9 Apr 2013

CR IP TI ON BS SU 40 PAGES

NO: 15773

150 FILS

TUESDAY, APRIL 9, 2013

www.kuwaittimes.net

JAMADA ALAWWAL 28, 1434 AH

Britain’s ‘Iron Lady’ Thatcher dies at 87 Amir, Kuwait pay tribute to UK’s first woman premier conspiracy theories

Goodbye Iron Lady!

By Badrya Darwish

badrya_d@kuwaittimes.net

T

he Iron Lady has left but she leaves behind an honorable legacy for her country and for the whole world. I am writing about her as a woman. I am not a politician. Neither I am a diplomat. Her terms in office were buzzing with controversies and ups and downs but she faced it with a lot of courage. Let’s not forget that Thatcher did not inherit the post. She is a self-made woman. She did not descend from a royal or a family with deep political roots.

She was a chemist and a barrister in the beginning of her youth. Then she made it into politics and became the Finchley MP. She was the first woman to lead the Conservatives in the United Kingdom.

When they won the elections, she became prime minister and made her way to 10 Downing Street.

Her influence was obvious. Even the era was named after her - Thacherism. She was the one who took England to the Falklands War which the country won and made Thatcher a heroine.

As a Kuwaiti, I look at her as a woman who made it from an ordinary family to a leader of one of the most powerful nations - the United Kingdom. I look upon her with gratitude as a Kuwaiti. I will never forget the black days when Saddam invaded Kuwait in Aug 1990. That summer Mrs Thatcher was on a state visit to the US and pushed the then-president of the United States George Bush Sr to launch a war against Saddam to liberate Kuwait. She was one of the major players in convincing the Bush administration to take military action against Saddam and to liberate Kuwait. We owe her in Kuwait.

Unfortunately, she had resigned before Kuwait’s liberation in Feb 1991. But she left her mark in our history. Death is a normal thing. It is the end of everybody - leaders or normal citizens. We are all going to face it. But some are remembered for what they contribute to life. You will be remembered, Mrs Thatcher, for generations to come. I am sure you will be remembered in your country too. Rest in peace Mrs Thatcher!

LONDON: This 1980 file photo shows then British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher. Thatcher died of a stroke yesterday morning. She was 87. — AP (See Page 3)

Kuwait eyeing KD 5bn spending on projects

Barrak’s lawyers walk out of court Ammo heist slammed

By B Izzak KUWAIT: In a dramatic development, the defense team of prominent opposition figure and former MP Musallam AlBarrak yesterday walked out of the court after the judge refused repeated appeals to hear defense witnesses including the prime minister. Barrak himself said he believes the trial from

the “onset has been political in nature and not legal”, saying any ruling without having a lawyer will be “totally illegal”.

The defense team, comprised of more than 10 lawyers, walked out almost immediately after the hearing was opened and they refused to give their final defense arguments as the Continued on Page 13

Govt condemns mosque attack Nod to draft media law KUWAIT: The government yesterday condemned an attack against a mosque in Daiya and rejected all attempts aimed at undermining national unity, calling for punishing the attackers. Acting prime minister and interior minister Sheikh Ahmad Al-Hmoud Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, chairing the weekly Cabinet meeting, rejected the attack on the Shiite Al-Baharna Mosque in

Daiya as well as attacks on all mosques or people working in them. A statement by Minister of State for Cabinet and Municipal Affairs Sheikh Mohammad Al-Abdullah AlSabah, said the Cabinet called for punishing the attackers who wanted to undermine national unity and incite discord in the Kuwaiti society.

Continued on Page 13

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Max 33º Min 19º High Tide 11:31 & 23:58 Low Tide 05:31 & 17:51

LONDON/KUWAIT: Former British prime minister Margaret Thatcher, the controversial “Iron Lady” who dominated a generation of British politics and won international acclaim for helping to end the Cold War, died following a stroke yesterday. She was 87. World leaders paid tribute to Britain’s only woman prime minister, whose years in office from 1979 to 1990 saw her take on trade unions, go to war in the Falklands and wield her signature handbag against the European Union.

Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II said she was saddened by Thatcher’s death and Prime Minister David Cameron cut short a European trip, although mining leaders and Irish republicans said she left a bitter legacy. Red, white and blue Union flags flew at half mast over Buckingham Palace, the Houses of Parliament and the prime minister’s Downing Street official residence in a sign of mourning while mourners left flowers outside Thatcher’s house.

HH the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber AlSabah sent a cable of condolences to Queen Elizabeth and Cameron, expressing deep sympathy and sadness over the demise of Thatcher. Sheikh Sabah recalled Thatcher’s historic and honorable stance toward Kuwait during the Iraqi invasion in 1990, including her pivotal role in bringing together an international coalition of more than 30 countries in support of the liberation of Kuwait, which will always be remembered with great admiration and gratitude by the Kuwaiti people and the world. The Amir also sent a similar cable to Thatcher’s family, mourning her demise. HH the Crown Prince Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah and HH the Prime Minister Sheikh Jaber Mubarak Al-Hamad AlSabah also sent similar cables.

National Assembly Speaker Ali Al-Rashed expressed “profound sadness”. “She was a leader who was known for being one of the biggest supporters of the legitimate rights of the people,” he said in a statement. Rashed also noted to the late former premier’s support of Kuwait after it was invaded by Iraq. “We recall her solid stance on this, which had a profound effect in ushering combined international efforts to free the country (Kuwait) from occupation, during which she said ‘this occupation will not last’. Since that moment, she harnessed the necessary tools and capabilities to put that historic position into practice - something the Kuwaiti people look to with great gratitude,” he said.

“The Kuwaiti people consider the parting of this woman, described as the ‘Iron Lady’ for her tough stances, a great loss to them, to the free world and all who seek justice and freedom on this planet. Kuwait remembers these positions with full respect and admiration,” Rashed stressed. The government, in a meeting chaired by acting prime minister and interior minister Sheikh Ahmad Al-Humoud Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, expressed gratitude to Thatcher for her “solid” positions during Continued on Page 13

UAE telco Etisalat says unblocks Skype website

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Indian nurses stage rare strike Stoppage paralyzes MoH • Haifi convenes meeting

By Ben Garcia KUWAIT: Some 500 Indian nurses stopped working yesterday in protest of what they termed “mismanagement and violation of basic employment rights”, hitting the operations of Mubarak Hospital and other polyclinics where the nurses work. Mubarak Al-Kabeer Hospital Director Dr Hassan Al-Dosary told KUNA the operations of public outpatient clinics were paralyzed after nearly 120 nurses working there went on strike. The strike also led to the cancellation of “a large number of” appointments scheduled for yesterday, he said. However, Dosary noted that the emergency and operations rooms and intensive care units were not affected.

Late yesterday, Minister of Health Dr Mohammad Barrak Al-Haifi convened an emergency meeting with Dosary and senior officials from several state departments and the Hawally Health Directorate to discuss the problem. “The meeting debated the legitimacy of the demands of the nurses and causes of the strike which resulted in halting work at several wards of the hospital today,” Dosary told KUNA. “The conferees mulled how to convince the (contracting) company to solve the problems of the striking nurses and possible alternatives if it fails to do so,” he revealed.

The nurses - who were hired by one of the two major private manpower companies operating under a subcontract with the MoH -

KUWAIT: Striking nurses arrive for a meeting with their contracting company in Mahboula yesterday. — Photo by Ben Garcia did not arrive for their morning shift starting However, no agreement was reached by the at 7 am. Two hours later, they were sum- end of the meeting. “We will continue our moned by the management of the company protest until our demands are met,” stressed a to the female residential quarters in male nurse who spoke on the condition of Mahboula. Several police cars were stationed anonymity after the talks collapsed yesterday outside one of the buildings where male nurs- afternoon. “We will not report to duty again es reside. tomorrow,” the spokesperson for the group of The management provided the nurses with nurses said. an opportunity to express their demands.

Continued on Page 2

TUESDAY, APRIL 9, 2013

LOCAL

Amir inaugurates Al-Othman House Museum in Hawalli

KUWAIT: His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah inaugurated yesterday Al-Othman House Museum for Kuwait’s heritage in Hawalli Governorate.

HH the Amir was warmly received at the avenue by Minister of Information and Minister of State for Youth Affairs Sheikh Salman Sabah Al-Salem Al-Humoud AlSabah; the National Council for Culture, Arts and Letters (NCCAL) Secretary General Ali Al-Yuha, and Head of Kuwait Traditional Heritage Team Anwar Al-Rifai.

His Highness the Crown Prince Sheikh Nawaf AlAhmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, senior sheikhs, Sheikh Nasser Al-Mohammed Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, Acting Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Sheikh Ahmad AlHumoud Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, Acting National Assembly Speaker Mubarak Bnayyah Al-Khurainej, Deputy Minister of Amiri Diwan Affairs Sheikh Ali Jarrah Al-Sabah and several top state officials also attended the inauguration ceremony.

Upon his arrival, HH the Amir raised the curtain to signal the inauguration of the museum and the start of the ceremony. HH Sheikh Sabah toured the different sections and pavilions of the museum and expressed admirations of the displayed items which show the brilliant and rich heritage of Kuwait.

The official ceremony began with the performance of the national anthem and then a recitation of the Holy Quran. After that, Head of Kuwait Traditional Heritage Team Anwar Al-Rifai delivered a speech on the occasion.

In his speech, Al-Rifai cheered HH the Amir’s participation in the inauguration ceremony of Al-Othman House Museum. “The participation of your Highness in this cere-

Syrians’ visa papers still denied KUWAIT: A Ministry of Interior source denied rumors that speculated that Kuwait was planning to remove Syria from a list of countries whose nationals are denied visas to enter the Gulf state, a local newspaper reported yesterday. The condition stipulates no new visas, be these visitor, commercial, family or any other kind, cannot be issued to citizens of Syria, Iraq, Iran, Pakistan, Afghanistan and Yemen for security reasons, except for the wife of any government employee or his children below the age of 15 for males and 18 for females. Meanwhile, the source who spoke to Al-Rai on the condition of anonymity, also revealed that the Migration General Department has almost finalized an electronic archiving system for expatriates which is expected to be ready by the end of May.

mony shows the Kuwaiti leadership’s great interest in preserving the traditional heritage,” Al-Rifai said.

Al-Rifai pointed out that Al-Othman House Museum belonged to the Al-Othman family, who were one of the first Kuwaiti families to have a house outside the walled Kuwait City in 1947.

The Museum now hosts rare historical items and

antiques for old Kuwaiti houses. Al-Rifia noted that the Museum was renovated through a voluntary work from Kuwaiti youth interested in preserving the national heritage in cooperation with relevant government bodies. Before leaving, two memorial gifts were presented to HH the Amir and HH the Crown Prince on the occasion. — KUNA

Al-Nufaisi denies receiving arrest warrant KUWAIT: Kuwait University professor and political activist Dr. Abdullah Al-Nufaisi denied receiving any arrest warrant or subpoena in connection with his recent statements that were criticised by many in Kuwait on grounds of promoting sectarianism.

Al-Nufaisi spoke to Al-Rai daily at the Kuwait International Airport on Sunday after returning from Saudi Arabia. “My visit took place as per an earlier schedule in which I was invited to record episodes for the Saudi TV. I was required to stay for ten days in the Kingdom”, he said.

Al-Nufaisi reiterated his warning with regard to an alleged Iranian threat “which has become a systematic threat to the

Gulf’s security”. “I was interviewed in Saudi Arabia about the Iranian threat on Kuwait and other Arabian Gulf countries, in the wake of the arrest of members of Iranian espionage networks in the Kingdom”, he stated.

Meanwhile, Al-Qabas daily reported that the State Security Bureau had summoned Al-Nufaisi as soon as he reached Kuwait in order to question him about the statements he had made during a seminar held recently at the dewaniya of former MP Husain Al-Dousary. He is likely to be questioned relating to accusations of undermining national unity with the offensive remarks he allegedly made against Shiites inside and outside Kuwait.

KUWAIT: Kuwait Army Chief-of-Staff, Lt Gen Khaled Al-Jarrah Al-Sabah received at his office yesterday US Third Army Commander Gen Vincent Brooks and his accompanying delegation. Talks between the two sides highlighted issues of mutual concern and boosting joint military cooperation between the two countires.

Indian nurses stage rare strike Continued from Page 1 “We are ready to work and that is why we are wearing our uniforms.

We will resume duties immediately after our demands are met,” he added.

The demands of the nurses, which were submitted to the management of the company that employs them and to Kuwait’s Nursing Department (from where a copy was acquired by Kuwait Times), include some eight points. The nurses want the following problems to be solved: Their iqamas were renewed after much delay and a KD 66 fee was charged for residency permits and health insurance; salaries are not paid on time; annual leave pay is not provided; release is refused even after working for more than two years in the company; verbal harassment; illegal deduction of salaries; poor maintenance of

accommodations; and poor-quality food.

“We do not demand the same payment as that of the MoH nurses, although our jobs are no different from them. We only want what is stipulated in our contracts. At least treat us fairly, give us the respect we deserve and treat us like humans,” he added. The company also retains employees’ passports without receipts, according to written complaints. “Whenever we need our passports, we are compelled to sign a blank paper (payment slips) - and if we refuse to sign it, we will not get our passports,” a complaint read.

“The company should pay our annual leave, but they are not paying us. Besides, they refuse to give us emergency leave too. And if we are allowed, we are required to get at least four, five signatures from our coworkers guaranteeing our return,” the nurses lamented. “For renewing

our civil IDs, the company will wait until the iqama expires. Then, they’ll give us a temporary visa (visa 14).

During this period, some of our colleagues will be taken away by the police for working without valid permits. To release us, they ask us to pay KD 2,500,” the male nurse explained.

Vidhu P Nair, Deputy Chief of Mission at the Indian Embassy, told Kuwait Times yesterday that the embassy would take up the matter with the Kuwaiti authorities and the local manpower recruitment company in order to find a solution to the crisis, especially regarding the issue of non-renewal of civil IDs of the nurses. A delegation of 56 nurses visited the Indian Embassy yesterday and lodged a complaint against the company which had long been blacklisted by the embassy for violating contractual obligations.

Another batch of nurses is also expected to visit the embassy today.

TUESDAY, APRIL 9, 2013

tribute

(Left) Thatcher is seen with HH the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah at the Kuwait Embassy in London in this file photo. (Center) Thatcher meets late Amir Sheikh Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah. (Right) Then Crown Prince Sheikh Saad Al-Abdullah Al-Sabah poses with Thatcher.

Picture dated Oct 13, 1989 shows then Thatcher acknowledging applause at the end of the Conservative Party conference in Blackpool.

File picture taken on Dec 15, 1993 shows Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat with former British Prime Minister Thatcher during an official visit to London.

Picture dated July 4, 1990 shows South African anti-apartheid leader Nelson Mandela with Thatcher on the steps of No 10 Downing Street.

File picture taken on Nov 22, 1987 shows Thatcher meeting with her French counterpart Jacques Chirac in Hotel Matignon in Paris.

File picture taken on Nov 24, 1989 shows US President George Bush and British Prime Minister Thatcher driving away in a golf cart at Camp David.

This Feb, 1, 1975 file photo shows the then Conservative MP Thatcher in her Chelsea home kitchen.

(Left) Photo dated Dec 19, 1984 shows senior Chinese leader Deng Xiaoping meeting Thatcher in Beijing. (Center) In this Dec 15, 1984 file photo, Soviet leader Mikhail S Gorbachev poses with Thatcher in London. (Right) Picture dated July 17, 1987 shows Reagan and Thatcher posing for photographers on the patio outside the Oval Office in Washington.

Picture dated June 25, 1984 shows then French President Francois Mitterrand welcoming Thatcher as she arrives at the Fontainebleau castle.

1925-2013 Iron Lady changed face of Britain

M

argaret Thatcher, the “Iron Lady”, was a towering figure in British 20th century politics, a grocer’s daughter with a steely resolve who was loved and loathed in equal measure as she crushed the unions and privatised large swathes of industry. She died on Monday, aged 87, after suffering a stroke. During her life in politics some worshipped her as a moderniser who transformed the country, others bitterly accused her of entrenching the divide between the rich and the poor.

The abiding images of her premiership will remain those of conflict: huge police confrontations with the miners’ union, her riding a tank in a white headscar f, and flames rising above Trafalgar Square in the riots over a local tax which ultimately led to her downfall. During her 11 years in power, she clashed with the European Union, agreed to hand back the colony of Hong Kong to China, and fought a war to recover the Falkland Islands from Argentine invaders.

She struck up a close relationship with US President Ronald Reagan in the Cold War, backed

In a June 10, 1984 file photo, Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II (second left) stands with West German Chancellor Helmut Kohl (left), US President Ronald Reagan and Britain’s Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher at London’s Buckingham Palace. — AP, AFP, KUNA photos the first President George Bush during the 1991 Gulf War, and declared that Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev was a man she could do business with.

She opposed sanctions on South Africa as a means to end apartheid and was a firm supporter of Augusto Pinochet, the late Chilean dictator. To those who crossed her she was blunt to a degree - “the lady’s not for turning”, she once informed members of her own Conservative Party who were urging her to moderate

her policies. Others who crossed her path, particularly in Europe, were subjected to withering diatribes often referred to as “handbaggings”, named after the glossy black leather bag she invariably carried.

Britain’s only woman prime minister, the tough, outspoken Thatcher led the Conservatives to three election victories, governing from 1979 to 1990, the longest continuous period in office by a British premier since the early 19th century. — Reuters

Britain’s Conservative Party leader Thatcher takes a stroll through the grounds of Scotney Castle in Kent, England, where she was a tenant of a National Trust flat, with her husband Denis and their twins Mark and Carol in March 1979.

Thatcher stands in a British tank during a visit to British forces in Fallingbostel, some 120 km south of Hamburg, Germany on Sept 17, 1986.

TUESDAY, APRIL 9, 2013

LOCAL In my view

Letters to Badrya

Silence is not the answer

Health situation deteriorating

badrya_d@kuwaittimes.net

By Abdallah Bwair

local@kuwaittimes.net

I

wrote so many times about the problems and violations that happen in the Ministry of Health, but it seems every day we either hear about or personally experience such cases at the local public facilities. These are either recurring cases or new ones. Meanwhile, it seems that the more we talk about the problems, some of which are critical, the more the ministry remains adamant at not providing any answers. I am not going to talk about the proposal to reserve the morning shifts in outpatient clinics solely for Kuwaiti patients, because I support equality in treatment, regardless of gender, nationality or race.

Instead, I am going to talk about disability certificates, which apparently can be obtained now through wasta (unlawful mediation). It turns out that you do not even have to be disabled in order to get one! A recently published story spoke about a patient whose request for a disability certificate was denied by the disability assessment committee despite the fact that he provided the necessary documents which confirmed his impairment. When he went back to his physician, the doctor told him to go find someone who can help him get one through wasta, implying that he was aware of similar incidents that happened before.

Here is another story for you; this one is about a dentist who tried to forcibly strike a relationship with one of his patients. According to the Arab woman’s statements, the dentist ran into her one day and introduced himself as the doctor who treated her a few months before.

The conversation soon took a different turn when he started showering her with complements and then went so far as to ask her out on a date. When she refused, the man gave her his phone number and told her to ‘think about it.’

The ministry’s problems do not end there, and it seems to be in cahoots with traders to help gain popularity for electoral reasons. The ministry allowed some traders to construct clinics that are named after them. The move raised questions about the ministry’s actual need for charity, given the financial surplus the government enjoyed. Will there ever be a day when we will finally see some progress being made towards resolving the deteriorating health situation in the country? I hope so.

kuwait digest

Dear Badriya, Hats off to you for writing on the subject of Masjid Al-Aqsa.

But just for your information and willingness to dig deep, I would like to inform you that there has been a deal struck between the Americans and the GCC leaders for a long time.

If you dig into history, you will never find any GCC leader commenting on Masjid Al-Aqsa issue. They have remained quiet as if nothing has happened or is happening.

The deal is that ‘we will not interfere in Makkah and Madina and all you GCC members stay away from Israel.’

Show me any contradictory statement from any GCC member. Perhaps, Oman could be an exception.

The Muslim leaders have forgotten that the protection of Makkah and Madina is in Allah’s custody.

Why are the GCC leaders always quiet on the subject of Masjid Al-Aqsa? Do they even know its importance in Islam? If yes, then silence is not the answer.

Best Regards Akil Ahmed

Supreme Council of Education kuwait digest

By Dr Yaqoub Al-Sharrah

K

uwait is distinguished for having one of the largest numbers of supreme councils and authorities, a situation that often leads to overlapping of areas of expertise and affects public functioning.

Experience has shown that these councils have failed to achieve the goals for which they were established, and have become a financial and administrative liability for the state. Their unproductiveness causes confusion at other state departments which usually have to wait for recommendations to come from above before implementing them.

Factors which lead to weak performance or failure of supreme councils are many, including, for example, lack of professionalism in selecting their members. The selection is done more to ensure representation of certain social or political groups who do not necessarily possess sufficient experience in the field.

I decided to write about the subject after reading news about a new regulation to revive the supreme council of education for inexplicable reasons, even though it was proven to be a failure when it was first established in 1988.

Years of absence from the educational scene pushed this council into oblivion, notwithstanding the high hopes pinned on it when it was first set up

to play an active role in resolving the problems faced by the education sector.

That being said, I am not completely giving up all optimism but only under the condition that the council is being revived with a plan to help it integrate with efforts to develop Kuwait’s education sector and address the many crises it faces. I hope that the new council learns from the mistakes of its predecessor, and mainly focuses on avoiding overlapping between its work and the work of other departments in the Ministry of Education such as the Council of Undersecretaries, the Education Development Center and the Teaching and Research Department.

I hope that the supreme council of education would play a role in curbing ‘politicization’ of education, and prevent it from serving certain ideologies. It must help free the education from the political struggles which have been going on since the 1980s.

Today, the supreme council is required more than any time before to maintain the political, cultural and social balance in the society.

It must remain neutral when it comes to political orientation. Education needs to be isolated from tribal and political struggles. Such a council should, instead, serve the state’s educational policy transparently and objectively. — Al-Rai

kuwait digest

Expats, tighten your belts!

By Waleed Al-Ahmad

I

n its attempt to resolve the traffic jams problem that has become a daily feature in Kuwait’s streets, the government is now focusing on expatriates, seeing them as the weakest link in the equation.

There is no doubt that the large number of vehicles driven by foreigners in Kuwait is a small part of the larger problem of demographic imbalance. This imbalance is responsible for many problems we face today, including the increased crime rate, re-emergence of begging in markets and around places of worship, as well as the return of roaming vendors.

In order to regulate the work force as the key to address the demographic imbalance, the government must start by setting its own house in order. It needs to stop the visa traffickers who continue to take advantage of low-wage workers.

In order to regulate the work force as the key to address the demographic imbalance, the government must start by setting its own house in order. It needs to stop the visa traffickers who continue to take advantage of lowwage workers.

These are the people who sold everything back home to fulfill their dream to come to Kuwait, only to find themselves left all alone on the street, looking for a place to stay and someone merciful enough to pay them something at the end of the month.

Taking this step would prove that the government was serious in resolving the problem. The focus should be shifted to recruiting qualified and experienced labor forces, the kind who played a major role in Kuwait’s history, particular during the good old days when we still had not heard of things like wasta (unlawful mediation) or human trafficking.

I am against violating the rights of expatriates, something that happens in different forms such as locking them up and deporting them without trial, or leading them out of the country through regulations legislated under the pretext of ‘restoring demographic imbalance.’ Instead, I believe that the key to resolve this major issue was in implementing justice, organizing recruitment of experienced and technical labor forces, and combating visa trafficking. Last but not the least, the government should reveal the names of visa traffickers, whether alive or not, in order to make an example out of them.—Al-Rai

Govt system losing its popular side

By Abdullatif Al-Duaij

K

uwait’s ‘democratic’ system - as explained in the explanatory memorandum of the constitution - is a hybrid between the presidential and parliamentary systems of government. It is not a full presidential system because the cabinet - both, the premier and his ministers - are accountable to the parliament. It is also not a full parliamentary system because the parliament does not appoint the cabinet; a task that is handled by the head of the state.

The explanatory memorandum, which focuses on promoting this unique system, recognizes a ‘desire for stability of the system of government’ as the motive for its selection. It outlines a number of points to ensure the stability of the cabinet, which, in fact, are meant to ensure the stability of Kuwait’s political system.

Meanwhile, the explanatory memorandum also points out certain ‘securities’ or checks to limit any chance of a “permanent” insurance being available to the cabinet. These checks include ensuring the parliament’s control on the cabinet through grilling motions which could prove to be an effective weapon that makes the Kuwaiti system lean towards the parliamentary or public side instead of the presidential side.

On top of that, there is the ‘public’ monitoring aspect which is identified in the explanatory memorandum as being the ‘backbone’ of the parliamentary system of governance. This public monitoring is part of the power available to the people to supervise the government’s functioning through its elected representatives, and thus part of the public freedoms that the constitution guarantees for all.

After half a century of working as per this unique system, it is clear that it has failed to ensure stability of this system of governance. This especially became clear during the tenure of Sheikh Nasser AlMohammad Al-Sabah as prime minister, a period which saw violent tensions between the cabinet and parliament that led to the cabinet resigning and parliament being dissolved on multiple occasions. The duplicity of Kuwait’s political system allowed destabilization of the cabinet either through parliamentary tools (as in 1963, when the parliament used its power to prevent the cabinet from being sworn in) or public pressure (e.g. the Iradah Square demonstrations that forced the cabinet’s resignation).

This means that the stability which the Kuwaiti legislator sought through this unique mixing of the presidential and parliamentary systems was not achieved. In fact, the interpellation tool - which the explanatory memorandum relied on to achieve stability of the system of government - has turned into a destabilization instrument that led to multiple parliamentary dissolutions or cabinet resignations. This is what HH the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad AlSabah pointed out during an interview with Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung of Germany a few years ago when he said that Kuwait’s system is “neither presidential nor parliamentary but a combination of both,” adding that “this leads to overlapping of authority between parliament and the government and eventually results in disputes.”

Not only that, but an ‘unconstitutional’ orientation leaning towards the presidential system has evolved in recent years, mainly because the last few parliaments turned out to be lenient , in addition to increasing curbs of the freedoms available.

Things like the publications law, preventing gatherings, and prosecuting people for opinions expressed online or in public have weakened the monitoring power of the public that the explanatory memorandum counted on to maintain the system’s popularity.

Currently, there have been efforts on the part of popular political groups to reinforce the parliamentary side of the system of governance. Some of these efforts went so far as to demand a full parliamentary system of governance. On the other hand, there have been unfortunate counter-efforts by the government, acting in cooperation with a majority in the current parliament, to drag the system towards the presidential side. These efforts go against the recommendations of the Kuwaiti legislators who insisted that governance should shift towards the parliamentary system in order to avoid setbacks in the democratization of the system of governance and turn it into an absolute monarchy or presidential system where public monitoring of government is absent. — Al-Qabas

TUESDAY, APRIL 9, 2013

LOCAL

Kuwait hosts 19th AIPU Conference KUWAIT: Kuwait is to host the 19th Arab Inter-Parliamentary Union (AIPU) Conference headed by Kuwait’s National Assembly Speaker, Ali Fahad Al-Rashed, with the participation of heads and representatives of Arab parliaments.

The two-day conference will discuss several topics on the agenda including the union’s budgets and programs. The first session will witness the election of head of the conference, deputy and secretary general, in addition to reviewing reports by the AIPU’s Head and Secretary General on recent Arab issues.

The second session include the forming of conference committees, consisting of the political and parliamentary relations committee, financial and economic committee, women and children affairs committee, human rights committee, in addition to meetings of the political committee and the financial committee.

Day two of the conference will include the delegation’s participation and speeches, committee meetings and the final session, which includes approving the final communique.

Pre-conference meetings were held yesterday, including the Arab Parliamentary Excellence Award organizing committee.

The Kuwaiti parliamentary delegation to the conference will be headed by the Deputy National Assembly Speaker Mubarak AlKhorainij, MP Ali Al-Omair (Undersecretary), MP Yagoub Al-Sanei (Secretary), MP Saleh Ashour (Treasurer), and members of the executive committee, MP Adel Al-Jarrallah, MP Mubarak Al-Nejada, MP Abdullah AlMaayouf, and NA Secretary General Allam Al-Kandari.

The 19th AIPU Conference will witness the participation of several regional and international parliamentary organizations as observers represented by the Arab League Secretary General Dr. Nabil Al-Arabi, President of the Arab Parliament Ahmed AlJarwan, the Parliamentary Union of the OIC Member States Secretary General, Dr. Mahmud Erol Kilic, the Arab Maghreb Union (UMA) Shura Council Secretary-General Dr. Said Mekedem, and Chairman of the Association of Secretaries General of Arab Parliaments Allam Al-Kandari.

Observers also include President of the Inter Parliamentary Union, Abdulwahed AlRadhi, Speaker of the House of Councilors Dr. Bedallah Mohammed Al-Sheikh, Head of the regional programs of the UN Development program, Adel Abdulatif, and Secretary General of Asian parliamentary Assembly, Dr. Mohammad Nejad Hosseinian.

Yesterday, Al-Rashid said that hosting this parliamentary event reflects Kuwait’s

concern over Arab issues. He hoped the outcome of this conference would end all Arab disputes.

Member of the AIPU’s charter’s amendment committee at the Kuwaiti MP Abdullah Al-Mayouf said that Kuwait seeks to make this conference a success and it will not move any of its personal interests at the top of the AIPU’s general agenda.

He told the press that the amendment committee was set up according to recommendations made in a previous AIPU conference to discuss its statutes and rules of procedure. There were five countries-Sudan, Morocco, Bahrain, UAE, and Qatar-that had submitted amendments to adjust the internal rules of the AIPU. Therefore, in this conference these amendments will be discussed then referred to the executive committee. This conference will be the second time hosted, consecutively, by the State of Kuwait. The first was in March 2012.

The Arab Inter-Parliamentary Union is an Arab parliamentary organization composed of parliamentary groups representing Arab Parliaments. It was born in 1974 and its Constituent Conference was held in Damascus in the same year. It aims at encouraging Arab cooperation through political, professional and other institutions.

In 2004, AIPU was officially announced at Algeria’s Arab League Summit and named Damascus its headquarters. The AIPU was always keen to comprise all Parliaments and Shoura Councils in the Arab Homeland regardless of their different forms of representation. Gradually, the membership of the AIPU grew by new affiliations. The AIPU also has maintained good relations with other Arab organizations such as: Union of Arab Journalists, Union of Arab Lawyers, Union of Arab Jurists, General Union of Arab Writers, the International Confederation of Arab Trade Unions.

It also held many parliamentary events and seminars where Arab legislators have met and discussed matters of common interests to deepen the concept of democracy in the Arab world. Internationally, meanwhile, the AIPU shined in its cooperation with the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), an old international parliamentary organization whose history goes back to 1889.

The IPU comprises now more than 133 Parliamentary groups from the five continents, in addition to other Parliamentary and non-Parliamentary organizations having the status of observer or associate members.

Since its foundation in 1974, the AIPU has been keen to effectively participate in the activities of the IPU, especially after acquiring the status of an observer at the IPU’s 61st Conference held in Tokyo in 1974. —- KUNA

(Left) The booths of Fish Market at Souq Sharq are empty yesterday noon. (Right) The baskets of local fish brought by the fishermen.— Photos by Joseph Shagra

Protests at Sharq fish market, but no fish Prices expected to go up

By Nawara Fattahova KUWAIT: One thing that you could not find yesterday at the Fish Market in Souq Sharq was fish itself.

With vendors protesting against the decision of the Kuwait Municipality forbidding them to sell any other than Kuwaiti product, there was no fish to be found in the market since morning.

The Fish Market in Sharq is the most popular and the biggest market in Kuwait. Long before the Souq Sharq Mall was built, the fish market was located there, and after the mall came up, the new fish market was also built there.

According to Ahmad AlKhawaja, a vendor protesting at the fish market, there were only 28 booths selling fish before the new fish market came up in 1997.

“After the new market was built in this area, the number of booths has increased to 180. In the past, we used to only sell local fish, but when the market expanded, the vendors had to sell fish other than the local stock. Till date, the local fish comprises only about 20 percent of the available stocks,” he told the Kuwait Times yesterday.

This regulation mandating the sale of only local fish goes back to 1997 when the new market was built, but it was not invoked.

Replying to a question about why the Municipality decided to apply this regulation now after 16 years, Al-Khawaja noted that a new employee or director was appointed in this post and decided to apply the rules. According to a security guard from the market, who aimed to stay anonymous, the

all this to increase the price of fish,” he pointed out.

Al-Khawaja, who is working as a vendor in this market for more than 30 years, warned against such a decision. “If this decision were to be applied, the customers will be the first to suffer. With the increased number of vendors in the new mar-

Ahmed Al-Khawaja talking to Kuwait Times. new director of the Municipality is willing to cooperate with the vendors, but he has to apply the law. “ The vendors should go and meet with the General Director of the Municipality or with the Minister to explain their view of point and ensure that a new regulation is passed to sell all kinds of fish.

I think there is a conspiracy behind

ket, fishing activity has increased, and as a result, the fish in the sea has decreased. So the vendors had to also sell Iranian fish and that of other origin to meet the demand of the local market, as there was not enough Kuwaiti fish in any case. So, imagine if 80 percent of the fish available in the market were to disappear, how much the price of the

local fish will rise,” he explained.

“I expect the price to reach more than KD 35 for 1 kg of Hamour fish, which currently costs KD 16. Also, the Balool now costs KD 6 but will cost more than KD 10, and a basket of Maid has already reached KD 60, and will become even more expensive. The other negative impact will be cheating, as the vendors will have to sell Iranian fish, but they will deny its true origin and claim it as Kuwaiti fish. Thus, the customers will stand cheated. It is not possible to tell the difference and even the inspector of the Municipality can’t tell the origin,” Al-Khawaja further said.

As a result to this decision the price of the Iranian, Pakistani and other fish will drop in other fish markets. Jalal Majid, a fish vendor selling in Mubarakiya Fish Market, noted that they are not much affected by the fish market of Sharq. “The price of the local fish is the same and I do not expect it to rise after the decision.

In general, our prices are lower than those in Sharq, and today the price was even less as we sold Hamour for KD 9 only. I think that the most affected will be the imported fish, whose prices may plunge to half their level today as it will reach this fish market instead of Sharq,” stressed Majid.

TUESDAY, APRIL 9, 2013

LOCAL

TEC Chess Championship underway KUWAIT: The Touristic Enterprises Company kicked off its second annual chess competition last Sunday at the Yachts Club. The event was attended by senior TEC officials including Acting Director of the Beaches and Sea Clubs Department, Abdullah Shuaib, as well as Adel Al-Omairi, the Secretary General of the Kuwait Mind Sports Association.

The event kicked off with a speech in which Al-Omairi acknowledged the TEC’s role in hosting the tournament, before explaining the rules and regulations. He also told about the rewards to be given to the top finalists in different competitions.

The tournament will continue till April 25 and will feature at least 100 male contestants representing 15 countries around the world, as well as ten women including five from Kuwait.

The tournament will also include a competition for youth.

Japan thanks Kuwait for reconstruction support TOKYO: Governor of Iwate Prefecture Takuya Tasso has expressed deep appreciation to His Highness the Amir of Kuwait Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah and the Kuwaiti people for the great support provided following a massive earthquake and ensuing tsunami that devastated northeastern Japan on March 11, 2011.

Tasso thanked the leadership and the friendly people of Kuwait for everything they had given to alleviate survivors’ pain, namely proceeds of the oil grant worth JPY 8.4 billion ($90 million) to Iwate Prefecture. The financial aid was used in restoration of disaster-struck Sanriku Railway Co.’s South Rias Line in the coastal city of Ofunato. “This generous aid truly contributes to the reconstruction of the affected areas and helps the people return to normal life,” the governor said, underlining the deep ties between the peoples of Kuwait and Japan.

Tasso and Kuwaiti Ambassador to Japan Abdulrahman Al-Otaibi have recently attended a ceremony to mark resumption of train operations of South Rias Line. According to the Kuwaiti Embassy in Tokyo, in cooperation with the

Japanese Red Cross Society, Iwate Prefecture plans to launch a care center for children suffering from psychological problems due to the disaster on the campus of the Iwate Medical University. The center will be rebuilt through an additional financial grant provided by His Highness the Amir during his official visit to Japan in March last year.

It is expected for the center to play a key role in securing the services of doctors and specialists in the field of psychological treatment for children affected by the earthquake and tsunami, at a time when those areas suffer from a lack of doctors and medical facilities, according to the embassy. The disaster left nearly 19,000 people dead or missing in the northeastern region, according to the National Police Agency. Up to 4,673 people in Iwate alone were confirmed dead, while 1,151 were still unaccounted for. For his part, AlOtaibi pointed out that Kuwait’s financial assistance to Japan, upon directives of His Highness the Amir, has been greatly appreciated by the Japanese people who have always expressed their gratitude to the leadership and people of the Gulf State. — KUNA

Filipina maid in hospital with air gun wound Man denies kidnap report KUWAIT: A domestic worker was hospitalized in a critical condition while police arrested a teenager who claimed he ended up shooting her accidently with his air gun. The Filipina woman was brought to the Farwaniya Hospital with a gunshot wound in the abdomen that required medical attention at the intensive care unit. Earlier, an ambulance was rushed to the house in Sabah Al-Nasser where the incident was reported.

Police were able to arrest a young man who lives nearby after investigations revealed that he shot her with an air gun. The young man insisted that he fired accidentally. He was taken to the area’s police station for further action.

room ceiling inside the apartment she shared with other domestic workers.

Investigations were on.

Manslaughter A man was arrested after he accidently killed his coworker at a factory in the Abdullah Port area, according to an initial police report. Preliminary investigations, based on coworkers’ testimonies, said the Afghani man threw a sharp object at his compatriot while they were ‘fooling around’ during the break. The man was charged with manslaughter and referred to the proper authorities for further action.

Fabricated story Salmiya detectives are working to resolve a case in which a person accused his compatriot of kidnapping him and snatching away his money while the other claimed it was a fabricated story. The local police were first approached by an Egyptian man who pressed charges against a person who used to work for him. He accused the man of robbing him of KD170 after kidnapping him and driving him to a remote location. He also accused the man of forcing him to sign a legal document that made him indebted for KD490 to him. The man claimed that the suspect was likely motivated by the fact that he had fired him when he demanded money he was not legally entitled to. When summoned for investigations, the accused man categorically denied the charges, and alleged that the complainant fabricated the story since he wanted to wriggle out from the indebtedness. He said the accusing party actually owes him money as per the signed document. Investigations were on.

Suicide case A woman was found dead in an apartment rented by a domestic workers’ recruitment office in Jahra, according to preliminary investigations. The case was classified as a suicide. According to the office’s secretary, the Ethiopian woman had returned to the office following a dispute with a new employer. The secretary called the police after finding the woman hanging dead from the bath-

Wife beater held A man faces multiple charges following his arrest on Sunday when he pointed an unlicensed weapon at a man who tried to stop him from beating his wife in public. Police headed to a street in Mishref from where an emergency call was received. The Kuwaiti man accused a man of threatening him with a gun when he intervened to stop him from beating a woman in the street. The suspect, an

Iranian man, was arrested after police foiled his attempt to escape. He confirmed the complainant’s story and said that the woman he was beating was his wife. He was referred to the proper authorities to face charges.

Auto theft Police are searching for a Nissan Sunny vehicle as per the description they received when it was reported stolen by its owner. The Salmiya patrol officers came across an injured man on the street who turned out to be an Egyptian engineer. He said he was injured when he tried to stop a thief from driving away in his car. He said that a person approached him when he started his car ’s engine, and robbed him of his wallet and cell phone at knifepoint. He then forced him out of his car, climbed inside and drove away. Investigations were on.

Sister abandoned Search is on for a woman who disappeared after leaving her mentally retarded sister outside the Psychiatry Hospital recently. The woman reportedly arrived in an SUV and dropped off a young woman suffering from a mental disability. She said the girl was her sister who has been living with her, and wanted the government to take care of her because she had become tired of looking after her. The woman reportedly drove away without her sister despite being notified about the legal procedures in similar cases which first require her to file a case with the Public Prosecution or bring a medical report that indicates that the girl required constant medical attention.

Investigations went underway after the case was reported.

Gulf Bank staff support International Autism Day KUWAIT: Gulf Bank employees supported International Autism Day on April 2, by wearing ribbons supplied by the Autism Center in Kuwait , in recognition of those who battle with the disorder. This initiative is intended to raise awareness of autism as a growing public health crisis in support of World Autism Awareness Day and Autism Awareness Month.

Gulf Bank supports this cause to encourage community understanding of the many different aspects of autism and what it really means to the children, young people and their families. According to specialists worldwide, every child with autism has the potential for growth. Parents, however, often feel alone in this difficult struggle.

World Autism Awareness Day shines a light on autism as a growing global health crisis and Gulf Bank is happy to reinforce its commitment not only to children with autism but to the community in general, in the belief that educating the community ultimately helps the society understand what the children and their families go through and inspire compassion and hope.

TUESDAY, APRIL 9, 2013

LOCAL

Kuwait Times photography competition KUWAIT: The Kuwait Times photography competition, aimed at spreading awareness about the need to protect the environment in Kuwait, is being held from March 13 to April 15 this year.

Adnan Saad, Marketing Director of Kuwait Times, said the competition is held annually and environmental protection was

chosen as the theme of the competition this year. The competition is open to participants of all ages and aims at providing them with an opportunity to capture with their cameras what they see as negative aspects and unacceptable practices that pollute the environment.

They can also depict the positive steps

being taken to protect and preserve the environment. Both citizens and expats are taking part in the competition. Each participant can submit five photographs (size 30x40cm). Photographs with written texts and signals or those manipulated in an exaggerated way will not be acceptable. All photographs presented in the competition

will be considered the property of the organizer and they have the right to use those in ways they find suitable, without needing to consult the photographer.

This competition could not have been possible without the support and trust of our generous sponsors. Burgan Bank, as our main sponsor, and Ashraf & Co. as co-spon-

sor will provide six cameras to be given away as prizes. The closing ceremony will be held at the Al-Danah banquet hall of Hotel Holiday Inn Salmiya, which will sponsor the event.

All entries should be submitted in Kuwait Times office on or before April 15, 2013. For more information, please call 24833199.

KD500 fine for violating Kuwaitis hiring quota Council approves amendments KUWAIT: Private companies would have to pay KD500 as penalty should they violate the Kuwaitis employment quota as determined by the government, a local newspaper reported yesterday, quoting a source with knowledge of the case. The “ministerial insider” spoke to Al-Anba about the Civil Service Council’s meeting that reportedly took place last Sunday and was chaired by Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Mustafa AlShamali. “ The council approved amendments to the national labor support law which introduced adjustments to the quota rates in a number of fields,” said the source who preferred to keep his identity anonymous.

According to the insider, the per-

centage of Kuwaiti staff that a firm is required to hire has been raised in the co-operative societies sector from five to 20 (service presenters), and in the banking sector from 60 to 64. The rate was also increased in the telecommunications sector from 56 to 60 percent, and in the insurance sector from 16 to 18 percent. The council also approved a KD500 fine to be slapped on those private companies which fail to hire the required number of Kuwaiti employees as per the fixed quota.

Meanwhile, the source indicated that the council postponed a decision to pay an exceptional pension to Kuwaitis who retire after 30 years in service, and failed to discuss a proposed health insurance for firefighters. In other news, the cabinet report-

edly contacted the parliament’s financial and legislative committees, and requested that they speed up the finalization of draft laws related to privatization.

A general privatization law has already been approved by the legislative and executive authorities, but a governmental source who spoke to Al-Anba on the condition of anonymity said that there were other “complementar y laws” that the two sides needed to work on before privatization can be fully implemented.

“Urgent draft laws include laws to support foreign investors as well as small businesses, in addition to the companies and Build-Own-Transfer (B.O.T.) laws that the parliament needs to pass,” the source said.

Kuwait exposed to cyber-sabotage KUWAIT: Several state departments are exposed to hacking and cyber-sabotage as two ministries continue to trade blame with regards to responsibility for software protection and prosecution of culprits, a local newspaper reported yesterday quoting a senior security source.

The insider, who spoke to Al-Qabas on the condition of anonymity, indicated that the Criminal Investigations General Department has been working on multiple cases filed by local banks’ customers who suffered from online frauds. “The Interior Ministry held the Ministry of Communications responsi-

ble for the technical errors and blamed them for failing to do their job with regards to revealing the identity of perpetrators behind online crimes,” the source indicated.

According to the same source, on an average, 50 percent of the online crimes registered in Kuwait were against unknown perpetrators. “Out of nearly 700 cases filed in 2012, culprits were identified in around 300 cases only,” he said. He blamed the lack of proper legislation to tackle online crimes “which drives many people to avoid the trouble of reporting cases since they have formed an impression that prosecution

would be futile.” Some of the most common crimes committed online in Kuwait include tricks involving people who voluntarily transfer certain amounts to persons that call from abroad and require payments to hand them imaginary prizes they allegedly won.

“Legal procedures in such cases face numerous obstacles, basically with regards to the difficulty in prosecuting perpetrators that are in most cases located outside the country,” the source said. Other crimes reported in Kuwait included sectarian instigations, as well as blackmailing in which the victims were mostly women.

NA foreign affairs panel approves four agreements KUWAIT: The Kuwaiti parliament’s foreign affairs committee yesterday approved four agreements with other countries and postponed discussing another six until their next meeting next week. “ The committee met in its full capacity to discuss several agree ments, including a joint electricity network, administered by an assigned authority, between the (six-state) Gulf Cooperation Council in order to unify efforts to provide electricity,” said the committee chief negotiator MP Taher

Al-Failkawy in a statement.

According to the agreement, Kuwait will host the authority tasked with the plans, he added. An agreement with Romania depicts equal interaction between both countries, when dealing with issues such as land ownership for diplomatic missions and consulates, with taxes to be exempted and the real estate being under the full control of the guest nation. The committee also approved, after discussion, an agreement on a draft law related to the statute of the

International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA). The draft law had been a s s e s s e d b y t h e K u w a i t Institute for Scientific Research (KISR), the M inistr y of Elec tricit y and Water and the Ministry of Oil. The committee also passed an agreement on the encouragement of investments with Japan. AlFailk aw y said fur thermore that a GCC security pact has reached the Kuwaiti government, but that it has not yet reached the National Assembly. — KUNA

Kuwait to encourage foreign investments KUWAIT: Kuwait has completed plans to form an authority tasked with encouraging direct foreign investments, a minister said yesterday.

“This a good step amid the country’s plans for economic reform,” Minister of Commerce and Industry Anas Al-Saleh told reporters at the National Assembly, on the draft law, prepared by both the National Assembly and his ministry.

The authority will be tasked with encouraging investments from international sides to Kuwait and vice versa as the country seeks to create investment opportunities to serve the national capital, he added.

Over the coming weeks, the parliament’s financial committee will discuss the issues of commercial agents and licenses to later put forth its verdict on the National Assembly’s agenda of talks.

The parliament’s next session will also discuss the assessment of goods, he concluded. — KUNA

Member of board of directors at Kuwait Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Khalid Al-Sager yesterday received the Japanese ambassador to Kuwait to discuss bilateral relations and joint projects.

Kuwaiti-Albanian civil aviation talks soon SARAJEVO: Officials of the Kuwaiti Civil Aviation and Albanian counterparts will hold cooperation talks in the Albanian capital Tirana next Monday, affirmed the Kuwaiti Ambassador to Albania Najib Abdulrahman Al-Bader.

The diplomat praised the scheduled discussions that would serve the strategy of the Gulf state to expand its international aerial network. A delegation from the General Administration of Civil Aviation (GACA) will take part in the

negotiations, headed by GACA President Fawaz Abdulaziz Al-Farah, he said. The visit of this delegation to Albania would reflect the distinguished relations between Kuwait and Albania and would boost bilateral cooperation between them in various fields, Al-Bader affirmed.

Signing several agreements in the field of facilitating air traffic comes in line with the Kuwaiti open skies policy, said the ambassador, who also expressed optimism that the negotiations would

yield positive results. The Kuwaiti delegation, to be headed by the GACA President, includes Director of Air Transport Department at GACA Nader Al-Bloushi, legal researcher at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Wafa’ Al-Baker, Head of Air Transport Agreements Department Khalid Al-Enezi, and air transport researcher Nasser Bourisly.

Kuwait and Albania signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on air services in April 2010.—KUNA

TUESDAY, APRIL 9, 2013

Two more dead after deadly sectarian clashes in Egypt

France launches major offensive on Mali Islamists Page 10

Page 9

PAJU: Phothgraphers take pictures of a South Korean truck arriving from North Korea’s Kaesong joint industrial complex, at a gate of the inter-Korean transit office in the border city of Paju yesterday. South Korea yesterday issued another appeal for North Korea to lift an access ban on the Kaesong joint industrial park, which has already forced a dozen South Korean firms to halt operations. — AFP

N Korea suspends work at factory S Korea slams ‘unjustifiable’ North action on Kaesong SEOUL: North Korea said yesterday it will suspend operations at a factory complex it has jointly run with South Korea, pulling out more than 53,000 North Korean workers and moving closer to severing its last economic link with its rival as tensions escalate.

The decision to pull its workers out of the Kaesong joint industrial zone and suspend all commercial operations at the complex “cannot be justified,” South Korea said yesterday. “North Korea’s unilateral decision to push ahead with this measure cannot be justified in any way and North Korea will be held responsible for all the consequences,” the Unification Ministry’s spokesman said in a statement.

The Kaesong industrial complex just north of the Demilitarized Zone is the biggest employer in North Korea’s third-largest city. Shutting it down, even temporarily, would show that the destitute country is willing to hurt its own economy to display its anger with South Korea and the United States.

