4 Apr 2013

CR IP TI ON BS SU

THURSDAY, APRIL 4, 2013

Security officials nab 673 illegal immigrants

Mobile phone... from ‘bricks‘ to clcks

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2014 World Cup Winner’s Trophy gets a royal touch

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NO: 15768

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Dancing inmates inspire prison film

Assembly overwhelmingly approves debt relief law

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150 FILS

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www.kuwaittimes.net

JAMADA ALAWWAL 23, 1434 AH

MPs nod to election commission decree despite criticism

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

By B Izzak conspiracy theories

You are remembered

By Badrya Darwish

badrya_d@kuwaittimes.net

S

ince the Arab Spring started, the news about Palestine (Occupied territories) have become nonexistent. Nobody even comments on what is happening in the West Bank. There, Israel continues to demolish houses and buildings. They confiscate plots of land, kick people out of their homes without compensation and build more settlements. Settlement after settlement is being erected and nobody cares.

Al-Aqsa, the first qibla and the third important mosque after Makkah and Madina which is also the place where Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) ascended to heaven, is not spared by the ruthless violators. Recently the Israeli settlers stormed AlAqsa mosque and clashed with the worshippers.

They started abusing worshippers under the protection of the Israeli police. This violation happened on Friday, the sacred day for Muslims. The world has been silent about these violations.

I do not expect Mr Obama, Cameron or Merkel of Germany to defend us or comment on such gruesome violations. I am blaming the Arab leaders and world leaders. Where are they when this is happening? Can’t they even come out with a statement? This is the least they could do. The worst of all is the silence of the Arab world following the death of Palestinian prisoner Maisara Abu Hamdiyeh - a 63-year-old from Hebron who suffered from throat cancer and died in an Israeli jail after medical neglect.

He was not released even when his condition got worst. Maisara is one of hundreds of Palestinian prisoners who are denied proper medical care. Even Israeli organizations, Red Cross or Red Crescent and other human rights organizations are not allowed to visit these prisoners. Do you know that Maisara was in a comatose and was chained to the bed till his last breath? Imagine if this takes place anywhere else in the western world. What would be the reaction?

Imagine if this took place in a third world country where the west has vested interests. What would the media and politicians do then? They will all jump from their beds in the middle of the night to outpour sympathy. The media will be flooding us with reports about the inhuman treatment and ruthlessness. Because Maisara was Palestinian nobody cared. They might even say: ‘One less is better.’ Rest in peace Maisara! You are remembered!

Have a nice evening.

KUWAIT: Kuwaiti MPs raise their hands during a parliament session at the National Assembly yesterday.

Kuwait’s parliament passed a bill requiring the government to buy KD 744 million in private bank loans owed by citizens and reschedule repayment after waiving interest. — Photo by Yasser Al-Zayyat

Brotherhood sows ‘subversion’ in Gulf UAE plot - part of wider plan for GCC DUBAI: Sunni Muslim-ruled Gulf Arab states are often wary of subversion from their powerful Shiite neighbor Iran, but Dubai’s veteran police chief reserves most of his wrath for the “dictators” of the Muslim Brotherhood. Dhahi Khalfan’s suspicions focus mostly on the Egyptian branch of the Sunni Islamist organization, propelled to power in the most populous Arab country in elections since the overthrow of President Hosni Mubarak in a popular uprising in 2011.

“The Brotherhood as a ruling party in Egypt has no right to interfere with other countries. They are no longer a political party and should respect the independence of other countries,” Khalfan said in an interview this week. He reiterated charges that Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood was linked to an alleged plot to topple the UAE government, saying the group’s ulti-

CAIRO: In this file photo, Egyptian protesters drag a wounded Muslim Brotherhood supporter during clashes between supporters and opponents of Egypt’s powerful Muslim Brotherhood near the Islamist group’s headquarters in Cairo, Egypt. — AP mate goal was Islamist rule in all Gulf states.

Khalfan, who has often railed against the Brotherhood on his

Twitter account, is one of only a few UAE officials to speak publicly about politics.

Continued on Page 8

KUWAIT: The National Assembly yesterday overwhelmingly passed in the second and final reading of a debt relief law requiring the government to pay KD744 million to purchase bank loans taken by citizens before March 30, 2008. As many as 50 members, including the prime minister and 12 other cabinet ministers present, voted for the legislation that will become effective after His Highness the Amir signs it and is published in the official gazette. Four MPs opposed the law while three others abstained.

The law covers 47,444 Kuwaiti debtors who took loans from conventional banks and financial companies but contrary to the first reading, the law excludes clients of Islamic banks and companies. The law also excludes around 20,000 debtors who are covered by the socalled defaulters fund established in 2009 to help Kuwaiti debtors facing difficulty in repaying.

The law calls for the establishment of a family support fund that will purchase the bank loans taken up to March 30, 2008, waive all interest and reschedule their repayment in easy installment over a period not exceeding 15 years. It is optional for debtors to join the fund and must register within four months after it becomes effective.

Under the law, banks that had charged debtors interest of more than four percent above the discount rate, set by the central bank, will refund the extra interest charged to debtors. The law also stipulates that banks will manage the implementation of the debt relief scheme free of charge. Debtors covered by the law are free to join the scheme and are also free to choose the period for repayment but by not exceeding 15 years.

The government provided no details about how much the process will cost public funds but MP Salah Al-Ateeqi said he was told by Finance Minister Mustafa Al-Shamali that the cost will be between KD 300 million and 700 million. Several MPs made serious objections to the law claiming it is unfair as it does not achieve equality among Kuwaiti debtors and between debtors and non-debtors.

Isalmist MP Ali Al-Omair said the law includes several constitutional and religious violations, saying it only tackles the problem of one group of debtors. He said the law does not specify the cost on public funds and also appears to be dealing with a “non-existent problem”. A number of other MPs launched a scathing attack on banks accusing them of causing the problem in the absence of a real supervision by the central bank.

In other development, the Assembly postponed voting on the establishment of the Public Authority for Manpower, which is slated to supervise foreign workers in Kuwait. The delay came as the government and MPs were locked in a dispute on the recruitment of laborers.

Minister of Social Affairs and Labor Thekra Al-Rasheedi said that the establishment of the Authority will signal the end of the sponsor system and that it will assume the recruitment of workers from abroad.

But several MPs insisted that the issue of recruitment should remain in the hands of businessmen who know better the type of workers they need. MPs also approved an Amiri decree for the establishment of the National Election Commission despite criticism by several MPs to the Commission which was established in November last year. The Assembly approved an amendment to the civil service law by extending the retirement age for Kuwaitis and expatriates to 65 and for some professions to be specified to as high as 75 years.

Egypt summons UAE diplomat

Billionaire prince urges Saudi to introduce polls RIYADH: Saudi billionaire prince Alwaleed bin Talal has called for parliamentary elections in the absolute monarchy where the king names members of a toothless Shura consultative council. Prince Alwaleed, the richest Arab businessman and a nephew of King Abdullah, said in a television interview aired late Tuesday the monarch’s January decision to appoint 30 women to the council was “very important” but needed to go further.

“For this to become historic, I think two things are essential: first, elections, even if partial, and, more importantly, (giving) powers,” he said in the interview aired on several channels, most belonging to his media empire. The prince also said that ending a ban on women driving in Saudi Arabia was a matter of time, despite strong resistance from religious conservatives in the desert kingdom that is the birthplace of Islam.

“I think that driving (for women) is definitely coming,” he said, playing up the economic benefits of saving wages paid to foreign drivers.

Prince Alwaleed regretted the “negative” outcome of Arab Spring uprisings, saying the politics of new Islamist-dominated governments “do not reflect the aspirations of the people ... for freedom and justice.”

The uprisings which toppled strong Arab leaders would not reach the Gulf monarchies, where “the leaders look after the interests of their peoples,” said the prince. — AFP

GAZA: Palestinian boys play in an old tree east of Gaza City, near the Israeli border with the Gaza Strip yesterday. — AFP (See Page 8)

CAIRO: Egypt’s foreign ministr y summoned the charge d’affaires of the United Arab Emirates over the case of 11 Egyptians detained in the Gulf state on suspicion of training Islamists to overthrow governments, it said in a statement yesterday. The detainees were arrested in January in a crackdown on what the UAE called an “Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood cell” in the Gulf state, which has previously voiced strong distrust of the Islamist political movement which took power in Egypt last year.

Assistant Foreign Minister for Consular Affairs Ali El-Ashiry called in UAE diplomat Ahmed Al-Menhaly and asked him “to convey to the UAE authorities Egypt’s concern with completing the investigation of the Egyptian detainees in the security case swiftly,” the statement said. Ashiry also asked that the authorities allow families of the detainees to visit them.

Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood had said in January that some of its members had been wrongfully arrested.

Relations between Cairo and the UAE soured after veteran Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak - a longtime ally of Gulf Arab rulers - was toppled in 2011.

The UAE has voiced distrust of the Muslim Brotherhood that helped propel Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi to power. In an inter view with Reuters this week the police chief of Dubai, Dhahi Khalfan, reiterated charges that the Egyptian movement was linked to an alleged plot to topple the UAE government. — Reuters

THURSDAY, APRIL 4, 2013

LOCAL

Premier’s visit to Iraq facing risk of delay Baghdad resorting to delaying tactics KUWAIT: A planned visit of Kuwait’s Prime Minister Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak Al-Sabah to Iraq again faces the risk of delay as Baghdad was still to make an official statement setting a date, even though it was expected earlier this month.

According to a report published by Al-Rai yesterday, reports in the Iraqi media have already speculated that the Iraqi government was resorting to delaying tactics after an Iraqi militant group led by Ba’athist Izzat Al-Douri threatened last month to target the aircraft in which the Kuwaiti premier would be travelling. The visit to Baghdad was being highly anticipated.

“The Iraqi Cabinet, which sent the invitation, is yet to make an official statement regarding a delay in the Kuwaiti delegation’s visit, and failed to revert when contacted for comments,” the Kuwaiti newspaper reported yesterday.

Moreover, Al-Rai quoted the Undersecretary Assistant for Political Planning in Iraq’s Foreign Ministry, Lubaid Abbawi, who indicated that the department responsible for preparing for the visit had no idea about the dates.

Abbawi, the number two man in Iraq’s diplomatic corps after Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari, said he planned to coordinate with the office of Prime Minister Nouri Al-Maliki to set a date for the visit, but refused to comment when

asked if the trip was delayed because of “the hostile plot.”

HH Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak announced last Saturday that he was waiting for a word from the Iraqi government about the date for his first visit as Kuwait’s Prime Minister to the northern neighbour. The premier’s historic visit is set to address several pending topics between the two neighbouring countries with the hope of resolving them, including the borders demarcation issue as well as the issue of compensations for the damages in the wake of 1990/91 Invasion led by former Iraqi president Saddam Hussein’s regime. It comes more than a year after the visit of his Iraqi counterpart to Kuwait, during which the two sides agreed on several issues including a settlement to end a dispute between the two nations’ national carriers that paved the way for commercial flights between the two neighbouring states for the first time in over 20 years.

But parallel to the ‘welcoming’ rhetoric of the Iraqi government, the visit plans were ominously marked by certain voices within Iraq that included statements that spectators described as ‘escalating’ against normalization of relations with the country’s southern neighbour.

Among the strongest comments were those made by Sheikh Abbas Al-Mahmadawi,

Secretary General of the Coalition of the Ardent People of Iraq, who called the border demarcation process that was completed recently as “a plot by Kuwait to seize Iraqi land,” and also alleged that it was part of an “American - Israeli scheme to control and weaken Iraq.”

“The loss of Iraqi lands to Kuwait under a US and UN watch is the worst event in the history of Iraq,” said Al-Mahmadawi, who has no official or political position in the country. Nevertheless, he called for an “armed action to thwart the Kuwaiti aggression.”

In other news, Al-Rai reported that search teams for Kuwaiti prisoners and missing persons during the Iraqi Invasion were studying the possibility of carrying out new operations to search for mass graves in Iraq.

The report quoted sources within the team who preferred to keep their identity anonymous.

They said that at least 32 sites were searched “but no Kuwaiti remains were found,” adding that the team lacked precise information about certain locations “where remains of Kuwaiti martyrs could be found.” “There are 300 mass graves in Iraq containing remains of 400,000 people, which makes the process of looking for Kuwaiti martyrs without solid information a very difficult one,” the sources added.

Lawmakers set retirement age at 65

KUWAIT: The Civil Defence Administration, in cooperation with Shuaiba Fire Department, carried out an evacuation drill in the Industrial Medical Center at Shuaiba area. The drill involved carrying out all procedures as per an emergency plan to achieve high level of efficiency during any evacuation exigency. All the workers at the center were evacuated successfully. Such training exercises were meant to test safety and security measures, check all time readiness in case of any emergency, and ensure the safety of the workers. — Photos by Hanan Al-Saadoun

KUWAIT: The National Assembly turned over yesterday three draft bills for perusal by the government before final adoption by the lawmakers, it was learned here yesterday.

One bill was about the establishment of a national elections board in addition to adding a few amendments on the old elections law of 1962 that would enhance the new elections board bill.

Another draft bill the lawmakers amended yesterday regarded retirement age for both Kuwaitis and expatriates who work in the public sector. The amendment raises the retirement age to 65, with a few exceptions to 75.

Yet one more draft bill was amended by the lawmakers yesterday concerned the establishment of Kuwaiti shareholding companies to be entrusted with building power stations and desalination plants.

All three draft bills with their appropriate amendments were passed with a vast majority of votes in the national assembly. — KUNA

KUWAIT: The wife of Maldives President Ilham Hussain and accompanying delegation paid a visit to Kuwait Center for Autism yesterday. Hussain was received by Chairperson of the Center Dr. Samira Al-Saad. The Maldivian delegation toured the different sections of the Kuwait Center for Autism and held discussions with the center’s staff.

Quran contest opens KUWAIT: His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah sponsored the opening ceremony of the 4th edition of Kuwait’s international Quran recitation and memorization contest at the theater of the International Islamic Charitable Organization (IICO) early yesterday.

The event was attended by His Highness the Prime Minister Sheikh Jaber AlMubarak Al-Hamad Al-Sabah.

The opening ceremony kicked off with a speech read by the Minister of Justice and Minister of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs Shreeda Al-Muosherji. His address was followed by another speech by the Ministry’s Undersecretar y and chairman of the award’s higher committee Dr. Adel Al-Falah.

Later, His Highness the Prime Minister cut the ribbon of the award’s exhibition that held publications and documentations of quranic sciences.

Sheikh Jaber lauded the Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs’ efforts in encouraging religious tolerance and inducing moderate Islamic values among the society. He also praised the ministry’s dedication in teaching and helping memorization of the Quran, for those who are interested.

These efforts, he noted, set Kuwait in a higher place internationally.

The event was attended by Amiri Diwan Advisor Dr. Abdullah Al-Maatoug, the premier’s Diwan Advisors Faisal Al-Hajji and Sheikh Dr. Salem Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah as well as other state senior officials. — KUNA

THURSDAY, APRIL 4, 2013

LOCAL

673 law violators in custody KUWAIT: In a focussed campaign to check illegal immigrants, 673 wanted people were arrested during field operations carried out by a team under the supervision of Assistant Undersecretary General, Suleiman Fahad Al Fahad.

Several personnel from security sector, traffic department, criminal investigation, detectives, special forces, immigration detectives and reform establishment administration participated in the surprise check drive to apprehend outlaws and violators, especially those whose residency permits have expired, or who work for people other than their sponsor.

The campaign also targeted marginal laborers and housemaids working under article 20 who are in reality not working in the houses for which they have legal sanction.

Apart from the arrest of 673 wanted persons, officers also confiscated wanted cars which were sent to the concerned department in a successful campaign at Jahra governorate at Al Sulaibiya and Jahra industrial areas.

Security media at the Ministry of Interior said that the sudden campaign was aimed at arresting the outlaws and those who violate residency laws.

Many wanted persons who face cases filed against them, were also on the target.

Security media called upon the citizens and the expats to always carry with them identification papers as security men are equipped with smart computers and can check all details of the person and then deal with the case as per the data available.

Therefore, carrying identifications like civil ID, driving license, car registration book, can prove to be a relief as there would be no need for such a person to be detained.

They called upon citizens and expats to extend cooperation to the police in performing its duties well.

Slashing expat workforce detrimental to economy Labour conundrum continues

By Ben Garcia KUWAIT: Manpower is the backbone and the most valuable asset and capital of a country ’s economy and it must therefore be protected and nurtured, accordingly to a Kuwait-based economist. Speaking with the Kuwait Times, Dr Hajaj Bukhadoor, a Kuwaiti professor of economics, stated that Kuwait should take lessons from the principles of economics. “The value of manpower is the first lesson learnt by students of economics and business administration. Human resources are the backbone and the most valuable assets and capital of a company, which need to be protected and nurtured at the same time.

The more manpower you’ve got, the more resources you can have,” he said. However, he added, human resources should be of good quality so they would not burden the economy and could be a real asset to the country.

Bukhadoor was speaking in reference to the recently announced statements about a possible reduction in the number of expats employed in Kuwait. Bukhadoor questioned the way in which the ministries of labour and interior were making efforts to fulfil their objective of reducing the number of expatriates in the country.

Kuwait is home to more than two million foreigners, who make up twothirds of its total population. Earlier this month, the government said it was planning to halve the number of expatriates working in the country within 10 years. Previously, the government had announced its plans to cut down the number of expatriates by 100,000 annually.

“They are about to implement the plan without proper coordination and explanation. This abrupt decision can disrupt the country’s economy. They should come up with the right plan, supported by proper communication of ideas. If not, we are subjecting the whole country to economic disaster,” Bukhadoor warned.

“Instead of addressing the problem, we are creating a bigger problem,” he said. Taking the point further, he argued that the government should focus on improving the quality of the

nation’s workforce instead of concentrating on quantity. “With the way they are carrying out crackdowns, I think we are increasing the numbers of badquality workers, because it’s a wrong approach. There will be chaos and inefficiency,” Bukhadoor added.

According to Bukhadoor, there are three solutions to deal effectively with the situation. Changing the work cul-

Hajaj Bukhadoor ture and attitude of every Kuwaiti is the first one. “We know for a fact how Kuwaitis are working in the ministries, where they depend largely on the expatriates, be it in the education and health sectors or in other services.

They are unproductive. We have to change that attitude and culture,” he said, questioning the level of competition that such situations create. How can we compete and how can we solve our own problems when we Kuwaitis ourselves are not such valuable assets to the economy.

We have to improve the skills of Kuwaitis. We need to improve our productivity. The truth is Kuwaitis work only for a few minutes, according to the facts and figures I have gathered,” he said. According to Bukhadoor, the average total productivity of a Kuwaiti is 30 minutes. “We work productively for only 30 minutes, so the output of work is very poor. How can you build a country economically if people are working for just 30 minutes,” he asked.

While proposing the second solution, Bukhadoor stated that the reason there are thousands of household workers (considered to be doing

menial jobs) is the size of Kuwaiti households, which are so big that two or three housemaids will not be enough to complete the necessary daily work. “Some Kuwaitis are even employing more than five housemaids. (Kuwaitis are not allowed to employ more than five house helps),” he said. “So, we are increasing the number of expats through that. So the housing aspect should be corrected.

Make smaller houses for Kuwaitis,” Bukhadoor added.

While suggesting the third solution, Bukhadoor said the government should stop the Kafeel system (sponsorship system). “This is opens the gate for more corruption and malpractices.

It has to be cancelled once and for all,” he stated.

According to Bukhador, the ineffective Central Tendering Committee is another reason for the influx of more unqualified and unskilled labourers.

“CTC must be cancelled as they are also the root cause of the hiring of unqualified manpower and labour force. The CTC entertains the lowest tenders, so in the end, they are the ones responsible for bringing in poor quality manpower,” he commented.

Meanwhile, expats expressed their concern over the decision to reduce the number of foreign workers in Kuwait.

An expat ministry worker who spoke with this reporter on the condition of anonymity agreed that cutting down foreign workforce abruptly is not the solution to the problem of an increasing number of expats in the country. “In my department, for example, we have around 40 workers, but only five expats are working hard to make our operation run smoothly. The other 35 are Kuwaitis who just show up to drink coffee or tea. Once they are done with the social aspect of the job in the ministry, they will move on to other non-work related activities.

They are not working at all. We cannot reprimand them; they have their own world and we are not allowed to penetrate it. They will gather at one office, talk to each other and if they are asked to work at all, they’ll say ‘khaliwali’ with hand and face gestures,” said a female expat who works at the Ministry of Health.

THURSDAY, APRIL 4, 2013

LOCAL kuwait digest

kuwait digest

It’s much better with MBs

Time ripe for ‘hall of fame’

By Thaar Al-Rashidi

W

hen I spoke about football player Saleh AlHasawi in my recent article and argued that he should be counted as one of Kuwait’s stars, I realized that we do not have in Kuwait any organization, government or private, which documents the lives of outstanding persons in all walks of life. In all other countries of the world, there is what is called a “Hall of fame,” which is usually a building in the form of an open museum, and includes the names of all outstanding persons in their fields. The building includes the names and details of their achievements, be they actors, artists, sportsmen, painters, or singers.

Such memorial places began to be founded at the end of the 19th century in Germany and included the names of all famous persons in their respective fields. Similarly, one such place was opened in New York in 1901. The building came to be known as a place that hosted celebrations attended by the society’s outstanding persons. A “Hall of fame” was founded in most of the states of the US, and some states had more than one.

Similarly, there is a “fame walk” at Hollywood which features the names of Hollywood stars who are honored for being outstanding in the field of cinema and music. I believe the hall of fame or the special museum for society members’ achievements has become a necessary requirement, especially since many gave so much for the sake of their country and ensured that its name was recognised far and wide, but stayed away from politics.

I do not know who can undertake such a venture. But I believe His Highness the Prime Minister Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak must consider this suggestion. The idea will not cost much, compared to projects that cost billions and remain incomplete.

All that it requires is a building that should be entrusted to the national council for culture, arts and letters. It should have halls, a special hall for famous actors, one for musicians, and a third for sportsmen. Similarly, there should be one for painters, one for poets, for writers, journalists, and researchers, and another for university professors who are specialists in their field.

There are tens of Kuwaitis who deserve to be part of these seven halls of fame. This suggestion can have a great impact on the coming generation, and will explain that Kuwait is not simply a country that has oil. Instead, they will know that Kuwait is a country in which its citizens are honored for their good work in all fields. It is not a question of doling out prizes as encouragement but that the person’s memory should be honoured. We must show that we are a people who do not forget their innovators. — Al-Anbaa

By Basem Youssef

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kuwait digest

‘Dead programs’ on television

By Thaar Al-Rashidi

I

t seems that the Ministry of Information cannot distinguish between documentary programs and news programs. I will try to logically explain a simple difference between these two kinds of programs. As per viewers’ need and compatibility with broadcast timings, a documentary program is one which can be viewed even ten years after it is produced, as it depends on information not linked to any particular news. For example, it is possible to view the programs of Capt Coasto, which were produced in the 1970s, because these were not linked to a news story in particular but instead offer scientific information.

The fact these are not news based programs is the most important thing. However, news programs have to contend with many variables every day.

A news program produced in January this year cannot be viewed in the month of April. So much changes and any story that one puts out this week will become an old tale in another. To be more precise, documentary programs have a long validity period while news programs’ topicality varies from a few hours, a day to a few weeks at the most, depending upon the subject and its treatment.

The reason of this informative introduction is that the Ministry of Information unfortunately does not distinguish between news and documentary programs. Channel two broadcasts an American news program production of 2008 vintage and its name is “World Health News Today”. In case the officials of the media sector at the Ministry of Information have neglected that calendar placed on their

desks, we are living in the year 2013. All the reports featured in these programs are old health reports whose validity period expired five years after these were churned out and are no more fit for viewing or broadcasting. One of the reports talks about the problem of teenagers’ vaccine in the USA. What do we have to do with that? Further, it is a problem which has not been there anymore for five years now.

The program is not scientific but was a news program.

The program “Made in Hollywood” is also a news program that covers stars and films. Broadcast currently by channel 2, its episodes date back to 2008 when it is no secret that the Ministry of Information should be dealing with a framework relevant to 2013. All such news reports and talk about meetings sounds so stale. Since I have now elaborated on the differences between a news program and its twin brother, the documentary program, and also given two examples of programs being broadcast by Kuwait TV Channel 2, the question is: who bought such “dead programs” and when were these bought? News programs made in 2008 should not be broadcast in 2009, but here these are being beamed in 2013. I believe that the audit bureau should strongly intervene in this matter. It is not right to buy such stale information using our public money.

These programs are past their validity period. On what basis have we paid thousands for such content? If it were foodstuff, it would have poisoned thousands of viewers already.

We are being served decaying news everyday by the Ministry of Information. —Al-Anbaa

kuwait digest

Where have billions gone?

ByAhmad Al-Sarraf

I

n a quick comparison between Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates, we find that the UAE has a significantly longer border, an area five times larger than ours, a population of eight million that is more than twice the Kuwaiti population, and an army that is more heavily armed. On top of that, the UAE’s largest emirate, Abu Dhabi, is required to assist the other smaller emirates with huge funds.

Despite the fact that they started producing oil 16 years after Kuwait, the UAE’s production continued to grow over the past 20 years until it managed to exceed that of Kuwait. The cost of providing absolute luxury requirements for the ruling family in the UAE, and Abu Dhabi specifically, exceeds that of Kuwait by a large margin. In addition to that, a citizen of the UAE enjoys better living conditions compared to his Kuwaiti counterpart. Moreover, Abu Dhabi’s government is not compelled to save a portion of the country’s wealth to go into for a sovereign fund as opposed to Kuwait where the government is obliged to do so by law.

It is important to note that Kuwait has a clearly defined constitution as well as laws and regulations which govern the relationship between all authorities.

It also has monitoring, auditing and legal bodies such as the National Assembly (parliament), State Audit Bureau and Central Tenders Agency, while oil is considered the property of the nation. The story is inversed in the UAE where the oil wealth is considered the property of the ruler.

The reserves in Abu Dhabi’s sovereign fund (which was established decades after Kuwait’s) are estimated at more than $700 billion. These were collected despite the fact that all the liabilities mentioned above amounted to huge expenses on security and social welfare, even though there were no monitoring bodies. This voluntary collected amount was more than the $400 billion which Kuwait has managed to collect through foreign investment starting from the early fifties of the past century. Can you imagine our situation if we did not have monitoring bodies?

Why was Abu Dhabi successfully able to create larger reserves from foreign investments, when compared to Kuwait, despite the relatively larger number of obstacles in its way? There are five main reasons. First of all, Abu Dhabi’s oil revenues increased to reach $390 billion recently, compared to $210 billion for Kuwait.

Secondly, the fact that Kuwait’s oil production had to be halted for more than a year during the Iraqi Invasion added to the rebuilding costs following the liberation. Thirdly, Kuwait has to spend considerable amounts to subsidize food, fuel, treatment, energy and other services extended to the citizens and expatriates. Fourth, the extremely large cost of public sector payroll that the state pays takes its toll. And fifth, Kuwait’s investments were subjected to major thefts.

I did not mention financial corruption because it is something that perhaps both countries have in common. After all that, an ‘elite’ group of politicians push strongly to force the government to purchase the interests on citizens’ loans.—Al-Qabas

eriously speaking, what is wrong with the Muslim Brotherhood’s rule and its domination?

Are they not part of Egyptian nation? Don’t they hold Egyptian citizenship? Why do we treat them as if they are aliens from another country or planet? Dear people, they are citizens just like you and me. Why don’t we trust them and hold our horses for a while? Why don’t we refrain from criticism for some time and let them rule the country peacefully and enable them to put their project into practice?

What is wrong with appointing MB affiliates everywhere? Thanks be to Allah that activists of MB are now all around and dominate all sub-senior positions in all ministries but they will keep gaining more momentum and power.

Come on folks, they are not after power. They are simply carrying on with the same strategy that they have always professed. They plan to dominate all unions and syndicates, putting in the leading positions in these organizations people about whom they can be sure that they would cooperate with them. Gentlemen, they do not need the positions of a minister or a governor. Why should they when they have Essam Al-Haddad in a position as premium as the president’s advisor for foreign affairs? Why should they need Alexandria governor’s position when they have Hassan Al-Prince in a position dominating enough as deputy governor?

They totally believe in partnership as long as their partners are cardboard men, phony and tamed.

There is always room for everybody but only as fake, tame and weightless advisors ready to actually give up all authority to their MB deputies. What is wrong with all the president’s non-MB advisors resigning from office? What the heck, there so many others willing to take over and help play the role of a ‘nice’ and diverse opposition.

Please don’t take me wrong and think that MB leadership uses people who trust and cooperate with it, and then casts them aside from positions of real power or appoint them as useless clerks ensconced in air-conditioned luxurious offices with the tag of ‘President Advisor’ attached. Those advisors will most likely never even get to meet the president and if they ever come up with any proposals, they will be discarded. Dear brothers, the MB is selfsufficient by itself and your positions are an integral part of the well-crafted phantom frame of democracy, even if they belonged to a Salafi party that allied with them to put Sharea into practice. People, do you really buy this? This was a long time ago.

Please do not claim that Muslim Brotherhood leaders plug for each other and occupy all ministries, city houses and organizations like a swarm of grasshoppers. It is unfair and only an accusation. Just put yourself in the shoes of an MB leader who has been brought up and taught by the Group. Will he ever dare to hire or appoint a non-MB person to any post? In case he does, how will such an employee be ever trusted when he has not been brought up to blindly trust or listen to no one else except his leaders? Well, it’s not their fault. After years of being hunted and remaining oppressed, one cannot trust anyone who might be an infiltrator. Just imagine how many times any good MB cadre person listens to his leaders’ warnings that others are waiting to take them over or that his disobedience might jeopardize his and his family safety?

Well, that used to happen long ago and now they are not being hunted or oppressed when in power.

But now they are engaged in political disputes and their policies are subject to criticism. There must be another excuse, then. “Those are the enemies of the Islamic State Project,” they claim even if we see no such enemies so far. Such forces can be labelled as enemies of the public and being against national stability without any proof. “The media, the police, the judiciary, the army and political activists are all against us,” they also claim. But one need not worry; they are nothing but ‘little buzzing mosquitoes’, as described by the president. So, we must get rid of them one by one and use our temporary allies who, themselves, will be disposed of later on.

Soon, MB men will be everywhere and will dominate the whole state. The country will become more peaceful without any mean opposition or annoying media that asks nasty questions like ‘how’ or ‘why’.

We will also not have any judiciary that would expose the regimes’ ‘legal lions’.

We will live under the rational reign of MB and watch Egypt sold by bonds (that are not so Islamic).

New businessmen will replace those who fled, went broke or refused to cooperate with MB people. The country will go through political, economic, sovereignty and national security crises.

Never mind about the promises to establish a caliphate, expel the US ambassador or liberate Jerusalem. Such things take time and we do not know if they will ever happen. It is all up to our brothers at Al-Mokattam. So, argue no more because then, the decision-makers, their supporters and their opposition will be MB or MB-affiliated people. All such disasters will be justified in friendly talks within the Group. Our brothers, my dear brother, know better. So, let us act like chess men in their hands. They know the next move. All we have to do is support, secure and trust them as well as vanquish the opposition and teach it a good lesson, if needed.

Who would not long to live in a state like that?

What did the opposition and its shouting during all those demonstrations bring you other than headaches and agony? Dear brother, you are invited to accept such a state run by the Muslim Brotherhood. Let them act as they wish, let them have more control and enjoy being a mere pawn in a game of chess. What tranquillity is there in such an existence? —Al-Jarida (About the writer: Bassem Raafat Muhammad Youssef is an Egyptian doctor, satirist, and the host of El Bernameg (“The Program”), a satirical news program broadcast by Egyptian television station Capital Broadcast Centre (CBC). The press has compared Youssef with American comedian Jon Stewart, whose political satire sitcom The Daily Show inspired Youssef to chose this career. Due to his anti-MB attitude and criticism of President Morsi, Youssef has been facing several legal claims.)

THURSDAY, APRIL 4, 2013

LOCAL

A tribute to Sheikh Faisal

KUWAIT: His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah received the credentials of four new ambassadors to Kuwait in a ceremony held yesterday at Bayan Palace. The new diplomatic envoys are the ambassadors of Greece, Mongolia, Albania Lebanon. The ceremony was attended by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah, Deputy Minister of Amiri Diwan Affairs Sheikh Ali Jarrah Al-Sabah, Amir Diwan Undersecretary Ibrahim Mohammad Al-Shatti, Head of the HH the Amir Office Ahmad Fahad Al-Fahad, Diwan Amir Advisor Mohammad Abdullah Abulhassan, Amiri Protocols Chief Khaled Al-Abdullah Al-Sabah Al-Nasser Al-Sabah, Chief of Protocols Department at Kuwaiti Foreign Ministry Sheikh Dhari Ajran Al-Ajran and Commander of the Amir Guards Colonel Abdullah Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah.

KUWAIT: A man’s true worth is measured by his position and words. At a time when we are blinded by excessive political activity, real friends stand out with unhesitant willingness to share with you your happiness and concerns, as well as to offer advice and a helping hand at times of need.

Therefore, please allow me to express my deep gratitude and appreciation to a friend, Sheikh Sultan bin Hethleen Faisal Al-Hmoud Al-Malik Al-Sabah, who is known for his devotion towards his family, fellow citizens and admirers inside and outside Kuwait.

I have only known Sheikh Faisal as a big-heart, well-spoken and conscientious man, who is loyal to Kuwait and its legitimacy. He has always been known for giving it his all at the workplace and for his willingness to help people whether he knows them or not.

Faisal Al-Hmoud Sheikh Faisal is also known for his knowledge about the history of tribes and his appreciation for all tribesmen, which was evident on multiple occasions when he helped many tribal citizens overcome the problems they faced. This approach has garnered him the respect of people within the country and abroad.

While real friendship does not need to be expressed in words, because their true place is in the heart, I feel that it is my social responsibility at this stage to present a glimpse of what it is like to have unconditional and mutual friendship-something that has become very rare these days. Friendship grows with love, and is reaped with gratitude and by overlooking lapses. I have learned through my friendship with Sheikh Faisal that it is true that no matter what you do, it is impossible to please all.

(Statement by Sheikh Sultan bin Salman Al-Hethleen - Amir of the Ajman tribe)

Praise for Kuwait’s genuine initiatives KUWAIT: Parliament speaker Ali AlRashed has said Kuwait enjoyed good reputation at the regional and international levels, due to the country’s genuine initiatives “which reflect its keenness on international affairs.”

Al-Rashed, in an interview with Kuwait TV, aired Tuesday evening, on occasion of conclusion of Inter-Parliamentary Union’s (IPU) conference in Ecuador, said Kuwait’s delegation chaired three coordination meetings during the IPU meetings.

Kuwait, he added, chaired meetings of the Gulf, Arab and Islamic countries’ parliaments “and this is the first time in the IPU history,” a move that reflected appreciation for Kuwait’s democratic role.

Al-Rashed said Kuwait proposed the rotation of the IPU President’s position between groups within the IPU. The pro-

posal, he added, was backed by South American, African, Asian and Pacific countries. Europe, which holds IPU secretary general’s post for 16 years now, opposed.

He said Kuwaiti parliament’s delegation called for democratic transition in socalled Arab Spring countries, provision of justice and jobs for the youth.

Kuwait, he added, backed draft proposals to backing Syrian refugees in neighboring countries, protection of world heritage but abstained at a Syrian proposal regarding the peaceful settlement of the conflict.

Al-Rashed explained that IPU offered legislations for member states but did not have executive power to solve world’s problems, like the Palestinian cause and Israeli settlements.

“But attaching importance to these

issues help find a solution through legislations, or by pressure exercised by the parliament on the government and giving them priority like famine or1 poverty or unemployment,” he said.

Al-Rashed hoped the US would take into consideration the humanitarian consequences caused by the Israeli settlement policy in occupied Palestinian territories.

He, meanwhile, said linking terrorism with Islam “tarnishes our Islamic faith which is a faith of love and peace that fights all forms of violence and terrorism.”

Kuwait, said Al-Rashed, highlighted the importance of not linking terrorism with Islam in its speech before the IPU conference. Al-Rashed said Kuwait would host next week the Arab Inter-Parliamentary Union (AIPU) Conference. —KUNA

Kuwait radiation level ‘within safe range’ PAAET establishes monitoring network KUWAIT: The College of Technological Studies in the Public Authority for Applied Education and Training has initiated the Radiation Monitoring Network in PAAET at the Technological complex in Shuwaikh. This event was attended

by Deputy Director General for Applied Education and Research Prof Fatimah Al-Kandari, as well as the Dean of the College of Technological Studies Dr Wael Al-Hassawi.

Prof Darwish Al-Azmi main research investigator for the Radiation Monitoring Network project, presented the main purpose of establishing this Network, which is to measure the levels of the Natural Radiation within the country.This will be as the country and the Gulf States are considering the use of the Nuclear Technology for the generation of power and producing water.

Prof Al-Azmi has clarified that the Network consists of three dosimeters for measuring the radiation levels in Kuwait in three locations; Shuwaikh and Al-Subahia, and the third

one will be placed in Failaka Island in the near future.

The measurements recorded the ambient dose rates from the Shuwaikh and Al-Subahia stations indicate that the levels of the Radiation Background in Kuwait are within safe limits.

Prof Al-Azmi added that establishing the Radiation Monitoring Network will enrich the research aspects, and will help gain more experience, which will benefit the country.

The representative of the Arabic Atomic Energy Agency (AAEA) Prof. Daw Sa’ad Mosbah who was attending a workshop in Kuwait, held with the cooperation of the Ministry of Electricity and Water, also attended the celebration, at the Technological complex in Shuwaikh, during his visit to Kuwait.

Also attended the celebration, the representatives from the Ministry of Electricity and Water, Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research (KISR), the Dean Assistants and staff members from the College.

Tsunami-hit railway marks reopening with Kuwait aid OFUNATO, Japan: With the first batch of three brand-new train cars funded by Kuwait, Sanriku Railway Co. in Japan’s disaster-hit region relaunched its much-awaited operations yesterday after a two-year hiatus.

Kuwaiti Ambassador to Japan, Abdulrahman Al-Otaibi, joined residents and guests in a ceremony held at Yoshihama Station to celebrate the restoration of service for a 21.6-km track on Sanriku Railway’s South Rias Line. The line, which runs along the Pacific coast of Iwate Prefecture, had suspended after its train cars, rails, bridges and stations were wrecked by a magnitude 9.0quake and ensuring tsunami on March 11, 2011. While thanking Kuwait for great support, Sanriku Railway President Masahiko Mochizuki declared the relaunch of train services. The three, part of eight new diesel railcars purchased with aid money from Kuwait, have replaced the damaged ones. The remaining five cars are scheduled to be introduced in April next year, he said.

In addition, the money was used for reconstruction of five damaged station buildings on the line. Words of appreciation for Kuwaiti assistance, saying “We greatly appreciate the support from the State of Kuwait,” are inscribed on the side of the new cars in Japanese, English and Arabic languages, while the national emblem of Kuwait is drawn at its head and back. The carriages, each costs JPY 150 million ($1.6 million), are equipped with bigger windows and more comfortable seats than the old ones as well as barrier free measures.

Following the catastrophe, upon directives of HH the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, Kuwait offered the donation of 5 million barrels of crude oil to Japan, equivalent to some $550 million, of which value was distributed to the three hardest-hit prefectures including Iwate.

To mark the event, the reopening also allowed people to ride on the first three relaunched trains for free with a commemorative certificate. 1,000 commemorative train tickets will be also sold from Thursday.

The resumption of the operations between Yoshimaha and Sakari stations, both in the coastal city of Ofunato City, means about 60 percent of the entire South Rias track has been restored. Sanriku Railway operates 107.6 km of track, consisting of two linesthe North Rias Line and the South Rias Line.

The two lines suffered damage at nearly 320 locations, and it would cost about JPY 11 billion ($118 million) to restore them. The company expects to resume full operations on both lines in April 2014.

At the ceremony, Vice-Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport and Tourism Naoyoshi Sato said, “The restoration of services is regarded as a symbol of recovery efforts and encouragement to the disaster-hit area.”

Sanriku Railway was established in 1984 as a joint venture of private firms and local municipalities, playing many roles for residents, including for commute, hospital access and shopping. In grateful acknowledgment of Kuwait’s assistance, Governor of Iwate Prefecture Takuya Tasso, who doubles as Chairman of Sanriku Railway, gave the ambassador a gift made from the damaged rail. “The new train cars were introduced with Kuwait’s assistance. The restoration of the line has become a symbol of revival from the disaster and the hope of local people, and we will make maximum efforts toward full resumption of operations,” the governor said in his speech “We aim to further accelerate post-disaster reconstruction this year.”

The disaster left around 19,000 people dead or missing in the northeastern region, including more than 5,800 Iwate residents, according to the National Police Agency.

For his part, the ambassador voiced expectation that relaunch of the line will also carry a message of hope to every resident, noting that the ceremony marks a “new step” in the course of friendship between the two countries. Al-Otaibi reaffirmed Kuwait’s commitment to stand by the Japanese people, and to strengthen the strong and enduring friendship with Japan.

“By our strong friendship that goes back to more than five decades in history, HH the Amir ordered the donations to our friends the people of Japan, also as a token of appreciation for the historic stances that Japan took since the independence of Kuwait,” Al-Otaibi said. “I can assure you that it is not my country’s contribution but the resilience and determination of the people of these prefectures that have been the driving force and cornerstone of the reconstruction,” underlined the ambassador, who has already visited disasterhit Miyagi and Fukushima prefectures.

“Therefore, we are full of hope that complete recovery is close, that residents will return to their homes and that this region will be rebuilt to become even better than it was before.” Residents also voiced messages of joy.

“I have been longing for the trains to return, a woman in her 50s, who rode on the memorial train, said. Another woman in her 70s, who lives nearby one of the stations, said in a voice touched with emotion, “I am near to tears. I have been waiting for this day. Thank you for coming back to us.”

Mochizuki said the local community enormously welcomes the restoration of train service. “With new cars and restored station buildings funded by Kuwait, we are now able to offer comfortable rail travel not only to the local people but also to customers coming from inside and outside Iwate Prefecture,” he said. “We really appreciate great support from Kuwait.” —KUNA

THURSDAY, APRIL 4, 2013

LOCAL

Egyptian duo in custody for killing compatriot Search for Taima shooter KUWAIT: Farwaniya police arrested two people who confessed to have murdered a compatriot of theirs in Jleeb Al-Shuyoukh last Friday. The suspects had escaped after reportedly stabbing the Egyptian man to death inside a coffee shop in the area. Detectives were able to track down one of the suspects and arrested him. He explained that financial dispute was the reason behind the murder and also led the police to his accomplice who was soon put under arrest. The two were referred to the proper authorities to face charges.

Infant’s mother A domestic worker was arrested in Qurain after she admitted that it was she who gave birth to an infant and later abandoned the child whose dead body was found recently in the area. The arrest came after Mubarak Al-Kabeer detectives received information that the baby was abandoned by a Nepalese housemaid who arrived recently in Kuwait while keeping her pregnancy secret. After rounding up a number of Nepalese

housemaids in the neighbourhood where the body was found, a woman eventually admitted that she became pregnant while she was in a relationship with her boyfriend back home, and gave birth to the child on the roof of her employer’s house. She then confessed that she had left the newborn at the location where he was later found dead. The woman was referred to the proper authorities to face charges.

Taima shooting Search is on for a male suspect and two accomplices wanted on charges of attempted murder pressed by a man and his two sons at the Taima police station. The stateless resident said he was forced out of his house by another person with whom he had certain old disputes. The man’s two sons jumped to his aid, but by the time they came out, they found two unknown men who joined their father’s attacker. The three used pocketknives to attack the man and his two sons, and then fired gunshots that missed them. Later, the

three assaulting men escaped.

Investigators recovered four empty bullet cases from the scene.

Investigations are ongoing.

Driver mugged Police are probing a case involving a taxi driver who claimed he was mugged by ten people in AlQairawan. In his statements to police, the Pakistani man said that he first picked up two people from Jleeb Al-Shuyoukh who asked for a ride to Al-Nahdha. He had to stop on their way to the destination when the man sitting next to him took out a pocketknife while the person in the backseat tried to strangle him. In the meantime, an SUV stopped in front of the taxi and eight people came out of it. The ten then physically assaulted the driver and ran away with his cell phone and KD140. Investigations are on.

Car thief’s tent Investigations are on in search of a thief who used a tent set up in the desert to hide stolen vehicles, dismantle them and sell their body parts separately. A security unit led

by Subbiya police station chief, Lieutenant Colonel Saleh AlKhutaimi, headed to the Salberiya desert with a warrant to raid a tent after investigations in multiple auto thefts revealed it was being used as a hideout by the prime suspect.

While no one was inside the tent when police caught up with the racket, they found the cannibalised body of a vehicle with its tires and a number of body parts missing. It was soon verified as a vehicle reported stolen. Search for the suspect is ongoing.

School fight Police were called to a high school in Salmiya on Tuesday after a fight was reported. Officers arrived at the scene and discovered that a computer teacher had engaged in a fistfight with one of his students during a class after the child misbehaved. Both the teacher and the student obtained medical reports showing diagnoses for bruises sustained during the fight, and later headed to the area’s police station and traded battery assault charges.

Kuwait re-affirms keenness on limiting hazards of lethal arms UNITED NATIONS: Kuwait, a State that produces no deadly arms, has endorsed international treaties for non-proliferation of lethal and nuclear weapons for it “believes that power lies in human resources and existence, rather than, extinction of the human race.”

“The State of Kuwait, which does not manufacture various types of arms, has joined such treaties and accords out of its belief that power lies in the human resources and the existence of man, not his extinction, and for sake of making the world free of weapons of mass destruction namely nuclear arms, as well with the aim of shifting financial resources toward economic, social, humane and political development,” affirmed Kuwait’s Second Secretary Abdul-Aziz Ammash Al-Ajmi, addressing the UN Disarmament Commission during the 2013 session. The Gulf State has signed and endorsed the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT ), The Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT),

the Convention on Early Notification of a Nuclear Accident, The Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty and the Additional Protocol to the Treaty.

The treaties and conventions, namely the NPT, are crucial for limiting hazards and threats caused by these lethal arms, Al-Ajmi said.

However, he pointed out that implementation of this treaty “must be balanced and cover all aspects, namely the ones that affirm states’ noncontroversial right for conducting researches and studies and acquiring nuclear technology for peaceful purposes, in line with the Safeguards’ Regime of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).”

The Middle East region suffers from protracted challenges that have hindered implementation of development strategies and cooperation among nations of the region and the world, he said, adding that it is also prevailed with unstable economic and political conditions “due to the lack of confidence resulting from Israel’s pos-

session of weapons of mass destruction in defiance of resolutions of the international legitimacy that call for joining the treaty, banning nuclear proliferation and subjecting all nuclear installations to the IAEA Safeguards’ Regime,” the Kuwaiti diplomat elaborated in his address at the international quarter, shedding light on the nuclear problems in the region.

Al-Ajmi expressed regret for aborting efforts for holding a convention in Finland, in 2012, to proclaim the Middle East a region free of such weapons, expressing hope that further effort be exerted in this regard to rid the region of looming lethal dangers resulting from stockpiles of these deadly weapons. Moreover, he regretted failure to reach consensus among the UN member states on endorsement of a new convention regarding arms trade, last Thursday.

The relevant states referred it to the General Assembly, on Tuesday, where it was approved unanimously. — KUA

KUWAIT: Parliament Speaker Ali Al-Rashed congratulated the Environment Voluntary Foundation after the Kuwait Dive Team won an international reward for environmental management. The letter of congratulations was sent to the EVF simultaneously with an announcement by team leader Waleed Al-Fadhel that the divers completed cleaning operations at the Shamlan dock in Sharq. The operation was carried out in cooperation with the Kuwait Municipality, the Kuwait Ports Association, the Kuwait Fishermen’s Union and the Souq Sharq management.

Historical exhibitions opens KUWAIT: Representing His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber AlSabah, Minister of Information and Minister of State for Youth Affairs Sheikh Salman Sabah Al-Salem Al-Sabah inaugurated historical exhibitions here on Tuesday.

In a keynote speech at the opening of the event, the minister said Kuwait cherished its Islamic heritage and ancient monuments, citing as a relevant clear-cut example the holding of four historical and monumental exhibitions at Dar Al-Athar AlIslamiyyah (DAI).

“Kuwait began its cultural renaissance over a hundred years back. It cherishes its Islamic heritage and ancient monuments,” the minister said. “Unless we maintain our heritage, there will be no future for us. Our

heritage marks our freedom that distinguishes us from others and even compels others to respect us and gets us closer to them,” he said.

He appreciated the efforts of DAI Director General and Co-founder Sheikha Hessa Sabah Al-Salem Al-Sabah in the organizing of historical exhibitions both at home and abroad.

The minister hoped that the goals of such events would be notched up, wishing that an Arab and Islamic strategy could be fleshed out soon in order to disseminate Arab and Islamic heritage and culture worldwide. For her part, Sheikha Hessa addressed the event by saying that such exhibitions mark much appreciation for the wonderful past achievements. — KUNA

Tijari customers first in Kuwait to watch G.I.Joe: Retaliation KUWAIT: The Commercial Bank of Kuwait invited its @Tijari customers to an exclusive screening of the action film G.I. Joe: Retaliation at Grand Cinemas in Al-Hamra Luxury Center.

Eight theaters were reserved just for @Tijari customers and their families.

They were the first in Kuwait to watch the film since it started showing to the public in all cinemas on Thursday 28 March. G.I. Joe:

Retaliation continues the story of the first G.I. Joe movie that was a big success when it was released in 2009 and stars Bruce Willis, The Rock, and Channing Tatum.

It should be noted that @Tijari is a savings account designed for customers aged 15 to 21 years old with the intent to help establish their future and pave the way to success.

Mr. Paul Dawood, Acting General

Manager of Retail Banking Division at the Commercial Bank of Kuwait, stated that “the cinema event was a big success; CBK reser ved the whole Grand Cinema theaters exclusively for our youth customers holding @Tijari account and for a Premier Show.

The feedback was great and customers were very pleased. We promise our customers with more events and surprises in the future.”

Armenia, Kuwait affirm desire to bolster ties YEREVAN: Armenian Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan received yesterday visiting Director-General and Chairman of Kuwait News Agency Sheikh Mubarak AlDuaij Al-Ibrahim Al-Sabah, discussing importance to upgrade level of bilateral relations between the Republic of Armenia and the State of Kuwait at diverse levels.

Premier Sargsyan underlined role of the media for promoting these ties, noting that the Armenian Government views as quite significant the freshlysigned cooperation agreement between KUNA and the Armenian News Agency. He also praised efforts that had been exerted for working out and signing the accord of cooperation for news swap between the two news agencies.

Distinguished ties between Kuwait and Armenia date back to 20 years ago, the prime minister said, hailing the successful visit, recently paid by the Armenian President to Kuwait, during which he met with His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah. During the visit, the joint commission held meetings that resulted in signing several agreements for economic and cultural cooperation, coinciding with the opening of a Kuwaiti embassy in Yerevan.

Sheikh Mubarak Al-Duaij conveyed greetings of HH Prime Minister Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak Al-Hamad AlSabah and Minister of Information and Minister of State for Youth Affairs Sheikh Salman Al-Humoud Al-Sabah to the Armenian premier. The chairman of KUNA praised efforts, exerted for ensuring success of the visit that resulted in signing a news cooperation accord.

The Kuwaiti-Armenian agreement envisages exchange of photos, information and expertise. The two news agencies will also coordinate for holding training sessions and aid correspondents from the two sides.

The visit, Sheikh Mubarak stated, was part of the cooperation KUNA holds with news agencies and other media networks in various countries for portraying an accurate image about the State of Kuwait, namely issues related to the freedom of the press.

The meeting was attended by ARMENPRESS Director General Aram Ananyan, Armenian Ambassador to Kuwait Fadeh Charchoglian, Kuwaiti Charge D’affaires in Yerevan Khaled Al-Zir and Chairman of KUNA International Relations Issam Al-Ruwayeh.

