage scale, reflects higher concern after the H7N9 bird flu virus led to the deaths of two men in Shanghai and seriously sickened a woman in the city of Chuzhou 360 kilometers (230 miles) west.

“The health bureau will take effective and powerful measures to prevent and control the disease, to make sure the flu epidemic is effectively guarded against and to safeguard the health of the city’s residents,” said Xu Jianguang, head of the Shanghai Health Bureau.

The H7N9 strain, so named for the combination of proteins on its surface, has previously been considered not easily transmitted to humans, unlike the more virulent H5N1 strain, which began ravaging poultry across Asia in 2003 and has since killed 360 people worldwide.

Health officials said this week there was no evidence that any of the three earlier cases, who were infected over the past two months, had contracted the disease from each other, and no sign of infection in the 88 people who had closest contact with them.

Health authorities in Beijing also upped the capital’s state of readiness, ordering hospitals to monitor for cases of bird flu and pneumonia without clear causes, the official Xinhua News Agency reported.

The announcements, as lacking in details as they are, show that the government is mildly more transparent in handling health crises than it was a decade ago during the SARS pneumonia epidemic. Then, as rumors circulated for weeks of an outbreak of an unidentified disease in southern Guangdong province, government silence contributed to the spread of the virus to many parts of China and to two dozen other countries. — AP

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 3, 2013

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 3, 2013

W H AT ’ S O N

Dr Al-Khatib lectures at GUST, Arab Spring SEND US YOUR INSTAGRAM PICS

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

Announcements Kalanjali presents instrumental fusion nstrumental Fusion by Indian Symphony - Dr Mani Bharathi (violin) and troupe - of Keyboard player; Tabla and Pads, will perform for the first time for music lovers in Kuwait. They will perform ever green melodies from Tamil and Hindi films and devotional songs. Venue: Indian Community School (Senior Branch) Salmiya. Time: 6.30 pm onwards. Date: April 27, 2013 (Saturday).

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

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Basketball Academy he new Premier Basketball Academy offers coaching and games every Friday and Saturday from 10 am onwards for 6 to 18 year olds, boys and girls.

Located in Bayan Block 7, Masjed Al-Aqsa Street by Abdullah Al-Rujaib High School. Free Basketball and Tee Shirts for all participants, with certificates and special awards on completion of each 6 week course. Qualified and experienced British and American Coaches, Everyone Welcome.

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Dr Ahmad al-Khatib

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he Gulf University for Science and Technology (GUST) welcomed renowned activist Dr. Ahmad alKhatib for a seminar entitled: Arab Spring: Reality and Inspiration, organized by Dr. Mohammed Hasanen, Assistant Professor, Social Sciences & Humanities at GUST. There was a large attendance at the auditorium with stu-

dents, staff and faculty lining the seats to listen to what Dr. Al-Khatib had to say.

Dr. Al-Khatib talked about the Arab Spring in general and its history, what the world has been through before and how it got to this point through the development of youth movements all over the world. He believes that the Arab Spring confirmed that Arabs will

fight for their rights and their dignity.

Dr. Al-Khatib discussed the differences and his take on peaceful versus violent protests and movements as well as the role that technology has played throughout these movements and revolutions. Although the topic was extremely sensitive, Dr. Al-Khatib remained very diplomatic especially

when answering hot-button questions by the audience, out of respect for the country, the audience and the university. GUST was honored to host such a prominent Kuwaiti figure and hopes to continue providing its students with the opportunities to listen and learn from experienced members of the society in all fields and walks of life.

Elsa Lahoude appointed as Director of Rooms Division at Marina Hotel Kuwait

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arina Hotel has recently appointed Elsa Lahoude as Director of Rooms Division. Elsa has been in the hospitality sector for over 15 years, working with some of the most renowned 5-star hotel companies across the globe. In her new role at Marina Hotel Elsa will be responsible for front office, back office, transportation, Housekeeping, laundry and uniform departments.

Speaking on Elsa’s appointment Mr. Nabil Hammoud, General Manager said: “Elsa has proven herself to be highly passionate about the luxury hotel industry and her 15 plus years of experience will

certainly make her an asset to the hotel.

We are confident Elsa’s remarkable leadership and management skills will continue to reaffirm Marina Hotel’s position as one of the leading hotels in Kuwait.”

Elsa originates from Lebanon but lived for most of her life in Europe. Elsa holds a Master Degree in Strategic Tourism & Hospitality from Institute of Research and Higher Studies in Tourism (IREST) Pantheon-Sorbonne University- France.

She started her career at Hotel Noga Hilton; Cannes in 1996, and has worked in senior capacities with companies such as Starwood Hotels & Resorts, The Dorchester Group, Leading Hotels,

Marriott and Hilton across various markets around the world mainly in Paris and London. She has a strong background in Finance and Operations.

Most recently she was the Director of rooms at Hotel Missoni Kuwait and was a part of the pre-opening team as well.

“It is a privilege to be working at Marina Hotel Kuwait. I am delighted to be part of this renowned five star hotel and I look forward to working together with the team. The property offers a unique mix of a strategic location and superb facilities, given its reputation for luxury, service and excellence; I am very much looking forward to my new role” said Elsa.

Elsa Lahoude

Aye Mere Humsafar n event with renowned artist from Indian Cinema. îAye Mere Humsafarî on Friday 12th April @ American International School (AIS). A concept of real voice from Bollywood. High energy orchestra with Melody Queen Alka Yagnik charming playback singer Vinod Rathod (accompanied by female playback singer & standup comedian Sangeeta Kopalkar and young standup comedian Ashok Mishra.

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IMAX

Tuesday: ** 9:30am Showtime Available for Groups Tornado Alley 3D 10:30am, 6:30pm, 8:30pm Flight of Butterflies 3D 11:30am, 9:30pm To The Arctic 3D 12:30pm, 7:30pm Born to be Wild 3D 5:30pm Wednesday: ** 9:30am Showtime Available for Groups To The Arctic 3D 10:30am Tornado Alley 3D 11:30am, 6:30pm, 9:30pm Flight of Butterflies 3D 12:30pm, 7:30pm Journey to Mecca 5:30pm Born to be Wild 3D 8:30pm Thursday: ** 9:30am Showtime Available for Groups Flight of Butterflies 3D 10:30am, 5:30pm, 8:30pm Born to be Wild 3D 11:30am Tornado Alley 3D 12:30pm, 7:30pm, 9:30pm To The Arctic 3D 6:30pm Friday: Fires of Kuwait Tornado Alley 3D To The Arctic 3D Flight of Butterflies 3D Born to be Wild 3D

2:30pm 3:30pm, 5:30pm, 8:30pm 4:30pm, 7:30pm 6:30pm 9:30pm

Saturday: ** 9:30am Showtime Available for Groups Flight of Butterflies 3D 10:30am, 1:30pm, 8:30pm Tornado Alley 3D 11:30am, 2:30pm, 5:30pm, 7:30pm, 9:30pm To The Arctic 3D 12:30pm, 6:30pm Born to be Wild 3D 3:30pm Journey to Mecca 4:30pm Notes: All films are in Arabic. For English, headsets are available upon request.

“Fires of Kuwait” is in English. Arabic headsets are available upon request.

Film schedule is subject to changes without notice.

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

New contemporary library at ESF

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he English School Fahaheel recently opened a new contemporary Main Library which has been exclusively designed to offer the latest technologically advanced education methods and a user friendly design for all students and staff. This Library aims at fur-

ther encouraging reading at ESF. The school also boasts of a colourful specially designed Lower School Library.

Library Classes are held for students throughout the week with the use of computers so students are informed of techniques to use the Library more effec-

tively. The Library like the rest of ESF I provides students with high speed wireless internet connectivity.

The Library is now planning a writing competition and plans are underway for more surprises in the near future.

Kuwait Tamilosai celebrates World Women’s Day!

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uwait Tamilosai Poets Association convened their special monthly meeting on 1st March 2013, Friday morning. The 83rd monthly meeting was arranged to solemnize the trilateral celebrations of Global Women’s Day, Global alternatively-abled people’s day and thanksgiving ceremony for the success of their recently held mega program in Kuwait. The function hall was named as “Semmozhi Yenthiya Mummakalir Arankam” to commemorate the Tamil legendary female singer icon D.K.Pattammal, first Tamil Muslim lady and writer Sitthi Junaidha Begam and popular writer cum doctor Lakshmi.

The function commenced with the recitation of Tamil Anthem at 9:30 am.

The association’s information Communicator Rani Mohan presided over the meet, anchored the happenings. General Secretary Vittukatti Masthan delivered the welcome address during the event. Dr Kumar, the Tamilosai’s chief, in his presidential address shared the association’s vision & mission as well as the brief biographies of the three veteran ladies and their noble services rendered for the society, to justify the cause of labeling the hall in their names. Poets Mayilai Subramanian, “Aruvikavi” Anandaravi, Muthupet Yaqoob Ali, Muthuramalingam and Ilankai Ganesan-all chanted heart touching poems on alternatively abled people and women’s welfare.

Pandimuthu offered a mind provoking lecture on women’s status in the contemporary community.

Singers Kalibullah, Ganesh, Lukemaan, Ramakrishnan along with Dr. Kumar, Ranimohan, Lalitha Mani and baby Anugraha Mani entertained the audience with their sweet soaked

songs in the gathering. Messrs.

Valanadan, Eng. Dhayalan, V.Muthuraman & Ravichandran, Hassan Mohammed-TMCA, all greeted Tamilosai in their speech for its active participation in the mass blood donation camp on Kuwait National Day. A wonderful debate in the title, “Women’s most glorifying quality!” was conducted by the vice-president Anbazhagan chaired as the Jury for the sub-titles (1) Softness, (2)Dutifulness,(3)Talent and (4)Patience of Women well argued by G. Anbarasan, UK Sivakumar, Pattukkottai Sathya and “Namma paattu” Manickam respectively. The remarkable quality of Women’s patience won the verdict, admired by the audience.

Later on, Tamilosai’s honorary president Sadhiq Batcha felicitated Vittukatti Masthan for his 30th wedding Anniversary with a magnificent memento to his credit. Also, many others greeted him with their precious poetry and splendid songs. Dr Kumar along with Balraj and Dr Anwar Batcha awarded the certificates of merit to the performers in the recent Mega Program. This included honoring of Sujatha Rajendran-the co-ordinator of “Bharatha Naattiyam”, baby Malavika Vidhugopan, dancer of Bharatham, Anne Francis, Sofia Rajan, Chithirai Selvi, Robert and Ashok for their co-ordinations of cultural dances performed during the Mega event. The chief guest for the gathering, Jubriya Rashidkhan-TVS Cargo & Travel Co., Kuwait wished the association for its future success and thanked all.

Masthan deeply expressed his grateful words of gratitude to all of the sponsors, supporters, performers, volunteers. Prof. Paul Manuvel,

Treasurer H. Azisudeen, Gangai Gopal, Former President cum Musician Francis Iruthayaraj, special guests from India-Orator Pattukkottai Rajappa and “Kalakkal” Kaangeyan for their dedicated participation in “INBA THAMIZH ISAI VIZHA” to make it a

roaring success. Deputy Treasurer Mannai Raja delivered the vote of thanks in the meet. Finally, after reciting “Vaazhiya Senthamizh.”, the function came to an end at 2:30 pm with a lovely lunch served to all of the attendees.

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 3, 2013

W H AT ’ S O N

Embassy Information

Fifteen Touristic Enterprises Company employees took part in a course that was held at the company’s head office in Shuwaikh and focused on improving creativity in the work field. The course took place between the 24th and 28th of last month and held in cooperation with the Future Pioneers Institute for Training.

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

GUST student club iGive organizes Week of Change

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Give, the youth voluntary club founded at the Gulf University for Science and Technology (GUST) organized the “Week of Change” where various activities, competitions, lectures, and workshops were organized for students, staff and faculty. The aim of the event was to inspire youth to take part in volunteer work throughout the community in various ways and to be the change they wish to see. The event was a 5-day program divided up into different categories that target each aspect of everyone’s interests and the diverse areas citizens should contribute to and work on to help advance society.

The Week of Change started with Environmental day, which focused on educating staff and students about the environment by giving them the opportunity to participate and register in recycling programs with different

organizations. They also made their way to the outdoors area of GUST to engage in a flower planting activity followed by a lecture by Omar Al-Awadhi from Green Plastic Factory discussing reducing waste, reusing old products and the importance of recycling to save the environment and what people in Kuwait can do to interact in activities that help put a stop to global warming.