Pyongyang’s move follows weeks of threatening rhetoric and provocations aimed at Seoul and its US ally following UN sanctions punishing the North for its third nuclear test, on Feb. 12. In recent days there have also been worries in Seoul of an even larger provocation from Pyongyang, including another possible nuclear test or rocket launch. The point of the threats and possible future provocations, analysts say, isn’t a full-scale war, which North Korea would certainly lose. It’s seen instead as an effort to force new, Pyongyang-friendly policies in South Korea and Washington and to boost domestic loyalty for Kim Jong Un, the country’s young, still relatively untested new leader.

The statement about Kaesong came from Kim Yang Gon, secretary of the Central Committee of the Workers’ Party of Korea. It did not say what would happen to the 475 South Korean managers still at the Kaesong industrial complex. The statement also did not say whether the North Korean workers would be recalled immediately, and a South Korean manager at Kaesong said he had heard nothing from the North Korean government.

“North Korean workers left work at 6 o’clock today as they usually do. We’ll know tomorrow whether they will come to work,” said the manager, who declined to be identified because he was not authorized to speak to the media. North Korea had asked South Korean managers to say when they intended to leave by Wednesday; the manager said he did not know whether he and his South Korean colleagues now will be forced to leave.

Kim’s statement said North Korea will now consider whether to close the complex permanently. “How the situation will develop in the days ahead will entirely depend on the attitude” of South Korean authorities, it said. Yoo Ho-yeol, a North Korea expert at Korea University in South Korea, said the North probably will close the park. “North Korea will wait to see what kind of message we will send ... but there is no message

that we can send to North Korea,” he said.

Yoo said he expects the South Korean managers will be deported, Pyongyang will convert the park for military use, and the fates of the North Korean workers and their families will not be considered. “It’s a wrong decision but they won’t change it because it’s not their top priority,” he said.

Another analyst, however, believes North Korea will reopen the complex after South KoreaUS drills end in late April. Cheong Seong-chang at the private Sejong Institute in South Korea said the complex depends on raw materials and even electricity from South Korea. He also noted that workers at the complex are paid in U.S. dollars that North Korea would have a hard time replacing because of international sanctions.

Cheong also thinks that although North Korea would put recalled workers on other projects, it would “face a burden that it has to provide the similar quality of livelihood to them. ... There would be voices calling for the normalization of the Kaesong complex.” South Korea’s Unification Ministry, which is responsible for relations with the North, issued a statement saying South Korea will act “calmly and firmly” and will make its best efforts to secure the safety of South Koreans at Kaesong.

The Kaesong complex is the last remaining symbol of inter-Korean rapprochement projects from previous eras of cooperation. Other projects such as reunions of families separated by war and tours to a scenic North Korean mountain became stalled amid confrontation between the rival Koreas in recent years.

Last month, North Korea cut the communications with South Korea that had helped regulate border crossings at Kaesong, and last week it barred South Korean workers and cargo from entering North Korea. Operations continued and South Koreans already at Kaesong were allowed to stay, but dwindling personnel and supplies had forced about a dozen of the more than 120 companies operating at Kaesong to close by Sunday. Kim, the party secretary, visited the complex Monday. He said in remarks carried by the Korean Central News Agency that Kaesong “has been reduced to a theater of confrontation.”

South Korea’s Unification Ministry estimates 53,000 North Korean workers in Kaesong received $80 million in salary in 2012, an average of $127 a month.

The Unification Ministry says Kaesong accounted for nearly all two-way trade between the Koreas. Cross-border trade, including supplies entering Kaesong and finished products coming out, approached $2 billion annually.

North Korea objects to portrayals in the South of the zone being crucial to the impoverished country’s finances. Kim said North Korea “gets few economic benefits from the zone while the south side largely benefits from it.” North Korea has also expressed outrage over South Korean discussion of military rescue plans in the event Pyongyang held the managers hostage.

South Korea’s finance minister, Hyun Oh-seok,

said the government is looking at ways to help Kaesong firms. South Korea offers insurance to the companies in the event of a shutdown or war. Daemyung Blue Jeans Inc., which does business in Kaesong, is trying to get in touch with its managers in Kaesong and hadn’t spoken with them since Monday morning, CEO Choi Dongjin said. “We have seven (South Korean) workers in Kaesong. We don’t know what to do about them,” he said by phone from Seoul.

North Korea has unnerved the international community by orchestrating an escalating campaign of bombast in recent weeks. It has threatened to fire nuclear missiles at the U.S. and claimed it had scrapped the 1953 armistice that ended fighting in the Korean War. Last week it told foreign diplomats based in Pyongyang that it will not be able to guarantee their safety as of Wednesday. Embassy workers appeared to be staying put as of Monday. North Korea has found itself increasingly isolated. China, its most important ally, expressed unusual disappointment when Pyongyang announced last week that it was restarting a plutonium reactor to produce more nuclear-bomb fuel.

Russian President Vladimir Putin, during a visit to Germany, praised the U.S. for postponing a missile test in California that had been set for this week, in the name of lowering tensions. Putin said at a news conference that a conflict on the Korean Peninsula would make the nuclear disaster at Chernobyl “look like a children’s story.”

The North’s threats against the United States are widely dismissed as hyperbole. North Korea is believed to have a few relatively crude nuclear weapons, but analysts say they’ve seen no evidence it can build a warhead small enough to put on a missile that could hit the U.S. mainland.

A direct attack on the U.S. or its allies would result in retaliation that would threaten the existence of the ruling Kim family in Pyongyang, but there are fears the North might launch a smallerscale attack.

Another possibility is a fourth nuclear test, or a missile test. The South Korean defense minister said Thursday that North Korea had moved a missile with “considerable range” to its east coast, possibly to conduct a test launch.

Pyongyang’s warning to diplomats prompted South Korean President Park Geun-hye’s national security director to say Sunday that North Korea may be planning a missile launch or another provocation around Wednesday, according to presidential spokeswoman Kim Haing. The possibility of a fourth North Korean nuclear test has existed for some time. South Korea has long said the North prepared two tunnels for a nuclear test, but used only one Feb. 12. Unification Minister Ryoo Kihl-jae generated confusion about South Korean intelligence on the issue Monday in a parliamentary session. When a lawmaker asked whether there have been increased personnel and vehicles at the North’s nuclear test site, and whether that is an indication of nuclear test preparation, Ryoo said “there is such an indication.” — AP

DAMASCUS: Emergency services arrive at the scene of a deadly car bomb explosion which rocked central Damascus yesterday. The blast, which was followed by intense gunfire, occurred near the Syrian central bank causing deaths and injuries, according to Syria’s state television. — AFP

At least 15 dead in Damascus suicide bomb DAMASCUS: A massive suicide car bomb ripped through a central Damascus street yesterday, killing at least 15 people and injuring 53 others, Syrian state media reported.

“Terrorists detonate car bomb between Sabaa Bahrat square and Shahbander Street,” the television reported, adding that initial information suggested that the explosion was a suicide attack. “The preliminary toll from the terrorist bombing... is more than 15 martyrs and 53 injuries,” the broadcaster added. An AFP correspondent said the blast caused extensive damage and that intense gunfire could be heard shortly afterwards. The blast damaged the AFP Damascus office, blowing out the windows, but no staff were hurt.

State television broadcast scenes of devastation, with huge plumes of thick black smoke billowing up around buildings in the area, partially obscuring them from view.

Dozens of cars were damaged, some crumpled almost beyond recognition, others with their windows blown out or cracked by the blast. Several were completely gutted, only charred carcasses remaining. Firefighters rushed to the area, attempting to control blazes started by the explosion, which one state broadcaster said took place near a school, adding that children were believed to be among the dead and wounded.

The footage showed bloodied dead bodies with limbs askew and flesh gouged out strewn on the streets, with bystanders draping clothes or cardboard boxes over them.

One group of men worked to retrieve a body from inside a badly damaged yellow taxi, tugging at the jammed doors of the vehicle. A veiled woman wept as she walked from the scene, passing a man holding a terrified, sobbing young girl. “I was in the street with my colleague when the ground shook beneath our feet,” 32-year-old Anana told AFP, not far from Sabaa Bahrat square.

“People started to scream ‘explosion, explosion’ and we saw a cloud of thick, black smoke emerge from the scene of the attack.” The force of the blast knocked down fencing along the pavement and blew over doors inside buildings near the scene. Whole window frames were knocked out by the explosion, which also set trees surrounding the site on fire. The attack occurred near the Syrian central bank, and security forces and the army quickly moved into the area to prevent people from approaching the scene of the attack. On March 21, a huge explosion ripped through a Damascus mosque killing at least 49 people, including a key pro-regime Sunni cleric. And a month earlier, on Feburary 21, at least 83 people were killed in a spate of bombings in the city. Elsewhere, UN Secretary General Ban Kimoon said yesterday that a UN inspection team was in Cyprus and ready to deploy to Syria to probe the alleged use of chemical weapons in the conflict. “I can announce today that an advance team is now in Cyprus, the final staging point” before the mission heads to Syria, Ban said in The Hague.— AFP

TUESDAY, APRIL 9, 2013

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

Iraq forces Iranian plane bound for Syria to land

BAGHDAD: Iraqi authorities forced an Iranian plane to land yesterday so it could be searched for weapons bound for Syrian regime fighters, but they found only humanitarian aid and medical supplies, officials said.

Also yesterday, a series of five bombs targeted security forces across Iraq, killing five and wounding more than a dozen other people, officials said. The move to force the Damascus-bound plane to land came 10 days after Iraq said it would conduct more searches of aircraft and road vehicles bound for neighboring Syria where rebels are fighting to overthrow Syrian President Bashar Assad.

In a recent visit to Baghdad, US Secretary of State John Kerry confronted Iraqi officials about Syria-bound

Iranian flights over its airspace, which the US suspects is being used to ferry weapons and fighters for the embattled Syrian government. The Iranian cargo plane was found to be carrying “medical and humanitarian aid” and not weapons, government spokesman Ali alMoussawi said.

“We ordered a surprise landing of a transport plane, but we found no banned items like weapons,” he said. Iraq has said that it does not want to be a conduit for arming either Assad’s forces or the rebels in the two-year civil war. But Baghdad fears a rebel victory in neighboring Syria will create a new extremist haven on the two nations’ porous 600-kilometer (320 mile) border, sparking further sectarian conflict in Iraq.

Intelligence officials have said al-Qaida fighters in Iraq already appear strengthened by cross-border cooperation with their ideological brothers in Syrian, known as the Nusra Front.

The five attacks across Iraq, which killed two soldiers, two policemen and a pro-government Sunni fighter, came as security forces are on high alert in the lead up to Tuesday’s 10th anniversary of the fall of Baghdad. There was no claim of responsibility for any of the attacks, but they bore the hallmark of al-Qaeda fighters in Iraq, who use car bombs, suicide bombers and coordinated attacks to target security forces.

Police said a roadside bomb targeted an army vehicle in the Baghdad neighborhood of Abu Ghraib,

killing two soldiers and wounding another eight. Three other roadside bombings were reported. One killed a policeman and wounded two in Youssifiyah, 20 kilometers, (12 miles) south of Baghdad. A second wounded three policemen and four civilians in Madain, 20 kilometers (12 miles) southeast of Baghdad. The third killed a policeman in Mosul, 360 kilometers (225 miles) northwest of Baghdad.

In the distant northern city of Kirkuk, about 290 kilometers (180 miles) from Baghdad, a bomb stuck to the underside of a vehicle killed a fighter with the progovernment group known as the Sahwa, which has fought against al-Qaeda. Heath officials confirmed the death tolls. — AP

Two more dead after deadly sectarian clashes in Egypt Police seal streets around Coptic cathedral

JERUSALEM: Israeli President Shimon Peres, right, shakes hands with US Secretary of State John Kerry, left, as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu sits between them during the annual ceremony marking Holocaust Remembrance Day at the Yad Vashem memorial in Jerusalem, Israel, yesterday. — AP

Israel comes to standstill to remember Holocaust JERUSALEM: Israel came to a standstill for two mournful minutes yesterday as sirens pierced the air in an annual ritual to remember the 6 million Jews systematically murdered by German Nazis and their collaborators during the Holocaust in WWII. Commemorations were being held around the country as Israel marked its annual Holocaust memorial day. The main wreath laying ceremony took place at the Yad Vashem memorial in Jerusalem. Visiting US Secretary of State John Kerry, Israelis Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and President Shimon Peres were among officials and Holocaust survivors in attendance.

“I am the only one who stayed alive, survived from all my family, about 100 people,” said Zvi Shofet, a Holocaust survivor who participated in the ceremony.

When the sirens went off at 10 am, Israelis stopped what they were doing and

stood in silence with their heads bowed.

Traffic froze as drivers stopped their cars and stepped outside in a sign of respect.

International Holocaust Remembrance Day is marked worldwide on Jan. 27, the date of the liberation of the Auschwitz death camp. Israel’s annual Holocaust memorial day coincides with the Hebrew date of the Warsaw ghetto uprising.

This year’s commemoration marked the 70-year anniversary of the ghetto uprising, a symbol of Jewish resistance against the Nazis in World War II that resonates deeply in Israel to this day. The 1943 Warsaw ghetto uprising was the first large-scale rebellion against the Nazis in Europe and the single greatest act of Jewish resistance during the Holocaust.

Though guaranteed to fail, it became a symbol of struggle against impossible conditions and inspired other acts of uprising and underground resistance. —AP

CAIRO: Two more deaths were reported on yesterday after sectarian violence at Cairo’s Coptic cathedral that the Egyptian government and Muslim and Christian leaders scrambled to calm.

A security source said a 21-year-old Muslim man, named only as Mohamed, died of a fractured skull in hospital after fighting between local Muslims and Copts who had been attending a funeral for four Christians shot dead in a town near Cairo. The health ministry said at least 90 people, including 11 policemen, were wounded around the cathedral, seat of the Coptic pope, in one of the worst sectarian flare-ups since the fall of autocratic President Hosni Mubarak in 2011.

Separately, the state news agency MENA said one person was killed and 14 wounded in fresh clashes on Sunday night in the town of El Khusus, north of Cairo, where the latest wave of sectarian strife began on Friday. Prime Minister Hisham Kandil said the government was taking all measures to protect the safety of Egyptians of all faiths, promising to bring to justice the perpetrators of sectarian attacks and to crack down on unlicenced weapons.

He also spoke to the heads of the Coptic church and of the Islamic al-Azhar institution to discuss ways to resolve the crisis and prevent any repetition, a cabinet statement said.

The violence erupted as Egypt is negotiating with a visiting International Monetary Fund delegation for a loan of at least $4.8 billion to ease a deepening economic crisis aggravated by political and sectarian turmoil that has hit investment and tourism in the Middle East’s most populous nation.

Muslim and Christian religious leaders appeared together on late-night television to call for calm and national unity after the clashes around St. Mark’s Cathedral, headquarters of the Coptic church, which raged for several hours on Sunday.

Muslims pelted Christians sheltering in the church compound with petrol bombs and rocks

Hamas shaves heads of Gaza youths with long hair GAZA CITY: Police in Hamas-ruled Gaza have started grabbing young men with long or gel-styled spiky hair off the streets, bundling them into jeeps, mocking them and shaving their heads, two of those targeted and a rights group said Sunday.

It is the latest sign that the Islamic militants are imposing their strict practices on the population. Hamas has been slowly forcing its fundamentalist interpretation of the religion on already conservative Gaza since it overran the territory in 2007, but the new crackdown on long hair and tight or low-waist pants - in several cases accompanied by beatings appears to be one of the most aggressive phases of the campaign so far.

The crackdown began last week, and

two of those targeted told The Associated Press said they were rounded up in separate sweeps in Gaza City that included more than two dozen young men. House painter Ayman al-Sayed, 19, had shoulder-length hair before police grabbed him and shaved his head Thursday.

“The only thing I want to do is leave this country,” said al-Sayed, who despite his ordeal defiantly wore stylish but outlawed narrow-leg tan khakis Sunday. “I am scared. They just take you from the street without reason. I don’t know what they are going to do next.”

Hamas officials played down the campaign - a stance adopted in the past that allows the group to distance itself from a controversial crackdown while at

GAZA CITY: Mohammed Abo Ramdan (C) stands with his friends Ayman alSayed (R) and Tarq Al-Naqeb, (L) in Gaza City yesterday, both of whom had their heads shaved after Hamas security forces in Gaza rounded them up with other young men and forced them to get a haircut on grounds of inappropriate hairstyles. — AFP

the same time instilling fear in those it targeted. Ziad al-Zaza, the deputy prime minister of Gaza, said the head-shaving “was a very limited, isolated behavior of the police and is not going to continue.”

The Palestinian Center for Human Rights called on Hamas to investigate the “arbitrary detentions and violations of civil rights of civilians.” The hair crackdown came just days after the Hamasrun parliament in Gaza passed an education bill mandating separate classrooms for boys and girls from the age of nine.

Gender separation is already widely practiced in Gaza schools, as it is in the West Bank, where Hamas rival Mahmoud Abbas, the Western-backed Palestinian president, administers some areas.

Enshrining such separation in law marked another step forward in Hamas’ campaign of imposing Islamic practice.

Since seizing Gaza from Abbas six years ago, Hamas has moved gradually in spreading its ultra-conservative version of Islam. It has issued rules restricting women or requiring them to cover up in the traditional Islamic dress of long robes and headscarves, but relented if met by protests. Last month, the Hamas government barred girls and women from participating in a UN-sponsored marathon, prompting a UN aid agency to cancel the race. Hamas activists have also exerted social pressure to get all school girls to wear Islamic dress.

Al-Sayed, the house painter, and 17year-old high school student Tareq Naqib said Sunday that they were targeted by police in separate incidents Thursday. Al-Sayed said he had just finished his work in Gaza City and was waiting at an intersection for a shared taxi when a police jeep approached. AlSayed said he was thrown into the jeep with more than 10 others already squeezed into the back of the vehicle. He said policemen cursed them on the way to the police station. —AP

US Navy clears sailors in deadly Dubai shooting

DUBAI: US Navy sailors aboard a supply vessel acted within rules of engagement last year when they fired on a small boat approaching at high speed off Dubai, killing one Indian fisherman and wounding three others, according to a Navy investigation made public yesterday.

The July 2012 incident has been described by Navy officials as ‘regrettable,’ but it also highlighted the heightened security to protect vessels following boat-borne blasts such as the 2000 suicide attack on the USS Cole in Yemen that killed 17 US sailors and the 2004 explosion of a dhow in Persian Gulf that killed three crew members of the USS Firebolt. The US Navy 5th Fleet, based in Bahrain, has taken steps to expand security escorts for port-bound US ships and worked with Gulf officials to distribute fliers in several languages - including Hindi, Urdu and others common among the regionís large South Asian labor force - advising

to stay clear of Navy vessels.

There were initially conflicting accounts about whether the USNS Rappahannock, a refueling ship, used warning measures before opening fire on the 15-meter (50-foot) fishing boat, which the Navy said was approaching at speeds above 28 knots (32 mph). But the Navy investigation said warning shots of .50-caliber tracers were fired as the skiff headed toward the bow of the Rappahannock, about 16 kilometers (10 miles) off Dubaiís Jebel Ali port. It also said crew members used a laser device to try to warn the fishing boat.

A gunner aboard the Rappahannock opened fire with the .50-caliber weapon moments before the order to begin ‘destructive fire,’ but was deemed within the bounds of ‘self-defense in response to a hostile act or demonstrated hostile intent,’ the investigation said. —AP

CAIRO: An Egyptian woman walks past anti-riot police vehicles near the Coptic cathedral in Cairo, Egypt, yesterday. The death toll in clashes between Muslims and Christians in Cairo has risen to two, health and security officials said yesterday. — AP after angry young Copts leaving the funeral service chanted slogans against President Mohamed Mursi and his Muslim Brotherhood movement.

Witnesses accused the police of standing by as the Copts were attacked and of firing teargas at mourners in the compound as they emerged from the cathedral under a hail of rocks.

A statement posted on the Interior Ministry’s website blamed Christians for starting the trouble by vandalising several cars.

Mursi telephoned Coptic Orthodox Pope

Tawadros II on Sunday evening to condemn the violence, telling him that “any attack on the cathedral is like an attack on me personally”.

In a condolence message to the families of the victims, Tawadros said on Monday: “Heavenly justice will be spoken at the appropriate time.”

Christians make up about 10 percent of Egypt’s 84 million people and have complained that the authorities have failed to protect them since Mubarak’s overthrow, giving radical Islamists a free hand. —Reuters

TUESDAY, APRIL 9, 2013

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

Montenegro opposition won’t back down on vote PODGORIC A: The opposition in Montenegro said yesterday it will not recognize the election victory of the government-backed presidential candidate if it is confirmed by election authorities, a move that could throw the small Balkan nation into political turmoil.

Opposition official Goran Danilovic insisted that the opposition candidate won Sunday’s vote for the influential but ceremonial position. Danilovic told The Associated Press that “our victory is as clear as a day.”

“None of us have the right to recog-

nize elec tion fraud,” he said. Both incumbent president Filip Vujanovic and opposition leader Miodrag Lekic declared victory after the election, presenting the results gathered by their own camps. Montenegro’s state election commission has yet to announce its count of the vote, probably later yesterday.

The election dispute has fueled political tensions in the country which is striving to join the European Union.

Montenegro last year opened the accession talks with the bloc and instability could undermine the necessary

reform process.

The tight election results also present a blow to the long-serving governing coalition led by the left-leaning Democratic Party of Socialists, who have been in power for more than two decades. Lekic’s strong election result amounted to the first serious challenge to the ruling party’s grip on power.

Political analyst Drasko Djuranovic predicted that the state election commission will back Vujanovic’s victory.

“We are probably entering a period of tension and crisis during which the opposition will deny the legitimacy of

the president and the ruling coalition,” Djuranovic said Vujanovic’s camp said Sunday he had garnered 51.3 percent of the vote, while Lekic said he was the winner with 50.5 percent. Supporters of both candidates gathered to celebrate in the capital of Podgorica, but there were no incidents.

Danilovic alleged irregularities in the final hours of voting on Sunday. He warned the state election commission “not to tr y to officially confirm Vujanovic’s victory and ignore a number of complaints that we have filed.”

“We will demand full insight into the

election material and full vote count,” he insisted. International monitors who observed the vote refused Monday to comment on the opposition claims.

The monitors from the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe said that “from a technical standpoint the election was administered in an efficient manner and fundamental rights were mostly respected.”

“At the same time, allegations of irregularities and an atmosphere of mistrust in the lead up to the vote had a negative effect,” said Boris Frlec, the mission head. —AP

France launches major offensive on Mali Islamists All access points to the valley shut off

HANOVER: German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Russian President Vladimir Putin pose in a Volkswagen XL 1 Hybrid car as they toured the Hanover industrial fair yesterday in Hanover, central Germany. German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Russian President Vladimir Putin opened the fair which is running from April 8 to 12, 2013 and which will present a cross section of key industrial technologies. — AFP

Putin, Merkel air differences on NGOs HANNOVER: German Chancellor Angela Merkel confronted Russia’s president with her concerns about a crackdown on nongovernmental organizations, but Vladimir Putin brushed the issue aside by repeating that his government needs to know who is funding the groups.

Putin met with Merkel at an industry fair in Hannover. The trip highlights Russia’s interest in developing foreign trade, including further business ties with Germany, but ties have been strained lately by the Kremlin’s heavy-handed response to opposition groups and pressure on NGOs. Two German think-tanks were among groups targeted in recent searches.

“What is important, at least this is what I made clear, is that nongovernmental organizations can work well and freely,” said Merkel, the first foreign leader to publicly confront Putin about the issue since Russian authorities launched raids of NGOs earlier this year.

“A lively civil society can only develop if individual organizations can work without fear and worry,” Merkel said said at a news conference with Putin after they toured the industry fair. The chancellor, who argues that a strong civil society enhances economic modernization, insisted that “societies will always have to live with differing opinions.”

A law enacted last year in Russia requires all NGOs that receive funds from abroad and engage in vaguely defined political activities to register as “foreign agents,” a term evoking Cold War -era espionage connotations.

Leading Russian NGOs have pledged to boycott the bill. Putin responded by order-

ing wide-ranging checks of up to 2,000 NGOs across the country to check their compliance with the law.

Yesterday, he brushed aside criticism of Russia’s legislation and actions. “We aren’t trying to put anyone under control, but we want to know how much money, through what channels and for what purpose, is being sent,” he said. “Russia has passed a law on that and everyone will obey it.”

“Our action is aimed not toward bans, but to impose control over financial flows from abroad,” he said, adding that NGOs in Russia had got nearly $1 billion from abroad and “the public has the right to know where from and for what purpose this money flows.”

Among others targeted were two German think-tanks - the Konrad Adenauer Foundation, which is aligned with Merkel’s conservative Christian Democratic Union, and the Friedrich Ebert Foundation, linked to the opposition Social Democrats.

Merkel said their work is “to our knowledge, entirely proper.” Putin said Russia had no intention of limiting their work. As the two leaders toured the fair, several activists from Ukraine’s Femen group, bared their torsos and shouted “Putin dictator!” before being detained by guards.

A smiling Putin shrugged off the protest.

“As for the action, I liked it,” he said. “You should be grateful to the girls, they are helping you make the fair more popular.”

Merkel was not amused. “Whether one has to resort to such an emergency measure in Germany and can’t say one’s piece some other way, I have my doubts,” she said. —AP

Turkish police clash with protesters at conspiracy trial SILIVRI: Turkish police fired water cannon, teargas and pepper spray yesterday as they clashed with thousands of activists protesting outside a court in support of 275 people accused of plotting to topple the government, forcing a delay in the hearing.

Defendants in the trial of the “Ergenekon” group, an alleged underground network of secular arch-nationalists, were expected to begin their final defences yesterday af ter prosecutors last month demanded life sentences for 64 of them.

Retired armed forces commander Ilker Basbug is among the defendants, including other military officers, politicians and academics, accused of attempting to stage a coup against Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan’s Islamist-rooted AK Party government.

Demonstrators outside the court at the high-security Silivri jail near Istanbul waved Turkish flags and banners of left-wing and nationalist groups as they fought to break through police barriers.

“We are Mustafa Kemal’s (Ataturk) soldiers,” the crowd chanted, referring to modern Turkey ’s founder, who is a figurehead for Turkish secularists. Police fired teargas, water cannon and pepper spray in an attempt to disperse the crowd.

Strong winds blew the pepper spray into the court, affecting defendants, journalists and dozens of opposition lawmakers who were among the spectators.

Chief judge Hasan Huseyin Ozese declined to launch the hearing given the chaotic scenes. It was not clear when the session would begin. The four-year-old trial has drawn accusations of political influence over the judiciary. The process of defendants mak ing their final defences is expected to take at least another two months, before a verdic t is announced.

Ergenekon is allegedly behind much of the political violence, extrajudicial killings and bomb attacks which have troubled Turkey in recent decades - embodying anti-democratic forces which Erdogan says he has fought to stamp out.

Critics see the case as a ploy to stifle opposition, part of a grand plan by the leader to tame the secularist establishment, including an army that intervened to topple governments four times in the second half of the 20th century.

Investigation of the alleged conspiracy, which surfaced in 2007 when police discovered a cache of weapons in Istanbul, was initially welcomed by a public eager to see an end to the “Deep State” - a shadowy network of militant secularists long believed to have been pulling the strings of power. But dissenting voices have grown over the last four years, with the European Commission expressing concern about the handling of Ergenekon and other conspiracy trials.

Last September, a court in Silivri jailed more than 300 military officers in another trial for plotting to overthrow Erdogan’s government. — Reuters

GAO: A French force of 1,000 soldiers has begun a sweep of a valley thought to be a logistics base for Al Qaeda-linked Islamists near the Malian city of Gao, an AFP journalist accompanying the mission said.

Operation Gustav, one of France’s largest actions since its intervention in its former colony, will involve dozens of tanks, helicopters and aircraft, said General Bernard Barrera, commander of the French land forces in Mali. “ We surrounded the valley north of Gao, which we believe ser ves as a logistics base for jihadist groups, and we began to search methodically,” said Barrera, who is based in Gao, the largest settlement in northeastern Mali.

The city, 1,200 kilometres (750 miles) from the capital Bamako, was a stronghold of the Movement for Oneness and Jihad in West Africa (MUJAO), one of the Islamist militias which occupied the nor th until the French-led Operation Serval dislodged them in January.

It suffered the first suicide bombings in Mali’s history in February and has been the scene of violent clashes between the French-Malian forces and armed jihadists involving seven deaths over the last two weeks.

No Islamist fighters were encountered on the first day of Operation Gustav, launched at dawn on Sunday, but troops neutralised around 340 ar tiller y shells and high-calibre rockets and destroyed a Toyota pick-up truck. All access points to the valley were shut off and its ridges secured at 6:00 am (local and GMT ) on Sunday. At 8:00 am France’s 3rd Mechanised Brigade began the excavation of a thick forest where military intelligence suspects a jihadist base may be hidden. French soldiers will spend the coming days combing the 20-kilometre (12-mile) valley with the help of Malian soldiers and police officers going into the nomad camps and mud houses which line the dry river basin.

GAO: French soldiers from the 92nd Infantry Regiment stand aboard an armoured personnel carrier (VAB) near the city of Gao during the “Gustav operation”. A French force of 1,000 soldiers has begun on a sweep of a river valley thought to be a logistics base for armed Islamists near the Malian city of Gao, an AFP journalist accompanying the mission said. Operation Gustav, one of France’s largest actions since its intervention against insurgents in January, will involve dozens of tanks, helicopters, drones and airplanes, said General Bernard Barrera, commander of the French land forces in Mali. — AFP

“ This is the fourth wadi we have gone into in the Gao region.

There will no doubt be other such operations but perhaps not to the same extent,” Barrera said.

Ethnic Tuareg rebels seized the country’s vast arid north in the chaos following a coup in Bamako on March 2012 before losing control to well-armed Islamists. A French-led intervention quickly drove insurgents from most of their nor thern strongholds, but significant pockets of resistance remain in Gao, as well as in the fabled desert city of Timbuktu.

“We have defeated the jihadist groups fur ther nor th in the

Ifoghas (mountains). There are none there anymore,” Barrera told reporters. “We are now operating in north-central Mali, to break the enemy by denying it time to reorganise.”

Listening to audio recordings, flying observation missions and cross-checking with information from witnesses, French intelligence officials have concluded that the forested “wadi”, or dry river basin, would be perfect for concealing weapons stockpiles.

The fighters themselves, whom France believes were present just days ago, may have moved to another valley, under cover of a sandstorm that raged

the previous two days. Colonel Bruno Bert, who is commanding the mission, warned against complacency, however.

“Many times these guys have hidden themselves for hours just a few metres away from us, and then suddenly stood up and opened fire,” he said. “This isn’t over. This valley is big, with many secondary wadis. We will take however long we need to complete the search.” France is to start withdrawing its 4,000 troops from Mali at the end of April, and plans to leave a “suppor t force” of 1,000 soldiers af ter elec tions promised for July. — AFP

Serbia should not sign Kosovo accord BELGRADE: Serbia should refuse to sign an EU-brokered proposal on easing tensions with Kosovo, but continue talks with Pristina, Serbian Deputy Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic said yesterday.

“Our suggestion to the government of Serbia is that... we do not sign what does not take into consideration even the minimum of our national interests,” Vucic told reporters after a meeting of his SNS party leadership.

A deal with Kosovo is the key Brussels-set condition for Serbia if it wants to start accession talks for EU membership later this year. A refusal could delay Serbia’s integration into the EU for an indefinite period.

However, the SNS, which is the senior partner in the ruling coalition in Belgrade, believes

that “the government should propose the urgent and immediate continuation of talks” with Kosovo, Vucic said.

The nationalist conservative SNS are former radicals turned pro-European, even though they oppose Kosovo’s independence like most Serb parties. The Serbian government was to meet later on Monday to give a final response to EU-sponsored talks with Kosovo, following last week’s meeting in Brussels in which Belgrade and Pristina failed to find common ground on how to defuse their longstanding tensions. Both sides are expected to respond to EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashtonwho has chaired the eight rounds of talks between the Serbian and Kosovo delegationsby Tuesday. Serbia and Kosovo have been

BELGRADE: A protester holds a banner reading: “We don’t give it away!” during the protest of Serbian nationalist organization Obraz (Honour) in front of the government building in Belgrade, Serbia, yesterday. —AP

under pressure from Brussels to strike a deal before the issue of a European Commission report next week. The April 16 report, to be forwarded to EU leaders to evaluate at a late June summit, is crucial to paving the way for Serbia to join the EU, as the beginning of the talks on membership are contingent on the improvement of relations with its former province. In Brussels, Ashton’s spokeswoman Maja Kocijancic declined to comment Vucic’s statement. “We are waiting for the official decision from Serbia and Kosovo. Then we will take it from there,” Kocijancic told reporters.

Asked if the dialogue can continue, Kocijancic replied that “we need first to see the response and then decide how to take it forward.” Vucic, who took part in the last round of talks, said in an interview Sunday that “our message must be clear, that we want an agreement and we want an accord.”

However, he said at the April 2 talks “eight points were read to us, six were acceptable for Belgrade, but two were not.”

The proposal “can and should be improved”, Nikolic said, after meeting leaders of parliamentary political parties Sunday.

The influential Serbian Orthodox Church has called on the Belgrade leadership to reject the deal with Pristina. The main stumbling block in the talks, which got under way late last year, has been the future of the Serb minority living in Kosovo, especially the north, since it declared independence.

Majority ethnic Albanian Kosovo has since then won recognition from around 100 countries, including the United States and most EU member states. Serbia and the about 40,000 Serbs living in northern Kosovo continue to reject Pristina’s declaration of independence.

Both sides earlier agreed to establish an association of Serb municipalities, but Kosovo refuses to grant it the executive and judicial powers demanded by Serbia. — AFP

TUESDAY, APRIL 9, 2013

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

Opposition holds big rally in Venezuelan capital CARACAS: Hundreds of thousands of Venezuelan opposition supporters rallied in a staunchly pro-government part of the capital on Sunday, answering a call by their candidate Henrique Capriles and showing strength a week before the presidential election.

“Today the streets of Caracas are full of happiness and hope, confirming what will happen next Sunday,” Capriles, the 40year-old governor of Miranda state, told the crowd. He faces acting President Nicolas Maduro, who has vowed to continue the hardline socialism of his late boss, Hugo Chavez, if he wins the April 14 election. Maduro held a huge rally on Sunday in rural Apure state, on the Colombian border.

More often seen filled with the red flags and T-shirts of Chavez’s loyal supporters, the capital’s historic Bolivar Avenue was packed with opposition sup-

porters decked out in the blue, yellow and red of Capriles’ campaign.

“We’re winning this process,” Capriles said, sweating under the hot sun in a burgundy-colored shirt, rosary beads around his neck and a baseball cap in the colors of Venezuela’s flag.

He said that the day following his election victory would be one of peace and reconciliation among all Venezuelans, and he addressed supporters of Maduro’s government directly.

“Those who put on a red shirt today, I just ask you: open your eyes! I’ll work hard, I’ll shed skin, to win your trust.” Despite the opposition leader’s optimism, opinion polls give Maduro a lead of more than 10 percentage points.

Opposition supporters marched from different parts of the city to converge on the avenue, where they waved flags, cheered and sang. Around the edges of

the rally, groups of red-clad “Chavista” progovernment supporters chanted in favor of Maduro.

Both candidates are touring the South American country during a lightning, 10day campaign ahead of next Sunday’s vote, which was triggered by Chavez’s death from cancer on March 5. It has been a bitter run-up to the election, with deeply personal attacks and accusations of dirty tricks by both sides.

The race took a somewhat surreal turn on Saturday when Maduro said a centuries-old curse would fall on the heads of those who do not vote for him.

Maduro, 50, was a bus driver and union leader who rose to become Chavez’s foreign minister, then vice president. At his rallies, he frequently refers to Chavez in adoring terms and plays a video from December where the former president endorsed Maduro as his successor. “He

taught us the supreme value of loyalty.

With loyalty, everything is possible.

Betrayal only brings defeats and curses,” Maduro told cheering supporters on Sunday.

Maduro again accused the opposition of hatching a plot to assassinate him. He has also accused the U.S. government of planning to kill Capriles and blame it on his government in order to spark unrest before the election. Washington denied it.

Capriles has ridiculed Maduro’s claims and likened them to Chavez’s frequent denunciations of “imperialist” assassination plots during his 14-year rule.

The opposition says the assassination claims are designed to distract voters from daily problems such as violent crime, high prices and creaking public services.

Capriles, who is predicting a late proopposition surge as sympathy wears off after Chavez’s death, is vowing to install a

Brazilian-style administration of free-market economics with strong social welfare policies. Capriles mocks Maduro as a bad copy of Chavez, and says his decisions as acting president caused a currency devaluation and price spikes that have been disastrous for Venezuelans.

Gisela Quijada, a 68-year-old nurse attending the opposition rally in Caracas, said the country was broken. “I like Capriles ... the other one is immature. He just wants to be a copy of Chavez,” she said. “Chavez was a leader for them. I can’t deny it. But he (Maduro) has nothing in his head. If Capriles doesn’t win, we’ll keep on fighting for him. But we’re sure he’s going to win!”

The election will decide the future of “Chavismo” socialism and control of the world’s biggest oil reserves and economic aid to left-leaning nations across Latin America and the Caribbean. — Reuters

Exhumation of Chilean poet Neruda begins Nobel prize-winning poet

SAO PAULO: Crosses are seen in front of the School of Law of the University of Sao Paulo (USP) in homage to the inmates dead at the Carandiru Penitentiary massacre in Sao Paulo, Brazil yesterday. Twenty-six military police officers were to go on trial here yesterday for the alleged execution-style killing of inmates during Brazil’s deadliest prison uprising, which claimed the lives of 111 prisoners. — AFP

Police on trial in Brazil for 1992 prison ‘massacre’ SAO PAULO: Twenty-six military police officers were to go on trial here yesterday for the alleged execution-style killing of inmates during Brazil’s deadliest prison uprising, which claimed the lives of 111 prisoners.

The officers, most of them now retired, are specifically blamed for the deaths of 15 prisoners, who died in pavilion 9 of Sao Paulo’s Carandiru penitentiary during an operation to quell a revolt on October 2, 1992. The incident became known as the “Carandiru massacre.”

“Clearly there was a massacre, an execution. The inmates were killed without an opportunity to defend themselves,” the G1 website quoted Fernando Pereira da Silva, a prosecution official, as saying.

But the defense argues that the police officers fired in self-defense after being threatened and assaulted by the prisoners.

All the officers involved in the operation were unharmed. In addition to the 111 prisoners killed, some 87 others were injured.

Survivors claimed that police fired on inmates who had already surrendered or were trying to hide in their cells. Only the commanding officer of the operation, Colonel Ubiratan Guimaraes, was initially sentenced to 632 years in jail for his mishandling of the revolt and the subsequent killings.

But in 2006, a Brazilian court voided the conviction because of mistrial claims. Later that year, Guimaraes was found dead in his apartment under unclear circumstances.

A total of 79 military police officers are to stand trial in various stages. The massacre in what was then Latin America’s

biggest prison with 8,000 inmates was chronicled in a 2003 film directed by Argentine-born Brazilian Hector Babenco.

It sparked outrage among the prison inmates and prosecutors said it was a key factor in the establishment of a criminal gang known as First Command of the Capital (PCC) in 1993.

The PCC is believed to have ordered the death of the director of the prison at the time, Jose Ismael Pedrosa. From the prison, PCC bosses coordinated a series of assaults on police stations and public buildings which left more than 170 people dead and paralyzed Sao Paulo for four days in May 2006, before spreading to other Brazilian cities.

Scores of civilians suspected of criminal backgrounds were gunned down in a subsequent wave of police reprisal attacks.

Late last year, the PCC was also blamed for a wave of police killings and bus burnings.

The Carandiru prison was demolished in 2002. With a population of 194 million, Brazil has 550,000 people behind bars in more than 1,000 jails, one of the world’s largest prison populations. Some 217,000 detainees are awaiting trial, according to the United Nations. A UN panel invited by the Brazilian government in late March blamed the problem in part on a judicial culture that sees incarceration as the first recourse, including when minors are involved.

As a result of excessive incarceration, the commission said, “detention facilities were usually overcrowded. In some cases, the number of detainees exceeded the capacity by 100 per cent.” — AFP

Family, friends mourn loss of US diplomat in Afghanistan WASHINGTON: Relatives and colleagues of a young US diplomat killed in Afghanistan honored her Sunday as a smart woman just starting her career, eager to engage with locals in the warravaged country.

Anne Smedinghoff, 25, was among at least five Americans killed in separate attacks Saturday, in the deadliest day in Afghanistan this year, as she traveled with Afghan officials to distribute books to students. “She particularly enjoyed the opportunity to work directly with the Afghan people,” her parents Tom and Mary Beth Smedinghoff said in a statement. She “was always looking for opportunities to reach out and help make a difference in the lives of those living in a country ravaged by war,” they added.

The last American diplomat killed on the job was US ambassador to Libya Chris Stevens. He died along with three other Americans-two embassy security personnel and an information officer-in an attack on the US diplomatic mission in the eastern city of Benghazi on September 11.

Secretary of State John Kerry, traveling in Turkey, lashed out at the “cowardly” Taliban extremists who killed the “selfless, idealistic” young diplomat. “Anne

and those with her were attacked by Taliban terrorists who woke up that day not with a mission to educate or to help, but with a mission to destroy,” Kerry said during a press conference with Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu.

“A brave American was determined to brighten the light of learning through books written in the native tongue of the students that she had never met, but whom she felt compelled to help.”

Kerry met Smedinghoff during a visit to Afghanistan two weeks ago as she assisted him. At least three US soldiers and another civilian were killed in the attack that saw a suicide car bomber strike a NATO convoy in the southern province of Zabul.

Another US civilian was killed in a separate assault in eastern Afghanistan.

Speaking to staff and families at the US Consulate General in Istanbul, Kerry acknowledged that such attacks pose a “huge challenge” as US troops and their NATO allies prepare for a withdrawal at the end of next year. “It’s a grim reminder to all of us, though we didn’t need any reminders, of how important and also how risky carrying the future is... and just trying to provide opportunity to those young boys and girls and men and women in Afghanistan.” — AFP

ISLA NEGRA: The remains of Chilean Nobel prize-winning poet Pablo Neruda were exhumed yesterday to determine if he died of cancer or was poisoned by the Pinochet dictatorship he strongly opposed.

Workers broke open the tomb housing his remains at his last home overlooking the sea in Isla Negra under the supervision of Judge Mario Carroza, lawyers and a dozen forensic experts. The leftist author, who died 12 days after the 1973 military coup that ousted socialist president Salvador Allende and brought General Augusto Pinochet to power, was long believed to have died of prostate cancer.

But judicial authorities in 2011 opened an investigation into fourdecade-old claims by Neruda’s driver that he was poisoned by agents of the Pinochet regime. Police investigators and government forensic experts set up a tent to shield and protect the tomb where the remains of Neruda’s third wife, Matilde Urrutia, are also interred.

The poet’s nephew Rodolfo Reyes said workers quickly located remains by a tarnished plaque that bore Neruda’s name. “It corroborated what I had said: he was buried on the left hand side facing the sea,” Reyes told AFP. “There was no need to open the casket, they just took it out intact.”

Neruda won the 1971 Nobel Prize in Literature and is best known for his love poems and his “Canto General”-an epic poem about South America’s history and its people. The Chilean courts gave the go-ahead for the probe in June 2011 after a complaint was filed by the Chilean Communist Party, of which Neruda was a member.

In addition to the driver’s accusations, the official complaint cites

witnesses who say Neruda was healthy up until the day before his death and did not exhibit symptoms consistent with advanced cancer.

The results of the inquiry-not expected for at least three months, judicial sources told AFP-are expected to support or refute the charge made by Neruda’s driver and personal adviser, Manuel Araya, whose claims formed the basis of the complaint.

Araya says Neruda died after receiving what the driver believed was a suspicious injection at Santiago’s Santa Maria Hospital days after the coup that brought Pinochet to power.

Neruda’s death certificate, to which AFP obtained access, says he died of complications of prostate cancer. Neruda’s family and the official foundation that administers his work have both accepted the official cause of death, saying in a 2011 statement that there was “no evidence or proof ” to suggest foul play.

“We simply want to learn the truth, to get to the bottom of the family truth,” Neruda’s nephew said at the grave site. “Neruda’s family wants to know the truth, regardless of whether he died of natural causes or was murdered.”

“It is not easy for us to explain what they are going to do with the remains, but we think it is necessary,” Reyes added.

Chile’s medical legal service has assembled a team of archeologists, anthropologists, doctors, toxicologists and representatives of the International Committee of the Red Cross to examine the remains, its director Patricio Bustos said.

“The remains will be transferred to an anthropology laborator y which will conduct radiological,

SANTIAGO: Handout picture released by Chile’s judiciary showing coroner’s office personnel and relatives of Chilean poet Pablo Neruda carrying a coffin with his remains after their exhumation in Isla Negra, some 120 km (75 miles) west of Santiago, yesterday. The exhumation of the Chilean Nobel prize-winning began to determine if he died of cancer or was poisoned by the Pinochet dictatorship he strongly opposed. — AFP toxicological and anthropological flown to Mexico the next day to tests to look for signs of toxic sub- lead the opposition to the coup stances and of the poet’s disease,” from exile. The Mexican ambassador to Chile had arranged the flight Bustos said Sunday.

According to Araya, on the after- and a plane was standing by, waitnoon of September 23, 1970, just ing to take him.

The Chilean judicial system is 12 days after Pinochet came to power, Neruda told his wife and the also investigating the 1982 death of driver that he had been given an former Chilean president Eduardo injection in the chest that had Frei (1964-1970), who like Neruda died in the Santa Maria hospital made him feel bad.

Nearly six hours later, the poet during the military dictatorship foldied in the Santiago hospital. lowing complications from a rouNeruda was supposed to have tine surgery. — AFP

Three Philadelphia priests removed in sex investigation PHILADELPHIA: Three more priests were permanently removed from ministry by the Archdiocese of Philadelphia on Sunday, including one whose accuser killed himself after his allegation was dismissed by church officials.

The Revs. Joseph Gallagher and Mark Gaspar were suspended following a scathing 2011 grand jury report that ultimately led to the landmark conviction of a high-ranking archdiocese official on child endangerment charges. Two other priests and a Catholic school teacher were also convicted.

The February 2011 grand jury report prominently named Gallagher as a priest who remained in ministry despite apparently credible allegations of abuse. The grand jury said the archdiocese had found the allegation against him unsubstantiated despite the accuser’s “obvious credibility.” “Our only problem is that it took so long,” Marci Hamilton, the attorney for the family of Daniel Neill, said Sunday. Neill committed suicide in 2009, less than a year after being told his allegation of couldn’t be substantiated.

Hamilton, who also represents two others who claim to have been abused by Gallagher, said the archdiocese’s failure to act means Gallagher will never face criminal charges.

“Gallagher belongs in prison, but because of the Archdiocese’s cover up, the criminal statutes of limitations for these victims expired long ago,” she said.

In a statement, Archbishop Charles Chaput said he made the decisions he felt were “right and just” after the allegations against Gaspar and Gallagher were investigated and reviewed by an archdiocese board.

“The counsel provided by these experts, who have devoted their careers to combatting sexual abuse, is key to this work,” he said. “I’m grateful for their efforts.” A third priest, Monsignor Richard Powers, was not among the priests suspended following the grand jury investigation.

The archdiocese said he was suspended last year after his name surfaced on a list of priests previously accused of sexual abuse. All the other priests on that list had either died, been removed from ministry or were “living a life of

prayer and penance” with the exception of Powers, the archdiocese said.

The allegation against Powers involved an incident that happened about 40 years ago outside the archdiocese, church officials said.

Powers, 77, declined to discuss his removal from ministry or the allegations when reached by phone Sunday by The Associated Press. No listed phone number could be found for Gallagher, 78.

A phone message for a listing for Gaspar, 43, was not immediately returned.

All three men can appeal their cases to the Vatican. The grand jury report led to charges against Monsignor William Lynn and three oth-

ers. Lynn, the longtime secretary of clergy for the archdiocese, is serving three to six years in prison for his role transferring an admitted pedophile priest to the accuser’s northeast Philadelphia parish. One of the priests pleaded guilty while the other priest and the teacher were convicted at trial.

Twenty-six priests were placed on leave following the grand jury’s report. Ten of those cases have now been found to involve substantiated allegations of abuse. One priest was arrested and another died before a full investigation could be completed. Seven cases are still pending, the archdiocese said. — AP

TOKYO: In this photo released by the Imperial Household Agency of Japan, Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto (L) talks with Japan’s Empress Michiko, accompanied by Crown Prince Naruhito (3rd-L) at the start of their luncheon at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo yesterday. Pena Nieto is on a four-day official visit to Japan. — AFP

TUESDAY, APRIL 9, 2013

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

UK grandmother loses death sentence appeal on Bali DENPASAR: A British grandmother sentenced to death for trafficking drugs into Bali faces a last-ditch appeal to Indonesia’s highest court to avoid the firing squad, after her first bid to lift the sentence was rejected yesterday.

Lindsay Sandiford was sentenced to death in January after cocaine with an estimated street value of $2.4 million was found in her suitcase as she arrived on a flight from Bangkok last May, a shock verdict after prosecutors recommended 15 years imprisonment.

Police said she was at the centre of a drugs-importing ring involving three other Britons-but the 56-year-old claimed she was forced to transport the drugs in order to protect her children whose safety was at stake.

Yesterday a spokesman for the Bali High Court, sitting in the resort island’s

capital Denpasar, said a closed hearing of three judges rejected her appeal and decided the lower court’s sentence was “accurate and correct”.

Sandiford has 14 days to appeal to the Supreme Court from when she is informed of the decision, the spokesman said. If the Supreme Court rejects her appeal, she can seek a judicial review of the decision from the same court. After that, only the president can grant her a reprieve.

Most people sentenced to death for drugs offences fail to get their sentences lifted on appeal and face a long wait in jail before being taken to a remote, undisclosed location at night and executed by firing squad.