Sheikh Mubarak’s delegation arrived in Armenia, on April 2, to sign the cooperation agreement with the Armenian news agency. — KUNA

THURSDAY, APRIL 4, 2013

N Korea blocks access to key industrial zone

Hostilities flare along Israeli-Gaza border Page 8

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Taleban kill 44 in attack on Afghan court ‘Nine attackers have also been killed’ HEART: Taleban militants stormed an Afghan court yesterday, killing at least 44 people in a bid to free insurgents standing trial, officials said, in the deadliest attack for more than a year.

It was not immediately clear whether the accused men had escaped the court complex in the western town of Farah, although a hospital doctor said one prisoner was among those being treated for injuries.

The multiple bomb and gun assault will raise further questions about the Afghans’ ability to secure the country as NATO winds down its combat mission in the war-torn country by the end of next year.

“I can confirm that 34 civilians, six army and four policemen have been killed and 91 people, the majority of them civilians, have been injured,” Najib Danish, interior ministry deputy spokesman, told AFP. “Nine attackers have also been killed.” The death toll was the highest in Afghanistan from a single attack since a Shiite Muslim shrine was bombed in Kabul in December 2011, killing 80 people.

“The attack is over, but the casualties have unfortunately risen,” Farah provincial governor Mohammad Akram Khpalwak told AFP, putting the final death toll as high as 46. “In total, 34 civilians and 12 (Afghan) security forces have been killed in the attack. We have also discovered the bodies of eight attackers, more than 100 people have also been injured.”

The governor added a group of Taleban had been brought for trial yesterday, without giving further details. Taleban militants fighting the US-backed central government claimed responsibility.

“Our fighters attacked several government buildings in Farah according to their planned tactic. They conducted the attack with small arms and grenades,” the group said on its website.

“The fighting happened after information that (President Hamid) Karzai’s administration wanted to try several fighters in a cruel way in this court.”

Taleban fighters frequently target government compounds equipped with suicide vests, rockets and machine-guns.

“At around 8:00 am (0330 GMT) five attackers riding in two military-style vehicles drove to the provincial court building, one (vehicle) detonated at the gate and three attackers entered the building,” Agha Noor Kentos, police chief of Farah, told AFP. Wakil Ahmad, a doctor at Farah hospital, said medics were treating scores of wounded including two judges and one court prisoner. Abdul Rahman Zhawandon, spokesman for the governor of Farah, said the area was sealed off as firing continued through the day and some attackers had also entered a Kabul Bank office attached to the court building.

The governor’s compound was around 200 metres away from the scene of attack, an AFP reporter said. The Taleban insurgency has raged since a 2001 US-led invasion ousted their five-year regime from Kabul.

The militia has increasingly widened its attacks outside its main powerbases in the east and south, where NATO forces have focused their attention, to other areas such as Farah which borders Iran.

NATO combat troops are due to pull out of Afghanistan by the end of 2014, leaving responsibility for security to Afghan security forces, but there are fears that the violence will increase with their departure.

Last year gunmen dressed in Afghan police uniforms and wearing suicide vests stormed a government compound in Farah and killed seven people. In November a roadside bomb planted by Taleban insurgents killed 17 civilians-mostly women and children-on their way to a wedding party in the province. — AFP

41 killed in record Argentina downpour LA PLATA: At least 35 people were killed by flooding overnight in Argentina’s Buenos Aires province, the governor said yesterday, bringing the overall death toll from days of torrential rains to at least 41 and leaving large stretches of the provincial capital under water.

Gov. Daniel Scioli said many people drowned after trying to take shelter in their cars in Tolosa, an area of the provincial capital of La Plata. Heavy rains had killed at least six people in the nation’s capital of Buenos Aires the day before. Cars were flooded to their rooftops and rainwater flowed over the windowsills into many houses in La Plata. People waded out of their neighborhoods through chest-high water, and police and neighbors teamed up using rubber motorboats to evacuate families and pets to higher ground.

“Such intense rain in so little time has left many people trapped in their cars, in the streets, in some cases electrocuted. We are giving priority to rescuing people who have been stuck in trees or on the roofs of their homes,” Scioli said. La Plata “has never seen anything equal” to this disaster.

The rains also flooded the country’s largest refinery, causing a fire that took hours to put out. The La Plata refinery has suspended operations as a result, and Argentina’s YPF oil company said it has an emergency team evaluating how to get it restarted again.

The rains - almost 16 inches (400 millimeters) in about two hours - hit provincial La Plata after causing widespread flooding and power outages and killing six people in the city of Buenos Aires the day before.

“We lost family heirlooms, appliances,

clothing,” said Natalia Lescano, who escaped with her family to a friend’s house on higher ground. She said they had to get out by themselves, and complained that authorities weren’t doing enough to rescue people.

About four more inches (100 millimeters more) of rain were expected before the bad weather passes on Thursday, the national weather service said. At least 2,500 people were evacuated from their homes in the La Plata area, which is about 37 miles (60 kilometers) southeast of Argentina’s capital.

National Planning Minister Julio de Vido said about 280,000 people remained without power in the city and surrounding province of Buenos Aires, where most Argentines live. “Our job is focused on restoring service, but we’re going to wait until the equipment dries to guarantee the safety of the electricity workers, because we don’t want any deaths,” De Vido said. The flooding threatened to ruin food supplies across La Plata’s metropolitan area, which has nearly 1 million people. “There’s no power in nearly the entire city,” Casals said, adding that the flooding “wiped out the downtown and the surrounding neighborhoods such as Tolosa, Elvira, Los Hornos, with as much as 2 meters (more than 6 feet) of water, and people are on their roofs.” Many of the evacuees slept in their cars overnight. Transportation and business of all kinds in the city were at a standstill. YPF said no injuries were caused by the refinery fire, which it blamed on “an extraordinary accumulation of rainwater and power outages in the entire refinery complex.” The impact on Argentina’s chronically short fuel supplies wasn’t immediately clear. —AP

Indian wins battle with police over ‘indecent’ kiss MUMBAI: An Indian arrested for indecency after he kissed a female friend on the cheek says he has finally been acquitted after a battle lasting more than a year against Mumbai police. Kuber Sarup, 26, was hauled to a city police station in February last year after an officer witnessed the alleged obscenity-a goodbye hug and a “peck on the cheek”-in the fashionable Bandra suburb.

“He gave me a lecture on Hindu culture and asked me if I understood it,” Sarup told AFP yesterday. “He said if you want to argue you have to go the police station.”

Sarup said he was told to pay a fine of 1,200 rupees (22 dollars) or face a night in a police cell, so he paid up but went to court the next day to contest the charge.

Nearly a dozen court appearances later, a magistrate finally agreed on Monday that

there was no evidence of public indecency, which is banned under section 110 of the Bombay Police Act of 1951.

“It was worth it,” said Sarup, who owns a production company and said he wanted to take a stand against such arrests. “What is decent and indecent, police need a bit more clarity on that.”

Police at the station in Khar suburb, where Sarup was taken, told AFP that the case happened too long ago to comment, while local media praised Sarup for having “the courage to stand up to the system”.

“For far too long, citizens have accepted the moral standards set by laws enacted decades ago,” said the Times of India.

“Societal mores and moral standards cannot be etched in stone; they change.”

Mumbai police have come under fire before for overzealous “moral policing” and using outdated laws, especially last year after a spate of raids on popular bars and nightclubs threatened to ruin the city ’s par ty scene.

In January, police in a neighbouring district were slammed for targeting couples and young women in isolated areas or out late at night in a drive to curb sexual harassment, rather than focusing on their potential attackers. — AFP

FARAH: This image made from AP video shows doctors attending to an injured man at the local hospital in Farah, western Afghanistan, yesterday. Suicide bombers disguised as Afghan soldiers stormed a courthouse yesterday in a failed bid to free more than a dozen Taleban prisoners in western Afghanistan, officials said. — AP

THURSDAY, APRIL 4, 2013

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Hostilities flare along Israeli-Gaza border Israeli planes strike Gaza after rocket salvoes JERUSALEM: Israel pressed Hamas yesterday to rein in rocket-firing militants in the Gaza Strip after the most serious outbreak of cross-border hostilities since the ceasefire that ended an eight-day war in November.

The flare-up, sparked by anger in Gaza over Tuesday’s death from cancer of a Palestinian prisoner held by Israel, included the first Israeli air strike in the Hamas-run enclave since the truce.

By afternoon, the frontier had fallen quiet, an indication that Israel and Hamas were weighing their moves carefully after four months of relative calm that has enabled Gaza residents to rebuild

Israel launched the air strike after three rockets hit its south on Tuesday. An al Qaeda-linked group, Magles Shoura al-Mujahadeen, claimed responsibility for that attack and yesterday’s salvo, saying it was responding to the death of the 64-year-old prisoner, Maysara Abu Hamdeya.

Tuesday was the third time since the November truce that rockets from Gaza had struck Israel. But with a new government and defence minister now in place after weeks of coalition-building since a January election, Israel seemed keen to show resolve, putting the onus on Hamas to prevent any rocket fire.

BEERSHEVA: Palestinian demonstrators hurl rocks at Israeli soldiers following a general strike and day of mourning over the death of 63-year-old Palestinian prisoner Maisara Abu Hamdiyeh, who was suffering from throat cancer and died at Soroka hospital in the southern Israeli city of Beersheva earlier in the week, yesterday. —AFP and Israelis near the border to live without the familiar blaring of sirens warning of incoming rockets.

The Israeli military said two rockets fired from Gaza had struck southern Israel in a morning attack yesterday, causing no casualties, hours after its planes targeted “two extensive terror sites” in the north of the territory.

“(Israel’s armed forces) decided to attack overnight in order to signal to Hamas that we will not suffer any strike on the south. And any shooting will meet a response, in order to restore quiet for the south soon,” Brigadier-General Yoav Mordechai, the chief military spokesman, said on Army Radio.

“I assess that Hamas has no interest in seeing

the situation deteriorate,” he said. “Our goal is to maintain the quiet.”

Spillover from the civil war in Syria - mortar and machinegun fire toward Israeli troops in the occupied Golan Heights - has also heightened Israeli concern.

“We will absolutely not allow any sporadic fire toward our citizens and our forces,” Defence Minister Moshe Yaalon said in a statement, referring to the situations on the frontiers with both Gaza and Syria.

Israeli tanks fired at a Syrian post on Tuesday after one such incident in the Golan Heights, which Israel captured in a 1967 Middle East war.

Israel’s military said it was unclear whether rebels or forces loyal to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad were manning the position.

In Gaza, Hamas has at times cracked down on hardline Islamist Salafi groups, seeing them as a threat to the stability of the impoverished, Israeliblockaded territory.

But Hamdeya’s death touched a nerve among Palestinians, who regard their brethren in Israeli jails as heroes in the fight for statehood.

Palestinian officials accused Israel of failing to provide timely medical care for Hamdeya, who died in an Israeli hospital before a procedure for his early release on medical grounds was completed.

Israel denied negligence in treating Hamdeya, who was serving a life term over an attempt to blow up an Israeli cafe in Jerusalem in 2002 during a Palestinian uprising.

Commenting on the Gaza situation, Richard Serry, the UN’s special coordinator for the Middle East peace process, said it was of “paramount importance to refrain from violence”. He said in a statement that renewed violations of the ceasefire threatened to unravel Egyptian-brokered understandings that included an easing of Israel’s restrictions on imports into the Gaza Strip.

Egypt mediated the truce after fighting in which some 170 Palestinians and six Israelis were killed. Israel launched its Gaza offensive with the declared aim of ending Palestinian rocket fire into its territory.

Hamas seized control of the Gaza Strip from Western-backed Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas’s Fatah movement in 2007 after winning an election a year earlier. Palestinians want to establish a state in the enclave along with the West Bank and East Jerusalem, territories Israel captured in the 1967 war. —Reuters

Syria’s Muslim Brotherhood influential but mistrusted BEIRUT: Syria’s Muslim Brotherhood may be President Bashar al-Assad’s best-organised political adversaries, but they are also loathed by some dissidents who accuse them of trying to dominate the opposition, backed by funds from Qatar.

The accusations date back to the start of uprising against Assad, but came to a head on March 19 after the election of rebel prime minister Ghassan Hitto, with some activists saying his selection was “pushed” by the Brotherhood.

In late March, some 70 dissidents sent a letter to the Arab League criticising “the dictatorial control exercised by one of (the opposition’s)... currents over its decisions and actions, and the flagrant hegemony of diverse Arab and regional players.”

Immediately after Hitto was elected in a meeting of the key National Coalition grouping in Istanbul, a dozen prominent opponents froze their membership in the organisation.

Among them was Kamal al-Labwani, an influential liberal and one of the Brotherhood’s most outspoken critics.

“The Brotherhood leads all the decision-making in the Coalition. They control the committees linked to arming (the rebels) and humanitarian assistance,” Labwani told AFP. “They appear to be just a few in the Coalition, but they buy the other members out thanks to the money they receive from Doha and Ankara. They are trading in influence,” he said.

London-based Ali al-Bayanouni, the Brotherhood’s deputy political chief, rejected the accusations. “Our role in the Coalition has been greatly exaggerated, and we are not financed by any state,” he told AFP, saying the group’s funding comes from “members and supporters, from Syria and elsewhere”.

“We represent just 10 percent of the Coalition.

How can they say we control everything?” Critics of the Brotherhood fear the group may harvest the fruits of the anti-regime revolt, as they have in Egypt.

“In all the Arab Spring countries, the revolution was stolen by the same people: the Muslim Brotherhood. We are dying on the frontlines, while they take the influential positions,” a rebel fighter in the coastal province of Latakia told AFP. Founded in Egypt in 1928, the Brotherhood seeks to spark an Islamic renaissance and challenge the Western political model. The movement emerged in Syria in the 1930s, later spearheading a revolt against Assad’s father and predecessor, Hafez al-Assad, who brutally crushed the uprising

in the city of Hama in 1982. Between 10,000 and 40,000 people were killed, according to rights groups.

The group is outlawed in Syria, with members subject to execution. “They believe that they are the natural leaders of Syria, they believe that... their time has finally come and that they represent the nation better than anybody else,” said Joshua Landis, a Syria expert at the University of Oklahoma.

“That self-assurance is resented of course by all the other groups... The Brotherhood are the presumed winners, and that is why they are targeted.”

Analysts and dissidents admit that the Brotherhood are Syria’s best organised opposition group.

They have a hierarchy, offices, a website and even a newspaper. “Qatar and Turkey support them because they are the only institutional party that has any chance of organising Syria” should Assad fall, Landis told AFP.

“They are well-organised politically, militarily and financially. That’s why they are taking over,” said a rebel fighter in the northern city of Aleppo.

Damascus accuses the Brotherhood of acting as instruments of Qatar and Turkey, where their chief, Mohammad Riyad al-Shaqfa, is based. And though the group pays lip service to a civil state based on human rights, among anti-regime activists “there is a deep suspicion that they are using democracy to come to power, and then once they come to power, they will use the laws in order to suppress their critics as we see today in Egypt,” Landis added.

The West may also prefer to work with the Brotherhood, which is more moderate than jihadists loyal to groups such as the Al-Nusra Front, opponents say. And the Brotherhood is confident they have real support on the ground too.

“When there are democratic elections in Syria, we shall see who wins the majority,” Bayanouni said. —AFP

Europe readies for solar storm BRUSSELS: Europe launched its first space weather coordination centre yesterday to raise the alarm for possible satellite-sizzling ‘solar storms’ that also threaten astronauts in orbit, plane passengers and electricity grids on Earth. Though impossible to predict, a worst-case scenario mega-storm can happen at any time, leaving the world without Internet, telephones, television, electricity and air and rail transport for days on end.

Limited precautions can be taken, but early warning is key, say experts at the European Space Agency (ESA) which runs the centre from Brussels. “A pilot can always land a plane... because they have alternatives (to satellites) for navigation, but if they get the disturbance without warning, at the wrong time, that can be dangerous,” Juha-Pekka Luntama, head of ESA’s space weather division said at the launch.

Even a slight satellite glitch can put navigation out by 100 meters enough to miss a runway. Earth’s atmosphere and magnetosphere protect the planet from radiation released during solar flares and geomagnetic storms-some of the most severe forms of space weather. Smaller eruptions usually have little noticeable effect-perhaps slight problems with car navigation systems or mobile phones. But a major solar storm on the scale of an event in 1859 that crippled global telegraph systems could have severe impacts today.

A “coronal mass ejection”-which sends electromagnetic radiation flying towards Earth at a speed of some 2,500 kilometers an hour and plays havoc with long transmission lines - caused surges on telegraph lines so strong in 1859 that offices caught fire and operators received electric shocks in. Such a storm today could claim about

50 to 100 satellites - 10 percent of the total in orbit, according to ESA. But probably the biggest threat to Earth lies in electric power grid surges. “In the worst case, what could happen is that the transformers in the power grid are damaged and in that case, replacement of the transformers can take weeks or months,” said Luntama. Even if only a small part of the grid is damaged, overloading in neighboring systems can lead to more blackouts that spread domino-like, such as the ninehour power blackout in Quebec in Canada in 1989.

Astronauts orbiting Earth on the International Space Station (ISS), closer to the source of the radiation, could be at high risk of a severe solar storm, as could plane crews and passengers flying over the polar regions. Precautions would include turning off satellites to lessen the risk, reducing the load on power grids, astronauts taking cover in well-shielded part of the ISS, and planes being diverted or even grounded if communications become unreliable. Once witnessed by space weather watchers, the fallout from a solar storm takes between 17 and 48 hours to reach Earth, depending on its severity.

The coordination centre, a central point for space weather enquiries, will draw on the expertise of dozens of European universities, research institutions and private companies. A similar service already exists in the United States. For the moment, the ESA service-funded by 14 member states is free. The centre started operating six months ago and is expected to be fully operational by 2020 - part of wider, multibillion euro ESA system that also tracks objects in space that pose a collision threat. — AFP

Saudi to paralyze man DUBAI: Amnesty International has condemned a reported Saudi Arabian court ruling that a young man should be paralyzed as punishment for a crime he committed 10 years ago which resulted in the victim being confined to a wheelchair. The London-based human rights group said Ali Al-Khawaher, 24, was reported to have spent 10 years in jail waiting to be paralyzed surgically unless his family pays one million Saudi riyals ($270,000) to the victim.

The Saudi Gazette newspaper reported last week that Khawaher had stabbed a childhood friend in the spine during a dispute a decade ago, paralyzing him from the waist down. Saudi Arabia applies Islamic sharia law, which allows eye-for-an-eye pun-

ishment for crimes but allows victims to pardon convicts in exchange for so-called blood money. “Paralyzing someone as punishment for a crime would be torture,” Ann Harrison, Amnesty’s Middle East and North Africa Deputy Director, said in a statement late on Tuesday. “That such a punishment might be implemented is utterly shocking, even in a context where flogging is frequently imposed as a punishment for some offences, as happens in Saudi Arabia,” she added. A government-approved Saudi human rights group did not respond to requests for comment. The Arabic-language Al-Hayat daily quoted Khawaher’s 60-year-old mother as saying her son was a juvenile aged 14 at the time of the offence. — Reuters

Brotherhood sows ‘subversion’...

Continued from Page 1

DAMASCUS: This image taken from video obtained from the Shaam News Network, which has been authenticated based on its contents and other AP reporting, shows damaged buildings due to heavy shelling in the Damascus suburb of Daraya, Syria, yesterday. —AP

Syria targets Lebanon border area: Source BAALBEK: A Syrian helicopter fired on an area on the outskirts of a Lebanese town yesterday, a Lebanese security official told AFP on condition of anonymity.

“A helicopter fired two rockets on Jubaneh alShmis on the outskirts of Arsal. The area lies several hundred metres (yards) away from a Lebanese army checkpoint,” the official said on condition of anonymity.

Arsal is a majority Sunni town in northeastern Lebanon, many of whose residents support the revolt against President Bashar al-Assad in neigh-

BRUSSELS: Photo shows the operation center during the inauguration of the European Space Agency’s (ESA) Space Weather Coordination Center (SSCC) in Brussels. — AFP

bouring Syria. The area lies on the border with Syria, and has become home to thousands of people fleeing their the conflict. Scores of Syrians injured in the violence have been brought into Arsal for medical treatment in recent months, and there have been reports of fighters and arms being smuggled in.

A local official in Arsal confirmed reports of yesterday’s cross-border attack. “Two rockets were launched, though no casualties were caused. There are several houses in the area where the rockets landed,” said Ahmad Fliti,

deputy mayor of Arsal. The attack comes after reported air strikes in the same area last month, which were condemned by Lebanese President Michel Sleiman and the United States.

Damascus denied responsibility for the attacks. Syria’s conflict, which has raged for more than two years, further entrenching deep divisions in Lebanon.

While Lebanon’s Sunni-led March 14 movement supports the rebels, the powerful Shiite movement Hezbollah and its allies back the Assad regime. —AFP

While he says his tweets are personal views, diplomats say they reflect concerns among the UAE ruling elite about the regional popularity of Islamists and the possibility that the West will engage with them. Khalfan complained that the West “sympathizes, adopts and supports” the Brotherhood, saying he did not understand why.

His stance testifies to new tensions in the Arab world arising from two years of popular ferment that has unseated autocrats in Tunisia, Egypt, Libya and Yemen, although it has so far spared US-allied dynasties in the Gulf and elsewhere.

Khalfan, one of the Gulf’s longest serving security officials, defended a trial of the 94 alleged Emirati plotters that human rights groups have criticized as unfair.

“These are dictators,” he said of the Brotherhood, which is banned in the UAE, a wealthy, politically stable federation of seven emirates including free-wheeling global trade hub Dubai. “They want to change regimes that have been ruling for a long time, but they also want to rule forever...We have evidence this group was planning to overthrow rulers in the Gulf region.”

He said the defendants, who include lawyers, teachers, judges and a member of the ruling family of one of the emirates, had reached an advanced stage in their alleged conspiracy. Foreign reporters and international human rights groups have not been allowed to attend the trial that began on March 4. UAE newspapers have said the defendants belong to Al-Islah, a local Islamist group. Al-Islah says it wants peaceful reforms and has no direct links to Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood, although it acknowledges that its ideology is similar.

“The UAE...acted at the right time to stop the Muslim Brotherhood plan that is being directed by the Murshid,” Khalfan said, referring to Egypt’s Brotherhood leader Mohamed Badie. The Brotherhood in Egypt, one of whose members, Mohamed Mursi, was elected head of state in June, rejected Khalfan’s accusations that the group was involved in subversion abroad. “We do not act outside the law in any country. We guard the preservation of the law,” Brotherhood spokesman Ahmed Aref said. “He (Khalfan) has no evidence of this, of any conspiracy.”

UAE-Egyptian ties have been strained since the fall of Mubarak, an ally of Gulf Arab states and a foe of the Brotherhood, which was founded in Egypt in 1928.

Some UAE Islamists, inspired by the rise of religious groups in Egypt and Tunisia, have stepped up their activities, angering officials in a state where no political opposition is permitted. Asked to describe threats to the UAE, Khalfan said at least two Emiratis had gone to Syria to fight for rebels trying to depose President Bashar Al-Assad, but suggested al Qaeda-style militants were not widely supported in the Emirates. The main Islamist current in the UAE was the Muslim Brotherhood, he said. Asked about neighboring Qatar’s close ties to the Brotherhood, Khalfan said the UAE respected the Qatari leadership, even if the two countries had differing views. On Iran, Khalfan, head of Dubai’s police force for three decades, criticized what he called Tehran’s interference in the affairs of Gulf Arab states and its threats to close the Straits of Hormuz in its standoff with the United States. However, his language on Iran was relatively restrained, describing it as a neighbor “that is very hard to please”. — Reuters

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Pope highlights ‘special role’ of women in Church ROME: Pope Francis emphasized the “fundamental” importance of women in the Roman Catholic Church yesterday, saying they were the first witnesses of Christ and have a special role in spreading the faith. The pontiff’s decision a week ago to include women in a traditional foot-washing ritual drew ire from traditionalists, who see the custom as a re-enactment of Jesus washing the feet of his apostles and said it should therefore be limited to men.

Francis, elected last month as the first nonEuropean pope in 1,300 years, said women had always had a special mission in the Church as “first witnesses” of Christ’s resurrection, and because they pass belief onto their children and grandchildren. “In the Church, and in the journey of faith, women have had and still have a special role in opening doors to the Lord,” Francis told thousands of pilgrims at his weekly audience in St Peter’s Square.

He said that in the Bible, women were not recorded as witnesses to Christ’s resurrection because of the Jewish Law of the time that did not consider women or children to be reliable witnesses.

“In the Gospels, however, women have a primary, fundamental role ... The evangelists simply narrate what happened: the women were the first witnesses.

This tells us that God does not choose according to human criteria.” It was the second time Francis had spoken of women’s role as witnesses to the resurrection of Christ, a subject of bedrock importance to the Catholic faith. His Easter Vigil address on Saturday reached out to women and urged believers not to fear change.

REFORM “ This is very encouraging,” said Marinella Perroni, a theologian and leading member of the

British couple face jail for killing 6 children in fire ‘One of the most upsetting cases ever investigated’ LONDON: Mick Philpott presented himself as an amiable rascal with an unorthodox lifestyle and a rambunctious brood of children - 17 in all, with five women.

The 56-year-old Englishman’s ramshackle existence took a horrifying turn when he and his wife set a fire that killed six of the children, in an attention-grabbing plan that prosecutors said “went disastrously and tragically wrong.”

A judge said she would sentence Mick and Mairead Philpott yesterday afternoon for the manslaughter of Jayden, Jesse, Jack, John, Jade and Duwayne, aged 5 to 13. The May 2012 deaths and the twisting saga that ensued have horrified and fascinated Britain.

Before the fire, Mick Philpott was something of a local celebrity - nicknamed “Shameless Mick” after the television program about a disreputable working-class clan - who had appeared on a daytime talk show defending his lifestyle. In 2007, a Conservative lawmaker stayed at his home for a week as she filmed a critical documentary about the country’s welfare system.

The trial furnished details of Mick Philpott’s life with his 32-year-old wife, his girlfriend and as many as 11 children in a three-bedroom social housing property in Derby, central England.

The jury - and the nation - heard of threesomes and public sex, of Philpott’s controlling behavior, and of his claim that he had not washed for 12 weeks before the fire.

At times three adults and 11 children lived in the house, but shortly before the fire girlfriend Lisa Willis moved out, taking her five children.

Mairead and Mick Philpott’s five children and Mairead’s 13-year-old son from a previous relationship remained in the home, and died in the blaze.

After the fire the Philpotts made an emotional televised appeal, with Mick describing how he had battled the flames to try to save his children. But police soon grew suspicious of the couple’s erratic behavior, and bugged a hotel room where they were staying.

The jury was played recordings of Mick Philpott asking his wife: “Are you sticking to the story?”

The couple was arrested two weeks

DERBY: In this May 16, 2012 file photo, Mick Philpott, right, and wife Mairead react during a news conference at Derby Conference Centre following a fire at their home which claimed the lives of six of his children, Derby, England. A jury found Mick and Mairead Philpott guilty of the killing of their six children, aged 5 to 13, in a house fire in Derby, central England, in May 2012. — AP after the fire and charged with murder, later downgraded to manslaughter.

Prosecutors said the couple hatched a plan to start the gasoline-fuelled fire and then rescue the children, pinning blame on Willis, so Mick Philpott could gain advantage in a child custody battle. The couple and a friend, Paul Mosley, were said to have planned to get all the children to sleep in one bedroom so that they could be rescued through a window when the fire started. Mosley was also convicted of manslaughter.

Prosecutor Richard Latham said the plan went wrong within minutes, because the fire was far bigger than expected and the father was unable to smash a window to get in.

“It was started as a result of a plan between the three of them to turn family court proceedings in Mr Philpott’s favor,” said Crown Prosecution Service adviser Samantha Shallow. “It was a plan that went disastrously and tragically wrong.”

Steve Cotterill, assistant chief constable of Derbyshire Constabulary, said it had been “one of, if not the most upsetting cases any of us has ever

investigated.” “Six young children lost their lives needlessly in a fire and all our efforts have been focused on getting justice for those children,” he said.

The jury was not told that Mick Philpott had a previous conviction for attempted murder, for stabbing a former girlfriend and her mother when he was 21. The conviction of the couple was front-page news in Britain, with publications seeing all manner of social ills reflected in Mick Philpott’s moustached face.

For the liberal Guardian, he was “a control freak whose domestic violence went unchecked.” For the conservative Daily Mail he was “a vile product of welfare UK” To the tabloid Daily Mirror he was simply “pure evil.”

“He was the sort of person who gives compassion and public support a bad name,” said lawmaker Margaret Beckett, who represents Philpott’s constituency in Parliament.

“I wished he lived in somebody else’s constituency, if that doesn’t sound a ridiculous thing to say,” she told the BBC. “He wasn’t somebody you wanted to be responsible for in any way.” — AP

Spanish princess dragged into corruption case MADRID: Spain’s Princess Cristina has been summoned to testify as a suspect in a corruption case, a judicial source said yesterday, dealing a damaging blow to the prestige of the royal family including her father King Juan Carlos. It is the first time a member of the Spanish royal family has been called to appear in a court of law on suspicion of wrongdoing.

The 47-year-old princess must testify on suspicion of influence peddling on April 27 at the court in Palma on the Mediterranean island of Mallorca, the judicial source said on condition of anonymity. “The royal household does not comment in any way on judicial decisions,” a spokesman for the royal

family said. The case, which was opened at the end of 2011, is centered on allegations of embezzlement and influence peddling against her husband, former Olympic handball player Inaki Urdangarin, and his former business partner, Diego Torres.

The pair are suspected of syphoning off money paid by regional governments to stage sports and tourism events to the non-profit Noos Institute, which Urdangarin chaired from 2004 to 2006.Until now, the princess had avoided being dragged formally into the case, although accusations had been mounting up against her. The summons by Judge Jose Castro will be seen as extremely damaging to the

VITORIA: A file picture taken on May 12, 2012 shows Spain’s Duke of Palma and son-in-law of Spain’s King Juan Carlos, Inaki Urdangarin (L), arriving with his wife Spain’s Princess Cristina (C) and their children at San Prudencio church in Vitoria, to attend a funeral ceremony for his father. Spain’s Princess Cristina has been summoned to testify as a suspect in a corruption case involving her husband, a court official said yesterday, an historic blow to the prestige of the royal family including her father King Juan Carlos. — AFP

royal family, already slumping in the popularity polls.

The 75-year-old Spanish king is credited with steering Spain to democracy following the death of dictator Francisco Franco in 1975 but his standing had already taken a hit over the corruption probe implicating his sonin-law and over a luxury elephanthunting safari he took in Africa last year at a time of record unemployment in Spain. An opinion poll published last month showed almost 57 percent of Spaniards felt the king should abdicate in favor of his 45-year-old son Prince Felipe, once Juan Carlos recovers from surgery he had in March for herniated discs in his lower spine, his seventh operation in three years.

Urdangarin, who has not been charged with any crime and maintains his innocence, sought to distance his wife and the rest of the royals from his business dealings when he was questioned in court in February by the judge leading the investigation. But his former business partner then provided the judge with emails that were leaked to the press appearing to show that Urdangarin regularly consulted his wife-a member of the board of the Noos Institute-about the body’s affairs.

Carlos Garcia Revenga, the longtime personal secretary to Princes Cristina and her older sister Princess Elena, was questioned by the judge after Torres submitted another batch of e-mails that suggested he was actively involved in the Noos Institute’s dealings. Princess Cristina, who works as the director of social welfare programs at Barcelona-based financial services group La Caixa’s charitable foundation, has kept a low profile since the scandal broke. — AFP

Association of Italian Women Theologians, which promotes female experts on religion and their visibility in the Church. “Pope Francis is taking up, with a stronger emphasis, the teaching of previous popes about the role of women in the foundation of faith and the resurrection of Jesus,” Perroni said.

“The fact that the Pope acknowledges that the progressive removal of female figures from the tradition of the resurrection...is due to human judgments, distant from those of God...introduces a decidedly new element compared to the previous papacy.”

Supporters of liberal reform of the Church have called on the institution to give a greater voice to women and recognize their importance to the largest religious denomination in the world. Some groups call for women to be ordained as priests, which the Vatican says is wrong as Jesus Christ willingly chose only men as

his apostles. Advocates of a female priesthood reject this position, saying Jesus was merely conforming to the customs of his times.

The election of Francis, an Argentinean, last month came in the wake of another break with tradition when predecessor Pope Benedict became one of the few pontiffs in history to resign.

His 76-year old successor has set a new tone for the papacy, earning a reputation for simplicity by shunning some ornate items of traditional dress, using informal language in his addresses, and so far choosing to live in a simple residence rather than the regal papal apartments.

Sources inside the Vatican have said Francis could reform the Vatican’s bureaucracy and restructure or even close down the Vatican’s bank following a series of scandals at the heart of the Holy See that damaged the Church’s reputation. — Reuters

Blow to Serbia’s EU bid as Kosovo talks deadlocked BRUSSELS/BELGRADE: Crunch talks to end the ethnic partition of Serbia’s former Kosovo province broke up without result yesterday, in a potential blow to Serbia’s hopes of starting European Union membership negotiations this year. Serbia is under pressure from the West to relinquish its hold on a Serb-populated pocket of majority-Albanian Kosovo if it is to secure accession talks with the EU, in what would be a major boost for the biggest economy to emerge from the collapse of federal Yugoslavia.

Kosovo seceded in 2008 but Serbia does not recognise it as independent. After eight rounds of talks in Brussels, and a marathon 12-hour meeting that ended overnight, the EU said the gap between the two sides was “very narrow, but deep”. It said they would not meet again formally under the mediation of the EU’s foreign policy chief, Catherine Ashton.

A mid-April progress report by Ashton will form the basis of a decision in June by the 27-member EU on whether to open accession talks with Serbia, a process aimed at cementing stability in the region more than two decades since Yugoslavia unravelled in war and ethnic cleansing.

Offering some hope a deal might still be reached, Ashton said the prime ministers of Serbia and Kosovo would return to their capitals for consultations “and will let me know in the next few days of their decision.”

Serbian Prime Minister Ivica Dacic, a former wartime aide of late Serb strongman Slobodan Milosevic, said, “This isn’t the end”. His Kosovo counterpart, former guerrilla commander Hashim Thaci, mooted the possibility of another meeting next week, but did not say under whose auspices it might take place or where.

“We hope they (Serbia) will use the time in the coming days for sincere reflection,” Thaci told reporters. “I remain hopeful an agreement can be reached.”

With Croatia about to become the second ex-Yugoslav republic to join the EU in July, the West wants to anchor

Serbia in accession talks that would drive reform and help lure investors to the landlocked country of 7.3 million people. Slovenia joined the EU in 2004, Montenegro, which left a state union with Serbia in 2006, has already begun accession talks and is next in line behind Croatia.

But the EU is conditioning Serbia’s progress on a process it calls “normalising relations” with Kosovo establishing functional, neighbourly relations and tackling an ethnic partition between Kosovo’s Albanian majority and 50,000 Serbs in the north who say they want to remain part of Serbia. Kosovo, a territory of 1.7 million people, broke away from Serbia in 1999 when NATO bombed for 11 weeks to halt the killing and expulsion of Albanian civilians by Serbian forces under Milosevic waging a brutal counter-insurgency war.

Belgrade retained de facto control over the north in a stubborn ethnic partition that has frustrated NATO’s hopes of cutting back its now 6,000-strong peacekeeping force. Recognised by more than 90 countries, including the United States and 22 of the EU’s 27 members, Kosovo wants the north back.

Serbia’s nine-month-old coalition government, desperate for the economic boost of closer EU ties, has offered to recognise the authority of Thaci’s government over the north, but wants autonomy for the Serbs living there.

The talks are stuck on the powers the north would wield, including the possibility of its own judiciary and police. Analysts say failure to clinch EU accession talks could shatter Serbia’s ruling coalition and force an early election, with the nationalist Serbian Progressive Party riding high in opinion polls. It would also inflict more pain on the struggling Serbian economy, which contracted 1.7 percent in 2012.

“If Serbia is now derailed from its EU path, we could witness a worsening of our economic outlook,” said Sasa Djogovic, an analyst at the Belgrade-based Institute for Market Research. — Reuters

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Man convicted in 1970 Arizona fire set free TUCSON: Louis Taylor has been behind bars ever since he was teenager - convicted and sentenced to what he thought was a life prison term for a 1970 hotel fire in Tucson that killed 29 people. As the decades went by, he insisted that he was innocent and had nothing to do with starting the fire.

On Tuesday, the 58-year-old walked out of prison a free man after reaching a deal with prosecutors amid questions about his conviction. He spoke briefly to reporters as he left the prison and plans to speak at length about his conviction, case and newfound freedom at a news conference Wednesday.

“Welcome back, Mr. Taylor,” said Judge Richard Fields after accepting Taylor’s plea deal that meant he would no longer contest the charges he denied during his more than 15,000 days of incarceration.

Taylor faced a choice as new doubts emerged about his conviction: He could continue his fight, maybe for years more, to clear his name and potentially sue for a big settlement. Or he could enter a plea and get out of prison now, giving up any opportunity to file a lawsuit against the state.

“It’s a tale of two tragedies, the Pioneer Hotel fire and my conviction,” Taylor said as he left court in a shirt and jeans.

The case ended up back in court Tuesday after a new defense team and others raised fresh questions about the evidence used to convict Taylor.

Authorities still insist Taylor is guilty, but they acknowledged that gaining a conviction at a new trial would be dicey given that some evidence has been lost and witnesses have either moved or died.

The blaze was one of Arizona’s worst as hundreds of people gathered at the Pioneer Hotel in

Tucson to celebrate Christmas festivities. When the fire erupted, exits were blocked and fire truck ladders were too short to reach the upper floors. Many guests were trapped in their rooms. Some jumped to their deaths while others burned alive. Most victims died from carbon-monoxide poisoning.

Tuesday’s hearing was marked by dramatic testimony from a Washington, D.C., man who was 4 years old when his father, an attorney, was killed in the fire at age 31. Paul d’Hedouville II said his dad had been awaiting his family to celebrate Christmas. He had gifts piled in his suite for his two sons. “Instead, my father was buried on Christmas Eve 1970,” he said. He lamented how his father was never there to show him how to ride a bike or teach him his Daffy Duck impression, and how his now elderly mom, who is recovering from leukemia, doesn’t have her husband by her side.

“He was never able to dance with my bride at my wedding,” d’Hedouville said. “I harbor no feelings of ill will or vengeance against you,” he added, staring at Taylor who sat at the defense table dressed in orange prison clothes. Then d’Hedouville offered a single thought to Taylor without addressing the man’s guilt: “Do as you choose Mr. Taylor. But choose wisely. Do not waste your new beginning.”

Pima County prosecutor Rick Unklesbay noted his office’s insistence that Taylor is guilty. He added, however, that fire investigators for the defense and the state, reviewing the remaining evidence, say a cause of the blaze could not be determined, something that also would hamper efforts to secure a fresh conviction. Unklesbay later explained how both state and defense experts at Taylor’s original

trial determined the blaze was arson. He said Taylor was found at the hotel with five boxes of matches.

He wrote in a memorandum to the court that hotel employees “found the defendant standing by himself simply looking at the fire.”

In his deal with prosecutors, Taylor was allowed to avoid admitting guilt outright to each count against him, read aloud by the judge in a monotone voice, to which Taylor replied 28 times, “No contest.” Taylor was never charged in the death months later of a 29th victim.

A no contest plea allows defendants to neither dispute the charges against them nor admit guilt while offering no defense. Taylor also gave up his right to seek vindication or compensation from the state. He offered no statement to court.

“Mr. Taylor maintains his innocence and the no contest plea allows him to continue to do so,” Phoenix attorney Ed Novak told the judge. Novak explained outside court that Taylor chose to accept the deal instead of remaining in prison for an indefinite amount of time. He said prosecutors promised to fight the case all the way to the Supreme Court if he chose to seek a new trial.

“It’s a question of freedom now versus freedom three years from now,” Novak said. Taylor, who is black, was 16 at the time of his arrest, and contends he was wrongly convicted by an all-white jury. The lead fire investigator at the time told AP this week he had profiled the suspect as “probably a negro,” but the man insisted the statements had nothing to do with Taylor’s arrest.

“That statement had nothing to do with Louis’ prosecution,” Cy Holmes, now 83, said. “I wasn’t part of Mr. Taylor’s guilt. I was just involved in

determining whether or not the fire was arson.”

Taylor’s appeals were exhausted after the U.S. Supreme Court denied him a new trial in 1983. The judge who presided over his trial, meanwhile, had publicly expressed skepticism about the conviction and stayed in touch with Taylor, sending him Christmas gifts and law books.

Reports in 2002 by CBS’ “60 Minutes” raised questions about whether the fire was, in fact, arson, and the Arizona Justice Project, which works on behalf of inmates believed to be wrongly convicted, said prosecutor’s committed misconduct at Taylor’s original trial when they neglected to inform his defense team that no accelerants had been found at the hotel.

Tucson authorities at the time then began reviewing evidence while the Arizona Justice Project examined case files to determine whether he received a fair trial. However, Holmes said he stands by his determination that it was arson.

Holmes said the techniques he used are the same procedures used today.

He said the new findings are based on incomplete information, adding, “They didn’t spend two full days digging through that place.” Albert Pesqueira, an area assistant fire chief, was just 21 when he responded to the scene. He remembers parts of the once exclusive hotel reduced to rubble and ashes. But what he recalls most are the victims, specifically three children who fell to their deaths from an upper-floor window. To this day, he wonders if they jumped or were pushed by their parents in an attempt to save them. “I have nightmares about that,” Pesqueira said. “The parents stayed up there and they died.” — AP

Obama launches fund-raising blitz to help us Democrats Needing Republicans, Obama may temper his message

WASHINGTON: US Treasury Secretary Jack Lew (R) shakes hands with Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong at the Blair House yesterday in Washington, DC. Secretary Lew and Prime Minister Hsien Loong participated in a closed door meeting on bilateral issues. — AFP

Obama thanks Singapore PM for military cooperation WASHINGTON: President Barack Obama on Tuesday thanked Singapore for its military cooperation as the US prepares to rotate ships through the prosperous city state to boost its presence in the Asia-Pacific region.

Obama met with Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, the third Asian leader to visit the White House this year, as President Barack Obama pursues closer ties with countries in the region in his second term.

Singapore is a close defense and economic partner of the US, and later this month, the US will begin rotational deployments of Navy vessels there. That’s part of the Obama administration’s “pivot” to the Asia-Pacific region as the US disentangles itself from a decade of conflict in Iraq and Afghanistan.

“We have extremely close military cooperation. And I want to thank Singapore for all the facilities that they provide that allow us to maintain our effective Pacific presence,” Obama told reporters. Defense cuts at home and turmoil in the Middle East have raised doubts in Asia about the U.S. ability to sustain that strategic rebalance to the region. But Obama made his diplomatic priorities clear by traveling to Myanmar, Cambodia and Thailand soon after his November re-election, and then by hosting the leaders of Japan and Brunei.

South Korea’s new president will visit in May. It was Lee Hsien Loong’s first Oval Office meeting in six years and comes as the US pushes for completion by fall of a trans-Pacific free trade pact. Singapore is one of 11 countries taking part in the negotiations. The US and Singapore already have a bilateral free trade pact, and Obama described the Southeast Asian state as an “outstanding” economic partner. Speaking later to US businessmen, Lee urged the US to adopt a more active trade agenda in Southeast Asia that would set

a positive example to the rest of the world when protectionist sentiments are rising.

Lee welcomed US engagement in Asia and urged it to build strategic trust with a rising China, which he said understands that its success depends on a stable international environment. He said while China’s development represents a major shift in the balance of power, the US will remain the dominant power for decades to come. Lee is the eldest son of Singapore’s founding prime minister, Lee Kuan Yew. He last visited the US for a nuclear security summit in 2010. During his four-day visit, he will also travel to New York City and meet with Mayor Michael Bloomberg.

His visit takes place against the backdrop of tensions in the South China Sea, where several of Singapore’s neighbors have been unnerved by actions by China to assert its disputed territorial claims over small islands and reefs in resource-rich waters where the busy sea lanes are crucial to world trade.

Singapore supports the US security presence in the region, but remains on friendly terms with Beijing.

Underscoring the Obama administration’s efforts to sustain its Asian diplomacy, the foreign ministers of two US treaty allies in the region, the Philippines and South Korea, were also in Washington Tuesday for meetings with Secretary of State John Kerry.

Kerry travels to Northeast Asia next week, amid concerns over North Korea’s bellicose rhetoric and warnings that it plans to restart shuttered nuclear facilities.

On Tuesday, when he met Philippine Foreign Secretary Albert del Rosario, Kerry also expressed deep US concern about tensions in the South China Sea. Kerry called for the territorial disputes there to be worked out through arbitration. —AP

MARACAIBO: Supporters of Venezuelan acting president Nicolas Maduro cheer for their candidate during the opening rally of his campaign in Maracaibo, Zulia state on Tuesday. Venezuela’s presidential campaign to replace Hugo Chavez formally kicked off Tuesday, with his chosen successor vowing to honor his socialist legacy at the late leader’s childhood home. — AFP

WASHINGTON: President Barack Obama will launch a fund-raising drive for the 2014 US midterm elections yesterday with addresses to deep-pocketed donors in California, hoping the Democratic Party can defy the odds and gain congressional seats in the polls.

The party in power in the White House usually loses seats in election years in which the presidency is not up for grabs. This means Democrats have their work cut out for them in trying to win a majority in the Republican-controlled House of Representatives and add to their majority in the Senate. “An off-year is always tough for the party in power,” said Democratic strategist Bud Jackson. “But never say never, and I think it’s possible that you could swing some seats. At the very least you make the attempted grab.”

The president has an interest in making the effort, because without a significant change in the make-up of Congress, he faces possible paralysis for many of the initiatives laid out in his inaugural address and State of the Union speech. His second term, won decisively in the election last November over Republican Mitt Romney, has opened with a repeat of the partisan tensions that marked his first term and with an unrelenting stalemate over taxes and spending. A bid to tighten gun regulations, which Obama will address at a stop in Denver on Wednesday, is in danger as pro-gun groups pressure lawmakers who for decades have been reluctant to take on the powerful gun lobby.

Only an immigration overhaul looks promising as Republicans smarting over Hispanic vote losses in 2012 need a victory on it as much as Obama does. This does not mean Obama is abandoning his priorities until after the midterms. His team in general sees the need for action as soon as possible before the country’s attention turns to the 2014 and 2016 elections.

As a result, Obama may offer a more restrained message when he speaks at fund-raising events in San Francisco, talking up his party’s agenda without antagonizing political opponents. Some Republican senators told Obama when he visited Capitol Hill in March that it did not help their fiscal negotiations with him when he traveled around the country criticizing them.

Obama aides said Obama can both support his own party’s campaign apparatus while still seeking compromise with Republicans.

WASHINGTON: President Barack Obama waves as he walks to board the Marine One helicopter on the South Lawn at the White House in Washington, yesterday, as he travels to Denver and San Francisco. — AP “ There’s plenty of work to do here in $5,000 a person - is at the home of billionaire Washington D.C. before we turn our attention to former asset manager Tom Steyer and his wife, the midterm elections,” said White House deputy Kat Taylor. After that, a $32,500-per-person dinner will be held at the home of billionaires Ann press secretary Josh Earnest.

Obama’s San Francisco stop will kick off 14 and Gordon Getty.

The next day Obama will attend two DNC events he intends to stage this year to raise money for the Democratic Congressional fundraisers. Obama’s trip is all the more imporCampaign Committee, its Senate counterpart or tant because of the need to pay off debt hangthe Democratic National Committee. The party is ing over party organizations since the 2012 elecstill trying to pay off its debts from the last elec- tion. The Democratic Congressional Campaign tion. In San Francisco, Obama has two evening Committee owed $10.8 million as of the end of events planned to help House Democratic cam- February, according to Federal Election paigns. California Democratic Representative Committee disclosure forms, and the Nancy Pelosi, the top House Democrat who was Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee dethroned as speaker in 2010, is expected to owed $15 million.

Republicans note that Obama’s electoral sway attend. Democrats need to win 17 seats in 2014 to win control of the House. “The confidence is not so powerful when his name is not on the that the president is showing by dedicating his ballot. Democrats lost 63 seats and control of efforts to our efforts is a shot in the arm for the House in 2010 midterms, as well as six House Democrats,” said Jesse Ferguson, Senate seats. “There’s something to his appeal spokesman for the Democratic Congressional when he’s on the ballot. I’m not sure they can deliver the same vote when he’s not,” said Campaign Committee.

The first event - a cocktail reception priced at Republican strategist Charlie Black. — Reuters

Rivers, gangs and death: A perilous migration to the US TENOSIQUE: The morning mist cloaked the small boat as it carried 14 migrants across a river from Guatemala to Mexico at the start of a long and uncertain journey towards the United States-if gangs don’t get them first.

“We left, but who knows if we’ll come back,” one of the men whispered as the boat crept along the San Pedro river with a handful of the estimated 140,000 people, mainly Central Americans, who enter Mexico every year to pursue the distant American Dream.

Sailing from a remote location known as “Los Naranjos” in Guatemala, nearly all the travelers remained quiet, refusing to give their names, origin and destination to AFP reporters riding the singleengine boat with them on a river haunted by reptiles. The passengers included one woman and seven youths who appeared to be minors. Their silence reflects a fear of being heard by one of the “halcones,” or hawks, who work as informants for the mafias that prey on vulnerable migrants.

At least 20,000 migrants are kidnapped each year on the perilous trek through Mexico, a nation plagued by violence perpetrated by drug cartels.

Many are robbed, raped, murdered or forcibly recruited by the gangs.

Despite the dangers, migrants like the 14 on the river boat continue to take the risky route north, hoping to leave behind life of poverty and violence in Central America.

As US lawmakers debate reforming immigration law to bring 11 million undocumented migrants out of the shadows, one of the San Pedro river travelers spoke of his dream of reaching Los Angeles to

plant chilies in the United States.

“There’s land to work in my country, but people with money are grabbing it and the poor like us have to step aside,” said Aurelio, a 45-year-old man from Honduras, a nation terrorized by gangs that have turned it into one of the most dangerous places on Earth. “We have to pay a ‘war tax.’ If you don’t, the gangs kill you,” said the soft-spoken migrant with a cowboy hat under the searing tropical heat. “My dream is to have a decent job because that’s what my parents taught me.”

As the small boat passed by a corral with around 10 cows, Aurelio looked on and said: “This is my job, cattle farming. What am I going to do now?” Aurelio, who refused to give his full name, was sad to have left his wife behind. He was traveling with a nephew and his 22-year-old son David, who made it to the United States on his own last year. David’s hope of becoming a mechanic was dashed when he was detained in Houston, Texas, and deported a few months later. “Our hands and feet were cuffed the whole time in jail,” David said as he emptied the water that was accumulating inside the boat.

“For a dad it is hard to lose your son,” Aurelio said. “It’s better to accompany him and not stay.”

Tough immigration laws in Mexico and the United States compel people to cross the borders illegally, he said. “What crime is it to try to improve your life, only to find death,” he said.

Wilmer Henriquez, a 32-year-old pilot of another boat who takes migrants to the border town of Tenosique, took the trip north himself once. “I walked and walked until I arrived in Los Pozos, a

small town in Tabasco,” he said, referring to the southeastern Mexican border state.

Once there, he said, migrants pay “coyotes,” or smugglers, for the right to hop onto a freight train known as “The Beast,” which is famous for transporting countless people from southern Mexico to the US border. The train trip is full of dangers, with many riding on the roofs of freight cars. Henriquez said a Honduran woman was killed under the wheels of “The Beast” when she fell while trying to get on as the train moved.

“I had extended my hand to her and I wanted to pull her up, but she went under and ended up in four pieces. So much blood. It was tough,” he said.

At one stop, a group of men armed with machetes ordered dozens of people to get off one of the freight cars, he said. The men were told to give up all their belongings while women were taken away. The Zetas, a powerful cartel founded by former Mexican special forces soldiers, was suspected of being behind the heist, Henriquez said.

People usually pay a coyote to get on the train and the smuggler then pays off the conductor. “But then the Zetas give more money to the conductor in order to give up the freight cars filled with people,” Henriquez said.