The second day focused on Special Needs and the importance of making sure they get to interact and be a part of the community. Different organizations such as Al-Kharafi Kids Center and Abeer 2 set up tables where they passed out brochures, and registered students to volunteer with them. The centers also brought along a few of their students. GUST staff and students were blessed with the experience of getting to volunteer and play with the children from the two centers and give

them tours around campus. They also attended classes and spent break time spreading smiles and making new friends, which gave them the opportunity to experience a day as typical college students.

The following day was Human Rights Day, which was dedicated to spreading awareness about how individuals should be treated in and out of the community. Staff and students got to partake in a cupcake competition where each had to test their creativity, decorate a cupcake then give it as a gift to a GUST maintenance worker. The activity was then followed by a lecture by female humanitarians, two Kuwaiti activists Bibi Al-Ayoub and Haya AlShatti who talked about helping refugees and workers in and out of Kuwait. American citizen living in Kuwait, Sheryl Mairza, and Founder of Operation Hope was present and

screened a documentary of her project to provide aid and relief to street workers. Then there was Ambition Day, where former CEO of Zain, Khalid AlOmar and Founder of Marketing Clinic, Omar Al-Houti engaged in a lecture and workshop to share their knowledge about “How to be Successful” with GUST students.

The final day was themed around Kuwait’s National Day where Ghanima Al-Fahad attended and talked about traditions, old phrases that are no longer used and the history of Kuwait.

The Week of Change closed with an award ceremony where every participant received a certificate of participation for all their hard work and effort of being part of the Week of Change program. The event was succeeded in raising awareness and came through with getting youth involved in the community and engaging in volunteer work.

BSK students visit Aquarium at the Scientific Centre

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s part of their creative curriculum, the Year 2 children at The British School of Kuwait (BSK) were visited by Neptune, King of the Underwater Kingdom, who challenged them to find out more about his watery world. The children were thrilled to take up the task and set about researching the creatures that live in our oceans and seas. In order to find out more, the children visited the Aquarium at the Scientific Centre, to explore Kuwait’s illustrious past further and to observe sea creatures in their habitat.

To share their findings with Neptune the children composed poems, designed posters and wrote information books.

The Year 2 children and teachers took

great pride in their work and wanted to share King Neptune’s message that the oceans and seas are not only important to the creatures that live in them but also to our lives in Kuwait. To spread this message they visited the BSK Reception classes to talk to younger children about sea creatures and how to look after our environment. They also organised a special exhibition of their work to show other pupils and parents what they had achieved. Parents were amazed at the quality of the work on display and the Reception children were inspired.This week the Year 2 children found three dragons eggs in their new Balmoral complex, so another exciting week was beginning at BSK.

Condolence meeting

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. 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

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ommemorating the sad demise of the honorable president of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh late Mohammed Zillur Rahman, Bangladesh Awami Jubo League, Kuwait Chapter convened on a condolence meeting & prayer mahfil that was held on March 22.

The program was presided over by Salim Jahangir and presented by Harun ur Rashid respectively the acting president, and general secretary of Bangladesh Awami Jubo League Kuwait Chapter. Ataul Gani Mamun Vice President of Bangladesh Awami League attended the program as the guest of

ASSE holds training program

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merican Society of Safety Engineers, Kuwait Chapter organized a three days training program on ‘Quantitative Risk Assessment (QRA)’ at Kohinoor Banquets Hall, Fahaheel, Kuwait, in collaboration with International Risk Control Asia (IRCA), India. The three days training program was held from 20th to 22nd March 2013.

The training session was commenced with a welcome note by G. Sampath Reddy, Secretary ASSE Kuwait chapter and introduced the tutor Rajneesh

honour. The special guests were Assistance General Secretary Akbar Hossain, Accusative Member Sahamsul Alam Bangladesh Awami League, Rafiaul Islam Vice President, Awami Foundation, Kuwait Chapter. Saiful Islam Mansur Vice President of Bangladesh Awami Jubo League Kuwait chapter had highlighted briefly the colorful life sketch of the Late President of The Republic - Mohammed Zillur Rahaman.

The congregation whole heartedly prayed especially for the late President and betterment of the Republic of Bangladesh in general.

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). nnnnnnn

EMBASSY OF SOUTH AFRICA On the occasion of Easter Sunday and Family Day, the South African Embassy will be closed from Sunday, March 31 to Monday, April 1, 2013. The Embassy will resume it’s normal working hours on Tuesday, 2 April 2013, from Sunday to Thursday. Please note that the working hours will be from 8:00 to 16:00 & the Consular Section operation hours will from 8:30 to 12:30. nnnnnnn

Kumar. Rajneesh Kumar, IRCA operations in India started the session with his curriculum, * Understanding the concepts of Risk Management such as Risk Analysis, Risk Assessment and Risk Control * Familiarize with the process of QRA and the software’s in use * To understand the methodology of FTA and ETA * To know the quality aspects in QRA & be able to evaluate QRA reports from external consultants. The final exam conducted on 22nd March 2013. There were 22 delegates who attended this training.

EMBASSY OF GERMANY The Consular Section of the Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany is being relocated to its new premises in the Symphony Tower and remains closed from 04.04.2013 to 08.04.2013. During this period of time the Embassy is unable to process any visas or deal with general consular matters. Kindly note that as of 09.04.2013 the details of the Consular Section of the Embassy are as follows: Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany Consular Section Salem Al-Mubarak St. Symphony Tower 2, Block 2, 8th Floor Salmiya, Kuwait.

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 3, 2013

TV PROGRAMS

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

I Shouldn’t Be Alive Untamed & Uncut Wildest Islands Shamwari: A Wild Life Shamwari: A Wild Life World Wild Vet Call Of The Wildman Dark Days In Monkey City Shamwari: A Wild Life Shamwari: A Wild Life Wildlife SOS The Really Wild Show Baboons With Bill Bailey Baboons With Bill Bailey Dogs/Cats/Pets 101 Jeff Corwin Unleashed Jeff Corwin Unleashed Wildest Islands Animal Cops Philadelphia Call Of The Wildman Wildlife SOS RSPCA: On The Frontline RSPCA: On The Frontline Animal Precinct Wildest Islands Dark Days In Monkey City The Really Wild Show Dogs/Cats/Pets 101 Weird Creatures With Nick Breed All About It Breed All About It Monkey Life Bondi Vet Call Of The Wildman Dark Days In Monkey City Wildest Islands Wildest Islands Wild France Animal Cops Miami

00:40 Come Dine With Me 01:30 Masterchef: The Professionals 01:55 Masterchef: The Professionals 02:20 Gok’s Clothes Roadshow 03:05 Mitch And Matt’s Big Fish 03:30 Cash In The Attic 04:15 Bargain Hunt 05:00 House Swap 05:45 Gok’s Clothes Roadshow 06:35 French Food At Home 07:00 Raymond Blanc’s Kitchen Secrets 07:25 Rick Stein’s Spain 08:15 Homes Under The Hammer 09:10 Bargain Hunt 09:55 Antiques Roadshow 10:45 Extreme Makeover: Home Edition 11:25 Masterchef: The Professionals 11:50 Baking Made Easy 12:20 Come Dine With Me 13:05 Raymond Blanc’s Kitchen Secrets 13:30 French Food At Home 13:55 Cash In The Attic 14:40 Bargain Hunt 15:25 Antiques Roadshow 16:15 Extreme Makeover: Home Edition 17:00 Homes Under The Hammer 17:55 Baking Mad With Eric Lanlard 18:20 The Good Cook 18:45 Baking Made Easy 19:15 French Food At Home 19:40 Come Dine With Me 20:35 Extreme Makeover: Home Edition 21:20 Antiques Roadshow 22:15 Bargain Hunt 23:00 Homes Under The Hammer 23:55 Cash In The Attic

00:00 00:30 01:00 01:30 01:45 02:00 02:30 02:45 03:00

BBC World News America BBC World News America Newsday Asia Business Report Sport Today Newsday Asia Business Report Sport Today Newsday

03:30 Asia Business Report 03:45 Sport Today 04:00 BBC World News 04:30 Asia Business Report 04:45 Sport Today 05:00 BBC World News 05:30 Asia Business Report 05:45 Sport Today 06:00 BBC World News 06:30 Hardtalk 07:00 BBC World News 07:30 World Business Report 07:45 BBC World News 08:00 BBC World News 08:30 World Business Report 08:45 BBC World News 09:00 BBC World News 09:30 World Business Report 09:45 BBC World News 10:00 BBC World News 10:30 World Business Report 10:45 BBC World News 11:00 BBC World News 11:30 Hardtalk 12:00 BBC World News 12:30 World Business Report 12:45 Sport Today 13:00 BBC World News 13:30 BBC World News 14:00 GMT With George Alagiah 14:30 GMT With George Alagiah 15:00 BBC World News 15:30 World Business Report 15:45 Sport Today 16:00 Impact With Mishal Husain 16:30 Impact With Mishal Husain 17:00 Impact With Mishal Husain 17:30 Hardtalk 18:00 Global With John Sopel 18:30 Global With John Sopel 19:00 Global With John Sopel 19:30 World Business Report 19:45 Sport Today 20:00 BBC World News 20:30 BBC Focus On Africa 21:00 World News Today With Zeinab Badawi 21:30 World News Today With Zeinab Badawi 22:00 World News Today With Zeinab Badawi 22:30 World Business Report 22:45 Sport Today 23:00 Business Edition With Tanya Beckett 23:30 Hardtalk

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

Wacky Races Duck Dodgers Duck Dodgers Dastardly And Muttley Dastardly And Muttley Dexter’s Laboratory Wacky Races Sylvester & Tweety Mysteries Tom & Jerry The Garfield Show Bananas In Pyjamas Gerald McBoing Boing Jelly Jamm Ha Ha Hairies Bananas In Pyjamas Lazytown Krypto: The Super Dog Baby Looney Tunes Gerald McBoing Boing Cartoonito Tales Lazy Town Baby Looney Tunes Krypto: The Super Dog Cartoonito Tales Jelly Jamm Gerald McBoing Boing Lazy Town Jelly Jamm Tom & Jerry Kids A Pup Named Scooby-Doo Moomins Sylvester & Tweety Mysteries Tiny Toons The 13 Ghosts Of Scooby-Doo Taz-Mania Tom & Jerry Tales Moomins The Garfield Show The Looney Tunes Show Tiny Toons Taz-Mania Sylvester & Tweety Mysteries

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

The 13 Ghosts Of Scooby-Doo Pink Panther And Pals The Looney Tunes Show Taz-Mania Puppy In My Pocket What’s New Scooby-Doo? Looney Tunes Dexter’s Laboratory Tom & Jerry Tales Pink Panther And Pals Pink Panther And Pals Moomins

00:30 Grim Adventures Of...

01:20 Johnny Test 02:10 Ben 10: Ultimate Alien 02:35 Ben 10: Ultimate Alien 03:00 The Amazing World Of Gumball 03:25 Regular Show 03:50 Ben 10: Omniverse 04:15 Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated 04:40 Powerpuff Girls 05:05 Evil Con Carne 05:30 Cow & Chicken 06:00 Casper’s Scare School 06:30 Angelo Rules 07:00 Dreamworks Dragons: Riders Of Berk 07:25 The Amazing World Of Gumball 07:45 Scooby Doo! Mystery Incorporated 08:10 Evil Con Carne 08:55 Adventure Time 09:45 Regular Show 10:35 Angelo Rules 11:25 Ben 10: Ultimate Alien 11:50 Ben 10: Ultimate Alien 12:15 Hero 108 12:40 Hero 108 13:05 Mucha Lucha !

13:30 Angelo Rules 14:20 Evil Con Carne 15:10 Ben 10 15:35 Ben 10 16:00 Johnny Test 16:35 Scooby Doo! Mystery Incorporated 17:00 Ben 10: Omniverse 17:25 Dreamworks Dragons Riders Of Berk 17:50 The Amazing World Of Gumball 18:15 Adventure Time 18:40 Regular Show 19:05 Total Drama Action 19:30 Total Drama Action 19:55 Starwars: The Clone Wars 20:20 Ben 10: Omniverse 20:45 Hero 108 21:10 Young Justice 21:35 Green Lantern: The Animated Series 22:00 Ben 10 22:25 Ben 10 22:50 Mucha Lucha !

23:15 Mucha Lucha !