Some have succeeded however, such as Scott Rush, a member of the Australian drug smuggling gang known

as the “Bali Nine”, whose death sentence was reduced to life after a judicial review by the Supreme Court in 2011.

And last year President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono pardoned two Indonesians convicted of drug smuggling, reducing their death sentences to life in prison.

A spokesman for the British embassy in Jakarta said London was “disappointed” at the outcome of the appeal. “The UK strongly opposes the death penalty and has repeatedly made representations to the Indonesian government on this matter. We will continue to provide consular assistance to her at this difficult time.”

Britain has previously raised concerns about Sandiford’s treatment in the island’s notorious Kerobokan jail, alleging in papers submitted to Denpasar dis-

trict court that officials threatened her with a gun and deprived her of sleep.

But she lost a London High Court bid to make the government pay for a lawyer to help her appeal after two judges ruled it had “no reasonable prospect of success”.

When they handed down the death sentence, the Bali court rejected arguments she was transporting the 4.79 kilos (10.6 pounds) of cocaine to protect her children.

It noted she had not admitted her crime and ruled she had damaged Indonesia’s hardline stance on drugs as well as Bali’s reputation as a tourism destination. Three other Britons arrested in connection with the case received lighter sentences. Julian Ponder was sentenced in January to six years in jail after being found guilty of possessing 23.04

grams (0.8 ounces) of cocaine with a street value of $6,000, found in the bedroom of his luxury Bali villa.

He was arrested after receiving a package from Sandiford in a police sting mounted after she was caught. Rachel Dougall was sentenced to 12 months for failing to report Sandiford’s crime and Paul Beales received four years for possession of 3.6 grams of hashish but was cleared of drug trafficking. They were sentenced in December.

Two members of the “Bali Nine” who were arrested in 2005 are currently on death row, while the seven others face lengthy jail terms. A French man has also been on death row since May 2007 for drug trafficking. Indonesia carried out its first execution for several years last month when it put to death a Malawian drug trafficker. — AFP

Bomb hits Afghan bus, kills 9: Officials One woman among dead, three children wounded

DHAKA: Activists of Hifazat-e-Islam stomp on a man who is alleged to have helped the police to identify the protesters during a strike in Dhaka, Bangladesh, yesterday.

At least 20 people were injured in southwestern Bangladesh as a hardline Islamic group enforces a general strike to back its demands for an anti-blasphemy law. — AP

Bangladesh PM rules out new blasphemy law DHAKA: Bangladesh’s prime minister has ruled out a new blasphemy law despite a mass campaign by Islamists to introduce the death penalty for bloggers whom they accuse of insulting the Prophet Mohammed (PBUH).

As part of their push for a change in the law, the Hefajat-e-Islam group yesterday forced the closure of schools and businesses and barricaded inter-city motorways and railways across the country in a general strike.

Police said at least 30 people were injured in clashes between pro-government activists and Islamists, already infuriated by the recent convictions of leading opposition figures for war crimes.

But Sheikh Hasina, who has been leading a secular government in the Muslimmajority country since 2009, said existing laws were adequate to prosecute anyone accused of insulting a religion.

“Actually, we don’t have any plan to (bring in a new law). We don’t need it,” Hasina told the BBC in an interview broadcast yesterday. “They should know that existing laws are enough,” she added, before stressing that “this country is a secular democracy”.

On Saturday hundreds of thousands of Islamists rallied in the capital Dhaka to demand a blasphemy law, with provisions for the death penalty for those who defame Islam. There has been vociferous debate between staunch atheists and fundamentalists in Bangladesh’s social media for years, but it took a deadly turn in February when an anti-Islam blogger was murdered.

Four online writers were arrested last week on charges of hurting religious sentiment through their Internet writings

against Islam. Under existing cyber laws, anyone convicted of defaming a religion on the Internet can be jailed for up to 10 years.

Hefajat-e-Islam, which describes itself as a non-political organisation, has given the government until the end of the month to meet a series of demands or face a blockade of the capital.

The group also wants Islamic education to be made mandatory in primary and secondary schools, members of the Ahmadi sect to be declared non-Muslims and the restoration of pledges to Allah in the constitution, which Hasina’s government has deleted.

Hasina said her government would “go through all the demands” to see “if there is any reasonable one” which it could act on.

Her party, however, accused Hefajat, which draws its support from the country’s tens of thousands of Islamic seminaries, of being a pawn of the opposition.

Wielding sticks, thousands of Hefajat activists clashed with ruling Awami League activists in the port city of Chittagong and northern city of Mymensingh as they barricaded roads and inter-city highways.

At least 30 people including five policemen were injured in the clashes, local police chiefs told AFP, adding they fired tear gas and blank shots to disperse the protesters.

About 2,000 Islamists also barricaded a railway in the eastern Brahmanbaria district, halting trains between the capital Dhaka and Chittagong for about four hours, local police chief M. Moniruzzaman told AFP. Hardline Islamist groups have accused Hasina’s government of trying to intimidate the opposition through a series of trials for war crimes allegedly committed during the 1971 war of independence. —AFP

Pakistani court summons Musharraf in treason case ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s top court yesterday ordered former military ruler Gen. Pervez Musharraf to appear before the judges to answer allegations that he committed treason while in power and said the former president should not be allowed to leave the country.

The Supreme Court was responding to private petitions alleging Musharraf committed various treasonable offenses while in office, including toppling an elected government, suspending the constitution and sacking senior judges, including the chief justice. If convicted of treason, Musharraf could be sentenced to death. The hearing is scheduled to be held on Tuesday. “People want justice, rule of law and implementation of the constitution,” one of the petitioners, lawyer Chaudhry Akram, told two Supreme Court judges overseeing yesterday’s hearing.

Musharraf seized power in a military coup in 1999 but was forced to step down almost a decade later under the threat of impeachment

by Pakistan’s main political parties. He left the country in 2008 and spent more than four years in self-imposed exile before returning last month to run in upcoming parliamentary elections.

Musharraf has experienced a bumpy return to his homeland. He was met by a couple thousand people at the airport in the southern city of Karachi when his flight touched down from Dubai, a sign of how little support many analysts say he enjoys in Pakistan. The Taliban have threatened to kill him, and he faces a series of legal charges that he has denied, including some related to the 2007

assassination of former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto. However, he registered a victory on Sunday when he was given approval to run for parliament from a remote district in northern Pakistan.

Judges rejected his nomination in several other districts, and lawyers have said they plan to go to a high court to challenge his right to run. Pakistan’s political system allows a candidate to run for several seats simultaneously.

Musharraf’s ability to run also could be complicated by the treason allegations against him, though it remains to be seen whether he will actually be charged and convicted. One of the petitioners, lawyer Sheikh Ahsanuddin, demanded that Musharraf be charged with treason, saying civilian leaders in Pakistan have been executed and sent into exile, but “nothing has happened to the dictators.”“If a precedent is set, a lot of the problems of this country would be solved,” Ahsanuddin told the court.

The judges reaffirmed that Musharraf should be prevented from leaving the country while legal proceedings involving him are underway. The high court in southern Sindh province earlier ordered that the former military ruler be placed on an exit-control list to prevent him from leaving.

Musharraf returned to Pakistan to participate in the May 11 parliamentary election. But even if he is allowed to run, the impact of his party, the All Pakistan Muslim League, is expected to be minimal because of the perceived lack of support for the former military strongman. — AP

GHAZNI: A roadside bomb exploded under an Afghan bus southwest of Kabul yesterday, killing nine people and wounding at least 22 others in an attack blamed on Taleban militants, officials said.

The bus bombing in the flashpoint province of Wardak came as Afghanistan endures a bloody few days at a time of year that often sees a surge in violence as the cold winter recedes and the so-called “fighting season” begins.

A woman was among the dead and children among the wounded, officials said. “Today at around 8:00 am an IED (improvised explosive device) hit a bus,” Attaullah Khogyani, the governor’s spokesman in Wardak province, told AFP. “At least 22 people are wounded and nine others, including a woman, are dead.” Khogyani said the Taleban, who have been fighting for 11 years against the US-backed Kabul government, were behind the attack.

The bus was a government service making daily trips between the capital Kabul and Ghazni, the neighbouring province further to the southwest. “I helped evacuate several dead and wounded. There were lots of people in the bus. Only a few survived unhurt, others were killed and wounded,” witness Mohammad Sarwar told AFP by telephone.

Ghulam Farouq Wardak, the public health director of the province, confirmed that nine people had died and said there were three children among the wounded. Several of those taken for medical treatment were described as in a critical condition. Wardak is a Taleban hotbed close to Kabul and seen as a key strategic battleground in the fight against the Islamist extremists. US-led coalition forces are winding down their operations before a scheduled withdrawal of the bulk of their 100,000 troops by the end of 2014, with Afghan security forces gradually taking over the battle against the Taliban.

In February, Afghan President Hamid Karzai demanded US elite troops withdraw completely from Wardak, accusing US special forces of harassing civilians and their Afghan militia col-

JALALABAD: Sergeant Jenkins of the 2nd Platoon Bravo Company, 1-3271 Infantry of Combined Team Bastogne (Nangarhar), 1st Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) mans a turret machine gun mounted atop the Mine Resistant ATV during a patrol at the forward operating Base, Finley Shields in the city of Jalalabad, situated in province of Nangarhar on Sunday. — AFP leagues of torturing and murdering people.

On March 30, the US military pulled out of one district in Wardak as part of a deal with Karzai although no dates have been announced for the transition of the rest of the province to Afghan government control.

Last Wednesday, Taliban gunmen killed 46 people at a court in the far-western town of Farah to try to free insurgents standing trial, another incident raising questions about the Afghans’ ability to secure the country.

Late Saturday a NATO air strike in the eastern province of Kunar, bordering on Pakistan, killed 11 children during a joint Afghan-NATO operation. The deaths put further pressure on strained

ties between Karzai and the US as the transition of security responsibilities to national forces gathers pace.

An Afghan official involved in the operation said air support was called in after local and coalition forces came under attack. The strike came after five Americans, including a young female diplomat, were killed in two Taleban attacks in the country’s east and south on Saturday. A suicide car bomber struck a NATO convoy in the southern province of Zabul, killing three US soldiers and two civilians, one of whom was the US diplomat.

They were travelling with Afghan officials to distribute books to students. — AFP

Filipino Catholics aim to show their power in vote MANILA: Filipino Catholic groups launched a campaign yesterday to try to muster millions of votes for senatorial candidates who opposed a controversial contraceptives law passed last year and prove the church remains a force to be reckoned with in Asia’s largest Catholic nation.

Catholic leader Mike Velarde said his El Shaddai group and dozens of other lay organizations are joining together to campaign in the May 13 midterm elections for pro-church candidates who could help battle possible legislation to legalize samesex marriage, divorce and abortion.

The groups could deliver up to 6 million votes in about 3,000 Catholic communities across the country, enough to ensure the electoral victory of pro-church candidates who are vying for 12 of 24 Senate seats in next month’s elections, according to Velarde. The new movement wants to prove that the influential Catholic church’s clout remains formidable, he said.

“The Catholic church is not dead,” Velarde told a news conference. “It is alive; it has power.” The Responsible Parenthood Law, which would provide state funding for contraceptives, was passed by lawmakers late last year despite the dominant Catholic church’s staunch opposition. The Supreme Court has delayed the law’s implementation until June to give proponents and petitioners who questioned its legality a chance to argue their cases before the high tribunal.

Catholic leaders consider the law an attack on the church’s core values and say it promotes promiscuity and fosters abortion. The government says the law would help the poor with family planning and provide for maternal health care.

The Philippines has a population of 94 million and one of Asia’s highest birth rates. Nearly half of all pregnancies in the Philippines are unwanted, according to the U.N. Population Fund, and a third of those end up

aborted in back-alley clinics.

The law has pitted the Catholic church against popular President Benigno Aquino III and his followers who backed the legislation. Its passage has fostered perceptions that the church’s moral and political authority has waned in the country over the decades.

Aquino signed the Responsible Parenthood and Reproductive Health Act of 2012 quietly and without customary handshakes and photographs last December to avoid controversy.

Meanwhile, Malaysian security forces yesterday stopped a boat carrying 32 armed Filipinos who were trying to join a two-month-old incursion into the east Malaysian state of Sabah, police said. Sabah police chief Hamza Taib said the group, armed with guns and machetes, was arrested about 12 nautical miles from the state’s east coast, less than an hour away by boat from the southern Philippines. The group’s wooden motor boat was towed to Sandakan on the east coast of Sabah on Borneo island but no details were given of where the 32 are being held. More than 200 armed Islamist followers of the self-styled “Sultan of Sulu” a newdefunct southern Philippine sultanate-landed in February to claim Sabah for their leader, reviving a centuries-old territorial row.

The incursion and a Malaysian counter-assault in early March left at least 68 militants dead along with 10 security personnel, according to authorities, and strained relations with Manila.

But authorities appear to have failed to catch most of the militants, leading to a prolonged security crisis which has forced Malaysia to relocate villages on the coast considered vulnerable to infiltration.

Philippine media earlier yesterday had cited Muslim rebels as saying that 1,000 gunmen were trying to break through a naval blockade to support the fight against Malaysian security forces. — Agencie

MANILA: El Shaddai leader Mike Velarde, center, and leaders of other lay organizations clasp their hands to show their campaign sign as they pose for photographers during the launching of the “White Vote movement” in suburban Paranaque, south of Manila, Philippines yesterday. Velarde and other Catholic groups are trying to muster million votes for senatorial candidates who oppose the contraceptives law Congress passed last year. — AP

Dr Bose inducted at UN-HABITAT NEW DELHI: Dr C V Ananda Bose, pioneer of India’s Building Centre Movement (promoting affordable housing in the country), has been inducted in the Governing Council of the UN-HABITAT, announced Dr Joan Clos, Under Secretary General; Executive Director of UN-Habitat in Nairobi.

Dr Bose is presently Chairman of the international housing network, ‘Habitat Alliance’, which has been selected by United Nations as ‘Global Best Practice’ in 2012.

Dr Bose’s initiative in cost effective and environment friendly (CEEF) housing, sustainable development, environmental conservation and efficient use of natural resources, have been classified by UN as the ‘A B Model’ in sustainable development and selected as Global Best Practice six times.

Dr Bose is recipient of the prestigious Jawaharlal Nehru fellowship.

Govt of India and HUDCO have conferred on him the National (Special) Habitat Award for outstanding contributions in housing.

Dr Bose is also recipient of the Bremen Partnership Award, Germany, Urban Green Management Excellence Award Singapore and 19 international and national awards.

NEWS

TUESDAY, APRIL 9, 2013

A bee collects pollen from a pussy willow on Sunday in Frankfurt. — AFP

Britain’s ‘Iron Lady’ Thatcher dies at 87 Continued from Page 1 the Iraqi occupation of Kuwait and her rejection of the occupation. The government also appreciated the faithful endeavors of Thatcher and her contributions that forced ejection of Iraqi forces from the country.

Britain announced plans for a ceremonial funeral with military honours, although it is a step short of the full state funeral of the kind accorded to monarchs and World War II premier Winston Churchill. “It was with great sadness that I learned of the death of Lady Thatcher. We have lost a great leader, a great prime minister and a great Briton,” Cameron said. “She didn’t just lead our country, she saved our country.”

Thatcher suffered from dementia in recent years - her illness becoming the subject of a biographical film starring Meryl Streep - and appeared rarely in public. She was last in hospital in December for a minor operation to remove a growth from her bladder. The former Conservative Party leader was the 20th century’s longest continuous occupant of Downing Street. Right-wingers hailed Thatcher as having hauled Britain out of the economic doldrums but the left accused her of dismantling traditional industry, claiming her reforms helped unpick the fabric of society.

Her health worsened in the years after she was forced out of office in 1990 and the former premier had to be repeatedly reminded that her husband Denis had died in 2003, her daughter Carol once revealed. Thatcher was told by doctors to quit public speaking a decade ago after a series of minor strokes. “It is with great sadness that Mark and Carol Thatcher announced that their mother Baroness Thatcher died peacefully following a stroke this morning,” her spokesman Lord Tim Bell said, referring to Thatcher’s children. Bell said she died while staying at the Ritz Hotel in London.

Britain’s 86-year-old queen, who shared weekly chats with Thatcher during her 11 years in power, was “sad to hear the news of the death of Baroness Thatcher”, Buckingham Palace said. Downing Street said that with the queen’s consent Thatcher would receive a “ceremonial funeral with military honours” at St Paul’s Cathedral in central London. A date has not yet been announced. A private cremation would follow later, it said, adding that the arrangements were at the request of Thatcher’s family. British newspapers reported that the former premier had herself requested that she did not receive a state funeral, knowing that it would prove divisive. Cameron was meanwhile flying back to London from Madrid where he had been in talks with Spanish premier

Mariano Rajoy on reforming the European Union, while a visit to Paris to meet President Francois Hollande had also been cancelled, Downing Street later said.

Reaction was mixed in Britain. “It’s a crying shame, she’s a good woman,” said law firm employee Alan Whiteford in London. But David Hopper, regional secretary of the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) in northeast England, said few tears would be shed in his industry, one of the hardest hit by Thatcher’s policies. He said: “I’m having a drink to it (her death) right now. It’s my 70th birthday today and it’s one of the best I’ve had in my life.”

On the world stage, Thatcher built a close “special relationship” with US president Ronald Reagan which helped bring the curtain down on Soviet Communism. She also fiercely opposed closer political ties with Europe. President Barack Obama said the United States had lost a “true friend” and the world “one of the great champions of freedom and liberty”. German Chancellor Angela Merkel, whose country was divided by the Iron Curtain, said Thatcher was an “extraordinary leader” while Hollande said she left a “profound mark” on Britain.

Gorbachev, whose good relations with Thatcher played a part in ending the Cold War, said she would live on in “memory and in history”. Poland’s former president and anti-communist icon Lech Walesa said she did a “great deal for the world”. European Commission head Jose Manuel Barroso meanwhile hailed her “contributions” to the growth of the EU, despite her famous reservations about continental European integration.

Thatcher was born Margaret Hilda Roberts on Oct 13, 1925 in the market town of Grantham, eastern England, the daughter of a grocer. After grammar school and a degree in chemistry at Oxford University, she married businessman Denis in 1951 and two years later had twins, Carol and Mark.

She was first elected to the House of Commons in 1959 and succeeded former prime minister Edward Heath as opposition Conservative leader in 1975 before becoming premier four years later.

Her enduring legacy can be summed up as “Thatcherism” - a set of policies which supporters say promoted personal freedom and broke down the class divisions that had riven Britain for centuries. Pushing her policies through pitched Thatcher’s government into a string of tough battles, while she also had to deal with unexpected setbacks. When Argentina invaded the remote British territory of the Falkland Islands in 1982, Thatcher dispatched troops and ships, securing victory in two months. In 1984 Thatcher survived an Irish Republican Army bombing. — Agencies

UAE telco Etisalat unblocks Skype site DUBAI: The United Arab Emirates’ top telecom operator Etisalat has stopped blocking the website of Skype, the world’s No.1 Internet-based phone call provider, although the move could put further pressure on the state-controlled firm’s revenue. Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) providers such as Skype allow for free internet-to-internet phone calls and messaging, while tariffs for internet-to-mobile or landline phone calls are dramatically cheaper than by conventional means.

Skype is owned by Microsoft Corp.

Etisalat, in an announcement made on its Facebook page, said it had unblocked access to Skype’s website yesterday. Such access had been denied for several years. Reuters was able to access Skype’s website with an Etisalat mobile phone. The statement did not say whether Skype-to-phone calls were also now possible and Etisalat did not reply to requests for more comment.

It initially announced it had unblocked access to Skype’s website last week via Twitter, then deleted the tweet.

“It is becoming less sustainable to maintain restrictions on VoIP because the way people use communications is rapidly changing,” said Matthew Reed, a principal analyst at Informa in Dubai. “So there is an argument that it’s better for operators to find a way to work with over-the-top internet players such as Skype, rather than forlornly trying to fight market trends.” Yet allowing these services will mean operators lose a big chunk of

their international call revenues, Reed added.

These are an important source of income in a country where the vast majority of the population are expatriates and instant messaging services such as Whatsapp and BlackBerry Messenger have also eaten into international text revenue. Skype from the UAE to the United States costs $0.019 per minute while Etisalat costs $0.58 per minute peak and $0.37 per minute off-peak, making Skype’s rate about 1/19th of Etisalat.

Etisalat, which operates in 15 countries, derived 69 percent of its 2012 earnings from its home market. It does not break down revenue numbers into segments such as local and international calls. The firm made a net profit of $1.84 billion last year, down 24 percent from a 2009 peak. The former monopoly and rival operator du are both majority-owned by UAE government institutions and the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA) has been keen to protect the companies from competition from VoIP services.

The TRA had said that only Etisalat and du were licensed to provide VoIP services and the two companies did little to develop services of their own. Yet using Skype was already possible in the UAE, with residents downloading the software via virtual private networks, app stores or while abroad. Once installed, it could be used inside the UAE, although Skype-to-phone calls were usually blocked. — Reuters

Govt condemns mosque attack Continued from Page 1 Meanwhile, Minister of Information and Minister of State for Youth Affairs Sheikh Salman Sabah Al-Sabah announced that the Cabinet approved a draft law on media regulation. Sheikh Salman told KUNA that the Cabinet has also referred the bill to the National

Assembly for deliberations and voting. “The bill will regulate work of all press and media outlets and it aims to strengthen press and media freedoms,” the minister said. He pointed out that the quick approval of the bill showed the government’s eagerness to strengthen local media as well as the fruitful cooperation between the government and the parliament.

“The bill will replace all prison sentences’ penalties against violators with fines except for those accused of offending Allah the Almighty,” Sheikh Salman said. The draft media law will organize licenses granted to launch media businesses in a way that would guarantee freedom of speech in line with the constitution, Sheikh Mohammad added. — KUNA

Barrak’s lawyers walk out of court Continued from Page 1

A man walks past a mural in New York yesterday. Seasonal temperature soared above 21 degrees Celcius for the first time since spring started. — AFP

judge had demanded. The team demanded that the court hear the testimony of Prime Minister Sheikh Jaber AlMubarak Al-Sabah, former opposition MPs Khaled AlSultan and Jamaan Al-Harbash and leading opposition activist Ahmad Al-Dayeen. The team insisted that their testimonies is of vital importance to the case to show that the prime minister had opposed the single vote law.

When judge Wael Al-Atiqi refused their demands and asked them to start their final arguments, the lawyers walked out after they objected to the rejection, saying the step was against the law. Barrak, who stayed in the court, asked the judge to postpone the session until he appoints a new lawyer but the judge refused and set April 15 as a date to issue the verdict in the case for which Barrak faces five years in jail.

Barrak has been under trial since October last year on charges that he insulted HH the Amir and undermined his authorities in remarks he made at a public rally on Oct 15.

Both the charges are considered felonies under Kuwait’s penal code. Barrak insisted in a statement that the court actions are in breach of Kuwaiti law. One of defense lawyers, Abdulrahman Al-Barrak, said he will file a request today that the court allow lawyers to make their final arguments. Three former MPs were sentenced to three years in jail in February on similar charges but the implementation

of the sentence has been suspended until the court of appeals rules on the case.

In a related development, the appeals court set April 29 to issue its verdict on opposition tweeter Sager Al-Hashash who was last month sentenced to two years in jail by the lower court on charges of insulting the Amir. The court also ordered that Hashash be taken to prison immediately until the verdict is issued. Hashash has been free since the sentence was issued about a month ago.

Lawmakers and former opposition MPs yesterday blasted the interior ministry for the robbery of around 35,000 bullets of different sizes from the ministry’s stores, with some MPs demanding the minister to quit. MP Hammad Al-Dossari said that it was time for Interior Minister Sheikh Ahmad Al-Hmoud Al-Sabah to step down after the theft scandal. MP Abdullah Al-Tameemi called for forming a probe committee immediately after contradictory reports about the number of bullets stolen, saying that some reports said the number was as high as 100,000 bullets. MP Hisham Al-Baghli said the robbery is a very serious indication of the state of lawlessness which threatens stability in the country.

Former MP Osama Al-Munawer said that if the interior ministry cannot protect its own stores, “how is it going to protect us?” Former MP Abdullah Al-Turaiji said the new robbery comes after guns were stolen from the special forces several months ago.

14

TUESDAY, APRIL 9, 2013

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Issues

N Korea crisis could spur action on Iran

By Sim Sim Wissgott ith North Korea issuing apocalyptic threats of nuclear war in recent weeks, Western powers have been reminded of what could happen if they fail to find a solution to Iran’s disputed nuclear program, experts say. World powers “are now even more anxious not to have with Iran a situation like the one we have with North Korea,” Oliver Thraenert, head of the Centre for Security Studies at ETH Zurich, told AFP. On Friday, Iran and the socalled P5+1 - the five permanent members of the UN Security Council (the United States, Britain, France, China and Russia) plus Germany - met in Almaty for fresh nuclear talks in the hope of a breakthrough.

“The P5+1 will be even more mindful of the need to resolve the Iranian nuclear crisis before it gets to the stage of North Korea and possessing a nuclear weapon, which would make the situation in Iran ever so much more complicated and dangerous,” said Mark Fitzpatrick of the London-based International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS).

Whereas Pyongyang has already proven its nuclear might with three nuclear tests - including one as recently as February - the debate over Iran still revolves around whether it is developing an atomic bomb under the cover of its civilian nuclear program. Western powers have been pressing Tehran however to cut uranium enrichment and close a nuclear facility at Fordo to alleviate fears it is seeking the bomb. North Korea’s current brinkmanship - even threatening a nuclear strike on the US may not be “directly affecting” the Almaty talks, but “it certainly is in the minds of many of the participants,” Fitzpatrick told AFP. Tehran denies it is seeking the bomb, insisting its nuclear program is purely for civilian purposes. But its continued efforts to enrich uranium to levels that can produce material for a bomb have seen it slapped by a series of UN and international sanctions that have hit the country hard. Now the North Korean crisis could inspire Western powers, especially the United States, to try to restrain Iran with fresh sanctions, according to Fitzpatrick.

Israel, Iran’s arch enemy and the sole, though undeclared, nuclear power in the Middle East, could also take action. In the past, it has repeatedly threatened military strikes against Iranian nuclear facilities.

“The North Korea situation will surely confirm the view in Israel that Iran cannot be allowed to produce nuclear weapons. And that whatever it takes should be undertaken to prevent that,” Fitzpatrick said.

Even as Western powers seek to contain Iran, the lack of positive results from North Korea’s brazen drive for atomic power could encourage Tehran to slow or even scrap its own efforts. Pyongyang has suffered under UN sanctions, the regime is isolated diplomatically and its economy is in shambles, noted Oliver Meier of the German Institute for International and Security Affairs. “North Korea’s behaviour was not without consequences,” he told AFP. “The current crisis in North Korea might still show Iran that possessing nuclear weapons can lead to isolation.”

On the other hand, the escalation between Pyongyang and Washington might teach Tehran a thing or two about how far it can go in defying the West, Thraenert argued. “Iran has closely observed the situation in and around North Korea for years.

Now of course Tehran will watch how much pressure is exerted on North Korea,” he said. In the end, significant differences remain between Iran’s nuclear drive and that of North Korea, from Pyongyang’s one-man rule to its withdrawal from the non-proliferation regime.

Tehran, on the other hand, is still a party to the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and subject to inspections by the UN’s nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency. “That’s why it’s so important that the international community send a clear signal to Iran that (possessing nuclear weapons) would be very costly,” said Meier. “The path to the atomic bomb is not a decision that will enhance Iran’s role in the world.” — AFP

W

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

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

No cheaper food even as grain prices drop

By Veronica Brown and Tom Polansek onsumers can’t yet bank on a year of cheaper food, despite predictions for bulging grain crops in the United States and other major global producers that have dragged futures prices back from last year’s record highs. The forecasts, analysts say, are just that - with seeds not yet in the ground for the all-important US corn crop that is used to feed cows and produce cereal products and other foods. The next few months will be crucial in determining prices, as weather conditions will ultimately determine the size of the harvest. “There’s not enough assurance here yet of lower grain prices in the long run to start marking down those food items,” said Steve Meyer, president of Paragon Economics.

After a bruising 2012, which featured a historic US drought, dryness in Eastern Europe and the third spike in global food prices in four years, farmers have dusted themselves off to start a new growing season. Grain prices, which touched record highs late last summer, have been under pressure recently as some livestock producers have cut herd sizes due to high feed costs. Meanwhile, the acreage dedicated to key crops has increased and reserves look fatter than previously thought.

The US Department of Agriculture (USDA), in a report issued on March 28, forecast that US growers will harvest a record 14.6 billion

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bushels of corn and a record 3.4 billion bushels of soybeans - bumper crops that would help replenish razor-tight supplies. The USDA also said corn inventories as of March 1 were 8 percent higher than traders expected, sparking the biggest weekly loss in corn prices in 21 months last week at the Chicago Board of Trade. Prices are down 25 percent since reaching a record high in August.

Investors have been turning their backs on commodity index funds, which take long positions in a range of commodities including grains, due to higher returns offered by equity markets. The Thomson Reuters/Jefferies CRB index, which tracks a range of commodities, has fallen around 8 percent in the last six months while the Dow Jones Industrial Average index has risen about 10 percent over the same period. USDA’s planting intentions survey fulfilled expectations flagged by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), whose food price index has stabilised from historically high levels.

Still, the markets may have run ahead of themselves, FAO chief economist Abdolreza Abbassian said. “There has been a price correction, but that probably tended to give too much credit to optimism over very favourable growing conditions in the coming months,” Abbassian told Reuters. “Right now we’re in a situation of a generally good and favourable outlook for 13/14 for nearly all the crops, but it all depends on the next few months’ grow-

ing conditions and nobody today can predict what those will be,” he added. “We’re not out of the woods yet.”

A steep decline in nearby grain futures, compared to deferred contract months that represent the crops that will be harvested in the autumn, reflects USDA’s larger-thanexpected stocks estimate and lingering uncertainty over the size of the upcoming US harvests. Front-month July corn has tumbled almost 14 percent since the USDA issued its report, compared to a roughly 6 percent drop for December corn.

Wariness on the final outcome for crops cannot be ignored, given the drama of recent years and resulting food emergencies. Early predictions for a record-breaking 2012 US corn crop proved wrong after the worst drought in more than half a century drove yields to a 17-year low, while the Black Sea breadbasket saw poor weather slash its collective wheat crop by more than one-third. A resulting surge in food prices last year revived memories of the 2007/08 food crisis, which the UN estimated added 75 million to the number of chronically hungry people in the world. If the United States produces a large corn crop in 2013, sending grain prices lower, it will take two years before cheaper feed prices impact beef prices, Meyer said. The lag is the time needed to produce a new cow for slaughter. Chicken prices could weaken in late 2013 and pork prices could drop in 2014

due to shorter turnaround times, he said.

“Until we see that this crop has been made, I don’t think you’re going to see a response from the protein sectors,” Meyer said.

Goods like bread and breakfast cereal won’t cheapen much either, said Bill Tierney, chief economist for AgResource Co and a former principal grains economist for USDA. The cost of corn and wheat is “inconsequential” in many bakery products, overshadowed by packaging, transportation and marketing costs, he said. “The cost of a plastic wrapper is more than the cost of wheat that goes into a loaf of bread,” he said. US shoppers paid about 2 percent more for a basket of food at grocery stores in the first quarter of 2013 than they did in the last quarter of 2012, according to a study issued last week by the American Farm Bureau Federation. Food prices will likely rise by 3 percent to 4 percent during 2013 because of tight meat supplies, slightly exceeding the average rate of inflation over the past decade, said John Anderson, the Farm Bureau’s deputy chief economist. A drop of $1 in the corn market “is probably not even going to be a blip at the retail level”, he said.

“Right now we’re focused on planting, and we’re having a late spring,” Anderson said, referring to concerns about cold weather slowing the start of US planting. “There are million things that can happen between now and when we know what the size of this crop will be.” — Reuters

Maduro faces tricky post-Chavez panorama

By Brian Ellsworth cting President Nicolas Maduro may struggle to advance the late Hugo Chavez’s socialist policies if he wins Venezuela’s election on Sunday, lacking both his predecessor’s iron grip on a disparate ruling coalition and the robust state finances that cemented his rule. Maduro holds a wide lead in opinion polls over opposition candidate Henrique Capriles for the election triggered by Chavez’s death last month after a two-year battle with cancer. Late last year, Chavez named Maduro as his chosen successor in case he did not survive his fourth surgery for the disease. That was his last public speech and Chavez died on March 5.

If the 50-year-old Maduro wins the election, he will inherit government finances strained by heavy spending during Chavez’s 2012 re-election campaign, the highest inflation in the Americas, and nagging shortages of basic consumer goods. Widely liked among Chavez supporters but lacking his mentor’s charisma, the former bus driver and union organizer may also have trouble controlling “Chavismo”, a movement ranging from military officers and oil executives to slum community organizers and ideologues.

Top allies have recognized the importance the politically wily former soldier Chavez had in keeping them all in line. “Chavez was a barrier to a lot of the crazy ideas that occurred to us,” said Diosdado Cabello, a powerful party leader seen by many Venezuelans as a potential rival to Maduro. “He imposed his leadership, his prudence and his conscience, and in many cases ensured we did not carry on.”

Maduro scoffs at suggestions of divisions in the coalition. As president, he would have the backing of those who over a decade benefited from Chavez’s ambitious oil-funded social programs that put free clinics in slums, provided subsidized groceries and built hundreds of thousands of new homes.

Jose Albornoz, who worked alongside Maduro for years as a lawmaker before joining the opposition, said his experience as a union negotiator would stand him in good stead to forge consensus among different factions. But he noted that Cabello has considerably greater sway than Maduro in important areas such as the military, the legislature and

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state governorships, and predicted that Maduro could come under pressure from inside the coalition. “With the death of President Chavez, the struggle for leadership is starting to heat up,” said Albornoz, who is now one of the leaders of a small opposition party.

Maduro served as Chavez’s foreign minister for six years and, as he now campaigns for president, he is trying to elevate his former boss’s image to that of a saint. He is also portraying himself as Chavez’s political “son”, pulling at the heartstrings of millions of rankand-file followers who might otherwise doubt his leadership. Despite maintaining his late boss’s shrill rhetoric - including calling foes heirs of Hitler - Maduro is unlikely to maintain Chavez’s torrid pace of nationalizations, his regular confrontations with private enterprise, or the diplomatic run-ins with the United States and its allies.

Maduro may be more inclined to hold discussions with the opposition or business leaders who have been at odds with the government for years. Last year, he held informal

talks with the US State Department after years of bilateral tensions, although that back channel was cut last month when his government took offense at US criticism of democratic standards in Venezuela. A more diplomatic approach may lead to restlessness among ideological stalwarts, including armed groups in the slums who vow to carry on Chavez’s legacy and see confrontation as the cornerstone of his “21st century socialism”.

“Maduro has to stay true to Chavez’s spirit, or we are lost,” said lawyer and government supporter Jean-Carlos Mendoza, 32, pondering the future during a recent visit to Chavez’s coffin.

The challenging economic environment will likely require a reorganization of state spending and potentially an overhaul of the strict currency control system, but Maduro has offered few clues about what - if anything - he might change if he is elected. Venezuela’s oil industry still provides an enviable source of revenue, but heavy borrowing to finance home construction, pensions for the elderly and stipends for poor mothers has left the

Venezuelan acting president and presidential candidate Nicolas Maduro delivers a speech as he holds a booklet with the portrait of late Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez during a campaign rally in San Juan de los Morros, Guarico state, Venezuela on Sunday. — AFP

government without the abundance of 2012.

With a rising amount of oil revenue being soaked up by repayment of Chinese loans and generous assistance to allied nations including Cuba, Maduro may have less revenue available for the social programs, or “missions”, that underpinned Chavez’s popularity. Currency controls have reduced the amount of dollars available to local businesses, limiting capacity to import basic goods such as wheat while preventing industry from buying machinery and replacement parts.

State-run companies such as steel and aluminum producers are operating far below capacity amid chronic labor problems.

A key bellwether for the future of the OPEC nation will be whether Maduro, assuming he wins the election, maintains Finance Minister Jorge Giordani, the architect of Chavez’s steady expansion of state control into the private economy. A more moderate finance ministry could loosen price and currency controls that local private businesses blame for shortages of products ranging from flour to medicines. Those shortages, which the government blames on capitalist “speculators,” have upset many Venezuelans including rank-and-file ‘Chavistas’.

Cesar Aristimuno, an economist, said Venezuela had such abundant oil revenue in recent years that it was able to replace locally produced goods with imports, but that dollars are now scarce and the private sector considerably weakened. “It’s impossible for an economy to expand when local productive capacity is being weakened,” said Aristimuno.

“There reaches a point when you have to pay for past errors.”

Venezuela’s economy is, though, forecast to grow at a healthy 6 percent in 2013, according to the government, or a couple of points lower according to most private estimates. It grew an estimated 5.5 pct in 2012.

While public impatience with grinding daily problems such as violent crime, power cuts and shoddy infrastructure tended not to hurt Chavez’s popularity, due to his near-religious status among supporters, Maduro may not be so immune. He is vowing to prioritize reducing crime, voters’ No. 1 worry, but will also need to show progress on a host of unfinished infrastructure projects and other promises. — Reuters

TUESDAY, APRIL 9, 2013

S P ORT S No evidence of racist abuse LONDON: The Football Association yesterday confirmed they have been unable to find evidence that England fans chanted racist abuse about Rio and Anton Ferdinand during the recent World Cup qualifier against San Marino. Anti-racism group FARE had reported England to FIFA over the alleged singing of an abusive song directed at the Ferdinand brothers during England’s 8-0 win in Serravalle last month. But FA director of communications Adrian Bevington told Sky Sports News: “We have been asked to make a submission to FIFA and have been through all the evidence recorded by our security team.

“We haven’t been able to find or identify any individuals chanting but I want to make clear I am not disputing or refuting that the individuals who reported this heard it.”

The allegations centred on a chant by a section of the England crowd that suggested the Ferdinand brothers should be burned on a bonfire. It has been suggested the song had racist overtones because QPR defender Anton Ferdinand was the target of racist abuse from Chelsea’s former England captain John Terry last season. Manchester United star Rio Ferdinand, called up after a two-year absence from the England squad, also angered fans by claiming he was unavailable to play in the San Marino qualifier due to his intricate fitness regime. —AFP

Longest Volvo Ocean Race

Yamanaka retains WBC title

ALICANTE: The next edition of the Volvo Ocean Race in 2014-15 will be the longest ever, after organisers announced yesterdayy a route taking in 10 cities in nine countries and lasting almost nine months. The 12th edition of the round-the-world yacht race will begin in Alicante, Spain on Oct. 4, 2014 and visit Recife (Brazil), Abu Dhabi (UAE), Sanya (China), Auckland (New Zealand, Itajai (Brazil), Newport, Rhode Island (United States), Lisbon (Portugal), Lorient (France) and Gothenburg (Sweden), finishing on June 27, 2015.

The full race distance will be 39,895 nautical miles (45,910 miles or 73,885 km). The previous longest edition, won by French skipper Franck Cammas in 2012, was 39,270 nautical miles.

“This new route means two visits to Brazil just when it is the world capital of sport,” Race CEO Knut Frostad told Reuters. “To be going there right between the soccer World Cup in 2014 and the Olympics in Rio in 2016 is very exciting.” —Reuters

TOKYO: Japan’s Shinsuke Yamanaka defeated Malcolm Tunacao of the Philippines by technical knockout to defend his World Boxing Council (WBC) bantamweight title yesterday. Yamanaka, 30, floored the challenger twice in the third round with a straight left. And it was the same straight left shot that knocked a bloodied Tunacao to the canvas one minute and 57 seconds into the 12th, for the referee to top the fight. “I was ready to knock him out, but my opponent was also fighting pretty well.

I went for it in the end. I got married and I have a child now, that made me stronger,” said Yamanaka. “A title unification match is always one of my targets, so I welcome any title matches against champions of the WBA, IBF or WBO. I’m not sure it was a nice fight today, but I’m determined to show an exciting fight next.” It was his third defence of the title he won in November 2011, improving his unbeaten record to 18 wins, including 13 KOs, and two draws.

Tunacao, the top-ranked challenger in the WBC, saw his record reduced to 32 wins, including 20 KOs, against three defeats and three draws. Meanwhile, challenger Akira Yaegashi won a close-range battle to outpoint fellow Japanese Toshiyuki Igarashi in a World Boxing Council (WBC) flyweight title bout yesterday. Three judges scored it 115-110, 116-109 and 117-108 in favor of the challenger.

“It’s like a dream. A small boxer like me was able to fight in a big class. —AFP

Giants fall to Cardinals SAN FRANCISCO: Matt Cain became the first Giants pitcher to allow nine runs in an inning since 1902 when Matt Carpenter and the St. Louis Cardinals tagged him Sunday in a 14-3 romp over San Francisco.

The Cardinals chased Cain (0-1) while scoring nine times in the fourth inning. The last two runs came home on Carlos Beltran’s single off reliever Jose Mijares.

According to research by the Elias Sports Bureau provided by the team, Cain was the first Giants pitcher to give up so many runs in a single inning since John Cronin on Sept. 27, 1902, in the second game of New York’s doubleheader against Brooklyn.

Adam Wainwright (1-1) pitched seven innings, giving up two runs on seven hits for his first win since signing a rich new contract at the end of spring training.

TORONTO: Boston Red Sox’s Will Middlebrooks watches the flight of the ball as he hits a home run off Toronto Blue Jays’ RA Dickey during fifth inning AL baseball action. —AP

Red Sox rout Blue Jays TORONTO: Will Middlebrooks hit three home runs, two off NL Cy Young Award winner RA Dickey, and the Boston Red Sox routed the Toronto Blue Jays 13-0 Sunday.

Middlebrooks went 4 for 5 with four RBIs. He hit a two-run shot to right in the first inning and a solo drive into the second deck in left in the fifth off Dickey. He connected again off Dave Bush with a leadoff longball to left in the seventh, the first three homer game of his career.

Mike Napoli added a two-run shot, and Jacoby Ellsbury and Daniel Nava also went deep as the Red Sox connected for six homers.

Dickey (0-2) allowed eight runs - seven earned - and 10 hits in 4 2-3 innings. Red Sox left-hander Jon Lester (2-0) allowed five hits, all singles, in seven shutout innings.

YANKEES 7, TIGERS 0 In Detroit, CC Sabathia pitched seven scoreless innings and Jayson Nix homered off Justin Verlander in the three-run second, lifting New York.

The Yankees (2-4) avoided a sweep and dropping to their worst six-game record since starting the 1989 season 1-7. Sabathia (1-1) gave up four hits and three walks while striking out four in 114 pitches, bouncing back from a dreadful openingday start. Verlander (1-1) allowed three runs on seven hits and three walks.

RANGERS 7, ANGELS 3 In Arlington, Texas clinched its threegame home-opening series even with Yu Darvish being far from perfect. Lance Berkman, David Murphy and Ian Kinsler homered for Texas in a victory over Josh Hamilton and the AL West rival Los Angeles.

Darvish (2-0) came within one out of a perfect game in his first start five days earlier at Houston, but trailed the Angels 2-0 only five batters into his 2013 debut.

After Darvish walked leadoff hitter Mike Trout, hit Erick Aybar on the foot and then walked Albert Pujols, a run scored on Hamilton’s double-play grounder. Mark Trumbo’s RBI single quickly made it 2-0.

Berkman’s first homer with the Rangers was a two-run shot in the bottom of the first off Jered Weaver (0-1), who won 20 games last season. Murphy added a solo shot two batters later to put the Rangers ahead to stay.

TWINS 4, ORIOLES 3 In Baltimore, Aaron Hicks ended a 0-for13 skid with a tiebreaking RBI single in a two-run seventh inning, rallying the Twins past the Orioles.

J.J. Hardy homered for the Orioles, who dropped the final two games of the weekend set. It was their first series loss to the Twins since July 2010.

Trailing 3-2, the Twins started their comeback when Jason Hammel (1-1) plunked Trevor Plouffe on the left elbow leading off the seventh. Anthony Swarzak (1-0), activated from the disabled list before the game after missing time with broken ribs, pitched 1 1-3 innings of scoreless relief.

Glen Perkins pitched the ninth for his second save.

INDIANS 13, RAYS 0 In St. Petersburg, Mark Reynolds and Lonnie Chisenhall hit three-run homers off AL Cy Young Award winner David Price, Justin Masterson pitched seven strong inning and the Indians hammered the Rays.

Reynolds homered twice. Carlos Santana had a career-high five hits, including a home run off Fernando Rodney and a pair of doubles. Michael Bourn also homered for the Indians.

Price (0-1) gave up eight runs, 10 hits and three walks in five innings. He had been 5-0 with a 1.64 ERA in six career starts against Cleveland.

Masterson (2-0) allowed two hits against a team that’s often tagged him. He was 1-7 with a 7.74 ERA in his previous 13 games against Tampa Bay. ATHLETICS 9, ASTROS 3 In Houston, Brett Anderson struck out 10 more Houston batters and the Athletics backed him with three home runs for win and a three-game sweep of the Astros.

Coco Crisp homered for the third straight day, Jed Lowrie again connected against his former team and Chris Young homered in his hometown. The A’s sent Houston to its fifth straight loss.

Anderson (1-1) and the A’s bullpen combined for 14 strikeouts. The Astros’ 74 strikeouts through the first six games are the most in major league history since 1921, STATS said. Lucas Harrell (0-2) yielded seven hits and eight runs in 4 1-3 innings.

WHITE SOX 4, MARINERS 3 In Chicago, Dayan Viciedo hit a solo home run with one out in the 10th inning Sunday, lifting the Chicago White Sox over the Mariners 4-3.

Viciedo hit the first game-ending homer of his career, connecting against Kameron Loe (1-1). Alex Rios homered in his careerbest third straight game and Adam Dunn also homered for Chicago. Addison Reed (10) pitched a scoreless 10th. —AP

BRAVES 5, CUBS 1 In Atlanta, Tim Hudson pitched six-plus strong innings and added an RBI and Ramiro Pena hit a two-run single to help the Braves beat the Cubs.

The three-game sweep ended a 5-1 homestand for Atlanta, which got a solo homer from Dan Uggla in the eighth off Hisanori Takahashi.

Hudson (1-0) allowed three hits, one run and two walks in 6 2-3 innings. He struck out seven while improving to 3-1 in seven career starts against the Cubs with a 3.12 ERA. Jeff Samardzija (1-1) set a career high with 13 strikeouts, but gave up four hits, four runs and four walks in 5 2-3 innings.

METS 4, MARLINS 3 In New York, Marlon Byrd grounded a two-run single just inside third base in the bottom of the ninth inning to give the Mets a victory over the Marlins.

Daniel Murphy homered and Anthony Recker had a run-scoring double for the Mets, who spoiled an impressive major league debut by prized Miami pitching prospect Jose Fernandez.

Justin Ruggiano, Chris Valaika and Donovan Solano (three hits) each had an RBI double off substitute starter Aaron Laffey to give the Marlins an early 3-0 cushion. But closer Steve Cishek (0-1) was unable to hold a one-run lead in the ninth, and Miami dropped to 1-5 heading into its home opener Monday night against Atlanta.

The 20-year-old Fernandez, who had never been above Class A, gave up one run and three hits in five innings. He walked one and struck out eight, a record for a Marlins pitcher in his major league debut. Scott Rice (1-0) worked a scoreless ninth for his first big league win after 14 seasons in the minors.

DIAMONDBACKS 8, BREWERS 7 In Milwaukee, pinch-hitter Eric Hinske belted a long two-run homer in the 11th inning and the Diamondbacks beat the Brewers to complete a three-game series sweep.

With Cliff Pennington aboard following a leadoff double, Hinske drove a 1-2 pitch from John Axford (0-1) onto the concourse beyond the wall in center field. Hinske raised his right arm as he rounded second with his eighth career pinch-hit homer.

Tony Sipp (1-0) struck out two in a perfect 10th inning and Heath Bell held on for his first save after JJ Putz blew an opportunity in the ninth.

REDS 6, NATIONALS 3 In Cincinnati, Johnny Cueto outlasted Stephen Strasburg in a highly anticipated matchup of young aces and Jay Bruce drove in three runs and Cincinnati wrapped up an impressive opening week homestand with a win over Washington.

Cueto needed 108 pitches to get through six innings, allowing seven hits and three runs. He walked three and struck out six. Aroldis Chapman allowed one hit and had two strikeouts in the ninth for his second save.

Strasburg (1-1) allowed nine hits and six runs with four walks and five strikeouts in 5 1-3 innings.

He threw 114 pitches, 73 for strikes.

Bruce, Shin-Soo Choo, Xavier Paul and Brandon Phillips each had two hits to back Cueto (1-0) and help the Reds win the rubber match of their threegame series with Washington.

ROCKIES 9, PADRES 1 In Denver, Dexter Fowler hit an early two-run

SAN FRANCISCO: Giants center fielder Angel Pagan misses on a sliding catch attempt on a pop fly by St. Louis Cardinals’ Matt Carpenter during the eighth inning of a baseball game. — AP

MLB results/standings NY Yankees 7, Detroit 0; Boston 13, Toronto 0; Cincinnati 6, Washington 3; NY Mets 4, Miami 3; Minnesota 4, Baltimore 3; Atlanta 5, Chicago Cubs 1; Kansas City 9, Philadelphia 8; Cleveland 13, Tampa Bay 0; Chicago White Sox 4, Seattle 3 (10 innings); Arizona 8, Milwaukee 7 (11 innings); Oakland 9, Houston 3; St. Louis 14, San Francisco 3; LA Dodgers 6, Pittsburgh 2; Colorado 9, San Diego 1; Texas 7, LA Angels 3.