In some towns, people threw rocks at the passing train. During his voyage, Henriquez hid from authorities in a swamp where he was bitten by leeches and another time, near the US border, in sewer water. He went days without food or water, braving cold weather. He finally reached Houston, but he was detained by US authorities the same day as he spoke on a public telephone. —AFP

THURSDAY, APRIL 4, 2013

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

High-profile rapes threaten India tourism business MUMBAI: A fatal gang rape in New Delhi didn’t deter Germans Carolina De Paolo and Canan Wahner from traveling to India for a six-week tour. The attack was awful, but there is crime everywhere, they figured, and they’d take precautions.

Then a man sidled up to Wahner on a train to Goa and ran his hand up her leg a few weeks into the trip. On another train, a different man grabbed De Paolo’s breasts from behind. “I wanted to scream and do something, but he ran away,” De Paolo said. She never reported the crime, deciding there would be no point. The two women, both 22, say there were times they didn’t feel safe, but they insist they still would come to India again. That separates them from many tourists, who are choosing not to come at all. Violence against women, and the huge publicity generated by recent attacks here, is threatening India’s $17.7 billion tourism industry. A new study shows tourism has plunged, especially among women, since a 23-year-old Indian student was raped on a New Delhi bus and later died from her injuries - a case that garnered worldwide publicity.

The government denies any fall off in tourism.

Concerns only grew after the reported gang rape of a Swiss woman in central India last month and after a British woman jumped out of her hotel room window fearing the manager was trying to break into her room to sexually assault her. That incident happened in Agra, home to the Taj Mahal, one of India’s chief tourist attractions.

Merchants say India is being unfairly singled out, but perception is everything in the tourist business.

And businesses catering to tourists are already suffering.

Foreign tourist arrivals have dropped 25 percent since the December gang rape in New Delhi, and the number of female travelers fell by 35 percent,

according to the study by the New Delhi-based Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry.

The study, which surveyed 1,200 tour operators across the country, indicated that “concerns about the safety of female travelers” have changed tourists’ plans. Instead, they are going to countries perceived to be safer, including Thailand, Vietnam and the

MUMBAI: In this Tuesday, April 2, 2013 photo, Italian model Ginevra Leggeri, 21, second right, and a model from England Amy Manson, second left, 19, walk near the landmark Gateway of India in Mumbai, India. Violence against women, and the huge publicity generated by recent attacks here, is threatening India’s $17.7 billion tourism industry with a new study showing tourism has plunged. — AP

4 sisters injured in acid attack NEW DELHI: An acid attack left four sisters in north India with burns, police said yesterday, in a particularly brutal example of what is a growing problem in South Asia. The youngest sister, 19, was admitted to hospital with severe injuries after two men on a motorbike splashed them with acid on Tuesday evening in the Shamli district of Uttar Pradesh, about 100 k ilometres (60 miles) from the capital.

The sisters, aged between 19 and 24, were returning home from a government school where three of them work as teachers. The fourth is a student. “ The victims were walking together when two men on a motorbike made lewd remarks and the man who was riding pillion splashed acid on all of them,” Abdul Hameed, the senior police officer investigating the case, told AFP. “The youngest sister suffered maximum burn injuries and she had to be rushed to a hospital in Delhi.”Hameed said no arrests had been made and the motive behind the crime was unclear.

Attacks on women have topped the national agenda since December 2012 when a medical student was assaulted and raped by six men on a moving bus in Delhi. She died two weeks later of her injuries.

Public anger prompted parliament to toughen sex offence laws including doubling the minimum prison sentence for gang-rape to 20 years, but lawmak-

Philippines. Tourism Minister K. Chiranjeevi disputed the survey yesterday, saying that foreign tourist arrivals into India in January and February grew by 2.1 percent. But Mehraj Shora says it is hard to see that as business dries up in his Mumbai carpet shop.

“Every day it’s getting worse,” Shora laments.

“Tourists are coming, but not like before.” In good

ers voted against increasing the punishment for acid attackers.

They can be jailed for eight to 12 years depending on the injuries inflicted, but the offence is bailable.

Campaign group Stop Acid Attacks accused the government of ignoring the growing trend of such assaults which are often perpetrated by jilted men or their relatives.

It has called for India to regulate the sale of an acid called “Tezaab” which is designed to clean rusted tools but is commonly used in attacks. “Acid has become the cheapest and most effective tool for men to attack women in India,” said activist and victim Archana Kumari, who hails from northern Uttar Pradesh state where Tuesday’s attack took place.

“Why is the government not stopping the sale of acid? Why are they supporting a weapon that has the power to kill and ruin a woman’s life?” she said.

According to the London-based charity Acid Sur vivors Trust International, about 1,500 acid attacks are reported globally each year. But many more victims do not report their injuries to the authorities and instead suffer in silence. In 2011, neighbouring Pakistan adopted legislation increasing the punishment to between 14 years and life for acid attacks and a minimum fine of one million Pakistan rupees ($10,200). — AFP

times, Shora used to sell two or three Kashmiri carpets a day to foreign visitors at prices starting at $300. Now, days might go by without a single rug sold. He estimates sales are down 50 percent and says the rape cases have added to the strain of a stalling economy.

He blames the international media for hyping recent cases when crimes occur in any country.

“Actually, India is quite safe. In some ways it’s safer than other places.” still, just as the New Delhi gang rape sparked a national outcry over the mistreatment of women, the attacks on female tourists have highlighted what has long been known: Women traveling in India, especially alone, frequently face unwanted advances from men.

Crimes against female tourists happen everywhere. Thailand has, for instance, seen at least three rapes of foreign tourists this year. In the Philippines, a local man was arrested in January on charges of raping a 23-year-old British woman on the resort island of Boracay.

Over the weekend in Brazil, an American woman was gang raped and beaten aboard a public minibus she had boarded in Rio de Janeiro. Still, in India it is particularly easy to find stories from foreign women who, like some Indian women, have been harassed, followed or fondled.

Italian model Ginevra Leggeri, 21, says she had no warning when a man groped her from behind while she was walking with a friend in Mumbai, where she came to work a few months ago.

“I was completely covered and we were just walking, and this man touched me, and I started screaming and I slapped him,” she said. Her friend and coworker Amy Manson, 19, quickly pointed out that a pair of Indian men on a passing motorbike saw the incident and stopped to confront the attacker. —AP

Poll: Many Pakistani youth disenchanted with democracy ‘Military rule is better than democracy’ ISLAMABAD: A larger number of young Pakistanis believe the country should be governed by Islamic law or military rule rather than democracy, according to a survey released yesterday, weeks before historic national elections.

Pakistan is scheduled to hold parliamentary elections on May 11 - the first transition between democratically elected governments in a country that has experienced three military coups and constant political instability since its creation in 1947.

The parliament’s ability to complete its five-year term has been hailed as a significant achievement.

But a survey by the British Council found that young Pakistanis - defined as those between the ages of 18 and 29 - have grown more pessimistic about the future over this period, as the country has struggled with a weak economy, high inflation, pervasive energy shortages and a deadly Taliban insurgency.

About 94 percent of young Pakistanis believe the country is going in the wrong direction, compared with 86 percent in 2009, the study found.

Less than a quarter believe democracy has benefited themselves or their families.

Given these figures, it is perhaps not surprising to find relatively low levels of support for democracy among the youth. Only 29 percent of young Pakistanis believe democracy is the best political system for the country, according to the poll.

“Look at this government that just completed its term. What did it give to people?” Waseem Qureshi, a 24-year-old call center worker in Islamabad, told The Associated Press. “You keep looting national wealth, and you tell us to bear

KARACHI: Pakistani students study in a corridor of Karachi University, during a break from their classes, in Karachi, Pakistan, yesterday. A larger number of young Pakistanis believe the country should be governed by Islamic law or military rule rather than democracy, according to a survey released yesterday, weeks before historic national elections. — AP with it because it’s democracy.” Many Pakistanis have an extremely low opinion of the country’s politicians, who they often view as more interested in earning money through corruption than dealing with problems facing ordinary citizens.

Qureshi said Islamic law, or Shariah, would be better suited for Pakistan. Around 38 percent of young Pakistanis agreed with him, according to the poll, a reflection of the deeply held religious views

of many young people in the majority Muslim country.

Military rule also came out ahead of democracy, with 32 percent support, despite the turbulent history of the army toppling civilian governments in coups.

The survey found that the army enjoys much higher levels of support among people, 77 percent, than the civilian government, 14 percent. —AP

THURSDAY, APRIL 4, 2013

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

Cambodian court frees Russian tycoon pending assault trial PHNOM PENH: A Cambodian court provisionally freed Russian real estate tycoon Sergei Polonsky yesterday but ordered him not to leave the country, where he faces trial on charges of assault and illegal detention, a defence attorney said.

Polonsky, 40, who was worth $1.2 billion before the global financial crisis, was detained in January with two other Russians over allegations they forced crew members to jump from a boat at knife point and punched one.

“The court has ruled that he is released on bail

due to ill health,” one of Polonsky’s lawyers, Long Salux, told Reuters, adding the alleged offence was being treated as a misdemeanour rather than a more serious felony.

He declined to elaborate on Polonsky’s health.

Long Salux said the court had ordered Polonsky not to leave the country pending his trial and that he should inform police of his movements. A Moscowbased lawyer for Polonsky, Alexander Dobrovinsky, told a Russian radio station that Polonsky was released on $50,000 bail, but Long Salux said his

client had not deposited any bail money.

A witness told Reuters Polonsky had left a provincial prison wearing only what looked like a shawl around his waist. A car was outside and a Russian man who had been waiting for him got into a scuffle with a journalist who had been trying to film the scene, the witness said.

Just after Polonsky’s arrest in January, a lawyer for the boatmen told Reuters they had dropped their complaint against the Russians in exchange for $20,000 compensation.

Police had said the boatmen were ferrying Polonsky from an island back to the town of Preah Sihanouk on the mainland, about 225 km (140 miles) southwest of the capital, Phnom Penh. Polonsky’s company, Mirax Group, experienced serious problems during the global financial crisis and was reorganised under the name Potok.

The tycoon is perhaps best known outside Russia for an incident in 2011 in which Russian billionaire Alexander Lebedev threw a punch at him during a television talk show. — Reuters

N Korea blocks access to key industrial zone China appeals for ‘calm’ from all sides

IPOH: Motorists pass by National Front Party flags posted on a roadside ahead of the upcoming general elections in Ipoh, Malaysia, yesterday. Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak dissolved Parliament yesterday to call for general elections that will be contested between a coalition that has ruled for nearly 57 years and a resurgent opposition whose pledge to form a cleaner government resonated with millions of citizens. — AP

Malaysian PM dissolves parliament for election KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak dissolved parliament yesterday in preparation for a general election seen as the toughest challenge yet for the ruling coalition after 56 years in power.

The vote is tipped to be the closest ever, driven by concerns over corruption, the rising cost of living and high crime under the Barisan Nasional coalition, which has ruled Malaysia since independence in 1957.

The resurgent opposition, led by charismatic former deputy premier Anwar Ibrahim, has gained traction by pledging to tackle authoritarianism and graft.

But with widespread allegations of voterigging, there are fears that the election, which must be staged in the next 60 days but is likely to be held this month, will not be free and fair.

In his televised announcement of the dissolution of parliament, Najib, the son of a former prime minister, urged political parties to observe the rule of law and promised a smooth transition of power if the opposition wins. “If there is change in power, it will and must happen peacefully. This is our commitment,” he said. Najib is facing his first test at the ballot box since taking over in 2009, after the coalition lost its traditional two-thirds parliamentary majority in a shock election result. In yesterday’s broadcast, he urged the electorate not to “gamble” away their vote by opting for an untested opposition, the three-

party Pakatan Rakyat (People’s Pact). But Anwar said Najib’s leadership was showing “signs of desperation”.

“For Pakatan Rakyat it is the best possible chance to offer a viable alternative for democracy and a more responsible government. I think the chances of winning are very good,” he told AFP. He later told reporters that he welcomed Najib’s promise of a peaceful transition if Pakatan won and hoped the country’s Election Commission would conduct “its duties fairly”. Anwar was barred from contesting in the last elections after he was convicted of sodomy and corruption in the late 1990s-widely seen as politically motivated due to a fallout with then premier and his boss Mahathir Mohamad.

He was acquitted of new sodomy allegations in 2012 after a two-year trial during which he accused the government of again trying to end his career.

Activists and the opposition have made loud calls for free and fair elections, staging several mass rallies demanding such changes as a clean-up of the electoral roll, which they say is marred with irregularities.

In response, Najib’s government has taken steps including the introduction of indelible ink to prevent multiple-voting and allowing Malaysians abroad to vote by post. But the opposition says these moves fall short of creating a level playing field. —AFP

SEOUL: North Korea blocked access to a key joint industrial zone with South Korea yesterday-a sharp escalation in a military crisis that Washington blamed on Pyongyang’s “reckless” behaviour. North Korea informed Seoul in the morning that it was stopping the daily movement of South Koreans into the Seoul-funded Kaesong complex — 10 kilometres (six miles) inside the North side of the border.

However, it added that the 861 South Koreans currently in the zone were at liberty to leave. Any move on Kaesong-established in 2004 and a crucial source of hard currency for North Korea-carries enormous significance.

Neither of the Koreas has allowed previous crises to significantly affect the complex, which is the only surviving example of interKorean cooperation and seen as a bellwether for stability on the Korean peninsula. South Korea’s defence ministry said it had contingency plans that included “military action” in case the safety of its citizens working there was threatened. The latest North Korean move fitted into a cycle of escalating tensions that has seen Pyongyang threaten missile and nuclear strikes against the United States and its ally South Korea in response to UN sanctions and joint military drills. China, the North’s sole major ally, appealed for “calm” from all sides yesterday, repeating Beijing’s oftdeclared position. “Under the current circumstances China believes that all parties should exercise calm and restraint,” foreign ministry spokesman Hong Lei said.

Russia’s Deputy Foreign Minister Igor Morgulov said he was “worried” by the situation, saying even a simple human error could cause the crisis to spiral out of control.

Describing the Kaesong ban as “very regrettable”, South Korea’s Unification Ministry urged the North to normalise access “immediately”.

“Otherwise ... not only will inter-Korean relations be negatively affected but North Korea will invoke greater criticism and isolation from the international community,” the ministry said in a statement.

It added that 33 South Koreans had returned from Kaesong, with hundreds staying on to keep their companies running smoothly.

Many routinely stay for periods of several days.

Around 53,000 North Koreans work at 120 South Korean plants at the complex, which was still operating normally yesterday. Lee JaeYoung, manager at a watchmaking plant in Kaesong, was among those prevented from crossing into the North. “I feel anxious about my colleagues there. This is an emergency sit-

PAJU: A South Korea worker (L) arriving from the Kaesong joint industrial park in North Korea, is surrounded by reporters at the inter-Korean transit office in Paju yesterdaty after being refused access to the Seoul-funded Kaesong complex. North Korea blocked South Korean access to a key joint industrial zone yesterday, in a sharp escalation of tensions as Washington condemned Pyongyang’s “dangerous, reckless” behaviour. — AFP

uation and it doesn’t look good,” Lee told AFP. “This could also be serious trouble for our business which requires the constant shipping of raw materials to Kaesong for manufacturing,” she added.But Kim Dong-Kyu, a South Korean manager still in Kaesong, was more relaxed. “The atmosphere here is like, business as usual. It doesn’t appear that the complex will be closed as far as I can tell,” Kim said.

Cho Han-Bum, an analyst at the Korea Institute for National Unification, said Pyongyang was unlikely to risk a complete shutdown of Kaesong. “There are more than 53,000 North Koreans working there, most of whom have immediate and extended family members who depend on them,” Cho told AFP. “Shutting the whole thing down is financially significant enough to cause a riot among these people,” he added. Tensions have been soaring on the Korean peninsula since the North launched a long-range rocket in December and conducted its third nuclear test in February. Both events triggered UN sanctions. In a rare show of force in the region, Washington has deployed nuclear-capable US B-52s, B-2 stealth bombers and two US

destroyers to South Korean air and sea space.

US Secretary of State John Kerry on Tuesday denounced the “unacceptable rhetoric” emanating from Pyongyang and North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un. “What Kim Jong Un has been choosing to do is provocative. It is dangerous, reckless and the United States will not accept (North Korea) as a nuclear state,” Kerry said.

He was speaking after the North warned it would reopen its mothballed Yongbyon reactor-its source of weapons-grade plutonium.

Earlier, UN chief Ban Ki-moon warned the situation was veering out of control and stressed that “nuclear threats are not a game”.

“The current crisis has already gone too far...

Things must begin to calm down,” Ban said, adding that negotiations were the only viable way forward.

The North shut down the Yongbyon reactor in July 2007 under a six-nation aid-for-disarmament accord. Experts say it would take at least six months to get the reactor back up and running, after which it would be able to produce one bomb’s worth of weapons-grade plutonium a year. — AFP

Philippines, Muslim rebels expect peace pact soon

NARATHIWAT: The body of a Muslim soldier who was killed by suspected separatist militants lies on a stretcher at a hospital in Thailand’s restive southern province of Narathiwat on Tuesday. Muslim Thai private marine who was abducted from his house two days ago, was found shot dead in appraently retaliation by militants from their massive loss last month, Thai army said. — AFP

Marine abducted and shot dead in Thai south NARATHIWAT: A Thai marine has been abducted and killed in Thailand’s deep south in a revenge attack by militants who carried out a botched raid on a military base, police said yesterday.

Maela Tolu, a 24-year-old Muslim private at the base, was snatched from his home by eight gunmen on Monday evening, his wife told police in Narathiwat, one of several insurgencyplagued provinces near the Malaysian border.

His blindfolded body was found with two gunshot wounds and his hands bound on a village road in another district late Tuesday, as killing in the region continues despite recent peace talks between Thailand and one of the rebel groups. Police said the white wire cable used to tie the victim’s hands was the same as that found on the bodies of militants killed in an unusually brazen attack in February that saw scores of heavily-armed gunmen storm the Narathiwat base. Marines, who had been tipped off in advance, repulsed that assault and killed 16 rebel fighters.

“Based on the wire we found, we’re convinced that the same group of militants who raided the base are responsible for it (the killing),” according to Colonel Krisada Kaewjandee, Narathiwat’s deputy provincial police commander. Southern army spokesman Colonel Pramote Promin also said the rare kid-

napping could have been linked to the failed base raid. More than 5,500 people have been killed in nine years of bloodshed in Thailand’s Muslim-majority south, with shadowy insurgent groups blamed for near-daily bombings and shootings. Security personnel and those connected with the government are regularly targeted, as well as Muslims perceived to be collaborating with the authorities.

Thailand held its first formal peace talks with southern insurgents last week, with a oneday meeting with representatives of the Barisan Revolusi Nasional in Malaysia’s capital Kuala Lumpur. But while talks were said to be cordial-and a further round was set for April 29 — attacks have continued in the region. Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra said the latest gruesome killing would not undermine the peace dialogue. “It’s in confidence-building process... it will take time so we will still see violence in the area,” she told reporters. Three other civilians were shot and killed in separate attacks on Tuesday. A 31-year-old Buddhist man and a 48-year-old Muslim man were gunned down in different areas of Narathiwat, while a 54-year-old Muslim man was shot in neighbouring Pattani in an attack that also injured his wife. Roadside bomb attacks on two military patrols in Pattani also left four soldiers injured on Tuesday. — AFP

MANILA: Philippine officials and the largest Muslim rebel group in the country said yesterday that they expect to conclude a peace accord as early as next month despite unresolved issues, including the delicate task of disarming the 11,000-strong guerrilla force.

Government negotiator Miriam Coronel Ferrer and rebel negotiator Mohagher Iqbal of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front separately said that a peace pact could be reached in May or June. They expressed confidence that the remaining issues could be resolved in the next round of negotiations this month in Malaysia, which has been brokering the talks.

“I believe it will be signed because there is no other way except to move forward,” Iqbal told a news conference in Manila when asked whether a pact could be reached as early as next month.

Iqbal called on Malaysia and other foreign governments to continue backing the yearslong talks, saying he and fellow guerrillas now believe that peace can reign in once battlewracked Muslim regions.

“We had put one foot in the path of peace while we struggle to pull the other from the comfort of our mountain lairs,” he said. “We are embarking on a gradual and calculated shift in our struggle from the barrels of the Kalashnikov into the mighty strokes of the pen.” Despite differences, both sides have made steady progress in efforts to peacefully settle one of Asia’s longest-running insurgencies.

The Muslim separatist uprising in the country’s south, homeland of minority Muslims in the predominantly Roman Catholic Philippines, has left more than 100,000 people dead since the early 1970s, held back progress in impoverished Muslim regions and sparked fears that rebel strongholds could help breed al-Qaida-linked militants, who have been crippled by crackdowns elsewhere.

Last October, President Benigno Aquino III’s administration and the guerrillas signed a preliminary peace agreement that served as a

MANILA: Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) chief negotiator Mohagher Iqbal (C) attends the first meeting of the Transition Commission in Manila yesterday. The Philippines and Muslim rebels will resume talks next week aimed at ending one of Asia’s longest unsurgencies, with both sides hoping to finalise a deal by May, negotiators said yesterday. — AFP

road map to granting minority Muslims a more powerful autonomous region, called the Bangsamoro, with a greater share of government revenues and resources than an existing Muslim region.

The framework accord outlines general agreements on major issues, including the extent of power, revenues and territory to be granted to the new Muslim autonomous region. Under the accord, large numbers of army troops would gradually be replaced by a regional police force that could enlist qualified guerrillas.

A 15-member commission composed of government and Muslim rebel representatives convened its first meeting in Manila yesterday to craft a proposed law by 2014 that would create the new Muslim autonomous region.

The law would have to be approved by Congress.

Armed followers of a Filipino Muslim royal clan barged into Malaysia’s Sabah state in February to revive an old territorial claim, sparking deadly clashes, but Malaysia has continued brokering the talks despite the crisis. Philippine officials and the rebels said ownership of Sabah, a vast oil- and gas-rich frontier, should be settled diplomatically by the Philippine and Malaysian governments and should not affect the peace negotiations.

Allowing the Sabah crisis to delay the talks would be a folly, according to Iqbal. “If we postpone or we change the venue ... we’ll lose two,” he said. “The problem of Sabah has not yet been resolved and then the talks become a casualty.” —AP

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THURSDAY, APRIL 4, 2013

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Issues

Lights go out in Jordan as energy crisis bites

By Suleiman Al-Khalidi fter midnight on one of Jordan’s busiest highways, only the beaming headlights of vehicles driving between the capital Amman and the Dead Sea pierce the gloom. The highway is lined with street lights as it weaves down from Amman to the valley floor below sea level, but none are switched on. The government can no longer afford the bill.

The resource-poor kingdom, which imports 97 percent of its energy, has in the past two years seen the annual cost of those purchases soar above $5 billion - equivalent to about 15 percent of its gross domestic product - after supplies of cheap Egyptian gas were disrupted by sabotage of a pipeline to Jordan. Dependent now on costly diesel and fuel oil, Jordan is considering wider electricity rationing and is preparing a hike in electricity prices in June, a politically fraught move in a country which saw street protests last year over fuel subsidy cuts imposed as a condition for a $2 billion IMF loan. “Energy is the Achilles heel of the Jordanian economy, it’s a huge vulnerability for Jordan...the biggest drain on the economy,” Nemat Shafik, deputy head of the International Monetary Fund, said during a visit to Jordan last month. It is not just cost but capacity which the government is struggling to manage. Jordan’s failure to modernize its decades-old oil refinery, which handles 140,000 barrels per day of crude imports but has only a limited ability to refine high-quality diesel, has worsened the crisis, experts say.

Meanwhile, foreign investment in independent power plants, which produce over 60 percent of the country’s installed power capacity of 3,300 megawatts, is barely keeping up with a 7 percent annual rise in consumption, experts say. So in the short term, the government is being forced to tackle the other side of the supply/demand equation and find ways to reduce consumption. Some steps are relatively painless; last month authorities asked for bids from firms to introduce 600,000 energy-saving light bulbs in public buildings, and they plan a nationwide campaign to distribute 1.5 million of those bulbs to households.

“If you don’t have enough generation, you have to manage demand. One quick solution is energy efficiency in transport and electricity, where load consumption is high,” said Khaled Irani, an energy consultant and former energy minister, estimating efficiency steps could save $1 billion.

Other measures are painful. The government is considering a new power rationing scheme for this summer, to cope with an expected influx of tourists on top of over 460,000 refugees from Syria who have fled the civil war there.

The government also plans to raise electricity tariffs this summer, a step which could help to curb demand growth while easing the losses of the technically bankrupt stateowned electricity firm, National Electricity Production Co. Reducing the losses at NEPCO, which piled up debts of $2 billion after it was forced to pay independent power producers for energy generated from costly diesel and heavy fuel, are a key performance criterion in Jordan’s 36-month standby loan deal with the IMF.

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IMPETUS FOR INVESTMENT The disruption of Egyptian gas flows, which once generated 80 percent of Jordan’s electricity, raised the cost of producing a kilowatt of electricity by as much as 600 percent.

Gas flows were hit first by sabotage conducted by armed Egyptian militants or bandits, then by bottlenecks within Egypt’s gas industry. But the disruption has created an impetus for Jordan to invest in renewable energy projects which, while they will not end the crisis in the short term, appear increasingly feasible.

Among the first to emerge was Shams Maan, an equity partnership between Jordan’s Kawar Energy, US firm First Solar and Italy’s Solar Ventures to build a 100 megawatt solar plant in the southern town of Maan at a cost of $300 million. Hanna Zaghloul, the project’s chief executive, said the government would now pay 16.9 US cents for a kilowatt hour of electricity from solar technology, compared to around 24 cents for electricity from heavy fuel and 28 cents from diesel. “That’s why renewable energy is feasible for the government these days,” Zaghloul said.

A year ago parliament passed a renewable energy law setting a tariff structure for grid connection. The government is soliciting expressions of interest by April 11 to build a $120 million, 75 MW solar plant at Quwaira in southern Jordan; at least a dozen international firms have submitted proposals to build this and other solar projects. Jordan’s ability to proceed with such projects has been given a boost in recent months by a $5 billion fund contributed by wealthy Gulf states to support its development amid regional instability.— Reuters

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

Saudi kings of oil join the shale gas revolution

By Daniel Fineren and Reem Shamseddine audi Arabia is unlikely to produce much shale gas this decade, hampered by scarce water and prices fixed far below production costs, but it has the reserves, the desire and the potential to become a shale giant one day. The world’s biggest oil exporter already has sizeable reserves of conventional gas, but more than half is trapped in oil fields whose production is driven by OPEC oil policy.

Increases in output are not expected to keep pace with the economy’s voracious appetite for gas to fuel power, petrochemical and desalination plants. Inspired by a shale gas surge in the United States, which has transformed it from the world’s largest gas importer to a budding exporter, the kingdom has begun investigating its large unconventional deposits and their potential for fuelling long-term growth for its booming population.

“This is a region that needs to create jobs and opportunities for its people - it is our number one priority - so the prospects presented by gas are good news,” Saudi Oil Minister Ali Al-Naimi said this week. Saudi Aramco has more than doubled its proven reserves of conventional gas since 1987, and the start-up of the Karan gas field in 2011 provided a supply boost from a field whose output is not driven by global demand for Saudi crude. Two more non-associated offshore conventional gas projects should improve gas supplies until around 2017.

But with a decade-long search in the Empty Quarter having unearthed no commercially viable conventional gas, Aramco has

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been mapping unconventional reserves in the hope they will help meet an expected doubling of demand by 2030 in a country that bans gas imports. In mid-March Naimi gave an estimate of over 600 trillion cubic feet of unconventional gas reserves, more than double its proven conventional reserves. That estimate would put Saudi Arabia fifth in a 32country shale gas reserves ranking compiled for the US Energy Information Administration.

Shale is only a long-term prospect, however. Saudi Aramco, which Naimi has said will drill only around seven shale gas test wells in 2013, is still focused on tapping conventional gas. “The nature of exploration is to target long-term requirements, typically 10 or 15 years into the future ... The shale gas exploration program is just starting, and it’s an important part of the effort to assess the kingdom’s resources for the future,” Sadad AlHusseini, a former top Aramco executive, said.

“This is not a major effort by industry standards ... It will take intense exploration studies and numerous evaluation wells before any assessments can be made in regards to their economics and their ultimate production potential.” Even in the Gulf, Saudi Arabia will not be the first to tap unconventional deposits. Neighboring Oman is likely to lead the way if it can reach agreement on price with BP for development of a block that the tight-gas specialist says could start commercial production by 2017 and yield up to 30 trillion cubic feet.

Yet Aramco is keen to increase gas output, because at it can make $100 a barrel by exporting crude oil, which it sells to Saudi

power plants for around $4 a barrel due to a lack of gas. The company that exports more than $800 million a day of crude oil can afford the costs of developing a shale capability.

Unlike prospectors in densely populated Europe, it has vast expanses of empty desert in which to drill and faces none of the environmental protests seen in the United States and Europe.

PRICE, PERSONNEL Many of the factors that drove the US shale gas production boom - entrepreneurial innovators with access to capital, ample volumes of water and an easily accessible transport grid - are sorely lacking in Saudi Arabia, however. Low fixed prices for gas across the Gulf, a remnant of decades past when gas was seen as a byproduct of oil fields, have discouraged investment in new production.

Even after rapid innovation in the United States drove down shale production costs from over $13/mmbtu in mid-2008 to around $4 now, are still far in excess of the $0.75/mmbtu fixed gas price in Saudi Arabia.

“You don’t have market forces in the way of price signals, and private actors for these forces to be unleashed in the way that they were in North America,” said Alex Munton, a Middle East energy analyst at Wood Mackenzie in Edinburgh.

“You have state-controlled industry, essentially one operating company and gas prices that make it sub-economic to develop this resource,” he said, adding that it would probably take a decade to see any significant production in the kingdom. Aramco is currently

hiring unconventional specialists for further appraisal work, but expertise may prove hard to come by in the future. Analysts say the established best practice is to enlist the help of big service companies that have played a role in the US boom. They are hungry for work in other countries, and some have set up development offices in Saudi Arabia.

But China, holder of the world’s largest unconventional gas reserves, has already signed production-sharing deals and awarded exploration blocks as it targets production of 6.5 billion cubic meters of shale gas a year by 2015. Its decision to award most blocks in a recent tender to companies with little experience means those firms could soak up the limited pool of expertise from service companies such as Schlumberger and Baker Hughes, potentially hampering Saudi shale drilling prospects.

TECHNOLOGY BREAKTHROUGH NEEDED The biggest obstacle for Saudi Arabia is probably the lack of water, because fracking entails pumping huge amounts of fresh water to pressure gas out of rock, shale or compacted sands. The US Environmental Protection Agency has estimated the annual water requirement of US frackers at 70-140 billion gallons (265-530 billion litres), equivalent to the amount of water used in a US city of 2.5-5 million people.

Ambitious Saudi plans to build desalination plants, and the nuclear and solar plants to power them, still are unlikely to produce the volumes of water required at a low-enough cost. — Reuters

Meet North Korea’s new Kim, same as the old Kims?

By Matt Spetalnick and Mark Hosenball orth Korea’s young leader Kim Jong-un is using his forebears’ time-tested “crazy-guy-in-the-neighborhood” strategy, senior US officials say, but with a provocative new twist - aiming Pyongyang’s threats directly at the United States. There are indeed signs of an earlier method in what might seem like Kim’s rhetorical madness, which US policymakers say is patterned after more than a half century of rule over the reclusive state by his father and grandfather.

But with a large degree of uncertainty surrounding Kim and limited US intelligence on North Korea’s leadership, Washington is still trying to gauge how far the untested 30year old leader might go to prove himself to his people, and his generals, or to make a belligerent point to South Korea’s new president and the world. North Korea’s surprise announcement on Tuesday of plans to restart a long-shuttered nuclear reactor, while not issued by Kim personally, could further raise the stakes in his standoff with the West.

“All bets are off on whether this guy recognizes where the off-ramps are,” one senior administration official said. “We don’t have enough history with him to know whether or not he has the sophistication that his father displayed in dealing with diplomatic confrontation.” This official and others spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss months of North Korean threats and actions, including missile and nuclear tests, that pose a challenge to President Barack Obama’s policy of “strategic patience” toward Pyongyang.That policy - a refusal to offer new incentives to Pyongyang until it suspends its disputed nuclear program - has yielded little but defiance since Obama took office in 2009. Joseph DiTrani, formerly the US intelligence community’s top expert on North Korea, said the “cadence change” displayed by Kim’s tough talk and military gestures, such as this year’s nuclear test, indicate he is under heavy pressure from the country’s military elite. “He’s got to present (an image of) ... strength to those elements,” DiTrani said.

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NO CAUSE FOR ALARM? Though Kim has fired or demoted some generals since taking power, Pyongyang’s military leadership remains a political force to be reckoned with. He has sought to placate them by paying homage to the “Military First,” or Songun, philosophy his late father, Kim Jong-il, preached to justify use of impoverished North Korea’s scarce resources to build a 1.2 millionstrong army and a nuclear weapons program, Asia experts say.

Still, the Obama administration insists there is no cause for alarm. Pyongyang’s assertion over the weekend that it had entered a “state of war” with South Korea over its joint military drills with the United States, has not led to corresponding

movements of North Korean forces, the White House said.

And while Pyongyang’s bluster may be unsettling, images of Kim posing in front of maps portraying missile targets on the US mainland require a stretch of the imagination, given that North Korea has yet to prove it has mastered ballistic technology capable of reaching American shores. US officials insist they are anything but nostalgic for Kim Jong-il, who was seen by Washington as dangerous though at least predictable.

He issued threats and even acted militarily to get the world’s attention but would draw the line at open armed conflict, using crises he provoked as leverage in international negotiations. The younger Kim, little known to the West when he took power in December 2011, appears intent on stretching the limits of his family’s playbook. He has taken the spotlight not only to issue some threats in person but has gone a step further, hurling them at his country’s superpower foe. “There are clear differences in style and tone (between father and son),” another senior US official said. “He is much more personally involved in the forefront ... and these threats are more specific and more directly oriented at the United States this time around.”

But this official insisted that even with this new variation of what he called North Korea’s “crazy man strategy,” Kim would not succeed in getting Washington and its allies to “buy them off” with aid, fuel or other concessions, as previous US administrations have periodically tried to do. Obama himself offered food aid to North Korea last year, under stringent monitoring terms to ensure it wouldn’t be diverted to the military, in return for a moratorium on nuclear and long-range missile tests. The deal imploded less than three weeks later when Pyongyang announced plans for what it called a satellite launch and US officials said was a missile test.

TARGETING DOMESTIC AUDIENCE Some US officials believe Pyongyang’s bellicosity is aimed pri-

marily at a domestic audience. They see Kim trying to keep his vast, poorly paid army motivated with anti-US propaganda and improve his status among North Korea’s largely dirt poor population by standing up to foreign enemies, even as he seeks to cement his grip on power.

But there is growing concern that Kim’s inexperience coupled with his drive to prove himself could lead to a limited strike on a South Korean target, such as a ship or border post, or that the two sides could stumble into military confrontation.

“The greater likelihood is miscalculation,” former US Defense Secretary Leon Panetta told CNBC on Monday.

“And if they do something that escalates quickly, that’s the greater danger.” US officials and independent Korea watchers alike acknowledge, however, they are so short on personal information about Kim that predicting his behavior remains a guessing game. The Obama administration’s original hopes that Kim would turn out to be a reformer have yet to materialize and seem unlikely to any time soon, US officials say. Despite that, most Korea watchers believe Kim is a rational actor who understands his military is no match for Seoul and its US ally and that straying too far from historic North Korean practices could jeopardize his own political survival.

Kim dialed down the harsh rhetoric in his latest speech this week when he avoided repeating recent threats to attack South Korea and the United States.

And he has occasionally tried to project a warmer image.

Weeks after ordering an internationally banned nuclear explosion, he indulged his passion for basketball by hosting former NBA star Dennis Rodman. “An awesome kid,” said Rodman, who has now spent more time with Kim than any Western officials ever have.— Reuters

THURSDAY, APRIL 4, 2013

S P ORTS Ryder discharged from hospital WELLINGTON: New Zealand cricketer Jesse Ryder has been released from a Christchurch hospital and returned to his home in Wellington after spending almost a week recovering from serious head injuries, local media reported yesterday.

Ryder, 28, was taken to hospital early last Thursday after two altercations outside a bar and fast food restaurant in Merivale, a suburb of Christchurch.

Two men have been charged with assault and are scheduled to appear in court today. “He was thrilled to be back home, he just couldn’t wait. It’s been a hard week so he just wanted to get home,” the New Zealand Herald quoted Ryder’s manager Aaron Klee as saying.

“He’s been doing well over the last couple of days so just needed to complete all the testing they wanted to do in hospital and then they were happy to let him go home.

“He’s still very tired and still struggling energy-wise with the effects of the concussion, but he’s obviously well enough to be discharged from hospital and travel home, it’s great.”

Ryder, one of New Zealand’s most gifted batsmen, has been in a self-imposed exile from international cricket after a series of alcohol-related incidents. —Reuters

Singh seeks rival tours truce

A new set of wheels?

Just wait two seconds LONDON: A Formula One pitstop could take less than two seconds this season, according to world champions Red Bull who belatedly claimed a record of 2.05 yesterday.

The British-based team said they had beaten McLaren’s previous record of 2.31 seconds, set in Germany last year, on five separate occasions at last month’s controversial Malaysian Grand Prix.

The achievement got little attention at the time, with the main focus on the Red Bull drivers who ended the race barely talking to each other after Sebastian Vettel ignored team instructions and overtook Mark Webber to win.

Red Bull said their car data showed stationary times of 2.13 for each driver’s first change of tyres. Webber’s second stop was recorded as 2.05 with his third and fourth stops timed at 2.21 and 2.26.

“There’s always a quicker stop out there, and it’s possible this season we’ll see the magical two second barrier breached at some point,” the team said on their website (www.infiniti-redbullracing.com). Pitstops in Formula One have become almost a blink-and-miss experience since midrace refuelling was banned in 2010, with teams developing a range of technology to shave off more fractions of a second. —Reuters

NEW DELHI: Twice Asia number one Jeev Milkha Singh would like to see a truce between the Asian Tour and its rival OneAsia so the continent can realise its potential as golf’s next big market, the Indian said yesterday.

For the second time this year, the rival tours went head-to-head last week with Australian Scott Hend winning the Asian Tour’s inaugural Chiangmai Golf Classic in Thailand while South Korean Choi Ho-sung clinched the Indonesia PGA Championship on the OneAsia circuit.

Singh was one of the four Asian Tour order of merit winners to tee off in Thailand and the Indian said he wanted the rival tours to reach a compromise.

“I just hope that compromise takes place for the betterment of the game in the region,” Singh, an honorary Asian Tour member, said on the eve of the Panasonic Open India at the Delhi Golf Club.

“Because Asia is the market, I just feel that this is where golf is going to grow and get really big,” said Singh, adding his primary loyalty lay with the Asian Tour.

“Asian Tour has been there for so many years. OneAsia just started. So the loyalty obviously stays with the Asian Tour. Asian Tour has given us a lot. “Our job as players is to go out and make the most of it by playing,” he added. —Reuters

Rangers pound Astros

Yahya Belheli & son Mansoor Belheli

Nissan sponsors desert racers Yahya and Mansoor for Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge DUBAI: Nissan Middle East yesterday announced the sponsorship of desert racing supremo Yahya Bel Helei and his son Mansoor for the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge. The news follows the recent extension of Nissan Middle East’s partnership with the internationally recognised Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge into its tenth successive year.

Commenting on the sponsorship, Samir Cherfan, Managing Director, Nissan Middle East, said: “Nissan’s sponsorship of the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge brings together two icons of the Middle East - Nissan Patrol, the Hero of All Terrain, and the toughest race in the region. Nissan Patrol is not just the favourite with those who use it on a daily basis, but also with the region’s racers. We’re delighted that two of the best known Nissan Patrol drivers, Yahya and Mansoor have joined us and we wish them every success this year and into the future.”

“Nissan is a brand that has always been close to my heart,” said Yahya. “The Nissan Patrol has been a part of desert rallying for longer than I can remember and some of my fondest memories of motorsport have come behind the wheel of this enormously capable vehicle. I very much look forward to working with Nissan Middle East, and hope for another strong finish in this year’s Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge,” Mansoor commented.

“As someone just beginning my motorsport career, I am very thankful to have the experience of my father to draw on and now the support of Nissan Middle East to further our ambition. I hope the news of this part-

nership will help attract more young drivers to this highly challenging competition and build on the region’s proud tradition of international standard race drivers.”

Yahya is a motorsport icon, not only in UAE, but across the Middle East region with more than 31 years of race experience providing him with a unique insight into the intricacies of desert rallying. Having started his racing career with a third place finish in the Dubai International Rally, he has since participated in every UAE Desert Rally Challenge which has latterly been re-named the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge.

Yahya’s many achievements include winning the title of ‘The Best Arabic Driver’ nine times. 19-year-old Mansoor enters the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge as a driver for the second time this year, also driving a Nissan Patrol.

Mansoor started his first race experience and initial step into the international stage two years ago, where he was his father’s codriver. A year later, he ranked 4th in his category driving a Nissan Patrol N2. Before participating as a racer, Mansoor used to lead his father’s service team and clocked more than 7,000 kilometers of desert driving.

Adding to his experience, Mansoor participated for the first time in Hail International Rally, which took place last week in Saudi Arabia.

The Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge takes place from 4 to 11 April. For the tenth year in succession, its most demanding stage, nearly 320km and arguably the toughest of any in the world, is named after the Nissan Patrol.

HOUSTON: Yu Darvish was one out from a perfect game when Marwin Gonzalez grounded a clean single through the pitcher’s legs, and the Texas Rangers beat the Houston Astros 7-0 on Tuesday night.

The celebrated right-hander from Japan struck out a career-high 14 and was in complete control before Gonzalez smacked the first pitch up the middle. Darvish was unable to get his glove down in time and the ball skittered into center field well beyond a desperate dive by shortstop Elvis Andrus.

Darvish (1-0) smiled and extended his arms - almost like, “Oh well, it happens.” Several disappointed fans put their hands on their heads, and Darvish was lifted after 111 pitches.

Darvish’s 14 strikeouts matched a Minute Maid Park record and were the most by a Rangers pitcher since Hall of Famer and current team CEO Nolan Ryan had 14 in July 1991 against the Angels.

Darvish has never thrown a complete game in the majors. Lucas Harrell (0-1) yielded six hits and one run in six innings. Lance Berkman had three hits and two RBIs against his former team. Ian Kinsler hit a two-run homer off Rhiner Cruz to make it 3-0 in the seventh.

ORIOLES 7, RAYS 4 In St. Petersburg, Adam Jones keyed a seventh-inning rally with a go-ahead, two-run double and Chris Davis followed with a threerun homer to help Baltimore open the season with a victory over Tampa Bay. Matt Wieters homered early off AL Cy Young Award winner David Price. Wieters later drew an intentional walk from reliever Jake McGee (0-1) before Davis’ towering shot over the right-field wall broke open the game and silenced a sellout crowd of 34,078 at Tropicana Field.

Jason Hammel (1-0) allowed three runs and three hits in six innings. Jim Johnson pitched a scoreless ninth for the save. Ben Zobrist hit a solo homer for the Rays and put them ahead with a sacrifice fly in the sixth.

INDIANS 4, BLUE JAYS 1 In Toronto, RA Dickey and the overhauled Blue Jays lost their season opener to Cleveland. Asdrubal Cabrera hit a two-run homer off the NL Cy Young Award winner, Justin Masterson pitched six solid innings and the Indians ended their streak of opening day losses at four.

Excited by the winter acquisitions of Dickey, Jose Reyes and other All-Stars, fans in Toronto were eager to see the revamped roster in action.

Instead, a disappointed sellout

HOUSTON: Astros shortstop Marwin Gonzalez singles off of Texas Rangers starting pitcher Yu Darvish in the bottom of the ninth inning to break up Darvish’s bid for a perfect game at Minute Maid Park. —AP

16 hitters. Kyle Seager doubled twice among his three hits, scored two runs and reached base five times. Kendrys Morales added an RBI single for Seattle, which is 2-0 for the eighth time in club history.

Morse, a former Mariners farmhand who returned to the franchise this season, had his sixth career twohomer game and first since Sept. 27 last year with Washington at Philadelphia. Seattle tagged Jarrod Parker (0-1) for four runs and five hits in five innings. —AP

three-run homer and a solo shot, and Hisashi Iwakuma followed up Felix Hernandez’s gem with an impressive outing of his own in Seattle’s victory over Oakland.

Iwakuma (1-0) struck out seven and didn’t walk a batter as the Mariners won their second consecutive game against Oakland to begin the season. He gave up a leadoff homer by Yoenis Cespedes to the deepest part of center field in the second inning, then quickly regrouped and retired 15 of his final

crowd of 48,857 watched Masterson and three relievers combine on a four-hitter. Masterson retired his last 11 batters and Chris Perez earned a save. Dickey (0-1) allowed four runs, three earned, and five hits in six innings. The knuckleballer walked four and struck out four. His catcher, J.P. Arencibia, was charged with three passed balls in the first two innings.

MARINERS 7, ATHLETICS 1 In Oakland, Michael Morse hit a

MLB results/standings Baltimore 7, Tampa Bay 4; Cleveland 4, Toronto 1; Colorado 8, Milwaukee 4; Texas 7, Houston 0; St. Louis 6, Arizona 1; Seattle 7, Oakland 1; San Francisco 3, LA Dodgers 0.

Baltimore Boston NY Yankees Tampa Bay Toronto

American League Eastern Division W L 1 0 1 0 0 1 0 1 0 1

Central Division Chicago White Sox 1 0 Cleveland 1 0 Detroit 1 0 Kansas City 0 1 Minnesota 0 1

Seattle LA Angels Houston Texas Oakland

Western Division 2 0 1 0 1 1 1 1 0 2

PCT 1.000 1.000 0 0 0

1.000 1.000 1.000 0 0

1.000 1.000 .500 .500 0

GB 1 1 1

1 1

0.5 1 1 2

Atlanta NY Mets Washington Miami Philadelphia

National League Eastern Division 1 0 1 0 1 0 0 1 0 1

1.000 1.000 1.000 0 0

1 1

Chicago Cubs Milwaukee St. Louis Cincinnati Pittsburgh

Central Division 1 0 1 1 1 1 0 1 0 1

1.000 .500 .500 0 0

0.5 0.5 1 1

Arizona Colorado LA Dodgers San Francisco San Diego

Western Division 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 0 1

.500 .500 .500 .500 0

0.5

Giants blank Dodgers Gulf Bank, Boubyan in KBC Finals KUWAIT: The Gulf Bank looks to retain the KBC League title tomorrow when it squares off against the Boubyan Bank in the final match of the 2013 season that takes place at the Sabah Al-Salem Stadium in the Al-Arabi Club in Mansouriya.

Boubyan Bank secured its spot in the finals after needing penalty shootouts to overcome

the Kuwait Finance House in the semifinals, and will face Gulf Bank who booked its ticket after finishing the regular season on top of the standings. The two teams prepare for the final match with training camps held in Al-Beda’a.

The match kicks off at 7:00 pm with senior officials from the tournament’s organizers and Kuwait Banks Club.

LOS ANGELES: Madison Bumgarner allowed two hits over eight innings, giving the San Francisco Giants a 3-0 win against the Dodgers while overshadowing the major league debut of high-priced Los Angeles pitcher Hyun-Jin Ryu on Tuesday night.

Bumgarner (1-0) struck out six and walked none in the second straight gem at Dodger Stadium. The only hits were a pair of doubles by Andre Ethier and A.J. Ellis. Left-hander Clayton Kershaw homered and pitched a four-hit shutout in the Dodgers’ 4-0 victory on opening day Monday.

Sergio Romo worked a perfect ninth to earn his first save of the season. Ryu’s debut helped draw 45,431 fans to see the left-hander who signed a $36 million, six-year deal with the team in December, making him the first player to go directly from the Korea Baseball Organization to the U.S. major leagues. Ryu (0-1) gave up three runs - one earned - and 10 hits in 6 1-3 innings. He struck out five, walked none and threw 80 pitches against the defending World Series champions.

CARDINALS 6, DIAMONDBACKS 1 In Phoenix, Matt Holliday, Pete Kozma and Jon Jay homered as St. Louis beat Arizona to even their season-opening series at a game apiece.

Jaime Garcia (1-0) gave up two hits, one of them a homer by Miguel

Montero, in 5 2-3 innings for the Cardinals. Holliday’s two-run shot off Trevor Cahill broke a 1-all tie in the sixth. Kozma added a leadoff homer and Jay a two-run drive off the rightfield foul pole, both off reliever Heath Bell in the seventh.

LOS ANGELES: Dodgers starting pitcher Hyun-Jin Ryu, of South Korea, throws to the San Francisco Giants during the third inning of a baseball game. —AP

Kozma’s homer came on Bell’s first pitch with the Diamondbacks. Matt Carpenter doubled twice for St. Louis.

Cahill (0-1) allowed three runs and five hits in 5 2-3 innings. He struck out seven.

ROCKIES 8, BREWERS 4 In Milwaukee, Troy Tulowitzki and Carlos Gonzalez each homered for the second straight game, leading Colorado over Milwaukee and giving Walt Weiss his first win as a major league manager.

Tulowitzki is off to quick start after missing the last four months of the 2012 season with an injured left groin that required surgery. The All-Star shortstop went 2 for 5 with a homer and two RBIs in Monday’s opening day loss.

Ryan Braun hit his first homer of the season for Milwaukee, a two-run shot. Edgmer Escalona (1-0) pitched 1 2-3 innings of scoreless relief for the win. Rafael Betancourt got one out for his first save.

The Rockies broke it open in the seventh by scoring three runs off relievers Michael Gonzalez (0-1) and Burke Badenhop. —AP

THURSDAY, APRIL 4, 2013

S P ORTS

Penguins fall to Sabres

IDAHO: Joined by their team captain Bogdan Obradovic (left), Serbia’s Novak Djokovic (middle) and teammate Viktor Troicki joke around at a Davis Cup tennis news conference. —AP

Djokovic’s recent losses give US hope in Davis Cup IDAHO: Novak Djokovic’s two recent defeats after a 22-match winning streak offer the United States hope of seeing off Serbia in the Davis Cup quarterfinals starting tomorrow.

The mere presence of the top-ranked Djokovic makes Serbia the slight favorite, but the Americans chose to play on an indoor hard-court at altitude in Boise, Idaho, to give their big servers a boost.

It’s a bonus to the US that Djokovic has appeared vulnerable in the past month, with two defeats in his last four matches.

However, he appears to have brushed them off this week, saying, “I always love these seven to 10 days spending with friends just representing Serbia, it’s really fantastic.”

In the other quarterfinals, Argentina hosts France, Kazakhstan welcomes the defending champion Czech Republic, and Canada faces Italy.

Djokovic recommitted to Davis Cup after skipping last year’s campaign, and helped Serbia cruise past Belgium in February. He beat Sam Querrey and John Isner in the only previous Serbia-U.S. tie, during the 2010 title run, and Serbia is likely to need a point from Viktor Troicki or the doubles to advance.

The doubles had been a reliable point for the US until the Bryan brothers suffered a rare cup loss in the struggle to get past Brazil at home in the first round. The Parque Roca in Buenos Aires will need to be a fortress again if Argentina is to beat France for the first time. Argentina has lost all five previous ties with France, including being beaten 5-0 in the 2010 semifinals in Lyon.

Without Juan Martin del Potro again, the same team which beat Germany 5-0 will line up on clay against the same France team which defeated Israel by the same score. Top-10 players Jo-Wilfried Tsonga and Richard Gasquet are complemented by accomplished doubles pair Julien Benneteau and Michael Llodra. The Czech Republic risks becoming the third defending champ in seven

years to fall in the quarters.

In the absence of his longtime partner Tomas Berdych, Radek Stepanek will spearhead the Czechs against host Kazakhstan. Stepanek hasn’t played since an early defeat in the Australian Open, after which he underwent surgery on a disc in his neck.

While he was sidelined, the sixth-ranked Berdych won all three points against Switzerland.

But after reaching two ATP finals, a semifinal and quarterfinal, he injured a shoulder and will miss his first tie in three years.

Fortunately for the Czechs, Stepanek is now available, but he will play his first tie without Berdych since his cup debut 10 years ago.