23:40 Powerpuff Girls

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

THOR ON OSN ACTION HD

Amanpour World Sport Piers Morgan Tonight World Report World Sport Anderson Cooper 360 Piers Morgan Tonight Quest Means Business The Situation Room World Sport News Special World Report World Report World Sport Inside Africa World Business Today World One Inside The Middle East Amanpour CNN Newscenter Piers Morgan Tonight News Stream World Business Today International Desk Global Exchange

19:00 World Sport 19:30 Inside The Middle East 20:00 International Desk 21:00 Quest Means Business 22:00 Amanpour 22:30 CNN Newscenter 23:00 Connect The World With Becky Anderson

00:15 Outback Truckers 01:10 Yukon Men 02:05 Finding Bigfoot 03:00 Mythbusters 03:55 Border Security 04:20 Auction Kings 04:50 Baggage Battles 05:15 How Do They Do It? 05:40 How It’s Made 06:05 Sons Of Guns 07:00 Mythbusters 07:50 Ultimate Survival 08:45 Dual Survival 09:40 Border Security 10:05 Auction Kings 10:30 Baggage Battles 10:55 How Do They Do It? 11:25 How It’s Made 11:50 Outback Truckers 12:45 Yukon Men 13:40 Finding Bigfoot 14:35 Border Security 15:05 Auction Kings 15:30 Baggage Battles 16:00 Inventions That Shook The World 16:55 Dual Survival 17:50 Mythbusters 18:45 Sons Of Guns 19:40 How Do They Do It? 20:05 How It’s Made 20:35 Auction Kings 21:00 Baggage Battles 21:30 James May’s Man Lab 22:25 Superhuman Showdown 23:20 Mythbusters

00:05 How Tech Works 00:30 Wallace & Gromit’s World Of Invention 01:00 Prototype This 01:50 Stuck With Hackett 02:15 Stuck With Hackett 02:45 Da Vinci’s Machines 03:35 Prototype This 04:25 Mighty Ships 05:15 Gadget Show - World Tour 05:40 How Tech Works 06:05 Through The Wormhole With Morgan Freeman 07:00 Da Vinci’s Machines 07:50 Oddities 08:15 Oddities 08:40 Gadget Show - World Tour 09:05 How Tech Works 09:30 Scrapheap Challenge 10:25 Science Of The Movies 11:15 The Kustomizer 12:05 Through The Wormhole With Morgan Freeman 13:00 The X-Testers 13:25 The X-Testers 13:50 Weird Connections 14:20 Gadget Show - World Tour 14:45 How Tech Works 15:10 Da Vinci’s Machines 16:00 Smash Lab 16:55 Nextworld 17:45 Mighty Ships 18:35 Meteorite Men 19:30 Space Pioneer 20:20 NASA’s Greatest Missions 21:10 Gadget Show - World Tour 21:35 How Tech Works 22:00 Space Pioneer 22:50 Stuck With Hackett 23:15 Stuck With Hackett 23:40 Gadget Show - World Tour

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

Hannah Montana Brandy & Mr Whiskers Brandy & Mr Whiskers Replacements Replacements Emperor’s New School Emperor’s New School Brandy & Mr Whiskers Brandy & Mr Whiskers Replacements Replacements Emperor’s New School Emperor’s New School Brandy & Mr Whiskers Mickey Mouse Clubhouse Doc McStuffins Suite Life On Deck A.N.T Farm A.N.T Farm Jessie Jessie Good Luck Charlie Good Luck Charlie Austin And Ally Austin And Ally Shake It Up Shake It Up Suite Life On Deck Suite Life On Deck Hannah Montana Wizards Of Waverly Place Wizards Of Waverly Place Jessie A.N.T. Farm A.N.T. Farm Austin And Ally Austin And Ally Good Luck Charlie Jessie Shake It Up A.N.T. Farm Finding Nemo Toy Story Toons That’s So Raven Cory In The House Good Luck Charlie Jessie Wizards Of Waverly Place Wizards Of Waverly Place Phil Of The Future Hannah Montana Jonas Sonny With A Chance Wizards Of Waverly Place Wizards Of Waverly Place Hannah Montana

00:00 Dirty Soap 00:55 Style Star 01:25 THS

03:15 03:40 04:10 05:05 06:00 07:50 08:20 09:15 10:15 12:05 12:35 13:05 13:35 14:05 York 15:00 15:30 16:30 17:00 18:00 19:00 20:00 21:00 22:00 22:30 23:30

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

00:05 Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives 00:30 Outrageous Food 00:55 Unwrapped 01:20 Unwrapped 01:45 Pizza Outside The Box 02:35 Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives 03:00 Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives 03:25 Unique Eats 03:50 Andy Bates Street Feasts 04:15 Andy Bates American Street Feasts 04:40 Chopped 05:30 Iron Chef America 06:10 Food Network Challenge 07:00 Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives 07:25 Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives 07:50 Unique Eats 08:15 Andy Bates Street Feasts 08:40 Andy Bates American Street Feasts 09:05 Barefoot Contessa - Back To Basics 09:30 The Next Iron Chef 10:20 Extra Virgin 10:45 Extra Virgin 11:10 Everyday Italian 11:35 Unwrapped 12:00 Iron Chef America 12:50 Reza’s African Kitchen 13:15 Barefoot Contessa 13:40 Barefoot Contessa 14:05 Extra Virgin 14:30 Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives 14:55 Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives 15:20 Guy’s Big Bite 15:45 Chopped 16:35 Barefoot Contessa - Back To Basics 17:00 Barefoot Contessa - Back To Basics 17:25 Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives 17:50 Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives 18:15 Reza’s African Kitchen 18:40 Guy’s Big Bite 19:05 Tyler’s Ultimate 19:30 Chopped 20:20 Chopped 21:10 Iron Chef America 22:00 Charly’s Cake Angels 22:25 Charly’s Cake Angels 22:50 Unique Sweets 23:15 Unique Sweets 23:40 Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives

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

Dr G: Medical Examiner A Haunting Couples Who Kill Deadly Women I Almost Got Away With It Dr G: Medical Examiner A Haunting Murder Shift Mystery Diagnosis Street Patrol Street Patrol Real Emergency Calls Who On Earth Did I Marry?

On The Case With Paula Zahn Murder Shift Disappeared Mystery Diagnosis Street Patrol Street Patrol Forensic Detectives On The Case With Paula Zahn Real Emergency Calls Who On Earth Did I Marry?

Disappeared Murder Shift Forensic Detectives On The Case With Paula Zahn Disappeared Nightmare Next Door Couples Who Kill Evil, I Evil, I I Almost Got Away With It I Almost Got Away With It

00:15 The Kimchi Chronicles Conclude 00:45 Silk Road 01:40 Thailand 02:05 Brazil 02:35 Climbing Yosemite 03:30 The Real Midnight Express 04:25 05:20 Austria 06:15 Tbilisi 06:40 Room With A View 07:10 Route 62: The Longest Wine Route In The World 07:35 The Kimchi Chronicles Conclude 08:05 Silk Road 09:00 Thailand 09:25 Brazil 09:55 Climbing Yosemite 10:50 The Real Midnight Express 11:45 12:40 Athens To Atlanta 13:35 New Forest 14:00 New York City 14:30 Route 62: The Longest Wine Route In The World Cont 14:55 The Kimchi Chronicles Begin 15:25 Three Gorges Dam 16:20 Buenos Aires 16:45 Beirut, Lebanon 17:15 Stock Car 18:10 Colombia Ambush 19:05 20:00 Route 62: The Longest Wine Route In The World Cont 20:30 The Kimchi Chronicles Begin 21:00 New Forest

A DANGEROUS METHOD ON OSN CINEMA 21:30 22:00 22:55 23:20 23:50

New York City Key West Vienna Italian Superstition Accra, Ghana

00:00 02:15 04:00 06:00 08:00 10:00 12:00 14:00 16:00 18:00 20:00 22:00

RoboCop 2-PG15 Hell-18 RoboCop 3-PG15 The Presence-PG15 Smoke Screen-PG15 Battle: Los Angeles-PG15 The Ring-PG15 Smoke Screen-PG15 Thor-PG15 The Ring-PG15 Green Lantern-PG15 Thor-PG15

01:00 PG15 03:00 05:00 07:00 09:00 PG15 10:45 13:00 15:00 17:00 PG15 19:00 21:00 23:00

Interview With A HitmanThe Proud Family Movie-FAM Enter The Phoenix-PG15 Espions-PG15 Interview With A HitmanLorenzo’s Oil-PG15 Twins Mission-PG15 Warbirds-PG15 The Marc Pease ExperienceThe Deep Blue Sea-PG15 A Dangerous Method-18 The Crazies-18

00:30 The Daily Show With Jon Stewart 01:00 The Colbert Report 01:30 The New Normal 02:00 The New Normal 03:00 Hot In Cleveland 04:30 The Tonight Show With Jay Leno 05:30 Hope & Faith 07:00 Late Night With Jimmy Fallon 08:30 Hope & Faith 09:00 Hot In Cleveland 09:30 How I Met Your Mother 11:00 The Tonight Show With Jay Leno 13:00 Hope & Faith 15:00 How I Met Your Mother 15:30 The Daily Show With Jon Stewart 16:00 The Colbert Report 17:00 Late Night With Jimmy Fallon 18:00 Ben And Kate 19:00 Modern Family 19:30 The Mindy Project 20:00 The Tonight Show With Jay Leno 21:00 The Daily Show With Jon Stewart 21:30 The Colbert Report 22:00 Weeds 22:30 South Park 23:30 Late Night With Jimmy Fallon

02:00 04:00 07:00 09:00 11:00 17:00 19:00 20:00 21:00 22:00 23:00

00:00 01:00 02:00 03:00 04:00 05:00 06:00 07:00 07:30 08:00 10:00 11:00 12:00 12:30

American Horror Story Six Feet Under Fairly Legal The Ellen DeGeneres Show Fairly Legal The Ellen DeGeneres Show The Finder Franklin & Bash Awake The Carrie Diaries Six Feet Under

Switched At Birth American Horror Story The Americans Greek House Of Cards Grey’s Anatomy Switched At Birth Emmerdale Coronation Street White Collar Grey’s Anatomy House Of Cards Emmerdale Coronation Street

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

00:00 02:00 04:15 06:00 08:00 10:00 12:00 14:00 16:00 18:00 20:00 22:00

The Ellen DeGeneres Show White Collar Switched At Birth Emmerdale Coronation Street The Ellen DeGeneres Show White Collar The Finder Franklin & Bash Awake The Carrie Diaries Greek

Battle: Los Angeles RoboCop 2 Hell RoboCop 3 The Presence Smoke Screen Battle: Los Angeles The Ring Smoke Screen Thor The Ring Green Lantern

00:00 Take Me Home Tonight-18 02:00 The Goods: Live Hard, Sell Hard-18 04:00 Smooch-PG15 06:00 Jumping The Broom-PG15 08:00 Rebound-PG 10:00 Desperately Seeking SantaPG15 12:00 Smooch-PG15 14:00 The Family Stone-PG15 16:00 Desperately Seeking SantaPG15 18:00 Morning Glory-PG15 20:00 Stuck On You-PG15 22:00 Take Me Home Tonight-18

01:00 A L’origine-PG15 03:15 Phenomenon-PG 05:15 1941-PG15 07:15 The Chorus-PG15 09:00 Virtual Lies-PG15 11:00 Offline-PG15 13:00 Caesar Must Die-PG15 14:45 Virtual Lies-PG15 16:30 Anna And The King-PG15 19:00 Dead Again-PG15 21:00 Bloodworth-18 23:00 Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind-PG15

01:00 Vampires Suck-PG15 03:00 Water For Elephants-PG15 05:00 Perfect Plan-PG15 07:00 Black Forest-PG15 09:00 Web Of Lies-PG15 11:00 Transformers: Dark Of The Moon-PG15 13:30 Muhammad And Larry-PG15 14:30 The Help-PG15 17:00 Web Of Lies-PG15 19:00 Chronicle-PG15 21:00 The Thing-18 23:00 Anonymous-18

01:00 Winner & The Golden Child: Part II 03:00 A Fairy Tale Christmas 04:30 Mickey’s Twice Upon A Christmas 06:00 Marco Antonio 08:00 Turtle Hero: Part I 10:00 Looney Tunes: Back In Action 11:30 Marco Macaco 13:00 Easter Egg Escapade 14:45 Mickey’s Twice Upon A Christmas 16:00 Olentzero And The Magic Log 18:00 Looney Tunes: Back In Action 20:00 Barnyard 22:00 Easter Egg Escapade 23:45 Olentzero And The Magic Log

00:00 Failure To Launch-PG15 02:00 Cheaper By The Dozen-PG 04:00 Green Lantern: Emerald Knights-PG15

06:00 08:00 10:15 12:00 14:00 PG 15:45 18:00 20:00 22:00

Last Holiday-PG15 Hugo-PG Jetsons: The Movie-FAM New Year’s Eve-PG15 The Pirates! Band Of MisfitsHugo-PG Seeking Justice-PG15 Columbus Circle-PG15 Your Sister’s Sister-18