National League American League Eastern Division Eastern Division W L PCT GB Atlanta 5 1 .833 Boston 4 2 .667 NY Mets 4 2 .667 1 Baltimore 3 3 .500 1 Washington 4 2 .667 1 Tampa Bay 3 3 .500 1 Philadelphia 2 4 .333 3 NY Yankees 2 4 .333 2 Miami 1 5 .167 4 Toronto 2 4 .333 2 Central Division Central Division Cincinnati 4 2 .667 Chicago White Sox 4 2 .667 3 3 .500 1 St. Louis Minnesota 4 2 .667 Chicago Cubs 2 4 .333 2 Cleveland 3 3 .500 1 Milwaukee 1 5 .167 3 Detroit 3 3 .500 1 Pittsburgh 1 5 .167 3 Kansas City 3 3 .500 1 Western Division Western Division Arizona 5 1 .833 Oakland 5 2 .714 5 1 .833 Colorado Texas 4 2 .667 0.5 LA Dodgers 4 2 .667 1 Seattle 3 4 .429 2 San Francisco 3 3 .500 2 LA Angels 2 4 .333 2.5 San Diego 1 5 .167 4 Houston 1 5 .167 3.5 homer and Jhoulys Chacin pitched effectively into the seventh inning, helping the Rockies to their first sweep of the Padres at Coors Field in 10 years.

Wilin Rosario broke open a tight game with a three-run homer in the seventh as the Rockies improved to 5-1, their best start since 1995 when the Blake Street Bombers began 7-1.

Chacin (1-0) turned in another efficient performance as he allowed one run before being pulled with two outs in the seventh.

Edinson Volquez (0-2) settled down after a shaky first inning in which he allowed three runs, including Fowler’s fourth homer of the season. Volquez lasted six innings, giving up four runs and nine hits.

DODGERS 6, PIRATES 2 In Los Angeles, Hyun-Jin Ryu earned his first major league victory, shrugging off a two-run homer in the first inning by Andrew McCutchen and pitching the Dodgers past the Pirates for a three-game sweep.

Adrian Gonzalez drove in four runs with three hits and Justin Sellers homered for the Dodgers. Ryu (11) allowed two runs and three hits in 6 1-3 innings,

striking out six and walking two. Jeff Locke (0-1) lost in his season debut, giving up four runs and eight hits over six innings.

INTERLEAGUE ROYALS 9, PHILLIES 8 In Philadelphia, Billy Butler hit a grand slam that needed video review for confirmation and tied a Royals franchise record with seven RBIs, and Kansas City held on for a win over the Phillies.

Butler’s fifth-inning homer, the first slam of his career and the first ever allowed by Philadelphia lefthander Cole Hamels, put Kansas City ahead 6-4.

James Shields (1-1), acquired in an offseason trade with Tampa Bay, earned his first victory as a Royal. The right-hander gave up hits to five of the first six batters in a four-run first inning, but settled down to blank the Phillies for the next five innings on five hits while striking out eight and walking none. Butler came through with the bases loaded again in the sixth, hitting a two-run single off Chad Durbin. — Reuters

Hunter-Reay holds off Dixon to win at Barber BIRMINGHAM: Andretti Autosport remained perfect on the year Sunday when defending IndyCar Series champion Ryan Hunter-Reay snapped Penske Racing’s winning streak at Barber Motorsports Park. The win came at one of HunterReay’s worst tracks, which just so happened to be where his Penske rivals dominated.

Headed into the weekend, Helio Castroneves and Will Power had won every pole and all three races since IndyCar’s 2010 debut on the picturesque permanent road course.

But Hunter-Reay proved to be a credible threat for the victory when he beat both Power and Castroneves for the pole, raced both hard for the lead during a middle portion of the race, then held off Scott Dixon to give Andretti and Chevrolet wins in the season’s first two races.

“Several times in the offseason, I said our biggest weaknesses were the permanent road courses like Barber and Sonoma, and the big super speedways like Texas and Fontana,” Hunter-Reay said. “The guys gave me a great car. I had more

pressure than anything bringing a car home that I knew was capable of winning. That was the biggest pressure.”

In delivering at a track where his previous best finish was 12th, Hunter-Reay showed last year’s championship was no fluke. And he proved he can bounce back after a disappointing race: Mechanical problems in the season-opener at St. Pete caused him to finish 18th in a race teammate James Hinchcliffe won.

It was Hunter-Reay’s 10th career victory, and he put the No. 1 car into Victory Lane at an IndyCar race for the first time since Sebastien Bourdais won at Mexico City in 2007. He also moved up 15 spots in the standings to third.

“It really shows that we’re a threat every weekend - that’s what we need to be to win championships, is be a threat every weekend,” HunterReay said.

Hunter-Reay had to hold off Scott Dixon at the end, and Dixon settled for second for the fourth consecutive year at Barber.

“I’m going to go buy a bridesmaid’s dress tonight and party pretty hard,” joked Dixon, who had to charge through the field at St. Pete to finish fifth. “It’s still good points. It’s good at the minute, but you know, it would really be nice to win at this place sometime.” Castroneves was third and thrilled to take over the IndyCar points lead.

“You have to enjoy the moment, but work for it,” he said. “Those points are very valuable if you are thinking about the long-term. Last year the championship was lost by, what, (four) points? So you got to take as it comes. We’ve got to keep putting ourselves in those opportunities and the win is going to come. With that, I’m going to add more points.” Charlie Kimball, Dixon’s teammate at Chip Ganassi Racing, was a career-best fourth as Honda split the top four with Chevrolet one race after Chevy swept the podium.

“I think Chip said it best when he said it’s my third season, it’s time to start winning,” said Kimball, who with three laps led Sunday is the only Ganassi driver to lead laps this season. —AP

BIRMINGHAM: Helio Castoneves (3), of Brazil, and Ryan Hunter-Reay (1) battle for position in Turn 5 during the IndyCar Series Grand Prix of Alabama auto race. — AP

TUESDAY, APRIL 9, 2013

S P ORT S

Louisville, Michigan look to create lasting bond ATLANTA: Rick Pitino knows how lasting one more win would be. It would give everyone a reason to stay connected. It would create a lifetime bond.

To drive that point home, the Louisville coach showed his team the documentary on North Carolina State’s improbable title in 1983, the one that left coach Jim Valvano running around the court looking desperately for someone to hug, the one that his players still get together to reminisce about - on and off camera.

“We weren’t Cinderellas like N.C. State,” Pitino said.

“But I wanted them to understand that because (the Wolfpack) won a championship, for the rest of their lives they will sit around that table. Every year, they will get together - for the rest of their lives.”

Michigan coach John Beilein is surely trying to instill a similar urgency in his young team, which faces the No. 1 seeded Cardinals in the national championship game Monday night.

“It’s really an eerie feeling,” Beilein said. “This is it.

There’s two teams playing, and it’s us and Louisville.”

The Cardinals (34-5) have lived up to their billing as the tournament’s top overall seed, blowing through their first four opponents before rallying from a dozen points down in the second half to beat surprising Wichita State 72-68 in the national semifinals.

It’s been quite a run for the Louisville athletic program, in general. The women’s basketball team will be playing for a national championship Tuesday night, while the football team won a Big East title and stunned Florida in the Sugar Bowl.

Even so, the Cardinals still feel a bit overlooked in their own state. The Kentucky Wildcats are the blue bloods of the bluegrass; Louisville is the school that knows it must work a little harder for a little love.

“We’re not a who’s who like Harvard and Yale in the alumni world,” Pitino said Sunday. “We’re a blue-collar school that supports each other. One of the coolest places I’ve ever worked.”

Football rules on the Michigan campus - rightly so, said Tim Hardaway Jr., given that program’s long, storied history. “We still have a ways to go,” said Hardaway, the Wolverines’ junior guard. “Football has a lot more national championships than we do.”

Maybe so, but the Wolverines (31-7) haven’t exactly been pushovers on the hardwood. They won a national title in 1989, beating Seton Hall in overtime. They’ve lost three other times in the championship. The program is best known, of course, for the Fab Five, that group of five stellar recruits who led Michigan to backto-back finals appearances in 1992 and ‘93.

This team is cut from the same mold, with three freshmen starters and two other first-year players who made big contributions in a semifinal victory over Syracuse. “The Fab Five was a great team. I mean, a really great team,” said freshman guard Caris LeVert, who came off the bench to score eight points against the Orange. “They did some great things for our school.” But these guys can do something the Fab Five never did - win it all.

“Just making it to the Final Four, we are going to

Laird spoils McIlroy’s best of the year at Texas Open SAN ANTONIO: Rory McIlroy had struggled enough to lose the world’s top ranking, prompting his caddie to suggest playing the Texas Open to get some more preparation in before the Masters.

McIlroy heeded the advice and played his best golf in what has so far been a dreadful start to the season. “I feel like my game’s in really good shape going into next week,” he said after a finalround 66 on Sunday. “A round like that gives me a nice bit of confidence.”

Trouble is he ran into Martin Laird on one of the finest days of the Scotsman’s career. McIlroy and Laird showed an impeccable sense of timing Sunday during a back-nine duel in San Antonio especially considering it was the final competitive round both will play prior to the first major of the season. McIlroy knew he was headed to Augusta National before arriving in San Antonio, while Laird didn’t. Laird finally found what he was looking for after six months on the driving range, shooting a course-record 63 in the final round - a bogey-free effort that put him two shots clear of the resurgent McIlroy at 14 under.

“I came in here quietly confident, even though my record this year has been poor, to say the least,” Laird said. “But golf’s a funny game ... doesn’t matter what you did two weeks ago. It turns around pretty quickly.”

Laird, who began the day four shots behind overnight leader Billy Horschel, hardly resembled the same golfer who began the week 161st on the money list. He punctuated the convincing effort with birdies on the final three holes, staring down McIlroy and an experienced group hot on his tail. Along the way, he became the first PGA Tour player to earn a trip to the Masters with a win in the last week before the tournament since Johnson Wagner won the Houston Open in 2008. The win was Laird’s third on tour and his first since the Arnold Palmer Invitational in 2011.

McIlroy, who has dropped to No. 2 in the world ranking, began the day at 6 under before posting his best finish of the year.

The day was exactly the kind of competitive final round McIlroy envisioned when he signed up for the Texas Open late last week in advance of the first major of the year next week.

McIlroy was anything but consistent from the tee and on the greens throughout the week. He finished 48th in fairways hit - hitting only 7 of 14 on Sunday - and was 63rd in taking 118 putts for the four rounds. However, he managed to score even when doing just that seemed unlikely.

McIlroy was tied for first in greens in regulation, showing the kind of shot making he’ll need if he’s to contend at Augusta National.

“I thought if I got to 12 under today that might have been good enough, but Martin just played too good and holed so many putts. It was hard to keep up.” While McIlroy struggled at times on the greens, Laird had no such problems

Razmic Moosesian poses with the trophy

hang up a banner in the Crisler Center,” said another freshman, Glenn Robinson III. “But we aren’t done.

Having the chance to hang another one up for a national championship ... is all kind of surreal to us.”

Both teams got to this point with crucial assists from the backups.

LeVert and Spike Albrecht - yep, another freshman both hit a pair of 3-pointers in Michigan’s semifinal win, points that were desperately needed with player of the year Trey Burke struggling through a brutal night. The sophomore guard went 1-for-8 and finished with seven points, just the second time this season he’s been held in single digits.

Burke said he’ll gladly cede scoring duties to someone else again Monday if the Cardinals take a similar approach to Syracuse. “Pretty much every time I got the ball, I had two people in my face,” he said. “I tried not to force anything, but I probably forced two or three shots. That 3 I hit (from way out and his only basket of the game) wasn’t a good shot. But I try not to force things and just look for different ways to find the open man.” Louisville, inspired by the gruesome injury to Kevin Ware but needing others to step up while he’s down, got an even bigger contribution off the bench than Michigan.

Luke Hancock scored 20 points. Walk-on Tim Henderson, moving up in the rotation because of Ware’s broken leg, knocked down back-to-back 3pointers that turned the momentum when it looked as though Wichita State might pull off another shocker.

There’s always a chance for the more obscure players to step up on the biggest stages. “Those guys, not that you don’t pay attention to them, but your strategy is not toward them,” Pitino said. “We’re all trying to stop the great players defensively, choreograph our defensive plan to stop the great players.”

But there’s no doubt that Michigan needs Burke to have a much better game, especially against Louisville’s fearsome press, just as the Cardinals will be counting on Russ Smith to lead the way. He scored 21 points in the semifinals despite a woeful night at the foul line.

Smith is on the verge of completing quite a personal journey, considering it looked for a while like he might not even finish his career with the Cardinals.

Unhappy with his playing time and constantly sparring with Pitino, the now-junior guard considered transferring after his freshman season. Boy, he’s sure glad he stayed.

“I was leaving, but I talked to my dad and decided to come back,” Smith remembered. “I decided to work hard and try to earn some minutes.”

He still gets into it with Pitino from time to time remember, the coach dubbed him “Russdiculous” for some of his wacky shots and perplexing antics - but it’s hard to envision where this team might be without him. “I just try to make winning plays,” Smith said. “I don’t look at myself as a point guard or a shooting guard. I look at myself as a winning player.” Pitino is certainly a winner.—AP

Park wins 2nd major

SAN ANTONIO: Martin Laird of Scotland holds the trophy after winning the Valero Texas Open held at the AT&T Oaks Course. — AFP - needing only 108 putts for the tournament.

That included an astounding 22-putt effort Sunday, one that was aided by a stunning upand-down for birdie out of the fairway bunker and off the fringe on No. 17.

He entered the week having missed four of eight cuts this year following a swing change last September, including a missed cut at last week’s Houston Open. However, he shot a secondround 65 in that event after a four-hour range session - providing plenty of confidence that his game was finally starting to come together.

Laird birdied five of his first eight holes to immediately jump into contention. His 7-foot birdie putt on No. 8 - one of only 22 putts in the round - put him into a tie with Horschel at 10 under. He capped the win with a 15-foot birdie putt on the par-5 18th.

Jim Furyk eagled the par-5 18th from 104 yards to jump into a third-place tie with Horschel and Charley Hoffman. The former US Open champion had only four holes of practice on the Greg Norman-designed Course at TPC on Wednesday before rain washed him out, but he posted a 69 to close out a steady week. Horschel, who led after the second and third rounds, was unable to match the low rounds of his competitors and finished with a 1-under 71. The Florida native, who was second at last week’s Houston Open and was borderline defiant earlier in the week about his chances of competing against former major winners, was seeking his first PGA Tour win. “Everyone’s going to have butterflies,” Horschel said. “I don’t care if it’s Tiger Woods or Joe Schmo at the golf course; you’re going to have butterflies, and you have to learn how to deal with it.”

McIlroy closed to within a shot of Laird when he sank a 13-foot birdie putt on the 204-yard par-3 16th to reach 11 under, but it was Laird who closed like the two-time major winner rather than someone just trying to play in next week’s major. —AP

RANCHO MIRAGE: Inbee Park stopped her father from making the trip from South Korea for the final round of the Kraft Nabisco Championship.

He’ll still get to sample one of the victory spoils when she showers him with water she collected from Poppie’s Pond after the traditional winner’s leap.

“When I see him next week in Hawaii, I’m going to pour it over him,” Park said. “Yeah, that’s what he wanted.” He was all to set join her at Mission Hills.

“He packed his bags and booked a ticket and everything and he was on his way,” Park said. “I called him and, like, said, ‘Just don’t come.’ He was very mad because he really wanted to come. But really it was tough stopping him, but he actually listened to me. ... I stopped him because if he came, I would want to win so bad but that might be on my mind playing today.”

Any drama left Sunday was gone a few minutes after the final group teed off. Robbing the event of another exciting finish, Park doubled her lead to six strokes over playing partner Lizette Salas on the par-4 opening hole and ran away with her second major title.

Park made a 20-foot birdie putt, showing off a putting touch unmatched in women’s golf, and Salas had a messy double bogey for a three-stroke swing. “That made my day much easier, that’s for sure,” Park said.

The 2008 US Women’s Open winner at Interlachen, the 24-yearold Park closed with a 3-under 69 to finish at 15 under, four strokes ahead of fellow South Korean player So Yeon Ryu. “It had been a while since I won a major. It feels very special,” said Park, the third straight South Korean major winner and the eighth in a row from Asia.

She’s the third South Korean to don the winner’s bathrobe after the plunge in Poppie’s Pond, following Grace Park in 2004 and Sun Young Yoo last year.

“It was great,” Park said. “That’s the pond I’ve always wanted to jump in and I finally jumped in. It was a little bit chilly, though.”

She also jumped from fourth to

RANCHO MIRAGE: Inbee Park of South Korea poses with the trophy after winning the Kraft Nabisco Championship at Mission Hills Country Club. — AFP second in the world with her fifth top-ranked Stacy Lewis said. “I LPGA Tour title and ninth world- played with her at Evian last year wide win. “I only have one more when she had, I think, 22 or 23 putts in the final round. When she spot to go,” Park said.

Park has four victories in her last rolls it, you can’t beat her. She’s the 16 events. She won the LPGA best putter on tour. The course here Thailand in February in her season is a little softer than normal, so I debut when Ariya Jutanugarn think that’s to her advantage.”

The 22-year-old Ryu, playing five closed with a triple bogey to blow a groups ahead of Park, shot a two-stroke lead.

“I’ve played five tournaments on bogey-free 65 - the best round of the LPGA Tour and I’ve won two of the week. Ryu is close friends with them, which is a very good start,” Park and they played a practice Park said. “It’s pressure off me for round together before the tournament. the rest of the season.”

“She looks like she played Last year, Park won twice, had six runner-up finishes and topped another golf course,” said Ryu, the the money list. She won the Evian 2011 U.S. Women’s Open champiMasters in July in France, tied for on. “This golf course is really hard, third in her next start, added three and especially before we started straight second-place finishes and the tournament, she really worried capped the run with a victory in about the game because her ball flight is a little low, but this golf October in the LPGA Malaysia.

“I’ve seen Inbee do this before,” course has pretty firm greens, so

Bae Joonho with the trophy

she said, ‘Oh, I don’t think I can stop it on the greens because my ball flight is too low.’ ... I think she was lying to me.”

Salas, the 23-year-old former University of Southern California player who grew up west of Los Angeles in Azusa, had a 79 to tie for 25th at 2 under.

“Obviously, I’m not very pleased,” Salas said. “Very disappointed in myself.” After Park’s low drive bounded down the middle of the fairway, Salas - dressed in Trojans cardinal and gold - hit into the deep left rough, 30 yards behind Park. Salas topped her second shot, advancing the ball only 15 yards, and left her third about 15 yards short of the green.

“The second shot, it just came a little too quick,” Salas said.

“Throughout the day, I was just really anxious and hit a lot of pulls today. I was just not myself today.”

Salas chipped to 15 feet, watched Park hole her birdie putt, then twoputted for 6.

Park increased her lead to seven on the par-5 second, holing a 7footer. She couldn’t get birdie tries to fall on the next three holes, then dropped a stroke on the par-4 sixth after driving into the left-side water, ending her bogey-free run at 27 holes.

Park made a 22-footer for birdie on the par-3 eighth and got to 15 under with a 5-foot putt on the par5 ninth. She made another bogey on the par-10th, leaving her four strokes ahead of Ryu. Park made a 25-foot birdie putt on the par-4 12th and a 10-footer on the par-4 13th to push her lead back to six at 16 under. She nearly made it three straight birdies, but her 12-footer lipped out on the par3 14th. She missed a short putt to bogey the par-3 17th, and closed with a par. Lewis, the 2011 winner, tied for 32nd at 1 under after a 72.

After winning consecutive events in Singapore and Phoenix to take the top spot in the world from Yani Tseng, Lewis tied for ninth two weeks in Carlsbad and was never in contention at Mission Hills. “It’s been crazy,” said Lewis. “I expected to get the attention at the tournaments and at the course, but I’ve been surprised at things off the course.”—AP

Victorious Mrs. Kaori Mishima with her trophy

Successful conclusion of first BMW Golf Cup International in Kuwait KUWAIT: This weekend saw some of Kuwait’s best amateur golfers battle it out in the national round of the 2013 BMW Golf Cup International. Held at Sahara Golf Club and organised by Ali Alghanim & Sons Automotive, the official BMW Group importer, this is the first time that the worldrenowned golf series has been staged in Kuwait.

A total of 100 players participated in the 18hole Individual Stableford Event, with golfers falling into three categories: Men’s Category A (Handicap 0-12), Men’s Category B (Handicap betwen 13-28) and Ladies Category with handicaps upto 28. The 18-hole championship course brought together a real challenge for the players, providing an exciting day of golf. Bae Joonho was

the Men’s Category A overall winner, with Razmic Moosesian taking home the prize in Men’s Category B. Meanwhile, Mrs. Kaori Mishima won the Women’s Category.

All winners were awarded with an exclusive BMW Golf Cup International Trophy and BMW Golfsport Gifts. Prizes were also given for the Longest Drive and Nearest-to-the-Pin. There were also prizes for Bader Haider and Talal Al Othman taking home the titles of Best Kuwaiti Gross Score and Best Kuwaiti Net Score respectively. In addition Bae Joonho, Razmic Moosesian and Mrs. Kaori Mishima will be flown to the BMW Golf Cup International World Finals in 2014, where they will tee off against more than 100 other golfers repre-

senting 47 countries.

With about 100,000 entrants, the BMW Golf Cup International is the largest series of tournaments for amateur golfers in the world. Players from around the globe come through national qualification events against their compatriots, and travel to the highlight: the World Finals, where an unforgettable week of golf and experiences awaits them.

Speaking at the event, Dr Joerg Breuer, Managing Director of BMW Group Middle East, gave participants background to the series’ origins: “The BMW Golf Cup International started in 1989, and has gone on to become the world’s largest amateur golf series in the world. BMW

Group Middle East hosted its first Golf Cup event more than 15 years ago, and has since provided amateur golfers across the region with the opportunity to represent their home club and country at the National and World Finals. As the first local BMW Golf Cup tournament, this weekend’s event marks yet another milestone in the series’ illustrious history.” The BMW Golf Cup International was organised in partnership with Kuwait Golf Committee and is part of a longer-term relationship with Ali Alghanim & Sons Automotive.

Planned Future collaboration will may include the development of golf amongst the youth of Kuwait, entitled the Youth Golf Programme.

“A sporty character is an integral part of the

BMW brand, as is strategic thinking, precision and controlled power - all of which are values embodied by golf. The sport is therefore the ideal fit,” said Yousef Al Qatami, General Manager of Ali Alghanim & Sons Automotive.

During the tournament, Ali Alghanim & Sons Automotive showcased a range of BMW models, including the 6 Series Gran Coupe and 7 Series Pearl editions, X3, X5, X6 as well as the M3 and X5M. In addition, BMW Lifestyle items were also on display, which generated a lot of interest among the participating Kuwaiti golf enthusiasts.

“The event offered an exciting way for customers to experience BMW as a brand and not just as a vehicle,” added Yousef Al Qatami.

TUESDAY, APRIL 9, 2013

S P ORT S

Di Canio back to soccer but politics won’t go away LONDON: New Sunderland manager Paolo Di Canio won the backing of most of his club’s travelling fans despite their 2-1 defeat at Chelsea in his first match in charge on Sunday when football returned to centre stage after a week spent dissecting his political views.

The Italian’s appointment was overshadowed by an old statement that he was “a fascist” with photos of him giving the right-arm salute appearing all over British media.

Whatever he thinks privately about politics, his main concern is keeping Sunderland in the Premier League but his new team slipped closer to relegation when they lost at Stamford Bridge after Aston Villa won at Stoke City on Saturday and Wigan Athletic drew with Queens Park Rangers on Sunday.

With six matches to play, Sunderland have 31 points and are 17th, level with Wigan, who are in the drop zone and have a game in hand. Di Canio said on Thursday he was not a fascist despite his

old comments praising Benito Mussolini, using a fascist salute during games in Italy and having a tattoo of the word ‘DUX’ on his arm, which means leader in Latin, or Il Duce in Italian. Whatever the pros and cons are of those symbols, what Sunderland need is a leader who can save them and Di Canio was his usual, animated self throughout the match, standing for all of the 90 minutes and barking out encouragement to his players. A vintage Di Canio moment came in the 20th minute when he playfully slapped his defender Phil Bardsley on the cheek. He also had a lengthy exchange with Connor Wickham late in the game when the striker stayed sidelined after suffering a facial injury.

Later he exchanged high-fives and hugs with Chelsea players and his former West Ham United team mate Frank Lampard. Sunderland, who parted company with Martin O’Neill last weekend after eight matches without a win, went into halftime on a positive note, leading

1-0 thanks to a Chelsea own goal from Cesar Azpilicueta and some sloppy passing from Juan Mata and Oscar, but they could not hold on in a second half that was dominated by the hosts.

Chelsea were level two minutes after the restart when Matt Kilgallon put through his own net and grabbed what proved to be the winner when Branislav Ivanovic flicked in after 55 minutes.

Di Canio approached the supporters, who had chanted his name nearly nonstop for the first three minutes of the match, at the end and applauded them before heading into the tunnel.

“We’re behind him,” said a Sunderland fan before the game. “I think he’s said what he needed to say. If he can keep us up, then great. That’s what I’m really interested in. There are some that don’t like it, but I’ll still support the team.”

“The fans love him,” added Louise Wanless, Sunderland’s head of communications, who said it had been a long week. “You get a few who don’t, but he

brings an energy and passion that our supporters are all about.”An Italian journalist sitting in the Chelsea press box added: “He’s actually never said he was a fascist. I think a lot of this is overblown.”

Di Canio might have won over the fans on the day, however there are still groups of supporters who are firmly against his appointment and former UK Foreign Secretar y David Miliband showed what he thought by immediately resigning his non-executive seat on the Black Cats board.

Others aggrieved include the Durham Miners’ Association (DMA), a group that protested the new manager’s appointment and threatened to remove the Wearmouth Miners’ Banner from the Stadium of Light unless Di Canio publicly rejected fascism. Di Canio addressed the issue this week, saying: “I am not political, I do not affiliate myself to any organisation, I am not a racist and I do not support the ideology of fascism. I respect everyone.”

The DMA did not accept the statement, but agreed to meet a representative from Sunderland to discuss the issue. As much as Di Canio would like to focus on football and keeping his team in the Premier League, the interest in his earlier statements on fascism does not appear to be waning.

Following the game, despite pleas from Wanless to keep the questions to football, several journalists brought the matter up, only for Di Canio to decline to comment, apart from calling the journalist who mentioned fascism a “sinner”.

Asked about the DMA after the match, Di Canio said: “I’m sorry for them.”

The DMA said it would release a new statement on Di Canio on Monday at 1600 GMT, following more discussions with the club and among the group’s executive committee.

Meanwhile, for Di Canio, a far more pressing meeting is with arch-rivals Newcastle United in the north-east derby next Sunday. — Reuters

Blackhawks, Sabres triumph

CHARLESTON: Serena Williams poses with the trophy after defeating Jelena Jankovic, of Serbia, 3-6, 6-0, 6-2, to win the Family Circle Cup tennis tournament. —AP

Serena bags Charleston title CHARLESTON: World number one Serena Williams bounced back from a set down to defeat former top ranked Jelena Jankovic of Serbia 3-6 6-0 6-2 and win her third Family Circle Cup title on Sunday.

The triumph was American Williams’ 49th in WTA play. Only nine players have won 50 or more WTA titles. After dropping the first set in 45 minutes, Williams cruised through the next two, winning 12 of the final 14 games for her second consecutive title on the clay at Charleston, South Carolina. She also won in 2008. Williams stepped up her play after a testy exchange in the first game of the second set. The American held up her racquet as Jankovic served, signaling she felt Jankovic served before she was ready. “How long do I have to wait?” the Serb asked the chair umpire.

“Until I’m ready,” Williams replied. Williams won the next eight points. “I just got really relaxed and was like, ‘Serena, you have to chill out and not get crazy and if you win, great. If not, you’re trying,’” Williams told reporters.

More consistent play aided the turn-

around, she said. “I felt so close in that first set,” said Williams, who has now won 71 of 75 matches since the start of last year’s clay court season.

“I felt like I could have been up 3-0. She was playing really, really well, but it was just a shot here, a shot there, and she played really well in the big points.

“I had so many opportunities that I missed.

She took advantage of all of that, and she went on to glory in that first set.” Jankovic said she began to tire as the match continued. “In the second set I had 40-15 in that first game and then again in another couple of games I had 40-15, 40-0. I should have focused and gotten those games,” said the Serb. By the third set, Williams’ strong play began to affect her, Jankovic said. “I got tired,” the world number 18 said. “It was my sixth match here and playing Serena is not easy you have to run a lot of balls down and hit as hard as you can and give your maximum.

“She’s so strong. She’s the No.1 player in the world for a reason. “She was the better one at the end.” — Reuters

IDAHO: Novak Djokovic, Viktor Troicki, Ilija Bozoljac, Nenad Zimonjic and Team Captain Bogdan Obradovic of Serbia stand for their National Anthem during the Davis Cup tie against the United States. — AFP

Djokovic guides Serbia into Davis Cup semis IDAHO: Novak Djokovic overcame a painful ankle injury to beat Sam Querrey on Sunday and provide Serbia with an unassailable lead over the United States in their Davis Cup quarter-final in Idaho. Djokovic reeled off the last nine games in a row to win the match 7-5 6-7 6-1 6-0, sealing a 3-1 win for his team and a place in the semi-finals against Canada.

Canada made the World Group semi-finals for the first time when Milos Raonic beat Andreas Seppi 6-4 6-4 3-6 7-5 in the first reverse singles in Vancouver, securing a 3-1 lead. Serbia will host the Canadians in the semi-finals in September while Czech Republic will host Argentina in the other semi-final after both countries won their ties on Sunday.

Czech Republic, who won the Davis Cup last season, safely made it through to the last four when Lukas Rosol beat Evgeny Korolev 7-6 6-7 7-6 6-2 to clinch a 3-1 win over Kazakhstan.

“I’m very proud of Lukas because it was one of the toughest matches for him as he does not have too many chances to play matches like this. He was the leader of this team this week,” Czech captain Jaroslav Navratil said. Argentina earned their place in the last four when they won a nail biting tie

with France in Buenos Aires that went the distance. Argentina led 2-1 overnight but France levelled the scores when world number eight Jo-Wilfried Tsonga defeated Juan Monaco 6-3 6-3 6-0.

Carlos Berlocq then upset world number 13 Gilles Simon 6-4 5-7 6-4 6-4 in the decisive fifth rubber. “It’s definitely the best result of my career,” said a jubilant Berlocq.

Djokovic fell and twisted his right ankle in the third game of the opening set against Querrey. The world number one required treatment to the injury and struggled to move freely.

He said he probably would have stopped playing if he was playing a regular tournament but carried on because it was a team event, eventually securing the victory.

“If I had not been playing for Serbia with my team beside me, I am not sure I would have carried on,” he said in a courtside interview. “It couldn’t have happened at a worse moment, right at the start of the match. I felt pain with every motion in the first 30 minutes so I just had to go for precision with my shots.

“These are rare occasion when you get to play for your country with 15 people on your team cheering you on so it’s always a big responsibility.” — Reuters

CHICAGO: Rookie Brandon Saad and Jonathan Toews scored 55 seconds apart midway through the third period as the Chicago Blackhawks rallied to beat the Nashville Predators 5-3 on Sunday night to become the first team to clinch a NHL playoff spot this season.

Chicago (29-5-4) had fallen behind 3-2 early in the third on a goal by David Legwand, but Saad and Toews connected against Pekka Rinne to put the Blackhawks back ahead.

The Blackhawks defeated the Predators for the second time in two days and improved to 130-1 against Central Division teams. Andrew Shaw and Bryan Bickell also scored for Chicago, and Patrick Kane added an empty-net goal.

Shea Weber and Nick Spaling each had a goal and an assist for the Predators (15-17-8), who are 13th in the Western Conference with 38 points, five behind eighth-place Detroit at the postseason cutoff.

Chicago’s Ray Emery stopped 19 shots, following a 20-save, 1-0 win at Nashville on Saturday.

The Blackhawks improved to 4-0 against the Predators.

SABRES 3, DEVILS 2 In Buffalo, Nathan Gerbe scored the only goal in the shootout to give Buffalo a victory over New Jersey that extended the Devils’ losing streak to seven games.

Ryan Miller stopped 37 shots through overtime, and all three shootout attempts - including a victory-clinching glove save on Travis Zajac.

Steve Ott extended his goal streak to three games, and Patrick Kaleta also scored for Buffalo, which won its third straight.

Steve Sullivan and Mark Fayne, who forced overtime with a short-handed goal, scored for the Devils, who are 0-3-4 in their past seven. That is their longest winless streak since going 0-4-2-1 from Nov. 10-23, 2001. The Devils’ loss clinched a playoff spot for the Eastern Conference-leading Pittsburgh Penguins. New Jersey (15-14-10), 1-56 in its past 12 road games, is 6-12-7 following a 9-2-3 start. The Devils haven’t won since star forward Ilya Kovalchuk injured a shoulder.

The Sabres (16-17-6) jumped ahead of idle Philadelphia and into 11th place in the East, two points behind the ninth-place Devils.

STARS 5, SHARKS 4, SO In San Jose, Jamie Benn scored the lone goal in the shootout and Kari Lehtonen stopped all three attempts as Dallas snapped San Jose’s seven-game winning streak with a come-frombehind victory. Alex Chiasson started the rally from a two-goal deficit in the third period when he scored his second goal of the game, and Loui Erickson tied it for the Stars, who have won two straight following a three-game losing streak.

Eric Nystrom also scored, and Lehtonen made 32 saves through overtime for Dallas. The Stars also erased a 2-0 deficit before falling behind 4-2.

Tommy Wingels, Brent Burns, TJ Galiardi and Marc-Edouard Vlasic scored for the Sharks, who had won the first six games of their seven-game homestand. San Jose failed in its attempt to become the first NHL team to win every game on a homestand of at least seven games, according to STATS. San Jose’s Antti Niemi made 30 saves.

BLUES 1, RED WINGS 0 In Detroit, Brian Elliott made 28 saves for his 19th career shutout and Chris Porter scored the game’s only goal in St. Louis’ win over Detroit.

Porter scored his second goal of the season off a goalmouth scramble with 3:32 remaining in the second period. Elliott earned his first shutout of the season. Jimmy Howard stopped 24 shots for Detroit, which dropped from seventh to eighth in the West.

CHICAGO: Jonathan Toews No. 19 of the Chicago Blackhawks shoots past Shea Weber No. 6 of the Nashville Predators at the United Center. — AFP

NHL results/standings St. Louis 1, Detroit 0; Dallas 5, San Jose 4 (SO); Florida 2, Ottawa 1; Minnesota 3, Columbus 0; Washington 4, Tampa Bay 2; Chicago 5, Nashville 3; Buffalo 3, New Jersey 2 (SO); Anaheim 4, Los Angeles 3 (SO).

Eastern Conference Atlantic Division W L OTL GF Pittsburgh 29 10 0 127 NY Rangers 19 15 4 93 NY Islanders 19 16 4 113 New Jersey 15 14 10 92 Philadelphia 17 18 3 106 Northeast Division Montreal 25 8 5 120 Boston 24 9 4 102 Toronto 21 13 4 117 Ottawa 19 13 6 94 Buffalo 16 17 6 105 Southeast Division Washington 20 17 2 117 Winnipeg 19 19 2 98 Carolina 16 19 2 97 Tampa Bay 16 20 2 121 Florida 13 20 6 96

GA 95 90 119 106 118

PTS 58 42 42 40 37

91 79 106 85 118

55 52 46 44 38

110 120 115 114 132

42 40 34 34 32

John Carlson and Joel Ward also scored for the Capitals, who moved two points ahead of the second-place Winnipeg Jets in the Southeast Division with a game in hand.

Michal Neuvirth, making his first start since March 16, had 28 saves, including a pair of pointblank one-on-one stops against Vincent Lecavalier. Washington has won four straight and eight of 10.

Lecavalier and Alex Killorn scored for the Lightning. Tampa Bay trails Washington by eight points with three weeks remaining in the regular season.

DUCKS 4, KINGS 3 In Anaheim, Corey Perry scored late in the second period and added the winning goal in the shootout, leading Anaheim closer to the Pacific Division title with a victory over Los Angeles.

Matt Beleskey scored the tiebreaking goal on a power play for Anaheim with 15:06 to play, but Kings captain Dustin Brown tied it with 3:45 left in regulation in the third Freeway Faceoff of the

Western Conference Central Division Chicago 29 5 4 128 83 62 21 14 2 106 98 44 St. Louis Detroit 19 15 5 99 101 43 Columbus 16 16 7 91 104 39 Nashville 15 17 8 96 109 38 Northwest Division Vancouver 21 11 6 103 95 48 Minnesota 22 14 2 103 97 46 Edmonton 16 15 7 100 106 39 Calgary 13 20 4 99 133 30 Colorado 12 21 5 89 121 29 Pacific Division Anaheim 26 8 5 121 98 57 Los Angeles 22 13 4 114 96 48 San Jose 20 11 7 98 94 47 Phoenix 17 15 6 105 104 40 Dallas 18 17 3 104 117 39 Note: Overtime losses (OTL) are worth one point in the standings and are not included in the loss column (L)

season. The Ducks were outshot 38-22, but the Pacific Division leaders were perfect in the shootout. Bobby Ryan and Saku Koivu scored on Jonathan Bernier before Perry ended Anaheim’s fourth win in six games with a wrist shot. Jeff Carter and Drew Doughty scored for the defending Stanley Cup champions, who had won five of seven.

PANTHERS 1, SENATORS 0 In Sunrise, Dmitry Kulikov scored a powerplay goal 10:46 into the third period to lift Florida over Ottawa and send the Senators to their fourth straight loss. Kulikov’s wrist shot from top of the left circle beat Craig Anderson as Sergei Gonchar served a holding penalty. Scott Clemmensen made 40 saves, and Marcel Goc also scored for Florida, which has won four of five. Ottawa’s Cory Conacher scored his first goal since being acquired from Tampa Bay on Wednesday. Anderson stopped 15 of 17 shots in his return from an ankle injury sustained against the New York Rangers on Feb. 21 — AP

WILD 3, BLUE JACKETS 0 In Columbus, Niklas Backstrom made 24 saves, and newcomer Jason Pominville had a goal and an assist to help Minnesota snap a three-game losing streak by beating Columbus.

Pominville, acquired this week from Buffalo, earned his first points with Minnesota.

Ryan Suter’s wrist shot in traffic started the scoring, and Charlie Coyle benefited from a perfect pass from Mikael Granlund as the Wild netted two power-play goals in the second period.

Backstrom and his staunch defense did the rest until Pominville scored late off a tape-totape pass from Zach Parise. Backstrom earned his second shutout of the season and 28th of his NHL career.

CAPITALS 4, LIGHTNING 2 In Washington, Alex Ovechkin scored twice to make it five goals in two games, and Washington beat Tampa Bay. Ovechkin scored his 24th and 25th goal - giving him 16 in 14 games - to pull even with Tampa Bay’s Steven Stamkos for the top spot in the NHL.

WASHINGTON: Michal Neuvirth No. 30 of the Washington Capitals makes a save during an NHL hockey game against the Tampa Bay Lightning. — AFP

TUESDAY, APRIL 9, 2013

S P ORTS

St Etienne go above Lyon FRANCE: A late own goal by Evian Thonon Gaillard goalkeeper Bertrand Laquait helped St Etienne to a 1-0 win which moved them into third position in Ligue 1 above arch rivals Olympique Lyon on Sunday. Laquait deflected a Romain Hamouma header into his own net in the 77th minute as Les Verts, who occupy the Champions League qualifying spot, leapfrogged Lyon on goal difference with seven matches remaining.

Lyon slumped to a 1-0 defeat at Stade Reims as they lost for the third straight time in Ligue 1, finishing the game with 10 men following Milan Bisevac’s red card early in the second half.

St Etienne, who are unbeaten in 16 games in all competitions in 2013, dominated possession throughout but increased the pressure until Laquait was forced into his costly mistake after Hamouma’s header from a Francois Clerc cross. St Etienne have 53 points with a goal difference of +26 compared to Lyon’s +16 and the two teams are four points behind Olympique Marseille. “We won because we never gave up,” St Etienne coach Christophe Galtier told a news conference.

“But if we wanted to win we first needed not to concede any goal and we defended well. The most important thing was to keep our rivals at bay.”

Evian have a tough task on their hands as they dropped to 17th on 31 points only one point above safety.

Reims are 15th on 34 points after Grzegorz Krychowiak scored from the

penalty spot in the 53rd minute after Bisevac was sent off for a foul in the box on Diego Rigonato.

Lyon were dominated in the first half and Benoit Vercoutre parried away Christopher Glombart’s powerful shot from just inside the box in the 12th minute.

He then pulled off a brilliant save to deny Gaetan Courtet’s volley on the half hour as Lyon looked incredibly shaky at the back.

Kossi Agassa tipped Clement Grenier’s free kick over the bar as the visitors searched for an equaliser in the second half but it was as close as they got.

On Saturday, Paris St Germain restored a seven-point lead at the top over second-placed Marseille with a 2-0 win at Stade Rennes after their title rivals beat Girondins Bordeaux on Friday.

Later on Sunday Lille moved up to fifth on 52 points with a crushing 5-0 defeat win over Lorient as they continued their bid for a European place.

Salomon Kalou opened the scoring with a low crossed shot in the second minute and Dimitri Payet doubled the tally six minutes later, tapping in after Fabien Audard had parried a Ronny Rodelin shot into his path.

Lucas Digne made it three from the penalty spot after half an hour with Kalou adding a fourth shortly after from close range when Payet’s strike bounced off the post into his path. Rodelin headed home Lille’s fifth early in the second half for the rampant hosts. — Reuters

FRANCE: Reims’ defender Franck Signorino (left) vies with Lyon’s forward Alexandre Lacazette (right) during the French League football match. — AFP

Al-Serkal vows to clean up Asian football if elected DUBAI: Yousuf al-Serkal has promised to clean up the corruption-riddled Asian Football Confederation if he is elected president.

Al-Serkal, one of four candidates running in the May 2 election, revealed his campaign platform Monday, including a promise to improve governance and transparency of the 46-member body that oversees Asian football.

Among his proposals are “declaring publicly the allowances and benefits given to me” by the federation and introducing a whistle-blower program to allow “players and officials to report in complete confidence any irregularities.”

“We are at a time when our stakeholders believe that leaders in the game are only in it for themselves,” alSerkal said. “This must change. I want to see an AFC where football is first and only topic on our agenda.”

Al-Serkal faces Sheik Salman bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa of Bahrain, Worawi Makudi of Thailand and Hafez Al Medlej of Saudi Arabia to replace the scandal-tainted Mohammed bin Hammam.

Bin Hammam, who became AFC president in 2002, was found guilty of vote -buying during his challenge against FIFA President Sepp Blatter in 2011 and the FIFA ethics committee suspended him from all football activity for life.

The Court of Arbitration for Sport

overturned that ban last July, but bin Hammam remained under provisional bans by both FIFA and AFC as investigations continued into allegations of financial irregularities during his tenure. He was again banned for life by FIFA. Bin Hammam’s troubled legacy could come back to haunt al-Serkal, who is a close ally of the Qatari businessman and stood by him during the scandal. Even on Monday, al-Serkal called bin Hammam a good friend and refused to criticize his reign as president. Several close bin Hammam allies were at the news conference and the public relations agency that organized it also worked on Qatar’s 2020 World Cup bid.

“Yes, I am a close friend of bin Hammam but that had nothing to do with the work we did,” Al-Serkal said, adding that he has never been linked to any of the corruption allegations.

Al-Serkal also reiterated that he would push to see the 2022 World Cup in Qatar moved from summer to winter to avoid the brutal heat that is common at that time of the year in the Gulf.

“From experience in this region, I know it is very hot and know players will not perform at their best, their top level,” AlSerkal said. “This will effect the image of the game. If it would take place in January, it’s the best time of year in this part of the world. I support this event being played in January.” — AP

Photo of the day

Edwin Delarosa rides his bike through New York. www.redbullcontentpool.com

Denis hat-trick floors Inter ITALY: Fiorentina, two goals down and reduced to 10 men, converted two quickfire penalties to draw 2-2 with AC Milan in Serie A on Sunday while a 12-minute hat-trick by German Denis gave Atalanta a 4-3 win at a stunned Inter Milan after they had trailed 3-1.

Inter were set to move above Fiorentina in the race for a Champions League place when Ricardo Alvarez scored twice in four minutes to put them 3-1 ahead, until his fellow Argentine Denis sprang into action on a day of drama and controversy.

Elsewhere, Josip Ilicic scored a memorable individual goal, beating four players in a run from the halfway line before firing past Sergio Romero, to give strugglers Palermo a 3-1 win at Sampdoria, their second successive win.

Antonio Di Natale scored twice in Udinese’s 31 win over Chievo, the first after goalkeeper Christian Puggioni made a hash of trying to dribble his way out of trouble and the second a magnificent volley from an almost impossible angle.

Napoli stayed nine points behind leaders Juventus in second place with a 2-0 win over Genoa thanks to first-half goals from Goran Pandev and Blerim Dzemaili and the CataniaCagliari and Siena-Parma matches ended goalless.

Third-placed Milan (58 points) stayed six points ahead of fourth-placed Fiorentina (52) with Inter Milan and Lazio, who face neighbours AS Roma on Monday, two points further behind in the race for the Champions League qualifying round place.

The top two in Serie A qualify for the Champions League group stage and third place earns a place in the playoff round. Juventus, 2-1 winners at home to Pescara on Saturday, have 71 points and Napoli 62.

Tommaso Rocchi put injury-plagued Inter ahead two minutes before halftime at the San Siro but the real drama came in the second half with six goals in 21 minutes.

Giacomo Bonaventura levelled in the 56th minute but Alvarez immediately put Inter back in front, pouncing on a loose ball, and struck again four minutes later with a superb solo goal.

Denis pulled one back with a 65th minute penalty, fired the equaliser six minutes later and volleyed the winner from close range in the 77th

ITALY: Inter Milan’s Argentinian midfielder Riccardo Alvarez (right) scores his second goal during the Italian Serie A football match against Atalanta. — AFP minute. There was still time for Atalanta’s Cristian chance created by Montolivo but instead Fiorentina hit back.

Raimondi to be dismissed in stoppage time.

Adem Ljajic won and converted a controverAC Milan midfielder Riccardo Montolivo scored 14 minutes into his return to Fiorentina, sial 66th minute penalty and Pizarro stepped up to fire home his own spot kick seven minutes latwhere he spent seven seasons.

The Italy man ignored the jeers from the er after Juan Cuadrado was tripped.

Milan could have had a penalty in stoppage crowd as he dispossessed David Pizarro 30 metres from goal and rolled the ball into the cor- time when Sebastian Roncaglia blocked Ignazio Abate’s shot with his hand, although it appeared ner from the edge of the area.

“I didn’t expect an easy welcome, the fans to be accidental.

“I won’t say anything about the referee, he pay to watch and they can do what they want,” he told reporters. Nenad Tomovic was given a had a tough job in difficult conditions,” said straight red in the 40th minute after being Milan coach Massimiliano Allegri. “He made adjudged to have elbowed Stephan El Shaarawy decisions that made one team happy and then as the two tussled for the ball, bringing furious he made others that made the other team happrotests from Fiorentina players who surround- py.

“We played well in the first half but in the seced the referee to remonstrate.

Fiorentina playmaker Stevan Jovetic then ond we were off form, mentally speaking. We limped off after appearing to aggravate a thigh should have managed possession of the ball injury to complete a nightmare first half for the better, we shouldn’t have conceded the second goal and we shouldn’t have thought that the hosts.

Milan appeared home and dry when Mathieu game was already over.” — Reuters Flamini scored in the 62nd minute from a

Leaders stumble in Mexican league MEXICO CITY: The top four teams in Mexico’s first division all failed to win in weekend round 13 matches, with Tigres remaining in first place after a 0-0 draw against Leon on Saturday.

Second-placed Atlas also drew 0-0 against Morelia, while third-placed America finished 1-1 against Puebla and fourth-placed Santos Laguna drew 0-0 against Tijuana.

In other games this weekend, Toluca defeated Monterrey 1-0 on Sunday, Cruz Azul overcame Queretaro 2-1, Chivas lost 3-2 to Jaguares, Pumas won 2-1 over Pachuca and San Luis defeated Atlante 1-0. Both Tigres and Leon had good chances in an open game, but neither could take advantage.

Tigres thought they had won a penalty in second half injury time when goalkeeper William Yarbrough appeared to bring down Danilinho inside the box.

But instead of giving the penalty, the referee handed Danilinho a yellow card for simulation. Amaury Ponce came closest for Atlas, but his free kick from 25 yards (meters) was pushed away by Morelia ‘keeper Federico Vilar. Felix Borja headed in Puebla’s goal in the 62nd, but Miguel Layun scored the equalizer with a low strike from outside the area.

Reigning champion Club Tijuana looked the team most likely to score, but Santos Laguna*s defense held tight. Juan Carlos Cacho headed in Toluca’s only goal in the 71st minute.

Cruz Azul came from behind to defeat Queretaro, which took the lead through Diego De La Torre in the 11th. Nicolas Bertolo equalized two minutes after halftime and Javier Orozco got the winner in the 72nd. Franco Arizala was the hero for Jaguares, after scoring the winner nine minutes from time against Chivas. Luis Rey capitalized on a defensive error to open the scoring in the 9th minute, with Luis Lorona doubling Jaguares’ lead in the 39th.

Chivas equalized through two goals from Rafa Marquez Lugo, before Arzala struck. Javier Cortes scored in the 81st minute to hand Pumas the point.

Efrain Velarde put Pumas into the lead in the 54th, but Paolo da Silva equalized three minutes later. San Luis’ only goal came through Luis Rodriguez in the 75th. San Luis finished the game with nine men after Emilio Lopez was sent off in the 41st and Rodriguez followed him in the 83rd. — AP

MEXICO: Tigres’ Danilo Veron (top) vies for the ball with Leon’s goalkeeper William Yarbrough (left) during their Clausura 2013 Mexican League football match. — AFP

Fans stabbed ahead of Rome derby: Report MILAN: Two supporters were stabbed and an ambulance attacked by masked hooligans wielding weapons in Rome yesterday during a tense build-up to the Serie A derby between Roma and Lazio, reports said.