Their reliance on Stepanek and Berdych, who won all 12 live points last year for the Czechs’ first cup in 32 years, is reflected in the lack of cup experience of their teammates. Lukas Rosol, who paired with Berdych to win the longest match in cup history against the Swiss, a seven-hour doubles contest, will play his fifth tie in two years. Jan Hajek has not featured in the cup since 2011, and Ivo Minar has four ties in six years. None of Kazakhstan’s main players - Evgeny Korolev, Andrey Golubev and Mikhail Kukushkin - has won a main draw match on the ATP Tour since at least August, but they were still too good for Austria in February. They also have history on their side; they upset the Czechs two years ago.

Canada carries the confidence of beating mighty Spain in February to reach its first cup quarterfinal in the same indoor Vancouver venue.

“We’re going to go in with the same mentality and if we put up the same performance I think we’ll have a good chance to win,” Canada’s Vasek Pospisil said of meeting Italy.

Italy has a shot at its first semifinals since 1998, with only a doubt over Simone Bolelli, half of the world No. 3-ranked pairing with Fabio Fognini.

Bolelli has an injured wrist.—AP

Sweden’s Norberg will not defend curling title at Sochi STOCKHOLM: Sweden’s Winter Olympic gold medalist Anette Norberg will not defend her title at Sochi next year, the Swedish Curling Association said in a statement yesterday.

Norberg has decided to retire from curling, citing a lack of time and motivation to continue a career that saw her win 23 championship medals over almost 20 years.

Described by the Association as “one of the most successful curling players of all time,” Norberg won three world championships and seven European titles in addition to Olympic gold medals in 2006 and 2010. “Curling has been my life for so many years, so obviously I’m going to miss it a lot,” Norberg said in the statement.

“But life as a curling player at elite level is very demanding, and I feel that I lack the time and the dedication necessary.”

D e s p i te ce m e n t i n g h e r p l a ce i n Swedish sporting history when her team beat Canada in the 2010 final to defend their Olympic title, Norberg was by no means certain of a chance to represent Sweden at the Sochi games next year.

Sweden’s curling association has recently preferred to send a team led by Norberg’s rival Margaretha Sigfridsson to international competitions. “Obviously it’s sad for the curling world that a profile like Anette has decided to stop playing, but luckily we have other teams that can shoulder her responsibilities,” curling association general secretary Stefan Lund said in the statement. “Anette will not disappear from the curling arena. In some way she will be still here and a part of the exciting journey towards the future that Swedish curling is on.”—Reuters

PITTSBURGH: The Pittsburgh Penguins’ run at a record-breaking streak is over. Playing without injured star Sidney Crosby, the Penguins fell to the Buffalo Sabres 4-1 to end their 15-game winning streak Tuesday night.

Pittsburgh was attempting to draw within one of the NHL record of 17 consecutive wins set by the 1992-93 Penguins, but looked out of sync and lost for the first time since falling to Carolina 4-1 on Feb. 28. Kevin Porter scored his first two goals of the season for the Sabres, who won for the first time in five games. Steve Ott and Cody Hodgson also scored as Buffalo sent Pittsburgh to its first loss in more than a month. Ryan Miller made 19 saves on the night he surpassed Dominik Hasek for the most games played by a Sabres goaltender.

Jarome Iginla scored his first goal with the Penguins after coming over in a trade with Calgary last week but it wasn’t nearly enough. Buffalo took a three-goal lead less than 25 minutes into the game to chase Tomas Vokoun, who stopped nine of the 13 shots he faced before being removed early in the second period.

BRUINS 3, SENATORS 2 In Boston, Nathan Horton broke a tie midway through the third period with his fourth goal in four games and Boston beat Ottawa with an aggressive attack that produced a season-high 50 shots.

While awaiting the arrival of newly acquired five-time NHL scoring leader Jaromir Jagr from the Dallas Stars, the Bruins shook off their recent offensive woes with their second straight win after losing five of their previous seven games.

Horton got his 12th goal of the season at 10:21 of the third period after goalie Robin Lehner stopped Milan Lucic’s shot with his pad. But Horton scored on the rebound.

The Bruins held a 50-47 advantage in shots on goal. Their previous high of 46 came on Feb. 28, also against the Senators, in a 2-1 overtime win in Boston. The pace slowed for a while in the third period after Andre Benoit tied the score 2-2 with 1:55 gone following an officials’ review. Play had continued after Benoit’s hard, high shot. At the next whistle, officials ruled that the puck had gone in just under the crossbar then come out, resulting in Benoit’s third goal of the season.

Colin Greening had given Ottawa a 1-0 lead 2:48 into the game before goals by David Krejci and Tyler Seguin 1:01 apart put Boston ahead 2-1 at 4:29 of the first period.

ISLANDERS 5, JETS 2 In Uniondale, Frans Nielsen scored the goahead goal and Kevin Poulin made 23 saves for his first win of the season and New York defeated Winnipeg.

With the victory, the Islanders moved past the idle New York Rangers into the eighth and final Eastern Conference playoff spot. The Islanders have 11 games remaining while the Rangers have 13. Nielsen’s power-play goal at 19:32 of the second period came when a rebound of a Mark Streit slap shot ricocheted to him in the right circle.

Nielsen fired the puck past Ondrej Pavelec for this fourth of the season.

Matt Moulson added his 12th of the season at the 18:00 mark of the third. And John Tavares scored his team-leading 23rd of the season into an empty net with 36 seconds left. Jets rookie defenseman Paul Postma scored twice for Winnipeg.

CAPITALS 5, HURRICANES 3 In Raleigh, Alex Ovechkin had two goals and an assist, and Washington beat Carolina despite allowing three goals to Jiri Tlusty.

Mike Green scored two goals, Joel Ward added a goal, Nicklas Backstrom matched a career high with four assists and Braden Holtby made 31 saves.

Washington trailed 2-0 early before scoring five goals on its first 11 shots, won its seventh in 11 games and won for the first time since 2007 when allowing a hat trick to an opposing player, according to STATS LLC. It also was the Hurricanes’ first loss when a player scored three goals since the

move from Hartford in 1997.

Eric Staal and Alexander Semin each had two assists for the Hurricanes, who lost defenseman Joni Pitkanen to an apparent leg injury late in the second period. Carolina’s Dan Ellis stopped four of the seven shots he faced.

PREDATORS 3, AVALANCHE 1 In Nashville, David Legwand scored with 1:14 left, and Nashville edged Colorado to avoid being swept by the Avalanche.

Patric Hornqvist scored a power-play goal that tied it up at 1 at 8:23 of the third, and Taylor Beck had two assists. Paul Gaustad had an empty-netter for his third this season with 14.7 seconds remaining. Matt Duchene scored on a breakaway 61 seconds into the third for Colorado, which missed a chance to sweep the Predators for the first time in franchise history. Goalie Jean-Sebastien Giguere made 35 saves for the Avs. PANTHERS 3, LIGHTNING 2, SO In Tampa, Peter Mueller scored the only goal in the shootout and Jacob Markstrom had 39 saves to lead Florida past Tampa Bay. Tomas Kopecky and Greg Rallo both scored power-play goals on deflections of shots by T.J. Brennan to give the Panthers a 2-0 lead after two periods. The Lightning rallied in the third period.

Tom Pyatt directed a pass from Teddy Purcell right above Markstrom’s shoulder pad cut the Panthers’ lead in half at 5:38. Alex Killorn tied it just less than 5 minutes later when a slap shot from Victor Hedman bounced off the boards and found its way onto Killorn’s stick, where he slipped it past Markstrom.

COYOTES 3, KINGS 1 In Glendale, Jason LaBarbera stopped 39 shots, Keith Yandle scored his second goal late in the third period and Phoenix opened a critical homestand with a win over Los Angeles.

Needing to make up ground in the Western Conference standings, the Coyotes played their usual close-to-the-vest game and managed to hold on for their second win in 10 games after blowing two one-goal leads last week.

Matthew Lombardi put Phoenix ahead with his fourth goal of the season in the second period and Yandle followed his 50th career goal in the first with a tough-angle shot that beat Jonathan Quick with less than 3 minutes left.

LaBarbera made some tough saves in his fifth straight start in place of injured starter Mike Smith, the only goal against him a shot by Justin Williams that deflected off a Coyotes defenseman in the first period. Quick had 37 saves for the Kings, who finished a five-game road trip 3-1-1.—AP

PITTSBURGH: Tomas Vokoun No. 92 of the Pittsburgh Penguins stretches before the second period during the game against the Buffalo Sabres at Consol Energy Center. —AFP

NHL results/standings Boston 3, Ottawa 2; NY Islanders 5, Winnipeg 2; Washington 5, Carolina 3; Buffalo 4, Pittsburgh 1; Florida 3, Tampa Bay 2 (SO); Nashville 3, Colorado 1; Phoenix 3, Los Angeles 1.

Eastern Conference Atlantic Division

Pittsburgh New Jersey NY Islanders NY Rangers Philadelphia

W 28 15 18 17 15

Montreal Boston Toronto Ottawa Buffalo

23 23 20 19 14

Winnipeg Washington Carolina Tampa Bay Florida

18 17 16 15 12

L OTL GF GA PTS 9 0 124 88 56 12 9 89 100 39 16 3 108 115 39 15 3 82 86 37 17 3 95 108 33 Northeast Division 7 5 111 84 51 8 4 100 77 50 12 4 112 100 44 11 6 91 79 44 17 6 98 114 34 Southeast Division 18 2 93 115 38 17 2 107 104 36 17 2 96 106 34 18 2 112 106 32 19 6 91 127 30

Western Conference Central Division Chicago 27 5 3 119 76 57 Detroit 18 13 5 94 94 41 St. Louis 18 14 2 98 94 38 Nashville 15 14 8 92 100 38 Columbus 15 14 7 87 97 37 Northwest Division Minnesota 21 12 2 98 90 44 Vancouver 19 11 6 94 93 44 Edmonton 15 13 7 91 96 37 Calgary 13 17 4 94 118 30 Colorado 12 20 4 87 114 28 Pacific Division Anaheim 24 7 5 111 90 53 Los Angeles 20 13 3 104 91 43 San Jose 18 11 6 88 86 42 Phoenix 15 15 6 97 102 36 Dallas 16 16 3 94 107 35 Note: Overtime losses (OTL) are worth one point in the standings and are not included in the loss column (L).

MercedesTrophy Golf tournament held for 16th year

by Abdul Rahman Albisher & Zaid Alkazemi Co. KUWAIT: The Kuwait National Final of the prestigious MercedesTrophy Golf tournament was held at the Sahara Golf and Country Club on Friday, 29 March 2013. The tournament brings together Kuwait’s amateur golfers to compete for the top three positions and become part the Kuwait national team to play at the 2013 MercedesTrophy Golf World Final in Germany.

This was the 16th year for Abdul Rahman Albisher & Zaid Alkazemi Co. - the exclusive general distributor for Mercedes-Benz in Kuwait - to organise this worldclass event. Following an early morning registration and welcome gift pack collection, the MercedesGolf Trophy tournament participants enjoyed a breakfast of champions at the Club House to kick start their play.

This year 91 players competed for the top three positions for a chance to play against 33 national teams from around the world in September. After a fierce play, three victors emerged to be crowned as the Kuwaiti national team for 2013. The winning Mercedes-Benz customers were: Winner from Handicap Class A Abdul Aziz Alsarawi

Winner from Handicap Class B - Ali Al-Hajeri Winner from Handicap Class C - Long Kem The tournament followed the MercedesTrophy Golf World Final’s structure and was divided into three handicap classes with a total of 17 prizes up for grabs.

The complete list of winners is as follows: The nearest to pin: Nearest to pin - Ladies - Sunny Kim Nearest to pin -Men - Ahmed Alsarawi 3rd Place Handicap C - Ali Al Jazzaf 3rd place Handicap B - Liu Guilan 3rd place Handicap A - Qatami Al Qatami 2nd place Handicap C - Manmohan Singh Gill 2nd place Handicap B - Andy Palmer 2nd place Handicap A - Bader Alhaider Drive to the Major - Yahiya Bakir Special Prize Kuwait National Championship round 9.

Gross winner - Abdul Aziz Alsarawi

Net Winner - Ali Al-Hajeri 1st Place Handicap C - Non Mercedes-Benz Customers - Vikram Issar 1st Pace Handicap B - Non-Mercedes-Benz Customers Deepak Agarwal 1st Place Handicap A - Non-Mercedes-Benz Customers - Mike Butler Winners - Kuwait National Final - (Mercedes-Benz Customers) 1st Place Handicap C - Kem Long 1st Place Handicap B - Ali Al-Hajeri 1st place Handicap A - Abdul Aziz Sarawi This year, and for the first time in the tournament’s history in Kuwait, all participants had an opportunity to take part in the special competition “Drive to the Major.’ The winner of the competition, Yahiya Bakir, got an exclusive spot in the Monday after event played directly after The Open championship on the same course where all the legends and golf professional have played the day before.

Another highlight of the tournament is the Holein-One challenge where all participants eagerly

competed to win a Mercedes-Benz SLK on the spot.

The Kuwait National Golf Team who were playing in the MercedesTrophy event, played round 9 of the Kuwait Golf Championship within the tournament. The winners of this round Abdul A ziz Alsarawi & Ali Al-Hajeri received a commemorative gift & certificate from Abdul Rahman Albisher & Zaid Alkazemi Co. “Each year we organise the Golf Trophy tournament and it just gets more competitive and thrilling.

We always have new participants and competitions, which underpins our goal to suppor t amateur golfers in Kuwait and get them to compete on an international scale.” said Michael Ruehle, General Manager, Abdul Rahman Albisher & Zaid Alkazemi Co. “This tournament is a success annually because of our sponsors - Jumbo Travels, Tiffany & Co., Magnitude Communications and participants. We also look forward to cheering on the Kuwaiti national team in September at the World Finals.”

After a prize giving ceremony, all participants enjoyed a relaxing dinner at the terrace of the Sahara Golf Club accompanied by a live jazz band.

THURSDAY, APRIL 4, 2013

S P ORT S

No end in sight for reign of Spain LONDON: Valentino Rossi is back on a Yamaha but it will take some heroics for the ageing Italian great to wrest the MotoGP title from Spanish hands in the season that starts under the Qatar floodlights this weekend.

Honda’s Dani Pedrosa lines up as the early favorite, closely followed by Rossi’s team mate and reigning champion Jorge Lorenzo, while Honda new boy Marc Marquez completes a trio of Spanish frontrunners in a new era following the premature retirement of Australian Casey Stoner. Rossi, a 4/1 shot for the title with British bookmakers William Hill, is their closest rival as fourth favourite with no other rider given better than odds of 40/1 ahead of the season-opener.

The charismatic Italian has ditched his uncompetitive Ducati to return to the Yamaha works fold - the team where he won 46 grand prix and four of his seven world titles in the top category - alongside Lorenzo, but at 34 he is starting to feel the ravages of time.

“My comeback to Yamaha is a great story and a great bet, for me but also for Yamaha,” said the Italian, winner of 105 grands prix in all classes, during testing last month.

“Unfortunately I am quite old, this is true, but I feel very good...I hope I can fight again for the podium and to win some races. After that we’ll see where we are in the championship ranking.”

Rossi and Lorenzo were uneasy team mates in 2010, when the Mallorcan was the young hotshot and won his first title, but the latter is now a double world champion and the atmosphere promises to be much friendlier. “Probably our relationship is better than three years ago,” Lorenzo said at the launch of the YZR-M1 machine last month. “Now we are a bit older, more mature, especially me as I was only 20 when I arrived in MotoGP. “We do not have to be friends...but if the relationship is good this is much better for us but also for the team. We will try to stay calm and to push together in the same direction.”

Pedrosa, runner-up to Lorenzo last season, leads the works Honda line-up following the departure of double champion Stoner and has his best chance yet of a first title after a storming finish to last year with six wins in the closing eight races.

“The team has worked hard to get us in the best place for the start of the season and I’m pleased with my physical situation,” the injuryprone rider, now in his eighth MotoGP season with Honda, said in a team preview for Sunday’s night race at the Losail desert circuit.

Marquez is 20 but arrives after winning last year’s Moto2 title, and the 125cc crown the year before, and even Rossi sees something of his younger self in the Spaniard after impressive times in pre-season testing. His partnership with Pedrosa and the comparisons with their Italian rival will be one of the leading storylines of the year ahead, with nobody ruling out Marquez taking the title in his debut season.

“If he can stay healthy, he is really going to shake things up this season,” said 2006 MotoGP champion Nicky Hayden, who remains with Audi-owned Ducati. “He has been very, very impressive and very fast...he could be a gamechanger to MotoGP.” Cal Crutchlow, fastest in Pedrosa’s absence on the final day of testing at Jerez with the Tech3 Yamaha team, is aiming to become the first British winner in MotoGP since the late Barry Sheene 32 years ago.

He also has a new team mate in an all-British line-up with Bradley Smith making his debut in the top class. On the track the big novelty of the 18-race season is the F1-style knockout qualifying format. The 10 quickest riders from the three free practice sessions will go forward to the second phase of qualifying along with the best two riders from a separate first qualifying that otherwise decides grid places from position 13 downwards.

There is also a new penalty points system for riders who collect regular warnings for endangering others. — Reuters

Dani Pedrosa

McIlroy still sees the big picture HUMBLE: When the scrutiny becomes suffocating, it’s a good time for Rory McIlroy to get as far away as he can. So he went to a practice range on a public course.

Imagine the surprise of the paying customer at Miami Municipal Golf Course a few weeks ago who looked over to his left and saw McIlroy, still at No. 1 in the world and a two-time major champion, plop down a carry bag with a Manchester United logo. “Why was that such a big deal?” McIlroy asked with a mixture of amazement and bemusement.

This was Wednesday at the Houston Open, where morning frost had caused a two-hour delay in the pro-am. Instead of retreating to the clubhouse dining room at Redstone Golf Club to order from the omelet station, McIlroy found a spare booth in the caddie trailer, where the fare ranged from scrambled eggs to peanut butter on toast. Just one of the lads.

He made the cut on the number last week - his first cut against a full field this year - and was making a run up the leaderboard in the third round when he threeputted for bogey from 5 feet on the par-5 13th hole. McIlroy dropped two more shots and returned toward the bottom of the pack. After lunch, it was back to work. He could have sought privacy at the far end of the range. Instead, he set up shop in front of a grandstand where 30 people took a seat to watch. Tom Gillis, a runner-up to McIlroy a year ago at the Honda Classic, came over and gave Boy Wonder a playful push. There were more smiles than drops of sweat in this practice session. McIlroy was hitting driver toward the end, picking out a barren tree on the horizon as a target for his draw. He was getting dialed in when caddie J.P. Fitzgerald said, “End it with a good one.” The shape looked to be perfect, and the caddie said, “Beautiful.”

“One more,” McIlroy said with a smile, and

then he hit that one even better. He walked over to the railing where a dozen kids had gathered, took out a pen and began signing.

One of them was a photo of McIlroy posing with the U.S. Open trophy from Congressional, brown curls spilling out from under his cap. “I can’t believe I looked like this,” he said. His hair is much shorter now.

He’s more grown up. He turns 24 next month.

This is the state of McIlroy. He tied for 45th in the Houston Open, and while that would normally be considered a pedestrian week, he considers it progress. He signed up for the Texas Open this week, wanting more competition before going to the Masters.

Perhaps more telling was how much happier he looked than in recent weeks. That wasn’t the case at the start of the year.

McIlroy is no stranger to attention, and he brought that on himself. Winning the U.S. Open with a record score. A relationship with Caroline Wozniacki, who was No. 1 in women’s tennis when they first started dating. Winning the PGA Championship by a record eight shots. Climbing to No. 1 in the world, and then winning three more tournaments against the strongest fields, made it look as if the kid would stay on top for years to come. And yes, the Nike deal.

With blaring music and a laser show in Abu Dhabi, he was introduced as the latest global star to market the swoosh and made a commercial with Tiger Woods. Then, he plunged into a slump. That’s not unusual for McIlroy, except the expectations have never been this great, the number of eyeballs on him never this many. A year ago, there was one stretch in the late spring when he missed the cut in four of five tournaments, the last as defending champion at the US Open. This year, he missed the cut in Abu Dhabi, lost in the first round of Match Play and quit out of frustration after 27 holes of the Honda Classic. —AP

Rory McIlroy hits a shot out of a bunker in this file photo. —AP

LOS ANGELES: Lakers guard Kobe Bryant (right) puts up a shot as Dallas Mavericks center Chris Kaman tries to defend during the first half of their NBA basketball game. — AP

Knicks cool Heat MIAMI: Carmelo Anthony equaled his career high with 50 points and the New York Knicks won their ninth straight game, topping the injury-depleted Miami Heat 102-90.

Anthony finished 18 of 26 from the field, reaching 50 on a jumper with 16.9 seconds remaining. JR Smith scored 14 and Raymond Felton added 10 for New York.

Chris Bosh scored 23 points for Miami, which played without LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Mario Chalmers, all held out with injuries not believed to be serious. Mike Miller scored 18, Ray Allen finished with 16 and Norris Cole had 14 for the Heat, whose 17-game home winning streak was snapped.

The Knicks beat the Heat in three of their four regular-season matchups. They likely would not meet again before the Eastern Conference finals.

Miami’s magic number for clinching homecourt throughout the NBA playoffs remained at five, and the Heat already have the No. 1 spot in the Eastern Conference wrapped up. The Knicks now lead Brooklyn by five games in the race for the Atlantic Division title.

LAKERS 101, MAVERICKS 81 In Los Angeles, Kobe Bryant had 23 points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists in his 19th career triple-double, and Los Angeles beat Dallas in a key game for two teams struggling to get into the Western Conference playoff picture.

Dwight Howard had 24 points and 12 rebounds while hitting seven fourth-quarter free throws for the Lakers (39-36), who had lost four of six. With former coach Phil Jackson in attendance for Shaquille O’Neal’s jersey retirement, the Lakers moved back into an eighth-place tie in the West with the Utah Jazz (39-36), who hold

the tiebreaker edge on the Lakers. Chris Kaman had 14 points for Dallas (36-38), which has a game in hand on the Lakers and Jazz.

WIZARDS 90, BULLS 86 In Washington, John Wall had 27 points, nine assists and eight rebounds, Emeka Okafor scored the go-ahead dunk in the final minute and Washington beat Chicago for its eighth straight home win.

Wall was 8 for 17 from the field and 11 for 13

at the free throw line as the Wizards maintained pursuit of their goal of becoming the best team not to make the playoffs. They want to pass the Philadelphia 76ers and finish ninth in the Eastern Conference - not bad for a team that started 4-28 - and the win left them 21/2 games back with eight to play. Carlos Boozer had 19 points and 12 rebounds to lead the Bulls, who fell two games behind the four th-place Brooklyn Nets in the Eastern Conference.

Chicago visits Brooklyn today. — AP

NBA results/standings Washington 90, Chicago 86; NY Knicks 102, Miami 90; LA Lakers 101, Dallas 81.

Eastern Conference Atlantic Division W L PCT NY Knicks 47 26 .644 42 31 .575 Brooklyn Boston 38 36 .514 Philadelphia 30 43 .411 Toronto 27 47 .365 Central Division Indiana 48 27 .640 40 33 .548 Chicago Milwaukee 36 37 .493 Detroit 25 50 .333 Cleveland 22 51 .301 Southeast Division Miami 58 16 .784 42 33 .560 Atlanta Washington 28 46 .378 Orlando 19 56 .253 Charlotte 17 57 .230

GB 5 9.5 17 20.5 7 11 23 25 16.5 30 39.5 41

Western Conference Northwest Division Oklahoma City 54 20 .730 Denver 50 24 .676 Utah 39 36 .520 Portland 33 41 .446 Minnesota 27 46 .370 Pacific Division LA Clippers 49 26 .653 Golden State 42 32 .568 LA Lakers 39 36 .520 Sacramento 27 47 .365 Phoenix 23 51 .311 Southwest Division San Antonio 55 19 .743 Memphis 50 24 .676 Houston 41 33 .554 Dallas 36 38 .486 New Orleans 26 48 .351

4 15.5 21 26.5 6.5 10 21.5 25.5 5 14 19 29

Lakers hang Shaq’s jersey in the rafters LOS ANGELES: When Shaquille O’Neal visited the Forum during the summer he joined the Los Angeles Lakers, general manager Jerry West encouraged him to look up at the retired jerseys hanging above the court. “He said, ‘You can be as great as these guys,’” O’Neal recalled.

West’s prediction is finally official. Shaq joined Wilt Chamberlain, Kareem AbdulJabbar, George Mikan, West and the rest of the Lakers’ greats when the club retired his No. 34 jersey in a halftime ceremony late Tuesday.

“I just wish Dr. Buss was here to see this, to enjoy this joyous occasion,” O’Neal said of Lakers owner Jerr y Buss, who died in February. “I always hoped and prayed it would come. It was a dream come true.” Although O’Neal rarely finds himself speechless, he’s thrilled to receive the honor he first imagined back in 1996 when he chose the Lakers.

O’Neal’s yellow jersey with white numerals was unveiled to a standing ovation, hanging next to Magic Johnson’s No. 32.

“It gets me real emotional,” O’Neal said.

“Growing up in Newark, New Jersey, and my father teaching me about the game, always mentioning Wilt Chamberlain and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and telling me when I was a young medium juvenile delinquent that, ‘If you do things right, son, maybe one day you can be as great as those guys.’”

There’s no longer any doubt O’Neal ranks among the greatest centers in basketball history. The NBA’s sixth-leading career scorer played eight of his 19 seasons with the Lakers, winning three championships and reaching four NBA finals during his basketball prime.

Although O’Neal began his career in Orlando and played for four more teams after leaving Los Angeles, the 15-time All-Star says he considers Los Angeles his NBA home.

“I did most of my damage here, won most of my championships here, had most of my fun here,” he said. “Even though I got one in Miami, it was fun, but we had three great ones here, three in a row. If I’m good enough to get into the Hall of Fame, I’ll definitely go in as a Laker.”

Kobe Bryant was in the locker room during halftime of the Lakers’ game against Dallas, but he filmed a video tribute to kick off O’Neal’s ceremony, calling him “the most gifted physical specimen I’ve ever seen play this

LOS ANGELES: Former Los Angeles Lakers center Shaquille O’Neal stands with his retired jersey during the half of the Lakers’ NBA basketball game against the Dallas Mavericks. —AP

game. “What you’ve meant to the city has been absolutely historical, what we’ve done together,” Bryant added. “I know you’ve played for other organizations, but you’ll always be truly remembered for playing for one.”

O’Neal’s eight years alongside Bryant are among the most tumultuous and successful times in the team’s history. They overcame initial struggles to win three straight titles from 2000-02 with the arrival of coach Phil Jackson, who returned to Staples on Tuesday for O’Neal’s ceremony.

O’Neal and Bryant eventually split in 2004 after numerous personal and professional — clashes, and their verbal sparring continued through Bryant’s fifth championship in 2010.

O’Neal insists any feud is long squashed, chalking it all up to posturing and mutual motivation.

“We’ve talked a lot since our playing days,” O’Neal said. “There’s two different kinds of dislike. There’s an athletic dislike, and there’s a real dislike. We never had a real dislike. We had a million good times and a thousand bad times. ... If I had it all over to do again, would I do it different? Probably not.”

O’Neal retired in 2011 and works as a television pundit. “The only regrets I have are missing 200 games and missing 5,000 free throws,” O’Neal said. “Other than that, I had fun, did it my way. Made a lot of friends, made a lot of enemies. It was all fun.” — AP

THURSDAY, APRIL 4, 2013

S P ORTS

Australia lack batting depth — chief selector SYDNEY: Australia’s chief selector John Inverarity admitted they were struggling for batting depth ahead of this year’s Ashes as he announced the list of centrally contracted players for the 2013-14 season yesterday.

The 20 named gave a strong indication of the players Australia will be relying on to try and win the Ashes back from England in the first of backto-back series this year and there were no surprises.

Of the 17 who were on the list last year, only 35-year-old short form specialist David Hussey failed to retain his contract, while Ricky Ponting and Michael Hussey have retired.

Top order batsmen Ed Cowan and Phil Hughes, Twenty20 captain George Bailey, all-rounders Glenn Maxwell and James Faulkner as well as quick bowler Clint McKay were the six players brought into the fold.

Inverarity said the discussions on the squad for the first Ashes series, which begins at Trent Bridge on July 10, were at an “advanced” stage but there would be few changes to the party that were humbled 4-0 in India. “ We thought we took our best

squad to India, the Ashes squad is likely to be similar to that. There’ll be a couple of changes,” he told reporters in Perth. “ This list has a broader view because it takes in T20s and one-dayers as well.” Iverarity said the Ashes party would be 16 or 17 strong, have five or six pace bowlers with possibly one all-rounder as well as two spinners. “I think our pace bowling is likely to be good, I think the wickets in England are likely to suit us more than they did in India,” he said. “But the stability in the batting, we need to get more stability and certainty in our top six.“We do not have the batting depth in Australia that we had 15 to 20 years ago, we just don’t. That is something cricket in Australia has to address,” he added.

Batsmen Usman Khawaja and Steve Smith, along with pace bowler Jackson Bird and all-rounder Moises Henriques, had been “very close” to making the list, he said, adding batsmen Alex Doolan and Adam Voges were still in the frame for the Ashes.

David Hussey’s omission was an indication that Australia was looking

to the future, Inverarity said. “We are very much in a transition stage in Australian cricket, we’ve lost some wonderful players. We’re in transition and we’re looking to offer experience to those young players we think will come through best.”

Inverarity said he was “very excited” about the Ashes series and was certain Australia would give a better account of themselves than they had in India. “The team’s performances in India was poor, there were some performances that were unacceptable,” he said.

“The conditions there were very, very demanding and I thought a number of the young players learned and improved and they’ll be better for that experience.”

Contracted players: George Bailey, Michael Clarke, Ed Cowan, Patrick Cummins, Xavier Doherty, James Faulkner, Brad Haddin, Ryan Harris, Ben Hilfenhaus, Phil Hughes, Mitchell Johnson, Nathan Lyon, Glenn Maxwell, Clint McKay, James Pattinson, Peter Siddle, Mitchell Starc, Matthew Wade, David Warner, Shane Watson. — Reuters

Photo of the day

Ryan Doyle (UK) performs a free-running trick in Dubai. www.redbullcontentpool.com

2014 World Cup Winner’s Trophy gets a royal touch NBK, Visa bring 2014 WCup Winner’s Trophy to Kuwait

By Chidi Emmanuel

Vita, Zamalek in clash of former African champions JOHANNESBURG: At least one former CAF Champions League title-holder will fall by the wayside this weekend when Vita Club of Democratic Republic of Congo host Zamalek of Egypt in the round-of-32 highlight. There are nine winners of the premier African club competition, three winners of the second-tier CAF Confederation Cup and two winners of the now defunct African Cup Winners Cup among the teams in second-leg action.

Zamalek, who take a smaller-thanexpected 1-0 lead to Kinshasa, have won the Champions League five times, a record bettered only by Cairo neighbors and titleholders Al-Ahly with seven victories.

Vita conquered Africa in 1973, but took a five-goal pounding from JS Kabylie of Algeria when they reached the final again eight years later, and TP Mazembe have become the strongest DR Congo challengers in recent seasons.

But a capacity 80,000 crowd at the Martyrs Stadium in the Congolese capital could inspire Vita and intimidate Zamalek, whose last Champions League success came 11 years ago.

Both clubs boast in-form sharp-shooters with Agiti Etekiama of Vita and Ahmed Gaafar of Zamalek scoring three goals each this season, and the Egyptian reacted bizarrely to the first-leg winner against the Congolese in Alexandria.

Instead of a traditional celebration, Gaafar pulled off his shirt, flung it to the ground and signalled to Brazilian coach Jorvan Vieira that he wanted to be substi-

tuted. His impassioned pleas were ignored, and may have been related to booing from Zamalek supporters after the striker failed to score in a one-on-one situation with Vita goalkeeper Nelson Lukong. Union Douala, African champions in 1979 when Cameroon were a leading club power on the continent, look to be on the way out after a 3-0 hiding from FUS Rabat in Morocco three years ago.

Brahim El Bahri, Marwane Saadane and Mohamed Fouzair scored for the surprise 2010 Confederation Cup winners and it is difficult to imagine the Moroccans letting such a commanding lead slip in Atlantic port city Douala.

Asante Kotoko of Ghana, winners in 1970 and 1983, will expect to secure a last16 place after forcing a goalless draw in Algeria against JSM Bejaia, who were accused by the west Africans of being bad hosts. Complaints included being forced to travel by road instead of air from Algiers to Bejaia, no running water and heaters in some hotel rooms, and several attempts by the home team to change the kick-off time.

While Bejaia are in trouble, Algeria should have a presence in the final qualifying round as 1988 title-holders Entente Setif enjoy home advantage and should be able to overtake the 2-1 lead held by ASFA Yennenga of Burkina Faso.

Ahly, 2012 runners-up Esperance of Tunisia, four-time champions Mazembe and 1995 winners Orlando Pirates of South Africa are in similar positions having established one-goal away advantages. — AFP

Henao wins Basque Tour stage VITORIA: Colombian Sergio Henao claimed victory on the third stage of the Tour of the Basque Country and the overall lead in the race with an impressive late surge Wednesday up the steep mountain finish in La Lejana.

The Team Sky rider chased down a late breakaway by Giampaolo Caruso (Katusha) and Carlos Alberto Betancur (Ag2r-La Mondiale) in the final kilometre to win the 165km stage from Vitoria in just six minutes short of four hours racing.

Henao opened up an eight-second lead over compatriot Nelson Quintana (Movistar) in the overall standings, with teammate Richie Port and two-time winner of the race Alberto Contador (SaxoTinkoff ) just a further two seconds back.

The set up of the stage with a daunting 500m climb in the last 10km was always going to favour the stronger climbers in the peloton, but for the third consecutive day Amets Txurruka was at the front of a breakaway group of five riders.

The Caja Rural rider along with teammate Omar Fraile, Mikel Landa (Euskadi), Larent Didier (RadioShack) and Daniel Navarro (Cofidis) built up a lead of over five minutes just before the 100km mark.

The peloton then began to work their way back towards the leaders and even-

tually caught them with just under 10kms to go.

Henao, Contador and Quintana then began to position themselves towards the front of the pack on the climb up to La Lejana and it was Henao who made the first break with 3.5kms remaining.

Caruso and Betancur then hit the front just over a kilometre later, but they couldn’t hold off Henao on the line as he surged to his second stage victory of the season. Quintana finished in fourth, eight seconds behind, with Porte and Contador arriving together just two seconds later in sixth and seventh respectively. —AFP

Sergio Henao

KUWAIT: Kuwait had an exclusive opportunity to experience the 2014 World Cup fever yesterday as National Bank of Kuwait (NBK), in partnership with Visa - the official FIFA partner, brought the 2014 World Cup Winner’s Trophy to Kuwait.

The 2014 FIFA World Cup Winner’s Trophy was showcased yesterday with HH the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jabar Al-Sabah giving it a royal touch. The Winner’s Trophy arrived as part of its global visit to promote the much anticipated football tournament that is scheduled to take place in Brazil from June 12-13 next year.

At a press conference held yesterday at the NBK headquarters, NBK CEO Shaikha Al-Bahar said that the event gave sports lovers in Kuwait an exclusive opportunity to feel the World Cup flavor. “We are extremely pleased to bring the World Cup Winner’s Trophy to Kuwait in association with Visa. We are privileged to be the first and the only bank in Kuwait to bring the thrill and enthusiasm of such an event to our doorstep and add this to our many achievements,” said Al-Bahar.

She underscored NBK’s commitment in promoting sports and human development. “This unique event underlines NBK’s commitment towards its customers and the people of Kuwait.

NBK brings to Kuwait’s people what is important to them,” she stated, adding that Kuwait has certainly joined other countries around the globe as far as the excitement of the World Cup fever was concerned.

She said that NBK, ever since its inception 60 years ago, has been at the forefront of new initiatives and ideas. Al-Bahar lauded NBK’s longtime relationships with Visa. “We promise to continue in our endeavour to maintain our leadership, both locally and regionally, and to reward our customers with unmatched and exceptional offers besides promotions.

Our valued and historical relationship with Visa has enabled us to provide our customers with world-class products and unparalleled offers,” Al-Bahar added.

Commenting on the event, the General Manager of Visa Middle East and North Africa, Kamran Siddiqi, said that Visa is working closely with its partner, NBK, to build the excitement about the World Cup in Kuwait and will continue to reward its cardholders with an exclusive experience that comes with the Visa brand association. He added that Visa’s relationship with the FIFA World Cup will provide a global platform to share the passion of football.

“As a company, Visa believes in a strong commitment towards supporting and partnering sporting excellence and our relationship with the FIFA World Cup is part of this commitment.

This is part of our long-term strategy of sponsoring world-class sports events and in connecting clients, partners and people across borders through these values,” Siddiqi stressed.

WINNER’S TROPHY Since the beginning of the FIFA World Cup in 1930, two trophies have represented victory: the

KUWAIT: NBK CEO Shaikha Al-Bahar (second left) gestures with other dignitaries during the event. —Photos by Yasser Al-Zayyat

Jules Rimet Trophy from 1930 to 1970, and the FIFA World Cup Winner’s Trophy from 1974 till date. The FIFA World Cup Winner’s Trophy is made of 18 carat gold with a malachite base. It depicts two human figures holding up the earth.

It has a visibly etched ‘FIFA World Cup’ in embossed letters at its base. The name of the country whose national team wins each tournament is engraved on the base of the trophy.

ABOUT WORLD CUP The FIFA World Cup is the world’s most widely viewed sporting event. It is an international association football competition contested by the senior men’s national teams of the members of Federation Internationale de Football

Association (FIFA) - the sport’s global governing body. The championship has been awarded every four years since the inaugural tournament in 1930. The current format of the tournament involves 32 teams competing for the title at venues within the host nation(s) over a period of about a month; this phase is often called the World Cup Finals.

World Cup 2014 is the 20th World Cup tournament. Brazil will be the host next year. Brazil is on the top of the World Cup winners (five times) and it is the only team to have played in every tournament. Other World Cup winners include Italy (four titles); Germany (three titles); England, France, Spain (one title each); Argentina and inaugural winners Uruguay (two titles each).

Tourists fight the flab at Thai boxing camps PHUKET: In a sweltering training camp on a tropical Thai island, sweaty tourists wearing oversized gloves and baggy shorts slam their fists, knees, elbows and feet into a row of heavy bags.

Welcome to the latest craze in extreme fitness-Muay Thai boxing.

With worries growing about the world’s bulging waistlines, many foreigners are flocking to Thailand to spend their holidays not on the beach, but following a punishing regime of training in Muay Thai and other martial arts.

Some are going to even more extreme lengths, quitting their jobs to spend weeks or months training in an effort to win their long battles with obesity or hone their skills in the hope of becoming professional fighters. Jordan Henderson, 26, left behind his London lifestyle of long

work days, parties and overeating after the doctors warned him that he faced looming heart problems due to his weight of nearly 184 kilograms (29 stones, 406 pounds).

After one month at a training camp in Phuket off Thailand’s southern Andaman Coast, he had already shed about 20 kilos. “You’re in an environment where it’s hot all the time, surrounded by people doing fitness,” he said after an early morning workout.

“It’s about taking yourself out of the box that you live in and just focusing on one thing, and that’s to train and lose weight.” The first few days were far from easy.

“It was horrible-the heat and the training, the aches you get and the dramatic diet change,” Henderson said. “I’ve gone from eating whatever I liked to grilled chicken, steamed

vegetables and brown rice-hungry for weeks,” Henderson added. But despite the gruelling regime, he never considered packing his bags and leaving early.

Thailand is home to a flourishing Muay Thai training industry welcoming thousands of guests every year, thanks in part to the popularity of mixed martial arts (MMA) which combines striking and grappling techniques. “Mixed martial arts is the fastest growing sport in the world and Muay Thai is an integral part of that,” said Will Elliot, director of Tiger Muay Thai, one of more than a dozen such training camps in Phuket. “It’s definitely extreme to travel halfway across the world,” said Elliot, whose camp welcomes hundreds of guests each month paying up to about $100 per week for group training.

“But we’re in the tropics. It’s hot.

We’re in Thailand, the birthplace of Muay Thai, so it’s about immersion,” he said. Muay Thai, Thailand’s national sport, is known as the “Art of Eight Limbs” because it combines punches, kicks, elbows and knee strikes.

Anyone thinking about signing up should be prepared for the challenge. “It’s very physically intensive.

At the end of a workout you’re going to be exhausted. So if you can maintain that twice a day in combination with a diet, your fitness is going to increase rapidly,” Elliot said.

It worked for James Mason, 29, a former used car salesman from Britain who weighed 200 kilos when he arrived in Thailand a year and a half ago, but has since lost more than 100 kilos. “The doctor told me that if I didn’t do something drastic to change my life in five years’ time I would be dead,” he said. — AFP

19

THURSDAY, APRIL 4, 2013

sp orts

Football and fate take Beckham full circle PARIS: Football, fate and his own refusal to take age lying down are carrying David Beckham back to the scene of his greatest triumph as a footballer.

Beckham’s hair has changed repeatedly - since that famous night in the Camp Nou in Barcelona in 1999 when he fired in the corner that won the European Cup for Manchester United.

What hasn’t changed is Beckham’s desire to influence matches, to stay relevant as a footballer and not simply as a fashion icon. For putting himself in a position to keep on doing that at age 37, for taking such good care of his body and competitor’s mind, Beckham deserves nothing but admiration.

But he cannot forever delay the inevitable. His first Champions League game in three years made that painfully clear. Beckham was the weakest link in the Paris Saint-Germain team that did itself proud against Barcelona on Tuesday night in the enthralling first leg of their quarterfinal. The 2-2 draw allows Paris to believe that victory against arguably the best club team and, in Lionel Messi, the best player in football history isn’t impossible in the return game in Barcelona next Wednesday.

The charitable view would be that

Beckham merely had an off night, instead of a night where he showed his age to a global audience of millions.

He certainly didn’t embarrass himself.

One hopes he would retire before that happens.

Barcelona’s play, as quick and wriggly as a jar of tadpoles, has a habit of making rivals look lead-footed in comparison and Beckham, by his own admittance, was never the quickest of players. So allowances must be made.

Still, Beckham looked particularly sluggish at times and reluctant to commit himself to tackles as though he sensed he would be a yard or two slow. Unlike when Beckham was in his pomp, the match - a frenzied clash of styles and football philosophies - largely flowed around him, not through him.

There was no faulting the logic of Paris manager Carlo Ancelotti in choosing Beckham ahead of Marco Verratti, a 20-year-old Italian with more energy but less experience than the former England captain playing his third decade of professional football.

Ancelotti wanted Beckham to project PSG forward, to reverse the flow of play toward Barcelona’s goal, with his trademark and still accurate passes.

But Beckham had too few opportunities to do that because Barcelona, as always, kept the ball so sublimely. Like

so many of their opponents, Beckham found himself scampering after the shadows of Messi, Andres Iniesta, Xavi Hernandez and their teammates in lurid orange and yellow.

“It’s never easy playing against players like the midfield that they’ve got, because they pass the ball around well,” he said. “You are constantly chasing, because they are so comfortable on the ball, every one of their players from the goal-keeper, the back four, and midfield and up front.”

Playing against such royalty in a Champions League quarterfinal marked a milestone for PSG’s moneyno-obstacle Qatari owners as they transform the club into a European football force. Like Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich at Chelsea or the Abu Dhabi owners of Manchester City, they are proving that success in football can be bought as well as be earned.

More than euro 250 million ($320 million) in player investments in nearly two years of owning the club has bought not just a collection of individual stars but what, against Barcelona, looked like the makings of a genuine team, one with sufficient character to twice come back from a goal down to draw with the four-time European champions.

“This is ...” the stadium announcer bellowed as players walked off. “Paris!” the Parc des Princes crowd howled in response.

The Paris arena, like Old Trafford in Manchester, the Santiago Bernabeu in Madrid and Barcelona’s own Camp Nou, is going to become one of the cauldrons that top teams will have to grow accustomed to visiting, because there’s no sign of the Qatari investment drying up any time soon.

“I’m very proud of the work in the past 18 months,” said PSG President Nasser Al-Khelaifi. “Being in the Champions League quarterfinal, playing the best team in the world, is magnificent for Paris, for France.” That Beckham started such an important match was a poke in the eye for the cynics who said PSG recruited him mainly to sell jerseys and to raise its profile outside France. It showed Beckham is still a player, not merely a global brand. It even seems possible that he could extend what was initially billed as a five-month stay for another season, to his 39th birthday.

“We’ll see,” he said. “I’ve spoken to the owners, I’ve spoken to the manager. I know how happy they are with me and they know how happy I am here.

But I’m not getting any younger, so I’ll enjoy the rest of the season and then

we’ll sit down and talk.” That Ancelotti felt compelled to take off Beckham for the frenetic final 20 minutes against Barcelona when three goals were scored was a sign of his limitations now as a player that will only get more glaring with time.

That substitution came after Beckham lost control of the ball and then clumsily tried to get it back by bringing down Alexis Sanchez, an error that again suggested the game was a smidgen too quick him. Referee Wolfgang Stark showed Beckham the yellow card and Ancelotti brought him off two minutes later. Verratti, his replacement, impressed with his vigor in defense and attack, making a solid argument to be picked to start the second leg next week.

For Beckham, returning to Europe’s biggest stadium will revive memories of trips there playing for Real Madrid and, above all, of United’s 2-1 victory over Bayern Munich in the 1999 final, when substitutes Teddy Sheringham and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer scored in injury time.

Beckham called that “my greatest memory of playing there.” That Beckham now has a chance to make more Camp Nou memories 14 years later is nothing short of amazing. Will they be good ones. —AP

EC probing possible illegal state aid to Real MADRID: The European Commission is studying information it has on allegations of illegal state aid to Real Madrid and other European clubs, a spokesman for competition policy said yesterday.

The nine-times European champions are alleged to have received a favorable deal for land around their Bernabeu stadium from the Madrid city council, as they look to develop a new shopping mall and hotel complex.

Britain’s The Independent newspaper said the dealings between Real and the city council, dating back to a 1996 agreement between them, constituted illegal state aid under article 87 of the Treaty of the European Community. It is alleged that the council over-estimated its debt to the club so they could give Real the prime city-centre land they require for the new development.

“Citizens and companies in

several member states have sent information to the Commission alleging state aid to various football clubs,” Antoine Colombani, a spokesman for competition policy at the European Commission, told a briefing yesterday. “ The Commission is indeed examining the situation of Real Madrid as it does with similar allegations brought to its attention.

“The Commission is currently analysing the information at its disposal and has not decided yet whether or not to open a formal investigation.” Real Madrid and the Madrid city council did not respond immediately to a request for comment.

The EC has said it backs the Financial Fair Play policy which is being implemented by European soccer’s governing body UEFA, aimed at limiting the spending of the major clubs. Under the new rules, clubs are forbidden from

receiving any form of state aid and will be eligible for entry to European competition only if their expenditure is less than generated revenue.

Real were the richest club by income in 2011-12 according to the latest Deloitte “Football Money League” ranking published in January. In response to The Independent’s questions about the acquisition of the land, Real said they had not received “any special privileges in its real estate activities since it has always been subject to the then current legislation and has received the same treatment as any other entity”. The club said the valuation of the land in 2011, which found its value to have increased 54-fold, was carried out by Madrid City Council, and was therefore “independent”.

Real said: “The valuation of all the properties have increased due to the time lapse between the dif-

ferent valuation that in some cases exceeds 10 years, the degree of evolution of the urban development process and the evolution of property prices.”

Last month, the EC’s competition watchdog said it would investigate whether financial support given to five Dutch soccer clubs complied with EU rules on state aid.

The in-depth investigation, which centres on clubs NEC Nijmegen, MVV Maastricht, Willem II Tilburg, PSV Eindhoven and FC Den Bosch, concerns deals done between the clubs and the local council, often involving real estate transactions.

“I strongly believe that professional football clubs should be well managed and not ask for help from the tax-payer when facing financial difficulties,” Competition Commissioner Joaquin Almunia said. —Reuters

Not much to smile for Juventus MUNICH: Juventus arrived at Bayern Munich smiling and left looking downcast after being outclassed by the Bavarians in their Champions League quarter-final first leg on Tuesday.

Coach Antonio Conte, who has inspired an impressive revival at the club, could do little but admit that his side had been second best after a 2-0 defeat left them with a huge task in the return in Turin next Wednesday.

Before the match, Conte had promised that Juventus would enter the fray with smiles on their faces and no fear in their biggest test of his nearly two seasons in charge.

The smiles were missing, however, and there appeared to be quite a lot of fear as Bayern, enjoying a spectacular season at home including a nine -goal mauling of Hamburg SV last Saturday, tore them apart in the first half.

Although it was strange to hear the coach of such a big, successful club taking on the role of underdogs, Conte was merely adapting to a new reality.

Juve’s performance appeared to be further confirmation that Italy’s financially-troubled teams are no longer able to compete with Europe’s best after Udinese fell in the final qualifying round and AC Milan were dispatched 4-0 by Barcelona in the last 16.

Although twice European and 28-times Italian champions Juventus are the only Serie A club to own their stadium and are on a more solid financial footing than the others, even they cannot to afford to splurge cash in

GERMANY: Juventus’ defender Andrea Barzagli reacts during the UEFA Champions League quarter final football match against Bayern Munich. —AFP the same way as Europe’s richest clubs.

“Bayern are among the favourites for the trophy and in my view were very fired up after losing the final last season on home turf,” Conte told reporters.

“That defeat has obviously had a great effect on them and they are determined to

make up for it. “We have to be honest and hold our hands up when we come up against opponents who are much stronger than we are. Bayern are the best team we have faced this season.

“We are only now returning to play at this level and this tells us how far away we are from the top teams in Europe,” he added, repeating his pre-match comments.

Juventus, back in the quarter-finals after a seven-year gap during which they were stripped of two domestic titles over match-fixing, have been dominant in Serie A under Conte, winning the title unbeaten last year and going nine points clear at the top this term.

They had not, however, encountered anything quite like Bayern, who have hammered in 78 goals in 27 Bundesliga matches this season. Juventus appeared simply unprepared for Bayern’s high-tempo pressing in midfield and repeatedly lost possession in dangerous positions, leaving them brutally exposed to Bayern wingers Arjen Robben and Franck Ribery.

“We prepared for the game the normal way but Bayern were extremely physical,” added Conte, who appeared shell-shocked on the touchline during the first half.

“We have become competitive again in Italy but need to keep working in order to improve on a continental level too. Our journey started 16 months ago and just to be involved in a game like this makes us proud.” —Reuters

LONDON: Manchester City’s Argentinian football player Carlos Tevez (center) leaves Macclesfield magistrates court in Macclesfield after pleading guilty to charges of driving while disqualified and driving without insurance. —AP

Tevez handed community service, ban and fine MACCLESFIELD: Carlos Tevez was ordered to carry out 250 hours of community service after admitting yesterday to driving with his license suspended and without insurance, the latest episode in the striker’s turbulent Manchester City career. The Argentina international was also handed a fresh six-month driving ban and ordered to pay fines and costs totaling 1,145 pounds ($1,730) but escaped a six-month prison sentence - the maximum punishment for the driving while disqualified.

“Mr. Tevez, you must realize you are a role model to thousands, if not millions, of fans but nobody is above the law,” magistrate Elizabeth Depares said.

Everton backup goalkeeper Jan Mucha was given an identical sanction for the same offense last month, while Manchester United forward Eric Cantona was also ordered to do community service following his infamous kung-fu kick on a Crystal Palace fan in 1995.

Community orders can involve cleanup projects in the local community, such as painting or graffifi removal, or attending regular appointments with a probation officer.

The 29-year-old Tevez, one of the Premier League’s best and highest-paid players, was already seven weeks into a six-month driving ban - for failing to respond to police requests for information relating to speeding offenses - when he was stopped while driving a sports car near his home on March 7, following an anonymous tip-off. Tevez was driving home from a golf club and told officers: “I only live down the road. Two minutes.”

“You should not have been driving,” Depares said. “We have heard that you are sorry and it is now up to you to ensure you

will not be brought back to court again.”