00:00 PGA European Tour Highlights 01:00 NRL Full Time 01:30 Premier League Darts 05:00 Super League 06:30 NRL Full Time 07:00 Super Rugby 09:00 Super Rugby Highlights 10:00 Top 14 12:00 PGA European Tour Highlights 13:00 Super Rugby Highlights 14:00 NRL Premiership 16:00 NRL Full Time 16:30 PGA Tour Highlights 17:30 Super Rugby 19:30 Ladies European Tour Highlights 20:30 PGA European Tour Weekly 21:00 Inside The PGA Tour 21:30 Trans World Sport 22:30 Super Rugby Highlights 23:30 Top 14

00:00 UFC The Ultimate Fighter 03:00 Trans World Sport 04:00 Super Rugby 05:00 PGA Tour Highlights 06:00 PGA European Tour Highlights 07:00 WWE Vintage Collection 08:00 PGA Tour Highlights 09:00 PGA European Tour Highlights 10:00 AFL Premiership 12:30 AFL Premiership Highlights 13:30 Premier League Darts 17:00 ICC Cricket 360 17:30 Futbol Mundial 18:00 NHL 20:00 Super Rugby 22:00 Futbol Mundial 22:30 European Tour Weekly 23:00 Inside The PGA Tour

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

NRL Full Time Top 14 Highlights World Pool Masters World Cup Of Pool Golfing World Rome Marathon Golfing World Asian Tour Highlights World Pool Masters World Cup Of Pool Trans World Sport Top 14 Highlights ICC Cricket 360 Golfing World Asian Tour Highlights Futbol Mundial World Pool Masters World Cup Of Pool Pro 12 Super League Futbol Mundial Asian Tour Highlights Super League

00:00 01:00 02:00 03:00 05:00 07:00 08:00 09:00 10:00 11:00 13:00 15:00 16:00 17:00 20:00 21:00 23:00

WWE Bottom Line Ping Pong World US Bass Fishing NHL NHL WWE Vintage Collection WWE NXT Ping Pong World US Bass Fishing NHL WWE SmackDown Adventure Challenge Triahlon UK UFC UFC The Ultimate Fighter NHL WWE Experience

Classifieds WEDNESDAY, APRIL 3, 2013

Kuwait

FOR SALE KNCC PROGRAMME FROM THURSDAY TO WEDNESDAY (28/03/2013 TO 03/04/2013)

SHARQIA-1 KON-TIKI (DIG) KON-TIKI (DIG) KON-TIKI (DIG) TRUTH OR DARE (DIG) KON-TIKI (DIG) KON-TIKI (DIG)

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

SHARQIA-2 THE CROODS (DIG-3D) 1:30 PM JACK THE GIANT SLAYER (DIG-3D) 3:30 PM THE CROODS (DIG-3D) 5:45 PM G.I. JOE: RETALIATION (DIG-3D) 7:45 PM G.I. JOE: RETALIATION (DIG-3D) 10:00 PM G.I. JOE: RETALIATION (DIG-3D) 12:15 AM

HIMMATWALA (DIG) (HINDI) HIMMATWALA (DIG) (HINDI) LOVE AND HONOR (DIG)

6:30 PM 9:30 PM 12:30 AM

360º- 1 G.I. JOE: RETALIATION (DIG-3D) G.I. JOE: RETALIATION (DIG-3D) G.I. JOE: RETALIATION (DIG-3D) G.I. JOE: RETALIATION (DIG-3D) G.I. JOE: RETALIATION (DIG-3D) G.I. JOE: RETALIATION (DIG-3D)

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

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

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

MUHALAB-1 TRUTH OR DARE (DIG) KON-TIKI (DIG) TRUTH OR DARE (DIG) KON-TIKI (DIG) KON-TIKI (DIG) KON-TIKI (DIG)

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

MUHALAB-2 OLYMPUS HAS FALLEN (DIG) SIDE EFFECTS (DIG) OLYMPUS HAS FALLEN (DIG) AL HAFLA (DIG) OLYMPUS HAS FALLEN (DIG) OLYMPUS HAS FALLEN (DIG)

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

AL-KOUT.1 G.I. JOE: RETALIATION (DIG-3D) 1:00 PM NO FRI+SAT THE CROODS (DIG-3D) 1:30 PM FRI+SAT THE CROODS (DIG-3D) 3:30 PM JACK THE GIANT SLAYER (DIG-3D) 5:30 PM G.I. JOE: RETALIATION (DIG-3D) 7:45 PM G.I. JOE: RETALIATION (DIG-3D) 10:00 PM G.I. JOE: RETALIATION (DIG-3D) 12:15 AM

FANAR-1 OLYMPUS HAS FALLEN (DIG) IN THEIR SKIN (DIG) OLYMPUS HAS FALLEN (DIG) OLYMPUS HAS FALLEN (DIG) IN THEIR SKIN (DIG) IN THEIR SKIN (DIG)

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

AL-KOUT.2 OLYMPUS HAS FALLEN (DIG) OLYMPUS HAS FALLEN (DIG) THE TALL MAN (DIG) OLYMPUS HAS FALLEN (DIG) THE TALL MAN (DIG) OLYMPUS HAS FALLEN (DIG)

FANAR-2 KON-TIKI (DIG) THE TALL MAN (DIG) THE TALL MAN (DIG) KON-TIKI (DIG) KON-TIKI (DIG) KON-TIKI (DIG)

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

BAIRAQ-1 G.I. JOE: RETALIATION (DIG-3D) THE CROODS (DIG-3D) THE CROODS (DIG-3D) G.I. JOE: RETALIATION (DIG-3D) G.I. JOE: RETALIATION (DIG-3D) G.I. JOE: RETALIATION (DIG-3D)

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

MARINA-1 KON-TIKI (DIG) KON-TIKI (DIG) TRUTH OR DARE (DIG) KON-TIKI (DIG) KON-TIKI (DIG) KON-TIKI (DIG)

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

BAIRAQ-2 IN THEIR SKIN (DIG) OLYMPUS HAS FALLEN (DIG) IN THEIR SKIN (DIG) OLYMPUS HAS FALLEN (DIG) IN THEIR SKIN (DIG) OLYMPUS HAS FALLEN (DIG)

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

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

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

AVENUES-1 THE TALL MAN (DIG) THE TALL MAN (DIG) THE TALL MAN (DIG) LOVE AND HONOR (DIG) THE TALL MAN (DIG) THE TALL MAN (DIG)

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

AVENUES-2 HIMMATWALA (DIG) (HINDI) HIMMATWALA (DIG) (HINDI)

12:30 PM 3:30 PM

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

Mazda Two car Salon model 2011, white color, four cylinder, 1500CC engine, very excellent original condition, 60,000km done, installment possible with or without down payment, cash price KD 1,950/- negotiable. Contact: 66507741.

(4363) 2-4-2013 SITUATION WANTED Female, MBA with over 11 years experience in all functions of HR/Admin.

Transferable Visa 18. Can join immediately, knowledge of English, Hindi, Arabic. Please contact: 94062123. (C 4358) 2-4-2013 British male consultant engineer work in petrol chemical and manufacturing industries in leading companies in Europe and UK. 20 years experience, seeking job in Kuwait. Mob: 50936694, 25742132.

1-4-2013

MATRIMONIAL B.D.S Doctor, Christian girl, born and brought up in Kuwait seeking proposal from professionally qualified boys. 30 years, fair, height 150cm. Contact email: proposal.dentist@yahoo.com (C 4361) 1-4-2013

CHANGE OF NAME

PLAZA JAFFA (DIG) (TELUGU) NO THU+ TUE+WED AL HAFLA (DIG) THU+ TUE+WED G.I. JOE: RETALIATION (DIG) G.I. JOE: RETALIATION (DIG)

5:30 PM 6:15 PM 8:30 PM 10:45 PM

LAILA THE CROODS (DIG) NO WED OLYMPUS HAS FALLEN (DIG) NO WED G.I. JOE: RETALIATION (DIG) NO WED

Raja Mohamed s/o R.M. Yousuf holder of Indian Passport No. F5609683 change my name to Raj Mohamed. (C 4366) 3-4-2013

6:00 PM 8:00 PM 10:30 PM

AJIAL.1 RED WINE (DIG) (MALAYALAM) RED WINE (DIG) (MALAYALAM)

6:30 PM 9:30 PM

I, Moiz Ali Mazaf Aziz, holder of Indian Passport No: F9295029 hereby change my name to Aziz Mazaf.

(C 4362)

G3925520, issued at Kuwait, on 13.11.2007 permanent resident of 3/81 A, middle street, SP Pattinam (Post), Ramnad dist., Tamil Nadu and presently working at Sharq - Kuwait, do hereby change my name from ABUL HASANSA DULI S/O RAHMATH ALI to ABUL HASAN S/O RAHMATH ALI with immediate effect.

(C 4364) 2-4-2013

MISCELLANEOUS I, Zafar Khalil, holder of Pakistani Passport No. KG347400 change my date of birth old 02-11-1968, to new 02-11-1969 proved by the Embassy. (C 4365) 2-4-2013

I, ABUL HASANSA DULI S/O RAHMATH ALI, holder of Indian Passport No:

DIAL 161 FOR AIRPORT INFORMATION

Airlines QTR JZR JZR QTR ETH GFA UAE ETD FDB MSR OMA QTR THY DHX FDB KAC JZR BAW JZR KAC KAC FDB KAC KAC KAC UAE ETD ABY QTR FDB IRA ETD GFA MEA TMA JZR JZR KAC KNE IZG UAE MSR THY CLX KNE GFA KAC QTR FDB KAC

Arrival Flights on Wednesday 3/4/2013 Flt Route 148 DOHA 267 BEIRUT 539 CAIRO 6130 DOHA 620 ADDIS ABABA 211 BAHRAIN 853 DUBAI 305 ABU DHABI 67 DUBAI 612 CAIRO 643 MUSCAT 138 DOHA 770 ISTANBUL 170 BAHRAIN 69 DUBAI 412 MANILA/BANGKOK 555 ALEXANDRIA 157 LONDON 529 ASSIUT 206 ISLAMABAD 382 DELHI 53 DUBAI 302 MUMBAI 352 COCHIN 344 CHENNAI 855 DUBAI 933 ABU DHABI 125 SHARJAH 132 DOHA 55 DUBAI 603 SHIRAZ 301 ABU DHABI 213 BAHRAIN 404 BEIRUT 213 BEIRUT 165 DUBAI 561 SOHAG 284 DHAKA 470 JEDDAH 4167 MASHAD 871 DUBAI 610 CAIRO 766 ISTANBUL 792 LUXEMBOURG 480 TAIF 219 BAHRAIN 672 DUBAI 140 DOHA 57 DUBAI 790 MEDINAH

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

IRC MSR SVA KAC KAC RJA QTR JZR IYE ETD FDB JZR UAE ABY SVA GFA UAL JZR KNE JZR KAC QTR KAC KAC FDB KAC KAC KAC MSR JAI KAC FDB OMA ABY MEA AXB KLM ALK UAE ETD QTR GFA DHX QTR FDB AIC JZR JZR UAL JZR DLH JAI THY

6692 575 500 788 538 640 134 787 824 303 71 357 857 127 510 215 982 177 462 777 542 144 786 166 63 618 774 674 606 572 102 61 647 129 402 489 417 229 859 307 136 217 372 146 59 975 239 185 981 135 636 574 772

MASHAD CAIRO/SHARM EL SHEIKH JEDDAH JEDDAH SHARM EL SHEIKH/SOHAG AMMAN DOHA RIYADH SANAA/DOHA ABU DHABI DUBAI MASHAD DUBAI SHARJAH RIYADH BAHRAIN WASHINGTON DC DULLES DUBAI MEDINAH JEDDAH CAIRO DOHA JEDDAH PARIS/ROME DUBAI DOHA RIYADH DUBAI LUXOR MUMBAI NEW YORK/LONDON DUBAI MUSCAT SHARJAH BEIRUT COCHIN/MANGALORE AMSTERDAM COLOMBO DUBAI ABU DHABI DOHA BAHRAIN BAHRAIN DOHA DUBAI CHENNAI/GOA AMMAN DUBAI BAHRAIN BAHRAIN FRANKFURT MUMBAI ISTANBUL

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

Airlines AIC JAI UAL DLH THY QTR THY ETH UAE FDB MSR OMA ETD QTR QTR JZR FDB GFA THY JZR KAC BAW FDB KAC KAC ABY KAC UAE FDB QTR KAC ETD IRA ETD JZR GFA KAC MEA TMA KAC JZR KAC JZR KAC KNE JZR IZG MSR THY KNE UAE