La Gazzetta dello Sport daily said some supporters clashed with police in the Duca d’Aosta area and two Roma fans were stabbed after an ambush on the Ponte Milvio, a bridge over the River Tiber which leads to the Olympic Stadium.

The report said it was “chaos outside the Olympic Stadium”, where nearby shops closed early for fear of further clashes. Rome mayor

Gianni Alemanno pleaded with fans to calm down.

“We are very concerned,” Alemanno told 24 Tg.com. “I’m appealing to fans to make this derby trouble-free.” ANSA news agency said medics driving an ambulance in the area were forced to flee after their vehicle was set upon by fans wielding a number of weapons.

The report said the Roma fans who had been stabbed also fled after initially receiving medical treatment. It was unclear from the reports whether the ambulance was attacked for treating the stabbed fans. — AFP

TUESDAY, APRIL 9, 2013

S P ORT S

Dortmund has history on its side against Malaga DORTMUND: Borussia Dortmund is counting on history to repeat itself when it welcomes Malaga for the return leg of their Champions League quarterfinal today.

Dortmund, the only unbeaten side left in the competition, has progressed after each of its previous three scoreless away draws in the first leg of UEFA competitions, and is confident of finishing the job at its Westfalen Stadium, where it has won

Piszczek, midfielders Sebastian Kehl, Ilkay Guendogan, Marco Reus and Mario Goetze, as well as Bundesliga top scorer Robert Lewandowski were all rested.

Goetze eventually came off the bench to set up two goals, while Lewandowski also came on to take his league tally to 21 by scoring for the 10th consecutive game.

“Between two not so unimportant games in the Champions League it

GERMANY: Malaga’s Isco (center) exercises on the pitch at the Dortmund stadium prior to the Champions League quarterfinal second leg soccer match against Borussia Dortmund. —AP

all its games this season.

However, Dortmund missed a host of chances to seize an advantage in Spain last Wednesday and should be wary of the threat posed by surprise package Malaga’s blend of youth and experience.

“It’s a dangerous starting position,” Dortmund midfielder Sven Bender said. “We shouldn’t start out stupidly and be caught out on a counterattack like we were on Saturday.”

On Saturday, Dortmund came from a goal down to beat Augsburg 4-2 in the Bundesliga, but it was a vastly altered side from the one that played in Malaga, with Juergen Klopp making seven changes to his team.

Goalkeeper Roman Weidenfeller, defender Lukasz

was important to show that we play football to win,” Klopp said. “The team passed the character test.”

Weidenfeller and Reus were left out of the squad with back problems and an abdominal muscle strain, respectively, but both are expected to be fit on Tuesday.

Dortmund still has doubts over defender Mats Hummels, who only returned to training on Thursday after an ankle injury, and Polish midfielder Jakub Blaszczykowski, still troubled with a groin strain.

Malaga has bigger problems. The visitors will be without two key parts of its defense, with both center back Weligton and holding midfielder Manuel Iturra suspended for an accumulation of yellow cards.

Manuel Pellegrini also fielded a

weakened side for domestic duty on Saturday, but watched as Malaga lost 4-2 at Real Sociedad to lose ground on the Basque club now four points clear in fourth.

Pellegrini flew home to Chile after the game to attend the funeral of his father. He is expected in Dortmund for today’s game.

Media reports in Spain and Germany said Malaga’s airplane was struck by lightning on the way to San Sebastian and forced to make an emergency landing, with the team boarding a bus from Bilbao the rest of the way.

Malaga had goalkeeper Willy Caballero to thank for an inspired performance against Dortmund to keep the game scoreless at La Rosaleda in the first ever meeting between the sides.

The Spaniards will need Caballero to be at his best again, and will look to key players like veterans Joaquin Sanchez, Jeremy Toulalan, and Julio Baptista, as well as exciting midfielder Francisco “Isco” Alarcon to keep alive their dream of reaching the Champions League semifinals in their competition debut. Pellegrini previously led another Spanish side, Villarreal, to the semifinals on the side’s debut in 2006. “We are going in with a good result from the first leg,” said Malaga striker Roque Santa Cruz. “Dortmund had always scored away and the draw is very good. We can score there and get the result that will send us through. We know them better now.” Santa Cruz is familiar with Dortmund from his time at Bayern Munich, as is defender Martin Demichelis, who will anchor Malaga’s backline.

“The Westfalen crowd presses a lot, but we can stand our ground when they push forward,” Santa Cruz said. “The pressure is on Dortmund.

They have good players up front, but we’ll work hard for the full 90 minutes.”

Dortmund, which conceded its Bundesliga title to Bayern on Saturday, will be determined to answer with a marker for the rest of the season. The last time Dortmund surrendered back-to-back titles to Bayern was in 1997, when it atoned by winning the Champions League.

“We have to do everything we did in the away game,” said Dortmund managing director Hans-Joachim Watzke said. “Only every so often we need to put the ball in.”—AP

Matches on TV (Local Timings) UEFA Champions League Galatasaray v Real Madrid Aljazeera Sport +4

21:45

Dortmund v Malaga Aljazeera Sport +5

21:45

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ISTANBUL: Galatasaray’s Didier Drogba (right) controls the ball during a training session ahead of the UEFA Champions League Quarterfinal match against Real Madrid. —AFP

Galatasaray face Real task ISTANBUL: Didier Drogba and his Galatasaray team mates have a tough task when they try to overturn a 3-0 deficit against Real Madrid in the second leg of their Champions League quarter-final today.

Drogba, who won the title last season with Chelsea, will take some cheer from his per formance in Saturday’s domestic championship game against Mersin Idman Yurdu when he scored two second-half goals in a 3-1 win.

However, the mood at Galatasaray was soured at that game by coach Fatih Terim’s anger at refereeing decisions in a row which led to him and his two assistants being sent to the stands, overshadowing preparations for today’s return leg in Istanbul.

In Madrid last week, Galatasaray were taught “a good lesson” by the Spanish side, according to Drogba.

“We’re not at their level but I think it’s a lack of experience more than anything else,” Drogba told beIN Sport. “ We’re learning, we’re a young team. There are things that need improving.

“It’s a good lesson, and one we have to show we’ve learned well in

the return leg. We wanted to contain Madrid but we could have done it in a different way, with more audacity and aggression. We could have caused them problems as we had chances but that’s the way it is,” he said.

One of Galatasaray ’s biggest headaches is the absence of key striker Burak Yilmaz, who is suspended after picking up a yellow card in Madrid.

Turkish media reported on Friday that the Istanbul side had applied to UEFA to have the yellow card annulled. Galatasaray will also be missing central defender Dany Nounkeu after his booking in Madrid ruled him out.

Real romped to a 5-1 victory at home to mid-table Levante on Saturday as coach Jose Mourinho left several top performers, including forward Cristiano Ronaldo, out of his starting lineup.

Ronaldo came off the bench at halftime with Real leading 2-1 and netted his 29th goal of the La Liga campaign before setting up fellow substitute Mesut Ozil.

Centre back Sergio Ramos and midfielder Xabi Alonso both played the full 90 minutes as they are sus-

pended for today’s game.

“It could be that we are in our best form of the season,” Ronaldo, top scorer in the Champions League this season with nine goals, told reporters. “We have a complete squad with all the players available and that is very positive news.”

On today’s game in Istanbul, he added: “It’s a tough match and our passage to the next round is not yet assured. Three goals is a big lead but we have to go there and play and at least get one goal.

“We have to take things step by step, game by game, but I think we have a good chance of getting to the final.”

Teams (probable): Galatasaray: 25-Fernando Muslera; 27-Emmanuel Eboue, 26Semih Kaya, 11-Albert Riera, 53Nordin Amrabat; 14-Wesley Sneijder, 10-Felipe Melo, 8-Selcuk Inan, 4-Hamit Altintop; 19-Umut Bulut, 12-Didier Drogba Real Madrid: 41-Diego Lopez; 17-Alvaro Arbeloa, 2-Raphael Varane, 3-Pepe, 5-Fabio Coentrao; 6-Sami Khedira, 19-Luka Modric; 22-Angel Di Maria, 10-Mesut Ozil, 7-Cristiano Ronaldo; 9-Karim Benzema.—Reuters

Park wins 2nd major

TUESDAY, APRIL 9, 2013

16

Galatasaray face Real task

19

Di Canio back to soccer but politics won’t go away Page 17

OLD TRAFFORD: Manchester United’s Ryan Giggs (right), Rafael (second right) and Rio Ferdinand, pursue Manchester City’s Carlos Tevez (left) during their English Premier League soccer match. — AP

City beat United in EPL race Man United 1

Man City 2

MANCHESTER: Sergio Aguero came off the bench to grab Manchester City a 2-1 win against rivals United at Old Trafford and close the gap at the top of the Premier League to 12 points. James Milner had put the visitors ahead with a

deflected effort straight after half-time before Vincent Kompany’s own goal levelled it up for the home side.

However, Aguero replaced Samir Nasri before firing in at the near post with 11 minutes remaining to claim the three points and move City closer to leaders United.

When these sides met almost twelve months ago at the Etihad Stadium, United were on the slide and City’s win catapulted them into the lead in the title race that ended in dramatic fashion on the last day.

This season’s race seems rather more mundane with United coming into this

Old Trafford clash with a 15-point lead and very close to claiming their 20th English league title, but this result may just spark some nerves in Alex Ferguson’s camp.The game got off to a blistering start and after James Milner’s early shot was turned away by Rafael at the near post, it was Robin Van Persie who worked the first real opening but his low shot slid across the slick surface wide of the post.

In an open game, City pressed forward themselves and a well-placed pass from Kompany found David Silva in the area, the Spaniard playing a first-time cross for Carlos Tevez only for Phil Jones

to get across just in time to block the Blues’ striker.

The visitors had the next chance but Nasri snatched at the ball inside the area after it fell kindly to the Frenchman and it went harmlessly wide. United, who were without Nemanja Vidic, were defending well and they almost hit on the counter attack but Ashley Young failed to get his cross into the area with Van Persie waiting.

Just before the break, Rafael almost opened the scoring by fluke when he stuck a foot out but the ball looped up onto Joe Hart’s crossbar.

City were aggrieved when referee

Mike Dean blew for the break when they were attacking but they were in front soon after the restart following a rare error from veteran Ryan Giggs.

The United midfielder lost possession in midfield and Gareth Barry made the most of it before feeding Nasri, who set up Milner and the England international powered a low shot goalwards that deflected off Jones and past David De Gea.Jones was in action at the other end to help level the score in the 58th minute as he met Van Persie’s in-swinging free-kick after Joe Hart flapped at it.

The ball rebounded off Jones’s shoulder and into the back of Kompany with

the City defender credited with the own goal.

City boss Roberto Mancini claimed Aguero was ready to play but not fit enough for 90 minutes and he brought him on with 19 minutes to go.The Argentine was certainly fit enough to sprint past the United defence late on after Yaya Toure fed him the ball and he smashed it into the roof of David De Gea’s net at the near post to send the visiting City fans wild. Ferguson responded by throwing on Javier Hernandez for the final few minutes but United could not create a clear opening to get an equaliser. — AFP

Knicks silence Thunder OKLAHOMA CITY: Carmelo Anthony had 36 points and 12 rebounds, JR Smith hit a pair of shot-clock beaters in the final 2 minutes as the New York Knicks beat the Oklahoma City Thunder 125-120 on Sunday for their 12th straight win.

Smith connected on a 23-foot jumper from the right wing as the 24-second clock expired to put New York up 117-113 with 1:30 to play, then swished a 3-pointer from beyond the 3-point line with 56.8 seconds left that all but sealed New York’s 50th win of the season.

It’s the first time the Knicks have reached the landmark in 13 years. Russell Westbrook had 37 points, 11 rebounds and eight assists for Oklahoma City, which fell a game behind San Antonio for first place in the West with five games left.

Kevin Durant scored 27, falling behind

Anthony in the NBA scoring race.

CLIPPERS 109, LAKERS 95 In Los Angeles, Blake Griffin had 24 points and 12 rebounds, and the playoffbound Clippers beat the Lakers to clinch their first Pacific Division title in franchise history against a team that has long overshadowed them.

Chris Paul added 24 points and 12 assists in helping the Clippers sweep the Lakers 4-0 for the first time since Donald Sterling bought the team in 1981. The 1974-75 team, known as the Buffalo Braves, had the franchise’s only other sweep of the Lakers. Fans chanted, “Sweep! Sweep!” in the closing seconds.

Jamal Crawford had 20 points off the bench, DeAndre Jordan had 13 rebounds and Caron Butler scored 14 points.

Dwight Howard scored 25 points,

NBA results/standings NY Knicks 125, Oklahoma City 120; LA Clippers 109, LA Lakers 95; Boston 107, Washington 96; Cleveland 91, Orlando 85; Memphis 89, Sacramento 87; Detroit 99, Chicago 85; Utah 97, Golden State 90; New Orleans 95, Phoenix 92; Dallas 96, Portland 91.

Eastern Conference Atlantic Division W L PCT GB NY Knicks 50 26 .658 Brooklyn 44 32 .579 6 Boston 40 37 .51910.5 Philadelphia 31 45 .408 19 Toronto 29 48 .37721.5 Central Division Indiana 48 29 .623 Chicago 42 34 .553 5.5 Milwaukee 37 39 .48710.5 Detroit 26 52 .33322.5 Cleveland 24 52 .31623.5 Southeast Division Miami 60 16 .789 Atlanta 42 36 .538 19 Washington 29 48 .37731.5 Orlando 19 59 .244 42 Charlotte 18 59 .23442.5

Western Conference Northwest Division Oklahoma City 56 21 .727 Denver 53 24 .688 3 Utah 41 37 .52615.5 Portland 33 44 .429 23 Minnesota 29 47 .38226.5 Pacific Division LA Clippers 51 26 .662 Golden State 44 33 .571 7 LA Lakers 40 37 .519 11 Sacramento 27 50 .351 24 Phoenix 23 54 .299 28 Southwest Division San Antonio 57 20 .740 Memphis 52 25 .675 5 Houston 43 34 .558 14 Dallas 38 39 .494 19 New Orleans 27 50 .351 30

including 9 of 13 free throws, for the Lakers, who played without injured starters Steve Nash and Metta World Peace.

Kobe Bryant added 25 points, 10 assists and seven rebounds, and Pau Gasol had 12 points and 13 rebounds as the Lakers’ three-game winning streak ended.

JAZZ 97, WARRIORS 90 In Oakland, Mo Williams scored 25 points, Al Jefferson added 19 points and 12 rebounds, and Utah regained the Western Conference’s final playoff position by holding off Golden State.

Williams made a 3-pointer with 13.4 seconds remaining to put Utah ahead by six and spoil Golden State’s shot to clinch a playoff berth in front of a sellout crowd of 19,596. The Jazz moved a half-game ahead of the Los Angeles Lakers for the eighth seed.

Stephen Curry scored 17 of his 22 points in the first half and Klay Thompson had 20 points for the Warriors, who were trying to clinch a postseason spot for the first time since 2007 and just the second in 19 years.

CELTICS 107, WIZARDS 96 In Boston, Brandon Bass scored 20 points and Boston Celtics, helped by the return of Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce, beat Washington.

Bass missed his season high by just two points and led the Celtics with eight points in the third quarter, when they hit 75 percent of their shots, outscored Washington 31-19 and stretched a 56-52 halftime lead to 87-71. They led by at least 10 points the rest of the way to get just their fourth win in 12 games.

Garnett had 12 points and six rebounds in 24 minutes after missing eight games with an inflamed left ankle.

Pierce finished with 15 points in 30 minutes after missing Friday night’s 97-91 loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers with a

sore left ankle.

PISTONS 99, BULLS 85 In Auburn Hills, Brandon Knight scored 20 points to help Detroit snap an 18-game losing streak against Chicago. Jonas Jerebko added 17 points and a seasonhigh nine rebounds for the Pistons, who ended an eight-game home skid.

The Bulls led by as many as 11 points in the first quarter but Detroit gradually caught up and took the lead in the second after starting the period on a 12-4 run.

Carlos Boozer had 21 points and 10 rebounds for the postseason-bound Bulls, who are fighting to secure the fourth seed in the Eastern Conference.

GRIZZLIES 89, KINGS 87 In Sacramento, Mike Conley scored 25 points, making the go-ahead basket with AUBURN HILLS: Detroit Pistons guard Rodney Stuckey (right) tries driving 30 seconds left and leading Memphis over to the basket against Chicago Bulls forward Carlos Boozer (5) and guard struggling Sacramento.

Kirk Hinrich (12) in the second half of an NBA basketball game. — AP Memphis made some big plays in the game’s final minute to get the victory, its five games left, but four of those are at Anderson’s rebound basket and two free fifth in six games. The win gave the home. throws by Davis boosted it to 89-82 and Grizzlies a four-game sweep of the Kings The Mavs led by as many as 26 points, the Hornets held on from there. New for the first time in franchise history. but the Blazers closed the gap in the Orleans snapped an eight-game road losQuincey Pondexter scored 17 points fourth quarter - even after sitting most of ing streak. and Marc Gasol had 15 points, 10 their starters.

CAVALIERS 91, MAGIC 85 rebounds and five blocks for the Grizzlies.

Will Barton came off the bench with 22 In Cleveland, Alonzo Gee scored 19 Tony Allen scored 12 points. points and 13 rebounds for the Blazers, points and Cleveland rallied in the fourth DeMarcus Cousins had 22 points and who have lost eight straight for their quarter to beat Orlando. Tristan Thompson nine rebounds for the Kings, who have longest losing streak since the 2005-06 had 15 points and 16 rebounds for the dropped four straight. Isaiah Thomas had season.

Cavaliers, who have won two in a row for 18 points, eight assists and six rebounds.

HORNETS 95, SUNS 92 the first time since Feb. 26-27.

Toney Douglas scored 14 points and In Phoenix, Anthony Davis scored 20 Cleveland, which broke a season-high, Jimmer Fredette added 13. points, Eric Gordon and Ryan Anderson 10-game losing streak Friday in Boston, MAVERICKS 96, TRAIL BLAZERS 91 added 17 apiece and New Orleans handed trailed by seven points late in the third In Portland, Chris Kaman scored a sea- Phoenix its franchise-record seventh con- quarter, but took the lead for good early in son-high 26 points and Dallas boosted its secutive home loss. the fourth and made clutch plays down faint playoff hopes by beating slumping Luis Scola scored 17 for the Suns, losers the stretch. Tobias Harris scored 26 points Portland. of a season-worst nine straight overall and while Nikola Vucevic added 21 points and Kaman added 11 rebounds for the 15 of their last 17. Markieff Morris and 21 rebounds for Orlando, which has lost Mavericks, who were 21/2 games back of Jared Dudley scored 15 apiece for Phoenix. five in a row and 13 of 14. The Magic have Utah for the eighth and final spot in the The Suns, down by 16 with nine min- dropped 11 straight away from home - the Western Conference, and two games utes to play, cut it to 85-82 on Goran second-longest road losing streak in franbehind the Lakers. Dallas (38-39) has just Dragic’s two free throws with 3:03 left. But chise history. —AP

Business

Even BMW drivers seek aid in crisis-hit Cyprus Page 22 Leaving euro-zone will take Cyprus back centuries: FM age 25

TUESDAY, APRIL 9, 2013

Al-Mazaya Holding turns from loss to profitability

US Treasury chief urges EU to ease off austerity Page 23 Page 26

KUWAIT: A general view of the audience attending the fifth Euromoney Conference yesterday. —Photos by Yasser Al-Zayyat

Kuwait economy buoyant: Al-Shamali CB still evolving tools, regulations: Hashel KUWAIT: Renowned international institutions and rating agencies have affirmed financial conditions in Kuwait are currently solid with record surplus of the state Budget, Minister of Finance Mustafa AlShamali affirmed here yesterday.

Al-Shamali, also the Deputy Prime Minister, in his inaugural statement of the Fifth Euromoney Conference, indicated that the state financial surplus would facilitate implementation of the economic reform plans. Backing up Kuwait’s sustainable financial and economic stability comes on top of the ministry’s objectives, Al-Shamali affirmed, also noting that efforts are not being spared for enlarging financial proceeds through optimum investment of available resources.

Kuwait’s financial policy focus is on boosting economic reforms, ensuring performance efficiency in public services, creating feasible investment opportunities for the private sector, and increasing the role of the private sector in boosting economic activity, he added. He affirmed necessity of intensifying effort to improve the business environment, limiting restrictions and bureaucratic constraints for boosting local and foreign investments. The approach in this regard has picked up momentum in line with the directives of His Highness the Amir Sheikh

Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah to the state strategists in these fields.

Al-Shamali also stressed on necessity of transparent action and indicated at some snags hindering the public financial policies, such as the pressure involved in creation of jobs for citizens.

The Governor of the Central Bank of Kuwait (CB) Mohammad Al-Hashel said that the Central Bank continues efforts to upgrade regulations and tools to increase the resilience of the banking sector. In his speech at the opening session of Euromoney Conference, kicked off here yesterday, Al-Hashel said that the CBK applies both the micro-prudential and macro-prudential policies to control the banking sector. “The global financial crisis has clearly showed that the micro-prudential regulation was not sufficient to protect the banking sector against the risks of financial shocks,” Al-Hashel said.

He stressed the importance of applying both micro-prudential and macro-prudential regulation of the banking sector to fend off financial problems.

The macro-prudential regulation characterizes the approach to financial regulation aimed to limit the risk of the financial system as a whole while micro-prudential regulation seeks to enhance the safety and soundness of individual financial institu-

Global 2012 net loss little changed from year ago DUBAI: Kuwait’s Global Investment House, which has agreed with creditors to restructure $1.7 billion of debt, said its 2012 net loss was little changed from the previous year as shareholders’ equity dropped sharply. The firm, one of the largest investment houses in Kuwait, posted a net loss of 55 million Kuwaiti dinars ($192.8 million)last year versus a loss of 57.5 million dinars in 2011, it said in a bourse filing yesterday.

It is the fourth straight year that Global has reported an annual net loss, having lost 73.2 million dinars in 2010 and 148.2 million dinars in 2009. The company was hit hard by weak financial markets in the wake of the global credit crisis. The company said total shareholders’ equity at the

end of 2012 was a negative 35 million dinars, compared to a positive 18 million dinars in 2011.

Global will delist from Kuwait’s stock exchange on June 19. Trading in its shares was suspended late last year after the group accumulated losses exceeding 75 percent of its capital. The company said last December that it planned to create two special purpose vehicles (SPVs) as part of its restructuring, one of which would hold company assets along with debt worth $1.3 billion. The other SPV would take part in a capital increase for the parent company; Global would offer 122.2 million dinars of new shares to creditors, leaving them owning 70 percent of the investment firm. —Reuters

tions. Al-Hashel shed lights on a number of the regulations issued by the Central Bank of Kuwait since early 1990s to improve the banking sector’s ability to absorb shocks arising from financial and economic stress, whatever the source; upgrade risk management and governance; and strengthen banks’ transparency and disclosures.

The fifth Euromoney conference, themed “financial sustainability and organizational capacity,” began with participation of leading financial foundations and elite economic and financial experts.

Conferees are scheduled to address, primarily, challenges facing Kuwait and promoting the country’s financial status, in addition to holding annual revision of the national economy.

They will discuss status of financial markets, the national economic strategy, and issues related to “creation of financial sustainability.” They will also analyze the state budget, financial resources, issuance of sukuks (Islamic bonds), external commerce, and Kuwait’s regional financial and economic status. The conference is run by a Euromoney magazine team and groups representatives of the Union of Kuwaiti Banks, the Gulf Bank, Ahli United bank, Boubyan Bank, and other regional and international institutions in the field. —KUNA

KFH agrees to 20% capital hike KUWAIT: Shareholders in Kuwait Finance House (KFH), the Gulf state’s largest Islamic lender, have agreed to a 20 percent capital hike, the company said yesterday.

KFH had said last year that the bank plans to increase its capital to boost capital ratios and fund expansion both at home and abroad, as part of the bank’s five-year strategic plan.

New shares will be issued at 100 fils ($0.35) per share plus a premium of 400 fils, the bank said in a bourse filing. The Annual General Meeting was held late on Sunday. KFH shares are now trading at 780 fils, down 1.27 percent on the Kuwait bourse.A capital increase could boost KFH’s paid-up capital to KD348.5 million ($1.24 billion) from KD290.4 million, an Arabic newspaper had reported in November. Kuwaiti banks have suffered since the global financial crisis because of exposures to the local real estate and stock markets whose values have dropped significantly, as well as to investment firms which borrowed heavily in the boom years to finance activity in the two areas. —Reuters

‘Ultra-high speed’ growth over: Xi BOAO, China: China’s President Xi Jinping said yesterday the days of “ultra-high speed” growth in the world’s second-largest economy-which many hope can spur a global recovery-are probably over.

“I don’t think we will be able to sustain an ultra-high speed of economic growth and it is not what we want either,” Xi told about two dozen foreign business figures on the southern island of Hainan.

“Still it is possible for us to sustain a relatively high speed of economic growth,” he added. “The Chinese economy is in good shape.” China has recorded annual average growth of 9.9 percent since the country began opening up its economy, he said, describing the feat as “rarely seen in the history of world economic development”. Factors such as urbanization, continuing industrialization and the modernization of agriculture were

cause for optimism regarding the future “upward trajectory” of the economy, he said. But he did not elaborate on what his terms regarding growth rates meant in exact figures. Xi became president last month after ascending to the leadership of the ruling Communist Party in November. He was speaking at a meeting held as part of the Boao Forum for Asia, an annual gathering of political and economic leaders. —AFP

Richard Banks addresses the Euromoney Conference.

TUESDAY, APRIL 9, 2013

BUSINESS

Even BMW drivers seek aid in crisis-hit Cyprus

Saudis rescind JV rights to develop $30bn city KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysian construction firm MMC Corp Bhd said the Saudi government had terminated the rights of its joint venture with Saudi Binladin Group to develop the $30 billion Jazan Economic City in Saudi Arabia.

“The termination was as a result of circumstances which gave rise to several difficulties that interrupted the progress of the project,” MMC said in a local stock exchange filing on Monday, without detailing the “difficulties”.

MMC will be engaging consultants to advise on matters relating to the project termination and compensation, it added.

“Until the status of the termination is clearer, the board is not in a position to determine precisely the impact on the group’s future earnings,” MMC said.

The Saudi Arabian General Investment Authority awarded the project to the joint venture of MMC and the Binladin group

Cypriots of all stripes wait in line for food NICOSIA: The Cyprus Red Cross has long cared for the needy, but the island’s financial woes run so deep that people unaccustomed to hardship are turning up for food aidincluding some who still drive BMWs. Anxious families waited at the organization’s headquarters in the Cypriot capital yesterday to collect boxes of pasta, rice, coffee, tea, sugar and tinned meats to keep them going for the next week.

In the past, recent arrivals mainly from Africa, Asia and the Middle East filled the waiting room, but now Cypriots of all stripes wait in line to receive food and clothing packages.

“Nowadays, we mostly help Cypriots. We see people coming here to collect food in BMWs and Mercedes,” Takis Neophytou, general director of the Cyprus Red Cross Society, told AFP. “A few months ago you can see that they would have had comfortable lives. It’s very sad.”

He estimated that the Red Cross is now feeding 1,000 people monthly, up from 300 before the crisis. Cyprus narrowly avoided bankruptcy last month after talks with the “troika” of the European Union, European Central Bank and International Monetary Fund guaranteed a 10-billion-euro ($13-billion) bailout for the island.

The deal stipulates a drastic restructuring of the banking sector that is certain to affect the eastern Mediterranean island’s economy and have severe social repercussions. Many of those lining up yesterday were there for the first time to receive food, having recently lost jobs or been hit by the effects of the bailout deal on banks.

Costas Costaris, 48, an unemployed father of one, has lived in government housing since his family fled their home in the north during the Turkish invasion in 1974, but never needed help supporting his family before.

“Before, I worked as a lorry driver, and I did not need to come, but I have not worked since December,” he said. “Now I’m just happy because there is someone helping us out now.”

in November 2006, and it was 30 percent complete as of September 2010, according to news reports at the time.

MMC said in 2006 that Jazan Economic City would be Saudi Arabia’s fourth economic city after King Abdullah, Prince Abdul Aziz bin Mousaed and Madinah.

Economic cities are built to attract domestic and foreign investment into industry and business and help diversify Saudi Arabia’s oil-based economy.

The project, 725 km south of Jeddah by the Red Sea, encompasses industrial and non-industrial zones on a site measuring approximately 117 square km to be developed over 30 years.

The announcement came after the close of the market yesterday. MMC shares had risen 1.15 percent to 2.64 ringgit per share, while the benchmark stock index fell 0.04 percent. — Reuters

Ajman Bank’s acting CEO steps down

NICOSIA: People withdraw money from a cash machine of a Bank of Cyprus branch in the capital, Nicosia yesterday. —AFP new food and clothing supplies because our account with Laiki Bank has been frozen,” she said.

Other charities have also started handing out food across the island, bringing much-needed support to those struggling with the current economic climate in Cyprus. Local charity Alkionides used to advise members of the diaspora in Britain and help students in Cyprus, but recently it has launched bi-weekly food distributions on the outskirts of Nicosia.

Last month, Alkionides spent 15,000 euros ($19,500) feeding 200 Cypriot families, the charity’s presi-

One single mother came to pick up food for herself and her four children because her social services payment was delayed this month.

“I have no idea how I will cope if this continues because I have a baby and at the moment my husband does not give me an allowance,” Georgia Yiannou, 27, told AFP. In little more than one hour, the bustling Nicosia depot handed out food parcels to over 40 people, but Fotini Papadopoulou, president of Cyprus’ Red Cross, warned that they were struggling to cope with the demand.

“At the moment we cannot buy

dent Georgia Polyviou, said. “Things have been getting worse over the past year and a half, but the situation has deteriorated rapidly after the euro group bailout last month,” she said.

“Now we expect to feed many, many more people as unemployment rises.” So far, those who have gone to Alkionides for help are still coming to terms with what has happened.

“People aren’t angry, there’s a mood of resignation and acceptance at the distributions. People are still numb, and want to know why this has happened.” — AFP

Japan posts current account surplus TOKYO: Japan posted its first current account surplus in four months in February, reflecting narrower trade deficits and robust income receipts from investments overseas, government data showed yesterday.

The current account balance, the broadest measure of the nation’s trade with the rest of the world covering trade in goods, services, tourism and investment, logged a surplus of 637.4 billion yen ($6.5 billion) in February.

The monthly surplus nearly halved from the year-before surplus of 1.2 trillion yen but reversed the deficit of 364.8 billion yen in

Januar y, data from the finance ministr y showed. February’s figure was bigger than an average surplus of 448.8 billion yen expected by economists, according to polls by Dow Jones Newswires and the Nikkei business daily.

The figure was affected by the Lunar New Year holiday in China, which reduced Chinese exports to Japan, and Tokyo’s trade deficit as a result. Japan logged a deficit of 677.0 billion yen in February goods trade, smaller than the shor tfall of 1.48 trillion yen registered in January, but economists say the overall surplus was still driven by income from overseas

investments. They expect Japan’s current and trade balances to improve going forward, as a sharply weaker yen is expec ted to make Japanese exports more competitive, while also inflating the value of income Japan receives from its investments overseas when repatriated.

A negative side of the weaker yen is that it makes Japan’s import bills higher. Japan’s energy impor ts have increased due to stalled domestic nuclear plants after the 2011 earthquake and tsunami sparked the Fukushima atomic accident. — AFP

ABU DHABI: Mohamed Amiri, the acting chief executive of Ajman Bank, has quit the Islamic lender, three sources said yesterday.

Mohammad Zaqout, previously executive vice president of personal banking at unlisted Al Hilal Bank, will be the new chief executive of Ajman Bank, an official at Al Hilal Bank said, confirming what one of the sources had said.

Press officials at Ajman Bank were not immediately available for comment. Ajman Bank shares fell 2.6 percent on the Dubai bourse by 0840 GMT. Its shares have risen 88 percent in the last one year on speculation that institutional investors were eyeing a stake in the bank.

Amiri’s last day at the bank was April 4

and day-to-day management of the lender is now being handled by chief financial officer and chief risk officer, a second source said. Another source at the bank confirmed that Amiri had resigned. The sources were speaking on condition of anonymity as the information is not yet public. No reasons were given for Amiri’s resignation. Ajman Bank, listed on the Dubai Financial Market since 2008, is 25-percent owned by the government of Ajman, one of the seven emirates that make up the United Arab Emirates. Amiri, who was named acting CEO in 2012, had joined the bank in October 2010, having worked with HSBC Holdings, Dubai Islamic Bank and Dubai Bank previously. — Reuters

India’s RCom to sell group firm to Bahrain telecom MUMBAI: Indian mobile phone firm Reliance Communications (RCom) owned

by Anil Ambani will sell a majority stake in a telecom subsidiary to a Bahrain Telecommunications-led group for $1.1 billion, a report said yesterday.

The funds raised from the sale of the stake in Reliance Globalcom will help RCom reduce its hefty debt estimated at $6.7 billion, the Times of India said, quoting a source the newspaper said was close to the deal.

“RCom will sell an 80 percent stake in its subsidiary, Reliance Globalcom, to a consortium led by Bahrain Telecommu-nications Company (Batelco)” for around 60 billion rupees ($1.1 billion), the Times of India said.

Reliance Globalcom provides voice, Internet and other communication services and operates a US fibre-optic network and a management services business. The Ambani group may also sell off its direct-to-home broadcast business to Sun Group based in south India for around $360 million, the newspaper

added. RCom shares rose as much as 6.74 percent to 67.25 rupees on the back of the report.

The Batelco-led consortium would include private equity firms, the newspaper added.

RCom would retain a 20 percent stake in Reliance Globalcom initially but has the option to sell that as well, the report said, adding the deal could be closed by May-end.

An RCom spokesman told AFP the company would not comment on “speculative news”.

There was no immediate comment available from Batelco. Last week RCom signed a $220 million deal with Reliance Industries’ group telecom firm, led by Anil’s elder brother Mukesh, to share their fibre-optic communications networks.

The agreement between the billionaire Ambani brothers, who had battled for the spoils of their late father’s business empire, was the first tangible sign of a corporate reconciliation. — AFP

EXCHANGE RATES Irani Riyal - cash

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

.2770000 .4330000 .3670000 .3020000 .2770000 .2930000 .0040000 .0020000 .0771240 .7513970 .3930000 .0720000 .7366120 .0370000

CUSTOMER TRANSFER RATES US Dollar/KD .2841000 GB Pound/KD .4357240 Euro .3691740 Swiss francs .3040620 Canadian dollars .2791730 Danish Kroner .0495230 Swedish Kroner .0440360 Australian dlr .2950240 Hong Kong dlr .0365890 Singapore dlr .2289280 Japanese yen .0029120 Indian Rs/KD .0000000 Sri Lanka rupee .0000000 Pakistan rupee .0000000 Bangladesh taka .0000000 UAE dirhams .0773800 Bahraini dinars .7538810 Jordanian dinar .0000000 Saudi Riyal/KD .0757800 Omani riyals .7382100 Philippine Peso .0000000

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

ASIAN COUNTRIES 3.027 5.204 2.899 2.267 3.261 232.110 36.771 3.640 6.939 9.761 0.271

.2880000 .4470000 .3760000 .3170000 .2920000 .3020000 .0069000 .0035000 .0778990 .7589480 .4110000 .0770000 .7440150 .0440000 .2862000 .4389450 .3719030 .3063090 .2812360 .0498890 .0443620 .2972040 .0368600 .2303200 .0029340 .0052520 .0022860 .0029200 .0036810 .0779520 .7594530 .4048090 .0763400 .7436660 .0070110

0.273

Dollarco Exchange Co. Ltd

GCC COUNTRIES 76.164 78.477 741.850 758.600 77.772

Saudi Riyal Qatari Riyal Omani Riyal Bahraini Dinar UAE Dirham

ARAB COUNTRIES Egyptian Pound - Cash 40.350 Egyptian Pound - Transfer 41.240 Yemen Riyal/for 1000 1.332 Tunisian Dinar 180.130 Jordanian Dinar 403.330 Lebanese Lira/for 1000 1.916 Syrian Lier 3.103 Morocco Dirham 33.867 EUROPEAN & AMERICAN COUNTRIES US Dollar Transfer 285.500 Euro 374.010 Sterling Pound 441.100 Canadian dollar 283.520 Swiss Franc 308.650 US Dollar Buying 284.300 GOLD 298.000 150.000 77.500

20 Gram 10 Gram 5 Gram

SELL DRAFT 300.82 284.96 310.51 374.09 284.90 440.66 2.99 3.665 5.201 2.256 3.257 2.899 77.64 758.58 41.05 405.87 741.47 78.67 76.17

Selling Rate 285.250 284.335 432.185 367.475 301.880 755.205 77.640 78.300 76.030 402.105 41.274 2.259 5.222 2.897 3.628 6.955 699.735 4.015 9.800 4.030 3.370 92.705

Bahrain Exchange Company CURRENCY

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 Omani Riyal Qatari Riyal Saudi Riyal

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

SELL CASH 308.000 283.500 307.000 369.000 286.000 437.000 3.300 3.740 5.400 2.450 3.450 2.975 78.300 757.850 41.300 413.000 740.000 78.500 76.500

British Pound Czech Korune Danish Krone Euro Norwegian Krone Scottish Pound Swedish Krona Swiss Franc

BUY Europe 0.4303104 0.0061692 0.0457033 0.3655248 0.0457902 0.4264720 0.0402236 0.3002519

SELL 0.4393104 0.0181692 0.0507033 0.3730248 0.0509902 0.4339720 0.0452236 0.3072519

Australasia 0.2856224 0.2319440 0.0001117

0.2976224 0.2419440 0.0001117

Canadian Dollar Colombian Peso US Dollars

America 0.2735911 0.0001486 0.2831500

0.2825911 0.0001666 0.2853000

Bangladesh Taka Cape Vrde Escudo Chinese Yuan Eritrea-Nakfa

Asia 0.0036089 0.0031651 0.0448615 0.0164867

0.0036639 0.0033951 0.0498615 0.0195867

Australian Dollar New Zealand Dollar Uganda Shilling

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

0.0000443 0.0342129 0.0051504 0.0000243 0.0028506 0.0028143 0.0033030 0.0886842 0.0031075 0.0028717 0.0064542 0.0000729 0.2259556 0.0019748 0.0093635

0.0000503 0.0373129 0.0052144 0.0000294 0.0038506 0.0029943 0.0035330 0.0956842 0.0033075 0.0029117 0.0069242 0.0000759 0.2319556 0.0022768 0.0099935

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

Arab 0.7503375 0.0392156 0.0129643 0.1485113 0.0000793 0.0001736 0.3968289 1.0000000 0.0001750 0.0218786 0.0012130 0.7300286 0.0777095 0.0755467 0.0479712 0.0031836 0.1778254 0.0762494 0.0012871

0.7588375 0.0412456 0.0194643 0.1503013 0.0000798 0.0002336 0.4043289 1.0000000 0.0001950 0.0458786 0.0018480 0.7410286 0.0784925 O.0761867 0.0485212 0.0034036 0.1838254 0.0776994 0.0013871

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) 284.900 373.200 439.500 282.650 3.000 5.199 41.235 2.266 3.638 6.925 2.898 758.650 77.630 76.130

TUESDAY, APRIL 9, 2013

BUSINESS

Qatar runs returns rule over fast cars and football DUBAI: Bankers and politicians touting their countries’ wares have to work hard to get the attention of Qatar’s sovereign wealth fund, such is the range of its interests, from banks to cars to soccer clubs, and its exacting requirement for returns. With estimated assets of about $200 billion, and more than a dozen potential deals on its radar every week, the state-run firm has no time for less than compelling investment opportunities and hopes to make more than 17 percent on its book this year, according to one banker close to the fund.

In a series of interviews with top bankers and officials who deal with the fund, most of whom wished to remain anonymous due to their business relationships, Reuters probed the thinking behind the gas-rich Gulf state’s investments and the future destination of its capital.

“There’s clearly an open-door policy.

Qatar has no mystery and no global mission to conquer the world. All it is buying strategic shares in big companies at an advantage,” says a senior banker at a global bank who has worked on several deals for the fund.

Qatar Holding, the investment arm of the wealth fund, has been actively deploying the nation’s riches from plentiful natural gas in recent years in a string of high-profile assets ranging from French soccer club Paris Saint-Germain to stakes in German sportscar maker Porsche, British bank Barclays and Swiss lender Credit Suisse. The world’s top exporter of liquefied natural gas has a lot of

spare cash to invest; recent figures showed a budget surplus of $26 billion in the second quarter of fiscal year 2012/13, or 54 percent of GDP for the period. “The state exports 6 million barrels a day of oil equivalent (1m oil and 5m gas). At $100 a barrel, that would give revenues of $200 billion a year,” the banker close to the fund said.

“After spending on government and budgets, the remaining $50 billion are channelled to QIA for investments. Qatar Investment Authority invests $40-$50 billion a year.”

Executives at Qatar Holding, who said last year it had about $30 billion to spend, have said the fund follows no particular investment strategy and nothing is off limits. “You name it - shares, bonds, real estate, private equity. We will look at every sector in every country around the world,” Hussain al-Abdullah, Qatar Holding’s vice-chairman, told a news conference in February. “The Qataris have shown to be astute investors.

Their focus is to identify good assets which they can acquire opportunistically regardless of geography or asset class,” said Christos Papadopoulos, chief executive for the Middle East, North Africa and Pakistan, at Standard Chartered.

“It’s all about the price.”

A growing focus for the fund is infrastructure investment. Another banking source said the fund had hired Deven Karnik, the most senior managing director of Morgan Stanley’s Asia infrastructure fund

until he left in March, to head a new infrastructure division.

Bankers say the fund, which paid 900 million pounds ($1.4 billion) last year for 20 percent of BAA, which owns London’s Heathrow airport, Europe’s busiest, is in talks with the UK government to invest billions more in British infrastructure.

“The fund is now looking actively at assets in pipelines, ports, airports, roads.

Everything infrastructure will grab their attention now,” the source said. QIA is also bullish on real estate, having invested billions of dollars in high-end property in Europe, especially London, where it owns assets such as the Shard skyscraper.

It is looking at mezzanine-related deals with distressed sellers where the fund has a likelihood of taking possession of the property, said a London-based banker who advises the fund.

Qatar prefers bilateral transactions where exclusive talks with sellers allow them to negotiate better terms and it generally avoids auctions or formal processes with multiple bidders.

The fund also demands additional perks like downside protection contracts, which ensures their investments are safeguarded in the event of a sharp downturn in asset prices, bankers aware of the fund’s plans said. In recent months, the fund has embarked on an investment strategy of picking minority stakes in large global companies such as oil giant Royal Dutch Shell, jewelry maker Tiffany & Co and Germany’s

Siemens. The strategy took an activist turn in 2012 when it demanded better terms from Glencore for its planned acquisition of London miner Xstrata, in which it had built up a stake of more than 12 percent, forcing the commodities giant to raise the share swap offer.

Among advisors, Credit Suisse, in which it holds the second-largest ownership stake of 6.2 percent, is a preferred choice. The fund has also increasingly used boutique advisory firms such as Lazard, Evercore Partners and Perella Weinberg in the recent years on big deals. Bankers say the fund’s choice of boutique advisors rather than bulge-bracket investment banks shows its focus is advice, rather than financing requirements.

Advisers and bankers working closely with the fund say deal selection is all about the internal rate of return (IRR). “It’s 100 percent about economics and zero politics.

Many deals have been killed if they don’t make financial sense, even if they are politically beneficial. It all boils down to the IRR,” a banking source close to the fund said.

In a rare media briefing in February, AlAbdulla said the average return in the past four years was around 13 percent.

QIA does not disclose its targets, but a banker close to the fund said return on investments was 17 percent in 2012. “They don’t benchmark against any index but they’re hoping to achieve more this year,” he said.

By comparison, the Abu Dhabi

Investment Authority (ADIA), one of the world’s biggest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2011 annual review that it made returns of 6.9 percent on an annualized basis over a 20-year period as of Dec. 31, 2011.

An improvement in market liquidity and sentiment has meant large private equity firms (PE) and pension funds are posing more competition for the kind of assets Qatar is interested in. “We have seen them walk away from couple of situations recently because the sellers brought in PE firms.

When market conditions improve, the strategy of bilateral talks and negotiating better terms always don’t work as there is always another buyer,” a Dubai-based banking source said.

Another potential concern is the concentration of power and decision making with a handful of people and the absence of a large pool of second and third level managers at the fund who have the authority to make key decisions.

All deals are approved by the board, which includes central bank governor Sheikh Abdulla bin Saoud Al-Thani, finance minister Yousef Kamal and is chaired by Prime Minister Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim AlThani. Ahmad Al-Sayed, managing director and chief executive officer of Qatar Holding, is another key decision maker.

“If the deal hits the $5 billion mark or more then it goes to the Emir and crown prince for blessings,” one source said.—Reuters

US Treasury chief urges EU to ease off austerity Lew kicks off series of meetings

TOKYO: An electronic board shows the numbers for foreign exchange rate of the yen against one US dollar (R) and the Tokyo Stock Exchange (L) in Tokyo yesterday. The dollar was at 98.56 yen in Tokyo afternoon trade, up from 97.54 yen in New York Friday afternoon, hitting its highest level since June 2009 and boosting Japanese exporter shares. —AFP

BOJ bond buying sinks yen; US stocks fall NEW YORK: The yen slumped against the dollar and the euro for a third day yesterday as the Bank of Japan began its boldest economic boost yet while US stocks fell, failing to follow gains elsewhere in the world. The dollar rallied to 99 yen, its highest since May 2009, and the euro touched a three-year peak against the Japanese currency after the BOJ conducted its first bond purchases since announcing the new monetary easing steps last week.

Since new BOJ Governor Haruhiko Kuroda promised on Thursday to inject about $1.4 trillion into the economy in less than two years, the yen has fallen more than 6 percent against both the dollar and the euro, while Japanese stocks have soared.

“Barring any sudden spike in risk aversion (dollar/yen) is likely to roll through that (100) level as momentum remains relentless for the time being,” said Boris Schlossberg, managing director of FX Strategy at BK Asset Management in New York. The dollar settled around 98.85 yen for a gain of 1 percent from Friday’s New York close, and the euro added 1.5 percent to trade at about 128.64 yen.

Japan’s Nikkei stock average jumped as much as 3.1 percent yesterday to its highest level since August 2008.

“The BOJ’s bazooka has sparked the buying of Japanese stocks, especially domestic sectors like real estate,” said Yasuo Sakuma, a portfolio manager at Bayview Asset Management. The BOJ has said would buy 1 trillion yen ($10 billion) of government bonds with maturities between five and 10 years, and 200 billion yen of bonds with maturities exceeding 10 years.

MSCI’s world equity index rose 0.07 percent to 355.76 after registering its worst week of the year on Friday with a five-day loss of 1.26 percent.

But the trend failed to flow through to Wall Street.

US stocks slipped, following the S&P 500’s largest weekly decline this year, ss investors faced the prospect of a lackluster corporate earnings season and an economy that could be hitting a slow patch.

The Dow Jones industrial average was down 50.11 points, or 0.34 percent, at 14,515.14. The Standard & Poor’s 500 Index was down 2.27 points, or 0.15 percent, at 1,551.01. The Nasdaq Composite Index was down 5.23 points, or 0.16 percent, at 3,198.63. Defensive shares led the down-

side move yesterday, including the telecommunications sector, which fell 0.8 percent.

Earnings forecasts have been scaled back heading into first-quarter reports. S&P 500 earnings are expected to have risen just 1.6 percent from a year ago, according to Thomson Reuters data, down from a 4.3 percent forecast in January.

Still, US stocks have rallied strongly this year with major indexes hitting record highs, helped in part by the Federal Reserve’s stimulus program. The S&P 500 is up nearly 9 percent for the year so far, while the Dow has gained just under 11 percent.

“It’s a little easier to pull the trigger and take some profits when you’re on the fringe of an earnings season that might not be as good as what the stock market has indicated with a phenomenal first quarter,” said Alan Lancz, president at Alan B Lancz & Associates Inc in Toledo, Ohio.

The prospect that Japanese investors will move out of the domestic debt market due to the heavy central bank buying has boosted the attractiveness of some European debt and demand for US Treasuries.

US Treasury 10-year note yields fell sharply last week in response to the new BOJ policy but edged up yesterday to 1.718 percent as some traders booked profits and dealers prepared for this week’s auctions of $66 billion in longer-dated Treasury debt.

In Europe the main beneficiary was French debt with 10-year bond yields hitting a record low.

Oil prices staged a similar recovery to equities elsewhere in the world, rebounding more than $1 per barrel, having hit eightmonth lows at the end of last week fuelled by the worries over global economic growth. Brent crude rose to a high of $105.55 before trading around $104.74. US crude rose 48 cents to $93.19 a barrel after logging its biggest weekly loss in more than six months last week.

A rise in Chinese steel futures to their highest in more than a week in anticipation of improving demand in the world’s second-biggest economy during the second quarter supported other industrial commodities like copper.

Three-month copper on the London Metal Exchange climbed 0.7 percent to $7,457 a tonne, up from an eight-month low of $7,331.25 hit last week. The metal is still down more than 3 percent over the past three weeks. —Reuters

BRUSSELS: European countries should ease off their austerity and adopt more growth friendly policies, US Treasury Secretary Jacob Lew said yesterday as he kicked off a series of meetings with the region’s top leaders.

America’s biggest trading partner and the world’s largest economic bloc has entered the fourth year of its debt crisis, which has plunged many of the 27 EU governments into recession. The US administration hopes Europe will relent in its focus on debt reduction, which has been hurting growth through spending cuts and tax increases.