Gwyn Lewis, the solicitor defending Tevez, said being arrested, questioned by police and appearing in court, had been a “very frightening” experience for the striker. Tevez, who has played in England for the past seven years with West Ham, Manchester United and now City since 2009, still doesn’t hold a British driving license because he hasn’t passed a theory test in English. He listened to proceedings in court with the aid of an interpreter, who translated into his native Spanish. “He was very clear when talking to me this has been a very salutary lesson,” said probation officer Mike Boliver, who had a 15-minute conversation with Tevez while the case was briefly adjourned. “I think (considering) the seriousness and significance of this type of offense, I think the likelihood of this happening again is very, very slim.”—AP

Matches on TV (Local Timings) UEFA Europa League Tottenham v Basel Aljazeera Sport +2

22:05

Fenerbahce v Lazio Aljazeera Sport +5

22:05

Chelsea v Rubin Kazan Aljazeera Sport +5

22:05

Benfica v Newcastle Aljazeera Sport +1

22:05

Three referees dropped over Singapore matchfixing fears SINGAPORE: Three Lebanese soccer officials were dropped from refereeing an AFC Cup match in Singapore and are helping the country’s Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau (CPIB) with their enquiries, the Football Association of Singapore (FAS) said yesterday.

Ali Sabbagh and assistant referees Ali Eid and Abdallah Taleb were taken to the CPIB early on Wednesday, the FAS said, with replacement officials from Thailand and Malaysia taking charge of Tampines Rovers’ 4-2 defeat by East Bengal of India later in the day.

“Singapore and FAS have a zero-tolerance policy when it comes to matchfixing and football corruption,” the FAS said in a statement released shortly before the match was due to kick-off.

“We take a serious view of allegations pertaining to matchfixing and football corruption activities and the authorities and FAS will spare no effort in minimising the possibility of such activities taking place within the local football scene.”

The FAS said it had contacted the Asian Football Confederation immediately and replacement officials were sent to cover the match in the region’s second-tier international club tournament.

The AFC, contacted by Reuters, said it would not comment on the situation. The CPIB, a government law-enforcement body that is separate from the regular police, confirmed it had spoken with the three officials. “We adopt a zero tolerance approach towards corruption, and matchfixing of any form is not condoned in Singapore,” the body said in an email to Reuters.

A CPIB spokesman declined to comment when asked if the three officials were still being questioned or if their passports had been impounded. Sabbagh has been an international referee since 2008, according to world governing body FIFA, and has taken charge of World Cup qualifiers in Asia in recent times. He officiated in Nepal’s 2-1 win over East Timor in a second-round qualifying match in June 2011 and Oman’s win over Myanmar. —Reuters

RIYADH: Iran’s Esteghlal player Amir Hossein Sadeghi (left) vies for the ball against Saudi’s Al-Hilal player Yasser Al-Qahtani (right) during their AFC Champions League Group D football match at the Prince Faisal bin Fahad stadium. —AFP

Tevez handed community service, ban and fine

Lakers hang Shaq’s jersey in the rafters

THURSDAY, APRIL 4, 2013

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Football and fate take Beckham full circle

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MADRID: Real Madrid’s Angel Di Maria from Argentina (right) is held by Galatasaray’s Albert Riera, from Spain (left) during the Champions League quarterfinal first leg soccer match. — AP

Real cruise to victory over Galatasaray MADRID: Real Madrid took a huge step towards reaching the Champions League semi-finals for the third consecutive year as they beat Galatasaray 3-0 at the Santiago Bernabeu.

Cristiano Ronaldo got the hosts off to the perfect start as he calmly chipped home from Mesut Ozil’s wonderful through ball after just nine minutes. Karim Benzema then doubled Madrid’s lead on 29 minutes with a simple finish at the back post from Michael Essien’s cross and Gonzalo Higuain headed home the third 17 minutes from time to seal a highly satisfactory evening for the hosts.

Galatasaray manager Fatih Terim

had signalled his intent to attack by naming the trio of Wesley Sneijder, Didier Drogba and Burak Yilmaz in his starting line-up.

However, as a result the Turkish champions gifted way too much for Madrid to create in midfield, with Ozil in particular shining in the first-half.

The German international set-up the opener as he received Xabi Alonso’s pass before turning and feeding Ronaldo to dink the ball over the advancing Fernando Muslera for his ninth Champions League goal of the campaign.

Drogba nearly produced an immediate reply for the visitors as he spun

Raphael Varane on the edge of the box, but with a clear sight of goal the Ivorian lashed wildly wide of the target. Sneijder also fired wide from 20 yards as Galatasaray went in search of the away goal.

However, that was opening up gaps that Madrid love to exploit on the counter-attack and from another sprightly break Ozil forced Muslera into a good low save.

Drogba did hit the target with another long-range strike that Diego Lopez could only turn behind for a corner and Galatasaray had a good claim for a penalty turned down when Sami Khedira appeared to handle inside his

own area.

Yet, they were still struggling to cope at the back and went further behind when Essien’s cross just evaded Ronaldo but fell perfectly for Benzema to slot in off the near post.

Emmanuel Eboue had a great chance to give Terim’s men a lifeline just before half-time as he broke through on goal after a neat exchange of passes with Drogba, but the former Arsenal defender fired his shot too close to Lopez, who made a comfortable save.

Perhaps recognising the error of his ways to start the game, Terim replaced Sneijder with Gokhan Zan at the break.

The change to a 5-3-2 formation did

Dortmund denied in Malaga stalemate MALAGA: Borussia Dortmund were left to rue a host of missed chances as their Champions League quarter-final first leg against Malaga at La Rosaleda ended in a 0-0 draw yesterday.

The result means it will be all to play for at the Signal Iduna Park in Dortmund in next Tuesday’s second leg, although the Bundesliga side may live to regret not grabbing an away goal.

Borussia do however remain the only unbeaten team in the Champions League this season, while Malaga continued their good home form with a controlled performance, especially in the second period. Their record of never losing a European tie at home is now extended to a 14th game.

The Spaniards had almost a full squad to choose from and preferred Javier Saviola up front to Roque Santa Cruz while the Germans were missing their influential centre-half Mats Hummels.

Dortmund left-back Marcel Schmelzer, who broke his nose against Stuttgart at the weekend, surprisingly started the game with a mask protecting his injury.

Both sides were understandably cautious in the opening stages but Saviola came close to opening the scoring for the home side on seven minutes after good play on the right from Jesus Gamez found the Argentinian in space in the box.

However, the little Argentine pulled his shot just wide. Shortly after, the German side had their first chance of a number in the first period when a long ball out of defence was headed into the path of Mario Goetze by Robert Lewandowski, but Willy Caballero was quick to get down to save well for the hosts.

Caballero was the hero again five minutes later when he made a better save at close range from the same player after slick passing from the Germans had opened up the home defence.

Borussia’s neat quick passing game was beginning to dominate proceedings and Caballero had to be sharp again on 25 minutes to deny a Marco Reus drive from outside the area.

Next it was Kevin Grosskreutz who shot wide for the visitors after another quick move caused more problems in the Spanish defence.

On the half-hour mark, Malaga centre half Weligton received a yellow card when all he could do was pull down Lewandowski to stop another attack, with the card meaning the influential Brazilian defender will miss the second leg in Germany. Malaga midfielder Manuel Iturra will also miss the second leg after picking up a card later in the game.

Borussia’s Polish forward Lewandowski was looking lively and causing Malaga problems at every opportunity. At the other end Malaga showed signs before half-time of causing their own problems and Roman Weidenfeller needed quick reflexes to palm away a Weligton header.

The Spanish side began to exert more control over the centre of the pitch after the interval which slowed down their opponents and made

allow the visitors to stem the tide of Madrid attacks in the second period, but the Spanish champions should have scored a third when Angel Di Maria was found by another majestic Ozil pass only for the Argentine to volley meekly into Muslera’s arms.

The tie was virtually killed off by a third Madrid goal 17 minutes from time though as substitute Higuain glanced home Alonso’s in-swinging free-kick.

And Galatasaray’s night was summed up when Yilmaz saw a yellow card for diving when he was challenged by Sergio Ramos, meaning he will now miss the return-leg on

Tuesday.

Meanwhile, Galatasaray midfielder Wesley Sneijder has claimed his decision to leave Inter Milan for the Turkish champions has been vindicated by the Turkish champions run to the Champions League quarter-finals. The Dutch international left the Serie A side in January to move to Istanbul.

“I’m very happy at Galatasaray, I have felt very welcome since the day I arrived,” he told a press conference on Tuesday. “It’s an amazing club. I’m definitely sure I made the right choice in coming here. I wanted to make a step forward, not back after Inter, and look where I am now”. —AFP

Palacio at the double as Inter down Sampdoria

MALAGA: Dortmund’s striker Julian Schieber (left) vies with Malaga’s Brazilian defender Weligton during the UEFA Champions League quarter-final first leg football match. — AFP goal chances less frequent.

Indeed it was not until the 65th minute, when Goetze broke down the right before shooting wide of the far post for Borussia, that either side had a serious attempt on goal.

A minute later, Weidenfeller had to block a rasping drive from Isco at the other end to make the save of the game, leaving all to be decided in the return.— AFP

MILAN: Rodrigo Palacio scored a brace as Inter Milan inched closer to Serie A’s Champions League qualification places yesterday with a precious 2-0 win away to Sampdoria.

Four days after a 2-1 defeat at home to leaders Juventus left them in seventh place, Inter were desperate to make amends in a fixture that was originally postponed on March 17 due to adverse weather in Genoa.

However, Andrea Stramaccioni’s side were bossed for long periods in the first half before taking the lead through Palacio’s 43rd minute header. Palacio then brightened up an insipid performance from both sides in the second half with a fine individual effort three minutes into injury time to help push Inter up to fifth on 50 points - seven short of third-placed Milan in the final Champions League qualifying spot.

Despite welcoming Juan Jesus back from suspension the Nerazzurri were without Argentine midfielder Esteban Cambiasso after he received a one game ban following the match at Juve last Saturday.

Sampdoria had the lion’s share of goalscoring chances in the first half. A Gianluca Sansone header in the opening minute went straight to Inter keeper Samir Handanovic while at the other end Sergio Romero did well to fingertip the ball round the post with Palacio threatening.

Handanovic then had to be at full stretch to palm away a header from Inter transfer target Mauro Icardi after the 20-year- old Argentine met Sansone’s corner kick.

Sansone’s tame shot went straight to Handanovic but the ‘keeper had to look livelier to keep Nenad Krsticic’s strike

from landing in the top corner just after the half hour.

Inter defender Jonathan came close to gifting Sampdoria a goal when he slipped twice inside the penalty area, but despite Icardi’s best efforts he failed to capitalise.

Although Sampdoria were dominating, the hosts’ defence was found wanting two minutes before the break when Palacio ghosted between both centrebacks to meet Alvaro Pereira’s cross and beat Romero with a glancing header.

Sampdoria created chances before the half-time interval through Poli and Marcelo Estigarribia, while a Palacio shot from a tight angle flashed across the face of goal on the stroke of half time.

Sampdoria picked up where they had left off, Sansone’s angled drive forcing Handanovic into action minutes after the restart.

However the momentum the hosts had created was in far less abundance and there were few real chances for either side after the break.

Stramaccioni replaced striker Antonio Cassano, a former Sampdoria player, with Serbian midfielder Zdravko Kuzmanovic on 67 minutes.

Whether that was designed to stem Samp’s offensives or not, it coincided with a total lack of creativity from the hosts who were confined to testing Handanovic with a couple of long-range efforts late in the game. Sampdoria looked fatigued and in the dying minutes were put to the sword when Palacio produced some fine individual skill to hold off two defenders on his way towards goal before coolly slotting the ball under Romero for his 12th goal of the campaign. — AFP

Business

EU chief slams banking union delay amid crisis Page 23 BOJ holds first policy meeting under new head Page 25

THURSDAY, APRIL 4, 2013

Global energy demand undergoing rapid change

UAE’s NBAD names CEO with Asian experience Page 22 Page 26

NICOSIA: Volunteers prepare boxes containing food items and household products which are to be distributed to those suffering the fallout of a severe financial crisis in the centre of the Cypriot capital, Nicosia yesterday.—AFP

Cyprus president sees ‘difficult days ahead’ Georgiades sworn in new finance minister NICOSIA: Cypriot President Nicos Anastasiades warned yesterday of “difficult days ahead” as he swore in a new finance minister for an island struggling to recover from a near financial meltdown and the need for a crippling euro-zone bailout.

Anastasiades said this would entail “firstly, collectivity and, secondly, consistency and fiscal discipline and all those measures that will contribute to kick-starting the economy as soon as possible.” “I have no doubt that you will not only accomplish your task to the full, but in the best way possible that is worthy of your predecessor,” Anastasiades told the new minister, Haris Georgiades, at the swearing-in ceremony. Georgiades, a 40year-old British-educated economist who became labor minister when Anastasiades was elected in February, took up his new post after Michalis Sarris stepped down on Tuesday.

Sarris had been chairman last year of failed Laiki Bank, whose collapse was a major contributor to the crisis. He said he was resigning to cooperate with a panel of judges appointed to

investigate the causes of the crisis. His departure came as the government wrapped up talks with the IMF, European Commission and European Central Bank that will open the way for Cyprus to receive a 10-billion-euro ($12.8 billion) bailout.

The deal, which must be ratified by euro-zone finance ministers and national EU parliaments, will see Cyprus receiving the loan with an interest rate of between 2.5 and 2.7 per cent. It is repayable over 12 years after a grace period of a decade. On Wednesday, International Monetary Fund managing director Christine Lagarde said the IMF’s contribution to the package would be approximately one billion euros.

“This is a challenging program that will require great efforts from the Cypriot population,” Lagarde said in a statement, but it “provides a durable and fully financed solution to the underlying problems facing Cyprus and provides a sustainable path toward a recovery.” She added that the measures adopted “seek to distribute the burden of the adjustment fairly among the

various segments of the population and to protect the most vulnerable groups.”

Under the final deal, Cyprus won a two-year extension, from 2016 to 2018, to get its public finances in order. This will entail a raft of measures, including raising corporate income tax from 10 percent to 12.5 percent, downsizing the public sector workforce and privatizing some state-owned firms.

Cyprus is already in recession, with unemployment at around 15 percent and is expected to grow sharply this year and next. Forecasts before the deal was agreed saw GDP contracting by 3.5 percent this year. On Tuesday, Sarris said “2013 will be a very difficult year, and the beginning of 2014 will also be difficult. Beyond this I believe the prospects are positive.”

Also sworn in on Wednesday was Zeta Emilianidou, who becomes the first woman in the cabinet and replaces Georgiades at the labor ministry. Anastasiades told her: “The ministry you are undertaking certainly requires great sensitivi-

ty. It is a ministry that deals with the government’s social policy for vulnerable groups” and with industrial relations.

Under the bailout deal, those with savings larger than 100,000 euros in the country’s largest lender, Bank of Cyprus, face losing up to 60 percent of their deposits over that amount.

Central bank official Yiangos Demetriou told state radio Tuesday that savers in the bank would, however, now be able to access 10 percent of their deposits over 100,000 euros. Those in second lender Laiki will have to wait years to see any of their money over 100,000 euros as the bank is shuttered.

Banks have been operating under stringent capital controls since they reopened last Thursday, after a near two-week lockdown prompted by fears of a run on deposits. The central bank has been progressively easing these restrictions, and has now raised the limit on business transactions from 5,000 euros to 25,000 and allowing people to write cheques of up to 9,000 euros. — AFP

Egypt slumps to new low on currency woes MIDEAST STOCK MARKETS

World’s largest airport spreads wings in Dubai Passenger services to begin on Oct 27 DUBAI: Dubai’s new international airport, which started cargo operations in 2010, will open its long-delayed passenger terminal on Oct 27 with two budget airlines launching services there, airport authorities said yesterday. European low-cost carrier Wizz Air and Saudi Arabia’s Nasair will begin passenger operations into Dubai World Central, Dubai Airports said in a statement. Dubai World Central is designed eventually to cater to 160 million passengers, which would make it the world’s largest airport on completion. It is supposed ultimately to replace the emirate’s current international airport, Dubai International - though this will not happen before next decade at the earliest.

Big airlines, including Dubai’s flagship carrier Emirates , have not indicated any plans to move to the new facility, which was originally due to open for passenger traffic in March 2011.

Dubai is still pressing ahead with a $7.8billion plan to expand Dubai International and opened a dedicated terminal there for Emirates Airbus A380s in January. Passenger flows through Dubai International jumped 13.2 percent last year to 57.68 million people.

Last month the airport became the world’s second busiest for international passenger traffic, moving ahead of Charles de Gaulle in Paris. London’s Heathrow is the busiest. — Reuters

DUBAI: Cairo’s bourse fell to a new 2013 low yesterday as foreign investors sold stocks on fears that Egypt’s currency would be further devalued. The Egyptian pound has fallen sharply against the dollar on the black market in the last few days, due to dwindling supply of the US currency. A further decline is expected unless more hard currency enters the market.

The value of the dollar is 17 percent higher yesterday than the official rate said Mohamed Radwan, director of international sales at Pharos Securities. “The dollar has shot up dramatically on the black market - that’s why people are selling on devaluation worries - they want to get out before FX losses get higher,” said Radwan. Cairo’s benchmark dropped 2.2 percent to 4,926 points, its lowest level since Dec 6.

The index broke the 5,000 psychologically critical level, also sparking selling by investors that follow technical indicators. Large-caps tumble with Commercial International Bank losing 4.3 percent. Orascom Construction Industries fell 2.6 percent and Orascom Telecom shed 2 percent. In Saudi Arabia, the index ticked up 0.08 percent as investors hesitated to increase risk ahead of the weekend due to uncertainty on the global front. “We’re still being driven by sentiment from Europe and the US and unless we see something positive coming out of there, it’s getting difficult to see a rally in the short-term,” said Muhammad Faisal Potrik, research analyst at Riyad Capital. “Even with earnings season almost starting, we haven’t seen a major push in the market - the drag could be from the global news flow.”

European shares eased on Wednesday as investors awaited this week’s policy decisions by the Bank of Japan and European Central Bank followed by US employment data. In Dubai, bargain hunters helped lift the market after a recent correction. Small-caps dominated trade with mortgage lender Tamweel surging 9.1 percent and insurance companies also rising. Trading and momentum has slowed in recent sessions as investors await first-quarter earnings to justify increasing risk after an early-year surge. UAE companies are expected to post results in late April. The emirate’s index climbed 0.6 percent, extending 2013 gains to 14.6 percent and up for a second day since Monday’s two-month low.—ReutersJapan

MUMBAI: An Indian pedestrian walks past an advertisement for Reliance Communications while speaking on her mobile phone in Mumbai yesterday. India’s billionaire Ambani brothers, who fought a very public feud for spoils of their father’s business empire, signed Tuesday a $220-million deal in the first tangible sign of a corporate reconciliation. — AFP

French govt reeling from ex-minister tax scandal PARIS: France’s Socialist government was reeling from an explosive tax fraud scandal yesterday as critics questioned how much President Francois Hollande knew about a former budget minister’s secret foreign bank account.

Jerome Cahuzac-the minister responsible for cracking down on tax evasion until he resigned two weeks ago-was charged Tuesday with “laundering the proceeds of tax fraud” after he admitted to having a foreign bank account containing some 600,000 euros ($770,000), following weeks of denials.

Hollande appeared on national television Wednesday to address the scandal, vowing a

new law within weeks on the “publication and control” of the wealth of ministers and parliamentarians.

Hollande said he knew nothing of the foreign account and that Cahuzac “did not benefit from any protection” from the government.

“He deceived the highest authorities in the country: the head of state, the head of the government, parliament, and through them all the French people,” Hollande said. The president had been quick to condemn Cahuzac’s actions, but critics have pounced on the scandal, saying top officials must have been either lying to protect the ex-minister or naive enough to believe him.—AFP

THURSDAY, APRIL 4, 2013

BUSINESS

UAE’s NBAD names CEO with Asian experience Alex Thursby to take over on July 1

NEW DELHI: Indian Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) employees work at an underground construction site at the Janpath metro station in New Delhi yesterday.

Over two million passengers travel by Delhi metro and 2,500 train trips are made each day. — AFP

India’s MRPL asks for more Saudi oil in April about 45,000 bpd in the last fiscal year. It is also looking at signing an annual deal with Total to buy about 40,000 bpd Basrah crude oil, sources earlier told Reuters.

Indian Oil Corp, the country’s biggest refiner, plans to ship in two million barrels of oil from Iran this month. IOC’s refinery insurance policy is not due for renewal until November, a company source said.

State refiners have made provisions for Iranian crude in their annual import plans, but those are pending a decision from the government on resolving the insurance problem. Yesterday, oil ministry and industry officials are due to meet to discuss the reinsurance issue. Oil Secretary Vivek Rae last month said that Indian insurers and the Oil and Industry Development Board (OIDB) under the federal oil ministry may jointly set up a fund to back local insurers.

A government source said initial talks included a proposal for insurers and OIDB to contribute 10 billion rupees ($184.21 million) each for the planned reinsurance scheme. That may not be enough to cover an accident or incident at a refinery, and it is unclear how the rest would be funded.

“An incident in MRPL can cost about 5060 billion rupees and at Essar it will be about 100-120 billion rupees ... You have to have this kind of financial muscle to provide cover,” said the government source.

The Indian Express Newspaper last week reported that the federal government could extend a sovereign guarantee of up to 100 billion rupees. The finance ministry declined to comment.

Indian state refiners are planning to import 124,000 bpd Iranian oil in 2013/14, about 20 percent less than last year, provided sanctions against Iran are eased or if the Indian government steps in to provide reinsurance. India, the world’s fourth biggest oil consumer, wants to retain the shrinking volumes of Iranian oil in its crude supply mix to help feed its expanding refining capacity. In February, India’s total imports of Iranian crude were about 259,000 bpd, down nearly 43 percent from a year ago. — Reuters

NEW DELHI: Indian state-owned refiner MRPL has asked for more Saudi Arabian oil this month, according to an industry source close to the matter, as it awaits clarity from India’s government on how it will insure plants using crude from sanctions-hit Iran.

Indian insurers said in February they could no longer cover refineries processing Iranian oil as European reinsurers had stopped helping them hedge their risk.

New Delhi and industry officials have been considering establishing a domestic reinsurance scheme, but it is unclear how that would be funded. Mangalore Refinery and Petrochemicals Ltd (MRPL) and Hindustan Petroleum Corp have both said they will halt oil imports from Iran in April if insurance cover is not available for their refineries.

Europe and the United States introduced tough sanctions last year targeting Iran’s oil exports to force the Islamic nation to the negotiating table over its disputed nuclear program. Those sanctions gave rise to a similar reinsurance issue that stopped non-Iranian shipowners from carrying Iranian oil.

MRPL, Iran’s biggest Indian customer, has asked for an extra 23,000 barrels per day (bpd) of oil from Saudi Aramco for April, after already increasing its annual contract to 55,000 bpd for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2014, the industry source said. The volume including the extra barrels would be around 70 percent higher than the 46,000 bpd that MRPL took from Saudi Aramco in 2012/13, the source said. HPCL is turning to Iraq to replace Iranian barrels it won’t be lifting from April.

HPCL doesn’t want a firm contract with Iran for 2013/14 but wants an option to take up 20,000 bpd, about 57 percent lower than last year, according to company sources. “At this stage we don’t want a firm contract with Iran as one or the other problem is always there,” said an HPCL source. HPCL aims to buy 60,000 bpd oil from Iraq’s State Oil Marketing Organization (SOMO) in 2013/14, up from

ABU DHABI: National Bank of Abu Dhabi named the banker who led Australia and New Zealand Banking Group’s push into Asia as its chief executive yesterday, as it expands abroad from its saturated local market. Alex Thursby, currently ANZ’s chief executive for international and institutional banking, will take over on July 1 at NBAD, where he will also face the challenge of fighting off pretenders to the bank’s number one domestic position.

NBAD, almost 70-percent owned by Abu Dhabi’s government, has the largest market capitalization and profitability of the 50 local and international banks in the United Arab Emirates.

Like other UAE banks such as Emirates NBD, First Gulf Bank and Union National Bank, it is keen to expand overseas due to stiff competition in the local market. “It is not going to be easy competing with some peer banks that have adopted an aggressive approach to win business locally as well as abroad, particularly in Asia and the Middle East,” said a senior Abu Dhabi banker, who did not want to be named.

In his new role, Thursby succeeds Michael Tomalin whose retirement after 14 years at the helm was announced a year ago. Tomalin will

Alex Thursby remain in a non-executive director’s position.

British-born Thursby was put in charge of ANZ CEO Mike Smith’s push for the Australian lender to become a super regional bank in Asia six years ago. ANZ aims to double earnings in Asia to up to 30 percent of its total inside five

years. Thursby was touted as a potential CEO at ANZ last year when Smith was approached by Barclays Plc. Thursby will face a similar challenge at NBAD, which has turned its focus outward, particularly towards Asia, and wants its international division to contribute 25 percent of operating profit in five years and 40 percent by 2021.

NBAD is already the most international of UAE banks, with operations in 14 nations on four continents. It targets presence in 41 by 2021, mostly in Asia, Africa and the Middle East.

Thursby also has a reputation for conservative risk management, an approach which should fit well at NBAD. “Its strong board with a conservative approach and low appetite for risk has kept the bank in good hands and I don’t see lots of challenges for Thursby apart from just implementing the international expansion,” said Tariq Qaqish, head of asset management at Al Mal Capital. From January 1999 to March 2001, Thursby was chief executive officer, UAE and regional head of corporate banking, Middle East and South Asia at Standard Chartered Plc. ANZ shares closed down 1.9 percent in Sydney, while NBAD shares were flat on the Abu Dhabi bourse yesterday. — Reuters

Saudi to raise OSPs for most grades in May SINGAPORE: Top oil exporter Saudi Arabia is expected to raise the official selling prices for its main crude grades to Asian customers in May on Dubai price strength and improved fuel oil cracks, a Reuters survey showed yesterday. Crude demand is also expected to rise as refineries in Asia return from maintenance. Saudi Arabia may increase the OSPs for Arab Light, Arab Medium and Arab Heavy by 80 cents to $1.10 per barrel, while Arab Extra Light may be lowered by 20 cents per barrel, according to the median of estimates from six traders and refiners.

Saudi crude OSPs are usually released around the fifth of each month and set the trend for official prices from Iran, Kuwait and Iraq, affecting some 7 million barrels per day (bpd) of crude bound for Asia. The Middle Eastern kingdom had lowered its OSPs to Asian buyers in March and April when about a million barrels per day of refinery capacity was offline for maintenance, according to Reuters

data. “Turnaround season is nearly over and fuel oil cracks are looking good, so we might see higher OSPs now,” a trader at a north Asian refiner said.

On Monday, Saudi oil minister Ali Al-Naimi said demand for Saudi crude is likely to rise over the next few months. In a sign that demand for Middle East crude has picked up, spot differentials for May cargoes traded last month firmed up as refiners in Japan and China resumed purchases.

Dubai front-month spreads also widened in backwardation, indicating stronger prompt demand.

The fuel oil crack-the loss incurred by a refinery by processing crude into the product-narrowed from last month, supporting a hike in Arab Heavy’s price.

Gasoil margins are recovering this week after dropping more than $5 from the previous month, but naphtha cracks weakened to the lowest in more than 7 months on Tuesday, weighing on the

price for Arab Extra Light as it produces more naphtha. A sharp drop in overall margins could still curb refiners’ appetite to lift more crude. Complex refining margins in Singapore dropped to about $6.50 a barrel by the end of March, from nearly $12 a barrel at the end of February.

Abu Dhabi National Oil Co (ADNOC) cut the March retroactive price for its key Murban crude by $5.45 a barrel from February to $109.95 a barrel, raising its premium to the March Dubai crude average to $4.40 a barrel from $4.30 for February.

ADNOC also raised Lower Zakum’s premium to Dubai quotes by 10 cents a barrel, while it cut the premiums for Umm Shaif and Upper Zakum by 5 and 35 cents respectively.

Saudi Aramco, the world’s biggest crude exporter, sets its crude prices based on recommendations from customers, and after calculating the change in value of its oil over the previous month, considering yields and product prices. — Reuters

British gas prices firm on cold weather, low stocks LONDON: British spot gas prices rose slightly yesterday morning as cold weather and low storage kept the system tight although supply from liquefied natural gas (LNG) helped meet high demand.

Gas prices for delivery within the day were trading at 79.05 pence per therm at 0940 GMT, up two pence from the previous morning, and prices for delivery the next day were up 1.25 pence since Tuesday at 79.25 pence a therm.

The slight rise followed a sharp drop on Tuesday, and analysts said the uptick was the result of rising demand and lower supplies from Norway and continental Europe.

“The day-ahead contract is bullish due to higher forecast consumption and a drop in supply today,” analysts at Thomson Reuters Point Carbon said.

“Current flows and nominations indicate lower

imports from Norway and the continent for today,” they said.

Britain’s gas demand was expected to be 311.8 million cubic metres (mcm) yesterday, 17.6 percent above the seasonal norm, according to National Grid, though with supplies seen at 320.2 mcm, the system was seen 8.4 mcm oversupplied. Traders said high supply was mainly a result of a number of tankers that delivered LNG to Britain in recent days.

Around 616,000 cubic metres of gas were delivered to Britain from LNG cargoes between March 25 and 31, and another 261,000-cubic-metre delivery was expected to arrive on April 10. With fewer LNG tankers scheduled to arrive in Britain in the next week and the weather expected to remain cold, the UK’s storage sites could come under pressure again.

Britain’s gas storage sites remain very low, currently standing around 6.37 percent, according to Gas Infrastructure Europe. Since the beginning of March, they have dropped from 21.49 percent, at an average daily depletion rate of 0.45 percent.

Despite this drop, the LNG arrivals have given the system some pause, and stocks are up from a record low of 5.13 percent at the end of March.

Britain’s MetOffice has forecast that temperatures will remain below 10 degrees Celsius for the rest of the week, but that conditions would become slightly milder by the weekend.

Further out on the price curve, front-season delivery prices jumped from around 70 pence a therm last week to just under 74 pence this week as contracts rolled from the low demand summer to the high demand winter season. — 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 .4270000 .3620000 .2970000 .2780000 .2950000 .0040000 .0020000 .0770830 .7510010 .3930000 .0720000 .7362240 .0370000

.2880000 .4410000 .3720000 .3160000 .2920000 .3020000 .0068000 .0035000 .0778580 .7585480 .4110000 .0770000 .7436230 .0440000

CUSTOMER TRANSFER RATES .2844000 .4290600 .3641880 .2993840 .2803080 .0488580 .0438100 .2973830 .0366400 .2295960 .0030410 .0000000 .0000000 .0000000 .0000000 .0774620 .7546770 .0000000 .0758600 .7389890 .0000000

.2865000 .4322280 .3668780 .3015950 .2823770 .0492190 .0441330 .2995790 .0369100 .2312910 .0030640 .0052990 .0022750 .0029230 .0036830 .0780340 .7602490 .4052330 .0764200 .7444460 .0070580

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

3.076 5.252 2.896 2.254 3.287 231.330 36.758 3.612 6.983

Thai Baht Irani Riyal - transfer Irani Riyal - cash

9.743 0.271 0.273

Omani Riyal Qatari Riyal Saudi Riyal

741.08 78.63 76.13

740.000 78.500 76.500

Dollarco Exchange Co. Ltd

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

76.124 78.436 741.460 758.200 77.731

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

40.700 41.252 1.332 180.030 403.120 1.915 3.101 33.571

EUROPEAN & AMERICAN COUNTRIES US Dollar Transfer 285.350 Euro 368.390 Sterling Pound 435.730 Canadian dollar 282.250 Swiss Franc 303.080 US Dollar Buying 284.150

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 302.68 285.29 306.15 369.73 284.75 437.30 3.14 3.663 5.245 2.257 3.289 2.898 77.59 758.18 41.20 405.66

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 0.4239857 0.0061841 0.0451552 0.3609259 0.0451552 0.4215545 0.0399291 0.2958971 Australasia 0.2884997 0.2321968 0.0001118 America 0.2744413 0.0001487 0.2834500 Asia 0.0035884 0.0031633 0.0448374 0.0164767

SELLDRAFT 0.4329857 0.0181841 0.0501552 0.3684259 0.0503552 0.4287245 0.0449291 0.3028971 0.3004997 0.2421968 0.0001118 0.2834413 0.0001667 0.2856000 0.0036434 0.0033933 0.0498374 0.0195767

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 0.0341935 0.0051831 0.0000243 0.0028488 0.0029940 0.0032651 0.0880837 0.0031282 0.0028672 0.0065319 0.0000728 0.2264858 0.0019538 0.0093283 Arab 0.7499397 0.0392387 0.0129594 0.1484326 0.0000793 0.0001735 0.3966167 1.0000000 0.0001749 0.0214689 0.0012120 0.7296388 0.0776683 0.0755067 0.0479458 0.0031818 0.1788850 0.0762085 0.0012864

0.0000503 0.0372935 0.0052480 0.0000295 0.0038488 0.0031740 0.0034951 0.0950837 0.0033282 0.0029072 0.0070019 0.0000758 0.2324858 0.0022558 0.0099283 0.7584397 0.0412687 0.0194594 0.1502226 0.0000798 0.0002335 0.4041167 1.0000000 0.0001949 0.0454689 0.0018470 0.7406388 0.0784513 O.0761467 0.0484958 0.0034018 0.1848850 0.0776585 0.0013864

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

Transfer Rate (Per 1000) 284.800 369.200 436.250 282.800 3.065 5.250 41.250 2.253 3.619 6.978 2.896 758.250 77.600 76.100

THURSDAY, APRIL 4, 2013

BUSINESS

ECB to face Cyprus questions at rate meeting FRANKFURT: European Central Bank President Mario Draghi will try today to reassure markets that Cyprus’s chaotic bail-out won’t worsen the euro currency union’s debt crisis - in spite of the heavy losses for the country’s savers and strict limits on taking out money from banks or the country.

Last month, Draghi memorably dismissed fears that the euro area would be plunged into turmoil by the political deadlock in Italy as “the angst of the week.” Europe’s markets and investors have been calmer since the ECB offered to help indebted countries by buying unlimited amounts of bonds. But any new political or financial turmoil raises the question of how long that calm will hold. At Draghi’s news conference Thursday, held after the ECB’s monthly rate-setting meeting, attention will focus on the latest “angst” - tiny Cyprus,

which this month became the fifth member of the 17 European Union country group that uses the euro to need rescue loans. Cyprus asked for a bailout after its oversized banking sector suffered huge losses on its investments in Greece and the country’s government could not afford to rescue it on its own. In return for a 10 billion euro ($12.84 billion) loan, clinched after a week of turmoil that threatened Cyprus’s membership of the euro, the government agreed to impose losses on savers and investors in the country’s two biggest banks and overhaul its financial system.

As Cyprus’s politicians struggled to reach agreement on the rescue, the ECB threatened to cut off emergency credit to banks unless a deal was cut. The threat helped bring about an agreement, and the ECB said the credits from

the Cypriot central bank could continue - for now. To prevent savers rushing to empty their accounts, Cyprus’s were closed for nearly two weeks while the deal was negotiated. When they reopened last week, bank accounts were under strict capital controls restrictions on how much money people can take out of their accounts and the country.

At Thursday ’s press conference, Draghi will likely be pressed for his views on these controls. Some economists have warned the measures violate the basic principle of a shared currency: A euro in Cyprus, at least temporarily, is not being treated the same as a euro elsewhere in the 16 other eurozone members. The European Union allows the practice only in exceptional circumstances.

Analysts Richard Barwell and Xinying

Chen at Royal Bank of Scotland said Draghi is likely to downplay the issue.

The message will be that “capital controls are not the end of the line for Cyprus... Freak out if you wish, but the governing council will keep calm and carr y on,” they wrote in a note to investors.

The ECB’s 23-member governing council is expected to leave its key benchmark interest rate unchanged at a record low 0.75 percent when it meets today - mainly because the ECB leadership believes it wouldn’t do much good.

The real problem, they say, is that already-low rates are not being getting through to companies in the form of cheaper loans from banks. Banks in the most indebted countries are unable to pass on low rates due because their own finances are in trouble.

Yet the economy is in bad enough

shape to justify the stimulus from a cut, many say. The euro-zone is in recession and unemployment is at 12 percent highest since the euro was launched in 1999. Economic indicators are shaky enough to suggest a hoped-for recovery later this year might be delayed. Some of the 17 national central bank heads who sit on the ECB’s council have apparently pushed for a cut. Draghi conceded that the topic came up at the December and March meetings.

Instead of cuts, the ECB has offered unlimited amounts of short-term credits to banks, available at 7-day, one-month and three-month intervals, in hopes that money will filter through to the economy as loans. Given signs of continued economic weakness, Draghi may again stress that the take -all-you want approach to lending will remain in place for as long as needed. — AP

EU chief slams banking union delay amid crisis Austerity hits international aid: OECD

LONDON: A signage of the Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) is pictured at his London headquarters. Thousands of investors in Royal Bank of Scotland yesterday launched a potential 4.0-billion GBP ($6.0-billion, 4.7-billion euro) claim against the bank and its old bosses over a controversial 2008 shares sale conducted just before its state bailout. — AFP

Iraq oil exports reach 2.417m bpd in March BAGHDAD: Iraq’s total oil production in March was 3.150 million barrels per day and crude exports for the month were 2.417 million bpd, from 2.538 million bpd the previous month, the oil minister said yesterday.

Iraq shipped 2.102 million bpd from the southern oil hub of Basra and 315,000 bpd from the northern fields around Kirkuk, including 15,000 barrels trucked to Jordan, according to the State Oil Marketing Organization. Oil Minister Abdul Kareem Luaibi said he expects exports to be at higher levels for next month as no delays are expected from bad weather in the Gulf and more crude shipments are forecast when the Majnoon oilfield resumes production in May. Royal Dutch Shell will resume operations at Iraq’s Majnoon oilfield on May 1, with initial production of 100,000 barrels per day (bpd), and is expected to hit 200,000 bpd before the end of 2013, Luaibi said. Luaibi said oil major BP is also holding meetings with technical teams from the state-run North Oil company to discuss a plan to spend around $100 million as part of a major plan to arrest declining production at the Kirkuk oilfield.

“We’re waiting for BP to present its major development plan for the Kirkuk oilfield, and only then can we decide when a final deal could be reached,” Luaibi told reporters.

Kirkuk’s oil riches are at the centre of a crisis

within the national government of Sunni, Shiite and Kurdish parties over how to share power, increasing worries the country may relapse into wide-scale sectarian bloodshed.

The ethnically mixed city is part of the country’s so-called disputed territories claimed both by the Arab-led central government and the autonomous Kurdistan region in the north. It sits on 8.5 billion barrels of crude reserves.Luabi said failure of Kurdistan region to export 250,000 bpd since the start of this year has affected total export levels and damaged federal coffers.

“The oil ministry has drafted a report on the damage caused by stoppage of crude flow from Kurdish region and found that Iraq lost around $2.4 billion for the first three months of 2013,” Luaibi said. The Kurdistan regional government (KRG) halted exports through the Baghdad-controlled Iraq-Turkey pipeline last December in a dispute over payments to oil companies operating in Kurdistan.

Iraq’s central government and the KRG are in a long-running dispute over how to exploit the country’s crude reserves and divide the revenues. Baghdad says it alone has the authority to control export of the world’s fourth largest oil reserves, while the Kurds say their right to do so is enshrined in Iraq’s federal constitution, drawn up following the US-led invasion of 2003. — Reuters

India’s Adani Power shares rally on tariff hike ruling MUMBAI: Shares in Adani Power Ltd gained as much as 15 percent yesterday after regulators allowed the power utility to raise tariffs for electricity on a temporary basis, in a ruling that could boost other firms grappling with erratic fuel supplies.

The Central Electricity Regulatory Commission (CERC) has allowed Adani Power to charge “compensatory” tariffs for electricity from its Mundra plant in the west coast state of Gujarat, until supply conditions improve. The regulator said Adani should be allowed such a tariff, citing the “unforeseen” events of the rising cost of imported coal from Indonesia, coupled with the shortages of domestic supplies from the state-run Coal India Ltd. “As and when the hardship is removed or lessened, the compensatory tariff should be revised or withdrawn,” the regulator said in an order, adding that a committee should be set up to establish the amount of the tar-

iff. It did not say how long the provision for higher tariffs would run, but added that the supply problem was a “temporary phenomenon and is likely to be stabilized after some time”. An external spokeswoman for Adani Power declined to comment.

The order boosted shares of other power companies, raising hopes for a similar reprieve for them. India’s power sector has struggled with domestic coal shortages and has become increasingly reliant on costlier imports to meet the country’s rapidly growing energy needs.

Adani Power shares were up 13 percent by 0612 GMT. Shares in Tata Power Company Ltd and Jaiprakash Power Ventures Ltd were up more than 4 percent each. A decision on similar cases filed by Tata and Reliance Power could be taken within 10 days or so, S. Jayaraman, a CERC official, told the Indian news channel CNBCTV 18. — Reuters

BERLIN: Brand new Mercedes cars at the auto company’s showrooms in Berlin. New car registrations in Germany, a key measure of demand in one of the most crucial sectors of Europe’s top economy, fell sharply in March, data showed yesterday.

PRAGUE: European Commission chief Jose Manuel Barroso yesterday bemoaned delays in creating a European Union banking union as the bloc grapples with crisis in cash-strapped Cyprus.

“If the banking union were already in place and functioned today, the management of difficulties we are facing in Cyprus would be considerably easier,” Barroso said during a two-day visit to Prague.

EU leaders agreed in principle on a banking union and a single supervisory mechanism last December. Further steps were expected this year but have been slow to materialize.

“The current affairs strengthen our determination to reform the governance of banks in meaningful way,” the Commission chief told reporters after meeting Czech Prime Minister Petr Necas. EU powerhouses Germany and France joined forces to push for a common banking supervisor as a step towards a full banking union, the foundation for a more closely-integrated EU better able to withstand future financial crises but other key players such as Britain have resisted the move.

“The political agreement on the creation of a single supervisory mechanism for the eurozone is the first step to be followed by a single resolution mechanism,” that would lessen the risk of national systems inadequately dealing

with bank failures, Barroso explained. Earlier on Wednesday, Barroso joined new Czech President Milos Zeman in hoisting the EU flag at the Prague Castle for the first time since the Czech Republic joined the EU in 2004. The previous Czech president, staunchly eurosceptic Vaclav Klaus, refused to fly the EU flag there.

Rich countries applying budget austerity cut their aid to developing countries by 4.0 percent last year, the OECD said yesterday, with the poorest countries taking the brunt of the cutbacks. Development aid from the OECD’s 34 member countries has dropped 6.0 percent in real terms since reaching a peak in 2010 and it is the first time since 1996-97 that aid has contracted for two consecutive years. In 2012, OECD members provided $125.7 billion in net official development assistance, representing 0.29 percent of their combined gross national income.

The largest donors by volume were the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, France and Japan. Smaller countries Denmark, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway and Sweden however continued to exceed the United Nations target 0.7 percent of gross national income.

“It is worrying that budgetary duress (in) our member countries have led to a second successive fall in total aid, but I take heart from

the fact that, in spite of the crisis, nine countries still managed to increase their aid,” said OECD Secretary-General Angel Gurria.

Turkey showed a 98.7-percent increase in outside aid, through help to Syrian refugees and aid to North African countries following the Arab Spring. The United Arab Emirates boosted aid by 30 percent and South Korea by 17.6 percent. The biggest drops were seen in crisis-hit Europe, with direct assistance from Spain halved and Italy down by 34.7 percent.

The organization said bilateral trade to impoverished sub-Saharan Africa fell 7.9 percent last year to $26.2 billion and by 12.8 percent to least developed countries as a whole.

The OECD said aid for core bilateral projects and programs, that exclude debt relief and humanitarian aid and often benefit middle income countries, actually rose by 2.0 percent last year.

“The survey suggests a shift in aid towards middle-income countries in the Far East and South and Central Asia, primarily China, India, Indonesia, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Uzbekistan and Vietnam, and it is most likely that the increase will be in the form of soft loans,” the OECD said.

The Paris-based Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development is a research body for advanced nations which it advises on policy in a wide range of activities. — AFP

India PM urges industrialists to ‘keep faith’ in economy NEW DELHI: India’s premier yesterday said the country’s economy could return to high growth rates as he urged the nation’s top industrialists to “keep the faith”.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh promised the Confederation of Indian Industry more economic reforms on top of earlier steps to open up sectors including retail and aviation to foreign investment and ease India’s infamous red tape. The Congress-led government is accelerating implementation of long-stalled power, road, railway and other infrastructure projects to remove stumbling blocks to growth, Singh said. “We grew at an average of about eight percent in the last 10 years and we can get there again,” he said in a wide-ranging speech to business chiefs in New Delhi.

The current annual growth rate is five percent and the government is struggling to jumpstart the economy before it faces voters in 2014 polls. It is also seeking to get the business community on side after its vocal criticism of years of policy paralysis and scandals.

Singh appealed to industrialists to “keep the faith and partner with government” to return India to stronger growth. India’s economy has been stumbling, with industrial production slowing sharply-highlighted by monthly car sales in February which plunged by 26 percent year-on-year, the lowest pace of growth in 12 years. India is taking steps to reduce its budget deficit and improve its overall government finances, whose stretched state has triggered warnings from global rat-

NEW DELHI: Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh greets top business leaders, as President of the Confederation of Indian Industry Adi Godrej watches in New Delhi yesterday. — AP

ings agencies of a possible credit rating downgrade, he said. But Singh warned that the current account deficit-the broadest measure of trade representing the gap between the inflow and outflow of foreign currency-would be “higher than normal for the next few years” due to weak export mar-

kets. The current account deficit was likely to be 5.0 percent of gross domestic product for the current year, “twice the traditional comfort level”, he noted. “I believe a well-managed Indian economy, seen to be back on a highgrowth path, can attract continuing capital flows,” he said. — AFP

Saudi’s Sedco Capital plans Islamic equity DUBAI: Jeddah-based investment firm Sedco Capital aims to expand its range of Islamic funds to more than 15 by year-end, a sign of improving financial market sentiment and changing investor attitudes in Saudi Arabia. The plan adds momentum to the Gulf’s Islamic funds industry, which has been hurt by the global financial crisis but is now attracting regional firms such as Qatar’s QInvest, which aims to launch 30 funds.

Sedco Capital, a fully owned subsidiary of Sedco Holding, intends to raise assets under management on its Luxembourg fund platform to $1.6 billion by year-end from $1 billion now, said chief executive Hasan Aljabri.

“We plan to expand our range of asset classes and will be introducing products in commodities, real estate and private equities,” Aljabri said. “We have definitely seen growth in asset management companies setting up in Saudi Arabia.”

Saudi-based firms Aljazira Capital, Alkhabeer Capital, KSB Capital, MEFIC Capital, Al Rajhi Capital and Alawwal Capital launched Islamic funds in 2012.

Sedco Capital now has seven Islamic funds in Luxembourg, Aljabri said. In May and July last year, it launched five Islamic funds including a rare REITs (Real Estate Investment Trusts) fund, which invests in income properties that are listed on stock exchanges around the world.

Product demand is being fuelled by Saudi investors’ increasing interest in sukuk (Islamic bonds), Aljabri said. Last month, the firm launched an Islamic fixed income fund with an initial $100 million alongside an Islamic global equity fund with $150 million, both using Credit Suisse as investment manager. The fixed income fund invests in Islamic money market instruments, with up to 40 percent of its assets in sukuk. The

sukuk can be southeast Asian as well as Gulf issues, a rare mandate because Gulf-based sharia scholars have traditionally shunned sukuk from Malaysia, a major Islamic finance market.

Some Gulf scholars argue that the way in which some sukuk are traded in Malaysia is at odds with Islamic principles, which ban monetary speculation.

However, Gulf scholars have also approved products that are just as contentious; Saudi Arabia is one of the largest markets for commodity murabaha, a common cost-plus-profit arrangement which is criticized as not being sufficiently based on real economic activity, another Islamic principle. In order to provide a unified view of sharia compliance, the Sedco Capital funds are approved by a panel of three religious scholars from Malaysia, Bahrain and Saudi Arabia, Aljabri said. — Reuters

THURSDAY, APRIL 4, 2013

BUSINESS

Oil falls below $110; US supply builds LONDON: Oil dropped below $110 a barrel yesterday as oil stockpiles swelled in top oil consumer the United States, where a struggling economy is limiting demand for fuel. Further pressure came from concern a prolonged oil pipeline outage in the US Midwest would cause inventories to build up near the delivery point of the benchmark contract in Cushing, Oklahoma.

Brent lost 87 cents to $109.82 a barrel by 1047 GMT, while UScrude slid 49 cents to $96.70.

“The US economy took such a body blow three, four years ago with the financial crisis, it’s like a patient that’s been hit by a car, it’s going to take a long while for it to recover,” said Jim Ritterbusch, president of Ritterbusch and Associates in Galena, Illinois.

Crude oil stocks in the United States rose 4.7 million

barrels last week, according to data from industry group the American Petroleum Institute, much higher than the 2.2 million forecast by a Reuters poll. Supply is also growing in Europe, which was reflected in a shrinking spread between May and June Brent futures. The gap between the two contracts narrowed to a nine-month low of just 8 cents in Wednesday’s trade. A slew of recent weak economic data shows oil prices may face further headwinds.

Britain’s manufacturing activity shrank for a second straight month, a survey showed on Tuesday, while US factory activity grew at its slowest rate in three months in March, indicating a murky outlook for oil demand.

Europe’s demand for oil has also been hit by seasonal refinery maintenance, traders said.

The Brent-US crude spread narrowed slightly to $13.41

a barrel from its settlement in the previous session. Brent’s premium to US crude rose to a more than one-week high of $14.66 on Tuesday amid uncertainty surrounding the impact of the ruptured Exxon Mobil Pegasus pipeline in the US Midwest. “We could see prices for WTI come under pressure over the trading day, given the expected uptick in crude inventories following the (pipeline) shutdown,” said JBC Energy analysts.

Investors said the pipeline shutdown could potentially contribute about 300,000 to 400,000 barrels a week to crude inventories at Cushing. Exxon said it was developing a plan to excavate, remove and replace the ruptured portion of the pipeline, while a US pipeline agency said Exxon would need to test and submit a remedial work plan before it could resume operations. —Reuters

Samoa Air: Pay by weight plan ‘fairest’ SYDNEY: A Samoan airline that says it is the world’s first carrier to charge passengers by their weight rather than per seat defends the plan as the fairest way to fly, in some cases actually ending up cheaper than conventional tickets.

Samoa Air, which opened in 2012, asks passengers to declare their personal weight during booking, which is then charged per kilogram (2.2 lb) at a rate dependent on flight length. The customers will also be weighed at the check-in counter.

“The industry has this concept that all people throughout the world are the same size,” Samoa Air CEO Chris Langton told Reuters. “Aeroplanes always run on weight, irrespective of seats.”

“There is no doubt in my mind that this is the concept of the future. This is the fairest way of you travelling with your family, or yourself.”

Though the airline instituted the plan last November, it caught attention last week when the carrier began international flights to neighboring American Samoa and coincided with the publication of a report by a Norwegian economist suggesting that airlines should charge obese passengers more.

The Pacific Islands contain some of the

world’s most prevalent countries for obesity, many ranking in the top 10, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). Samoa is ranked number four, with 59.6 percent of the population considered obese, said the most recent 2008 WHO report.

According to Samoa Air’s latest schedule, the airline charges up to WS$1.32 ($0.57) per kg for domestic flights and WS$2.40 ($1.03) per kg for its only international flight to American Samoa, around 250 miles (402 km).

A 150 kg person flying one-way internationally would be charged $154.50.

Children under 12 are charged 75 percent of the adult rate, with fares also based on weight. Any overweight baggage is calculated at the same rate as the passenger’s personal weight.

The plan could actually prove cheaper in some cases, such as for families travelling with small children, and Langton said customer feedback has mainly been “amazingly positive”.

“When the initial shock has worn off, there’s been nothing but support,” said Langton. “People who are up around 200 kg recognize...they’re paying (for) 200 kg, so they deserve to get 200 kg of comfort,” he added. —Reuters

UK energy supplier SSE fined $16m LONDON: British utility SSE has been fined 10.5 million pounds ($15.9 million) for misselling, the largest fine the regulator has ever imposed on an energy supplier.