Departure Flights on Wednesday 3/4/2013 Flt Route Time 982 AHMEDABAD/HYDERABAD/AHMEDABAD 00:05 573 MUMBAI 00:20 981 WASHINGTON DC DULLES 00:25 637 FRANKFURT 00:30 773 ISTANBUL 02:20 6131 DOHA 02:30 765 SABIHA 02:40 621 ADDIS ABABA 02:45 854 DUBAI 03:45 68 DUBAI 03:50 613 CAIRO 04:15 644 MUSCAT 04:20 306 ABU DHABI 04:20 139 DOHA 04:25 149 DOHA 05:15 560 SOHAG 05:35 70 DUBAI 06:30 212 BAHRAIN 07:00 771 ISTANBUL 07:10 164 DUBAI 07:25 537 SHARM EL SHEIKH/SOHAG 08:00 156 LONDON 08:25 54 DUBAI 08:25 789 MEDINAH 09:15 671 DUBAI 09:25 126 SHARJAH 09:30 787 JEDDAH 09:35 856 DUBAI 09:50 56 DUBAI 09:55 133 DOHA 10:00 117 NEW YORK 10:00 302 ABU DHABI 10:15 602 SHIRAZ 10:25 934 ABU DHABI 10:30 356 MASHAD 11:00 214 BAHRAIN 11:25 541 CAIRO 11:30 405 BEIRUT 11:55 209 DOHA 12:00 175 FRANKFURT/GENEVA 12:10 776 JEDDAH 12:25 103 LONDON 12:30 786 RIYADH 12:50 785 JEDDAH 13:00 461 MEDINAH 13:10 176 DUBAI 13:20 4168 MASHAD 13:45 611 CAIRO 14:00 767 ISTANBUL 14:10 481 TAIF 14:15 872 DUBAI 14:15

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

GFA FDB CLX QTR IRC MSR KAC KAC SVA KAC RJA JZR QTR ETD IYE FDB JZR ABY UAE SVA GFA JZR JZR UAL KNE QTR FDB JZR MSR JAI FDB ABY KAC KAC OMA KAC MEA DHX KLM ETD ALK UAE KAC QTR KAC GFA DHX FDB KAC QTR KAC KAC JZR

220 58 792 141 6693 576 673 617 503 773 641 238 135 304 824 72 538 128 858 511 216 184 266 982 471 145 64 134 619 571 62 120 361 331 648 351 403 171 417 308 230 860 381 137 301 218 373 60 205 147 283 415 528

BAHRAIN DUBAI VIETNAM DOHA MASHAD SHARM EL SHEIKH/CAIRO DUBAI DOHA MEDINAH/JEDDAH RIYADH AMMAN AMMAN DOHA ABU DHABI SANAA DUBAI CAIRO SHARJAH DUBAI RIYADH BAHRAIN DUBAI BEIRUT BAHRAIN JEDDAH DOHA DUBAI BAHRAIN ALEXANDRIA MUMBAI DUBAI SHARJAH COLOMBO TRIVANDRUM MUSCAT COCHIN BEIRUT BAHRAIN DAMMAM/AMSTERDAM ABU DHABI COLOMBO DUBAI DELHI DOHA MUMBAI BAHRAIN BAHRAIN DUBAI ISLAMABAD DOHA DHAKA KUALA LUMPUR/JAKARTA ASSIUT

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

34

stars CROSSWORD 148

STAR TRACK Aries (March 21-April 19) This is, indeed, a time of opportunity and good times. However, you also tend to harbor unrealistic hopes, exaggerate the possibilities, and lack a sense of realism. If things seem to be running smoothly around you, they are, so let them.

Disappointment in a friend or lover and possibly the realization that you have been neglecting your own needs for socializing, affection, and companionship is indicated today. In either case, loneliness and feelings of desolation could be the mood.

Perhaps you are sacrificing pleasure and love for the sake of achievements or to meet responsibilities.

Taurus (April 20-May 20) If someone is talking behind your back, now is the time to find out about it and take appropriate steps to deflect it. Conversely, it’s a time you can unearth some of your own best kept secrets you might have forgotten about and clear the air.

Your needs for love, companionship, friendship, and sharing are very strong now, and you won’t want to be alone at home or work. In fact, you feel like relaxing and enjoying the beautiful side of life rather than laboring or concentrating on mundane tasks. A significant development in a close relationship or strong feelings of attraction to someone you encounter, are very likely at this time.

Gemini (May 21-June 20)

ACROSS 1. The elementary stages of any subject (usually plural).

4. A person who lives in the dales of Northern England.

12. A dark-skinned member of a race of people living in Australia when Europeans arrived.

15. A flat wing-shaped process or winglike part of an organism.

16. Capable of having having clear evidence of eliminated without trace.

17. A workplace for the conduct of scientific research.

18. Put a new facing on, as of a garment.

20. At full speed.

21. Goddess of criminal rashness and its punishment.

22. A city in south central Mexico (southeast of Mexico City) on the edge of central Mexican plateau.

23. An analytic or interpretive literary composition.

25. A color varying around light grayish brown.

29. National capital of Kiribati.

32. (Christianity) Saved from the bondage of sin.

36. An Asian river between China and Russia.

37. A sharply directional antenna.

40. A quantity of no importance.

41. Cubes of meat marinated and cooked on a skewer usually with vegetables.

42. Two items of the same kind.

43. Supply with battlements.

45. In bed.

48. The address of a web page on the world wide web.

49. Imperial dynasty that ruled China (most of the time) from 206 BC to 221 and expanded its boundaries and developed its bureaucracy.

50. Metal or plastic sheath over the end of a shoelace or ribbon.

51. Mexican revolutionary leader (1877-1923).

53. Held in slavery.

56. Essential oil or perfume obtained from flowers.

58. A radioactive transuranic element produced by bombarding plutonium with neutrons.

59. A loose sleeveless outer garment made from aba cloth.

60. Become less tense.

62. A soft silver-white or yellowish metallic element of the alkali metal group.

64. Not normal.

67. God of love and erotic desire.

70. Dutch physicist who first formulated the wave theory of light (1629-1695).

72. The upper angle between an axis and an offshoot such as a branch or leafstalk.

74. (British) Your grandmother.

75. American novelist (1909-1955).

76. A crystalline amino acid that occurs in many proteins.

78. The products of human creativity.

79. A flat-bottomed volcanic crater that was formed by an explosion.

80. The quality of being honest.

81. Being one more than ninety.

DOWN 1. An association of people to promote the welfare of senior citizens.

2. Cheese containing a blue mold.

3. A small restaurant where drinks and snacks are sold.

4. Remove the claws from (a cat).

5. A passageway between buildings or giving access to a basement.

6. A white soft metallic element that tarnishes readily.

7. (Old Testament) The eldest son of Isaac who would have inherited the Covenant that God made with Abraham and that Abraham passed on to Isaac.

8. A guided missile fired from shipboard against an airborne target.

9. A master's degree in business.

10. American prizefighter who won the world heavyweight championship three times (born in 1942).

11. A Uralic language spoken by a Samoyed people of northern Siberia.

12. By bad luck.

13. A Chadic language spoken south of Lake Chad.

14. Be obedient to.

19. A capacitance unit equal to one billion farads.

24. A river in eastern France.

26. A thermionic vacuum tube having three electrodes.

27. (astronomy) The angular distance of a celestial point measured westward along the celestial equator from the zenith crossing.

28. Half the width of an em.

30. Pertaining to or resembling amoebae.

31. Prolific Flemish baroque painter.

33. Small wildcat of the mountains of Siberia Tibet and Mongolia.

34. United States swimmer who in 1926 became the first woman to swim the English Channel (1903- ).

35. A large commercial and industrial city in northeastern Texas.

38. A condensed but memorable saying embodying some important fact of experience that is taken as true by many people.

39. The basic unit of money in Suriname.

44. Being in competition.

46. A port in eastern Georgia near the mouth of the Savannah river.

47. The absence of mental stress or anxiety.

52. A republic in the Middle East in western Asia.

54. (South African) A camp defended by a circular formation of wagons.

55. A French abbot.

57. Intelligence derived from the interception and processing and analysis of foreign telemetry.

61. An antianxiety agent (trade name Xanax) of the benzodiazepine class.

63. (anatomy) A fold or wrinkle or crease.

65. The capital and largest city of Norway.

66. Long coarse hair growing from the crest of the animal's neck.

68. Made from residue of grapes or apples after pressing.

69. (prefix) Opposite or opposing or neutralizing.

71. An affirmative.

73. A field covered with grass or herbage and suitable for grazing by livestock.

77. An associate degree in nursing.

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 3, 2013

This is a favorable time to socialize with people you have professional ties with, as the positive feelings you generate now are likely to be an aid to you in the future. Beautifying the place where you interface with the public and an increased concern about your own physical appearance are also brought out now. You could become more emotionally at this time, especially about people with a strong attachment from your past. You care more passionately and respond instinctively and emotionally to whatever happens to you at this time. Also, you are energized and invigorated now and eager to be involved in projects that benefit your children, family, or home.

Cancer (June 21-July 22) You have a low tolerance for boredom and following rules today and you make some creative changes and discoveries, experiment with new possibilities, or invent a new way of doing things. Take advantage of any unusual offers or opportunities.

Put your intuitive feelers out there before you jump in or commit to anyone right now or you might run into a cold reception. People taking themselves too seriously are probable today, so try not to be one of them. Take it all with the idea and respect that others may be having problems.

Leo (July 23-August 22) This is a good time to let your relax and play a bit, try to do this on your own initiative and enjoy before someone else pushes you into it. Let the urge carry you, as tight schedules can get too compromised if you fight it. Rest and relaxation is not just time off, its renewal and refreshing your mental capability to keep it together later on.

Matters of the heart are on your mind and you may want to play match maker now, maybe even for yourself. This is a very good time to go to a social gathering or somewhere you can interact with others that you might have something in common with, don’t stay home and let this energy pass you by!

Virgo (August 23-September 22) You are very bold and adventurous right now and you cannot tolerate delays, restrictions, or any form of authority that prevents you from behaving exactly as you please. Your drive for personal freedom and insistence on your rights is pressing, and a confrontation in which you have to stand up for yourself is likely. If you are a normally shy person, well it’s time to get some courage up and step out into the bright lights in any of your most intimate relationships. This isn’t a time to think you don’t deserve everything you’re little heart desires, quite the opposite in fact. YOU DO deserve everything your heart desires so speak up!

Word Search

Libra (September 23-October 22) Conflicts and confrontations may be unavoidable, but do try to avoid situations which you know will provoke or irritate you. Working alone is best at this time.

At this time you must guard against being too aggressive, coming on too strong, or trying to force your own will and thereby arousing hostility in others. Also, frustrated desires and obstacles to achieving your aims can evoke enormous anger in you, and you may do something rash and regrettable. Special attention to and from a partner is what you should be trying for today, and flattery will get you everywhere if you use it with that fine skill you have worked on for some time. Set aside some private time so no one else can get in the way of the feelings you want to share.

Scorpio (October 23-November 21)

You may have to deal with one annoying individual who could appear to be looking for an argument today. The best approach is to avoid confrontation while resolutely staying your current course. Because you are not feeling very obliging or compromising, this is not a good time to try to come to an agreement with someone you are close to. However, you need to get your grievances out in the open before the tension builds up to an unmanageable level.

Sagittarius (November 22-December 21) It may seem that circumstances, other people, or the whole world is against you today! You could feel overwhelmed by demands, outside pressures, or your responsibilities and you are looking at your life with serious doubt or pessimism. Others don’t seem to help, even if they try to; solitary activity or reflection is called for now. A friend or lover may come to mean everything to you at this time. Romance and other things that tug at your emotions come your way as a new cycle begins. This is a creative period for you, a time to take a chance, a time to be appreciated and admired and to take some risks.

Capricorn (December 22-January 19) Others may find you especially witty and eccentric just now. You may have insights or breakthroughs in regard to your living situation or life circumstances. Others value you for your independence and unique qualities. It’s nice to be appreciated isn’t it. Dreams, wishes, and fantasies about love are strong now, and you may be infatuated with someone you meet at this time, who knows they could be the one, but be careful your own expectations aren’t so high you end up disappointed later.

Aquarius (January 20- February 18)

If recently the same problem has come up without any resolution, today could involve you getting to the nitty gritty of the issue. Resolution of this problem may clear bad feelings and bring you closer to someone. You may be forced to put something on hold for a while. Giving is a wonderful quality, but receiving is important too. This is a time when having your needs take the forefront is in order. Don’t allow yourself to be just the provider of comfort and affection today. Let others dote on you, and show you the affection you truly deserve.

Pisces (February 19-March 20) Impatience with colleagues or people in authority could work against you today, so steer clear of over-reacting or trying to get things entirely your own way.

You draw the line with a professional in association with a legal or monetary situation.