Lew, who became treasury secretary in February, started his first official trip to Europe with a meeting with EU Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso in Brussels. He was also meeting the EU’s top economic and monetary official, Commissioner Olli Rehn and EU Council President Herman Van Rompuy. In his meeting with Barroso, the chief of the EU’s executive arm, Lew discussed “the need to generate demand” to spur the economy, a Treasury official said.

“They also discussed the situation in Cyprus, which underscored the importance of moving to full banking union,” said the official, who was speaking on condition of anonymity because he was not allowed to publicly discuss the closed-doors meeting. Cyprus, a tiny eastern Mediterranean island nation of about 1 million people, had to seek a 10 billion euro ($13 billion) bailout from its European partners and the International Monetary Fund last month after a banking crisis brought it to the brink of bankruptcy.

Lew therefore pressured the EU to push ahead with one of the bloc’s major projects to overcome its debt crisis, the introduction of a full banking union. Under that plan, the over-

sight of the bloc’s banks will be centralized starting next year, eventually followed by a bailout fund with the power to solve banking failures. The goal is to prevent the cost of rescuing a bank from overwhelming the finances of a single member state.

on both sides of the Atlantic, with President Barack Obama and German Chancellor Angela Merkel amid its prime advocates, but the negotiations are expected to be arduous and a deal won’t be reached fast.

the euro currency, shared by 17 of the EU’s 27 nations. In Frankfurt, continental Europe’s biggest financial hub, he is set to meet European Central Bank President Mario Draghi.

Today, he is due to meet German Finance Minister Wolfgang

BRUSSELS: US Treasury Secretary Jacob Lew (left) shakes hands with European Council President Herman Van Rompuy after a media conference at EU headquarters in Brussels yesterday. US Treasury Secretary Jacob Lew is starting a series of meetings with key European Union leaders during his first official visit to the region. —AP Lew and Barroso also discussed the planned free trade agreement between the US and the EU, the official said. That deal would foster growth by lowering tariffs and removing other trade barriers for most industries between the two giants, that together account for more than half of the world economy. The project has strong support

“In the current economic context, we must indeed seize all opportunities to create growth and jobs,” Barroso’s spokeswoman Pia Ahrenkilde Hansen said after the meeting. “The agreement will create both, growth and jobs, without taxpayers’ money,” she added.

Later yesterday, Lew’s focus will turn to the key officials in charge of

Schaeuble in Berlin, followed by talks with France’s Pierre Moscovici in Paris. Germany and France combined make up almost half of the eurozone’s annual economic output of about 10 trillion euros ($13 trillion).

The two-day trip through some of Europe’s capitals was Lew’s second tour abroad after visiting China last month.—AP

Greek bank NBG rocked by nationalization fears ATHENS: Shares in the National Bank of Greece (NBG) plunged by 13.6 percent in afternoon trading yesterday as plans for a merger with Eurobank were suspended and investors were seized by concern over a possible nationalization.

Eurobank bounced back from early losses to show a jump of 20.0 percent meanwhile, while Piraeus Bank was 3.13 percent higher and Alpha bank had gained 2.81 percent following an announcement by the Greek central bank that the country’s four biggest banks would be recapitalized separately, meaning that a planned merger of NBG and Eurobank had been put on hold. The Athex index of leading shares was up by 0.42 percent overall, while a sub-index of banking stocks was down by 3.08 percent as talk of a possible nationalization circulated in Athens.

In initial trading, NBG and Eurobank had plunged by around 30 percent before Eurobank bounced back as investors digested the information.

Trading volumes in Athens are relatively small, which can lead to volatile swings in share prices.

A banking source close to the recapitalization process told AFP that NBG and Eurobank might now come under the control of the Hellenic

financial stability fund (HFSF).

“NBG and Eurobank management will probably be taken over by the state, namely by the Hellenic fund which works in full cooperation with the troika,” the source said in reference to a trio of international creditors, the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the European Union (EU) and the European Central Bank.

“The other two banks (Alpha, Piraeus)... should stay under private control,” the banking source added. Meanwhile, “deposits at NBG and Eurobank are absolutely safe,” government spokesman Simos Kedikoglou told the television station Antenna. He added however that “the two banks could not raise the 10 percent of new capital (they needed) from private investors.”

On Sunday, a finance ministry source announced a suspension of the NBG-Eurobank merger, pending individual recapitalizations of each of the four banks, a decision confirmed on Monday by the two banks. “The relevant regulatory authorities, with the consent of the management of both banks, have decided that NBG and Eurobank will be independently recapitalized in full. As a consequence, the merger process of the two banks is being suspended,” Eurobank said.

Greece’s creditors had expressed concern that the mooted entity created through a NBGEurobank merger would dominate the market and be hard to recapitalize.

A central bank statement said on Sunday that the recapitalization process “is proceeding normally and will conclude in April.” All four banks are to hold shareholder meetings to approve capital increases this week, the central bank added.

Private investors were initially expected to provide the 10 percent minimum of new capital required to avoid an effective nationalization.

Recapitalizing the weakened Greek banks is an important condition for gaining access to vital EU-IMF rescue loans.

The troika is currently conducting an audit in Athens that will determine whether Greece will receive 2.8 billion euros ($3.6 bn) in loans that have been pending since last month.

Of the overall 240 billion euros that the EU and IMF have committed to Greece since 2010, 50 billion have been earmarked to recapitalize Greek banks that suffered heavy losses last year as part of a writedown of the country’s sovereign debt held by private investors. That writedown was worth more than 100 billion euros. —AFP

TUESDAY, APRIL 9, 2013

BUSINESS

UK gas supply surge alleviates concerns LONDON: British prompt gas prices retreated yesterday as surging supplies and warming weather alleviated concerns that abnormally high demand would empty the last of reserves in storage.

The price of gas for today delivery slid 6 percent to 75 pence per therm, moving closer to the May gas contract at 67.50 pence, which reflects more typical prices for the time of year.

UK gas prices spiked towards record highs in recent weeks as abnormally cold weather, pipeline closures and production outages rapidly depleted inventories and stirred fears of a gas supply crunch.

Liquefied natural gas (LNG) imports from Qatar, Algeria and Trinidad and increased pipeline

flows from Norway have allayed those concerns, driving prices lower across the board as the coldest March in half a century gives way to milder April temperatures. Algeria and Qatar are both sending fresh shipments of LNG to UK ports due to arrive this week, while Belgium’s Zeebrugge terminal expects another three tankers between now and April 20.

Britain’s stored reserves continued to drop, with the last measurements on Sunday indicating sites were just 3.36 percent full, although the rate of decline has slowed down somewhat in recent days. Inventories at Britain’s biggest such facility, Rough, ran down to 7 mcm below its advertised minimum capacity yesterday, analysts at

Thomson Reuters Point Carbon said, although the site is understood to contain around 100 mcm of additional supply.

Operator Centrica last week said it planned to take Rough storage offline for maintenance tomorrow and Thursday, preventing gas withdrawals from the site over that period. Another smaller storage site at Humbly Grove was hit by an unplanned outage on Monday, operator Petronas Energy Trading said. “There’s still some gas in Rough, the weather is getting warmer, we’re getting very good flows from Norway, and with the all the LNG that’s on the horizon now, people are getting more comfortable,” a trader with a European utility said. —Reuters

RICHMOND: A help wanted sign in front of a restaurant in Richmond, Virginia. The US economy has enjoyed a four-month stretch of robust job gains. —AP

Dim labor report shows US added just 88K jobs WASHINGTON: A streak of robust job growth came to a halt in March, signaling that US employers may have grown cautious in a fragile economy. The gain of 88,000 jobs was the smallest in nine months. Even a decline in unemployment to a four-year low of 7.6 percent was nothing to cheer: It fell only because more people stopped looking for work and were no longer counted as unemployed.

Friday’s weak jobs report from the Labor Department caught analysts by surprise and served as a reminder that the economic recovery is still slow, nearly four years after the Great Recession ended.

“This is not a good report through and through,” Dan Greenhaus, chief economic strategist at brokerage firm BTIG, said in a note to clients. Economists had no single explanation for why hiring weakened so sharply and broadly - from retailers and manufacturers to electronics and building materials companies.

Some said deep government spending cuts that began taking effect March 1 might have contributed to the slowdown, along with higher Social Security taxes. Others raised the possibility that last month was just a pause in an improving job market.

Whatever the reasons, slower job growth will extend the Federal Reserve’s policy of keeping borrowing costs at record lows. March’s job gain was less than half the average of 196,000 jobs in the previous six months, raising the prospect that for the fourth straight spring, the economy and hiring could show strength early in the year, only to weaken later. Some economists say weak hiring may persist into summer before rebounding by fall.

The percentage of working-age Americans with a job or looking for one fell to 63.3 percent in March, the lowest such figure in nearly 34 years.

Stocks plummeted after the report but narrowed their losses later in the day.

The Dow Jones industrial average closed down about 41 points. Broader indexes also declined.

The Labor Department uses a survey of mostly large businesses and government agencies to determine how many jobs are added or lost each month.

That’s the survey that produced the gain of 88,000 jobs for March. The government uses a separate survey of households to calculate the unemployment rate. It counted 290,000 fewer people as unemployed - not because they found a job but because they stopped looking for one.

The percentage of working-age adults with a job or looking for one is a figure that economists call the participation rate. It’s the lowest since 1979. Normally during an economic recovery, an expanding economy lures job seekers back into the labor market. But this time, many have stayed on the sidelines, and more have joined them.

Longer-term trends have helped keep the participation rate down. The baby boomers have begun to retire. The share of men 20 and older in the labor force has dropped as manufacturing has shrunk.

After expanding from the early 1950s through the mid-1990s, the share of women working or looking for work has plateaued. Fewer teenagers are working.

And some people who have left the job market are getting by on government aid, particularly Social Security’s program for the disabled.

Heidi Shierholz, an economist at the liberal Economic Policy Institute, said the labor force participation among those ages 25 to 54 - “prime age” workers - has dropped to 81.1 percent. It hasn’t been lower since 1984. Gary Burtless, senior fellow in economic studies at the Brookings Institution, noted that some Americans have likely stopped looking for work because their unemployment benefits have run out. People must be looking for a job to qualify for unemployment benefits.

“If people aren’t collecting benefits, they have one less reason to be out pounding the pavement looking for a job,” Burtless said.

If the economy slows this spring, it would follow the pattern of recent years.

An intensifying European financial crisis depressed hiring in 2010. Japan’s earth-

quake and tsunami also disrupted US manufacturing in 2011. Last year, an unusually warm winter caused employers to do more hiring early in the year, cutting into hiring that normally happens in spring. This year’s steep government spending cuts could have the same effect. But some economists say they expect any weakening this spring to be milder. The economy has a stronger foundation now. Rising home prices and near-record-level stock prices are making consumers feel wealthier and spend more.

“The recovery is on much better footing this year than in the last few springs, and the recovery in the housing market will do much to support growth,” said Sophia Koropeckyj, an economist at Moody’s Analytics.

Economists also cautioned against reading too much into a one-month slowdown in hiring.

Friday’s report also showed hiring was stronger in January and February than previously estimated. January job growth was revised up from 119,000 to 148,000. February was revised from 236,000 to 268,000. Those revised totals suggest that some hiring might have again occurred earlier in the year than usual. Job gains have averaged 168,000 in the past three months, close to the trend of the past two years. The Fed has said it plans to keep short-term interest rates at record lows at least until unemployment falls to 6.5 percent - and Chairman Ben Bernanke has said a 6.5 percent rate is a threshold, not a “trigger,” for any rate increase. The Fed wants to see sustained improvement in the job market.

Several industries cut back sharply on hiring. Retailers cut 24,000 jobs, manufacturers 3,000 jobs.

Some economists said retailers might have held back on hiring in part because March was colder than normal. That likely meant that Americans bought fewer spring clothes and less garden equipment. Fred Whyte, president of Stihl Inc, which makes chainsaws, lawn trimmers and other equipment, said the Virginia Beach, Va.-based company has benefited from the housing recovery and is looking to fill about 130 jobs, including engineers, machinists and software programmers.

With home sales rising, more people are willing to spend money to spruce up their yards, Whyte said. Commercial developers are spending more on landscaping.

But Whyte said the company has heard complaints from retailers that cold weather in March was holding down sales. The oil and gas industry has been adding jobs fast over the past several years but cut jobs in March for the first time in 21/2 years. Oil drilling and exploration is booming, but low natural gas prices over the last year have made natural gas drilling in some areas unprofitable.

In March, average hourly pay rose a penny, the smallest gain in five months.

Average pay is just 1.8 percent higher than a year earlier, trailing the pace of inflation, which rose 2 percent in the past 12 months.

Most analysts think the economy strengthened from January through March, helped by the pickup in hiring, a sustained housing recovery and steady consumer spending. Consumers stepped up purchases in January and February, even after Social Security taxes rose this year.

At the same time, some small businesses say they’ve grown more cautious about hiring. The government spending cuts could cut into sales at companies with federal contracts and at small retailers located near government facilities.

And small business owners worry about increased health insurance costs next year, when the government’s health care overhaul is fully implemented. As federal agencies and contractors cut back in coming months, Nariman Behravesh, chief economist at IHS Global Insight, expects job growth to average 100,000 to 150,000 a month, down from an average 212,000 from December through February. He expects hiring to pick up after mid-year. “The good news,” Behravesh said, “is that this is happening at a time when the private economy is gaining momentum.” —AP

TUESDAY, APRIL 9, 2013

BUSINESS

ECB takes a different path from Fed, BOE NBK WEEKLY MONEY MARKETS REPORT KUWAIT: Only when you think you have seen it all, the market pushes you back into humility. Indeed, the meeting of the Bank of Japan on Thursday proved to be a remarkable day. Still the ramifications of the BOJ action will take many weeks to come fully apparent. The Yen lost almost 5 percent of its value against the Dollar in less than 24 hours after the Bank of Japan just announced a new monetary easing program. As a result, Japan’s 10-year yield fell to 0.425 percent, the lowest on record as a first response.

On the other hand, during the latest European Central Bank meeting, the governing council mentioned that an interest-rate cut is rising up the bank’s agenda. However, the ECB decided to keep the main interest rate on hold at 0.75 percent for the ninth consecutive month.

Draghi also mentioned they stood “ready to act” as economic weakness started creeping further into euro-zone countries unaffected by the sovereign debt crisis.

On the foreign exchange side, Markets were extremely volatile on Thursday and Friday. Speaking after the bank’s council meeting, Draghi responded cautiously to the Bank of Japan’s dramatic easing plan that will see it double its monetary base over two years.

Currencies closed the week with a stronger euro and sterling pound.

Profit-taking pushed the dollar lower after the ECB’s meeting while a short squeeze pushed GBP up against the dollar. After reaching a low of 1.5030 on Thursday, the Pound ended the week at 1.5336.

Euro on the other side behaved in a much more volatile way. After dropping to a low of 1.2740 during Draghi’s speech, the Euro exploded higher to close the week at 1.2991.

In the commodity complex, Gold continued to slide to a low of 1,540

as investors continued to shun the metal on hope that the US economy would continue outperform its peers, while forcing the Fed to consider ending its QE program.

In summary, this week’s US data disappointed investors as numbers ranging mainly from manufacturing to employment figures came much worse than expected. Although analysts blamed the holiday season for the weakness, uncertainty over equity markets pressured investors to stay on the sideline and reinforced a perception of a US slowdown in Q2 Disappointing ISM Manufacturing, However The Trend Is Still Intact. As mentioned above, fears of a US slowdown in growth returned this week as manufacturing ISM disappointing slightly. The Institute for Supply Management Index was 51.3 in March, down from 54.2 in February, however still above the 50 level diving from growth to decline. Details of the report showed that the pullback from earlier in the year was due to slowing growth in a number of areas, notably new orders and production.

The number also suggested that companies continue to delay hiring, spending and capacity. In another report, the non-manufacturing data also grew at a slower rate than expected in March, hitting a fivemonth low. The index indeed fell to 54.4 in March compared to 56 in February. The New Orders Index decreased by 3.6 points to 54.6, and the Employment Index declined 3.9 points to 53.3 Analysts however continued to emphasize the underlying trend of manufacturing growth rather than the month-to-month changes in the ISM numbers.

Jobless claims.

US jobless claims rose more than

expected last week reaching a 16week high. The data increased by 28k to 385k compared to expectations for a decrease of 7k to 350k.

The four-week moving average however remains at 354k an increase of 11k from the previous week revised average of 343k.

Earlier in the week, ADP rose by 158k from an upwardly revised 237k gain in Feb, which weighted also on the USD. Still, other reports also raised concerns that job gains

may be moderating and Q2 might be harder for the economy.

Employers eliminated 49,255 jobs in March, down from 55,356 in February but 30 percent higher than March 2012. Analysts continue to blame Washington’s spending cuts for the increased layoffs.

Europe & UK At the last council meeting, a dovish Mario Draghi triggered a Euro move down to 1.2745, but this was quickly reversed after he stated that he was looking at non-standard measures and will continue to debate small and medium-sized enterprises lending.

After acknowledging the deteri-

oration in Europe’s situation, Draghi’s message during his speech was that additional unconventional measures cannot be undertaken by the ECB within the central bank’s mandate. This leaves the ECB with its conventional tools only, which the Governing Council seems more willing to deploy. The market now has priced in a rate cut over the next few months even with Draghi refusing to pre-commit. Furthermore, Draghi implicitly called on national

governments and national central banks to do their own share and take initiatives, but refrained to explain how technically these could put in place.

In summary, the ECB relative decision to the Bank of Japan suggests that the market might want to be funding in Japanese Yen not in Euro as the ECB refuses to start printing money similarly to the Fed and the BOJ. The inflation rate in Germany fell to 1.7 percent from 1.8 percent in February, the lowest since November 2010. This was driven by energy price inflation falling to 0.5 percent (3.6 percent prev.), while food price inflation accelerated

moderately from 3.1 percent to 3.7 percent. However, with downside risks in the Euro zone growing, the risks of missing the 2013 inflation forecast of the ECB has materialized, adding to the pressure of an additional interest rate cut over the next few months.

Adding to the pressure, Retail Sales in the Euro zone fell 0.3 percent in February and by 1.4 percent on the year. The figures came after the ECB kept its policy unchanged despite continued weakness in the economy. Sales have been falling in annualized terms for 18 consecutive months and the situation is not likely to change for the moment in the absence of an added stimulation from the ECB European PMIs European data continued to slide this week as shown by the respective PMI indices. Indeed, peripheral Euro zone PMIs were weaker than market expectations in March. Italy’s manufacturing PMI declined to 44.5 versus expectation of 45.3, down from 45.8 the month before. Spain’s manufacturing PMI was 44.2 versus consensus 46.2. Final core Euro zone PMIs improved slightly, with France’s at 44 versus 43.9 flash and Germany’s 49 versus expectations of 48.9, helping the Euro zone manufacturing PMI to print 46.8 final versus expectations of 46.6.

UK manufacturing PMI was weaker than market expectations in March at 48.3 versus 48.7 expectations, but up from 47.9 the previous month. Details of the survey were worrying, with the output component falling at its fastest pace since October. The survey suggests manufacturing exercised an even bigger drag on growth between January and March than it did in the fourth quarter of 2012, when it accounted for a third of the economy’s 0.3 per-

cent contraction. February money supply numbers were also pessimistic, with mortgage approvals 51.k versus 53.7k consensus, although consumer credit expanded

by GBP 600 million, versus expectation of 400 million.

Japan’s new Bernanke.

The first meeting of the new Bank of Japan governor happened to be a historic day. Under the new program, the BOJ committed to buying JPY 7trn in Japan Government Bonds per month. The net increase on the BOJ’s balance sheet will be roughly JPY45 trillion over the remainder of 2013, and 50 trillion over 2014. Moreover, the BOJ stated it will extend its government bondsbuying to the 40-yrs, and the average duration of its Japanese government bonds holdings will more than double to 6-8 years. Finally, the BOJ set a timeframe of 2 years for achieving its 2 percent inflation goal, significantly strengthening its policy commitment.

The new policy implies that in the 5-10 year sectors, the BOJ will be buying more than the gross supply from the 10-year supply every month, while in the longer maturity (10-40 years), the BOJ’s purchasing amount will be eight times as large as the pre-announcement amount.

As domestic investors seek higher carry, they may also increase foreign bond investments as well which might cause the Yen to depreciate further. According to Koruda, the new policy would no cause immediate risk for bonds, stock market bubbles, and the BOJ would adjust its policy on economic price movements.

Kuwait Kuwaiti dinar at 0.28465 The USDKWD opened at 0.28465 on Sunday morning.

Leaving euro-zone will take Cyprus back centuries: FM Nicosia has no ‘Plan B’

VIENNA: A woman turns her back as she stands at an ATM of Austrian bank Volksbank in Vienna, Austria yesterday. Austria should maintain its banking secrecy, Vice Chancellor Michael Spindelegger said yesterday as a debate raged over whether such a measure could still be justified after Luxembourg revealed that it was prepared to soften its position. —AFP

Hungary CB deputy governor resigns BUDAPEST: A deputy governor in Hungary’s central bank resigned yesterday in protest at what she said was a campaign by appointees of Prime Minister Viktor Orban to reduce the bank to a rubber-stamp for risky economic policies.

Deputy governor Julia Kiraly launched a scathing attack on the new bank governor put in place by Orban, saying that by firing seasoned staff and changing the bank’s procedures, he was risking long-term damage to the Hungarian economy, which is already the most indebted in central Europe.

Kiraly was the last remaining member of the eight-strong Monetary Council who was not appointed by Orban’s government or his Fidesz party. Her six-year term would have expired in July.

The resignation of such a senior official could give new fuel to accusations from his opponents that Orban, who has clashed repeatedly with the European Union and international lenders over his idiosyncratic policies, is eroding the independence of institutions which could challenge him. The central bank did not respond to a request for comment and there was no immediate comment from the government. Markets were untroubled by the resignation: foreign investors say even if they don’t like Orban’s policies, they are sticking with Hungarian bonds and the forint currency because the yields are higher than almost anywhere else in Europe.

Kiraly resigned four days after she abstained from a vote on economic stimulus measures proposed by the bank’s new management. She said she was given the document 35 minutes before it was put to a debate and vote, not enough time to give it proper consideration.

“Decisions have been made that could cause serious damage not only to the National Bank of Hungary but in the longer term also to the Hungarian economy,” Kiraly wrote in the resignation letter which she submitted to the Hungarian president. “Taking all of this into account, I can see an increasing likelihood that decisions could be made that are not well-founded, and (which are) mistaken, for which I do not wish to take any responsibility.” Orban, a 49-year-old conservative who made his name as a young dissident when Hungary was behind the Iron Curtain, has overseen

four revisions of the constitution, imposed swinging “crisis taxes” on some foreign firms and forced banks to write off some of the debt owned by Hungarian households. His opponents accuse him of harming Hungarian democracy and gambling with economic stability. The EU says he has eroded the independence of the courts, the media, the central bank and other institutions, pulling Hungary out of Europe’s mainstream.

He says he has saved Hungary from a Greekstyle economic collapse, his reforms are democratic because he won a huge majority in a 2010 election, and he is under attack because he threatens the interests of foreign business lobbies. Until recently, investors had looked to the central bank as a strong institution capable of off-setting government policies. However, its image for independence has declined since Gyorgy Matolcsy, an Orban ally, was sworn in as governor last month.

Kiraly’s departure will not change the balance of power inside the central bank’s Monetary Council, since appointees of Orban and his Fidesz party dominate the rate-setting panel.

“She (Kiraly) was the last of the Mohicans,” said Erste Bank analyst Zoltan Arokszallasi. “The fact that she criticises what happens in the bank is no surprise.” It means there will be one fewer voice in the council who could speak out against interest rate cuts, which the government backs to pull Hungary out of recession in time for an election next year but which carries risks of driving down the currency. “Her (Kiraly’s) resignation highlights the worries regarding the independence of the central bank and the stability of monetary policy,” said Annika Lindblad, analyst with Nordea.

The forint, which in the past week’s has been a barometer of market anxiety over government policy, was unaffected by Kiraly’s resignation. It has been growing stronger over the past few days because of two factors: relief that last week’s stimulus package was less drastic than many in the market had anticipated, and a new monetary easing push by Japan which will generate new cash and push up demand for Hungarian assets.

Kiraly was upset at sweeping changes implemented by Matolcsy at the central bank headquarters, built in the last days of the Austro-Hungarian empire near the banks of the Danube.—Reuters

NICOSIA: Finance Minister Haris Georgiades said yesterday that leaving the euro-zone would take Cyprus back “centuries” and insisted the island has no “Plan B” for reneging on a 10-billion-euro ($13-billion) bailout. Leaving the European single currency, Georgiades told parliament’s finance committee, was “not up for discussion”.

“It’s time to correct past mistakes. It’s time to pay the bill. We can only spend what is in our pocket. There is no other option,” the minister told the committee, which is looking into how Cyprus ended up with controversial and unpopular bailout terms.

“It ’s a question of reality. Government instructions to the ministries will be to compile next year’s budget essentially from scratch. Each item, each program of the ministries must be explained and justified,” Georgiades said.

Addressing the committee earlier, central bank chief Panicos Demetriades blamed Cyprus’s political leaders for the harshness of the terms of the bailout.

Under the deal struck with the European Union, European Central Bank and International Monetary Fund, Cyprus will drastically reduce

the size of its bloated banking sector, raise taxes, downsize the public sector workforce and privatize some state-owned firms.

The terms of the final bailout, Demetriades said, was a “political decision” with the central bank having the “institutional responsibility of addressing the painful situation”.

“I understand there is anger and insecurity from the public. This is why I am here to present the facts with evidence, so everyone understands what really happened,” he said.

Demetriades has been widely accused of mishandling the bailout deal and of destroying the island’s banks, amid a groundswell of demands that he resign. “The reforms are unprecedented for the Cypriot banking system and they were expected to cause a reaction,” the central bank governor said.

“I respect and understand the people and the difficulties they face.” Demetriades also took aim at Eurogroup finance ministers, saying it was their idea to impose losses on all depositors in the island’s banks-large or small-in an initial plan that was angrily rejected by Cypriot MPs. “Eurozone finance ministers wanted a levy on all deposits insured and uninsured,” he said.

European Central Bank chief Mario Draghi last week accused Cyprus of handling the bailout poorly, describing as “not smart” the initial plan to impose a “haircut” on all depositors, which rode roughshod over previous guarantees within the European bloc on balances up to 100,000 euros.

Demetriades also said Cypriot officials had been caught wrong-footed when it turned out the amount of the bailout deal was 10 billion euros instead of the 17 billion euros they had earlier discussed with the lenders.

“During the meeting of the Eurogroup on March 15, the finance ministers of the eurozone informed the president of (Cyprus) and the minister of finance that the funding was limited to 10 billion euros for the state and the remaining 7.0 billion euros would be found from the Cyprus market.”

He said when the Eurogroup agreed on March 4 Cyprus would get financing it was assumed it would get the full amount.

“Everyone thought that the reference was to the 17 billion euros of the original (draft) memorandum, of which 10 billion euros would be given to the banks,” he said. —AFP

Portugal PM announces severe spending cuts

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LISBON: Portuguese Prime Minister Pedro Passos Coelho called for severe cuts in public spending after a court rejected a number of austerity measures, as the EU warned the debt-hit nation to respect the aims of its international bailout. In an address to the nation Sunday, Coelho said there would be no new tax hikes in 2013 but that measures would be taken to “contain public spending in the areas of social security, health and education”.

The prime minister did not go into details of the anticipated cuts. His government has been involved in seeking to slash public expenditure by four billion euros ($5.2 billion) by 2015. On Friday the constitutional court ruled that several measures in the budget were unlawful, including the scrapping of a 14th month of salary for civil servants and retirees, as well as cuts to unemployment and sickness benefits. The government condemned the decision, which will see it lose out on about 1.2 billion euros in savings. It said the ruling would make it difficult to achieve the budget cuts needed to meet the terms of a 78-million-euro bailout from the European Union and International Monetary Fund.

Portugal’s position is now “more fragile” than before, Coelho said and could harm its intention to negotiate with the EU for an extension on deadlines to reimburse its loans. But it was out of the question to request another bailout, Coelho said, adding that “the government will respect all of the objectives of the aid program”.

For its part the European Commission late Sunday warned Portugal that it must do just that.

“Any departure from the program’s objectives, or their renegotiation, would in fact neutralize the efforts already made and achieved by the Portuguese citizens... and prolong the difficulties from the adjustment,” the Commission said in a statement.

“Continued and determined implementation of the program offers the best way to restore sustainable economic growth and to improve employment opportunities in Portugal.”

At the same time, it was a “precondition” for any decision on extending the deadlines for reimbursing the financial assistance, the EU executive added. The 2013 austerity budget, approved by parliament last year, was expected to bring Portugal 5.3 billion euros in savings in a bid to haul the embattled euro-zone country out of the crisis. —AFP

TUESDAY, APRIL 9, 2013

BUSINESS

Al-Mazaya Holding turns from loss to profitability KD35.7 million total revenues in 2012 KUWAIT: Al-Mazaya Holding Company KSC (Holding) has announced its financial results for the year ending 31 Dec 2012, during which the company achieved total revenues at KD 35.7 million, alongside operating revenues at KD 33.5 million and other revenues at KD 2.2 million, and approved provisions worth KD 0.889 million, resulting in net profits amounted to KD 0.291 million after deducting other expenses.

On the occasion of the announcement, the Chairman of Al-Mazaya Holding, Rashid Al-Nafisi said in the board meeting, attended by Fahad AlIbrahim, Mohmaed Al-Othman and Abdul Aziz Alughani, that Al-Mazaya Holding succeeded in 2012 in completing the handover of its real estate projects and in meeting a large part of its financial obligations towards companies, investors and individuals.

He added that the company managed to sustain its financial and operational performance and market position, in line with its planned strategy and reserving policy developed in 2012.

Taking into consideration the overall economic condition and the financial developments in world markets, the results ensured that the company succeeded over the past years in shifting losses to profitability after implementing the restructuration plan that included the disposal of a number of assets either through sale or swap.

Al-Nafisi added that the volume of payables decreased from KD 36.3 million to KD17.4 million by the end of 2012, and Al-Mazaya and its team were able to achieve a 77 percent increase in rental revenues generated from its income-producing projects, amounting to KD2.8 million in 2012 compared to KD 1.6 million in 2011.

Al-Nafisi added that Al-Mazaya has continued progress in handing over its sold projects, residential and commercial units, which resulted in revenues amounted to KD29.3 million, clarifying that Al-Mazaya assets include real estate properties amounting to a total of KD 168.3 million including KD 67.6 million in income-generating properties and KD20.4 million in empty plots and KD25.8 million worth of properties which are

intended to be launched for sale or rent purpose and KD54.5 million of properties that are already sold off-plan, and which will produce upcoming profits corresponding with the completion and handover of the sold units.

Concerning the company’s financial statements for the financial year ending 31 Dec 2012, he observed that the total assets of the company reached KD221.1 million while shareholders’

Rashid Al-Nafisi equity amounted to KWD 83.3m, while the total indebtedness of the company to local banks was KD 49.4 million.

2012 achievements In reference to the most significant achievements of Al-Mazaya Holding in the last year, AlNafisi said that the company was able to acquire the 28 percent share of the Oman Development Company, in the plot of land located at Muscat in Oman, covering 6378 m2 against a sum of OMR 931k, so Al-Mazaya becomes the owner of 100% of the property, provided that the settlement of

the property cost will be from the fund distributions eligible to Al-Mazaya. Therefore, the OMR 370.9k outstanding amount will be as a debt payable by the fund to Al Mazaya Holding; through this settlement the share of Al Mazaya in the fund will be adjusted to be 14.9 percent of the total fund value which amounts to OMR 1.96 million.

He added that the company also managed to exit from certain real estate portfolios such as “Dubai Land fund” comprising 492 residential units in Dubai, achieving liquidity worth AED49m, and existed from the Jumeirah Lake Towers Portfolio, which Al-Mazaya had developed through it the AA1 tower and has sold its units generating AED51m in cash while keeping an office space of 11231 sq ft that the company intends to sell in a future move. Finally, there was an exit from the Al-Madar Fund, which resulted in the reclassification of the assets and liabilities of the fund without leaving any direct impact on the income statement.

Al-Mazaya Plan Al-Nafisi said about the plan of Al-Mazaya Holding in the coming three years, and after taking all the required provisions during the last five financial years and completing most of the projects that were under development and changing it into income generating projects, currently the company has begun to study a number of new projects that fall under two main categories: the income producing aspect and the availability for sale. Accordingly, Al-Mazaya had made an extensive study of the local, gulf and regional markets, preparing itself to explore the right sectors having satisfactory returns and with limited risk exposure, benefiting from previous experience and current market factors.

Al-Nafisi ended by saying that Al-Mazaya at present owns real estate assets in several different locations, and is in the process of conducting development feasibility studies for it through real estate alliances and through different investment structures.

KIA Motors opens new service center Privileged benefits for KIA Quoris owners KUWAIT: National Agencies Group, the authorized distributor of KIA cars in Kuwait, has announced the opening of its new service center as part of its ongoing commitment to provide best-in-class service to its fast-growing customer base.

Located in Shuwaikh Industrial Area, the service center provides quick service, spare parts sales, body shop and painting to five KIA models in addition to special benefits for owners of the new KIA Quoris which include car pick-up and drop-off and a 24-hour hotline.

“The opening of our latest service center reflects the commitment of National Agencies Group to create a truly distinctive ownership experience characterized by the highest quality service and ultimate customer satisfaction,” explained Salem Al-Mutawa, General Manager of Aftersales Service.

Elaborating on the KIA brand’s strategic direction, Al-Mutawa added further: “KIA is a bold brand that has taken

the necessary measures to produce some of the world’s most exciting new automobiles. As KIA continues

to emerge as a modern-day automotive leader, it is our role to support these standards by offering KIA customers in Kuwait the best facilities.”

Covering a total of more than

5,000 square meters, the new showroom also provides service to the Mohave, Cadenza, Optima and

Carnival models. Its facility comprises a state-of-the-art service platform, diagnostic tools to investigate car crashes, car parking for customers and a designated area for quick serv-

ice. National Agencies Group management boasts the quality of its service team, who adhere to the strict regulations of KIA Motors’ global service standards.

KIA Quoris is KIA’s first modern rear-wheel drive sedan and premium luxury sedan. It is praised as a modern-day automotive marvel that combines stunning exterior & interior design, VIP-grade comfort and hightech features that are considered rare not just for KIA, but for the entire luxury segment.

It is also worth noting that National Agencies Group has recently established partnerships with several of Kuwait’s leading financing intuitions, namely Al-Dawliya Financing, Kuwait Finance House, Thrifty Car Rentals, Ahli United Bank and Aayan Leasing & Investment, to offer special rates and conditions on KIA models. National Agencies Group is part of the Abdulaziz Al-Ali AlMutawa Group of Companies and has been growing the KIA brand in Kuwait since 1997.

Al Mulla Exchange picks 14 more winners in 7th weekly Remit Tronics promotion

Jazeera Airways crosses the 50,000 Facebook likes mark KUWAIT: Jazeera Airways, the Kuwaiti national carrier serving the Middle East region, celebrated crossing 50,000 likes on its Facebook page, which is ‘liked’ by more than 46 nationalities living in the Middle East and is one of the most interactive pages by an airline in the Middle East with an average engagement of 1.18 percent interactions versus an industry average of 0.1 percent as per the global social media analytics platform, Socialbakers.

Jazeera Airways Vice President of Sales, RafikBoghdady, said: “Our Facebook page is a great platform to interact with our customers, to share our latest updates and get their feedback on our offering. We thank our fans for their continued support.”

The airline launched its Facebook page in September 2011. Followers are mainly from 20 nationalities, topped by Kuwaitis and followed in decreasing order by Egypt, Lebanon, Qatar, United Arab Emirates, Jordan, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Syria, India, Philippines, Pakistan, United Stated of America, Iraq, Palestine, Tunisia, Morocco, Bahrain, Sri Lank a, United Kingdom, and Indonesia.

The page is kept interactive with daily postings, promotions, and competitions such as the airline’s most recent competition which enabled photography enthusi-

asts to post their original photography through a secure and dedicated Facebook app, and received more than 500 entries from around the region. Jazeera Airways Facebook fans voted for their favorite photography and the 12 photos most voted for are today featured in the airline’s 2013 calendar, one for each in a month.

Jazeera Airways serves from Kuwait 19 popular destinations in the Middle East, including high-demand business, leisure, family, and weekend destinations such as Dubai, Bahrain, Beirut, Alexandria, Amman, Istanbul, Sharm El Sheikh, Luxor, Assiut, Sohag, Mashhad, Jeddah, Riyadh, Cairo and Al Najaf.

Jazeera Airways operates seven fully owned Airbus A320s with a two-class cabin comprising of a Business Class and an Economy Class. Business Class travelers get both an upgraded experience and exclusivity, starting with exclusive checkin lines, business lounge access, up to 60 kilograms in free baggage allowance, and an exclusive on-board cabin. The airline’s Economy Class offers travelers free baggage allowance of 40 kilograms and free on-board meals with a changing menu every month.

Jazeera Airways is an IATA-member airline and operates one of the youngest Airbus A320 fleets across the Middle East.

Yousif bin Ali Al-Khater, Ambassador of Qatar in Australia and Dr R Seetharaman Doha Bank Group CEO.

KUWAIT: Al Mulla International Exchange, the premier exchange company in Kuwait, announced 14 lucky winners in the 7th draw of their ‘Remit Tronics’ mega promotion, which was held on April 2, at their Kheitan 2 branch.

The three -month long promotion that began in February and will run until May 6, 2013, picks 14 winners at the end of each week from all transactions done at any branch of Al Mulla Exchange during the previous seven days.

Last week’s big winner was Engal Thangam who won KD 400 for his transaction with Al Mulla International Exchange at Murgab 2 branch. The list of the other thirteen winners and the prizes they won are as follows: Siva P, Adel Mahmod Hasan, Eloisa Parayao and Mohamed Slim Abdelslaam, each of whom won a Samsung Tab 2. Christina B. Nazareth, Amit Chettri, Ram Bahadur Tamang, Jeetendra and Raveendran Kaliraja, who received a Samsung Duo mobile each.

Sameer Khan P Abdullakader, Alamgir Khan, Mostafa Mohamed Elmorsy and Zafar Iqbal, who each took home a Samsung 32” LCD television With more than 155 electronic items to be won and many more weeks to go, customers could send their remittances from any Al Mulla Exchange branch and win fabulous prizes each week, including cash prize of KD 400, Samsung Tabs, Samsung LCD televisions and Samsung mobile phones.

Now customers have yet another reason to remit their money through Al Mulla Exchange which offers, free insurance and loyalty points on every transaction, as well as SMS confirmation on delivery of remittances.

SYDNEY: (Left to right) Dr R Seetharaman Doha Bank Group CEO, Yousif bin Ali Al-Khater, Ambassador of Qatar in Australia, Andrew Stoner Deputy Premier of NSW and Minister of Trade and Investment Regional Infrastructure and Services and Hilton Wood, Chief Representative Officer of Doha Bank Australia, during the inauguration of Doha Bank representative office in Sydney.

Doha Bank opens Australia representative office KUWAIT: Doha Bank, which has a Branch in Kuwait, opened a new Representative Office in Sydney, Australia. The event was attended by Yousef Ali Al-Khater, the

SYDNEY: Andrew Stoner Deputy Premier of NSW and minister for trade and Investment regional infrastructure and services, during Doha Bank’s Sydney representative office inauguration.

Ambassador of the State of Qatar to Australia, as well the Andrew Stoner, New South Wales Deputy Premier and Minister for Trade and Investment, Regional Infrastructure and Services.

Speaking at the inaugural reception Dr R Seetharaman, Group CEO of Doha Bank said the IMF’s World Economic Outlook update in Jan 2013 forecasted global economic growth in 2013 of 3.5 per cent. The Australian economy is expected to grow between 2-3% in 2013. During 2012, there was significant easing in Australia’s monetary policy, with a boom in mining investment fuelling an expansion in resource exports. The level of investment is likely to peak later this year, while export pickup is expected to continue. Australia has low public debt, low unemployment, strong public finances, lower interest rates and a strong investment pipeline.

Dr Seetharaman also highlighted bilateral developments between the GCC and Australia: Bilateral trade between the GCC and Australia increased from AUD 8.6 bn in 2009-2010 to AUD11 billion in 2011-2012.

The GCC is a key market for agricultural exports such a livestock, meat, dairy products, vegetables, sugar, wheat and other grains. He said there are further opportunities in agriculture, mineral commodities, and services, while free trade agreements between the GCC countries and Australia continue to be under negotiation.

KAMCO participates in Euromoney 2013 KUWAIT: KAMCO announces its participation at yesterday’s Euromoney Conference which took place at the J.W. Marriott. The focus of the conference was financial sustainability and regulatory capacity.

Participating on behalf of the company was the Acting Chief Executive Officer, Faisal Mansour Sarkhou, who was present as a speaker on the topic of improving the Economic Environment in Kuwait.

Commenting on this topic, Sana A AlHadlaq, Senior Vice President of the Client Relationship and Marketing Department at KAMCO, said, “I see our participation in these conferences as vital, as it puts us in the company of great minds where we can benefit from their experiences and share our own to come up with the best possible outcome including safeguarding our clients’ investments- a true advantage for KAMCO being a preferred investment company that has been steadfast in complying with the regulations of the Capital Markets Authority.”

Established in 1998 with the mission to become a local and regional player, KAMCO is one of the leading, Kuwait based investment companies. A subsidiary of United Gulf Bank (UGB) - the investment banking subsidiary of Kuwait Projects (Holding) Company (KIPCO) - KAMCO was listed on the Kuwait Stock Exchange (KSE) in 2003.

Over many years of conducting business in Kuwait’s dynamic investment industry, KAMCO has established a robust reputation for performance and solidity, characterized by its prudent, conservative investment

philosophy which has consistently commanded the goodwill of a wide patronbase.

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TUESDAY, APRIL 9, 2013

technology

Sharpest universe map stems dark flow MARYLAND: A potential portal to other universes seems to have closed. The sharpest map yet made of light from the infant universe shows no evidence of “dark flow” - a stream of galaxy clusters rushing in the same direction that hinted at the existence of a multiverse. That is the conclusion of 175 scientists working with data from the European Space Agency’s Planck spacecraft. But champions of dark flow are not ready to give up yet, including one Planck scientist who says his team’s analysis is flawed.

The first suggestion that the flow existed came in 2008, when a group led by Alexander Kashlinsky of NASA’s Goddard Space Flight

Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, scrutinised what was then the best map of the cosmic microwave background radiation, the big bang’s afterglow. NASA’s WMAP satellite measured the temperature of this ancient light, revealing fluctuations in the density of matter in the very early universe. The light’s wavelength can also change noticeably when photons are scattered off ionised gas moving through space, providing a way to probe the velocity of such gas. Kashlinsky’s WMAP analysis found that hundreds of gas-rich galaxy clusters appeared to be streaming towards a region in the sky between the constellations

Vela and Centaurus. This flow suggested that the universe had somehow become lopsided, as if space-time itself was behaving like a tilted table and matter was sliding off, says Kashlinsky. That goes against the standard model of cosmology, which says that the universe is increasingly uniform on larger scales, making it unlikely that structures big enough to produce such a tilt would form. Some researchers suggested that, instead, other universes could be pulling on matter in ours, creating the flow. But other groups looking at WMAP data did not detect the controversial motion. The latest search is based on a new,

higher-resolution map of the cosmic microwave background from Planck (arxiv.org/abs/1303.5090). The Planck team says their multi-pronged analysis also found no evidence of galaxy clusters gushing along in a coherent stream.

“The Planck team’s paper appears to rule out the claims of Kashlinsky and collaborators,” says David Spergel of Princeton University, who was not involved in the work.

If there is no dark flow, there is no need for exotic explanations for it, such as other universes, says Planck team member Elena Pierpaoli at the University of Southern California, Los

Angeles. “You don’t have to think of alternatives.”

But it is too soon to rule out dark flow entirely, argues Fernando Atrio-Barandela at the University of Salamanca in Spain. A member of the Planck team, he withheld his name from his colleagues’ paper because he says they overestimated the uncertainty in their measurements, making what might be a subtle signal of dark flow look like mere noise. “One has to be very careful not to wash the baby out with the bathwater,” agrees Kashlinsky. He and AtrioBarandela are running their own analysis with the new Planck data and expect to have results in just a few months. —MCT

Research-centric IB reformats Al-Jahra’s techno-savvy youth A Jahra school differentiates education about from education for

By Sunil Cherian KUWAIT: It is education without borders. The information and communication technology corner in an International Baccalaureate (IB) school classroom is not quiet anymore.

It is a provocative place where students dive deep into topics as varied as sustainable society and biomes and discuss passionately issues like tragedy of the commons and agenda 21. Chalk and talk is obsolete here. Smart boards have replaced even content heavy text books. Amidst

the ‘wonderful noise’, the learners decide what they want to learn and are responsible for it.

Learners include teachers and parents too. The senior learners of Jahra are now getting ready for the exhibition - art, video, PowerPoint presentations on hot topics that include the illegal wild life trade in Kuwait - their 5th grade children are doing next month as part of their Primary Years Program (PYP).

About 700 students - pre-kindergarten to grade 5 - in Jahra have been battling with this new type of education - inquiry based, concept driven system with an international mindedness that aims to develop caring young people who help to create a better and more peaceful world through intercultural understanding and

respect. Kuwait Bilingual School, Jahra is the second school in Kuwait to adopt the challenging and rewarding IB PYP program. “It’s the second year now since we started making PYP happen at KBS”, said Rebecca Hawtin, PYP coordinator at the Jahra school. “There are some struggles there”, said Rebecca, “It’s a lifelong journey.

Creating a springboard where learners can jump from into an international mindedness with responsibility is not easy. But this year we’ve made a big leap.”

How the school got the kids through the pro-

gram was mainly through technology. Last year the school bought 29 smart boards where learners can interact. Upper graders are doing their math and science on laptops. The library is equipped with 14 laptops not only for the purpose of research but e-reading. The library also has a section of levelled audio books. “Even the reluctant readers change their mind when we give headphones” said Jarrah Al-Jarrah, the Arabic librarian. Parents who are teachers elsewhere are borrowing books from our library, Jarrah said.

Assignments based on discovery learning, hands-on, experiential, project-based and other applications have triggered the research-spark in the Jahra youth.

The IB PYP program, based on the constructivist theory of learning, an evolving philosophy from the time of 20th century American educational reformer John Dewey, believes the most penetrating questions come from existing knowledge students have. IB has learners’ responsible action as one of its goals. A successful inquiry will lead to responsible action, its manuals say. The PYP curriculum consists of planned, taught and assessed components as answers to three questions what we want to learn, how best will we learn and how will we know what we have learned respectively.

Teachers plan lessons collaboratively based on the six trans-disciplinary themes - who we are, where we are in place and time, how we express ourselves, how the world works, how we organize ourselves and sharing the planet.

Learners inquire into these globally significant issues in the context of units of inquiry each of which addresses a central idea. For example in the trans-disciplinary theme how we express ourselves, the unit of inquiry can be ‘The impact of social networking sites’ and the central idea is summed up in a statement: Facebook influences how we communicate. The Jahra parent community, like teachers, are good facilitators too.

Last month some parents arranged some VIPs doctors, nurses, fire-fighters - visiting the school when the 1st graders did community helpers as their unit of inquiry.

In the grade 5 PYP exhibition scheduled May last week at Kuwait Bilingual School, Jahra, students will be talking and tackling the issues of our time. “Environmental problems are no doom and gloom in PYP”, said Jason Hagerman, a grade 5 teacher at KBS, Jahra. Our students will tell you alternative sources of energy like wind and solar power which Kuwait has shown interest in. Environmental justice that includes fair treatment and meaningful involvement for all people is a point the youth will try to make, added Meghan Bigwood, 5th graders’ friendphilosopher-guide. Ethical consumerism, selfreliance and reusing materials are other topics, said Meghan.

What is the action the young learners are going to take? “Some sort of community engagement is in talks. The other day one student told me he is going to adopt a pet”, Mohammed Al-Shammari, another grade 5 teacher said.

Vertical-axis turbines make more of wind PALM SPRINGS: The remote Alaskan village of Igiugig-home to about 50 people-will be the first to demonstrate a new approach to wind power that could boost power output and, its inventors say, just might make it more affordable. For decades, the trend across the wind industry has been to make wind turbines larger and larger-because it has improved efficiency and helped lower costs.

John Dabiri, a professor of aeronautical and bioengineering at Caltech, has a heretical idea. He thinks the way to lower the cost of wind power is to use small verticalaxis wind turbines, while using computer models to optimize their arrangement in a wind farm so that each turbine boosts the power output of its neighbors.

Dabiri has demonstrated the basic idea at a 24-turbine test plot in southern California. Grants totaling $6 million from the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation and the US Department of Defense will allow him to see if the approach can lower wind power costs in Igiugig. The first 10 turbines will be installed this year, and the goal is to eventually install 50 to 70 turbines, which would produce roughly as much power as the diesel generators the village uses now. Dabiri is also installing turbines at an existing wind farm in Palm Springs, California, using his models to generate power by putting up new turbines between existing ones.

Ordinarily, as wind passes around and through a wind turbine, it produces turbulence that buffets downstream turbines, reducing their power output and increasing wear and tear. Dabiri says that vertical-axis turbines produce a wake that can be beneficial to other turbines, if they’re positioned correctly.

The blades of this type of wind turbine are arranged vertically-like poles on a carousel rather than spokes on a wheel, as with conven-

tional wind turbines. Wind moving around the vertical-axis turbines speeds up, and the vertical arrangement of the blades on downstream wind turbines allows them to effectively catch that wind, speed up, and generate more power. (The spinning blades of a conventional wind turbine would only catch some of this faster wind as they pass through itthis actually hurts the turbine’s performance because it increases stress

five kilowatts, unlike the 100-metertall, multi-megawatt machines in conventional wind farms. He says the smaller ones are easier to manufacture and could cost less than conventional ones if produced on a large scale. He also says maintenance costs could be less because the generator sits on the ground, rather than at the top of a 100-meter tower, and thus is easier to access.