Ofgem said yesterday it had found failures relating to telephone, in-store and doorstep sales at SSE “at every stage of the process”, including at management level.

“The level of fine reflects the seriousness and duration of breaches, the likely substantial harm that they have caused and the likely gain to SSE,” it added. The fine is a sign that the government and regulator are taking more aggressive action against energy companies that are found to have misled customers, adding to already high retail energy prices.

Ofgem said SSE - which provides gas, electricity, phone and broadband for households - had made misleading and inaccurate statements to customers in order to make a sale.

Examples it gave included telling customers they would save money but switching them to a more expensive contract and telling them competitor price increases were higher than they actually were.

Newly appointed Energy Minister Michael Fallon said that he had “rarely seen a worse case of consumers being misled so badly.”

Although SSE’s management had not willfully breached license conditions, Ofgem said that the board paid insufficient attention to compliance and it was not a high priority for it.

“SSE is deeply regretful that breaches occurred and apologizes unreservedly to any customers who have been affected by sales activity which ran counter to the val-

ues and culture of the company,” SSE said. It said it had already taken action to remedy the issues raised, including stopping doorstep selling, bringing telesales inhouse, and training and restructuring.

SSE has already been fined 1.25 million pounds for doorstep mis-selling by the courts. It has earmarked 5 million pounds to reimburse customers who felt they have been misled. It has paid out around 400,000 pounds of this so far.

Energy Minister Fallon, who replaced John Hayes last week , said that the government’s planned Energy Bill would give Ofgem the teeth it needed in future to get compensation to those directly affected.

“We’re using new legislation to require suppliers to simplify their tariffs and get rid of historic poor deals,” he said.

End-user lobby group Consumer Focus warned that SSE was not the only energy company that had broken rules. “This is not a case of one bad apple or one rogue sales team. Other companies have also broken direct selling,” Consumer Focus said in a statement.

“While the situation has got better...the recent history casts a long shadow and Ofgem are right to take this scale of action,” the group added.

The regulator has also launched investigations into selling practices by SSE, EDF, RWE’s npower and Ibedrola’s Scottish Power in 2010, and by E.ON in 2012. Last year, EDF paid out 4.5 million pounds to help vulnerable consumers after Ofgem found it had breached some license conditions in its sales and marketing. The investigations into npower and Scottish Power are ongoing. —Reuters

Financial discipline grows five years after crisis BOSTON: The frugality and investing discipline that the 2008 financial crisis imposed on Americans appear to have led to permanent changes in behavior on money matters, according to a survey by the nation’s second largest mutual fund company.

Spendthrift ways are unlikely to again become as pervasive as they were before the crisis, Fidelity Investments concluded yesterday in releasing results of its “Five Years After” survey of nearly 1,200 investors. Positive behaviors that appear to be now entrenched include saving more in 401(k) plans, paying down debt and taking greater care to invest wisely.

“These tend to be very sticky decisions, because you begin to budget and spend around a higher savings rate,” said John Sweeney, an executive vice president on retirement and investing with Boston-based Fidelity. “People are taking control of their financial lives, and control breeds confidence.”

Survey participants were interviewed over two weeks in February, nearly five years after the government-brokered rescue sale of Wall Street firm Bear Stearns to JPMorgan Chase. That event, in March 2008, is regarded as a tipping point for more the tumultuous upheavals that followed, including the September 2008 collapse of Lehman Brothers, which the government allowed to fail.

Housing prices plunged, unemployment

spiked and stocks tumbled more than 50 percent from the market’s October 2007 high to its March 2009 low. It wasn’t until last month that the Dow Jones industrial average returned to its pre-crisis high.

Key survey findings include: Fifty-six percent reported their financial outlooks changed from feeling scared or confused at the beginning of the crisis to confident or prepared five years later.

Survey participants estimated their household had lost 34 percent of the value of their total assets, on average, at the low point of the crisis. Thirty-five percent experienced what they considered to be a large drop in income, and 17 percent said at least one head of their household lost a job.

Forty-two percent increased the amounts of regular contributions to workplace savings plans such as 401(k)s, or to individual retirement accounts or health-savings accounts. Fifty-five percent said they feel better prepared for retirement than they were before the crisis. However, among the group of survey participants who reported they continue to feel scared, just 34 percent said they’re better prepared for retirement. Fortynine percent have decreased their amount of personal debt, with 72 percent having less debt now than they did pre-crisis. Just 31 percent of those who indicated they’re still scared reported that they have reduced debt. —AP

THURSDAY, APRIL 4, 2013

BUSINESS

BOJ holds first policy meeting under new head TOKYO: Japan’s central bank is holding its first policy meeting under a new governor amid expectations of fresh moves to ease monetary policy and spur a recovery in the world’s third-largest economy. Haruhiko Kuroda took the helm at the Bank of Japan on March 19, vowing to do whatever necessary to break Japan’s economy out of deflation and attain a 2 percent inflation target.

It is unclear whether the central bank meeting yesterday and today will yield fresh policy moves or if they might come in a second policy meeting later this month, once parliament gives final confirmation of Kuroda’s appointment.

Acting government spokesman Hiroshige Seko said the government would leave the mechanics of how to “reflate” the economy up to the BOJ. “Regarding the specific instruments chosen by the BOJ, we would like to respect their independence,” Seko said in a routine briefing.

But Kuroda faces strong pressure to make headway in ending the trend toward flat or lower prices that Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s administration says is discouraging companies from investing and hiring workers. “I hope they will have a drastic regime change and invite aggressive monetary easing,” Kozo Yamamoto, a lawmaker in Abe’s circle of economic advisers. Attaining a 2 percent inflation rate within the next several years may be difficult, he acknowledged.

“That’s why we need very, very drastic action,” Yamamoto told a gathering of executives Wednesday at the American Chamber of Commerce. Among various options, the BOJ could increase its asset purchases sooner than earlier promised. It could extend maturities on the government bonds it buys to five or 10 years, rather than the current limit of three years. It also could consider buying higher-risk assets, instead of just government bonds.

In the final quarter of 2012, the economy was

on the cusp of recovery, recent data show. A quarterly central bank survey released Monday, known as the “tankan,” showed business sentiment improving for the first time in nine months, though the gains were weaker than expected.

But so far, the consumer price index has not budged, despite daily newspaper reports of plans for increases in electricity rates, food prices and other daily necessities. The bank’s survey showed companies are still planning to reduce investments in the coming year, contrary to expectations.

Kuroda and Abe already are battling skepticism over whether the government’s strategy will spur enough demand to get the economy back on track, given the reluctance of companies to invest or raise wages. Expectations of price increases will only spur people to spend more money if they can afford to, Kazuhiro Haraguchi, a member of the opposition Democratic Party of Japan, contended during a parliamentary session Tuesday. “If prices rise and wages do not, that is not desirable,” Kuroda responded without elaborating. Abe has already delivered on one of the three main elements of his economic strategy - boosting public spending, especially on public works projects.

Easing monetary policy, another key item on his agenda, is a work in progress. As for the third, the LDP and Japan’s powerful bureaucrats are still thrashing out details of reforms to sustain growth in the long run.

Bowing to government pressure, the central bank, then under Kuroda’s predecessor Masaaki Shirakawa, committed to the 2 percent inflation target and to increasing asset purchases to help boost the amount of funds in circulation.

According to Yamamoto, still more must be done.

An economist and former Finance Ministry official, Yamamoto said he believes Japan’s monetary base - the amount of funds in circulation - must be doubled to attain the pace of growth needed.

He downplayed worries that such a strategy could spur hyperinflation, saying the central bank would quickly move to staunch any tendency by tightening monetary policy.

Yamamoto likewise dismissed concerns over the potential impact of still higher spending on Japan’s already debt-strained finances, saying that higher tax revenues would take care of that problem, though perhaps not by 2020 - the target set for reaching a fiscal balance.

Kuroda and other top BOJ and Finance Ministry officials have been forthright about the need to rein in public spending. Having raised expectations, the challenge now is in reassuring skittish

financial markets. The share price rally that began late last year, even before Abe’s Liberal Democratic Party took power after winning a lower house parliamentary election, already appears to be losing steam, though the benchmark Nikkei 225 stock index rebounded Wednesday, gaining 3 percent to 12,362.2.

Meanwhile, the Japanese yen has regained some ground against the US dollar after falling about 20 percent on expectations Abe would seek to weaken it to help boost export manufacturers. It was trading at about 93.4 to the US dollar late yesterday, compared with its recent peak of 96.7. — AP

TOKYO: People cross a street in front of the Bank of Japan headquarters in Tokyo yesterday. Japan’s central bank is holding its first policy meeting under a new governor amid expectations of fresh moves to ease monetary policy and spur a recovery in the world’s third-largest economy. — AP

US home prices rose in Feb by most in 7 years Private employers add 158K jobs in March

TOKYO: A businessman uses his mobile phone before a share prices board in Tokyo yesterday. — AFP

Soft US jobs figures keep a lid on markets LONDON: Soft US jobs figures kept a lid on stocks yesterday ahead of key government data later in the week. Japanese stocks, however, outperformed all others as investors anticipated aggressive policy action from the Bank of Japan.

Investor sentiment, which was already fairly flat following a solid trading session on Tuesday, did not get any uplift from the monthly jobs report from private payrolls firm ADP. It found that private employers added 158,000 jobs in March, way down on February’s gain of 237,000 and expectations for a rise of about 200,000. The ADP survey comes ahead of Friday’s official nonfarm payrolls figures for March, an indicator that often sets the market tone for a week or two. This time the payrolls figures could have an even bigger bearing as investors try and work out when the Federal Reserve will start withdrawing its economic stimulus.

“Not that this is a good measure of the actual payroll report but the ADP will keep the bulls from boosting their payroll estimates between now and Friday,” said Steven Ricchiuto, chief economist at Mizuho Securities. In Europe, the FTSE 100 index of leading British shares was down 0.4 percent at 6,464 while Germany’s DAX fell 0.1 percent to 7,940. The CAC-40 in France was 0.3 percent lower at 3,796.

In the US, the Dow Jones industrial average was up 0.1 percent at 14,676 while the broader S&P 500 index rose the same rate to 1,571. Trading was pretty lackluster in other financial markets. The euro was up 0.1 percent at $1.2831 while the dollar fell 0.2 percent to 93.18 yen.

Earlier, Japan was in focus as the country’s central bank started its first policy meeting under a new governor committed to aggressive monetary action to end years of economic malaise. There are expectations that the bank will announce a big monetary stimulus at the end of its meeting today. Bank of Japan chief Haruhiko Kuroda has vowed to do whatever it takes to get Japan out of its debilitating deflation.

Kuroda, who assumed his post March 19, has pledged to cooperate with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s program of big government spending, monetary easing and economic reforms aimed at improving Japan’s competitiveness.

Optimism about the meeting’s outcome

WASHINGTON: US home prices jumped in February by the largest amount in seven years, evidence that the housing recovery strengthened ahead of the all-important spring-buying season.

Home prices rose 10.2 percent in February compared with a year earlier, CoreLogic, a real estate data provider, said Wednesday. The annual gain was the biggest since March 2006. Prices have now increased on an annual basis for 12 straight months, underscoring the recovery ’s steady momentum. The gains were broad-based. Prices rose in 47 of 50 states and in all but four of the nation’s 100 largest metro areas. Delaware, Alabama and Illinois were the only states to report price declines.

CoreLogic’s measure of national prices also rose 0.5 percent in February from January. That’s a solid increase during the winter months, when sales typically slow. An increase in home sales has helped lift prices. In February, sales of previously owned homes reached the highest level in more than three years. Still, much of the demand has come from investors. Sales to first-time buyers remain below

sent the Nikkei 225 index in Tokyo soaring 3 percent to close at 12,362.20. “The Nikkei is the standout, jumping 3 percent as the Bank of Japan’s two-day monetary policy meeting kicked off, and the market is anticipating some bold stimulative action under new governor Kuroda,” said Robert Kavcic, an analyst at BMO Capital Markets.

Japan’s benchmark stock index surged yesterday as the country’s central bank started its first policy meeting under a new governor committed to aggressive monetary action to end years of economic malaise. Elsewhere world stock markets were mixed.

Bank of Japan chief Haruhiko Kuroda has vowed to do whatever it takes to break Japan out of its debilitating deflation.

Kuroda, who assumed his post March 19, has pledged to cooperate with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s program of big government spending, monetary easing and economic reforms aimed at improving Japan’s competitiveness. Optimism about the meeting’s outcome sent the Nikkei 225 index in Tokyo soaring 3 percent to close at 12,362.20.

The Bank of Japan is not the only central bank announcing policy decisions today. However, the European Central Bank and the Bank of England are not expected to alter policy. Elsewhere in Asia, stock markets struggled despite the Nikkei’s surge.

Hong Kong’s Hang Seng fell 0.1 percent to 22,337.49 while South Korea’s Kospi shed 0.2 percent to 1,983.22. Oil prices tracked most equity markets lower, with the benchmark New York rate down 50 cents at $96.69 a barrel. — AP

healthy levels. Another reason prices are rising is the supply of available homes for sale remains extremely low. In January, it reached a 13-year low.

The supply of homes for sale did rise in February for the first time in 10 months. That suggests more people are gaining confidence in the housing recovery, which could help ease supply concerns and drive sales higher in the coming months. The price gains were concentrated in the West, according to CoreLogic. The states with the biggest price gains were Nevada, where prices rose 19.3 percent, followed by Arizona, with 18.6 percent, and California, with 15.3 percent.

Hawaii and Idaho rose 14.6 percent and 13.5 percent, respectively. The cities with the biggest gains were Phoenix, Los Angeles, Riverside, California, Atlanta and New York.

Nationwide, home values were still down more than 26 percent from their peak in April 2006 through February, CoreLogic said. Steady increases in prices help fuel the housing recovery. They encourage some homeowners to sell homes and

Yusuf Ahmed Alghanim & Sons Automotive presents 2 Chevrolet Cruze cars

Experience Nokia Lumia 920 4G LTE KUWAIT: Zain, the leading telecommunications company in Kuwait, has launched the all-new Nokia Lumia 920 smartphone on its 4G LTE Internet network - available nationwide .

Customers can now get the device with any Wiyana Mix plan and enjoy the fastest Internet in Kuwait. Zain stated in a press release that launching the Nokia Lumia 920, is part of its strategy to provide a variety of LTE compatible devices . and plans that better suit the needs; of its customers allowing them to enjoy the fastest 4G LTE internet in Kuwait. It is worth mentioning that Zain is the first telecommunications company in Kuwait to launch 4G LTE internet and it is the only provider that offers this service with nationwide coverage.

Customers can enjoy the Nokia Lumia 920 on 4G LTE with the choice of any Wiyana Mix pack-

age starting from KD10, KD20, KD30, including monthly installments as low as KD2.5. in addition, customers can enjoy the Nokia Lumia 920 on 4G LTE for free by subscribing to the KD40 packages with an 18 month contract.

The Nokia Lumia 920 features a 4.8-inch HD Super AMOLED display with 1,280 x 720 pixel resolution at 305ppi with 1.5 Ghz dual-core processor, an 8-megapixel auto focus rear-facing camera with a 1.9-megapixel front camera. It also features a /32 memory plus 1GB of RAM with microSD and 1GB of RAM. To find out more about Zain’s numerous competitive promotions, customers are advised to visit any of Zain’s 69 branches located across Kuwait, or visit the company’s website on www.kw.zain.com , or contact its 24 hour call center at 107.

Turkish consumer price inflation edges up ANKARA: Turkish consumer prices rose more than expected in March, data showed yesterday, with the cost of food and non-alcoholic drinks up sharply, while annual inflation accelerated on the back of higher alcohol and tobacco prices.

The consumer price index rose 0.66 percent month-on-month in March, exceeding a Reuters poll forecast of a 0.40 percent rise, for a year-on-year increase of 7.29 percent, the Turkish Statistics Institute said. Turkey’s benchmark bond yield rose on the figures. By 0718

entice some would-be buyers to purchase homes before prices rise further. Higher prices can also make homeowners feel wealthier. That can encourage more consumer spending, which drives 70 percent of economic activity.

Meanwhile, a survey shows US companies added fewer jobs in March compared with the previous month, as construction firms held off on hiring after three months of solid gains. Payroll processor ADP says employers added 158,000 jobs last month, down from February’s gain of 237,000 and January’s 177,000. Construction companies didn’t add any jobs in March, after average monthly gains of 29,000 in the previous three months. The hiring surge during the previous months likely reflected a jump in rebuilding after Superstorm Sandy. The ADP report is derived from actual payroll data and tracks total nonfarm private employment each month. The report suggests that the government’s March payroll figures, to be issued Friday, may come in below economists forecast of 195,000 net jobs. — AP

GMT, the two-year bond yield was up at 6.47 percent compared with 6.41 percent beforehand. The lira was steady at 1.8030 to the dollar. The producer price index rose 0.81 percent on the month, above a forecast of 0.50 percent, for an annual rise of 2.30 percent. The central bank’s year-end inflation target is 5 percent.

It holds its next policy meeting on April 16.

At its March policy meeting, the central bank unexpectedly slashed its overnight lending rate but moved to tighten liquidity overall by reducing lira funding and draining more for-

eign currency and gold from the market.

In a characteristically complex policy move, the bank cut its overnight lending rate by 100 basis points to 7.5 percent but held its borrowing rate and one-week repo policy rate at 4.5 percent and 5.5 percent respectively. Food and non-alcoholic drinks consumer prices were up 2.04 percent from a month earlier, the data showed. Alcoholic drinks and tobacco consumer prices, unchanged on the month, were up 16.31 percent from a year earlier. — Reuters

KUWAIT: In celebration of its 80-year partnership with BP Visco oils in Kuwait, Yusuf Ahmed Alghanim & Sons Automotive, the exclusive distributor of Chevrolet vehicles in Kuwait, launched a special promotion that gave everyone in Kuwait the chance to win one brand new Chevrolet Cruze vehicle as well as get the opportunity to win valuable X-cite coupons after having their vehicle’s oil and filter changed with BP oil. The promotion will run until May 20, 2013 while the draw for the grand prizes will take place on May 28, 2013 at Salwa coop - Puncture branch.

Anyone can greatly benefit from this limited time promotion by simply changing their vehicle’s oil and filter with BP Visco oils that is available at all Bumperto-Bumper branches, car wash centers, oil, filter and tire change garages as well as garage centers belonging to cooperatives in Kuwait. All it takes for anyone to be part of this exciting and rewarding promotion is use BP oils for every oil and filter change.

Apart from getting the change to win, customers will also enjoy the highest quality of oils for their vehicles’ engines. The prizes included in the promotion are the following: Grand prize: Two Chevrolet Cruze cars Second place prize: iPhone 5 (5 winners) Third place prize: Laptop (5 winners) Fourth place prize: iPad Mini (5 winners) Fifth place prize: 42-inch LCD (5 winners) Sixth place prize: KD 50 X-cite vouchers (15 winners) BP Visco oils are available in three types in Kuwait: Visco 2000, Visco 3000, and Visco 5000. Visco 2000 is an ideal oil to protect engines due to the long life viscosity of the oil, while Visco 3000 is perfect to all types of engines including diesel engines because of its ability to prevent the formulation of sediments. Visco 5000 is the choice for higher mileage driving and further protection for engine parts that will consequently lead to efficient fuel consumption. Its high viscosity will surely give you longer peace of mind before the engine oil needs change again.

All along this special promotion, Yusuf Ahmed Alghanim & Sons Automotive and BP Visco are working jointly to create and develop more outstanding offers that give the customers the best value for their money and express the mutual vision to provide high quality products, services and offers.

THURSDAY, APRIL 4, 2013

BUSINESS

Silah wins operational efficiency accolade at VIVA event Annual Customer Day in Kuwait KUWAIT: Silah Gulf (Silah), a multi-award winning business process outsourcing (BPO) and customer experience provider serving the GCC region, has been recognized by VIVA for continuous high operational delivery during 2012. At the Annual Customer Service Day organized by VIVA in Kuwait, Silah employees were acknowledged for their customer service, performance and operation efficiency in the VIVA’s Kuwait Contact Centre.

Salman Bin Abdulaziz Al-Badran, VIVA Kuwait’s chief executive officer and Dany Doueik, VIVA Kuwait’s chief commercial officer, personally distributed the awards.

“I would like to congratulate the VIVA Kuwait team and those who excelled in 2012,” said Joe Tawfik, Silah’s chief executive officer in the region. “In 2012, Silah has gone from strength to strength. In order to meet the rising demand from our clients, we have added qualified staff and increasing the number of services provided via our contact centre. Silah has been on the forefront of providing world-class contact centre solutions in Kuwait and this latest recognition from VIVA is a testament to our dedication and diligence towards our client’s customer service needs.”

Qualitynet launches QBusiness KUWAIT: Qualitynet, Kuwait’s No 1 Total Solutions Provider has introduced the first-of-its-kind portal for corporate customers. The portal also known as QBusiness, will serve the needs of its corporate customers, providing them with an entry point for a range of information, tools and helpful links.

Hassan Akbar

Hassan Akbar, Sales Director Corporate and Business Services, Qualitynet stated “QBusiness marks a step forward in our pursuit to providing differential services for the Business segment. The portal will provide higher flexibility for our customers to access and request services

with us at their convenience, while giving us an opportunity to serve them even better.”

“The portal is designed with customer priorities in mind” said Hassan.

“Any of our corporate customers can access their information online regarding the complete list of ser vices, charges, dues and technical details via h t t p : / / q b u s i n e s s. q u a l i t y n e t . n e t .

QBusiness also provides the option to make online payments and service requests, track service tickets and even communicate one-on-one with their account managers, thereby making the whole service experience much more convenient and transparent” he added.

Hassan stressed on the level of security that the portal is subject to. “ We adhere to strict measures in implementing our policies on customer confidentiality and information security. The complete project was developed in-house by our experienced team of professionals, who are also responsible for our residential customer portals - QStore”.

He concluded by saying “We are proud to be the first in the country to provide such a value addition in the form of our QBusiness Portal. Our core importance lies in providing the best grade of service to our customers. This has been our focus from the day we started, and this will continue to be our focus as the leading Total Solutions Provider in Kuwait”.

Booz & Company closes acquisition of engineers DUBAI: Global management consultancy Booz & Company announced yesterday the closing of its acquisition of international consulting firm Management Engineers. The transaction was announced in February, subject to the approval of Booz & Company’s partners.

“Our partnership voted resoundingly in favor of this opportunity,” said Cesare Mainardi, CEO of Booz & Company.

“Management Engineers’ consultants are renowned for their deep industry experience and unparalleled operations expertise, which gives them unique and pragmatic insight when it comes to helping clients achieve targeted results. Booz & Company shares a similar heritage as a firm of practical strategists who get the job done. Our clients will immediately see the benefit of our joined forces and compatible capabilities.”

Management Engineers brings 17 partners and 145 staff to Booz & Company, along with a highly complementary market position and functional heritage in Germany, as well as China, the UK, and the US. “Our consultants are known for their substantial industry experience before entering consulting,” said Hanno Brandes and Helmut Surges, former Managing Directors of Management Engineers and now Booz & Company Partners. “As industry insiders, we have a profound understanding of the complex issues our clients confront and can help them devise and implement workable solutions with credibility.

This is an approach to joint problem-

solving that our Booz & Company colleagues share-collectively, we can now give our clients the best the market has to offer, anywhere in the world.”

Management Engineers has a proud history, particularly as a leading firm in operations, was named the “shooting star ” of the consulting industr y by Manager Magazin in 2009 and consistently ranks among the top ten strategy consultancies in Germany.

“This combination accelerates our growth in Europe and amplifies our global reach,” said Klaus-Peter Gushurst, Managing Director of Germany, Switzerland, and Austria for Booz & Company. “ We now offer unrivaled bench strength and best-in-class consulting services in operations, supply chain management and cost transformation across a broad array of industries, including Automotive, Industrials, Chemicals, and Life Sciences. This move definitively puts us ahead in our key markets.”

“The firm has always had a tight collaboration across the Middle East and Europe,” said Joe Saddi, Chairman of Booz & Company and Managing Director of the Middle East region. “This merger now adds a deeper set of capabilities that we can leverage as we serve local clients especially in the Engineering Products and Ser vices and Energy, Chemicals and Utilities space on topics related to operational performance.”

As a privately held company, Booz & Company is not releasing any financial details regarding this transaction.

Global energy demand undergoing rapid change KUWAIT: The world’s energy demand is growing with increasing population and rapid development in emerging markets. Today, about 1.1 billion people in the ‘developed’ world, consume 110 million barrels of oil equivalent per day (boe/d) in primary energy. The developing world’s 5.8 billion people consume 140 million boe/d. What this means is that if the developing world were to consume primary energy even at the level of the EU (the most efficient energy users in the developed world), the planet would need a further 270 million boe/d to meet demand. This is more than double the current primary energy consumption.

What’s more, with the global population expected to increase from its current 7.1 billion to peak at 9-10 billion mid-century, growth in energy demand may even be underestimated in various agencies’ forecasts. Whatever the demand decades from now, oil, gas and coal will continue to be the main sources of energy, still supplying 80 percent of primary energy. Given its environmental, availability and cost advantages, gas should be the fuel for 21st century.

Majid Jafar, CEO of Crescent Petroleum and Vice-Chairman of the Crescent Group, in remarks made at the Doha Energy Forum, says that there are more than 250 years of gas reserves at current consumption levels and levels of reserves increase every year. “In 2012 the world oil and gas industry added approximately 100 trillion cubic feet of new gas resources through exploration discoveries”, he said.

Gas differs from oil in several ways. Gas resources are well distributed globally and the creation of a Gas “OPEC” is almost impossible, so as a result the gas industry better obeys the rules of Supply & Demand, which ensures gas prices remain more competitive compared to oil prices. Mr. Jafar believes these trends will have “huge implications for the global energy industry as well as for the Middle East region in particular”.

“There are various examples of observable trends that will affect the global energy industry. Only a few years ago, major investment decisions were made in the Middle East to supply LNG to the USA - the world’s largest gas consumer and expected at the time to become the largest LNG importer”, Jafar says.

However, “technological progress led by the US independent sector has delivered massive quantities of shale gas, filling the supply-demand gap that was emerging. The drivers of the shale gas revolution included the sustained high US gas price, creating the environment for entrepreneurialism to flourish”.

Yet Jafar believes it is unlikely that the US shale gas revolution is a local phenomenon: “Today, from Argentina to China, each country is trying to explore for shale gas and this includes MENA region countries such as Algeria and Saudi Arabia. For example, China is estimated to hold,

at 1200 trillion cubit feet, even more shale gas resources than the US, according to an EIA study. In this context, matching resource to markets in the most cost effective way is a critical question facing the industry”, he argues.

For its part, the Middle East region both exports and imports gas. In 2011, the region (excluding

A second significant trend is the threat that gas poses to oil, especially in sectors such as shipping, rail and heavy-duty road transport. In North America, there is already a huge drive to gassify road and rail transport - given the current gas price is at roughly $24/barrels oil equivalent (boe) versus a diesel price of about $160/boe at the

Majid Jafar

Turkey), produced roughly 51 billion cubic feet per day (bcf/d) of gas, of which 13 bcf/d was exported and 39 bcf/d. consumed within the region.

Projections suggest that by 2020, consumption could increase to ca.

54 bcf/d - a staggering 40 percent increase in the next 7 years.

Meanwhile the region’s proved reserves life (reserves to production ratio) is currently close to 200 years, without including probable or yet to find conventional and unconventional resources. The conclusion from this, Jafar argues, is that in the next seven years the Middle East region’s energy companies need to invest in production capacity and interconnecting infrastructure if this gas demand growth is to be met.

pump. The incentive to use compressed natural gas in road transport is huge. Today, half of global oil demand is in petrochemicals, power production, industry, road freight, shipping and rail sectors. “An attack by cheap gas into these sectors of oil consumption would fundamentally change both the oil industry and the gas industry. The Middle East, with its dependence on oil revenues, should also prepare for a structural change in the oil industry as a consequence of the gas revolution”, Jafar says.

A common misperception, he believes, is that the shale revolution is only in gas. However, North America is also leading the world in shale oil production. US unconven-

tional oil production is expected to grow from almost nothing in 2010 to 4.5 million boe/d by 2020, pushing US total liquids production towards 12 million barrels/day. As a result, the US could soon become the third >10 million b/d oil producer alongside Russia and Saudi Arabia. Coupled with an oil-to-gas switch in the heavy-duty transport sector, this could massively reduce the demand for Middle East oil, following low demand from the US for Middle Eastern gas. From a strategic perspective, building regional, resource-based industries could reduce the Middle East’s dependence on export markets, while accelerating the economic development of the region.

Finally, Jafar argues that meeting energy demand growth in the Middle East will require massive investment.

The IEA estimates that between 2012 and 2035, the Middle East will require $2 trillion in investments into its energy sector. Of this, about half is into oil industry investments and the rest is split 50/50 between gas and power production. In other words, the gaspower chain in the region will need $1 trillion in the next 23 years, or $43 billion per annum. In this context, the region’s energy companies will need significant capital and project management resources. This is happening while international oil companies have significant investment opportunities in their own home regions or other emerging oil and gas regions of the world - the OECD alone is expected to need $22 trillion of energy investments in the same period.

So, Jafar argues: “the Middle East may need to rely on its own resources, in both the NOCs and the region’s private sector, to meet its own energy challenge. But it is a challenge that is imperative to meet”.

Burgan Bank to help customers build their dream homes KUWAIT: Burgan Bank announced yesterday a new collaboration that will help the bank’s customers design and build the home of their dreams.

Burgan Bank is collaborating with Architecture House Office - one of Kuwait’s leading design consultancy and construction companies - to provide Burgan Bank’s customers with discounted rates.

Burgan Bank customers planning to build a new home can now enjoy a 10 percent discount on a building quotation, along with a 20 percent discount on architecture design.

Accommodating its customers with everyday lifestyle needs that go beyond banking has consistently driven Burgan Bank to offer the most innovative of services.

To find out more about Burgan Bank’s banking services as well as the latest promotions, customers are required to visit their nearest Burgan Bank branch or contac t the call center on 1804080. Established in 1977, Burgan Bank is the youngest commercial Bank and third largest by assets in Kuwait, with a significant focus on the corporate and financial institutions sectors, as well as having a growing retail and private bank customer base.

Burgan Bank has five majority owned subsidiaries, which include Gulf Bank Algeria - AGB (Algeria), Bank of Baghdad - BOB (Iraq & Lebanon), Jordan Kuwait Bank - JKB (Jordan) Tunis International Bank - TIB (Tunisia), and fully owned Burgan Bank - Turkey, (collectively known as the “Burgan Bank Group”).

The Bank has continuously improved its performance over the years through an expanded revenue structure, diversified funding sources, and a strong capital base. The adoption of state-of-the-art services and technology has positioned it as a trendsetter in the domestic market and within the MENA region.

Burgan Bank’s brand has been created on a foundation of real values - of trust, commitment, excellence and progression, to remind us of the high standards to which we aspire. ‘People come first’ is the foundation on which its products and services are developed. Earlier this year, ‘Brand Finance’ - the international brand valuation company- rated Burgan Bank brand as AA with positive outlook. The rating places Burgan Bank Brand at 2nd amongst the most valuable banking brands in Kuwait.

THURSDAY, APRIL 4, 2013

technology

Google’s Chromebook Pixel impressive - but!

GENEVA: In this picture made available yesterday, the famous water fountain (Jet d’eau) is illuminated by blue lights to mark the Light It Up blue for World Autism Awareness Day, in Geneva, yesterday. —AP

Firm can sue Facebook over ‘timeline’ CHICAGO: A Chicago-based social media company called Timelines Inc. can sue Facebook Inc. over allegations that it violated the smaller firm’s trademark on the word “timeline,” a federal judge ruled.

Timelines launched a website called Timelines.com in 2009 that enables users to track historical events and their personal lives online. Two years later, Facebook Inc. launched a major new feature it called “timeline,” which similarly allows users to highlight their lives online in chronological order. The Chicago company filed its lawsuit weeks after Facebook introduced its “timeline” feature.

Facebook had asked a federal judge in Chicago to throw out Timelines’ suit, arguing, among other things, that the word “timeline”

is too generic to be trademarked.

But in a 23-page ruling posted this week, US District Judge John Darrah disagreed, noting Facebook itself has battled hard in the courts to protect words it’s trademarked, including “poke” and “like.”

Timelines.com has just over 1,200 registered users, the ruling said. Facebook has said recently it has around a billion.

Darrah’s ruling giving the suit the green light means a jury trial can start as scheduled on April 22.

A spokesman for Menlo Park, Calif.-based Facebook, Andrew Noyes, declined any comment on the ruling. A Timelines’ attorneys, Douglas Albritton, said he was “pleased” and declined further comment.—AP

Mobile phone... from ‘bricks’ to clicks LONDON: Mobile phone technology has come a long way since the first mobile phone call was made 40 years ago - but there is a lot more innovation ahead, according to one expert.

It was on April 3,1973 that Motorola employee Martin Cooper made a call in New York on a Motorola DynaTAC - dubbed a “brick” due to its size and weight - which was widely regarded globally as the first public mobile phone call.

The device was 9 inches tall, comprised 30 circuit boards, had a talk-time of 35 minutes, and took 10 hours to recharge.

Four decades on, a worldwide telecoms industry with annual revenues of £800bn has grown rapidly based on wide choice, falling prices and an array of technologies, resulting in the average mobile being used to take photos, play music and games, send emails, download maps, watch video clips, all as well as talking and texting.

Mike Short, an expert from the Institution of Engineering and Technology, said Cooper’s phone call is the first public call people recognise as being a cellular mobile call. He said the 10 years following that first call were “very much developmental”, with research being carried out in laboratories before services were launched in 1981 in the US. “Since its first use 40 years ago, the mobile phone has completely changed our lives. The first decade was a research or a ‘demonstrator’ phase, rapidly followed by analogue networks deployed over 10 years from the early 1980s largely based on carphones and used in business in the developed world.

“This soon led to the digital decade mainly between 1993 and 2003 when consumerisation and globalisation of mobile really took off. “This led to a further data adoption phase with the arrival of 3G and during 2003 to 2013 access to the internet and the wider use of smartphones became a reality,” he said.

The two most significant developments in mobile phone technology have been the widespread availability of devices and their ability to access the internet, Short said.

“In the early days of mobile, consumerisation was not considered. It was made for men in suits in business, whereas consumerisation followed much later.

“And then access to the internet followed much later again. The first smartphones weren’t until about five years ago. So the pace of change has actually sped up over the 40 years, particularly in the past 15 to 18 years,” he said.

Short expects mobile technology to continue to evolve and said people can expect even more developments in future.

“More changes are expected. The early days of mobile were all about voice, whereas today it’s much more about data.

“And the point about data is that we can carry voice calls over the data channel, but in future we’ll move towards fuller data services such as video - much more video to video calling, much more screens on the wall in your home, maybe more video television downloaded, catchup TV, that sort of thing. “So there’s a lot more innovation to come, particularly in the data and video worlds,” he said.

Mobile phone users will have noticed these changes in the last few years, as phones have become more affordable and sit lightly in the palm of their hand - but innovators are working to enhance these aspects of modern devices further.

Short said: “The cost has already fallen a long way. What tends to happen is you get more functionality per pound spent.

“That would include more memory, that would include more features, that would include more capability to access the internet at higher speeds.

“The weight has dropped dramatically already, but we’re seeing, probably this year, the first watch-based phones.”

With improvements and changes implemented so frequently, Dr Short said it is hard to know what exactly to expect in the next 40 years, but it is safe to assume millions more people in the world will have access to mobile phones. “It’s very difficult to predict 40 years’ time because the pace of innovation is speeding up. I would say that we’ll all be mobile, globally, everyone will be mobile.

“I’d also say that we’ll be connecting many more machines via wireless mobile technology as well.

“The world of around 7bn devices connected today should be in excess of 70bn connected devices in 40 years’ time,” he said.

SIEM REAP: Google’s first high-end laptop, the Chromebook Pixel, is an impressive machine. It feels light and comfortable in my hands and on my lap. Its high-resolution display makes photos look sharp and video come to life. From a hardware standpoint, it’s everything I’d want a laptop to be. But the Pixel isn’t very practical - at least not yet - for most people. It works well when you have a steady Internet connection, but can’t do much once you lose that connection.

And because it uses Google’s own operating system, it doesn’t run enough software yet to replace your other machines. I brought the Pixel along for a nearly three-week trip to Thailand and Cambodia, where I knew I wouldn’t have the type of round-the-clock access I’m used to in the US I was surprised by how much I could do, but quickly got frustrated when I couldn’t do more.

Such frustration doesn’t come cheap. Prices for the Pixel start at $1,299, just $200 less than a MacBook with a comparable screen and the ability to do much more offline. A higher-end Pixel with cellular access costs $150 more than the basic model and is scheduled to start shipping Monday. For those unfamiliar with Google’s entry into the laptop market - I guess that’s many of you - the Pixel and other Chromebooks run a Google operating system called Chrome OS. Based on the Chrome Web browser available for Windows and Mac computers, Chrome OS underscores Google’s vision of letting the Internet do all the heavy lifting instead of your computer. As a result, you can power up and start working on the Chromebook right away.

Boot time is minimal because there’s not a lot of software to load. Those functions are pulled from the Internet as needed. That also means updates come regularly and don’t need any installation on your part.

There’s not a lot of storage on the machine either. The idea is to keep as much as you can online, through a storage service such as Google Drive or Dropbox. Think of the Chromebook as a gateway to the Internet. You can download apps from Google and others to run on the Chromebook, but many of those apps do little more than access a website on your Chrome browser when you’re online. Previous Chromebooks haven’t been too powerful. They have tended to be low-cost machines ideal for casual users who mostly need computers for Internet tasks such as email and Facebook.

Google is changing the dynamics with the Pixel. It’s targeting power users who are willing to

pay more money for the best features. For $1,299, you get a well-built machine sporting a touch-sensitive display that measures nearly 13 inches diagonally. The screen’s resolution is among the best out there. At 239 pixels per inch, it tops the 227 pixels per inch on the 13-inch MacBook Pro, though your eyes might not be able to discern that small difference.

The basic Pixel model comes with 32 gigabytes of storage and has a slot for external storage, such as a camera’s SD card. Each machine also comes with a three-year subscription for 1 terabyte of online storage through Google Drive.

It’s normally $50 a year. Google also offers a $1,449 model that has double the internal storage, at 64 GB, and 100 megabytes a month of LTE cellular data access through Verizon Wireless for two years. That’s suitable for occasional use, but if you’ll be away from Wi-Fi a lot, you’ll need a data plan. Prices start at $10 a day.

The LTE model isn’t set to ship until Monday, but Google lent me one to try out. I was impressed with the LTE offering, as the cellular access would help cover some of the gaps I’d have outside my home and office. But it’s of no use abroad. Nor is LTE of use on airplanes. Both models offer 12 free sessions with Gogo’s Wi-Fi service on airplanes, but those are good only for flights that offer that capability. Those tend to be domestic flights in the US. So I found myself trying to use Chromebook without a steady Internet connection. Before I left, I configured the Chromebook browser to enable offline access to Google Docs, the company’s set of online tools such as word processing and spreadsheets. With offline access, you’re able to access and edit documents. Changes get synced with the online versions the next time you connect to the Internet. I was able to do a fair amount of writing offline, but every now and then, my document would disappear, replaced

by Google’s “Aw, Snap” error message sporting a sad face icon. That would be cute if hours of work weren’t at stake.

Although I was usually able to recover the file and never lost more than a paragraph of writing, I got nervous with every crash. Google Docs lets you save copies on your computer as text files or in Microsoft’s Word format. But that function works only when you are online, even for changes you are making offline. Even without the crashes, I wasn’t getting tools such as spellchecking while offline. That’s not an issue when using Word or Apple’s Pages on other machines.

IBM creates new way to make faster transistors NEW YORK: Researchers at IBM have assembled 10,000 carbon nanotube transistors on a silicon chip. With silicon transistors approaching fundamental limits to continued miniaturization, the IBM work points toward a possible new way of continuing to produce smaller, faster, more efficient computers.

Earlier work by IBM showed that nanotube transistors could run chips three times faster than silicon transistors while using only a third as much power. And at just two nanometers in diameter, the nanotubes-carbon molecules resembling rolled-up chicken wire-are so small that chip makers could theoretically cram far more transistors on a chip than is possible with silicon technology. But controlling the nan-

otubes’ placement in arrays numerous enough to be useful-ultimately, billions of transistors-is a major research challenge.

At IBM’s T.J. Watson Research Center in Yorktown Heights, New York, researchers are etching tiny trenches on silicon and using a multistep process to precisely align semiconducting nanotubes in them. Then they add metal contacts to test the nanotubes’ performance. The company hopes that since the process uses a silicon substrate, it can eventually be inserted as a few extra steps within existing fabrication plants.

In the samples the researchers have created so far, the nanotube transistors are about 150 nanometers apart. They’ll have to get closer if the new technology is to beat today’s silicon transis-

comes to pass, the new reactor in Normandy that the state-owned utility ElectricitÈ de France (EDF) expects to fire up in 2016 could be the country’s last.

“France’s reduced backing for nuclear will certainly be a blow to nuclear power’s reputation,” says Chi-Jen Yang, an expert in technology policy at Duke University’s Center on Global Change. However, the big loser could be France itself, which would probably have less ability to export its own technology: the third-generation European Pressurized Reactor design developed by the French nuclear technology firm Areva.

That is the same design that EDF is using.

Areva is also building a nuclear plant with the new design in Finland and bidding globally to build more, including a second unit for Finland. EDF is building two such plants in China and has proposed deploying the technology in the United States and the United Kingdom, among other countries.

But even though France’s role in the reactor market is already slipping, it remains a major player in the development of advanced nuclear technologies that will be relevant for decades. The

tors and keep ahead of improved generations over the next decade. “We need to lay down a single layer of carbon nanotubes spaced a few nanometers apart,” says Supratik Guha, director of physical sciences at the lab. His group must also work out how to add individual electrical contacts, envisioned as atomic-scale vertical posts, to each of billions of transistors; right now the wafer acts as the gate switching the nanotubes on and off. And finally, they must find ways to generate ultrapure supplies of semiconducting carbon nanotubes so that few, if any, will fail or short out. While achieving all this is likely to take five to 10 years, Guha says, “nanotubes are an excellent candidate to keep the scaling of microelectronics technology going.” —- MCT

Google engineers apply filter to end robocalls

BERLIN: Picture taken on July 6, 2009 shows a passenger walking past an Inter City Express train of the Deutsche Bahn railway company in Berlin’s central railway station, the Hauptbahnhof. The discovery of an unexploded World War II bomb unearthed near Berlin’s main train station snarled rail and road traffic in the German capital yesterday. —AFP

Will France give up its role as nuke powerhouse?

PARIS: A council appointed by French president FranÁois Hollande is kicking off a nationwide debate that could shift France away from nuclear and toward renewable energy. It is a dramatic development in light of France’s outsize nuclear investments: the country produces more nuclear energy than any other country besides the United States, and it relies on reactors for more than three-quarters of its power generation, a higher percentage than any other country.

Nothing will change quickly; given its heavy reliance on nuclear power, the country cannot rapidly phase out its reactors the way Germany plans to. And France has already lost its leadership role to global competitors. “The new leaders in nuclear expansion globally are the Chinese and Koreans,” says Andrew Kadak, a nuclear science and engineering research scientist at MIT. Experts such as Kadak predict, however, that over the long haul a future France that abandons nuclear would impoverish global nuclear R&D. During his election campaign last year, Hollande called for reducing nuclear to half of France’s power supply by 2025. If that

Beyond text documents, the Chromebook is able to view photos, PDFs and other files, just like any other computer.

It can also read files in Microsoft’s Word and Excel formats, though you must convert them to Google Docs to make changes. And obviously, it can browse the Web. I successfully paid credit card bills, bought magazines and watched Hulu video on the Pixel. I was able to read an e-book on Amazon’s Web-based Kindle app, too. But there are limits, particular when sites require plug-ins that aren’t available for the Chromebook. And while I was able to write this story on a Chromebook, our publishing system isn’t compatible with it.

Chromebooks are ideal for those who have steady Internet access and do most of their computing on Web browsers. But those people may be fine with one of the other, much cheaper Chromebooks. One is the $249 Samsung Chromebook, which I have tried and like for simple tasks when Internet access isn’t an issue. If you need a machine as powerful as the Pixel, you might also need an operating system that can do more, especially when offline. Google executive Caesar Sengupta admits that Chromebook owners might still have to turn to a Windows or Mac computer now and then. In many ways, it reminds me of the early days of the Mac, when most software was written only for Windows.

That makes the Pixel expensive for a machine that can’t serve as your sole computer. At $1,299, I’d rather spend another $200 for a MacBook with a high-resolution display and four times the storage, at 128 gigabytes. You don’t get a touch screen with the MacBook, but frankly, I didn’t use the Pixel’s touch controls even once during my Asia trip. On the other hand, Sengupta told me that selling Pixels isn’t Google’s main goal with the machine. Rather, the company made it to showcase Google’s vision for the future of computing. In that case, Google has succeeded in producing a machine that is a pleasure to use - as long as you’re online.

About the Chromebook Pixel: The device represents Google’s entry into the high-end laptop market. It runs Google’s Chrome OS operating system, which largely assumes you’ll have roundthe-clock Internet access. You can still work with the device offline, but functionality is limited.

The basic model costs $1,299 and comes with 32 gigabytes of storage. For $1,449, you get 64 gigabytes and LTE connectivity through Verizon Wireless. —AP

Commissariat ‡ l’Ènergie atomique— France’s counterpart to the U.S. Department of Energy—has been spending about 1.5 billion euros ($2 billion) annually on R&D for “nuclear technologies of the future.” That dwarfs the $885 million that Congress provided for the DOE’s nuclear energy R&D in 2011.

That investment has led to expertise that could be lost if France pulls back from nuclear energy broadly. Kadak cites the French capacity to reprocess spent nuclear fuel. The world may ultimately need that technology to manage nuclear waste.

“This is an area where the French are clearly leaders,” he says. If the French retrench, reprocessing development “[will] suffer globally and will affect our ability to recycle nuclear fuel.”

Burton Richter, a Nobel Prize-winning physicist at Stanford University and former board member for Areva’s U.S. subsidiary, says France’s energy agency has been “more effective than the U.S. labs” in developing so-called Generation IV reactors.

These advanced reactors can “breed” their own fuel by irradiating and transmuting unenriched uranium. Other designs can

break down spent nuclear fuel.

France’s energy debate is scheduled to wrap up in July, and the government is expected to propose legislation in October. Antinuclear activists say public opinion is with them, citing a poll commissioned by Greenpeace last year in which 80 percent endorsed the statement “France is too dependent on nuclear energy.”

Nuclear proponents retort that the debate could recommit France to nuclear energy, citing growing worries over jobs.

Meanwhile, French automakers are embracing electric vehicles, which will be hard to charge with low-carbon energy if France cuts back on nuclear reactors.

As a result, nuclear and renewables could coexist in France, notes Charles Forsberg, executive director of the MIT Nuclear Fuel Cycle Project. “The French establishment is looking at whether they can electrify transportation and the rest of industry, which would imply a massive increase in electricity demand,” he says. “At the end of the day, the French will likely have slow nuclear and accelerated renewables growth.” —AFP

NEW YORK: The Federal Trade Commission has announced the winners of its Robocall Challenge. The contest, which attracted 800 submissions, was created to find a solution to the growing robocall problem.

Each month, more than 200,000 people complain to the FTC about spam calls, which was enough to prompt some good ol’ crowd sourcing to squash the issue once and for all.

Aaron Foss and Sedar Danis split first prize while Dean Jackson and Daniel Klein won the “technology achievement award,” which goes to the winning submission associated with a large company - in this case, Google. The winning submissions are encouraging, but initial reactions to the contest were less exciting. At first, nothing compelling was being introduced to the contest.

Foss’s selection is called Nomorobo and proposes automatic hangs ups as the ultimate solution. Calls are forwarded to the Nomorobo service, which picks up the call before the user and disconnects it. The solution is great because most phones already support call forwarding so it could be easily integrated.

Danis suggested an external device, mobile app, or service provider feature. It involves autonomously compiling “whitelisted, blacklisted, and graylisted numbers” to a database to handle unwanted calls.

Danis’s solution can also detect whether the call is originating from a spoofed number (a fake number that disguises the call’s true source.)

The Googlers, Jackson and Klein, approached the problem in a similar way to how Gmail keeps spam at bay and actually relates to Danis’ idea. Their system asks users to report offending phone numbes to an online database. External hardware then checks each phone call to the database and blocks it. The hardware also blocks spoofed numbers and records additional information like call volume, frequency, and inbound-to-outbound ratio.

There’s no guarantee that any solutions will actually be implemented, but Foss told The Verge that he plans to use the $25,000 prize to bring his idea to the real world. He plans to reach out to major carriers and starters alike. Foss has been involved in a number of New York City startups so this is nothing new for him.

Fingers crossed that someone actually blocks robocalling before it takes up the world’s airtime. —MCT

THURSDAY, APRIL 4, 2013

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

Scientists race to gauge the pandemic risk of new bird flu DNA data suggest virus has worrisome mutations

INDIA: Humayun’s Tomb is lit up in blue to mark World Autism Day in New Delhi Tuesday.—AP

Obama launches research initiative to study human brain WASHINGTON: The White House unveiled a sweeping new initiative on Tuesday to map the individual cells and circuits that make up the human brain, a project that will give scientists a better understanding of how a healthy brain works and how to devise better treatments for injuries and diseases of the brain.

“There is this enormous mystery waiting to be unlocked,” said President Barack Obama of the ambitious project unveiled at a White House ceremony packed with scientists. Called the Brain Research through Advancing Innovative Neurotechnologies (BRAIN) Initiative, the program will be funded with an initial $100 million from the president’s fiscal 2014 budget, which the White House is slated to release next week.

Dr Francis Collins, director of the federally funded National Institutes of Health, likened the initiative to mapping the human genome, a $3.8 billion effort he helped to lead as former director of the National Human Genome Research Institute. “The human brain is at the present time the most complicated organ in the known universe,” Collins said in a conference call. “We aim through this ambitious - some would call it audacious - project, to try to unravel those mysteries.”

Collins said the NIH plans to assemble a “dream team” of 15 scientists who will set the priorities for the research. Initially, scientists will try to learn the language of how the brain operates. Ultimately, Collins said, the effort should allow researchers to understand such complex diseases as epilepsy, autism, schizophrenia, Alzheimer’s disease, traumatic brain injury and a long list of conditions “that collectively affect 100 million Americans and cost us $500 billion each year in terms of healthcare costs.”

‘Pretty good start’ Collins conceded that the initial investment of $100 million in the first year is just a start for

this project, which likely will take many years to bear fruit. But he noted that the Human Genome Project started off with a $28 million investment. “Even if you throw in an inflation factor, it’s a pretty good start,” said Collins, who noted that NIH spends a total of $5.5 billion for all of its neuroscience research efforts.

Of course, there is no guarantee that the Democratic president, who is in a standoff with Republican lawmakers over how to reduce the US deficit, will be able to get a $100 million proposal through a highly divided Congress. But the president said that investment in areas such as education and development should be critical even as spending cuts are needed to address the country’s fiscal woes.

“We can’t afford to miss these opportunities while the rest of the world races ahead. We have to seize them. I don’t want the next job-creating discoveries to happen in China or India or Germany. I want them to happen right here,” Obama said. Although the funding requires congressional approval, agencies have some discretion to start working on the program ahead of time, a White House spokesman said.

The main thrust of the BRAIN Initiative “is to be able to study the brain at a large scale to see how lots of neurons work together to produce high-level functions like learning, memory and creativity,” said neuroscientist John Donoghue of Brown University. Today’s brain imaging, such as functional magnetic resonance imaging or fMRI, “can’t see the activity of individual neurons,” he said: “it’s like reading the newspaper at two arms’ length.” But by monitoring activity in individual neurons, researchers hope to see, for instance, “how the brain produces language, including how the visual cortex interacts with speech and language areas so you can read a word, speak it and understand it. It’s a big network of neurons all communicating with each other,” Donoghue said. —Reuters

LONDON: Genetic sequence data on a deadly strain of bird flu previously unknown in people show the virus has already acquired some mutations that might make it more likely to cause a human pandemic, scientists say. But there is no evidence so far that the H7N9 flu - now known to have infected nine people in China, killing three - is spreading from person to person, and there is still a chance it might peter out and never fully mutate into a human form of flu.