Love blooms even further at the restaurant or cinema. Secrets may come to light that leave you perplexed and upset. Issues you thought long resolved are likely to come to the surface once more. An honest talk with those involved is the only way to put these persistent problems to rest once and for all. Apologies, forgiveness, and understanding will be necessary from both sides of these slights.

Yesterday’s Solution

Yesterday’s Solution

Daily SuDoku

Yesterday’s Solution

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 3, 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

Hawally

Al-Madeena

22418714

Al-Shuhada

22545171

Al-Shuwaikh

24810598

Al-Nuzha

22545171

Sabhan

24742838

Al-Helaly

22434853

Al-Faiha

22545051

Al-Farwaniya

24711433

Al-Sulaibikhat

24316983

Al-Fahaheel

23927002

Jleeb Al-Shuyoukh

24316983

Ahmadi

23980088

Al-Mangaf

23711183

Al-Shuaiba

23262845

Kaizen center

25716707

Rawda

22517733

Adaliya

22517144

Al-Jahra

25610011

Khaldiya

24848075

Al-Salmiya

25616368

Kaifan

24849807

Shamiya

24848913

Shuwaikh

24814507

Abdullah Salem

22549134

Nuzha

22526804

Industrial Shuwaikh

24814764

Qadsiya

22515088

Dasmah

22532265

Bneid Al-Gar

22531908

Shaab

22518752

Qibla

22459381

Ayoun Al-Qibla

22451082

Mirqab

22456536

Sharq

22465401

Salmiya

25746401

Jabriya

25316254

Maidan Hawally

25623444

Bayan

25388462

Mishref

25381200

W Hawally

22630786

Sabah

24810221

Jahra

24770319

New Jahra

24575755

West Jahra

24772608

South Jahra

24775066

North Jahra

24775992

North Jleeb

24311795

Ardhiya

24884079

Firdous

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

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WEDNESDAY, APRIL 3, 2013

LIFESTYLE F e a t u r e s

David and Victoria Beckham don’t ‘hold’ their kids back

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avid and Victoria Beckham don’t “hold” their children back in life.

The soccer star and his wife are keen for their four kids - Brooklyn, 14, Romeo, 10, Cruz, eight, and 20-monthold Harper - to have a “normal” upbringing and have made sure to teach them the boundaries that come with their freedom. Speaking to CNN World Sport’s Pedro Pinto, David said: “My eldest [Brooklyn] now is at the age where he wants to do things and he wants to go places and you have to hold him back, or we have to hold him back. “You have to explain it to him that there are certain things that he can’t do. But to be honest, with our children, we let them do 99 per cent of the things they want to do because we want them to lead a normal life.” David, 38, is currently playing for Paris St Germain, splitting his time between the family home in London and the French capital, and although the sportsman finds it difficult being away for long periods of time, he is grateful the children “understand” his need to work. He added: “When you speak about the sacrifices, that’s obviously the sacrifice that I have to make as a father and as a husband, being away from my family. “It’s only for a short time but its difficult being away from the children every single day. But they understand it, they understand that Daddy works hard.” While he plays in France, David has swapped his favorite British meal of pie and mash for the country’s traditional cuisine, including snails. He said: “I love French food I must admit.

Obviously living here at the moment, I’ve always loved French Cuisine. “I like snails actually. I like snails funnily enough.”

Decker ‘intimidated’ by Aniston

Pitt gives Jolie great-grans ring B

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rooklyn Decker refused to do yoga with Jennifer Aniston as she felt “intimidated” by her perfect body. The 25-year-old model starred alongside the actress in the 2011 comedy ‘Just Go With It’ and felt awestruck seeing her in a bikini. Asked who she would want if she could choose anyone as a body double, she told Women’s Health magazine: “It’s got to be Jennifer. “She’s so active and had to be in a bikini for ‘Just Go With It’ - she just had this glow about her. I was a bit awestruck! I was invited to do yoga with her on set but they had so many good yogis I was intimidated and chickened out.” While her own figure is the envy of many women, Brooklyn credits her husband, tennis ace Andy Roddick, for helping her feel confident in herself. She said: “The biggest thing for me about being with Andy is that athletes in general tend to appreciate different things about women’s bodies.” Despite being keen to stay healthy, the ‘What to Expect When You’re Expecting’ star claims that being on film sets makes it virtually impossible not to indulge when there are calorific treats available 24 hours a day. She said: “Imagine the best junk food you’ve ever seen, available 24 hours a day - that’s what sets are like. There are sweets and doughnuts in front of me all the time. My rule of thumb is that if I’m working, I eat healthily. “I have such a sweet tooth that I can’t let myself indulge because work is where I spend most of my time, so when I’m at work, no bad food.”

rad Pitt gave Angelina Jolie his great-grandmother’s wedding ring to wear on her trip to Africa. The ‘Salt’ actress decided to remove her £250,000 engagement ring for her recent UN visit to the Congo and Rwanda because she didn’t want to be “ostentatious” and shortly before she flew out, her fiancé surprised her by giving her the plain gold band to wear instead. A source said:” She said she didn’t want to wear her engagement ring because she thought it was important not to be ostentatious with clothes and jewellery when in a poor region. “Brad said he completely understood why she couldn’t wear her engagement ring, but he really wanted to give Angelina something special and more understated to wear instead. Angelina seemed truly touched by the special gift of his great-grandmother’s wedding ring, and it meant a lot to be able to take it on the trip with her.” According to insiders on the trip, Angelina - who raises six children with Brad was enamored by the replacement ring. The source added to Grazia magazine: “She couldn’t stop playing with the replacement ring, which everyone was calling the ‘trick ring’.”

LaBeouf thinks Baldwin got him fired

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Holmes reportedly dating a jazz musician

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he 34-year-old actress - who has been single since her marriage to Tom Cruise ended nine months ago - has been on a string of dates with Peter Cincotti, 29, though have been arriving and leaving venues separately to avoid raising suspicion. A source said: “It’s early days but Katie and Peter have been on quite a few dates. “They met up two weeks ago at the New York Observer’s 25th anniversary party. They have a lot in common he’s a total stage buff.” The couple have known each other for a few years but only started dating recently, though the singer-and-pianist has already been given the seal of approval by the former ‘Dawson’s Creek’ star’s friends. The source added to Grazia magazine: “They have only been seeing each other a few weeks but he’s incredibly charming, the type to buy her flowers and treat her like a lady. “Katie’s had a few dates but nothing came of them. But her friends are happy she is seeing Peter, they think he could be a good fit.” As well as a new romance, Katie - who has six-year-old daughter Suri with Tom - is said to be looking for a new home as the lease on her New York apartment will soon be up. The source said: “This could be the perfect time for Katie to really work out what she wants from life.” Though Katie’s representatives denied she and Peter were planning a musical collaboration, they said only “no comment” when asked if they were dating.

Mayer keeping romances private

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ohn Mayer has learned to keep his personal life private. The 35-year-old singer - who has previously boasted about his romances with stars including Jennifer Aniston and Jessica Simpson - insists he won’t be speaking about his recent split from Katy Perry after eight months of dating. Asked about the end of their romance on Ellen DeGeneres’ show, he said: “It was a very private relationship going in. It was a private relationship during and it’s a private relationship, still. “I can understand asking the question based on some previous answers I have given but I have finally learned how to put the wall between one thing and the other.”

Despite his fame, John admitted he struggles with romance and says finding love is “tricky”. He added: “I’m on the same journey as everyone else. Coupling is a tricky thing.” Last year, the ‘Gravity’ hitmaker was forced to take a break from music after suffering from serious throat problems, and he admits he has now curbed his partying ways, particularly his love of whiskey, to help protect his voice. He explained: “‘Half of it is over use and singing and singing and singing. The other stuff is you know, what you put into your body. And, I’m getting to that age now your body doesn’t just shake everything off and it didn’t help that I really loved, love, loved scotch. “It’s just like applying poison to your body. It’s like applying a shellac of poison. It’s just delicious, wonderful poison that makes you not care how late you’re out till or where you’re going. “But I had to really say I like singing and writing more than I like delicious scotch so I had to really dial it down.

And, I’m a little more boring now.”

hia LaBeouf thinks Alec Baldwin may have got him fired from ‘Orphans’. The ‘Transformers’ actor exited the Broadway play due to “creative differences” weeks before it was due to open, and after admitting he and his would-be co-star didn’t connect as “men”, he acknowledged the ‘30 Rock’ star could have been instrumental in his departure from the production. He told TV talk show host David Letterman: “I’m pretty passionate and impulsive, and he’s a very passionate individual as well. And I think that impulsiveness and that passion makes for, ya know, some fireworks. “Me and Alec had tension as men. Not as artists but as men.” The host then suggested: “Alec went to the producers and said, ‘I can’t take it another day. Fire him,’ “ prompting his guest to reply: “I think that might’ve been what happened.” Despite the tensions between them, Shia - who was seated on the front row for the first night of ‘Orphans’ - went on to praise Alec as “awesome”. Alec recently suggested the ‘Lawless’ star isn’t a true theatre actor and wouldn’t have coped with the demands of a stage production. Referring to one of Shia’s tweets which read “The theatre belongs not to the great but to the brash”, Alec said: “I can tell you that, in all honesty, I don’t think he’s in a good position to be giving interpretations of what the theatre is and what the theatre isn’t. “I mean, he was never in the theatre. He came into a rehearsal room for six or seven days. “There are people who are film actors who have a great legacy in the theatre. Some of the greatest movie stars had really serious theatre careers and still do. And many film actors, though, who are purely film actors, they’re kind of like celebrity chefs, you know what I mean? You hand them the ingredients, and they whip it up, and they cook it, and they put it on a plate, and they want a round of applause.”

Levine doesn’t want to end up divorced

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dam Levine insists he will never get married - because he doesn’t want to divorce. The Maroon 5 frontman - who is currently dating model Behati Prinsloo and previously romanced Victoria’s Secret beauty Anne Vyalitsyna - is happy to never tie the knot because he doesn’t think modern unions are capable of lasting forever. He told the latest issue of NYLON Guys magazine: “I’m doing pretty well. If you don’t get married, you can’t get divorced. Why couldn’t we learn from the devastatingly low percentage of successful marriages that our last generation went through?”

Despite his busy schedule, Adam who is also a coach on US reality TV show ‘The Voice’ insists he will never complain about his heavy workload as his success could disappear at any time. He added: “It’s a lot. But it might not be a lot someday. I don’t like to complain. You have this moment. It doesn’t last forever. You should probably try and enjoy it.” And the ‘Payphone’ hitmaker also claimed he doesn’t worry about reports Shakira is earning double his salary for appearing on ‘The Voice’. He said: “She’s Shakira dude! She’s a international superstar! I don’t care. It’s just money.”

Sarah Harding: I’m 200 per cent better

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arah Harding is “200 per cent better” after rehab. The Girls Aloud singer checked into a rehabilitation facility for three weeks in October 2011 to be treated for an addiction to sleeping pills and alcohol, and believes her attitude to life has improved dramatically since.

She said: “I’m 200 percent better in terms of my inner strength and attitude. I’m a lot calmer. I still have my hyper days, but I just take one day at a time. “In the band it was a rollercoaster. And yes, I have learned from my mistakes.” The 31-year-old blonde was in a bad place following the break-up of her relationship to former fiancÈ Tom Crane, but she claims she doesn’t have to restrict her alcohol intake nowadays because it was a “different” time. She explained: “I’m just like any normal person, I have a drink. Back then I was going through a break-up. That was then and this is now and, yes, things are different. “I still like the odd night out with my friends and on tour we had an after-party in London, another in Manchester and one in Dublin, which people set up for us.” Sarah also credits her more grown-up lifestyle in the English countryside with helping turn her life around and getting over her “crazy” partying phase. She told the new issue of LOOK magazine: “In your 20s, you’re supposed to be a little bit crazy. You’re getting to know where you are, and for me my life was crazy anyway because of what I was doing for a job. “It’s easy to get drawn into that. But these days I’m out of London and in the countryside.” —Bangshowbiz

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WEDNESDAY, APRIL 3, 2013

LIFESTYLE F e a t u r e s

Madonna in Malawi to inspect schools project

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merican pop queen Madonna is in Malawi to inspect the schools she has built in the impoverished African country, the native home of her adopted two children, her manager said yesterday.

“We are coming to visit the 10 schools that she recently finished building with an organization called BuildOn,” said Madonna’s philanthropy manager Trevor Nielson. “Those schools which are now open and operating are serving 3,800 students,” he told AFP. The schools were built over the past nine months. Education minister Eunice Kazembe had last year challenged a claim by her charity Raising Malawi that it built 10 schools, saying they were rather classroom blocks, and not schools.

But Nielson said the structures were schools complying with national standards.