The performance of the wind farm

Three, 10-meter vertical-axis wind turbines at a demonstration facility in California. on the blades.) The arrangement makes it possible to pack more turbines onto a piece of land.

Little wind: At a test plot in Los Angeles County, California, John Dabiri tests his concepts for wind farms made of small, vertical-axis wind turbines.

Dabiri’s wind turbines are 10 meters tall and generate three to

at Igiugig will help determine whether his estimates of maintenance costs are correct.

Dabiri says small, vertical wind turbines have other advantages.

While the noise of conventional wind turbines has led some communities to campaign to tear them down, his turbines are “almost inaudible,” he says. They’re also less

likely to kill birds. And their short profile has attracted a $1 million grant from the Department of Defense to study their use on military bases. Because they’re shorter, they interfere less with helicopter operations and with radar than conventional wind turbines.

The approach, however, faces some challenges. Vertical-axis wind turbines aren’t as efficient as conventional ones-half of the time the blades are actually moving against the wind, rather than generating the lift needed spin a generator. As the blades alternatively catch the wind and then move against it, they create wear and tear on the structure, says Fork Felker, director of the National Wind Technology Center at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory. Dabiri, and researchers such as Alexander Smits at Princeton University, say they are working on improved turbine designs to address some of these issues.

Felker notes that Dabiri’s approach will also require installing a thousand times more wind turbines, requiring potentially millions of wind turbines rather than thousands to generate significant fractions of US power supply. And he notes that, over the last several decades, the wind industry has demonstrated that making ever larger wind turbines lowers costs (“Novel Designs are Taking Wind Power to the Next Level,” “Supersized Wind Turbines Head Out to Sea,” and “The Quest for the Monster Wind Turbine Blade.”

“Going in the other direction, I believe, will not be successful,” he says. “I don’t think the math works out.”

Felker thinks that Dabiri’s approach might prove fitting for small, isolated places like Igiugig, where simpler construction and maintenance might be important.

“But if you’re trying to transform the overall energy economy,” he says, “you’ve got to go big.” —MCT

GREENSBURG: In this photo taken with a long time exposure, a pumping unit sucks oil from the ground near Greensburg. Propelled by improving technology, high global oil prices and the continued exploitation of enormous reserves in several Western states and in the Gulf of Mexico, US domestic oil production is surging so fast, that it could soon overtake Saudi Arabia as the world’s biggest producer. And it is expected to continue to grow. —AP

Magnets to reveal dark-matter fluid STANFORD: Every underdog has its day.

Using the same underlying physics as MRI scanners, a new experiment could boost the search for one of the humbler dark matter candidates: the axion. Most hunts for dark matter focus on detecting individual, highly elusive particles known as WIMPs. The runner-up is the axion, which should behave more like a background fluid - and is even harder to find.

Peter Graham of Stanford University in California and colleagues presented a possible solution at the SnowDARK workshop in Utah on March 24. Theory says axion fluid should separate the charge inside protons and neutrons, giving them what is called an electric dipole moment,

so that they have positive and negative poles, like magnets.

If axions exist, applying a magnetic field to a lump of lead would align the dipoles in a specific direction, and applying a perpendicular electric field would then set the dipoles spinning like wobbly tops. That spin generates a secondary magnetic field that the experiment could detect - akin to what happens in an MRI machine.

Dark matter MRI could boost hunt for hidden particle. An experiment that exploits the same underlying physics as medical scanners could help detect a super-elusive dark matter candidate, the axion.

MRI hackers to probe elemental origins CHESHIRE: The MRI machine hisses and spurts in a huge room strewn with concrete blocks and vacuum tubes. Liquid helium spews from frost-encrusted valves, and an ambulance-style light flashes red.

A cylindrical opening looks set to swallow people for some macabre medical experiment, but this scanner is no longer meant to hold humans. From now on its occupants will be exotic, short-lived atoms that could previously only be found in exploding stars.

Studying such rare supernova products should help unlock the mysterious nuclear reactions that forged about half of the atoms heavier than iron, and may reveal why some elements are more plentiful than others.

In the cavernous Daresbury Laboratory in Cheshire, UK, the scanner feels a world away from its former home in the lab of Peter Mansfield at the University of Nottingham, who won a Nobel prize in 2003 for contributions to magnetic resonance imaging. The scanner is no longer state-of-the-art for medical purposes. But by chance, the size and quality of the magnetic field it can generate is almost perfect for probing the origins of cosmic chemistry, says chief MRI-hacker, David Jenkins of the University of York.

Only hydrogen, helium and lithium existed shortly after the big bang.

Hydrogen is fused in the cores of stars, forging elements up to the mass of iron.

When the star runs out of fuel and its core becomes too hefty, it collapses, triggering an explosion. About half the stuff heavier than iron gets made in these type II supernovae. The heavy elements are created in seconds, as atomic nuclei rapidly capture free neutrons that are also hurtling out of the blast.

A captured neutron can either stay as it is, simply making a heavier isotope of the element it crashed into, or it can decay into a proton, creating a whole new element.

But it is not long before another free neutron crashes into the atom, triggering yet another transformation. This goes on until the neutrons run out, and the host of newly forged exotic atoms decays into more stable elements. The relative abundance of elements in the galaxy therefore depends partly upon the stability of these interme-

diate exotic versions.

That part of the tale is mainly unknown, and mimicking the full process is not an option. “We would have to let off a supernova in the lab,” says Jenkins, “and you can only do that once.”

Hence the MRI scanner into which I am now poking my head. Inside, the hissing gives way to a high-pitched ringing, the result of a pump used, along with the liquid helium, to keep the magnet chilled at just 4 degrees above absolute zero. That supercooling is needed to maintain superconductivity and produce the MRI’s intense magnetic field.

This cavity within the scanner will be replaced by a vacuum chamber to allow the unimpeded movement of particles.

The team will then shoot beams of various neutron-rich ions at a plastic target full of deuterium, a heavy form of hydrogen in which the nucleus contains a proton and a neutron. Travelling at 30,000km a second, the ions can capture extra neutrons from the deuterium, forming rare, exotic ions.

Under the machine’s strong magnetic field, the protons left over from the neutron-stripped deuterium spiral backwards, landing nanoseconds later on a rod of silicon that will run along the centre of the chamber (see diagram). How far a proton travels before it hits the silicon detector depends on its energy, which, crucially, is linked to the stability of the exotic ion newly formed by the additional neutron.

The team will repeatedly bombard the target with the same type of ion to build a picture of the different energy levels in the resulting atoms, helping to predict the stabilities of the exotic forms made in supernovae. Jenkins’s project builds on a similar set-up at the Argonne National Lab in Illinois, which has explored exotic boron and silicon nuclei, among others. But the US team did not have access to a wide range of ion beams, such as those capable of probing the heaviest, most exotic atoms.

The British machine is designed to use beams that will soon be available from the HIE-ISOLDE experiment at CERN, near Geneva, Switzerland. If tests of the converted scanner go to plan, it will be shipped to CERN to create versions of mercury, radon and radium that have never before existed on Earth. —- MCT

TUESDAY, APRIL 9, 2013

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

Experts triple estimate of dengue fever infections LONDON: Around 390 million people are infected each year with dengue fever the world’s fastest-spreading tropical disease - more than triple the current estimate by the World Health Organization, experts said on Sunday.

The new finding, based on several years of analysis, underscores the growing burden of the mosquito-borne viral disease, which is also called “breakbone fever” because of the severe pain it can cause.

There is as yet no approved vaccine or specific drug to treat dengue, which is not normally fatal but lands many victims in hospital. Researchers from the University of Oxford and the Wellcome Trust presented their results, along with

a detailed map of dengue distribution, in the journal Nature. Their new figure includes 96 million severe cases and approximately 300 million mild or asymptomatic episodes. That compares with the WHO’s most recent estimate for overall infections of 50-100 million a year, The high number of relatively mild cases offers little cause for comfort, since it suggests the reservoir of disease is far larger than expected. What is more, dengue is a disease that hits more than once and people who get it mildly first time are more likely to have a serious episode if bitten again by an infected mosquito.

“The asymptomatic patients, in terms

of the future burden of disease, are a very important contributor,” said Jeremy Farrar, director of Oxford University’s tropical disease research unit in Vietnam.

Spread by the Aedes aegypti mosquito, dengue has grown rapidly along with urbanisation and globalisation because it thrives in tropical mega-cities and is easily spread in goods containing small puddles of water, such as used tyres.

Climate change is also making more parts of the planet habitable for the dengue-spreading mosquito. As a result, half the world’s population is now exposed to the disease, mostly in the developing world - but also in parts of southern Europe and the southern United States.

Last year Europe experienced its first sustained transmission of dengue fever since the 1920s with around 2,000 people infected in the Portuguese archipelago of Madeira. Farrar said more such outbreaks were likely in future, since the mosquito was already present in southern Europe and there were increasing numbers of people travelling to and from dengue -infec ted areas. The researchers estimated that 70 percent of the world’s serious dengue cases were in Asia, with India alone accounting for 34 percent of the total. The Americas mainly Brazil and Mexico - made up 14 percent, while Africa’s dengue burden was nearly as large.

The prevalence of the disease in

Africa is worrying, since dengue has not generally been seen as a major problem on the continent. The research team said the impact of disease in Africa was being masked by symptomatically similar illnesses, such as malaria. Hopes for an effective dengue vaccine suffered a setback last year when an experimental shot from Sanofi proved far less effective than hoped in a mid-stage clinical trial in Thailand. Fur ther large trials of the Sanofi vaccine - the most advanced in development - are still continuing and scientists have not given up hope that it may yet have a role of play. A number of other experimental vaccines are also in development, although at a much earlier stage. — Reuters

China’s bird flu outbreak no cause for panic: WHO Bird flu not spreading between people

FRANKFURT: Male Sumatran tiger ‘Iban’ yawns in its enclosure in the Frankfurt zoo yesterday. Weather forecasts predict rising temperatures and rainy weather for the next few days in Germany. —AP

S Africa rolls out new single dose AIDS drug GA-RANKUWA: South Africa’s health minister yesterday launched a new single dose anti-AIDs drug which will simplify the world’s biggest HIV treatment regime to just one life-saving pill a day. The three-inone combination anti-retroviral (ARV) was secured at a record-low price and will cost the state 89 rand a month ($10, eight euros) per patient. “Before 2010, we were buying the most expensive ARVs in the world. Now we are a country where the ARVs are the cheapest in the world,” said Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi.

“It means we can increase the number of people on treatment,” he added during a visit to the township of Ga-Rankuwa, about 35 kilometres (22 miles) northwest of the capital Pretoria. After years of refusing to roll out ARVs, South Africa now has 1.9 million people on treatment among its 5.6 million HIV-positive population, which is the world’s largest.

The new pill will be introduced this month to positive pregnant women and breastfeeding mothers, people co-infected with TB, and to new ARV patients. Patients already on treatment will be assessed by

doctors to start switching later this year.

“You’re just going to take it once, and it’s just going to be less pill burden,” said patient Andrew Mosani. “People are tired (of ) taking many drugs on a day to day basis.” The pill also had fewer side effects and was easy to swallow, he added.

The South African National AIDS Council welcomed the treatment shift, saying it hoped it would encourage patients to stay on treatment. “This is simplifying the way patients have become used to taking ARV treatment,” said the council’s CEO Fareed Abdullah. “We have come a very long way since the advent of anti-retrovirals. At one point, patients used to take up to 16 pills a day,” he added.

South Africa once refused to roll out ARVs under former president Thabo Mbeki but now has the largest anti-retroviral (ARV) programme in the world.

The scaling up of treatment has seen the number of pregnant women passing on HIV to their babies brought down to less than three percent. Life expectancy has also shot up by six years to 60 over the past few years. — AFP

Fitness after 65 is not a one-size-fits-all venture NEW YORK: America’s ageing population is posing special challenges, fitness experts say, because it is difficult to design effective workout routines for people with such a wide range of abilities. For one 70-year-old, the goal may be to run a marathon, for another it’s getting out of a chair.

“If you are teaching 10-year-olds, it’s perfectly reasonable to do an activity that everybody would participate in,” said Dr. Wojtek Chodzko-Zajko, an exper t on aging with the American College of Sports Medicine. But 20 80year-olds could be as different as chalk and cheese.” Some baby boomer could be athletic, he explained, while others would be unable to get out of bed.

There are now more Americans age 65 and older than at any other time in US history, according to Census Bureau figures. Some 40 million people age 65 and over lived in the United States in 2010, accounting for 13 percent of the total population. The older population grew from 3 million in 1900 to 40 million in 2010.

Older adults should be doing aerobic ac tivit y to help maintain body weight, strengthening exercises to develop and maintain muscle mass and some t ype of flexibilit y training, according to Dr James Graves, Dean of the College of Health at the University of Utah. Physical activity can reduce the risk of diseases such as diabetes, hypertension and osteoporosis, he said, as well as improve the quality of life by maintaining functional capacity, such as the ability to climb stairs, open doors, and carry groceries.

“A very healthy 70-year-old can safely participate in high-intensity activity while a frail 60-year-old needs to lower the intensity,” said Graves. “My recommendation is to work with a personal trainer or group leader who has knowledge and qualifications to work with the elderly.”

Mary Ann Wilson is the creator and host of the “Sit and Be Fit,” a senior fitness program that has aired on U.S.

public television since 1987.

The majorit y of her viewers are women over 65. For that population, she said, the goal of exercise is health and well-being, not physical prowess.

“Gravity has been working on them for 70 years,” said Wilson, a registered nurse who specialized in geriatrics.

“Gravity is not our friend after many years of pulling our heads, shoulders and upper torsos forward and down.”

The 30-minute class includes warmup, circulation and strength segments, a finger segment (for stiffness), standing for balance, and final relaxation.

Posture, breathing, balance, cognitive func tioning and reac tion time are among the most important-and neglected-components of elder fitness, she said. “Focusing on gait is really important because as we age our gait changes,” said Wilson.

Karen Peterson, author of “Move with Balance: Healthy Aging Activities for Brain and Body,” stresses a mindbody approach in workouts with seniors. “In our society it seems people don’t really like to do things unless they ’re good at it already,” said Peterson, a kinesiologist based in Maui.

“But what the brain likes is to be challenged.” Her exercises include tossing a bean bag to improve reaction time, walking a figure-eight pattern for balance, as well as eye stretches, jaw relaxers, childhood games and cognitive challenges to keep body and mind alert. “We take balance exercises and add conversation or math problems,” she said. “ The concept is to always progress, always get more challenging.”

To tackle the isolation and diversity of the older population, Peterson initiated a mentoring program in which the fitter seniors work with the frailer.

“Some partners will become friends,” she said. “They’ll get really turned on.”

Experts agree that it’s never too late to do something. “Exercise is effective even in the most frail individual,” Wilson said. “If they can wiggle their toes, they can exercise.” —Reuters

BEIJING: The World Health Organisation said yesterday there is no evidence China’s new H7N9 strain of bird flu is spreading between humans, as the death toll rose to seven and airline and tourism shares slumped. China said just over a week ago that H7N9 avian influenza had been found in humans for the first time. Shanghai announced a new fatality yesterday, a managed 64 who died the previous day, while the number of confirmed cases climbed to 24.

Like the more common H5N1 variant which typically spreads from birds to humans, experts fear the prospect of such viruses mutating into a form easily transmissible between humans, with the potential to trigger a pandemic.

“Although we do not know the source of infection, at this time there is no evidence of sustained human-to-human transmission,” Michael O’Leary, the WHO’s representative in China, told a news conference in Beijing. “The human cases we know of are very serious. A large proportion have died,” he added. Fears over the deaths sparked a fall in Shanghai shares, with hotel and tourism shares leading the decline.

China United Travel, a tourism agency based in the eastern city of Nanjing, slumped 3.38 percent and hotel operator Shanghai Jinjiang International Hotels Development fell 5.21 percent, while flag carrier Air China was off 3.38 percent and China Eastern Airlines down 3.23 percent. But medical stocks rose.

Concerns over the outbreak were also blamed for a tumble in Hong Kong stocks on Friday, although

shares recovered yesterday. “ The major cause of bird flu remains unknown and this will cause panic among people and affect consumption, which may affect market expectations for the trend of the domestic economy,” said BOC International analyst Shen Jun. The outbreak has so far been confined to China’s devel-

of finding the virus in other regions,” said Feng Zijian, director of the emergency office for China’s disease control centre. Taiwan, which on Sunday announced it was testing two possible cases, said they had had not contracted H7N9.

Another Chinese health official, Shu Yuelong, said poultry infected

ANHUI: An on-sale rooster is seen in a market in Huaibei, central China’s Anhui province yesterday. — AFP oped eastern region, with five deaths in the commercial hub Shanghai and two in the neighbouring province of Zhejiang.

Infections have also occurred in Jiangsu and Anhui provinces. A Chinese expert said more H7N9 cases could be found in a wider area. “We are tracking the source and cannot rule out the possibility

with the H7N9 strain die more slowly than those with H5N1, giving the virus more time in which to infect people.

More than 365 people have died of H5N1 worldwide since a major outbreak in 2003, and it kills about 60 percent of people who develop it, according to WHO statistics. The first deaths from H7N9

were not repor ted by Chinese authorities until three weeks after they occurred, prompting criticism the initial announcement was too slow.

But Chinese officials have said the delay in announcing the first results was because it took time to determine the cause of the illness.

O’Leary praised China’s transparency, saying the WHO was “very satisfied and pleased with the level of information shared”.

China faced condemnation a decade ago on accusations it covered up the 2003 outbreak of Severe Acute Respirator y Syndrome, which eventually killed about 800 people globally. Users of China’s popular weibo microblogs have expressed scepticism about official assurances. “Although there is no human transmission, why does the number (of cases) increase daily? This makes people scared,” said user Li Xiao Lei. The WHO said in a statement that it is possible the virus can spread to humans from animals, such as pigeons. Shanghai has culled more than 111,000 birds, banned trading in live poultry and shut markets in a bid to curb the outbreak.

Nanjing city followed suit by banning live poultry trading while Hangzhou culled poultry after discovering infected quail. The China Daily newspaper yesterday called for “high alert” nationwide and urged stronger regulation of the poultry trade. “The rules for transporting and trading of live poultry in cities should be strengthened, because the bird flu can spread ver y fast in densely populated cities,” it said in an editorial. — AFP

NASA to lasso asteroid, bring it closer WASHINGTON: NASA is planning for a robotic spaceship to lasso a small asteroid and park it near the moon for astronauts to explore, a top senator said Friday. The ship would capture the 500-ton, 25-foot asteroid in 2019. Then using an Orion space capsule, a crew of about four astronauts would nuzzle up next to the rock in 2021 for spacewalking exploration, according to a government document obtained by The Associated Press.

Sen Bill Nelson, D-Fla., said the plan would speed up by four years the existing mission to land astronauts on an asteroid by bringing the space rock closer to Earth.

Nelson, who is chairman of the Senate science and space subcommittee, said Friday that President Barack Obama is putting $100 mil-

lion in planning money for the accelerated asteroid mission in the 2014 budget that comes out next week. The money would be used to find the right small asteroid. “It really is a clever concept,” Nelson said in a press conference in Orlando.

“Go find your ideal candidate for an asteroid. Go get it robotically and bring it back.” This would be the first time ever humanity has manipulated a space object in such a grand scale, like what it does on Earth, said Robert Braun, a Georgia Institute of Technology aerospace engineering professor who used to be NASA’s chief technology officer.

“It’s a great combination of our robotic and human capabilities to do the kind of thing that NASA should be doing in this century,” Braun said. Last year, the Keck

Institute for Space Studies proposed a similar mission for NASA with a price tag of $2.6 billion.

There is no cost estimate for the space agency ’s version. NASA’s plans were first reported by Aviation Week.

While there are thousands of asteroids around 25-feet, finding the right one that comes by Earth at just the right time to be captured will not be easy, said Donald Yeomans, who heads NASA’s Near Earth Object program that monitors close-by asteroids. He said once a suitable rock is found it would be captured with the space equivalent of “a baggie with a drawstring. You bag it. You attach the solar propulsion module to despin it and bring it back to where you want it.” Yeomans said a 25-foot

CAPE CANAVERAL: In this file photo, the Orion Exploration Flight Test 1crew module is seen in the Operations and Checkout building during a media tour at the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Fla.—AP

asteroid is no threat to Earth because it would burn up should it inadvertently enter Earth’s atmosphere. These types of asteroids are closer to Earth - not in the main asteroid belt between Jupiter and Mars. They’re less than 10 million miles away, Braun said. “It’s probably the right size asteroid to be practicing on,” he said. A 25-foot asteroid is smaller than the size rock that caused a giant fireball that streaked through the sky in Russia in February, said Apollo 9 astronaut Rusty Schweickart, head of the B612 Foundation, a nonprofit concerned about dangerous space rocks. The robotic ship would require a high-tech solar engine to haul the rock through space, something that is both cutting-edge and doable, Braun said. Then NASA would use a new large rocket and the Orion capsule - both under development - to send astronauts to the asteroid. There would be no gravity on the asteroid so the astronauts would have to hover over it in an extended spacewalk.

Exploring the asteroid “would be great fun,” Schweickart said.

“You’d have some interesting challenges in terms of operating in an environment like that.” Nelson said the mission would help NASA develop the capability to nudge away a dangerous asteroid if one headed to Earth in the future. It also would be training for a future mission to send astronauts to Mars in the 2030s, he said. But while it would be helpful for planetary defense, “that’s not your primary mission,” Schweickart said.

George Washington University Space Policy Institute Director Scott Pace, a top NASA official during the George W. Bush administration, was critical of the plan, saying it was a bad idea scientifically and for international cooperation. Instead, NASA and other countries should first join forces for a comprehensive survey of all possible dangerous space rocks, Pace said. The government document describing the mission said it would inspire because it “will send humans farther than they have ever been before.” — AP

TUESDAY, APRIL 9, 2013

TUESDAY, APRIL 9, 2013

W H AT ’ S O N

Sultan Center Wholesale launches Indian festival 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

The British Embassy will be opening a book of condolences for Lady Thatcher. This will be open from 9am to 2:30pm 9-11 April.

Announcements NAFO Kuwait to present ‘Samanwayam’ AFO Kuwait, on the auspicious occasion of its 10th anniversary celebration ‘Samanwayam,’ proudly presents an eclectic dance and English musical show by renowned film actress and acclaimed danseuse Padmashree Shobhana along with the pulsing talents of team Kalarpana Chennai on May 10, 2013 at American International School, Maidan Hawally. Entry through invitation only.

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Aye Mere Humsafar n event with renowned artist from Indian Cinema. ‘Aye Mere Humsafar’ on Friday 12th April @ American International School (AIS). A concept of real voice from Bollywood. High energy orchestra with Melody Queen Alka Yagnik charming playback singer Vinod Rathod (accompanied by female playback singer & standup comedian Sangeeta Kopalkar and young standup comedian Ashok Mishra.

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CRYcket 2013 tournament riends of CRY Club (FOCC) announces 16th CRY (Child Rights & You) cricket tournament for children and will be held at the GC grounds at Jaleeb Al-Shuyoukh on Friday, 12th Apr 2013 from 6:30 a.m to 4:30 pm. The one day “CRYcket” tournament is a very popular annual family event, participated by children under 14. 12 teams each are set to participate in the Under-12 and Under-14 divisions initially in four groups in round robin fashion leading to 4 winners who will clash in the semifinals.

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IMAX

Tuesday: ** 9:30am Showtime Available for Groups Tornado Alley 3D 10:30am, 6:30pm, 8:30pm Flight of Butterflies 3D 11:30am, 9:30pm To The Arctic 3D 12:30pm, 7:30pm Born to be Wild 3D 5:30pm Wednesday: ** 9:30am Showtime Available for Groups To The Arctic 3D 10:30am Tornado Alley 3D 11:30am, 6:30pm, 9:30pm Flight of Butterflies 3D 12:30pm, 7:30pm Journey to Mecca 5:30pm Born to be Wild 3D 8:30pm Thursday: ** 9:30am Showtime Available for Groups Flight of Butterflies 3D 10:30am, 5:30pm, 8:30pm Born to be Wild 3D 11:30am Tornado Alley 3D 12:30pm, 7:30pm, 9:30pm To The Arctic 3D 6:30pm Friday: Fires of Kuwait Tornado Alley 3D To The Arctic 3D Flight of Butterflies 3D Born to be Wild 3D

— Photos by Yasser Al Zayyat

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he Sultan Center Wholesale Center launched an Indian Festival to highlight the store’s wide range of Indian food products and delicacies yesterday evening.

Available at all TSC Wholesale Centers, the festival presents to TSC Wholesale customers amazing prices on the country’s favorite Indian products, from fresh produce to great-tasting desserts.

The festival was inaugurated by the

Charge d’ Affaires of Indian Embassy in Kuwait, Vidhu P. Nair, in presence of guests and media. The opening ceremony also included a personal tour of TSC Wholesale Center Shuwaikh given by key senior TSC management.

Commenting on the Indian Festival, Nair said: “India enjoys historically close relations with Kuwait, including the country’s business community. Our strong trade presence in Kuwait is evident from

the wide range of Indian products available through out the country many of which is also marketed through The Sultan Center Wholesale Center chain of supermarkets.” During the festival, customers at all five of the TSC Wholesale Center locations - in Shuwaikh, Dajeej, Jahra, Sulaibiya and Mangaf - will be able to taste samples of the various delectable Indian food items available; which to many customers will be a great reminder

of home. Moreover, customers will benefit from great pricing and offers on Indian products. Attendees on hand for the launch of the festival also included leading VIP representatives from some of the country’s best suppliers of Indian products as well as key management from The Sultan Center Group. Customers can hurry down to any TSC Wholesale Center to take advantage of the festival’s offers until Sunday, April 14th.

BSK students visit Christian Loubutin’s exhibition

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tudents studying Art & Design in Years 12 & 13 at The British School of Kuwait (BSK) recently visited the Christian Louboutin exhibition in the Salhiya Complex. The visit was inspired by the ceramic shoes designed and made by BSK students as part of their course work at the Euston Gallery pottery at the BSK campus. Many of the designs were inspired by the work of Loubutin and the students brought some samples for comparison.

Just a week before, the master of the red soles himself had attended the ‘Christian Louboutin Exhibition’ and first ‘Shoe Signing’ event at his store in Kuwait.

2012 marked the 20th Anniversary of Christian Louboutin when there were celebratory events throughout the world including the unveiling of an exclusive capsule collection of reissued shoe styles from the archive.

Showcased outside the boutique were several of Christian Louboutin’s characteristic designs over the last 20 years.

The lacquered red soles on all the Paris-born designer’s shoes have by now acquired iconic status .Although they did not get to meet the master himself, the students enjoyed looking at the creative designs and were fortunate enough to handle several of the precious shoes! They also enjoyed looking at the many original footwear displayed just outside the boutique.

The visit will certainly have inspired the students and further enhanced their creative thinking for future designs in their ceramic courses.

Enlargement of Spanish Corner at GUST

2:30pm 3:30pm, 5:30pm, 8:30pm 4:30pm, 7:30pm 6:30pm 9:30pm

Saturday: ** 9:30am Showtime Available for Groups Flight of Butterflies 3D 10:30am, 1:30pm, 8:30pm Tornado Alley 3D 11:30am, 2:30pm, 5:30pm, 7:30pm, 9:30pm To The Arctic 3D 12:30pm, 6:30pm Born to be Wild 3D 3:30pm Journey to Mecca 4:30pm Notes: All films are in Arabic. For English, headsets are available upon request.

“Fires of Kuwait” is in English. Arabic headsets are available upon request.

Film schedule is subject to changes without notice.

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

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he Gulf University for Science and Technology (GUST) celebrated the Spanish Corner enlargement on Wednesday, April 4, 2013 in the A M AlRefai Library. The Spanish Ambassador Angel Losada Fernandez and Vice President for Academic Affairs, Dr Robert Cook officially opened the event. Also present at the opening were members of the GUST Community Dr Ali Ansari, Dr Janet Testerman, Dr Thorsten Botz, Dr Mauricio Duarte, students and staff.

Dr Cook welcomed the Spanish Ambassador and the attendees of the event and said he would like to see further growth in the number of students studying Spanish, and introduce more

levels of Spanish classes for them at GUST. Thereafter, the Spanish Ambassador gave a speech welcoming and thanking the attendees and specifically Shobhita Kohli for her efforts in organizing the event, and GUST for its support to the Embassy. He also thanked Alou Forner Gabriel from the Spanish Embassy for his initiatives in Kuwait and appreciated his work in coordinating with the Library over the Spanish Corner.

Speaking of the close links Spain has with Kuwait, the Ambassador said promoting the cultural interchange was one of the important duties of the Spanish Embassy and further added that encouraging the learning of Spanish language

at GUST was a positive step in the education of Kuwaiti youth, given the extraordinary importance of the Spanish language in a globalised world. Two of their most important tasks in Kuwait he said were, first, to maintain close links with universities, centres of research, think tanks and other bodies related with education and, second, to promote the knowledge of Spanish language and Spanish culture in different aspects (history, art, music, literature, food, etc.) in the Kuwaiti society, especially amongst youth.

The A M Al-Refai Libray houses the Spanish Corner in addition to a few other Corners and works closely with the

respective Embassies in maintaining and promoting their books and audiovisual collections. On the occasion of the Spanish Corner enlargement, the Library had on display almost 40 books on history, art, cinema, politics, social studies and economy of Spain. Many of these have been published in Arabic by “Casa Arabe”, the Spanish institution which promotes the cultural relations between Spain and the Arab world. Some others relate to the unique, Islamic heritage of Spain (Qurtuba, Madina Al-Zahara, etc) and reflect on the deepness and complexity of the Arab and Islamic impact on the history of Spain throughout centuries and in the present day.

TUESDAY, APRIL 9, 2013

W H AT ’ S O N

ACK holds symposium for business leaders and HSE professionals

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he “Health & Safety Matters 2013” symposium, set to be hosted on the 17th of April, will bring together key stakeholders in Occupational Health & Safety (OH&S) in the State of Kuwait providing an opportunity for the exchange of experiences, challenges and solutions to enhance a positive health and safety culture in organizations.

The Chairman of ACK, Abdullah Al Sharhan said that “this inaugural sympo-

sium provides a vehicle for enhancing the culture of OH&S in Kuwait, creating awareness and generating interest in an era where the emphasis on OH&S is becoming important. ACK believes it has an obligation to share with its stakeholder community the knowledge and skills to aid the identification and control of potentially hazardous situations.

The symposium will provide a platform whereby those attending can benefit from experts on the status and

future direction of OH&S. Keynote speakers at Health & Safety Matters include, Dr David Towlson, Principal Examiner, NEBOSH International Diploma and Director of Training and Quality, RRC Training, Engineer Abdulaziz Dashti from Kuwait Gulf Oil Company (KGOC), Hussain Al Kharafi, Chairman of the Kuwait Industries Union and Hasan Alaradi, Managing Director of RRC Middle East.

Embassy Information EMBASSY OF AUSTRALIA The Australian Embassy Kuwait does not have a visa or immigration department.

All processing of visas and immigration matters in conducted by The Australian Consulate-General in Dubai. Email: info.ausdxb@vfshelpline.com (VFS) immigration.dubai@dfat.gov.au (Visa Office); Tel: +971 4 355 1958 (VFS) - +971 4 508 7200 (Visa Office); Fax: +971 4 355 0708 (Visa Office). In Kuwait applications can be lodged at the Australian Visa Application Centre 4B 1st Floor, Al-Banwan Building Al-Qibla Area, Ali Al-Salem Street, opposite the Central Bank of Kuwait, Kuwait City, Kuwait. Working hours and days: 09:30 - 17:30; Sunday - Thursday. Or visit their website www.vfs-au-gcc-com for more information. Kuwait citizens can apply for tourist visas on-line at www.immi.gov.au/e visa/e676.htm. nnnnnnn

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.

Fatwa and Legislation Department lawyer Najla Al-Naqqi presented a seminar titled ‘The Flag is a National Symbol’ at the Roudha High School for Girls.

Members of the Egyptian embassy attended the event, including head of the Military Liaison Office Colonel General Nader Al-Khashab, cultural consultant Dr Muna Bastawi and media consultant Mohammad Fowzi.

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GUST participates in the EDUCAREER Fair

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ulf University for Science and Technology (GUST) is participating as a Gold Sponsor in the EDUCAREER Exhibition which opens its doors on April 8until the 11thand will be gathering all private universities and many public and continuing education institutions from Kuwait and the Gulf region.

GUST’s participation was important in this exhibition to promote the university programs and highlight its facilities that distinguish it among other great institutions. GUST Admissions team, Student Success Center, MBA and PACE were all present at the exhibition. But what is more important this year, is that GUST included its students in the exhibition, showcasing their musical and artistic talents, as well as the participation of the GUST Student Clubs to showcase not just the academic but the student life side at GUST which creates a well-rounded university experience for our students.

The fair is considered to be an important stop enjoyed by a myriad of high school students each year to scope out their options for the next level of their education and determine which route they’d like to pursue based on the institutions reputation, majors offered which supply the demand needed by the Kuwait labor market, educational standards and experience as a whole.

With the open space to accommodate the large turnout at the GUST booth and the exhibition as a whole, GUST ensured to include its different segments to cater to students from a variety of different high schools, university graduates seeking graduate studies opportunities and researchers in higher education. The GUST Admissions team was available to answer any questions the students’ had and then referred to the Student Success Center desk which introduces the students to different programs and study counseling sessions available to help them throughout their years at GUST in whatever they need.

The MBA program staff were also present to speak to the graduates looking to further their education.

GUST’s PACE center was also participating in the careers division of the exhibition to showcase the myriad of exceptional workshops and trainings and exam centers which it collaborates with.

The exhibition continues until Thursday, April 11 at the International Fair Grounds, Hall 6. GUST invites students and their parents to attend and visit the GUST booth to learn about the university’s majors which will meet all their needs and aspirations and set them apart from other university graduates.

EMBASSY OF CYPRUS In its capacity as EU Local Presidency in the State of Kuwait, the Embassy of the Republic of Cyprus, on behalf of the Member States of the EU and associated States participating in the Schengen cooperation, would like to announce that as from 2nd October 2012 all Schengen States’ Consulates in Kuwait will use the Visa Information System (VIS). The VIS is a central database for the exchange of data on shortstay (up to three months) visas between Schengen States. The main objectives of the VIS are to facilitate visa application procedures and checks at external border as well as to enhance security. The VIS will contain all the Schengen visa applications lodged by an applicant over five years and the decisions taken by any Schengen State’s consulate. This will allow applicants to establish more easily the lawful use of previous visas and their bona fide status. For the purpose of the VIS, applicants will be required to provide their biometric data (fingerprints and digital photos) when applying for a Schengen visa. It is a simple and discreet procedure that only takes a few minutes.

Biometric data, along with the data provided in the Schengen visa application form, will be recorded in the VIS central database.

Therefore, as from 2nd October 2012, firsttime applicants will have to appear in person when lodging the application, in order to provide their fingerprints. For subsequent applications within 5 years the fingerprints can be copied from the previous application file in the VIS. The Cypriot Presidency would like to assure the people of Kuwait and all its permanent citizens that the Member States and associated States participating in the Schengen cooperation, have taken all necessary technical measures to facilitate the rapid examination and the efficient processing of visa applications and to ensure a quick and discreet procedure for the implementation of the new VIS. EMBASSY OF KENYA The Embassy of the Republic of Kenya wishes to inform the Kenyan community residents throughout Kuwait and the general public that the Embassy has acquired new office telephone numbers as follows: 25353982, 25353985 - Consular’s enquiries 25353987 - Fax Our Email address: info@kenyaembkuwait.com. nnnnnnn

GUST MBA organize seminar by EQUATE CEO

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

EMBASSY OF SOUTH AFRICA On the occasion of Easter Sunday and Family Day, the South African Embassy will be closed from Sunday, March 31 to Monday, April 1, 2013. The Embassy will resume it’s normal working hours on Tuesday, 2 April 2013, from Sunday to Thursday. Please note that the working hours will be from 8:00 to 16:00 & the Consular Section operation hours will from 8:30 to 12:30. nnnnnnn

EMBASSY OF ALBANIA

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ulf University for Science and Technology (GUST) MBA office organized a seminar with Mohammed Hussain, President and Chief Executive Officer of EQUATE Petrochemical Company on Leadership and Strategy Development. Hussain, prior to EQUATE, was holding the position of Deputy Chairman and Deputy Managing Director (Mina Al-Ahmadi Refinery) for Kuwait National Petroleum Company, Kuwait and

has been the President and Chief Executive Officer of EQUATE Petrochemical Company since April 2012. He shared over 30 years of extensive professional service with our MBA students where he presented the lessons learned from that experience. He emphasized to his audience the importance of the relationship between ethics and leadership, the qualities of a good leader, principles of leadership and the importance of communication as part of the culture of the organ-

ization. Dr Issam El-Moughrabi, Director of the MBA Program at GUST said: “Mohammad Hussain gave a highly inspirational, informative and well-attended presentation, and his comments about the intertwined importance of ethics and effectiveness in leadership are right on target.”

GUST MBA program strives to expose its students to the best people and companies in the business world locally and internationally.

The Embassy of the Republic of Albania to the State of Kuwait would like to inform that on 03.04.2013, the new Albanian Ambassador, Kujtim Morina presented credential letters to His Highness, the Amir of the State of Kuwait, Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber AlSabah. The address of the embassy is the same: Al - Zahra, Block 8, Street 802, Villa 169, Kuwait,P.O.BOX 3090, Safat 13131. The ebassy offers consular services as well. Working hours are from 9:00 to 14:00, Sunday through Thursday.

TUESDAY, APRIL 9, 2013

TV PROGRAMS

00:45 Rogue Nature With Dave Salmoni 01:35 Untamed & Uncut 02:25 Wildest India 03:15 Baboons With Bill Bailey 03:40 Ned Bruha: Skunk Whisperer 04:05 My Cat From Hell 04:55 Call Of The Wildman 05:20 Dark Days In Monkey City 05:45 Wild Africa Rescue 06:10 Wild Africa Rescue 06:35 Wildlife SOS 07:00 The Really Wild Show 07:25 America’s Cutest Pet 08:15 Dogs 101 09:10 Crocodile Hunter 10:05 Wildest India 11:00 Animal Cops Philadelphia 11:55 Call Of The Wildman 12:20 Wildlife SOS 12:50 Shamwari: A Wild Life 13:15 Shamwari: A Wild Life 13:45 Animal Precinct 14:40 Wildest India 15:30 Dark Days In Monkey City 16:00 The Really Wild Show 16:30 Dogs 101 17:25 Jeff Corwin Unleashed 17:50 Jeff Corwin Unleashed 18:20 My Cat From Hell 19:15 Monkey Life 19:40 Bondi Vet 20:10 Call Of The Wildman 20:35 Dark Days In Monkey City 21:05 Wildest Arctic 22:00 Shamwari: A Wild Life 22:25 Shamwari: A Wild Life 22:55 World Wild Vet 23:50 Animal Cops Miami

00:40 Come Dine With Me 01:30 Masterchef: The Professionals 02:15 Gok’s Clothes Roadshow 03:05 Mitch And Matt’s Big Fish 03:30 Cash In The Attic 04:15 Bargain Hunt 05:00 House Swap 05:45 Gok’s Clothes Roadshow 06:35 French Food At Home 07:00 The Good Cook 07:25 Baking Mad With Eric Lanlard 07:50 Baking Mad With Eric Lanlard 08:15 Homes Under The Hammer 09:05 Bargain Hunt 09:50 Antiques Roadshow 10:45 Extreme Makeover: Home Edition 11:25 Masterchef: The Professionals 12:10 Come Dine With Me 13:00 The Good Cook 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 Raymond Blanc’s Kitchen Secrets 18:20 Rick Stein’s Spain 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 04:00

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 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 19:45 20:10

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 Tom And Jerry: The Movie The Looney Tunes Show Taz-Mania

20:35 21:00 21:25 21:50 22:15 23:05 23:30 23:55

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 19:00 19:30 20:00 21:00

FOOTLOOSE ON OSN CINEMA

Amanpour World Sport Piers Morgan Tonight World Report World Sport Anderson Cooper 360 Piers Morgan Tonight Quest Means Business The Situation Room World Sport African Voices World Report World Report World Sport Talk Asia World Business Today World One News Special Amanpour CNN Newscenter Piers Morgan Tonight News Stream World Business Today International Desk Global Exchange World Sport News Special International Desk Quest Means Business

22:00 Amanpour 22:30 CNN Newscenter 23:00 Connect The World With Becky Anderson

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

Gold Rush Jungle Gold One Car Too Far Mythbusters Border Security Auction Kings Baggage Battles How Do They Do It? How It’s Made Sons Of Guns Mythbusters Moonshiners Dual Survival Border Security Auction Kings Baggage Battles How Do They Do It? How It’s Made Gold Rush Jungle Gold One Car Too Far Border Security Auction Kings Baggage Battles Ultimate Survival Dual Survival Mythbusters Sons Of Guns How Do They Do It? How It’s Made Auction Kings Baggage Battles Dual Survival Yukon Men Finding Bigfoot

00:05 The Tech Show 00:30 Weird Connections 01:00 Things That Move 01:25 Things That Move 01:50 Prank Science 02:15 Prank Science 02:45 X-Machines 03:35 Things That Move 04:00 Things That Move 04:25 Mighty Ships 05:15 Gadget Show - World Tour 05:40 The Tech Show 06:05 Meteorite Men 07:00 Da Vinci’s Machines 07:50 Prototype This 08:40 Gadget Show - World Tour 09:05 The Tech Show 09:30 Smash Lab 10:25 Science Of The Movies 11:15 Mighty Ships 12:05 Through The Wormhole With Morgan Freeman 13:00 Prototype This 13:50 Weird Connections 14:20 Gadget Show - World Tour 14:45 The Tech Show 15:10 Da Vinci’s Machines 16:00 Smash Lab 16:55 Nextworld 17:45 Mighty Ships 18:35 Meteorite Men 19:30 Da Vinci’s Machines 20:20 Prototype This 21:10 Gadget Show - World Tour 21:35 The Tech Show 22:00 Da Vinci’s Machines 22:50 Prank Science 23:15 Prank Science 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

00:00 00:55 01:25 03:15 03:40 04:10 05:05 06:00

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 Austin And Ally Austin And Ally 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 Austin And Ally 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

Dirty Soap Style Star E! Investigates Style Star Extreme Close-Up E!es E!es THS

07:50 Style Star 08:20 E! News 09:15 Giuliana & Bill 10:15 E!es 12:05 E! News 13:05 Ice Loves Coco 13:35 Ice Loves Coco 14:05 Kourtney & Kim Take York 14:30 Kourtney & Kim Take York 15:00 Style Star 15:30 E!es 16:30 Extreme Close-Up 17:00 Keeping Up With Kardashians 18:00 Keeping Up With Kardashians 19:00 THS 20:00 Married To Jonas 20:30 Giuliana & Bill 21:30 Giuliana & Bill 22:30 Fashion Police 23:30 Chelsea Lately

New New

The The

00:05 Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives 00:30 Outrageous Food 00:55 Unwrapped 01:20 Unwrapped 01:45 Reza’s African Kitchen 02:10 Reza’s African Kitchen 02:35 Andy Bates American Street Feasts 03:00 Andy Bates American Street Feasts 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 Staten Island Cakes 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 Guy’s Big Bite - Special 22:50 Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives 23:15 Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives 23:40 Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives

00:30 01:20 02:05 02:55 03:20 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 Deadly Sins Who On Earth...

Who On Earth...

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 Couples Who Kill Deadly Women I Almost Got Away With It

00:15 Catch Of The Day 00:45 The Roof Of Africa 01:40 Ep 5 02:05 My Sri Lanka With Peter Kuruvita, 8 02:35 Marrakech 03:00 Central America 03:30 On The Shores of The Caribbean 04:25 Hitting The Road 04:50 Australia 05:20 Switzerland 06:15 North Devon 06:40 Trouble With Peppe 07:10 The New French Revolution 07:35 Catch Of The Day 08:05 The Roof Of Africa 09:00 Ep 5 09:25 My Sri Lanka With Peter Kuruvita, 8 09:55 Marrakech 10:20 Central America 10:50 On The Shores of The Caribbean 11:45 Hitting The Road 12:10 Australia 12:40 13:35 Angus 14:00 Seattle 14:30 Hi Tech Taste 14:55 Taste Of Chile 15:25 Into The Lost Jungle 16:20 Ep 6

SECRET WINDOW ON OSN ACTION HD 16:45 My Sri Lanka With Peter Kuruvita, 9 17:15 Kuala Lumpur 17:40 South America 18:10 Amazon Labyrinth 19:05 Barca! Barca! Barca!