Just days after authorities in China announced they had identified cases of H7N9, flu experts in laboratories across the world are picking through the DNA sequence data of samples isolated from the patients to assess its pandemic potential. One of the world’s top flu experts, Ab Osterhaus, who is based at the Erasmus Medical Centre in The Netherlands, says the sequences show some genetic mutations that should put authorities on alert and entail increased surveillance in animals and humans.

“The virus has to a certain extent already adapted to mammalian species and to humans, so from that point of view it’s worrisome,” he told Reuters in a telephone interview. “Really we should keep a very close eye on this.” China’s National Health and Family Planning Commission confirmed on Sunday that three people had been infected with the new H7N9 flu, with two deaths of men in Shanghai aged 87 and 27 who fell sick in late February. Chinese authorities have in the past two days confirmed another six cases, including another fatal one.

The World Health Organization (WHO) says the cases of H7N9 are “of concern” because they are the first in humans. “That makes it a unique event, which the World Health Organization is taking seriously,” the Geneva-based United Nations health agency said yesterday. Other strains of bird flu, such as H5N1, have been circulating for many years and can be transmitted from bird to bird, and bird to human, but not from human to human.

So far, this lack of human-to-human transmission also appears to be a feature of the H7N9 strain. Flu viruses are classified based on two types of protein found on their surface, haemagglutinin and neuraminidase, which are abbreviated to H and N. Although it is very early days, scientists says initial analysis also suggests H7N9 does not appear to make birds particularly ill - in other words it is what is known as a low pathogenic avian influenza, of LPAI. Unfortunately, this doesn’t necessarily mean it will be mild in

humans, says Wendy Barclay, a flu virology expert at Britain’s Imperial College London.

Finding the source “We can’t be complacent. We have to be cautious,” she said, stressing that other H5 and H7 flu subtypes have been able to mutate from LPAI to the more dangerous highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) as they circulate in various hosts, particularly in chickens. Its mildness in birds could also mean H7N9 is a “silent spreader” - harder to detect than highly pathogenic flu strains such as H5N1 that can wipe out entire flocks of wild birds or domestic poultry and are therefore far more visible.

“It’s a sort of double-edged sword, because if and when it becomes highly pathogenic and all the chickens start dying, that’s very bad for the poultry farmers, but it means we can see much more easily where the virus is,” Barclay said. “At the moment, we can’t see where this virus is coming from. We don’t know yet what animal source is feeding this.” Finding that source, and tracking the genetic mutations to see if, how and when this new strain might gain the ability to spark a human pandemic are now the priori-

ties for researchers in China and around the world, Barclay and Osterhaus said.

The WHO praised the Chinese government, saying it was responding to the situation with various important measures such as enhanced surveillance, detailed case management and treatment, tracing contacts of all those known to have been infected so far, and training healthcare professionals. Experts said the fact that H7N9 had been identified and swiftly reported, and that genetic sequence data was already available for researchers around the world to analyze, was a sign of how things have changed.

In 2003, China initially tried to cover up an epidemic of Severe Acute Respirator y Syndrome, which emerged in China and killed about a tenth of the 8,000 people it infected worldwide. Ian Jones, a professor of virology at Britain’s University of Reading, said the heightened awareness of flu and of the possibility that unusual respiratory diseases may turn out to be new strains of flu means more cases get referred to hospitals. “It’s quite possible these cases ... are being detected because flu is way up there” on disease priority lists, he said.—Reuters

CHINA: Workers unload chicken containers from a truck at a wholesale market yesterday in Shanghai.—AP

Eyes in sky help when catastrophe strikes PARIS: Almost unknown to the public, a constellation of satellite guardians is flying overhead, and all it takes is a phone call for them to intervene when a country is hit by a storm, earthquake, tsunami or flood.

Armed with cameras or ground radar, these Earth-observation satellites were sent into orbit for scientific and commercial missions. But under an international agreement, they can also be called on for humanitarian work. Assigned to fly over a disaster zone, they send back high-resolution images that can be crucial for rescue teams on the ground.

Which towns or streets are most at risk of flooding? What route can be found for relief trucks after a bridge has collapsed? And where is a secure location to pitch tents for survivors?

This pooled effort gathers 14 space agencies or national organizations,

which together have 20 satellites, ranging from France’s SPOT commercial satellite to the United States’ scientific satellite, Landsat. Their cooperation comes under an agreement called the International Charter Space and Major Disasters. When catastrophe strikes, an “authorized user” of the Charter simply phones a number at the European Space Agency (ESA), where space technicians are on round-the-clock duty.

After confirming the request, the team looks at what satellites are available, determines which is best suited for the job and then sends a programming request to its operator.

Within three hours, a scout can be instructed to take pictures as it swings over the site, said Philippe Bally, ESA’s representative on the Charter’s secretariat in Paris. The data is usually available within 24 hours,

and the service is provided for free, rather as ships at sea divert course to pick up a seafarer in distress. “We select the satellite according to what is needed-visual images or radar images, the type of resolution-and this is determined by the type of disaster,” said Catherine Proy of France’s National Centre for Space Studies (CNES), which devised the initiative with ESA in 1999.

“We also have to factor in differences in the time zone and over flight opportunities.” To make the information usable on the ground, the raw data is sent to specialist cartographers, who highlight the disaster zone and compare the latest pictures against those from previous years in order to show the change.

Since 2000, the Charter has been “activated” 369 times in 110 countries. Floods and tsunamis account

for roughly half of the activations, followed by storms (16 percent) and earthquakes (11 percent). The beneficiary countries are generally poor economies that do not have access to an Earth-observation satellite.

Haiti, for instance, was helped after the January 2010 earthquake with satellite pictures that pinpointed terrain that offered the best opportunities for clean water and identified areas at risk of landslip.

One of the 41 authorized users of the Charter is the United Nations, which can activate it on behalf of member states. The most recent activation was after Cyclone Haruna smashed into Mozambique in February. Rich countries, too, can ask for an activation. Germany activated the Charter in 2003 to provide images for Iran after the 2003 Bam earthquake that left 35,000 people dead.—AFP

Turkish tourism branches out Hair implant with your ski trip?

Medical tourism on the rise in Turkey LONDON: File photo shows psychological well-being practitioner Nabila ElZanaty talks to a self-help psychological course class run by Britain’s publicly funded health system, during a session.—AP

In the UK, a DIY approach to mental health help LONDON: After crocheting a colorful blanket, Joan Ferguson snuggled up under it one night and proudly thought: “This is one groovy blanket.

I’m brilliant.” Ferguson, 53, who struggles with low self-esteem, said it was the first time she had ever praised herself. She attributed the breakthrough in part to free self-help classes on mental health run by Britain’s government-funded medical system. With a long wait to see a psychologist, the British government is turning to the classroom to treat people with mild-to-moderate mental health problems with a mix of PowerPoint presentations and group exercises.

Ferguson’s class of about 10 people, which meets once a week in east London, is led by two “psychological wellbeing practitioners.” The instructors are trained for a year on how to help people change their behavior or thinking but they aren’t fully fledged psychologists. While some dismiss the approach as do-it-yourself therapy, experts say there is convincing evidence that people with conditions like depression and anxiety can be successfully treated without ever seeing a psychologist or a psychiatrist. The strategy was adopted after Britain’s independent health watchdog ruled that classes and self-help books are cost-effective. Treating people with mental health problems this way could get them back to work quicker and save the UK an estimated 700 million pounds in lost tax revenue over four years, a previous study found.

The government is aiming to use the classes to treat least 15 percent of the more than 6 million who need treatment for anxiety or depression. In 2011, only about 5 percent got some kind of therapy; about half were treated in classes or settings such as telephone sessions or computer

therapy. Those with more serious problems, like schizophrenia or post-traumatic stress disorder, are usually offered traditional psychotherapy. The self-help classes have a recovery rate of about 46 percent, slightly lower than the 50 to 60 percent recovery rates for those who get personal psychological counseling, according to statistics from the department of health. The British Psychological Society, a professional group, helped design the training received by the class instructors. The society’s David Murphy, however, said the classes might not be a fit for everyone.

“Some people are wary about going to a class instead of seeing a psychologist,” said Murphy, who isn’t involved with the program. The classes often require more effort by the individual than working with a psychologist, he said.

“For the (self-help) classes to be effective, the onus is on the patient to change what they’re doing in between sessions,” Murphy said. Some American experts weren’t sure the approach would work in the United States. “The expectations of treatment are very different in the US,” said Michael Otto, a professor of psychology at Boston University who has studied self-help approaches. “People think, ‘if I’m going to be paying for care, I want to get the treatment I want and that’s often personal therapy.” Otto said the downside to such self-help programs is that people who don’t get better might just give up.

Instructor Nabila El-Zanaty said the classes aren’t meant to be like group therapy. “It’s more like psychological education,” she said, after leading a session that taught participants how to spot negative thoughts about themselves. She said patients must be monitored closely in case they need more intensive help. —AP

ISTANBUL: Sitting in a private clinic in an upscale neighborhood of Istanbul, Saleh, a human resources executive from Qatar, is preparing to leave Turkey with a smile on his face and more hair on his head. Having previously brought his wife and children to Istanbul for sightseeing and shopping, Saleh has returned as the new kind of highspending visitor Turkey is increasingly seeking to attract: a medical tourist.

“There’s a social pressure to look good,” the casually suited executive, declining to give his family name, told Reuters as he sat waiting for a checkup a day after having hair follicles implanted in his balding scalp. “Two of my brothers and half of my friends had hair implants in Turkey. It was an easy choice after that.” As it tries to boost tourism revenues and narrow its current account deficit, its main economic weakness, Turkey is on a mission to diversify away from the all-inclusive package tours to its sun-drenched Mediterranean shores which, local businesses complain, often do too little for the local economy.

Of 37 million tourists visiting Turkey last year, about 270,000 came for surgical procedures, from moustache implants and liposuction to operations for serious ailments, generating $1 billion in revenues and representing a small but growing fraction of tourism receipts. “They usually come for three days. We offer them shopping or skiing tours, they get well and have a short vacation,” said Kazim Devranoglu, the medical head of Dunyagoz Group, which has 14 eye care clinics in Turkey and branches in western Europe. Around 10 percent of the group’s patients - some 35,000 people a year - are now coming from abroad, he said. “They are mostly from western European countries like Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, as well as from Algeria and Azerbaijan.” There are various factors behind Turkey’s appeal. People from countries with heavily congested health systems welcome the opportunity to choose the time of their surgeries, while those from less-developed nations are attracted by Western-trained medics and new facilities sprouting up as Turkey’s private healthcare industry flourishes. The moustachioed stars of Turkish soap

operas, popular across the Middle East and North Africa, have also prompted an influx of men seeking a virile addition to their upper lip. Health professionals and patients say plastic and corrective eye surgery costs, including travel and accommodation, can be up to 60 percent below comparable programs in western Europe.The government aims to double medical tourist numbers to half a million a year over the next two years and raise revenues to $7 billion by attracting them to higher-margin healthcare.

“We see Turkey as a prime destination for medical tourism,” said Dursun Aydin, head of the international patients department at the Health Ministry. “We have experienced doctors. Hospitals are new...Turkey is relatively inexpensive and the temperate climate helps too.”

Tax-free health zones The phenomenon is a boon not only for Turkey’s tourism industry, which risks locking itself into a price war with rival destinations such as Greece and Spain, but also for its booming private healthcare industry. Parliament passed new regulations in February to make private investment in the healthcare sector easier, a move it hopes could unlock billions of dollars of investment over the next few years.

Private equity investors favor Turkey’s fast-growing services industries, including healthcare and education, because of a near tripling of nominal, per capita gross domestic product over the past decade and a young population of 75 million.

Foreign institutions including Malaysia’s state investment arm Khazanah Nasional, US private equity firm Carlyle, emerging markets investor ADM Capital, Qatar’s First Investment Bank and the World Bank’s International Finance Corp (IFC) have put money into the Turkish healthcare sector.

Turkey’s status as a medical tourism destination could add to the allure. Though the idea is still on the drawing board, the government is considering airport-accessible, tax-free health zones which would aim to attract up to 85 percent of their patients from abroad, while offering tax incentives

for investors. Under the new law passed in February, which facilitates public-private partnerships, the state will rent city hospitals built and run by the private sector for 25 years. “The aim is to revitalize ageing hospitals. While built primarily for Turkish citizens, they’ll be luxuriously equipped and will aim to draw at least some of their customers from abroad,” said the Health Ministry’s Aydin.

Economic dividend Growth has already been phenomenal, said Tolga Umar, chief executive of Visit and Care, a patient and doctor matching service which helps visitors from the Middle East and Europe. “We’ve been matching patients and doctors for six years now. Back then there were few other players, but now hospitals have international patient management departments doing direct marketing,” he said. “Even tour operators ask prior to a visit whether you want to have a dental exam or corrective eye surgery.”

Boosting tourism revenues is key to keeping a lid on Turkey’s current account deficit, which narrowed to around 6 percent of GDP in 2012 from roughly 10 percent in 2011. Net tourism receipts reached $21.6 billion last year, while the current account deficit stood at $47 billion. Turkey is the world’s sixth top destination by tourist arrivals, according to the World Tourism Organization, but it may require strategies such as the medical tourism drive to maintain that status.

“Decreasing prices in Greece and Spain since the debt crisis mean that the competition for tourists is more intense,” said tourism consultant Fehmi Kofteoglu. Timur Bayndr, head of Turkey’s TUROB tourism industry association, said: “What the industry needs is alternative tourism channels like medical and shopping tourism.”

That could mean men with red dots on their heads - a tell-tale sign of freshly implanted follicles - becoming a more common sight as they stroll through Istanbul’s designer malls, snapping up a last few purchases at the end of their medical tours.—Reuters

THURSDAY, APRIL 4, 2013

THURSDAY, APRIL 4, 2013

W H AT ’ S O N

SEND US YOUR INSTAGRAM PICS

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

Greetings

Gust students land scholarships in US

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he Gulf University for Science and Technology (GUST) has awarded study-abroad scholarships to eight students to attend summer classes at the University of Missouri - St Louis (UMSL) and Florida International University (FIU). The students will spend eight weeks exploring new educational and cultural experiences. GUST’s Academic Affairs Department and International Programs Office annually organizes summer scholarships to the United States for the university’s outstanding students.

This year’s students attending Florida International University in Miami are; Fatema Tareq Bouresli, Accounting major; Raghad Yousef Alawneh, Visual

The Sharaa family is celebrating the arrival of its newest addition baby Saif, who was born to Ammar Asleeni and Rola Sharaa yesterday April 3rd, 2013. Rola’s father Ayman and her uncles Abdellatif, Iyad, Islam, Bilal, Moayad and Moheb wish Baby Saif all the best and May Almighty Allah bless his family.

Communications major; Alaa Radwan Alatilie, Finance major; Atyab Meshal Al Melhem, Accounting major and Lina Hani Arikat, Public Relations and Advertising major.

The students heading to UMSL are Sindhu Vasavi Srinivasan and Ashveen Kaur Sethi, who are both Accounting majors, and Farah Salem Haider who is a Visual Communications major.

“We are very proud of these students and their achievements,” commented Dr. Fahed Al-Sumait, the acting Dean of Student Affairs at GUST. “We know they will be good ambassadors of our university and our country while in the US. They will also get incredible personal and academic benefits from this study-abroad

experience.”

The students were chosen from many applicants who fulfilled certain criteria set by the GUST Summer Scholarship Committee including: completion of at least 60 credit hours, GPA of 3.0 and above and a TOEFL score of 550 (paper based); 213 (computer based) or 7980 (internet based).

The Gulf University for Science and Technology began operation in 2002 as the first private university in Kuwait. It is based on an American-style model of higher education and aims to serve the increasing educational demands of Kuwait and the Gulf region. It currently hosts approximately 3,000 full-time students.

Minister visits Sadeem School

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inister of Education and Higher Education, Dr Nayef Al-Hajraf recently visited AlSadeem Model School where he attended a workshop on the school’s strategy, goals, activities, training courses and achievements since establishment. The workshop was presented by the school director, Khaleda Al-Shaheen. Minister, Al-Hajraf was escorted by a delegation comprising of MOE undersecretary, Mohammed Al-Kandari, Mubarak AlKabeer educational area director, Talaq Al-Haim, the area’s educational affairs manager, Fatima AlKandari, primary education manager, Salah Aman, the educational activities manager, Essa Borhamah, manager of The Center for Child Evaluation and Teaching (CCET), Faten Al-Bader, educational and psychological consultants, Dr Essa Al-Jassim and Dr Mowaffaq Al-Manabri.

Al-Hajraf with one of the pupils.

Many, many happy returns of the day to Inukurthi Giri Chowdhary. Best wishes from father Raghuramaiah, mother Rathnamma, Brother Sudhakar, friends Mogal Ghouse, Gangavarapu Naga Raja, Venki, Prasad, Prathap, Venu, Sreenu near and dear ones from Kuwait and India.

Al-Hajraf signing the guest book.

Announcements Billava Sangha meet

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he First General Body Meeting of Billava Sangha Kuwait formed to achieve the goal of community service will be held at Indian English Academy School Salmiya (Don Bosco School) on Friday 5th of April 2013 from 3:30 pm onward. The event provides unique opportunity for all Billavas to build a strong and united Community. The event will commence with Committee introduction followed with cultural programs. All Billava community members are requested to attend the meeting in large numbers to make the event a grand success. You can also email us your suggestions to billavasanghakuwait@yahoo.com

School director, Al-Shaheen presenting the workshop.

Minister Al-Hajraf, director AL-Haim in a group photo with the visiting delegation.

Kuwait National English School Early Years

IMAX

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

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

The youngest of our children recently enjoyed their annual Sports Day. Sports Day is a fun way for the children at Kuwait National English School to show their physical development, skills learned over the year and to celebrate a fit and healthy beginning to their lives.

THURSDAY, APRIL 4, 2013

W H AT ’ S O N

Embassy

Crowne Plaza Kuwait shines at the Horeca Kuwait 2013

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rowne Plaza Kuwait participated in the hospitality exhibition HORECA Kuwait 2013 held organized by the Leaders Group for Consultations and Training in cooperation with Hospitality Services.

Crowne Plaza Kuwait affirmed its strong foothold in its culinary expertise by winning various prizes at the various food competitions held during the exhibition ranging from live cooking , 3 plate pastry presentation, vegetable carving, wedding cake preparation, cold canapÈs and chocolate molding. The kitchen experts of Crowne Plaza Kuwait were the proud winners of 2 gold, 1 silver and 7 bronze medals apart from other special appreciation certificates. All the winners including Gold medal winners, Sudhir and Thilak were on cloud nine to be adjudged the winners and attributed their winning to the great team effort

and support from the top management of the hotel.

“We are extremely proud and excited to have a winning team by our side. The team puts in a great effort and we try to do our best in promoting their skills, said “Ramy Haykal, General Manager, Crowne Plaza Kuwait whioe congratulating his team.

The winners of the cooking competitions were awarded at a grand ceremony on the last day of the event different cooking competitions held as part of the exhibition.

Horeca Kuwait stands out among similar regional exhibitions for being a meeting place for leading companies in hospitality and cateringsector under one roof, as well as an attraction for young people interested in this field.

With 8 restaurants within the hotel, Crowne Plaza

Kuwait is a gastronome’s delight for indulgence.

Exotic flavors from around the world are available at the Al Ahmadi International Buffet, the steaks of the West are done just the way you like it at the Rib Eye Steakhouse, the food of the Persian royals is yours at the Shabestan Iranian restaurant, while elegant teas and pastries complete your day at the Fauchon Salon de The. Royal flavors are experienced at the Jamawar Indian restaurant, authentic Japanese is yours at the Sakura, delights of the seas come alive at the Al Noukhaza and traditional Lebanese is the order of the day at the Ayam Zaman restaurant.

Crowne Plaza Kuwait team looks forward to the next year’s event where they will be prepared to show many more of their culinary talents and add more feathers to their cap.

Information EMBASSY OF AUSTRALIA The Australian Embassy Kuwait does not have a visa or immigration department.

All processing of visas and immigration matters in conducted by The Australian Consulate-General in Dubai. Email: info.ausdxb@vfshelpline.com (VFS) immigration.dubai@dfat.gov.au (Visa Office); Tel: +971 4 355 1958 (VFS) - +971 4 508 7200 (Visa Office); Fax: +971 4 355 0708 (Visa Office). In Kuwait applications can be lodged at the Australian Visa Application Centre 4B 1st Floor, Al-Banwan Building Al-Qibla Area, Ali Al-Salem Street, opposite the Central Bank of Kuwait, Kuwait City, Kuwait. Working hours and days: 09:30 - 17:30; Sunday - Thursday. Or visit their website www.vfs-au-gcc-com for more information. Kuwait citizens can apply for tourist visas on-line at www.immi.gov.au/e visa/e676.htm.

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

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Landmark Group organizes 6th annual blood donation campaign

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n line with its year-round corporate responsibility strategy Landmark Group, the largest value retail shopping chain in Kuwait recently conducted its sixth annual blood donation campaign. Held in association with Kuwait Central Blood Bank (KCBB), the campaign took place at Al Bahar Center and was attended by 130 plus employees of the company who voluntarily took part in the noble initiative.

Saibal Basu, Chief Operating Officer, Landmark Group Kuwait, expressed his delight at the large number of partaking employees and customers: “We always encourage our employees and customers to donate blood and I am very delighted to see positive response towards the campaign year after year. Their participation shows the understanding and shared belief in the company’s values and its role in the community. We thank the management of Al Bahar Center for their continued support towards this cause every year.” “Donating blood is a simple and safe process and doesn’t take more than 15 minutes. We want to make a difference to the lives of patients in need and are glad to continue our support to the Kuwait Central Blood Bank which has been doing an admirable job in saving lives by maintaining ample stock of blood” concluded Saibal Staff members from all departments and branches across Kuwait were invited to participate in the blood donation drive. The campaign, which was supervised by a team of specialized doctors, generated a tremendous response from the employees.

The campaign conducted for the sixth consecutive year is a part of the Group’s continuous efforts to highlight the principles of corporate social responsibility and support patients in need.

AUK platinum sponsor at EDUCAREER 2013

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or the 9th consecutive year, the American University of Kuwait (AUK) is participating as a sponsor and exhibitor in EDUCAREER 2013. This year, AUK is the sole platinum sponsor of the education section of the exhibition, marking the event as an important one each year in the growth of AUK as an integral part of Kuwait’s private education sector. The annual education and career development exhibition will be held at the Mishref Kuwait International Fair (KIF) fairgrounds from April 8-11, 2013.

The AUK booth at EDUCAREER 2013 has historically drawn a wide range of visitors including recent school graduates, parents, young professionals, and local media.

AUK President, Dr. Winfred Thompson, the Vice President for Administrative and Student Affairs, Dr. Carol RossScott, and Vice President for Admissions and Public Affairs, Amal Al-Binali, will be present at the event to welcome the patron Mohammed Hamad Al Roumi, Undersecretary of the Civil Service Commission, who will inaugurate the exhibition.

The AUK Admissions team will be present to meet with prospective students and visitors and respond to inquiries about the admissions process, campus life, and the different academic programs available at the University. In

addition, representatives from the Center for Continuing Education (CCE) at AUK will be on hand to speak with visitors about the extensive catalog of courses and programs the university offers. Staff from the Intensive English Program (IEP), which prepares non-native English speakers for the academic tasks required of them in their first and successive years of university education, will also be available to discuss their department and its offerings.

The exhibition will be held in hall number (6) and is open to visitors at the following hours: Morning hours: 9:30am to 1:00pm Evening hours: 5:00pm to 9:00pm The American University of Kuwait (AUK) is an independent, private, equal opportunity, and co-educational liberal arts institution of higher education. AUK has received accreditation from the Private Universities Council (PUC) and recognized higher education accreditation organizations in USA. Currently AUK offers 13 degree programs in various disciplines. The educational, cultural and administrative structure, methods and standards of AUK are based on the American model of higher learning.

The language of instruction is English. More information on the American University of Kuwait can be found atwww.auk.edu.kw

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.

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

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EMBASSY OF 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.

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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.

THURSDAY, APRIL 4, 2013

TV PROGRAMS

00:45 Up Close And Dangerous 01:10 Up Close And Dangerous 01:35 Untamed & Uncut 02:25 Wildest Islands 03:15 Wildest Islands 04:05 Wild France 04:55 Call Of The Wildman 05:20 Dark Days In Monkey City 05:45 RSPCA: On The Frontline 06:10 RSPCA: On The Frontline 06:35 Wildlife SOS 07:00 The Really Wild Show 07:25 Breed All About It 07:50 Breed All About It 08:15 Dogs/Cats/Pets 101 09:10 Weird Creatures With Nick Baker 10:05 Wildest Islands 11:00 Animal Cops Philadelphia 11:55 Call Of The Wildman 12:20 Wildlife SOS 12:50 World Wild Vet 13:45 Animal Precinct 14:40 Wildest Islands 15:30 Dark Days In Monkey City 16:00 The Really Wild Show 16:30 Dogs 101 17:25 Animal Planet’s Most Outrageous 18:20 Project Puppy 18:45 Project Puppy 19:15 Monkey Life 19:40 Bondi Vet 20:10 Call Of The Wildman 20:35 Dark Days In Monkey City 21:05 Wildest India 22:00 Into The Pride 22:55 Ray Mears’ Wild Britain 23:50 Animal Cops Miami

00:40 Come Dine With Me 01:30 Masterchef: The Professionals 01:55 Gok’s Clothes Roadshow 02:40 Mitch And Matt’s Big Fish 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 Baking Mad With Eric Lanlard 07:25 The Good Cook 07:50 Baking Made Easy 08:15 Homes Under The Hammer 09:10 Bargain Hunt 09:50 Antiques Roadshow 10:45 Extreme Makeover: Home Edition 11:25 Masterchef: The Professionals 12:15 Come Dine With Me 13:05 Baking Mad With Eric Lanlard 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 Home Cooking Made Easy 18:45 Home Cooking 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 03:30 03:45

BBC World News America BBC World News America Newsday Asia Business Report Sport Today Newsday Asia Business Report Sport Today Newsday Asia Business Report 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 18:55 19:20

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 The 13 Ghosts Of Scooby-Doo Pink Panther And Pals

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

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 Ben 10 Omniverse 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 18:45 19:00 19:30

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Amanpour World Sport Piers Morgan Tonight World Report World Sport Anderson Cooper 360 Piers Morgan Tonight Quest Means Business The Situation Room World Sport Talk Asia World Report World Report World Sport Eco Solutions World Business Today World One Living Golf Amanpour CNN Newscenter Piers Morgan Tonight News Stream World Business Today International Desk Global Exchange CNN Marketplace Middle East CNN Football Club Living Golf

20:00 International Desk 21:00 Quest Means Business 21:45 CNN Marketplace Europe 22:00 Amanpour 22:30 CNN Newscenter 23:00 Connect The World With Becky Anderson

00:15 James May’s Man Lab 01:10 Superhuman Showdown 02:05 Mythbusters 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 Inventions That Shook The World 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 James May’s Man Lab 12:45 Superhuman Showdown 13:40 Mythbusters 14:35 Border Security 15:05 Auction Kings 15:30 Baggage Battles 16:00 Fast N’ Loud 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 Sons Of Guns 22:25 Inside The Gangsters’ Code 23:20 Gang Wars

00:05 How Tech Works 00:30 Weird Connections 01:00 NASA’s Greatest Missions 01:50 Stuck With Hackett 02:15 Stuck With Hackett 02:45 Space Pioneer 03:35 NASA’s Greatest Missions 04:25 Mighty Ships 05:15 Gadget Show - World Tour 05:40 How Tech Works 06:05 Meteorite Men 07:00 Bad Universe 07:50 Finding Bigfoot 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 Oddities 13:25 Oddities 13:50 Weird Connections 14:20 Gadget Show - World Tour 14:45 How Tech Works 15:10 Bad Universe 16:00 Smash Lab 16:55 Nextworld 17:45 Mighty Ships 18:35 Meteorite Men 19:30 Food Factory 19:55 Food Factory 20:20 Bang Goes The Theory 21:10 Gadget Show - World Tour 21:35 How Tech Works 22:00 Food Factory 22:25 Food Factory 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 17:30 17:55 18:20 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 Austin And Ally Suite Life On Deck Suite Life On Deck Wizards Of Waverly Place 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

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

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

00:05 Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives 00:30 Outrageous Food 00:55 Unwrapped 01:20 Unwrapped 01:45 Charly’s Cake Angels 02:10 Charly’s Cake Angels 02:35 Unique Sweets 03:00 Unique Sweets 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 Food Network Challenge 22:50 Unique Eats 23:15 Unique Eats 23:40 Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives

00:30 01:20 02:05 02:30 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 22:50 23:40

Dr G: Medical Examiner A Haunting Evil, I Evil, I I Almost Got Away With It 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 On The Case With Paula Zahn Killer Kids I Almost Got Away With It

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

India - Mumbai Living With The Amish, 6 Keeping Up With The Joneses 4 Keeping Up With The Joneses 5 Ep 12 Ep 13 Ep 14 Danger Beach, 1 Tas Strahan 2 Australia Day Key West Vienna Italian Superstition Accra, Ghana India - Mumbai Living With The Amish, 6 Keeping Up With The Joneses 4 Keeping Up With The Joneses 5 Ep 12 Ep 13 Ep 14 Danger Beach, 1 Tas Strahan 2 Australia Day Norfolk Greece - Athens Thailand Brazil Karate Keeping Up With The Joneses 6 Keeping Up With The Joneses 7 Ep 1 Ep 2 Ep 3 Danger Beach, 2 Morocco Thailand

I MELT WITH YOU ON OSN CINEMA 20:30 21:00 21:30 22:00 22:55 23:20 23:50

Brazil Norfolk Greece - Athens Mexico Mexico City Boys Night Out Bangkok, Thailand

00:00 02:00 04:00 06:00 08:00 PG15 10:00 12:00 14:00 PG15 16:00 18:00 20:00 22:00

The Rite-18 Green Lantern-PG15 Smoke Screen-PG15 The Ring-PG15 True Justice: Deadly Crossing-

01:00 PG15 02:45 05:00 07:00 09:00 PG15 11:00 13:00 15:00 16:45 19:00 21:00 23:00

Thor-PG15 Vengeance-PG15 True Justice: Deadly CrossingCarjacked-PG15 Vengeance-PG15 Nowhere To Run-18 Disturbing Behavior-18

15:00 16:00 16:30 17:00 18:00 19:00 20:00 22:00 23:00

Switched At Birth Emmerdale Coronation Street The Ellen DeGeneres Show White Collar Drop Dead Diva American Idol Downton Abbey Greek

00:00 02:00 04:00 06:00 08:00 10:00 12:00 14:00 16:00 18:00 20:00 22:00

Thor The Rite Green Lantern Smoke Screen The Ring True Justice: Deadly Crossing Thor Vengeance True Justice: Deadly Crossing Carjacked Vengeance Nowhere To Run

00:00 02:00 04:00 06:00 PG15 08:00 10:00 12:00 14:00 16:15 18:00 20:00 22:00

Pieces Of April-PG15 Stuck On You-PG15 Morning Glory-PG15 Desperately Seeking Santa-

The Marc Pease ExperienceLorenzo’s Oil-PG15 Twins Mission-PG15 Warbirds-PG15 The Marc Pease ExperienceThe Stool Pigeon-PG15 No Surrender-PG15 Spooky Buddies-PG A Separation-PG15 Shelter-PG15 Casino Jack-18 I Melt With You-R

00:30 The Daily Show With Jon Stewart 01:00 The Colbert Report 01:30 Weeds 02:00 South Park 03:00 Ben And Kate 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 Ben And Kate 09:30 Modern Family 10:00 The Mindy Project 11:00 The Tonight Show With Jay Leno 13:00 Hope & Faith 14:30 The Mindy Project 15:00 Modern Family 15:30 The Daily Show With Jon Stewart 16:00 The Colbert Report 17:00 Late Night With Jimmy Fallon 18:00 New Girl 18:30 2 Broke Girls 19:00 Samantha Who? 20:00 The Tonight Show With Jay Leno 21:00 The Daily Show With Jon Stewart 21:30 The Colbert Report 22:00 The Big C 22:30 South Park 23:30 Late Night With Jimmy Fallon

04:00 07:00 09:00 11:00 17:00 22:00 23:00

Six Feet Under Fairly Legal The Ellen DeGeneres Show Fairly Legal The Ellen DeGeneres Show Downton Abbey Six Feet Under

00:00 01:00 02:00 03:00 04:00 05:00 06:00 07:00 07:30 08:00 09:00 10:00 11:00 12:00 12:30 13:00 14:00

Switched At Birth The Carrie Diaries Awake Greek Franklin & Bash Awake Switched At Birth Emmerdale Coronation Street White Collar Franklin & Bash Awake The Finder Emmerdale Coronation Street The Ellen DeGeneres Show White Collar

The Family Stone-PG15 Envy-PG15 Morning Glory-PG15 In Her Shoes-PG15 Envy-PG15 Just Go With It-PG15 The 40 Year Old Virgin-18 Pieces Of April-PG15

01:00 Yelling To The Sky-PG15 03:00 Bloodworth-18 05:00 Dead Again-PG15 06:45 Caesar Must Die-PG15 08:15 Sunshine State-PG15 10:45 Anna And The King-PG15 13:15 My Afternoons With Margueritte-PG15 14:45 Sunshine State-PG15 17:15 The Conspirator-PG15 19:15 Witness-PG15 21:15 Wuthering Heights (1992)-PG 23:15 Twelve-18

01:15 03:15 05:00 06:30 09:00 11:00 13:15 15:00 17:00 19:00 21:00 23:30

Ondine-PG15 Web Of Lies-PG15 Muhammad And Larry-PG15 The Help-PG15 Three Inches-PG15 Courageous-PG15 Ring Of Deceit-PG15 Rising Stars-PG15 Three Inches-PG15 A Thousand Words-PG15 Margaret-18 Straw Dogs-18

01:15 Turtle Hero: Part I 02:45 Easter Egg Escapade 04:30 Olentzero And The Magic Log 06:00 Barnyard 08:00 Turtle Hero: Part II 10:00 Everyone’s Hero 11:30 Olentzero And The Magic Log 13:00 Little Einsteins: Rocket’s Firebird Rescue 14:30 Barnyard 16:00 Adventures Of Sharkboy And Lavagirl 18:00 Everyone’s Hero 20:00 Winx 22:00 Little Einsteins: Rocket’s Firebird Rescue 23:30 Adventures Of Sharkboy And Lavagirl

00:00 02:15 04:15 06:00 08:00 10:15 12:30 14:45 PG15 16:00

Hugo-PG Seeking Justice-PG15 Jetsons: The Movie-FAM The Pirates! Band Of Misfits-PG Rio-FAM Melinda And Melinda-PG15 Seeking Justice-PG15 Tim Richmond: To The LimitRio-FAM

18:00 Tower Heist-PG15 20:00 Daydream Nation-PG15 22:00 Wrecked-PG15

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

PGA European Tour Weekly Inside The PGA Tour AFL Premiership Highlights NRL Premiership Futbol Mundial Trans World Sport Super Rugby Highlights Super Rugby ICC Cricket 360 Trans World Sport NRL Premiership Futbol Mundial Super Rugby Highlights PGA European Tour Weekly Inside The PGA Tour Super Rugby Super League AFL Premiership Highlights Futbol Mundial PGA European Tour Weekly Inside The PGA Tour Live PGA Tour

03:00 NHL 05:00 European Tour Weekly 05:30 Inside The PGA Tour 06:30 ICC Cricket 360 08:00 Futbol Mundial 08:30 PGA European Tour Highlights 09:30 ICC Cricket 360 10:00 AFL Premiership Highlights 11:00 AFL Premiership 13:30 Super League 15:00 Super League 16:30 Futbol Mundial 17:00 NHL 19:00 WWE NXT 20:00 UFC The Ultimate Fighter 21:00 Live Premier League Darts

00:00 00:30 01:30 02:30 03:00 05:30 06:00 07:00 08:00 08:30 09:00 09:30 10:30 14:30 15:00 16:00 17:00 18:00 22:00

ICC Cricket 360 Golfing World World Cup Of Pool Top 14 Highlights AFL Premiership ICC Cricket 360 Trans World Sport Golfing World Top 14 Highlights Total Rugby Asian Tour Golf Show Asian Tour Highlights Live Asian Tour Golf Total Rugby World Pool Masters World Cup Of Pool Asian Tour Golf Show Asian Tour Golf Live European Challenge Cup

00:00 01:00 03:00 04:00 05:00 06:00 07:00 09:00 10:00 11:00 13:00 14:00 15:00 16:00 17:00 18:00 21:00 22:00

WWE Vintage Collection NHL Ping Pong World US Bass Fishing Adventure Challenge Triahlon UK WWE SmackDown Ping Pong World US Bass Fishing NHL WWE Vintage Collection WWE Bottom Line UAE National Race Day Series Adventure Challenge Triahlon UK Prizefighter UFC The Ultimate Fighter UFC Ultimate 100 Knockouts

01:35 03:00 04:50 07:00 08:45 10:45 12:25 14:00 15:20 17:05 18:50 20:05 22:00

Little Caesar-PG Presenting Lily Mars-FAM Rich, Young And Pretty-FAM The People Against O’hara-FAM The Human Comedy-FAM Casablanca-FAM Rich, Young And Pretty-FAM Little Caesar-PG Telefon-PG Presenting Lily Mars-FAM San Quentin-PG Johnny Eager-PG Something Of Value-PG

Classifieds THURSDAY, APRIL 4, 2013

Kuwait KNCC PROGRAMME FROM THURSDAY TO WEDNESDAY (04/04/2013 TO 10/04/2013) SHARQIA-1 KON-TIKI (DIG) DEAD MAN DOWN (DIG) KON-TIKI (DIG) DEAD MAN DOWN (DIG) KON-TIKI (DIG) DEAD MAN DOWN (DIG) SHARQIA-2 THE CROODS (DIG-3D) THE INCREDIBLE BURT WONDERSTONE (DIG) THE CROODS (DIG-3D) THE INCREDIBLE BURT WONDERSTONE (DIG) G.I. JOE: RETALIATION (DIG-3D) THE INCREDIBLE BURT WONDERSTONE (DIG) G.I. JOE: RETALIATION (DIG-3D)

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

SHARQIA-3 OLYMPUS HAS FALLEN (DIG) OLYMPUS HAS FALLEN (DIG) BAADSHAH (Telugu) BAADSHAH (Telugu) OLYMPUS HAS FALLEN (DIG) BAADSHAH (Telugu) OLYMPUS HAS FALLEN (DIG)

2:00 PM 5:00 PM 4:15 PM 7:15 PM 8:00 PM 10:15 PM 1:15 AM

MUHALAB-1 DEAD MAN DOWN (DIG) KON-TIKI (DIG) KON-TIKI (DIG) DEAD MAN DOWN (DIG) KON-TIKI (DIG) DEAD MAN DOWN (DIG)

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

THE INCREDIBLE BURT WONDERSTONE (DIG) OLYMPUS HAS FALLEN (DIG) THE INCREDIBLE BURT WONDERSTONE (DIG) THE INCREDIBLE BURT WONDERSTONE (DIG) THE INCREDIBLE BURT WONDERSTONE (DIG) OLYMPUS HAS FALLEN (DIG)

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

MUHALAB-3 THE CROODS (DIG-3D) BAADSHAH (DIG) (Telugu) THE PLACE BEYOND THE PINES (DIG) THE PLACE BEYOND THE PINES (DIG) G.I. JOE: RETALIATION (DIG-3D) G.I. JOE: RETALIATION (DIG-3D)

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

FANAR-1 IN THEIR SKIN (DIG) OLYMPUS HAS FALLEN (DIG) THE PLACE BEYOND THE PINES (DIG) OLYMPUS HAS FALLEN (DIG) THE PLACE BEYOND THE PINES (DIG) THE PLACE BEYOND THE PINES (DIG) FANAR-2 DEAD MAN DOWN (DIG) KON-TIKI (DIG) DEAD MAN DOWN (DIG) KON-TIKI (DIG) DEAD MAN DOWN (DIG) KON-TIKI (DIG) FANAR-3 THE INCREDIBLE BURT WONDERSTONE (DIG) THE INCREDIBLE BURT WONDERSTONE (DIG) THE INCREDIBLE BURT WONDERSTONE (DIG) THE INCREDIBLE BURT WONDERSTONE (DIG) THE INCREDIBLE BURT WONDERSTONE (DIG) THE INCREDIBLE BURT WONDERSTONE (DIG) MARINA-1 KON-TIKI (DIG)

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

KON-TIKI (DIG) THE PLACE BEYOND THE PINES (DIG) THE PLACE BEYOND THE PINES (DIG) KON-TIKI (DIG) KON-TIKI (DIG)

2:45 PM 5:00 PM 7:30 PM 10:00 PM 12:15 AM

MARINA-2 THE INCREDIBLE BURT WONDERSTONE (DIG) THE INCREDIBLE BURT WONDERSTONE (DIG) OLYMPUS HAS FALLEN (DIG) THE INCREDIBLE BURT WONDERSTONE (DIG) THE INCREDIBLE BURT WONDERSTONE (DIG) THE INCREDIBLE BURT WONDERSTONE (DIG) OLYMPUS HAS FALLEN (DIG)

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

AVENUES-1 OLYMPUS HAS FALLEN (DIG) OLYMPUS HAS FALLEN (DIG) OLYMPUS HAS FALLEN (DIG) THE TALL MAN (DIG) OLYMPUS HAS FALLEN (DIG) OLYMPUS HAS FALLEN (DIG)

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

AVENUES-2 THE PLACE BEYOND THE PINES (DIG) THE PLACE BEYOND THE PINES (DIG) THE PLACE BEYOND THE PINES (DIG) THE PLACE BEYOND THE PINES (DIG) THE PLACE BEYOND THE PINES (DIG)

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

360º- 1 G.I. JOE: RETALIATION (DIG-3D) G.I. JOE: RETALIATION (DIG-3D)3:30 PM G.I. JOE: RETALIATION (DIG-3D) G.I. JOE: RETALIATION (DIG-3D) G.I. JOE: RETALIATION (DIG-3D) G.I. JOE: RETALIATION (DIG-3D) 360º- 2 AL HAFLA (DIG) AL HAFLA (DIG) AL HAFLA (DIG) AL HAFLA (DIG) AL HAFLA (DIG) AL HAFLA (DIG) NO SUN+ TUE+WED

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

360º- 3 THE CROODS (DIG-3D) THE CROODS (DIG-3D) THE CROODS (DIG-3D) THE CROODS (DIG-3D) SNITCH (DIG) SNITCH (DIG)

12:30 PM 2:45 PM 4:45 PM 6:45 PM 8:45 PM 11:00 PM

AL-KOUT.1 JURASSIC PARK (DIG-3D) THE CROODS (DIG-3D) JURASSIC PARK (DIG-3D) G.I. JOE: RETALIATION (DIG-3D) G.I. JOE: RETALIATION (DIG-3D) G.I. JOE: RETALIATION (DIG-3D)

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

AL-KOUT.2 DEAD MAN DOWN (DIG) DEAD MAN DOWN (DIG) THE PLACE BEYOND THE PINES (DIG) THE PLACE BEYOND THE PINES (DIG) DEAD MAN DOWN (DIG) DEAD MAN DOWN (DIG)

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

AL-KOUT.3 OLYMPUS HAS FALLEN (DIG) KON-TIKI (DIG) KON-TIKI (DIG)

12:45 PM 3:00 PM 5:15 PM

CHANGE OF NAME I, Mustufa Fazle Husain Bohra, S/o Fazle Husain Bohra, holder of Indian Passport No: F9950554, change my name to Mustafa Fazele Husain Jawadwala. (C 4367) I, P Mora Sudhakar, holder Indian Passport No: E8783494 hereby change my name to Mohammad Aziz Shaik.

4-4-2013 Raja Mohamed s/o R.M. Yousuf holder of Indian Passport No. F5609683 change my name to Raj Mohamed. (C 4366) 3-4-2013 I, Moiz Ali Mazaf Aziz, holder of Indian Passport No: F9295029 hereby change my name to Aziz Mazaf.

(C 4362) I, ABUL HASANSA DULI S/O RAHMATH ALI, holder of Indian Passport No: 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)

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 FOR SALE 2004 BMW X3, mileage 1,38,000 km, full option black exterior, 1 year insurance, KD 2750, Mobile: 66526872.

4-4-2013 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

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

112 Automated enquiry about the Civil ID card is

1889988 DIAL 161 FOR AIRPORT INFORMATION

Airlines BBC QTR JZR JZR SAI THY ETH GFA UAE ETD FDB MSR RBG QTR THY DHX FDB KAC BAW JZR KAC KAC JZR FDB KAC KAC KAC UAE IRA KAC IZG ABY QTR IRA FDB ETD SYR GFA MEA JZR KAC JZR MSC UAE MSR KNE KAC GFA QTR FDB KAC MSR JZR SVA KNE KAC OMA

Arrival Flights on Thursday 4/4/2013 Flt Route 43 DHAKA 148 DOHA 267 BEIRUT 539 CAIRO 441 LAHORE 764 SABIHA 620 ADDIS ABABA 211 BAHRAIN 853 DUBAI 305 ABU DHABI 67 DUBAI 612 CAIRO 555 ALEXANDRIA 138 DOHA 770 ISTANBUL 170 BAHRAIN 69 DUBAI 412 MANILA 157 LONDON 529 ASSIUT 206 ISLAMABAD 382 DELHI 503 LUXOR 53 DUBAI 302 MUMBAI 332 TRIVANDRUM 352 COCHIN 855 DUBAI 605 ISFAHAN 362 COLOMBO 4161 MASHAD 125 SHARJAH 132 DOHA 617 AHWAZ 55 DUBAI 301 ABU DHABI 341 DAMASCUS 213 BAHRAIN 404 BEIRUT 165 DUBAI 284 DHAKA 241 AMMAN 403 ASSIUT 871 DUBAI 610 CAIRO 480 TAIF 672 DUBAI 219 BAHRAIN 140 DOHA 57 DUBAI 546 ALEXANDRIA 575 CAIRO 257 BEIRUT 500 JEDDAH 472 JEDDAH 562 AMMAN 645 MUSCAT

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

KAC KNE RJA KAC JZR JZR QTR JZR ETD FDB UAE ABY SVA GFA UAL JZR KAC JZR KAC TAR KAC QTR KAC KAC FDB KAC AXB KAC KAC KAC JAI RBG FDB OMA ABY JZR MEA AFG MSC MSR KNE MSC ALK UAE ETD QTR GFA DHX QTR FDB AIC JZR UAL JZR DLH JAI JZR KLM THY

788 470 640 118 535 787 134 125 303 71 857 127 510 215 982 177 176 777 502 327 542 144 786 104 63 618 393 674 774 614 572 553 61 647 129 189 402 415 405 618 474 401 229 859 307 136 217 372 146 59 981 239 981 185 636 574 513 411 772

JEDDAH JEDDAH AMMAN NEW YORK CAIRO RIYADH DOHA BAHRAIN ABU DHABI DUBAI DUBAI SHARJAH RIYADH BAHRAIN WASHINGTON DC DULLES DUBAI GENEVA JEDDAH BEIRUT TUNIS CAIRO DOHA JEDDAH LONDON DUBAI DOHA KOZHIKODE DUBAI RIYADH BAHRAIN MUMBAI ALEXANDRIA DUBAI MUSCAT SHARJAH DUBAI BEIRUT KABUL SOHAG ALEXANDRIA JEDDAH ALEXANDRIA COLOMBO DUBAI ABU DHABI DOHA BAHRAIN BAHRAIN DOHA DUBAI CHENNAI AMMAN BAHRAIN DUBAI FRANKFURT MUMBAI SHARM EL SHEIKH AMSTERDAM ISTANBUL

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

Airlines AIC AXB JAI UAL DLH JZR BBC THY SAI THY ETH UAE FDB RBG MSR ETD QTR QTR FDB GFA JZR THY KAC BAW FDB JZR JZR KAC KAC ABY KAC IRA IZG UAE FDB QTR IRA ETD KAC SYR GFA KAC KAC MEA KAC JZR JZR KAC JZR JZR MSC MSR KNE UAE GFA FDB QTR

Departure Flights on Thursday 4/4/2013 Flt Route 976 GOA 490 MANGALORE 573 MUMBAI 981 WASHINGTON DC DULLES 637 FRANKFURT 502 LUXOR 44 DHAKA 773 ISTANBUL 442 LAHORE 765 ISTANBUL 621 ADDIS ABABA 854 DUBAI 68 DUBAI 556 ALEXANDRIA 613 CAIRO 306 ABU DHABI 139 DOHA 149 DOHA 70 DUBAI 212 BAHRAIN 240 AMMAN 771 ISTANBUL 545 ALEXANDRIA 156 LONDON 54 DUBAI 256 BEIRUT 534 CAIRO 671 DUBAI 561 AMMAN 126 SHARJAH 787 JEDDAH 606 MASHHAD 4162 MASHHAD 856 DUBAI 56 DUBAI 133 DOHA 616 AHWAZ 302 ABU DHABI 101 LONDON 342 DAMASCUS 214 BAHRAIN 541 CAIRO 165 ROME 405 BEIRUT 501 BEIRUT 776 JEDDAH 786 RIYADH 785 JEDDAH 176 DUBAI 124 BAHRAIN 406 SOHAG 611 CAIRO 481 TAIF 872 DUBAI 220 BAHRAIN 58 DUBAI 141 DOHA

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

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

MSR KAC KNE OMA KAC KAC JZR SVA KNE KAC RJA JZR QTR JZR ETD FDB JZR ABY UAE SVA GFA JZR UAL JZR TAR QTR FDB AXB RBG JAI FDB ABY KAC KAC OMA KAC MEA AFG MSC MSR KAC KNE DHX MSC ETD ALK UAE QTR KAC GFA DHX FDB KAC QTR JZR KAC KAC KAC JZR

576 673 473 646 617 773 188 505 471 613 641 238 135 512 304 72 538 128 858 511 216 184 982 266 328 145 64 394 554 571 62 120 331 343 648 351 403 415 404 619 543 475 171 402 308 230 860 137 301 218 373 60 205 147 554 411 283 415 528

SHARM EL SHEIKH DUBAI JEDDAH MUSCAT DOHA RIYADH DUBAI JEDDAH JEDDAH BAHRAIN AMMAN AMMAN DOHA SHARM EL SHEIKH ABU DHABI DUBAI CAIRO SHARJAH DUBAI RIYADH BAHRAIN DUBAI BAHRAIN BEIRUT TUNIS DOHA DUBAI KOZHIKODE ALEXANDRIA MUMBAI DUBAI SHARJAH TRIVANDRUM CHENNAI MUSCAT KOCHI BEIRUT JEDDAH ASSIUT ALEXANDRIA CAIRO JEDDAH BAHRAIN ALEXANDRIA ABU DHABI COLOMBO DUBAI DOHA MUMBAI BAHRAIN BAHRAIN DUBAI ISLAMABAD DOHA ALEXANDRIA BANGKOK DHAKA KUALA LUMPUR ASSIUT

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

34

THURSDAY, APRIL 4, 2013

stars CROSSWORD 149

STAR TRACK Aries (March 21-April 19) You may want it so bad you can taste it, but figuring out exactly how to get it all can be a knotty problem, indeed. The tendency to be too choosy and too critical of what’s presented you can kill the goose that lays the golden egg, so if you can’t have your way entirely, have it half way and enjoy what’s there. This is a very good time to let people know you care about them: send a card, write or email a note of appreciation or even a love letter! You are very congenial and cooperative now and more interested in the similarities than in the differences between yourself and those special others in your life.

Taurus (April 20-May 20) Your emotions are very intense today and you are excited quite easily. Your emotional self is very important to you at the moment and you are currently seeking emotional fulfilment, but if you waste time with casual relationships during this cycle you may defeat the very purpose of your journey. Set some clear boundaries today if you want to achieve the emotional satisfaction you need. Now is a good time for you to make first impressions. Your warmth will radiate under the right circumstances and allow people to see you for the genuine, caring person you are. Personal relationships should be especially fulfilling for you during this period because those close to will be easily charmed by your affection and poise. Pampering yourself some is called for as well. Treat yourself to one of your favorite, more extravagant activities.