“There’s no controversy, the schools are built to the exact national standards of

Malawi, like every other Malawian school,” he said. “The bottom line is that 3,800 children are going to school now who were not going to school before.” Initially she wanted to build a large $15-million girls academy, but the plan was abandoned after “a large amount of money went missing”. The academy was replaced by plans to build schools, in order to reach more children.

Madonna, said to be the single largest international philanthropic donor to Malawi, also supports childcare in the country which is home to nearly a million children orphaned by AIDS. On Sunday she visited one of the orphanages she sponsors in the capital Lilongwe. Madonna arrived on Sunday with David Banda and Mercy James, the two children she adopted from the small landlocked African country sandwiched between Tanzania, Mozambique and Zambia. —AFP

Singer Psy performs 'Gangnam Style' at the MTV EMA's 2012 at Festhalle Frankfurt on November 11, 2012 in Frankfurt am Main, Germany.

Psy’s new song features ‘Psy style’ take on Korean dance

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outh Korean rapper Psy is promising a “Psy style” take on a traditional Korean dance to accompany the release next week of the highly-anticipated follow-up to his global hit “Gangnam Style”. The new single, titled “Gentleman”, comes out on April 12, and the 35-year-old star will promote it with a special concert the next day in the South Korean capital Seoul. “I’ve been working and reworking on it continuously and I think the latest version will be the final one,” Psy told a local TV news program on Monday.

“This is another very rousing song. Its title is ‘Gentleman’. The dance is one known to all Koreans but new to foreigners. This will be presented in Psy style,” he said. After the Seoul concert, he will embark on a gruelling tour schedule of Europe and Asia in May and June.

Psy, whose real name is Park Jae-Sang, soared to global stardom after “Gangnam Style”-a satire of luxurious lifestyles in an affluent Seoul district-went viral on YouTube and topped charts worldwide.

The video, featuring his signature horse-rid-

ing dance, has clocked nearly 1.5 billion views on the video-sharing site.The singer has been awarded one of South Korea’s highest cultural honors, the Okgwan Order of Cultural Merit, and was performed last month at the inauguration ceremony of new president Park GeunHye. In his interview, Psy forecast a long and bright future for the K-pop phenomenon which has become South Korea’s most high-profile cultural export in recent years. “It will be only a matter of time before K-Pop will produce many others like Psy,” he said. —AFP

Review

Tom Hanks shines in messy ‘Lucky Guy’

N US film director Martin Scorsese delivers the 2013 Jefferson Lecture in the Humanities entitled ‘Persistence of Vision: Reading the Language of Cinema’ at the Kennedy Center in Washington. —AP

ora Ephron’s last play is about the world of New York tabloids, and it’s a lot like the messy subject she looks at - overindulgent, overstuffed and raucous. That’s its charm as well as its undoing. “Lucky Guy,” starring Tom Hanks sporting a wedge of a mustache, focuses on Mike McAlary, the city’s one-time dominant tabloid reporter. His rise and fall and rise again during the 1980s and ‘90s helped define the transition from boys-will-beboys notepad journalism to the buttonedup, professional digital recorders of today.

Scorsese appeals for ‘visual literacy’

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ilm director Martin Scorsese urged Americans on Monday to pay greater heed to “visual literacy” and to embrace their rich cinema heritage before it literally fades away. Scorsese appealed for a greater national commitment to film restoration and preservation when he delivered the annual Jefferson humanities lecture at the John F Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington. Like never before, people today are buffeted by images, said the 70-year-old Oscar-winning director of such acclaimed motion pictures as “The Departed,”“Raging Bull,”“Goodfellas,”“Taxi Driver” and, most recently, “Hugo.”

“That’s why I believe we need to stress visual literacy in schools,” said Scorsese, the first filmmaker ever to deliver the Jefferson address since it was launched in 1972 by the federally funded National Endowment for the Humanities. “Young people need to understand that not all images are out there to be consumed like, you know, fast food and then forgotten,” he said. “We need to educate them to understand the difference between moving images that engage their humanity and their intelligence, and moving images that are just selling them something.”

Speaking in a slightly musty wood-panelled auditorium within the gargantuan Kennedy arts complex, the fast-talking and bespectacled native New Yorker welcomed the innovations that digital technology has brought to his craft. Thanks in part to digitization, the Film Foundation-a non-profit he founded in 1990 — has helped to save more than 500 fragile old films that otherwise would have been lost to decomposition. “Today we have some really wonderful tools,” said Scorsese, who last week announced plans with Hollywood studio Miramax to make a television version of his Oscarnominated 2002 film “Gangs of New York.”

But to fully comprehend the language of moving images, it is essential to “preserve everything” from blockbusters to home movies by way of films that may not look like works of art on first showing, he said. To prove his point, Scorsese screened a clip from “Vertigo”-hailed today as a work of genius, but at the time of its release in 1958 regarded as just another in a string of crowd-pleasing Alfred Hitchcock psycho thrillers.

“It came very very close to being lost to us,” he said, adding that over time, viewers can identify and appreciate elements in a film that might not be evident upon its initial release. Scorsese also unspooled portions of painstakingly restored 1958 British ballet film “The Red Shoes”-a seven-year effort in which he was closely involved-and a long-forgotten black-and-white Thomas Edison movie from 1894 of two boxing cats that foretold today’s cult obsession with YouTube cat videos.

“Just as we learned to take pride in our poets and writers, and in jazz and blues, we need to take pride in our cinema, a great American art form,” he told his well-heeled Washingtonian audience.

“It’s a big responsibility, and we need to say to ourselves that the time has come” to look beyond weekend box office numbers and start caring for films as if they were “the oldest book in the Library of Congress,” he said. —AFP

This theater image released by Boneau/Bryan-Brown shows Tom Hanks as tabloid columnist Mike McAlary, left, and Courtney B Vance as editor Hap Hairston during a performance of ‘Lucky Guy,’ playing at the Broadhurst Theatre in New York. —AP Ephron’s play, which opened Monday at the Broadhurst Theatre, has touches of film noir, a ton of testosterone and profanity and moments of humor but not too much elegance or heft. It’s Ephron’s valentine to those hard-charging, heavy-smoking, gruff reporters she met in newsrooms with ink in their veins and booze on their breath.

Ephron’s humor can be heard, but only faintly. At times, watching it is more like enduring a verbal assault by drunken IrishAmerican frat boys. Hanks, making his Broadway debut, is classic Hanks - lovable, touching and funny. “It’s New York City, who can relax?” he says at the beginning, before turning to someone in the audience.

“Are you relaxed?” He makes a great Broadway debut, making McAlary a lovable rogue we have to root for even if we sometimes shouldn’t.

McAlary, who bounced from tabloid to tabloid during his career, was a star even before he got the first interview with Abner Louima, a Haitian immigrant who was sodomized and beaten by white police officers at a station house in 1997. McAlary would win the Pulitzer Prize the next year but would die of cancer a few months later at age 41. Ephron, who died of leukemia last summer at age 71, gained fame as the writer of films such as “You’ve Got Mail” and “Sleepless in Seattle,” which both also starred Hanks. Ephron has structured the play chronologically, but as if it were a story told in a bar, with the supporting actors pulling each other into onstage roles (“Who wants to play Eddie Hayes?” one actor asks

the ensemble. At another point, someone says while walking offstage: “And by the way, that is the end of me in this story.”) It’s cute at first, but soon grows grating.

Ephron also has broken one of the cardinal rules of journalism - show, don’t tell.

There is far too much expository writing and at various points, characters will tell the audience something and then pointlessly repeat it when they return to the scene. Adding to the frantic nature of the piece is all the modern toys thrown at it projected images, archive footage, TV sets, smoke machines, desks whizzing by, even a live camera broadcasting a TV interview. (In one, the TV cameras block the view of the screaming newspaper headlines projected onto the back wall). Under George C. Wolfe’s direction, no scene can just breathe.

So most don’t connect.

With a cast of 14, only two of whom are women, Ephron has effectively surrendered the stage to the guys, even admitting at one point through one of her female characters: “This is a story about guys, guys with cops, cops with guys. It’s a very guy thing.”

The women she does show are either a ball-busting, f-bomb spewing emasculator (a great Deirdre Lovejoy in two roles) or a sainted, calm, supportive spouse (a limp Maura Tierney as McAlary’s wife.)

The dozen male actors swagger and bellow and carouse in various newsroom and cop roles. Some standouts: Courtney B. Vance is superb as one of McAlary’s favorite editors, almost stealing the show from Hanks, no easy feat. Christopher McDonald also is elegant cool as McAlary’s lawyer, and Peter Gerety is having entirely too much drunken fun onstage. The script veers from one scene to the next, often without building tension or meaning. The inside-baseball nature of the story - filled with freewheeling references to the city’s tabloid past and editors few may know - may confuse audience-members not in the business or New Yorkers.

There’s a hysterical scene where both McAlary and his editor pump up their morphine drips while both at the hospital and another funny bit about the Atkins’ diet.

But there’s also an unnecessarily noir funeral - complete with casket and a cliched umbrella - as well as a moving and excruciating monologue by Louima about his attack. Add to that various newsroom craziness and domestic squabbles between McAlary and his wife. They all stubbornly refuse to add up to much more than their parts.

After 16 scenes over two hours, McAlary emerges as a complex figure, both self-aggrandizing and yet also someone who genuinely seems to want to “right wrongs.” He chased big paychecks as well as big stories, and Ephron seems to be bewitched by this lovable scamp. But the play leaves little lasting impression, like a day-old tabloid. —AP

Angelina Jolie to sell jewelry line to fund overseas schools

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ngelina Jolie has opened another girls school in Afghanistan and plans to fund more from the proceeds of a jewelry line going on sale this week that she helped to design, celebrity website E! News reported on Monday.

Jolie, a goodwill ambassador for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, funded the girls-only primary school in an area outside Kabul that has a high refugee population, E! News said in an exclusive report. The school educates 200-300 girls, E! said. It showed pictures of the school, which opened in November, and a plaque acknowledging Jolie’s contribution.

Jolie also funded a girl school in eastern Afghanistan that opened in 2010, according to the UNCHR. Jolie’s representatives did not return calls for comment. E! said that Jolie plans to pay for more schools by sellinga “Style of Jolie” jewelry line that she helped create with jewelry maker Robert Procop. Procop designed the engagement ring given to the actress by her partner Brad Pitt in April 2012. “Beyond enjoying the artistic satisfaction of designing these jewels, we are inspired by knowing our work is also serving the mutual goal of providing for children in need,” Jolie was

quoted as telling the website.

Procop’s website said the “first funds from our collaboration together have been dedicated to the Education Partnership for Children in Conflict (founded by Jolie) to build a school in Afghanistan.” According to the Style of Jolie website, the newly expanded collection includes versions of the black and gold necklace that the actress wore to the premiere of her 2010 movie “Salt,” a pear-shaped citrine and gold necklace, and rose gold and emerald tablet-shaped rings, earrings and bracelets. No price details were released.

The jewelry will go on retail sale for the first time on April 4 through Kansas City jewelry store Tivol, Tivol said. Procop told E! that it was “an honor to have the opportunity to be part of creating this line with Angie, as we both believe every child has right to an education.” Jolie is not the first celebrity to open schools in faraway places. Both Oprah Winfrey and Madonna have funded the building of schools in South Africa and Malawi in the past six years, although both ran into trouble.

Madonna’s project provoked controversy over costs and mismanagement, while a staff member at Winfrey’s school was arrested on charges of assault and abuse

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 3, 2013

lifestyle F e a t u r e s

Slideshow

Theia dress, Jones & Jones, $495. Kate Spade bangles, Handbags in the City, $38 each. Earrings, Bijoux Inspired Jewels, $83. Foley + Corinna clutch, foleyandcorinna.com, $150.

On Anna (left): Theia gown, Jones & Jones, $995. Jimmy Choo clutch, Nordstrom, $650. Earrings, $210; La Vie Parisienne necklace, $455; both Bijoux Inspired Jewels.

Plaza Suite fascinator, Hats in the Belfry, $129. On Bethany: Theia cocktail dress, Jones & Jones, $450.

Jimmy Choo clutch, Nordstrom, $1,250. Scala fascinator, Hats in the Belfry, $45. Necklace, Bijoux Inspired Jewels, $3,275. Kate Spade ring, Handbags in the City, $98.

Jason Wu dress, Ruth Shaw, $2,250. Earrings, $94; Oliver Webber bracelet, $345; both Bijoux Inspired Jewels.

Diane Von Furstenberg clutch, Handbags in the City, $295.