19:30 Germany 20:00 Hi Tech Taste 20:30 Taste Of Chile 21:00 Angus 21:30 Seattle 22:00 Athens To Atlanta 22:55 New Forest 23:20 New York City 23:50 Route 62: The Longest Wine Route In The World Cont

02:30 04:15 06:00 08:00 10:00 PG15 12:00 13:45 15:45 17:45 19:30 22:30

01:30 03:15 05:15 PG15 07:00 PG15 09:00 11:15 13:15 15:00 17:00 19:00 21:00 23:00

Beneath The Darkness-PG15 And Soon The Darkness-PG15 Monsters-PG15 Secret Window-PG15 Interview With A HitmanTrue Justice: Street Wars-PG15 Secret Window-PG15 The New Daughter-PG15 True Justice: Street Wars-PG15 The Godfather-18 The Corruptor-PG15

Blackthorn-PG15 Footloose-PG15 An Invisible Sign Of My Own-

White Collar Grey’s Anatomy House Of Cards The Americans American Horror Story Greek

01:30 04:30 06:15 08:00 10:00 12:00 14:00 15:45 17:45 19:45 21:30

Covert One: The Hades Factor Beneath The Darkness And Soon The Darkness Monsters Secret Window Interview With A Hitman True Justice: Street Wars Secret Window The New Daughter True Justice: Street Wars The Godfather

00:00 02:00 04:00 06:00 08:00 10:00 12:00 14:00 16:00 18:00 PG15 20:00 22:00

A Little Help-18 Stripes-18 The Waterboy-PG15 12 Dates Of Christmas-PG15 Arthur-PG15 Hop-PG The Waterboy-PG15 Zathura: A Space Adventure-PG Hop-PG The Bad News Bears (1976)Spread-R A Little Help-18

What’s Wrong With VirginiaJohn Carter-PG15 Footloose-PG15 Once Brothers-PG15 Ip Man 2-PG15 33 Postcards-PG15 Contagion-PG15 Young Adult-PG15 Pariah-18

00:30 The Daily Show Global Edition 01:00 The Colbert Report Global Edition 02:00 Louie 03:00 Hot In Cleveland 03:30 Malibu Country 04:30 The Tonight Show With Jay Leno 05:30 Hope & Faith 07:00 Late Night With Jimmy Fallon 08:30 Hope & Faith 09:00 Hot In Cleveland 09:30 How I Met Your Mother 11:00 The Tonight Show With Jay Leno 13:00 Hope & Faith 14:00 Malibu Country 15:00 How I Met Your Mother 15:30 The Daily Show Global Edition 16:00 The Colbert Report Global Edition 18:00 Hot In Cleveland 19:00 How I Met Your Mother 20:00 The Tonight Show With Jay Leno 21:00 The Daily Show With Jon Stewart 21:30 The Colbert Report 22:00 The New Normal 22:30 South Park 23:30 Late Night With Jimmy Fallon

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 15:00 16:00 16:30 17:00

18:00 19:00 20:00 21:00 22:00 23:00

Switched At Birth Game Of Thrones Once Upon A Time Greek Alphas Revenge Switched At Birth Emmerdale Coronation Street White Collar Once Upon A Time Revenge Alphas Emmerdale Coronation Street The Ellen DeGeneres Show White Collar Switched At Birth Emmerdale Coronation Street The Ellen DeGeneres Show

01:45 The Last Gamble-18 03:45 S. Darko-PG15 05:30 Love And Other Impossible Pursuits-PG15 07:15 Trust-PG15 09:00 Restless-PG15 11:00 Christmas Comes Home To Canaan-PG15 13:00 Every Jack Has A Jill-PG15 15:00 Restless-PG15 17:00 A Woman-PG15 19:00 Super 8-PG15 21:00 A Very Long Engagement-18 23:15 The Adjustment Bureau-PG15

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

Awaydays-18 StreetDance 2-PG15 Dr. Seuss’ The Lorax-PG Call Of The Wild-PG15 The Tourist-PG15 The Artist-PG A Mother’s Choice-PG15 Puss In Boots-PG The Tourist-PG15 J. Edgar-PG15 Crazy, Stupid, Love.-PG15 Paranormal Activity 3-18

01:00 Mandie And The Secret Tunnel 02:45 Moomins And The Comet Chase 04:30 Tom Tom & Nana 06:00 Spooky Buddies 08:00 Alex & Alexis 09:45 Arrietty 11:30 Lemony Snicket’s A Series Of Unfortunate 13:15 Toyz Goin’ Wild 14:30 Mandie And The Secret Tunnel 16:15 Diary Of A Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules 18:00 Arrietty 20:00 Freddy Frogface 22:00 Toyz Goin’ Wild 23:30 Alex & Alexis

00:00 MSNBC Hardball With Chris Matthews 01:00 MSNBC Politicsnation 02:00 Live NBC Nightly News 02:30 ABC World News With Diane Sawyer 03:00 MSNBC The Ed Show 04:00 MSNBC The Rachel Maddow Show 05:00 MSNBC The Last Word With Lawrence O’Donnell 06:00 NBC Nightly News 06:30 ABC World News With Diane

Sawyer 07:00 Live NBC Nightly News 07:39 ABC Nightline 08:06 Live MSNBC The Rachel Maddow Show 09:00 MSNBC The Last Word With Lawrence O’Donnell 10:00 ABC World News Now 10:30 Live ABC World News Now 11:00 NBC Early Today 12:00 ABC America This Morning 13:00 Live ABC America This Morning 13:30 MSNBC First Look 14:00 Live NBC Today Show 17:57 Live MSNBC Hardball With Chris Matthews 18:38 Live MSNBC The Ed Show 19:19 Live MSNBC The Rachel Maddow Show 20:00 MSNBC Andrea Mitchell Reports 21:00 MSNBC Newsnation 22:00 MSNBC The Cycle 23:00 MSNBC Martin Bashir

00:30 04:00 06:00 06:30 07:00 08:00 09:00 11:00 13:00 14:00 15:00 16:00 18:00 19:30 20:00 20:30 21:30 22:00 23:00

Premier League Darts NRL Premiership Futbol Mundial ICC Cricket 360 Super Rugby Highlights AFL Premiership Highlights NRL Premiership European Challenge Cup PGA Tour Highlights Super Rugby Highlights Trans World Sport European Challenge Cup Super League ICC Cricket 360 NRL Full Time Trans World Sport Futbol Mundial Super Rugby Highlights PGA Tour Highlights

00:00 01:00 01:30 07:00 08:30 09:30 10:30 11:30 12:00 14:00 16:00 17:00 19:00 20:00 22:00

Trans World Sport Futbol Mundial PGA Tour Super League Trans World Sport PGA Tour Highlights AFL Premiership Highlights ICC Cricket 360 Super Rugby NRL Premiership AFL Premiership Highlights Super Rugby Trans World Sport UFC The Ultimate Fighter WWE SmackDown

00:00 00:30 02:30 05:00 06:00 07:00 08:00 08:30 09:00 10:00 11:00 13:30 14:00 15:00 16:00 17:00 18:00 19:00 19:30 20:00 22:30

Top 14 Highlights NRL Premiership ITU World Triathlon World Pool Masters World Cup Of Pool Golfing World ICC Cricket 360 Top 14 Highlights World Pool Masters World Cup Of Pool ITU World Triathlon Futbol Mundial Golfing World World Pool Masters World Cup Of Pool Trans World Sport AFL Premiership Highlights ICC Cricket 360 Top 14 Highlights AFL Premiership Super League

00:00 01:00 03:00 04:00 05:00 07:00 08:00 09:00 10:00 11:00 13:00 14:00 17:00 18:00 18:30 20:30 21:00 22:00

Triahlon UK NHL Ping Pong World US Bass Fishing NHL WWE NXT WWE Bottom Line Ping Pong World US Bass Fishing NHL WWE Experience Prizefighter Ping Pong World WWE This Week NHL Mobil 1 The Grid UAE National Race Day Series UFC The Ultimate Fighter

Classifieds TUESDAY, APRIL 9, 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) 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) 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)

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

2:00 PM 4:30 PM 7:00 PM 9:30 PM 12:05 AM 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) AL-KOUT.3 OLYMPUS HAS FALLEN (DIG) KON-TIKI (DIG) KON-TIKI (DIG)

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

KON-TIKI (DIG) OLYMPUS HAS FALLEN (DIG) KON-TIKI (DIG)

7:45 PM 10:00 PM 12:15 AM

BAIRAQ-1 G.I. JOE: RETALIATION (DIG-3D) THE CROODS (DIG-3D) THE CROODS (DIG-3D) G.I. JOE: RETALIATION (DIG-3D) G.I. JOE: RETALIATION (DIG-3D) G.I. JOE: RETALIATION (DIG-3D)

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

FOR SALE

BAIRAQ-2 THE INCREDIBLE BURT WONDERSTONE (DIG) DEAD MAN DOWN (DIG) THE INCREDIBLE BURT WONDERSTONE (DIG) DEAD MAN DOWN (DIG) THE INCREDIBLE BURT WONDERSTONE (DIG) DEAD MAN DOWN (DIG)

2:00 PM 4:00 PM 6:15 PM 8:15 PM 10:30 PM 12:30 AM

BAIRAQ-3 TRUTH OR DARE (DIG) KON-TIKI (DIG) THE PLACE BEYOND THE PINES (DIG) KON-TIKI (DIG) THE PLACE BEYOND THE PINES (DIG) KON-TIKI (DIG)

12:30 PM 2:30 PM 4:45 PM 7:15 PM 9:30 PM 12:05 AM

PLAZA BAADSHAH (DIG) (Telugu) BAADSHAH (DIG) (Telugu) BAADSHAH (DIG) (Telugu) BAADSHAH (DIG) (Telugu) NO THU BAADSHAH (DIG) (Telugu)

3:30 PM 7:15 PM 10:15 PM 6:30 PM 9:30 PM

LAILA THE INCREDIBLE BURT WONDERSTONE (DIG) THE INCREDIBLE BURT WONDERSTONE (DIG) G.I. JOE: RETALIATION (DIG)

6:00 PM 8:15 PM 10:30 PM

AJIAL.1 BAADSHAH (DIG) (Telugu) BAADSHAH (DIG) (Telugu) BAADSHAH (DIG) (Telugu) BAADSHAH (DIG) (Telugu) BAADSHAH (DIG) (Telugu)

7:00 PM 10:00 PM 3:30 PM 6:30 PM 9:45 PM

AJIAL.2 BAADSHAH (DIG) (Telugu) BAADSHAH (DIG) (Telugu) BAADSHAH (DIG) (Telugu) BAADSHAH (DIG) (Telugu) BAADSHAH (DIG) (Telugu)

7:15 PM 10:15 PM 3:45 PM 6:45 PM 10:00 PM

AJIAL.3 CHASHME BADDOOR (DIG)(HINDI) CHASHME BADDOOR (DIG)(HINDI)

6:00 PM 9:00 PM

METRO-1 BAADSHAH (DIG) (Telugu) BAADSHAH (DIG) (Telugu) BAADSHAH (DIG) (Telugu) BAADSHAH (DIG) (Telugu) BAADSHAH (DIG) (Telugu)

7:00 PM 10:00 PM 3:30 PM 6:30 PM 9:45 PM

METRO-2 BAADSHAH (DIG) (Telugu) BAADSHAH (DIG) (Telugu) BAADSHAH (DIG) (Telugu) BAADSHAH (DIG) (Telugu) BAADSHAH (DIG) (Telugu)

7:15 PM 10:15 PM 3:45 PM 6:45 PM 10:00 PM

Mazda 3, model 2012, running 14,000 km, price KD 2,850, negotiable. Mobile: 66109046. (C 4372) 8-6-2013

CHANGE OF NAME I, Tarun Kanti Paul and I, Mithu Paul parents of Supriti Paul, her Passport No. J6954961 hereby will change our daughter ’s name as Zeta Supriti Paul.

(C 4369) I, Tarun Kanti Paul and I, Mithu Paul parents of Swaswati Paul, her Passport No. J6954985 hereby will change our daughter ’s name as Luna Shashati Paul. (C 4370)

Sangam Sivakumar Raju, S/o Sangam Kodandarama Raju Indian Passport No. K3372636 issued at Hyderabad, India, date 02/04/2013 Passport resident 9/130 Rly Kodur YSR District 516001 (A.P) India, hereby change to Sangaraju Sivakumar Raju.

New resident 7/21 D, Gangireddypalem, Rajampet, Kadapa, A.P,

516115 India. (C 4371) 7-4-2013 SITUATION WANTED Need a job in Kuwait, having MBA Degree + Indian driving license, K. Suresh Babu MBA. Contact: 00919440707761 or Mr. Balu 66195135. (C 4368) 6-4-2013

No: 15773

DIAL 161 FOR AIRPORT INFORMATION

Airlines BBC QTR JZR PIA THY ETH GFA UAE ETD RJA FDB RBG MSR OMA QTR THY DHX FDB KAC BAW KAC KAC JZR FDB KAC KAC KAC UAE ABY QTR FDB IRA ETD GFA MEA TMA JZR JZR KAC UAE MSR KAC QTR FDB KAC SVA KNE KAC

Flt 43 148 267 239 764 620 211 853 305 642 67 555 612 643 138 770 170 69 412 157 416 206 503 53 302 332 352 855 125 132 55 605 301 213 404 213 165 561 284 871 610 514 140 57 546 500 472 562

Arrival Flights on Tuesday 9/4/2013 Route DHAKA DOHA BEIRUT SIALKOT SABIHA ADDIS ABABA BAHRAIN DUBAI ABU DHABI AMMAN DUBAI ALEXANDRIA CAIRO MUSCAT DOHA ISTANBUL BAHRAIN DUBAI MANILA LONDON JAKARTA ISLAMABAD LUXOR DUBAI MUMBAI TRIVANDRUM COCHIN DUBAI SHARJAH DOHA DUBAI ISFAHAN ABU DHABI BAHRAIN BEIRUT BEIRUT DUBAI SOHAG DHAKA DUBAI CAIRO TEHRAN DOHA DUBAI ALEXANDRIA JEDDAH JEDDAH AMMAN

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

TMA RJA JZR QTR ETD FDB UAE ABY SVA GFA SYR UAL JZR KAC QTR KAC KAC KAC FDB GFA KAC AXB KAC KAC KAC KAC JAI RBG FDB OMA ABY MEA IRA MSR KLM ALK UAE ETD QTR GFA DHX QTR FDB AIC JZR UAL JZR DLH JAI THY

213A 640 325 134 303 71 857 127 510 215 341 982 177 542 144 786 166 104 63 219 618 393 774 674 742 678 572 553 61 647 129 402 619 618 415 229 859 307 136 217 372 146 59 981 239 981 185 636 574 772

BEIRUT AMMAN NAJAF DOHA ABU DHABI DUBAI DUBAI SHARJAH RIYADH BAHRAIN DAMASCUS WASHINGTON DC DULLES DUBAI CAIRO DOHA JEDDAH PARIS LONDON DUBAI BAHRAIN DOHA KOZHIKODE RIYADH DUBAI DAMMAM MUSCAT MUMBAI ALEXANDRIA DUBAI MUSCAT SHARJAH BEIRUT LAR ALEXANDRIA AMSTERDAM COLOMBO DUBAI ABU DHABI DOHA BAHRAIN BAHRAIN DOHA DUBAI CHENNAI AMMAN BAHRAIN DUBAI FRANKFURT MUMBAI ISTANBUL

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

Airlines AIC PIA AXB JAI UAL DLH KLM JZR BBC PIA THY THY ETH UAE FDB RBG MSR OMA ETD QTR QTR JZR FDB RJA GFA THY KAC JZR BAW FDB KAC KAC ABY UAE FDB QTR ETD IRA KAC GFA KAC KAC MEA TMA KAC JZR KAC JZR MSR UAE FDB

Departure Flights on Tuesday 9/4/2013 Flt Route 976 GOA/CHENNAI 206 LAHORE 490 MANGALORE 573 MUMBAI 981 WASHINGTON DC DULLES 637 FRANKFURT 411 AMSTERDAM 502 LUXOR 44 DHAKA 240 SIALKOT 773 ISTANBUL 765 ISTANBUL 621 ADDIS ABABA 854 DUBAI 68 DUBAI 556 ALEXANDRIA 613 CAIRO 644 MUSCAT 306 ABU DHABI 139 DOHA 149 DOHA 560 SOHAG 70 DUBAI 643 AMMAN 212 BAHRAIN 771 ISTANBUL 545 ALEXANDRIA 164 DUBAI 156 LONDON 54 DUBAI 513 IMAM KHOMEINI 561 AMMAN 126 SHARJAH 856 DUBAI 56 DUBAI 133 DOHA 302 ABU DHABI 604 ISFAHAN 101 LONDON 214 BAHRAIN 541 CAIRO 165 ROME 405 BEIRUT 223 DUBAI 677 MUSCAT 324 AL NAJAF 785 JEDDAH 176 DUBAI 611 CAIRO 872 DUBAI 58 DUBAI

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

Directorate General of Civil Aviation Home Page (www.kuwait-airport.com.kw)

QTR KAC KNE SVA KAC KAC KAC TMA RJA JZR QTR ETD FDB JZR ABY UAE SVA GFA SYR JZR JZR UAL QTR FDB GFA AXB RBG JAI FDB ABY OMA KAC KAC MEA IRA MSR DHX KLM ETD ALK UAE KAC QTR KAC GFA DHX FDB KAC QTR JZR KAC KAC JZR

141 673 473 501 617 773 741 225 641 238 135 304 72 538 128 858 511 216 342 184 266 982 145 64 220 394 554 571 62 120 648 343 351 403 618 607 171 415 308 230 860 381 137 301 218 373 60 205 147 554 411 283 528

DOHA DUBAI JEDDAH JEDDAH DOHA RIYADH DAMMAM DUBAI AMMAN AMMAN DOHA ABU DHABI DUBAI CAIRO SHARJAH DUBAI RIYADH BAHRAIN DAMASCUS DUBAI BEIRUT BAHRAIN DOHA DUBAI BAHRAIN KOZHIKODE ALEXANDRIA MUMBAI DUBAI SHARJAH MUSCAT CHENNAI KOCHI BEIRUT LAR LUXOR BAHRAIN DAMMAM ABU DHABI COLOMBO DUBAI DELHI DOHA MUMBAI BAHRAIN BAHRAIN DUBAI ISLAMABAD DOHA ALEXANDRIA BANGKOK DHAKA ASSIUT

14:55 15:05 15:30 15:45 15:45 16:00 16:30 16:30 16:55 17:05 17:15 17:20 17:35 17:40 17:50 18:15 18:20 18:20 18:25 18:30 18:40 18:40 19:25 19:35 19:50 20:15 20:20 20:35 20:40 20:45 20:55 20:55 21:05 21:15 21:20 21:30 21:50 22:05 22:15 22:20 22:25 22:30 22:35 22:40 22:45 23:00 23:00 23:00 23:05 23:20 23:40 23:45 23:55

34

stars CROSSWORD 154

STAR TRACK Aries (March 21-April 19) There are people involved to enforce the rules, simply because things would be bedlam if this didn’t happen! Therefore, take it in your stride when you are unable to do something exactly the way you would like to. An interesting conversation could mean extra dollars or a very nice vacation. Some people may try to take advantage of you at this time. Some may even attempt to treat you like the proverbial doormat.

Although your desire to please may be very strong, don’t allow yourself to be taken advantage of, or you may find yourself being taken for granted in the future.

Taurus (April 20-May 20) Your sensual and loving nature could be a little conservative and restricted today and your introversion could make someone else around you feel uncomfortable. You’re seeking deeper meaning within yourself, share that with the other person so the messages they receive don’t at all imply a fault or shortcoming on their part. Like minds and hearts gravitate toward you like a magnet so be sure of the energy and emotions you emit right now. If you attract someone favorable you feel as if together you could accomplish any goal. Use this smooth energy to make big strides, conquer new ground so you’ll be in ever better position when the situation is less ideal. Make time to show someone your affections.

Gemini (May 21-June 20)

ACROSS 1. Your general store of remembered information.

4. A person who destroys or ruins or lays waste to.

12. A graphical recording of the cardiac cycle produced by an electrocardiograph.

15. A river in north central Switzerland that runs northeast into the Rhine.

16. A piece of furniture with shelves for storing books.

17. A pass between mountain peaks.

18. A member of a nomadic people of the northern Ural mountains.

20. Being of the age 13 through 19.

21. The iridescent internal layer of a mollusk shell.

23. Situated in a particular spot or position.

24. Tag the base runner to get him out.

25. Military action involving the use of electromagnetic energy to determine or exploit or reduce or prevent hostile use of the electromagnetic spectrum.

26. The blood group whose red cells carry both the A and B antigens.

27. A highly unstable radioactive element (the heaviest of the halogen series).

29. Small arctic whale the male having a long spiral ivory tusk.

32. To an ample degree or in an ample manner.

35. Lighted up by or as by fire or flame.

37. A trivalent metallic element of the rare earth group.

38. The arch of bone beneath the eye that forms the prominence of the cheek.

43. Perceive sound.

44. A Loloish language.

45. A silvery ductile metallic element found primarily in bauxite.

46. An organization of independent states to promote international peace and security.

47. Black tropical American cuckoo.

52. Used in former classifications to include all ratite bird orders.

54. Of boats.

56. A public promotion of some product or service.

57. Extinct flightless bird of New Zealand.

60. King of Denmark and Norway who forced Edmund II to divide England with him.

62. Resembling or characteristic of or appropriate to an elegy.

64. French writer who generalized surrealism to literature (1897-1982).

67. Considerate and solicitous care.

68. An honorary arts degree.

71. The capital and largest city of Hawaii.

73. A hard gray lustrous metallic element that is highly corrosion-resistant.

75. Large burrowing rodent of South and Central America.

76. Inquire about.

77. The state capital of South Australia.

80. A light touch or stroke.

81. The cry made by sheep.

82. South American caracara.

83. A loose sleeveless outer garment made from aba cloth.

DOWN 1. An artificial source of visible illumination.

2. An official language of the Republic of South Africa.

3. The template for protein synthesis.

4. The state of existing and being localized in space.

5. A radioactive metallic element that is similar to tellurium and bismuth.

6. Decay usually accompanied by an offensive

odor.

7. German naturalist whose speculations that plants and animals are made up of tiny living `infusoria' led to the cell theory (1779-1851).

8. A large group of islands in the south Pacific including Melanesia and Micronesia and Polynesia (and sometimes Australasia and the Malay Archipelago).

9. Bark rich in tannin.

10. A radioactive transuranic element produced by bombarding plutonium with neutrons.

11. Re-establish on a new, usually improved, basis or make new or like new.

12. (computer science) A coding system that incorporates extra parity bits in order to detect errors.

13. Of a strong pink to yellowish-pink color n 1.

14. Plot of land belonging to an English parish church or an ecclesiastical office.

19. Of or relating to a directionless magnitude.

22. Traveling by wheeled vehicle such as bicycle or automobile e.g..

28. A movie with synchronized speech and singing.

30. A rare heavy polyvalent metallic element that resembles manganese chemically and is used in some alloys.

31. (Judaism) Sacred chest where the ancient Hebrews kept the two tablets containing the Ten Commandments.

33. An unnaturally frenzied or distraught woman.

34. A hairdo formed by braiding or twisting the hair.

36. King of Saudi Arabia since 1982 (born in 1922).

39. The capital and largest city of Yemen.

40. A tool for tamping (e.g., for tamping tobacco into a pipe bowl or a charge into a drill hole etc.).

41. Fast-growing East Asian vine having hairy trifoliate leaves and racemes of purple flowers followed by long many-seed hairy pods and tuberous starchy roots.

42. An arm off of a larger body of water (often between rocky headlands).

48. A nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (trade name Lodine).

49. Selecting what seems best of various styles or ideas n.

50. Open-heart surgery in which the rib cage is opened and a section of a blood vessel is grafted from the aorta to the coronary artery to bypass the blocked section of the coronary artery and improve the blood supply to the heart.

51. Pearl oysters.

53. (psychoanalysis) An idealized image of someone (usually a parent) formed in childhood.

55. A long steep slope or cliff at the edge of a plateau or ridge.

58. A genus of trees of the family Betulaceae (such as birches).

59. (Norse mythology) One of the Aesir known for his beauty and skill with bow and skis.

61. A form of Japanese poetry.

63. A state in midwestern United States.

65. Large genus of erect or climbing prickly shrubs including roses.

66. Ctenophores lacking tentacles.

69. Someone who works (or provides workers) during a strike.

70. A Chadic language spoken south of Lake Chad.

72. (Irish) The sea personified.

74. Hormone secreted by the posterior pituitary gland (trade name Pitressin) and also by nerve endings in the hypothalamus.

78. An associate degree in nursing.

79. (Akkadian) God of wisdom.

TUESDAY, APRIL 9, 2013

Why not go totally out on a limb and indulge yourself a little in the areas that really make you happy? Truly, there can be no harm in spoiling yourself every now and then. If you are thinking about a vacation, go through today’s junk mail and answer the phone. You may want someone so bad you can taste it, but figuring out exactly how to be seen in a favorable way can be a problem. The tendency to be too choosy and too critical of what’s presented to you can leave you coming up empty handed, so if you cant have your way entirely, have it half way and enjoy what’s there.

Cancer (June 21-July 22) There’s a certain pleasure in feeling well-grounded, and this moment would make a firm foundation for whatever you choose to build upon it. If your plans are already made, it’s time for the cornerstone to be laid. Go with what you’ve got, as there’s a no-frills feeling that’s saying keep it simple, take it slow and easy today. You tend to question major commitments and decisions you have made in the past such as marriage and other major relationships. This is a time of self analysis and questioning about the directions you have taken in your life. Take advantage of this energy to find more positive ways to deal with issues and to be thankful for the things you may take for granted.

Leo (July 23-August 22) You make yourself perfectly clear at this time, coming across in a very direct, articulate manner. Your honesty and willingness to communicate openly impresses others. If you are in a profession dealing with words, ideas, or communications, this is a very positive and fruitful time for you. Oh it’s a day to bump into the unexpected someone today. They might be a hottie or not but don’t blow them off even if you don’t think they are. For whatever reason the universe put them in that place and time for you to meet. Don’t just assume it’s a chance meeting, there is such a thing as destiny.

Virgo (August 23-September 22) Resist the temptation to overdo, physically or emotionally, to the point of diminishing returns. It’s easy to trip over too large an ambition, so if you’re not realistic early on try and wait to proceed until you’ve got the time and energy to really follow through with your plans. You feel more inhibited and uncommunicative, and you sense that others are not receptive. Frustrating conversations and the feeling that you are coming across negatively are possible now, so you are inclined simply to keep your thoughts to yourself. Taking time for yourself may do you and your partner more benefit than harm.

Word Search

Libra (September 23-October 22) Family and home are focuses of change now, as old familiar patterns undergo an irrevocable transformation: time flows in one direction only. Real estate investments offer lucrative rewards at some risk. A change of residence is likely.

Unexpected pleasures, a more playful, adventurous attitude in your relationships make this time period stimulating and delightful. Emotional beginnings, a fresh start, perhaps the establishment of new habit patterns, just make sure they’re good ones, because they’ll set the tone for you for quite some time to come! A new romance or a revitalization of a current one is very likely.

Scorpio (October 23-November 21) Emotional energies are strong and upbeat, and all you have to do go with the flow. Foundations laid today will be firm and supportive and continue to evolve that way. Feelings of friendship abound and it’s easy to see the good side of anyone, just remember there may be other sides, too. Explosive arguments could lead to going your own way when someone or something tries to confine you. Your own sense of independence and freedom is being challenged. It could be a good time to look at why this issue is bothering you, you may encounter it again in the future so deal with it now so the knee jerk reactions don’t occur the next time the issue arises.

Sagittarius (November 22-December 21) Take it one step at a time. Make time for spiritual moments. Give yourself an edge by clearly defining what you want and then going for it. Your courage is strong but impulsive today. Communications with neighbors may be necessary but not welcome at the moment. Get clear about your intentions before entering long winded conversations. Sex, power, and money are far more attractive to you than normal. Your focus at this time is toward getting down to the bottom of issues and dramas and starting over from scratch. Be cautious you don’t get too carried away with what bridges you burn today.

Capricorn (December 22-January 19) Stop wasting your energies in half-hearted efforts and get on the team that will take you where you want to go. That may require putting your energy into really walking your talk. Throw yourself into it and you’ll begin to feel the acceleration of dedicated movement, the momentum building from entrained energy. Relationships run smoothly for you today, so it’s a good time to show your partner how much you really appreciate them for the little things. If you have a solid emotional base in your life, you will receive the benefits of that. If not, this is a good time to network with people so you can broaden your social circle and find someone that you can form a lasting relationships with.

Aquarius (January 20- February 18)

You can get the green light on a project now. You’ve been expecting this for a while but once given the nod, make certain you have the resources and the time to get to it. You may have overbooked yourself or not envisaged the scope of what is necessary. You are sharp, clear, decisive, and articulate today. This is a good time to assert your own needs and desires, to communicate to others what you really want. They’ll never know what how you truly feel if you don’t speak up.

Pisces (February 19-March 20) If you’re trying to get business done, you’ll be swimming against the tide, so if you have the option, just go with the flow. If you’re working on a creative project, make sure you get the product preserved for posterity — on paper, on film, on tape, on CD. If you’re just going to be pleasantly out to lunch, don’t bother, just enjoy. Not a great day to make plans or decisions. It could be hard to figure out the right move, especially with that special someone. You may feel frustrated as to where you are headed in life just now. Have some self control and remember tomorrows another day and a new perspective.

Yesterday’s Solution

Yesterday’s Solution

Daily SuDoku

Yesterday’s Solution

TUESDAY, APRIL 9, 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

TUESDAY, APRIL 9, 2013

lifest yle G o s s i p

he 28-year-old ‘Wide Awake’ singer took her first trip to Madagascar in support of UNICEF this week to help draw attention to the importance of providing education and help to children on the African island, which is one of the poorest countries in the world. The brunette beauty, who witnessed a range of programmes in education, nutrition, health, child protection, sanitation and hygiene, admitted she is grateful for the experience and said in a statement: “In less than one week here in Madagascar, I went from crowded city slums to the most remote villages and my eyes were opened wide by the incredible need for a healthy life nutrition, sanitation, and protection against rape and abuse - which UNICEF is stepping in to help provide. “I am grateful to UNICEF for giving me the opportunity to see first-hand how their programmes make a real difference in children’s lives. Support for UNICEF is saving children, I am a witness to it.” Katy participated in several local activities by hand-washing clothes and playing

T

he ‘Kourtney & Kim Take Miami’ star - who is six months pregnant with her first child with her boyfriend Kanye West - is thrilled her baby bump has finally popped but is continuing to maintain a healthy weight by working out regularly and indulging her sugar carvings with frozen yogurt. A source close to the 32-year-old reality TV star told gossip website TMZ.com that Kim is nowhere near 200 pounds, despite reports by In Touch magazine that she “can’t stop eating”, and weighed in at 151 pounds during her most recent check up with her doctor last week. The brunette beauty was recently said to be planning a post-pregnancy weight loss DVD and is already looking at signing a big money deal to slim down after the birth. A source previously said: “Kim can’t wait to squeeze her famous butt back into her trademark skinny jeans. “She’s been talking to various big companies about a bootylicious workout DVD. In true Kim style this would be sexy latex cat suits and lashings of makeup for a ghetto style hip-hop work out. “Although Kim loves being pregnant, like most women she has struggled with her changing body shape. “A work out DVD would be the perfect incentive for her to shed those extra pounds and inspire others.” A string of female stars including Gwyneth Paltrow, Helena Christensen, Jenna Dewan-Tatum and Molly Sims have defended Kim’s weight critics recently. Gwyneth said: “I think that women should support each other, especially through pregnancy, it’s a difficult time and I think Kim Kardashian looks absolutely beautiful. “And we’re supposed to gain weight when pregnant-that’s how God intended it.”

T

ven though the 39-year-old actress plays the love interest of her real life boyfriend Ryan Gosling in new movie ‘The Place Beyond the Pines’, she admitted filming the romantic scenes were still difficult. She told Us Weekly magazine: “Love scenes are awful. Let’s just say that. They’re always awkward.”

However, Eva says working with Ryan was great because he helped to make her better. She said: “We knew each other for years before filming. You can be friends with someone and not like how they work but I respect him so much. He certainly upped my game.” Eva has also recently said she gets upset when people call her sexy, because there is so much more to her than just looks. She said: “Being sexy is just one component of who I am - it’s a thing I can be. It’s a side of myself I can tap into, just like I can tap into my funny side, my quirky side or my dramatic side. It’s not what I am. “I know I can do the kind of work where people are going to recognise me just as much for my determination and sensitivity and humour as for being sexy.”

E

Pink is in the best shape of her life he 33-year-old star - who is currently on her ‘Truth About Love’ tour - has stuck to a strict diet and exercise routine, incorporating sprint intervals, kickboxing and bootcamp sessions, since welcoming her first child, Willow, in June 2011 with her husband Carey Hart, 37, as she wanted to feel confident about her post baby body when performing.

The ‘Glitter in the Air’ singer’s personal trainer Jeanette Jenkins told People.com: “She was preparing for her tour from the minute she started training after she had Willow. “She ate Freshology, a healthy food delivery service, and trained five times a week and lost 55 lbs. post-pregnancy. She was committed. She is in the best shape of her life.” The singer, whose real name in Alecia Moore, keeps her body trim and toned by snacking on kale chips and eating healthy meals such as fish and chicken with vegetables. The former gymnast also worked with her acrobatics instructor Dreya Weber to help her learn how to sing while doing trapeze. Dreya revealed: “First I had Alecia do sit-ups and I stood on her stomach and kind of bounced up and down and then I hung her from a trapeze bar and poked her in the stomach and said, ‘Sing!’ And she could! “She is a natural athlete so the progression of the difficulty of the moves has been organic.”

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he 45-year-old actress has always enjoyed indulging her imagination and in the busy world we now live in, Nicole thinks it’s important for her kids Sunday Rose, four, and Faith Margaret, two - to have time to just relax and have “creative time”. Speaking at the launch of OMEGA’s new Ladymatic watch in Vienna, Austria, she said: “I’m still a huge believer in daydreaming. I love lying around with no book or anything - just having my mind. I used to do it as a kid and I still do it. When I do, it’s when I come up with ideas. It’s creative time and it’s something I try to create for my children. We tend to schedule so much for our children and I try not to do that.” The ‘To Die For’ star - who is married to Keith Urban - has been working as an actress since she was 14 and her threedecade career has instilled in her a strong sense of punctuality. Speaking to Britain’s Grazia magazine, she explained: “I like to have my own watch on - I don’t want to be asking other people what time it is. Working in the film industry as a child, you learn to be on time. I was taught a very strong work ethic that included punctuality, which I’ve always felt is a sign of respect for others.”

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he 36-year-old actress and boyfriend Joshua Jackson take off for exotic destinations whenever they have some free time because she is keen to broaden her knowledge of different cultures. She said: “I love to travel. Joshua and I do quite a lot. I want to get to know different cultures and feel most alive when I’m outside.” Diane also revealed she loves playing with fashion but sticks to certain looks.

She explained: “I navi-

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with children in a playground. She also pumped water at a well and visited a nutrition centre to learn about the high rates of malnutrition in the country. International donors had frozen development aid to Madagascar following a political crisis in 2009, preventing large numbers of the population from accessing basic health care and primary education. Katy has been keeping busy since breaking up with her on/off boyfriend of seven months again recently. Although the couple have called time on their romance, friends previously admitted they won’t be surprised if they get back together again in the near future. An insider recently said the split is “more of a break than a break-up. You’ll probably see them hanging out sooner than later and hooking up again. They remain very friendly.”

gate to the same things, black, white or a bright colour.

Coming from modelling, fashion is something that was ingrained in me from when I was 16.” And the ‘Inglourious Basterds’ star admits she isn’t afraid to “manipulate” situations with her wardrobe. She added to People magazine: “I think it’s fun to have one of those things you can manipulate in life. If you want to seduce a man, you might wear a certain dress. Why not?” — Bangshowbiz

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TUESDAY, APRIL 9, 2013

LIFESTYLE

“Honan-Kachina” sacred mask

Tasavu sacred mask

“Chakwaina” sacred mask is seen.

he looming Paris auction of some 70 ceremonial masks originating from the Hopi tribe of Arizona has cast light on the failure to prevent sacred American artifacts being sold overseas. Dozens of the striking, brightly colored kachina visages and headdresses are due to go under the hammer in the French capital on Friday in a sale being staged by Neret-Minet auction house.

But representatives of the southwestern Hopi tribe, who number around 18,000, are appalled by the prospect of a slice of their cultural heritage being touted to the highest bidder.

The Hopi say the items being auctioned are blessed with divine spirits, and insist that even the mere description of them as masks or artifacts is highly offensive, adamant that the upcoming auction is a form of sacrilege.

“The objects that are being auctioned are considered sacred because they are part of our religious beliefs,” Hopi president LeRoy Shingoitewa said. “They are used in a manner that helps us to help our people in this world to get harmony, to get blessings.

“These are not considered among our people to be art,” he told AFP. “We want to stop the auction. We want the sacred objects returned back to the Hopi.” The difficulty for the Hopi is that while the sale of sacred Indian artifacts has been outlawed in the United States since 1990 — legislation which has allowed the tribe to recover items held

by American museums in the past-the law does not extend to sales overseas.

“It is difficult. We are dealing with interna-

“Sio Hemis Cachina” sacred mask

“Heheya-Aumutaka” sacred mask is seen.

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idZania Kuwait officially announces its partnership with Qatar Airways, one of the world’s fastest growing airlines, as the latest sponsor to join the children’s city’s interactive learning experience. In line with KidZania’s award-winning approach to edutainment, Qatar Airways will sponsor both KidZania Kuwait’s Airport counters and the airplane establishment where children will gain insight to the exciting world of aviation through a reallife and immersive setting.

As kids enter KidZania Kuwait, Qatar Airways’ airport counters will serve as the access point for gaining entrance into the child-centric city. Not only will the counters feature a ‘check-in’ process that reflects all the procedures familiar to commercial airport travelers, they will also include a security checkpoint for travellers entering the highly anticipated destination. Checking-in will involve three main airline-related activities: ticketing, registering and boarding; this entry sequence will begin at the queuing area.

Along with the airport counter, children will also be exposed to real-life aviation experiences within the Airplane establishment located inside the park. TheQatar Airways’ branded airplane, located at the entrance of the park, is essential to the KidZania experience as it symbolises the journey children will embark on from Kuwait to KidZania. In the establishment, children will be given the opportunity to earn kidZos, KidZania’s currency, as pilots and flight attendants. As pilots, children will learn about the cockpit, control panels, and how to take-off and land using state-of-the-art flight simula-

“Wuyak-ku-ita” sacred mask of the Hopi Arizona’s Indian tribe is seen. — AFP tional law and another government,” Shingoitewa said. “We are a very small tribe.

Financially it becomes very difficult. We want to be humble. We are asking that the auction house help us.” A spokesperson for NeretMinet insists, however, there are no grounds to halt the sale, stressing that the items being sold were acquired legally by a French collector during a 30-year residence in the United States.

Shingoitewa is not convinced. “If I go into

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tors. Flight attendants will assist passengers (children and parents), inform them about safety procedures, and serve food and beverages.

The interior of the airplane establishment will bea representation of Qatar Airways’ luxurious Boeing 777 cabin setting and in-flight service.

“We are thrilled to have Qatar Airways, one of the world’s fastest growing airline, as the sponsor of KidZania Kuwait’s counter and airplane activities,” commented Fernando Medroa, Vice President of Leisure and Entertainment at MH Alshaya which operates

KidZania in Kuwait.” We are certain that with Qatar Airways on board, children will develop an understanding of various aviation roles by being immersedin a real-life aviation environment,provided by Qatar Airways’ renowned state-of-the-art inflight experience.”

Commenting on the partnership at the press conference, Qatar Airways Senior Vice President GCC, Levant, Iran, Iraq and Indian subcontinent, Fathi Al-Shehab said:”Kuwait is one of our high-traffic Gulf routes, and we are excited to be part of this opportunity that will

a cathedral and I take a statue of Mary, and go outside and say ‘Who wants to buy this from me?’ members of that faith would be very upset,” Shingoitewa told AFP. “We want to know who the owner is, how they got to France, the purpose of this individual taking these out of the US and from the Hopi.”

James Scarboro, a lawyer representing the tribe, called on Neret-Minet to delay the sale until the provenance of the items could be established. “If the auction house would

enable children in Kuwait to experience Qatar Airways first hand. Through KidZania’s unique offering of education and entertainment, children fascinated with aviation will be able to live out their dream in an enjoyable and interactive learning environment. We are also looking forward to developing today’s aviation enthusiasts to become tomorrow’s aviators, all the while helping them build a strong bond with our airline.”

At the press event, journalists and guests were greeted by KidZania’s Rights keepers: Urbano, Vita, Bache, Chika and Beebop, who embody KidZania’s fundamental rights and values. Attendees were also offered a warm welcome by Qatar Airways’cabin crew.

Designed to educate and inspire children up to 14-years-old, KidZania Kuwait will help budding youth learn about life in a fun and engaging way by offering a kid-sized city experience, all in a safe and self-contained 7,000 square metre scaled-down city. Children will be able to choose from up to 78 exciting roles and 100 engaging activities - all reflecting real life professions and businesses such as being a police officer, doctor, journalist or a shopkeeper. KidZania Kuwait is expected to open its doors soon at The Mall — The Avenues.

have the decency to postpone the auction for a time, so we can get to the bottom of this, I feel at least optimistic that we can resolve it in a friendly way,” he said. US auction houses and curators meanwhile say selling kachina items would be unthinkable as well as illegal.

“We do not offer for sale kachina masks because of the religious sensitivity,” said Jim Haas, head of the ethnographic art division at Bonhams in San Francisco. “Out of respect, obviously, and politically it doesn’t make sense for us to have a firestorm of criticism and native people marching outside at our door in protest.”

John Molloy, a New York gallery owner, said the US government needed to establish laws which would prevent similar sales in future. “The United States has to make an issue that other countries shouldn’t trade culturally sensitive items,” he said. Despite Neret-Minet’s insistence that Friday’s sale is legal, Shingoitewa is clinging to the hope that a solution can be found. “(We) use prayers, use our hearts and hope that the French auction house will have compassion, and be able to say: ‘We understand, and we will call off the auction, and we will work to help return the items back to the Hopi people.’” — AFP

Spanish actress, Hollywood icon Sara Montiel dies at 85

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ara Montiel, the first Spanish actress to make it in Hollywood and best known for her roles in international blockbusters such as “Vera Cruz”, died at home in Madrid yesterday aged 85, her family said. One of Spain’s most loved actresses, Montiel made her on-screen debut in her mid-teens after winning a beauty contest whose prize was a film role in “Te quiero para mi”. This lead to a threedecade long movie career where she featured in nearly 50 films.

Born to a farmer and a beautician as Maria Antonia Abad Fernandez in the central Spanish village of Campo de Criptana in 1928, Montiel was known for her great natural beauty and starred in more than 14 films between 1950 and 1954. She rose to international fame after starring alongside Gary Cooper and Burt Lancaster in the 1954 western “Vera Cruz”, and enjoyed a near mega-star status in both her homeland and Europe after her part in the “El ultimo cuple” in 1957.

In an interview with Spanish radio Onda Cero in March, she talked about her life, reminiscing about the many Hollywood encounters her career had blessed her with, including that with Marlon Brando in 1951. “I was an idiot. I didn’t pay attention to him. He was filming ‘Guys and Dolls’ with Frank Sinatra and I spent an afternoon chatting with him. “I didn’t get to know Frank Sinatra that day because he wasn’t working,” she said, adding she did however get to know Sinatra at a later stage.

She also recounted the time when, one morning, she stumbled upon Greta Garbo in her garden. “She was in my home. I had woken up around noon, because I was still living my life like a Spaniard” and rising late, she said. “I went out into the garden. My husband was there playing tennis with a woman. They were just finishing playing and came over to me. My husband said to me: ‘Antonia, look, I want you to meet Greta Garbo.’ I almost fainted.”—AFP

TUESDAY, APRIL 9, 2013

lifestyle

Keith Urban presents the award for female vocalist of the year.

Singer Luke Bryan performs at the 48th Annual Academy of Country Music Awards at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas on Sunday, April 7, 2013.

Musician George Strait performs onstage.

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Tim McGraw performs.

TV personalities Willie Robertson (right) and Korie Robertson present the award for male vocalist of the year.

uke Bryan heard his name called at the end of the Academy of Country Music Awards, accepted the entertainer of the year trophy and then things became a blur. “It was like I was on the tilt-a-whirl,” Bryan said. Bryan pulled off a dizzying upset, all right, beating out the night’s top winner Miranda Lambert, two-time entertainer of the year Taylor Swift and top male stars and good friends Blake Shelton and Jason Aldean for the academy’s top award.

The 36-year-old Georgia native’s reaction? He hugged the trophy and hung his head, appearing to fight back tears as members of the crowd at the MGM Grand shouted “Luke!” “I don’t think there was anyone in the room more shocked than him,” Aldean said. “That’s why I love him.”

Though Bryan got tons of love before the ACMs because of his new role as co-host with Shelton, the idea of winning entertainer of the year was far from his mind as he prepared to replace Reba McEntire on the show. He told reporters afterward he was so focused on hosting duties, he had trouble remembering what categories he was nominated in. And he didn’t give himself any chance to beat Swift, the undeniable pop star who has reshaped the genre and used a legion of fans to rule the ACMs the last two years.

Heck, he was still opening for Aldean last summer and only recently started his own headline tour. Even he thought it was too early to win an award usually given as a reward to veteran performers who were almost universally acclaimed. He won an award before the show, sharing vocal event of the year with Aldean and Eric Church for their collaboration on “The Only Way I Know.” And he thought he might have a shot at album of the year or male vocalist.

“But this is unobtainable, this is so unobtainable,” Bryan said as he held the trophy up and looked at it. “You know that statue in Rio De Janeiro (of Jesus Christ). That is what this award is like for me, up on the mount, you know.” Turns out a majority of a record 1.1 million voters thought he’d look good holding that silver trophy.

Garth Brooks performs an In Memoriam tribute to Dick Clark (pictured on screen).

Bryan’s win will be the talk of Las Vegas as the celebration continue well into last morning, but Lambert again walks away as the academy’s trophy magnet. She won her fourth straight female vocalist award, joining Reba McEntire and Loretta Lynn as the only singers to win female vocalist of the year four or more times. She also picked up three trophies for her hit song “Over You” - one for single record of the year and two for song of the year.

She was performer of the song and co-wrote it with Shelton, her husband.

“As a songwriter, having your song and your lyrics recognized by your peers is pretty much as good as it gets,” Lambert said. “And I’m so thankful for being in this genre of country music, every single time someone’s nominated, I just cheer, because I love everybody to death. So thank you for accepting me as a songwriter, not just as a singer, because that means the world to me.”

Church won two awards, including album of the year for “Chief,” and was tied with Aldean, Little Big Town and Florida Georgia Line in overall win total. Church’s producer, Jay Joyce, also won twoawards - for album of the year and the off-camera producer of the year. Church called “Chief,” which was nominated two years in a row, a defining album.

“I think my career is going to be pre-’Chief’ and post’Chief,’” Church said. “Album of the year is most special to me.”

Aldean, country’s top-selling male act, also won male vocalist of the year. Little Big Town had wins for vocal group and video of the year. Florida Georgia Line won for new artist and were previous winners in the new vocal duo/group category. And husband and wife Shawna and Keifer Thompson continued their feel-good story as Thompson Square won its second straight vocal duo of the yearaward.

Singer Jason Aldean performs onstage.

(From left) Blake Shelton, Stevie Wonder and Luke Bryan perform.

Reba McEntire speaks onstage.

TUESDAY, APRIL 9, 2013

lifestyle

• • • • • • • • • • •

Entertainer of the year: Luke Bryan Top male vocalist: Jason Aldean Female vocalist: Miranda Lambert Vocal group: Little Big Town Vocal duo: Thompson Square New artist: Florida Georgia Line Album of the year: “Chief,” Eric Church Single record of the year: “Over You,” Miranda Lambert Song of the year: “Over you,” Miranda Lambert, Blake Shelton Video of the year: “Tornado,” Little Big Town Vocal event of the year: “The Only Way I Know,” Eric Church, Luke Bryan and Jason Aldean

(From left) Karen Fairchild, Kimberly Schlapman, Phillip Sweet and Jimi Westbrook, of musical group Little Big Town, perform.

The night was full of colorful performances, but the anticipation of Garth Brooks and George Strait performing together overshadowed almost everything else. The two paid tribute to the late Dick Clark, the executive producer of the show since 1979 who passed away a year ago.

Brooks appeared on stage in flannel shirt and black cowboy hat with a Fu Manchu to perform his hit “The Dance”

Miranda Lambert (right) and Blake Shelton accept the award for song of the year for “Over You”.

before Strait joined him for “The Cowboy Rides Away.”

Reba McEntire introduced the two and paid tribute to Clark, momentarily breaking down as tears appeared in her eyes. “He would slap me if he saw me crying up here,” she said. Shelton kicked the show off with his new single “Boys ‘Round Here,” a hip-hop-flavored ode to redneck swag. He was joined by Luke Bryan, Brad Paisley, Sheryl Crow and Pistol Annies, a trio that includes his wife Miranda Lambert.

Lady Antebellum debuted new song “Downtown” and Charles Kelley finished off the song by rubbing pregnant trio-mate Hillary Scott’s belly. Carrie Underwood stepped out of a black Cadillac parked on stage as she started her song, “Two Black Cadillacs.” Lambert appeared later with a fiery, diamond-studded rendition of her recent hit “Mama’s Broken Heart.”

John Mayer joined Paisley for a guitar summit on “Beat This Summer” and Taylor Swift and Keith Urban joined Tim McGraw on stage for “Highway Don’t Care,” which Urban finished off with a scorching guitar solo. And Stevie Wonder made his first appearance on a country music awards show, joining Hunter Hayes for a performance by two guys who got their start as precocious teens. Hayes kicked off their set with his song “I Want Crazy,” then was joined by Wonder for his hit “Sir Duke.” Wonder returned to finish off the show with “Signed, Sealed, Delivered.”

Asked to explain why he decided to join Hayes on stage, he had a simple answer. “What I can tell you is I have always been a lover of music and country music,” Wonder said. “The amazing thing (is) I recently saw a few days ago a Motown show. And what was amazing to me, comparing this night to that, it was about lifting people up, lifting love up. And so tonight, again, here in this event, it’s about lifting people up, music up, love up. Listen, we could not be here without love.”—AP

Singer Kimberly Perry of The Band Perry performs onstage.

Shania Twain presents the award for entertainer of the year.

Hunter Hayes performs.

Singers Kacey Musgraves (left) and Sheryl Crow speak onstage.

Kelly Clarkson performs .

Singers Sheryl Crow (left) and Blake Shelton perform onstage.

Shawna Thompson (left) and Keifer Thompson, of Thompson Square, pose backstage with the award for vocal duo of the year.

(From left) Singers Charles Kelley, Hillary Scott, and Dave Haywood of Lady Antebellum perform onstage.

No one more surprised than Luke Bryan

by ACM win

TUESDAY, APRIL 9, 2013

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In this file photo released by Lilly Pulitzer, scarves designed by Lilly Pulitzer are shown. — AP photos

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A young model is seen wearing Lilly Pulitzer by Kenmark.

illy Pulitzer, a Palm Beach socialite turned fashion designer whose tropical print dresses became a sensation in the 1960s and later a fashion classic, died Sunday. She was 81.

Her death was confirmed by Gale Schiffman of Quattlebaum Funeral and Cremation Services in West Palm Beach. She did not know Pulitzer’s cause of death. Pulitzer, who married into the famous newspaper family, got her start in fashion by spilling orange juice on her clothes. A rich housewife with time to spare and a husband who owned orange groves, she opened a juice stand in 1959 and asked her seamstress to make dresses in colorful prints that would camouflage fruit stains.

The dresses hung on a pipe behind her juice stand and soon outsold her drinks. The company’s dresses, developed with the help of partner Laura Robbins, a former fashion editor, soon caught on. “Lilly has been a true inspiration to us and we will miss her,” according to a statement on the Lilly Pulitzer brand Facebook page.

Jacqueline Kennedy, who attended boarding school with Pulitzer, even wore one of the sleeveless shifts in a Life magazine photo spread. The signature Lilly palette features tonguein-cheek jungle and floral prints in blues, pinks, light greens, yellow and orange - the colors of a Florida vacation. “I designed collections around whatever struck my fancy ... fruits, vegetables, politics, or peacocks! I entered in with no business sense. It was a total change of life for me, but it made people happy,” Pulitzer told The Associated Press in March 2009.

The line of dresses that bore her name was later expanded to swimsuits, country club attire, children’s clothing, a home collection and a limited selection of menswear. “Style isn’t just about what you wear, it’s about how you live,” Pulitzer said in 2004. “We focus on the best, fun and happy things, and people want that. Being happy never goes out of style,” she said. But changing taste brought trouble. Pulitzer closed her original

In this file photo, Lilly Pulitzer reacts to cheers after the showing of her spring 2003 fashions in New York.

company in the mid-1980s after filing for bankruptcy protection. The label was revived about a decade later after being acquired by Sugartown Worldwide Inc.; Pulitzer was only marginally involved in the new business but continued reviewing new prints from Florida.

“When Lilly started the business back in the ‘60s, she targeted a young customer because she was young,” the company’s president, Jim Bradbeer, told the AP in 2003. “What we have done is target the daughter and granddaughter of that original customer.” Pulitzer retired from day-to-day operations in 1993, although she remained a consultant for the brand.

Sugartown Worldwide was bought by Oxford Industries in 2010. Sales of the Lilly Pulitzer brand were strong in the earnings period that ended Feb. 2. The brand’s revenue increased 26 percent to $29.1 million, according to Oxford Industries’ earnings report. The company said last week it planned to add four to six new stores each year for its Lily Pulitzer brand. Pulitzer was born Lilly McKim on Nov. 10, 1931, to a wealthy family in New York state. In 1952, she married Pete Pulitzer, the grandson of newspaper publisher Joseph Pulitzer, whose bequest to Columbia University established the Pulitzer Prize. They divorced in 1969. Her second husband, Enrique Rousseau, died in 1993.

“I don’t know how to explain what it was like to run my business, the joy of every day,” she told Vanity Fair magazine in 2003.

“I got a kick every time I went into the shipping department. ... I loved seeing (the dresses) going out the door. I loved them selling in the shop. I liked them on the body. Everything. There’s no explaining the fun I had.” Pulitzer, who was known for hosting parties barefoot at her Palm Beach home, also published two guides to entertaining. “That’s what life is all about: Let’s have a party. Let’s have it tonight,” she said. — AP

Designer Lilly Pulitzer smiles during an interview.

A design by Lilly Pulitzer is shown.

This file photo shows a retail clothing store on Newbury Street in Boston.