Gemini (May 21-June 20)

ACROSS 1. Primitive predaceous North American fish covered with hard scales and having long jaws with needle-like teeth.

4. Someone who tries to embarrass you with gibes and questions and objections.

12. A solution containing a phosphate buffer.

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

16. Woolly aphids.

17. The syllable naming the sixth (submediant) note of a major or minor scale in solmization.

18. Of or relating to or characteristic of Thailand of its people.

19. A condition in which white scales of dead skin are shed by the scalp.

20. (informal) Of the highest quality.

21. (informal) Last in an indefinitely numerous series.

22. Genus of tropical plants with creeping rootstocks and small umbellate flowers.

24. Seed of a pea plant.

25. A ductile gray metallic element of the lanthanide series.

26. Tropical starchy tuberous root.

28. Lacking or deprive of the sense of hearing wholly or in part.

31. One of the most common of the five major classes of immunoglobulins.

33. Administer an oil or ointment to.

36. (Babylonian) God of storms and wind.

39. Very attentive or observant.

43. Time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis.

44. A metric unit of volume or capacity equal to 10 liters.

46. Fish with dorsoventrally flattened bodies.

48. A sensation (as of a cold breeze or bright light) that precedes the onset of certain disorders such as a migraine attack or epileptic seizure.

50. Resinlike substance secreted by certain lac insects.

52. Type genus of the Balaenidae.

53. Exaggeratedly proper.

55. The month following February and preceding April.

56. 100 aurar equal 1 krona.

57. A soft silvery metallic element of the alkali metal group.

58. An esoteric or occult matter that is traditionally secret.

61. A Bantu language.

64. A tributary of the Rhine.

65. (mythology) According to legend, an island in the Atlantic Ocean that was swallowed by an earthquake.

68. An unnaturally frenzied or distraught woman.

72. The cry made by sheep.

73. Of metal e.g..

76. English monk and scholar (672-735).

77. Take in solid food.

78. A tricycle (usually propelled by pedalling).

80. A conveyance that transports passengers or freight in carriers suspended from cables and supported by a series of towers.

81. A chronic skin disease occurring primarily in women between the ages of 20 and 40.

82. A short aria.

83. (sport) Used of your own ground.

DOWN 1. A set of clothing (with accessories).

2. An edilbe seaweed with a mild flavor.

3. An Indian side dish of yogurt and chopped cucumbers and spices.

4. Clothed or adorned with finery.

5. A genus of orb-weaving spiders including common garden spiders and barn spiders.

6. Interchangeable with `means' in the expression `by dint of'.

7. The Judeo-Christian God. 8. The rate at which red blood cells settle out in a tube of blood under standardized conditions.

9. Having a circular shape.

10. The rate at which energy is drawn from a source that produces a flow of electricity in a circuit.

11. A flat float (usually made of logs or planks) that can be used for transport or as a platform for swimmers.

12. A point located with respect to surface features of some region.

13. An indehiscent fruit derived from a single ovary having one or many seeds within a fleshy wall or pericarp.

14. A package of several things tied together for carrying or storing.

23. A port city in southwestern Turkey on the Gulf of Antalya.

27. The branch of computer science that deal with writing computer programs that can solve problems creatively.

29. A silvery ductile metallic element found primarily in bauxite.

30. A pale rose-colored variety of the ruby spinel.

32. A correctional institution used to detain persons who are in the lawful custody of the government (either accused persons awaiting trial or convicted persons serving a sentence).

34. An island republic on Nauru Island.

35. 100 aurar equal 1 krona.

37. The blood group whose red cells carry both the A and B antigens.

38. A light touch or stroke.

40. Swelling from excessive accumulation of serous fluid in tissue.

41. Of or relating to the kidneys.

42. A crown-like jewelled headdress worn by women on formal occasions.

45. American prizefighter who won the world heavyweight championship three times (born in 1942).

47. A fine grained mineral having a soft soapy feel and consisting of hydrated magnesium silicate.

49. Small terrestrial lizard of warm regions of the Old World.

51. Prolific English writer of detective stories (1890-1976).

54. The father of your father or mother.

59. According to the Old Testament he was a pagan king of Israel and husband of Jezebel (9th century BC).

60. The process of taking in and expelling air during breathing.

62. An indication of potential opportunity.

63. Of or relating to or supporting Hinduism.

66. An official language of the Republic of South Africa.

67. Being or occurring at an advanced period of time or after a usual or expected time.

69. Roman Emperor notorious for his monstrous vice and fantastic luxury (was said to have started a fire that destroyed much of Rome in 64) but the Empire remained prosperous during his rule (3768).

70. (Old Testament) In Judeo-Christian mythology.

71. Informal terms for a (young) woman.

74. The administration of a strong electric current that passes through the brain to induce convulsions and coma.

75. An audiotape recording of sound.

79. A soft silvery metallic element of the alkali earth group.

This is a good time to find that energy level that’s a bit higher than you’ve gotten used to. Boost it up and find that “zone” where you feel like you’re on an adreniaine high that just eats up the miles of life. Pick a preferred pace that you can live up to, and your energy level will actually rise and your accomplishments blossom. Wise, intuitive decisions make you fuel efficient with energy to burn. The general energy today is, let’s say, overcast but not unpleasant. Take advantage of the relatively stable but cool emotional environment to mend fences, solidify old friendships, and give someone a pat on the back. A little praise is probably sufficient for those around you, as going overboard looks more like sucking up than really being sincere.

Cancer (June 21-July 22) New developments in career matters may have you quite wound up for a couple of days and the pressure to produce can be intense. Too many things happening at once make it hard to keep track of things, but you can’t afford to leave anything out. It is as important to listen at this time as to act. What people are saying to you and about you very much reflects your personal and professional status and you will want to make sure that you are being represented honestly. If you give your resume a second look, you’ll find there are new things to say about yourself that need to be included.

Taking a fresh stance can put you into new places, move you up a notch.

Leo (July 23-August 22) You know just what you want right now and woe to anyone or anything that gets in your way! Accidents, mistakes made in haste, or ego conflicts may occur due to your impatience and willfulness. Positively, physical energy is high and you could accomplish a great deal. Small issues may aggravate you more than usual, what doesn’t normally annoy you could really be a major thorn today. It’s an emotional day for you, with logic taking a back seat to gut reactions. This is really one of those days where you want to hold your temper and think things through before opening your mouth and saying something you may regret later.

Virgo (August 23-September 22) As the day progresses you will notice that something is becoming a lot easier to handle with a certain person in your household or group. Don’t hesitate to join a lunch party to discuss a community issue or mutual concern. Things could get very lucky for you this evening. This is an excellent time to be out and about. There are significant opportunities to make connections, exchange information, and to learn something through a meeting or chance encounter. Emails, phone calls, and conversations that you initiate are productive to any relationships at this time.

Word Search

Libra (September 23-October 22) What’s seems like a bright idea and a technique to solving a problem today could actually create more problems when you try to share your new found methodologies with someone else. You may like the way you wash dishes or hammer a nail into a wall, but your partner may have other ideas. Be respectful of this fact and don’t let it affect the quality of your own work or your relationship with your partner. You may feel inclined to speak to others about your innermost feelings, your past, and other personal subjects, things that builds closeness and trust in your relationships. You are also a sympathetic listener, drawing out others’ feelings and personal experiences.

Scorpio (October 23-November 21) A short trip or unexpected invitation to join a team is indicated for you.

There’s also a big emphasis on friends and exchanges of ideas today. Your involvement in a very dear-to-the-heart cause starts to show excellent results. Make sure you don’t take on more than you can handle though. Slow down today, you might be inclined to jump to conclusions at this time, and say and do things which you may regret later. You may suddenly decide to act on some idea or plan you have been considering, which can be good as long as you don’t move so abruptly and quickly that you override other people’s say in the matter.

Sagittarius (November 22-December 21) Something you read now or a piece of information that falls in your lap could alter your thinking radically. This is good and will help you step outside yourself and gain an insight into the possible outcomes that are available to you. You must break the habit of feeling as if you must live your life the way you always have. Conflicts between duty and pleasure, or between sober practicality and a yearning for love and emotional satisfaction, are likely now. This can be a very frustrating time. A relationship may end or a temporary break may be made. This could be a time to relinquish something or someone you once cherished but which no longer has a positive purpose in your life.

Capricorn (December 22-January 19) You could be a bit clumsy today, so watch your step. Regardless of your activity, don’t tempt fate-actually come to a full stop at stop signs, and watch where you’re going. The last thing anyone needs is any kind of mishap. Double check all your work today as well.

Little errors may cost you both time and money. Fortunately, this period won’t last long, so be extra careful today and you’ll be back to your regular self tomorrow. You feel tender and gentle toward others, and you want to please or to be of service to them in some way. Some selfless generosity or an effort on behalf of someone in need will make you feel very happy now. You may just enjoy a good movie or book or feel like escaping from the days realities for a while with a romantic interest. You can appreciate an imaginative approach and may value communal or futuristic ideas.

Aquarius (January 20- February 18) Secrets, taboos, and mysteries appeal to a deep instinctive yearning.

Learning what makes people tick turns you on. Your instinctive orientation at this time is toward getting down to brass tacks and starting over from scratch - healing comes from destroying the roots of a disturbance. Suppressed feelings can be transformed into compulsive actions all around, so it may be a good time to question motives, both your own and everyone else’s. If you just have to do or say anything, perhaps you shouldn’t. Take a deep breath first, count to ten and say it to yourself first. Think hard before you get too pushy.

Pisces (February 19-March 20) Stop-and-go feelings make headway a tough go, with breakthroughs only after a mighty push. Although it’s in the air, it’s not necessary—when it’s time to push, just don’t. Wait, and the barrier will go away. Nevertheless, it’s not an uninterrupted journey, but nothing a little patience will not see you through. It could be a little uncomfortable today as you may find yourself at odds with those around you or with your life situation regarding personal issues of great sensitivity. Difficulties, blocks, and all manner of annoying things may be discovered and have to be worked through before you find your comfort zone again.

Yesterday’s Solution

Yesterday’s Solution

Daily SuDoku

Yesterday’s Solution

THURSDAY, APRIL 4, 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

36

THURSDAY, APRIL 4, 2013

LIFESTYLE G o s s i p

Hudson recalls pregnancy shock ate Hudson was “shocked” to find out she was pregnant two months after she started dating Matt Bellamy. The 33-year-old actress met the Muse rocker at the Coachella music festival in 2010 and they enjoyed an “old-fashioned romance” before she discovered she was expecting his baby, but she was thrilled at the way he supported her on hearing the news. She recalled: “It was all very old-fashioned and proper, and we went on lovely dates. “And two months later I was pregnant ... Well, yes [I was shocked], but I also thought, ‘This is going to be interesting.’“I knew it would take a strong man to deal with it.

You know that with a relationship things can go either way when you have a child. “When you get pregnant everything changes: you, your body. Everything becomes a big decision.

But he was there and that was that.” Though the couple - who raise 21-month-old son Bingham and nine-year-old Ryder, Kate’s son with ex-husband Chris Robinson, together are engaged, they still have made no definite plans to marry but will do eventually because it is important to the boys. Kate told the May edition of Britain’s ELLE magazine: “We will get married. I do think it’s important, but we have no plans. “[Ryder] wants a party. For me it’s not the legal part that is important, it’s what it means to the family.” The ‘Fool’s Gold’ actress says her sons are her main focus and the family loves nothing more than spending time in their garden. She said: “I’m a lot less a rock chick and a lot more about being a good mother, a good partner. I’m part of a family. That’s how we were brought up, how I bring my kids up.

They are very blessed to live how they do, but they are aware of that. “We have a vegetable plot, a herb garden, the boys pull out carrots and collect eggs from the hens, that’s the sort of day that makes me really happy.”

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Baseball: Yankees Cano drops agent for Jay-Z ap mogul Jay-Z is expanding his Roc Nation entertainment company into sports representation and Tuesday announced the signing of New York Yankees second baseman Robinson Cano. Cano, set to become a free agent after the 2013 Major League Baseball season, left high-profile sports agent Scott Boras to sign with Roc Nation Sports, founded by rapper Jay-Z. Roc Nation has partnered with CAA Sports, a division of Creative Artists Agency, to co-represent Cano, a statement on the firm’s website said. “At this point in my career, I am ready to take a more active role in my endeavors both on and off the field,” Cano said in a statement released through his new agency. “I am confident that the pairing of Roc Nation Sports and CAA Sports will be essential in helping me accomplish my short- and long- term goals. “I am making this important decision now so I can keep my focus on helping the Yankees succeed in 2013, while minimizing any distractions for me and my teammates.” The Yankees have reportedly been trying to work out a new contract with Cano before he hits the free agent market in November. Jay-Z, originally Shawn Carter, was head of Def Jam records and has sold more than 35 million albums as a rapper since 1996. He has a small ownership stake in the NBA’s Brooklyn Nets. “Because of my love of sports, it was a natural progression to form a company where we can help top athletes in various sports the same way we have been helping artists in the music industry for

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Damon sets vow renewal date att Damon will renew his wedding vows in 10 days time. The 42-year-old actor and his spouse Luciana - who raise four daughters, Alexia, 14, Isabella, six, Gia, four, and two-year-old Stella, together - have set a date for the ceremony, which will take place at the Sugar Beach resort in St. Lucia. According to the New York Post newspaper, Matt - who married Luciana in a small ceremony in 2005 - has spent $1 million hiring the resort exclusively and guests flying out for the big day include his best friend Ben Affleck and his wife Jennifer Garner, and Hollywood heartthrob George Clooney and his partner Stacy Keibler. It was recently claimed that the couple had used an alias to hire out the resort. One staff member said: “The hotel was booked under a different name to Damon. “We were told that it was a Mr and Mrs Naff getting married. “We then heard that it was Matt Damon and they had been using a false name to stop their secret being found out. “He was here two months ago to have a look around. A big yacht moored by the beach and he came into the resort.”

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Knightleycried after firstencounter with paparazzi eira Knightley cried when she was first followed by paparazzi. The 28-year-old actress can still remember her initial encounter with photographers after starring in 2004 film ‘King Arthur’ and has since realized to be in the film industry she must sacrifice the “mystery” of her private life. She recalled: “The first time [I was stalked by cameras], I was in tears. It started after the premiere of ‘King Arthur’ - 10 people were outside my house. “The machine that allows you to make movies, the trade-off, [requires] you to sell it. Selling it means making yourself a public figure. You can’t cultivate the mystery. My problem is I like mystery.” While she enjoys being an actress, Keira - who is engaged to musician James Righton, 29 - is aware of how “insecure” her career is and treasures each moment of success in all aspects of her life. She added to the May issue of Marie Claire magazine: “It’s a very insecure profession. So when I started getting work, it was like this tiny space opened up and I need to jump in and go with it. It could all go tomorrow. “I’m not sure I can define success. I think if I can get to the end of my life having hurt as few people as possible, making sure the people who mean the most to me know they’ve been loved, I will be happy. Success in work, whatever work, will come and go.”

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Sambora to miss part of Jovi tour

uitarist Richie Sambora will not be performing with Bon Jovi during the current leg of the band’s Because We Can tour. The band, on its website, cited “personal issues.”

The band says all shows will go on as scheduled. No other information was given.

Hours before the announcement late Tuesday, Sambora tweeted that he was “Watching more of the ‘Every Road Leads Home To You’ cover videos.” That was a reference to a fan contest promoting a song on his solo album, “Aftermath of the Lowdown.” The 53-year-old has struggled with substance abuse and has done several stints in rehab. Bon Jovi is slated to perform in Edmonton, Canada, on Wednesday and the current leg of the tour is scheduled to end April 25 in San Jose, California.

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Grimshaw to buy Price’s car ick Grimshaw wants to buy Katie Price’s pink Range Rover. The former glamour model posted on Twitter at the weekend that she wants to sell the customized Vogue model car - which has the registration plate KPII HOT, a diamond encrusted clock worth £25,000, and aluminum wheels, exhaust and pedals - and called for her followers to express their interest in buying the vehicle, which she bought for a reported £100,000 in 2011.

Responding to her message, the BBC Radio 1 DJ said he was “very interested” in making the purchase.

However, Nick also faces competition in landing the vehicle from ‘Geordie Shore’ star Holly Hagan but only if she can raise the necessary funds. She tweeted: “Omg I would love it wish I could afford it (sic)” Katie - who drove the pink car away from her wedding blessing to Kieran Hayler on Friday - had tweeted: “I want to sell my pink range rover anyone interested?? I want to get a new car xx. “For enquires about my pink range email catherine@katieprice.co.uk serious enquiries only please. (sic)”

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Cara Delevingnewants to become an actress

Ebert: Cancer returns, taking ‘leave of presence’ ilm critic Roger Ebert says he has cancer again and is scaling back his movie reviews while undergoing radiation. In a blog post, the 70-year-old said he’ll take a “leave of presence.” The veteran critic has previously battled cancer in his thyroid and salivary glands and lost the ability to speak and eat after surgery. In a lengthy essay posted late Tuesday, Ebert says the latest cancer was discovered after a “painful fracture” that made it difficult for him to walk. The Pulitzer Prize winner was hospitalized late last year with a hip fracture. Ebert writes he’s “not going away.” Instead, he’ll write select movie reviews while leaving the rest of the work to a team of writers. He also plans to spend time writing about his own health challenges.

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he British model is hoping to emulate the success of her idol Charlize Theron and be cast in a film role where she has to disguise her good looks and play an “ugly” character - both on the inside and out. Discussing her Hollywood ambitions, she told The Daily Star newspaper: “I would love to be doing what Meryl Streep is doing. Her career has been incredible. Or Judi Dench. “Charlize Theron is another one. She started off as a model and she is one of the most beautiful women, Amazonian goddess looking.

“She did a movie, ‘Monster’, and plays a real thug, plays really ugly and I absolutely love that. That’s what I want to be - a crazy cave woman or a possessed demon child. “Ugly is the most beautiful. I want to do that.” The 20-year-old catwalk star - who is the face of Burberry has high hopes for her future career and only wants to work with the world’s leading directors. She joked: “Scorsese, Tarantino, Spielberg, Peter Jackson, I’m here, I’m ready. I can do funny faces, I can sing, I can dance.

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LaBeouf:Twitter can be bad hia LaBeouf thinks Twitter can be “bad” for him. The ‘Lawless’ actor - who used the social networking website to leak a string of emails concerning his departure from the Broadway production ‘Orphans’ - enjoys microblogging as it gives him a chance to be “social” in an “antisocial” way but admits his impulsive nature means he sometimes posts things he later regrets. He said: “It’s good for certain things, and then it’s bad for other things. I’m impulsive, and I’m quiet passionate, and that’s a bad mix.

“That causes some trouble, but I do like posting poems about my beard just for s**ts and giggles. That’s fun for me, but I’m also not trying to have conversations every moment of every day and telling you where I’m at all the time. “You know I just went through some heavy tumultuousness. It was kind of nice to share poetry with people.

“Honestly, I swear to God, it takes some of the sting off of the circumstance, if that makes any sense. Sometimes it’s nice to be social, and for an anti-social person, only child, it’s kind of nice. You can also have distance whenever you want it.” The 26-year-old actor also dismissed the belief he is an “angry little elf”, insisting the image is just because he doesn’t like having his photograph taken. He told MTV News: “I also find that I’m mean-faced McGee in paparazzi pictures. I feel like I’m so angry when I get approached by click, click, click because I am. I’m not like that in my life, and I feel like there’s a misconception of me being this angry little elf. I’m not, I’m really not. That’s part of me.

That’s a facet of my character.”

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THURSDAY, APRIL 4, 2013

LIFESTYLE F a s h i o n

Wedding Sleeveless Gowns

This March 2013 photos released by Romona Keveza show sleeveless Romona Keveza Coutour wedding dresses. The traditional bridal gown isn’t a skimpy silhouette: It’s long and typically without a plunging neckline or high slit. There’s often a whole lot of fabric. One of the few opportunities for brides to be a little bare is to go with a strapless or sleeveless dress. New bridal collections are dominated by dresses with no sleeves. —AP Photos

In this April 29, 2011 file photo, Prince William and his bride Kate walk down the aisle at Westminster Abbey, following their marriage, in London.

This publicity photo provided

by David Tutera for Mon Cheri shows a two-piece organza and lace dress set available in ivory or white. The strapless full A-line gown (detachable spaghetti and halter straps included) has a sweetheart neckline, a directionally ruched bodice with a handbeaded lace motif at an asymmetrically dropped waistline, and a multi-tiered asymmetrical skirt with organza bands with a chapel length train. The dress set includes a matching illusion and hand-beaded scalloped lace bolero jacket with cap sleeves and back covered buttons. —AP

A two-piece luxurious satin and lace wedding dress set. The strapless mermaid gown which is available in ivory pearl or diamond white with detachable spaghetti and halter straps included, has a softly curved neckline and back bodice, sweep train, illusion and hand-beaded lace off-the-shoulder bolero jacket with three-quarter length sleeves and back covered button closures.

The striking open back of a satin, tulle and lace slim A-line wedding dress available in ivory or white, with a dipped back bodice that features covered buttons. It has a tulle and handbeaded embroidered lace Queen Anne neckline with scallop edging and cap sleeves. The hand-beaded lace bodice has accents of Swarvoski crystals, a directionally pleated midriff with a hand-beaded jeweled natural waistband, and a chapel length train.

This publicity photo provided by David Tutera for Mon Cheri shows a satin faced chiffon, lace appliqué and tulle wedding dress sheath available in ivory or white. It has illusion and hand-beaded lace long sleeves, illusion and beaded scalloped lace bateau neckline over a plunging sweetheart bodice with re-embroidered lace appliqués and hand-beaded accents, a jewel beaded natural waistband, plunging scalloped V-back neckline, side draped skirt with cascading ruffle and chapel length train. The Berger Collection for Mon Cheri veil is sold separately.

Diane Von Furstenberg & gapkids + babygap Spring 2013

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rriving in Gap stores in end April 2013, Diane takes Gap girls on a voyage of discovery with a colorful collection featuring exotic prints and patterns that embrace the natural explorer inside every child.

A signature Diane von Furstenberg palette comes to life with African inspired prints and wild animal illustrations, capturing the excitement of discovery.

Collection favorites were created with the adventurous girl in mind, from the iconic DVF wrap dress-reworked with playfully integrated shorts-to brightly printed skinny fit jeans. Prints are bold and classic DVF, from charming hibiscus buds, to the DVF signature heart and the Gap/DVF graffiti.

A safari theme emerges in a shirt and shirt-dress adorned with playful patches, and graphic T-shirts featuring tigers and zebras, fauna, flora and exotic butterflies.

Shorts have a paper-bag waist and full-leg and pair perfectly with jersey separatesleggings, tees and simple vest tops. There are even rompers for baby girls. The playful collection also extends to swimwear and accessories, from chic espadrilles to the essential sunhat.

“It was a lot of fun to design a children’s collection and I am glad to repeat it this year. This time it is all about adventure, with the same attention to color and

print. I think the result is playful and perfect for the little explorers of the world!” said Diane von Furstenberg.

Stephen Sunnucks, Global President of

Gap, said “Diane’s iconic prints, signature silhouettes and optimistic color palettes really resonated with our customers around the world. After a successful first

collaboration, we’re thrilled to continue working with Diane and excited to see what she will bring forward in her second DVF for Gap collection.”

THURSDAY, APRIL 4, 2013

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This undated handout photo provided by Chocolate frog films shows a scene from the movie ‘Metro Manila’, directed by Sean Ellis, shot at an undisclosed location in the Philippines.— AFP photos

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A scene from the movie ‘Metro Manila’.

Western indie filmmakers look East

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growing band of European filmmakers are realizing their cinematic ambitions in the East, lured by a healthy boxoffice, investment prospects and the potential for more eye-catching stories. Leading the pack is Welsh-director Gareth Evans, whose Indonesia-shot action flick “The Raid” picked up $15 million in global takings last year on a budget of around $1 million. Evans is now filming a sequel. “The growing size of the Asian market is obviously a source of motivation,” said French producer Christophe Bruncher, who heads the annual “Ties that Bind” program at festivals in South Korea’s Busan and Udine in Italy that bring together producers and filmmakers from Asia and Europe.

“But Asia is seen first as an incredible reserve of good stories and unique pictures.” The region’s box office hit an estimated $10.4 billion in takings in 2012, up 15 percent on-year, compared to roughly 6.0 percent growth in the North American market, which collected $10.8 billion. Oscar-nominated for his short film “Cashback” in 2006, British director Sean Ellis headed to Asia to produce a thriller he calls his “love letter to the City of Manila”.

“Metro Manila” explores big city life through the story of an armed guard and won the Audience Award at the influential Sundance Film Festival in Utah in January. It opens in Britain in September. “Most of my research was done in the Philippines before we started principle photography,” Ellis said. “I took every

little gift of detail I was given. I wanted the film to be authentic. I didn’t want people saying ‘What does this white kid think he knows about the streets of Manila?’“I wanted to live it, process it and then tell a story about it.” Ellis says that while the opportunities for filmmakers are expanding along with an increasingly global market, the art of securing financing and distribution remains a very challenging process.

Breaking records Last year international box office receipts hit a record US$23.9 billion according to the Motion Picture Association of America, and only five of the year’s top 20 pictures grossed more in North America than they did from international markets. While Hollywood blockbusters still dominate the Asian box office, the past year has seen a string of domestically-produced hits shine across the region. In China, local films continue to break box-office records. The domestically-produced “In China Painted Skin: Resurrection” took $113.2 million, “Lost in Thailand” $202.6 million and “Journey to the West: Conquering the Demons” has so far collected $195.2 million.

The takings of “Journey to The West” eclipsed those of many international hits including “Skyfall” (US$60 million) and Cloud Atlas ($26 million).China’s box office has recently seen average yearly increases of more than 30 percent per year and in 2012 topped US$2.69 billion. Even Hong Kong rose 12 per cent to

pass the US$200 million mark. With this in mind the city’s annual film festival last month included the Hong Kong-Asia Film Financing Forum (HAF), which has joined forces with the Parisbased Ateliers du Cinema Europeen (ACE) Co-production Labs group.

The plan is to develop and promote projects that allow European and Asian filmmakers to share their skills in an effort to get their films made and reach audiences in both markets.

“We are looking at talent, to develop great films for the European audience with a specific Chinese touch,” explains Ronan Girre, ACE’s chief executive. “Nevertheless, we still work on the development of a specific audience in China, particularly fans of European culture and brands. Given the small level of our budgets, this ‘niche’ audience would already be very profitable.”

While it is unclear exactly how many Euro-Asian productions are currently underway, the ACE program in Hong Kong is working on 16, comprising five from the EU, one from New Zealand, and 10 from the Chinese language market-incorporating China, Singapore, Taiwan, and Hong Kong.

Welshman John Williams’ production “Sado Tempest” since its limited release in Tokyo last month. The film - a reworking of Shakespeare’s “The Tempest” which sees a rock band imprisoned on Japan’s Sado Island-is a co-production between filmmakers from Hong-Kong, Britain, Japan and South Africa. “It looks complex but we did it in a simple and efficient way, with low legal costs. We went from inception to screen in just over three years,” Williams said.

“There are more and more foreign directors working in Japan now. The industry is opening up here and this is very positive. What we still lack in Japan and what would really make a difference is government or regional government support for development. This is what hampers many producers here.”

Daniel Kim, who heads the Asian Film Market event that hosts the “Ties That Bind” program in Busan each October, believes that as the region’s market expands, more international filmmakers will look to take their chances. “The population of Asia is about five times larger than Europe. It’s time for Asia and Europe to learn more about each other’s culture, film industry and make a firm network.” — AFP

Big in Japan Japan’s box office also had a record 2012 with takings of US$2.15 billion, a rise of 7.7 per cent year-on-year according to industry figures. Critics have built a buzz around Japan-based

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File photo shows the late Michael Jackson’s mother Katherine Jackson arriving at the courthouse in Los Angeles for the sentencing of Doctor Conrad Murray. — AFP

Jackson doctor refuses to testify at AEG trial

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ichael Jackson’s jailed former doctor refused Tuesday to testify at a trial in which the singer’s mother is seeking massive damages from tour promoters she blames for hiring the medic. Commenting as jury selection began for the wrongful death civil trial between Katherine Jackson and AEG Live, Conrad Murray said he is appealing his 2011 involuntary manslaughter conviction and does not want to incriminate himself. “I’ve not been subpoenaed. I’m not interested in giving testimony in the trial,’ he told CNN. “I will invoke my 5th Amendment right, because ... if there is a future trial I don’t want to have any issues of self-incrimination.”

The interview, his first since he was jailed, came hours after prospective jurors filed into a Los Angeles courtroom to begin the process of choosing the 12-strong panel that will decide if AEG ends up paying billions of dollars.

Judge Yvette Palazuelos started proceedings by reading out the allegations by Katherine Jackson and the late star’s children against AEG Live, promoters of the self-styled King of Pop’s doomed “This is It” tour. Opening statements will only begin once a jury is chosen-likely to take more than a week. After answering an initial questionnaire, prospective jurors were asked to return to court next Wednesday for further questioning.

Jackson died at his Los Angeles mansion on June 25, 2009, from an overdose of propofol, a powerful sedative administered by Murray to help the “Thriller” legend deal with chronic insomnia. His 82-year-old mother accuses AEG Live of negligently hiring Murray to look after 50-year-old Jackson as he rehearsed in Los Angeles for the London shows scheduled for that summer.

Katherine Jackson argues that AEG Live pushed her son too hard to prepare for 50 or more performances, in what was seen as an attempt to revive his lucrative career four years after emerging from the shadow of child molestation charges. But AEG says Jackson had a history of drug abuse long before the singer met Murray, who was hired to care for him before and during the shows at London’s O2 Arena. Murray has always maintained his innocence, and did so again Tuesday. “I am an innocent man ... I maintain that innocence,” he told CNN. “I am extremely sorry that Michael has passed. It’s a tremendous loss for me.”

“He was very close to me ... we were absolutely great friends,” he added.

While Murray says he will not testify, Katherine Jackson herself, as well as the late pop star’s two elder children, are expected to give evidence in the trial, which could last more than two months. No Jackson family members were in court for the initial jury proceedings Tuesday. There were also few Jackson fans, such as those who turned out day after day during Murray’s trial two years ago. According to celebrity news website TMZ, Jackson’s mother and his three children-Prince, 16, Paris, 14 and 11-year-old Blanket-want more than $40 billion from AEG for loss of future earnings and other damages. But Jackson family attorney Kevin Boyle rejected the report, telling CNN: “No demand has been made by the Jackson family for $40 billion from AEG. That is just not true.” Before jury selection began in the LA Superior Court, the judge heard arguments by both sides over a request by CNN for live television coverage of the proceedings. She did not immediately rule on the issue. — AFP

cclaimed Japanese conductor Seiji Ozawa said yesterday he wants to use the time he “has been given by God” after surviving cancer to teach the next generation of musicians. The 77-year-old, who underwent surgery for cancer of the oesophagus in 2010 and was treated for a hernia in 2011, said he will invite 24 of Asia’s most talented young string players to attend his chamber music academy in Japan.

Ahead of his full-scale comeback planned in August, he will conduct Tchaikovsky’s “Serenade for Strings” in July during concerts that will mark the end of the Ozawa International Chamber Music Academy Okushiga, Asia.

“I have been lucky. It was a serious illness,” Ozawa told a Tokyo press conference. “I think the time I have has been given

by God, so I am making good use of it.” Ozawa, who has been away from the podium for a year during his battle back to health, has worked with young musicians in Switzerland and Japan while leading the Ozawa Ongaku-juku music academies for symphony and opera. “I am gradually coming back to my main job of conducting after my illness,” he told reporters. “But I have no interest in cutting back on my teaching.” Ozawa’s first full-scale engagement since January last year will be Maurice Ravel’s opera “The Child and the Spells” in August at the Saito Kinen Festival Matsumoto in Japan.

In a career that has spanned the globe, Ozawa spent nearly three decades at the Boston Symphony Orchestra before moving to Austria in 2002 to become musical director for the Vienna State Opera. He has collaborated with luminaries of the music world including Herbert von Karajan and Leonard Bernstein. The concerts by the Ozawa International Chamber Music Academy-in which young talent from Japan, Singapore, China and Taiwan will play under his baton-will take place in the central prefecture of Nagano on July 28 and 29 and in Tokyo on July 31. — AFP

Japanese conductor Seiji Ozawa speaks during a press conference with German specialty chemicals company LANXESS AG in Tokyo yesterday. — AFP

Robert Redford onCaptain America Sequel: I Wanted to Do Something

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obert Redford said he decided to mentor Captain America in the upcoming sequel to the hit 2011 superhero film because he wanted to go outside his comfort zone. “I wanted to do something different,” he said Tuesday while promoting his upcoming movie “The Company You Keep.” “I wanted to do something just to be different, something bold.” Redford, who has never appeared in a comic book movie before, said he will play the head of the espionage agency S.H.I.E.L.D. in “Captain America: The Winter Soldier,” which will hit theaters in 2014.

Since making the financial and critical flop “Lions for Lambs,” the 76-year-old Redford has been absent from screens for nearly six years, but he’s making up for lost time with a series of projects hitting both the big and small screen.

First there’s “The Company You Keep,” which with its look at an aging Weather Underground member on the run from both law enforcement agents and an ethically challenged reporter takes a more jaundiced view of American society than the jingoistic Captain America sequel likely will. He stars and directs that film, which debuts this Friday in limited release.

Although Redford’s first foray into the world of Marvel Comics has captivated fanboys, he seems more enthused about “All is Lost.” The film tells the story of a man on a boat in the middle of the Indian Ocean and his desperate fight to survive a violent storm. It teams Redford with J.C. Chandor, who directed and wrote the 2011 Sundance Film Festival breakout “Margin Call.” In a bold move, there is no

dialogue, Redford said.

“It may be crazy good,” he said. “It may be crazy not good.... I said at this point in my life, at this point in my career, I’d like to break loose and just do different things and if it comes my way, I’ll grab it if it has quality.” That film will open in September, but before it does, the actor will return to the scene of one of his greatest triumphs with a new documentary for the Discovery Channel called “All the President’s Men Revisited.”

The project will be shown on television, but will have a premiere in Washington D.C. this

Robert Redford

month. It will interweave scenes from the 1976 film “All the President’s Men” with archival footage of the two Washington Post journalists, Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein’s, whose dogged efforts to expose the Watergate coverup brought down the Nixon administration.

There will also be footage and tapes of President Richard Nixon discussing the Watergate burglery in the Oval Office with key aides.

“How this man recorded his own mistakes thinking he was going to be this fabulous historical figure is beyond me,” Redford said. “It showed how delusional he was.” Redford and Dustin Hoffman, his “All the President’s Men” co-star, will be interviewed, along with current media figures like Jon Stewart, Rachel Maddow and Joe Scarborough, who will discuss the film’s legacy and that of Watergate.

Redford hopes the film and scenes of the bipartisan Senate investigation into White House corruption will leave audiences thinking about the stark contrast between those figures who put country before party and the politicians who preside over Washington today.

“Without anybody saying anything you have both sides of the aisle, Republicans and Democrats, working together to get to the truth,” Redford said. “So there was a moral tone over those hearings that you didn’t think of then because they were doing what they were supposed to do.” “All you have to do is see that and imagine how it is today,” he added. “That would never happen.”— Reuters

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Indian actor files suit against Shah Rukh Khan

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eteran Indian actor and director Manoj Kumar has filed a multimillion-dollar lawsuit against Bollywood star Shah Rukh Khan for releasing a popular 2007 film in Japan without deleting scenes that make fun of him.

Kumar is seeking 1 billion rupees ($18.5 million) in damages from Khan and Eros International, the producers of the film, “Om Shanti Om.” The suit was filed Tuesday in a court in a Mumbai suburb, according to Indian media.

Kumar had approached a court when the movie was first released in 2007, objecting to scenes spoofing his mannerisms. In 2008, a Mumbai court ordered that the scenes be deleted from any future screenings of the film, and

Khan apologized to Kumar. Kumar said the film was recently released in Japan without deleting the scenes. “I had forgiven them earlier, but not this time. They have disrespected me,” Kumar said. The 75-year-old actor played the lead in several films with patriotic themes in the 1960s and ‘70s. He received one of India’s top civilian awards in 1992 and a lifetime achievement award from the Indian film fraternity in 1999.

“Om Shanti Om” is a romantic comedy featuring Khan and Deepika Padukone in lead roles.

The film’s director, Farah Khan, said the wrong version of the movie may have been distributed in Japan. “This has not been done purposely.

The film’s distributors may have erred and sent

an old print to Japan,” she told reporters yesterday. “Anyway, it’s time to let go. It’s a time to feel happy and proud that it is doing so well in Japan.”—AP

File photo, Bollywood actors Shah Rukh Khan, right, and Deepika Padukone attend the music launch of their Hindi film ‘Om Shanti Om’in Mumbai, India. — AP

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The 14 month young chapuchin monkey ‘Maly’ of Canadian singer Justin Bieber is seen in a home for animals in Munich.

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sequel to animated fish saga “Finding Nemo” is set to splash onto the big screen in North America in November 2015, Disney Pixar announced Tuesday. “Finding Dory” will focus on the character brought to life by the voice of comedian and TV host Ellen DeGeneres, which swam its way into the hearts of young and old in the 2003 original animated hit. “I have waited for this day for a long, long, long, long, long, long time,” DeGeneres said in a statement. “But the time they took was worth it. The script is fantastic. And it has everything I loved about the first one: It’s got a lot of heart, it’s really funny, and the best part is-it’s got a lot more Dory.”

The film will be directed by Andrew Stanton, a Pixar veteran, who also wrote and directed “Finding Nemo” and “Wall-E.” The announcement suggests Disney has forgiven Stanton for directing the mam-

eenage pop sensation Justin Bieber has been given a month to provide German authorities with the papers they need to release his pet monkey “Mally”. Customs officials seized Bieber’s capuchin monkey at Munich Airport last week when the 19-year-old failed to present the health and species protection certificates required to bring the pet into the country. Bieber was visiting Munich to give a concert and has since continued on his tour.

“If he doesn’t (present the papers), Mally will be taken to a good animal shelter that has experience rearing groups of young capuchin monkeys and can ensure disoriented Mally becomes a healthy little capuchin,” the shelter currently caring for the monkey said. The shelter said Mally, who is around 14 weeks old, had been taken away from its mother too early and was receiving veterinary care.

A spokesman for Munich’s customs office said it would decide whether to keep the animal at the current shelter or move it elsewhere at the end of the four-week deadline. He added that Bieber would likely have to pay a fine, but declined to give details of the amount. — Reuters

moth 2012 flop “John Carter,” which led to some $200 million in losses. “Finding Nemo” won an Academy Award for best animated feature in 2004 and is the second most lucrative film in Pixar’s history after “Toy Story 3,” garnering some $865 million around the globe.

“Finding Dory” again stars Marlin, Nemo and the Tank Gang and is set about a year after the first rendition of the underwater adventure, according to the statement. But there’s a teaser: “Set in part along the California coastline, the story also welcomes a host of new characters, including a few who will prove to be a very important part of Dory ’s life.” The next Pixar film, “Monsters University,” a prequel to “Monsters, Inc” (2001) is due out on June 21 in North America. — AFP

adies and gentlemen, the Rolling Stones. With yesterday’s expected announcement of a new Stones tour, those words will again signal the start of a rock ‘n’ roll show. Young music fans may wonder why there’s still a fuss over dad’s, or grandpa’s, favorite band. Here are five reasons to care.

1. Living history: Elvis Presley is dead. The Beatles will never perform again. The Who is down to two originals.

Membership of rock’s Greatest Generation is fading. The Stones, Bob Dylan and Paul McCartney are links to a special time in music history, and you can still see them in concert. If the Stones’ form of classic rock moves you, it’s hard to conceive of a band today building such an impressive catalog in the same style. Fashion, and the business, has moved on.

2. Live band: They’ll never admit it, but deep down the Stones surely know they haven’t made memorable new music in decades. They have, however, kept their chops and deliver the songs you want to hear with power and precision. You can’t find a better Stones tribute band. The Stones are fully aware of their best work; you won’t hear a flabby show. The past few times out, it has been more than greatest hits performed on autopilot.

3. Keith Richards: There was a time, kids, when Keith was a menace to society, a walking advertisement of the evils of

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File photo showing, from left, Charlie Watts, Keith Richards, Ronnie Wood and Mick Jagger, from the British Rock band, The Rolling Stones, as they arrive at a central London venue, to mark the 50th anniversary of the Rolling Stones first performance. — AP drugs. Now he’s a beloved figure, humanized by one of rock’s best biographies and the model for Johnny Depp’s Capt. Jack Sparrow character in the “Pirates of the Caribbean” series. He’s your cool, crazy uncle. He plays a pretty decent guitar, too.

4. Charlie’s face: There’s no better facial expression in rock ‘n’ roll than the bemused one worn by drummer Charlie Watts as he takes in the madness around him. Watch Watts when Mick Jagger does a particularly audacious chicken

hain Gandee died doing precisely what made him the star of MTV’s “BUCKWILD” reality show: tearing through mudholes in his truck, taking chances most others wouldn’t, living free and reckless. MTV has not said whether cameras were rolling the night Gandee, his uncle and a friend left a bar at 3 am to go “muddin’.” But the line between television and real life blurred in one fatal moment when Gandee’s vehicle got stuck in a deep mudpit. He and two passengers were found dead of carbon monoxide poisoning. Was Gandee living for the cameras that night, or for himself? Did his on-camera life, and the rewards it brought him, make him more reckless when the camera lights were off?

And how does the audience fit into this picture, the 3 million weekly viewers who made “BUCKWILD” a hit, plus the many millions more who have made shows from “Jersey Shore” to “Dancing With the Stars” to “Here Comes Honey Boo Boo” a living, breathing part of our culture?

How has reality TV shaped perceptions of real life - and of our own lives? Everywhere you look these days, the lines blur. Evan Ross Katz is a fan of “BUCKWILD,” which followed a group of self-described rednecks’ “wild and crazy behavior” in rural West Virginia. Katz watches about a dozen reality shows for his work as a freelance pop culture commentator, and he says Gandee felt more real than other stars.

“I want to believe that was him in real life,” Katz says.

“Sometimes you just get this impression. I really do believe you can tell when people are being genuine or not on these shows.” “I found him to be strangely genuine, by far the most genuine of the group. Some of them wanted to pour it down your throat, like, ‘We’re the wildest kids in West Virginia.’ I don’t think he showed any sort of agenda to prove he lived this different life. I just think he organically did.” Katz, 23, is roughly the same age as the modern reality TV genre, which MTV is credited with launching in 1992 with “The Real World.” Like many other viewers, he knows that reality television is carefully shaped by producers looking for storylines and conflicts.

He watches ironically, sometimes condescendingly - “look at their stupid life, they’re stupid” - and takes it all in with a grain of salt.

Yet still he is drawn to the personalities and the dramas, especially the combative women on “The Real Housewives” series. “I never expected to become invested in them the way I do,” Katz says. “Housewives” fights may affect the way he deals with drama in his own life: “When someone takes a small situation over the top, it’s the worst. You feel like you’re on one of these shows. But if two of my friends get into a huge fight in front of me, I let it go for a little while before I jump in.” “Is that a byproduct of reality television? Probably,” Katz said. Then there is another byproduct of reality-TV culture: the compulsion, enabled by social media, to broadcast everything about yourself.

Who needs a TV show when you can Instagram that hamburger, YouTube that roller coaster, tweet about the twit who just cut in line? Then comes the feeling of validation from every “like” and click and retweet - a fulfillment of the basic human need for attention.

Some have a deeper thirst - for fame. Their every post is one more chance to go viral, to reach the promised land of recognition: television. “People misbehaving is nothing new,” says Tyler Barnett, owner of a public relations company in Beverly Hills and a former cast member on several reality shows. “What’s new is the ability to misbehave to a global audience almost instantly,” he says. “This is very encouraging to people to keep doing outrageous things.

People can share so easily, it ups the ante on what’s considered outrageous.”

Barnett has tasted reality fame as a cast member on

strut.

5. The last time: We’ll be surprised if this is labeled as some sort of retirement tour; they’ve been subjected to so many age jokes over the years that the topic itself is old. And these men are in surprisingly good shape for the years of hard living.

But Richards is 69, the same age as Mick.

Watts will be 72 in June. Reality is catching up. Probably even before they expect it, they’ll be singing “The Last Time” for the last time. — AP

“Party Monsters Cabo.” He found it addicting. “After being on camera for a month straight, almost 24 hours a day, when I got home I felt very depressed. And I’m not a depressed person,” Barnett says. “I had so much attention, and that felt good. When I was pulled out of that situation, it felt very low.” “It’s almost like a drug,” Barnett continues.

“You figure if someone is on a drug, they’re higher than life. When you come down, all of a sudden life doesn’t seem that exciting.”

File photo shows Shain Gandee, from MT V’s ‘Buckwild’ reality series in New York. — AP

Daily life can also seem mundane for viewers entertained by escapades like the spectacle of Gandee and friends leaping from a roof into a dump truck full of water.

“You’re sitting there at home, watching on TV, thinking, ‘Wow, this is so much more exciting than my own life. Let me go out and try this. Maybe I can get on a reality show,’” says Lou Manza, a psychology professor at Lebanon Valley College in Pennsylvania. Of course, the vast majority of viewers would never fill a dump truck with water, let alone leap into it from a rooftop. And it’s too simplistic to blame reality TV for the failings of modern society.

“It’s important not to dismiss what happened (to Gandee) by pointing fingers at a genre of television that’s a giant tent with many different kinds of shows and productions and varying degrees of ethical behavior,” says Andy Denhart, who has followed reality television for 12 years as editor of RealityBlurred.com. “What’s important is to continue a conversation about what entertains us, and what are the consequences of our entertainment,” he says.

“What are the consequences of fame, and what are we learning watching other people’s lives?”—AP

Indian actor files suit against Shah Rukh Khan

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THURSDAY, APRIL 4, 2013

In this photo taken March, 2010 and released by Portfolio Films yesterday, inmates of Cebu Provincial Detention and Rehabilitation Center perform during the taping of the movie ‘Dance of the Steel Bars’ inside the jail compound in Cebu province, central Philippines. — AP photos

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Irish actor Patrick Bergin, left, talks with Filipino heartthrob Dingdong Dantes during a scene.

ix years and 52 million YouTube hits later, Filipino inmates who danced to “Thriller” inside a prison courtyard are getting their stories told in a movie drama about redemption and corruption behind bars. “Dance of the Steel Bars” was shot in the Cebu provincial prison, the same place where up to 1,500 inmates dressed in orange uniforms danced to global fame in 2007. Their choreographed act still attracts thousands of tourists who troop to the prison to watch the performance, which recently included “Gangnam Style.” Some of the dancing inmates appear in the movie too.

It stars Irish actor Patrick Bergin, who played Julia Roberts’ husband in “Sleeping With the Enemy,” and Filipino heartthrob Dingdong Dantes. The Dubai-based producer, Portfolio Films International, said the story follows Bergin’s character, Frank Parish, a retired US firefighter and philanthropist wrongly jailed for murder in the Philippines. He befriends Mando, played by 32-year-old Dantes, a convicted murderer who denies his passion for dancing to prove his masculinity. Another character, Allona, played by Joey Paras, is a transsexual who teaches

dance to his fellow inmates to contribute to prison reforms. They are caught up in a struggle between the positive changes being implemented by the new jail warden and a corrupt prison system.

Marnie Manicad, who co-directed the movie with television reporter Cesar Apolinario, said Wednesday that the story is fictional but inspired by real stories of the inmates. “We made this film to tell the story of redemption, and of the human spirit’s ability to change for the better,” she said. Manicad, her husband and television reporter Jiggy Manicad, and Apolinario co-wrote the story. The screenplay is

by Cris Lim. Shooting inside the actual prison, with dance sequences of the inmates included, present-

ed a unique challenge, Manicad said. But she praised the inmates for their discipline and selfrespect. The prison scenes were shot over a week in 2010, and the entire production took about three years. “I cannot do much for them except tell their story to the world through this movie,” she said. The movie is set for local release on June 12. Its creators plan to enter it in international film festivals and for screenings in major cities abroad. — AP

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hree thousand miles from his native Lyon, Frenchman Claude Abry is living his dream in the Middle East, where he once cooked for royalty and has now traded his chef’s toque for helmets and Harley-Davidsons. “After my family, I have two loves in life: cooking and riding motorcycles,” Abry, 43, told AFP at his Harley dealership outside the Jordanian capital, Amman-a challenging project in a country where bikes were banned for more than two decades for reasons of “public safety”.

“Cooking and riding motorcycles give me and my family freedom. I had nothing and I worked very hard to become a chefand one of the best,” he said.

In Lyon, France’s gastronomic capital, Abry worked under iconic chef Paul Bocuse before moving to Jordan and cooking for King Abdullah II-who, like his late father, King Hussein, is a motorcycle enthusiast and Harley owner. “I was the youngest pastry chef with Bocuse,” Abry said, but declined to speak of his time at Jordan’s royal palace for confidentiality reasons. Abry moved to Jordan in 2000, after having also lived in Beirut and Kuwait. Although he says he misses his first calling, his love for bikes never waned, and he decided in 2010 to become a dealer for legendary American brand Harley.

“I’m a biker, after all. I don’t want to wear a tuxedo,” said Abry, an affable man sporting a beard, tattoos and an earring. “The passion for motorcycling runs in the family. My father taught me to ride when I was young. He said, ‘When you have kids, you must teach them too.’” His three children, Lucie, 21, Jad, 18, and Nour, 11, all learnt to ride when they were around six. Lucie and her mother Martine, who is also from Lyon, work in the family business.

“My wife loves motorcycling too. Her father and grandfather have been Harley riders since 1932,” Abry said. He might appear unconventional in a conservative society, but over the years he has immersed himself in local traditions and culture. “I love Jordan. We raised our children here. It’s our second home. When we first saw Jordan we said to ourselves, ‘We have to build some-

A general view shows motorcycles on display at a Harley Davidson dealership set up by Frenchman Claude Abry outside Amman. thing here,’” he said. “We said the motorcycle business would be good for Jordan-the roads and climate are good.”

For the past three years, Abry has been on a mission to share his passion with Jordanians. He says the toughest challenge is to change the way people view bikers and motorcycles. “In Jordan, bikes are linked to old movies, gangs and things like that. But motorcycles are not just a means of transport. It is love,” he said.

‘Changing how people think’ His clients tend to agree. “For people here, Harley-Davidson is a new thing, a new culture. And people tend to resist new things and change,” said 35-year-old Omar, who rides a 2000 Harley Fatboy. “But I think Abry has made a difference and started to change how people think. He is spreading the Harley culture.”

Abry says he feels Jordanian, although he also misses France.

Claude Abry shows a motorcycle on display as he talks to AFP.—AFP photos

“Some Americans came the other day and were surprised to see a Frenchman in Jordan dealing in Harleys. I told them I consider myself part of this country. I speak good Arabic and fast during the holy month of Ramadan,” he said.

“Jordan makes me happy, and I feel I have lived all my life here. But at the same time, I miss France. I visit it every year.” In cash-strapped Jordan, many people look on Harley-Davidsons as a luxury. “Not true,” Abry said. “Many Harley owners say their bikes cost much less than cars.” His dealership employs six Jordanians, selling 30 models costing between 8,500 dinars and 30,000 dinars (9,300 to 33,000 euros, $12,000 to $42,000). Abry also set up the “Kingdom of Jordan Chapter” of Harley aficionados, which now has 220 members, including 24 women.

The chapter organizes a weekly bike trip and also tours abroad three times a year. “Last year, 18 bikers from Jordan went

to Lyon, Milan, Venice, Slovenia, and Austria and back,” Abry said.

To celebrate their wedding anniversary last year, he and Martine rode across Israel and the occupied Palestinian territories. “We went to Jerusalem, Bethlehem, Ramallah, Haifa, Jaffa and Nazareth. It was great,” he said. Now he is looking at ways to expand the business to Iraqi Kurdistan. “There are two or three Harley-Davidsons in Kurdistan, no more. Roads there are very nice. So if there’s a chance for me there, I think I’ll go for it. Why not? “Most problems in this job are about changing attitudes. It’s not easy.”— AFP