On Anna (left): DKNY perforated leather jacket, $995; Rag & Bone leather pants, $895; both Ruth Shaw. Muse dress, Jones & Jones, $165. Rachel Mulherin bib necklace, Rachel Mulherin, $130. Plaza Suite fascinator, Hats in the Belfry, $129. Kate Spade tote, $398; Dior sunglasses, $395; both Handbags in the City. On Bethany: Alice + Olivia leather jacket, $880, and dress, $798; both L’Apparenza. Marc Jacobs handbag, Nordstrom,$1,395.

Rachel Mulherin necklace, Rachel Mulherin, $130. Tom Ford sunglasses, Handbags in the City, $495. La Vie Parisienne earrings, Bijoux Inspired Jewels, $70.

T

hink film noir-inspired looks for spring.

Beauty, drama-even a hint of danger-emanate from the black and white shades suitable for this season’s femme fatales. — MCT

Miss Wu silk collared dress, Nordstrom, $495. Chloe Alice Springs Large Tote, Nordstrom, $1,995. Cuff, Jones & Jones, $98. Rococo Rocks bird necklace, Bijoux Inspired Jewels, $350. —MCT photos

Burberry boot, $225, handbag, $1,295, and dress, $495; all Nordstrom, $225. Rachel Mulherin necklace, Rachel Mulherin, $82.

Theory pants, $220, and fringe top, $325; Alice + Olivia tweed jacket, $495; all L’Apparenza. Kate Spade purse, $318; Prada glasses, $475; both Handbags in the City. Pearl earrings, Jones & Jones, $98. Rococo Rocks necklace, Bijoux Inspired Jewels, $590. United Nude Ultra Rockerfeller slingbacks, epitomeatl.com, $440.

On Bethany (left): Marc Cain print pants, $318; Athena earrings, $78; both Jones & Jones. Rag & Bone blazer, Ruth Shaw, $795. Avec fringe top, Lori K, $110. Isabelle Fiore bag, urbanminx.com, $350. Rococo Rocks necklace, Bijoux Inspired Jewels, $460. On Anna: Theory pants, $220, and fringe top, $325; Alice + Olivia tweed jacket, $495; all LíApparenza. Kate Spade purse, $318; Prada glasses, $475; both Handbags in the City.

Pearl earrings, Jones & Jones, $98. Rococo Rocks necklace, Bijoux Inspired Jewels, $590.

Marc Cain dress, Jones & Jones, $568.

Earrings, Jones & Jones, $115. Kate Spade bangle, $148, and ring, $78; both Handbags in the City. United Nude Ultra Rockefeller bootie, solestruck.com, $485.

Performers walk through the street during Lagos Carnival in Lagos, Nigeria, Monday. Performers filled the streets of Lagos’ islands Monday as part of the Lagos Carnival, a major festival in Nigeria’s largest city during Easter weekend.

— AP/AFP photos

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 3, 2013

lifestyle T r a v e l

Visitors can skate for free in Millennium Park downtown, surrounded by the Chicago skyline.

By Ellen Creager

I

t’s sleek, shiny and sensational. But let’s add two more words to describe Chicago for tourists: darn expensive.

On Feb 1, admission to the Art Institute of Chicago jumped to $23 for out-of-state visitors. In the past month, a host of other price hikes that affect tourists have also taken effect: Museum of Science and Industry ticket prices rose.

The Chicago Transit Authority hiked the price of passes to ride the L and city buses. Parking prices downtown jumped. Even the toll on the Chicago Skyway went up.

the nearby Ghirardelli chocolate shop while sipping hot cocoa.

In winter, it’s easier to get restaurant reservations — and Chicago Restaurant Week is running now through Feb. 10. With more than 250 restaurants participating, prices for a prix fixe menu start at $22 for lunch and $33 or $44 for dinner (for details, see www.eatitupchicago.com). It’s also a great time for theater. Get discount tickets for shows during Chicago Theater Week, Feb 12-17, with dozens of theaters participating (www.chicagotheatreweek.com).

In winter, you also might score tickets for the hottest

Visitors to the John Hancock observatory floor don’t have to fight the crowds of summer.

Chicago has the highest tax burden for travelers in the nation, even higher than New York and Boston, the Global Business Travel Association reported last fall, when it compared cities’ taxes on hotel rooms, car rental and meals.

Chicago has 2.7 million residents and 43.6 million visitors a year. It doesn’t need to offer constant cut-rate attractions.

That’s the power of a popular city.

So how can you visit without going broke?

Visit in winter. With more than 33,000 hotel rooms in the downtown district and an occupancy rate of only 50 percent in January and 52 percent in February, Chicago hotel prices in winter are about half of what they are in the summer and fall, when occupancy can hit over 90 percent.

For example, the weekend of Jan 25-27, rates before taxes were $139 for the historic Palmer House Hilton, $135 for the Fairmont Chicago and $92 for Embassy Suites. Even adding the city’s steep 16.4 percent per night hotel tax to those prices won’t break the bank.

I like Chicago in winter for other reasons, too.

Psychologically, it seems to have more room. It still is breathtakingly beautiful on a sunny day. Skating at Millennium Park is free, and so is clowning around at the Bean (the shiny Cloud Gate sculpture in the park). If you can handle the bracing wind off Lake Michigan, strolling and shopping are relaxing this time of year.

In winter, you can still ride the Ferris wheel at Navy Pier for $6, or take in the winter views from the John Hancock Observatory or watch the crowds from a window seat at

show in the country, “The Book of Mormon,” if you are flexible with your dates or seeking a single seat on weekends.

The musical at the Bank of America Theatre has been extended through Sept 8. When I arrived in Chicago in late January, I heard grumbling from hotel clerks and even transit workers about all the new price hikes around town.

Some affect residents, but most of the increases seem meanly aimed at tourists. For example:

The cost of a day pass often used by tourists to ride buses and the L is now $10, a 74 percent hike over the old price of $5.75. You now need to ride at least five times in one day to make the pass worthwhile, because individual trips are $2.25. Prices for seven-day and 30-day passes also went up Jan 14.

It’s now $5 to take public transit from O’Hare airport to downtown, up from $2.25. Art Institute of Chicago tickets for out-of-state visitors are now $23 (they were $18).

Museum of Science and Industry tickets for out-of-state visitors are $18 (they were $16). And there are no more free days for out-of-state visitors to any Illinois museum — those were dropped 18 months ago.

It’s now $6.50 per hour to park in the Loop, the highest city parking meter rate in the nation. Parking near downtown is now $4 an hour, and neighborhood parking is $2 an hour. Parking prices rose Jan 1.

The toll for the Chicago Skyway is now $4, up 50 cents.

So how can a simple visitor from out of state still enjoy Chicago? Come now. If you have two or fewer people, don’t bring a car to Chicago — the parking alone costs more than mass transit or taxis, about $45 to $55 a day, even if you self-park. Take the train or a bus. Stay with a relative or friend. Seek out small neighborhood restaurants.

Save your money for the few things that really matter to you — the symphony, a play, a museum, a great jazz club, a Chicago pizza, an American Girl doll with her very own hot air balloon, or just a hot cup of cocoa while looking out at a bustling Magnificent Mile.—MCT

Tourists at Millennium Park still visit the Cloud Gate sculpture, better known as the Bean, despite the cold.

See the skyline of Chicago without getting cold, from inside the Lego store inside Water Tower Place, where many of the city’s iconic buildings are recreated out of Legos.

Winter in Chicago should include a stop at the Ghirardelli chocolate shop near the Water Tower, where you can get hot chocolate for $3.50. — MCT photos

Snowmen cookies in a bakery window in Chicago’s loop add to the winter fun.

A small customer looks at the dreamy wares at the American Girl store in Water Tower Place in Chicago. The balloon pictured is really for sale, for $150.

Psy’s new song features ‘Psy style’ take on Korean dance

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WEDNESDAY, APRIL 3, 2013

People wearing clown costumes ride a bicycle during the Humorina carnival in Odessa on April 1, 2013. Thousands of people take part in Humorina, an annual festival of humor, in the southern Ukrainian city of Odessa on and around April Fools’ Day since 1973. — AFP

San Francisco’s other Chinatown - the real one

T

here are two Chinatowns in San Francisco, one where tourists can buy conical straw hats and tacky souvenirs, and a second where the locals live, shop and eat. There are no defined boundaries-you don’t cross a street and step from Tourist Chinatown to Authentic Chinatown. Rather, the two overlap. A visitor can leave a neon-lit store, loaded down with bamboo back scratchers and plastic Buddhas, and a half-block away turn down a dingy alley dotted with shops and businesses where no English is spoken.

“Chinatown is not a closed attraction. Anybody can visit,” said Linda Lee, proprietor of All About Chinatown Walking Tours (allaboutchinatown.com), which has been showing people around for more than 30 years. “Walk up Grant Avenue, the main street, then go to the rest (of the area) for authentic tours.”

What Chinatown is is a bustling neighborhood. On one recent weekday morning, men and women jammed the sidewalks outside markets where oranges and mushrooms and other produce-some strikingly exotic-were sold along with live fish and crabs; an elderly gentleman shuffled down the street, Chinese music blaring from a radio under his coat; laundry hung on balconies and from clotheslines strung over narrow alleys.

This is everyday life in Chinatown, and visitors are welcome. Any street in Chinatown will have an authentic shop or business or two. But explore side streets and alleys. For example, Waverly Place, on a long block between Washington and Clay streets, has beautiful architecture as well as a plethora of delightful smells. Cut down Ross Alley, between Jackson and Washington streets, and you’ll find the Golden Gate Fortune Cookie Factory, a 40-year-old institution that churns out 20,000 handmade fortune cookies a day (and where a 50-cent donation is requested for photos). Step into any number of herbal pharmacies or tea shops, and be overwhelmed by the fragrance. The people are friendly and welcoming, even if you don’t speak their language. — MCT

T

his is not a TripAdvisor Top-10 list you want to be on. Runner-up status for world’s germiest tourist attraction goes to Seattle’s Gum Wall in Post Alley, second only to Ireland’s Blarney Stone. It’s a form of people’s participatory art apparently started by improv Market Theatre-goers in the early 1990s, who thought better of sticking their gum under seats and started leaving it on the brick wall outside. Over the years it’s grown vertically, horizontally and now is spreading to the wall

on the west side of the alley, with gum stuck to the signs requesting “No Gum This Side, Thank You.” Visiting Cal, Berkeley senior Jean Yang called it “community pointillism.” The closer you get the more you see, though it’s not exactly Jackson Pollock.

There’s a wedding proposal from 170 pieces of gum: “Will You Marry Me Nikki J.” There are business cards, coins, Chinese fortune-cookie fortunes, the Swedish and Brazilian flags, a 12th Man

Seahawks tribute, gum wrappers and love notes.

The Pike Place Market estimates the wall holds 750,000 wads of gum. Its Preservation and Development Authority works to keep the 8-foothigh, 54-foot-wide curiosity from going too far.

Clearly, the germiest lists are not scientific: The Gum Wall beat out Paris’ sewer tour and India’s Karni Mata Rat Temple.— MCT

Displays left in gum include a Swedish flag and a heart containing the name Clara. An estimated 750,000 gum wads are on the wall in Seattle, Washington.

—MCT

Jean Yang gets help from Ankur Dhar in adding a wad to the Gum Wall in Post Alley.

T

A woman deftly folds and inserts fortunes into cooling cookies at the Golden Gate Fortune Cookie Company, which produces 20,000 handmade fortune cookies a day in San Francisco’s Chinatown. — MCT

he curtain went up once more at one of Japan’s most important theatres yesterday after the famous playhouse, dedicated to the centuries-old kabuki performing art, was rebuilt for the fourth time. An elaborate ceremony involving incantations and large “taiko” drums was held as a big digital countdown clock, installed six months ago, ticked away the last few minutes ahead of the official opening. The theatre, called Kabuki-za, was first established on the site in 1889, but has now been rebuilt four times, this time as part of a 29-storey office block.

The previous building, erected in 1951 to replace one heavily damaged in World War II, was demolished in 2010 due to worries over its ability to withstand earthquakes. Despite cold rain, more than 100 people, many wearing full formal kimono, queued up for seats on the top balcony to watch a single act, paying 2,000 yen ($22), against about 20,000 yen for the highest grade seats.

Breathless television reporting showed the scenes inside the four-storey venue, where visitors walked across ornate carpets on their way to stock up on the delicate “bento” lunch boxes that are customary during a performance. The 2,000-seat theatre-akin in cultural significance to Shakespeare’s Globe theatre in London-is the spiritual home of Japan’s indigenous kabuki, a highly stylized art in which all-male casts perform in extravagant costumes and mask-like facial makeup.—AFP

Geisha women pose in front of the re-built Kabukiza theatre in Tokyo yesterday before they enter to watch second stage of the day of Japanese traditional kabuki act. — AFP